recordings Archive
BEETHOVEN: Missa solemnis in D – Soloists/ Arnold Schoenberg Chor /Concentus Musicus Wien /Nicholas Harnoncourt ‒ Sony
BEETHOVEN: Missa solemnis in D Major, Op. 123 ‒ Laura Aikin, sop./ Bernarda Fink, alto / Johannes Chum, tenor/ Ruben Drole, bass/ Arnold Schoenberg Chor /Concentus Musicus Wien /Nicholas Harnoncourt ‒ Sony 88985313592, 81:00 (7/15/16) ***1/2: Harnoncourt was a great Beethoven conductor, but his final recording is not entirely successful. Did you know that Beethoven […]
“Fluvial” = SIBELIUS: Four Lyric Pieces; RAVEL: Jeux d’eau; BYSTRÖM: Air russe varié in g; SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata in A – Anna Kuvaja, p. – Alba
“Fluvial” = SIBELIUS: Four Lyric Pieces, Op. 74; RAVEL: Jeux d’eau; THOMAS BYSTRÖM: Air russe varié in G Minor; SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata in A Major, D. 959 – Anna Kuvaja, p. – Alba multichannel SACD ABCD 386, 70:53 [Distr. by Albany] (7/29/16) ****: Half of the music on this recital is new to me. Perhaps it […]
GIULIANI, CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO & VILLA-LOBOS: Guitar Concertos – Narciso Yepes, g./ London Sym. Orch./ English Ch. Orch./ Luis Antonio García Navarro – PentaTone
GIULIANI, CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO & VILLA-LOBOS: Guitar Concertos – Narciso Yepes, g./ London Sym. Orch./ English Ch. Orch./ Luis Antonio García Navarro – orig. quadrophonic recordings from 1977, remastered in 2014 – Pentatone SACD PTC 5186-202, 61:49 (4/14/15) ****: Beautifully restored and played four-channel guitar concertos by Yepes and the London Symphony. What a treat this disc […]
Gregory Porter (vocals) – Live In Berlin, Blu-ray + 2 CDs (2016)
Soul/jazz singer releases a live performance Blu-ray. Gregory Porter – Live In Berlin, Blu-ray + 2 CDs (2016) Performers: Gregory Porter – vocals; Chip Crawford – piano; Jahmal Nichols – double bass; Emanuel; Harrold – drums; Tivon Pennicott – tenor saxophone Producer/Director: Jeremy Aziz Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment EVB335539 Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; PCM […]
DVORAK: Slavonic Dances (comp.) – Czech Phil./ Jiri Belohlavek – Decca
Do we need another of these? Maybe not, but we definitely need THIS one! DVORAK: Slavonic Dances (complete) – Czech Phil./ Jiri Belohlavek – Decca 478 9458, 76:08 [Distr. by Universal] *****: From the opening bars of the first Opus 46 dance, I was afraid I was going to be unimpressed. I didn’t like the […]
Jim HALL (guitar) & Red MITCHELL (bass) – Valse Hot: Live at the Sweet Basil 1978 – ArtistsShare
Jim HALL (guitar) & Red MITCHELL (bass) – Valse Hot: Live at the Sweet Basil 1978 [TrackList follows] – ArtistsShare 0148, 50:00 (10/7/16) ****½: Unreleased recordings of a memorable 1978 encounter between Jim Hall and Red Mitchell. I never had the chance to see Red Mitchell play in person. A couple of years after his […]
Pyramid – The Modern Jazz Quartet (1959-60) – HDTT DVD-Audio and Atlantic CD
Terrific fidelity for Modern Jazz Quartet lovers but a short program. Pyramid – The Modern Jazz Quartet (1959-60) [TrackList follows] – HDTT DVD-Audio (10/25/90) and Atlantic (LP1325) ****: HDTT began by making very high-quality transfers to DVD-Audios of two-track tapes (which also play on most DVD decks). Then they moved into 4-track tapes, and this […]
Palladian Ensemble – An Excess of Pleasure – Works of MATTEIS, LOCKE, PURCELL, etc. – Linn
