Anne-Sophie Mutter – Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Romances (2003) [SACD / Deutsche Grammophon – 471 633-2]

Anne-Sophie Mutter - Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Romances (2003)

Title: Anne-Sophie Mutter – Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Romances (2003)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

Mutter’s Beethoven Concerto was recorded live at the final subscription concerts of Karl Masur’s long tenure as the New York Philharmonic’s music director, and the beautifully played orchestral part is a tribute to his leadership. Mutter plays with a silken tone and astonishing technical command of her instrument–absolute ease in the stratospheric tessitura of the solo part, and an amazing array of microdynamic adjustments that display the infinite variety of pianissimos at her command. She continually varies phrasing, so moments of ethereal beauty are often followed by finicky lapses into mannerisms. For all her instrumental brilliance, the results are curiously unmoving, the depths of the music’s emotions remain elusive, her virtuosity veering perilously close to showboating at times.

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1 min read

Anner Bylsma, Bob Van Asperen – Bach: Sonatas for Viola da Gamba (1990) [Japan 2019] [SACD / Sony Classical (Japan) – SICC-10298]

Anner Bylsma, Bob Van Asperen - Bach: Sonatas for Viola da Gamba (1990) [Japan 2019]

Title: Anner Bylsma, Bob Van Asperen – Bach: Sonatas for Viola da Gamba (1990) [Japan 2019]
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Cellist Anner Bylsma is joined by organist Bob van Asperen for this recording of compositional works by Johann Sebastian Bach alongside a piece by Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach from “Musikalisches Vielerley”. Originally this recording has been processed using 20-bit technology to maximize sound quality.
They are, as we might expect from such an accomplished artist, very good indeed. Bylsma draws a ravishing sound from his instrument often with profoundly affecting results. These experiments have considerable charm in the hands of such gifted players as these; and, in addition a recording of one of J.C.F.Bach’s two cello sonatas is welcome. It is lightweight but effectively written and delightfully performed music. Bylsma is a veritable poet, and Bob van Asperen provides a sensitive, tasteful partnership and the recorded sound is excellent.

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1 min read

Annar Folleso, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Ole Kristian Ruud – Ole Bull: Violin Concertos (2010) [SACD / 2L – 2L-067-SACD]

Annar Folleso, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Ole Kristian Ruud - Ole Bull: Violin Concertos (2010)

Title: Annar Folleso, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Ole Kristian Ruud – Ole Bull: Violin Concertos (2010)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Ole Bull, a Norwegian violin virtuoso, composer, and cultural pioneer, captivated global audiences in the nineteenth century with his dazzling technique and charisma, earning the title “the Scandinavian Paganini.” This recording features his well-known compositions like the rural Et Sæterbesøg, part of Norway’s cultural heritage, alongside recently rediscovered works, including two virtuosic violin concertos and the fiery Spanish fantasia La Verbena de San Juan, recorded here for the first time. The A major Concerto, written in Italy in 1834, brims with captivating melodies and thrilling virtuosity, while the Concerto Fantastico No. 2 showcases Bull’s original, enchanting ideas, as noted by Franz Liszt in 1840. These works highlight Bull’s role in forging a Norwegian national identity and his ability to enthrall audiences with his intense, charismatic performances.

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1 min read

Anna Netrebko – Opera Arias (2003) [SACD / Deutsche Grammophon – 474 640-2]

Anna Netrebko - Opera Arias (2003)

Title: Anna Netrebko – Opera Arias (2003)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64

This remarkable vocal album, which won the prestigious Amadeus Music Award in 2003, features soprano Anna Netrbko in stunning renditions of works by Puccini, Berlioz, Mozart, Bellini, and Dvorák among others. A multiple Grammy-nominee and the first opera singer ever to be named to the TIME 100 list (Time magazine’s list of the most influential people in the world), Netrebko takes on these masterworks with startling vivacity and vocal virtuosity.

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1 min read

Anna Netrebko – Sempre Libera (2004) [SACD / Deutsche Grammophon – 474 881-2]

Anna Netrebko - Sempre Libera (2004)

Title: Anna Netrebko – Sempre Libera (2004)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 

Anna Netrebko’s second disc is even more impressive than her first. She still may not be an absolutely polished, finished artist, but she’s working at it and presents here a very satisfying–-even thrilling–-program. She doesn’t quite have the stature or insights for Verdi’s Violetta yet, but aside from some smudged coloratura in low-lying passages she sings the first act scene quite well (capped with a well-placed, big E-flat). She’s close to ideal in the Sonnambula and Puritani excerpts, where her girlishness is entirely right, her coloratura dazzling, and her ability to sound tearful really impressive. The Lucia Mad Scene (also notable here for its use of the glass harmonica for which it was composed in place of the usual flute) is quite wonderful, even if the runs are sometimes not as well-delineated as they should be. And although she’s not vocally suited to Desdemona’s Willow Song and Ave Maria, she does manage to darken her voice to fit the character and presents a very moving portrait. The disc ends with an utterly charming “O mio babbino caro.” Artistry and everything else aside, her voice is just beautiful. Claudio Abbado’s leadership is ideal.

