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LISZT: Hungaria; Orpheus; Prometheus; Hamlet; Hunnenschlacht – Thomas Beeecham/Stanislav Macura/ Ernest Ansermet/Mark Erklär – Praga Digitals

LISZT: Hungaria; Orpheus; Prometheus; Hamlet; Hunnenschlacht – Thomas Beeecham/Stanislav Macura/ Ernest Ansermet/Mark Erklär – Praga Digitals

by | Oct 28, 2017 | Classical Reissue Reviews, SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

LISZT: Hungaria; Orpheus; Prometheus; Hamlet; Hunnenschlacht – USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra/ Mark Ermler/ Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/ Thomas Beecham/ Prague Radio Symphony/ Stanislav Macura/ Orchestra de la Suisse Romande/ Ernest Ansermet – Praga Digitals SACD PRD 250 384, 75:21 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: The sequel to Volume One proves equally as stirring. For a review of Volume One in this series, please see Gary Lemco’s August 14th, 2017 posting. I share his satisfaction and enthusiasm for the first edition, and only second it with this wonderful sequel. I need to make mention that the sound is phenomenal in its remastered two-channel SACD guise, ranging from 1958 to 1989. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that these are not cheap, coming in around $23 on Amazon, a little steep for rereleases of any stripe. However, would I buy them? You bet! The nationalistic fervor provided by Liszt’s 1854 Hungaria allowed it to achieve enormous success right from the beginning, with the composer conducting the premiere in 1856. His Heroic March in Hungarian Style provided the basis for the piece, and Liszt himself said that “all wept, both men and women.” Ermler and his USSR band, colorful, […]

TELEMANN: A Companion – Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin – Harmonia Mundi 

TELEMANN: A Companion – Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin – Harmonia Mundi 

by | Aug 27, 2017 | Classical CD Reviews

TELEMANN: A Companion (7CDS) – Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin – Harmonia Mundi 2908781, 8 hours 39:06, (9/8/17) ****½ : A grand survey of the prolific and many-voiced genius of the 18th century Baroque with two large scale choral works at center. For the 350th anniversary of Telemann’s death, Harmonia Mundi has arranged a handsome bouquet of recordings from its own catalog and added a substantial book which documents the composer’s long and fruitful life, calling the whole production A Telemann Companion. The diligent musicologists of this label have set an absolute standard in their critical introductions to music, and its companion essay (with English and French translations) makes for rewarding education in music history. It would not be easy to select a sample of a composer whose output is numbered at 6000 compositions, surpassing the combined works of Bach and Handel. Yet HM has kept the task manageable by selecting from recent releases which cover the main genres of 18th-century music: opera, sacred music, the concerto and the orchestral suite. Conspicuously missing are the solo works and the trio sonata. Telemann’s fanatical musical inventiveness extended across the entire range of the music of his time. His various employments brought […]

“Orpheus” Choreography for Nine Dancers and Seven Musicians, Blu-ray (2014); BRETON: Orfeo ed Eurydice – one-act opera – Ens. Lorenza da Ponte – Fra Bernardo

“Orpheus” Choreography for Nine Dancers and Seven Musicians, Blu-ray (2014); BRETON: Orfeo ed Eurydice – one-act opera – Ens. Lorenza da Ponte – Fra Bernardo

by | Jul 3, 2016 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

“Orpheus” Choreography for Nine Dancers and Seven Musicians, Blu-ray (2014) Music by: PYOTR ILICH TCHAIKOVSKY, YVAN TALBOT, CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI, CHRISTOPH W. GLUCK, PHILIP GLASS, FRANCESCO DURANTE, GIOVANNI DURANTE, GIOVANNI FELICES SANCES, GIUSEPPE MARIA JACCHINI, WILLIAM BYRD, LUIZ BONFÁ, LA SECTA PHONÉTIK, SERGIO BALESTRACCI Choreography: Dominique Herviu and José Montalvo Production: Marie-Pierre Bousquet Realization: Denis Caiozzi Scenery and Video Design: José Montalvo Studio: Art Haus Musik 108124 [1/27/15] (Distr. by Naxos) Video: for 16:9 1080i HD color Audio: 24-bit PCM stereo Menus in English No Region Code Length: 78 minutes Rating: *** FERDINANDO BERTONI: Orfeo ed Euridice – Vivica Genaux, mezzo-soprano/Francesca Lombardi-Mazzuli, sop./Jan Petryk, tenor/Coro Accademia di Santo Spirito/Ensemble Lorenza da Ponte/Roberto Zarpellon – Fra Bernardo CD FB 1601729 [Distr. by Naxos], 70:44, (3/25/2016) ***: A chance to compare two very different iterations of the Orpheus legend. There have been a few well-known musical adaptations of the Greek legend of Orpheus, most notably the Gluck opera and a lesser known and much lesser played attempt by Berlioz. There have also been some interesting and unusual modern iterations including Philip Glass’ Orfee intended to be performed as a soundtrack to the film by Cocteau and the ballet done by Stravinsky with the […]

Audio News for May 24, 2016

by | May 24, 2016 | Audio News

Facebook Bought VR Audio Firm Two Big Ears and is Making Tech Free to Developers – Facebook and parent company Oculus have announced they will make the new technology free as part of the Facebook 360 Spatial Workshop. Two Big Ears said their mission is to make VR audio succeed across all devices and platforms and to help creators make the best experiences for billions of people across the world. The technology focuses largely on how sound plays in 3D spaces and how it interacts with surfaces surrounding the viewer. Both the Gear VR and Rift already support the immersive audio technology. Two Big Ears realized the concern for compatibility, and says they would continue to be platform and device agnostic.” Radio Man Head of U.S. Classics for Universal – The current general manager of New York City’s WQXR had been appointed president of Universal Music’s classical labels in the U.S. Graham Parker is British and was head of the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble before the WQXR job, and entered the music industry thru an assistant’s job with the New York Philharmonic. “I’ve devoted my life to classical music and bringing this incredible genre to as wide an audience as possible,” […]