Monthly Archive: May 2013
Von Freeman – The Great Divide – Premonition Records – vinyl
Premonition Records has re-released tenor man Von Freeman’s 2003 release, The Great Divide.
“If You Love for Beauty” = ADAMS: Am I in Your light?; CHAUSSON: Poème de l’Amour et de la Mer; HANDEL: E vivo Ancora (Ariodante); Frondi tenere e belle (Xerxes); MAHLER: Rückert Lieder – Sasha Cooke, mezzo/ Colburn Orch./ Yuhuda Gilad – Yarlung Records
A rising star in great repertory with fantastic sound. Need convincing?
GESUALDO: Responsories; Miserere; VICTORIA: Lamentations for Holy Saturday – Tenebrae/ Nigel Short – DGG Archiv
A rather rare and extremely effective comparison of two diverse composers.
![Jan Gunnar Hoff, piano – Living – [TrackList follows] – 2L Pure Audio Blu-ray + SACD](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Living-Blu.jpg)
Jan Gunnar Hoff, piano – Living – [TrackList follows] – 2L Pure Audio Blu-ray + SACD
A solo piano audio-only Blu-ray release from the Norwegian jazz pianist/bandleader.
BACH: The English Suites – Richard Egarr, harpsichord – Harmonia mundi
Consistency abounds, but interpretation is not matched by choice in execution.
Oscar Pettiford – Lost Tapes – Germany 1958/59 – Jazz Haus, SWR MusicJutta Hipp – Lost Tapes – The German Recordings 1952-55 – Jazz Haus, SWR Music
Two fascinating reissues from the new German jazz label.
PHILIP GLASS: Symphony No. 3; Suite fr. “The Hours” – Manitoba Ch. Orch./ Anne Manson/Michael Riesman, piano – Orange Mt. Music
Mostly for those with a complete Philip Glass collection.
IVAN KARABITS: Concertos for Orchestra – No. 1, ‘Musical Gift to Kiev’; No. 2; No. 3, ‘Lamentations’; VALENTIN SILVESTROV: Two Elegies: Elegie; Abschiedsserenade – Bournemouth Sym. Orch. /Kiril Karabits – Naxos
Three colorfully orchestrated and dramatic concertos for orchestra from Ukrainian composer Ivan Karabits provides a familiar, yet exciting symphonic tapestry.
DVORAK: Violin Concerto; BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 1 – Julia Fischer, v./ Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich/ David Zinman – Decca
A lovely pairing of two exquisite concertos for violin and orchestra—but again? Such fine talent could be directed to less frequented repertory.
PENDERECKI: Piano Concerto ‘Resurrection’; Concerto for Flute and Chamber Orchestra – Barry Douglas, p./ Lukasz Dlugosz, flute/ Warsaw Philharmonic Orch./Antoni Wit – Naxos
Piano and flute concertos by the Polish master Krzysztof Penderecki continue his integration of avante-garde and Romantic styles, with dramatic results.
Otis Rush – Right Place, Wrong Time – Bullfrog Records / Pure Pleasure Records (vinyl)
Pure Pleasure Records has re-mastered Right Time, Wrong Place to 180-gram vinyl with sterling results.
Audio News for May 14, 2013
New Mercury Living Presence Reissue Set; Digital Downloads of Music Now Surpass Sales of Physical Discs; Box Claimed to Turn Any TV Into a Smart TV; AudioXperts Expands; Sprint Purchase of Clearwire Wireless Hits a Snag
MOZART: Piano Concerto Nos. 17 in G & 27 in B-flat Major – Angela Hewitt, piano/ Orch. da Camera di Mantova/ Hannu Lintu – Hyperion
A Mozart collaboration of special merit have we here in Hewitt’s rendition of two of Mozart’s supreme exercises in the concerto form.
Pat Metheny Group – We Live Here – Live in Japan (1995/2013)
Excellent re-issue of a 1995 concert in Japan.
THOMAS HAIGH: Six Concertos for Harpsichord – Barbara Harbach, harpsichord – MSR Classics
Not the greatest composer to emerge from the classical era, but he might prove worthy to many listeners.
BACH: The Six Partitas – David Korevaar, p. – MSR Classics (2 CDs)
Outstanding performances by any measure.
T. PATRICK CARRABRÉ: ”War of Angels” = Inuit Games; Symphony No. 1 “The War of Angels”; Symphony No.3; The Dragon’s Tail – Vocalists/ Winnipeg Sym. Orch./Andrey Boreyko & Bramwell Tovey, conductors – Centrediscs
This new music from Canada is interesting but a bit of a mixed bag.
PROKOFIEV: Peter and the Wolf; BRITTEN: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra; DUKAS: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – Ben Kingsley, narr./ London Sym. Orch./ Sir Charles Mackerras – Cala
Cala reissues three classic children’s classics in music, each a veritable gold-mine of orchestral color to beguile the young listener of all ages.
Martyrs for the Faith – American Saxophone Concertos by PAUL CRESTON; DAVID DEBOOR CANFIELD; JOHN CHETHAM; INGOLF DAHL – Kenneth Tse, alto sax/ U. of Iowa Symphony Band/ Richard Mark Heidel – MSR Classics“Saxophone Romance” – Olli-Pekka Tuomisalo, saxophone & his orchestra – Alba (SACD)
Two interesting sax collections, one actually a SACD with a chamber ensemble and the other a CD with a concert band.
Audio News for May 10, 2013
Worries About Coming of Google Glass; World’s Highest-Resolution Master Recording for New Linn Release; Red Introduces Pro 4K Cinema Player; For the Rich and Committed Hi-End Home Theater Movie Fan
Aaron Neville – Warm Your Heart – A & M Records (1991)/ Original Recordings Group – (45rpm double album)
New Orleans singer re-launches solo career on this terrific audiophile vinyl upgrade.
* “Fiddler’s Spring” = HOLST: St. Paul’s Suite Op. 29 No, 2; RAUTAVAARA: The Fiddlers’ Op. 1; LARSSON: Folk Song Night; RANGSTRÖM: ‘Fiddlers’ Spring’; NORDGEN: Pictures of the Rural Past; WEINER: Divertimento No. 1 Op. 20; TOBIAS: Night Pieces – Ostrobothnian Chamber Orch./ Juha Kangas – Alba
************ MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH *************
A collection of performances and superb sonics from Finland.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
