Classical Album
***************
Winner:
"Stravinsky: Firebird; The Rite of Spring; Persephone"
Michael Tilson Thomas, cond.; San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
CD on Sale here!
The success of this record (it actually won Grammys for Best
Classical Engineered Album and Best Orchestral Performance,
as well) is a testament to Michael Tilson Thomas's creative
programming. He wisely chose to include "Persephone,"
Stravinsky's seldom-heard retelling of the Greek myth, over
more ballet music, making this disc a gem for Stravinsky
lovers. A winner of Grammys back in 1975 and 1996, the
conductor has star appeal and a love for modern works. For
the millennial Grammy Awards, you couldn't ask for a more
appropriate winner.
Our Pick:
"Mahler: Symphony No. 1"
Pierre Boulez, cond.; Chicago Symphony Orchestra
CD on Sale here!
Pierre Boulez and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra have
created one of the best performances of Mahler's first
around, bar none. Lively, powerful, and--at times--fun, this
recording is simply a joy to listen to, with great sonics,
to boot. Though this disc was nominated for Best Orchestral
Performance, it's good enough to have won the big prize.
Chamber Music Performance
*************************
Winner:
"Beethoven: Violin Sonatas"
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; Lambert Orkis, piano
CD on Sale here!
Whether you're describing her visually, musically, and
technically, violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter is gorgeous. None
of these factors could have hurt her chances for a
Grammy. And this epic four-CD collaboration with pianist
Lambert Orkis features impressive interpretations filled
with personality. The purists may scoff, but this is a
lovely set of Beethoven, any way you look at it.
Our Pick:
"Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky: Trios"
Martha Argerich, piano; Gidon Kremer, violin; Mischa Maisky, cello
CD on Sale here!
Mutter's Beethoven set is great, but the spontaneity,
brilliance, and energy from Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer,
and Mischa Maisky on this live disc needs to be heard to be
believed. These three friends had never played these pieces
together until this recording, but you'd never guess it from
hearing the CD. They're in complete control of this gripping,
emotional music, and the results are spectacular.
Orchestral Performance
**********************
Winner:
"Stravinsky: Firebird; The Rite of Spring; Persephone"
Michael Tilson Thomas, cond.; San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
CD on Sale here!
Again, MTT has star appeal and, aside from Esa-Pekka
Salonen's revealing Revueltas disc, the competition was all
Mahler (nice, but not for everyone). That said, this is
still a worthy winner and a great set of music.
Our Pick:
"Sensemaya--Music of Silvestre Revueltas"
Esa-Pekka Salonen, cond.; Los Angeles Philharmonic
CD on Sale here!
As we've already sung the praises of Boulez's Mahler 1 (you
really do need to hear it), we'll pick this disc for Best
Orchestral Performance: Esa-Pekka Salonen's tribute to the
music of Silvestre Revueltas (1899-1940). The seldom-heard
Mexican composer wrote big, in-your-face orchestral works
that combined regional folk tunes (mariachi themes, military
brass) with driving rhythms. Great stuff.
Instrumental Soloist Without Orchestra
**************************************
Winner:
"Shostakovich: 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87"
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
CD on Sale here!
Shostakovich is hot right now--just check out the Emerson
Quartet's success with his complete string quartets--and
Ashkenazy has always been a Grammy favorite (this is the
pianist's sixth award). Amidst stiff competition from Evgeny
Kissin and Marc-Andre Hamelin, Ashkenazy won because he
performed these difficult (and often dark) works with
precision and style. It's a thoroughly enjoyable recording.
Our Pick:
"Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated!"
Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano
CD on Sale here!
Hamelin's recording of Rzewski's "The People United" is
astounding, a great reading of this powerful work in the
form of variations on a Chilean folksong. It may never
enter the core classical repertoire, but Rzewski's piece
should be heard by anyone scared of contemporary classical
music. It's direct, catchy, and gorgeous.
Classical Contemporary Composition
**********************************
Winner:
"Boulez: Repons; Dialogue de l'Ombre Double"
Pierre Boulez, cond.; Ensemble InterContemporain
CD on Sale here!
