I can't tell you how much unmitigated pleasure I've had over the past week or so listening to the treasures contained in this box set of all of Haydn's symphonies. I've been in a Haydn frenzy this past month what with listening to and reviewing the Naxos box set of all the string quartets F.J. Haydn: The Complete String Quartets (Box Set), and now the sympnonies; the complete piano sonatas await F.J. Haydn: The Complete Piano Sonatas (Box Set). And on top of that I sang in a performance of Haydn's Creation a week ago, too. I keep thinking I'll get tired of Haydn, but it hasn't happened yet! (What a persistent set of Earworms his music provides!)

I have had a number of wonderful single recordings of Haydn symphonies over the years but never collected an entire set, not Adam Fischer's set on Brilliant, say, or any of the earlier ones like Dorati's with the Philharmonic Hungarica. Having gotten this set, though, I find myself not feeling any need to look any further.

First a few statistics. There are 34 CDs in the set which includes all of Haydn's extant symphonies, actually 108 of them if you count the 104 standard ones plus the Sinfonia Concertante (here in a terrific performance) and the so-called 'Symphony A' and 'Symphony B'. There are several orchestras involved, each with several CDs in the series to their credit. They are the Capella Istropolitana (Bratislava) under Barry Wordsworth; the Cologne Chamber Orchestra under Helmut Müller-Brühl; the Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia under Béla Drahos; the Northern Chamber Orchestra under Nicholas Ward; the Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä under Patrick Gallois; the Swedish Chamber Orchestra under Béla Drahos; and the Toronto Chamber Orchestra under Kevin Mallon. All of these groups acquit themselves with honor, even the ensembles one has never heard of.

One tends to think that Haydn's symphonies don't really come into their own until he enters his Sturm und Drang era, roughly those from Symphony No. 35 up to No. 60 or so, and I had never paid much attention to the symphonies that came before that. But it was a revelation to hear some of the very early symphonies which, although they don't sound like the Haydn we know and love, are nonetheless replete with felicities. For instance there is the long cello solo in the slow movement of Symphony No. 13, essentially an aria for cello, lovely in the extreme. Or the military air of Symphony No. 9, the sonata da chiesa form of Symphony No. 11, the use of cor anglais in No. 22 'The Philosopher'. One can see that Haydn knew how, for instance, to use winds in his characteristic and delightful way as early as these first essays in the symphony form. Probably most notable among them were Nos. 6, 7 & 8, the so-called 'Matin', 'Midi', and 'Soir' symphonies.

One of my favorite Haydn symphonies has always been No. 44, the 'Trauersinfonie' ('Mourning Symphony'), and I would never want to be without the recording by the wonderful Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, but the performance here by Capella Istropolitana is very nearly its equal. It was of course during the Sturm und Drang period that Haydn left behind the compose-to-a-formula symphony and began writing works that expressed feelings. And certainly No. 44 is among those. I hold it close to my heart and this performance does not disappoint.

As we get beyond 1761 and Haydn's move to Eszterhazy we see the blooming of Haydn's genius and practically all the symphonies written from then on are veritable masterpieces. And by the time Haydn has become famous throughout Europe, making trips to Paris and London, the flow of brilliant works is in full spate. There is not one of these latter works I would gladly be without. It would be silly of me to pick one or two as favorites, but I feel that the performances of Nos. 88, 92, 94, 96, 101-104 are a triumph. Indeed, I think I may b well be driving my wife up the wall with my repeated playing of these late works. But they are so inspiriting, so inspiring, so satisfying that I don't seem to be able to stop.

In all honesty, although I have heard only a few of them, I suspect if cost is a consideration the Fischer/Austro-Hungarian Orchestra set may be the preferable set because of their budget price Haydn: Complete Symphonies (33 CD Box Set). I've been very pleased with those I've heard and the set as a whole has gotten laudatory reviews. Of course, you could also simply buy both sets! (But that may be my Haydn-intoxication speaking.)

Scott Morrison

It's rare than an artist whose been turned into an icon can ever again be seen in mortal form. But such is the case for the Hank Williams heard on these three CD's of transcriptions from 1951. With these fifty-four previously unreleased tracks, the dark saint of country music is delivered from fifty-five years of canonization as a hard-working musician striving to please his audience. Williams' much anthologized commercial recordings will forever keep his star aloft, but these newly released live-in-the-studio renderings, waxed under the sponsorship of Mother's Finest for radio broadcast, crackle with a level of intensity and vocal clarity not always captured in MGM's studios. Best of all, 1951 was a "career year" for Willliams, a year in which his artistry and superstardom hit simultaneous peaks. The crush of fame drew him repeatedly to the road and exacerbated the need to pre-record his 15-minute shows for Mother's Best, rendering into lacquer a one-of-a-kind portrait of Williams as artist and entertainer.

