Monthly Archive: February 2012
Audio News for February 21, 2012
Classical News; Wireless Will Redefine Home Audio Market; Sonos vs. Apple in Home Audio
Wes Montgomery – Echoes of Indiana Ave – Resonance Records
A rare find for fans of Wes Montgomery – setting in motion a decade long course…
Manhattan, Blu-ray (1979/2012)
Not an Annie Hall, but this one has lots of Diane Keaton, great music, and gorgeous widescreen black & white cinematography of New York City.
New Year’s Concert 2012 = Music by J. STRAUSS I, J. STRAUSS II, JOSEF STRAUSS, EDUARD STRAUSS, C.M. ZIEHRER, J. HELLMESBERGER II, H. LUMBYE, P. I. TCHAIKOVSKY – Vienna Philharmonic/ Mariss Jansons – Sony (2 CDs)
The high spirits tumble and flow in generous figures this New Year’s Day, memorialized in blazing colors by the Vienna Philharmonic and Mariss.
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson: A Tribute = Arias by HANDEL, PURCELL, BACH – Harmonia mundi (2 CDs)
Harmonia mundi’s offering to the Lieberson legacy.
Bob Brookmeyer – Kansas City Revisited – United Artists/ PurePleasure vinyl
Cool meets Swing in an all-star cast…
ALAN HOVHANESS Works: Armenian Rhapsodies 1-3; Song of the Sea; Sop. Sax Concerto; Exile Sym. – BMOP/sound
Not Hovhaness at his best, but it’s interesting to hear earlier works by this incredibly prolific composer.
LÉO DELIBES: Coppélia (complete ballet), Blu-ray (2011) LERA AUERBACH / JOHN NEUMEIER: The Little Mermaid (complete ballet), Blu-ray (2011)
A Coppélia that will give you something to think about and a Little Mermaid that might leave your head reeling.
POUL RUDERS: ‘Music of Poul Ruders, Vol. 7‘ = Sym. No. 4; Trio Transcendentale; Songs and Rhapsodies – Soloists /Odense Sym. Orch./Robert Minczuk /Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen – Bridge
More in a fascinating series by a brilliant eccentric.
Audio News for February 17, 2012
Cybele Records Launches Hi-Res Downloads; DVDO Uncompressed Wireless HDMI; Google Developing Home Entertainment System; New Vinyl Cleaning Machine
POULENC: Gloria; Organ Concerto; SATIE: Parade & other works – Durufle/ French Nat. Radio/TV Chorus & Orch./ Pretre – Pristine Audio
Andrew Rose restores these brilliant 1961 stereophonic Poulenc staples to their aurally “correct” standards, reviving their ecstatic energies in glowing terms.
MENDELSSOHN: Piano Concerto in a; Double Concerto – Soloists/ Freiburg Baroque Orch. – Harmonia mundi
Hard to believe that a 14-15 year old composer could write music like this.
Stephane Grappelli – Stephane Grappelli With Orch. Plays Jerome Kern – Just A Memory Records
When discussing the most prestigious jazz artists, the usual frame of reference is their instrument, and Grappelli is at the top when it comes to jazz violin.
IGOR STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring; Firebird Suite; Petrushka Suite – Philharmonic-Sym. Orch. of New York/ Stravinsky – Naxos Historical
The composer himself leads his three most familiar ballet scores with a combination of conviction and solid baton technique to capture their imaginative physical power.
MENDELSSOHN: Piano Trio in D minor; Piano Trio in c; Song without Words Op. 53 No. 2 – Trio Argenta – Bridge
From an unknown source, a recording that is about as good as it gets.
Deep Blue Organ Trio – Wonderful! – Origin Records
One of the leading B-3 Trios bearing soulful jazz today.
KREISLER: String Quartet in A Minor; ZIMBALIST: String Quartet in E Minor; YSAYE: Harmonies du soir, Op. 31 – Fine Arts Quartet/ Philharmonic Orch. of Europe/ Otis Kloeber – Naxo
The Fine Arts Quartet (estab. 1946) bring us two world premier recordings by Zimbalist and Ysaye, respectively, along with Fritz Kreisler’s lovely A Minor Quartet.
HAYDN: The Complete Early Divertimenti and Feldparthien = Haydn Sinfonietta Wien/ Huss – BIS (5 CDs)
Outstanding and surprising early Haydn, indispensable.
BARBARA WHITE: Five Elements; Enough Rope; The Wound and the Eye; My barn having burned to the ground, I can now see the moon – soloists – Albany
Subtle contrasts of color and texture are the hallmarks of Barbara White’s chamber music.
IGOR STRAVINSKY: The Rake’s Progress (complete opera), Blu-ray (2011)
Revival of this “off-kilter” production works on all levels!
HAVERGAL BRIAN: Symphonies 6 & 16 – London Philharmonic/ Fredman – ARNOLD COOKE: Sym. No. 3 – London Philharmonic/ Braithwaite – Lyrita
Three symphonies from two twentieth century British composers receive vintage Lyrita performances and sound.
Jeff Hamilton Trio – Red Sparkle – Capri Records
An exemplary disc from a highly disciplined yet communicative trio.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
