New Releases

[TheGSMoeller]

Dvorak: No. 9, From The New World
Dallas SO/ Van Zweden

Brian's current, and my former, hometown band. I like some of Zweden's Bruckner and all of his Brahms recordings, interested to hear his take on Dvorak's 9th. So far I only see a pre-order on iTunes, which is also why I have no image.

[Brian]

Dvorak: No. 9, From The New World
Dallas SO/ Van Zweden

Brian's current, and my former, hometown band. I like some of Zweden's Bruckner and all of his Brahms recordings, interested to hear his take on Dvorak's 9th. So far I only see a pre-order on iTunes, which is also why I have no image.

Note, there is no coupling so the album is only 42 minutes long. It's on NML. I'll give it a listen. I don't know why "Dallas Symphony" is on the cover twice.

[Karl Henning]

Their label, and then, as the performing ensemble . . . but that would make better sense if their label is recording others . . . .

[Brian]

Their label, and then, as the performing ensemble . . . but that would make better sense if their label is recording others . . . .

My problem is with the top left iteration. The label is top right, the performers are in the middle, so why is their name also top left?

Anyway, listening now!

[Karl Henning]

My problem is with the top left iteration. The label is top right, the performers are in the middle, so why is their name also top left?

Your quibble is righteous.

[Brian]

Your quibble is righteous.

I should add "Righteous Quibbler" to my resume!

[Pat B]

Note, there is no coupling so the album is only 42 minutes long. It's on NML. I'll give it a listen. I don't know why "Dallas Symphony" is on the cover twice.

I was at one of these performances. It was a good experience (the DSO is a fair bit better than my hometown band) but I probably won't seek out this recording.

The other half of the concert was Brahms PC2 with Grimaud, whose DG contract is presumably why it wasn't released.

If I were in charge I probably would have coupled it with another performance from that season.

[kishnevi]

Perhaps they want to avoid confusion.  Googling the phrase DSO Live brings up the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

[The new erato]

Found this on mdt. 8 £ for a double CD,

Views from Ararat

•Ahmed Adnan Saygun (1907-1991) Suite for Violin and Piano, op. 33
• Arno Babajanian (1921-1983) Sonata for Violin and Piano
• Ahmed Adnan Saygun (1907-1991) Sonata for Violin and Piano, op. 20
• Edward Baghdassarian (1922-1987) Rhapsody for Violin and Piano

Rebekka Hartmann, violin

Margarita Oganesjan, piano

Booklet: Work description, biographies (German, English)

Masterpieces by great composers from Armenia and Turkey

Ararat is a famous mountain. Noah's ark is said to have been stranded on it after the flood. Christian Armenians see the mountain as a national symbol, even though it is not located in Armenian territory, but on Turkish soil near the Armenian border. The border crossing is closed, however, as relations between the two countries have long been strained because of the Armenian Genocide. This mass murder of Armenians in 1915 is denied by the Turkish government.

Despite the difficult history of these two neighbouring peoples, the region has produced much that is positive in a musical regard. This CD brings together important composers from the two hostile nations, with Ahmed Adnan Saygun and Arno Babajanian bearing witness not only to the music of their native countries, but also to all they learned and experienced in the great musical capitals of Paris and Moscow.

Margarita Oganesjan: "As an Armenian, I have been familiar with the singular, painful and unresolved aspects of our history ever since I was born. They make us all the more proud of the famous artists that our people has produced. In my native country, composers such as Babajanian, Komitas, Khachaturian and Mansurian are revered as heroes, and their music is a living part of our cultural life. But for me as a musician, the discovery of the music of Ahmed Adnan Saygun was a profoundly moving process that allowed me to see the culture of our neighbouring country in a different light. I simply cannot help recognising the affinities in the music of this special part of the world and admiring its beauty. That is what our «Views from Ararat" are about»."

Farao 2cds B108086

[Brian]

Barbara Haveman (soprano), Claudia Mahnke (mezzo-soprano), Brandon Jovanovich (tenor), Gerhard Siegel (tenor), Thomas Bauer (baritone), Johannes Martin Kränzle (speaker)
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, Domkantorei Köln, Männerstimmen des Kölner Domchores, Vokalensemble Kölner Dom, Chor des Bach-Vereins Köln, Kartäuserkantorei Köln, Markus Stenz



Bartók: 3 Studies, BB 81, Sz. 72, Op. 18
Debussy: Études pour piano (12) (complete)
Prokofiev: Four Etudes, Op. 2
Garrick Ohlsson



Barber, S:
Agnus Dei
Reincarnations, Op. 16
Twelfth Night
To Be Sung on the Water, Op. 42
Heaven-Haven: A Nun Takes the Veil Op. 13, No. 1
The Virgin Martyrs Op. 8 No. 1
Let Down the Bars, O Death Op. 8 No. 2
Bernstein:
Missa Brevis
David Allsopp (countertenor), Christopher Lowrey (countertenor) & Robert Millett (percussion)
Copland:
Four Motets
Thompson, R:
Alleluia
Fare Well 'When I lie where shades of darkness'



Bach, J S:
Fantasia & Fugue in A minor, BWV904
Fantasia & Fugue in C minor, BWV906
Beethoven:
Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major, Op. 27 No. 1 'Quasi una fantasia'
Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110
Audrey Vigoureux (piano)

Pianist Audrey Vigoureux, a native of Aix-en-Provence in southern France, started playing at the age of eight. She studied with Sébastien Risler and Jacques Rouvier at the Conservatoire Supérieur of Geneva and the CNSM de Paris, graduating with honours from both. Her awards include the De Agostini Foundation prize and a first prize from the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe. This recording features 'Fantasias' by Bach and Beethoven. Beethoven subtitled two Piano Sonatas 'Quasi una Fantasia' – Op.27 No.1 and Op.110. These works are paired with two Fantaisies and Fugues by Bach, in performances that focus on the music's lyrical properties.



