soprano Archive

Mara Gibson:  Sky Born – Navona Records

Mara Gibson:  Sky Born – Navona Records

Mara Gibson:  Sky Born – – The Cascade Quartet/Holly Roadfeldt piano/ Michael Hall, viola/ Megan Ihnen/ mezzo-soprano – Navona Records NV6128 TT:55:00  (11/10/17) *** 1/2 A fine recording snd performance of contemporary music by and up and coming composer  Sky Born is a second offering from contemporary composer Mara Gibson, and if you like contemporary […]

Fleming – Distant Light = Music by BARBER, HILLBORGS and BJORK – Renee Fleming – sop./ Royal Stockholm Sym. Orch./ Sakari Oramo – Decca

Fleming – Distant Light = Music by BARBER, HILLBORGS and BJORK – Renee Fleming – sop./ Royal Stockholm Sym. Orch./ Sakari Oramo – Decca

Fleming – Distant Light = Music by BARBER, HILLBORGS and BJORK – Renee Fleming – sop./ Royal Stockholm Sym. Orch./ Sakari Oramo – Decca 4830415, 53:00 (1/6/17) ****: This new release is a long-awaited collection from soprano Renee Fleming, containing Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915. The other tracks are from Scandinavian composers, with works especially […]

Mark Dresser Seven – Sedimental You – Trem Azul/Clean Feed

Mark Dresser Seven – Sedimental You – Trem Azul/Clean Feed

A timely jazz treatise of current events (and more). Mark Dresser Seven – Sedimental You [TrackList follows] – Trem Azul/Clean Feed CF385CD, 67:17 [12/9/16] ****: (Nicole Mitchell – soprano and alto flute; Michael Dessen – trombone; Marty Ehrlich – clarinet, bass clarinet; David Morales Boroff – violin; Joshua White – piano; Jim Black – drums, […]

Jasmine Lovell-Smith’s Towering Poppies – Yellow Red Blue – Paint Box

Jasmine Lovell-Smith’s Towering Poppies – Yellow Red Blue – Paint Box

A musical trip which comprises flowers to kings to family to mountains. Jasmine Lovell-Smith’s Towering Poppies – Yellow Red Blue [TrackList follows] – Paint Box, 53:18 [11/4/16] ****: (Jasmine Lovell-Smith – soprano sax, producer; Josh Sinton – bass clarinet; Cat Toren – p.; Adam Hopkins – bass; Kate Gentile – drums; Cuarteto la Matraca: Elena […]

The Music of HARL MCDONALD Volume 3 =  var. orch. & cond. – Pristine Audio

The Music of HARL MCDONALD Volume 3 = var. orch. & cond. – Pristine Audio

A series of non-commercial releases graces Vol. 3, devoted to the works of Harl McDonald. The Music of HARL MCDONALD Volume 3 = Violin Concerto; Elegy and Battle Hymn; Symphony No. 3 “A Tragic Cycle”; Builders of America (Washington and Lincoln) – Alexander Hilsberg, v./ Philadelphia Orch./ Eugene Ormandy/ Geroge Newton, bass-bar./ Indianapolis Sym. Orch./ […]

RICHARD DANIELPOUR: Songs of Solitude; War Songs; Toward the Splendid City – Thomas Hampson, bari./Nashville Sym. Orch./ Giancarlo Guerrero – Naxos

RICHARD DANIELPOUR: Songs of Solitude; War Songs; Toward the Splendid City – Thomas Hampson, bari./Nashville Sym. Orch./ Giancarlo Guerrero – Naxos

Some very moving and well-written songs on topics of war. RICHARD DANIELPOUR: Songs of Solitude; War Songs; Toward the Splendid City – Thomas Hampson, bari./Nashville Sym. Orch./Giancarlo Guerrero – Naxos 8.559792, 60:48, (10/14/16) ****: For people who follow American contemporary classical music only casually composer Richard Danielpour might not be one of the first names […]

Al Muirhead – Northern Adventures – The Canada Sessions Vol. 1 – Chronograph

Al Muirhead – Northern Adventures – The Canada Sessions Vol. 1 – Chronograph

Al Muirhead – Northern Adventures – The Canada Sessions Vol. 1 (TrackList follows) – Chronograph CRO 46, 57:58 [1/27/17] ***: A Canadian excursion into the Great American Songbook. (Al Muirhead – trumpet, Flugelhorn & bass trumpet; Tommy Banks – piano 2/6/10; Guido Basso – Flugelhorn 2/6/10; Mike Murley – tenor saxophone 4/9; Chris Andrew – […]

*********  Multichannel Disc of the Month  *********** COUPERIN: Trois Lecons de Tenebres; SEBASTIEN DE BROSSARD: Trio Sonatas in c and a; Stabat Mater –  Soloists/La Nuova Music – HM

********* Multichannel Disc of the Month ***********
COUPERIN: Trois Lecons de Tenebres; SEBASTIEN DE BROSSARD: Trio Sonatas in c and a; Stabat Mater – Soloists/La Nuova Music – HM

A beautiful excursion into the world of Parisian devotional music.  COUPERIN: Trois Lecons de Tenebres; SEBASTIEN DE BROSSARD: Trio Sonatas in c and a; Stabat Mater – Lucy Crowe/ Elizabeth Watts, sop./ La Nuova Musica/ David Bates – Harmonia mundi multichannel SACD HMU 807659, 70:32 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] *****: The Lamentations of the Prophet […]

