New York Archive
FOSS: “Piece’s of Genius” – three chamber works – var. soloists – Albany
FOSS: “Piece’s of Genius” – three chamber works – NY New Music Ensemble / Jean Kopperud, clar./ Stephen Gosling, p./ Linda Quan & Deborah Wang, violins/ Lois Martin, viola/ Christopher Finckel, cello – Albany Troy CD 1644, 62:17 (10/1/16) ***1/2: A fine survey of Foss chamber music covering a quarter century of composition. It was sad when Lukas Foss passed in 2009. He was a creative maelstrom of ideas, and while never truly mainstream, he was influential in the musical world, and he has left us a rich collection of music. Foss was an advocate of and became fascinated by the possibilities offered by aleatoric or “chance” music, and set up an improvisation ensemble. He was well-known as a conductor as well as a composer, and in life he was controversial, being praised and attacked by fellow musicians. This CD features the renowned New York Music Ensemble performing three of Foss’s chamber works. This collection is presented in reverse chronological order of composition. The recording opens with Tashi (1986), working its way backwards through Solo Observed (1982), and concludes with Echoi (1961-63). This is music that is challenging to listen to, and difficult to play. The NYME excels at these […]
BORTKIEWICZ: Lyrica Nova; Etude in D-flat Major; Nocturne; Esquisses de Crimee; Three Preludes; Piano Sonata No. 2 – A. Soldano, p. – Divine Art
The music of Bortkiewicz receives ardent and luxurious realization from pianist Soldano. BORTKIEWICZ: Lyrica Nova, Op. 59; Etude in D-flat Major; Nocturne from Op. 24; Esquisses de Crimee, Op. 8; Three Preludes; Piano Sonata No. 2 in c-sharp, Op. 60 – Alfonso Soldano, p. – Divine Art dda 25142, 69:31 (10/14/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: The Ukrainian composer Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877-1952) had been unknown to me until his name arose in a conversation in Atlanta with Rudolf Firkusny, who stated that he had worked with Vaclav Talich on one of this composer’s concerted pieces. Bortkiewicz had studied with Liadov and Karel van Ark at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, but also with Liszt pupil Alfred Reisenauer. A life of almost perpetual migration for Bortkiewicz followed the events after the Russian Revolution, the rise of Nazism, and the outbreak of WW II. Finally, in 1945 Bortkiewicz received from Vienna a pension that could supplement his teaching at the Vienna City Conservatory. A self-admitted Romantic composer, Bortkiewicz held melody in esteem, sporting a distinct aversion to developments in atonal, serial, aleatory, and cacophonous music. His tonal syntax takes its diverse cues from Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninov, Scriabin, and Medtner. From the groups assembled by pianist […]
Cory Weeds Quintet featuring David Hazeltine – It’s Easy To Remember – CellarLive
Cory Weeds Quintet featuring David Hazeltine – It’s Easy To Remember – CellarLive CL031716, 52:58 ****: An enthusiastic session from understanding and open-minded partners. (Cory Weeds – tenor saxophone; David Hazeltine – piano; Joe Magnarelli – trumpet; Paul Gill – acoustic bass; Jason Tiemann – drums) Here comes Cory Weeds. In what surely must be some kind of record for the issuance of albums by a Canadian tenor saxophonist, It’s Easy To Remember is the latest addition to Weeds’ substantial discography. Recorded live at Small’s Jazz Club in New York City on March 17, 2016, Weeds has surrounded himself with some top-notch New York-based musicians including the savvy, thoughtfully tasteful pianist David Hazeltine. In a session songbook of the known, nearly known, and unknown compositions, the band has an eclectic mix of numbers with which to display their inventiveness and curiosity. Starting out with a Kenny Drew piece, “With Prestige,” which has an entertaining bebop frame, the band demonstrates their exploratory spirit. Each member takes a piece of the action with Weeds showing his meaningful command of the saxophone, as Hazeltine delivers some long structural lines on the piano. Bassist Gill also dives in with a brief arco solo. “Smoke […]
The Marx Brothers = The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, Duck Soup – Blu-ray (3)
