When Grammy Award winning musician Billy Childs was 11 years old, his older sisters introduced him to the work of Songwriters and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame singer/songwriter Laura Nyro. Her blend of Broadway-inspired melodies, jazz improvisation and socially conscious lyrics have stayed with him. Now Billy has returned to his early source of inspiration, conceiving and orchestrating his new album, MAP TO THE TREASURE: REIMAGINING LAURA NYRO. Childs is not alone in his enthusiasm for Nyro's music, an incredible range of musicians join him in interpreting her narratives. Classical soprano Renee Fleming and cellist Yo-Yo Ma add new meaning to her hometown ode, 'New York Tendaberry.' Jazz stars Esparanza Spalding and Wayne Shorter collaborate on Nyro's pictorial 'Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp,' and R&B chanteuse Ledisi updates one of Nyro's biggest hits, 'Stoned Soul Picnic.' Other prominent voices include Alison Krauss, Rickie Lee Jones, Shawn Colvin, Dianne Reeves, Susan Tedeschi, Lisa Fischer and Becca Stevens, with featured instrumental soloists Chris Botti, Jerry Douglas, Chris Potter and Steve Wilson.

ROMEO AND JULIET

BEST OF PLÁCIDO DOMINGO

Original soundtrack to the acclaimed TV series composed by Jeff Russo, the guitarist, vocalist and producer, best known as a founding member of rock band Tonic. Recently he has scored films, TV programs and commercials, including the ABC dramas THE UNUSUALS and MY GENERATION, the NBC drama CROSSING JORDAN, the Discovery Channel's FREE FALL, the USA Network show NECESSARY ROUGHNESS, the CBS Network show HOSTAGES. Along with his current work on Fargo, he is also writing the score for the Starz drama POWER.

There are few concerts in the world that are awaited with as much excitement as the New Year’s Concert from Vienna. Under the direction of Christian Thielemann, the Vienna Philharmonic ushers in the New Year with a concert in the magnificent Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein.

The concert is relayed to over ninety countries all round the world, reaching an audience of more than fifty million.

The 2019 New Year’s Concert will be conducted for the first time by Christian Thielemann. A native of Berlin, Thielemann has been a regular and welcome guest of the Vienna Philharmonic since 2000, with the result that his first New Year’s Concert may be seen as setting an example and providing an appropriate tribute to his previous work with the orchestra. According to the orchestra’s chairman, Daniel Froschauer, orchestra and musicians trust each other completely: “The profound musical understanding and trust that have existed from the outset and that have always functioned perfectly have subsequently borne remarkable fruit in the symphonic repertory as well.”

Among the works that will be heard at the 2019 New Year’s Concert is the Transactions Waltz by Josef Strauß. Its title could serve as a motto for the 150th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations between Austria and Japan. Since 1987 the New Year’s Concert has been shown live on Japanese television. Among the works by Johann Strauß that Christian Thielemann is conducting are his Express Polka, his waltz Pictures of the North Sea, excerpts from his only fully-fledged opera, Knight Pázmán, and the overture to The Gypsy Baron. In addition to works by other members of the Strauß family, the concert also features music by Josef Hellmesberger (ii) and Carl Michael Ziehrer.

The tradition of presenting New Year’s Concerts began in 1941. The first concert marking the New Year was given in 1939, albeit on 31 December. The first conductor was Clemens Krauss. Willi Boskovsky took over in 1955 and conducted no fewer than twenty-five New Year’s Concerts between then and 1979. The list of musicians who have conducted New Year’s Concerts reads like a who’s who of leading maestros. The New Year’s Concert was first broadcast live on television in 1959. The Vienna Philharmonic regards this now traditional event as a way of wishing the world a Happy New Year through the medium of music in a spirit of hope, friendship and peace.

1 Minuet Rob Moose / Chris Thile 1:45

2 Minim Dustin O'Halloran 2:31

3 Jardim Do Amor Mia Doi Todd Mia Doi Todd 4:16

4 Time Drinks Three Shots (From You Us We All) Shara Worden Shara Worden 1:40

5 Number Man Paul de Jong 3:23

6 The Watchmaker Stuart Bogie / Grey McMurray 5:30

7 Very Own Julianna Barwick 4:04

8 Minim Victor Axelrod / Dustin O'Halloran 3:07

9 Passacaglia Amiina 4:05

10 Contrapunctus I Max Richter 4:20

11 Arioso Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Miguel Atwood-Ferguson 4:15

12 Air Daniel Hope 5:04

13 Cello Suite No.1 Gary Bartz / Ron Carter 3:23

14 Ave Maria Pia Ercole / Fhloston Paradigm 3:08

15 Ludepre Carl Craig / Francesco Tristano 8:07

16 Contrapunctus II Jeff Mills / Kronos Quartet 4:45

17 Contrapunctus II Kronos Quartet 2:29

18 Concerto No.5 Om'Mas Keith 5:40

19 Dear Goldberg Gabriel Kahane Gabriel Kahane 3:58

Prophets of the New is a series from Sony focusing on classic recordings of the 20th century's most revolutionary works. Among the most beautiful of modern masterpieces, Rothko Chapel was written to be performed in, and perfectly reflects, the spiritual environment created by painter Mark Rothko.

