Tempo 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 […]
“Schumann’s Enigma” = SCHUMANN: Sonata for V. and P. No. 1 in a; Sonata for V. and P. in d ‒ Svetlana Tsivinskaya, v. / Natalia Tokar, p, ‒ Blue Griffin
“Schumann’s Enigma” = SCHUMANN: Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in a, Op. 105; Sonata for Violin and Piano in d, Op. 121 ‒ Svetlana Tsivinskaya, v. / Natalia Tokar, p, ‒ Blue Griffin BGR 391, 48:10 [Distr. by Albany] **1/2: Sadly, the chief enigma here is why anyone would choose to invest in this recording. The enigma of the album title refers to Robert Schumann’s lifelong fascination with puzzles and ciphers, which crops up, for example, as the cryptic little “Sphinxes” section in Carnaval and the musical cryptograms that appear throughout the composer’s work. The most interesting aspect of the current release is the very informative notes; they describe in detail Schumann’s cryptographic encoding in the Grand Sonata in D Minor, Op. 121. Noting the musical equivalents in Italian and English notation of D minor (Re minor), E minor (Mi minor), B minor (Si minor), and G major (Sol major), the note-writers (apparently Yelena Franklin and Stefan Koch) explain that with these four musical notes Schumann had the necessary musical “characters” to spell out, in shorthand at least, his own name in his compositions. Thus the first movement of the sonata is dominated by Re minor (Robert) “with […]
Aretha Franklin – Yeah!!! – Columbia LP /Pure Pleasure vinyl
Aretha Franklin – Yeah!!! – Columbia CS 9151 (1965)/Pure Pleasure vinyl (2016) PPAN CS9151, 35:23 ****: This vinyl re-master captures the early career of an iconic artist! (Aretha Franklin – vocals, piano; Teddy Harris – piano; Kenny Burrell – guitar; James “Beans Richardson – doublebass; Hindell Butts – drums) She was known as The Queen Of Soul. But that moniker does not begin to assess the musical force that is Aretha Franklin. As a young girl, she became a gospel recording star with a traditional, limited audience. That changed when she was signed to Columbia Records by none other than John Hammond. The label attempted to find a way to market Franklin. Her versatility was unusual. The mezzo-soprano was comfortable singing rhythm and blues, jazz, rock, pop and soul. The Queen never hit her stride at Columbia. However, at Atlantic Records, she became the greatest singer of all time, winning 18 Grammys. Aretha was the first woman inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. A lot of the Columbia sessions are becoming available once again. Pure Pleasure Records has released a 180-gram vinyl reissue of Aretha Franklin – Yeah!!!. This album reflects the label’s attempt to showcase Aretha […]
Leo Genovese – Argentinosaurus – Newvelle vinyl
Leo Genovese – Argentinosaurus – Newvelle NV006LP vinyl, 37:12 ****: An intricate jazz pianist is captured on high quality vinyl! (Leo Genovese – piano; Esperanza Spalding – double bass, vocals; Jack DeJohnette – drums, melodica) Jazz fans are known for their purist dedication to high-quality audio recording. The surge of vinyl records in the last few years supports this context. Jazz pianist Elan Mehler (with his business partner Jean-Christophe Morisseau) has taken this business model a step further. Jazz fans can buy 6 albums, exclusively by subscription, for $400. This “crowdfunding” approach is unique. The music is recorded digitally (at East Side Sound Studios) at 24-bit 88.2 kHz and then mixed to vinyl with analog consoles. The 180-gram vinyl pressing is done in France (MPO). The Kickstart label has released albums every two months and feature Frank Kimbrough, Jack DeJohnette, Don Friedman, Ben Allison, Noah Preminger and Leo Genovese. Argentinosaurus is Genovese’s contribution to the Newvelle subscription series. It is an eclectic, complex assortment of musical interpretations that pushes the constraints of jazz genres. Side A opens with an original composition (“Chacarera Y Mas”) that features some vocals by Esperanza Spalding. After her ethereal singing, the complex integration of these […]