Palladian Ensemble – An Excess of Pleasure – Works of MATTEIS, LOCKE, PURCELL, etc. [TrackList Follows] – Linn BKD 010, 65:43 (10/31/95 & 3/11/16) ****½: (Pamela Thorby; recorders/ Rachel Podger; violin/ Joanna Levine Viola da Gamba/ William Carter; theorbo, guitar) A welcome reissue of the Baroque chamber super-band Palladian Ensemble’s debut recording. Between their formation […]
Bronislaw Huberman, v./ Ignaz Friedman, p. in works of BEETHOVEN, BACH, SCHUBERT, ELGAR, CHOPIN, BRAHMS & BRUCH – Pristine Audio
Mark Obert-Thorn restores the classic recording of the 1930 Kreutzer Sonata by Huberman and Friedman. BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer”; BACH: Andante from Solo Sonata No. 2 in a minor, BWV 1003; Sarabande and Double from Solo Partita No. 1 in b minor, BWV 1002; Chorale Prelude: “Nun komm […]
“Tribute” = MOZART: Quartet in B-flat; Quintet in c – Michael Tree, viola/ Dover Quartet – Cedille
Pay close attention to this one, as you are going to hear from them a whole lot more in the near future. Tribute = MOZART: Quartet in B-flat, K 589; Quintet in c, K 406 – Dover Quartet/ Michael Tree, viola (in Quintet) – Cedille CDR 90000 167, 73:10 [Distr. by Naxos] *****: Formed in 2008 […]
TAVERNER: Mater Christi Sanctissima; Missa Mater Christi sanctissima; Mass ‘The Western Wynde’ – Westminster Abbey Choir/ James O’Donnell – Hyperion
Wonderful readings of two standards. TAVERNER: Mater Christi Sanctissima; Missa Mater Christi sanctissima; Mass ‘The Western Wynde’ – Westminster Abbey Choir/ James O’Donnell – Hyperion CDA68147, 58:36 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] *****: John Taverner was one of those transitional composers who straddled the fence from Catholicism to Protestantism, but unlike his confrere William Byrd, his […]
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique”; Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Ov. – Czech Philharmonic/ Semyon Bychkov – Decca
“The Tchaikovsky Project” from Semyon Bychkov and Decca opens with two tragic scores. TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6 in b, Op. 74 “Pathetique”; Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture – Czech Philharmonic Orch./ Semyon Bychkov – Decca 483 0656, 63:53 (10/14/16) [Distr. by Universal] ****: Russian-American conductor Semyon Bychkov (b. 1952) embarks on “The Tchaikovsky Project,” an […]
BEETHOVEN 7th Sym.; SCHUBERT 8th Sym.; Encores – Philadelphia Orch./Stokowski (1927) – Pristine
1927 readings of Beethoven and Schubert achieve an ardent, fiery gloss in these remasterings. BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 93; SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 8 in b, D. 759 “Unfinished”; Moment Musical No. 3 in f (arr. Stokowski), D. 780; Rosamunde, D. 797: Ballet Music No. 2: Two Versions – Philadelphia Orch./ Leopold […]
HANDEL: Piano Concertos – Matthias Kirschnereit, p./ Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss/ Lavard Skou Larsen – CPO
HANDEL: Piano Concertos, Op. 7 – Matthias Kirschnereit, piano/ Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss/ Lavard Skou Larsen – CPO multichannel SACD 777855-2; 75:02 (8-12-16) [Distr. by Naxos] *****: A wonderful surround recording of the Op. 7 piano concertos of Handel. In 2013, Matthias Kirschnereit recorded Handel’s Six Organ Concertos Op. 4 on piano, backed by the Deutsche Kammerakademie […]
BACH: Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in f; HAYDN: Piano Con. in D; MENDELSSOHN: Piano Con. in a – Joshua Pierce, p./ Slovak Nat. Sym. Orch./ Kirk Trevor – MSR Classics
