Monthly Archive: April 2018
WALTON: Concerto for Viola and Orchestra; Sonata for String Orchestra; Partita for Orchestra – James Ehnes, viola/ BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Edward Gardner – Chandos
James Ehnes and Edward Gardner collaborate in virtuosic, colorful scores from William Walton. WALTON: Concerto for Viola and Orchestra; Sonata for String Orchestra; Partita for Orchestra – James Ehnes, viola/ BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Edward Gardner – Chandos CHSA 5210, 65:50 (4/6/18) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: William Walton (1902-1983) composed his Viola Concerto in A minor […]
Sound Prints – Scandal – Greenleaf Music
Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas echo Wayne Shorter’s spirit and inventiveness. Sound Prints – Scandal [TrackList follows] – Greenleaf Music GRE-CD-1065, 66:32 [4/6/18] ****: (Joe Lovano – tenor saxophone, G mezzo soprano saxophone (track 10), co-producer; Dave Douglas – trumpet, co-producer, executive producer; Lawrence Fields – piano; Joey Baron – drums; Linda May Han Oh […]
ANGELUS – Zvonimir Nagy Organist and composer – Ravello Records
Contemporary organ music that makes a deep impression in its range and ambition. ANGELUS – Zvonimir Nagy Organist and composer – Ravello Records CD – Catalog #: RR7987 (4/13/18) ****: Angelus is a refreshing exercise in melody and minimalism from Croatian-born American musician Zvonimir Nagy, both a music composer and scholar. He resides in Pittsburgh, […]
Renee Fleming in Concert – Salzburg Festival 2011-12 – Strauss/Wolf/Bruckner – Blu-ray – Opus Arte
A reissue of 2 terrific concerts in a 2 disc set of dazzling video and audio. Renee Fleming in Concert – Salzburg Festival 2011-12 – Strauss/Wolf/Bruckner – A 2 Blu-ray disc set in 1080i video, DTS 5.1 sound – Opus Arte OA BD7235- TT: 190 minutes (1/26/18) *** 1/2: This new release is actually a […]
Kavakos: Virtuoso = Works for Violin and Piano by STRAVINSKY; SARASATE; TARREGA; FALLA; PAGANINI; WIENIAWSKI; R. STRAUSS; DOHNANYI; ELGAR; TCHAIKOVSKY; DVORAK – Leonidas Kavakos, violin/ Enrico Pace, piano – Decca
Kavakos and Pace deliver alternately fiery and sweetly crisp renditions of virtuoso staples from diverse national styles. Kavakos: Virtuoso = Works for Violin and Piano by STRAVINSKY; SARASATE; TARREGA; FALLA; PAGANINI; WIENIAWSKI; R. STRAUSS; DOHNANYI; ELGAR; TCHAIKOVSKY; DVORAK [Complete list of compositions below] – Leonidas Kavakos, violin/ Enrico Pace, piano – Decca 478 9377, 78:47 […]
Carla Thomas – The Queen Alone – Stax/Speakers Corner
Queen of Memphis Soul… Carla Thomas – The Queen Alone – Stax/Speakers Corner #S718 – 180 gm audiophile LP – 1967 ***: (Carla Thomas – vocals: with backing from Booker T and the MGs, and unknown backing roster of horns and strings ) Carla Thomas was Stax Records answer to the much more heralded crew […]
G. P. Telemann: Essercizii Musici – Florilegium – Channel Classics
G. P. Telemann: (sections from) Essercizii Musici – Florilegium (dir. Ashley Solomon, flute) – Channel Classics CCS 40118—119:30, ****1/2 Telemann, a contemporary of Handel and Bach, is remembered best today for being a prolific composer. Trained as a lawyer, he took extraordinary means to pursue music and later promote his music, in a variety of […]
Schnittke: Psalms of Repentance; Pärt: Magnificat & Nunc dimittis / Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir / Kaspars Putniņš / BIS
An intense and emotional performance and recording of these contemporary Russian works. Schnittke: Psalms of Repentance; Pärt: Magnificat & Nunc dimittis / Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir / Conductor Kaspars Putniņš / BIS Hybrid SACD 2292 TT: 59:51 (1/5/2018) BIS have given us a wonderful pairing of works by two contemporary Russian composer; Alfred Schnittke and […]
VERDI: Requiem in Memory of Manzoni – World Premiere Recording – Carlo Sabajno – Pristine Audio
Pristine and Mark Obert-Thorn restore the premiere recording of the Verdi Requiem, whose might and majesty resound stylistically.