Rachmaninov:
Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op. 22
Variations on a theme of Corelli, Op. 42
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
The Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Trifonov:
Rachmaniana



Grieg:
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16
Moszkowski:
Piano Concerto in E major, Op. 59
Joseph Moog (piano)
Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrucken Kaiserslautern, Nicholas Milton

Note from Brian: Joseph Moog is a badass and I have high expectations. If you haven't heard him yet, check out his spectacular debut recital on Claves (Scriabin, Reger, Jongen; review) or his recording of Rubinstein's Fourth Piano Concerto paired with Rachmaninov's Third.

REISSUE



I had no idea this cycle existed! Do people like it?

[Todd]

Sold.



I have a chance to hear Moog in person next season in two recitals.  The Bach/Brahms/Liszt looks like the more promising of the two.  Now I have another thing to calendar.  First world problems.

[Madiel]

Barber, S:
Agnus Dei
Reincarnations, Op. 16
Twelfth Night
To Be Sung on the Water, Op. 42
Heaven-Haven: A Nun Takes the Veil Op. 13, No. 1
The Virgin Martyrs Op. 8 No. 1
Let Down the Bars, O Death Op. 8 No. 2
Bernstein:
Missa Brevis
David Allsopp (countertenor), Christopher Lowrey (countertenor) & Robert Millett (percussion)
Copland:
Four Motets
Thompson, R:
Alleluia
Fare Well 'When I lie where shades of darkness'

Ooh, interesting. Choral music is the largest gap in my Barber collection, so it'll be interesting to add another recording to the options.

[Brian]

Latvian-born pianist Maria Lettberg confesses to being addicted to the music of Alexander Scriabin. To mark the 100th anniversary of his death, she releases a very personal homage in which his orchestral 'Poème de l'extase' (in a highly-demanding transcription for solo piano) takes centre stage, alongside pieces by Liszt and Messiaen, and a pair - by Harald Banter and by Manfred Kelkel - both based on the Russian's music.

Tracks:
1. Alexander Scriabin: Le Poème de l'Extase (piano transcription by Sergei Pavchinsky)
2. Franz Liszt: La lugubre gondola No. 2
3. Harald Banter: Naître et disparaître - Werden und Vergehen - Hommage à Skrjabin
Manfred Kelkel:
4. Tombeau de Scriabine - Memorial for Scriabin, op.22, Prélude
5. Transmutations
Olivier Messiaen: From Vingt Regards sur l'infant Jésus:
6. I. Regard du Père
7. XX. Regard de l'Église d'amour


Coming soon on the "ES-Dur" label.

[Mirror Image]

I wish Maria Lettberg would record the Scriabin Piano Concerto. Sigh.

[Karl Henning]

Latvian-born pianist Maria Lettberg confesses to being addicted to the music of Alexander Scriabin. To mark the 100th anniversary of his death, she releases a very personal homage in which his orchestral ‘Poème de l’extase’ (in a highly-demanding transcription for solo piano) takes centre stage, alongside pieces by Liszt and Messiaen, and a pair - by Harald Banter and by Manfred Kelkel - both based on the Russian’s music.

Tracks:
1. Alexander Scriabin: Le Poème de l’Extase (piano transcription by Sergei Pavchinsky)
2. Franz Liszt: La lugubre gondola No. 2
3. Harald Banter: Naître et disparaître - Werden und Vergehen - Hommage à Skrjabin
Manfred Kelkel:
4. Tombeau de Scriabine - Memorial for Scriabin, op.22, Prélude
5. Transmutations
Olivier Messiaen: From Vingt Regards sur l’infant Jésus:
6. I. Regard du Père
7. XX. Regard de l'Église d’amour

Coming soon on the "ES-Dur" label.

Très cool!

[Green Destiny]

A couple of re-issues due to be released next month:

Solti's Ring Cycle:

[asin]B00VVZUXRS[/asin]

The pre-order price on Amazon UK is only 35 Pounds - Im not a great Opera fan but at this price ill give it a shot (I ordered it already)

Bernstein's Sibelius Cycle (the OOP Sony one):

[asin]B00UOFIUDK[/asin]

These recordings have been remastered and have original jackets on the sleeves - I havent ordered this one yet but may do if it drops in price.

[Brian]

As an owner of the gigantic Bernstein Symphony Edition, I assure you those Sibelius CDs are (a) technically not OOP, and (b) AWESOME.

[Karl Henning]

As an owner of the gigantic Bernstein Symphony Edition, I assure you those Sibelius CDs are (a) technically not OOP, and (b) AWESOME.

Love Lenny's Sibelius.

[North Star]

Love Lenny's Sibelius.

Once again . . . a dangerous place . . . .

[Lisztianwagner]

  WELL WELL WELL......it seems that Herbie's illustrious ring cycle will  FINALLY make its appearance in this soon (June 12, 2015) to be released boxset! Too bad it's my LEAST favorite Ring Cycle (appologies to Sarge,  Mirror Image  (who shall forever be my Wagnerian colleagues) et al who consider this Ring cycle to be the ultimate performance of Wagner's masterpiece.

  I can't seem to find the performers on the other recordings...anyone know? (EDIT: I beileve they might be the EMI recordings, if so the Tosca, the Der Rosenkavalier, the Carmen, the Boris Godunov are must haves!!  Too bad the box does NOT include the very fine Die Meistersinger on the EMI label!)

I agree, Karajan's Meistersinger is the most beautiful recording of that musikdrama I've ever listened to; what a pity it's not included in the box set. About Carmen, looking at the singers, orchestra and chrous, I think it must be the 1983 DG recording.