BRAHMS: Violin Con. & Con. for Violin & Cello – Julia Fischer & others – PentaTone
Classic Yakov Kreizberg performances of Brahms from 2007 feature the truly-gifted Julia Fischer. BRAHMS: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77; Concerto in a minor for Violin, Cello and Orchestra, Op. 102 – Julia Fischer, violin/ Daniel Mueller-Schott, cello/ Netherlands Philharmonic Orch./ Yakov Kreizberg – PentaTone multichannel SACD PTC 5186 592, 72:59 (4/24/07) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: I am uncertain as to how this 2007 recording of the two great Brahms string concertos came my way at this late date, but the relatively young Julia Fischer (b. 1983) performs with a grand combination of velocity and lyric ardor. I had not known of cellist Daniel Mueller-Schott, but his playing on the “Ex Shapiro” Matteo Goffriller instrument from Venice, 1727 convinces me that he well suits the 1887 Double Concerto. So far as that late work is concerned, it made for a reconciliation piece between Brahms and Joseph Joachim, who had parted way in the course of Joachim’s divorce proceedings with mezzo-soprano Amalie Schneeweiss. The fact that Brahms incorporated motifs from Joachim’s favorite Viotti Concerto No. 22 in a minor, as well as Joachim’s patented F-A-E or F-E-A signature for “free but lonely” insured their renewed meeting of minds. Conductor Kreizberg […]
Martha Argerich: Live Broadcasts, Vol. 5 – Works of MOZART, BACH, SCHUMANN & CHOPIN – Doremi
The Argerich legend continues in potent and sometimes manic performances from 1966. Martha Argerich: Live Broadcasts, Vol. 5 – MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 20 in d minor, K. 466; BACH: Toccata in c minor, BWV 911; SCHUMANN: Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17; CHOPIN: 3 Mazurkas, Op. 59 – Martha Argerich, p./ Sym. Orch. of the North German Radio/ Reinhard Peters – Doremi DHR-8048, 78:27 (11/18/16) [www.doremi.com] ****: The Doremi label continues to release previously unpublished sound documents from the volcanic performance career of Martha Argerich: here we have two 1966 concerts, from Hamburg and Milan, respectively. These interpretations testify to the then-twenty-five-year-old Argentinian’s fiery approach to her repertory, although the Schumann no less reveals the dangers of a temperament’s having become manic. The Mozart concerto (16 June 1966) displays Argerich at her best: she has a true sense of the Mozart style, attested to here and also in her collaboration with Eugen Jochum in the Concerto No. 18 in B-flat Major, K. 456 from Bavaria. Her fluidity and grace bespeak careful coaching from both Friedrich Gulda and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, “classicists” in their own right. I did not know conductor Reinhard Peters (1926-2008), who had a significant career […]
BALAKIREV: Piano Sonata in b-flat minor; Reverie; Mazurka No. 6 in A-flat Major; Islamey; LISZT: Sonata in b; LYAPUNOV: Etude 1 “Berceuse” 12 Etudes d’execution transcendente – Louis Kentner, p. – Appian Recordings
APR resissues the Columbia shellacs of Louis Kentner, 1944-45, in Liszt, Balakirev, and Lyapunov. BALAKIREV: Piano Sonata in b-flat minor, Op. 5; Reverie; Mazurka No. 6 in A-flat Major; Islamey; LISZT: Sonata in b; LYAPUNOV: Etude 1 “Berceuse;” 12 Etudes d’execution transcendente, Op. 11 – Louis Kentner, p. – Appian Recordings APR 6020 (2 CDs) 70:41, 72:19 (9/2/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: Executive producer Michael Spring, along with audio engineer Andrew Hallifax, deserves credit for this APR reissue of rare performances. Hungarian piano virtuoso Louis (Lajos) Kentner (1905-1987), whose records of Balakirev, Liszt, and Lyapunov from 1939-1949 come back to us in sterling remasterings. The Balakirev Piano Sonata (1900-1905), here in its first recording (2 June 1949), proffers a hybrid work of unorthodox construction, rife with exotic colors and folk motifs, a novel fusion of Chopin and Eastern doxology. Despite the often improvisatory gestures and sudden shifts of tempo and mood, Balakirev injects strong periods of strict counterpoint, as well as knotty figurations more than reminiscent of his most popular piece, Islamey. The music contains a plethora of warm, tender gestures, many of which lie high in the piano keyboard and remind us of Chopin’s Berceuse. The more explosive passages, […]
