Steinway Archive
“WAGNER and the Piano” = Severin von Eckardstein, p. – MD&G“Magic Fire and Other WAGNER Transcriptions” = Risto-Matti Marin, p. – Alba
Comparison-and-contrast-a-plenty in these two fine recordings of Wagner transcriptions.
“WAGNER and the Piano” = Severin von Eckardstein, p. – MD&G“Magic Fire and Other WAGNER Transcriptions” = Risto-Matti Marin, p. – Alba
Comparison-and-contrast-a-plenty in these two fine recordings of Wagner transcriptions.
BEETHOVEN: The Piano Sonatas, Vol. 2 = Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major; Sonata No. 9 in E Major; Sonata No. 10 in G Major; Sonata No. 23 “Appassionata” – Steven Masi, p. – Concezio Productions
The Masi traversals of the Beethoven sonatas continue to captivate the imagination, while we delight in virtuoso performance.
SCHUBERT: Piano Sonata in B-flat Major; Impromptu in C Minor; Impromptu in A-flat Major – Nina Kavtaradze, p. – Danacord
Not for the faint of heart, Kavtaradze’s Schubert exerts resonant power, but some may find her approach aggressive and dramatically inflated.
Alexandra Silocea, piano – “Sound Waves” = Works of ROMBERG, DEBUSSY, LISZT, RAVEL, SCHUBERT – Avie
For her second Avie disc, pianist Alexandra Silocea selects a world of water colors and poetry, most of which, but not all, offering spiritual solace.
![Mosh Pit – One Piano, Four Hands [TrackList follows] – Zofo – Sono Luminus (audio-only Blu-ray + CD)](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/MoshPitSA.jpg)
Mosh Pit – One Piano, Four Hands [TrackList follows] – Zofo – Sono Luminus (audio-only Blu-ray + CD)
Mosh Pit – One Piano, Four Hands [TrackList follows] – Zofo (Keisuke Nakagoshi & Eva-Maria Zimmermann, piano) – Sono Luminus Pure Audio Blu-ray (7.1, 5.1 or 2.0) + standard CD DSL-92167, 76:31 (4/30/13) [Distr. by Naxos] *****: Another fine two-disc album from Sono Luminus, with a better combination to my mind than the two-disc sets from 2L which are audio-only Blu-ray plus SACD. This one is audio-only Blu-ray plus a standard CD for playing on other CD-only decks in your home, car or portably. This release follows on last year’s first album for Sono Luminus by Zofo, Mind Meld. The piano-four-hands team probably has a lot fewer problems giving concerts than piano duo teams, though one doesn’t get the interesting spatial separation of two keyboards in these works. Nevertheless, there is a clean and beautifully realistic portrayal of both pianists at the keyboard of their Steinway Model D Concert Grand. Not many music Blu-rays offer a 192K/24bit option, though it is only 5.1 channels (I happen to think the typical 7.1 speaker layout is silly). For 7.1 channels it is reduced to 96K/24bit—plenty good enough hi-res for my older ears. Then there is also a 192K/24bit Stereo PCM option. Zofo […]
“Conrad Tao: Voyages” — MONK: Railroad; RACHMANINOV: 5 Preludes; TAO: Vestiges; Iridescence; RAVEL: Gaspard de la Nuit – Conrad Tao, p. – EMI Classics
A frothy amalgam of jazz forms, classical, and contemporary musical styles.
BORTKIEWICZ: Piano Works, Volumes 8 – 9 = Impressions; Ein Roman fuer Klavier; Trois Morceaux; Two pieces; Kindheit – Jouni Somero, p. – FC Records (2 CDs)
The relatively unknown piano scores of Sergei Bortkiewicz in these volumes bespeak debts to the romantics Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, and Grieg.
Terry Trotter – I Play the Piano – AIX Blu-ray
Superbly performed and recorded solo piano jazz improvisations.
From Ragtime to Reel Time – Richard Glazier in Concert (2012)
An informative and enjoyable one-man concert around Hollywood’s golden era.
