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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Yo-Yo Ma, Silk Road & Rhiannon Giddens. Need we say more? / The Bluegrass Situation
Posted: March 3, 2016 12:00 AM | By: AdminThe legendary cellist brought the talented solo artist and former member of Carolina Chocolate Drops on board for a project with the Silk Road Ensemble, a multi-national group of composers and performers Ma formed in 2000. The ensemble just readied a new album, Sing Me Home, featuring Giddens on the popular American folksong "St. James Infirmary Blues," which we're happy to premiere. Other guests on the album, out April 22, include Bill Frisell, Sarah Jarosz, and Gregory Porter.
"Music is one of the best ways human beings have to code memory and often, at Silk Road, it's also the way we code friendships," Ma says. ""What an amazing session with the Silk Road Ensemble!" Giddens adds. "I was so honored to get to sing with these fabulous musicians, and you can tell we are all having a great time!" Listen to "St. James Infirmary Blues" and pre-order Sing Me Home here.
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL Bluegrass Situation PAGE AND WATCH THE VIDEO
Crossover Media Projects with Yo-Yo Ma & Silk Road Ensemble
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Yo-Yo Ma & Silk Road Ensemble
Sing Me Home
The latest album by Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble will surprise and delight, with guest performers and imaginative sounds that transform the traditional musical landscape. Sing Me Home is the sixth album by the Grammy-nominated Silk Road Ensemble and its founding member and guiding light Yo-Yo Ma. Available from Sony Music Masterworks. Sing Me Homeis a companion album, developed and recorded alongside The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, a documentary feature from Oscar® and Emmy-winning director Morgan Neville that tells the story of the Ensemble and Silkroad, its parent organization. The Music of Strangers is slated for theatrical release in June.
14 NEW 272 Total
SYND: NPR/ATC & Thistle & Shamrock, APM/Performance Today, PRI/C24, Echoes & The World, Sing Out!, Jazzfm
Direct: SiriusXM, Music Choice, MOOD
Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Seattle, St. Louis, Detroit, Denver, Portland, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New Orleans, San Diego, Milwaukee, Albuquerque, Berkeley CA, San Antonio, Louisville, Wichita, Madison WI, Boulder CO., Montreal, Vancouver, Amsterdam
INTER: Canada, UK, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand
Online: axs, CCTV, FilmNewEurope.com, MOVE - Maneater, The Bluegrass Situation Mother Jones, HuffPost, Parade.com, Musicas Imaginadas, allmusic, Bass Player, Wall Street Journal, MusicTAP, Musical Shapes, SONGLiNES, Yam Mag, yesasia.com, PopMatters, Taintradio, Smithsonian.com, Soulandjazz.com, JazzTimes, JazzPolice, examiner, SLANT, Metro, WSJ, Classical Candor, Quisqueya, RootsWorld, Observer.com, Hollywood Reporter, IndiWire -
Yo-Yo Ma & Silk Road Ensemble
A Playlist Without Borders
The Silk Road Project has been on a mission to promote innovation and cross-cultural understanding through the arts for the last 15 years. The newest chapter comes with the Sony Masterworks release of the new album A Playlist Without Borders from the Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma. This is the groundbreaking group's fifth recording and first since 2009's Grammy-nominated Off the Map. The deluxe edition includes the CD and a DVD, Live from Tanglewood, featuring live concert footage of two performances on June 22nd and 24th, 2012, at the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox, Massachusetts, as well as insightful and intimate behind-the-scenes interviews with the musicians.
24 New 'ON' this week: 109 Total
SYND: NPR, Undercurrents
Direct: SiriusXM, Spafax
Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Houston, Minneapolis, Denver, Milwaukee, Austin, New Orleans, Albuquerque, Berkeley, San Antonio, El Paso, Wichita, Boulder CO, Hartford CT., Rochester NY
Online: Taintradio, David Bruce -
Yo-Yo Ma & Silk Road Ensemble
Beyond the Horizon
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble continue to explore the musical cultures that flourished along the Silk Road – the ancient trade route between China and the West – with their latest recording for Sony Classical, entitled Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon. The recording will be released just as the performers embark on a brief tour of major U.S. cities. Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon will be released on Tuesday, April 5, 2005.
24 Stations "ON"
Markets include: Los Angeles, Boston, Cleveland, Kansas City, New Orleans -
Yo-Yo Ma & Silk Road Ensemble
New Impossibilities
New Impossibilities, a new live recording by Sony Classical featuring multiple-Grammy-Award-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the Silk Road Ensemble, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya, will be released on July 31. The recording is the result of "Silk Road Chicago," the first city-wide year-long residency spearheaded by the Silk Road Project, the organization founded by Ma as a catalyst for promoting innovation and learning through cross-cultural and interdisciplinary partnerships.
10 New 'Stations', 124 'Total Stations', 46/CD, 78/Show *56 'Now Confirmed'
SYND: Sixty Second CD, APM: Performance Today
Direct: Worldspace
Markets include: Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington DC, Seattle(ADI), Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Baltimore(ADI), St. Louis, Kansas City, Portland, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Berkeley, Orlando