Williams filled each fifteen minute program with his own classic songs as well as numerous covers. Chestnuts like "On Top of Old Smokey" are lit up with emotional fire, and his soaring solo vocal on "Cool Water" resounds with the drama of thirst and relief. A large helping of hymns are equally impressive as Williams and his Drifiting cowboys testify in close harmony, and the recitations of alter ego Luke the Drifter are recounted on "Pictures from Life's Other Side." The portrait drawn includes details of Williams' influences, but it's the picture of a living, breathing performer that's so breathtakingly compelling. The ephemeral nature of these recordings - there were intended to be aired on the radio with no thought of commercial issue - renders the mood more relaxed than was routinely fostered in a regular studio date. The sheer volume of material Williams performed (this is only the first of several sets that will cover these recordings) creates a looseness that unwinds the fabrications of the recording industry. Williams' aside, "I like this one," as he launches into the fourth verse of "Dear John" is a humanizing touch that shows how comfortable he was with other writers' material, and how easily his charm translated to the stage.

Time-Life has cherry-picked the original shows, rather than providing raw transfers of the transcription discs. Listeners get a taste of the original shows' continuity through snippets of song introductions, but the bulk of Williams' patter has been trimmed away in favor of musical selections. The non-chronological ordering also dispels the shows' original performance arcs, but the producers have sequenced their picks terrifically and the overall result yields a superior experience for most listeners. No doubt these choices may displease archivists, completists and old-time radio fans, but Time-Life no doubt figured this approach would have the broadest appeal, helping defray the cost of securing reissue rights and remastering the original discs. Perhaps a full program could be released separately or included as a bonus in one of the upcoming releases of additional Mother's Best material.

Other than minor audio artifacts on a few tracks (e.g., a crackle in the background of "I Dreamed That the Great Judgment Morning), the sound quality of these recordings is simply astonishing, with Williams' voice clear and edgy, his band evenly balanced behind him, and steel player Don Helms and fiddler Jerry Rivers prominently featured in the mixes. Though primitive, the direct-to-disc technology used in 1951 captured the live sound with brilliance and clarity. The transfers (by Alan Stoker) and restorations/remasterings (by should-be Grammy-winner Joe Palmaccio) are superb, and Jett Williams' introductory notes provide a quick history of the original acetates and the lawsuits that have swirled around them. Colin Escott's liner and song notes are detailed and informative, and the 40-page booklet (which is unfortunately stapled into the folder) is beautifully designed and filled with photos.

These are among the best performances Williams ever laid down on record, and among the truest recordings anyone ever made of him. You could remove "among" and still be right. Given Williams' acclaim and the scrutiny given to his career, it's mind-boggling that these discs were bottled up for nearly sixty years. This set is so musically riveting and artistically revealing as to obsolete traditional hit compendiums as the best introduction to Williams' genius. An emotional veil has been lifted between Williams and his fans; a veil previously unknown to all but those fans who were by their radios in '51. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]

I don't usually write reviews for CDs that are already out-of-print, but I'm going to make an exception to inform jazz customers of an amazing deal that is currently happening via one of Amazon's Marketplace vendors. The Fantasy label has unfortunately decided to remainder a large number of their Original Jazz Classics CDs, but thankfully Newbury Comics (based in the Boston area) has purchased an enormous selection of these titles, and is offering them at closeout prices. Some of these discs, like Les Spann's 1961 Jazzland album "Gemini," are absolutely terrific! For those of you who don't know this musician, he plays both guitar and flute with equal aplomb, though he doesn't do both at once as the title implies :-). Joining Les the Gemini are Julian Watkins on French horn (a fabulous player if you don't know of him), Tommy Flanagan on piano, Sam Jones on bass, Albert "Tootie" Heath on drums on the disc's four flute tracks, and Louis Hayes on drums on the disc's four guitar tracks. Jazz devotees do yourself a favor, if you live in New England, go to a Newbury store and cash in on a once in a lifetime deal. If you live elsewhere, you can always have them shipped -- it'll be worth it.

Hit Parade 1948 is a budget priced CD that still gives us plenty of great tunes from 1948! The sound quality is generally quite good and the artwork is nicely done.

There are quite a few wonderful songs on this disc so I guess I'll stick to the very biggest highlights. The CD starts with a charming rendition of "It's Magic" sung by the great Doris Day; her voice is wonderfully full and she hits all those notes with great skill. When they say servicemen used to listen to her sing, I believe it! "It's Magic" makes for a strong start to this album. In addition, I also like Dick Haymes crooning his very best on "Little White Lies;" this is a timeless number that you can still enjoy today if you like such artists as Harry Connick, Jr. and others. Dick's tenor voice is excellent. Now if only they told us who accompanies Dick on "Little White Lies!"

"Buttons And Bows" is another cute number by Dinah Shore; and I especially enjoy "Serenade Of The Bells." "Mañana" is a tune by Peggy Lee that initially caused a stir in the Spanish community until she and husband David Balfour explained that they were jealous of the casual, relaxed attitude many Spanish people take on life--this was a far cry from the Hollywood grind Peggy Lee and David Balfour had to endure!

"On A Slow Boat To China" has an excellent arrangement that makes good use of the brass; Harry Babbitt and Gloria Wood complement each other's vocals perfectly for "On A Slow Boat To China." Perry Como sings his heart out on "Because;" and there's a great gem in "I'll Dance At Your Wedding" performed by Ray Noble with Buddy Clark and an uncredited lady vocalizing flawlessly. Pee Wee Hunt's "Twelfth Street Rag" is also thrown in for some shock effect as this tune sounds a number from an earlier time--but it works so nicely it doesn't do any harm.

