Monthly Archive: August 2012
Where Do We Go Now? (2011/2012)
One of the best foreign films of the year; artfully mixes comedy and tragedy.
Myra Hess: The Pre-War Trio Recordings = SCHUBERT: Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat Major; BRAHMS: Piano Trio No. 2 – Myra Hess, piano/ Jelly d’Aranyi, violin/ Felix Salmond, cello (Schubert)/ Gaspar Cassado, cello (Brahms) – Pristine Audio
Myra Hess: The Pre-War Trio Recordings = SCHUBERT: Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat Major, D. 898; BRAHMS: Piano Trio No. 2 in C Major, Op. 87 – Myra Hess, piano/ Jelly d’Aranyi, violin/ Felix Salmond, cello (Schubert)/ Gaspar Cassado, cello (Brahms) – Pristine Audio PACM 083, 61:26 [various formats avail. from www.pristineclassical.com] ****: The art of Dame Myra Hess (1890-1965) has moments of resurgence, especially as Opus Kura (OPK 2098) and Pristine Audio have revitalized her 28-30 September 1927 Schubert Trio No. 1 with Jelly d’Aranyi (1893-1966) and Felix Salmond (1888-1952). Hungarian violinist Jelly d’Aranyi inspired composers Bartok, Holst, Vaughan Williams, and Ravel to compose for and work with her, although her tone projects that same thin wiry quality we know from Joseph Szigeti. Despite the excellently quiet restorations by Mark Obert-Thorn, we feel that the microphone placement, favoring d’Aranyi, often subdues the keyboard’s contribution, which proves considerable. The Schubert opening Allegro moderato, however, enjoys a decided propulsion, its motto rhythm (almost a Beethoven impulse) underlying much of the development. The Andante un poco mosso occupies pride of place in this work, incorporating duets alternately for violin and piano and violin and cello. The elegant lyricism of the playing […]
HAVERGAL BRIAN: Symphony No. 4 "Das Siegeslied" (Psalm of Victory); Symphony No. 12 – Adrian Leaper, cond. – Naxos HAVERGAL BRIAN: Symphony No. 11; Symphony No. 15; Concert Overture: For Valour; Comedy Overture: Dr. Merry Heart – Tony Rowe & Leaper, cond. – Naxos
A pair of Brian CDs from Naxos; other labels have been promoting the British composer as well.
KHACHATURIAN: Composer – Conductor – Pianist = Violin Con.; Cello Con.; Masquerade & Gayane suites; Piano Con. (in stereo) – Supraphon Archive (2 CDs)
The great Armenian-Soviet colorist receives a cross-section of his manifold efforts as composer, pianist, conductor and even singer!
HAVERGAL BRIAN: Orchestral Music, Vol. Two – BBC Scottish Sym. Orch./ Garry Walker – Toccata Classics
Brian’s music is brilliantly orchestrated, tonal and excitingly different.
Otmar Binder Trio feat. BJ Cole & Christian Dozzler – Boogie Woogie Turnaround – Jump River
Boogie woogie makes a comeback.
PHILIP GLASS & MICHAEL NYMAN Works for Saxophone Quartet = GLASS: String Quartet No. 3; Sax Quartet; NYMAN: Songs for Tony – sonic.art Sax Quartet – Genuin Classics NYU STEEL Plays PHILIP GLASS – Etudes Nos. 1 – 10 – NYU Steel/Josh Quillen – Orange Mt. Music
Two entirely different instrumentations of Philip Glass works.
Audio News for August 24, 2012
New European Hi-Res Download Service Includes 5.1 Surround; How Consumer Electronics Makers Are Doing; iPhone 5 to be Largest Consumer Electronics Product Upgrade in History; Toshiba Shows Its First Sound Bar Speaker System
Pat Martino – Alone Together (with Bobby Rose) – High Note Records
A different duo album from a dynamic guitarist.
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH: Orango – Prologue; Sym. No. 4 in C minor – LA Philharmonic/LA Master Chorale/soloists/Esa-Pekka Salonen – DGG
Stunning performances offer a glimpse into life under Stalin.
WAGNER: Der Ring des Nibelungen (highlights) – Soloists/State Opera of S. Australia/ Adelaide Sym./ Asher Fisch – Melba (2 discs)
A long time coming, but here is the highlights album from the lauded Adelaide Ring cycle.
![“Monologues & Dialogues” (Works for low flutes) [TrackList follows] – Peter Sheridan – alto, bass, contrabass, subcontrabass & hyperbass flutes/ Lisa Maree Amos – c flute/ Jane Hammond, piano – Move](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/MonologuesDialogues.jpg)
“Monologues & Dialogues” (Works for low flutes) [TrackList follows] – Peter Sheridan – alto, bass, contrabass, subcontrabass & hyperbass flutes/ Lisa Maree Amos – c flute/ Jane Hammond, piano – Move
A unique collection of low, breathy and even creepy flute sounds.
CHRISTOPHER GIBBONS: Motets, anthems, fantasias, and voluntaries = Soloists/ Choir/ Academy of Ancient Music/ Richard Egarr – Harmonia mundi
Who is Christopher Gibbons? Read on and get ready for a wonderful discovery.
CHOPIN: Etudes, Op. 10; Etudes, Op. 25; 3 Small Etudes – Hardy Rittner, p. – MDG
A very well done set of the intimidating Etudes on a piano of Chopin’s time.
“BRUCKNER in Cathedral” – 4 works, incl. arr. of Adagio of Sym. No. 7 – Czech Horn Chorus – Cryston
From one to eight French horns and Wagner tubas in a cathedral environment in works of Bruckner.
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 4 in E-flat Major “Romantic” – Orch. Sinfonica di Milano della RAI/ Lovro von Matacic – Archipel
Croatian Bruckner specialist Matacic whips up his RAI forces into one resplendent, “impolite” vision of this, the most accessible of the Austrian composer’s often knotty scores.
Edward Ratliff – Those Moments Before – Studelmedia John Dankworth and his Orchestra – Movies ‘n’ Me (1974) – Vacalion
An interesting pair of light jazz discs stimulated by movies.
The Jay Lawrence Quartet – Sweet Lime – Jazz Hang Records
A musical confection worth a listen.
Tommaso Starace – Simply "Marvellous!" (Celebrating the Music of Michel Petrucciani) – Emarcy
A faboulously-recorded musical triumph!
Mogens Woeldike Complete Danish Recordings of HAYDN symphonies = The Chamber Orch. of the Danish Broadcasting/ Erling B. Bengtsston, cello – Danacord (2 CDs)
Of all the talented Danish conducting talents after WW II, Mogens Woeldike may well have been the most exportable, and his work in Haydn tells us why.
Audio News for August 21, 2012
Atlantic Records to Release Hi-Res Music; Purchase of Spectrum by Verizon OK’ed; Both SACD Plants Closed, But 17 Vinyl Pressing Plants in U.S. Now
“French Connection” = Works of MILHAUD, BORNE, MUCZINSKI, SWERTS, MAYEYR & DENISOV – H. Arakelyan, sax/ Jang Eun Bae, p. – ARS
A fine program of classical saxophone and piano, with only one work likely to be collections already.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
