Stan Laferriere’s Big One brings everything in jazz history back to life, from the fi rst signs of ragtime to contemporary fusion in a tasty record you can qualify as one half tribute, one half stylistic exercise. Because while each title on the album is a Laferriere composition, they have that familiar sound which could turn them into standards as great the music they recall. Educational value, yes, but apart from any questions of period or style, this is a jazz orchestra combining power with nuance, and its precision makes it stand out thanks to Stan Laferriere’s unique feel for arrangements and his skill in instrumentation.
A Bird Came Down The Walk / Nobuko Imai, Roland Pöntinen
BIS
CD
$21.99May 01, 1997
REVIEWS: American Record Guide (11-12/97, pp.245-46) - "...A viola recital disc that is free of `violin envy'! Here we are treated to melancholy moods and dark, mysterious tone colors that are alien to the sound world of the violin....Imai is very adept at projecting the searching romanticiism of the Wieniawski and the ardent longing of the Liszt....Imai and Pöntinen are masters of their instruments and have developed a real rapport..."
'A Black Mass' is an ultra rare recording of a play by Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones), featuring Sun Ra & the Myth-Science Arkestra. Originally released by Jihad Productions on vinyl 1968. It has only been briefly available on CD previously and has been lovingly re-mastered. Baraka was an African-American writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essays and music criticism. He was the author of numerous books of poetry and taught at a number of universities, including the State University of New York at Buffalo and the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His career spanned nearly 50 years, and his themes range from black liberation to white racism. Baraka's poetry and writing have attracted both extreme praise and condemnation. Within the African-American community, some compare Baraka to James Baldwin and recognize him as one of the most respected and most widely published black writers of his generation. Le Sun R (aka Sun Ra) was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his experimental music, "cosmic philosophy", prolific output, and theatrical performances. He was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1979. For much of his career, Ra led "The Arkestra", an ensemble with an ever-changing name and flexible line-up. As LeRoi Jones wrote, "Sun Ra was only musician in my mind, not just because of his otherworldliness of the tale, but the sensuous outness. I knew Ra, with his (then titled, the name changed continuously) Myth-Science Arhestra, would bring, which I felt give a material life to the text".
A Bohemian in London: Violin Sonatas by Gottfried Finger / Duo Dorado
Chandos
CD
$10.99$21.99Save 50%Aug 23, 2019
Gottfried Finger was a Moravian composer and virtuoso viol player. Born in Olomouc, in the modern-day Czech Republic, and arriving in England in 1685, Finger worked for the court of James II before becoming a freelance composer. Hazel Brooks has spent a great deal of time researching the music for this recording, all of which may be found in the British Library manuscript Add. 31466, the single biggest source of violin sonatas by Finger. She writes: ‘Finger’s sonatas contain a quirky mix of styles. Bohemian features from his homeland, simpler Corellian traits, and the occasional nod to the English Purcellian school are fitted together like crazy paving. This is what gives them their unique charm. Many are made up of contrasting short sections rather than separate movements, sometimes linked by short passages for basso continuo alone, both features characteristic of the Biber school. Finger left a large number of sonatas for violin and basso continuo. We performed them all, immersing ourselves in the style, and this recording presents the finest selection from his output. Because he is known principally for his copious published recorder pieces, aimed at the amateur market, Finger has sometimes been dismissed as a composer of trivial, unadventurous music. I hope that this recording will help to change that mindset, so that Finger finally receives the recognition he deserves.’
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REVIEW:
Brooks and her keyboard partner David Pollock provide thoroughly clean and competent performances, respectful of the music and careful of overbearing it with excessive ornamentation and other additions – which is not to say that Pollock’s continuo-playing does not succeed in finding variety from just a harpsichord and a firmly focused chamber organ. Not compulsory listening really, but certainly a well-executed presentation.
A Box of Sousa / "President's Own" United States Marine Band
Altissimo
CD
$64.99Jan 01, 2001
One of America's musical treasures, the United States Marine Band, gets plenty of time to shine on this box set featuring selections from their appearances on NPR's "Performance Today." Perfect for the 4th of July or anytime you're in the mood to feel patriotic, this box set is the musical version of the American flag!
