Monthly Archive: March 2017
Tribute to Charles Munch – A Strasburger in Boston = Works of BERLIOZ, FRANCK, ST.-SAENS, ROUSSEL, DEBUSSY, FAURE, RAVEL – Praga Digitals
A generous sampling of the ‘Munch touch’ in Boston in the French music he championed. Tribute to Charles Munch – A Strasburger in Boston = BERLIOZ: Romeo et Juliette Symphonie – Queen Mab Scherzo; FRANCK: Le Chasseur Maudit; SAINT-SAENS: La Princesse Jaune Overture, Op 30; Le Rouet d’Omphale. Op. 31; DEBUSSY: Fetes fr. Trois Nocturnes; FAURE: Penelope Prelude; RAVEL: La Valse; ROUSSEL: Suite in F Major – Boston Sym. Orch./ Charles Munch – Praga Digitals PRD 250 340, 80:17 (12/9/16) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: The wizardry of Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony in French repertory finds eloquent representation on this extensive program, from various discs originally recorded 1951-1961 for RCA Victor. Particularly endearing, we have the 15 January 1951 recording of the Saint-Saens 1872 Overture La Princesse Jaune (on LM 1701), a one-act opera that utilizes pentatonic scales to suggest the courtly life of Japan in a dream-vision, although Netherlands provides the setting of the drama. The BSO achieves a lithe, entirely flexible vocal line and resplendently transparent hues, including an amazing bottom and top line in the full complement of strings. No less brisk, the symphonic poem Le Rouet d’Omphale, (1871) invokes the mythological enslavement of Hercules […]
Organissimo – B3tles: A Soulful Tribute to the Fab Four – Big O
B-3 trio plus classic Beatles compositions – a winning combination … Organissimo – B3tles: A Soulful Tribute to the Fab Four – Big O 2424, 67:51 ****1/2: (Jim Alfredson – Hammond organ, Wurlitzer, electric piano/synthesizers; Lawrence Barris – guitar; Randy Marsh – drums, harmonica (#9); Bill Vits – percussion (#1, 3, 5, 9, 12); Mike List – tabla (#12) ) For lovers of the Hammond organ, and soul jazz, it is a very short journey to get excited about a project bringing the Hammond to re-interpret classic Beatles compositions with organ and guitar improvisation. Changing “All You Need is Love” to 5/4 time or “Taxman” to 7/4 sounds about right when the vibe is soulful. (Adding a tenor sax to the mix would have been perfection, but who’s complaining when the trio is expanded to a quintet including tabla on George Harrison’s “Within You Without You.”) Choosing twelve tracks from the Beatles songbook might have been the hardest choice for band leader organist, Jim Alfredson, who also recorded, mixed, and mastered the project. “Taxman” kicks off the tribute with the familiar melody immediately upfront in the mix before Alfredson adds a little grease, and we’re only missing dancers on risers […]
Audio News for March 31, 2017
Google & Sony Collaborate to Bring Hi-Res to Android – The new Android Nougat has over 30 new features and about 250 bug fixes so every Andriod mobile user will benefit from Google. Bluetooth is reliable but not hi-res yet, so Sony lent its LDAC wireless audio coding tech to Android O. This is the same technology already in the Sony sound bar, Walkman NW-ZX2, and Sony Glass Sound Speaker. It can transfer data at about three times better than Bluetooth, and allows for efficent coding and optimized packetzation for an impressive sound quality. Google has already added this tech to their AOSP base code so developers can take advantage of it. The goal is to have hi-res streaming on your smart phone whether it’s a Sony or not. UK Ban on Carrying Laptops and Tablets on Inbound Flights Could be Extended to All Flights – Passengers can no longer carry large electronic devices on inbound flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. It would theoretically stop terrorists from physically triggering a bomb concealed in a laptop. It follows a similar measure announced by U.S. authorities affecting flights originating in a longer list of mainly Muslim countries. […]
BUXTEHUDE: Trio Sonatas; manuscripts d’Uppsala – La Reveuse – Mirare
