Best of the Year Discs for 2006

by | Jan 1, 2007 | Best of the Year | 0 comments

Classical/Hi-Res/Reissues/Jazz/Pop/DualDiscs

ALBENIZ-FRÜHBECK DE BERGOS: Suite Española – New Philharmonia/ Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos – Decca/First Impression Music xrcd24 FIM XR24 068

“Angel Dances” – The 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic, with guests Jocelyn B. Smith, Markus Stockhausen & Members of the Berlin Radio Choir – EMI Classics 94635 70302 3

Marta Argerich and Friends: Live from Lugano Festival 2005 –
EMI Classics 0946 3 58472 2

CPE BACH: Symphonies 1-4, Cello Concerto in A – Alison McGillivray, cello. The English Concert conducted by Andrew Manze – Harmonia Mundi HMU 807405

Adolf Busch plays BACH – 2-CD IDIS 6490/91 (Distrib. Qualiton)

BARTOK: Concerto for Orchestra; GIDEON KLEIN: Partita for Strings; MARTINU: Memorial to Lidice – The Philadelphia Orchestra/ Christopher Eschenbach – Ondine Multichannel SACD  ODE 1072

La Flute de Pan Baroque / The Baroque Panpipe – Simion Stanciu, panpipes – Works of CIMAROSA, VIVALDI, MARCELLO, ALBINONI, BACH, MOZART, TELEMANN, STAMITZ, BARTOK, BACH, HANDEL, SARASATE, VERACINI, BOCCHERINI & STANCIU – Cascavelle REF VEL 3086 (2 CDs + video DVD)

BEETHOVEN: Complete Works for Cello and Piano – Pierre Fournier, cello/Friedrich Gulda, piano – 2-CD DGG 00289 477 6266 (Distrib. Universal)

BEETHOVEN: Piano Trios Op. 1 and Op. 97 Daniel Barenboim, piano Pinchas Zukerman, violin Jacqueline du Pre, cello – 2-CD EMI Classics 0946 3 50798 2

BEETHOVEN: Fidelio – Moedl, Windgassen, Frick, Edelmann, Poell, Jurinac/Furtwaengler cond. Vienna State Opera Chorus and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra – Naxos 8.111020

LUIGI BOCCHERINI: “Fandango” (Quintet No. 4 for guitar & strings); Sinfonia in d minor “Grande”; Sinfonia in A major; “La Musica Notturna di Madrid” – Rolf Lislevand/Bruno Cocset/ Manfredo Kraemer/ Pablo Valetti/ José de Udaeta/ Le Concert des Nations/ Jordi Savall – AliaVox Multichannel SACD AVSA9845 (Distr. Harmonia mundi)

BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 108 – (Haas Version) – Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/ Bernard Haitink, cond. laureate – RCO Live Multichannel SACDs (2) RCO 05003

CHOPIN: Piano Sonatas 2 and 3; Polonaises Alfred Cortot – Naxos 8.110065

FALLA: The Three-Cornered Hat (complete ballet) – Barbara Howitt, soprano/ London Symphony Orchestra/ Enrique Jorda – Everest 35mm mag film recording reissued as Classic Records 3-channel HDAD2019 (CD/DVD-V audio/DVD-A audio) – Also on F.I.M. xrcd24 LIM XR24 014

Kirsten Flagstad: Live in Concert, 1949-1957 – Vai Vaia 1248 (Distrib. Naxos)

Virgil Fox Encores = BACH: Fugue in G Minor “Little;” Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring; Trio Sonata No. 6 in G; Now Thank We All Our God; Air on the G String; HANDEL: Concerto No. 4: Allegro; Concerto No. 1 for Strings: Aria; BOYCE: Ye Sweet Retreat; MULET: Thou Art the Rock; PURCELL: Trumpet Voluntary; SCHUMANN: Canon in B Minor; WIDOR: Symphony No. 5 in F Minor: Toccata – Virgil Fox, organ of Riverside Church – RCA Red Seal Living Stereo Multichannel (three-channel) SACD 82876-71626-2

