Monthly Archive: May 2016
![SCHUBERT [arr. MAHLER]: Death and the Maiden; SHOSTAKOVICH [orch. Barshai]: Chamber Symphony in c – Roman Simovic & LSO String Ensemble – LSO Live](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/LSO-StringsSA.jpg)
SCHUBERT [arr. MAHLER]: Death and the Maiden; SHOSTAKOVICH [orch. Barshai]: Chamber Symphony in c – Roman Simovic & LSO String Ensemble – LSO Live
SCHUBERT [arr. MAHLER]: Death and the Maiden; SHOSTAKOVICH [orch. Barshai]: Chamber Symphony in c – Roman Simovic & LSO String Ensemble – LSO Live multichannel 5.1 LSO0786 TT: 66:28 (3/11/16) ****: A stunning performance and recording of these two transcriptions of Schubert and Shostakovich. The LSO Live label offers us an interesting disc of string quartets transcribed for a larger string ensemble, the Schubert by none other than Gustav Mahler, who loved the quartet and wanted to expand its sound. Schubert’s Death and the Maiden Quartet, heard here in Mahler’s arrangement, was passed over in Schubert’s lifetime, the quartet has become a staple of the quartet repertoire.The original Quartet was written soon after Schubert had suffered from a significant period of illness, including syphilis, and some have speculated that it is the composer’s testament to his own death. The piece gains its title from the second movement, which is a set of five variations based on the melody of one of Schubert’s most poignant songs, Death and the Maiden, in which a girl struggles against the terror of impending death, that ‘grisly man of bone’, who casts himself as a welcome friend. Then we get the Shostakovich Chamber Symphony in c, […]
Audio News for May 20, 2016
Major Change at Universal Music Group – The parent company of the classical and jazz labels DGG, Decca Records and Classics, Mercury Classics and distributed label ECM, has, according to a May 19 announcement, “deepened [its] commitment to jazz and classical music [and the] company’s unwavering commitment to building on its rich history in both genres” by lumping all those US labels together with jazz label Verve under the new Verve Label Group, managed by Danny Bennett (the son of Tony Bennett). Verve, is now in its 60th year, having become known as the label of Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simon, Stan Getz and Billie Holiday. They also oversee the Impulse! Records imprint. The word “crossover” was used repeatedly in the press release. We don’t what this means. Will UMG/Verve follow Sony’s model of pairing Joshua Bell and Placido Domingo with pop stars, and encouraging Yo-Yo Ma down the Silk Road? Will they respect the unique approach to modern jazz of producer Manfred Eicher? Fiio X7 Supports Files & Formats Which iOS Players Don’t – The Chinese company with a solid reputation for low-cost, high-quality audio hardware, and has a full range of devices of which this is the latest. It […]
Vanessa Fernandez – When The Levee Breaks – Groove Note (3-45 rpm vinyls)
Vanessa Fernandez – When The Levee Breaks – Groove Note Records 45 rpm stereo vinyl (3 discs), (5/16/2016), 63:33 ****1/2: Singer pays homage to Led Zeppelin in acoustic glory! (Vanessa Fernandez – vocals; Tim Pierce – guitars, arrangements; Jim Keltner – drums; Chris Chaney – bass; Jim Cox – keyboards; Charlie Bisharat – violin; Luis Conte – percussion) Vanessa Fernandez began her career as part of the hip hop groups Urban Xchange and Parking Lot Pimp. The Singapore native remained a local act and recorded an EP, titled Vandetta in 2013. Additionally she became a renowned radio personality, hosting a hip hop show. It seemed that her musical expansion might be limited. That changed in 2014 with the release of her debut, Use Me on Groove Note Records. (*******). This album featured quality studio covers of soul artists like Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers and Al Green. There were also versions of Blood Sweat & Tears and Queen. The auspicious project featured top-notch musicians that included Tim Pierce (guitars) and Jim Cox (keyboards). There was significant anticipation for her sophomore effort. In keeping with her maverick sensibility, Fernandez has chosen to put together a tribute to rock legend Led Zeppelin. When […]
MAHLER: Symphony No. 5 – Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Leonard Bernstein – DGG (2 vinyls)
