Monthly Archive: November 2013
Bob DeVos, guitar – Shadow Box – American Showplace Music
Bob DeVos keeps the organ/guitar soul-jazz tradition moving forward.
Natalie Dessay and Michel Legrand – Entre elle et lui – Erato
A heavenly combination of composer, pianist and singer.
Leonard Shure, piano = Works of BRAHMS, BEETHOVEN, CHOPIN, SCHUBERT – with Leonard Bernstein, Izler Solomon & others – Doremi (3 cDs)
“A pianist of the first rank” served as the epithet for many a review of American virtuoso Leonard Shure, and this collection from Doremi confirms his status in the piano pantheon.
Michael Dean, clarinet – “Mysteries” = Works of WILDER, PIAZZOLA, ELLIS, DEBUSSY & Others – Michael Dean, clar. – Clarinet Mike
Very nice performances of works you’ve mostly never heard of.
WAGNER: Die Walküre: Act II – Kirsten Flagstad/ Lotte Lehmann/ Laurtiz Melchior/ Kathryn Meisle/ Friedrich Schorr/ Emanuel List/ San Francisco Opera Orch./ Fritz Reiner – Music&Arts
A stellar assemblage of vocal artists led by Fritz Reiner delivers a thoroughly engaging performance of Act II from Die Walküre, a perfect prize for the composer’s bi-centennial year.
Rarely Performed Piano Works, Vol. 2 = STILL: “Seven Traceries” Suite; BIZET: Menuetto; Farandole; R. STRAUSS: Piano Sonata in B Minor; SPENDIARIAN: 2 Caucasian Sketches – Seta Karakashian, p. – Romeo
Seta Karakashian finds a number of rare and exotic selections in which to beguile us, although some ring with more originality than others.
“Three-Mountain Pass” – Van-Ank Vanessa Vo, dan tranh/ Kronos Quartet – Innova
Traveling through the mind’s ear.
LALO: Violin Concerto in F Major; Cello Concerto in D Minor; Piano Concerto – Yuzuko Horigome, violin/ Viviane Spanoghe, cello/ Philippe Bianconi, p./ Orch. Philharmonique de Nice/ Marco Guidarini – Talent
Three of Edouard Lalo’s concertos receive conscientious treatment (rec. 5-8 September 2011) from ardent and gifted soloists.
AUGOSTINO STEFFANI: Stabat Mater; Beatis vir; Non plus me ligate; Triduanas a Domino; Laudate pueri; Sperate in Deo; Qui diligit Mariam – Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo-sop.)/ Salvatore Vitale (bass)/ Daniel Behle (tenor)/Franco Fagioli (countertenor), Julian Prégardien (tenor)/ Nuria Rial & Yetzabel Arias Fernandez (sop.)/ Swiss Radio Chorus/ I Barocchisti/ Diego Fasolis – Decca
Bartoli’s Part 2 in her Steffani series is every bit as engrossing as the “Mission” album.
BRETT DEAN: The Lost Art of Letter Writing; Testament for Twelve Violas; Vexations and Devotions – Frank Peter Zimmermann, violin/Sydney Sym./Jonathan Nott/BBC Sym. viola section/ Martyn Brabbins/ BBC Sym. and Chorus/Gondwana Voices/ David Robertson – BIS
Very interesting works with an element of message.
Outer Bridge Ensemble – Determined – self
A highly eclectic jazz group, with eight original tracks composed by their members.
Audio News for November 9, 2013
HRS – New Name for Hi-Res Audio?; Smartwatches Are Out Now, But Who Wants One?; Micro-DisplayPort Being Readied; Dish Expanding Wireless Broadband; Sony Pictures and Vudu Add Streaming Extras
Doug Webb – Another Scene – Posi-Tone
Doug Webb, an under-rated jazz tenor stylist….
The Not-So-Classical Chamber Ensemble/ Richard Amoroso – Classical Expressions (1981) – DIR/ HDTT DVD-R (192/24)
An enjoyable but somewhat dated-sounding light classical concert in superb stereo fidelity.
SCRIABIN: Poem of Ecstasy; AMIROV: Azerbaijan Mugam – Houston Sym. Orch./ Leopold Stokowski – Everest/ Countdown Media STRAVINSKY: Ebony Concerto; Symphony in Three Movements – Woody Herman and his Orch. (Ebony); London Sym. Orch./ Sir Eugene Goossens (Sym.) – Everest/ Countdown Media
Two more in the series of new Everest reissues from Germany; the first is from original 35mm film recordings.
“Repast” = CAROLUS HACQUART: Sonata No. 6; BUXTEHUDE: Trio Sonata No. 3; FRANCOIS COUPERIN: l’Apotheose de Corelli; LECLAIR: Trio Sonata in D; RAMEAU: Pieces de Clavecin, Troisieme Concert; JACQUES MOREL: Chaconne & Trio – Repast Baroque Ens.
Spirited Baroque playing at the highest level.
BACH: The Art of Fugue – Les Voix humaines – ATMA Classique
Another attempt at finding the best orchestration for this elusive piece, played with warmth and humanity.
KODALY: Psalmus Hungaricus; BARTOK: Dance Suite – London Philharmonic Orch./ Janos Ferencsik (with the London Phil. Choir & tenor soloist in the Kodaly) – Everest/Countdown Media
Important 1923 works by both composers in excellent reissues from original 35mm film masters.
Ghost Train Orchestra – Book of Rhapsodies – Accurate Records Ghost Train Orchestra – Hothouse Stomp (Music of the 1920s – Chicago and Harlem) – Accurate Records
An amazing combination of jazz/classical experimenters of the ’30s & ’40s, plus some little-known bands of the ’20s in New Orleans and Harlem.
“Machaut Songs from Le Voir Dit” – The Orlando Consort – Hyperion
Machaut sung with authority and incredible beauty.
BRITTEN: War Requiem – Galina Visnevskaya, sop./Peter Pears, tenor/ Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, bar./ Highgate School Choir/ The Bach Choir/ Melos Ensemble/ Simon Preston, organ/ London Sym. Orch. & Chorus/ Benjamin Britten – Decca (Blu-ray+2 CDs)
One of the greatest achievements of classical recording, now in hi-res form with lots of extras.
SIBELIUS: Violin Concerto in D Minor; BEN-HAIM: Three Songs; BARBER: Violin Concerto – Zina Schiff, violin/ MAV Sym. Orch./ Avlana Eisenberg – MSR Classics
Veteran Zina Schiff displays her technical acumen and poetic sensibility; the Barber Concerto stands out in energetic collaboration with conductor Avlana Eisenberg.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