Art Mooney and his chorus do an outstanding job on two classic melodies: "Baby Face" and "I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover." I love it!

The Pied Pipers sing "My Happiness;" and the CD ends sweetly with Francis Craig and Bob Lamm performing "Beg Your Pardon." "Beg Your Pardon" starts with a strong piano solo that captures your attention and it never lets go--you'll be left wanting more after you play this CD!

I highly recommend this album for people who love classic pop vocals. The year 1948 saw many great tunes--and this selection is certainly the cream of the crop.

Meredith Andrews has released her first major label recording. And it is absolutely wonderful. She has a background as a worship leader, and it shows. The tracks are heavily focused praising the Lord of what He has done for us. Yet they include a strong pop element making them catchier than some of the other worship oriented releases out there.

The first single has been a huge hit. "You're Not Alone" is an outstanding song of encouragement. It's a piano ballad with heavy strings. The verses describe her search for love while the chorus is God's response, reminding us that He is always near us. Meredith's voice rises over the instruments in an absolutely beautiful way. There's also an acoustic version (without the strings, basically) as a bonus track at the end.

But this disc is so much more than just that one hit song. The piano based pop starts from the first track, "You Invite Me In," about God's open invitation to us. The upbeat "Lift Up Your Head" is another song of praise to the God who mends and heals us without changing. "Show Me What it Means" is a song of dedication in response to all God has done for us. And "The River" is the other ballad, and is a beautiful invitation to come to the living water.

Most of the 10 songs here are mid tempo pop, but they sound different enough that are immediately memorable. The music never gets in the way of the lyrics, however. I find my heart lifted in praise within seconds of putting this disc in, no matter what track I start with.

Here's hoping this is the first disc in a long, profitable career. I know I'll be back to see what Meredith does next.

In celebration of the National Finals Rodeo's fiftieth anniversary, Sony BMG Nashville/Legacy's gathered together fifty songs of cowboys, their Western lives and the frontier landscapes they roam. Spread across three discs are artists closely associated with cowboy music, including Gene Autry, The Sons of the Pioneers, Roy Rogers, Red Steagall, Don Walser, Chris LeDoux, Don Edwards, Riders in the Sky, and Michael Martin Murphy, as well as dozens of country artists who reach back to a time before Country & Western split into two genres. Much like rodeo's sometimes tenuous relationship to the working life of a cowboy, the characters depicted in these songs are often romanticized images of a cinematic West. That's not particularly surprising given that most of these songs are songs about cowboys rather than by cowboys, written in retrospect decades after the closing of the frontier. Many served as nostalgic soundtracks to baby boomer films and television programs of the 1950s, and some as modern day odes from subsequent generations of misfits and outlaws.

Cowboy and western themes - independence, the fulfillment of work, tranquility and loneliness on the range, the human bond with horses, dangers on the trail, and the rough lives of nomadic societal misfits - have remained remarkably consistent across increasing distance from the mythologized source and seven decades of changing musical tastes. Circling back from Brooks & Dunn's electric "Cowboy Town" to Gene Autry's acoustic "Back in the Saddle Again" one finds little instrumental similarity, but the fresh air of hard work and personal freedom creates a link between them. The independence and orneriness of cowboys proved a natural draw for both the original outlaw movement and its revivals, with songs from Waylon Jennings, Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, and Jessi Colter ranging from reflections of fellow travelers to hero worship.

The call of the West stretched beyond country artists to the Irish flutist James Galway, who waxed an early-80s cover of "The Wayward Wind" with vocalist Sylvia, and Canadian folk singer Ian Tyson, who recorded the traditional "Leavin' Cheyenne." Tyson's original "Someday Soon," memorably recorded by Judy Collins in 1969 is featured here in Suzy Bogguss' superb 1991 hit cover. Most important to the survival of cowboy music over the decades is the enduring nostalgia for Western archetypes and the music itself, with missionary artists Don Walser, Don Edwards, and Riders in the Sky building careers expressly to keep old songs alive. Contemporary country artists borrow the nostalgia for an occasional remake, such as the Outlaws rock-reworking of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" or for an opportunistic pairing, such as Clint Black and Roy Rogers' duet, "Hold on Partner."

Though the bulk of this set is collected from the 1960s and 1970s, disc three is peppered with some some hard-charging modern country. As the program moves through tracks by Tracy Byrd, George Strait, Lonestar and Brooks & Dunn, it becomes evident that this collection is both a document of songs about the west and the soundtrack to modern-day rodeo events. Montgomery Gentry's cover of "Wanted Dead or Alive" probably fires up the crowds, but as an historical document it harkens back more to Bon Jovi's 1986 original than the Old West. Given the set's dual identity, one can note that the omission of works by Tex Ritter and Jimmy Wakely (not to mention Glen Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy," though perhaps it was too ironic or simply not available for cross-licensing), but there are plenty of rodeo-themed songs here, including works from actual cowboys Rod Steagall and Chris LeDoux. In contrast to compilations that cover cowboy music as a cherished historical artifact, Legacy's set shows the music still earning its daily keep at the rodeo. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]

All-Time Greatest Hits is an excellent starter CD for people just coming to appreciate the artistry of Les Paul and Mary Ford when these two dynamos worked together. Their music was stunningly beautiful and even on an all-too-short CD like this one the listener can easily tell that this duo deserves much more listening time with more CDs by them.