Of all the discs nominated in the Classical Contemporary
Composition field, Boulez's "Repons" may be the only one
that will stand the test of time. A few of the runners-up
featured composers you'll either love or hate--Thomas Ades,
John Tavener, Aaron Jay Kernis--but there's no denying the
power of "Repons," a landmark work that employs computers
with live instrumentation to create a dense layering of
sounds. As a conductor, Boulez was nominated for four
Grammys, but this disc featuring his own music probably
matters the most. A bonus: The Award came just in time for
Boulez's 75th birthday on March 26.
Our Pick:
"Morton Feldman: Coptic Light"
Michael Tilson Thomas, cond.; New World Symphony
CD on Sale here!
No, it wasn't even nominated for a Grammy. But if you really
want to hear what all the fuss is with Michael Tilson
Thomas, give this disc a spin. MTT leads the New World
Symphony through Feldman's modern masterpiece--"Coptic
Light," a nebulous, glacial work--to perfection. Even if you
don't care for modern works, you'll probably love this
landmark recording.
"It started innocently with the idea that I wanted to work
with a small orchestra without a conductor. I immediately
felt that every single member of this orchestra [the
Trondheim Soloists] was burning the candle at both ends. The
amount of passion, dedication, and technical skill involved
in their playing was amazing."
--Anne-Sophie Mutter on her latest recording of Vivaldi's
"The Four Seasons"
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
REVIEW
CLASSICAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR: MARTHA ARGERICH
Between her long-awaited "Legendary 1965 Recording" and her numerous new chamber-music projects, 1999 has been a great year for pianist Martha Argerich. So it's no surprise that Argerich earns our nod as Classical Artist of 1999. REVIEW
"A Tribute to Ellington"
Daniel Barenboim, piano; others
REVIEW
In 1999, seemingly everyone paid tribute to jazz leader Duke
Ellington. And Daniel Barenboim has been no different,
delivering a classical crossover disc that perhaps doesn't
swing but is certainly a fun listen. Here we get Duke
classics such as "Take the A-Train," "Star-Crossed Lovers,"
and "Prelude to a Kiss" performed by Barenboim, a small
ensemble of performers, and guests Dianne Reeves and Don
Byron.
"George Crumb--70th Birthday Album"
Various artists
REVIEW
New Music maestro George Crumb will forever be remembered
for "Ancient Voices of Children," but this disc, the
composer's birthday present to fans, is every bit as
impressive. The large ensemble work "Star-Child" requires
choirs, bell ringers, orchestra, and a soprano spread
throughout a music hall at various locations. Needless to
say, this vast undertaking, with its Latin text, isn't
something you'll hear every day. But it's a gorgeous work,
and the rest of the disc--"Three Early Songs" and "Mundus
Canis," the composer's tribute to his dogs, with guitarist
David Starobin--is every bit as impressive.
"Music of Giuliani"
David Russell, guitar
REVIEW
Italian composer Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) was no slouch in
the performing department, either--he was dubbed the
"Paganini of the guitar"; Beethoven arranged songs for his
six-string instrument. On "Music of Giuliani," we can hear
what all the fuss was about. David Russell plays these five
charming solo works with incredible precision--everything
from the famous "Grande Ouverture" to "Rosiniana," a series
of works based on Rossini operas. For classical-guitar fans,
this is one of 1999's finest discs.
"Songs Without Words"
Murray Perahia, piano
REVIEW
This strange but fascinating collection of keyboard works
performed by Murray Perahia proves to be highly
effective. The lyrical miniatures of Mendelssohn's "Songs
Without Words" compose the bulk of this collection, but
Busoni's Bach organ transcriptions and Liszt's arrangements
of Schubert songs are also included. Superb listening.
1. "Chopin--The Legendary 1965 Recording"
Martha Argerich, piano
REVIEW
Pianist Martha Argerich released a handful of riveting CDs
this year, but none carried the clout (or the allure) of
this recording. Record-label politics kept this fiery
performance of Chopin in the vaults until now, but it was
worth the wait. Argerich, simply put, remains at her very
best in this rare solo outing.
2. "Piazzolla: Tango Ballet"
Gidon Kremer, violin; KremerATA Baltica
REVIEW
Like Argerich, violinist Gidon Kremer has had more than his
share of great releases this year (he also took our No. 10
slot). On "Tango Ballet," Kremer continues his ongoing
exploration of tango master Astor Piazzolla with a disc of
dance-infused chamber-music gems. This is an emotive,
graceful, and gorgeous disc.
