Monthly Archive: February 2013
MENDELSSOHN: Complete Chamber Music for Strings, Vol. 2 = String Quartet in D; in e; in f – Mandelring Q. – Audite
An exceptional release of near perfect complexion.
Holy Motors, Blu-ray (2013)
Although I didn’t like most of it, I’m glad I saw it.
KENNETH KARLSSON = “the view was all in lines” = ROLF WALLIN: Seven Imperatives; SCHOENBERG/ SCHAATHUN/ WALLIN: Zwölf kleine klavierstücke; SCHAATHUN: Transcriptions of an Unknown Symphony; SCHAATHUN: Stravinsky goes Bach and Schaathun goes Frescobaldi; WALLIN: Etude 3; SCHOENBERG: Sechs kleine Klavierstücke – Kenneth Karlsson, p. – 2L
Somebody was thinking in overdrive in the conception of this program.
SIGURD ISLANDSMOEN: Requiem; Kristiansand Symfoniorkester/Det Norkse Solistkor/soloists/ Terje Boye Hansen – 2L Records
Stirring work receives a bit of a revival.
![Jack DeJohnette – Special Edition (2013) [1/15/13, 4-CD set] – ECM 2296-99](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/DeJohnette-SpEditionX.jpg)
Jack DeJohnette – Special Edition (2013) [1/15/13, 4-CD set] – ECM 2296-99
A special edition of Special Edition.
PAUL KLETZKI: Orchestral Variations; Third Sym. “In memoriam” – Bamberger Symphony-Baverian Philharmonic/ Thomas Rösner – Musiques Suisses
Interesting compositions from a talent we only knew as a conductor.
BACH: Toccata in c; SCARLATTI: Two Sonatas; BEETHOVEN: Sonata No. 32; SCHUMANN: Abegg Variations (extracts); Bunte Blätter (extracts); DEBUSSY: Etude pour les sonoritiés opposes; BARTOK: Piano Concerto No. 3 – Clara Haskil, Dinu Lipatti (Bartok), piano/ Sudwestfunk Sym. Orch./ Paul Sacher – Tahra
It’s nice to hear historical recordings being given the Super Audio treatment.
This Is Cinerama, Blu-ray (1952/2012) Windjammer, Blu-ray (1958/2012)
Interesting to see these early ’50s Cinerama films restored so successfully and enjoyably.
MUSSORGSKY: Pictures from an Exhibition; PROKOFIEV: 20 Visions Fugitives; 5 Sarcasms – Steven Osborne, piano – Hyperion
A rather explosive program from British pianist Steven Osborne, who does manage to insinuate a sense of poetry into an otherwise percussively bravura program of two Russians, Mussorgsky and Prokofiev.
Audio News for February 26, 2013
Headphone:X Coming to Mobile Devices; Fox Sues Dish Over Hopper Feature; Petra to Carry Aton Audio Line; Canon Introduces ‘Mixed Reality’ Headset; Audio Startup BassNation Builds Dealer Base
“I Do”: The Wedding Album – Polkastra/ Isabel Bayrakdarian sop./ David Krakauer, clarinet – Ancalagon
Polkastra’s second takes the concept a whole lot further, and well worth the wait.
LARRY HOFFMAN: “Works of Larry Hoffman – Contemporary American Music” = String Quartet #1: The Blues; Blues for Harp, Oboe and Violoncello; Pages of Anna; Blues Suite; Colors – various performers – DBK Works
Well, yes, for fans of the blues.
Rudresh Mahanthappa – Gamak – ACT
Musical evolution which goes from prog-jazz to post bop.
Sviatoslav Richter’s Boston Debut = BEETHOVEN: Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus; Piano Concerto No. 1; BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 2 – Sviatoslav Richter, p./ Boston Sym. Orch,/ Charles Munch – West Hill Radio Archives (2 CDs)
The piano titan Sviatoslav Richter’s 1960 debut in Boston with Charles Munch in music by Beethoven and Brahms has faithful restoration in its entirety by Kit Higginson.
Terri Lyne Carrington – Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue – Concord Jazz
A new sensibility is offered on original Ellington compositions.
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, “Eroica”; Leonore Overture No. 3 in C Major; BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 8 in C Minor – Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Hans Knappertsbusch – IDIS (2 CDs)
Beethoven and Bruckner from the German “personality” Hans Knappertsbusch, whose ideas on matters of tempo and architecture will not appeal to all tastes, in spite of the VPO’s extraordinary discipline.
Schindler’s List, Blu-ray (1993/2013)
Businessman Oskar Schindler saved the lives of over 1100 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories.
Kajanus conducts SIBELIUS, Vol. 3 = Symphony No. 3 in C Major; Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major; Finnish Jaeger March – London Symphony Orch./ Helsinki Philharmonic Orch. (Op. 91)/ Robert Kajanus – Naxos Historical
Mark Obert-Thorn and Naxos complete the three-disc cycle of Sibelius as inscribed by his first great interpreter, Robert Kajanus.
BEETHOVEN: Complete Piano Sonatas Vol. 5 = No. 5 in c, Op. 10/1; No. 10 in G, Op. 14/2; No. 22 in F – Igor Tchetuev, piano – Caro Mitis
The Beethoven Piano Sonata stakes have gotten a lot higher with this series.
Arthur Rubinstein = BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata in C Major; RAVEL: Valses nobles et sentimentales; CHOPIN: Nocturne in D-flat Major; Ballade No. 1; Bonus: Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise brillante – Arthur Rubenstein, p. – ICA Classics
Arthur Rubinstein offers a vividly colorful program from London, his patented heroic sonority in full regalia.
HAVERGAL BRIAN: Symphony No. 1 in D Minor “The Gothic” – BBC National Orch. of Wales and BBC Concert Orch./ Soloists/ David Goode, organ/ choruses/ Martyn Brabbins – Hyperion (2 CDs)
The real “Symphony of a Thousand.”
Ben Sidran – Don’t Cry for No Hipster – with octet – Unlimited Media
A very hip vocalist doing mostly his own tunes.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
