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Schubert:
Piano Sonatas D157 and D894, and Der Muller and der Bach
Volodos
Sony SK 89647 Reviewed
by SG
Arcadi Volodos is a great pianist. It is just disappointing that he can
sometimes play with an utter lack of sensitivity. On this recording he
performs with sublime gentleness, exhibiting great concentration, especially
in the long Piano Sonata in G major, D894. In the opening movement Volodos
never appears too measured, but creates undulating rhythmic waves that,
despite a hint of mannerism, reveal expressive warmth. No one plays this
piece quite like Mitsuko Uchida, and he may not manage the same profound
understanding that she does, but nevertheless achieves a performance of
tremendous elegance. There is a certain richness of tone, helped by the
wonderful acoustics of Vienna's Sofiensaal, with Sony's engineers capturing
every detail, highlighted by the recording's considerable dynamic range,
while the piano is portrayed realistically in size. But it is Volodos
who steals the show, although he leaves out the ornate flourishes from
the Second Movement that Uchida manages with ease, although this is only
a minor point. While the other works on this disc may not be in the same
league as the D894 Sonata, this recording is recommended for some wonderful
virtuosity and a sublime performance of one of the great works for solo
piano.
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Missa
Mexicana
The Harp Consort / Lawrence-King
Harmonic Mundi HMU907293 Reviewed
by SG
With a number of vibrant styles, this is an utterly enthralling release.
While the core of the music may be a parody of a Mass by Padilla, rather
than an exact re-enactment, each movement offers a taste of the colourful
liturgical music of the New World during the 17th Century. The polyphonic
Mass of the Renaissance is brought together with dance like religious
settings and a selection of popular Hispanic dances, jacaras and songs
by thrumming gamba, guitars, harp and theorbo, colourful bajon (bassoon),
organ, psaltery, sackbut and shawm, and various percussion, including
conch shell, rain-stick and small bells. This intoxicating blend reveals
the complex cultural amalgam of the Americas at the time, and shows how
the solemn splendour of the church was mixed with driving rhythms to attract
congregations. The Harp Consort, under the direction of Andrew Lawrence-King,
appear totally uninhibited by the music, and deliver inspired playing
that is technically commanding, yet improvisational. The resulting performance
is expressive, sensual and stylish, and Harmonic Mundis engineering is
also of a very high order. This outstanding disc is a revelation - incomparable
with anything else available - and should not be missed. You will be totally
captivated from start to finish.
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Liszt:
Six Grandes Etudes de Paganini
Franz Schubert: Marsche fur das Pianoforte ubertrangen
Hamelin
Hyperion CDA67370 Reviewed
by SG
In 1832, Liszt heard Paganini perform at the Paris Opera. Such was the
impression made on the young composer that six years later he produced
a set of transcendental studies based on Paganini's Caprices, but included
the famous version of the Campanella Finale from the violinist's B minor
Concerto. They were written to produce keyboard playing to match the great
violinist's virtuosity, and although revised by Liszt in 1851 to make
them more logical and less decorous, they remain a severe test of the
pianist's adroitness. Marc-Andre Hamelin is a pianist with such technique,
managing to make them sound undemanding, leaving the listener in awe.
But, he also instils them with style and wit, bringing each piece to life,
and therefore surpassing the accounts of all before him. Hamelin is also
successful in the Schubert March Transcriptions, but the competition is
stronger here. He demonstrates reverence for the earlier composer, using
his technical prowess to vividly portray each piece, producing a performance
from the top draw. With Hyperion supplying sound of a pretty high order,
revealing a natural vibrancy that is enhanced by the acoustics of Henry
Wood Hall, this is a thrilling recital, with some dazzling piano playing.
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Lindberg:
Cantigas / Cello Concerto / Parada / Fresco
Karttunen / Philharmonia Orchestra / Salonen
Sony SK 89810 Reviewed
by SG
Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg is now recognised and admired as a popular composer, with concerts of his work never failing to stimulate. This CD contains four world premiere recordings of his later works. Each is a near-continuous onslaught of sound, with solos integrated into the overall orchestral picture. The opening Cantigas is a set of five cycles that explore tempo interactions, and blends tempestuous polyrhythmic brass and a number of harmonic shifts with a brutally demanding oboe solo, performed with assurance by Christopher O'Neal. The Cello Concerto is a radical single-movement work, requiring a soloist of supreme agility and virtuosity, which is perfectly executed by Anssi Karttunen. Parada and fresco feature more rapid passages superimposed over harmonic developments, but still revealing the composer's solid foundations of musical structure. Directed by Lindberg's most devoted follower, Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Philharmonia plays each piece with total enthusiasm. Vividly recorded in Sony's DSD sound, the dynamic form of this music may be too much for some to take all at one sitting, but for those willing and able to withstand eighty minutes of aural bombardment, as one overwrought crisis of sound becomes a new climax, there is much to entertain and interest the listener.