WILLIAMS The Adventures of Tintin • John Williams, cond; Studio O • SONY 88697975882 (65:44)


After a three-year absence to the regret of symphonic film-music fans who are tired of gloomy synthesizer-driven scores, John Williams has forcefully reappeared with two large-scale orchestral scores for Steven Spielberg blockbusters. There were even rumors that the 80-year-old composer was retiring after The Adventures of Tintin and War Horse , but it has now been verified that at the very least he will be doing Spielberg’s mega production of Lincoln , due for release next Christmas. The prospect of Williams scoring an epic biography of Lincoln is enough to make his many fans drool. The Adventures of Tintin has already grossed more than $250 million overseas, and because of the popularity of Hergé’s stories in Europe, it seems as if it will be a rare example of an action adventure that makes more moncy there than in the United States. The solid Spielbergian story of redemption and self worth may not be popular these days with critics, but it will still sell tickets.


Tintin is first and foremost characterized by its nonstop pace and technical razzle-dazzle. The numerous action sequences give Williams plenty of opportunities for flashy music. No one in Hollywood now, with the possible exception of Michael Giacchino, could come up with this kind of score, and Giacchino has not yet shown that he can integrate so many melodies and variations in such a virtuosic fashion. The Main Title sequence is a jazz-inflected, self-contained instrumental tour de force in the style of Catch Me If You Can and The Terminal , but is better than both of them. It runs over memorably quirky visuals that could have been created by Saul Bass, and includes fleeting references to the Cantina Band music from Star Wars. Tintin is an orchestral showpiece on the level of Hook , but with more of a transparent chamber feel to it. There are shades of Harry Potter and sly references to the Imperial March from the Star Wars films and the main theme from The Fury . There are so many complex interactions with the copious thematic material that the relentless, animated, Indiana Jones-type action rarely degenerates into loud and repetitive note-spinning like the seemingly endless Desert Chase sequence from Raiders of the Lost Ark (that music works well in the picture, but not as a listening experience on the CD). Williams accomplishes all of this with a fairly standard orchestra, plus saxophones, accordion, guitar, piano, and harpsichord. The only negative for Williams fans will be that the score lacks an epic theme in the Star Wars-Superman-E.T mold. Some may also complain that it is more technically brilliant than lovable, but Williams’s music matches the visuals perfectly, as always. Beware the source cue where Renée Fleming sings an aria from Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet , climaxing with an explosion of shattered glass that is important to the plot but unlistenable on the CD.


The soundtrack recording contains all of the meaningful music in the film with spectacular and aggressive (but not harsh), closely miked sound. On a good system, the bass drum is stunning. With the Tintin score, you have to go with the (fast) flow. Williams hasn’t lost a beat. In fact, it sounds as if he thoroughly enjoyed doing this. Play the demonstration recording loud and marvel at what Williams can do with a large orchestra.


FANFARE: Arthur Lintgen

First time on CD from the Metropolitan Opera’s archives: Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. A delightful performance from January 28, 1961 with Roberta Peters, Mildred Miller, Lucine Amara, Kim Borg and Cesare Siepi all at the height of their careers. Conducted by Erich Leinsdorf.

THE LITTLEST PRISONER

2015 release, the sophomore album from the UK's musical theatre supergroup. COLLABRO were one of THE UK success stories of 2014. Not only did they win Britain's Got Talent and go on to perform at the Royal Variety Show, they also entered the charts at #1 with their debut album. That album went on to sell over 180,000 copies, making it one of only a handful of new British artists that went Gold or Platinum with their debut releases. This second collection includes more of your favourite West End and Broadway Theatre classics along with the boys inimitable take on some Classic songs, given the COLLABRO twist. With a sell-out tour already under their collective belts and their first biography out in March, 2015 promises to be another record breaking year for COLLABRO.

This score was composed by three-time Academy Award winning composer Howard Shore and was performed by Classical music superstar violinist Nicola Benedetti and the London Philharmonic.

Prophets of the New is a series from Sony focusing on classic recordings of the 20th century's most revolutionary works. Le Sacre du Printemps serves as a point of reference to all who seek to establish the birth certificate of what is still called “contemporary” music.

R E V I E W S

There is a controlled intensity about Boulez's 1971 New York performance of Petrushka... In The Rite of Spring...Boulez is less lyrical than the composer but compensates with relentless rhythmic urgency. The massive vividness of sound matches the monolithic quality of the interpretation.

-- Penguin Guide
reviewing Le Sacre du Printemps previously reissued on Sony 64109

Deodato's arrangements and Airto's percussion brought Brazilian undercurrents to the smooth, bluesy sound of this 1971 Turrentine gem. His sax is equally sultry on the driving grooves and ethereal pieces: Salt Song; Vera Cruz; Storm; Gibraltar; I Told Jesus, and more!

PURE DESMOND 40TH EDITION