Classical music reviews

Ignance Tiegerman's story is bittersweet. He, like Feinberg, and Sirota, exemplifies the very highest accomplishments of pianistic art, yet was consigned to obscurity while Hofmann,d'Albert,Rosenthal, Horowitz,Rubinstein,Moiseiwitsch,Gieseking,Lhevinne,Rachmaninoff garnerd the headlines.

Tiegerman was a pupil of Freidman and Leschetitsky, and a friend of Horowitz when both were in Berlin.Horowitz is reported to have said Tiegerman was his greatest rival in Berlin,the only one who could eclipse Horowitz. Tiegerman was overwhelmed by Roaring 20's America,and at Freidman's urging in 1931 took over a conservatory in Cairo,whose climate was better for Tiegerman's asthma and lifestyle.

The story behind the search for these recordings, all taken from private recordings and radio,and all nearly lost forever, is fascinating. Would suggest you read the liner notes available at the Arbiter Records website.

The music:

Tiegerman's farewell concert in Cairo in 1963 featured eclectic selections: Saint Saens Egyptian Concerto and the Frank Symphonic Variations. The Concerto had always seemed a trifle to me,not worth purchasing; the Variations a simplistic, one-hearing work. As with all the greats, Tiegerman elevates these works, avoiding in the slow movement of the Concerto any semblance of banality in the "egyptian" theme, in fact transforming it beautifully; and creating a concerto from the Variations, exploring depths and detail in the opening section most pianists simply play through unaware, as most pianists apparently have no clue what to do with the opening slow section of the Variations. I will be listening several times now to both, as Tiegerman has opened doors.

There is wonderful,first class Chopin playing here, grand manner, wonderful tone and lyricism,and when required the titanic technique and sonority of his teacher,Freidman.In the 3rd Sonata, where most take the lyrical Largo as an overly- sacchrine ballad, Tiegerman quite originally takes a much quicker tempo, mf rather than p or mp, a vital lied instead. The entire Sonata is heroic, in the manner of the Scherzi . Yet, in the 4th Ballade, Tiegerman finds mainly quiet solitude where others often strain,IMO, to find more drama than there, simply because a "ballade."

Only the first 2 opening movements of the Brahms 2nd were found,from a 1954 live Cairo Symphony radio broadcast.Only the 1958 Gilels-Reiner,IMO, prepares one for what Tiegerman does here,and the young Gilels simply does not bring all the gravitas needed. Schnabel tried to so play,but did not have the technique;by the time I believe Backhaus would have liked to (his last concerto recording with Bohm in 1967), he did not have the technique. Tiegerman simply blazes through these movements, making a case Brahms of the 2nd may have been bearded, but in appearance only,these movements unfinished business from the 1st Concerto,or 1st Symphony, perhaps informed by reflections on a more passionate life Brahms' recent Italian trip may have suggested. Tiegerman takes great risk with such sweeping gestures,faster tempi, and intensity, such symphonic playing,bringing to mind the d'Albert Emperor, and his own teacher Freidman's approach to the Chopin Mazurkas, but then Brahms himself frequently complained his music was not being played correctly, too formally. Tiegerman knows no difficulty, the technique,sonority in this live performance staggering.One is almost emotionally relieved by arrival of,and in great need of, the pastoral 3rd movement which,alas, has been lost.

Yet, in some Field and Faure Nocturnes, Tiegerman is the intimate,lyrical colorist.

Per the generous liner notes: In May,1968 he was operated on for prostate cancer,an operation the doctors botched.One of his last pupils stayed at the hospital every day until another pupil,Prince Hassan of Morocco, arrived and stayed with Tiegerman through the night,feeding him by hand grapes and apple slices. Hassan and other pupils sought from the Egyptian Government a gesture of recognition, but only a low level functionary was sent, who knew nothing of Tiegerman.He came into the hospital room, and upon seeing Tiegerman, immediately fell to his knees and,kneeling at the bedside,kissed his hand.In an instant,he understood who Tiegerman was. And death came May 31.

Tiegerman lost his parents and brother to the Holocaust, his mother throwing herself before one of the camp-bound trains. Teigerman was buried in the Bassatine Jewish cemetary in Cairo, but refugees from the 1967 War in the Sinai who came to Cairo after the War moved into the cemetaries near Ma'adi,overturning or demolishing headstones,and the whereabouts of Tiegerman's grave now remains a mystery.