A Bridge To Bach - Gibbons, Bach, Et Al / Andrew Rangell
Bridge Records
CD
$18.99Feb 13, 2007
Andrew Rangell's latest disc is a recital of compositions that the pianist connects, in various ways, to the music of J.S. Bach. Most of the works which comprise this recital were written in the early to middle 1600's, and Rangell writes that: “one can hear fleeting soundprints of Bach here and there: moments of the Goldberg Variations in Sweelinck's Linden Grüne variations or the Tomkins Voluntary; the contrapuntal abstractions of the Art of the Fugue surfacing in Sweelinck's long fantasy or Froberger's mystical ricercares; dance rhythms and metrical patterns from innumerable Bach suites, prefigured in the pavanes and galliards. Though many-faceted, this program is essentially intimate and interior in character. “A Bridge to Bach” -- a figurative, slightly fanciful designation-- is a metaphor meant to suggest how, for me, all the present pieces are linked, spanned, connected, encompassed.” Andrew Rangell's though-provoking recordings for Bridge have sparked considerable debate for their individualistic approach to repertoire and performance practice. Charles Michener in the NY Observer writes: “such was Rangell's intensity—like the late Glenn Gould, he seemed to be propelled by an irresistible force—that the listener's attention was riveted to the music.”
R E V I E W S:
Andrew Rangell always has something interesting to say. After making a series of provocative recordings, mostly Bach and Beethoven, for the Dorian label, Rangell was adopted by the good folks at Bridge, where he has continued to make unusual recordings that are both intellectually and emotionally satisfying.
This time around, Rangell has assembled a program of music composed mostly during the first half of the 17th century – several generations before Johann Sebastian Bach was active. In his extended yet very readable booklet note, Rangell explains this disc's overall title. In some of this music, "one can hear fleeting soundprints of Bach," but that is not precisely what Rangell is trying to get at. "The resemblances are noteworthy," he writes, "but the larger point, for me, is that in the area of articulation, contrapuntal balance, imaginative ornamentation, and rhythmic definition, Bach himself has been my most valued tutor in the study and appreciation of his predecessors."
I'm sure that Glenn Gould, one of the past century's most outstanding interpreters of Bach, would have agreed. Among Gould's recordings is a collection of music by William Byrd, Orlando Gibbons, and Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (Sony SMK 52589). At one point, Gould claimed that Gibbons was his favorite composer, and that composer's Lord of Salisbury Pavane and Galliard is common to both the Gould disc just referenced and the Rangell disc here reviewed.
For Gould, Gibbons also must have been a "bridge to Bach." There's no mistaking Gould for Rangell, or vice versa, but both pianists clearly adore this music. Both performances are quietly contemplative, and with their perfect proportions and clarity, they make listeners feel that all is right with the world. The same can be said for everything on A Bridge to Bach. The dexterous Rangell uncovers the beauty in all that he touches. He is like one of those professors in college who makes biology or physics not just understandable, but miraculous – even to English majors!
Like Gould, Rangell plays this music not on the keyboard instruments of the early to mid 1600s, but on a modern piano. (In Rangell's case, this is a Hamburg Steinway D.) These recordings, then, will be of little use for authenticists – forgive the neologism, but it seems appropriate – but will deeply satisfy those who believe that the message is more important the medium. Even more than Gould, Rangell uses the piano's full resources to play this music, and this gives his performances colors, excitement, and relevance of their own. Rangell also has a clear advantage in terms of engineering. Bridge's sound is far superior to what Columbia was giving Gould in the 1960s.
Also Available - Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 "Andrew Rangell's free-spirited Bach is distinguished by its powerful drive and intensity and a remarkable articulation that illuminates contrapuntal intricacies with microscopic clarity." -- Vivien Schweitzer, The New York Times [2/3/2008]
Footprint is delighted to release the debut recording from Harlanda Chamber Choir in the ensemble's tenth anniversary year. 'A bright star shineth' is an atmospheric celebration of Christmas music from throughout Europe from the Sixteenth Century to present day. This recording charts a Christmas journey from France to Iceland, via England, Wales, Ireland and of course Sweden. Traditional songs in alluring arrangements by Åke Hillerud and John Rutter and more are heard alongside original compositions by the likes of Francis Poulenc, Thomas Tallis and Morten Lauridsen. The choir pays homage to it's own roots with a traditional song from the Halland Province, 'Guds son är född' (arranged by Otto Olsson). Two premiere recordings from Scandinavian composers complete the picture: Ola Gjeilo's striking 'Det hev ei rose sprunge' and Anna Cederberg-Orreteg's emotive interpretation of Sibelius's 'Julvisa.' With fulsome, warm singing and careful direction from Molin, 'A bright star shineth' combines head and heart this festive season, "our birthday gift to ourselves and a Christmas present to the world," in the choir's own words.
