This new West Side Story, the first American-based recording to appear since DG's star-studded 1985 composer-conducted version, blessedly avoids that earlier production's operatic pretensions, returning instead to the work's Broadway roots by using young, theatrically trained singers with some genuine acting ability. Even with that, it's probably wishful thinking to expect that this cast (fine as it is) can recreate the vibrant, raw freshness and scintillating brilliance of the original. Mike Eldred's Tony comes off best; singing with a more mature sound than Larry Kert, he nonetheless creates a sense of heightened expectancy and wonder in "Something's Coming". As Maria, Betsi Morrison struggles to maintain an authentic-sounding Puerto Rican accent, but she sings beautifully throughout, especially in "Tonight" and "I Have a Love". I'm afraid Marianne Cook's Anita is no match for Chita Rivera's, but she communicates the character's feelings convincingly enough. The remainder of the ensemble consists of good, solid, legit voices, but a lot has changed on Broadway since 1957: the overall style of singing, with its occasionally overemphatic declamation (as in "A Boy Like That" and "Cool") makes clear how years of Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals have influenced American performers.


This recording utilizes Bernstein's score in its original form, before it underwent the necessary revisions to make it more suitable to the needs of musical theater at the time. Actually, it sounds pretty much the same, the most obvious distinctions being a few missing bars near the end of the Prologue and the different vocal arrangement for "America".


Kenneth Schermerhorn was studying with Bernstein during the creation of West Side Story and briefly was considered as a possible conductor for the premiere. Finally getting his chance nearly 50 years later, Schermerhorn conducts the score with an authority and enthusiasm that reveals his intimate knowledge and personal conviction, even if at times his tempos drag (as in "I feel pretty" and "Gee Officer Krupke"), though not as much as the elderly Bernstein's. Then there's the somewhat obsessive concern with full note values at the expense of rhythmic flow (as in the "Jet Song", and in "Quintet", with its heavy articulation on the word "tonight") that occasionally robs the music of its spontaneity.


Throughout, the Nashville Symphony plays with an ideal blend of symphonic elegance and jazzy swagger that shows why this work is such a wonderful classic. Only the multimiked and obviously studio-bound recording, with its artificially close voices, slightly disappoints. Yet despite this and the above-noted concerns, this production faithfully recreates the magical and enthralling world that is West Side Story, and anyone coming to this piece afresh is in for a rare and special experience. [11/4/2002]
--Victor Carr Jr, ClassicsToday.com

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.

Technically flawless and very sensitively performed.

Felix Mendelssohn is recognised for helping revive the reputation of J.S. Bach, but it was his mother who encouraged Felix and his sister Fanny to play Bach. This early keyboard exploration of Bach’s forms and counterpoint is no doubt responsible for the many fugues and preludes in Mendelssohn’s output, and the Sechs Präludien und Fugen op. 35 are prime examples. The shapes of the fugue themes in particular echo Bach’s model, and it is impossible to hear the opening of the A flat major fugue, for instance, without thinking of the Well Tempered Clavier. Mendelssohn’s song-like flow and love of chorales are all part of the mix, and the pieces are by no means a pale imitation of Bach. Not conceived as a cycle, these preludes & fugues nevertheless traverse a wide range of approaches and styles, creating a nicely contrasting set. The adaptation of Mendelssohn’s idiom into ‘antique’ styles of polyphony results in the kind of intensification of ideas within a fugue which makes for a variation-form feel and grand climaxes. Mendelssohn’s skill however maintains a sincere clarity, and even where all the stops are pulled out one can sense a lack of pomposity and bombast – ably assisted of course by the fine playing of Mi-Joo Lee. Schumann was famously inspired to state that Mendelssohn’s Preludes & Fugues were “birches, where Bach once placed such mighty oaks...” and “compositions born of the spirit and executed in poetic style.”
 
The playing of piano duets was a strong element of music making in households at this time, and the Mendelssohn residence was no exception. Arrangements of the latest symphonic or operatic hits would inevitably have arrangements made, and be made widely popular through domestic use. The problem with Mendelssohn and his sister Fanny is that they had far too much skill and fun, and would play through all kinds of repertoire without needing to go through all the tedious effort of writing down the notes. As a result there is very little of Mendelssohn’s own work in this genre which reaches us. The Ouvertüre zum Sommernachtstraum was eventually arranged for piano duet in a simplified but still highly virtuosic form - the one developed by Felix and Fanny over numerous performances done from the score must have been remarkable indeed. This is always a refreshingly inspired piece, and comes across with plenty of colour and sparkle from the duet on this recording.
 
