Monthly Archive: September 2016
“Testament” = BACH: Complete Sonatas and Partitas – Rachel Barton Pine, v. – Avie – 2 CDs
Rachel Barton Pine finally gives us the whole enchilada, and a fine feast it is. “Testament” = BACH: Complete Sonatas and Partitas – Rachel Barton Pine, violin – Avie AV2360 (2 CDs), 125:34 *****: I was a little surprised to see Rachel Barton Pine for the second time on the Avie label (the first was Mozart concertos), but a quick note from the artist confirmed her absolute commitment—indeed, entrenchment—in the Cedille universe. Avie, of course, operates on an artist-ownership model, and has released some truly spectacular recordings since their inception in 2002. Count this among them. Rachel Barton Pine has been playing these pieces for years, often all in one evening, and decided that the time had come to put her thoughts on the music down on silver disc. It is indeed a “testament” to her own judgment that she waited as long as she did in order to have a comprehensive and integral sense of what her vision is all about. Barton Pine is no stranger to period performance and theory, having released a number of recordings precisely employing these techniques, but here she manages a hybrid approach, using her standard Guarneri del Gesu violin with a baroque bow. […]
Equals, Blu-ray (2016)
A moving sci-fi film about a society in which emotions are forbidden. Equals, Blu-ray (2016) Cast: Nicholas Hoult Kristen Stewart, Bel Powley, Guy Pearce Director: Drake Doremus Studio: A24/Lionsgate (9/6/16) Video: 1.85:1 for 16:9 screens, 1080p HD color Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Subtitles: Spanish, English SDH Extras: “Switched On”, “The Collective,” “Utopia” – commentary by the director, cinematographer & editor Length: 93 min. Rating: **** This takes place in a post-apocalyptic society which has formed apart from an area known only as “the peninsula,” about which nothing is known but those people (if they exist) are not living a futuristic lifestyle as the people in this one. Only emotions and coupling of opposites is strictly forbidden, and inoculations are used to prevent what is called “SOS” – giving in to emotions. Two young illustrators, who are part of this society, find they have a thing for one another and begin a secret love affair. The only thing that bothered me a bit was that the female seemed rather butch and not the sort most heterosexual men would go nuts over. The frustrations each feels for the other when alone are clearly shown. There is no reference to the populating […]
Dark Horse (2016)
A wonderful documentary on breeding a racehorse, even for those who don’t love horses. Dark Horse (2016) Cast: Jan Voxes, townspeople of Cefn Fforest in Wales Director & Writer: Louise Osmond Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent. 47 436 (8/23/16) Video: 2.40:1 for 16:9 screens, color Audio: English (Welsh accent) DD 5.1 Subtitles: English (often needed), English SDH, French Extras: Photo gallery Length: 86 min. Rating: **** This is a real-life fairy tale about a group of friends in a little Welsh coal-mining town, 23 of whom decide to put in a small amount of their money to breed themselves a true racehorse and thus take on the elite “sport of kings.” In spite of their very low allotment, the breeder has done budgies and dogs before and knows something about it. She has a dream of beating the best thoroughbreds in the land and they get both a mare and a stallion at bargain prices. The foal, which they cooperatively name Dream Alliance, is gangly and fairly slow at first, but turns out to be an unlikely champion. Dream Alliance wins a lot of money back for each of the alliance members after winning an important Welsh race. But in […]
The Detroit Jazz Festival – Labor Day Weekend, 2016