The twelve numbers we do get are rather solid and very representational of what Les Paul recorded with Mary Ford. The CD starts with the charming "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise;" but the action doesn't truly start up until the second number entitles "Tennessee Waltz." Although "Tennessee Waltz" actually belongs to the incomparable Patti Page, Les Paul and Mary Ford do great justice to this tune and Patti sure would approve! Mary sings effortlessly and there is a sound effect to make it sound as if there are two Mary Fords singing the lyrics to this ballad. The guitar solo by Les Paul is flawless as usual, too.

Other songs well worth mention include "Bye Bye Blues" with its fast tempo that makes you want to jump up and start dancing wherever you are; "Vaya Con Dios" which was one of Les Paul and Mary Ford's greatest hits ever; "I'm Sitting On Top Of The World" with its joyous message and "My Baby's Coming Home." "My Baby's Coming Home" has Mary Ford singing at her very best and she delivers this like the pro she always was.

Listen also for "In The Good Old Summertime;" this tune comes from a MGM musical with Judy Garland and Van Johnson. Les Paul and Mary Ford speed up the pace a bit and, with a side dish of country flavor, make "In The Good Old Summertime" yet another highlight of this CD.

Unfortunately, there ARE better single CD compilations out there. However, for those of us on a budget, this CD makes a good place for you to start. It's also a value budget CD for people who want to decide if they truly are into Les Paul and Mary Ford enough to make them want to buy more CDs by this duo.

All in all, this is strictly a starter, budget CD--but that still has value for many of us out there. More serious fans will want better compilations on CD by Les Paul and Mary Ford.

Enjoy!

Sandor Vegh was another musical genius spiritually nurtured by Pablo Casals. There were also other remarkable and emblematic soloists (Rudolf Serkin, Joseph and Lilian Fuchs, Eugene Istomin, Paul Tortellier and Arthur Grumiaux, among a well expanded list).

That touch and torch of genius even enhanced his penetrating approaches about every score, the importance of the sound beyond the simple garnishment , the whole meaning of an arpeggio in order to achieve the maximum of an essential expressiveness as the final outcome between soul and mind.

His double role as chamber soloist with his widely known team and conductor of the famous Salzburg ensemble allowed him to focus and devoted attention around Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven with such level of grandness that hardly it might be found.

In this sense and thanks to his close friendship with Vegh, Andras Schiff has gained such reputation and prominence at the international stages.

This album is just another sample that confirms the supreme evidence of artistic superiority and unerring interpretative eloquence.

Don't let pass this musical document of relevant transcendence.

Accentus, founded and directed by Laurence Equilbey, is one of Europe's premier choral groups. Over the last few years their CDs have been among my favorite choral recordings. This recording of Fauré's Requiem and the Cantique de Jean Racine joins that list. In fact, it's hard to imagine choral works more suited to the delicate, even ethereal sound of this group, with their impeccable tuning and gorgeous pianissimi. They are joined here by soprano Sandrine Piau whose Pie Jesu is innocent and moving, and by baritone Stéphane Degout in the 'Hostias' section of the Offertorium and in the Libera me. As well a children's chorus, Maîtrise de Paris, and a chamber-sized orchestra taken from the Orchestre National de France are heard. The Requiem exists in several different performing editions and it is not clear to me which of these is heard here. It certainly is not the version with full orchestra that Fauré's publisher insisted he provide. Rather it sounds like some version of the original form of the work. In its first version the Requiem had only five sections, with the Offertorium and Libera me added a couple of years later. If I'm not mistaken the Pie Jesu was originally sung by a treble and in this recording a female soprano is used, although it needs to be said that Piau's voice sounds very nearly like that of a boy soprano. Certainly the innocence and gentle urgency are there. Lest it seem I'm implying there is only a narrow dynamic range in this performance, let me add that the climactic moment of the Sanctus, the final 'Hosanna in excelsis!', really rings out. The same is true for the climax of the Libera me. The orchestra plays with great musicality and is particularly effective in the glorious accompanimental figure of the Agnus Dei that always haunts me for hours after hearing it. The recording was made in the basilica of Sainte-Clotilde, Paris, and the mildly resonant ambiance adds to the effective recorded sound. For me this recording will not replace, at least for sentimental reasons, the classic performance by John Rutter, the Cambridge Singers and the City of London Sinfonia Faure: Requiem and other choral music, but it comes very close to that one and is in superior sound.

Fauré wrote the Cantique the Jean Racine for his 1865 graduation from the École de Niedermeyer, the 'school of classical and religious music'. It sets Racine's translation of a Latin hymn 'Consors paterni luminis' which calls on God to look down on his children and imbue them with righteousness as they begin each new day. It is said that one can immediately recognize anything by Fauré within a few bars and even in this work written when Fauré was only twenty this is true; no one but Fauré could have written it. Equilbey's forces give us a lovely rendition of the work.