The Complete Songs Of Virgil Thomson = Soloists with 2 pianists & percussion – New World (3 CDs)

The Complete Songs Of Virgil Thomson = Soloists with 2 pianists & percussion – New World (3 CDs)

Absolutely essential listening of a neglected but masterly song composer. The Complete Songs Of Virgil Thomson = Sarah Pelletier, sop./ Lynne McMurtry, contralto/ William Hite, tenor/ Aaron Engebreth, bari./ Alison d’Amato & Linda Osborn, piano/ John McDonald perc. – New World 80775 (3 CDs), 71:20, 76:04, 50:57 [Distr. by Albany] (4/4/16)*****: Any reasonably performed rendition […]

PUCCINI: La Boheme (complete opera), C Major Blu-ray (2016)

PUCCINI: La Boheme (complete opera), C Major Blu-ray (2016)

It’s hard to divorce this release from recent events. PUCCINI: La Boheme (complete opera), Blu-ray (2016) Performers: Daniela Dessì (Mimì)/ Fabio Armiliato (Rodolfo)/ Alessandro Luongo (Marcello)/ Alida Berti (Musetta)/ Federico Longhi (Schaunard)/ Marco Spotti (Colline)/ Angelo Nardinocchi (Benoit/Alcindoro)/ Ugo Tarquini (Parpignol)/ Marco Simonelli (Sergente dei doganieri)/ Jacopo Bianchini (Un doganiere)/ Orchestra and Choir of the […]

“Love” = Simone Kermes, soprano/ La Magnifica Comunita/ Enrico Casazza – Sony Classical

“Love” = Simone Kermes, soprano/ La Magnifica Comunita/ Enrico Casazza – Sony Classical

Definitely on the sweet side, Kermes’ artistry is hard to resist.  “Love” = Simone Kermes, soprano/ La Magnifica Comunita/ Enrico Casazza – Sony Classical 88875111382, 65:23 ****: German artist Simone Kermes has easily established herself as one of the foremost coloratura sopranos in the world today, possessing a virtuoso voice of great flexibility and range. […]

Matt Lavelle’s 12 Houses – Solidarity – Unseen Rain

Matt Lavelle’s 12 Houses – Solidarity – Unseen Rain

Big band free jazz is more than discordant noise. Matt Lavelle’s 12 Houses – Solidarity [TrackList follows] – Unseen Rain UR-9945, 48:52 [5/6/16] ****: (Matt Lavelle – cornet, Flugelhorn, alto clarinet, conductor; Lee Odom – soprano sax, clarinet; Charles Waters – alto sax, clarinet; Ras Moshe Burnett – soprano sax, tenor sax, flute, bells; Tim […]

“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

“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 […]

Sax to Tango – Julio Botti, sop. & tenor sax – Zoho Desperate Dance – Pablo Ziegler Trio – Enja

Sax to Tango – Julio Botti, sop. & tenor sax – Zoho
Desperate Dance – Pablo Ziegler Trio – Enja

Two terrific CDs taking us into the world of the tango. “Sax to Tango” – Julio Botti, sop. & tenor sax/Pablo Ziegler, producer/U. of S. Denmark Sym. Orch./ Saul Zaks – Zoho ZM 2011607 [6/3/16] ****: “Desperate Dance” – Pablo Ziegler & Quique Sinesi & Walter Castro (piano/guitar/bandoneon) – Enja Yellow Bird YEB 7755 [9/4/15] […]

DVORAK: Stabat Mater – Soloists/Radio Sym. & Choir of Bavarian Radio/ Mariss Janssons – BR Klassik

DVORAK: Stabat Mater – Soloists/Radio Sym. & Choir of Bavarian Radio/ Mariss Janssons – BR Klassik

This live performance maintains an air of piety and devotion requisite to its powerful musical occasion. DVORAK: Stabat Mater, Op. 58 – Erin Wall, sop./ Minoko Fujimura, mezzo-sop./ Christian Elsner, tenor/ Liang Li, bass/ Choir of the Bavarian Radio/ Bavarian Radio Sym. Orch./ Mariss Janssons – BR Klassik 900142, 77:55 [Distr. by Naxos] (1/8/16) *****:  […]

KATI AGÓCS: The Debrecen Passion & other works – Soloists/BMOP/Rose – BMOP

KATI AGÓCS: The Debrecen Passion & other works – Soloists/BMOP/Rose – BMOP

KATI AGÓCS: The Debrecen Passion; Requiem Fragments; By the Streams of Babylon; Like Treasure Hidden in a Field; Vessel – Kati Agócs, sop./Lisa Bielawa, sop./Katherine Growdon, mezzo-sop./Margot Rood, sop./Sonja Tengblad, sop./ Lorelei Ensemble/Boston Modern Orchestra Project /Gil Rose – BMOP Sound 1046, 57:00 multichannel SACD (2/02/16) ****: More outstanding vocal work from this emerging contemporary […]

Robin Eubanks – More Than Meets the Ear – ArtistShare

Robin Eubanks – More Than Meets the Ear – ArtistShare

Big band jazz for modern ears. Robin Eubanks – More Than Meets the Ear [TrackList follows] – ArtistShare AS0141, 71:38 [11/20/15] ****1/2: (Robin Eubanks – acoustic and electric trombone, percussion pads, producer, co-mixer; Antonio Hart – alto saxophone; Alex Cummings – alto and soprano saxophone; Marcus Strickland, Bobby LaVell – tenor saxophone; Lauren Sevian – […]