COMPLETE PIANO SONATAS
Monday, September 30, 2013
Parachute Years, 1977-1980 [Box] - CD
Parachute Years, 1977-1980 [Box] - CD
The Parachute Years is a seven-CD box of John Zorn's first self-produced recordings, including his systems for structured improvisation based on.
The Parachute Years is a seven-CD box of John Zorn's first self-produced recordings, including his systems for structured improvisation based on.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Michel Plasson et la Musique Francaise
Michel Plasson et la Musique Francaise
For more than 35 years, Michel Plasson led the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. In that time, his programming always centered on the music of French composers. EMI has assembled this 37-disc box of Plasson's and the Orchestre's recordings of that music. There is a lot to cover in the box: from tone poems to symphonies, operas to film music, as well as choral works. The composers are both well-known - such as Bizet, Debussy, Berlioz, Ravel, and Saint-Saens - and not as familiar: Alberic Magnard, Joseph Kosma, and Henri Dutilleux, plus many others. It's a set made for true Francophiles and those who want to hear French music of the 19th and 20th centuries interpreted by one of France's highly regarded conductors and orchestra. ~ Patsy Morita, Rovi
For more than 35 years, Michel Plasson led the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. In that time, his programming always centered on the music of French composers. EMI has assembled this 37-disc box of Plasson's and the Orchestre's recordings of that music. There is a lot to cover in the box: from tone poems to symphonies, operas to film music, as well as choral works. The composers are both well-known - such as Bizet, Debussy, Berlioz, Ravel, and Saint-Saens - and not as familiar: Alberic Magnard, Joseph Kosma, and Henri Dutilleux, plus many others. It's a set made for true Francophiles and those who want to hear French music of the 19th and 20th centuries interpreted by one of France's highly regarded conductors and orchestra. ~ Patsy Morita, Rovi
Saturday, September 28, 2013
The Anthology of Russian Symphony Music
The Anthology of Russian Symphony Music
Evgeny Svetlanov, CD, Boheme Svetlanov, Running Time: 05:16:33
Evgeny Svetlanov, CD, Boheme Svetlanov, Running Time: 05:16:33
Friday, September 27, 2013
Various Artists - Dick Clark's Jukebox Gems [Box]
Various Artists - Dick Clark's Jukebox Gems [Box]
Liner Note Author: Ed Osborne. Photographer: Maurice Carnes. This ten-disc set rides along under Dick Clark's name, and as host of the long-running American Bandstand television show in the late '50s and into the 1960s, he did as much as anyone to popularize teen music and rock & roll, although one suspects that the music revolution could just as easily have happened without his assistance. Clark's name aside, this set collects an impressive list of classics, all of which were heard a million times pumping out of jukeboxes and car radios during the era, and the songs are the true stars here. ~ Steve Leggett
Liner Note Author: Ed Osborne. Photographer: Maurice Carnes. This ten-disc set rides along under Dick Clark's name, and as host of the long-running American Bandstand television show in the late '50s and into the 1960s, he did as much as anyone to popularize teen music and rock & roll, although one suspects that the music revolution could just as easily have happened without his assistance. Clark's name aside, this set collects an impressive list of classics, all of which were heard a million times pumping out of jukeboxes and car radios during the era, and the songs are the true stars here. ~ Steve Leggett
The Essential Sibelius [Box Set]
The Essential Sibelius [Box Set]
This gargantuan 15-disc set is immodestly billed as The Essential Sibelius, and with the inclusion of all the symphonies, most of the tone poems.
This gargantuan 15-disc set is immodestly billed as The Essential Sibelius, and with the inclusion of all the symphonies, most of the tone poems.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Arturo Toscanini: The Complete Rca Collection - CD
Arturo Toscanini: The Complete Rca Collection - CD
Limited 85 disc (84 CDs + DVD) box set. Back by popular demand, The Toscanini Collection is a reissue of RCA's 1992 compendium that encompassed all of the recordings Toscanini made with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and NBC Symphony.