MAHLER: Symphony No. 5 – Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Leonard Bernstein – Deutsche Grammophon 479580-7, 64 mins. remastered vinyl (2 discs), (3/25/16) *****: Mahler’s Fifth spread over two 33 vinyls… If you’re a vinyl freak and need massive orchestral recordings to show how loud you can play without exploding your portion of the known universe, Mahler’s Fifth Symphony is a good place to start. And Leonard Bernstein’s live performance with the Vienna Philharmonic in September 1987, which was always like mainlining the whole Mahler experience in just over an hour, is even more so a mind-bending experience now that the grooves have expanded onto two 180g vinyl LPs. Everything is bigger than life, dynamic range is wider, textures are denser and more Technicolor, and in the pivotal first movement, the terrifying Funeral March with the trumpet of death playing what Tom Morgan’s excellent liner notes call “a repeated tattoo,” Bernstein is two to three minutes slower than any of the competition, like a beast slouching from the Opera House in Frankfurt am Main, where the performance took place. It is immense. Curiously, Bernstein’s speeds, first movement apart, and general joyous yet angst-ridden demeanor match the essential outlines if not the heavyweight […]
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 3 in C Major; The Swan of Tuonela; Symphony No. 7 in C Major; DEBUSSY: Nuages et Fetes – Leningrad Philharmonic Orch./ Yevgeny Mravinsky – Praga Digitals
In the music of Sibelius and Debussy, Mravinsky’s live performances extend his repute as an epic interpreter. SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 3 in C Major, Op. 52; The Swan of Tuonela, Op. 22, No. 3; Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 105; DEBUSSY: Two Nocturnes: Nuages et Fetes – Leningrad Philharmonic Orch./ Yevgeny Mravinsky – Praga Digitals multichannel SACD PRD/DSD 350 106, 70:56 (4/1/16) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] *****: The discography of iconic Russian conductor Yevgeny Mravnsky (1903-1988) benefits immediately with this live Moscow performance (27 October 1963) of the Sibelius Third Symphony (1907), a work often neglected even by so-called Sibelius proponents, like Herbert von Karajan. The music remains somewhat elusive, in that Sibelius assumes a more classical posture here than in his first two symphonies, economically and energetically martial in character in its first movement, Allegro moderato. Mravinsky, true to character, injects a palpably nervous tension into the low strings and occasional trumpet and trombone perorations. The thunderous tympani roll at the coda with the “Amen” cadence proves compelling. Without a slow movement proper, the symphony proceeds, Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto, with a stately motion in g-sharp minor. Mravinsky ushers forth a suavely animated pace, smoothly […]
“The Return of Lost Noir Classics” = Too Late for Tears, Blu-ray (1949/2016); Woman On the Run, Blu-ray (1950/2016)
Two classic film noir features from around 1950, beautifully restored by the UCLA Film & TV Archive and distributed by Flicker Alley. “The Return of Lost Noir Classics” = Too Late for Tears, Blu-ray (1949/2016) Woman On the Run, Blu-ray (1950/2016) Too Late Cast: Lizabeth Scott, Dan Duryea, Arthur Kennedy Director: Byron Haskin Studio: Republic Pictures/ Streamline Pictures/Flicker Alley FA0046 (5/17/2016) (2 discs) Video: 4:3 Black & White 1080p HD Audio: English, PCM mono Extras: Audio commentary track by writer, historian, and film programmer; “Chance of a Lifetime: The Making of Too Late for Tears,”Tiger Hunt: Restoring Too Late for Tears,” 24-p. printed souvenir booklet Length: 102 min. Rating: ***** Woman on the Run Cast: Ann Sheridan, Dennis O’Keefe Director: Norman Foster Studio: Fidelity Pictures/ Flicker Alley FA0047 (5/17/16) (2 discs) Video: 4:3 Black & White 1080p HD Audio: English, PCM mono Extras: Audio commentary track by author, cinema historian and noirchaeologist Eddie Muller; “Love in a Roller Coaster: Woman On the Run Revisited,” “A Wild Ride: Restoring Woman On the Run” “Woman On the Run Locations: Then & Now,” “Noir City” – SF – doc. on the only film noir film festival; 24-p. printed souvenir booklet Length: 79 min. […]