BUXTEHUDE: Trio Sonatas; manuscripts d’Uppsala – La Reveuse – Mirare 303, 69:25 (4/14/17) *****: (Stephan Dudermil – violin/ Florence Bolton – viola da gamba/ Benjamin Perrot – theorbo/ Emily Audouin – gamba/ Carsten Lohff – harpsichord/ Sebstien Wonner – organ) Unpublished trio sonatas of Buxtehude played with passion and precision. The legend is familiar. A young man named Johann Sebastian, leaving behind work and family responsibilities, journeys on foot 200 miles to see the great Buxtehude. He stands rapt beside the master, whose discourse illuminates the young disciple. He returns home, head buzzing with new ideas which are not immediately well received by his provincial congregation. The tale has the arc of a folk-tale, and as a historical anecdote, it gives us a nice view of Bach’s unfathomable origins. However, it doesn’t help us position Buxtehude in his age. This composer is best seen as an apogee and finest flowering of a specific musical culture and period rather than an antecedent to the singular Bach. The Hanseatic cities of the Baltic represented a unique development of urbanity and political economy. Facing outward towards England, they flourished by means of the maritime trade and cultural exchange. In the Ratskeller across these […]
Audio News for March 28, 2017
Denon S Series AV Receivers for Home Theater – Denon will have a new series of AVRs for from $279 to $579 next month. The idea is to make home theater easier now. The entry level AVR has 4K with HDR compatibility, Bluetooth streaming, and 140 watt per channel. The top of the line includes built-in HEOS, object-oriented surround sound processing, Wi-Fi and 185 watt per channel, along with several additional features. Electronics All Over Your Home Could Be Spying on You – A Canadian sex toy manufacturer handing over $4 million in settlement of a privacy lawsuit last week when a customer discovered that its Bluetooth-controlled, app-connected vibirator secretly collected highly sensitive personal data on the person. WikiLeaks has claimed that powerful surveillance tools once only deep inside the CIA could be designed to turn any connected device into a tool to spy on its owner. Hackers have been targeting so-called smart devices for years. They often use the webcam attached to a device to spy on their victims. One DIY trick users have employed is to cover their computer or gaming system’s built-in webcam with a piece of tape, so the hackers aren’t able to see much of […]
BRAHMS: Piano Quintet in f; SCHUMANN: String Quartet No. 1 – M. Pressler, p./ Pacifica Q. – Cedille
An unusual pairing sets music of Brahms and Schumann together as masters of their respective idiom. BRAHMS: Piano Quintet in f, Op. 34; SCHUMANN: String Quartet No. 1 in a, Op. 41 – Menahem Pressler, p./ Pacifica Quartet – Cedille CDR 90000 170, 71:39 (3/10/17) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: The etiology of the Brahms 1865 Piano Quintet (rec. 19-21 November 2014) has become common parlance, its having experienced two prior incarnations, as both a string quintet and a sonata for two pianos. The latter incarnation still survives and occasionally finds acolytes (as Op. 34b) in devoted musicians who wish to endure what the composer lamented as its “lack of charm.” And true, the opening Allegro non troppo does project a sense of broad melancholy, set as two contrasting ideas which provide the through-composed nature of the entire movement. Pressler (at ninety-one) himself can still impress us with his suave, cascading runs. The “symphonic” aspect of the writing constantly urges the music to the limit of what the ensemble can project without distortion. Much of the music’s evolution takes cues from Beethoven and Schubert, particularly the latter’s combination of grandeur and intimate nostalgia. Menahem Pressler and the Pacifica Quartet take a […]
RACHMANINOV: All-Night Vigil (Vespers and Matins) – soloists/ dir. by Peter Jermilhov – Paraclete