A Silver Screen Blu-ray collection of the first five (and funniest) Marx Bros. movies. The Marx Brothers = The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Monkey Business, Horse Feathers, Duck Soup – Blu-ray (3) (1929-1933/2016) Cast: Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont Directors: Victor Heerman, Norman Z. McLeod, Joseph Santley, Robert Florey, Leo McCarey Studio: Paramount/ Universal Studios Home Ent. 61181320 (10/18/16) Video: 1:33 for 4:3 B&W Audio: English mono PCM Subtitles: English SDH, French Extras: See below Length: TT: 408 min. Rating: ***** At least three of the four Marx Brothers are the reigning kings of comedy on film and they remain one of the most iconic comic teams of all time. And these – their first five films for Paramount – are the most hilarious of all their work – the later ones for MGM get more serious are are not filled with comedy sketches, witty dialogue and plenty of gags like these five. The first one, from 1929, was actually the first all-talking and music sound film – The Jazz Singer only has a part with sync sound. And this was when many films had the sound on separate discs that had to be synced […]
MICHAEL TORKE: Three Manhattan Bridges; Winter’s Tale for cello and orchestra – Joyce Yang, p./Julie Albers, cello/Albany Sym. Orch./David Alan Miller – Albany
A wonderful look at this composer’s more recent style. MICHAEL TORKE: Three Manhattan Bridges; Winter’s Tale for cello and orchestra – Joyce Yang, p./Julie Albers, cello/Albany Sym. Orch./David Alan Miller – Albany TROY 1643, 57:24 (9/01/16) ****: I have appreciated Michael Torke’s music for many years now, going all the way to back to his idiomatic ‘color’ pieces (like Ecstatic Orange, et al) which were created in a sort of bouncy and ‘optimistic’ minimalism with shades of jazz. However, if that it is the only iteration of Michael’s music that one is familiar with then we are missing the growth of his very unique and captivating style. These two pieces are about as far from that much earlier ‘para-minimalist’ brand as one could get. Both Three Manhattan Bridges as well as Winter’s Tale are essentially concertos for piano and orchestra and cello and orchestra, respectively. Three Manhattan Bridges is structured in three movements that create almost a musical painting of the feel of three neighborhoods and moods landmarked by three of the most famous – and most often traversed – bridges that lead in and out of Manhattan; the George Washington Bridge, the Queensboro Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge. This […]
RACHMANINOV: P. Con. No. 3; The Bells – Van Cliburne, p./Sym. of the Air/Soloists/ Krill Kondrashin – Praga Digitals
The best version yet of this classic. RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No. 3 in d, Op. 30; The Bells, Op. 35 – Van Cliburn, p./ Symphony of the Air/ Elizaveta Shumskaya, sop./ Mikhail Dovenmann, tenor/ Alexei Bolshakov, bar./ Moscow P.O./ Kirill Kondrashin – Praga Digitals Reminiscences stereo-only SACD PRD/DSD 350 123, 78:01 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] *****: Yes, this is that recording from 1958, Cliburn’s homecoming triumph after winning, against all odds—considering who was in power at the time in the Soviet Union—the First International Tchaikovsky Competition, a huge Cold War ploy if ever there was one, considering the wealth of musical talent present in Russia at the time, almost guaranteeing a win. It was the performance of the Tchaikovsky First and Rachmaninov Third that won the day for the young Harvey Lavan Cliburn, and when he returned to New York, Maestro Kondrashin was there at Carnegie Hall with him, subsequently recording the piece for RCA Victor. Only history will testify as to how much this significant event in the relationship between the United States and the USSR was soothed by the balm of Cliburn’s love for the Russian people, and their very demonstrable love for him. This recording has been […]
CORIGLIANO: Sym. No. 1; TORKE: Bright Blue Music; COPLAND: Appalachian Spring suite – Nat. Orch. Institute Phil./ David Alan Miller – Naxos