Outstanding singers, conductors and directors come together in five diverse but compelling operas by Benjamin Britten. The turbulent, inward fishing community of Peter Grimes is transposed to a merciless 1980s society in Richard Jones' production. An 'outstanding' Sarah Connolly (Guardian) stars in The Rape of Lucretia, navigating the difficult tale with superb poise. Billy Budd is grippingly staged aboard the claustrophobic MS Indomitable, with Jacques Imbrailo portraying the troubled sailor in the 2010 Glyndebourne Festival Opera production by Michael Grandage. More light-hearted is the Royal Opera House staging of Gloriana, penned by Britten to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and featuring Susan Bullock as the monarch. Finally, Edward Gardner conducts the English National Opera in Deborah Warner's highly acclaimed production of Death in Venice, In which John Graham-Hall stars as the ageing Gustav von Aschenbach. These productions from some of the world's best opera houses offer five masterful performances that are an ideal way to experience Benjamin Britten's music. Filmed in High Definition and recorded in true Surround Sound.
A BRITTEN COLLECTION (7-DVD Box Set)
PETER GRIMES
Peter Grimes - John Graham Hall
Boy - Francesco Malvuccio Ellen Orford - Susan Gritton Captain Balstrode - Christopher Purves Auntie - Felicity Palmer First Niece - Ida Falk Winland Second Niece - Simona Mihai Bob Boles - Peter Hoare Swallow - Daniel Okulitch Mrs. Sedley - Catherine Wyn-Rogers Rev. Horace Adams - Christopher Gillett Ned Keene - George von Bergen
Milan La Scala Chorus and Orchestra Robin Ticciati, conductor Richard Jones, stage director
Recorded live at the Teatro alla Scala, June 2012
THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA
Lucretia - Sarah Connolly Tarquinius - Christopher Maltman Bianca - Catherine Wyn-Rogers Lucia - Mary Nelson Junius - Leigh Melrose Collatinus - Clive Bayley Female Chorus - Orla Boylan Male Chorus - John Mark Ainsley
English National Opera Orchestra Paul Daniel, conductor
David McVicar, stage director
Recorded live at the Aldeburgh Festival, The Maltings, Snape, 2001
BILLY BUDD
Captain Vere - John Mark Ainsley Billy Budd - Jacques Imbrailo Claggart - Phillip Ens Mr. Redburn - Iain Paterson Mr. Flint - Matthew Rose Lieutenant Ratcliffe - Darren Jeffery Red Whiskers - Alasdair Elliott Donald - John Moore Dansker - Jeremy White Novice - Ben Johnson Squeak - Colin Judson Bosun - Richard Mosley-Evans
Glyndebourne Chorus London Philharmonic Orchestra Mark Elder, conductor Michael Grandage, stage director
Recorded live at the Glyndebourne Opera House, 8 and 11 June 2010
GLORIANA
Queen Elizabeth I - Susan Bullock Earl of Essex - Toby Spence Countess of Essex - Patricia Bardon Lord Mountjoy - Mark Stone Lady Rich - Kate Royal Sir Robert Cecil - Jeremy Carpenter Sir Walter Raleigh - Clive Bayley Ballad Singer - Brindley Sherratt
Royal Opera Chorus Royal Opera House Orchestra Paul Daniel, conductor Richard Jones, stage director
Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, June 2013
DEATH IN VENICE
Gustav von Aschenbach - John Graham Hall Traveller / Elderly Fop / Gondolier / Barber / Hotel Manger / Player / Dionysus - Andrew Shore Apollo - Tim Mead Tadzio - Sam Zaldivar The Polish Mother - Laura Caldow Two Daughters - Mia Angelina Mather / Xhuliana Shehu The Governess - Joyce Henderson Jaschiu - Marcio Teixeira
English National Opera Chorus and Orchestra Edward Gardner, conductor Deborah Warner, stage director
Recorded live at the London Coliseum, June 2013
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Bonus: - Cast gallery (all) - Introduction to the opera (Billy Budd, Gloriana) - Introduction to the designs (Billy Budd) - Interviews with the cast and crew (Peter Grimes) - Comments from the director (The Rape of Lucretia) - Britten’s Aldeburgh (Gloriana)
Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic Sound format: DTS 5.1 (all) / + LPCM 2.0 (The Rape of Lucretia, Billy Budd, Gloriana) / + Dolby Digital 2.0 (Peter Grimes, Death in Venice) Region code: 0 (worldwide) Audio Language: English Menu Language: English Subtitles: English, French, German (all) + Japanese (Peter Grimes, The Rape of Lucretia, Gloriana) + Korean (Death in Venice) / + Spanish (Billy Budd) Running time: 13 hrs 10 mins (opera) + 27 mins (bonus) No. of DVDs: 7 (DVD 9)
Anyone who delves into the musical analysis of these 25 gems-into their incredible thematic structure, into their harmonic cosmos-will fall in love with them. Yet, the purely emotional enjoyment of such simply beautiful folk songs is also readily accessible-and, indeed, likely just as Britten intended, as a folk composer of his time. - Daniel Johannsen
The Russian composer Nikolai Kapustin (1937-2020), who died at the beginning of the pandemic-related cultural hiatus which has been unique with regard to world history, was able to experience considerable appreciation in his last two decades, which recently gained more and more momentum. Coming from an aristocracy of piano teaching - Kapustin was a pupil of a pupil of Horowitz's teacher Blumenfeld and then studied with the great Alexander Goldenweiser until 1961 - he was denied great recognition in the Soviet Union. As with many great piano composers since Chopin, the cycle of concert etudes from the middle of his life is particularly suitable for an introduction to this world of works. Kapustin's typical reference to jazz, which probably kept him from greater success in the Soviet years, is based on the highly individual, deliberate adaptation of stylistic elements. He got to know jazz greats such as Ellington, Basie, Cole, Garner, Peterson and others through records and the radio and picked out what suited him.
