Monthly Archive: September 2012
Carl Bartlett, Jr. Quartet/Quintet – Hopeful – self
Carl Bartlett, Jr.’s CD makes jazz lovers realize we are in good hands.
Keith Jarrett – Sleeper (1979/2012) – ECM (2 CDs)
Never-before-heard Jarrett is a must-hear.
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 “Choral” – Dame Joan Sutherland, sop./ Marilyn Horne, mezzo-soprano/ James King, tenor/ Martti Talvela, bass/Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Vienna State Opera Chorus/ Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt – HDTT
Transferred from a London 4-track commercial tape, the HDTT remastering of the 1965 Beethoven Ninth from Vienna evinces heroic power in every movement.
Leonard Shure in Concert at Jordan Hall = CHOPIN: Piano Sonata No. 2; Ballade No. 1; Prelude No. 23 in F Major; Prelude No. 24 in D Minor; BRAHMS: Phantasien; SCHUMANN: Fantasie in C Major – Leonard Shure, piano – Bridge
An assemblage of performances culled from Jordan Hall of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, 1977-1980.
WAGNER: Tristan und Isolde – Act 2 – Kirsten Flagstad, sop./ Eyvind Laholm, tenor/ Enid Szantho, sop./ John Gurney, bass-baritone/ Daniel Harris, bar./ New York Philharmonic/ John Barbirolli – Archipel
Were it not for the antique sonics, the performance with Flagstad and Laholm from 1939 would shatter the most modern equipment.
MAHLER: Symphony No. 1 in D Major – Baltimore Sym. Orch./ Marin Alsop – Naxos
A strong reading of the Mahler First Symphony from Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony should convince us of her sympathy for this ambitious composer.
Produced by George Martin, Blu-ray (2012)
A fine bio-documentary on Britain’s top record producer, and accurate since he both directed and produced it.
Bob Dylan And The Band – Down In The Flood (2012)
This is a perceptive glimpse into an unusual musical collaboration.
"EndBeginning" = ANTOINE BRUMEL: Missa pro defunctis; Plainsong: Libera me, Domine; THOMAS CRECQUILLON: Lamentationes Jeremiae; JACOBUS CLEMENS NON PAPA: Tristitia obsedit me-Infelix ego; JOSQUIN DESPREZ: Absalom fili mi; Plainsong: In Paradisum; JACKSON HILL: Ma fin est mon commencement – New York Polyphony – BIS
A rather dark program, but one of splendid conviction and excellent music.
“Exotic Dances from the Opera” – Minnesota Orchestra/ Eiji Oue – Reference Recordings (vinyl)
A 200 gram audiophile vinyl reissue of a 1996 original analog recording.
Daniel McBrearty — Clarinet Swing – Dan McB Music
A “chamber jazz” sound with some great swing music based around the clarinet.
MESSIAEN: Turangulila-Symphonie – Steven Osborne, p./ Cynthia Millar, ondes martenot/ Bergen Philharmonic Orch./ Juanjo Mena – Hyperion
If you don’t know this work you are missing something vitally important, and this is a great place to start.
Audio News for September 21, 2012
Universal’s Donation to Library of Congress, cont.; Controversies on Appropriate Compensation for Copyright Infringement; Chinese Mobile Market; Increase in Home Recording Studios
Toots Thielemans – 90 Yrs. – Toots Thielemans and his European Quartet – Challenge (CD+DVD) Toots Thielemans – The Live Takes Vol. 1 – In+Out Records
Two CDs plus a DVD of the unique jazz harmonica of Toots Thielemans in live performances.
XpanD x104 Universal 3D Shutter Glasses
The first totally compatible (all shutter-system 3D brands) and IR or Bluetooth-capable 3D glasses.
BACH: 6 Partitas – Hansjörg Albrecht, organ – Oehms Classics
Exploding colors and swirling sonics that would make Stokowski smile.
Shun Mook Audio Mpingo Discs
A controversial tweak that’s been around for some time now.
BEETHOVEN: Complete Works for Cello and Piano = Pierre Fournier, cello/ Friedrich Gulda, piano – Regis (2 CDs)
Gallic elegance and Viennese facility combine in the persons of Pierre Fournier and Friedrich Gulda to deliver a consistently satisfying traversal of the Beethoven cello sonata oeuvre.
‘Enter Denter’ = KRISTJAN RANDALU: After the Beginning of the End, Enter Denter – Kristjan Randalu, piano/Tallinn Ch. Orch. – Estonian Record Productions
Not quite jazz, not quite classical but pretty entertaining.
Ali – The Man, The Moves, The Mouth (2012)
Somehow, the legend of Muhammad Ali never gets old.
Quiet Winter Night – Hoff Ensemble – (An acoustic jazz project) – 2L audio-only Blu-ray
A gorgeously-played and recorded program hampered by lack of English translations.
BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 9 “Kreutzer”; BARTOK: Rhapsody No. 1; Violin Sonata No. 2; DEBUSSY: Violin Sonata in G Minor – Joseph Szigeti, violin/ Bela Bartok, p. – Pristine Audio
A brilliant moment of musical history from 1940 returns to us in sonic glory, with Szigeti and Bartok at the height of their respective powers.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