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Haydn:
String Quartets, Op. 63, Nos. 2, 4 and 5
Quatuor Mosaiques
Naive Astree E 8875 Reviewed
by SG
Having recorded a couple of delightful Mozart discs, the Quatuor Mosaiques return to continue their evolving and distinguished Haydn series with this release. Again they are stylish, with their trademark assurance and refinement, their wonderful precision, and the vivid textures they fully exploit to enlighten each piece. Yet these individual hallmarks never overwhelm the character of and their authority over the music. They possess great enthusiasm and verve, with pliant rhythms and a wonderful sense of direction that allow for some thrilling climaxes. Haydn employed some irregular phasing, interwoven with pauses, that the ensemble use to fully utilise the potential comic character of each work, bringing them to life, especially when Erich Hobarth plays almost capriciously in the minuet of the lark Quartet. The recording is superb, revealing the quartet's wonderfully resonant instruments in a beautifully natural acoustic, with a nice sense of spare around each performer, allowing one to listen to each individual's playing. While there may be great competition, especially from the Lindsays, the Mosaiques possess superior cadence and poise, and fully reveal how these relatively little known works can be illuminated to become masterpieces, making this an extremely enjoyable CD of demonstration quality music making and sound.
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Arias
for Farinelli
Genaux / Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin / Jacobs
Harmonic Mundi HMC901778 Reviewed
by SG
Carlo Broschi detto Farinelli was a superstar of his generation, a castrato who continues to motivate and intrigue with films, novels and other fictionalised reports enhancing his reputation as the epitome of the Baroque vocal art. With no castrati available to make this recording, this collection of arias associated with Farinelli are re-created by mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux. Although countertenors have traditionally been used in this territory, she has all the virtuosity to negotiate the embellished lines, enabling her to create expressive effects by use of ornamentation in the same way that the 18th Century master did. Her astounding agility, colourful daring and accuracy of pitch show why this music suits the right mezzo. She maintains expressive and interpretative composure throughout, judging each note and each exquisite trill perfectly. Her artistry is simply dazzling. She is admirably accompanied by Rene Jacobs and the eloquent Akadamie fur Alte Musik Berlin, who are responsive to every nuance of the music. The playing is precise, with a wonderful tone and incredible energy when required. With informative notes and superb, natural sound that reveals every texture, this release is the complete package, creating a wonderful listening experience, and a superb vocal display.
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Audiophile
Recordings |
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Sonny
Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders
Acoustic Sounds / Contemporary AAPI 340 Reviewed
by RP
A warm, harmonic and expansive tenor sax style once again dovetails perfectly
with the demands of both the material and his fellow musicians for this
1958 follow up to Rollins' first Contemporary label recording, Way Out
West. Those three October days spent in their LA studio reunited Rollins
with Shelly Manne (drums) and that giant of walking bass, Leroy Vinnegar.
It also enabled Rollins newcomers Hampton Hawes and Barney Kessel to find
their feet for this varied programme. While Kessel's guitar remains sweetly
understated throughout, the Hamp piano solos, (especially on a fleet-footed
and exciting Jerome Kern clincher, The Song Is You'), really rip it. The
entire set, though, from an opening, 'I've Told Ev'ry Little Star' and
'Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody', to that droll, 'Alone Together',
and a sensitive, 'Chapel In The Moonlight', is unified by a goodnatured
and humorous tenor tone: One of the pillars that underpin the creative
side to his personality. For a glimpse of the man's improvisational reputation
look no further than, 'How High The Moon'. The tape recorder was left
running on this impromptu jam session with Kessel and Vinnegar while they
awaited the arrival of Hawes and Shelly Manne. It's an electrifying and
highly prized performance of a commonplace tune - all held together by
an accurate, detailed and ambient acoustic.
Supplier: The Cherished Record Company - www.cherished-record-company.co.uk
(44)(0)1579 363603
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Miles
Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants - Bags' Groove
Acoustic Sounds / Prestige AAPJ 245 Reviewed
by RP
These recordings from June and December 1954 marked an end to a lengthy
period of inactivity that was largely attributed to Davis' heroin dependency.
However they did not actually surface until 1957, and only then after
a highly influential Birth Of The Cool and acclaimed Cookin' and Relaxin'
LPs were released. It compares favour-ably and, when placed in a correct
chronologically context, makes sense of what was to come later. On the
December 24th cut of the two 'Bags' Groove' takes, Miles, in pole position,
gives an analytical and persuasive discourse one backed by the other "ever-presents",
Percy Heath (bass) and Kenny Clarke (drums). Headstrong Milt Jackson vibes
and a rhythmically incisive spell from Thelonious Monk's elastic ivories
eventually give way once again to Davis' perfect summation. For an earlier
June 29th set, there's also a double take for Gershwin's 'But Not For
Me', with Horace Silver caressing the keys on this sadly romantic and
swinging number. The three remaining tracks are all Rollins originals:
'Airegin' (read it backwards), 'Oleo' and 'Doxy'. Here, Sonny's tenor
sax and the Davis trumpet kiss at themes ranging through the spiritual
and thought provoking, to the down right immoral. A perky, nicely proportioned
acoustic, bathed in warmth and possessing sufficient detail, completes
a worthy reissue.
