Monthly Archive: September 2013
Lucerne Festival – Isaac Stern = TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35; BARTOK: Violin Concerto No. 2, Sz 112 – Isaac Stern, v./ Swiss Festival Orch./ Lorin Maazel (Tchaikovsky)/ Ernest Ansermet – Audite
Previously unreleased performances by Isaac Stern at the Lucerne Festival reveal him as a consummate master of the scores he surveys.
Audio News for September 24, 2013
CEA & Major Labels Now Encourage Hi-Res Music Sales; More Consumers Cutting the Cable Cord
The New Gary Burton Quartet – Guided Tour – Mack Avenue
Gary Burton: 50 years as a jazz artist and still going strong.
Bill Mays Inventions Trio – Life’s a Movie – Chiaroscuro Records
Theme based “chamber jazz“ fascinates….
Phil Woods and The Festival Orchestra – New Celebration – Chiaroscuro
Phil Woods returns for another celebration…
HERBERT DEUTSCH: From Moog to Mac – var. performers – RavelloClara Rockmore, theremin – Music In and On the Air – Nadia Reisenberg, piano/ The Violincello Society/others – Romeo Records
Two interesting CDs on theremins and electronic music in general.
The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon, SD Blu-ray (2013)
Fascinating behind-the-scenes exploration of one of the most important rock albums ever.
GALINA USTVOLSKAYA: Complete Piano Music = Piano Sonatas 1–6; 12 Preludes – Ivan Sokolov, p. – Piano Classics (2 CDs)
Piano works of a Shostakovich student who blazed her own unique musical path.
Joshua Redman – Walking Shadows – Nonesuch
Redman with strings in all the right places…
“Claviatures: Modern Chamber Works” = Works of FLETCHER, SCULLY, TRIBBLE, STOZEL, Others – Navona Records
A nicely put together album with quality variable. But what is good is really good…
NICOLAI: Mass No. 1 in D; Liturgie No. 2; Psalm 13; Pater noster; Ecce enim Deus; Psalm 84 – Carus
A nice change of pace and a different take on a composer we really don’t know that well.
GANDOLFI: “From the Institutes of Groove” = From the Institutes of Groove; Concerto for Bassoon and Orch.; Fantasia for Alto Saxophone and Orch. – Angel Subero, bass trombone/ Richard Svoboda, bassoon/ Kenneth Radnofsky, alto sax/ Boston Modern Orch. Project/ Gil Rose – BMOP
These unique, cutting edge concertos are rather “groovy!”
W.H. Squire, cello = Works of ELGAR, SAINT-AENS, HANDEL, WAGNER, MOZART, POPPER, BACH, ETC. – With Sir Hamilton Harty, cond. – Pristine Audio
“Old school” cello performances by a ’20s cellist often compared to Casals.
Keith Jarrett Trio – Somewhere – ECM
Like a well-oiled luxury jazz vehicle….
“Opera Breve” = Works of FALLA, TCHAIKOVSKY, DONIZETTI, GLUCK, ROSSINI, R. STRAUSS, GERSHWIN, SAINT-SAENS, HUMPERDINCK, RAFF for violin & piano – Quint & Maisky – Avanti Classic
Violin virtuoso Philippe Quint pays tribute to the personalities and teaches who nurtured his fine talent, here accompanied in appreciative ardor by pianist Lily Maisky.
Bottleneck John – All Around Man – Opus 3
Traditional blues tells the story of Bottleneck John.
WEILL: Zaubernacht – Arte Ensemble – cpo
A world premiere of an early work that might surprise you and force an acknowledgment of yet another side of Weill’s many-faceted art.
IVES: Piano Sonata No. 2, “Concord, Mass.”; BARBER: Piano Sonata – Nicholas Zumbro, piano – Kritonos
Fine performances of these two epic American sonatas, but the engineering is less than ideal.
Audio News for September 20, 2013
Disney Research Demonstrates Sound Transmission Thru Touch; Disney Researchers ‘2nd Screen’ Experiences Using Smartphones; New Website Makes Uncommon Classical Music Easier to Obtain
Jeff Lorber Fusion – Hacienda – Heads Up International
Fusion pioneer still grooves!
Lester Young/Boston 1950 – Uptown Records
An expressive and incisive saxophonist near his peak.
“Carnaval” = SCHUMANN: Carnaval & Kinderszenen (adapted by Chris Colettti and Brandon Ridenour) – Canadian Brass – Opening Day
Sunday in the Park with Robert.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