Fiona Boyes – Professin’ The Blues – Reference Recording
Fiona Boyes – Professin’ The Blues – Reference Recording RR-140 HDCD, 54:07 ****: Delta blues and more from another part of the world. (Fiona Boyes – guitars, vocals/ Jim Bott – drums, percussion/ Denny Crow – bass) Blues music began as a regional cultural touchstone. Through jazz, rock and roll and country/western, the once provincial music has been shared with the world. The Rolling Stones named their band after a Muddy Waters song. Fiona Boyes grew up hearing blues music in Australia. With the female blues band The Mojos, Boyes became a star. After winning the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, she broadened her fan, touring and recording for over a decade. Boyes’ latest release, Professin’ The Blues on Reference Recording is a 16-track blues feast. Recorded originally in 24-bit technology, she performs in solo, duet and trio, generating authentic blues chops. For blues integrity, every song was recorded live with no overdubs or separate tracking. The opening title track is straight-ahead Delta blues on a traditional instrument (National Reso-Phonic guitar). Boyes’ husky vocals bring an emotional depth of feeling. Picking up the Beeton Resonator, “Devil You Know” deals with a bad relationship. The stripped-down effect resonates with the vocals. […]
RAVEL: Miroirs; Gaspard de la Nuit; Pavane pour une infant defunte – Ragna Schirmer, p. – Belvedere
RAVEL: Miroirs; Gaspard de la Nuit; Pavane pour une infant defunte – Ragna Schirmer, p. – Belvedere 08002, 60:10 (11/4/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: An excellent Ravel interpretation, though a strange cover. Ragna Schirmer has won the highly regarded International Bach Competition in Leipzig twice and been the recipient of Germany’s top classical music award, the ECHO Klassik. Her tutors include Bernard Ringeisen in Paris, himself a student of Marguerite Long, friend and student of Maurice Ravel. She performs in prestigious concert halls of Europe, China and New Zealand, as well as at renowned music festivals such as the Heidelberger Frühling (artist in residence 2010), the Beethovenfest Bonn, the MDR-Musiksommer, the Haydn Festival Eisenstadt, and the Salzburg Festival. Ragna Schirmer is also active as a teacher. Having been appointed professor at the College of Music and Performing Arts in Mannheim at the age of 28, she has taught talented young pianists at the Musical Department of the “Latina August Hermann Francke“ in the city of Halle an der Saale since 2009. The Ravel recording derives from sessions 8-10 January 2014 in Germany. The somewhat disturbing cover art for this CD – of pianist Schirmer’s fondling a puppet of Ravel – […]
Frank Kimbrough Trio – Solstice – Pirouet
Frank Kimbrough Trio – Solstice – Pirouet PIT3097, 56:04 (10/7/16) *****: A great piano trio CD from the pianist with the Maria Schneider Orchestra. (Frank Kimbrough; piano / Jay Anderson; bass / Jeff Hirshfield; drums) The first thing I noticed about Frank Kimbrough’s Solstice is that it represents the work of three eminent and distinctive female composers: Annette Peacock (two tunes), Carla Bley, and Maria Schneider, as well as a song from singer Maryanne de Prophetis, long-time collaborator of the pianist. Congruent to the artistic sensibilities of these composers are works by Paul Motian and Andrew Hill and the title track “Solstice” by Mr. Kimbrough himself. Only “Here come the Honey Man” by Gershwin pays tribute to the American Songbook. Knowing Frank to exemplify a thinking-man’s approach to jazz improvisation, I looked forward to his investigations of these disciplined but emotionally potent composers. His trio consists of Jay Anderson and Jeff Hirschfield, both well-known names in the business. The first track is Carla Bley’s “Seven.” The oddly-shaped melody is introduced with simplicity and a feeling of tentativeness by the piano. It seems an inquiry into the strangeness of the world. The bass joins the discussion but the conundrum does not […]
