Monthly Archive: June 2017

Audio News for June 18, 2017

Hi-res Streaming Service — Primephonic is presenting a unique offering of lossless-only classical music—no lossy compression allowed!  They have a growing library, featuring over 200 labels, including those oft-reviewed here at Audiophile Audition — Naxos, Pentatone, HM, Chandos, Channel Classics.  That, along with the several thousand recording artists, makes a rich portfolio for any audiophile.  […]

FRANZ SCHMIDT: Symphony; R. STRAUSS: Intermezzo Excerpt – Vienna Phil. Orch./ Semyon Bychkov – Sony

FRANZ SCHMIDT: Symphony; R. STRAUSS: Intermezzo Excerpt – Vienna Phil. Orch./ Semyon Bychkov – Sony

FRANZ SCHMIDT: Symphony No. 2 in E-flat Major; R. STRAUSS: Dreaming by the Fireside – Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/ Semyon Bychkov – Sony 88985355522, 55:20 (6/2/17) ****: Semyon Bychkov and the VPO celebrate music that proves endemic to Vienna, in their under-rated favorite son, Franz Schmidt. 

Generally speaking, the late-Romantic music of Franz Schmidt (1874-1939) has not […]

HANDEL: Susanna – Göttingen Festival Orch./ NDR Choir, Laurence Cummings – Accent

HANDEL: Susanna – Göttingen Festival Orch./ NDR Choir, Laurence Cummings – Accent

HANDEL: Susanna (complete oratorio) – Emily Fons (Susanna)/ Christopher Lowrey (Joacim)/ Colin Balzer (1st Elder)/ Raimund Nolte (2nd Elder)/ Ciara Hendrick (Daniel)/ Göttingen Festival Orchestra/ NDR Choir, Laurence Cummings – Accent ACC26406 (3 CDs), 184:00 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] ****: New recordings, especially as fine as this one, are always welcome. But Hunt still rules […]

Steve Davis – Think Ahead – Smoke Sessions Records

Steve Davis – Think Ahead – Smoke Sessions Records

Steve Davis – Think Ahead – Smoke Sessions Records #SSR 1704 – 75:34 – ****: Steve Davis comes through again on Think Ahead… (Steve Davis – trombone; Steve Wilson – alto and soprano sax, flute; Jimmy Greene – tenor sax; Larry Willis – piano; Peter Washington – bass; Lewis Nash – drums) Trombonist, Steve Davis, […]

SCHUBERT: Piano Trio; “Trout” Quintet – Trio Wanderer/ Christophe Gaugue (vla.)/ Stephanie Logerot (bass) – HM

SCHUBERT: Piano Trio; “Trout” Quintet – Trio Wanderer/ Christophe Gaugue (vla.)/ Stephanie Logerot (bass) – HM

SCHUBERT: Piano Trio No. 2 in E-flat Major, D. 929; “Trout” Quintet in A Major, D. 667 – Trio Wanderer/ Christophe Gaugue, viola/ Stephanie Logerot, double bass – Harmonia mundi HMX 2908748. 80:27 (6/23/17) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] *****: Two chamber music Schubert marvels from the archives of the Trio Wanderer celebrate their 30th anniversary. […]

ISAAC: In the time of Lorenzo de’ Medici and Maximilan I – Hespèrion XXI/ La Capella Reial de Catalunya/ Jordi Savall – Alia Vox

ISAAC: In the time of Lorenzo de’ Medici and Maximilan I – Hespèrion XXI/ La Capella Reial de Catalunya/ Jordi Savall – Alia Vox

Henricus ISAAC: In the time of Lorenzo de’ Medici and Maximilan I – Hespèrion XXI/ La Capella Reial de Catalunya/ Jordi Savall – Alia Vox multichannel SACD AVSA9922, 76:06 (Distr. by [PIAS] Classics) *****: Magnificent readings of music by an underperformed master. Henricus Isaac (also known as Heinrich Isaac, 1450 – 1519) is one of […]

FRANCK: Violin Sonata; CHAUSSON: Concert for Piano, Violin and String Quartet – Isabelle Faust (vln.) / Alexander Melnikov (p.)/ Salagon Quartet – HMM

FRANCK: Violin Sonata; CHAUSSON: Concert for Piano, Violin and String Quartet – Isabelle Faust (vln.) / Alexander Melnikov (p.)/ Salagon Quartet – HMM

FRANCK: Violin Sonata in A Major; CHAUSSON: Concert in D Major for Piano, Violin and String Quartet, Op. 21 – Isabelle Faust, violin/ Alexander Melnikov, piano/ Salagon Quartet – Harmonia mundi HMM 902254, 67:11 (5/26/17) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: The Faust-Melnikov duo realizes two powerful masterpieces from the Belgian cyclical tradition. Recorded June 2017, […]

SCHUMANN/MERTZ: Piano/Guitar Double Album Review

SCHUMANN/MERTZ: Piano/Guitar Double Album Review

SCHUMANN – Davidbundlertanze, Humoreske, Blumenstück – Luca Buratto – Hyperion 68186, 64:58 ( 4/28/17) ****: Johann Kaspar MERTZ: “The Last Viennese Virtuoso” – Frank Bungarten (ten string guitar) MDG SACD 905, 67:10, (4/14/17) ****: Two Biedermeier recitals for solo instruments representing the intimate musical aesthetic of the domestic salon. The recordings under review here are […]

