New Releases

[Mandryka]

Yes! I've been listening to this a lot in the last few weeks. These vocal works feel much more clear, approachable and intimate in this format.

There's a similar release it reminds me of, Secret History by John Potter



Edit - is this the one you were referring to?

Yes that's the one I was referring to- but the sound quality of the new one seems so much more engaging, it could be my imagination.

[JBS]

A stealth release, it would seem, last month

[Mandryka]

2CDs set

[Disc1]
John Cage
Sonatas and Interludes
for Prepared Piano (69 minutes)
Instrument used: New York Steinway Model B

[Disc2]
Morton Feldman
For Bunita Marcus
(75 min., live recording at Tokyo)
Instrument usued: FAZIOLI F278

https://www.hiroshiyokoyama.com/english/cd/

He plays the Cage forcefully and with lots of space, lots of feeling for what I believe Japanese aestheticians call iki, breath. I quite like it, based on listening probably quite superficially to the first half dozen pieces, despite T.C.'s reservations about authenticity. This isn't music which I've enjoyed much in the past. The forcefulness may come from the piano he chose to use for all I know.

[Madiel]

A stealth release, it would seem, last month

Oh man, I've really got to get back to listening to the Naive series (listening project no.118).

[JBS]

Oh man, I've really got to get back to listening to the Naive series (listening project no.118).

I think this is volume 68, so you can figure out how much you need to hear to catch up. The write up implied that Cantate per Soprano II was recorded at the same time, so that will presumably be volume 69 or 70.
I've been buying them as they come out.

[Que]

I think this is volume 68, so you can figure out how much you need to hear to catch up. The write up implied that Cantate per Soprano II was recorded at the same time, so that will presumably be volume 69 or 70.
I've been buying them as they come out.

Thanks for posting! 

A good friend told me that I have the largest Vivaldi collection he had ever seen, so I have a reputation to uphold... 

[vandermolen]

On the Roll for January 2022

I'm interested to hear what the 7th symphony is like Harry.

[Madiel]

I think this is volume 68, so you can figure out how much you need to hear to catch up. The write up implied that Cantate per Soprano II was recorded at the same time, so that will presumably be volume 69 or 70.
I've been buying them as they come out.

The series has a website, though it sometimes evaporates. Other sources confirm that I'm up to hearing no.43...

[Mandryka]

https://www.nativedsd.com/product/miscellanea/

By far the best Mozart K 448 I've ever heard -- played with fortepiano and harpsichord.

[Brian]

FEBRUARY



El Amor Brujo - original version; Siete Canciones - orch. Francisco Dominguez



"This recording provides an opportunity to discover a forgotten Baroque operatic treasure, a zarzuela, the key dramatic and musical genre of the Spanish Golden Age. Sumptuous choruses, poignant arias and folksongs blend in a rich and spectacular narrative, whose music was falsely attributed to Antonio Literes before Sebastián Durón (1660-1716) was acknowledged as its composer in 2009! Another peculiarity of the work is that it is sung by seven sopranos, who are even given the roles of Apollo, Neptune and the monster Triton. Only the part of an old man, the seer Proteus, is assigned to a tenor. Ana Quintans in the title role, Isabelle Druet, Anthea Pichanick, Caroline Meng and Cyril Auvity are among the cast of this colorful zarzuela, whose modern stage premiere in 2019 enjoyed great success."








I'll also grudgingly acknowledge two Ravel orchestral albums from artists who I don't think will be at all interesting in the repertoire:



The Oramo album includes Kenneth Hesketh orchestrations of the fugue and toccata from Tombeau. The Wilson album claims "World Premiere Recording of This Edition" for Mother Goose and Bolero, with the following booklet justification:

"For this recording John Wilson has meticulously restored many details of the score which have become lost through careless reading of Ravel's intentions and through the transformation of the ballet score into a popular concert piece."

That's it - no more detail.

[Brian]

FEBRUARY PART II



I like how the Elgar album includes a phone box so you know he's English.
The Bacewicz recital includes Sonatas 1 and 2 and 10 Concert Etudes.



Imagine getting Gil Shaham and Nicholas McGegan to record the Mozart concertos together and then instead of shouting it from the rooftops as a major release, you put their names in the tiniest possible lettering at the bottom of the cover art!!





I have to include the back cover since PentaTone ridiculously decided that they can't put artist names on the front.







"Composer-pianist Lowell Liebermann releases an album of world premiere recordings by contemporary British composer David Hackbridge Johnson. Liebermann describes Hackbridge Johnson's compositional voice as vigorous, unrepentantly melodic, superbly crafted and orchestrated, and with a refreshing and idiosyncratic harmonic sense. The album's title track, Nocturne No. 7 "The Devil's Lyre", was inspired by Liebermann's first album for the Steinway & Sons label, "Personal Demons.""

[Todd]

Guaranteed to be good.

[kyjo]

Wait. Janacek wrote a Cello Sonata?!?! I need more info!!

Edit: Oh, wait. Just did some research and found out it's just a cello transcription of the Violin Sonata. It would be nice if it said that on the back of the CD....

[Brian]

Wait. Janacek wrote a Cello Sonata?!?! I need more info!!

Edit: Oh, wait. Just did some research and found out it's a cello transcription of the Violin Sonata.

Hah, your edit beat my reply. But I did also look at the booklet and the transcription is by the artists expressly for this album. So that doesn't help your odds of buying a copy and learning it!

[Karl Henning]

"Composer-pianist Lowell Liebermann releases an album of world premiere recordings by contemporary British composer David Hackbridge Johnson. Liebermann describes Hackbridge Johnson's compositional voice as vigorous, unrepentantly melodic, superbly crafted and orchestrated, and with a refreshing and idiosyncratic harmonic sense. The album's title track, Nocturne No. 7 "The Devil's Lyre", was inspired by Liebermann's first album for the Steinway & Sons label, "Personal Demons.""

There's an audience being targeted with the catchphrase "unrepentantly melodic"

[Madiel]

If Ravel of all people, widely regarded as one of the greatest orchestrators, decided that 2 movements of Le Tombeau were not appropriate for orchestration, then leave them the fuck alone.

[André]

Wait. Janacek wrote a Cello Sonata?!?! I need more info!!

Edit: Oh, wait. Just did some research and found out it's just a cello transcription of the Violin Sonata. It would be nice if it said that on the back of the CD....

It's like Franck's cello sonata, then 

[Karl Henning]

It's like Franck's cello sonata, then 

(* chortle *)

[TheGSMoeller]

FEBRUARY PART II

I guess it's too late to hire Christopher Plummer to rerecord as the narrator?

[Klavier1]

This does not come out until January 7, 2022, so please do not edit my post again!