Streaming Classical (24-2)
Piano Chinese American George Li has already released several albums. His pristine and surprisingly subtle pianism are heard best on Opus Klassik Awards winner Live from the Mariinsky as well as the newer Movements (both on Warner). In the latter, he plays Ravel and Schumann ravishingly (as you know, I don't take to Schumann piano works easily). Another pianist of Chinese heritage is Tianqi Du, who broke out a while ago with an excellent Bach Goldberg Variations; now comes an album of good Bach Concertos (both on Naive). I'm a fan of Zlata Chochieva, recommended here before. Her latest double album, Im Freien (Naive) is just wonderful. Here you shall find the same juxtaposition of Schumann and Ravel, as in George Li's album recommended above. On the Fortepiano, Olga Pashchenko (recommended before) has a pair of impeccable Mozart Concertos albums 9+17, 20+23 (Naive). The contribution of the period orchestra Il Gardelino are well nigh perfect. These sound better than Robert Levin's series on AAM own label (where he is balanced too far back). For Duo Piano, a surprisingly satisfying program, Vienna, Theme and Variations, from Pianoduo Amacord (Zip Records). Why surprisingly, you may ask? Well, I'm even more demanding of Piano Duos than Solo Pianists (you guessed it, Labeque Sisters have never made it on to my very short list; and then there are the utterly forgettable recordings like DG's Jussen Brothers). To close this section, another new name, Reed Tetzloff, whose Beethoven PC4/5 (Aparte) are surprisingly engaging!
Harpsichord While I've rarely been moved by his classical recordings (on ECM), somehow I had overlooked Keith Jarrett's CPE Bach Wurttemburg Sonatas (on the piano), which are just dynamite and, yes, I enjoy them more than on the harpsicord (vs Esfahani)! That says a lot, as I don't usually dig CPE.
Organ Anna Lapwood's 2 albums on Sony are eclectic and hugely enjoyable!
Trio I find it pretty amazing that there are so many Trios on the horizon, and for me most are better than Trios of the past (like the over-rated, overly safe and plain Jane Beaux Arts). The refined Neave Trio has many recordings, but I particularly like the newest Rooted and the older French Moments (Chandos). Trio Khaldei's newest album has a transcription of Debussy's La Mer, and it's just sensational! The rest of the program is good too in a somewhat reverberant recording (Evil Penguin).
Chamber I'm not quite a fan of Francesca Dego as Solo Violinist but on her chamber music recordings with friends and stablemates all sound very good. Mozart Piano Quartets are very refined and the Horn Trios with Martin Owens are all wonderful (Chandos). The Mozart PQs have long been personal favs and are somehow in vogue now! Another recording led by Finghin Collins (Claves) is even better! The excellent Armida Quartet and pianist Martin Klett team up for a superb Franck and Martin album (Avi). And my beloved Calefax Reed Quintet's newest American Rhapsody album is just the right thing to cheer one up (Pentatone).
Guido Belastracci delivers a fabulous Viola da Gamba program, Virtuosity and Grace (Arcana). Ha! Good things can come in pairs, as this program also contains CPE. Gaspard La Roux received royal treatment from Justin Taylor and his mentor William Christie (Harmonia Mundi). I'll listen to anything played by Cafe Zimmermann, and the newest Young and Foolish (Alpha) is as good as any. Mozart and again CPE. That's 3 albums that I recommend that contain CPE, highly unusual!
The biggest surprise is Mahler 9 played with period instruments, as performed by the little known Mahler Academy Orchestra under Steinaecker (Alpha). This shoots straight to the top of my M9 list! Quite a sonic treat! Villa Lobos' Uirapuru was made famous by Stokowski's album on Everest. But I think the Odense Symphony under Jan Wagner is even better in performance and sound (Bridge). HKPO's newest director Tarmo Peltokoski has his debut recording on DG. The Mozart is decent. Mezzo Stella Doufexis' French orchestral song program is impeccable, and the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland under Karl-Heinz Steffens deserve equal credit. This album is no less enchanting than, say, Schwarzkopf's Strauss songs.
No, not the usual lukewarm Brit Choral music so bafflingly beloved by Brit critics. The Bruckner Motets performed by UK's St Albans Cathedral Choir under Andrew Lucas (First Hand) are really sublime, and I've known these pieces for a long time, being a Bruckner fan(atic). Another surprise is Ein Deutches Barockrequiem performed by Vox Luminis under Lionel Meunier (Ricercar). This is a highly scholarly effort to mirror the baroque texts of Brahms' German Requiem. Although a huge Brahms fan, I still haven't taken to his German Requiem, whereas I like this album very much. One has to listen very intently to both of these albums to get the full impact. Not background music.
A surprisingly large entry, this batch! Garth Knox (a viola player himself) compositions are never boring. The newest Open Spaces with the Ragazze Quartet (Channel) is no exception. If you like it, check out his older ECM albums D'Amore and Salterello. I've long been a fan of Lera Auerbach, and the latest offering of her Violin pieces by Christine Bernsted (Naxos) is sublime. I also find the compositions of Philip Sawyers highly worthwhile. His latest Double Concerto album feature soloists of the supreme caliber of no less than Daniel Rowland and Maja Bogdanovic (Nimbus). But, really, check out all his compositions, they are that good! Another staggeringly good composer is Liza Lim. I really dug the sonorous delights in her latest Annunciation Tryptych (Kairos). As for the old guard, I liked Kagel's odd Organ compositions, as in "Rrrr...", performed by Gerd Zacher (Aulos) and the older Heterophonie (Wergo). As for long-time fav Schnittke, I love his little known compositions on Discoveries (Toccata Classics). Quite a gem. For this audiophile, these new(ish) compositions are the best way to appreciate our systems.
Historical Eudice Shapiro (Doremi) is very good and sonically decent.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment