Stories for December 07, 2019
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Carr-Petrova Duo with 'Novel Voices' for classical radio
Posted At : December 6, 2019 3:07 PM
The Novel Voices Refugee Aid Project, created and directed by the Carr-Petrova Duo, is a project designed to give voice and visibility, through music and film, to the lives and struggles of both local and international refugee communities, and to encourage audiences and artists alike to become connected and involved. Since August 2018, it has brought free, interactive classical music concerts and workshops to displaced populations while increasing awareness of and raising support for both U.S.-based and international refugee-aid programs. in conjunction with the project and recording, Molly and Anna have made themselves available to speak with classical radio today, December 6, 2019. Watch for our tweets throughout the day.Ahh ... that's better! Bing Crosby's original Christmas settings, remixed with newly-recorded orchestral arrangements for the LSO / Classical Music Sentinel
Posted At : December 6, 2019 12:10 PM
I don't know about you, but every year when I play my Bing Crosby Christmas recordings I can't help but feel that the background vocals, and particularly the orchestral accompaniment, always sound slightly anemic and unidimensional. But now with the magic of audio technology, Crosby's original vocals have been remastered and remixed against fresh new recordings of backup singers and the wonderful London Symphony Orchestra. As Kathryn Crosby herself notes in the booklet: "Hearing Bing's voice with these completely new, beautifully recorded, orchestral accompaniments makes it seem as though he's back after all these years. It's magic." Like using Photoshop software to brighten up an old faded photograph, this type of digital audio manipulation breathes new life into the music. Now I've never really been a proponent of tampering with audio. I've heard digital remasters of older analogue recordings that were actually detrimental and personally, I believe that analogue sounds more natural. One glaring example is a digital remastering of a famous analogue recording of the Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss on one of the most iconic classical music labels in which the software doing the transfer completely removed the sound of the "wind machine" because it was considered noise. And obviously whoever did the quality assurance tests didn't know the work very well as it was commercially released with this major flaw. But in this case the end result is quite amazing. And of course, this may not be "classical" music but it certainly is a "classic" when it comes to Christmas recordings, to be enjoyed once again! Tracks include It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas Sleigh Ride Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! White Christmas (feat. Pentatonix) I'll Be Home For Christmas Jingle Bells (with The Andrew Sisters feat. The Puppini Sisters) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Do You Hear What I hear The Christmas Song Little Drummer Boy (with David Bowie) Twelve Days of Christmas (feat. The Puppini Sisters) Winter Wonderland The Christmas Song (feat. The Tenors) White Christmas (Bing solo) SEE THE Classical Music Sentinel PAGEHobgood, Hahn, Getz, Kidjo, Bailey, Schiff and Labeque,Dessner, make Ted Gioia's 100 Best Recordings of 2019
Posted At : December 6, 2019 12:00 AM
Here are Ted Gioia's picks for the 100 best albums of 2019 (all styles, all genres) + another 100 'HONORABLE MENTION' albums of merit from 2019 worthy of your attention. Happy listening! Laurence Hobgood Tesseterra Popular Songs Reimagined for Jazz Trio and String Quartet Antón García Abril (composer), Hilary Hahn (performer) 6 Partitas by Antón García Abril Contemporary Music for Solo Violin Stan Getz Getz at the Gate Previously Unreleased Live Jazz Recording from 1961 HONORABLE MENTION - Here are another 100 albums of merit from 2019 worthy of your attention András Schiff: Franz Schubert: Sonatas and Impromptus Classical Music Angélique Kidjo: Celia Afropop Versions of Celia Cruz Songs Bryce Dessner (composer)/Katia and Marielle Labèque (performers): El Chan Extroverted Contemporary Classical Music Philip Bailey (with jazz guest artists): Love Will Find a Way Soul/R&BChicago Tribune 'Best classical albums of 2019'
Posted At : December 5, 2019 12:00 AM
The most valuable classical recordings of the year span a vast range, from genre-stretching contemporary music to re-evaluations of standard repertory: Nicola Benedetti: Marsalis Violin Concerto (Decca). Three years ago, violin virtuoso Benedetti played the U.S. premiere of Wynton Marsalis' Violin Concerto in D with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park. This recording, featuring Benedetti with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Cristian Macelaru, reaffirms one's impression of the piece as a lustrous celebration of musical Americana. But the depth and rigor of Benedetti's performance here brings forth deeper aspects of the concerto than were apparent at Ravinia, suggesting Marsalis has given the violin repertoire a major work. Black Oak Ensemble: "Silenced Voices" (Cedille Records). Music by Jewish composers killed during the Holocaust receives new life in this brilliantly conceived album, the Black Oak Ensemble giving voice to scores by Dick Katenburg, Sandor Kuti, Hans Krasa, Gideon Klein and Paul