Limited 85 disc (84 CDs + DVD) box set. Back by popular demand, The Toscanini Collection is a reissue of RCA's 1992 compendium that encompassed all of the recordings Toscanini made with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and NBC Symphony.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
K Lenski/S Parkins - Haydn: Complete String Quartets
K Lenski/S Parkins - Haydn: Complete String Quartets
Disc 1: String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, H. 2/6, Op. 1/0: I. Presto String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, H. 2/6, Op. 1/0: II. Menuetto String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, H. 2/6, Op. 1/0: III. Adagio String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, H. 2/6, Op. 1/0: IV. Menuetto String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, H. 2/6, Op. 1/0: V. Finale: Presto String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major ("La chasse"), Op. 1/1, H. 3/1: I. Presto String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major ("La chasse"), Op. 1/1, H. 3/1: II. Menuetto String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major ("La chasse"), Op. 1/1, H. 3/1: III. Adagio String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major ("La chasse"), Op. 1/1, H. 3/1: IV. Menuetto String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major ("La chasse"), Op. 1/1, H. 3/1: V. Presto String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 1/2, H. 3/2: I. Allegro String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 1/2, H. 3/2: II. Menuetto String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 1/2, H. 3/2: III. Adagio String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 1/2, H. 3/2: IV. Menuetto String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 1/2, H. 3/2: V. Presto String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3): I. Adagio String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3): II. Menuetto String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3): III. Presto String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3): IV. Menuetto String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3): V. Finale: Presto Disc 2: String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1/4, H. 3/4: I. Presto String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1/4, H. 3/4: II. Menuetto String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1/4, H. 3/4: III. Adagio na non tanto String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1/4, H. 3/4: IV. Menuetto String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1/4, H. 3/4: V. Presto String Quartet No. 6 in C major, Op. 1/6, H..
Disc 1: String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, H. 2/6, Op. 1/0: I. Presto String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, H. 2/6, Op. 1/0: II. Menuetto String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, H. 2/6, Op. 1/0: III. Adagio String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, H. 2/6, Op. 1/0: IV. Menuetto String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major, H. 2/6, Op. 1/0: V. Finale: Presto String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major ("La chasse"), Op. 1/1, H. 3/1: I. Presto String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major ("La chasse"), Op. 1/1, H. 3/1: II. Menuetto String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major ("La chasse"), Op. 1/1, H. 3/1: III. Adagio String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major ("La chasse"), Op. 1/1, H. 3/1: IV. Menuetto String Quartet No. 1 in B flat major ("La chasse"), Op. 1/1, H. 3/1: V. Presto String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 1/2, H. 3/2: I. Allegro String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 1/2, H. 3/2: II. Menuetto String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 1/2, H. 3/2: III. Adagio String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 1/2, H. 3/2: IV. Menuetto String Quartet No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 1/2, H. 3/2: V. Presto String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3): I. Adagio String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3): II. Menuetto String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3): III. Presto String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3): IV. Menuetto String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3): V. Finale: Presto Disc 2: String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1/4, H. 3/4: I. Presto String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1/4, H. 3/4: II. Menuetto String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1/4, H. 3/4: III. Adagio na non tanto String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1/4, H. 3/4: IV. Menuetto String Quartet No. 4 in G major, Op. 1/4, H. 3/4: V. Presto String Quartet No. 6 in C major, Op. 1/6, H..
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Various Artists ~ Legends of Country [Box] (new)
Various Artists ~ Legends of Country [Box] (new)
Liner Note Authors: John Morthland; Charles McCardell. Photographer: Irina Tischenko. Time/Life Music's Legends of Country is a ten-CD collection highlighting 150 songs by the original artists. Along with radio favorites by Alabama, Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Merle Haggard are less-than-obvious inclusions by T.G. Sheppard, Roy Drusky, Hoyt Axton, and Earl Thomas Conley. Those who appreciate country music of the '60s, '70s and '80s should find this a welcome addition to their collection at a decent price. ~ Al Campbell
