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 notated over thirty different tempo markings in his Missa solemnis? Neither did I. That’s just one of the wonderful bits of information you can glean if you take time to read the program notes that come along with recordings. Another interesting fact is that Nicholas Harnoncourt’s first seven performances of the Missa solemnis were delivered not from the podium but from a chair in the cello section of the Vienna Symphony. Apparently, none of these performances seemed to capture the essence of the work for him. Indeed, only as he prepared for his own first performance of the work as conductor, in 1988, did he fully come to terms with Beethoven’s difficult masterpiece. Harnoncourt wrote about the experience, “All that had seemed to me to be empty bathos suddenly turned into the opposite.” Empty bathos? Wow! Those seven prior performances not only left him with […]
“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 will be to you as well. I usually enjoy recital albums such as this for their variety but even more because they usually introduce me to unfamiliar music and composers. That’s certainly the case here. Thomas Byström (1772‒1839) is a new name to me, and I suspect it will be to you as well. Two years younger than Beethoven, the Finnish composer outlived the German master by twelve years. But despite a relatively long and productive career as a composer, he is scantly represented on recordings. Interestingly, Byström relocated to Stockholm and served as an officer in the Swedish army, fighting in the Napoleonic Wars and Finnish Wars of 1808‒09. He was a member of the Swedish Music Academy and taught piano as well as organ at the Institute of the Academy for a number of years. Byström is said to have produced three fine […]
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 is! Three lovely guitar concertos played by Narciso Yepes and The London Symphony Orchestra. The history of the recordings is interesting. Originally produced during the short quadraphonic boom in the early 1970s by DGG, there were many recordings done for open reel tape deck owners and some who braved the rather awful and unreliable quadraphonic vinyl discs. Later the tapes were just stored, without multichannel releases. In the present day, Pentatone has made a project of restoring the tapes, where possible finding some of the original engineers and producers to help restore them, then transferring them to DSD and SACD. The results are excellent. Even with my ear to the tweeters I don’t hear any tape hiss, yet the high frequencies of the strings and plucked guitar strings are very clean and bright. It’s a phenomenal restoration. Guitarist Narciso Yepes was one of the finest […]
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 Stereo 2.0 Video: 16:9 for 1080i HD, color TrackList: (Same as CD): Holding On; On My Way To Harlem/What’s Going On; Take Me To The Alley; Don’t Lose Your Steam; Hey Laura; Liquid Spirit; Consequence Of Love; Bass Solo/Papa Was A Rolling Stone; Musical Genocide; Don’t Be A Fool; Work Song?Drum Solo; In Fashion; Be Good (Lion’s Song); 1960 What?; Water Under Bridges; Free/Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again) Length: 128 minutes Rating: Audio ***1/2 Video **** Overall **** Gregory Porter has become a star in the modern soul/jazz genre. His songwriting ability and recordings have garnered critical and fan enthusiasm. His stage persona has made him an international star. Eagle Vision has released a Blu-ray (with 2 CDs), titled Gregory Porter – Live In Berlin. Like many artists, their essence can often be understood in a context of performance. […]
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 tempo, especially after becoming accustomed to the barn-burning exercises of Levi and Kubelik. But the underlying pulsation, so intense and provocative, and the absolutely shimmering extremes of the strings convinced me otherwise. And so it would become the norm for the rest of this disc. It is, quite simply, a miracle of subtlety and grace, with some of the most pungent colors ever available on a recording. Even in the Opus 72, a set written in response to the first, Dvorak is quite a different composer. Gone is the freshness and vitality that so characterize the first effort, with its uncomplicated directness and melodic charm. What we get instead is a much cleverer and thoughtful artist, one who is taking far more pains with the orchestration and details present in more minute cells of phrasing and even contemplation. As a result, this second set lacks […]
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 death in 1992, I found myself standing in his house on the occasion of a house concert, staring at his bass. There it was, a 200-year-old German-made instrument, rather battered and noble-looking. I really wanted to pluck the low string, for unlike any other bass, it was a low C. For a bassist, it was close to the Holy Grail. With Mitchell, one of the giants of the art form, gone, it is rewarding to get a lost recording and to once again hear the most distinctive instrumental voice in jazz played in Mr. Mitchell’s inimitable style, his bass tuned like a cello to C-G-D-A. The session on document here is a Red Mitchell/ Jim Hall duo performance at the Sweet Basil from back in 1978, a recording of which had previously been issued, a highly sought-after item in the LP days. Other analog tapes […]