Audio News for May 17, 2016
LG Has Highest Operating Profit in Global Home Appliance Market – South Korea’s electronics giant LG Electronics has recorded the highest operating profit rate this year among the top home appliance producers in the world. The others are Whirlpool, Electrolux, Daikin and Samsung Electronics. Despite the off-season and unfavorable overseas business conditions caused by the strong dollar, major home appliance makers in the world have shown an upturn from last year. Audio-enhancing BoomStick Now at Sprint Stores – The unassuming plug-in ($79) promises a peculiar sort of audio magic and claims to make the cheap Apple ear pods sound better than a $200 to $300 headphone. Before Sprint began marketing the unit it was limited to online sales primarily thru Amazon and BoomCloud 360’s own site. It can be used on a smart phone, computer, tablet or iPod. Nura Headphones Craft Supposedly Perfect Audio – An entirely new approach is used in the Nura headphones by packing in the hardware that calculates your personal sound profile based on the shape and condition of your inner ear, no equalizer required. Inside the cup of each phone are a pair of in-ear buds, which are essential to Nura’s unique sound profile. Inside […]
Ross Hammond & Sameer Gupta – Upward – Prescott
Improvised music which pushes boundaries. Ross Hammond & Sameer Gupta – Upward [TrackList follows] Prescott, 63:28 [3/15/16] ****: (Ross Hammond – 12-string guitar; Sameer Gupta – tabla) Jazz or improvisational duo albums offer something distinct. The reliance on just two instruments means both musicians have to have complete communication. Each artist is always doing something and also in conversation with the other person. Case in point: the hour-long CD, Upward, from guitarist Ross Hammond (who has worked with Oliver Lake, percussionist Alex Cline and others) and tabla player Sameer Gupta (he’s the drummer in the Marc Cary Focus Trio and has backed Grachan Moncur III, Sonny Simmons and more). The number of such guitar/tabla collaborations is a small list, so these two longtime friends have created a record which should appeal to improvisation fans, outsider jazz listeners, Indian music buyers, and those who appreciate guitarists such as John Fahey, Robbie Basho (who also occasionally mixed guitar with Indian percussion) and Sandy Bull. Hammond is a multifaceted player who links blues, folk, Asian-Indian and other influences into his guitar artistry. While he’s used electric guitar on some of his previous outings, here Hammond concentrates on acoustic guitar. Sometimes—such as during the […]
Bruno Walter on The Standard Hour = WAGNER: Prelude from Parsifal; MOZART: Mass in c minor: Et incarnates est; Eine Kleine Nachtmusik; HAYDN: The Seasons: Oh, welcome now; Oh how pleasing to the senses; WEBER: Oberon Ov. – Brunetta Mazzolini, sop./ SF Sym. Orch./ Bruno Walter – Pristine Audio
A rare appearance by Bruno Walter in San Francisco makes a splendid impression in the Pristine incarnation. Bruno Walter on The Standard Hour = WAGNER: Prelude from Parsifal; MOZART: Mass in c minor, K. 427: Et incarnates est; Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525; HAYDN: The Seasons: Oh, welcome now; Oh how pleasing to the senses; WEBER: Oberon Overture – Brunetta Mazzolini, sop./ San Francisco Sym. Orch./ Bruno Walter – Pristine Audio PASC 469, 55:47 [avail. in various versions from www.pristineclassical.com] ****: Pristine’s restoration engineer and producer Andrew Rose grants us the rare opportunity to hear Bruno Walter (1876-1962) live in an Easter concert in San Francisco (18 April 1954) from the War Memorial Opera House, leading music – some new to the conductor’s discography – for the Standard Hour. The award-winning weekly program had been running since 1926, and this was its 1,410th edition on NBC radio. Walter brings with him the soprano, Brunetta Mazzolini to perform a concert of mixed orchestral favorites, with music by Wagner, Mozart, Haydn and Weber. Walter’s appearance here coincided with his scheduled performance of the Brahms A German Requiem in its San Francisco debut. The spaciousness of the Parsifal Prelude befits the solemnity of […]