Another triumph for Accentus.

Scott Morrison

Why Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto, Opus 15 is not a staple of the orchestra repertoires around the world remains a mystery. It is seldom performed, is rich in inventive writing, contains passages of striking virtuosity for the performer, and contains some of Britten's most beautiful melodic lines. It may take an evening with a live performance (as recently with the Los Angeles Philharmonic , Midori as soloist) to stimulate classical music lovers to reconsider the importance of this work, or it may take hearing a performance on recording as overwhelmingly beautiful as this coupling of the Britten with the better known and more often performed Alban Berg by the young Daniel Hope to lift the work to the public conscience. Whatever reason brings the listener back to this rather early work by Benjamin Britten is rewarded with an appreciation with just how extraordinary is this concerto.

Daniel Hope is an artist's artist, placing the composer's intentions first and 'showmanship' last. His reading of both the Berg and Britten are played with a clarity of tone and phrasing that allows him to move from the technically 'impossible' passages into the lyrical ones with complete ease. Of note is the manner in which Hope is in conversation with the orchestra (here the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Watkins) during the Part II Adagio of the Berg where the orchestra is in Bach like chorale while the ornamentation is from the precise writing for the violin. Or the both the opening and closing passages of the Britten when the silences and sustained lines are of paramount importance.

Others my hail the impressive Vengerov recording (coupling the Britten with the Walton Viola concerto) as more exciting, but for this listener the intimacy Daniel Hope achieves here is overwhelmingly beautiful. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, November 08

Vanessa Wagner is a thirty-something French pianist, a beautiful woman and, more important, a beautiful pianist. I'd never heard of her before but her program consisting of piano variations by composers spanning three hundred years intrigued me. I have to say that I was immediately entranced by her playing. The first piece on the CD, Haydn's not-often-enough-played F Minor Variations (Hob.XVIII:6), is my favorite Haydn piano work, possibly his finest work for the instrument. This performance is, in a word, stunning. The Variations are, in the main, quiet, inward, serene. The first thing I noticed, aside from the beautiful sound of her magnificent Steinway D piano, is the unfailing beauty and variety of her touch. There is never an ugly sound on this entire disc. But more than that, there is variation in tone that always suits the music at hand. Wagner is a soulful pianist. It is clear that every note has been careful considered and that the feeling expressed by the music is the main consideration. We don't think of Haydn being a Romantic, of course, but some of his music, including this set of variations, is personal and heartfelt. Like Mozart's Fantasia for Piano Four-Hands (also in F Minor), the music while observing the constraints of the Classical style nonetheless conveys deep feeling.

The Haydn is followed by Rachmaninov's Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op. 42. My favorite version of this set of variations, up to now, has been that of Ashkenazy -- and I also like Olga Kern's -- but the combination of marvelously present recorded sound and the pianist's awareness that in this work, Rachmaninov's only major piano work written outside Russia and the last solo piano work he ever wrote, is more classical, less 'Rachmaninovian' than any of his solo works. It requires clear understanding of its structure (and probably for this reason Wagner does not omit Variations 11, 12 and 19, designated as optional by the composer); Wagner groups the succeeding variations as parts of a larger structure that comprise a three-movement form (Allegro & Scherzo, Adagio, Finale).

Luciano Berio's Cinque Variazioni are new to me. Wagner plays the 1966 revision of this 1952/3 work. It is based on a three-note motif (sung to the word 'fratello' ['brother']) from Dallapiccola's opera 'Il prigioniero' and is dedicated to that composer. It is a twelve-tone work consisting of five variations and a coda that returns to the opening ninths-dominated harmonies. There is extensive use of sound-blurring pedal and extremely soft sonorities. Wagner's management of tone color and variations in touch is jaw-droppingly skilled.

Rameau's 'Gavotte variée' is seven-and-a-half minutes of early Baroque Gallic clarity requiring close attention to attack, repeated notes, counterpoint and pedaling -- and yes, Wagner does use the pedal here -- which Wagner handles with such delicacy and crystalline tone that I am eager to hear her play more music from the Baroque. I suspect her Bach would be worth hearing.

The final work is Brahms's Variations on a Theme of Schumann, Op. 9, the theme being from one of Schumann's 'Bunte Blätter'. Written for Clara Schumann during the time that her husband Robert was languishing in a mental institution, the theme itself is a minor-key chorale in F sharp minor that is then varied to represent, so it is said, Brahms himself, Robert, Clara, Schumann's alter egos Florestan and Eusebius, and some say there is also a section that represents Brahms's love for Clara. Wagner plays the work in a muted, introspective manner that nonetheless contains much pathos. I will admit that sometimes my attention flags in this early Brahms work, but not during this performance. I think this is because of Wagner's expressive manner with this high Romantic (and romantic) work.

Lest you miss my point, I find Mlle Wagner's playing exceedingly engaging and I look forward to hearing anything she chooses to record. If she plays a recital anywhere near me I will be there.

Highly recommended.