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 one is from an Atlantic 4-track tape played on highly advanced gear. Lately they have even moved into transfers of original stereo LPs as well as multichannel Blu-rays and downloads. Their site search failed to find their cover for this 192K/24-bit DVD-A disc, so the cover here is of the original Atlantic CD, which Amazon does have, and which is different. It also has seven additional tracks that this disc lacks, as indicated below. The personnel are the same thruout, and the MJQ has long been one of my favorite jazz groups for their unusual John Lewis-originated music and their stage presence of formal rigor – just like a classical quartet. They were a reference point that widened the world of jazz, to be accepted even in conservatories. The long title number is in 3/4 time and all the music is terrific. There have been […]
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 in 1991 and 2003, when violinist Rachel Podger left to pursue a solo career, the Palladian Ensemble made ten remarkable recordings for Linn Records. Except for the first, which is under review here, on which Joanna Levine plays viola da gamba in place of regular Susan Heinrich, the ensemble has remained the same. Seven of these recordings received lofty Diapason awards. Over these 12 years, they have established themselves as a consistent and premier Baroque chamber group. For me, this ensemble of theorbo/lute, violin, viola da gamba and recorder is distinctive for its harpsichord-less sonority. William Carter’s fretted instruments have an expanded role in maintaining the harmonic textures. We feel his presence everywhere in the ensemble, whether plucking the deep notes on the theorbo or driving the rhythm with his bright-hued Baroque guitar. Occasionally, as in the Ciaconna, he showcases his virtuosity on a solo […]
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 der Heiden Heiland,” BWV 62; Air from Orchestral Suite No. 2 in D, BWV 1068; SCHUBERT: Ave Maria, D. 839; Moment Musical in f minor, D. 780, No. 3; CHOPIN: Waltz in c-sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2; Waltz in G-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 1; Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2; BRAHMS: Waltz in A-flat Major, Op. 39, No. 15; BRUCH: Kol Nidrei, Op. 47; ELGAR: La capricieuse, Op. 17 – Bronislaw Huberman, v./ Ignaz Friedman, p. (Beethoven)/ Siegfried Schultze, p. – Pristine Audio PACM 102, 78:06 [avail. in var. formats (incl. a successful ambient stereo) from pristineclassical.com] ****: The art of violin virtuoso Bronislaw Huberman (1882-1947) remains fascinating and problematic to our ears, unaccustomed to his idiosyncratic style of continuous vibrato and sudden shifts of tempo. But the sincerity and ardent fervor of his performances warrants our attention; and often, […]
“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 at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music (recently appointed the faculty quartet in residence at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music), this is the Dover Quartet’s debut on disc, and happy the folks at Cedille who landed them. This is an auspicious entry into the recorded legacy of these pieces, and an equally auspicious entry into the glamour and time honored legacy of another quartet, the Guarneri, who themselves debuted in 1966 with an outstanding RCA recording of these same two quartets. Guarneri first violinist Arnold Steinhardt writes an introduction in the notes, and served as a coach to the quartet while still in nascent formation. To round off the circle, Guarneri violist Michael Tree plays second viola in this recording’s Quintet. It’s perhaps a little unfair to compare this release with that of the mentors, but the Dover comes out very well. Tempos are a […]
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 tendencies leaned naturally to the latter. Therefore, when he was accused of Lutheran leanings when he composed his Western Wynde Mass to the tune of the same name, eyeballs were raised from the then Catholic ruling powers. However, since not much credence was given to what artists said or thought, no penalties were allocated. “Western Wynde” was of course a very secular song, and at this point of time the idea of incorporating the vagaries of the world into such a sacred text was something questionable from many sources. However, Taverner, far from being wrong in this, was to set a trend that would carry over with many other composers, when secular songs became fair game for religious inspiration. The standards are more in place with the Christi Sanctissima Mass, based not on a song but on a polyphonic motet. Both it and the Western […]