Hermann. The music spans youthful optimism to mature insight and attests to what was lost. But in a measure of hope, the album also includes the world premiere recording of a trio by Geza Frid, who survived the Holocaust and lived to 1989. An indispensable recording. Igor Levit: "Beethoven Complete Piano Sonatas" (Sony Classical). Does the world need another traversal of Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas? Of course it does, for this monolith reshaped the definition of the sonata, expanded the instrument's possibilities and bears endless interpretation and contemplation. Pianist Levit brings considerable intellectual acuity and technical aplomb to this music, which arrives in time for next year's worldwide celebration of the composer's 250th birthday. Third Coast Percussion: "Perpetulum" (Orange Mountain Music). Surely anyone who attended last year's world premiere of Philip Glass' "Perpetulum," commissioned and performed by Third Coast Percussion, felt the joy and rhythmic exuberance of this music. It's now documented on a two-disc set that also includes David Skidmore's similarly propulsive and still more expansive "Aliens with Extraordinary Abilities" and other works. Mahan Esfahani: "Bach: The Toccatas" (Hyperion). Bach's Toccatas carry a measure of mystery, in that definitive scores for this music are impossible to come by, leaving performers ample latitude in ornamentation and other details. Harpsichordist Esfahani applies meticulous scholarship to this process yet has produced a vivid recording built on animated performances appropriate to the toccata form. Jennifer Koh: "Limitless" (Cedille Records). In a bold and stylistically diverse recording, violinist Koh plays a series of duos with the composers of eight works included on this two-CD set. Where else is one likely to encounter music of contemporary composer-pianist Missy Mazzoli, soprano Lisa Bielawa and MacArthur Fellows Vijay Iyer (piano) and Tyshawn Sorey (glockenspiel) in a single project? The sounds are every bit as eclectic as one might expect, a testament to Koh's adventurousness and the creativity of all involved. Rachel Barton Pine: Dvorak, Khachaturian Violin Concertos (Avie). Violinist Pine turns in vigorous readings of two landmarks of the concerto repertoire, accompanied by Teddy Abrams leading the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The Khachaturian, in particular, benefits from Pine's grit and drive as performer. Her artistry continues to deepen. Yo-Yo Ma: Salonen Cello Concerto (Sony Classical). Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonon's Cello Concerto unfolds on an epic scale, from the immensity of the orchestration to the vastness of its musical gestures. It all may seem a bit lush for some tastes, but the intense colors Salonen draws from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the ardor of cellist Ma's performance sweep the listener along in their wake. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px} SEE ALL Chicago Tribune PICKSTantalizing debut of Margaret Batjer in four violin and orchestra works / New Music Buff
Posted At : December 4, 2019 12:00 AM
This is a helluva introduction to the wide ranging talents of violinist Margaret Batjer, currently the concert master of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. OMG, why doesn't this woman have her own web page? Well this BIS recording is a sort of, "here's what I can do across 300+ year of repertoire". BIS is a Swedish based record label with a well earned reputation both for quality sound recording as well as intelligent choice of repertoire. This recording succeeds on both counts. She plays with her familiar colleagues in the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra under conductor Jeffrey Kahane in an arrestingly beautiful recording of music spanning nearly 300 years. The combination of technical skills and interpretive skills (by orchestra and soloist) along with a wonderful sound recording make this a welcome debut for this soloist and leaves this writer wanting to hear more from her and this wonderful little orchestra. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px} READ THE FULL New Music Buff REVIEWJason Vieaux's LA reciital makes KCRW: Rhythm Planet: december concert picks
Posted At : December 4, 2019 12:00 AM
Jason Vieaux is set for his recital First Congregational Church of Los Angeles - MacArthur Park on Saturday, December 7. The concert is presented by the Los Angeles International Guitar Series and Vieaux will perform music by Bach, Scarlatti, Ellington, and more. I had never heard of Vieaux until 2014 when I received his Grammy-winning album Play. I was completely knocked out by the finesse and authority of his guitar work. Click HERE for tickets and more information. MUSIC NEWS - Written by Tom Schnabel Dec. 03, 2019 for KCRW: Los Angeles - RHYTHM PLANET. SEE THE PAGE p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d}Molly & Anna from Carr-Petrova Duo are your Louisville artist city guides / Classical Post
Posted At : December 4, 2019 12:00 AM