We are invited to lift our spirits through a deeply inspired performance of Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil. RACHMANINOV: All-Night Vigil (Vespers and Matins), Op. 37 – Mariya Berezovska, alto/ Dmitry Ivanchenko, tenor/ Gloriae Dei Cantores/ The St. Romanos Cappella/ The Patriarch Tikhon Choir/ The Washington Master Chorale/ Peter Jermihov – Paraclete multichannel SACD GDCD 063, 66:34 (3/3/17) [Distr. by Naxos] *****: Sergei Rachmaninov, who always maintained strong, religious convictions, conceived his “The Most Important Hymns of the All-Night Vigil” for a performance of 10 March 1915, meant as a conglomerate of selected liturgical hymns and canticles now condensed into a choral cycle. Rachmaninov, however, did not intend in his fifteen movements to supplant any Orthodox ritual: he wished to express a subjective declaration of religious devotion in terms of the Greek, Klevan, and Great Znamenny (melismatic) Chants which he had come to admire, despite any personal animosity he had sustained in courting his cousin for marriage and having encountered Church resistance. Rachmaninov combined ten, pre-existing chants with five freely composed settings, each of which exploits the modal intervals of a third, fourth, and fifth, so they become indistinguishable from ancient settings, given the composer’s absorption of the essential, syntactical doxology. The […]
CHOPIN: Andante spianato & Grande Polonaise brillante; Rondo a la Krakowiak; Variations on “La ci darem la mano”; Fantasy on Polish Airs; Nocturne. – Jan Lisiecki, p. – DGG
Lisiecki’s realization of “another side of Chopin” enjoys poetic and engaging musicianship from all principals. CHOPIN: Works for Piano and Orchestra = Andante spianato & Grande Polonaise brillante in G Major/E-flat Major, Op. 22; Rondo a la krakowiak in F Major, Op. 14; Variations on “La ci darem la mano” from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Op. 2; Fantasy on Polish Airs, Op. 13; Nocturne in c-sharp, Op. Posth. – Jan Lisiecki, p./ NDR Elbphilharmonie Orch./ Krzysztof Urbanski – DGG 479 6824, 64:43 (3/10/17) [Distr. by Universal] ****: Jan Lisiecki (b. 1995) comes to us visa the Glenn Gould School of Music in Toronto; and his penchant for the music of Chopin has already been demonstrated in recordings of the concertos (in Poland) and the etudes (for DGG), that testify to a light, fluid touch that likes to caress the polyphonic, vertical colors out of Chopin’s layered harmony. Listening to this survey (rec. 6/2016) of the Chopin large works other than the concertos, I sense the influence of young Claudio Arrau in terms of lyrically polished, refined technical facility. The opening foray, the 1834 Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise brillante, glistens in the opening pages, a dragonfly approach rife with color on […]
David HARRIS, trombone – Blues I Felt – DLEE
David HARRIS – Blues I Felt – DLEE, 64:02, (3/17/17) ***: (David Harris; trombone and vocals/ Shea Pierre; piano/ Jason Weaver; bass/ Miles Labat; drums) An outstanding trombonist with a blues sensibility and vocal talent. The instrument that achieved the greatest liberation in the first era of 20th century jazz was the trombone. Up until the innovations of Dixieland, the trombone had been a model of sobriety, ponderously holding down the low register in band and orchestral music. Suddenly, through a convergence of musical traditions in and around New Orleans circa 1900-1920, the trombone found a new voice (aided considerably by the use of the plunger mute), becoming wildly celebratory, mischievous, and imbued with the vocal inflextions of the blues. While the trombone would find its place in modern jazz, it would never again enjoy such royal prestige. It is to this golden age of blues trombone jazz that David Harris takes us in his fine debut CD “Blues I Felt.” The boisterous growls of Miff Mole and the buttery glissandos of Kid Ory and Higginbotham are referenced throughout as Harris adapts the earlier style to a more conventional modern jazz quartet concept. Harris’ bandmates are talented young products of […]
Audio News for March 24, 2017
