Monthly Archive: February 2015
The Book of Life, Blu-ray (2015)
A most unusual family film, a Golden Globe nomination for best Animated Feature Film.
![LACY – Steve Lacy: Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Octet – Steve Lacy, soprano sax; Misha Mengelberg, piano; Kent Carter, bass; Irène Aebi, vocals; Oliver Johnson, drums, et al. – Black Saint/Soul Note Records [Disc List follows] – 10-CD set](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/steve-lacy-set.jpg)
LACY – Steve Lacy: Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Octet – Steve Lacy, soprano sax; Misha Mengelberg, piano; Kent Carter, bass; Irène Aebi, vocals; Oliver Johnson, drums, et al. – Black Saint/Soul Note Records [Disc List follows] – 10-CD set
Before buying this set, you should know: it comes with one caveat.
PETER LIEBERSON: Piano Concerto No. 3; Viola Con. – Steven Beck, p./Roberto Diaz, viola/Odense Sym. Orch./Scott Yoo – Bridge
Interesting music from an important series.
Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quartet – Intents and Purposes – Enja
A different and organic approach to jazz fusion.
![Albert Spalding plays BEETHOVEN = Romances, Violin Sonatas [TrackList follows] – Pristine Audio](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/SpaldingX.jpg)
Albert Spalding plays BEETHOVEN = Romances, Violin Sonatas [TrackList follows] – Pristine Audio
American violin virtuoso Albert Spalding receives a major tribute in these restorations of Beethoven repertory from Mark Obert-Thorn.
“Magnificat & Concerti” = VIVALDI: Concerti; Magnificat; BACH: Concerto; Magnificat – Jordi Savall cond. – Alia Vox (SACD & PAL DVD)
Fine singing and performances from a reliable source—I just wish the video would work.
Great American Songs – Through The Years – Jeff Hamilton Trio – Capri
A sophisticated and melodic trio recording.
HANDEL: Messiah – Soloists/ Le Concert D’Astree/ Emmanuelle Haim – Erato (2 discs)
Less than I had hoped for, but more than run-of-the-mill, with some glorious moments.
Audio News for February 6, 2015
Now Neil Young Attacks Vinyl Too; High-Fidelity Bluetooth Headphones and Speakers on the Way; Classical Music News; RadioShack Bankruptcy
BACH: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Preludes & Fugues, 1-12, BWV 846-857 – Mordecai Shehori, p. – Cembal d’amour
Mordecai Shehori finds a new and vocally inspired Bach in the WTC as edited and amended by Chopin, a true fusion of kindred spirits.
LISZT: Apres une lecture de Dante – Fantasia quasi Sonata; 3 Petrarch Sonnets; Mephisto-Waltz; Totentanz – Carlo Grante, piano – Music & Arts
Carlo Grante makes the “literary Liszt” an essential component of any collector’s library of spectacular pianism.
BRAHMS: “Mass & Motets” = Missa canonica; motets; Fest und… – Swedish Radio Choir/Dijkstra – Channel ClassicsBRAHMS: “Choral Works” = 8 total – Soloists/ Cappella Amsterdam/ Reuss – Harmonia mundi CD
Two superb examples of Brahms’s choral expertise.
BRAHMS: “Mass & Motets” = Missa canonica; motets; Fest und… – Swedish Radio Choir/Dijkstra – Channel ClassicsBRAHMS: “Choral Works” = 8 total – Soloists/ Cappella Amsterdam/ Reuss – Harmonia mundi CD
Two superb examples of Brahms’s choral expertise.
Audio News For February 3, 2015
Clarinettist Martin Fröst’s Musical Tastes; Classical Recordings’ Leading Talent Scout; Wireless Connectivity Technologies in Home Audio: 2015 Report Available; TFJ News & Media Recommends Five Top 5.1 System Speakers
Milos, guitar – Blackbird – The Beatles Album – Mercury / Universal
Milos, guitar – Blackbird – The Beatles Album – Mercury /Universal Classics B0024425-02 [1/25/16], 42:19 ****1/2: Classical guitarist delivers Beatles classics with style. (Milos Karadaglic – guitar; Chriss Hill – bass; Christopher Austin – string arrangements, with guest vocalists Gregory Porter – vocal; Tori Amos – vocal, Steven Isserlis – cello; Anoushsa Shankar – sitar) Certainly there has been a plethora of classically-interpreted Beatles music (their producer George Martin established a career in this milieu). Other rock and pop stars courted classical musicians for involvement in creating pop classical music. The Beatles never had to coerce anyone to cover their music. Orchestras, philharmonics, ukulele players or singers were anxious to do Beatle music. The latest classical artist to take a shot at Beatles music is Milos Karadaglic. Milos, who has released highly-regarded classical music, decided to head in a new direction, and that tangent resulted in Milos – Blackbird – The Beatles Album. As a younger man, the gifted thirty-two year old guitarist tried to get some of his demos to Paul McCartney (to no avail). So he released a tribute to the iconic band. There are covers of familiar material, but with consummate instrumental passion. His choice of material […]
“Allure” – Music of LECUONA, RAVEL, BARBER & RACHMANINOFF – Kayla Wong, piano
Pianist Kayla Wong packs elemental firepower, but the constant brandishing of the hammers in keyboard repertory chastises the poetry.
Editorial for February 2015
This month we are awarding a single huge package of 51 CDs – the recorded legacy of the great pianist Sviatoslav Richter. It will go to one of our readers who registers this month using our simple form. A wide range of Richter’s huge repertory is covered, spanning nearly forty years of music-making (1956-1992), so the majority of the discs are stereo. He died in 1997, and this set of his enormous recorded legacy honors the 100th anniversary of his birth. There are three categories: Solo, Chamber, and Concerto recordings, plus his acclaimed Sofia Recital. Hundreds of treasures are to be found in this stylish set. The lucky winner will be listed below early in March. And here are the six lucky winners of the two-CD set of jazz albums – our January drawing – Such Sweet Thunder & Lonely City: Brent Adler, Bexley OH; Ed Cameron, Buffalo Mills PA; Bruce Scheiner, Levittown NY; Joe Spatafora, St. Petersburg FL; Susan Alles, Bernalillo NY; John Walker, Dallas TX. EDITORIAL AUDIOPHILE AUDITION began as a local program in San Francisco and then in 1985 as a weekly national radio series hosted by John Sunier, and aired for 13½ years on up to 200 […]
Home Page for February 1, 2015
For February 2015 we have one of the largest disc sets we have ever awarded a reader – the 51-CD collection of the complete Decca, Philips & DGG recordings made by phenomenal Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter. He is widely regarded as perhaps the greatest pianist of the 20th century, and is known for his virtuoso technique, huge repertory and the depth of his interpretations. His collaborations with Rostropovich, Karajan and Benjamin Britten are included, plus a booklet with rare photos and an essay by Jed Distler. Here are listings of all 51 CDs. To be considered, just register using our simple form on the site. More details on our Editorial Page, plus the names of the winners of the January drawing.
BACH: Brandenburg Concertos 1 – 6 – Concerto Köln – Berlin Classics (2 CDs)
Concerto Köln throws a series of spins on the familiar but never old Bandenburgs.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