VISITING A CITY CAN BE OVERWHELMING-ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT CITY IS OVERFLOWING WITH EXCEPTIONAL OPTIONS FOR FOOD, DRINKS, ENTERTAINMENT, SHOPPING, AND PLACES TO EXPLORE. LUCKILY, CLASSICAL POST'S NEWEST FEATURE ARTIST CITY GUIDES IS HERE TO CHANGE THAT. What's better than rapidly googling the city you're visiting the night before you get there for the best of the best restaurants, bars, and clubs? Hearing from it first-hand from the classical music artists you love, respect, and admire! In this newest feature section, we hear from the enormously talented Carr-Petrova Duo as they dish on their favorite spots in Louisville, Kentucky-they tell us where to eat, where to stay, what to drink, and how to enter full relaxation mode, no matter where we're visiting. The duo has been performing together since 2005-when they were attending school in New York at the Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music. Separately, each of the duo's members is internationally acclaimed, award-winning soloists who have performed across the globe winning international competitions, Together, the duo is rapidly compiling a remarkable list of accolades in recognition for their stunning musical expression, their refined artistry, and their relentless entrepreneur dedication to social initiatives. If you're planning a trip to Louisville, Kentucky soon, you won't want to miss out on these exceptional destinations from the Carr-Petrova Duo. Headed to Louisville in January? You're in luck! The Carr-Petrova duo will be performing in Louisville on Sunday, January 19th, 2020 at 3 PM as the guest artists for MusicEx concert series at Comstock Concert Hall. Photo credit: David Beyda Meet the two skilled women behind the Carr-Petrova Duo, Anna Petrova, pianist, and Molly Carr, violist.Top 10 for Dec
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Alexandre Desplat :
Little Women OMPS
Sony Music announces the release of LITTLE WOMEN (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) with music by Academy Award®, Golden Globe® and GRAMMY® Award-winning composer ALEXANDRE DESPLAT. -
Bing Crosby :
Bing at Christmas
On the anniversary of the untimely death of the world's first ‘multimedia' star Bing Crosby, October 14th sees his longtime record label, Decca, together with his widow Kathryn and their children, Harry, Mary, and Nathaniel Crosby, announce the release of the brand new album, Bing at Christmas, via Decca/UMe. -
Jon Batiste :
Chronology Of A Dream - Live@The Village Vanguard
The inimitable musician and bandleader, Jon Batiste, sets to release Chronology Of A Dream: Live At The Village Vanguard on November 1. -
Ola Onabule :
POINT LESS
Socially conscious singer/songwriter Ola Onabul? has built an enviable career as an international touring performer and has now turned his attention to the North American market with a newly recorded collection of original songs. -
Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra :
I Shouldn't Be Telling You This
JEFF GOLDBLUM WITH BRAND NEW ALBUM FEATURING - SHARON VAN ETTEN • FIONA APPLE • ANNA CALVI • INARA GEORGE • GINA SAPUTO In DUETS WITH JEFF GOLDBLUM - OUT NOVEMBER 1 ON DECCA RECORDS "I'm crying with ecstasy over this new album. -
Ludovico Einaudi :
Seven Days Walking - Day Seven
Following his sold-out, seven-night residency at the Barbican in early August, Decca announces the release of ‘Seven Days Walking: Day Seven', and the climactic seven-volume collection from composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi – his most ambitious album project yet, with seven albums released over as many months. -
Third Coast Percussion :
Fields
Grammy Award-winning ensemble Third Coast Percussion plays music by international R&B and pop music star Devonté Hynes (aka Blood Orange) on their newest album, Fields, marking Hynes's recording debut as a classical composer. -
Libera :
Christmas Carols with Libera
The boys who make up the choral group Libera are normal South London kids aged 7 to 16 years. -
The Comet Is Coming :
The Afterlife
"Bridging the gap between experimentation and accessibility" (Rolling Stone), The Comet Is Coming announces the digital release of the group's highly-anticipated mini-album The Afterlife, via Impulse! The Afterlife will serve as a companion piece to the group's breakout album Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery and the lead track "Lifeforce Part II. -
Laura Karpman :
WHY WE HATE
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Ron Howard's latest documentary is no mere love-in for the late Luciano Pavarotti / The National
Posted: July 7, 2019 12:00 AM | By: AdminAfter a highly successful acting career in his youth, Ron Howard, 65, has long been established as one of Hollywood's most successful directors. Films such as Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind, which won him the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director in 2002, are on his CV. But only recently has Howard turned to documentary features, with 2013's Jay Z film Made in America and his 2016 film about The Beatles, Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years. "I find it incredibly stimulating and inspiring to work on a doc project," he explains, when we meet to talk about the subject of his latest documentary, the larger-than-life Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
Howard's tour through the life of Pavarotti, who died in 2007 of pancreatic cancer, aged 71, will be illuminating for the casual fan who may only be aware of his work with The Three Tenors. In more than a decade, Pavarotti staged a series of concerts in Modena, Italy, called Pavarotti and Friends, to aid children living amid conflict in Bosnia, even getting the likes of Bono to perform with him. The U2 lead singer features in the documentary in a surprisingly revealing interview.