"Tiegerman was the greatest talent I ever worked with." Ignazy Freidman.

Suggest you give a listen, before you purchase your next Lang Lang, or Volodos, or Lugansky,or Kissin. Sound not perfect,weak in some places, but surprisingly good most often, definitely not an impediment here.

Exceptional playing from a true master.
It seems that Tiegermann's fingers function as magic wands over the large percussive instrument, presenting unparalleled possibilities in performances which no one else can imitate.

Tiegerman, more than any pianist I've ever heard, combined power with restraint, lyricism with structure -- in short, romantic ardor with classical poise -- in a way that seems ideal for Chopin. Forgive the invidious comparisons, but compared with Tiegerman, Cortot for me was alternately grandiloquent and coy; Friedman (Tiegerman's teacher) too often crude; Lipatti too chaste; Rubinstein (in his commercial recordings, less often when I heard him live) too careful; Hofmann too cyncically manipulative -- okay, enough. It's juvenile to run down these giants. The point is that Tiegerman deserved to be compared with them, and we owe a great debt to Allan Evans for letting him rejoin the pantheon.

Stephan Micus va dritto al cuore. Gli "basta" pronunziare parole inventate per emozionare, e non poco, l'ascoltatore...
La definirei musica meditativo-religiosa, piuttosto ipnotica, certamente, infinitamente onirica.
Grazie Micus e Mr. ECM per aver dato voce ad una musica cos� ALTA.

...that's what I hear in this, possibly my favorite Stephan Micus recording. The photo on the back of the booklet is, I believe, a clue to the spirit contained in these pieces -- it shows Micus holding his young child aloft to the sky, and the pure joy that radiates from both of their faces shines from the heart of every piece of music on this disc.

There are both instrumentals and vocal pieces here -- in the inimitable style and quality that Stephan Micus' listeners have come to respect and expect. I have been a fan since his first album in the mid-70s, and with each new release I stand in awe of the ability of this man to convey in music the very soul of our planet, of humankind.

As in his other recordings, he combines instruments from the far corners of the world -- instruments that have, most likely, never been recorded together before -- to subtle but powerful effect. The music transports the listener and uplifts the spirit. It is completely without hype, politics or pretention -- it is universal, uncluttered and uncompromising in its beauty. It is timeless.

This is what bands like Dead Can Dance strive for and are so far from: Authenticity. No hype, attitude, or pretense, SM serves up an organic plate of churning music from what seems to come from heaven. If you like ethnic music and Ambient, welcome home friend.

Stephan Micus va dritto al cuore. Gli "basta" pronunziare parole inventate per emozionare, e non poco, l'ascoltatore...
La definirei musica meditativo-religiosa, piuttosto ipnotica, certamente, infinitamente onirica.
Grazie Micus e Mr. ECM per aver dato voce ad una musica cos� ALTA.

...that's what I hear in this, possibly my favorite Stephan Micus recording. The photo on the back of the booklet is, I believe, a clue to the spirit contained in these pieces -- it shows Micus holding his young child aloft to the sky, and the pure joy that radiates from both of their faces shines from the heart of every piece of music on this disc.

There are both instrumentals and vocal pieces here -- in the inimitable style and quality that Stephan Micus' listeners have come to respect and expect. I have been a fan since his first album in the mid-70s, and with each new release I stand in awe of the ability of this man to convey in music the very soul of our planet, of humankind.

As in his other recordings, he combines instruments from the far corners of the world -- instruments that have, most likely, never been recorded together before -- to subtle but powerful effect. The music transports the listener and uplifts the spirit. It is completely without hype, politics or pretention -- it is universal, uncluttered and uncompromising in its beauty. It is timeless.

This is what bands like Dead Can Dance strive for and are so far from: Authenticity. No hype, attitude, or pretense, SM serves up an organic plate of churning music from what seems to come from heaven. If you like ethnic music and Ambient, welcome home friend.

That's all I can say - It makes you smile. It's so juxtaposed - the convergence so incongruent that it works. What comes out is humor. Great fun. He does "BAD"TUBA

unbelievable tubist who MUST BE HEARD.. hard to keep your feet still

Being a tuba player myself, I can truly appreciate the abilities of Mr. Pilafian. I have had the rare opportunity to study with him as well, and I know that he loves his music, and it shows in all that he plays. He plays with more heart and more technical ability than anyone else out there. As long as he keeps making albums I will keep buying them.