Chuck Berry Dies – The “Father of Rock & Roll” is gone at age 90. He was one of the first inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He combined beguiling narratives, fusing rhythm and blues with country and western to transfix the U.S. Bill Clinton called Berry “one of the 20th Century’s most influential musicians.” His career had rocketed in the ‘50s after he signed a record deal with Chess Records at the behest of his friend Muddy Waters. Juno Concert Fuses Classical Indian Music with Dance & Rock – The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Beyonce have all incorporated Indian music into wildly popular rock songs. Now rock & roll and Kathak fuse together in a one-time performance at Aroha Fine Arts in Stittsville in central California. The audience will be entertained and learn about both the dance and music from India that inspires modern music. The focus of Kathak dance, from Northern India, is storytelling, and the dancers use their feet to make intricate patterns like percussion. Tiny Adapter Adds Hi-Res Audio, a 3.5mm Headphone Jack. and Wireless Charging to iPhone 7s – RES now makes a converter which implements a 192/24 audio chip for hi-res […]
Ross Hammond – Follow Your Heart – Prescott Recordings
Ross Hammond – Follow Your Heart – Prescott Recordings [2/27/17] stereo vinyl, 39:26 ****: Delta and Appalachian Blues get an acoustic upgrade on vinyl. (Ross Hammond – solo acoustic Resonator guitar & 12-string guitar) As a twelve-year old growing up in Sacramento, Ross Hammond’s life suddenly changed. His mother bought a guitar for him. In college, his guitar teacher introduced him to Wes Montgomery, Grant Green and Kenny Burrell. This spurred an interest in jazz, and Hammond started recording in 2003. His early albums included Gauche, Optimism, Sometimes Nocturnal and Effective Use Of Space. In 2008 with Byron Blackburn, he organized the Flow Jazz And Improvisational Music Festival. This free form musical event takes place in Sacramento annually. He has recorded solo albums (Ambience, Antiquite And Other Love Songs, Flight) and as a member of his quartet (Adored, Cathedrals). Hammond’s latest release (Prescott Recordings) is an intimate acoustic guitar set recorded at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Sacramento. The vinyl recording (it is also available on CD) is a rich assortment of blues and folk roots music that draws on the deeply felt spirituality and pathos of American musical culture. Side A opens with the Delta-inspired “Sinner Man”. From the […]
Audio News for March 21, 2017
Hi-Res Support Not for Sonos – Sonos says people should listen to lossless CD-quality audio and stop listening to MP3s before talking about hi-res audio. They support lossless CD-quality files but no higher. So we are not likely to see hi-res audio support on Sonos anytime soon; there are more important areas of focus for Sonos, according to director Giles Martin. “The difference between MP3s and 44.1 is the one. For most, you wouldn’t notice the difference… I think there should be a agreement on what high-resolution is.” Pioneer Hi-Res XDP-300R Portable Audio Unit – The new XDP-300R portable audio player (about $1000) has dual DACS, balanced circuitry, and is capable of playing back up to 11.2MHz DSD. 384 KHz/24-bit FLAC/WAV or MQA. It has a 4.7”, 1280 x 720 display and uses micro-USB charging. The player has Wi-FI, Bluetooth 4.2 aptX, is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 and has 32GB storage and dual microSD cards. There are two separate motherboards, to avoid interference. Research Does Not Support “The Mozart Effect” – Researchers say that there is no reason to believe that playing classical music for your unborn baby will put them at any sort of advantage later on. […]
BERG: Lulu (David Robert Coleman completion) – DGG
A production for idiots, and a musical completion that spells disaster. ALBAN BERG: Lulu (complete opera, David Robert Coleman completion) Cast: Mojca Erdmann (Lulu)/ Deborah Polaski (Countess Geschwitz)/ Michael Volle (Jack the Ripper)/ Thomas Piffka (Alwa)/ Stephan Rügamer (Painter/Negro) Orch.: Staatskapelle Berlin/ Daniel Barenboim Director: Andrea Breth Studio: DGG 00440 073 4934 Video: 16:9 widescreen Audio: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1 surround Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish, Korean No Region Code Length: 156 minutes Rating: ** This is a new completion of Berg’s opera, one that proves as willful and ostensibly unidiomatic as can possibly be imagined. The production attempts to disguise this fact, but then you read in the booklet “As a result of Berg’s sudden death in 1935, his second and last opera remained a fragment and has now been completed by David Robert Coleman, who was commissioned by the Berlin State Opera Unter den Linden to elaborate the composer’s sketches. The result is this new “Berlin version”, premiered in 2012, which omits the prologue and the so called “Paris scene” at the beginning of Act III, in order to condense the plot and to underline the symmetrical structure intended by Berg.” I am not an expert on this […]
