NEW AND NOTABLE RELEASES
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"Grieg: Violin Sonatas"
Pierre Amoyal, violin; Frederic Chiu, piano
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Edvard Grieg's violin sonatas may be lesser known than some
of his masterpieces (namely, "Peer Gynt"), but they still
boast a folksy charm and rhapsodic intensity. Here, Pierre
Amoyal and Frederic Chiu shed light on these lyrical and
melodic chamber music pieces with spontaneous, inspired
playing.
"Chopin: 24 Preludes, Sonata No. 2, Polonaise"
Evgeny Kissin, piano
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Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin's career was founded on
Chopin, so it's no surprise that his latest disc featuring
the composer's 24 Preludes is a gem. Technically, he's
spot-on (as usual) and he makes some interesting choices in
his timing. The gamble pays off, however, and Kissin's
intense performance of the "Funeral March" sonata is just
one of many highlights.
"The Eight Seasons"
Gidon Kremer, violin; Kremerata Baltica Ensemble
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Admittedly, we've all heard Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" a
few too many times. So, why buy yet another interpretation?
Perhaps because violinist Gidon Kremer seems to make every
recording special and--by ingeniously mixing each Vivaldi
season with one composed by Astor Piazzolla--he's created
yet another fascinating, culture-melding disc. Kremer's
playing, as always, is impassioned and remarkable.
"100 Years of Strauss"
Andre Rieu, violin
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Violinist Andre Rieu will never be a critic's darling, but
his bouncy performances on public television have made him a
superstar. Here, Rieu waltzes through some of Johann
Strauss's best-loved works on the 100th anniversary of the
composer's passing. From the peppy "Perpetual Motion" to a
soft-focus "Blue Danube," this disc will surely please
Rieu's growing legion of fans.
NEW REISSUES
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"Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15"
Eugene Ormandy, cond.; Philadelphia Orchestra
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The Shostakovich revival is in full swing, and what better
way to hear the composer's last symphony than on this great
reissue featuring Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia
Orchestra at the height of their powers. This disc,
featuring the American premiere of the work from 1972,
sounds better than ever, thanks to RCA's great
remastering. As a bonus, we get to hear Emil Gilels perform
the composer's second piano sonata.
"Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Books 1 & 2"
Rosalyn Tureck, piano
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Rosalyn Tureck's famed 1953 recordings of Bach's
"Well-Tempered Clavier" are finally back in print (after
being unavailable since the '70s) and boasting an improved
sound. For those used to the Glenn Gould school of Bach,
this disc may come as a surprise.
"Appalachian Journey"
Yo-Yo Ma, cello; Edgar Meyer, bass; Mark O'Connor, fiddle
on Sale
The follow-up to "Appalachia Waltz" is, of course, yet
another crossover collaboration blending the sounds of
bluegrass and chamber music. This disc features special
guests James Taylor and Alison Krauss.
"Richard Strauss: Violin Concerto; Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 18"
Sarah Chang, violin; Wolfgang Sawallisch, cond. and piano;
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
on Sale
Sarah Chang delivers one of her strongest performances to
date with this recording of lesser-heard Strauss. Wolfgang
Sawallisch provides the perfect accompaniment to Chang.
"Rautavaara: Piano Concerto No. 3; Autumn Gardens"
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano and conductor; Helsinki
Philharmonic Orchestra.
on Sale
With the choices for both Best Classical Album and Best
Opera Recording, this year's Grammy Awards in classical
categories seemed to acknowledge the towering
accomplishments of Igor Stravinsky as we pass from a century
he creatively dominated to a new one. Moreover, the judges
gave multiple nods to the eminence of Pierre Boulez, a
classical music phenomenon now approaching his 75th
birthday. Here are some of the top winners, along with our
thoughts (and in some cases, our own choices).
Best Classical Album
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Winner:
"Stravinsky: Firebird; The Rite of Spring; Persephone"
San Francisco Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
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Why It Won: This multiple-nominated set of Stravinsky
interpretations packed several punches, for its superb
engineering and virtuoso orchestral fire along with the
charismatic vision of Michael Tilson Thomas. It's no wonder
that "MTT" has helped make the West Coast orchestral scene
perhaps the most vital in contemporary American musical
life. Having actually worked with Stravinsky as a precocious
youngster, he leads some magnificently compelling
interpretations of two of the composer's warhorses and of
the unjustly neglected "Persephone."