Johann Baptist VANHAL: Six Quartets, Op. 6 – Eybler Quartet – Brilliant Classics

Johann Baptist VANHAL: Six Quartets, Op. 6 – Eybler Quartet – Brilliant Classics

Johann Baptist VANHAL: Six Quartets, Op. 6 – Eybler Quartet – Brilliant Classics 17003, 70: 10 (4/27/17) *** 1/2:  Charming works from a one-time illustrious contemporary of Haydn in the same formative Classical style. (Julia Wedman; violin I/ Aislinn Nosky; violin II/ Patrick Jordan; viola/ Margaret Gay; cello) The Eybler Quartet takes its name from […]

Carl Schuricht: Lucerne Festival = MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 27; BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2 –  Robert Casadesus (p.) / Swiss Festival Orch. Vienna Phil. – Audite 

Carl Schuricht: Lucerne Festival = MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 27; BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2 –  Robert Casadesus (p.) / Swiss Festival Orch. Vienna Phil. – Audite 

Carl Schuricht: Lucerne Festival = MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major, K. 595; BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73 –  Robert Casadesus, piano/ Swiss Festival Orchestra/ Vienna Philharmonic – Audite 95.645, 68:21 (5/19/17) [Distr. by Naxos] *****: Grand music-making defines these two concerts led by veteran Carl Schuricht. The appearance […]

RAVEL: Piano Concertos; FALLA: Nights in the Gardens of Spain – Steven Osborne (p.) /  BBC Scottish SO / Ludovic Morlot – Hyperion 

RAVEL: Piano Concertos; FALLA: Nights in the Gardens of Spain – Steven Osborne (p.) /  BBC Scottish SO / Ludovic Morlot – Hyperion 

RAVEL: Piano Concerto in G Major; Piano Concerto in D Major for the Left Hand; FALLA: Nights in the Gardens of Spain – Steven Osborne, piano/ BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/ Ludovic Morlot – Hyperion  CDA68148, 63:03 (6/2/17) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: The French and Spanish virtuoso works recorded here by Steven Osborne vibrate with […]

Milstein Rarities = LALO: Symphonie espagnole; MENDELSSOHN: Violin Concerto; DVORAK: Violin Concerto – Nathan Milstein (vln.) / Philadelphia Orch. /  Eugene Ormandy / Phil.-Symph. of NY/ Arturo Toscanini / Leopold Stokowski – Pristine Audio

Milstein Rarities = LALO: Symphonie espagnole; MENDELSSOHN: Violin Concerto; DVORAK: Violin Concerto – Nathan Milstein (vln.) / Philadelphia Orch. /  Eugene Ormandy / Phil.-Symph. of NY/ Arturo Toscanini / Leopold Stokowski – Pristine Audio

Milstein Rarities = LALO: Symphonie espagnole in d minor, Op. 21; MENDELSSOHN: Violin Concerto in e minor: Andante & Allegro non troppo; Allegro molto vivace; DVORAK: Violin Concerto in a minor, Op. 53 – Nathan Milstein, violin/ Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy (Lalo)/ Philharmonic-Symphony of New York/ Arturo Toscanini (Mendelssohn)/ Leopold Stokowski (Dvorak) – Pristine Audio […]

Alex Goodman – Second Act – Lyte Records

Alex Goodman – Second Act – Lyte Records

Alex Goodman – Second Act – Lyte Records LR040 73:00 ***: An appealing sample of Goodman’s goodies ( Alex Goodman – guitar; Matt Marantz – saxophone; Eden Ladin – piano/Fender Rhodes; Rick Rosato – bass; Jimmy MacBride – drums; Felicity Williams & Alex Samaras – vocals tracks 5-8, 10,11 ) Guitarist Alex Goodman is a […]

Vadim NESELOVSKYI Trio – Get Up and Go – BluJazz

Vadim NESELOVSKYI Trio – Get Up and Go – BluJazz

Vadim NESELOVSKYI Trio – Get Up and Go – BluJazz 3449 – 61:00, (1/20/17) ****½ : Terrific compositions which span jazz and classical sensibilities played by a first rate trio. (Vadim Neselovskyi; piano, melodica/ Ronen Itzik; drums, percussion/ Dan Loomis; bass/ Sara Serpa; voice (4,11)) The title of the Vadim Neselovskyi trio debut release “Get […]

BACH: St. John Passion – 3 Releases: Academy of Ancient Music/ Crouch End Festival Chorus & Bach Camerata / Stuttgarter Hymnus-Chorknaben – Naxos, MDG

BACH: St. John Passion – 3 Releases: Academy of Ancient Music/ Crouch End Festival Chorus & Bach Camerata / Stuttgarter Hymnus-Chorknaben – Naxos, MDG

BACH: St. John Passion – James Gilchrist (Evangelista)/ Neal Davies (Christus)/ Sophie Bevan (soprano)/ Iestyn Davies (Alto)/ Ed Lyon (Tenor)/ Rodererick Williams (Bass)/ Benedict Kearns (Petrus)/ Tony Ward (Servus)/ Choir of King’s College, Cambridge/ Academy of Ancient Music/ Stephen Cleobury – King’s College multichannel SACD KGS0018 (2 discs), 109:23 [Distr. by Naxos] *****: BACH: Johannes-Passion […]