Monthly Archive: June 2013
Jack the Giant Slayer, Blu-ray 3D (2013)
A fun version of the classic fairytale, with fantastic 3D and D-Box effects.
HAVERGAL BRIAN: Symphonies Nos. 22, 23, 24; English Suite No. 1 – New Russia State Sym. Orch./ Alexander Walker – Naxos
Three symphonies from the busy English composer who created sprawling works in the style of Mahler, Bruckner and Elgar.
“SCHUBERT Lieder Vol. 7” = Erlkönig – Matthias Goerne, baritone/ Andreas Haefliger, piano – Harmonia mundi
One of the best of this series to date, and a lot of tunes you will recognize immediately.
EDISON DENISOV: Chamber Symphony No. 1; Chamber Symphony No. 2; Au plus haut des cieux; Cinq romances d’Anna Akhmatova – Brigitte Peyré, sop./ Ensemble Orch. Contemporain/ Daniel Kawka – Harmonia mundi
Seminal works by an unjustly neglected and once-honored composer with a strange name.
NICHOLAS VINES: ‘Torrid Nature Scenes’ = The Butcher of Brisbane; Economy of Wax; Torrid Nature Scene – Eliot Gattegno, saxes/Adrienne Pardee & Paula Downes, sopranos/The Lobo, mezzo /Jessi Rosinksi, flute/Derek Mosloff, viola/Franziska Huhn, harp/ Callithumpian Consort/Stephen Drury – Navona Records
This is torrid all right but oddly compelling.
Audio News for June 28, 2013
Tacet to Release Pure Audio Blu-rays; New Group to Drive Awareness of Pure Audio Format; 4K/UHD Interest Causing a Rethinking of OLED Displays; PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360?
Experience Montreux, Blu-ray 3D (2013)
A demo-level 3D production with some great shots but not much jazz.
BACH: Cantatas for Ascension Day = God is gone up with a shout; He that believeth and is baptized; On Christ’s ascent to heaven alone; Praise God in his kingdoms – Lenneke Ruiten, sop./ Meg Bragle, alto; Andrew Tortise, tenor/ Dietrich Henschel, bass/ Monteverdi Choir/ English Baroque Soloists/ John Eliot Gardiner – Soli Deo Gloria
Gardiner’s religious Bach series continues with a flourish, and unbelievable consistency for a sequence that has lasted so long.
“A Romantic Journey of Tuscany” (TrackList follows) – Music of VERDI, PUCCINI, CATALANI, LEONCAVALLO, DONIZETTI, VIVALDI Etc. – TopMusic
A gold CD compilation directed mainly toward audiophiles.
R. STRAUSS: Josephslegende (complete ballet); Love Scene from “Feuersnot;” Festmarsch – Royal Scottish Nat. Orch./ Neeme Järvi – Chandos
The second SACD release of this enjoyable R. Strauss ballet.
STRAVINSKY: ‘Complete Music for Piano & Orchestra’ = Song of the Volga Boatmen; Concerto for piano and wind instruments; Capriccio for piano and orch.; Movements for piano and orch.; Concerto in D; Canon – Steven Osborne, piano/BBC Scottish Sym. Orch./Ilan Volkov – Hyperion
Stellar collection and a couple of surprises.
Things to Come, Blu-ray (1936/2013)
A historic first British big-budget sci-fi feature, but it doesn’t hold up so well anymore.
Music from the Eton Choirbook = WALTER LAMBE: Nesciens Mater for 5 voices; WILLIAM, MONK OF STRATFORD: Magnificat; PLAINCHANT: Nesciens mater, antiphon; RICHARD DAVY: Saint Matthew Passion; JOHN BROWNE: Stabat Mater for 6 voices; HUGH KELLYK: Magnificat for 5 voices; ROBERT WYLKYNSON: Jesus autem transiens / Credo in Deum – Tonus Peregrinus/ Anthony Pitts – Naxos
Quality recordings of the music of the Eton Choirbook are always welcome, and this one fits the bill.
‘Music of Ursula Mamlok, Vol. 4’; Ensemble musicFabrik/Schlagquartett Köln/var. soloists (TrackList follows) – Bridge
Latest edition in an interesting series is still pretty heady stuff.
“In the Spirit of Duke” – Scottish National Jazz Orchestra/ Tommy Smith – SpartacusGERSHWIN-SMITH: Rhapsody in Blue – Brian Kellock, piano/ Scottish National Jazz Orchestra/ Tommy Smith – Spartacus
Two albums from a very active European jazz orchestra.
BARTOK: The Three Piano Concertos – Geza Anda, piano/ Berlin Radio Sym. Orch./ Ferenc Fricsay – DGG/Pristine Audio
Producer/editor Andrew Rose revives an already-brilliant DGG original recording of the Bartok concertos with a new “finish,” and the result (on both CD and hi-res) yields potent Bartok piano concertos for the ages.
FAZIL SAY: Istanbul Symphony; Hezarfen Concerto for Ney and Orch. – Burcu Karadag, ney/ Hakan Gungor, Kanun/ Aykut Koselerli, Turkish percussion/ Borusan Istanbul Orch./ Gurer Aykal, cond./ Orch. of National Theater Mannheim/ Dan Ettinger – Naïve (CD + DVD)
Exotic and in some cases very beautiful music, though the overall impression is not one of great depth.
URI CAINE: Twelve Caprices – Arditti String Q. – Winter & Winter
Interesting music from an eclectic source that could use a little more diversity in harmonic makeup.
MAX BRUCH: Scottish Fantasy; Violin Concerto No. 1; Romance for Violin and Orchestra – Guy Braunstein: violin, Bamberger Sym./ Ion Marin – Tudor
A nice performance marred by a rather lukewarm recording.
The Dann Zinn 4 – Grace’s Song – Self
An underappreciated saxophonist in the limelight.
‘James Ehnes – Britten & Shostakovich’ = BENJAMIN BRITTEN: Violin Concerto; DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH: Violin Concerto No. 1 – James Ehnes, violin/Bournemouth Sym. Orch./ Kirill Karabits – Onyx Classics
Two very introspective concertos given lush treatments.
Audio News for June 25, 2013
New York Philharmonic Digital Archives; Neil Young’s Pono & Meridian Visit; Discovering Fidelity from the Other Side
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
