Monthly Archive: November 2013
A Unique Classical Guitar Collection – Opus 3
A well-designed and well-filled reissue compendium of guitar works in hi-res surround.
Ray Charles – Forever – Concord Records
A fine collection of great Ray Charles hit tracks plus a 20-minute video of performance highlights.
Audio News for November 15, 2013
Hi-Res Audio to be Featured at 2014 International CES; Gary Koh Recording Demo Selections; New Super-High-End Headphones; DISH to Update its Apps
PAUL HINDEMITH: ‘The Complete Piano Concertos’ = Idil Biret, p./Yale Sym. Orch./Toshiyuki Shimada – Naxos (2 CDs)
Very important addition, especially for Hindemith fans.
MARIA NEWMAN: The Art of the Chamber Orchestra, Book 1 = Concertos for cello, viola, brass; Concerto Grosso for String Orch. – Malibu Coast Orch. /Scott Hosfeld – Andrew Shulman, c. /Maria Newman, viola – Montgomery Arts House Masterworks
Maria Newman is a talented composer from one of our centuries most talented musical families.
Stan Getz – Stan Getz Quartet Live at Montreux (1972/2013)
Sha-zam!!! Stan Getz really is Captain Marvel!
ELGAR: The Enigma Variations; Fantasia on Greensleeves; VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: The Wasps – Aristophanic Suite – Kansas City Sym./ Michael Stern – Reference Recordings 45 rpm (2 vinyls)
The latest in 45 rpm vinyl and both a musical and technological winner.
BACH: Mass in b – Hana Blazikova, sop./ Sophie Harmsen, mezzo-sop./ Terry Wey, countertenor/ Eric Stoklassa, tenor/ Tomas Kral & Marian Krejcik, bass/ Collegium Vocale 1704/ Collegium 1704/ Vaclav Luks – Accent (2 CDs)
Bach as he was meant to sound in a performance of admirable quality and visceral excitement.
“Guilty Pleasures” – Rene Fleming, soprano/ Philharmonia Orch./ Sebastian Lang-Lessing – Decca
Another Grammy possibility? Sure sounds that way…
VERDI: Requiem – Anja Harteros, sop./ Elina Garanca, mezzo-sop./ Jonas Haufmann, tenor/ Rene Pape, bass/ Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala/ Daniel Barenboim – Decca (2 CDs)
Barenboim comes close—really close—to giving us the ideal Requiem.
SCHUMANN: Waldszenen, Op. 82; Piano Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22; Gesaenge der Fruehe, Op. 133 – Mitsuko Uchida, p. – Decca
Fiery and poetic Schumann from Mitsulo Uchida, whose flair and sympathy for this composer embraces youthful and last thoughts of this arch-Romantic.
GIL EVANS (Originals & arrangements): Sketches of Spain – Nicholas Payton, trumpet – BMF Records
This latest re-performance of the classic Sketches of Spain has re-thought some of the original.
BRITTEN: String Quartets 1, 2 & 3 – Takacs Quartet—Hyperion
The centenary of Benjamin Britten’s birth is bringing to light the greatness of his string quartets, of which this recording is one of the best
LISZT Piano Works, Vol. 2 = Garrick Ohlsson, piano – Bridge
Ohlsson’s second volume of Liszt – like his first – extends his sense of the composer as monolithic and intimate at once, the sheer fusion of extremes indicative of Liszt’s Romantic ethos.
“HANDEL: Bad Guys” = Countertenor arias – Xavier Sabata – Arparté
We’ll never know what Handel’s castrato soloists actually sounded like, thank goodness, but Xavier Sabata seems to have the full measure of this music’s emotional range.
Mario Lanza: The Toast of Hollywood = A Tenor at the Movies; A Tenor in Love – Mario Lanza, tenor/ Ray Sinatra/ Constantine Callinicos – TCM Masterworks (2 CDs)
The Philadelphia-born vocal superstar receives the blockbuster treatment from TCM, who celebrates Lanza’s mainstream efforts in film song and arias with studio orchestras.
Audio News for November 12, 2013
“Wait and See” Attitude to Purchase of UHD sets; CES Ultra HD Conference; Philips HDR Pair Directed at TV Cord-Cutters; Jazz Pianist Viyay Iyer Gets Attention; Dish Network Closing All Blockbuster Stores
BEETHOVEN: Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II; Symphony No. 2 – Soloists/Chorus/ San Francisco Sym./ Michael Tilson Thomas – SFS Media
The latest in the San Francisco Symphony/MTT Beethoven SACD series.
David Garrett, violin – “Virtuoso” – Decca (2007)/ Warner Bros. Germany/Clear Audio vinyl
An interesting very commercial violinist in a variety of pop/classical arrangements.
HAYDN: Cello Concertos in C Major and D major; JOSEF MYSLIVEČEK: Cello Concerto in C Major – Wendy Warner, c. – Camerata Chicago /Drostan Hall – Cedille
Spirited readings in excellent recorded sound of cello concertos by Haydn and Myslivecek.
Venetian Art 1600: The new instrumental style by G.B. FONTANA AND G.G. BUONAMENTE – Le Concert Brisé/William Dongois – Accent
Early seventeenth century music performed in historically-informed style by a small band of six expert musicians.
ERNST VON DOHNANYI Plays His Own Music for Piano – A Memorial Album – Everest/ Countdown Media
An unusual historical document of Romantic-era pianism in 35mm mag sound.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
