Select a month

Back to The Archives

Monthly Archive: May 2012

“Alte Meister” = Works of MUFFAT, WALTHER, BUXTEHUDE, J.S. BACH, PACHELBEL, STRUNGK & KERIL in arr. by Karl Straube [TrackList follows] – MDG Scene

“Alte Meister” = Works of MUFFAT, WALTHER, BUXTEHUDE, J.S. BACH, PACHELBEL, STRUNGK & KERIL in arr. by Karl Straube [TrackList follows] – MDG Scene

by | May 3, 2012 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

“Alte Meister” = Works of MUFFAT, WALTHER, BUXTEHUDE, J.S. BACH, PACHELBEL, STRUNGK & KERIL in arr. by Karl Straube [TrackList follows] – MDG Scene multichannel (2+2+2) SACD MDG 946 1740-6, [Distr. by E1] 75:35 ****: This organ album is sort of like the Leopold Stokowski arrangements of familiar Bach works for full orchestra. Karl Straube (although he lived until 1950) edited and published in 1904 for Peters the volume titled “Old Masters: An Anthology of German Organ Compositions from the 17th and 18th Centuries”.  His idea was that the earlier organ works of composers such as those included here were being forgotten because the accent was now on the late-Romantic pneumatic action organs with all sorts of different registers plus a crescendo pedal. The ultimate in the more orchestral sound of the pipe organ was of course the French Organ School instruments and works. It was the time of the great symphony orchestras, playing massive works by Wagner, Liszt and others, and the pipe organ needed to keep up. So Straube in effect orchestrated the organ works of the Baroque composers for the more versatile tonal resources of larger pipe organs—such as the one used for these recordings: the 1905 […]

Editorial for May 2012

by | May 1, 2012 | Editorial

If you would like to be one of the two lucky AUDIOPHILE AUDITION readers to receive the 18-CD Claude Debussy 150th Anniversary set from Deutsche Grammophon & Decca Classics you need to register Here using our simple non-intrusive email-protected form. The rich history of Debussy recordings is explored in the set by leading artists: including Pierre Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra, Mitsuko Uchida, Claudio Abbado, Martha Argerich, The Melos Quartet, Ernest Ansermet and many others. The winners will be announced here in June. Here are the six winners of the two audiophile vinyl albums from Lancia Media Factory (of the Ravel String Quartet and Gerry Mulligan’s Little Big Horn) – our April Drawing: David Fayman, Richmond VA; Don Kaplan, San Francisco CA; Mary Lee Walker, Sanford NC; Bill Conde, Richardson TX; Eric Shapiro, Santa Monica CA; Rob Butterworth, Kansas City MO. 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. May 2012 is our 158th issue, […]

Home Page for May 2012

by | May 1, 2012 | Home Page

For our May drawing/giveaway we are awarding two 18-CD-each sets from Deutsche Grammophon & Decca Classics in celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Claude Debussy’s birth. The set highlights all aspects of Debussy’s creative output, featuring complete benchmark catalog albums. The composer’s orchestral, piano, opera, chamber and songs are included, plus a bonus CD of historical recordings. Please register right now to be considered as one of the winners at the end of this month. More details on our May Editorial Page.     See our new Guide to Hi-Res Downloading