Monthly Archive: October 2012
Ormandy conducts American Light Music = HERBERT: Pan American; American Rhapsody; Irish Rhapsody; Naughty Marietta–sel.; The Fortune Teller–sel.; HERSHEY KAY: Cakewalk Ballet Suite – The Philadelphia Orch./Eugene Ormandy – Pristine
Eminent good nature sets this energetic orchestral restoration apart, the 1952 inscriptions from Eugene Ormandy and The Fabulous Philadelphians in full regalia.
RAVEL: Sonatine; Gaspard de la Nuit; Menuet antique; Le Tombeau de Couperin – Paolo Giacometti, same selections on Erard & Steinway pianos – Channel Classics (2 discs)
Fascinating A/B comparison of the same repertory and same pianist, on both old and new grand pianos.
SPOHR: Piano Sonata in A-flat Major; Rondoletto in G Major; ONSLOW: Piano Sonata in C Minor; Six Pieces; Toccata in C Major – Howard Shelley, p. – Hyperion
Howard Shelley explores the infrequent keyboard works of Louis Spohr and Georges Onslow, pieces that lie between the salon and the concert hall.
Audio News for October 12, 2012
Sling Updates Consumer Boxes; Benchmark Launches DAC2; Largest Cash Prize in Classical Competition; SiriusXM Satellite Radio Grows; Atlantic Active Soundbar Delivers 47Hz Without Subwoofer
World Orchestra for Peace at BBC Proms = MAHLER: Symphonies No. 4 & 5 (2011)
It’s always nice to hear this orchestra, but in this case the program and conductor are not really suited to one another.
Ike & Tina Turner – Feel Good – United Artists /Pure Pleasure Records – vinyl
The Grammy-winning Ike & Tina Show in an audiophile reissue of one of their best recordings.
LUDVIG NORMAN: Concert Piece for Piano and Orch.; TURE RANGSTRÖM: Ballad for Piano and Orch.; ADOLF WIKLUND: Concert Piece for Piano and Orch. – Maria Verbaite, p./ NorrlandsOperan Sym. Orch./ B. Tommy Andersson – Sterling
Very entertaining Romantic concert pieces from Sweden—especially the meaty Ballad of Ture Rangström.
GEORGE WALKER: Icarus in Orbit; Piano Concerto; Abu; Dialogus; Da Camera – Rochelle Sennet, p./ Sherban Lupu, v./Brandon Vamso & Dmitri Kouzov, cellos/ Sinfonia da Camera/ Sinfonia Varsovia/ Ian Hobson – Albany
A composer who deserves a much more prominent position in front of the concert-going public.
NIELSEN: Sym. No. 2 “The Four Temperaments”; Sym. No. 3 “Sinfonia Espansiva” – New York Philharmonic/ Alan Gilbert – DaCapo
New recordings of Nielsen’s Second and Third Symphonies bring dramatic and expansive performances, slightly compromised by over-reverberant SACD sound in the Second.
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 11 in g, “The Year 1905” – Toronto Sym. Orch./ Peter Oundjian – TSO Live
Oh do I wish this had been recorded in HD surround sound—it is terrific.
“Russian Composers around 1900” = LYSENKO: Ov. to Taras Bulba; SCRIABIN: Poem of Ecstasy; Reverie; GLAZUNOV: Vales de Concert No. 1; MIASKOVSKY: Symphony No. 21 in F sharp minor – Beethoven Orch. Bonn/ Stefan Blunier – MDG
An interesting program and fine sound, though one of the pieces falls short in performance.
BORODIN: String Sextet No.2 in D minor; GLAZUNOV: String Quintet In A; ARENSKY: String Quartet No.2 in A minor – The Nash Ensemble – Onyx
Highly recommended set of three string quartets/quintets/sextets by Russian composers.
PETER MAXWELL DAVIES: Symphony No. 1; Mavis in Las Vegas – BBC Philharmonic/ Peter Maxwell Davies – Naxos
A retread from the Maxwell Davies series on Collins Classics—and worth hearing.
Bryan Pezzone – Piano Pieces, Blu-ray 3D (2012)
The first full-length 3D album of solo piano performance shot specifically for HD 3D and HD audio, in both stereo and surround.
BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor; MENDELSSOHN: Violin Concerto in E Minor; BEETHOVEN: Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 1; Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 – Philippe Quint, v./ Orquesta Sinfónica de Mineria/ Carlos Miguel Prieto – Avanticlassic (SACD + DVD)
Excellent Bruch and Beethoven in fine SACD sound. For me, the Mendelssohn is not quite in the same league, but it’s a novel approach that will have its adherents.
BUSONI: Ein Lustspiel Overture, Song of the Spirit Dance, Rondo arlecchinesco, Clarinet Concertino, Divertimento for flute and small orch., Tanzwalzer – Soloists/Orch. Sinfonica de Roma/ Francesco La Vecchia – Naxos
Interesting look at a composer whose works are on the rise.
Greg Skaff – 116th & Park – Zoho
With musicians like guitarist Greg Skaff, there is no danger of the organ jazz trio disappearing.
Audio News for October 9, 2012
Pay Crunch for Many U.S. Symphony Orchestras; D+M Sells Off McIntosh; Emotiva Adds Stereo & Surround Preamps
George Cables – My Muse – High Note
To honor his dear Helen…
LISZT: The Works for Cello and Piano = La Lugubre Gondala; 6 Consolations (trans.. Jules de Sweet); Elegie I and Elegie II; Romance oubliee; Valse oubliee, No. 1 (arr. F. Busoni); Die Zelle in Nonnenwerth; Angelus, Priere aux Anges Gardiens (trans. Lothar Windsberger) – Christophe Pantillon, cello/ Marc Pantillon, p. – Cascavelle
The songful character of Franz Liszt emerges in this set of transcriptions for cello and piano, played with sympathetic ardor by the brothers Pantillon.
Paul Simon – Live In New York – Concord Music /Hear Music (2 CDs + DVD)
A no-gimmicks video record of a great Paul Simon concert, and the CDs replicate the DVD.
Van Morrison – Born to Sing: No Plan B – Blue Note
Comfort music for the soul…
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
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