MEDTNER: Piano Concerto No. 2 in c; RACHMANINOV: Piano Con. No. 3 in d – Marc-Andre Hamelin, p./ London Philharmonic Orch./ Vladimir Jurowski – Hyperion
Hamelin exhibits colossal technique and vitality in two Russian concertos that lack the magic of a live concert. MEDTNER: Piano Concerto No. 2 in c, Op. 50; RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No. 3 in d, Op. 30 – Marc-Andre Hamelin, p./ London Philharmonic Orch./ Vladimir Jurowski – Hyperion CDA68145, 82:09 (3/31/17) [Distr. by HM/PIAS] ****: The music of Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951) seems to enjoy a kind of renaissance, especially as the more familiar keyboard works from the Russian repertory become tired. Often referred to as “the Russian Brahms,” Medtner (rec. 7 March 2016) scores his works into a classical structure rife with rhythmic propulsion and thick harmonic syntax, but almost always within a conservative, tonal parameter. The Second Piano Concerto (1920-27) bears a dedication to Serge Rachmaninov, and it arranges its three movements as a kind of bravura dance suite: Toccata: Allegro risoluto; Romanza: Andane con moto; and Divertimento: Allegro risoluto e molto vivace. The piano constitutes the main ingredient in the Second Concerto, and is virtually ever-active. Only prior to a cadenza entry does the piano remain silent. The attraction of the first movement lies in a clearly Russian, militant character, offset by a folksy lyricism. Medtner seems to favor […]
“Brubeck” – Dave Brubeck Quartet, Zurich 1964/ Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series 42 – TCB Music
“Brubeck” – Dave Brubeck Quartet, Zurich 1964/ Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series 42 – TCB Music 02422, 72:33 *****: This is a terrific 1964 concert from a legendary jazz quartet! (Dave Brubeck – piano; Paul Desmond – alto saxophone; Eugene Wright – double bass; Joe Morello – drums) There have been many transformative jazz pianists. Art Tatum, Bud Powell, Bill Evans and Thelonious Monk are considered among the greatest. Dave Brubeck (the pride of Concord, California) is not always included with these legends. But as the founding member of The Dave Brubeck Quartet, he accomplished something unique. Brubeck was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1954. In typical humility, he bristled at this, and insisted that Duke Ellington was more deserving of this honor. At the time, the only other jazz artist to garner this recognition was Louis Armstrong. Brubeck ascended into jazz history with the 1959 album, Time Out. The classic quartet (which stayed intact for 16 years) included Paul Desmond (alto saxophone), Eugene Wright (double bass) and Joe Morello (drums). Brubeck’s discography is incredibly proficient, and the group was able to release multiple albums (up to four) in multiple years. Brubeck’s unique time signatures captivated audiences […]
OLIVIER LATRY: Voyages – (Organ transcriptions) – Olivier Latry, organ – Erato/ Warner Classics
OLIVIER LATRY: Voyages – (Organ transcriptions) – Olivier Latry, organ – Erato/ Rhino Warner Classics 0190295888503, 78:31 (1/20/17) **1/2: Good recording of a rather mundane program. “Voyages” is the first album to be recorded on the new organ of the Paris Philharmonie. Voyages contains 11 famous pieces – ranging from BACH to KHACHATURIAN By way of MENDELSSOHN, CHOPIN, LISZT, WAGNER, SAINT-SAËNS, RIMSKY-KORSAKOV, FAURÉ, DEBUSSY and DE FALLA – it showcases both the ‘symphonic’ capacities of the new organ and the artistry of leading French organist Olivier Latry. Paris’s magnificent new concert hall, the Philharmonie, opened in January 2015, but its massive organ – which has over 6000 pipes and 91 different stops and weighs more than 25 tons – was not inaugurated until early 2016. This CD, Voyages, containing short pieces transcribed for organ, is the first to be recorded on the new instrument. From the CD it’s clear this is a fine instrument. The low end is palpable, and the microphone is set back to give a sense of the acoustic space. I would have preferred the extended range of an SACD, but the CD rendering holds its own. Larry is a fine organist. A native of northern France, […]