Fred Hersch Trio – Live In Europe – Palmetto Records
Fred Hersch Trio – Live In Europe – Palmetto Records PM2192 63:51 ****: A top notch performing jazz trio like a bottle of fine wine ( Fred Hersch – piano; John Hébert – bass; Eric McPherson – drums) A top notch performing jazz trio is like a bottle of fine wine. Upon opening, it offers […]
Shorty Rogers & His Giants – Jazz Waltz – Reprise/PurePleasure
West Coast Jazz in waltz time… Shorty Rogers & His Giants – Jazz Waltz – Reprise/PurePleasure PPAN R9-6060 – Audiophile stereo 180 gm LP ****: (Shorty Rogers – flugelhorn; Bud Shank – alto sax and flute; Joe Maini – alto sax; Paul Horn – alto sax and flute; Bill Hood – baritone sax; Bill Perkins […]
20th Century Masterpieces for 2 pianos and orchestra – Pierce and Jonas Piano Duo/David Amos / Carlos Piantini – MSR Classics
Seven 20th century neo-classical concertos for two pianos and orchestra 20th Century Masterpieces for 2 pianos and orchestra: Works by LOPATNIKOFF; TANSMAN; MALPIERO; BEREZOVSKY; POULENC; STARER; CRESTON [complete list of compositions below] – Pierce and Jonas Piano Duo / Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra & National Symphony Orchestra of Polish Radio and Television/David Amos – Czech […]
BUSONI: Elegies; An die jugend – Carlo Grante, piano – Music&Arts
Ever challenging and knotty, the often academic figures in Busoni retain their experimental vigor in Grante’s powerful realization. BUSONI: Elegies; An die jugend – Carlo Grante, piano – Music&Arts CD-1290, 61:43 (4/20/18) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: Recorded December 2013 on a Boesendorfer instrument, the Seven Elegies (1908) and the four-movement An die Jugend suite (1909) […]
The Music Treasury for 22 April – The Rare Václav Talich
The Rare Václav Talich: The Czech conductor Vaclav Talich had a highly respected career in the first half of the 1900s in the concert halls of Europe. He held the baton before orchestra and opera houses in Berlin, Odessa, Odessa , Prague, and Ljubljana. He is particularly noted for his interpretations of Czech composers such […]
Dave Zinno Unisphere – River of January – Whaling City Sound
Dave Zinno Unisphere – River of January – Whaling City Sound Bassist Dave Zinno takes us on a musical journey from Kansas to Brazil and stops in between. Dave Zinno Unisphere – River of January [TrackList follows] – Whaling City Sound [Dist. by Naxos] WCS101, 68:37 [10/6/17] ****: (Dave Zinno – double bass, producer; Mike […]
BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 2; Piano Sonata No. 1 – Norman Krieger, piano/ London Symphony Orchestra/ Philip Ryan Mann – Decca
Norman Krieger brings some old-world Brahms playing to his grand readings of the Second Concerto and the First Sonata. BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83; Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major, Op. 1 – Norman Krieger, piano/ London Symphony Orchestra/ Philip Ryan Mann – Decca DD41142/481 4871, 80:10 (2/3/17) [Distr. […]
Steve Cardenas – Charlie and Paul – Newvelle Records
Showing the love for Haden and Motian… Steve Cardenas – Charlie and Paul – Newvelle Records NV013LP – audiophile LP ****1/2: (Steve Cardenas – guitars; Loren Stillman – saxophones; Thomas Morgan – bass; Matt Wilson – drums) After appearing as a sideman on previous Newvelle Records releases, Steve Cardenas now steps into the role as […]
Monty Alexander – Here Comes the Sun – MPS/Edel
Alexander takes listeners from Uruguay to England and other places, with touches of pop, calypso and lots of jazz. Monty Alexander – Here Comes the Sun [TrackList follows] – MPS/Edel 0212406MSW, 40:14 [11/17/17] ****: (Monty Alexander – piano; Eugene Wright – bass; Duffy Jackson – drums; Montego Joe – conga drums) By 1971 Jamaican-born pianist […]
SHOSTAKOVICH: Leningrad Symphony – NBC Symphony Orchestra/ Leopold Stokowski – Pristine
Pristine well restores the historical context for the Stokowski 1942 broadcast of the Shostakovich 7th Symphony.
HAYDN: Piano Sonata; RACHMANINOV: Variations on a Theme of Corelli; LISZT: Paganini Etudes – Jooyoung Kim, piano – MSR
Jooyoung Kim delivers an audacious program of both Classical and Romantic repertory that exhibits polish and fiery bravura at once. HAYDN: Piano Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI:48; RACHMANINOV: Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op. 42; LISZT: 6 Grandes Etudes de Paganini, S. 141 – Jooyoung Kim, piano – MSR Classics MS 1636, 56:52 […]
Monika Herzig – Monika Herzig’s Sheroes – Whaling City Sound
Support, confidence and empowerment from an all-woman band. Monika Herzig – Monika Herzig’s Sheroes [TrackList follows] – Whaling City Sound [Dist. by Naxos] wcs106, 58:27 [3/23/18] ****: (Monika Herzig – piano, Fender Rhodes (track 3), composer, arranger; Ingrid Jensen – trumpet; Jennifer Vincent – bass; Ada Rovatti – tenor saxophone; Jamie Baum – flute; Reut […]
Copland Conducts Copland – Los Angeles Philharmonic and Benny Goodman – Naxos Blu-ray
It’s a thrill to see Copland conducting his own works, even if the audio and video are not up to modern standards Copland Conducts Copland (1976) with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Benny Goodman / This concert was filmed in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles/ Naxos Blu-ray NBD0068V Stereo Tracks and an upscaled NTSC […]