Covering all bases, and well! – 37th Annual Detroit Jazz Festival…. Review of Detroit Jazz Festival – Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 2-5, 2016 The Detroit Jazz Festival holds a distinct and venerable place as one of the most treasured jazz festivals in the country. It is the largest free (!) jazz festival in North America. Taking place in downtown Detroit, covering four stages on both sides of Jefferson Avenue, on Campus Martius and Hart Plaza (bordering the picturesque Detroit River), the festival celebrates the rich tradition of Detroit’s past and present jazz scene. It brings together often neglected regional jazz legends with the best of today’s trend setters. This is the third festival that I have attended, and I eagerly await each visit with the anticipation of an expected jazz smorgasbord of riches. I am proud to say that I have never been disappointed. This is due to the fact that fact that Detroit knows its jazz. From a rich history producing the Jones Brothers (Hank, Thad, and Elvin), to Tommy Flanagan, Barry Harris, Yusef Lateef, Milt Jackson, Donald Byrd – the list goes on and on – the Motor City stands along side only New York City as a […]
Audio News for September 6, 2016
Amazon Wants to Lower Music Streaming Prices Like It Did Books – Amazon is considering offering it own music streaming subscription service which would only work on their Echo voice-assisted small speaker at only $5 a month instead of the now-industry standard of $10 a month rate. The record labels exchanged their physical CDs for downloads for music-as-a-service, and made less money every time. That is why they blocked Apple Music from doing a sub-$10 streaming plan, which would further eat away at their profits. But perhaps the $5 Echo subscriber would be an entirely new audience that has never paid for music. Amazon refuses to comment, but they want to get more people into their Amazon Prime network at $99 a year, with free shipping. Voice Control for Smart Speakers & Music Streaming – In an effort to simplify the lives of consumers, the industry is planning voice control and other connected device capabilities. Sonos will soon have voice control with any Amazon-enabled device, such as the Echo. It has teamed up with Alexa, Spotify and oher music streaming partners to integrate third-party stream services into their connected audio platform. The integration is on the software side. Sylvania’s Smart […]
STRAVINSKY: Petrushka; DEBUSSY: La Boite à joujoux — Seattle Sym. /Ludovic Morlot — Seattle Sym. Media
A vibrant new “Petrushka” and a Debussy rarity make for great listening. IGOR STRAVINSKY: Petrushka; CLAUDE DEBUSSY: La Boite à joujoux (“The Toy Box”) — Seattle Sym./Ludovic Morlot — Seattle Sym. Media SSM1010, 68:33 *****: The Seattle Symphony and its current music director, Ludovic Morlot, are on a real run here lately and especially since they have focused their recording on twentieth-century masterworks and on their own label. I urge you to check out their recent Henri Dutillieux albums or Morlot’s Rite of Spring coupled with the rich but obscure Raskatov Piano Concerto. This is but an example of what is coming out of Benaroya Hall lately and it’s all wonderful; including this latest sparkling new rendition of the complete Petrushka. This new Petrushka is wonderfully paced and Morlot brings out all the nuance and picturesque quality of Stravinsky’s ballet featuring the very symbolic escapades of the title harlequin puppet come to life. There is balance throughout the orchestra, and kudos to all the soloists, especially principal trumpet David Gordon for those charming but oh, so exposed, solos in the “The Blackamoor.” I liked this Petrushka among my favorites of all time, including Giulini’s with Chicago and that of Dutoit. […]
Maria Yudina, A Great Russian Pianist = BEETHOVEN, STRAVINSKY, BARTOK – Praga Digitals