I bought this as wallpaper music - and got a very pleasant surprise!

Several of the pieces stopped me in my tracks, made me sit down and forced me to listen.

Michala Petri demonstrates a masterly control of her instrument and a high level of musicianship in a wide ranging selection of material - from reconstituted Bach to specially composed 20th Century pieces.

Outstanding for me was the Sammartini Concerto: Ms Petri shows a lightness of touch combined with serious enthusiasm and an obvious delight that literally stopped me from working and made me listen. The support given by the Moscow Virtuosi also deserves mention.

Koppel's pieces are fun, as are the arrangements from Grieg and Satie.

Overall, although this could be taken as a glorified sampler... it is much more - there are complete works played intelligently and lighter, throw away pieces you'll want to chase after and listen to again.

After falling in love with the recorder, I started searching for CDs and this was the first I bought. It quickly became a favorite CD. I like the fact that it ranges over a wide period--Baroque to Modern, and showcases the instrument in different settings. The liner notes are quite comprehensive as well. In a word--enchanting.

I must confess up front to being a Michala Petri fanatic. I also play the recorder, although after listening to this album, I feel like throwing my instruments into the nearest dumpster.

Michala Petri is a national hero in Denmark, and a recognized name among classical music fans in Europe, Asia, and Canada. If you listen to this album, you will ask yourself how the music business in the USA can frantically promote "The Three Tenors" while mostly ignoring the genius of this amazing young woman.

This is not your kid's recorder. Ms Petri's complete technical and musical mastery of her instrument transforms the recorder into the equal of other familiar solo instruments, but with its own peculiar sound, penetrating but sweet, that sets it apart.

This album is made up mostly of tracks from her many earlier recordings. Some are transcriptions of well-loved piano miniatures (the Grieg numbers are perhaps more charming here than on the piano, if that is possible); of baroque works for flute, recorder, or strings; of modern recorder music written for Ms Petri by contemporary masters. Some are accompanied by small orchestra and others by Ms Petri's husband, the excellent guitarist and lutist Lars Hannibal. The combination of recorder and guitar is an intimate match made in heaven, and I recommend also this duo's complete album, 'Air'.

I would have to say that this is a great cd but not quite as great as I expected in one respect, and even better than I expected in one respect.

I'm not sure why, but I am still rather unmoved by the alap in Raga Marwa. Before hearing this cd I sort of expected it to be one of the highlights of the disc.

The flipside to that is the fact that Mahapurush Misra's tabla performance during the gat in Raga Marwa is absolutely explosive! When it really comes down to it, this cd is worth purchasing for Mahaparush's performance alone.

I think Ali's best playing comes during the gorgeous Raga Misra Shivaranjani. This is a melodically beautiful raga, and here Ali is accompanied by Shankar Ghosh on tabla. What I love about this performance is that even though it's very energetically played, Misra Shivaranjani still has an overall feeling of serenity and peacefulness. This is one of my favorite recorded performances by Ali himself.

Overall, I would say that I still prefer Volume 4 of the Signature Series (with Nikhil Banerjee, Ali Akbar Khan, and Mahapurush Misra) over this one but that in no way slights this great cd, Volume 3, which has some of the most essential Hindustani recordings ever made.

I have never heard a performance more powerful than this one
in any music genre. The variety of tones that Ali Akbar Khan
coaxes out of his sarod is amazing as is the constantly shifting
rythym. The piece that comes closest to mind when I hear this is
La Sacre du Printemps by Stravinsky in terms of sheer power.
The last few minutes can be compared with being hit by an
oncoming freight train coming down a steep hill at top speed,
but my words are feeble in comparison to the real impact of this
music. One must hear it to comprehend!

If one wants to know the brlience of this master, have rare glimps of the intrcate fabric of this difficult raag or get evidence of fantastic tonal potntials of the Sarode, Marwaa-recording is the way to go.
Mishra-Shivranjni has always been the vanila icecream to charm audiances all over. KhanSabib's bold strokes and Jhalaa in Roopak Taal are unsurpassed.