Fine, persuasive pianism from a well-known source. BACH: Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in f, BWV 1056; HAYDN: Piano Concerto in D, Hob. XVIII; MENDELSSOHN: Piano Concerto in a – Joshua Pierce, p./ Slovak National Sym. Orch./ Kirk Trevor – MSR Classics 1496, 62:44 [Distr. by Albany] ****: It comes as no surprise to me that […]
CHOPIN: Sel. of Nocturnes, Mazurkas & Ballades – David Korevaar, p. – MSR
Beautiful playing, but lacking a sense of abandon. CHOPIN: Nocturne in c, Op. 48, No. 1; Ballade No. 1 in g, Op. 23; Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 55, No. 2; Ballade No. 3 in A-flat major, Op. 47; Nocturne in D-flat major, Op. 27, No.2; Mazurka in G major, Op. 50, No. 1; Mazurka […]
Comparison of two Beethoven Ninths, both on SACD
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 – Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orch. -/Wojciech Rajski – Tacet multichannel SACD in “Real Surround Sound” – TACET S 219 5.1 61:00 (8/12/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 – Beethoven Orch. of Bonn/ Stefan Blunier – DGG Gold multichannel SACD 5.1 MDQ 937 1899-6 67:44 [Distr. by Ent. One] […]
The Modern Jazz Quartet, Germany 1957-1958 “Lost Tapes” – SWR>>Music, Jazz Haus
These 19556-58 German recordings show the outstanding performances of the early MJQ. The Modern Jazz Quartet, Germany 1957-1958 “Lost Tapes” [TrackList follows] – SWR>>Music, Jazz Haus mono 101 731 *****: Pianist-composer John Lewis, in these early recordings, turns the four musicians of the quartet into a sensitive instrument which vibrates in the same universe of […]
“Testament” = BACH: Complete Sonatas and Partitas – Rachel Barton Pine, v. – Avie – 2 CDs
Rachel Barton Pine finally gives us the whole enchilada, and a fine feast it is. “Testament” = BACH: Complete Sonatas and Partitas – Rachel Barton Pine, violin – Avie AV2360 (2 CDs), 125:34 *****: I was a little surprised to see Rachel Barton Pine for the second time on the Avie label (the first was […]
Maria Yudina, A Great Russian Pianist = BEETHOVEN, STRAVINSKY, BARTOK – Praga Digitals
A concise portrait of the iconoclast Maria Yudina, who championed modern music. Maria Yudina, A Great Russian Pianist = BEETHOVEN: Variations and Fugue in E-flat Major, Op. 35 “Eroica”; BERG: Piano Sonata, Op. 1; STRAVINSKY: Serenade in A Major; Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments; BARTOK: Mikrokosmos, Bk. V-VI: excerpts – Maria Yudina, piano/ USSR […]
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1 in c minor; LEIF SEGERSTAM: Symphony No. 288, “Letting the Flow go on…” – Turku Philharmonic Orch. /Leif Segerstam – Alba
Fine, sensitive performance of the Brahms. JOHANNES BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1 in c minor; LEIF SEGERSTAM: Symphony No. 288, “Letting the Flow go on…” – Turku Philharmonic Orch. /Leif Segerstam – Alba Records multichannel SACD ABCD390, 71:35 [Distr. by Albany] (7/29/16) ***: The first things I noticed about this new (and very good) rendition of […]
“Pollini & Abbado: The Complete Deutsche Grammophon Recordings” – 8 CDs
An important bag, if a mixed one, but the pros outweigh the cons. “Pollini & Abbado: The Complete Deutsche Grammophon Recordings” = BEETHOVEN: Complete Piano Concertos; Fantasy for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra, Op. 80; BRAHMS: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 (1995); Piano Concerto No. 2 (1976); SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto, Op. 54; SCHOENBERG: Piano Concerto, […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