CÉSAR FRANCK – Oeuvres pour Orgue = Grande pièce symphonique; Choral No. 2 in B minor; Prière, Op. 20; Final, Op. 21 – Roberta Gary, organ – Arsis Multichannel SACD  401

FRANCK: Violin-Piano Sonata in A major; DEBUSSY: Violin-Piano Sonata in G minor; ROBERT SCHUMANN: Fantasy Pieces – Dora Schwarzberg, violin/ Martha Argerich, piano – Avanti Classic Multichannel SACD 5414706 10232

FRANCK: Symphony in D minor; CHAUSSON: Symphony In B-flat Op. 20 – Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/ Marek Janowski – PentaTone Classics Multichannel SACD PTC 5186 078

MAURO GIULIANI: Guitar Concerto No. 1 in A; RODRIGO: Concierto Madrigal for Two Guitars and Orchestra; Sones en la Giralda – Pepe Romero & Angel Romero, guitars/ Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/ Sir Neville Marriner – PentaTone Classics Multichannel SACD PTC 5186 14

MORTON GOULD Showcase – Dutton Classics CDUS 3030 (Distrib. Harmonia mundi)

GRIEG: Symphonic Dances; Elegiac Melodies; Norwegian Dances; Holberg Suite – Estonian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paavo Järvi – Virgin Classics 3-44722-2

Friedrich Gulda, Live at the Brucjhsaler Schlosskonzerte – Golden Melodram GM 4.0080 (Distrib. Albany)

HANDEL: Messiah (complete) – Kerstin Avemo/ Patricia Bardon/ Lawrence Zazzo/ Kobie van Rensburg/ Neal Davies / Choir of Clare College/ Freiburger Barockorchester/ Rene Jacobs – Harmonia mundi Multichannel SACD HMC 801928.29, (2 discs)

MICHAEL HAYDN: Concertos – Claudio Brizi (claviorgan), Luca Ranieri (viola, Mario Ancillotti (flute), Luca Arcese (violin) and the I Solisti di Perugia conducted by Thomas Indermühle – Camerata CMCD-28069

“Kiri Sings Karl” – Kiri Te Kanawa in Songs of Mystery & Enchantment Composed & Arranged by KARL JENKINS – London Symphony Orchestra and guest artists – EMI 32572 0

ELENI KARAINDROU: Elegy of the Uprooting – Maria Farantouri, voice/13-piece ensemble with the composer at the piano/Traditional instruments ensemble/Hellenic Radio-TV Choir/Camerata orchestra/Alexandros Myrat cond. – ECM New Series 1952/53 (2 CDs)

LISZT: Dante Sonata; 3 Petrarch Sonnets; Mephisto Waltz No. 1; Impromptu for Princess Gortschakoff; Valse-Impromptu; Song Transcriptions: Fruehlingsnacht; Widmung; Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 – Jon Nakamatsu, piano – Harmonia mundi HMU 90740

LISZT: Piano Sonata in B Minor; Six Paganini Etudes – George-Emmanuel Lazaridis, piano – Linn Multichannel SACD CKD 282

MAHLER: Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp minor – San Francisco Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas – SF Symphony Multichannel SACD  821936-0012-2

MAHLER: Symphony No. 6 in A minor; HANS WERNER HENZE: Sebastian im Traum (2003-4) – Royal Concertgebouw orchestra/ Mariss Jansons – RCO Live Multichannel SACD 06001 (2 discs)

MAHLER: Symphony No. 9 in D Major Gunter Herbig Rundfink Sinfonieorchester Saarbrucken – Berlin Classics 0017952BC (Distrib. Albany)

MARTINU: String Quartets Kocian Quartet – Praga PRD DSD 250 205 (Distrib. Harmonia mundi)

