Monthly Archive: February 2013
BACH: Flute Sonatas – Andrea Oliva, flute/ Angela Hewitt, piano – Hyperion
An album of Bach flute works to treasure.
On The Waterfront, Blu-ray (1954/2013)
A gorgeous reissue of a super-classic of American filmmaking, with ultimate performances from all involved.
Charles “CD” Davis – 24 Hour Blues – Blues House Records
An album of rock-solid blues.
Silke Avenhaus – “Salon Chromatique et Harmonique” = WAGNER: Sonata in A-flat Major for Madame M.W. ; Isoldens Liebestod (arr. Liszt); LISZT: Seven brilliant Variations on a Theme by Rossini; Soirees de Vienne – Caprices After Franz Schubert: Nostalgic Waltz; Li Marinari from Soirees musicales de Rossini; R.W. – Venezia; La lugubre Goldola No. 1; Apres une lecture du Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata; ROSSINI: Une caresse a ma femme; Valse lugubre No. 4 – Silke Avenhaus, piano – BR Klassik
A musical soiree of poignancy and power, embracing Rossini, Liszt, and Wagner in their respective keyboard personae.
VIVIAN FUNG “Dreamscapes” = Violin Concerto; Glimpses; Piano Concerto ‘Dreamscapes’ – Kristin Lee, violin/Conor Hanick, piano/Metropolis Ens. /Andrew Cyr – Naxos
Interesting voice from an unexpected source.
MOZART: Symphony No. 31 in D, “Paris”; Alt. Andante Second Movement to Symphony No. 31; Symphony No. 33 in B-flat; Symphony No. 34 in C – Danish National Chamber Orch./ Adam Fischer – DaCapo
Volume 9 in the wonderful series proves disappointing in the main course, but the others are just fine.
“Brundibar” – Music by Composers in Theresienstadt: KRASA: Suite from Brundibar; ULLMANN: String Quartet No. 3; KLEIN: String Trio; HAAS: String Quartet No. 2 – The Nash Ensemble – Hyperion
The chamber music on this CD demonstrates why four Czech composers who died in Nazi concentration camps deserve to be remembered.
TAN DUN: Symphonic Poem on Three Notes; Orchestral Theatre; Concerto for Orchestra – Hong Kong Philharmonic Orch./ Tan Dun – Naxos
The two big works here are fine indeed and are conducted with panache by the composer himself.
“Russian Soul” = Works of RACHMANINOFF, TCHAIKOVSKY, PROKOVIEV, SHOSTAKOVICH, SCRIABIN, GLAZUNOV, GLIERE, RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Etc. – Yury Revich, violin/ Valentina Babor, p. – Ars Produktion
The program is light but well-chosen, the performances and recording pretty much beyond cavil.
Resident Evil: Retribution, 3D + 2D Blu-ray + Digital Copy (2012)
Not as good a plot as some of the earlier ones in the franchise, but terrific 3D.
Audio News for February 15, 2013
Selected 2013 Grammy Awards; Library of Congress National Recording Preservation Plan
Phil Lee – The Fall & Further Decline Of The Mighty King Of Love – Palookaville Records
Nashville’s resident maverick lets it all hang out!
Astor Piazzolla – Tanguisimo (9 CD set of early tango recordings involving Piazzolla) – Chant du Monde
Astor Piazzolla – Tanguisimo (9 CD set of early tango recordings involving Piazzolla) – Chant du Monde 574 2200 07 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] ***: Piazzolla (who I was lucky enough to hear in person prior to his death in 1992) was the second real icon in Argentine tango music alongside Carlos Gardel. He raised tango to the ranks of classical music without causing it to lose any of its force and character. His shaking-up of tango’s musical codes seemed sacrilege to the older generation, but was a needed revolution to those who wanted modernity. He was a virtuoso performer with a mastery of his instrument—the large-button bandoneon—noted for its unwieldy size and difficult fingering. I was greatly excited to see this compendium of Piazzolla’s recordings from 1945 thru 1961, which was subtitled “The birth of a revolution.” But I found listening to all nine CDs eventually was a bust. Aside from one track of Piazzolla’s lovely “Adios Nonino,” and a few of pseudo jazz on discs 6 & 7, the collection is mostly standard tangos of the time and towards the end some really embarrassing pop numbers recorded in the U.S. when Piazzolla was forced to do arrangements and orchestrations […]
Monsters Inc., Blu-ray 3D 5-Disc Combo Pack (2001/2009/2013)
A wonderful post-production 3D version of Pixar’s acclaimed family animation classic.
Paquito D’Rivera: PanAmericana Suite – Paquito D’Rivera and his Panamericana Orchestra – MCG Jazz
Latin and world rhythms mix in D’Rivera’s jazz/classical suite.
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 – Hilde Güden, sop./ Rosette Anday, mezzo-soprano/ Julius Patzak, tenor/ Alfred Poell, bass/ Vienna Philharmonic and Singakademie/ Wilhelm Furtwängler – Tahra
One of four famous Furtwängler traversals of this work, remastered for SACD.
Michael Kieran Harvey – Collection/ 48 Fugues For Frank – Move Records
Australian piano virtuoso takes on rock icon Frank Zappa.
BRAHMS: String Quartet No. 3 in B-flat Major; SCHOENBERG: Verklaerte Nacht – Isabel Charisius, viola/ Valentin Erben, cello/ Quatour Ysaye – Ysaye Records
Absolutely stunning music-making by Quatour Ysaye in two chamber music staples: the Brahms in classical contours, and the Schoenberg, a veritable symphonic poem for string sextet.
SCHUBERT: Die schöne Müllerin – Mark Padmore, tenor/ Paul Lewis, piano – Harmonia mundi
Two fabulous musicians pushing the beautiful boundaries of Schubert to newer heights.
ANDRÉ GRÉTRY: The Jealous Lover (complete opera) (2010)
Who is Grétry? Read on, and enjoy a wonderful production.
JULIUSZ ZAREBSKI: Quintet for Piano and Strings. WLADYSLAW ZELENSKI: Quartet for Piano and Strings – Szymanowski String Q., Jonathan Plowright, p. – Hyperion
Zarebski plus the even more obscure Zelenski, and with first-rate sonics too.
Joe Gilman – Relativity – Capri Records
Inspired jazz album pays tribute to a brilliant 20th Century artist.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
