Monthly Archive: February 2012
Audio News for February 14, 2012
New Jazz Archives Label; Here’s the 2012 Grammy Award Winners
RAVEL: Music for Two Pianos = Rapsodie Espagnole; Intro. and Allegro; Entre cloches; Sheherazade; Frontispice; La Valse – Stephen Coombs & Christopher Scott, pianos – Regis
A superior Ravel disc from 20 years ago.
Elio Villafranca and Arturo Stable – Dos y Mas – Motéma
Two is better than one and in this case two is also more than the sum of its parts.
SHOSTAKOVICH: Cello Concerto No. 1; BRITTEN: Cello Sym. – Johannes Moser, c./ WDR Sinfonieorchester Koeln/ Pietri Inkinen – Hanssler
Youthful cello virtuoso Moser takes on two powerful scores dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich and makes them his own.
HARRY PARTCH: Bitter Music – Bridge Records (3 CDs)
A Depression-era diary from when composer Harry Partch was a hobo; very little music.
Gary Smulyan – Smul’s Paradise – Capri Records
A bari sax/ B-3 quartet recording – what a treat…
Jessica Williams – Freedom Trane – Origin
A spiritual tribute to Trane…
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5 – Toronto Sym. Orch./ Peter Oundjian – TSO Live
The powerhouse reading of the Fourth Symphony is what sells this disc from TSO Live.
DVORAK: Cello Concerto; In Nature’s Realm; The Water Goblin – Zuill Bailey, cello/ Indianapolis Sym. Orch./ Jun Maerkl – Telarc
Recent efforts from Zuill Bailey and the Indianapolis Symphony under Jun Maerkl on behalf of the music of Dvorak bring immediate and lasting satisfactions.
“Music of FRED LERDAHL, Vol. 3” = LERDAHL: String Quartets Nos. 1, 2, & 3 – Daedalus Q. – Bridge
The Daedalus Quartet has really lived with this music, and it shows.
Peter Appleyard and The Jazz Giants – The Lost 1974 Sessions – Linus
This is a gem of a disc that deserves to be heard.
“Delicias: Spanish Delights for Piano Duo” = Works of CHABRIER, GRANADOS, LECUONA, CHAMINADE, TARREGA & Others – Goldsteon & Clemmow – Divine Art
A very, very enjoyable musical tour of Spain (by way of France and Russia).
Spellbound, Blu-ray (1945/2012)
A successful Blu-ray reissue of one of Hitchcock’s most interesting films.
Audio News for February 10, 2012
Interesting Points from CEDIA Expo 2011; Classical News
Cantelli: 29th Appearance with the NBC Symphony = BACH: Sinfonia from Christmas Oratorio; CHERUBINI: Symphony in D Major; R. STRAUSS: Death and Transfiguration – NBC Sym. – Pristine
Guido Cantelli’s 29th appearance with the NBC resonates with a power that bespeaks a total comfort with his ensemble and a dramatic character quite his own.
“Nightbreak” = Piano works of LISZT, BRAHMS, RIHM, GLASS – Bruce Levingston – Sono Luminus Piano Music of GENE GUTCHE – Matthew McCright – Centaur
The contrasts between these two discs may be more obvious than the similarities, but both feature Janus-faced music that calls forth informed, sympathetic performances.
WEINBERG: Symphony No. 17 “Memory” – Vienna Sym./ Vladimir Fedoseyev – Neos
Weinberg (Vainberg) is a Soviet composer in the Shostakovich style, but without the latter’s sarcastic humor.
‘The Eight Sounds’ = Works of BEAMISH, STUCKY & CHEN YI -Rascher Sax Q./Stuttgart Ch. Orch./ Engelen – BIS
Great ensemble sound and exciting new works for sax lovers!
KOECHLIN: Les heures persanes – Ralph van Raat, p. – Naxos
Exoticism and mysticism converge in Charles Kechlin’s rare suite of 1916-1919, performed with intense devotion by Ralph van Raat.
Audio News for February 7, 2012
Digital Cinema in Theaters Grows; Congress Continues to Sell OtA TV Channels for Broadband Use; Consumers Will Adopt OtT Thru Blu-ray Players; The Digital Revolution = Degradation of AV Quality
TELEMANN: 36 Fantasias for harpsichord – Andrea Coen – Brilliant (3 CDs)
Not a classic masterpiece, but an interesting set of keyboard works by the prolific composer.
"Arcadia Lost" = Music of VAUGHAN WILLIAMS and BENJAMIN BRITTEN – Soloists/Sydney Sym. Orch. – Melba
The title refers to the calm before the storm of WWI in England.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