Scott Morrison

For Clutch fans old and new, this live album is a perfect summary of the band's savagery on stage. While the old in-concert set *Live at the Googolplex* from 2003 shows a younger and more metallic Clutch, this new release shows the band effectively mixing their current interests in swingin' blues licks with their historic penchant for stoner-ish metal and lowdown funky grooves. The fellas are getting a little more laidback and serious as the rockin' years fly by, but onstage they're still as brutal as ever.

As one would expect, this set is based largely on songs from the most recent studio album *From Beale Street to Oblivion* but with a focus on that album's less blatantly bluesy and more riff-oriented tracks, building an important bridge to the band's heavy past. The key tracks here are "Child of the City" and "Mr. Shiny Cadillackness" which are performed with ominous menace. For those fans who don't have all of the older studio albums, this set is also a fine introduction to many of Clutch's more interesting catalog tracks, with highlights being especially savage takes on "Dragonfly" and "Texan Book of the Dead." The only minor glitch here comes with some of the tracks from the extra-heavy *Blast Tyrant* album, with the live takes lacking some of that album's huge sounds (especially with backing vocals). Regardless, the now older and wiser Clutch remains a punishing live act, and even if you've listened to all these songs a gazillion times, you'll appreciate the power of this live set. [~doomsdayer520~]

Kathy Stott is one of the better British pianists and she has recorded many CDs for EMI and Chandos over the years. The notion of recording a CD of piano music that is based on dance is a clever one. Most of the pieces recorded here are rather slight, but none the less delightful for that. There are many familiar works, such as Sibelius's Valse Triste, Albéniz's Tango, Chopin's haunting Mazurka, Op. 17, No. 4 and Brahms's First Hungarian Dance, all done convincingly. (I particularly liked how she made Valse Triste really sound like a dance, not a dirge.) And there are many works that are unfamiliar, too, such as Graham Fitkin's 'Old Style', written for Stott and in its first recording, with its knock-kneed rhythms. There is Piazzolla ('Milonga del ángel'), which is unfamiliar to me, but may be well-known for all I know -- I seem to have a blind spot for the charms of Piazzolla but I liked this one. I noticed that the delightfully named Mozart Camargo Guarnieri (listed here simply (and misspelled) as 'M. Carmargo Guarnieri') is represented with his marvelous 'Danza negra', a piece not often heard but which should be. Stravinsky's slightly un-tango-like 'Tango' is here, and given a good reading. Satie's delicious 'Je te veux', originally a music-hall song, is played with just the right amount of faux-naïveté; I guess it would be too much to ask for Stott also to sing its salacious lyrics!

The CD starts off with Shostakovich's 'Three Fantastic Dances', Op. 5, which are rarely heard. I suppose that's because they are too slight for most piano recitals, but they are quintessentially saucy Shostakovich. And after Ginastera's 'Danza de la moza donosa' come Bartók's catchy 'Romanian Folk Dances' which, as it happens, I'll be hearing tomorrow in a recital by Cédric Tiberghien. A nice preview!

I haven't mentioned everything on the CD -- there are twenty-three pieces in all -- but you get the idea of what this collection contains. A delight.

Scott Morrison

Each one of these tracks on disc two have their own unique, quality that make them essential for Zevon fans BUT a couple are actually superior in their own way to the final versions. For example the plain demo and vocal version of "The French Inhaler" packs a wallop as does the solo piano version of "Mohammed's Radio". As with the "Elton John" two disc release that had demos on the second disc, this is one of those few albums that was great to begin with but has been improved by including these terrific alternate takes and solo demos. The band version of "Carmelita" captures the live vibe of how this sounded with a full band and I actually prefer it to the more somber reading on the original album (although both are exceptional). "Frank and Jesse James" is SO intimiate you can hear the helicopter that passes over Warren's home briefly at around the 3 minute mark.



Warren Zevon considered this his debut but it was really his second solo album ("Wanted: Dead or Alive" was his first an album he really disliked). The cream of L.A. musicians appear on this terrific album. Zevon's vision focuses on the dark side of L.A. and America. "Hasten Down the Wind", "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" and "Carmelita" were all tackled by Linda Ronstandt on various albums and as great as her versions are they lack the bittersweet quality Zevon infuses in his versions. The original album sounds good--not great in this remaster. It's louder, more compressed than the original but fans will really be picking this up for the second disc out outtakes and alternate versions of the songs on disc one.


The track listing below represents what is on the second disc.

1. Frank And Jesse James(Solo Piano Demo)
2. The French Inhaler(Solo Piano Demo)
3. Hasten Down The Wind(Band Demo)
4. Carmelita(1974 Demo)
5. Mohammed's Radio(Solo Piano Demo)
6. Backs Turned Looking Down The Path(Alternate take)
7. Join Me In L.A.(Alternate take)
8. Poor Poor Pitiful Me(Alternate take)
9. Frank And Jesse James(Alternate take)
10. Mohammed's Radio(Alternate take)
11. The French Inhaler(Alternate take)
12. Carmelita(Alternate Version)
13. Desperados Under The Eaves(alternate take)
14. Mama Couldn't Be Persuaded(Live)
15. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead(Alternate Version)

Highly recommended for fans of Zevon. The remaster sounds solid although it doesn't have quite the dynamic range of the original CD. While it is louder the mastering by Gavin Lurssun isn't bad just not ideal.