Liner Note Authors: John Morthland; Charles McCardell. Photographer: Irina Tischenko. Time/Life Music's Legends of Country is a ten-CD collection highlighting 150 songs by the original artists. Along with radio favorites by Alabama, Glen Campbell, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Merle Haggard are less-than-obvious inclusions by T.G. Sheppard, Roy Drusky, Hoyt Axton, and Earl Thomas Conley. Those who appreciate country music of the '60s, '70s and '80s should find this a welcome addition to their collection at a decent price. ~ Al Campbell
Monday, September 23, 2013
Richard Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Box Set)
Richard Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Box Set)
Christian Thielemann, CD, Bbc / Opus Arte, Running Time: 14:54:51
Christian Thielemann, CD, Bbc / Opus Arte, Running Time: 14:54:51
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Johann Strauss II: Complete Orchestral Edition
Johann Strauss II: Complete Orchestral Edition
The most famous and enduringly successful composer of nineteenth-century light music, Johann Strauss II captivated not only Vienna but the whole of Europe and America with his abundantly tuneful waltzes, polkas, quadrilles and marches. This unique coll
The most famous and enduringly successful composer of nineteenth-century light music, Johann Strauss II captivated not only Vienna but the whole of Europe and America with his abundantly tuneful waltzes, polkas, quadrilles and marches. This unique coll
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Friday, September 20, 2013
Philip Glass - Glass Box: A Nonesuch Retrospective
Philip Glass - Glass Box: A Nonesuch Retrospective
Nonesuch observes - for some reason, a little late - the 70th birthday of composer Philip Glass through the release of Glass Box, a deluxe 10-CD compilation taken from Glass' extensive catalog and ranging from 1969 to 2005. Designed as much art object as a delivery mechanism for music, all sides of the box save the bottom are emblazoned with striking iconography of Glass from various points in his life. The box is completely square save for a hinged lid, and inside the 10 CDs in digi-pak covers and 192-page booklet are held upright by a pair of cardboard spacers. Glass does not write many short pieces, and to string together an even roughly "complete" edition of his work would be a foolhardy enterprise, given his high level of productivity and the great diversity of offerings he has given us over the years. Glass' own association with Nonesuch began in 1985 with the soundtrack for Mishima, and Nonesuch has kept Glass on the roster ever since, issuing whatever it could afford to, and many highlights have evolved from this fruitful association. Even given the history, Nonesuch has wisely kept the focus in Glass Box on Glass, as the selection - divided roughly in half between excerpts and complete works - isn't exclusively drawn from the catalog but also sources recordings from Glass' labels Orange Mountain Music and Chatham Square and even including a bit of Akhenaton on loan from Sony. Orange Mountain is to large extent responsible for the selection, and it is a very well-done job; each disc summarizes Glass' work in a different area and the excerpted discs are carefully sequenced to avoid the feeling of "bleeding chunks."Glass Box is a surprising thing to see in 2008, given the state of the industry; one would wonder how such a deluxe item could be possible. However, for what it is and contains, Glass Box is really not that expensive; had it been issued on Glass' sixtieth birthday it probably would have cost $50-60 more. Philip Glass is truly fortunate to have made connections throughout his career with visual artists of such caliber as Chuck Close, Robert Mapplethorpe, Robert Wilson, and Annie Leibovitz; among composers, possibly only Igor Stravinsky has better portraits. You could set Glass Box on the shelf and when you get tired of seeing a given Philip Glass image, you could flip the box around for another: perhaps you could change Glass' portrait with the seasons! Seriously, though, such design is in keeping with the conceptual angle often associated with Glass' music, and does strike a strong consonance between Glass and his close relationship to visual artists. Inside the box, the same degree of quality is observed, with each individual disc boasting a different Chuck Close portrait. The booklet is quite impressive; highlights include a useful and informative essay on the internal development of Glass' style by Keith Potter, and a number of short, heart-warming, and genuinely felt appreciations by Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Robert Wilson, and others. One concern is the booklet; it is very densely packed and the review copy sent is starting to shed some pages, so it is advised that one take care in handling the book. Glass Box is as close as one is likely to get to a greatest-hits package for Philip Glass and is better in that it does not suffer from the scrappiness of a typical "greatest hits." It is too big to serve as an introduction to his work, but as a career summary Glass Box is ideal, hits the high points, and is concise at 10 discs. It is worth every penny. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis, Rovi