A concise portrait of the iconoclast Maria Yudina, who championed modern music. Maria Yudina, A Great Russian Pianist = BEETHOVEN: Variations and Fugue in E-flat Major, Op. 35 “Eroica”; BERG: Piano Sonata, Op. 1; STRAVINSKY: Serenade in A Major; Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments; BARTOK: Mikrokosmos, Bk. V-VI: excerpts – Maria Yudina, piano/ USSR Radio Sym. Orch., Moscow/ Gennady Rozdhdestvensky – Praga Digitals PRD 250 342, 75:28 (9/30/16) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] ****: Maria Yudina (1899-1970) studied at the Petrograd Conservatory under Anna Essipova and Leonid Nikoayev. Her advocacy of modern Western music would often result in her dismissal from various institutes. Despite her iconoclastic nature, she remained Josif Stalin’s favorite artist. Her criticism of his regime including her reading the poetry of Boris Paternak as an “encore” to a recital. Her prodigious concert career was denied any recordings by the official censors, so little exists of her collaborations. Sviatoslav Richter called her playing “prodigious and immensely talented,” in spite of the fact that her favorite composers – Krenek, Hindemith, Bartok, Stravinsky – had been officially banned from public performance. What has survived of her recorded legacy often originates with pirate or “underground” recording sources, not always of superior […]
Bernie Mora (guitar) and Tangent – Transformation – Rhombus
Ready to “funk you up.” Bernie Mora and Tangent – Transformation [TrackList follows] – Rhombus RHO 7133, 44:22 [6/3/16] ***1/2: (Bernie Mora – guitar, producer; Doc Anthony – drums; Robert Vance – bass; Doug Webb – saxophone; Corey Allen – keyboards; Lee Thornburg – horns; Charles Godfrey – percussion; Brian Bromberg – fretless and upright bass (track 9)) Guitarist Bernie Mora loves rock and funk. Mora—with his seven-piece ensemble dubbed Tangent—showcases an insistent exuberance on the 44-minute Transformation, Mora’s third release on the Rhombus label. Mora’s nine originals (including a few co-writes) are a mostly hard-charging foray through guitar-led and horn-fronted groove and rock which offers rambunctious music for jazz fans who listen to bands such as Tower of Power, the Brecker Brothers, Billy Cobham and similar artists. Mora and Tangent come out of the gate with a solid, two-punch attack. The meaty and melodic “Chump Change” is like Spyro Gyra taken to an uncoupled extreme, and features Doug Webb’s powerhouse tenor sax. He’s played and recorded with such notables as Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard and Stanley Clarke, and his chops are formidable on this upfront piece. Mora doesn’t hold back one iota, and showing Prince is at least one […]
Vladimir Soltan – “Clarinet Concertos” by NIELSEN, DEBUSSY & FRANCAIX – MD&G
Some very fine playing worth having and comparing. Vladimir Soltan – “Clarinet Concertos” = CARL NIELSEN: Clarinet Concerto, Op.57; CLAUDE DEBUSSY: Premiere Rhapsodie; JEAN FRANÇAIX: Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra – Vladimir Soltan, clarinet/Hamburger Symphoniker/Jose Luis Gomez – MD&G multichannel SACD MDG901-1964-6, 57:41 (2+2+2) (8/05/16) [Distr. by E1] ***1/2: This collection of clarinet masterworks is very interesting in that it gives us a bit of a different look at the much performed Nielsen Concerto and perhaps an introduction to the not nearly as well known Françaix Concerto. All of these performances, including that of another clarinet staple; the Debussy Rhapsodie, are very well-done and worth your attention. Vladimir Soltan is a very fine young player who studied with Karl Leister, among others. He has nice, warm tone and a very supple technique. There are moments in the Nielsen where intonation and warmth seem not as well-defined in the uppermost register as in the rest of the work and Soltan’s lower register but this is a minor issue. He is a very good player, indeed, whose career so far has been exclusively in the solo realm. His performance of the Nielsen is a little unusual in that the pace and tempi […]
SAINT-SAENS: Music for Piano Duo and Duet, Vol. One = Martin Jones & Adrian Farmer, p. – Nimbus