Three 20th-century American symphonic scores magnificently performed and recorded. CORIGLIANO: Symphony No. 1; TORKE: Bright Blue Music; COPLAND: Appalachian Spring (Suite) – National Orch. Institute Philharmonic/David Alan Miller – Naxos American Classics 8.559782, 73:58 *****: This is a varied cross-section of American orchestral works of the 20th century superbly performed and recorded. The amateur musicians of the National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic (NOIP) are selected each year through rigorous international auditions and spend a month in intensive training at the Clarice Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Maryland. This process has continued for 29 years. Its conductor, David Alan Miller, has led the Albany Symphony since 1992 and made many recordings of significant American symphonic scores in the acoustically perfect Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Albany, New York. The performances are the equal of any major professional orchestra. This CD is a testament to how well student musicians can perform today. John Corigliano (b. 1938) has walked the fine line of musical composing: traditional enough to appeal to current audiences (Elegy (1965), modern enough to satisfy his colleagues and (most) critics (the Clarinet Concerto of 1977), and choosing subjects for his works that connect with American culture […]
Audio News for August 23, 2016
Sennheiser Coming to the Big Apple – Headphones will take center stage in October when Sennheiser opens two retail outlets in New York. Both a flagship Soundscape showroom in Westfield World Trade Center and a pop-up store in SoHo will stock Sennheiser’s audiophile range of headphones, including the new HE 1 electrostatic reference headphone system, and demonstrate the AMBEO 3D audio technology. Starting in Chicago on September 27, Sennheiser is planning a series of special “HE 1 Listening Experiences” in selected U.S. and Canadian locations, continuing on to other cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver and Toronto. Bryston Introduces New Digital Music Player – The BDP-π (yes, that’s the Pi symbol) is currently available for a $1295 suggested retail. The device is built upon the Raspberry Pi and HifiBerry platform, with a chassis that’s one-third the size of Bryston’s BDP player. The BDP-π will playback a range of digital files — from MP3 to lossless 24/192 — and can be connected to virtually any digital-to-analog converter, according to the company. It can also be connected to a network-attached storage drive and access Internet radio and Tidal streaming. The player features four USB 2.0 and one Ethernet (10/100 Mbps) input; […]
Dolo Coker – California Hard / Sonny Criss – Saturday Morning – both Elemental/Xanadu
Elemental Music keeps the Xanadu flame lit- Part I… Dolo Coker – California Hard – Elemental/Xanadu 906081 – 1976, 51:13 ****1/2: (Dolo Coker – piano; Blue Mitchell – trumpet/Flugelhorn; Art Pepper – alto and tenor sax; Leroy Vinnegar – bass; Frank Butler – drums) Sonny Criss – Saturday Morning – Elemental/Xanadu 906086 (1975), 39:38 ***1/2: (Sonny Criss – alto sax; Barry Harris – piano; Leroy Vinnegar – bass; Lenny McBrowne – drums) In the mid-1970s jazz was restless as a period of musical expression. Rock had firmly taken hold and the public taste had begun to change. Rock rhythms and electronic instruments were incorporating these influences into a new genre dubbed as “fusion.” Many jazz musicians who did not embrace these changes were either forced to move to Europe or look for studio work in either New York or Los Angeles. Luckily there were some boutique (read: small) recording labels who were anxious to employ these veteran straight ahead jazz musicians to continue to ply their trade. Labels such as Muse, Bee Hive, and Xanadu stood out in their ability to mix and match the artists with leaders becoming sidemen for each others’ releases. Zev Feldman, who helps run Elemental […]
Willem Mengelberg conducts New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra = Works of MOZART, MEYERBEER, BEETHOVEN – Opus Kura
Opus Kura extends its formidable Mengelberg legacy with the conductor’s 1929-1930 RCA recordings. Willem Mengelberg conducts New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra = MOZART: Die Zauberfloete Overture; MEYERBEER: Coronation March from Le Prophete; BEETHOVEN: Egmont Overture, Op. 84a; Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 “Eroica” – New York Phiharmonic Sym. Orch./ Willem Mengelberg – Opus Kura OPK 2115, 69:44 [Distr. by Albany] ****: Willem Mengelberg (1871-1951) took time away from his hand-picked Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam to lead a series of concerts in New York, 1921-1930. The RCA Victor label was