Nonesuch observes - for some reason, a little late - the 70th birthday of composer Philip Glass through the release of Glass Box, a deluxe 10-CD compilation taken from Glass' extensive catalog and ranging from 1969 to 2005. Designed as much art object as a delivery mechanism for music, all sides of the box save the bottom are emblazoned with striking iconography of Glass from various points in his life. The box is completely square save for a hinged lid, and inside the 10 CDs in digi-pak covers and 192-page booklet are held upright by a pair of cardboard spacers. Glass does not write many short pieces, and to string together an even roughly "complete" edition of his work would be a foolhardy enterprise, given his high level of productivity and the great diversity of offerings he has given us over the years. Glass' own association with Nonesuch began in 1985 with the soundtrack for Mishima, and Nonesuch has kept Glass on the roster ever since, issuing whatever it could afford to, and many highlights have evolved from this fruitful association. Even given the history, Nonesuch has wisely kept the focus in Glass Box on Glass, as the selection - divided roughly in half between excerpts and complete works - isn't exclusively drawn from the catalog but also sources recordings from Glass' labels Orange Mountain Music and Chatham Square and even including a bit of Akhenaton on loan from Sony. Orange Mountain is to large extent responsible for the selection, and it is a very well-done job; each disc summarizes Glass' work in a different area and the excerpted discs are carefully sequenced to avoid the feeling of "bleeding chunks."Glass Box is a surprising thing to see in 2008, given the state of the industry; one would wonder how such a deluxe item could be possible. However, for what it is and contains, Glass Box is really not that expensive; had it been issued on Glass' sixtieth birthday it probably would have cost $50-60 more. Philip Glass is truly fortunate to have made connections throughout his career with visual artists of such caliber as Chuck Close, Robert Mapplethorpe, Robert Wilson, and Annie Leibovitz; among composers, possibly only Igor Stravinsky has better portraits. You could set Glass Box on the shelf and when you get tired of seeing a given Philip Glass image, you could flip the box around for another: perhaps you could change Glass' portrait with the seasons! Seriously, though, such design is in keeping with the conceptual angle often associated with Glass' music, and does strike a strong consonance between Glass and his close relationship to visual artists. Inside the box, the same degree of quality is observed, with each individual disc boasting a different Chuck Close portrait. The booklet is quite impressive; highlights include a useful and informative essay on the internal development of Glass' style by Keith Potter, and a number of short, heart-warming, and genuinely felt appreciations by Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Robert Wilson, and others. One concern is the booklet; it is very densely packed and the review copy sent is starting to shed some pages, so it is advised that one take care in handling the book. Glass Box is as close as one is likely to get to a greatest-hits package for Philip Glass and is better in that it does not suffer from the scrappiness of a typical "greatest hits." It is too big to serve as an introduction to his work, but as a career summary Glass Box is ideal, hits the high points, and is concise at 10 discs. It is worth every penny. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis, Rovi
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau ~ Schubert: Lieder [Box Set] (new)
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau ~ Schubert: Lieder [Box Set] (new)
Disc 5: Der Rattenf nger ("Ich bin der wohlbekannte S nger"), song for voice & piano, D. 255 Der Schatzgr ber ("Arm am Beutel"), song for voice & piano, D. 256 Heidenr slein ("Sah ein Knab."), song for voice & piano, D. 257 (Op. 3/3) Bundeslied ("In allen guten Stunden"), song for voice & piano, D. 258 An den Mond ("Fullest Wieder Busch und Tal"), song for voice & piano, D. 259 Wonne der Wehmut ("Trocknet nicht"), song for voice & piano, D. 260 (Op. posth. 115/2) Wer kauft Liebesg tter? ("Von allen sch nen Waren"), song for voice & piano, D. 261 Der Goldschmiedsgesell ("Es ist doch meine Nachbarin"), song for voice & piano, D. 560 Der Morgenkuss nach einem Ball ("Durch eine ganze Nacht"), song for voice & piano, D. 264 Abendst ndchen. An Lina ("Sei sanft wie ihre Seele"), song for voice & piano, D. 265 Morgenlied ("Willkommen, rotes Morgenlicht"), song for voice & piano, D. 266 Der Weiberfreund ("Noch fand von Evens."), song for voice & piano, D. 271 An die Sonne ("K nigliche Morgensonne"), song for voice & piano, D. 272 Tischlerlied ("Mein Handwerk geht durch alle Welt"), song for voice & piano, D. 274 Totenkranz f r ein Kind ("Sanft wehn"), song for voice & piano, D. 275 Abendlied ("Gross und rotenflammet"), song for voice & piano, D. 276 Die Fr hlichkeit ("Wess' Adern leichtes Blut"), song for voice & piano, D. 262 Lob des Tokayers ("O k stlicher Tokayer"), song for voice & piano, D. 248 (Op. posth. 118/4) Furcht der Geliebten ("Cidli, du Weinest"), song for voice & piano (An Cidli), D. 285 Das Rosenband ("Im Fr hlingsgarten fand ich sie"), song for voice & piano ("Cidli"), D. 280 An Sie ("Zeit, Verk ndigerin der besten Freuden"), song for voice & piano, D. 288 Die Sommernacht ("Wenn der Schimmer"), song for voice & piano (two versions), D. 289 Die fr hen Gr ber ("Willkomme.
