strings Archive
Ivo Perelman – Strings 3 and Strings 4 – Leo
Saxophonist Ivo Perelman once again takes sax and strings into surprising directions.
Beecham at the Royal Festival Hall, Vol. 2 = MENDELSSOHN: The Fair Melusina Overture; GHEDINI: Concerto for Viola and Strings; DVORAK: Symphony No. 8 – Frederick Riddle (vla.) / Royal Phil. Orch./ Sir Thomas Beecham – Pristine Audio
Beecham at the Royal Festival Hall, Vol. 2 = MENDELSSOHN: The Fair Melusina – Overture, Op. 32; GHEDINI: Musica da concerto for Viola and Strings; DVORAK: Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88 – Frederick Riddle, viola/ Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/ Sir Thomas Beecham – Pristine Audio PASC 504, 70:43 [www.pristine classical.com] ****: The second […]
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 4 in E-flat Major “Romantic”; WAGNER: Parsifal – Good Friday Music – Berlin Philharmonic Orch. (Wagner)/ Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Wilhelm Furtwaengler – Praga Digitals mono
Two Furtwaengler post-War performances remind us of his spiritual commitment to the German tradition. BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 4 in E-flat Major “Romantic”; WAGNER: Parsifal – Good Friday Music – Berlin Philharmonic Orch. (Wagner)/ Vienna Philharmonic Orch./ Wilhelm Furtwaengler – Praga Digitals mono SACD PRD/DSD 350 130, 77:32 (3/24/17) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: Wilhelm Furtwaengler’s […]
BRAHMS: Piano Quintet in f; SCHUMANN: String Quartet No. 1 – M. Pressler, p./ Pacifica Q. – Cedille
An unusual pairing sets music of Brahms and Schumann together as masters of their respective idiom. BRAHMS: Piano Quintet in f, Op. 34; SCHUMANN: String Quartet No. 1 in a, Op. 41 – Menahem Pressler, p./ Pacifica Quartet – Cedille CDR 90000 170, 71:39 (3/10/17) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: The etiology of the Brahms 1865 […]
Petros KLAMPANIS, doublebass – Chroma – Motema
Petros KLAMPANIS – Chroma – Motema 219, 44: 34 (3/10/17) ***: (Petros Klampanis; bass/ Gilad Hekselman; guitar/ Shai Maestro; piano/ John Hadfield; drums/ Keita Ogawa; percussion/ Gokce Erem, Megan Gould, Eylem Basaldi, Migen Selman; violins/ Carrie Frey, Peter Kiral; violas/ Colin Stokes, Sam Quiggins; cello) Gilad Hekselman shines on original arrangements which involve heavy use […]
SCHUMANN: Cello Concerto in a; Sym. No. 2 in C Major – Jan Vogler, cello/ Dresden Festival Orch./ Ivor Bolton – Sony
Suave and elegant Schumann played in natural, heroic manner by all principals. SCHUMANN: Cello Concerto in a, Op. 129; Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61 – Jan Vogler, cello/ Dresden Festival Orch./ Ivor Bolton – Sony 88985372122, 59:06 (12/2/16) ****: Clara Schumann once referred to the people of Dresden as “Philistines,” convinced that, […]
MENDELSSOHN: Syms. Nos. 1 & 4 – London Sym./Gardiner – LSO Live
A vigorous and incisive Italian, with a fresh and even more exhilarating “First”. MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 1 in c, Op. 11; No. 4 in A, Op. 90 “Italian” (1833 version) – London Sym. Orch./ John Eliot Gardiner – LSO Live multichannel Pure Audio Blu-ray & SACD LSO0765 (2 discs, on audio-only Blu-ray), 62:11 [Distr. by […]
BEETHOVEN & BRUCH Violin Concertos – Accardo & Masur – Pentatone
Accardo and Masur combine for splendid work in pillars of the violin concerto repertory. BEETHOVEN: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61; BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 1 in g, Op. 26 – Salvatore Accardo, violin/ Gewandhausorchester Leipzig/ Kurt Masur – Pentatone RQR multichannel (4.0) SACD PTC 5186 237, 71:22 (10/21/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: Italian […]
C.P.E. BACH: Flute Concertos – Emmanuel Pahud, flute/ Kammerakademie Potsdam/ Trevor Pinnock – Warner Classics
C.P.E. BACH: Flute Concertos – Emmanuel Pahud, flute/ Kammerakademie Potsdam/ Trevor Pinnock – Warner Classics 27679, 66:44 (11/4/16) ****: Three exceptionally lively concertos demonstrating flute virtuosity. In a previous release, Emmanuel Pahud and the Potsdam Academy gave us an overview of the musical activities at the Court of Frederick the Great, especially as they celebrated […]
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 1 in g minor, “Winter Daydreams”; The Tempest – Orch. of St. Luke’s/ Pablo Heras-Cadado – Harmonia mundi
Conductor Heras-Casado and St. Luke’s capture two programmatic symphonic works by Tchaikovsky. TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 1 in g minor, Op. 13 “Winter Daydreams”; The Tempest, Op. 18 – Orch. of St. Luke’s/ Pablo Heras-Cadado – Harmonia mundi HMC 902220, 68:18 (11/4/16) [Distr. By PIAS] ****: Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony (1868) combines his strong desire to compete […]
Dinah Washington – Back to the Blues – Parlophone/ PurePleasure vinyl