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2 min read

Anna Kolchina – Wild Is The Wind (2017) [Japan 2018] [SACD / Venus Records – VHGD-267]

Anna Kolchina - Wild Is The Wind (2017) [Japan 2018]

Title: Anna Kolchina – Wild Is The Wind (2017) [Japan 2018]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Anna Kolchina, a Russian jazz vocalist from Bashkortostan and a St. Petersburg State University of Cultural Arts graduate, delivers her third Venus Records album, Wild Is The Wind, recorded in 2017 in New York with an all-star band featuring John Di Martino on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Willie Jones III on drums. Following her 2015 debut Street of Dreams with Massimo Farao’s trio and 2016’s Dark Eyes, this album showcases Kolchina as an equal quartet member, her mellow, seductive voice blending seamlessly with the ensemble, particularly in the title track where it emerges delicately from Washington’s bass. The 14-track collection of love song standards, including “You Do Something To Me,” “So In Love,” and “Don’t Look Back,” explores varied emotional facets with Kolchina’s refined yet street-smart vocals, which convey vulnerability and worldly wisdom. The three-dimensional engineering creates an immersive experience, making Wild Is The Wind a compelling, intimate masterclass in ensemble jazz performance.

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1 min read

Anna Kolchina – Street Of Dreams (2015) [Japan 2016] [SACD / Venus Records – VHGD-170]

Anna Kolchina - Street Of Dreams (2015) [Japan 2016]

Title: Anna Kolchina – Street Of Dreams (2015) [Japan 2016]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Anna Kolchina’s mellow seductive voice has been heard around the world. Born in Russia (Republic of Bashkortostan) and graduate of the St.Petersburg State University of Cultural Arts, Anna has since performed and recorded with world class musicians from Russia, Europe and USA. In 2015, Anna’s debut album “Street of Dreams” was recorded with the world famous Italian jazz pianist Massimo Farao’s trio in Turin, Italy. She signed under Japan based jazz label, Venus Records.

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1 min read

Anna Kolchina – Dark Eyes (2016) [SACD / Venus Records – VHGD-190]

Anna Kolchina - Dark Eyes (2016)

Title: Anna Kolchina – Dark Eyes (2016)
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Anna Kolchina’s mellow seductive voice has been heard around the world. Born in Russia (Republic of Bashkortostan) and graduate of the St.Petersburg State University of Cultural Arts, Anna has since performed and recorded with world class musicians from Russia, Europe and USA. In 2016, Anna released her sophomore record with Venus Records, “Dark Eyes”. On this album, she choose to be more hands on and wrote the arrangements for 6 songs which was played by Massimo Farao’s trio featuring Claudio Chiara- alto sax and Fulvio Albano- bari sax. “Dark Eyes” was in high rotation for weeks Virginia Muse radio in Amsterdam.

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1 min read

Angela Hewitt – Piano Music by Emmanuel Chabrier (2006) [SACD / Hyperion – SACDA67515]

Angela Hewitt - Piano Music by Emmanuel Chabrier (2006)

Title: Angela Hewitt – Piano Music by Emmanuel Chabrier (2006)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Angela Hewitt, renowned for her masterful Bach, Chopin, Couperin, Messiaen, and Ravel recordings on Hyperion, brings her technical polish and expressive depth to Emmanuel Chabrier’s keyboard works in a 2004 release, delivering colorful, idiomatic performances of late nineteenth-century miniatures. While Chabrier’s music ranges from sophisticated pieces like Aubade, Habanera, and Bourrée fantasque to the charming posthumous Ballabile, Caprice, and Feuillet d’album, the Dix pièces pittoresques and earlier Impromptu and Ronde champêtre often lean toward trite, superficial salon fare with occasional hints of Ravel-like innovation. Hewitt’s sensitivity and skill elevate these works, making them sound more compelling than their sometimes shallow nature might warrant, though her choice of repertoire may not thrill fans as much as her usual selections. Hyperion’s sublime recording quality perfectly showcases Hewitt’s brilliance and panache, cementing her status as a leading interpreter despite the mixed appeal of Chabrier’s compositions.

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1 min read

Angela Hewitt – Jean-Philippe Rameau: Keyboard Suites (2008) [SACD / Hyperion – SACDA67597]

Angela Hewitt - Jean-Philippe Rameau: Keyboard Suites (2008)

Title: Angela Hewitt – Jean-Philippe Rameau: Keyboard Suites (2008)
Genre: Classical
Format: DSF DSD64

Hyperion’s January Record of the Month features Baroque legend Angela Hewitt performing three of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s keyboard suites, showcasing the eighteenth-century French composer’s blend of intellectualism, passion, and tenderness on a Fazioli piano. Rameau, once a traveling violinist and provincial organist before becoming Compositeur du Cabinet du Roi, crafted some sixty keyboard works, including courtly dances like the Tambourin and programmatic pieces like Les sauvages, which Hewitt plays with crisp clarity, delicate ornamentation, and a vibrant, harpsichord-like tone. Her renditions, from the noble Courante in the A minor Suite to the tender Les Triolets and vivid Le Rappel des oiseaux, balance Parisian elegance with rhythmic vitality, making the piano feel perfectly suited to Rameau’s music. Critics praise Hewitt’s refined technique, meticulous ornamentation, and expressive touch, noting that her performances, backed by Hyperion’s vivid engineering, rival historic recordings like Marcelle Meyer’s 1953 cycle, establishing this disc as a must-have for Baroque enthusiasts.

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1 min read