Monthly Archive: March 2013
SUK: Symphony in C Minor “Asrael”; BRITTEN: Sinfonia da Requiem – BBC Symphony Orch./ Jiri Belohlavek – Supraphon (2 CDs)
The Prague concert of June 1, 2008 celebrates conductor Belohlavek’s mastery of the two nations in his musical bloodstream, Czechoslovakia and Britain.
Les Misérables, Blu-ray (2012/2013)
A beautiful film but one that left me cold and conflicted.
Tim Green – Songs from This Season – True Melody Music
There is a musical connection between Green and his fellow players.
Miles Tones – Giacomo Gates – Sings The Music Of Miles Davis – Savant Records
This is an engaging concept album, especially if you dig Miles.
MENDELSSOHN: Variations Serieuses; Fantasy in F-sharp Minor; Scherzo a Capriccio in F-sharp Minor; Andante and Rondo Capriccioso; Prelude and Fugue in E Minor; Prelude and Fugue in B Minor; Prelude and Fugue in D Major; Scherzo in B Minor – Anton Kuerti, p. – Doremi
Alternately playful and fiendish, the Mendelssohn renditions proffered by Austrian-Canadian master Anton Kuerti shine in their exuberant vitality, recorded 1970 and 2009.
ANTON RUBINSTEIN: Piano Concertos No. 2 in F Major and No. 4 in D Minor – Alexander Paley, p./ State Sym. Orch. of Russia /Igor Golovchin – Delos
Two of the composer’s most flamboyant piano concertos, with excellent piano sonics.
J.S. BACH: John Passion (Reconstruction of the Passion Liturgy) – Dunedin Consort/ Nicholas Mulroy (Evangelist and tenor)/ Matthew Brook (Jesus and bass)/ Joanne Lunn (sop.)/ Clare Wilkinson (alto)/ Robert Davies (Petrus and Pilatus) U. of Glasgow Chapel Choir/ John Butt (dir., harpsichord, org.) – Linn (2 discs)
This may be a first for Bach’s passion setting in its original format.
“Wagner Idyll” = Isolde’s Liebestode from “Tristan und Isolde,”; Fantasy in F-sharp Minor; Spinnerlied from “The Flying Dutchman,”; Siegfried Idyll – Vestard Shimkus, piano – Ars Produktion LISZT: Funérailles; Études d’exécution transcendante: No. 10. Allegro agitato molto; No. 11. “Harmonies du soir”; 3 Sonetti del Petrarcha; RAVEL: Gaspard de la nuit; SAINT-SAËNS: Danse Macabre – Yevgeny Sudbin, piano – BIS
Two recitals in the grand tradition of the nineteenth-century piano virtuoso.
MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-flat; No. 2 in D; No. 4 in d – Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin and cond./ London Philharmonic Orch. – DGG
An audiophile upgrade for some great concertos? Yes, but…
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 7 “Leningrad” – Mariinsky Orchestra/ Valery Gergiev – Mariinsky
Not the benchmark set by Bernstein, but certainly a benchmark in terms of sound and certain aspects of performance.
MENDELSSOHN: Three Preludes and Fugues; Andante in D Major; Andante in G Minor; Sonata in C Minor No. 2; Andante in F Major; Sonata in B-flat Major No. 4 – Yuval Rabin, organ – MD&G
A lovely old instrument impressively captured in surround sound. The playing is accomplished, but slow tempi make this release less than fully competitive.
RIISAGER: Bricconata; Aquarelle in E; Palavas; Romance in C; Minuet; Sovesang; Violin Sonata No. 2; Two Violin Sonata; Concertino for Five Violins & Piano – Johannes Soe Hanson, violin/ Christina Bjorkoe, p./ Anne Soe Iwan, violin/ Inkeri Vanska, Inger Orbæk Lerch Hoe, Christian Ellegaard, violin – Dacapo
A once quite well-known composer, in pieces he was not so well-known for.
MARTINU: Cinq Pieces Breves (Piano Trio No. 1); Piano Trio No. 2 in D Minor; Bergerettes; Piano Trio No. 3 in C Major “The Great” – Arbor Piano Trio – Naxos
Ever the experimental delver into sound clusters and emotional byways, Martinu provides a fascinating journey through his piano trios, vividly realized by the Arbor Piano Trio.
Audio News for March 22, 2013
Samsung Audio Line for 2013; Amazon and Sam’s Tops in Customer Experience; B&W Expands AirPlay Speaker Selection
Matt Herskowitz, solo piano – Upstairs – Justin TimeJan Lungren, solo piano – The Man in the Fog – Bee Jazz
Matt Herskowitz, solo piano – Upstairs – [TrackList follows] Justin Time JUST 249-2 ****: Jan Lungren, solo piano – The Man in the Fog [TrackList follows] Bee Jazz BEE 049. 49:09 ****: We all know and appreciate by now that it takes some courage to do a solo unaccompanied piano album today, and both of these artists have it down successfully. Record live at a bar & grill in Montreal last year, the Herskowitz CD is another jazz-meets-classical effort, but unlike some, this one works. The pianist has the daring to take items such as Robert Schumann, Bach, the Gershwins and Dave Brubeck, and make them work beautifully in the jazz idiom. The longest track is the over 12-minute “Bella’s Lament,” which is from a musical theater production and has nothing to do with Bartok. It’s one of two originals by Herskowitz. Michel Petrucciani’s “Cantabile” is an unusual and lovely choice. There’s an amazing improvisational trip on “Bach a la Jazz,” which uses the composer’s Prelude in C Minor. Two Gershwin selections round out the CD, which has excellent piano sonics, recorded originally at 96K/24-bit. TrackList: Dziekuje, Waltz in Moscow, Cantabile, Bela’s Lament, Bach a la Jazz, But Not for […]
SEPPO POHJOLA: Symphonies 1 & 2 – Finnish Radio Sym./Sakari Oramo – Alba Records
Two big bracing orchestral works sure to catch your interest!
Continuum, Season One, Blu-ray (2013)
A smart and worthwhile TV series mixing police work and sci-fi.
JEROME MOROSS: Symphony No. 1; The Last Judgement; Variations on a Waltz for Orch. – London Sym. Orch./ JoAnn Falletta – Albany
Film composer Jerome Moross’ venture into classical works prove to be as accessible and melodically proficient as his movie scores.
Audio News for March 19, 2013
THX Sues Apple; Scosche Ships Versatile Vehicle Headend; Retailer Drops Car Audio, Cameras & PCs; Onkyo Builds Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Into AVRs; Integra Award from Azione
A Monster in Paris, Blu-ray 3D (2012/2013)
A heart-warming animated feature for the whole family, in which the monster is not at all monstrous.
“Traveling Sonata” = Works of FAURE, RAVEL, BORNE, SATIE, DYENS Etc. – Viviana Guzmán, flute/ Jérémy Jouve, guitar – Reference Recordings
Some recycled classics plus several new-minted works with fresh new sounds make for an appealingly varied program.
SCHUBERT: Duo Sonata in A Major; Rondo in B Minor, “Rondo brillant”; Fantasy in C Major – Thomas Cotik violin / Tao Lin, p. – Centaur
Not a first choice but worth considering, given the thought and care that went into these live performances.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
