Monthly Archive: January 2014
Audio News for January 31, 2014
Panasonic to Shoot Sochi in 4K; Sony’s Investment Credit Downgraded to Junk; Classical Music Improves Children’s Listening Skills; Year’s Busiest Musicians, Conductors, Composers
DIEGO ORTIZ: Recercadas del Tratado de Glosas (Roma 1553) – Jordi Savall, viola da gamba/ Ton Koopman, clavicembalo and organo di legno/ Andrew Lawrence-King, arpa doppia/ Rolf Lislevand, vihuela and guitare/ Paolo Pandolfo, viola da gamba/ Lorenz Duftschmid, violone – Alia Vox Heritage
This is expensive for a rerelease, but fans of Savall will most likely want it for its wonderful new surround sound.
DOWLAND: Lachrimae or Seaven Teares (1604) – Hesperion XX/ Jordi Savall, conductor – Alia Vox Heritage
This worthy reissue belongs in the collection of anyone who loves Dowland.
“Toccata – Finnish Guitar Music” = Works of BERGMAN, HARTIKAINEN, SALOMAKI. VILAGI, ZINOVJEV & KAIPAINEN – Otto Tolonen, guitar – SIBA Records
Interesting program, great playing, cryptic dedication.
VERDI: Messa da Requiem – Leontyne Price, sop./ Giulietta Simionato, mezzo-sop./ Giuseppe Zampieri, tenor/ Nicolai Ghiaurov, bass/ Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Wien/ Berlin Philharmonic/ Herbert von Karajan – Testament
Karajan’s devotion to the Verdi Requiem institutionalized its conscientious performance at the Salzburg Festival, and Testament restores a marvelous 1962 incarnation.
BACH: Cantatas Vol. 17, BWV 186, BWV 168, BWV 134. BWV 54 = La Petite Bande/ Sigiswald Kuijken – Accent
Onward we go—Kuijken’s series continues ablaze, and this, like the others, is recommended.
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 1; MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 12 – Leon Fleisher, p./ Cologne Radio-Sym. Orch./ Andre Cluytens/ Georg Ludwig Jochum (Mozart) – ICA Classics
Two performances from Leon Fleisher’s early years attest to a natural stylist in the music of Mozart and Beethoven.
“DIMITAR NENOV: Piano Music” = Theme and Variations; Fairy Tale and Dance; Miniatures; Dance; Etude No. 1; Etude No. 2; Toccata; Cinema Suite – Viktor Valkov, p. – Grand Piano
Dimitar Nenov seems to have been a composer constantly in transition. For me, the earlier work is more interesting, but pianist Viktor Valkov makes it all worth hearing.
“Sunday Afternoon” = Works for Sax and Piano by POULENC, SINGELEE, GLAVOUNOV, DEBUSSY RAVEL, BRUCH – Christopher Creviston, sop. and alto saxophones/Hannah Creviston, piano – Creviston
A very rewarding program by one of the best classical saxophonists you’re ever likely to hear.
Ikon of Light = TAVENER: A Hymn to the Mother of God; Hymn for the Dormition of the Mother of God; The Lamb; The Tyger; Ikon of Light; Today the Virgin; Eonia – The Sixteen/ Members of Duke Quartet/ Harry Christophers – CORO
A worthy tribute to a fine and important composer.
“Trombone and …: Concert Duets with Voice, Marimba, Horn, Saxophone and Trumpet” = Brad Edwards, trombone/ Tina Milhorn Stallard, sop./ Scott Herring, marimba/ Martha Edwards, horn/ Clifford Leaman, alto sax/ James Ackley, trumpet – MSR Classics
A worthy collection of a trombone paired with a variety of instruments and voices.
MELCHIOR FRANCK: Choral Works – Norddeutscher Kammerchor/ Maria Jürgensen – MDG Scene multichannel SACD (2+2+2)
An excellent sampling of one of the most popular composers of the late Renaissance.
Audio News for January 28, 2014
Library of Congress Acquires Max Roach’s Legacy Collection; Selected 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards
“Credo” = Works of BEETHOVEN, CORIGLIANO & PAART – Helene Grimaud, p./ Swedish Radio Sym. Orch./ Swedish Radio Choir/ Esa-Pekka Salonen – DGG stereo-only Blu-ray
As in a few others in this series, one has to ask what the marketing people were thinking.
“Sempre libera” = Scenes and arias from operas of BELLINI, VERDI, DONITZETTI & PUCCINI – Anna Netrebko, sop./ Mahler Ch. Orch./ Claudio Abbado – DGG stereo-only Blu-ray
This is a terrific album. Why it was released in this format is anyone’s guess.
ALLEGRI: Miserere; Miserere; PALESTRINA: Pope Marcellus Mass; Tu es Petrus; Stabat mater/ Tallis Scholars/ Peter Phillips – Gimell audio-only Blu-ray + CD
An outstanding re-release of an already superior album.
Kaufmann WAGNER = Scenes and arias – Jonas Kaufmann, tenor/Donald Runnicles – Decca stereo audio-only Blu-ray
The world’s leading tenor? Could be.
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5 in c; Symphony No. 7 in A – Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Carlos Kleiber – DGG audio-only Blu-ray
It’s hard to complain about this magnificent reissue, no matter what format it comes in.
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 in d – Vienna Singverein/ Berlin Philharmonic Orch./ Herbert von Karajan (1977) – DGG 479 1083 Pure Audio Blu-ray
A classic recording if not the classic recording. But why stop short of surround sound, when it’s already been offered before?
Rudolf Kempe = HAYDN: Symphony No. 55 in E-flat Major; BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major; MOZART: Symphony No. 39 – Nikita Magaloff, p./ Berlin Philharmonic Orch./ Rudolf Kempe – Testament
A previously unreleased concert by Rudolf Kempe from Salzburg proves eminently instructive and rewarding at every turn.
GRIEG: Olav Trygvason, Op. 50; Landkjenning; Two Choruses and Inci. Music from Sigyrd Jorsalfar; NEUPERT: Resignation – Malmo Chamber Choir/ Lund Student Singers/ Malmo Opera Chorus/ Malmo Sym. Orch./ Malmo Opera Orch./ Bjarte Engeset – Naxos
Conductor Bjarte Engeset generously addends our Grieg recorded legacy with rarely performed scores of dramatic and lyric merit of the first order.
Villazon VERDI = Scenes and arias – Rolando Villazon, tenor/ Orch. Teatro Regio Torino/ Gianadrea Noseda – DGG stereo-only audio Blu-ray
Has Villazon lost anything since his surgery? Hard to tell from this recording.