quick to contract Mengelberg and the orchestra – then about to merge with the Walter Damrosch Symphony Society – in order to commit to records a portion of the conductor’s powerful repertory, enhanced by his penchant – even mania – for precision of ensemble. Even given the typical, “period” style of performance, with its fondness for homogenous portamento, what emerges from the shellacs remains an impressive testimony to the thoroughness of Mengelberg’s preparation. The recordings offered here by Opus Kura derive exclusively from sessions held 1929-1930. My former mentor at SUNY, Stefan-Bauer Mengelberg (1927-1996), praised the Overture to The Magic Flute for its ardent energy and uniformity of […]
RAIN WORTHINGTON: “Dream Vapors” = var. works – Navona
RAIN WORTHINGTON: “Dream Vapors” = Shredding Glass; Reversing Mirrors in the Quiet; Tracing a Dream; Fast Through Dark Winds; Within a Dance; Yet Still Night; Of Time Remembered – Czech Philharmonic Orch./Robert Ian Winstin/Moravian Philharmonic Orch./Petr Vronsky/Russian Philharmonic Orch./Ovidiu Marinescu – Navona NV6025 [Distr. by Parma], 52:58, (2/12/16) ***1/2: Very pleasant works from this emerging composer. Rain Worthington is a very talented and forthright composer who comes from a very unusual background as she doesn’t have any real formal training in composition and, therefore, does not hold any university position or the like. Her passion for music, especially that for orchestra, has allowed her to use what seems like a great deal of natural talent to produce some very fine work; including these pieces here. Rain’s music has been performed in venues from private lofts to concert halls in the United States and across Spain, India, Iceland, and Brazil. Worthington lives in upper New York state and serves as the Artistic Administrator/Composer Advocate for New York Women Composers, Inc., which advocates for the new music of woman composers. She previously was active in the Manhattan new music scene for more than 25 years promoting her music, while her own background […]
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – All My Yesterdays – Resonance (2 CDs)
Celebrating fifty years, and counting, of powerful Monday night big band jazz at the Village Vanguard… Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – All My Yesterdays – Resonance HCD 2023 – 2 CDs, 48:47, 77:11 (1966) ****1/2: (CD 1- 2/7/66: Thad Jones- trumpet, Flugelhorn, arranger & conductor; Hank Jones- piano; Sam Herman – guitar, percussion; Richard Davis – bass; Mel Lewis – drums; Jerome Richardson – alto sax, clarinet, flute; Jerry Dodgion – alto sax, clarinet, flute; Joe Farrell – tenor sax, flute, clarinet; Eddie Daniels – tenor sax, clarinet; Marv “Doc” Holladay – baritone sax; Jimmy Nottingham, Snooky Young, Jimmy Owens, Bill Berry – trumpets; Bob Brookmeyer, Garnett Brown, Cliff Heather, Jack Rains – trombones) (CD 2- 3/21/66: Thad Jones – trumpet, Flugelhorn, arranger & conductor; Hank Jones – piano; Sam Herman – guitar; Richard Davis – bass; Mel Lewis – drums; Jerome Richardson – alto sax, clarinet, flute; Jerry Dodgion – alto sax, clarinet, flute; Joe Farrell – tenor sax, clarinet, flute; Pepper Adams – baritone sax; Jimmy Nottingham, Bill Berry, Jimmy Owens, Danny Stiles – trumpets; Jack Rains, Garnett Brown, Cliff Heather, Tom McIntosh – trombones) For jazz fans who can afford to live in New York City, the […]
Gerry Mulligan – The Emarcy Sextet Recordings – Mosaic – 5 vinyls
Sixty years later, a dream front line still dazzles… Gerry Mulligan – The Emarcy Sextet Recordings – Mosaic Records MRLP 3008 – 5 vinyl mono box set – 1955-1956 ****1/2: (Gerry Mulligan – baritone saxophone, piano; Bob Brookmeyer – valve trombone, piano; Zoot Sims – tenor saxophone; Jon Eardley or Don Ferrara – trumpet; Peck Morrison or Bill Crow – acoustic bass; Dave Bailey – drums) As a fan of classic mainstream jazz, there are times that I wish I was born ten or fifteen years earlier so that I could have attended jazz night clubs to have heard my heroes when they were either in their prime or just beginning to achieve fame. In the right city (especially New York), this could have been a weekday occurrence. This thought comes to mind when reading the informative liner notes in the Mosaic booklet of the just issued five LP box set documenting the 1955-1956 Gerry Mulligan sextet. The notes mentioned that the Mulligan group received high praise from jazz critics, yet the public at that time didn’t flock to record stores to buy the Emarcy label albums. How could this be besides the fact that there was an embarrassment of […]