3. "Pandolfi: Complete Violin Sonatas"
Andrew Manze, violin; Richard Egarr, harpsichord
REVIEW
It's difficult to single out any one Andrew Manze disc as
the best of the year--he released four baroque gems in 1999
alone. But his recording of the mysterious violin sonatas of
Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi Mealli is easily the most exciting.
Here, we get challenging, inventive, and short baroque
dances and arias for which Manze and Egarr clearly set the
standard.
4. "Terry Riley: Book of Abbeyozzoud"
David Tanenbaum, Gyan Riley, guitars; Tracy Silverman,
violin; William Winant, percussion
REVIEW
Minimalist godfather Terry Riley composing music for
acoustic guitar? You bet. Riley's "Book of Abbeyozzoud" is
nothing short of brilliant, a collection of flamenco-
influenced classical guitar works that sounds nothing like
his previous music. Performed mostly by Riley's son Gyan and
David Tanenbaum, these lyrical pieces are exotic and
gorgeous; think of them as the classical music that John
Fahey never got around to composing.
5. "Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2"
Polish Festival Orchestra; Krystian Zimerman, piano and conductor
REVIEW
Thanks to Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman, we may never
hear Chopin's two piano concertos the same way again.
Zimerman and his hand-assembled Polish Festival Orchestra
give an unconventional but enlightening reading of these two
works that seems to focus more on orchestral colors and
drama than piano artistry. Not your typical Chopin, but a
fascinating interpretation.
6. "Feldman: Coptic Light"
New World Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
REVIEW
Atmospheric, ambient, background music--call it what you
will, but Morton Feldman's "Coptic Light" sounds just plain
powerful. Michael Tilson Thomas and the New World Symphony
deliver a riveting performance of this drifting piece where
clusters of sound fade, focus, and erupt to great, almost
ominous effect. Performances of Feldman's "Piano and
Orchestra" and "Cello and Orchestra" are equally exciting.
7. "Mahler: Symphony No. 8"
London Symphony Orchestra; Jascha Horenstein, conductor
REVIEW
Performing Mahler's "Symphony of a Thousand" is an enormous
undertaking, made exponentially more difficult in 1959, when
there were few reference recordings of the work and the
composer was hardly in vogue. But Jascha Horenstein,
conducting to a packed Royal Albert Hall, shows us the
beauty of this work with a simple (if any performance
requiring 750 players can be called "simple") but profound
rendition of this glorious work. Forty years old, but a
timeless classic recording.
8. "Ives Plays Ives"
Charles Ives, piano and vocals
REVIEW
Composer Charles Ives never really liked the act of
recording; he entered the studio just four times in hopes of
working out the kinks of some compositions in progress. But,
as these 42 fascinating, low-fidelity tracks of 17 different
works attest, Ives was no slouch as a performer. Whether
pounding through works on the piano or howling his wartime
anthem "They Are There!" Ives proves to be a fascinating, if
chaotic, character. Not a disc for everyone, but a
revelation, nonetheless.
9. "Beethoven: The Five Piano Concertos"
Alfred Brendel, piano; Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Simon
Rattle, conductor
REVIEW
Alfred Brendel's latest (and fourth) take on Beethoven's
piano concertos proves to be his most effective--thanks in
part to Simon Rattle and the Vienna Philharmonic, who
provide a historically accurate, but still colorful,
performance. Highly musical and simply beautiful.
10. "Vasks: Distant Light, Voices"
Gidon Kremer, violin; KremerATA Baltica
REVIEW
If the works "Distant Light" and "Voices" are any
indication, Latvian composer Peteris Vasks is one of our
greatest living composers. These elegiac works display a
profound sense of passion, energy, and folksiness that seems
to pull at the listener's heartstrings. Gidon Kremer, as
usual, delivers an inspiring performance here. If you like
Arvo Part and want to hear more music from the Baltic
region, this is a great place to start.
"Zelenka: Trio Sonatas"
Heinz Holliger, Maurice Bourgue, oboes; Thomas Zehetmair:
violin; Klaus Thunemann, bassoon; Klaus Stoll, double bass;
Jonathan Rubin, lute
REVIEW
Zelenka's impossibly difficult, oh-so-complex, and utterly
gorgeous Sonatas for Trio have been recorded here by the
musician who made them popular the first time around (in the
early '70s)--Heinz Holliger. You can't ask for better
performances of these inventive and fun works. For baroque
fans, this is as good as it gets.