Disc 5: Der Rattenf nger ("Ich bin der wohlbekannte S nger"), song for voice & piano, D. 255 Der Schatzgr ber ("Arm am Beutel"), song for voice & piano, D. 256 Heidenr slein ("Sah ein Knab."), song for voice & piano, D. 257 (Op. 3/3) Bundeslied ("In allen guten Stunden"), song for voice & piano, D. 258 An den Mond ("Fullest Wieder Busch und Tal"), song for voice & piano, D. 259 Wonne der Wehmut ("Trocknet nicht"), song for voice & piano, D. 260 (Op. posth. 115/2) Wer kauft Liebesg tter? ("Von allen sch nen Waren"), song for voice & piano, D. 261 Der Goldschmiedsgesell ("Es ist doch meine Nachbarin"), song for voice & piano, D. 560 Der Morgenkuss nach einem Ball ("Durch eine ganze Nacht"), song for voice & piano, D. 264 Abendst ndchen. An Lina ("Sei sanft wie ihre Seele"), song for voice & piano, D. 265 Morgenlied ("Willkommen, rotes Morgenlicht"), song for voice & piano, D. 266 Der Weiberfreund ("Noch fand von Evens."), song for voice & piano, D. 271 An die Sonne ("K nigliche Morgensonne"), song for voice & piano, D. 272 Tischlerlied ("Mein Handwerk geht durch alle Welt"), song for voice & piano, D. 274 Totenkranz f r ein Kind ("Sanft wehn"), song for voice & piano, D. 275 Abendlied ("Gross und rotenflammet"), song for voice & piano, D. 276 Die Fr hlichkeit ("Wess' Adern leichtes Blut"), song for voice & piano, D. 262 Lob des Tokayers ("O k stlicher Tokayer"), song for voice & piano, D. 248 (Op. posth. 118/4) Furcht der Geliebten ("Cidli, du Weinest"), song for voice & piano (An Cidli), D. 285 Das Rosenband ("Im Fr hlingsgarten fand ich sie"), song for voice & piano ("Cidli"), D. 280 An Sie ("Zeit, Verk ndigerin der besten Freuden"), song for voice & piano, D. 288 Die Sommernacht ("Wenn der Schimmer"), song for voice & piano (two versions), D. 289 Die fr hen Gr ber ("Willkomme.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Haendel: Rinaldo (Karaoke, Lyrics included with album)
Haendel: Rinaldo (Karaoke, Lyrics included with album)
Rinaldo, Handel's first Italian opera, is still arguably his best Italian opera. Or, to put it another way, Handel found what worked.
Rinaldo, Handel's first Italian opera, is still arguably his best Italian opera. Or, to put it another way, Handel found what worked.
Aria & Cielo
Aria & Cielo
1997 release. Umberto Tozzi is back with great, melodic, new material. 10 tracks, incl.: Aria & Cielo, Brava, Quasi Quasi, Coerenza, Capita Di Nuovo, Affondato Troppo Innamorato, Radici E Sentimento, Navi, Alcool, A Cavallo Di Un Cavallo.
1997 release. Umberto Tozzi is back with great, melodic, new material. 10 tracks, incl.: Aria & Cielo, Brava, Quasi Quasi, Coerenza, Capita Di Nuovo, Affondato Troppo Innamorato, Radici E Sentimento, Navi, Alcool, A Cavallo Di Un Cavallo.
