Nazis Archive
WEINBERG: Chamber Symphonies 1, 2, 3 & 4; Piano Quintet – Gidon Kremer, v./ Yulianna Avdeeva, p./ Mate Bekavac, clarinet / Kremerata Baltica/Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla – ECM New Series
A major Russian composer emerges in these scintillating chamber works. WEINBERG: Chamber Symphonies 1, 2, 3 & 4; Piano Quintet – Gidon Kremer, v./ Yulianna Avdeeva, p./ Mate Bekavac, clarinet / Kremerata Baltica/Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla – ECM New Series 2538/39, 79:45, 79:40, *****: It’s hard to imagine how difficult it was to be a Polish Jew […]
FRANZ SCHREKER: Orchestral Music from the Operas – Royal Swedish Orch./ Lawrence Renes – BIS
The unfortunately almost forgotten composer Franz Schreker emphasized operas but these instrumental works from them show off his great musical art. FRANZ SCHREKER: Orchestral Music from the Operas [TrackList Follows] – Royal Swedish Orch./ Lawrence Renes – BIS multichannel SACD -2212, 68:30 (10/14/16) [Distr. by Naxos] *****: Franz Schreker was thought to be one of […]
Audio News for July 26, 2016
Responding to Catastrophe wth Culture – Politics intrusion on culture can be unnerving. Stalin restricted the work of Shostakovich, The Third Reich’s appropriation of Wagner prompted Israel to adopt an unofficial ban on his music. The ban was set aside in 2001 by Daniel Barenboim, who also set up the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, comprised principally […]
Remember, Blu-ray (2015)
A provacative thriller with a different twist on the revenge story. Remember, Blu-ray (2015) Cast: Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Bruno Ganz Director: Atom Egoyan Studio: Lionsgate (5/3/16) Video: 1.78:1 for 16:9 screens, 1080p HD color Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Subtitles: Spanish, English SDH Extras: “Performances to Remember,” “A Tapestry of Evil,” Audio track by […]
Poldi Mildner, piano = SCHUBERT: Fantasie in C, “Wanderer”; CHOPIN: Piano Sonata No. 2, “Funeral March”; LISZT: Sonata in B Minor; DEBUSSY: Estampes – Poldi Mildner, p. – MeloClassic
MeloClassic scores another triumph of historical keyboard restoration with an artist we must reckon among the formerly unsung titans of her art.
The Confession (L’Aveu), Blu-ray (1970/2015)
A horrowing true tale from Communist block Czechoslovakia shortly before Stalin’s death.
HINDEMITH: Piano Sonatas 1 – 3; Suite “1922” – David Korevaar, p. – MSR Classics
Ecstatic Hindemith worth every penny.
Le Silence de la Mer, Blu-ray (1949/2015)
A moving first film from Jean-Pierre Melville, honored by the French Resistance.
JAKE HEGGIE: Out of Darkness: An Opera of Survival – Caitlin Lynch, sop./ Sarah Larsen, mezzo/ Morgan Smith, bar./ Music of Remembrance/ Mina Miller – Naxos JAKE HEGGIE: “Connection: Three Song Cycles” = Natural Selection; Songs and Sonnets to Ophelia; Eve-Song – Regina Zona, sop./ Kathleen Tagg, p. – Naxos
Terrific cycles by the best song composer today.
JAKE HEGGIE: Out of Darkness: An Opera of Survival – Caitlin Lynch, sop./ Sarah Larsen, mezzo/ Morgan Smith, bar./ Music of Remembrance/ Mina Miller – Naxos JAKE HEGGIE: “Connection: Three Song Cycles” = Natural Selection; Songs and Sonnets to Ophelia; Eve-Song – Regina Zona, sop./ Kathleen Tagg, p. – Naxos
Terrific cycles by the best song composer today.
Wanda Landowska – Le Temple de la Musique Ancienne = Works of J.S. BACH – Wanda Landowska, Pleyel harpsichord – Paradizo (CD+CD-ROM)
A document on CD & CD-ROM of a milestone in the early music revival.
ERNST VON DOHNANYI Plays His Own Music for Piano – A Memorial Album – Everest/ Countdown Media
An unusual historical document of Romantic-era pianism in 35mm mag sound.
HANNS EISLER: Ernste Gesang; Lieder with Piano on poems by Brecht; Sonata No. 1 – Matthias Goerne, bar./ Thomas Larcher, p./ Ensemble Resonanz – Harmonia mundi
Music that begs to be heard and needs to be heard, by a virtually unknown, but tormented composer.
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 7 “Leningrad” – Mariinsky Orchestra/ Valery Gergiev – Mariinsky
Not the benchmark set by Bernstein, but certainly a benchmark in terms of sound and certain aspects of performance.
Schindler’s List, Blu-ray (1993/2013)
Businessman Oskar Schindler saved the lives of over 1100 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories.
“Brundibar” – Music by Composers in Theresienstadt: KRASA: Suite from Brundibar; ULLMANN: String Quartet No. 3; KLEIN: String Trio; HAAS: String Quartet No. 2 – The Nash Ensemble – Hyperion
The chamber music on this CD demonstrates why four Czech composers who died in Nazi concentration camps deserve to be remembered.
PFITZNER: Cello Concerto No. 2; JOHN MAYER: Prabhanda; Six Ragamalas – Rohan de Saram, cello/ Druvi de Saram, p./ John Mayer, tanpura/ Netherlands Radio Orch./ Bohumil Gregor – First Hand Records
Pfitzner was in many ways a reactionary, following in the footsteps of Brahms, not Wagner.
HANS GÁL: Symphony No. 4; SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 2 – Orch. of the Swan/ Kenneth Woods – Avie
The Gál may take a few hearings to sink in, but the Schumann is one of the best recordings available.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