A deliciously joyful collection of four-hand work to complement your Saint-Saens library. SAINT-SAENS: Music for Piano Duo and Duet, Vol. One = Tarantelle, Op. 6; Duettino in G Major, Op. 11; Le Rouet d’Omphale, Op. 31; Koenig Harald Harfagar, Op. 59; Septet: Menuet & Gavotte; Polonaise, Op. 77; Feuillet d’album, Op. 81; Berceuse, Op. 105; Scherzo, Op. 87; Pas redouble in B-flat Major, Op. 86 – Martin Jones & Adrian Farmer, pianos – Nimbus Alliance NI 5940 65:35 (8/12/16) [www.wyastone.co.uk] ****: This recording (May & October 2015) presents the first of two volumes of original compositions and arrangements for piano duo and duet by Camille Saint-Saëns. This program offers the substantial Scherzo, Op. 87 and Polonaise, Op. 77 for two pianos, alongside a number of smaller works for two pianos and piano four hands. Saint-Saens (1835-1921)himself re-cast several of his chamber music compositions for piano-duo performance, as in his 1857 Tarantelle, Op. 6. Typically, this composer’s music enjoys the brio of life, its sparkle and elan. Playful clarity combines with serenity in craft and security of expression. The other significant chamber music arrangement, from the 1880 Septet, Op. 65, arranges the staid Menuet & Gavotte in liquid tones. Two orchestral […]
Audio News for September 2, 2016
Rotel Introduces New 14 Series Integrated Amplifiers and CD Player – For listeners who appreciate the look and feel of retro high-quality separate components including serious loudspeakers, as long as they can still plug in, Rotel is targeting you with its new 14 Series amplifiers and – courageously so – a CD player. “Stereo playback is enjoying a renaissance, particularly among younger people,” Doug Henderson, president of Rotel’s distributor, the B&W Group, said. Connection options include Bluetooth with AptX, standard analog and phono inputs, two each of coaxial and optical inputs, USB for PC and iOS which supports high-resolution playback of 32-bit/384kHz PCM, as well as DSD and DSD 2X. The three new 14 Series models will debut in October. The A14 integrated amplifier (80 watts per channel and high resolution) will retail for $1,300, the A12 (60 watts) $900, and the CD14 CD $600. Grado’s New Deluxe Cartridges an Audiophile’s Dream – After two years of research, development and a lot of listening, Brooklyn-based Grado is releasing its new Statement Series2 [sic] line of deluxe audiophile phono cartridges. Housed in Australian Jarrah wood, a eucalyptus species renowned for its versatility, durability and strength, and featuring “a fixed coil design […]
********* CORIGLIANO: The Ghosts of Versailles (complete opera) ********* LA Opera – Pentatone (2)
At long last, a recording of one of the most important American operas – ever. * CORIGLIANO: The Ghosts of Versailles (complete opera) – Victoria Livengood (Woman with hat)/ Kristinn Sigmundsson (Louis XVI)/ Scott Scully (Marquis)/ Christopher Maltman (Beaumarchais)/ Patricia Racette (Marie Antoinette)/ Lucas Meachem (Figaro)/ Lucy Schaufer (Susanna)/ Joshua Guerrero (Count Almaviva)/ Guanqun Yu (Rosina)/ Renée Rapier (Cherubino)/ Patti LuPone (Samira)/ LA Opera Orchestra & Chorus/ James Conlon – Pentatone American Operas multichannel SACD PTC5186538 (2 discs), 80:57, 74:37 [Distr. by Naxos] (4/8/16) *****: Hard to fathom the fact that it has been 25 years since Ghosts so dramatically entered the scene. Conceived as a commission for the Met’s 100th anniversary, it was twelve years in the making and eight years past the deadline. The catalyst was James Levine, and the opening cast was a blazing fury of stars and up-and-coming stars. It was recorded on video and eventually released on DVD—no longer available except from some Amazon rip-off sites for two hundred bucks—and though there have been a fair amount of performances, most are of a scaled down version that does not reflect the original “Grand Opera Buffa” espoused by the composer. So this release is something of […]
Joe Henderson/Chick Corea etc. – Mirror, Mirror – MPS vinyl
Joe Henderson expands the vision on Mirror, Mirror… Joe Henderson/Chick Corea etc. – Mirror, Mirror – MPS 0210998MSW – vinyl (1980) ***: (Joe Henderson – tenor sax; Chick Corea – piano; Ron Carter – bass; Billy Higgins – drums) Joe Henderson, the iconic jazz tenor saxist, covered all bases. He could be deeply in the groove as a key member of Horace Silver’s funky hard bop band, yet at home with free expression exploring abstract jazz. He led sophisticated large bands and earned a Grammy honoring Billy Strayhorn on his well-received album, Lush Life. He was a reserved musician, never showy, and highly respected by his peers. He was inspired by John Coltrane and that influence is felt on this 1980 release, just reissued by MPS on vinyl. Backed by three all-stars, Chick Corea, Ron Carter, and Billy Higgins, we find Joe in a complex harmonically advanced modal space exploring fellow band member’s compositions, as well as one of his own tunes, and the standard, “What’s New.” Joe enters avant-garde space but does not venture so far as to alienate mainstream listeners. His composition, “Joe’s Bolero” goes out onto the ledge but is not a free dive as his bellowing […]