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 extensive survey of the composer’s major works, including symphonies, concertos, symphonic poems, and incidental music. The present recording (17-19 August and 24-26 September 2015) from Prague’s Dvorak Hall, Rudolfinum, has Bychkov’s leading the Czech Philharmonic, an ensemble well familiar with the Pathetique Symphony by way of work with Vaclav Talich and Lovro von Matacic. The 1893 symphony deliberately courts the theme of mortality, invoking the marking morendo for dynamic phrasing and scoring the dark instrumental colors of the winds and strings. True to his Russian Orthodox heritage, Tchaikovsky quotes the melody of the Orthodox Requiem twice, after the climax in movement one and at the end of movement four. The key relations between movements remain narrow, incremental in half-steps, as though the “mortal coil” had already made its presence felt artistically. Commentators have pointed out that even the seeming dynamic energy and relative freedom of […]
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 Stoowski – Pristine Audio PASC 483, 74:03 [avail. in sev. formats from www.pristineclassical.com] ****: Producer and editor Mark Obert-Thorn revitalizes a select group of 1927 recordings by Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977) with his Philadelphia Orchestra, at the time an ensemble whose discipline and homogeneity of execution rivaled the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam under Mengelberg, the Boston Symphony under Koussevitzky, and the Halle Orchestra as led by Sir Hamilton Harty. The first of Stokowski’s recorded interpretations of the Beethoven Seventh Symphony (6, 15 and 25 April 1927) projects an enthusiastic energy throughout, although occasionally the vehemence tends to exaggeration. The slow first-movement introduction enjoys a hearty sense of harmonic drama, leisurely in its traversal of three major keys of A, C, and F. The ensuing Vivace carries a restless breadth quite exhilarating. The a minor Allegretto movement rings tragically true, with fine response in the divided […]
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 Neuss, across the Rhine from Düsseldorf, conducted by Lavard Skou Larsen. I listened to that CD many times, not just enchanted but with a sense of Handel transformed. Even more than Bach, Handel’s musical magnificence in his many organ concertos is so openly-scored that the depth and beauty of these concertos can be heard in full on virtually any instrumental configurations. It was then, and remains now for me, a discovery akin to hearing Glenn Gould playing the Goldberg Variations for the first time, but with a far greater knowledge and understanding of the Baroque aesthetic. Kirschnereit writes in his notes, “It is known that Handel enlivened his performances with embellishments and variations. Everything is set, everything is spontaneous – for me a balancing act! In fact quite a lot of the ornaments, varied playing figures, and cadenzas emerged during the recordings!” The surround sound, […]
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 Joshua Pierce, who has already turned in a marvelous album of Mendelssohn’s two-piano concertos on MSR, should turn to a solo concerto outing. What is surprising is his choice here, the early (about 13 years old) A-minor concerto that has been nearly forgotten, written after the composer’s encounter with Hummel in Weimar. Of course, his later concertos aren’t exactly burning up the concert halls these days either, though most artists of substance have felt the need to contribute performances, most notably Murray Perahia in recent years. And none of them has the lasting, enduring “profundity” that other works like those of Mozart seem to contribute. Nevertheless, Mendelssohn’s pieces are always involving and engaging, as wedded pianistically to the page as that of any composer, ever. Pierce revels in this music, and you can feel the enjoyment. The Bach No. 5 is well known, has been […]
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 in A-flat major, Op. 50, No.2; Mazurka in C-sharp minor, Op. 50, No. 3; Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60; Berceuse in D-flat major, Op. 57; Nocturne in F-sharp major, Op. 15, No. 2; Scherzo No. 4 in E major, Op. 54 – David Korevaar, p. – MSR Classics MS 1626, 76:53 [Distr. by Albany] ***1/2: David Korevaar has made a number of fine recordings spanning an impressively broad repertory. No one pianist is adept at everything, even among the so-called “greats” of the past. And even within the confines of one composer the results can be quite varied. I am hesitant to call this recording unenjoyable, because in fact I did enjoy it in several sittings. Korevaar, as he has demonstrated many times before, has ample technique, a warm sound—even, daresay, “Chopinesque”—and his interpretations here are obviously well-thought and presented. But what struck me […]
