Leading Lightly

Antonín Dvorák's Stabat Mater, Op. 58, truly merits the adjective "tragic"; it was written after the deaths of two of the composer's children in succession, and his grief rolled out in great, Verdian waves. There are several strong recordings on the market, including an earlier one by conductor Jiří Bělohlávek himself, but for the combination of deep feeling, technical mastery from musicians and singers who have spent their lives getting to know the score, and soloists who not only sound beautiful but are seamlessly integrated into the flow, this Decca release may be the king of them all. To what extent was the strength of the performance motivated by Bělohlávek's likely fatal illness (he died days after the album entered the top levels of classical charts in the spring of 2017)? It's hard to say, although he also delivered top-notch performances of Dvorák's Requiem in his last days. The members of the Prague Philharmonic Choir sing their hearts out in the gigantic, shattering opening chorus, which has rarely if ever had such a mixture of the impassioned and the perfectly controlled. Sample the chorus "Virgo virginium praeclara" to hear the magically suspended quality Bělohlávek brings out of the singers in lightly accompanied passages.

‘Going all the way back to the Celts and the Druids, the term nemeton designates a place where forces and energies are crystallised, generally clearings where solemn or ritual actions were performed. The best-known nemeton is certainly Stonehenge. The architectural marvel of Chartres Cathedral is built on a nemeton. In composing this piece for solo percussion, I wanted to depict a “place” of this kind by means of sound. I’m utterly fascinated by the instrumentarium of this work, consisting chiefly of metal, wood and skin instruments that don’t have their own “specific” resonance.

The irrepressible Dave Douglas delivers another installment in the life of the Tiny Bell Trio, which features his own inimitable trumpet style, but the rhythmic invention of Jim Black on drums, and Brad Shepik's emotionally vulnerable yet volatile guitar playing. Where previous Tiny Bell outings have focused on the possibilities for texture, dynamic, and atmospheric possibilities within a given compositional structure, Songs for Wandering Souls places its eye firmly on group execution this set of compositions – all but two of which are by Douglas, the others arranged by him especially for this of his many groups. The disc opens with "Sam Hill," a beautiful "song," where the lead "call" voice is carried by Douglas, but its "response" is in the lyrical flow of Shepik's string interplay.

GRAMOPHONE Magazine Editor's Choice - February 2016. dB Productions celebrate the 150th anniversary of Carl Nielsen with two CD volumes of his music! Featured again on this second volume is one of Sweden’s leading violinists, Cecilia Zilliacus, in Nielsen’s violin concerto. The Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra is conducted by young rising star, Daniel Blendulf.

Paolo Fresu 5et - Songlines / Night & Blue (2010) {2CD Tuk Music 8034135080059}
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© 2010 Tuk Music / My Favorite Music | 8034135080059
Jazz / Modern Jazz / Post Bop / Trumpet

Paolo Fresu's Songlines/Night & Blue is a beautiful performance by a musician who does not feel compelled to prove himself with pyrotechnics. Instead, on this two-disc set, the Italian trumpeter prefers speaking his piece with lush melodies and a rich full horn sound, supported by an exceptional quartet. Being an Italian album, it seems appropriate to use a few musical terms. The entire affair, around 140 minutes in length, is taken sostenuto (smoothly), with a pace that slides between adagio (slowly) and andante (walking), but never goes much faster than that. But this down-tempo consistency should not be confused with sloth. Everything here is tightly played, with some real intensity from the musicians; it's just not going to wake the neighbors with frenetic thunder.

Lee Morgan - The Sixth Sense (1967) {2014 Japan SHM-CD Blue Note 24-192 Remaster}
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© 1967, 2014 Universal Japan / Blue Note | BN 75th The Masterworks | UCCQ-5077
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Modal Music / Trumpet

Features SHM-CD format and the latest 24bit 192kHz remastering. From late 1967 through 1968, Lee Morgan fronted a fine sextet with alto saxophonist Jackie McLean and the less-heralded tenor saxophonist Frank Mitchell. The group recorded The Sixth Sense, but by September of 1968, Morgan, Mitchell, and drummer Billy Higgins remained, the band revamped and reduced to a quintet. Where McLean's contribution was very telling in terms of the combo's overall sound, the quintet was able to further display the quiet confidence and competence Mitchell held.

Howard McGhee - Dusty Blue (1960) {2013 Japanese Bethlehem Album Collection 1000 CDSOL-6046}
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© 1960, 2013 Solid Records / Bethlehem | CDSOL-6046 | Mono
Jazz / Bop / Cool / Trumpet

Reissue. Features the latest remastering. Includes a Japanese description, lyrics. Features original cover artwork. The 1950s had largely been a waste for Howard McGhee, as drug addiction had taken its toll on his playing. But he is in good form for this 1961 studio session for Bethlehem, leading a septet with baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, trombonist Bennie Green, and tenor saxophonist Roland Alexander, with a top-notch rhythm section of Tommy Flanagan, Ron Carter, and Walter Bolden an added bonus.

Written sometime between 1697 and 1706, these duos for viola da gamba are a joy to listen to. Inevitably, with these dates in mind, the repertoire invites comparison with the towering influence of Marais, the eclectic Forqueray, and user-friendly Boismortier. In fact, these full-scale duos are a demanding must for the encouragement of self-sufficiency for serious gamba players. The six sonatas interweave sonatas da chiesa and da camera, infiltrate Italianate movements with accompanying dances, and seamlessly alternate melodic and harmonic functions for the two instruments.