DAVID MASLANKA: A Child’s Garden of Dreams; In Memoriam; Symphony No. 4 – Dallas Wind Symphony/Jerry Junkin – Reference Recordings HDCD RR-108

MENDELSSOHN Discoveries – Roberto Prosseda, piano – Decca 476 3038 (Distrib. Universal)

Messe Noire – Piano Works by STRAVINSKY, SHOSTAKOVICH, PROKOFIEV and SCRIABIN – Alexei Lubimov, piano – ECM 1679

MOZART Symphonies 35, 38, 40 and Concert Arias – Carl Schuricht conducts – Hanssler CD 93.152 (Distrib. Allegro)

MOZART: Symphonies – Ferenc Fricsay – 2-CD DGG 00289 477 5807 (Distrib. Universal)

MOZART: Solo Piano Works – Lili Kraus – Music & Arts CD-1001 (5 CDs, Distrib. Albany )

MOZART: Così fan tutte – Schwarzkopf, Merriman, Panerai, Simoneau, Otto, Bruscantini, with the Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus conducted by Herbert von Karajan – EMI Classics 3-36789-2 (3 CDs)

MOZART: La Clemenza di Tito – Mark Padmore/ Alexandrina Pendatchanska/, Bernarda Fink/ Marie-Claude Chappuis / Freiburger Barockorchester and RIAS Kammerchor /René Jacobs – Harmonia Mundi SACD 801923.24

MOZART & MOLTER: Clarinet concertos – Kari Kriikku, clarinet in D & basset clarinet, with the Tapiola Sinfonietta conducted by John Storgårds – Ondine ODE 1056-2

MOZART: 3 Violin Concertos (K. 216, 218 and 219) – Andrew Manze, violin and leading The English Concert – Harmonia mundi Multichannel SACD 907385

MUSSORGSKY-STOKOWSKI: Pictures at an Exhibition; Entr’acte from Khovanshchina; Night on Bare Mountain; Symphonic Synthesis of Boris Godunov; TCHAIKOVSKY: Humoresque; Solitude – Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/ José Serebrier – Naxos Multichannel SACD 6.110101

ORFF: Carmina Burana Suite; ARTHUR BIRD: Serenade for Wind Instruments; H. OWEN REED: La Fiesta Mexicana – Peabody Conservatory Wind Ensemble/ Harlan D. Parker – Naxos 8.570242

Portraits = Music by NORDGREN, BRUCH, BARTÓK, SALLINEN, RAUTAVAARA, GRIEG and JALKANEN – Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra conducted by Juha Kangas – Alba Super Audio CD ABCD 205

PROKOFIEV: Alexander Nevsky Cantata; Lieutenant Kijé Symphonic Suite – Claudine Carlson, mezzo-soprano /Arnold Voketaitis, bass-baritone/ St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Leonard Slatkin – Vox/Mobile Fidelity

RESPIGHI: Fountains of Rome; Pines of Rome; DEBUSSY: La Mer – Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner – RCA Red Seal Living Stereo Multichannel SACD 82876-71614

Leone Rysanek, 1926-1998 – Preiser 93448 (Distrib. Albany)

SAINT-SAENS: Samson et Dalila – Jon Vickers, Oralia Domnguez, Ernest Blanc/Netherlands Radio Orchestra and Chorus/ Jean Fournet Opera D’Oro OPD 7028 (Distrib. Allegro)

SCHOENBERG: Verklaerte Nacht, (Transfigured Night) Op. 4; ZEMLINSKY: Piano Trio, Op. 3; MAHLER: Piano Quartet – Vienna Piano Trio/ Johannes Fiedler, viola (in Mahler) – MDG Gold 342 1354-2

SCHUBERT: Piano Trio No.2, D. 929. Sonatensatz, D. 28 – Kungsbacka Piano Trio – Naxos 8.555700