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] *** 1/2: A tale of two Beethoven recordings – one very unique. The Beethoven Symphony No. 9 is one of the most often played symphonies. Many would say the 9th is the composers crowning achievement, and I would not disagree. As a result of its acclaim, I think most of our readers have a copy in their own libraries. So it’s my task to review two new recordings of the 9th, one quite competent and well recorded, the other a radical departure from the usual recording style, but one that is of interest and merit. Let’s start with the more unique approach. It has been recorded by Tacet in Germany, and as is their custom of late, it’s recorded in what they call Real Surround Sound. This is not the usual method of instruments up front with ambiance to the rear. In this 9th, performed […]
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 sound, achieving a communion unique in the jazz world. His idea was to present a unique style that incorporated both jazz and classical elements with great polish and artistry. And this they did. This is really cool jazz by players who really know the music. There are some nice variations in the German recordings from the U.S. releases, which make the disc worth getting. There is an interlude by John Lewis on “Ralph’s New Blues,” which presents this MJQ classic in a whole new light. On “Midsommer,” the MJQ is heard together with the Harald Banter Ensemble in a third stream style. Then there is their early interpretation of my favorite jazz tune, John Lewis’ “Django.” TrackList: Ralph’s New Blues, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, Willow Weep for Me, I’ll Remember April, Misömmer, Bluesology, Django, Sun Dance, Cortege. You Go to my Head, I Can’t […]
“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 Mozart concertos), but a quick note from the artist confirmed her absolute commitment—indeed, entrenchment—in the Cedille universe. Avie, of course, operates on an artist-ownership model, and has released some truly spectacular recordings since their inception in 2002. Count this among them. Rachel Barton Pine has been playing these pieces for years, often all in one evening, and decided that the time had come to put her thoughts on the music down on silver disc. It is indeed a “testament” to her own judgment that she waited as long as she did in order to have a comprehensive and integral sense of what her vision is all about. Barton Pine is no stranger to period performance and theory, having released a number of recordings precisely employing these techniques, but here she manages a hybrid approach, using her standard Guarneri del Gesu violin with a baroque bow. […]
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 Radio Sym. Orch., Moscow/ Gennady Rozdhdestvensky – Praga Digitals PRD 250 342, 75:28 (9/30/16) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] ****: Maria Yudina (1899-1970) studied at the Petrograd Conservatory under Anna Essipova and Leonid Nikoayev. Her advocacy of modern Western music would often result in her dismissal from various institutes. Despite her iconoclastic nature, she remained Josif Stalin’s favorite artist. Her criticism of his regime including her reading the poetry of Boris Paternak as an “encore” to a recital. Her prodigious concert career was denied any recordings by the official censors, so little exists of her collaborations. Sviatoslav Richter called her playing “prodigious and immensely talented,” in spite of the fact that her favorite composers – Krenek, Hindemith, Bartok, Stravinsky – had been officially banned from public performance. What has survived of her recorded legacy often originates with pirate or “underground” recording sources, not always of superior […]
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 the Brahms first is the cover. We get one of the best known photos of Johannes Brahms aside that of the physically quite similar composer-conductor Leif Segerstam (only Brahms looks less manic) The other thing that caught my attention immediately was the title and mere fact of the existence of Segerstam’s Symphony No. 288 (Two Hundred Eighty-Eight! …. Haydn and Hovhaness, move over). More on that. Segerstam’s rendition of the iconic Brahms Symphony No. 1 is quite good. While I really, really like a couple of the older versions, such as those by Giulini and von Karajan, this is a very nicely paced performance with great sensitivity to style. I found the second movement especially lovely. This is, in my opinion, one of the best symphonies by any composer, ever, and there are certainly and literally hundreds of recordings to choose from (because it’s a […]
“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, Op. 42; BARTOK: Piano Concertos No. 1 & 2; LUIGI NONO: Como una ola de fuerza y lux – DGG 0289 482 1358 0 (8 CDs), 6+ hours [Distr. by Universal] ***1/2: This set, offered around $30, will be a mandatory acquisition for many. Pollini has always been one of my favorite pianists, despite the “hard as nails” criticism often leveled at him. But this is surely not true—his poetic inclinations just happen to be happily wed to a technique second to none in the piano world, and his astounding recordings have easily held up. Well, almost. Hearing this set has offered a second take on many recordings I thought I knew well, and some first sampled on LP are a little different on silver disc. Let’s illumine a couple of things—the Berlin Philharmonic under Abbado, while often reflecting the conductor at somewhat of a […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
