Monthly Archive: November 2016

“44 Waltzes on 88 Keys” – SCHUBERT: Valses Nobles; BRAHMS: 16 Waltzes; DVORAK: 8 Waltzes; RAVEL: Valses nobles et sentimentales – Peter Schaaf, p. – Schaaf

“44 Waltzes on 88 Keys” – SCHUBERT: Valses Nobles; BRAHMS: 16 Waltzes; DVORAK: 8 Waltzes; RAVEL: Valses nobles et sentimentales – Peter Schaaf, p. – Schaaf

Peter Schaaf bestows a natural affection of a series of Nineteenth-Century waltzes.  44 Waltzes on 88 Keys – SCHUBERT: Valses Nobles, D. 969; BRAHMS: 16 Waltzes, Op. 39; DVORAK: 8 Waltzes, Op. 54; RAVEL: Valses nobles et sentimentales – Peter Schaaf, p. – Schaaf SR 102, 72:29 [info@schaafrecords.com] ****: Peter Schaaf won the Kosciuszko Foundation’s […]

The Intimacy of Creativity – a Five Year Retrospective – Music by various composers played by Hong Kong Philharmonic / Jaap van Sweden – Naxos (2 CDs)

The Intimacy of Creativity – a Five Year Retrospective – Music by various composers played by Hong Kong Philharmonic / Jaap van Sweden – Naxos (2 CDs)

The Intimacy of Creativity – a Five Year Retrospective – Music by various composers played by Hong Kong Philharmonic / Jaap van Sweden – Naxos (2 CDs) 8573614-15 (8/12/16) ****: An interesting collection of contemporary music well-played and recorded. This celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology features […]

PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5 – NY Philharmonic/ Leonard Bernstein (Columbia LP, 1966) – Speakers Corner vinyl

PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5 – NY Philharmonic/ Leonard Bernstein (Columbia LP, 1966) – Speakers Corner vinyl

A great remastering of a truly excellent work and performance. SERGEI PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5 – NY Philharmonic/ Leonard Bernstein (Columbia LP, 1966, MS 7005) – Speakers Corner vinyl (2016) *****: The Fifth is probably the most-performed of the seven symphonies penned by Prokofiev for its many lovely melodies and its development work being of a […]

Pyramid – The Modern Jazz Quartet (1959-60) – HDTT DVD-Audio and Atlantic CD

Pyramid – The Modern Jazz Quartet (1959-60) – HDTT DVD-Audio and Atlantic CD

Terrific fidelity for Modern Jazz Quartet lovers but a short program. Pyramid – The Modern Jazz Quartet (1959-60) [TrackList follows] – HDTT DVD-Audio (10/25/90) and Atlantic (LP1325) ****: HDTT began by making very high-quality transfers to DVD-Audios of two-track tapes (which also play on most DVD decks). Then they moved into 4-track tapes, and this […]

Audio News for November 29, 2016

New Sony Dub Stage Equipped to Master Films in Immersive Sound Formats – The new Culver City stage is designed to simulate a typical home theater environment. It includes object-based surround formats like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D. It is currently preparing several feature titles for Blu-ray, 4K UHD and digital delivery. It is equipped […]

Nate Lepine Quartet: Vortices – ears&eyes

Nate Lepine Quartet: Vortices – ears&eyes

Saxophonist Nate Lepine: helping put the new Chicago sound on the musical map. Nate Lepine Quartet: Vortices – ears&eyes ee:16-054, 44:48 [9/30/16] ****: (Clark Sommers – bass; Nick Mazzarella – alto saxophone; Nate Lepine – tenor saxophone; Quin Kirchner – drums) Jazz fans may not realize it, but Chicago is a city with a vibrant […]

Russian Adventure, Cinerama, Blu-ray (1966/2016)

Russian Adventure, Cinerama, Blu-ray (1966/2016)

A great remastering of the Russian version of Cinerama into a wonderful (though now dated) Russian travelogue. Russian Adventure, Cinerama, Blu-ray (1966/2016) Narrator: Bing Crosby Directors: Leonid Kristy, Roman Karmen, Boris Dolin, Oleg Lebedev, Solomon Kogan Reconstruction & remastering: David Strohmaier Studio: Cinerama Corp./Hal Dennis Productions/ Flicker Alley Deluxe Combo Edition FA0049 (11/22/16) Video: Smile-Box […]

Palladian Ensemble – An Excess of Pleasure – Works of MATTEIS, LOCKE, PURCELL, etc. – Linn