Our Pick:
"Mozart: Cosi fan tutte"
Veronique Gens, Werner Gura, et al.; Concerto Koln; Rene
Jacobs, conductor
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Great as the Stravinsky set is, there's one release from the
Grammy year that opera lovers simply can't overlook. Too
long considered an erotic trifle, this was the last of
Mozart's three da Ponte operas to be recognized as a
masterpiece of psychological insight, of the same caliber as
Shakespeare's bittersweet comedies. This is a magnificently
bracing period-instrument interpretation--making the
Amazon.com Best of '99 list--but is never fussy, under the
keen and witty direction of Rene Jacobs. And the bonus
CD-ROM allows you to explore the context and character of
Mozart's opera in fascinating detail.
Best Opera Recording
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Winner:
"Stravinsky: The Rake's Progress"
Anne Sofie von Otter, Ian Bostridge, Bryn Terfel, et al.;
London Symphony Orchestra, Monteverdi Choir; John Eliot
Gardiner, conductor
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Why It Won: The judges were justifiably wowed here by John
Eliot Gardiner's magnificent overall concept, as well as the
chilling Nick Shadow portrayed by opera's current darling,
Bryn Terfel. Inspired by Hogarth's morality-tale paintings
of 18th-century decadence, this is one of the greatest of
all 20th-century operas, featuring a particularly brilliant
libretto by poet W.H. Auden and some of its composer's most
engaging music. Gardiner proves himself the stylistic
polymath yet again in a recording on which everything comes
together, including a splendid cast featuring Anne Sofie von
Otter, Deborah York, and Ian Bostridge.
Our Pick:
"Offenbach: Orphee aux Enfers"
Natalie Dessay, Ewa Podles, Veronique Gens, et al.; Lyon
Opera Orchestra; Marc Minkowski, conductor
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A very tough choice indeed, as "The Rake's Progress" ranked
among our favorites, along with Antonio Pappano's
illuminating Puccini "Il Trittico." But for an outrageously
delightful recording accomplishment that didn't seem to make
the judges' radar, we pick this new account of Offenbach's
punchy lampoon of the revered myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.
Marc Minkowski presides over a fizzy, exuberantly witty
performance, while his excellent cast has obvious fun
playing up the extremes of their roles. The recording is
based on a hybrid of the score's original and revised
versions.
Best Choral Performance
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Winner:
Britten, "War Requiem"
Christine Goerke, Richard Clement, et al.; Washington Chorus
and Orchestra; Robert Shafer, conductor
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Why It Won: This independently produced winner was something
of a dark horse, from a highly respected conductor and
choral group (which previously won a Grammy for its
collaboration with the National Symphony in Leonard
Slatkin's recording of John Corigliano's "Of Rage and
Remembrance"). Robert Shaffer's achievement in unifying the
diverse components of Britten's sometimes dark, sometimes
serene vision is indeed extraordinary.
Our Pick:
"Handel: Solomon"
Paul Agnew, Susan Bickley, et al.; Gabrieli Consort,
Gabrieli Players; Paul McCreesh, conductor
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Chosen as part of Amazon.com's Best of '99 list, this
complete, uncut account of one of Handel's greatest biblical
oratorios is, quite frankly, a must-have for fans of the
baroque--indeed, of magnificent and thrilling music,
period. Under the direction of Paul McCreesh (Amazon.com's
Opera & Vocal Artist of 1999), and with star countertenor
Andreas Scholl in the title role headlining a splendid group
of soloists, "Solomon" comes to brilliant life in an
acoustic setting that particularly enhances the experience.
:
Best Classical Vocal Performance
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Winner:
Mahler, "Des Knaben Wunderhorn"
Thomas Quasthoff, Anne Sofie von Otter; Berlin Philharmonic;
Claudio Abbado, conductor
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Why It Won: In a year overflowing with great Mahler
recordings, this song cycle managed to stand out, and is a
welcome replacement for the currently out-of-print classic
featuring Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Elisabeth
Schwarzkopf. Thomas Quasthoff is one of the most fascinating
singers to have emerged in recent years, a master of the
lied in a time that increasingly lacks such artists, while
von Otter is at her most radiant in portraying Mahler's
songs of innocence and experience.
Our Pick:
"Strauss Heroines"
Renee Fleming, Barbara Bonney, Susan Graham; Vienna
Philharmonic; Christoph Eschenbach, conductor
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Very strange this one didn't even surface as a nominee!