The Andante con Variazioni op. 83a is an arrangement and expansion of the original Op.83 version for two hands, made in haste by Mendelssohn for one of Fanny’s ‘Sonntagsmusiken’ concerts. The original five variations received an additional three movements, and the whole given plenty of extra technical fireworks. The Andante und Allegro assai vivace op. 92 was especially written for and appeared on the 1841 Leipzig Gewandhaus programme played by Felix Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann, the same concert at which Schumann’s first symphony was premiered. There is a certain amount of editorial interest with this piece, with the first published engraving being derived from an incomplete draft and not the final copy, which was first published only in 1994. The best known element is the Allegro, which is here preceded with the more recently added Andante introduction. Of all the pieces here this is the most remarkable in terms of its musical content – the virtuoso elements taking hold of the textural content of the work in ways which can take you quite by surprise, almost approaching the kinds of thing I’ve become more used to hearing in MDG’s ‘Player Piano’ series.
 
Mi-Joo Lee has received justified plaudits for her previous recordings of Schumann and Saint-Saëns on the MDG label, and fans will have plenty to entertain them with this Mendelssohn disc. The duet pieces with Klaus Hellwig are technically flawless and very sensitively performed in true chamber music style, and there are few enough recordings of this repertoire around to make this a very welcome top-flight addition to the catalogue. There is a bit of lower mid-range bloom in the piano sound, but any mild sponginess snaps more into focus with SACD decoding. I have no doubt MDG’s 2+2+2 setup would bring even more improvements, but in essence the sound is very good all round, with plenty of depth and colour.
 
-- Dominy Clements, MusicWeb International
 

Ned Rorem' clarity of emotional expression is perfectly suited to the 'breathy gold' of the flute.

Classical Music

The German violinist Friedrich Seitz was born in Günthersleben near Gotha in 1848 and died in Dessau in 1918. He served as a conductor in Sondershausen, where he had studied, as concert-master in Magdeburg and from 1884 as Court Concert-Master in Dessau. He was particularly active as a teacher, and is remembered for his Schülerkonzerte, teaching concertos, which introduce pupils to something of nineteenth-century concerto technique and remain a part of teaching repertoire. On this new release, violinist Hyejin Chung and pianist Warren Lee explore his five Concertos for Violin and Piano- by far his most successful works. Hyejin Chung studied with Takako Nishizaki at the Academy for Performing Arts in Hong Kong and graduated with an Advanced Certificate in violin performance. Subsequently she went to Russia and studied with S.I. Kravchenko, a student and assistant of Leonid Kogan, at the Moscow State Conservatory. After settling in Hong Kong, she focused on playing chamber music and teaching advanced students at the Takako Nishizaki Violin Studio. This is her second recording for Naxos.

Julia Lee - King Size Papa: The Julia Lee Collection 1927-52 / it is a thoroughly enjoyable showcase for her very personal brand of R&B. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1902, pianist and singer Julia Lee grew up singing and playing in the musical hotbed of that city's jazz scene in the '20s and '30s, developing a style that featured "the songs my mother taught me not to sing" - risqu� material with unsubtle double entendres - and in 1944 signed to the fledgling, but already successful Capitol label. This great-value 72-track 3-CD collection comprises early recordings with the orchestra of her brother George Lee and then with Jay McShann, followed by most of her A & B sides with Her Boy Friends on Premier/Mercury and Capitol from this era. It features all her career hits, including her R&B No. 1s "Snatch It And Grab It" and "King Size Papa", and her Top 10 hits "Gotta Gimme Watcha Got", I'll Get Long Somehow", "Tell Me Daddy", "That's What I Like", "You Ain't Git It No More" and "I Didn't Like It The First Time". She was a highly distinctive performer, and hugely entertaining, and this collection, as well as being a substantial and reasonably comprehensive overview of the primary era of her recording career, is a thoroughly enjoyable showcase for her very personal brand of R&B.

On Parts to Play, critically acclaimed violinist Moonkyung Lee turns from the symphonic environment of the critically lauded label debut, Tchaikovsky, on which she performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, to a more intimate setting, with only pianist Martha Locker as her partner on a selection of works that include both stunning solo performances and intricate yet simple duets. Choosing to include Prokofiev’s “Sonata for Solo Violin” amid compositions from six contemporary composers who collectively represent three decades of works is indicative of Lee’s ability to tease out the subtle nuances of every piece she performs. The three-movement suite moves from the simplicity of Moderato’s Classical sonata format through the more lyrically, introverted Andante Dolce to the clever finale, Con Brio. Similarly, her transit through Benjamin Ellin’s composition for solo violin, “Three States at Play,” is a nuanced journey through three movements, in which the more serene second movement is bookended by two outer movements that are quite rhythmically active. When performing duets with Locker, such as on Rain Worthington’s “Jilted Tango,” Lee’s violin seamlessly integrates with the piano to create an atmosphere both spirited and poignant, capturing the “push and pull in a dance of love” implied by its title. Another sort of dance entirely is captured on the duo’s performance of the vibrant and upbeat “Grand Tartanella.” Moonkyung Lee’s career includes numerous accolades, awards and scholarships including the Yale Chamber Music Celebration, and an NYU/Steinhardt Doctoral Fellowship for Doctoral Studies, of which she was the first ever classical string performer recipient. Her extensive array of performances, both in Europe in the US, include collaborations with many eminent ensembles, conductors and performers.

