Monthly Archive: April 2011
Le Cercle Rouge, Blu-ray (1970/2011)
A detailed crime drama, very coolly presented, with an air of doom about the whole thing.
Audio News for April 19, 2011
Demand for Intelligent Sensors in Consumer Electronics & Automotive; Samsung’s Weak First-Quarter Earnings; Audio Expo North America Scheduled for June in NYC; Another Vinyl Shop Opens
JOHN CAGE: ‘108’ ; ‘109’; ’110’ – Soloists/Chance Philharmonic – OgreOgress DVD-A
Predictably bizarre but interesting listening requires patience.
GLAZUNOV: Complete Concertos = Violin, Sax, Horn, Piano, Cello – Pine/Romanovsky/Yang/Russian Nat. Orch. /Jose Serebrier – Warner Classics (2 CDs)
Conductor Serebier continues to showcase his affinity for the music of Glazunov, here with a band of gifted soloists.
Somewhere, Blu-ray (2011)
The film is beautifully photographed, there’s lots of beautiful people in it, but generally Somewhere is nowhere.
DEBUSSY/COLIN MATTHEWS: 24 Preludes for Pian0; Postlude: Monsieur Croche- Hallé Orchestra/Sir Mark Elder – Hallé
These are not note-for-note transcriptions, but efforts to discover the real intent behind each Prelude and to translate that into orchestral music.
Dado Moroni – Live in Beverly Hills, Blu-ray
A winning jazz trio video, now in hi-def Blu-ray.
Scott Hamilton & Rossano Sportiello – Midnight At Nola’s Penthouse – Arbors Jazz
A dynamic duo.
White Material, Blu-ray (2009/2011)
The feeling of threat and general nastiness will remain with you long after the film.
Memorial Tribute to Toscanini = BACH: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2; Passacaglia and Fugue; VIVALDI: Concerto Grosso; ROSSINI: String Symphony No. 3 – Toscanini – Guild
A fascinating tribute to Arturo Toscanini, organized after his death in a limited edition and now a revelation of Maestro’s conscientious working methods.
SCHUBERT: Incidental Music to Rosamunde, D 797 – Serena Malfi, alto/ Schweizer Chamber Chorus/ Musikkollegium Winterthur/ Douglas Boyd – MDG
At last a Rosamunde worthy of an audiophile’s library, with an interpretation and performance to match the fantastic sound.
MENDELSSOHN: Ein Sommernachtstraum – Soloists/ Wiener Singverein/ Tonkunstler Orch./ Kristjan Jarvi – Preiser
Great playing, great performance, but the narration will spoil it for many.
JOHANN LUDWIG BACH: Trauermusik – Soloists/ RIAS Kammerchor/ Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin/ Hans-Christoph Rademann – Harmonia mundi
A fine piece from one of the Bachs on the other side of the fence.
Mordecai Shehori – The Celebrated New York Concerts, Vol. 5 = Works of BEETHOVEN, WEBER, SCHUBERT, CHOPIN, SCHUMANN & LISZT – Mordecai Shehori, piano – Cembal d'amour
Pianist and producer Mordecai Shehori consolidates pieces recorded by him in concert 1976-1984, from both Carnegie Recital Hall and Merkin Concert Hall.
WALTON String Quartets = String Quartet (1919-22); String Quartet in A minor – Doric String Quartet – Chandos
The premiere recording of the original version of Walton’s early string quartet is given a stimulating performance in this well-recorded CD.
“Brésil 1900” = Works of SILVA, REICHERT & CALLADO for piccolo & piano – Skarbo
This entertaining program opens a window on the culture that bred the likes of Villa-Lobos and Camargo Guarnieri.
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band – That’s How We Roll – Telarc
One of the most fun big bands playing and recording today.
Audio News for April 15, 2011
Consumers Ready to Stream; Industry Pioneer Sidney Harman Dies; Audio Gear Makers Increasingly Dancing to Apple’s Tune
BACH: Italian Concerto; BRAHMS: Four Pieces for Piano; A. RUBINSTEIN: Melody in F; PROKOFIEV: Piano Sonata No. 4; D. RUBINSTEIN: Sonatina – David Rubinstein, p. – Musicus
A gifted pianist makes some points, but the cumulative effect remains more “academic” than inspirational.
“Arctic Hysteria” = ALMILA: Wind Quintet II, ‘Arctic Hysteria;’ NORDGREN: The Good Samaritan; Quintet No. 2 for Winds; KOKKONEN: Quintet– The Arktinen Hysteria Wind Quintet – Alba
Piquant modern wind music from an engaging Finnish wind quintet provides a stimulating listening experience.
The O’Farrill Brothers – Giant Peach – Zoho
A new generation follows the path of their forebears with a solid effort.
MOZART: Clarinet Concerto; Concertone K. 190 – Maria Chepurina, flute/ Alexei Utkin, oboe and oboe d'amore/Pyotr Nikiforov, violin/ Tigran Muradyan, cello/ Hermitage Chamber Orch. – Caro Mitis
The ninth installment in Russian virtuoso Alexei Utkin’s attempt to record all of Mozart’s music for oboe in chamber music and concertos.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
