Author: Bill Dodd
Bill is Senior Music Reviewer at NativeDSD. He lives in the Portland, Oregon area. He is an avid photographer too! Along with his early interest in broadcasting and high fidelity audio, he was exposed to classical music in small doses from age 5, was given piano lessons from age 9— Starting with Bach and including Gershwin. Successful morning personality in San Francisco at age 22. (true). Sang in choirs in high school and college. Although the broadcasting experience was all in popular music, his personal listening has been mostly classical his whole life—along with others including Benny Goodman, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Joni Mitchell, The Who, and Led Zeppelin.
An Award-Winning Performance I am Thrilled to Rediscover
I was looking through some releases from last year when I was reminded of this award winner. Sebastian Stanley’s Rachmaninoff album showcases his masterful playing, and HR’s superb recording quality. Rachmaninoff has a special place in my life. I began piano lessons just 7 years after his death. I’ve always seen the modern side of […]
I can’t think of a single work by Prokofiev that I don’t like.
Everybody knows Prokofiev’s ballets, and his 5th Symphony. I can’t think of a single work by Prokofiev that I don’t like. Well… there is an opera that takes some effort. The Firey Angel was commissioned in the early 1920s, but not performed in its entirety until after Prokofiev’s death. There is (to my […]
Saskia Giorgini Plays Debussy With a Sparkling Joyfulness
Available now for 25% off! I’ve said it before… I love Debussy! I especially love his piano works. I’ve amassed a big collection of CD’s and files by numerous luminaries of the keyboard, and I wouldn’t want to be without any of them. But here’s a recent release that really stands apart. Normally I divide Debussy interpreters into […]
Fiery Performances from Patrenko and Oslo Philharmonic
I’d like to put out some praise for “warhorses.” There’s a reason they hang around. People like them! And occasionally a conductor will come up with a new performance that reminds us why. This recording was the 2020 Orchestral Album of the Year at NativeDSD. Rimsky-Korsakov was one of the great orchestrators, bringing new color and life […]
‘Czech Songs’ from Magdalena Kozena on Pentatone
This lovely, haunting album of Czech orchestral songs is a real winner. It’s a followup to last year’s Folk Songs, winner of Album of the Year in the vocal category. This new one from Magdalena Kozena, backed by the Czech Philharmonic with Sir Simon Rattle conducting, is even more attractive to me because 14 of these […]
The ‘Beethoven Piano Concertos’ You’ve Been Looking For
I’ve been listening for too many years, and loved too many different recordings of the 5 Beethoven Piano Concertos to settle on absolute favorites, but this set comes very close, and it has kept me smiling since it was released last year. The estimable Garrick Ohlsson with Sir Donald Runnicles conducting the Grand Teton Music […]
‘Paysage’ from Véronique Gens is Simply and Gently Moving
When I went to check the mailbox today I was greeted by a cloudless sky. The temperature was perfect. Our large bay tree is perfuming the entire yard. And just when I thought things couldn’t be better, a hummingbird came by to check out the honeysuckles! Was I dreaming? It truly was an amazing moment. Believe it or not, […]
Britten’s ‘Sinfonia da Requiem’ from Sir Simon Rattle and LSO
I first “discovered” Benjamin Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem in 1963 with Andre Previn’s premiere album as conductor of the St. Louis Symphony. I bought the album because it had Aaron Copland’s Red Pony Suite, and while I love that, it was Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem that made this a favorite LP. It was commissioned in 1939 by […]
Praise for ‘Mozart, You Drive Me Crazy!’
Golda Schultz, supported by seven other fine soloists, takes us on a delightful excursion through the three Mozart/da Pointe operas, Don Giovanni, Le nozzi di Figaro, and Cosi fan tutti. The album is dedicated to the five strong female characters in these three operas, and she brings strength to each, navigating the sometimes difficult arias perfectly. Conductor […]
Pentatone Has a Rising Star!
Pentatone has a rising star! Venezuelan Rafael Payare has been making a name for himself for the past few years, and these two newer releases from Pentatone are lighting up my listening room. I have so many great Mahler 5’s, and I’ve praised many of them right here. But this new one from Payare with […]
New Discoveries – Autumn 2023
Lately I’ve been spending more time listening, and It really paid off! I found these albums I want to showcase. Each has some unexpected rewards. Take some time yourself and listen! Remember, many of the samples are full length, and have quite good sound quality. So let’s dive in! Stravinsky/Poulenc/Debussy: Works for Cello and PianoAmalie Stalheim & Christian Ihle Hadlan […]
An Embarrassment of Riches – Pt. 2
It’s been wonderful to see so many excellent new releases on Native DSD– “An Embarrassment of Riches!” Well, here I am with even more! The Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos Garrick Ohlsson, Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, Sir Donald Runnicles Last year I was totally entranced by Peter Takacs’ complete Beethoven Sonatas (here), and the […]