Pavarotti is in cinemas across the UAE now. READ THE FULL National ARTICLE
Crossover Media Projects with Luciano Pavarotti
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Luciano Pavarotti
PAVAROTTI OMP
To coincide with the theatrical release of the highly anticipated Ron Howard-directed documentary "Pavarotti," Decca Recordsreleases the original soundtrack, Pavarotti: Music From The Motion Picture. from Decca/UMG.
Pavarotti: Music from the Motion Picture draws from Pavarotti's rich recorded catalog and follows the arc of the film. It features selections from operas such as "Turandot," "La bohème," "Aida," "Tosca" and more as well as Italian songs and collaborations with friends such as Plácido Domingo, José Carreras ("‘O sole mio"), U2, Brian Eno, Passengers ("Miss Sarajevo"), and others. Touchingly, the complete recording of Puccini's "Donna non vidi mai," which Pavarotti dedicated to Princess Diana, is included. In addition to a special unreleased song with Andrea Bocelli, the soundtrack also features Pavarotti's duet of "Ave Maria" with Bono, available for the first time commercially. The song, recorded live during the 2003 "Pavarotti & Friends for SOS Iraq" benefit concert in Modena, Italy, is available now for streaming and as an instant grat download with digital pre-order.
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Luciano Pavarotti
PAVAROTTI - THE GREATEST HITS
To coincide with the theatrical release of the highly anticipated Ron Howard-directed documentary "Pavarotti," Decca Recordsreleases the new 3-CD best of collection titled Pavarotti: The Greatest Hits from Decca/UMG.
The complementary releases both feature previously unreleased music and superstar duets with the likes of Bono, Elton John, James Brown, Lou Reed, and more.
Pavarotti's incredible repertoire can be explored in depth with the new three-disc/digital best of collection, Pavarotti: The Greatest Hits, which serves as a companion to the soundtrack and film. The anthology features 67 of the world-renowned tenor's most well-known recordings and collaborations and includes the best of his "Opera Arias," "Italian Songs & Sacred Arias" and"Great Duets." Fittingly opening with his iconic performance of "Nessun dorma," the "Opera Arias" disc spans the opera legend's entire career and includes beloved performances from "La bohéme," "Rigoletto," "Pagliacci," "Tosca," "Carmen" and"Madama Butterfly." More than 20 of Pavarotti's most powerful works including "O Sole Mio," "Caruso," "Volare," "O Holy Night," "Mama" and"Funiculì, funiculà" are collected together on "Italian Songs & Sacred Arias."
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Luciano Pavarotti
The 50 Greatest Tracks
Pavarotti 50 Greatest Tracks commemorates Luciano Pavarotti's 50th anniversary with Decca Records, and an unforgettable legacy of recorded music from one of the greatest voices of our time. This definitive collection encompasses iconic Pavarotti selections, including ‘Nessun Dorma,'‘Caruso,' ‘La Donna E Mobile,'and ‘Granada,' to incredible duets with fellow superstars Frank Sinatra, Bono, Eric Clapton and Sting. Numerous milestones in the late-opera star's unprecedented career are captured here, including the first ever recording of Pavarotti's voice. The historic recording of the aria from La Bohème, ‘Che gelida manina' (‘Your tiny hand is frozen'), has been lying dormant in the archives for 50 years, only now to be unearthed by Pavarotti's widow, Nicoletta Mantovani Pavarotti, re-mastered and made commercially available for the first time. The 50 Greatest Tracks will be available October 22nd in the U.S. on Decca.
16 New 'ON' this week: 46 Total
SYND: PRI/Classical 24
Direct: SiriusXM, Music Choice
Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Wash DC, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Denver, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Detroit
Online: WGOE