DVORAK: Sym. No. 8 in G Major; Carnival Ov,; SUK: Serenade for Strings in E Major – Bavarian Radio Sym., Orch./ Mariss Jansons – BR Klassik
Mariss Janson continues his survey of Dvorak with an energy and style reminiscent of Vaclav Talich. DVORAK: Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88; Carnival Overture, Op. 93; SUK: Serenade for Strings in E Major, Op. 6 – Bavarian Radio Sym, Orch./ Mariss Jansons – BR Klassik 900145, 73:14 (4/8/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: BR Klassik offers the recordings of the two concerts performed in the Philharmonie in Gasteig on January 29 and 30, 2016, the results of which prove quite compelling, as if Jansons were determined to prove himself the legitimate heir to the Vaclav Talich hegemony in Dvorak’s music. The 1890 G Major Symphony has had many fine interpretations on record, including a pair of sympathetic readings by Bruno Walter. Collectors no less treasure the classic interpretations by Talich and Beecham. Eminently lyrical and pantheistic, the symphony abounds in evocations of nature, such as bird calls and trills, warblings, and “the joy of green pastures, of summer evenings, of the melancholy of blue forests, and of the carefree merrymaking of Czech peasants,” to cite Talich himself. Perhaps, in deference to his own master Smetana, Dvorak wished to pay homage to those “Bohemian Meadows and Forests” that the […]
Audio News for May 13, 2016
Classical Music Blaring from SF Store Curbs Crowd – Studies have shown that classical music can help calm nerves, enhance memory and make pets more calm, but a Burger King in downtown San Francisco is using works of Vivaldi and Bach to help clear a troubled street corner of the mobs that used to hang out there. The music blares out of multiple speakers until 3 AM most nights, although the music is turned down at 11 PM to allow guests are a nearby hotel to sleep. Amazon Offers Content Creators Video Direct – The new Video Direct service will be a competitor to YouTube, with more flexibility in how content is managed. There are four ways to do it: if everyone is welcome to watch, then your video will be ad-supported, If can also be rented, offered as an add-on subscription, or be exclusive to Amazon Prime Video, with the creator getting part of the per-hour royalty fee. The subscription-type option pays content creators 50% of the earned revenue. So far the service has gained favorable reactions from Conde Nast, How StuffWorks, the Guardian and Business Insider. Hardware Invention: Jack Caps, to Benefit Musicians and Music Lovers – World […]
Easy Rider, Blu-ray (1969/2016)
The road movie to own if you don’t own any others at all. Easy Rider, Blu-ray (1969/2016) Cast: Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, Karen Black, Jack Nicholson Director: Dennis Hopper Director of Cinemaphotography: Laszlo Kovacs Studio: Columbia/ The Criterion Collection 545 (5/3/16) Video: 1.85:1 for 16:9 full screen color 1080p color & 16 mm color Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 & 2.0 & original mono Music by Roger McGuinn, Bob Dylan, Steppenwolf, The Byrds, The Moody Blues, The Youngbloods, The Band, Jimi Hendrix & others Extras: Two commentary tracks – one by Hopper and one by Hopper & Peter Fonda and prod. manager Paul Lewis, “Born To Be Wild,” “Shaking the Cage (1999) – two documentaries on the making of the film, Excerpts of Hopper & Fonda at Cannes Film Festival, New interview with BBD cofounder Steve Blauner, Theatrical trailers, Printed booklet with essay by Matt Zuller Seitz Length: 95 min. Rating: ***** Difficult-to-handle Dennis Hopper was right in having much of the film’s dialogue being improvised off the cuff. The young Jack Nicholson is absolutely hilarious as the ACLU attorney thrown in the clink with the two drug-dealing hippies. You’ll never experience “in all walks of life” the same way […]
Shaun the Sheep, Blu-ray (2015)