Edition Luigi Boccherini: Divertimenti - Oboe Quintets

CHRISTMAS WITH PLACIDO DOMINGO

Legendary saxophonist Lee Konitz, has led an extensive reocrding career that spans six decades. This recording marks the manifestation of Lee's desire to represent the "possibilities to be creative" in the organic, improvisational nature of jazz.

As the title suggests, the recording Tenorlee finds Lee Konitz, the great American saxophonist, playing exclusively on tenor. It was a spontaneous decision, and a tribute to his dear friend, Lighthouse All-Star saxophonist Richie Kamuca, who had passed away just days before Konitz entered the studio for these sessions. Konitz classically trained on the clarinet, but switched to jazz saxophone after being enamored by Lester Young. By 1945 the 18 year old Konitz was performing professionally. He made a staggering 150 albums as a band leader over the course of his long and storied career. He played and recorded with everyone from Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, Ornette Colman, Elvin Jones, and Gerry Mulligan, to Elvis Costello, Brad Mehldau and Charlie Haden. Between 1948 and 1950, he was a member of Miles Davis' group, and participated in the recordings that would eventually be collected and released as Birth of The Cool. With a trio featuring Lighthouse All-Star alum Jimmy Rowles on piano and Michael Moore on bass, Kontiz called out old and familiar songs. The intention was to "let the tunes happen" as only finely tuned jazz musicians of certain experience can. Of note is "Lady Be Good" which finds Konitz and Rowles quoting Lester Young's solo from the 1936 recording with Count Basie. From 1978, originally on the Choice label, this album has been remastered and is presented here as the artist intended, with it's original title, track order and album artwork, for the first time since it's original release. Remastered by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering. Vinyl cut by Jeff Powell at Take Out Vinyl.

Lee Wiley-voc w. Rusty Dedrick-tpt+, Johnny Mince-cl & as, Buddy Morrow-tmb, Dick Hyman-pno & organ, Bucky Pizzarelli-gtr, George Duvivier-bs, Don Lamond-dms, 1971 plus a previously unreleased 1965 demo session with Joe Bushkin on piano.

Vinyl LP pressing. Peggy Lee had a wide-ranging and diverse career as a singer, songwriter and actress. Tony Bennett called her "the female Frank Sinatra," and Frank Sinatra said that she "should be studied by all vocalists." The focus of this collection is the jazz-oriented recordings Lee made for Decca Records from 1952-56 and includes several tracks from her stellar album, Black Coffee.

When listening to and watching John Lee perform, there are qualities that you consistently hear and see. Lee exudes an unerring sense for swing, shows an instinct for knowing when to play intricate lines or an economy of notes, and above all, radiates deep joy. All of these qualities are front and center on Lee's exceptional debut recording as a leader, The Artist.

The incredible John Lee's sophomore recording for Cellar Music is a hard swinging, and intricate jazz album. It features multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger Lee on piano alongside his favorite rhythm section of all time: Kenny Washington on drums and Peter Washington on bass. The album features 3 newly penned original Lee compositions.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Following the runaway success of The Sidewinder in 1964, Alfred Lion continued to record trumpeter Lee Morgan frequently in the hopes of capturing another funky boogaloo hit. While his subsequent albums may not have scaled the same commercial heights, Morgan certainly delivered the musical goods on his 1965 albums The Rumproller, The Gigolo, and Cornbread, all of which stand among the finest outings in his formidable discography. Recorded over two dates that Summer, The Gigolo featured Morgan with a dynamic quintet comprised of Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Harold Mabern on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. A supremely confident set of swaggering hard bop, the album kicks off with the groovy opener "Yes I Can, No You Can't," one of four Morgan originals featured here along with the up-tempo gems "Trapped" and "Speedball," and stirring explorations of the 11-minute "The Gigolo." The album closes with an exceptional arrangement of the ballad "You Go To My Head" which sways with sensual movement.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Lee Morgan's 1968 album Taru found the trumpeter at a crossroads exploring a variety of styles from modal jazz and post-bop to beautiful balladry and funky boogaloos. The band here is notable for the elevating presence of guitarist George Benson and the addition of tenor saxophonist Bennie Maupin. This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing housed in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket. Lee Morgan's Infinity, which was recorded in 1965 but not released until 1981, finds the great trumpeter leading a robust quintet featuring saxophonist Jackie McLean, pianist Larry Willis, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Billy Higgins to the far reaches of the hard bop tradition and beyond. Blue Note Tone Poet Series is remastered from the original analog tapes.

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Classical Music