Monthly Archive: December 2011
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, “Choral” – Soloists/ Bruno Kittel Choir/ Berlin State Opera Orch./ Oskar Fried – Pristine
Music for the Season, any season, given Fried’s intensely committed and good-sounding 1928 reading of the Beethoven Ninth, magically restored by Mark Obert-Thorn.
WEILL/BRECHT: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, Blu-ray (2011)
Again—four years later—another Mahagonny production offers the other side of the coin during this time of Christmas cheer.
GERSHWIN: An American in Paris; Novelette in Fourths; Melody No. 17 & Sleepless Night; Rubato; Suite from Porgy and Bess; Second Rhapsody – Dorothy Lewis-Griffith, piano – Etcetera
A gifted pianist immersed in the music of Gershwin makes her own mark in transcribing familiar and less familiar works, including some debuts.
Anatole Fistoulari conducts French Music of POULENC, DEBUSSY, and FAURE – Fabienne Jacquinot, piano/ London Sym. Orch./ Royal Philharmonic Orch. (Aubade, Fantasie)/ Anatole Fistoulari – Opus Kura
The Russian-born conductor of brilliant ballet scores and opera turns his attention to Gallic masterpieces by Debussy and Poulenc, tastefully executed.
Audio News for December 23, 2011
Big TVs Big for Christmas; Chinese Speaker Company Edifier Buys Stax; Microsoft Ditches CES For Its Own Shows; Thiel to Show SmartSubs at CES; CEA Ends Tech Enthusiast Program
JANACEK: Suites – Jenufa and The Excursions of Mr. Broucek – Vesa-Matti Leppanen, v./New Zealand Sym. Orch./Peter Breier – Naxos
Orchestral arrangements of early Janacek operas demonstrate his skill at writing tuneful and dramatic music.
MoMA – 50 Masterworks from the Collection, Blu-ray (2011)
Hi-def images of 50 great modern art paintings and short descriptions of each.
Peggy Lee – The Lost ‘40s & ‘50s Capitol Masters – EMI Music (2)
Early master recordings of a unique singing talent are terrific.
BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 1; GRIEG: Piano Concerto – Clifford Curzon, piano/ Concertgebouw/ Eduard van Beinum/ London Symphony Orch./ Anatole Fistoulari (Grieg) – Pristine
Andrew Rose restores two towering performances by British virtuoso Clifford Curzon, each a testament to his fastidious and flexible musical style.
VERDI: Il Trovatore–highlights – Franco Corelli, tenor/ Gabriella Tucci, soprano/ Chorus and Orch. of the Rome Opera/ Thomas Schippers – EMI
Highlights from the 1964 Rome performance of Il Trovatore with the electrifying Corelli, Tucci, Merrill, and Simianato warrant our purchasing the whole enterprise.
KOSENKO: Piano Music, Vol. 2: The Complete Piano Sonatas = Sonata No. 1; Sonata No. 2; Sonata No. 3 – Natalya Shkoda, piano – Centaur
Some fitfully beautiful music, beautifully played and recorded.
David Oistrach = BRAHMS: Violin Concerto; BACH: Concerto for 2 Violins; CHAUSSON: Poeme – David Oistrach, violin/ Igor Oistrach, violin/ Fritz Rieger, Franz Konwitschny, Kiril Kondrashin conduct – Archipel
Master Russian violinist David Oistrach captured in concert in three diverse works of breadth and melancholy beauty.
Neil Diamond – The Very Best Of Neil Diamond – Columbia /Legacy
If everything that is old becomes new again is a true axiom, then its proof is Neil Diamond.
Josef Krips conducts SCHUBERT = Rosamunde Overture; Symphony No. 6; MOZART: Sym. No. 39; J. STRAUSS II: Acceleration Waltz; Roses from the South – London Symphony Orch./ The New Symphony Orch./ Josef Krips – Dutton
A noted Viennese conductor lavishes his skills on an Austrian program brilliantly executed by two fine British ensembles.
‘SHUFFLE. PLAY. LISTEN’ = Music of HERRMANN, JANACEK, MARTINU, STRAVINSKY, PIAZZOLLA, RADIOHEAD, ARCADE FIRE, COCTEAU TWINS Etc. – Matt Haimovitz, c./Christopher O'Riley, p. – Oxingale
Hands down the most unusual solo cello program I have ever heard.
Fitelberg conducts RIMSKY-KORSAKOV, TCHAIKOVSKY & SZYMANOWSKI – Dutton
An unknown conductor of distinction.
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 – Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/ Sir John Barbirolli – Testament
Sir John Barbirolli and the Berlin Philharmonic make spiritual amends in Coventry with a persuasive Brahms reading reminiscent of the Furtwangler tradition.
The Pridonoff Duo–Virtuosity Squared = LISZT: Concerto Pathetique; KNEHANS: Cascade; GERSHWIN: Fantasy on “Porgy and Bess” – Elisabeth & Eugene Pridonoff, pianos – Ablaze Records
Highly volatile selections for two pianos, brought off with elasticity and explosive élan by the Pridonoff Duo.
ED REED – Born To Be Blue – Blue Shorts
An early promise fulfilled.
Margin Call, Blu-ray (2011)
An intense portrayal of the Wall Street mortgage-security meltdown.
Audio News for December 20, 2011
LG First TV-maker to Use WiDi Wireless System; Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV in Europe; U.S. CE Industry Facing $17 Billion Product Returns This Year; Singapore Consumer Electronics Report
"Jennifer Showalter (clarinet) – European Adventure" = Works of ARNOLD, DEBUSSY, STRAVINSKY, BRAHMS, LOVREGIO – self
An appealing musical travelogue very well performed. An impressive debut for Jennifer Showalter.