Monthly Archive: July 2013
MARTIN BOYKAN, ‘Orchestral Works’ = Concerto for Violin and Orch.; Symphony for Orch. – Curtis Macomber, violin/Sanford Sylvan, bar. /Boston Modern Orch. Project/Gil Rose – BMOP Sound
Another fascinating addition from the hyper-adventurous BMOP.
DAVID FELDER: “Inner Sky” = various works – Soloists & Slee Sinfonietta – Albany (CD + Blu-ray)
A challenging yet rewarding listening experience.
BERG: Drei Orchesterstücke; SCHÖNBERG: Pelleas un Melisande – Dortmund Philharmonic Orch./Jac van Steen – MD&G
Two essential early works from the masters of the Vienna School.
Prometheus, Blu-ray 3D 4-disc Collector’s Edition (2012)
Less good than Avatar, but still a great 3D sci-fi experience, if overpriced.
TCHAIKOVSKY: Rare Transcriptions and Paraphrases, Vol. 2 = PABST: Concert Paraphrase on The Sleeping Beauty; SILOTI: The Sleeping Beauty, Act III; GRAINGER: Paraphrase on Waltz of the Flowers; KASHKIN: Swan Lake: Pas de trios – Anthony Goldstone, p. – Divine Art
In Volume 2 of his series of Tchaikovsky transcriptions, Anthony Goldstone brings a consummate keyboard mastery to the fore, performing balletic arrangements by Tchaikovsky acolytes.
“Variations on America” = ROSSINI: Wm. Tell Overture; DUDLEY BUCK: The Star-spangled Banner Concert Variations; HORATIO PARKER: Revery; IVES: Variations on America; WAGNER: Magic Fire Music; GERSHWIN: Rhapsody in Blue (arr. Rudolf Innig) – MD&G Gold
Ever heard Rhapsody in Blue on a pipe organ? Here‘s your chance!
Midnight Oil – Essential Oils – Columbia/Legacy (2 CDs)
The first genuinely comprehensive collection from the Down Under alternative rockers.
“Delights & Dances” = ABELS: Delights and Dances for String Quartet and Orch.; LEES: Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra; AN-LUN: “Saibei Dance” from Saibei Suite No. 2; BERNSTEIN: West Side Story Concerto for String Quartet & Orch. – Harlem Quartet /Chicago Sinfonietta/ Mei-Ann Chen – Cedille
An album of contemporary concertos for string quartet and orchestra chosen to quicken the pulse, challenge the intellect and please the ears.
PAUL BEN-HAIM: ‘Chamber Works’ = Piano Quartet; Two Landscapes for viola and piano; Canzonetta; Improvisation and Dance for violin and piano; Quintet for clarinet and string quartet – ARC Ens. – Chandos
This important new series is off to a great start with this composer you should know.
WAGNER: Opera Excerpts = Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg – Prelude; Siegfried Idyll; Dawn and Siegfried’s Rhine Journey from Götterdämmerung; Siegfried’s Funeral March; Götterdämmerung Immolation scene — Petra Long, sop./Budapest Festival Orch. /Ivan Fischer – Channel Classics
Well-performed and well-recorded excerpts of Wagner.
Fredric Lamond, piano = Program of BEETHOVEN, LISZT, CHOPIN & interviews – Marston Records
Producer Ward Marston allows us a rare journey into a precious, rich musical past as Scottish virtuoso Fredric Lamond performs Beethoven and plays and speaks of Franz Liszt with rare authority.
The Curtis Harrington Short Film Collection, Blu-ray (1942-2002/2013)
Short films from a little-known filmmaker; for those into historic and obscure art films.
GIOVANNI SGAMBATI: Cola di Rienzo – Overture; Symphony No.1 in D Major – Orch. Sinfonica di Roma/ Francesco La Vecchia – Naxos
Worth hearing if you are interested in slightly out-of-the-way late Romantic or post-Romantic music.
Audio News for July 9, 2013
Host of NPR’s Annoying Music Show Dies; Leaders in the Punk Classical Niche; Music Education Helps Kids to Read and Study; Glastonbury Festival in the UK; Music Helping Dementia Patients Improve Memory
Musical Arts Woodwind Quintet – “American Breeze” = STEVEN STUCKY: Serenade for Wind Quintet; JENNI BRANDON: Five Frogs; BRUCE ADOLPHE: Night Journey; AMY BEACH: Pastorale; JENNIFER HIGDON: Autumn Music; DAVID MASLANKA: Quintet No. 4 – Albany
Excellent ensemble delivers some captivating American quintets!
Orion Weiss = BACH: French Overture in b, BWV 831; SCRIABIN: Piano Sonata No. 5 in F-sharp, Op. 53; MOZART: Variations on “Salve tu, Domine” by Paisiello, K. 398; ELLIOTT CARTER: Piano Sonata – Orion Weiss, piano – Yarlung
A winner on all fronts, this debut disc displays the talents of Weiss with admirable breadth.
“Smoke & Mirrors” = REICH: Nagoya Marimbas; Music for Pieces of Wood; HARRISON: Canticle No. 3; WHITACRE: Sleep; TYWONIUK: Happenstance; TAKEMITSU: Rain Tree; RAVEL-TYWONIUK: Sonatine – Smoke & Mirrors Percussion Ens. – Yarlung
A most worthwhile and listenable program of percussion works.
MOHAMMED FAIROUZ: Sumeida’s Song (Complete opera) – Jo Ellen Miller/ Rachel Calloway/ Robert Mack/ Mischa Bouvier/ The Mimesis Ens./ Scott Dunn – Bridge
An important and complex work of art that nonetheless sounds as if it is still searching for completeness.
MOZART: Symphonies Vol. 2 = No. 6 in F; No. 7 in D; No. 8 in D; No. 7a in G, KV 45a; No. 55 in B-flat, KV 45b – Danish Nat. Ch. Orch./ Adam Fischer – DaCapo
The earliest of the symphonies so far, and they are a delight.
STRAVINSKY: Rite Of Spring – “Keeping Score” series, Blu-ray (2013)
The latest in the San Francisco Symphony’s “Keeping Score” series is another well done and beautifully-shot concert video.
“Percussion in Hi-Fi Vol. II” – Dick Schory’s Percussion Pops Orchestra – HDTT DVD-R (192/24)
A terrific hi-res audio percussion demo encompassing two RCA open reel tapes of the past.
Feuermann = BEETHOVEN: Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major; SCHUBERT: Arpeggione Sonata in A Minor; BRAHMS: Cello Sonata No. 1 in E Minor; REGER: Suite for Unaccompanied Cello in G Major – Emanuel Feuermann, c./ Myra Hess, p. (Beethoven)/ Gerald Moore, p. (Schubert) – Pristine Audio
Pristine and Mark Obert-Thorn assemble a broad chamber music program by the inimitable master cellist Emanuel Feuermann, whose premature death Toscanini called “murder.”
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