Eberhard Weber – The Jubilee Concert (2016)
Weber – The Jubilee Concert (2016) A heartfelt tribute to a pioneer of European jazz! Performers: Eberhard Weber, Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, Jan Garbarek, Paul McCandless, SWR Big Band Studio: WDR/Jazz Haus (Distr. by Naxos Germany) Director: Thorsten Hubruch Video: 16:9 Color Audio: PCM stereo (24-bit/48K) Length: 90 min. TrackList: Resume; Touch; Tubingen; Maurizius; Street Scenes; Hommage; Killer Joe; Notes After An Evening Ratings: Audio: *** Video: *** Overall: ***1/2 Eberhard Weber is best known as a double-bassist and jazz composer from Germany. He became renowned as a vital recording artist for ECM Records. In addition to solo projects, he collaborated with various ECM stars including Gary Burton, Ralph Townes and Pat Metheny. He became an icon to European jazz. One of his innovations was a five-string acoustic bass guitar (the additional string tuned to C), and he became an early proponent for the solid-body electric doublebass. His musical stylings ranged from traditional jazz to avant-garde fusion, minimalism, ambient music and chamber jazz. The dozen or so ECM releases were hailed for their versatility and unique utilization of ostinato. Unfortunately, his career was cut short by a serious illness in 2007. As a tribute to this […]
Chris Jones – Roadhouses & Automobiles – Stockfisch 45 rpm vinyl (2)
Chris Jones – Roadhouses & Automobiles – Stockfisch SFR 357.8027.1 double 45 rpm vinyl (Distr. by In-Akustic), 52:00 ****1/2: Singer-songwriter connects to acoustic roots in excellent sound. (Chris Jones – guitar dobro, vocals; Alan Taylor – vocal, guitar; Grischka Self – electric bass; Thomas Klippet – Hammond B-3;Yogi Jockusch – percussion; Christina Lux – backing vocals; Ian Melrose – guitar; Lutz Moller – piano, Hammond B-3; Hans-Jorg Maucksch – fretless bass; Wolfgans Beisart- mandolin; Beo Brockhausen – saxophone, African bow harp; Nils Tuxen – pedal steel; Siard de Jong – fiddle, mandolin; Martin Huck – pedal steel; In many cases, acoustic folk artists don’t get the opportunity to record in quality formats. German label Stockfisch Records has become a destination for these artists. Under the watchful guidance of Gunter Pauler, several lesser-known guitarists have emerged. The latest example is Chris Jones, His current recording, Roadhouses & Automobiles has been released on 45 rpm 180-gram vinyl. The eleven-song album (including ten originals) is an intimate glimpse into the singer-songwriter narratives that revitalized the popular music scene, beginning with Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan in the sixties. Side A opens with the title cut of a classic road song framed by acoustic guitar […]
Mordecai Shehori, p.: Learning by Example Series, Vol. 4 = Pieces by BEETHOVEN, SCHUMANN, DUSSEK, DIABELLI, MASSENET & Others – Mordecai Shehori, p. – Cembal d’amour