Freddie Hubbard, trumpet – The Hub of Hubbard – MPS vinyl
The Hub of Hubbard- prime time Freddie… Freddie Hubbard, trumpet – The Hub of Hubbard – MPS 0210991MSW (vinyl) 1969 ****: (Freddie Hubbard – trumpet; Eddie Daniels – tenor sax; Roland Hanna – piano; Richard Davis – bass; Louis Hayes – drums) Freddie Hubbard’s quintet was touring Europe in the winter of 1969 when Joachim Berendt, the owner of MPS Music, based out of West Germany, enticed the band to record at the label’s studio on a day off from the tour. Berendt was known to have a “hands-off” approach when recording American jazz icons. (Oscar Peterson found MPS to be a receptive label and recorded often at the MPS Studio in Villingen in the idyllic Black Forest area). On Dec. 9, 1969, the quintet laid down four extended tracks – three standards, and a 12-bar blues written by Freddie to honor his son, Duane. The rhythm section consisted of veterans: Roland Hanna, Richard Davis, and Louis Hayes, while the tenor sax chair was held by the (then) young Eddie Daniels, who has gone on to fame more as a clarinetist. Time on the road had sharpened the quintet’s cohesion and a single day was more than enough to cut […]
BACH: St. John Passion (A ritualisation by Peter Sellars) – DVDs & Blu-ray (2014/16)
An unsettling visual version of questionable value, but high musical marks. BACH: St. John Passion (A ritualisation by Peter Sellars) – DVDs & Blu-ray (2014/16) Performers: Mark Padmore (Evangelist)/ Camilla Tilling (sop.)/ Magdalena Kožená (mezzo)/ Topi Lehtipuu (tenor)/ Christian Gerhaher (bari.)/ Roderick Williams (Jesus)/ Berliner Philharmoniker/ Rundfunkchor Berlin/ Simon Rattle Director: Peter Sellars Studio: Berliner Philharmoniker BPHR140031, 2014 (2 DVDs and Blu-ray disc) Video: 1080i Full HD for 16:9 (Blu-ray) Audio: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1 (DVDs), 2.0 PCM, DTS-HD MA 5.1 (Blu-ray) Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Korean No Region Code Length: Concert: 135 mins, Extras: 52 mins. (in Hi-Def on Blu-ray) Digital Concert Hall: 7-Day Ticket for the Berliner Philharmoniker’s video streaming service Rating: *** This is the BPO’s second Sellars foray of this type into Bach, the first being the St. Matthew Passion a few years back. What type, you ask? Well, a dramatization of the passion. And I’m a long way from being convinced about it, despite the slobbering European press and other predictable quarters hailing it as “revelatory”. Perhaps I am simply being overly-religious in my sentiments; I have always found that the Bach passions speak very well for themselves, with a simplicity and directness […]
Editorial for September 2016
Our free drawing for September is the same as last month: another five complete Rossini operas on Blu-ray from Opus Arte: The Italian in Algiers, Il Signor Bruschino, The Silken Ladder, Moses in Egypt and Cyrus in Babylon. (Turns out we have two copies to award readers.) Claudio Scimone and Ewa Poldes are among the performers. The Italian in Algiers is considered one of the funniest operas ever written. Here is a link to the Amazon site where the box set is offered. All you need to do is click on the Register To Win banner on the Home Page and fill out our simple form. The winner we selected for the first of the two Blu-rays of all five Rossini Operas – our drawing for last month and this month – is: Terry Qualman of Sand Springs, OK. Congrats! This month we’ll award another Blu-ray to a reader. 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 public radio and commercial stations. In September 1998 its web site for program listings was expanded to this […]
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