Monthly Archive: February 2012
To Kill a Mockingbird, Blu-ray + DVD – 50th Anniversary Edition (1962/2012)
The classic Peck film is now restored as a Blu-ray for the ultimate experience.
ANTON BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 8 – Beethoven Orch. Bonn/ Stefan Blunier – MD&G (2)
A stirring hi-res surround account of one of the great Bruckner symphonies.
GRANADOS: Goyescas & other sel. – Garrick Ohlsson, p. – Hyperion
A program devoted to Granados’ response to Francisco Goya’s art elicits an impressively sympathetic response from Garrick Ohlsson.
GUSTAV HOLST-PETER SYKES: The Planets – Hansjörg Albrecht, pipe organ – Oehms
The transcription for pipe organ is almost like a new work.
U.S. Military Band – Jazz Ambassadors – The Legacy of Mary Lou Williams – Altissimo
Mary Lou Williams’s compositions done with style and verve.
ORFF/ MONTEVERDI: Orpheus; Klage der Ariadne – Soloists/Orpheus Choir/Munich Radio Sym./Ulf Schirmer – CPO
Fine singing and an outstanding SACD recording; this is probably the best way to experience Orff’s take on Monteverdi.
The Art of Vladimir Nielsen = SCHUMANN: Waldszenen; MENDELSSOHN: Four Songs; MEDTNER: Two Fairy Tales; RAVEL: Gaspard de la Nuit – Nielsen, p. – Northern Flowers
The art of Vladimir Nielsen reveals itself to be a formidable purveyor of color and drama, despite limited acoustic resources, 1955-1960.
ARTHUR HONEGGER: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 – Suisse Romande/ Ernest Ansermet – HDTT
Two of the Swiss composer’s greatest symphonies, in excellent hi-res reissue from the original 1968 LP.
‘Muses Nine’ = Works by nine female composers – Becky Billock, p. – Muses Nine
“Women’s music is music.” Here are some very fine examples.
Drive, Blu-ray (2012)
An extremely violent noirish car-centered thriller from a Danish director.
Frida, Blu-ray (2002/2012)
A superb filmic portrait of the tumultuous life of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.
* EDUARD FRANCK: String Quintets Op. 15 & 51 – Audite
************* MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH ************
No relation of Cesar Franck, but an important creator of excellent chamber works heard here in their premiere recordings.
Audio News for February 3, 2012
Sony Names Japanese President/CEO; THX Media Director Products; Theta Digital Upgrades Its Preamp/Surround Processor; Audio Design Associates’ $40,000 Multichannel Preamp-Processor
GEORGE RUSSELL Box Set – Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note – CAM (9 CDs)
One of the wildest avant-garde jazz artists (and pianists) of the last 50 years.
Editorial for February 2012
To be one of the two lucky AUDIOPHILE AUDITION readers to receive The Decca Sound boxed set (50-CDs!), you will only need to register this month using our simple non-intrusive email-secure form. This perfect-for-the-music-historian set features complete performances in stunning sonics by such names as Pavarotti, Fleming, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Joshua Bell, Herbert von Karajan, Riccardo Chailly, Georg Solti, Charles Mackerras, Joan Sutherland, Vladimir Ashkenazy and many others. The winners will be announced early in March on this page. Here are the 12 winners of the Tallis Scholars Sacred Music of the Rennaisance 4-CD box set—our January drawing/giveaway: Lee Aldridge, Albuquerque NM; Robert Gilbert, Norcross GA; Morris Birnbaum, Merion Station PA; Lary Leavitt, Skokie IL; Alan Craig, Grand Junction CO; Bill Kimbel, Phoenix AZ; James Burr, Larchmont NY; Ken Parsons, Ooltewah TN; Kevin Walsh, Westfield NJ; Jim Walton, Columbus GA; George Sakakini, Beaufort SC; Patty Boutin, Rochester NH. Congrats to all! [audaud-hr] EDITORIAL AUDIOPHILE AUDITION began in 1985 as a weekly national radio series hosted by John Sunier, which aired for 13 1/2 years on up to 200 public radio and commercial stations coast to coast. In September 1998 its web site for programming information was expanded to the present Internet publication. February […]
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