Palladian Ensemble – An Excess of Pleasure – Works of MATTEIS, LOCKE, PURCELL, etc. – Linn

Palladian Ensemble – An Excess of Pleasure – Works of MATTEIS, LOCKE, PURCELL, etc. [TrackList Follows] – Linn BKD 010, 65:43 (10/31/95 & 3/11/16) ****½: (Pamela Thorby; recorders/ Rachel Podger; violin/ Joanna Levine Viola da Gamba/ William Carter; theorbo, guitar) A welcome reissue of the Baroque chamber super-band Palladian Ensemble’s debut recording. Between their formation […]

MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major K 595; Piano Concerto No. 12 in A, K. 414; BARTOK: Piano Con. No. 1 – Rudolf Serkin, p./ Philadelphia Orch./ Eugene Ormandy/ Marlboro Fest./ Alexander Schneider (K. 414)/ Columbia Sym. Orch./ George Szell (Bartok) – Praga Digitals

MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major K 595; Piano Concerto No. 12 in A, K. 414; BARTOK: Piano Con. No. 1 – Rudolf Serkin, p./ Philadelphia Orch./ Eugene Ormandy/ Marlboro Fest./ Alexander Schneider (K. 414)/ Columbia Sym. Orch./ George Szell (Bartok) – Praga Digitals

Praga renews the sound of Rudolf Serkin’s 1962 recordings of Mozart and Bartok. MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major, K 595; Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414; BARTOK: Piano Concerto No. 1, Sz. 83 – Rudolf Serkin, piano/ Philadelphia Orch./ Eugene Ormandy (K. 495)/ Marlboro Festival/ Alexander Schneider (K. 414)/ […]

SCHUMANN: Papillons; Carnaval; Davidsbuendlertaense – Philippe Bianconi, p. – La Dolce Volta

SCHUMANN: Papillons; Carnaval; Davidsbuendlertaense – Philippe Bianconi, p. – La Dolce Volta

Philippe Biancoli revisits those Schumann works that indulge in masks and identity transformation. SCHUMANN: Papillons, Op. 2; Carnaval, Op. 9; Davidsbuendlertaense, Op. 6 – Philippe Bianconi, p. – La Dolce Volta LDV 28, 77:51 (9/30/16) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: Philippe Bianconi attended the Conservatory in Nice where he studied with Simone Delbert-Fevrier. In Paris […]

Lee “Scratch” Perry – Must Be Free – Megawave

Lee “Scratch” Perry – Must Be Free – Megawave

A dub/reggae pioneer far from his prime. Lee “Scratch” Perry – Must Be Free – Megawave MEGW0452, 58:45 [9/23/16] ***: (Lee “Scratch” Perry – vocals; Spacewave (AKA John Palmer) – production; The Groovematist (AKA Mechial White) – production (track 2); Karienne Scott – backing vocals (track 2); IAmPhloboi (AKA Kenneth Bankhead) –production (track 12); Subatomic […]

The New Age (1994/2016)

The New Age (1994/2016)

A sexy and smart 1994 comedy on La-La-Land shams and scam. The New Age (1994/2016) Cast: Judy Davis, Peter Weller, Patrick Bauchau, Adam West Director: Michael Tolkin (The Player) Studio:  New Regency Enterprises/20th Century Fox [2/23/16] Video: for 16:9 screens, color Audio: English, PCM stereo No region coding No previews Length: 112 min. Rating: **** […]

Audio News for November 25, 2016

How Classical Music Affects Thoughts and Mood – Certain types of music can move us emotionally from one feeling to another.  In the ‘70s a researcher play certain music in chambers where plants were growing. Of the plants that were provided with rock music, some became stunted and others gangly and most died within a […]

Pete’s Dragon, Blu-ray (2016)

Pete’s Dragon, Blu-ray (2016)

A wonderful Disney live-action story similar to some ways to their Jungle Book. Pete’s Dragon, Blu-ray (2016) Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban Director: David Lowery Studio: Walt Disney Studios (11/29/16) Video: 2.39:1 for 16:9 screens, HD Technicolor Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1, French DD 5.1, Spanish DD 5.1 […]

FELDMAN: Intermission 5; Piano Piece 1952; Extensions 3; Palais de Mari; CRUMB: Processional; A Little Suite for Christmas – Steven Osborne, p. – Hyperion

FELDMAN: Intermission 5; Piano Piece 1952; Extensions 3; Palais de Mari; CRUMB: Processional; A Little Suite for Christmas – Steven Osborne, p. – Hyperion