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Job; Symphony No. 9 – Andrew Davis/ Bergen Philharmonic – Chandos
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Job; Symphony No. 9 – Andrew Davis/ Bergen Philharmonic – Chandos multichannel SACD CHSA 5180, 77:29 (2/17/17) ****: Davis returns to Vaughan Williams in a fine performance and recording. This new recording from Chandos couples a stunning performance and recording of two of Vaughan Williams’ great works. This is not the first time these compositions, conducted by Andrew Davis, have been on CD. He recorded the pair for Teldec in the ‘90s with the BBC Symphony. The first work, Job: A Masque for Dancing, has a scenario by Geoffrey Keynes based on William Blake’s illustrations of the Old Testament Book of Job. The score was first performed in concert in 1930. Some consider it Williams’ greatest orchestral creation and I wouldn’t argue with that sentiment. The piece is richly orchestrated, and the Bergen Philharmonic is precise and dynamic. The recording captures the glorious sound of the Bergen Cathedral, with its fine organ making an appearance on track 7. The Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 9 is also a pleasure to hear. It was the last symphony Williams composed, but it is strong and defiant in nature. It was premiered in London in 1958. Williams was clearly thinking of his […]
John Patitucci, bass – Irmao De Fe – Newvelle vinyl
Taking an audiophile journey to Brazil with John Patitucci… John Patitucci, bass – Irmao De Fe – Newvelle NV007LP – vinyl ****1/2: (John Patitucci – acoustic and electric bass; Yotam Silberstein – acoustic and electric guitars; Rogerio Boccato – drums, percussion) The first-year subscription series of audiophile LPs from Newvelle Records set a standard for pristine acoustics and coffee table-worthy gate-fold albums. The 180gm clear vinyl felt substantial, and once on the turntable, the music presented matched the presentation of the package. It is worth highlighting the first year of their subscription series: The Frank Kimbrough Quintet (NV001LP) provided straight ahead horn/piano based jazz with tracks both wistful and buoyant. Jack DeJohnette’s solo piano effort (NV002LP) was contemplative and comforting, deeply creative, much like Keith Jarrett, with whom Jack has provided backing for years. Saxophonist Noah Preminger (NV003LP) explored the many faces of blues ballads in a deeply satisfying effort. One of Don Friedman’s final projects (NV004LP) before his passing was a Newvelle project honoring the unsung compositional talents of trumpeter, Booker Little, presented with piano as the main instrument sans horn. It demanded rapt attention to fully appreciate Friedman’s skills in sharing the complex charts of Little, so advanced […]
Clockwise: The Music Of Cedar Walton – Ben Markley Big Band featuring Terell Stafford – OA2
Clockwise: The Music Of Cedar Walton – Ben Markley Big Band featuring Terell Stafford – OA2 22139, 75:42 ****: A creative outing that is full of intelligence and inquisitiveness. (Ben Markley Big Band = Ben Markley – piano; featuring Terell Stafford – trumpet) Cedar Walton, who died on August 19, 2013, at age seventy-nine, was an American who originally made his name as a hard-bop pianist with the early sixties version of the Art Blakey Jazz Messengers. His first recording session with the band included several players who became household name such as Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Jaymie Merritt in addition to Blakey. The name of the recording label was Mosaic. As he developed his style as a pianist, he also showed promise as a composer wherein many of his efforts became recognized as jazz standards such as Bolivia and Holy Land among others, and are showcased here in big band arrangements. Ben Markley and his cohorts from the University of Wyoming and Denver Colorado have put together a smart aggregation that has taken Markley’s charts of Walton’s tunes to deliver a solid session. Opening with “Cedar’s Blues” the saxophone section shows its harmonic chops early on, leading […]
