Monthly Archive: April 2014
Chico Hamilton – The Inquiring Mind [TrackList follows] – Joyous Shout!: Dick Hyman & Ken Peplowski – Live at the Ktano [TrackList follows] – The Victoria Company
The latest from two jazz greats who have been around a good long time.
Chico Hamilton – The Inquiring Mind [TrackList follows] – Joyous Shout!: Dick Hyman & Ken Peplowski – Live at the Ktano [TrackList follows] – The Victoria Company
The latest from two jazz greats who have been around a good long time.
Anatole Fistoulari – Orchestral Suites from Russian Operas = GLINKA: Russlan and Ludmilla Suite; RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Ivan the Terrible Suite; May Night Overture; TCHAIKOVSKY: The Tsarina’s Slippers Suite – London Sym. Orch./ Philharmonia Orch. (Tchaikovsky and May Night) – Guild
Guild restores some rarely-played Russian opera suites led by a totally sympathetic Anatole Fistoulari.
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 4 – Böhm cond., Blu-ray (2014)
A high resolution rendering of this classic recording and performance.
GRÁINNE MULVEY: “Akanos” = Akanos; Shifting Colours; Steel-Grey Splinters; The Gift of Freedom; Soundscape III; Syzygy; The Seafarer– Lithuanian Nat. Sym. Orch./Robertas Ŝervenikas /Joe O’Farrell, flute/Matthew Schellhorn, p./Elizabeth Hilliard, sop./Annette Cleary, cello – Navona
Some pretty complex stuff and is just a little hard to assimilate.
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 7 in E Major, Blu-ray (2014)
An excellent recent multichannel video performance of the Bruckner Seventh.
“Epifania” = JUKKA TIENSSU: Sulci; ERKKI SALMENHAARA: Canzonetta; HELEN TULVE: L’ombre derriere toi; PETERIS VASKS: Epifania; USKO MERILAINEN: Summer Concerto, “Geasseija Niehku” = Ostrobothnian Ch. Orch./ Juha Kangas – Alba
A showcase for four world premiere recordings from the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra.
Audio News for April 25, 2014
2014 CES Saw Record Attendance; LieTech Brans to bring XDream Portable Speakers and External Power Banks to U.S.; Petra Adds Three AV Vendors to Expand HT and Custom-install Areas; HD Radio Coming to More Factory-Installed Cars; Meridian Partnership with Netsertive
MAHLER: Symphony No. 2 in c minor “Resurrection” – Vienna Philharmonic/ Zubin Mehta/ Ilena Cotrubas, sop./ Christa Ludwig, contralto – Decca audio-only Blu-ray
Another spectacular Mahler Second, this time in hi-res stereo on Blu-ray.
Chaplin – Ballet by Mario Schröder, Blu-ray (2014)
An interesting treatment of Chaplin’s life and creations via ballet.
LUIGI NONO: La Lontananza Nostalgica Utopica Futura – Miranda Cuckson, violin/ Christopher Burns, engineer – Urlicht AudioVisual
Well done pivotal piece of modernism.
BRIAN NOYES: Journeys after… = Points of Decision; Shadows of Memory – Moravian Philharmonic Orch./ Petr Vronsky & St. Petersburg State Sym./ Vladimir Lande – Navona
A challenging and dissonant journey into the mind of a unique poet.
Unusual Big Band session from Turkish composer Mehmet Ali Sanlikol – What’s Next? – Vinyl or CD – Dunya
The Turkish influence adds to interest of this big band.
JAMES GRANT: “High Autumn” = Sultry and Eccentric; Waltz for Betz; High Autumn; Sextet for Bass Clarinet and Strings; Just a Thought; Ragamuffins; Chocolates – William Helmers, clarinet/Wayne Wildman, piano/Philomusica Quartet/ Jerry DiMuzio, baritone sax – Potenza Music PM1028, 62:28 ***:
Some fairly nice clarinet works; a little bit of a mixed bag.
Audio News for April 22, 2014
Opera and Symphony Ouches; Blaupunkt Adds Multimedia Head Unit with Navigation; New Record in Recycling; Sony Picks Up Hi-Res Audio Efforts
Animals in Music (TrackList follows) – Various orchestras/conductors – Naxos (2 CDs)
A most ingenious programming ploy, calling on the huge Naxos collection of recordings.
Beecham conducts R. STRAUSS and BLOCH = R. STRAUSS: Don Quixote; BLOCH: Violin Concerto – Alfred Wallenstein, cello/ Rene Pollain, viola/ Mishel Piastro, v./ Philharmonic Sym. of New York/ Joseph Szigeti, v./ London Philharmonic Orch. (Bloch) – Pristine Audio
Sir Thomas Beecham leads two historic performances of music by Strauss and Bloch; the latter he never inscribed formally for posterity.
Il Sorpasso, Blu-ray (1962/2014)
A great Italian road film which provided the impetus for Easy Rider.
Ted Rosenthal Trio – Rhapsody In Gershwin – Playscape
An appealing piano trio CD devoted entirely to the music of Gershwin.
Sophia Agranovich: Passion and Fantasy = BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, “Appassionata”; CHOPIN: Fantasie in F Minor; Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor – Romeo
The poetic temperament proves itself no stranger to Sophia Agranovich, who explores three passionate staples of the Romantic repertory.
SONAR – Static Motion [TrackList follows] – Cuneiform
A quartet which prefers to play with threes.
Orrin Evans’ Captain Black Big Band – Mother’s Touch – Posi-Tone
Orrin Evans – Comin’ on strong….