Supplier: The Cherished Record Company - www.cherished-record-company.co.uk
(44)(0)1579 363603
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Frank
Sinatra - Come Fly With Me
EMI CENTENARY LP CENT 28
Reviewed by RP
Every once in a while along-deleted LP resurfaces in large enough quantities
to warrant a backwards glance. Come Fly With Me is one of these fortuitous
cases. With a dozen sumptuous Billy May arrangements and orchestrations,
it is another of those stunning Sinatra performances from the late Nineteen
Fifties that confirmed his mastery of the popular American Songbook. This
album, from the Mabel Wayne/Billy Rose, 'It Happened In Monterey' and
the Sammy Cahn/James Van Heusen,'It's Nice To Go Trav'ling', to their
title track, which became a Sinatra anthem, really shows through each
and every inimitable phrase, inflexion, timing and rich baritone delivery
of a line, that marvellous eye for detail and lavish care he heaped upon
even the most ordinary of songs. The 1997 EMI Centenary transfer is in
itself a talking point. Putting my proverbial neck on the block, I'd say
they've used a digital master for this record. Compared to the benchmark
Mobile Fidelity Original Master LP, this one is cut at a higher level,
has a tendency to brightness and lacks the warmth, subtlety and rich,
full-bodied tones that vocal finesse of this calibre deserves. Great music,
but a guileless recording.
Supplier: The Cherished Record Company - www.cherished-record-company.co.uk
(44)(0)1579 363603
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Anne
McCue - Amazing Ordinary Things
Relentless Records M2R2 0554
Reviewed by RG
Aarrrgh! I know exactly how a werewolf feels. Much as I despise them, much as I've tried to totally eradicate them, the odd hippy sympathy still manages to lurk unbidden in my soul, ready to emerge at the most unexpected and potentially embarrassing moments. What am I to make of an album that reminds me of some weird Sally Oldfield meets Judy Tzuke amalgam? What am I to make of the fact that I like It? In fact, I really like it. All that vocal purity; all that sheer musical beauty; it should be cloyingly sick making but instead I find myself coming over all whimsical. Of course, the quality of the recording helps, playing straight into the hands of such beautifully concordant melodies and hooks. Then there's the raw appeal of the only live track here, 'Love We Made'. Oh what the hell. Why bother with excuses? If you like the kind of pure female vocals that tinkle like falling drops of mineral water, if you like them sympathetically recorded and you can stomach the inherent naivete that seems to be an obligatory accompaniment, then dive right in. Wallow about, you'll love it.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk (44)(0)1293-822186
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Gene
Ammons All Stars - Blue Gene
Acoustic Sounds / Prestige AAPJ 192
Reviewed by RP
Blue Gene is a superb mono Prestige recording of a soulful and deeply blue Gene Ammons landscape - one that leaves you yearning for more. Terrific close support for his rich and aggressively shaped tenor sax lines comes from that formidable presence of Idress Suliman heard in those soaring trumpet notes and through the forceful soloing of Pepper Adams on baritone sax. Even in the sultry and more relaxed closing, 'Hip Tip', they still cut across an acoustic like a proverbial knife through butter. Van fielder's recording of these soloists (and that goes for Mal Waldron's piano, too) is unswerving - which is not to say that he neglects the talents of a rhythm section that includes Arthur Taylor (drums), Doug Walkins (bass) and Ray Barretto (conga). Their beat zips along for 'Scamperin'; goes on to provide those subtle shifts in mood that underpin the "blowers" on an alternately happy and sad title track, and then perfectly picks out that funky, finger-clicking tempo for, 'Blue Greens' N Beans'. The engineering, its sense of proportion and priority on each of these four very different jams, is dangerously good. While a solid RTI 180 gram pressing reassuringly completes this package. Highly recommended.
Supplier: The Cherished Record Company - www.cherished-record-company.co.uk
(44)(0)1579 363603
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Supercussion
- Spartacus
T&F CD 1
Reviewed by DA
Supercussion are an ensemble garnered from the percussion sections of the finest Austrian orchestras, but before you run screaming at the thought of yet another audiophile percussion disc, let me assure you that this disc is for the music lover rather than the musical pyromaniac. The core piece on this CD is Khatchaturyan's sparkling short work Spartacus, the first movement of which is familiar to millions as the theme to The Onedin Line. Sensitively arranged for Supercussion by Bruno Hartl, the first timpanist at the Vienna Philharmonic, the ensemble manages to convey all the textures of an orchestra via the use of an incredible array of percussion instruments. Much of the success of this arrangement lies in the use of the marimbaphone, an electrically augmented marimba variant that allows sustained textures, aping the original string sections. Add to this the skill and sensitivity of the eight musicians and the result is a bold and ultimately satisfying slant on this popular classic. The recording itself was made using a simple twin pair of mikes, and the balance was achieved by careful positioning of the players in the studio. There are no edits, what was played is what you get, and despite the (very) occasional fluffed note this approach adds no end to the vitality of the finished work. At last a percussion disc for people who like music - more please.
Supplier: Supercussion, Vienna- www.supercussion.net
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