"Live at Carnegie Hall"
Arcadi Volodos, piano
REVIEW
In his Carnegie Hall debut concert from last fall, Russian
pianist Arcadi Volodos brings a Horowitz-like athleticism
and giddy power to showpieces from Liszt, Rachmaninoff,
Schumann, and Scriabin. It's easy to get excited about a
performer with this much promise. Filled with power and a
stunning variety of tonal color, he's one to watch. Just
listen to that frenzied audience....
"Solo"
Yo-Yo Ma, cello
REVIEW
Yo-Yo Ma's latest endeavor finds the cellist serving as a
musical travel guide, with music from Asia, Europe, and
America. Mark O'Connor's "Appalachia Waltz" is the down-
home opener, Bright Sheng's "Seven Tunes Heard in China"
is gorgeous but varied, and David Wilde's "The Cellist of
Sarajevo" is a somber elegy. It's a diverse, easy-to-
recommend album from the cello superstar.
"Ives Plays Ives"
Charles Ives, piano and vocals
REVIEW
In his lifetime, composer Charles Ives entered the recording
studio only four times, usually just to tinker with his
works in progress. But the resulting recordings--42 takes of
17 different pieces--are revelatory. On this disc from CRI
(featuring all of his known recordings), we finally get to
hear the composer pound away at the piano, struggle with
recording techniques, and even sing along (horribly, it
should be noted) to his anthem "We Are There!" A must-have
and an unforgettable item for fans.
"Music for Two Pianos: Mozart, Reger, Busoni"
Andras Schiff, Peter Serkin, pianos
REVIEW
Piano lovers will rejoice at this double CD from ECM
featuring piano superstars Andras Schiff and Peter Serkin.
Mozart's sublimely compressed Fugue in C Minor wonderfully
sets the mood for the elaborate contrapuntal proceedings to
follow, courtesy of works from Max Reger and Ferrucio
Busoni.
When the Bayreuth Festival first reopened after the war in
1951, it was a summer to remember. It produced a truly
shattering account of the "Ring"'s cataclysmic finale under
Hans Knappertsbusch. This legendary "Gotterdammerung,"
featuring one of the most powerful casts in Bayreuth
history, has finally been released.
You can find the newly issued "Gotterdammerung" from 1951 at
REVIEW
"Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky: Trios"
Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer, Mischa Maisky
REVIEW
You can't ask for a stronger trio lineup than Argerich,
Kremer, and Maisky, and on this great live disc of
Shostakovich's and Tchaikovsky's two somber works for mixed
trio, they shine. The trademark styles of these three
friends--from fireball (Argerich) to lyrical (Kremer)--are
easily heard on this pair of elegies.
"Feldman: Coptic Light"
New World Symphony; Michael Tilson Thomas, cond.
REVIEW
Sure, it takes a bit of patience and an open ear, but the
late Morton Feldman's "Coptic Light" is a powerful undertaking.
Michael Tilson Thomas leads the New World Symphony through
this glacial piece that focuses less on rhythms and
traditional structure than emotional heft. It's a moving
sonic landscape that slowly evolves over time. Highly
recommended.
"Glass/Adams: Violin Concertos"
Houston Symphony; Christoph Eschenbach, cond.; Robert
McDuffie, violin
REVIEW
The violin concertos of Philip Glass and John Adams are a
study of contrasts. Adams plays with the concerto form to
create a moving and almost eerie work (just check out his
second movement) that can easily be applied to dance
(indeed, the New York City ballet cocommissioned the
work). Glass's is a different affair, where the violin
virtually weaves in, out, and behind the orchestra. Both
works are irresistible, however, and the performances on
this new disc--by Christoph Eschenbach and the Houston
Symphony Orchestra--are the finest available.
"Cinema Serenade 2: The Golden Age"
Boston Pops; Itzhak Perlman, violin
REVIEW
Itzhak Perlman has followed up his extremely successful
first disc of movie themes with one that is equally
enticing. With soundtrack composer John Williams and the
Boston Pops, Perlman performs moody, memorable themes, such
as Max Steiner's "Now Voyager," Miklos Rozsa's "Lost
Weekend," and even good ol' "Gone with the Wind."