May be the best animated family feature of the year. Shaun the Sheep, Blu-ray (2015) Directors: Mark Burton & Richard Starzak Based on: Shaun the Sheep, by Nick Park Voice-overs: Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Omid Dialili Studio: Aardman Animations/ StudioCanal/ Lionsgate (US) [2/6/15] Video: 1.78:1 for 16:9 widescreen, 1080p HD color Audio: English & animal sounds, English SDH, DTS-HD MA 5.1 Extras: Making the Shaun Movie, Meet the Characters, John Shaun Behind the Scenes, Meet the Crew, Parody Poster Gallery Length: 84 min. Rating: ***** Shaun is a spin-off coming out of the Nick Park Aardman Animations 1995 feature A Close Shave. The big difference is that the sheep still doesn’t speak proper English, but all the Mossy Bottom Farm flock communicates in a sort of animal mumbling which sometimes appears as a mouth off to the side of the head. The sheep is given a lot more qualities which come in handy when the whole flock has to go into the big city to rescue their farmer-owner, who suffers from amnesia as a direct result of their mischief. The story line has a lot of soul and the animation, sets, story, music, costumes and “dialog” all work together to […]
SHOSTAKOVICH: Complete Symphonies and Concertos/ Valery Gergiev – Blu-ray (2015)
Essential. Nothing else to say. SHOSTAKOVICH: Complete Symphonies and Concertos – Valery Gergiev, Blu-ray (2015) Performers: Orch. and Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre/ Valery Gergiev/ Alena Baeva, violin/ Vadin Repin, violin/ Mario Brunello, cello/ Gautier Capucon, cello/ Denis Matsuev, piano/ Danil Trifonov, piano/ Timur Martynov, trumpet/ Veroinika Dzhioeva, sop./ Mikhail Petrenko, bass (Live from Salle Pleyel, Paris, 2013-14 Producer: Torsten Bonnhoff Director: Don Kent Studio: Arthaus Musik 107552 (Four Blu-Ray Discs) [Distr. by Naxos] Video: Full HD 1080i 16:9 color Audio: PCM Stereo, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 Subtitles: German, English, French, Korean, Japanese Length: 970 min., 58 min. introductions, 58 minutes doc. – Dmitri Shostakovich – A Man of Many Faces Rating: ***** This is, by Gergiev’s accounting, his second complete live traversal through the Shostakovich Symphonies and Concertos, the first being a number of years ago with the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam. These were filmed and recorded in France, which surprised me since most of their recordings have been at their home base in St. Petersburg. To get one controversy out of the way: there are listener reviews on Amazon and in Britain complaining of so-called “compression” in the sound of the releases. Honestly, I don’t hear it, as I […]
HANDEL: Messiah at Grace Cathedral – audio-only Blu-ray (2015)
Rather laidback for my taste. HANDEL: Messiah at Grace Cathedral (1753 Foundling Hospital Version) – audio-only Blu-ray (2015) Mary Wilson, sop./ Eric Jurenas, countertenor/ Kyle Stegall, tenor/ Jesse Blumberg, bar./ John Thiessen, trumpet/ American Bach Soloists/ American Bach Ch./ Jeffrey Thomas (Live from Grace Cathedral, San Francisco 2014) Producer: Abigail McKee Director: Frank Zamacona Studio: American Bach Soloists (1 Blu-Ray Disc) Video: Full HD 1920 X 1080i 16:9 color Audio: PCM Stereo 2.0, DTS-HD MA 5.1 Length: 147 min., 31 min. (doc.) Extras: Welcome to Grace Cathedral, About Handel’s Messiah Rating: *** Grace Cathedral presents a music series every year, and of course Messiah is a perennial favorite, as it is at almost every music series in the country. This year the American Bach Soloists decided to grace the cathedral with their take on this most popular piece of music in the world, the sterling Jeffrey Thomas leading the pack. I have always been a fan of Thomas and his ABS, but I must say that this release is a major disappointment. First the visuals: Aside from the over-reliance on camera pans to the various pieces of artwork in the cathedral, and the extraordinarily superfluous twenty miles of streamers from […]
BACH: Cantatas 131, 147, 35; Prelude in c; CPE BACH: Magnificat – The Bach Choir and Orch. Houston/ Rick Erickson/ Sigurd Melvaer Øgaard, organ cont./ soloists – HDTT
Want to remember why you so love Bach? Just listen to this. BACH: Cantatas 131, 147, 35; Prelude in c, BWV 546/I; CPE BACH: Magnificat, Wq 215 – The Bach Choir and Orch. Houston/ Rick Erickson/ Sigurd Melvaer Øgaard, organ cont./ Jennifer Lane, mezzo (in Solo Cantata 35) – HDTT 5.0 24/192 (2015) & 2.0 24/192 DTS-HD MA audio-only Blu-ray, 129:47 *****: First of all there is a lot of confusion on this disc and the information provided on the HDTT website that they should clear up. The cover to this disc says it is a 24/96k resolution disc in 5.0 surround sound and stereo. The disc itself is imprinted with the same information, as is the website. However, the notes inside the disc say it is a 24/192k resolution in 4.0 surround and stereo. Based on previous releases I am assuming this is indeed a 192k disc, and I can affirm that there is stereo, and that the surround sound is indeed five-channel. The web notes also indicate that this category is “Baroque – modern instruments”, though this ensemble in the disc notes makes a big deal in saying “the most significant development has been the shift to the […]