Fleming – Distant Light = Music by BARBER, HILLBORGS and BJORK – Renee Fleming – sop./ Royal Stockholm Sym. Orch./ Sakari Oramo – Decca
Fleming – Distant Light = Music by BARBER, HILLBORGS and BJORK – Renee Fleming – sop./ Royal Stockholm Sym. Orch./ Sakari Oramo – Decca 4830415, 53:00 (1/6/17) ****: This new release is a long-awaited collection from soprano Renee Fleming, containing Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915. The other tracks are from Scandinavian composers, with works especially written for the soprano. I think the highlight here for most will be the Barber. It’s a lovely work for orchestra based on a prose piece by James Agee. It was first premiered in 1948. Although originally conceived for a male voice, it has been successfully performed by several sopranos. Ms. Fleming gives us a terrific and emotional performance, and the Decca engineers have given us a very nice sounding CD. Some may complain that Ms. Fleming seems a bit distant in the recording, but I think the production decisions here give a very ‘live’ and satisfying sound. Next, we have Anders Hillborgs’ The Strand Settings. Hillborg is very popular in Swedish classical music circles. This work is contemporary in sound, at times unsettling, and Ms. Fleming does well with this difficult and atmospheric piece. The Hillborgs is a world premier recording. Finally, we have […]
Matt Mayhall – Tropes – Skirl
A new perspective on West Coast cool jazz. Matt Mayhall – Tropes [TrackList follows] – Skirl 036, 34:02 [11/4/16] ****: (Matt Mayhall – drums, percussion, acoustic piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, Mellotron, Yamaha Portasound VSS-30; Jeff Parker – electric guitar; Paul Bryan – electric bass guitar, producer, engineer, editor, mixer; Chris Speed – tenor saxophone (tracks 2, 5); Jeff Babko – Hammond B-3, Fender Rhodes, Roland SH-1000 (tracks 1, 3, 6, 7)) Los Angeles-based drummer Matt Mayhall is equally at home in pop or jazz music. He was a member of alternative pop/slowcore band Spain. He’s toured with singer-songwriters Ted Leo and Aimee Mann; and performed with Liz Phair, John Doe of X fame, and Susanna Hoffs (of the similarly famous Bangles). On the jazz side, Mayhall has provided rhythm support for keyboardist Larry Goldings; bassist Eric Revis; and horn players Vinny Golia and Chris Speed. In late 2016, Mayhall added more to his credits by issuing his debut solo effort, the 34-minute, nine-track Tropes. Throughout his nine originals on Tropes, Mayhall maintains a steady, slightly downplayed stride, a sort of modern twist on the West Coast school of cool jazz. That’s not to mean Mayhall replicates the music of Chet […]
HOLST: The Planets; R. STRAUSS: Also sprach Zarathustra – National Youth Orch. of Great Britain; CBSO Youth Chor./ Edward Gardner – Chandos
HOLST: The Planets; R. STRAUSS: Also sprach Zarathustra – National Youth Orch. of Great Britain; CBSO Youth Chor./ Edward Gardner – Chandos multichannel SACD Chan 5179, 79:53 (2/17/17) ****: A fresh look at two popular works, in a superb, life-like recording. One is never quite sure what to expect when one hears a ‘youth orchestra’. Often it’s effort over musical proficiency. Not so in this new thrilling recording from Chandos, which features The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the CBSO Youth Chorus, under the baton of Edward Gardner. The disc contains fine renditions of Also sprach Zarathustra and The Planets by Gustav Holst. You might say it is a ‘space age pairing’ because the Strauss has been permanently branded as sci-fi music due to its inclusion in 2001- A Space Odyssey. The Strauss opens with a very deep bass of the C Major chord from a pipe organ, and as the opening unfolds the sound is excellent, as good a Zarathustra as I’ve heard in terms of audio quality. With all that praise, I have to say the Holst is even better. It’s an exciting and detailed performance of The Planets, and the young players negotiate this difficult […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
