Monthly Archive: August 2012
CHARLES-MARIE WIDOR: Symphony No. 3 for organ & orch.; Symphony VII for organ solo – Christian Schmitt, organ/ Bamberg Sym./ Stefan Solyom – CPO
A pair of important Widor works in hi-res, one with orchestra and the other for solo organ.
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy (1948/2012)
Leonard Maltin calls this one of the “all-time great horror comedies.”
Joan of Arc, Battles and Prisons – Montserrat Figueras, sop./ Louise Moaty, Rene Zosso, Manueal Weber, narrators/ La Capella Reial de Catalunya/ Hesperion XXI/ Jordi Savall – Alia Vox (2 discs)
A fascinating tour through Joan’s life, but a critical portion is not understandable to everyone.
“The Greatest Film Scores of DIMITRI TIOMKIN” – London Symphony Orchestra & London Voices/ Richard Kaufman & soloists – LSO Live
A fine program of score excerpts by the Hollywood composer, in hi-res surround.
Music in the Air (2012)
A well-done survey of the presentation of classical music on TV from its inception to the present, with a strong European slant.
BACH: Concerto in d; Concerto in g; Concerto in a; Sonata in e – Avi Avital, mandolin/ Shalev Ad-El, harpsichord/ Ophira Zakai, theorbo/ Ira Givol, cello/ Potsdam Ch. Academy – DGG
An exceptional mandolin player on his debut album for the Yellow Label.
The Odd Trio – Birth of the Minotaur – Odd Trio Records
What’s the connection between a weird bull in a maze, a science fiction hero and a bottle of whiskey? The Odd Trio.
Darling Companion (2012)
A nice summer movie for boomers, nothing more.
MICHAEL SAHL & ERIC SALZMAN: Civilization and Its Discontents – soloists and ens. – Labor Records
Quite the “happening” thirty years ago but does it translate to modern audiences?
Anat Cohen – Claroscuro – Anzic Records
One of the most amazing and versatile reed players around today.
MOSCHELES: Piano Concerto No. 7 “Pathetique”; Piano Concerto No. 8 “Pastorale”; Piano Sonata in E Major – Sinfonia da Camera/ Ian Hobson, p. and cond. – Zephyr
Ian Hobson further elucidates on the fertile imagination of Ignaz Moscheles and his version of a burgeoning Romanticism.
Ann Peebles – I Can’t Stop the Rain – Hi Records/ PurePleasure vinyl
Ann Peebles’ sultry voice with audiophile quality acoustics…
A Cat in Paris, (2012)
A delightful animated feature from France for all cat lovers, children and adults.
Greg Lewis – Organ Monk – Uwo in the Black
Monk channeled through the Hammond C-3 organ…
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 4; TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 2 – Emil Gilels, p./ Halle Orch./ Sir John Barbirolli (Beethoven)/ London Phil. Orch./ Kirill Kondrashin (Tchaikovsky) – ICA Classics
In two G Major concertos taped in Britain, Soviet keyboard master Gilels once more demonstrates his complete security in the German and Russian stylistic idioms.
Marco Cappelli’s Italian Surf Academy – The American Dream – Mode
From Morricone to “Secret Agent Man”: reverbed electric guitar music with an Italian, experimental tilt.
Erena Terakubo with Legends – New York Attitude – King Records
A new young female Japanese saxist, with Kenny Barron & Ron Carter.
VIVALDI: The Four Seasons (Dresden Version with Winds); GIOVANNI GUIDO: Scherzi Armonici on the Four Seasons – L’Arte dell’Arco/ Federico Guglielmo, solo violin & dir. – CPO
Fattening up the instrumentation of Vivaldi’s classic, plus a shorter similar work by a contemporary of Vivaldi’s.
Brubeck Brothers Quartet – LifeTimes – Blue Forest
The Brubecks do Brubeck.
Goya (2012)
An excellent BBC art documentary on the life of Francisco de Goya.
Julian von Karolyi = TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1; SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto in A Minor; LISZT: Hungarian Fantasy – Julian von Karolyi, p./ Bavarian Radio Orchestra – Doremi
Doremi celebrates the modest but attractive art of Julian von Karolyi, who in thee concerted works reveals a refined taste and lovely tone.
Ranee Lee – Deep Song (A Tribute To Billie Holiday) – Justin Time
An exciting and fascinating reissue release.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