SCHUMANN: Carnaval, Op. 9; Beethoven Sonata No. 7 in D; Sonata No. 16 in G – Annie Fischer – BBC Legends BBCL 4199-2 (Distirb. Koch)

SHOSTAKOVICH: String Quartets 3, 7 and 8 – Hagen Quartet – DGG 0289 477 6146 (Distrib. Universal)

“Spin” – LAGQ (Los Angeles Guitar Quartet) – (John Dearman, William Kanengiser, Scott Tennant, Andrew York – with Colin Currie, percussion) – Telarc Multichannel SACD-6064

STRAVINSKY: Petruschka;  RACHMANINOFF: Symphonic Dances – Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/ Mariss Jansons – RCO Live Multichannel SACD RCO 0500

Sviatoslav Richter at Carnegie Hall, New York October 19-30, 1960 – Doremi 6-CD DHR 7864-9 (Distrib. Allegro)

STRAVINSKY: The Soldier’s Tale Suite (L’Histoire du Soldat)  – Ars Nova Ensemble/Robert Mandell – HDDT DVD-R (96K/24bit)

Stephen Stubbs & Teatro Lirico – Music by CACCINI, CAZZATI, CORELLI, VALENT, RUIZ DE RIBAYAZ, FARINA, BATTISTA GRANATA, PAOLO FOSCARINI, and STUBBS – ECM New Series 000592302

SZYMANOWSKI: Harnasie – Iwona Sobotka/Katarina Karnéus/ Timothy Robinson/ cond. by Sir Simon Rattle – EMI 3 644352 2

Hommage a Marcelle Meyer – TAHRA TAH 579/580 (Distrib. Harmonia mundi)

TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto in D Major; Serenade melancolique in B Minor; Valse-Scherzo; Souvenir d’un lieu cher – Julia Fischer, violin/ Russian National Orchestra/ Yakov Kreizberg, conductor and piano – PentaTone Multichannel SACD 5186 095

Jacques Thibaud: The Complete Solo Recordings, 1929-1936 – Appian 2-CD 6003 (Distrib. Albany)

VERDI: La Traviata (complete opera) – Anna Moffo, Richard Tucker, Robert Merrill/ Rome Opera Orchestra and Chorus/ Fernando Previtali – RCA Red Seal Living Stereo Multichannel (3) SACD 82876-82623-2, (2 discs)

“Vienna” – Chicago Symphony Orchestra /Fritz Reiner, conductor – Sony/BMG 82876-71615-2  Living Stereo Series – Multichannel (3-channel) SACD

Virgil Fox Encores = BACH: Fugue in G Minor “Little;” Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring; Trio Sonata No. 6 in G; Now Thank We All Our God; Air on the G String; HANDEL: Concerto No. 4: Allegro; Concerto No. 1 for Strings: Aria; BOYCE: Ye Sweet Retreat; MULET: Thou Art the Rock; PURCELL: Trumpet Voluntary; SCHUMANN: Canon in B Minor; WIDOR: Symphony No. 5 in F Minor: Toccata – Virgil Fox, organ of Riverside Church – RCA Red Seal Living Stereo Multichannel (three-channel) SACD 82876-71626-2

VIVALDI: Vivaldi, il furioso! – Music from Naïve’s Vivaldi Edition – Various singers, soloists, ensembles and conductors – Naïve OP 30432

ERIC WHITACRE: “Cloudburst” and 13 other choral works – Polyphony/Stephen Layton – Hyperion CDA67543

JAZZ & POP

Incl. Hi-Res, Standard CDs, DualDiscs

Michel Camilo & Tomatito (piano & acoustic guitar) – Spain Again – Universal Music Classics Group B0007179-0