Piano music that quiets the mind and intrigues the senses. FELDMAN: Intermission 5; Piano Piece 1952; Extensions 3; Palais de Mari; CRUMB: Processional; A Little Suite for Christmas, A.D. 1979 – Steven Osborne, p. – Hyperion CDA 68108, 62:46 ****: Put the wife and kids to bed, dim the lights, and enter a sound world […]

HAYDN: Piano Concerto in G Major; Con . for Piano, Violin & Strings in F Major; Piano Con. in D Major – A. Staier, pianoforte/ Freiburger Borockorchester/ Gottfreid von der Goltz – Harmonia mundi

HAYDN: Piano Concerto in G Major; Con . for Piano, Violin & Strings in F Major; Piano Con. in D Major – A. Staier, pianoforte/ Freiburger Borockorchester/ Gottfreid von der Goltz – Harmonia mundi

The Staier-Haydn concertos on the pianoforte combine austerity and vitality in an infectious mix. HAYDN: Piano Concerto in G Major, Hob. XVIII: 4; Concerto for Piano, Violin and Strings in F Major, Hob. XVIII: 6; Piano Concerto in D Major, Hob. XVIII: 11 – Andreas Staier, pianoforte/ Freiburger Borockorchester/ Gottfreid von der Goltz – Harmonia […]

DVORAK: Slavonic Rhapsodies; Symphonic Variations – Prague Philharmonic/ Jacub Hrusa – Pentatone

DVORAK: Slavonic Rhapsodies; Symphonic Variations – Prague Philharmonic/ Jacub Hrusa – Pentatone

DVORAK: Slavonic Rhapsodies; Symphonic Variations – Prague Philharmonic/ Jacub Hrusa – Pentatone multichannel SACD PTC5186554, 60:28 [Distr. by Naxos] (10/7/16) ***1/2: Lesser known Dvorak lovingly played and very nicely recorded. For the third of his three-album series for Pentatone, the young and increasingly popular Jakub Hrusa conducts the Prague Philharmonic in an all-Dvorak program of […]

Audio News for November 22, 2016

Biggest Tech Turkeys of 2016 – according to Cnet, first Microsoft’s Surface tablet. Second, Google’s messenger overload; Third, watching sports in VR; Fourth, NFL draft prospect Laremey Tunsil smoking weed with a grass mask on Twitter – it went viral; Surface went offline during the AFC championship game in January; Twitter unceremoniously dumped Vine – […]

Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra – Make America Great Again – Troubadour Jazz

Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra – Make America Great Again – Troubadour Jazz

New Orleans jazz – helping to “make America great again?”… Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra – Make America Great Again – Troubadour Jazz TJR103016, 62:48 (9/16/16) ****: (Delfeayo Marsalis – trombone; Khari Allen Lee – alto & soprano sax; Jeronne Ansari – alto sax; Roderick Paulin – tenor & alto sax; Gregory Agid […]

Bronislaw Huberman, v./ Ignaz Friedman, p. in works of BEETHOVEN, BACH, SCHUBERT, ELGAR, CHOPIN, BRAHMS & BRUCH – Pristine Audio

Bronislaw Huberman, v./ Ignaz Friedman, p. in works of BEETHOVEN, BACH, SCHUBERT, ELGAR, CHOPIN, BRAHMS & BRUCH – Pristine Audio

Mark Obert-Thorn restores the classic recording of the 1930 Kreutzer Sonata by Huberman and Friedman.  BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer”; BACH: Andante from Solo Sonata No. 2 in a minor, BWV 1003; Sarabande and Double from Solo Partita No. 1 in b minor, BWV 1002; Chorale Prelude: “Nun komm […]

************  Multichannel Disc of the Month  *********** * DEBUSSY: Images (complete); Jeux; La plus que lente – SF Sym./ Michael Tilson Thomas – SFS Media

************ Multichannel Disc of the Month *********** * DEBUSSY: Images (complete); Jeux; La plus que lente – SF Sym./ Michael Tilson Thomas – SFS Media

The latest from MTT and the SF Symphony is an all-Debussy SACD. * DEBUSSY: Images (complete); Jeux; La plus que lente – San Francisco Sym./ Michael Tilson Thomas – SFS Media multichannel SACD 821936-0069-2, 62:31 (10/28/16) *****: More superb recordings and performances from one of the best orchestras in the U.S. – the San Francisco […]