I became familiar with Shirley Verret through this recording. The team of principals are excellent and Maestro Abbado is fantastic with the orchestra. This recording shows the unique and amazing artistry of Ms Verrett in one of her signature roles. She remains unsurpassed in this account. Brava!

This is probably Deutsche Grammophone's greatest release. From a 70's LP, this remastered recording stars Piero Cappucilli and Shirley Verrett as Shakespeare's most wicked couple- Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. At a bargain price, this is a real treasure. It is on the top lists of the greatest opera recordings ever made. Shirley Verrett is still hailed as the ultimate Lady Macbeth. Upon performing the role in La Scala for the first time, she was showered in jewels and carried over the shoulders of ecstatic fans to her limousine. As a bonus, this recording features Placido Domingo in the minor role of Macduff and Nicolai Ghiurov as the ghost of Banquo. Claudio Abbado, an Italian conductor, understands the complexity of the score but does not sacrifice melodic richness and the mix of sprightliness and ominious grandeur found within the score.

Piero and Shirley are on fire as Mr. and Mrs. Macbeth! Their scenes are full of fire and dramatic heft, their voices soar above the orchestra's fortissimi and they each provide a kind of dark, tragic granduer to their roles. Very few singers match their level of expertise. Perhaps only Leonard Warren and Leonie Rysanek in an earlier Metropolitan Opera performance equalled them in success. Cappucilli has a dark, edgy voice and even reminds me of Samuel Ramey, whom to my knowledge has not sung Macbeth but would sound a lot like Cappucilli. Furthermore, Cappucilli died recently and this is a tribute to his great artistry. Miss Verrett is awesome, and her renditions of "Vieni T'afretta," "La Luce Langue" and the Sleeping Walking Scene are among the best, ranking with Maria Callas, Leonie Rysanek, Birgit Nilsson, Elena Soliotis and Carol Vaness. Verrett claims she was initially afraid to get into such a dark frame of mind for the role but her voice is perfectly suited for this character, despite her origins as a mezzo. It is her Lady Macbeth that most people recall with fondness, eventhough Grace Bumbry, too, sang the role in Salzburg early in her career in 1964. However, I favor Verrett's Lady Macbeth over Bumbry's. Without a doubt this is a terrific Macbeth and you won't regret buying it. It is truly the definative version while others pale in comparison.

Everyone has a favorite Lady Macbeth or Macbeth recording. But for me this one is a Macbeth that even Callas might have envied. Callas is a good singer, no doubt, any opera cognoscente will tell you that and her Lady Macbeth was sensational, but for me dramatic soprano Shirley Verrett captured the spirit of the character vocally and dramatically in her performance. She was already treading new ground like her peers Leontyne Price and Grace Bumbry by singing soprano roles normally associated with white singers. Verrett was in good voice at the time of this recording and she is blessed to be surrounded by a powerful cast- Piero Cappucilli as Macbeth, Claudio Abbado conducting. Placido Domingo sings MacDuff in a minor role but one that suits him well. Abbado found the authentic original score, complete with longer extended music and scenas and makes this recording the most satisfying of them all and certainly the closest to Verdi's vision. Verdi would have himself applauded Shirley Verrett as the ultimate Lady Macbeth. The sound is crisp and powerful, the singers are doing a heck of a job and opera lovers cannot miss out on this one. It's a recording highly recommended by most audiophiles and it's on the top lists of many opera recording scholars. Formerly a mezzo soprano, Verrett took on the heavier roles of Aida, Tosca and Norma with bravura and dramatic flair, never missing in anything. She is a singer who always focused on the drama first, decorative singing later. She didn't want to sing the role initially, so she says in her autobiography "I Never Walked Alone"- the role is too dark, after all its Lady Macbeth who spurs her husband Macbeth to commit murder to become king. Shes a devil of a woman who is later overcome by guilt and goes mad. Verrett is awesome in the Sleepwalking Scene. She is not melodramatic, she is not crazy, she is sleepwalking in a detached, bizarre manner that fits the mood and character. Callas and Leonie Rysanek, who once replaced an ill Callas as Lady Macbeth, merely make the role dramatic but Verrett goes a little further. She adds a deeper integrity to the role. By all means, get this recording and let it be a Macbeth to treasure.

Others to look for: Maria Callas, Leonye Rysanek, Elena Soliotis.