The extremely sensitive, not monotonously hammering as is so often the case, approach of the Chinese pianist A Bu, who is also trained in jazz, is pleasing with regard to interpretation, and he demonstrates his affinity for Kapustin's music through two samples of his own work. An affectionate and valuable addition to the recording is the story of his acquaintance with Kapustin in Moscow told by the young A Bu in the accompanying booklet, illustrated with photos.
A Byzantine Emperor at King Henry's Court / Lingas, Cappella Romana
Cappella Records
SACD
$21.99Feb 03, 2023
At the end of the fourteenth century, musical worlds collided in England as Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos spent Christmas at King Henry IV’s royal court. For the first and only time, florid chant, polyphony, royal ceremonial, and imperial acclamations from both kingdoms and rites echoed antiphonally in London’s Eltham Palace. Cappella Romana’s performance is illuminated by the latest research on historically informed performance of medieval music. Cappella Romana tells this musical story of cultural contact in international crisis with clarity and beauty.
Travel back to a Christmas like no other before or since, with music for the Nativity of Christ not heard in centuries. Vocal ensemble Cappella Romana combines passion with scholarship in its exploration of early and contemporary music of the Christian East and West. Its name refers to the medieval Greek concept of the Roman oikoumene (inhabited world), which embraced Rome and Western Europe as well as the Byzantine Empire of Constantinople (“New Rome”) and its Slavic commonwealth. A Byzantine Emperor at King Henry’s Court is Cappella Romana’s 30th release.
REVIEW:
What is most striking here is that Cappella Romana, although deeply immersed in Byzantine ways of singing, also accomplishes a very different and distinctive sound for the English pieces, adding an appealing bit of gravel in the texture. As with other Cappella Romana recordings, this one was splendidly recorded at the Madeleine Parish in Portland, Oregon. With detailed booklet notes exploring the various issues involved, this is a unique and fascinating medieval release.
A CANADIAN BRASS CHRISTMAS: 1. Ding Dong! Merrily On High 2. God Rest You Merry Gentlemen 3. Sussex Carol 4. Here We Come A-Wassailing 5. I Saw Three Ships 6. Good Christian Men Rejoice 7. Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella 8. Huron Carol, The 9. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 10. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer 11. Little Drummer Boy, The 12. Silver Bells 13. White Christmas 14. Christmas Song, The 15. Winter Wonderland 16. Go Tell It On The Mountain 17. Frosty The Snowman
"What a refreshing musical gift this is! Those familiar with the Gloriae Dei Cantores singers know what a sterling ensemble they are; they deliver all the goods here. Seagull Seven's jazzy arrangement of "Deck the Hall" really rocks! In these and all else, the singers exude joy and cheer through artful, infectious performances that are immaculate and engaging. The rich warmth of tone is balanced by vibrancy and energy. This is musical merriment that will bring great cheer at Christmas time–or any time!" —James Hildreth, The American Organist
"Here's a joyful and beautifully sung album of seasonal specialties ......this ensemble can claim many choral strengths, but their most remarkable attribute is their spiritual intensity and sincerity. Sound quality is beyond reproach; notes and texts are laid out in a colorful and festive booklet." —Lindsay Koob, American Record Guide
"The choral artistry for which Gloriae Dei Cantores has become known can be heard in each selection. The ageless and profound wonder of Christmas comes alive with the singing of each word and the playing of each note." —Wallace Cheatham, Christianity and the Arts
A Cathedral of Sound - The Bach-Busoni Transcriptions / Madge
Zefir Records
CD
$20.99Dec 01, 2023
Almost all major composers have written important transcriptions, some even reaching the status of a masterpiece. Transcriptions often reflect the period in which they were written. The Liszt-Bach transcriptions being very different from the masterly Bach Chaconne for violin and his choral preludes by Ferruccio Busoni. Liszt is basically urtext-true in his Bach and Beethoven transcriptions, while Busoni incorporated in his transcriptions not only the text of the work but also the total acoustical end result.
