Monthly Archive: January 2015
Steve Strauss – Sea Of Dreams – Stockfisch stereo-only
American country is lively on this German audiophile label.
The Complete Dial Modern Jazz Sessions – Mosaic Records (9 CDs)
An amazing array of top bop stars in the best sonics ever.
“Heavy Sleep” = Works of BACH, ANDRES, KURTAG, SILOTI, REGER – Bruce Levingston, piano – Sono Luminus
Very restful throughout; thought-provoking and moody.
Audio News for January 20, 2015
Sale of Google Glasses Halted; MixRadio Partnership With Harman Kardon Speakers; New Audeze Planar Magnetic Headphones; New Paris Concert Hall; Benefactress of Mariinsky Theatre Dies
DVORAK: String Quartets = String Quartet No. 12 in F Major “American”; String Quartet No. 14 in A flat Major; Tercet in C Major – Zemlinsky Quartet – Praga Digitals
Dvorak well-played and realistically recorded.
![Matt Lavelle and John Pietaro – Harmolodic Monk [TrackList follows] – Unseen Rain](https://i1.wp.com/www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/HarmolodicMonk.jpg?resize=108%2C108&ssl=1)
Matt Lavelle and John Pietaro – Harmolodic Monk [TrackList follows] – Unseen Rain
A new perspective on Monk is persuasive and explorative.
Joshua Bruneau Septet – Bright Idea – CellarLive
An assertive group attuned to the vagaries of hard-bop redux.
The Music of Harl McDONALD, Vol. 2 = Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra; My Country at War – Symphonic Suite; Songs of Conquest; Children’s Symphony; SMITH (trans. McDONALD): Miniature Suite – various – Pristine Audio
Volume 2 of the Harl McDonald survey revives several rarities from a distinctive voice in musical Americana.
WAGNER: Der Ring des Nibelungen (complete) – Leading soloists/Vienna Philharmonic/Solti – Decca Pure Audio Blu-ray (14+ hours!)
What a New Year’s gift! Many believe this the greatest recording ever made. If you can believe it, it’s now in the best sound it has ever had, and on a single disc!
Abelardo Barroso with Orquestra Sensacion – Cha Cha Cha – Puchito Records/ World Circuit Records -mono vinyl
An iconic Cuban ensemble reaches a new generation of music lovers!
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013)
A wonderful and moving tour of Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli.
Chris Walden Big Band – Full On – Origin
This is a steamroller of a band with a refreshing and effortless relationship to the material.
BELLINI: I Puritani, Blu-ray (2014)
A pretty great production, and a good one on Blu-ray, but not the best.
Yehudi Menuhin, violin = Works of TARTINI, FRANCK, BACH, SAINT-SAENS – MeloClassic
The Menuhin recital from 1952 Asconia presents the 36-year-old artist in peak form.
Cantinflas (2014)
A nice bio on the Mexican comic, but some things are left out.
Radhe Radhe – Rites of Holi (2014)
A gorgeous 53-minute film of the East Indian Holi celebration, with original score by Vijay Iyer.
Audio News for January 16, 2015
Hi-Res Audio Has a Ways to Go in Retail; Evolution of the Smart Home; New Partners for LG WebOS TVs; Sharp Goes Beyond 4K with Split Pixels
GLASS: The Complete Piano Etudes – Maki Namekawa, piano – Orange Mt. Music (2 CDs)
A more intimate side of Glass that should appeal to anyone.
BACH: English Suite No. 3 in G Minor; English Suite No. 1 in A Major; English Suite No. 5 in E Minor – Piotr Anderszewski, p. – Warner Classics
Intelligent and fluid virtuosity marks this installment of Anderszewski’s survey of the Bach English Suites.
The Piano Guys – Wonders – Portrait/Sony Masterworks
Internet band may have released their finest album.
WAGNER: Overture to Tannhauser; SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 2 – BSO/ Andris Nelsons – BSO Classics
Vibrant Wagner and Sibelius from the new conductor of the Boston Symphony, Andris Nelsons.
Carol Saboya /Antonio Adolfo /Hendrik Meurkens – Copa Village – AAM Music
For those that may have been dismayed at the perceived demise of the bossa nova, listen up.