Bill Mays, piano – Solo! (2008)
A straight nearly one-hour concert by top jazz pianist Bill Mays, in a non-gimmicky studio setting telecast.
RAVEL: Sonatine; Gaspard de la Nuit; Menuet antique; Le Tombeau de Couperin – Paolo Giacometti, same selections on Erard & Steinway pianos – Channel Classics (2 discs)
Fascinating A/B comparison of the same repertory and same pianist, on both old and new grand pianos.
Bryan Pezzone – Piano Pieces, Blu-ray 3D (2012)
The first full-length 3D album of solo piano performance shot specifically for HD 3D and HD audio, in both stereo and surround.
MEDTNER: Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol. I = Sonatina in G Minor; Sonata No. 1 in F Minor; Sonata-Reminiscenza in A Minor – Paul Stewart, p. – Grand Piano
First of a four-volume survey of Medtner’s sonata oeuvre, performed upon a Steinway Medtner himself played on in 1929.
Valentina Lisitsa Live at the Royal Albert Hall = RACHMANINOV, BEETHOVEN, LISZT, CHOPIN, SCRIABIN – Decca
The young Ukrainian firebrand plays a London recital that testifies to her range and acuity of musical perceptions.
Jessica Williams, solo piano – Songs of Earth – Origin
I think this is the finest solo piano CD I’ve enjoyed in years!
Recital Favorites by Nissman, Vol. 8 = Works of PROKOFIEV, CHOPIN, SCHUMANN, ALBENIZ, GINASTERA & GERSHWIN – Pierian
A mammoth program “in olden style” marks Nissman’s eclectic program, featuring the debut of Benjamin Lees last work, Visage.
“Main gauche” = Works for Left Hand Alone by SAINT-SAENS, SCRIABIN, DUBE, PONCE, SIBELIUS, SCHUBERT, DEBUSSY, FOOTE, BORTKIEWICZ, Others – Jean Dubé, p. – BNL
Dube is not one-armed and has released many recordings with both hands.
![OLA GJEILO – Piano Improvisations [PlayList follows] – 2L audio-only Blu-ray + SACD](https://www.audaud.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Old-Gjeilo2BLU.jpg)
OLA GJEILO – Piano Improvisations [PlayList follows] – 2L audio-only Blu-ray + SACD
The second piano audio-only Blu-ray from Ola Gjeilo is devoted entirely to on-the-spot improvisations.
Miracle in a Box – A Piano Reborn (2009)
Documentary on the restoration of a classic Steinway.
FEDERICO MOMPOU: Musica Callada; “Secreto” – Jenny Lin, piano – Steinway & Sons
Innovative, and almost protestant in its bucking the early seventies grain.
16 Christmas Discs for the 2011 Holidays
It’s that time of year again and the Christmas discs are crossing my desk, whether requested on not. Here’s our annual survey of what we auditioned, and it will start off with two SACDs: Fiona Joy Hawkins – Christmas Joy – Little Hartley Music multichannel SACD FJH013 *****: This excellent disc—more than your usual Christmas album—is identified as in the New Age genre, but actually partakes of many world music influences, including Gaelic, Digeridoo, Paraquayan harp, and a variety of ethnic rhythms. Soprano sax and strings are also part of the backing of the piano of Fiona Joy Hawkins. Her SACD was produced by Corin Nelsen and Will Ackerman, who did many Windham Hill albums and also Hawkins’ previous Blue Dream SACD. Starting out as a classically-trained pianist, Hawkins likes to create music evoking images, and mixes world influences with classical and jazz, and New Age mysticism. Among the backing musicians on the date are Will Ackerman on guitar, Eugene Friesen on cello, Tony Levin on bass guitar, and Philip Aaberg did the orchestral arrangements. The disc opens with “Walking in the Air,” a striking tune by Howard Blake which is far from hackneyed and whose haunting melody will take […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