Richard Strauss has few peers when it comes to writing for
the female voice, and his operas present a field day for
serious artists interested in using vocal beauty to portray
richly human characters. Renee Fleming's sensuous
intelligence makes her a natural for the "heroines" she
brings to life on her new disc, on which she is joined by
Barbara Bonney and Susan Graham.
Best Classical Contemporary Composition
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Winner:
Boulez, "Repons"
Ensemble InterContemporain; Pierre Boulez, conductor
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Why It Won: Pierre Boulez is approaching his 75th birthday
in style, and it may have been partly as a further honor
that this multiple-nominated artist won the judges' vote
here. Once the firebrand of the new music scene, the elderly
Boulez shows no signs of slowing down. "Repons" is a
relatively recent work, built from a fascinating interplay
of live digits with the digital.
Our Pick:
"Ligeti: Le Grand Macabre"
Charlotte Hellekant, Willard White, et al.; Philharmonia
Orchestra; Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
CD on Sale here!
There were some truly exciting contenders here in addition
to the Boulez, such as John Corigliano's "Red Violin" and
the controversial first opera of Thomas Ades, "Powder Her
Face." But Hungarian composer Gyorgy Ligeti is destined to
be ranked among the very greatest of composers from our
time. It's apocalypse now in Ligeti's brilliantly
imaginative opera about a comic-book Armageddon. Conductor
Esa-Pekka Salonen once again shows he feels the pulse of
contemporary music in this wacky, threatening, sardonic, and
exhilarating account of Ligeti's vision. For the revival
from which this recording was drawn, Ligeti revised and
tightened the original version of the score he had composed
in the '70s.
WORD FOR WORD: KRYSTIAN ZIMERMAN
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"Five years ago, I wouldn't have dared this performance,
because it's so much out of range of the kinds of
performances we have on the market."
--Krystian Zimerman on his bold interpretations of Chopin's
Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Read our article featuring Zimerman at
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You can find Krystian Zimerman's critically acclaimed
recording of Chopin's Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 at
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NEW AND NOTABLE RELEASES
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"Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20 and 24"
Alfred Brendel, piano; Scottish Chamber Orchestra; Sir
Charles Mackerras, cond.
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Alfred Brendel's numerous recordings (and rerecordings) may
be hit-or-miss, but his latest--a disc featuring Mozart's
two minor-key piano concertos--is a winner. The Scottish
Chamber Orchestra under Sir Charles Mackerras lend a
supportive and collaborative hand to the pianist, and
Brendel delivers an outstanding performance with gorgeous
phrasings.
"Elliott Carter: Symphonia, Clarinet Concerto"
BBC Symphony Orchestra; London Sinfonietta; Michael Collins,
clarinet; Oliver Knussen, cond.
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Even in his 90s, Elliott Carter continues to compose New
Music works that sound completely original, inventive, and
timeless. And considering the world premiere of Carter's
"Symphonia," we predict he won't be slowing down anytime
soon. Inspired by a 17th-century poem by Richard Crenshaw
entitled "The Bubble," Carter's 50-minute piece follows the
explosive, jittering, and (occasionally) smooth flight of a
bubble in midair.
"Classic Kennedy"
Kennedy, violin; English Chamber Orchestra
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Whether you love him or hate him, Kennedy has accomplished
something special in his colorful career: He has turned some
ears onto classical music. On his new "Classic Kennedy," the
violinist is in one of his more traditional settings, backed
by the English Chamber Orchestra and performing a hodgepodge
of classical gems. We get the summer storm from "The Four
Seasons," Satie's Gymnopedie No. 2, "Ave Maria," Joni
Mitchell, and Gershwin. Granted, it's an odd assortment, but
it should please fans.
"Apres un Reve"
Mischa Maisky, cello; Daria Hovora, piano
CD News BUY!
Mischa Maisky isn't as prolific as some world-class
cellists, but all his recordings are noteworthy. On this
collection of French art songs, he lets his cello do the
singing parts. Backed only by piano, he's created a gorgeous
disc for cello lovers, filled with favorites from Faure,
Ravel, Debussy, Chausson, Poulenc, and others.
"Bach: Violin Sonatas"
Andrew Manze, violin; Richard Egarr, harpsichord; Jaap ter
Linden, cello and gamba
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Andrew Manze is undoubtedly one of the world's greatest
violinists, and each new recording is a musical
revelation. On his latest, we get Bach's six seldom-heard
violin sonatas along with extra movements and a
bonus--Manze's take on the Toccata and Fugue in D
Minor. Novelties aside, this is another great Manze disc.