A Cavalier Christmas / Gameson, Ebors Singers, Chelys Consort of Viols
Resonus Classics
CD
$9.49$18.99Save 50%Nov 17, 2017
Following on from their debut release on Resonus – 'Music for Troubled Times' – The Ebor Singers, with director Paul Gameson, returns to the label with a companion album of music for Christmas from the time of the English Civil War. With 'A Cavalier Christmas', the choir are joined by the Chelys Consort of Viols in exploring this fascinating, yet turbulent, period in music as Charles I sought to continue to observe the festive season in style, contrary to attempts by England’s Puritan-influenced parliament to ban such celebrations. Acclaimed for performances and recordings that sparkle with fresh insight and vibrant musicality, The Ebor Singers has earned a reputation as one of the most exciting vocal ensembles in the north of England. Based in the beautiful medieaval city of York, the choir performs regularly in the city’s stunning buildings, including York Minster.
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REVIEWS:
What Christmas music was sung during the English Civil War period? The York-based Ebor Singers answer that question in this fine anthology of works by Gibbons, Byrd, Dering, Jenkins and others.
– BBC Music Magazine
Paul Gameson coaxes fine singing and some admirable solo contributions from his Ebor ensemble, with the Chely’s Consort of Viols providing discrete accompaniment throughout.
A Celebration - Perkinson: Grass, Etc / Freeman, Et Al
Cedille
CD
$19.99Jan 01, 2005
This posthumous anthology consisting of selections from 50 years of work by composer Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932?2004) includes six world premieres?that is to say, it took 50 years for this man?s lifetime output to be recognized. Perhaps that is not so shocking. After all, how easy was it for a black man in the 1950s to obtain a bachelor?s and master?s degree from Manhattan School of Music, and compose his first major work at the age of 22 within the confines of a segregated society? But Perkinson, the namesake of black British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875?1912), didn?t consider himself generically a black composer. Whether or not he allowed himself to be typecast as an ethnic artist, Perkinson?s interpretation of white, WASP, and Western musical convention is spiked with vintage blues and jazz. His music is, therefore, in an uncanny and paradoxical way, the reverse of the cultural plundering associated with Gershwin?s and Dvo?ák?s musical appropriations. Consequently, if Perkinson?s music isn?t especially innovative, we shouldn?t be surprised that a victim of discrimination and ghettoization would not choose to further isolate himself by throwing 12-tone rows into the mix. After all, experimentation is the spawn of prosperity, not the privilege of the hardship.
Perkinson?s Sinfonietta No. 1 for strings, composed in 1955, might have been considered, if composed by a young Caucasian, the work of a wunderkind. The precocious piece is an homage to Bach, and throughout his life Perkinson returned to fugal writing as a religious rite of appreciation for the German master. Two years later, Perkinson began to infiltrate into his technique the echoes of his ancestor slaves. Quartet No. 1,based on ?Calvary? (Negro Spiritual) weaves together the dualism of his segregated world into one lucid harmonious dream.
The next selection on the disc was composed 20 years later. One wonders what happened in the intervening years, though we know that Perkinson had the opportunity to work with Leonard Bernstein, Max Roach, Alvin Ailey, Jerome Robbins, Marvin Gaye, and Harry Belafonte. He also co-founded and conducted the Symphony of the New World. Blue/s Forms for solo violin (1972) is a deep reverie of black experience as seen through the filter of Paganiniesque writing. Sanford Allen plays it with tender feeling. Equally luscious is Lamentations, ablack/folk song suite for solo cello,played by Tahirah Whittington.
Just before his death, Perkinson composed the last selection on the disc, Movement for String Trio. It is a profoundly sweet, sad, Barberesque self-requiem for a man who should have been heard, and one hopes will be heard now?though he won?t be here to enjoy the long overdue recognition.
I Am with You - Christ's Passion, the ultimate sacrifice, is the subject of I Am With You. This release includes one of two recordings of the chanted passion narrative according to the Gospel of John, featuring three cantors who assume the characters in the story of the passion. This stirring Gregorian chant evokes the passion, mystery, and beauty of the life of Christ.