Audio News for May 10, 2016
Adoptions Increase After Shelters Play Classical – The Rescue Animal MP3 Project in North Carolina is one of two shelters, humane societies and rescues across the state which has begun playing classical music in December to help cut the adjustment period for animals. The dogs are much calmer when families come to the shelter. The number of adoptions has nearly quadrupled. A Negative View of Hi-Res Surround for Music – CNET’s AudiophiliacMan Steve Guttenberg has written negative comments before about hi-res surround for music, and on the latest CNET he goes into quad, SACD and DVD-Audio and says they have all failed. Not true. First he says what he calls virtual-reality surround sound has taken off with most new movies, concerts, games and TV shows. Then in the next paragraph he says four speakers are too many for most folks. Well, those with five or 5.1 speakers are enjoying hi-res surround SACDs and the wonderful quad reissues which PentaTone makes. True, DVD-A has practically disappeared, but not totally. The rest of us with a taste for hi-res surround for music only will continue to enjoy it whether on SACD or Audio-only Blu-ray and never mind Steve Guttenberg. He also goes […]
TCHIAKOVSKY: Sym. No. 6 in b, “Pathetique”; DVORAK: Rusalka Fantasy – Reference
************ MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH ************ A modern milestone recording for a work you thought you knew. TCHIAKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6 in b, Op. 74 “Pathetique”; DVORAK: Rusalka Fantasy (arr. Honeck/Ille) – Reference Recordings multichannel HDCD SACD FR-720, 67:03 [Distr. by Naxos [5/13/16] *****: What a steal the Pittsburgians came up with when they snagged Manfred Honeck! There are few conductors these days with his knowledge of repertory and consistently thoughtful explorations into the canon that are so aptly demonstrated in the program notes to his Reference Recordings releases. I have always said that the PSO is the unsung hero of American orchestras; while the “big five” seem to be constantly swaying to and fro with ups and downs of consistent playing and change of orchestral sound and technical ability, Pittsburgh, at least as shown on record, remains as adept and formidably ingrained in the American musical scene as any orchestra we have, never having seemed to lose their standards, despite the vagaries of conductors who have held the helm. Somehow, through it all, they remain the simple standard bearers of excellence no matter who is conducting them. Honeck however, despite the storied and starry roster of pervious conductors, […]
Sarah Vaughan – Live At Rosy’s – Resonance
Sarah Vaughan – Live At Rosy’s – Resonance HCD-2017 86:50 (2 CDs) ****: A consummate jazz vocalist in peak form. (Sarah Vaughan – vocals; Carl Schroeder – piano; Walter Booker – bass; Jimmy Cobb – drums) Patricia Willard, in writing for The Oxford Companion To Jazz Edited by Bill Kirchner, said the following about Sarah Vaughan: “ her voice had the richness, range, power, and control to project operatic arias”. The full panoply of the majesty of Vaughan’s voice is on display in this two-CD release on Resonance Records Sarah Vaughan – Live At Rosy’s. Recorded originally in 1978 at Rosy’s Jazz Club in New Orleans for the NPR Radio weekly syndicated program Jazz Alive! the tapes have never been commercially released. Vaughan, at the time, was 54 years old, and while possibly not in her prime, she still had a commanding voice that could fill a room. Backed by her long-standing trio that included pianist Carl Schroeder, bassist Walter Booker, and the inimitable tasteful drummer Jimmy Cobb, Vaughan’s set of popular and jazz standards were artfully crafted to bring out her vocal range and stylistic artistry. The opening number is a swinging version of “I’ll Remember April” which after […]