[Caveat: Rubinstein is my pianistic god. You might want to take that into consideration when reading the following.]

This CD comes from a live recital in Nijmegen, Netherlands, April 20 1963. The piano is wonderfully tuned and regulated and has an even tone throughout its range. The recorded sound is excellent for its time. The program is vintage Rubinstein (and the listing here at Amazon, at least on the date of this review, is incomplete). The complete listing:

Beethoven: Appassionata Sonata
Brahms: Intermezzo in B flat minor, Op. 117, No. 2
Schumann: Carnaval
Chopin: Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
Chopin: Etude in E minor, Op. 25, No. 5
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody in C sharp minor, S.244, No. 12
Villa-Lobos: O polichinelo, from A prole do bebê (with spoken introduction by Rubinstein)

Rubinstein had made studio recordings of all these works at other times. That this is a live concert adds a certain electricity to the recording. For instance, one can hear a bit of tempo instability in the Appassionata's first movement which I can only ascribe to nervousness on the pianist's part. (We are told in the program notes that according to Rubinstein's daughter Alina there had been busloads of Germans coming across the Dutch border for the concert and that Rubinstein was a bit nervous about the possibility of former Nazis in the audience.) There are certainly no obvious dropped notes or memory problems. Of course all these works had been in his repertoire for many years. Indeed, I find little to distinguish between this Appassionata and his 1953 RCA recording, the one I grew up with. 'Carnaval' is especially exciting. Listen, for instance, to the leggieramente 'Pantalon et Columbine' section or the tenderness of the following 'Valse allemande.' Delicious.

The Chopin and Liszt will not surprise anyone who has Rubinstein's studio recordings of these works, but there is an extra something there, especially in the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12.

I first heard Rubinstein play the Polichinelle from Prole do bêbe in recital in the early 1950s and immediately rushed home to tell my teacher I wanted to learn it. She relented and it became one of my party pieces. It is wonderful to hear it again after all these years.

I suspect this CD is primarily for Rubinstein lovers, but it would also be a nice introduction to his work for those who know him only as a name from the past.

Scott Morrison

Morgan Neville and Robert Gordon's Johnny Cash documentary premiered on the U.S. Bio channel in late October, accompanied by this DVD/CD package, Johnny Cash's America. The DVD includes the full 90-minute documentary alongside several video extras. The CD collects eighteen full-length performances of songs heard in the documentary, five of which were previously unreleased. The core documentary strings together archival footage of Cash in performance, television specials and documentaries, supplemented by interviews with family and musical associates, authoritatively answering the questions posed by the film's narrator: "How did events shape Cash? And what did he reflect back on to the country? How can one speak his mind, without losing his voice?" Cash's story is told in chronological order, starting with the hardscrabble Arkansas roots at the very core of his character. Cash's earliest years are described by childhood friends and remembered by Cash in a filmed return to his first home.

Cash's recording career, from Sun Records to Columbia to his last works with Rick Rubin provide the soundtrack to a life that's both a product of America and an influence woven into the tapestry of the country he so vocally loved. Cash is shown as an artist who stuck resolutely to his vision, such as when he lampoons the notion he'd replace Elvis as the King departed to RCA. Clips of Cash communing with Bob Dylan in the studio recording Nashville Skyline and a roll call of non-Country artists featured on his primetime television show further demonstrate the breadth of his musical vision. As far as Cash managed to stretch the ears of his fans, he stretched their minds even further. In lending his voice to the plight of Native Americans and prisoners, and in offering forthright discussions of his own drug use ("I was taking the pills for awhile, and then the pills started taking me"), he repeatedly showed a willingness to challenge the status quo. His performances of "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" and his own "What is Truth" at the Nixon White House (in lieu of Nixon's request for "Welfare Cadillac") found him speaking truth to the ultimate American power. Cash's unabashed patriotism played out in both flag waving and a stern criticism, as he saw fit.

Though music was clearly one of Cash's saviors, there were several human agents whose strength helped him wrestle with his demons. June Carter Cash is shown as the rock upon which Cash's initial rescue from drugs was founded, Billy Graham helps him along in his rebirth as a Christian, and producer Rick Rubin revives his career with an introduction to a new youth audience. At each turn, it's Cash himself who summons the strength to change and move on, but over and over there's a catalyst setting him in motion. Neville and Gordon's timeline is augmented with numerous clips and comments that provide viewpoint beyond mere facts, explaining what events and people meant within the context of Cash's life, and what Cash's life meant within the context of the times in which he lived. The directors expose the roots of Cash's broad empathy, and create a story that may be less of a drama than the biopic Walk the Line, but is no less dramatic.