Listen and learn’ serves as the satisfying rubric for this diverse excursion into the music of many styles. Mordecai Shehori: Learning by Example Series, Vol. 4 = DUSSEK: Allegro in G Major; DIABELLI: Bagatelle in C Major; HAYDN: “Gypsy” Rondo; BEETHOVEN: Gertrude’s Dream Waltz; “Rage Over a Lost Penny,” Op. 129; SCHUMANN: Traeumerei, Op. 15, No. 7; The Prophet Bird; GRIEG: Papillon; WALDTEUFEL: The Skaters Waltz; FIELD: Nocturne in B-flat Major; FAURE: Romance sans Paroles; MASSENET: Melodie; DEBUSSY: Clair de Lune; Deux Arabesques; Reverie; A. RUBINSTEIN: Romance in E-flat Major; ALBENIZ: Malaguena; SCRIABIN: Album Leaf; KABALEVSKY: Having Fun; JOPLIN: The Cascades – Mordecai Shehori, piano – Cembal d’amour 184, 70:33 (8/1/16) *****: The first piece I sought out on Mordecai Shehori’s latest “Learning by Example” disc (rec. 6/16) was Beethoven’s 1795 “gypsy” rondo in G Major, his “Rage over a Lost Penny.” Ever deceptive in its innocent lightness and charm, this work establishes a pattern – 56 measures long – of repeats in the left hand with an ascent in the right that move from G Major to e minor and then back to g minor. Beethoven exploits this “ternary” pattern throughout, with modulations to A-flat Major and E Major […]
J D Allen – Americana – Musings On Jazz And Blues – Savant
J D Allen – Americana – Musings On Jazz And Blues – Savant SCD 2155, 44:54 ****: The album is an adventure into America’s musical past. (J D Allen – tenor saxophone; Gregg August – bass; Rudy Royston – drums) The combination of musicians that J D Allen brought together for his look at musical culture called Americana: Musings On Jazz And Blues brings to mind another seminal recording done in 1957 by tenor saxophone Sonny Rollins entitled Way Out West, that included bassist Ray Brown and drummer Shelly Manne. Although both discs have similar instrumentation, Rollins is focused on the popular music tradition, while Allen has devoted his efforts principally to the blues form. The project opens with an Allen original “Tell The Truth, Shame The Devil” and immediately the function of the blues is evident as Allen begins his exploration of the genre with a soulful sound that is heartfelt. There are two compositions on this session that are not Allen originals, the first being “Another Man Done Gone” and “If You’re Lonesome, Then You’re Not Alone”. The first is credited to Alabama-based singer Vera Hall and is sorrowful blues that is accentuated by Gregg August’s arco bass […]
Phronesis – Parallax – Edition EDN
Jazz which covers food to fish, astronomy to harmonization. Phronesis – Parallax [TrackList follows] Edition EDN 1070 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] 56:47 [4/8/16] ****: (Jasper Høiby – doublebass; Ivo Neame – piano; Anton Eger – drums) Pan-European trio Phronesis escalates an atmosphere of adventure, veered jazz and interplayed imagination on sixth album overall—and fourth for the Edition label. Danish bassist Jasper Høiby, British pianist Ivo Neame and Swedish drummer Anton Eger create undulating, modern jazz which is independent from traditional norms but remains approachable. The nine original tracks (three apiece penned by each member) were taped during a single day at London’s Abbey Road studio. The result is music of the moment. There is absorbing spontaneity, regardless if time might have gone into rehearsal or pre-planning. The hour-long presentation commences with two memorable cuts. Eger’s aptly driving “67000 MPH” has unpredictable thematic variations and expressive tempo changes. The fast-paced rhythmic alterations mirror the title, which refers to the speed the earth orbits the sun. The metrical back-and-forth between piano and drums offers a lesson in cadenced communication. Neame’s punningly-titled “OK Chorale” has a name inspired by the famous American Western shoot-out, but the music is far from cattle country. Chorales […]
Gerry Mulligan – The Emarcy Sextet Recordings – Mosaic – 5 vinyls
