Monthly Archive: November 2011
DVORAK: Slavonic Dance in C; Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”; Czech Suite; Slavonic Dance in E Minor – Bournemouth Symphony/ Jose Serebrier – Warner Classics
Enthusiasm and sonic loveliness mark conductor Jose Serebrier’s latest traversal of Dvorak, a projected complete cycle of symphonies and symphonic poems.
Sir John Barbirolli conducts Gold and Silver = Opus Kura
Splendid fare in the lighter vein from Sir John Barbirolli and his well-honed Halle Orchestra, in vintage HMV and Pye inscriptions.
Stokowski conducts STRAVINSKY, HINDEMITH, HARTMANN, HANSON, HARRIS, HOVHANESS – Guild (2)
The eternal master of symphonic sounds and balances explores a series of colorful scores, 1943-1956, several world premieres or radio-broadcast debuts, typical of Stokowski.
Pound of Flesh (2011)
May seem like an exploitation flick but a quite interesting watch.
West Side Story – 50th Anniversary Edition, Blu-ray (3 discs) (1961/2011)
The Blu-ray version supports the reputation of West Side Story as the best Hollywood musical ever.
DEBUSSY: Vol. 5 – Pascal Roge & Ami Roge, pianos – Onyx
Pascal Roge and wife Ami Roge traverse some familiar and some new Debussy territory, exquisitely played and recorded.
Audio News for November 25, 2011
Nuforce DAC/Preamp; Samsung Black Friday Deals; Large-screen TVs Big at Costco; Recession Worries Reduced; Electronics Thefts on the Rise; Founders of Sennheiser and Extron Win Awards
“Divergence” – Modern Concerti for Strings – Soloists/ Warsaw Nat. Philharmonic – Navona
An entertaining program of three string concertos by living composers that receives inspiration from past classical music icons.
Dave Douglas & So Percussion – Greenleaf Portable Series Vol.Three: Bad Mango – Greenleaf
Dave Douglas turns his Bad Mango into a fittingly fruitful collaboration.
String Quartets by SHOSTAKOVICH and His Contemporaries = Pacifica String Q. – Cedille
Recordings by the Pacifica Quartet 2010-2011 reveal a deep sympathy for the Soviet music produced by two composers who had suffered “political” censure after 1948.
Eddie Daniels & Roger Kellaway – Live at Library of Congress – IPO
The duo provides some fresh and very enjoyable listening.
Jorge Bolet: His Earliest Recordings – APR (2 CDs)
The legendary Cuban virtuoso Jorge Bolet’s 1952-1953 inscriptions restored, and they reveal a polished artist of colossal technique and intelligent refinement.
ANNA THORVALDSDOTTIR: ‘Rhízōma’ = CAPU Ens., Iceland Sym./ Daniel Bjarnason – Innova
This interesting, complex music requires total concentration at least.
Sultans of String – Move – MCK
Sultans of String may not be easy to categorize, but they do afford a musical journey worth taking.
Beginners – Blu-ray (2011)
A touching and heartfelt story of relationships which is not afraid to veer off the usual Hollywood formulas.
PLATTI: Sonatas for Harpsichord (18) – Filippo Emanuele Ravizza – Concerto (4 CDs)
GIOVANNI BENEDETTO PLATTI: Sonatas for Harpsichord (18) – Filippo Emanuele Ravizza, harpsichord – Concerto Classics Vol. 1 thru 4 – Concerto Classics CD Box 2011 (Vol. 1=1 hr 11:04, Vol. 2=1 hr 15:33, Vol. 3=1 hr 5:51, Vol. 4=1 hr :39) [Distr. by Naxos] ****1/2: Platti was an important part of the 18th century musical world in Europe. He was attached to the court in Würzburg, Germany—working there as a composer, tenor, violinist, harpsichordist, cellist and teacher—and lived until 1763. Some musicologists credit him with being the first composer to use the classical sonata form. Even if he wasn’t, Platti did have a vital role in the transition from the Baroque to the Pre-Classic period. He used daring constructions which often showed the influence of German composers as well as Pergolesi and Marcello. His keyboard works may have been a major reference point for the early keyboard works of both Haydn and Mozart. I had been expecting a tuneful but unfamiliar Italian composer’s work, with many of these four volumes of harpsichord sonatas sounding very similar, but instead was astonished by the originality, rhythmic interest and general liveliness of all of these sonatas. They have a similar sprightliness to Domenico […]
Wynton Marsalis Box Set – Swinging Into the 21st – Sony Legacy (11 CDs)
This is a fine collection of Marsalis’ “middle period” and a great demonstration of his high standards and extremely varied musical settings.
CHARLES IVES: Four Sonatas – Hilary Hahn violin; Valentina Lisitsa – DGG
A sparkling and committed performance of the anti-establishment music of Charles Ives.
Clemens Krauss conducts RICHARD STRAUSS: Also Sprach Zarathustra; Don Juan; Till Eulenspiegel – Vienna Philharmonic / Clemens Krauss – Pristine
Krauss seemed to have a special magic in the scores of Richard Strauss.
JEFF TALMAN: Nature of the Night Sky (2011) – New Domain Records
An astronomical sound installation done in the Bavarian forest—for headphone listening.
Audio News for November 22, 2011
LCD Display Shipments Rise 13%; Classical News; Global Loudspeakers Market to $4.5 Billion by 2017
Keith Jarrett, solo piano – Rio – ECM
May be the best Jarrett solo piano improvisation album since The Köln Concert.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
