John Sunier Archive
“Amati orrori: Lamenti & Cantatas” = Works of PROVENZALE, VALENTE, STROZZI, FALCONIERI – CPO
An unusual and flowery introduction to an age often neglected on record.
MOZART: Piano Concertos Nos. 14 in E-flat; & 26 in D “Coronation” – Tamas Vasary, p. & cond./ Berlin Phil. – Pentatone
A fine release well worth acquiring if the need arises!
“Music from Great Shakespearean Films” = by SHOSTAKOVICH; WALTON; ROZSA – National Philharmonic Orch./ Bernard Herrmann – HDTT
A largely fine tribute to Bernard Herrmann can be recommended with enthusiasm.
Marcos Valle & Stacey Kent – Ao Vivo – Sony Music/ Pure Pleasure – double vinyl discs
A fitting tribute to an important jazz composer/arranger, in magnificent sonics.
Groove & Grind Rare Soul ’63-’73 – Rock Beat Records (4-CDs)
Do you like soul music…that real soul music?
STRAVINSKY: Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring); Petrouchka – (four-hand-versions of both) – Sivan Silver-Gil Garburg Piano Duo – Berlin Classics double vinyl
Quite a double-vinyl release, of two Stravinsky piano-four-hands classics.
DVOŘÁK & LALO: Cello Concertos – Johannes Moser, c. – Prague Philharmonia/ Jakub Hrůša – Pentatone
Two very fine recordings and performances of both a well-known and a semi-well-known cello concerto.
SASHA MATSON: Cooperstown (Jazz Opera in Nine Innings) – Julie Adams, Daniel Favela, Carin Gilfry, Rod Gilfry, Daniel Montenegro; vocals/jazz ens./ Sasha Matson – Albany (2 CDs)
‘Just a bit outside’ – but clever.
VIVALDI: The Complete Viola D’Amore Concertos – Rachel Barton Pine, viola d’amore/ Hopkinson Smith, lute/ Ars Antiqua – Cedille
Rachel Burton Pine explores the colorful gamut of Vivaldi’s concertos for that most exotic of violins, the viola d’amore.
ANNA THORVALDSDOTTIR: “In the Light of Air” = Luminance; Serenity; Existence; Remembrance; Transitions – ICE (International Contemporary Ensemble) /Anna Thorvaldsdottir – Sono Luminus (audio-only Blu-ray + CD)
Absolutely atmospheric music from this emerging star.
Lafayette Harris, Jr. – Bend To The Light – Airmen
A skilful player with an attentive but straight-forward style.
The Complete Bee Hive Sessions – Mosaic Records (16 LPs reissued as 12-CD set)
35+ years later, a connoisseur jazz label’s entire collection superbly remastered…
Audio News for October 2, 2015
Wal-Mart is Largest Retailer in the World, Followed by Amazon; Apple Redesigns Its Web Site; Be Your Own Vinyl Guru; Consumers Are Slow to Use Apple Pay; Wireless Charging Surges; Stereo Headphone Sales
MIKLOS ROZSA: Spellbound – The Classic Film Score Of Miklós Rózsa – The National Philharmonic Orch. / Charles Gerhardt – HDTT
The Spellbound score is made even more gripping thru Rozsa’s use of the theremin.
American Dreams – St. Helens String Quartet – Composers: KEN BENSHOOF, JANICE GITECK, PETER SCHICKELE, BERN HERBOLSHEIMER – Navona
A fine collection of American String Quartet music.
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 9 in d minor; R. STRAUSS: Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Op. 28 – Philharmonic Sym. of New York/ Bruno Walter – Pristine
Bruckner 9th by Walter in superb fidelity from a private collector.
Alceo Galleria conducts R. STRAUSS, WAGNER, DVORAK, RIMSKY-KORSAKOV, TCHIAKOVSKY, ROSSINI – Opus Kura (2 CDs)
A “sleeper set” by a fine conductor.
VILLA-LOBOS: Symphony No. 12; Uirapuru; Mandu-çarará – Sao Paulo Sym. and Children’s Choir/ Isaac Karabtchevsky – Naxos
Thrilling music that is well-played and beautifully recorded.
Audio New for September 28, 2015
Panasonic Announces Blu-ray, DVD and HDD Recorder; New Apple iPod Nano; Hi-Res Audio Pros & Cons; Consider the FiiO X1 Hi-Rec Audio Player Before You Buy
Izzy Young – Talking Folklore Center (2015)
A fine documentary on the early folk movement – sincere and heartwarming.
Ray Charles In Person – Atlantic Records/ Pure Pleasure Records – vinyl
The historical value trumps the admittedly non-audiophile quality acoustics…
Romantic Metamorphoses – VIEUXTEMPS, ZEMTSOV, BLOCH, BIZET- Cathelijne Noorland, piano/ Dana Zemtsov, viola/ Channel Classics
An intriguing collection with a personal connection to Ms. Zemtsov.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