"Musiques aux Etats du Languedoc"
La Simphonie du Marais
REVIEW
French baroque music may come off as a little more stately
than, say, Biber performed by Andrew Manze. But don't let
that stop you from hearing its charms on this new recording
that's a virtual primer of the genre. The important
composers are here--Lully, Mouret, Mondonville, and Rameau--
and the works vary from dance movements to arias. Best of
all, there's great playing, courtesy of the period
instruments of La Simphonie du Marais.
"The Kennedy Experience"
Thomas Ades
REVIEW
Few living composers have the promise (or talent) of Thomas Ades. "Asyla," the latest work from the mastermind behind shock-opera "Powder Her Face," is another gem the European critics are already buzzing about.
"Holst: The Wandering Scholar"
Ingrid Attrot; Neill Archer; Northern Sinfonia; Richard
Hickox, cond.
REVIEW
The latest disc from Chandos featuring the music of Gustav
Holst seems to pluck works from his entire career. It's a
fine offering, featuring the light "Suite de Ballet" of
1899, the comic operetta "The Wandering Scholar" from the
'30s, and "A Song of the Night" (1905)--the composer's last
orchestral work before he delved into folk song. As always,
Richard Hickox delivers strong performances, especially on
"The Wandering Scholar."
"Pandolfi: Complete Violin Sonatas"
Andrew Manze, cond.; Richard Egarr, harpsichord
REVIEW
First question: Where the heck does Andrew Manze find these
lost baroque composers? On this disc, Manze performs the
complete violin sonatas of a composer who, except for a
reference as an employee at the Hapsburg court of Innsbruck
in 1660, is pretty much a mystery. Aided by Richard Egarr on
harpsichord, Manze sheds light on these 12 fascinating,
forgotten works that come off as detailed sonic portraits.
Filled with the composer's odd endings and rich with
embellishments, Manze's disc is a winner. Shelve it next
to Biber, take two sonatas each morning, and enjoy.
"Stravinsky: Orpheus, Danses concertantes"
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
REVIEW
The conductorless Orpheus Chamber Orchestra offers great
performances of Stravinsky's neoclassical ballets "Orpheus"
and "Danses concertantes" on this delightful disc. The
dreamy "Orpheus" from 1947 is marked by restraint, while the
faster-paced (and punchier) "Danses" has full-throttle
energy.
"Bach: Cello Suites"
Pablo Casals
REVIEW
Even after nearly 70 years, Pablo Casals's performances of
Bach's six cello suites are still considered definitive.
The EMI-released set (you know, the one with the classic
close-up cover of Casals exhaling his pipe smoke) was
essential for any record library, but this new remastering
on indie label Pearl has even better sound and includes
Casals's encore pieces. These are romantic, gorgeous
performances.
"Michael Rabin: The Early Years"
Michael Rabin, violin; Ossy Renardy, violin
REVIEW
The meteoric rise (and downfall) of Michael Rabin won't be
forgotten, thanks to this excellent reissue of his early
work for Columbia Masterworks. Recorded between 1950 and
'53 at the height of his powers, Rabin flawlessly performs
11 Paganini caprices and a selection of short works by Dvorak,
Bizet, Kroll, and Kreisler. Included as a bonus are the
late-'30s encore performances of violinist Ossy Renardy,
another talent whose career was tragically cut short. As
with all Masterworks Heritage reissues, the remastering is
superb.
"Nature's Realm--Liszt: Les Preludes; Dvorak: Three Concert
Overtures"
The Philadelphia Orchestra; Wolfgang Sawallisch, cond.
REVIEW
Audiophiles should rejoice upon hearing this disc, for it's
something truly special. Earlier this year, Water Lily
Acoustics captured the Philadelphia Orchestra under Wolfgang
Sawallisch with an all-analog, all-tube recording setup
(technology that hasn't been used on a major orchestra in 20
years, yet still sounds incredible--even on CD) performing
Liszt's "Les Preludes" and Dvorak's "In Nature's Realm"
overture trilogy. The recorded volume may be low for some
tastes, but the warm and (not-so) fuzzy sound of analog
still comes through. Proof positive that, with a little
ingenuity, all those stateside orchestras dropped from major
labels can still release excellent, world-class music.