If you can't afford the full set of Rigoletto, this is the way to go. I have about 10 versions of this opera which is one of my all time favorites.
This Rigoletto is supreme. Sutherland sings up a storm, tossing of high D's and E's with extreme ease. Her trill is a marvel indeed. She is completely match with a young Pavarotti that matches Dame Joan's gorgeous voice. Pavarotti's high D is stunning.
The only competition with this Rigoletto is the one with Callas.
But Callas can't touch Sutherland in voice or technique.
In conclusion, this is the Rigoletto to get if you only want the highlights.

One word....FABULOUS! I've nearly worn it out! If you're new to opera, buy this; it's a sure hit!

flawless singing by dame Joan and Pavorotti. beautiful recording.

Gil Shaham has been a regular guest artist with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and, whether I've heard him in person or via the rebroadcast of the concert on National Public Radio station WBNI, it has always been a treat to hear him play. He is usually interviewed for the broadcasts, too, and he is as fascinating and enthusiastic a speaker as he is a player. He genuinely enjoys what he does and this comes across in his warm playing.

I am a big fan of Fritz Kreisler and have long enjoyed the short pieces that he wrote and performed, both in live performances and for Victor recordings. The first recording I ever heard of Kreisler was a 78-rpm album called "My Favorites," which featured a remarkable full color photograph of the musician (something rare in the 1940's). He included arrangements for solo violin and full orchestra of his most popular works, some of which are included in this recording. Kreisler's music is nostalgic and touching; he made no effort to go along with twentieth century musical trends and was still very successful as a composer and performer. It's great to hear his music again in these modern performances, expertly played by Gil Shaham and the Orpheus Orchestra.

I acquired this recording via a record club and have really enjoyed it. These are some of the lighter, shorter works by a variety of composers and they are all extremely enjoyable. The playing is exquisite throughout and conductor-less Orpheus Orchestra provides very fine accompaniment. (It always amazes me how well these musicians play without a conductor; they obviously are very gifted, skilled musicians and this is apparent in this recording.)

Shaham has also spoken enthusiastiacally about his recordings, which he immensely enjoys making since he can reach a wider audience than could ever hear him in concert or recital. This is definitely one of his best recordings.

No violinist I've ever heard has a tone as gorgeous as Gil Shaham. Shaham's gorgeous tone, as well as his artistic taste and easy-going temperament, make this excellent collection of violin romances a joy to listen to. This may or may not be great music, depending upon your taste, but it certainly is beautiful music, beautifully performed.

Not necessarily the most Romantic choices, but there is nothing else to be said than that Orpheus Orchestra brings out complete blend of wellness to the music and makes me feel intimacy and Shaham's playing is not manly at all- I mean, that it'sweet, Romantic and definitely dramatic. It's mellow, med. and if you want to feel calm once in a while, get this CD.

Anyone who knows anything about French horn soloists knows of the greats...Dennis Brain, Berry Tuckwell, Hans Pizka, and of course, Hermann Baumann. If you are a fan of the French horn, this is a must.

This is a beautiful CD largely featuring Hermann Baumann performing pieces by Hayden, Danzi, Rosetti, and Mozart. I admire the musicianship here, mostly from Baumann, but also noteworthy is the performance by Dale Clevenger on Haydn's Concertino for Horn and Orchestra in D major, the final track on the CD, and the only one digitally recorded. Although I think Baumann is probably the technically more proficient musician, Clevenger certainly acquits himself well, and the total lack of background noise on that track makes it an absolute pleasure to listen to. Another listener complained of excessive background noise and static, but fortunately I did not seem to have that problem on either of the systems I played it on.

I am particularly fond of the Mozart pieces presented here, although I prefer the recordings by Dennis Brain for technique. These are my favorite recordings of the Hayden and Rosetti pieces to date. This CD is an excellent value, and any serious listener will be sure to thrill to it.

Hermann Baumann is one of the greatest horn players ever and he shows why he has been given that honor on this cd. I don't think that there is recording of the Haydn concerto that even comes close to this masterful performance, even better than Tuckwell's. The cadenzas are absolutely awesome. I haven't listened to the Rosetti before but Baumann sounds excellent in this concerto as well. Clevenger plays ok on the Haydn but his articulation is a little sloppy. I'm a saxophone player but I can recognize true musicianship when I hear it and Baumann certainly is a brilliant musician. Highly recommended.