LARS-ERIK LARSSON: Symphony No. 2; Variations, Op. 50; Barococo Suite, Op. 64 – Helsingborg Sym. Orch./Andrew Manze – CPO
LARS-ERIK LARSSON: Symphony No. 2; Variations, Op. 50; Barococo Suite, Op. 64 – Helsingborg Sym. Orch./Andrew Manze – CPO 777 672-2 multichannel SACD [Distr. by Naxos], 69:53, (11/13/15) ***: Very dedicated performances of these works that remain pretty obscure. There are probably a lot of reasons why the music of Swedish composer Lars-Erik Larsson (1908-1986) does not get played much anymore, least of all outside of northern Europe. Larsson was one of those many ‘bridge’ composers caught in the stylistic transition between the mainly Romantic idiom and the later ‘progressives.’ His music contains strains of such a style; sounding like Sibelius in places; perhaps some Franz Berwald, and is not really so unique as to sound unlike others around him. Another reason could be that, for a composer writing this way deep into the mid-twentieth century, he was battling the ‘new wave’ of genuinely new and unique sound worlds occupied by Prokofiev, Bartok, Nielsen and others. So, his music remains eminently listenable and attractive but rather lost in time (which is interesting, because according to the helpful booklet notes by Christoph Schlüren, Larsson even studied with Alban Berg for a while; disappointed not only that he did not get to […]
SIBELIUS: Belshazzar’s Feast, Scène de Ballet, Cortège and other works for the stage – Turku Philharmonic Orch., Leif Segerstam – Naxos
A wide-ranging and enjoyable tour of Sibelius’ music for the theatre, conducted by Leif Segerstam with the Turku Philharmonic. JEAN SIBELIUS: Belshazzar’s Feast, Scène de Ballet, Cortège and other works for the stage – Turku Philharmonic Orch., Leif Segerstam/ Pia Pajala, sop. – Naxos 8.573300, 63:01 *****: The feature work on this all-Sibelius (1865 – 1957) album is Belshazzar’s Feast, The original story is from the Old Testament Book of Daniel and tells of the King of Babylon and a Jewish girl sent to assassinate him. She eventually succeeds but not before the two fall in love. His death is foretold by a mysterious hand appearing during a banquet to write his destiny on the wall. The libretto for this gory tale is by Sibelius’ friend, poet and journalist Hjalmar Procopé. Among the eleven tracks of this complete score, two very pleasant dances feature prominently – The Dance of Life and The Dance of Death. The only vocal item on the whole album is the wonderful Song of the Jewish Girl, sung by mezzo Pia Pajala. She’s an expert in Finnish, and in Sibelius, and it shows. She is featured in his Pelléas et Mélisande on several other Naxos disks. […]
Oppo Universal 3D Blu-Ray Player BDP-105D SRP: $1299
Oppo Universal 3D Blu-Ray Player BDP-105D SRP: $1299 Specs: Firmware Version: BDP10X-38-1220 (Jan. 2, 2013) Dimensions: 16.8” W x 12.2” D x 4.8” H Weight: 17.3 pounds Voltage: 120/240 (for use anywhere in the world) Passive Cooling (i.e., no fan) Power Consumption: 55W, .5W (standby) Warranty: 2 years Rating: ***** Full Specs: https://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-105/blu-ray-BDP-105D-Overview.aspx Oppo Digital 2629 Terminal Blvd., Suite B Mountain View, CA 9404 (650) 961-1118 (650) 961-1118 https://www.oppodigital.com ——————————————————————— Audiophile Audition has already published an excellent review of the Oppo 105 player. I will be reviewing the 105D version of the player. The main difference is the addition of the Darbee video enhancement chip and the USB asynchronous DAC. I will also give my opinions of the sound and video quality of the unit. For features and special abilities, you should read the above review or go to the Oppo web site above. Oppo is an audio company that has my highest regards. They always produce quality equipment at a very good price. I did my first Oppo review in 2007 on their DVD-970 DVD-based universal player. In some areas it out-performed players costing up thousands of dollars more. Its price was $149. Now you see Oppo players in systems of […]
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Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
