Classical CD Reviews
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ARVO PAART: Symphony No. 4 “Los Angeles” – Los Angeles Philharmonic/Esa-Pekka Salonen; Fragments from “Kanon pokajanen” – Estonian Philharmonic Ch. Choir/ Esa-Pekka Salonen – ECMPublished on April 24, 2013
A deeply satisfying symphony from one of our century’s great composers.
PENDERECKI: String Quartet No. 1; String Quartet No. 2; String Quartet No. 3 ‘Leaves of an unwritten diary’; LUTOSLAWSKI: String Quartet – Royal String Q. – HyperionPublished on April 24, 2013
These are riveting performances in brilliant sound of 20th and 21st century string quartets from two Polish masters.
WEINBERG: Symphony No. 19 “Bright May,”; The Banners of Peace (Symphonic Poem) – St. Petersburg State Sym. Orch./ Vladimir Lande – NaxosPublished on April 23, 2013
Slowly but surely, Weinberg’s music is appearing on disc with Naxos being one of the prominent contributors.
Felix Hell Plays the Rieger-Kloss Organ – Works of BACH, BUXTEHUDE, GIGOUT, DUPRE, WIDOR, BOELLMANN & REGER – MSR ClassicsPublished on April 23, 2013
An interesting program from the top-flight organist.
PETER MAXWELL DAVIES: Trumpet Concerto; Piccolo Concerto; Maxwell’s Reel, with Northern Lights; Five Klee Pictures – Stewart McIlwham, piccolo/ John Wallace, trumpet/ Royal Philharmonic Orch. /Royal Scottish Nat. Orch./ Philharmonia Orch./ Peter Maxwell Davies – NaxosPublished on April 22, 2013
Welcome to the diverse and stimulating sound world of British composer Peter Maxwell Davies, one of the most honored and controversial composers of our time!
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major; Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major – Rudolf Buchbinder, fortepiano/ Concentus Musicus Wien/ Nikolaus Harnoncourt – Sony ClassicalPublished on April 20, 2013
Rudolf Buchbinder joins Concentus Musicus Wien for a pair of Mozart concertos, a joyful collaboration that transcends “antiquity” to present lively, uniquely colored realizations of established virtuoso masterpieces.
JENNIFER HIGDON – “An Exhaltation of Larks” – An Exaltation of Larks; Scenes From the Poet’s Dreams; Light Refracted – Gary Graffman, p./ Todd Palmet, clar. /Blair McMillen, p. /The Lark Quartet – BridgePublished on April 20, 2013
A disc of programmatic contemporary chamber music that’s tonal, well-crafted and cleverly written. But will it stand the test of time?
JENNIFER HIGDON: “Chamber Music of Jennifer Higdon”—Dash; Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano; Trumpet Songs; Song for solo flute; Legacy for violin and piano; Piano Trio – Verismo Trio/Scott Turpen, alto saxophone/Theresa Bogard, piano/Scott Meredith, trumpet/Rubia Santos, piano/Nicole Riner, flute/John Fadial, violin/Beth Vanderborgh, cello – Albany RecordsPublished on April 19, 2013
Terrific collection of this great American composer’s chamber music.
FAIROUZ: ”Native Informant” = Tahwidah; Chorale Fantasy; Native Informant – Sonata for Solo Violin; Posh; For Victims; Jebel Lebnan – Soloists/Imani Winds – NaxosPublished on April 18, 2013
Amazingly compelling work by this important new voice.
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN: At the Movies = Oklahoma! Overture; 2 Songs; Carousel: Waltz; 4 Songs; South Pacific: 3 Songs; The King and I: Overture; The Sound of Music: Main Title and Preludium; 2 Songs -Soloists/ Maida Vale Singers/John Wilson Orchestra – EMI ClassicsPublished on April 17, 2013
An effective and lushly-mounted tribute to a winning combination of the American musical theater, and the melodies never quit.