Monday, September 16, 2013
The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company: Gilbert and Sullivan Edition
The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company: Gilbert and Sullivan Edition
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, CD - Bonus CD, Decca, Running Time: 00:07:05
D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, CD - Bonus CD, Decca, Running Time: 00:07:05
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Saturday, September 14, 2013
The Anthology of Russian Symphony Music: Vassily Kalinnikov &
The Anthology of Russian Symphony Music: Vassily Kalinnikov &
Some listeners may recall the first time some of these recordings were issued in the West as part of a licensing agreement between communist Melodiya and capitalist Capitol, in the stereo '60s. Others may recall the first time some were issued on compact disc in the West by Olympia in the digital '80s. For yet others, this six-disc box set may provide the introduction not only to these recordings with Evgeny Svetlanov leading the USSR Symphony Orchestra, but to this repertoire: the fin de siecle orchestral music of Vasily Kalinnikov and Alexander Scriabin. Scriabin was famous in his lifetime as a brilliant pianist and as a leader of the musical avant-garde, and his music enjoyed a revival in the psychedelic '60s. On the other hand, if Kalinnikov was known at all in his lifetime, it was as a theater bassoonist who composed on the side, and his music is currently known primarily through these recordings and several others. Svetlanov's determination to record for posterity all the works of Russian symphonic music is to be commended, but he was not entirely well-suited for every composer whose music he undertook to champion. While his advocacy of Kalinnikov is wholly admirable, his interpretations of Scriabin are ill-advised. Kalinnikov's two symphonies receive robustly Romantic readings, with especially poetic slow movements, while his otherwise unrecorded incidental music for Tsar Boris gets the widescreen treatment it needs to succeed. The works on the third disc are generally weaker, but anyone who's gotten this far with Kalinnikov will likely go the rest of the way with few regrets. The same cannot be said of Svetlanov's Scriabin, which is grievously flawed in both execution and conception. The Soviet orchestra's distinctive sound - brash brass, pungent winds, heavy strings, and balances that emphasize the lower end of the ensemble - is all wrong for this music, which lives and dies by its ability to simultaneously sound sensuous and sublime. Worse yet are Svetlanov's interpretations. Rather than leading the listener upward into ever more rarified realms of thoughts, Svetlanov's performances dive ever deeper into the darker realms of the libido. Alhough there is perhaps some degree of justification for this - until dissuaded by his publisher, Scriabin did intend to call what we now know as the Poeme de l'extase the "Poeme orgiaque" - these performances sound all too often like cheap seduction music played by undergraduate music majors to impress coeds. As always in this series, the liner notes contain minimal information, revealing neither the identity of the pianist in Scriabin's Piano Concerto, nor where or when these recordings were made. The sound is usually more than tolerable, although listeners unacquainted with Soviet recordings' tendency toward stridency are herewith advised. ~ James Leonard, Rovi
Some listeners may recall the first time some of these recordings were issued in the West as part of a licensing agreement between communist Melodiya and capitalist Capitol, in the stereo '60s. Others may recall the first time some were issued on compact disc in the West by Olympia in the digital '80s. For yet others, this six-disc box set may provide the introduction not only to these recordings with Evgeny Svetlanov leading the USSR Symphony Orchestra, but to this repertoire: the fin de siecle orchestral music of Vasily Kalinnikov and Alexander Scriabin. Scriabin was famous in his lifetime as a brilliant pianist and as a leader of the musical avant-garde, and his music enjoyed a revival in the psychedelic '60s. On the other hand, if Kalinnikov was known at all in his lifetime, it was as a theater bassoonist who composed on the side, and his music is currently known primarily through these recordings and several others. Svetlanov's determination to record for posterity all the works of Russian symphonic music is to be commended, but he was not entirely well-suited for every composer whose music he undertook to champion. While his advocacy of Kalinnikov is wholly admirable, his interpretations of Scriabin are ill-advised. Kalinnikov's two symphonies receive robustly Romantic readings, with especially poetic slow movements, while his otherwise unrecorded incidental music for Tsar Boris gets the widescreen treatment it needs to succeed. The works on the third disc are generally weaker, but anyone who's gotten this far with Kalinnikov will likely go the rest of the way with few regrets. The same cannot be said of Svetlanov's Scriabin, which is grievously flawed in both execution and conception. The Soviet orchestra's distinctive sound - brash brass, pungent winds, heavy strings, and balances that emphasize the lower end of the ensemble - is all wrong for this music, which lives and dies by its ability to simultaneously sound sensuous and sublime. Worse yet are Svetlanov's interpretations. Rather than leading the listener upward into ever more rarified realms of thoughts, Svetlanov's performances dive ever deeper into the darker realms of the libido. Alhough there is perhaps some degree of justification for this - until dissuaded by his publisher, Scriabin did intend to call what we now know as the Poeme de l'extase the "Poeme orgiaque" - these performances sound all too often like cheap seduction music played by undergraduate music majors to impress coeds. As always in this series, the liner notes contain minimal information, revealing neither the identity of the pianist in Scriabin's Piano Concerto, nor where or when these recordings were made. The sound is usually more than tolerable, although listeners unacquainted with Soviet recordings' tendency toward stridency are herewith advised. ~ James Leonard, Rovi
Friday, September 13, 2013
Liszt: Organ Works [Bonus DVD/NTSC] [SACD Hybrid] [Germany]
Liszt: Organ Works [Bonus DVD/NTSC] [SACD Hybrid] [Germany]
Super Audio CD - SACD Hybrid / Bonus DVD, New Classical Advt
Super Audio CD - SACD Hybrid / Bonus DVD, New Classical Advt
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