Dinah Washington – Returning to her roots… Dinah Washington – Back to the Blues – Parlophone/ PurePleasure PPAN SR 25189 – stereo vinyl (1963/2016) ****: (Dinah Washington – vocals, Fred Norman – arranger and conductor; backed by largely unknown artists with exception of Eddie Chamblee and Illinois Jacquet on tenor sax, and Billy Butler on […]
Peter Brendler, doublebass – Message in Motion – Positone
Peter Brendler, doublebass – Message in Motion – Positone PR8156, 56:39 (7/15/16) ****: The bass leads the way. (Peter Brendler – doublebass/ Rich Perry – tenor sax /Peter Evans – trumpet /Vinnie Sperrazza – drums /Ben Monder – guitar) It is easy to overlook the bass in a jazz ensemble. It is the least noisy […]
Nelson – For The Good Times/ A Tribute To Ray Price – Legacy vinyl
Nelson – For The Good Times/ A Tribute To Ray Price [TrackList follows] – Legacy 8898531241, 40:01 [9/16/16] stereo vinyl, ****: One country legends pays tribute to another! (Willie Nelson – acoustic guitar, lead vocals; Vince Gill – acoustic, electric guitar; Andy Reiss – electric guitar; Larry franklin – fiddle; Joe Spivey – fiddle; Kenny […]
GRUNDSTROM: “An Orchestral Journey” – Omega Studios Orch./Erik Ochnsner – Navona
Very pleasant music that connects and engages. BRIAN WILBUR GRUNDSTROM: “An Orchestral Journey” – Contentment, Poem for Orchestra; Jubilation! Dance for Orchestra; Suite for Chamber Orchestra; American Reflections for Strings and Harp; Chenonceau – Omega Studios Orch./Erik Ochnsner – Navona NV6047 [Distr. by Naxos], 79:56, (8/12/16) ****: Here is a very fine introductory collection of […]
Monteux at Tanglewood, Vol. 4 – BEETHOVEN: Sym. No. 2; R. STRAUSS: A Hero’s Life – Pristine Audio
A fourth entry into the Monteux legacy at Tanglewood delivers mirth and heroism, at once. Monteux at Tanglewood, Vol. 4 (1962) – BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36; R. STRAUSS: Ein Heledenleben, Op. 40 – Boston Sym. Orch./ Pierre Monteux – Pristine Audio PASC 481, 72:30 [avail. in various formats from www.pristineclassical.com] […]
Rob Clearfield – Islands – ears&eyes
Chicago trio which puts freedom to the forefront. Rob Clearfield – Islands [TrackList follows] – ears&eyes ee16-047, 57:36 [6/3/16] ****: (Rob Clearfield – piano, electric piano, organ, guitar, co-producer; Curt Bley – acoustic and electric bass; Quin Kirchner – drums) There’s a sense of self-determination on Chicago pianist Rob Clearfield’s first trio outing, the hour-long […]
Van Morrison – It’s Too Late to Stop Now – Sony /Exile/Legacy (2 vinyls)
Whetting the appetite for more Van… Van Morrison – It’s Too Late to Stop Now – Sony /Exile/Legacy 88985323261 – two vinyl LPs (1973/2016) ***1/2: (Van Morrison – vocals; Jeff Labes – piano and organ; John Platania – guitar; David Hayes – bass; Dahaud Shaar – drums; Jack Schroer – saxophones; Bill Atwood – trumpet; […]
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 […]
Charlie Parker – Unheard Bird: The Unissued Takes – Mercury/Verve (2 discs)
A 2-CD issue sure to appeal to “Bird” completists… Charlie Parker – Unheard Bird: The Unissued Takes – Mercury/Verve B0024802-02 (1949-1952) – CD 1: 78:49, CD 2: 78:50 ***1/2: (Charlie Parker – alto sax; with accompanying artists including: Kenny Dorham, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Harris, Al Porcino – trumpets; Tommy Turk, Bill Harris, Bart Varsalona – […]
TANEYEV: Chamber Music with Piano = Piano Quartet in E Major, Op. 20; Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 22; Violin Sonata in a; Piano Quintet in g – Solisti dell’Officina Musicale – Aevea (2 CDs)
A survey of Taneyev’s chamber music with piano unearths several mighty treasures of earnest power and learned style. TANEYEV: Chamber Music with Piano = Piano Quartet in E Major, Op. 20; Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 22; Violin Sonata in a; Piano Quintet in g, Op. 30 – Solisti dell’Officina Musicale – Aevea AE15004005 […]
HAYDN: Symphonies Nos. 78, 79, 80 & 81 – Accademia Bizantina/ Ottavio Dantone – Decca (2 CDs)
Beautifully recorded and rendered, these original instrument realizations of rare Haydn symphonies do everyone honor. HAYDN: Symphony No. 78 in c; Symphony No. 79 in F Major; Symphony No. 80 in d; Symphony No. 81 in G Major – Accademia Bizantina/ Ottavio Dantone – Decca 478 8837 (2 CDs), 54:20, 55:10 (2/12/16) [Distr. by Universal] […]
PROKOFIEV: Sym. No. 5 in B-flt Major – Royal Concertgebouw Orch. / Mariss Jansons – RCO Live
Chief Conductor Mariss Jansons leads his Concertgebouw Orchestra in a spirited, sonorous reading of the Prokofiev Fifth. PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op. 100 – Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/ Mariss Jansons – RCO Live multichannel SACD 16002, 43:06 [Distr. by Naxos] (4/29/16) ****: Recorded live at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam 17-21 September 2014, the Prokofiev […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