SCRIABIN: Preludes, Impromptus, Poeme and Etude – Klara Min, p. – Steinway & Sons
Klara Min reveals a natural affinity for the erotic early music of Alexander Scriabin. SCRIABIN: Prelude in B Major; Impromptus, Op. 14; 3 Pieces, Op. 45; 24 Preludes, Op. 11; Poeme in F-sharp Major, Op. 32, No. 1; Etude in c-sharp minor, Op. 2, No. 1 – Klara Min, piano – Steinway & Sons 30045, 62:38 (1/8/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: South Korean pianist Klara Min studied with James Tocco in Lubeck, and she had a strong New York presence, having founded New York Concert Artists & Associates in 2008. A Schumann acolyte, Min advocates a kind of Davids-League, an artistic union to combat cultural arrogance and ignorance. The music of mystic Alexander Scriabin (rec. 13-14 July 2015) obviously appeals to her decidedly Romantic sensibility, here concentrated on the relatively early works of the Russian composer. The Op. 45, No. 1 Scriabin designates as an Album Leaf, and its subtle colors seem to appeal to the composer’s legendary pianissimo effects. Its emotion remains rather elusive. The “Poeme fantastique” No. 2 proffers a nervous scherzando which enjoys the occasional crisp mezzo-forte. The mercurial “Prelude” projects a sad, moody meditation, close to a Russian blues. Min’s pedal effects make the Op. 45 […]
Charles Rumback – In the New Year – ears&eyes
Modern jazz music which seems to pull apart even as it attains continuity. Charles Rumback – In the New Year [TrackList follows] – ears&eyes ee:15-o38, 52:40 [12/4/15] ***1/2: (Charles Rumback – drums, co-producer; Caroline Davis – alto saxophone; Jeff Parker – guitar; Jason Stein – bass clarinet; John Tate – bass) Chicago drummer Charles Rumback is a musician who is comfortable in a myriad of genres, from rock to jazz, which gives his improvisations and compositions a dynamic, eclectic nature, somewhere between modern jazz and avant-garde. If a name has to fit, consider calling it alternative jazz. Rumback’s debut, Two Kinds of Art Thieves (Clean Feed, 2009) was an open-minded, free-fluctuating affair. Rumback charts a parallel, liberating direction on his latest outing, the 52-minute In the New Year (issued in late 2015 but well worth hearing at the beginning of another year). For this effort, Rumback recruited some of the finest unconventional artists associated with the Chicago and New York outsider jazz scenes, comprising alto saxophonist Caroline Davis; guitarist Jeff Parker (Chicago Underground Trio, Tortoise and Ken Vandermark); bass clarinetist Jason Stein (Exploding Star Orchestra, and others); and bassist John Tate. Rumback penned six of the eight tunes; Tate wrote […]
DVORAK: Cello Concerto in B Minor; FAURÉ: Elegie /Janos Starker, cello/ Philharmonia Orch./Walter Susskind – Hi-Q Records xrcd24
A valuable remastering of a classic Starker performance.
![Takeshi Asai – French Trio Vol. 2 [TrackList follows] – Blanchard Musique/ de Trois Cités Records](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/AsaiTakeshiTrios.jpg)
Takeshi Asai – French Trio Vol. 2 [TrackList follows] – Blanchard Musique/ de Trois Cités Records
A nice, straightforward trio outing.
Vincent Herring – Night and Day – Smoke Sessions Steve Davis – Say When – Smoke Sessions
The Smoke Sessions winning streak continues – Vincent Herring & Steve Davis…
Vincent Herring – Night and Day – Smoke Sessions Steve Davis – Say When – Smoke Sessions
The Smoke Sessions winning streak continues – Vincent Herring & Steve Davis…
Reiner Rarities, Vol. 3 = Works of DEBUSSY, RAVEL, BERLIOZ, HONEGGER – Pristine Audio
A third installment of Reiner Rarities grants us some exquisite French repertory, lovingly restored.
“The Ground Beneath Our Feet” = Works of REICH, BACH, STRAVINSKY, JACOBSEN/AGHAEI, THE KNIGHTS – The Knights – Warner Classics
One of the most eclectic and entertaining collections I have heard.
![Curtis Nowosad – Dialectics [TrackList follows] – Cellar Live](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Nowosad.jpg)
Curtis Nowosad – Dialectics [TrackList follows] – Cellar Live
No argument about it: this is a winning, “neo-hard bop” effort.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