"Arvo Part: Alina"
Vladimir Spivakov, violin; Sergej Bezrodny, piano; Dietmar
Schwalke, violoncello; Alexander Malter, piano
CD News BUY!
A thought-provoking sequencing of Arvo Part's "Spiegel im
Spiegel" and "Fuer Alina"--featuring the two plaintive
compositions from the '70s, each performed twice--creates
one of the composer's most mesmerizing instrumental discs to
date. Steeped in Part's "tintinnabuli"--where even the most
simple and sparse compositional structure becomes a work of
beauty--this somber and quiet disc is a gem.
NEW BOX SETS
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"Shostakovich: String Quartets"
Emerson String Quartet
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Every month, there seem to be another new half-dozen
Shostakovich recordings, but this set of his 15 gripping
string quartets is worth checking out. The Emerson String
Quartet deliver beautiful, yet slightly restrained,
performances of these ominous works.
"Original Jacket Collection: Glenn Gould Plays Bach"
Glenn Gould, piano
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Twelve CDs featuring Glenn Gould's various Bach performances
remastered, including a CD-ROM (featuring the original liner
notes, video footage, and some sheet music) fill Sony's
latest package of Glenn Gould recordings. Many Gould fans
will already have these recordings, but for the rest of us,
this massive box is an excellent way to hear Gould's
legendary Bach interpretations.
"Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano"
Conlon Nancarrow, player pianos
CD News BUY!
GET STARTED IN: FREDERIC CHOPIN
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He has remained one of the world's most beloved composers,
yet Frederic Chopin was a study in paradox--a specialist in
small forms during an era that aspired to the monumental, a
social butterfly whose inner world was unfathomably rich,
and the consummate romantic despite his own distaste for
many of romanticism's tenets. Our latest Get Started in
Classical feature offers an audio tour and essay exploring
one of the most exciting Chopin discs of all time, Martha
Argerich's stirring 1965 recital.
CD News BUY!
THE NPR GUIDE TO BUILDING A CLASSICAL CD COLLECTION
***************************************************
Ted Libbey's highly regarded guide has been updated and has
even more information than when it was originally published
in 1994. As on his weekly NPR "Performance Today" segment,
Libbey offers sage and witty advice on core classical works
that are essential to a music lover's collection. The
discography has been updated to include important new
interpretations and reissues of classic performances.
CD News BUY!
More Recent Classical Releases:
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P.I. Tchaikovsky "Seasons"
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R. Strauss "Four Last Songs"
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W.A. Mozart "Ct Pno 20/24"
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Argerich/Perlman "Play Beethoven/Franck"
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Anne-Sophie Mutter "Plays Four Seasons/Devil's Trill"
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Wendy Carlos "Switched On Box Set"
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Ian Bostridge "English Songbook"
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Wendy Carlos "Switched On Box Set"
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J. Adams "Earbox-A Retrospective"
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J.S. Bach "Epiphany Mass"
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Isaac Stern "My First 79 Years"
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M. O'connor "Fanfare For The Volunteer"
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Paul Hillier "Home For Thanksgiving"
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W.A. Mozart "Piano Concertos 23/24"
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W. Byrd "Keyboard Music-Compostions"
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T. Albinoni "Ct (12)"
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Kiri Te Kanawa "Maori Songs"
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F. Chopin "Comp Works"
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Arcadi Volodos "Live At Carnegie Hall"
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F. Chopin "Ballades (4)/Fant/Pre"
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Garbarek/Hilliard Ensemble "Mnemosyne"
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Schiff/Serkin "Music For 2 Pnos By Mozart/Reg"
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Luciano Pavarotti & Friends "For Guatemala & Kosovo"
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A. Dvorak "Sym 9/In Nature's Realm/Othell"
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K. Szymanowski "King Roger-Comp Opera/Sym 4"
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J.S. Bach "Bach 2000 Light "Without Sacre"
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Renee Fleming "Strauss Heroines"
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K. Szymanowski "King Roger-Comp Opera/Sym 4"
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A. Part "Fratres/Tabua Rosa/Sym 2"
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L.V. Beethoven "Ct Pno 4/Son"
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Luciano Pavarotti "Recital-Barcelona 1989"
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Musica Antiqua Koln "Musica Baltica"
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C.W. Gluck "Alceste-Comp Opera"
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Agerich/Kremer/Maisky "Play Shostakovich/Tchaikovsky"
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G.A. Pandolfi Mealli "Son Vln-Comp"
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G.F. Handel "Ariodante-Comp Opera"
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Y2k Album "Y2k Album"
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