John Coltrane – Lush Life – Rudy Van Gelder Remasters – Prestige PRCD-8103-2

Workin’ With the Miles Davis Quintet – Prestige RVG Remasters, mono PRCD-30080

Dire Straits (Mark Knopfler and his five-piece band) – Brothers in Arms – Vertigo/Universal xrcd2 5483572 (Distr. May Audio)
Sacred Music of Duke Ellington  –  Soloists/Chorus/Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra/ Clarence Acox & Michael Brockman, Co-Directors – Origin 8245 (2 CDs)

Donald Fagen – Morph the Cat – Reprise Multichannel DVD-A, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 + separate standard CD 49976-2

Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band – The Phat Pack – Immergent CD + surround DVD 284404-2

Dick Hyman & Randy Sandke – Now & Again – Arbors Jazz Records ARCD 1931

The Symphonic Jean Michel Jarre – 20 Selections from past albums in orchestral versions – Crouch End Festival Chorus/ The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra/ Nic Raine – 2 HDCD CDs + DVD-A with stills and DD 24-bit 5.1 surround mix, TADLOW003

Symphonic Jobim – Live Concert, Sao Paulo, Brazil with members of Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo cond. by Roberto Minczuk. Special guest: Milton Nascimento – Adventure Music AM1016 2 (2 discs)

Kraftwerk – Minimum-Maximum – EMI (UK) Multichannel SACD 334 996 2, (2 discs)

Diana Krall – From This Moment On – with the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra – Verve B0007323-0

Joe Lovano – Streams of Expression – Blue Note 0946 3 41092 2 2V

Mike Marshall & Hamilton De Holanda – New Words – Adventure Music CD + DVD AM1029 2

Metheny/Mehldau – Nonesuch B000GQLAZW

The Microscopic Septet – History of the Micros, Vol. 1, “Seven Men in Neckties” – Cuneiform Records 236/237 (2 discs) – The Microscopic Septet – History of the Micros, Vol. 2, “Surrealistic Swing” – Cuneiform Records 238/239 (2 discs)

Mingus Big Band  – Live in Tokyo At the Blue Note  (12/31/2005) –  Sue Mingus Music 3042 (Distr. by Universal)

Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall. (Thelonious Monk, piano; John Coltrane, saxophone; Ahmed Abdul-Malik, bass; Shadow Wilson, drums) – Blue Note 35173

Progressions – 100 Years of Jazz Guitar (Compilation of 4 CDs in boxed set with 148-page booklet; featuring 78 guitar legends from 33 different labels) – Columbia Legacy K86462-S1

Sonny Rollins – Sonny, Please – Doxy Records DR9730-

Maria Schneider Orchestra — Concert in the Garden CD ArtistShare000

Bud Shank Big Band –  Taking the Long Way Home  (Recorded Live at the LAX 4 Points Sheraton 5/28/05) – Jazzed Media 1015

Frank Sinatra – “Vegas” – Frank Sinatra, vocals; with Antonio Morelli and his Orchestra (disc 1); with Count Basie and his Orchestra, conducted by Quincy Jones (disc 2); with Vincent Falcone, piano (disc 3); with orchestra conducted by and featuring Bill Miller, piano (discs 4 and 5); many others – Reprise R2 74075 – 4 standard CDs: 216 min. + DVD

Talking Heads – More Songs about Buildings and Food – Rhino R2 76450 DualDisc

The Anthony Wilson Trio – Savivity (Anthony Wilson, guitar/ Joe Bagg: B-3/ Mark Ferber, drums) – Groove Note stereo SACD GRV1030

Phil Woods – This is How I Feel About Quincy (Phil Woods, alto sax, clarinet; Brian Lynch, trumpet, flugelhorn; Bill Charlap, piano; Steve Gilmore, bass; Bill Goodwin, drums – With added Little Big Band: Nelson Hill, Bari and tenor sax; Tom Hamilton, tenor sax; Bobby Routch, French horn, flugelhorn; Rick Chamberlain, trombone and euphonium) – Jazzed Media #JM 1004

Yes – Fragile  – Mobile Fidelity Original Master Recording Gold CD UDCD 766

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