Interview subjects include Cash's sister Joanne, daughters Cindy and Rosanne, son John Carter, and friends, associates and fans that include Al Gore, Snoop Dog, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Marshall Grant, Senator Lamar Alexander, Jack Clement, John Mellencamp, Steve Earle, Merle Haggard, Vince Gill, Jon Langford and John Mellancamp. The CD's previously unreleased tracks are a pair of tunes recorded in Hendersonville (1969's "Come Along and Ride This Train" and 1974's "I Am the Nation"), and a trio of live recordings (1970's "What is Truth" from the White House, 1971's "Children, Go Where I Send Thee" from Denmark, and "This Land is Your Land" from Cash's television show). The DVD's twenty-three minutes of extras include additional interview clips, a 1961 television performance of "Five Feet High and Rising" from Star Route USA, color home movies from Cash's 1972 performance at the White House, television outtakes of Cash delivering his trademark "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash" over and over and over, and documentary footage of the Cash family visiting Johnny's childhood home. Buy this to watch the documentary, keep it to enjoy the fine selection of Cash classics and rarities. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]

With its incessant piano hook and heart-felt lyrics, "Love Song" caught my attention immediately as one of the most impressive debut singles I've heard on pop radio. So is it true with the rest of "Little Voice" which demonstrates that Sara Bareilles has an incredibly bright future ahead as a compelling chanteuse of original piano-based pop rock music (I'd like to think of her as someone with the melodic richness of a Sarah McLaughlin coupled with the sarcastic, hip lyrics and excellent musical chord writing of a Randy Newman.). Her stylistic influences range all over the map, from the fusion jazz of "Vegas" to the soft rock pop of "Love Song". Lyrically and musically, her most impressive songs include the short, but quite delightful, "Fairytale" and the memorable ballad "Gravity". "Little Voice" is a marvelous demonstration of "big talent" from a compelling young singer-songwriter from whom we will hear much of in the years ahead.

With its incessant piano hook and heart-felt lyrics, "Love Song" caught my attention immediately as one of the most impressive debut singles I've heard on pop radio. So is it true with the rest of "Little Voice" which demonstrates that Sara Bareilles has an incredibly bright future ahead as a compelling chanteuse of original piano-based pop rock music (I'd like to think of her as someone with the melodic richness of a Sarah McLaughlin coupled with the sarcastic, hip lyrics and excellent musical chord writing of a Randy Newman.). Her stylistic influences range all over the map, from the fusion jazz of "Vegas" to the soft rock pop of "Love Song". Lyrically and musically, her most impressive songs include the short, but quite delightful, "Fairytale" and the memorable ballad "Gravity". This special edition of "Little Voice" includes stripped-down acoustic versions of virtually all of the songs on a separate disk, along with an interview about the writing of "Love Song". "Little Voice" is a marvelous demonstration of "big talent" from a compelling young singer-songwriter from whom we will hear much of in the years ahead.

Like the previous reviewer, I'm a fan of this ensemble and concert but disappointed that the 2nd half of the concert wasn't included as a two-fer with the first. I've just discovered this "Part Two" disc, and it's easily the equal of the first--if anything, more adventurous, with three of the tracks clocking in at 10 minutes or better.

There's a story with each of the storied players making up the group, which had settled in for a lengthy stay at Le Chat Qui Peche, a jazz club on the Left Bank. I was privileged to hear them live, though in person Art Taylor's powerful ride cymbal in this reverberant "cave" all but erased the sound of Doug Watkins' bass and Walter Davis Jr's rickety upright piano. Such was not the case at the "formal" concert by the group recorded here.

There are numerous values and worthwhile finds deserving the serious collector's attention in this Jazz in Paris series, which on the whole is well produced and fully documented. Thus far, the most satisfying pick-up has been Sonny Stitt With the Oscar Peterson Trio (originally on Verve, but in fact a quickly assembled session recorded in Paris).

Salzburg, 1956. The legendary conductor Bruno Walter has programmed a concert dedicated to Mozart's second bicentenary. The Symphony Kv. 183 and the Requiem have been the chosen works to be performed. But what the most of that selected audience is just to presence will be one of the most overpowering moments of the Western music.

The Symphony Kv. 183 keeps a very narrow tragic affinity with the Requiem Kv. 626. specially in the First and Second movements, because despite we are talking about a work composed in 1777, one may feel in curious parallelism with the Second movement of the Ninth Piano Concerto, a close resemblance of a tragic breadth. A flipping wing of dark presages, hovered by a deep and thoughtful atmosphere that transcends the work by itself.

The Requiem recorded here has been recognized - by most of critics - as the most mesmerizing of all the previous or late Requiems recorded by this distinguished interpreter.

Just keep in mind the presence of Cessare Sieppi, Anton Dermota and Lisa della Casa, the impressive chorus and the Vienna Philharmonic in that special year in that special stage.

The historical transcendence of that memorable Concerto is still motive of legitimate proud for all of us who have been fortunate listeners of that unforgettable artistic event.

This version of the Requiem still stands out as one of the most terrific, extraordinary and electrifying musical registers ever noticed.

So please, leave aside all the acoustic imperfections and let you convey by the magic of this transcendental moment.

This is no more, no less one of the greatest achievements of the XX Century, without hesitation. Don't let pass this golden opportunity and acquire it before it becomes an unavailable item. Don't think it over, my respectable reader.