Sixty years later, a dream front line still dazzles… Gerry Mulligan – The Emarcy Sextet Recordings – Mosaic Records MRLP 3008 – 5 vinyl mono box set – 1955-1956 ****1/2: (Gerry Mulligan – baritone saxophone, piano; Bob Brookmeyer – valve trombone, piano; Zoot Sims – tenor saxophone; Jon Eardley or Don Ferrara – trumpet; Peck Morrison or Bill Crow – acoustic bass; Dave Bailey – drums) As a fan of classic mainstream jazz, there are times that I wish I was born ten or fifteen years earlier so that I could have attended jazz night clubs to have heard my heroes when they were either in their prime or just beginning to achieve fame. In the right city (especially New York), this could have been a weekday occurrence. This thought comes to mind when reading the informative liner notes in the Mosaic booklet of the just issued five LP box set documenting the 1955-1956 Gerry Mulligan sextet. The notes mentioned that the Mulligan group received high praise from jazz critics, yet the public at that time didn’t flock to record stores to buy the Emarcy label albums. How could this be besides the fact that there was an embarrassment of […]
Ken Peplowski – Enrapture – Capri
Ken Peplowski – Enrapture – Capri 74141-2, 53:27 ****: The band has tons of experience and each of the players knows how to connect with each other for a harmonic musical experience. (Ken Peplowski – clarinet, tenor saxophone; Ehud Asherie – piano; Martin Wind – bass; Matt Wilson – drums, percussion) Finding a musical “hook” in today’s crowded CD releases is no easy matter. However it appears that Ken Peplowski has done so with his release Enrapture. By bringing together a set-list of mostly lesser-known numbers, from a diverse group of composers, he and his cohorts have found a musical story worthy of telling. Opening with a 1940s composition from Duke Ellington entitled “The Flaming Sword” the Latin-flavoured number is done in an up-tempo fashion with Peplowski featured on clarinet that is perfectly suited to the theme of the tune. Drummer Wilson lays down the intricate rhythm necessary to move the song along, and pianist Ahud Asherie acquits himself with style. In 1957, Leo McCarey directed An Affair To Remember , a love story starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. The title tune was sung over the opening credits by Vic Damone. Here it is done as mid-tempo ballad with […]
Bennie Wallace – Moodsville – Prestige/ Groove Note
Bennie Wallace – Moodsville – Prestige/ Groove Note GRV1010-1 two 45 rpm vinyls, 50:53 ****: Saxophonist combines traditional jazz plus hi-resolution. (Bennie Wallace – tenor saxophone; Peter Washington – doublebass; Mulgrew Miller – piano; Lewis Nash – drums) Jazz saxophonist Bennie Wallace draws heavily on his Tennessee roots. From his early days with the high school jazz orchestra, he understood the varied tempo signatures and moods of American post-bop jazz. Wallace has played with Barry Harris, Buddy Rich and Ray Anderson. His most significant recording output has come as a band leader. His albums have included Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Barron, Jack DeJohnette, Dr. John, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Scofield, Elvin Jones and Chick Corea. For nearly four decades, Wallace has explored jazz from many stylistic perspectives. Wallace’s latest release, Moodsville pays homage to the great Prestige and Moodsville label sessions of the late 1950s. This double 45 rpm. vinyl has been recorded in full analog technology with accessible results. Utilizing a classic jazz quartet, (tenor, piano, double bass and drums) Wallace offers melodic interpretations of standards and complex jazz compositions. Side A opens with a cover of “I’ll Never Smile Again”. For anyone familiar with Harry James’ big band version […]
Pat Martino, guitar – East! – Prestige/ Mobile Fidelity
Terrific fidelity on this stereo SACD remastering of a classic Martino guitar session.
BACH: Goldberg Variations – Lars Vogt, piano – Ondine
Having delayed his recording for nearly 20 years, Lars Vogt offers a compelling reading of Bach’s Goldberg Variations.
The Who – Live At Shea Stadium 1982, Blu-ray (1982/2015)
A rockin’ 1982 live concert by the Who at Shea Stadium.
RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No. 2; Piano Concerto No. 3 in d minor – Stewart Goodyear, p./ Czech Nat. Sym./ Heiko Mathias Foerster – Steinway & Sons
Canadian virtuoso Stewart Goodyear devotes his considerable gifts to the two dominant Rachmaninov concertos with potent results.