Jan 7, 2023 | Outstanding [category w.e.f. January 2021], Recording Soundbites
Eugene Ormandy (born Jenö Blau; 1899-1985) is most associated with the Philadelphia Orchestra, a stint of forty-years-plus as music director from 1938. Beforehand, once arrived in the States as a jobbing if versatile musician from Hungary, including as a violinist, he...
Dec 24, 2022 | Recording Soundbites
If Sir Adrian Boult (1889-1983) recorded something for Decca, then it will be somewhere in one of these three boxes, each glorying in full annotation (including photographs and memorabilia), the discs themselves distinguished by original LP artwork (a time there was)....
Oct 26, 2022 | Ramblings, Recording Soundbites
As it’s still Autumn I thought I’d listen to John’s Red Leaves, a really fine and painterly piece, included on a Signum release (SIGCD053) with the Brunel Ensemble conducted by Christopher Austin. The disc as a whole, recorded February 1996, includes...
Sep 23, 2022 | Recording Soundbites
Previously published on August 26 Dipping in, it sounds terrific, very clear, well-balanced, and the presentation – including programme note, synopsis, and complete libretto – is handsome. It’s a great opera, too. LPO – 0124 (3 CDs). London Philharmonic...
May 23, 2022 | Guest Contributors, Insights, Recording Soundbites
Guest Writer, Ateş Orga A hundred years ago the BBC’s core founding values – to inform, educate and entertain, in that order (John Reith was exacting) – made for a distinctive kind of promotion and programming continuing well beyond the Second World War....
Mar 11, 2022 | News, Recording Soundbites
I am trying something a little different with this post: giving advance notice of new releases, starting with Hyperion’s schedule for April. I have the discs already and have been dipping in and, below, are a few comments of first encounters. If the words are...