Thank you to all 1,371 NativeDSD Music listeners who casted their votes in the various categories!!! ❤️

The NativeDSD Music Team

Category Winner: Orchestral & Audience Award Winner!

AND THE WINNER IS…. Bruckner Symphony No. 9 by Iván Fischer & Budapest Festival Orchestra (Channel Classics, 42822)

This is a towering Bruckner Nine from Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Bruckner’s “unfinished” symphony lacks nothing, which is not a surprise since their Bruckner Seven was a multiple-award winner. The recording is excellent.

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: Vocals (non-classical)

AND THE WINNER IS…. Ray! by Carmen Gomes Inc. (SL1052A, Sound Liaison)

One of the year’s best-selling albums at NativeDSD this year, Ray! rocketed up our Top Selling DSD Best Sellers chart in days and dominated the best sellers list for weeks and weeks. The album stars the popular and talented Carmen Gomes and her ensemble. Gomes uses the album to put her distinctive vocals and style on favorites including The Sun Is Gonna Shine Again, Georgia On My Mind, Willow Weep For Me and Makin’ Whoopee. Recorded in Stereo DXD and mastered to Analog Tape, this album is one you will savor again and again.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Soloist with Orchestra

AND THE WINNER IS…. Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos 2 & 4 by Anna Fedorova, Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen, Modestas Pitrenas (Channel Classics, 42522)

A recent review of this album by Adrian Quanjer (here) sums it up with “It’s all about passion and poetry”, and I agree. Anna Fedarova plays with surgical accuracy, but with great passion. No, there are no special effects or moments of forced showmanship. She captures Rachmaninoff’s moody presence, but also his magic. Anna Fedorova writes in the liner notes, “For me, it represents the change of the era, a farewell to the past and a dive into a quite terrifying future”. And the Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen conducted by Modestas Pitrenas provides perfect backing.  

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: Jazz Ensemble

AND THE WINNER IS…. When Night Falls by Angelo Verploegen (JL026, Just Listen Records)

It’s always a highly anticipated event when Just Listen releases an album with Angelo Verploegen. When Night Falls is his fourth album on Just Listen. Here he is joined by Ed Verhoeff on Guitar and Eric van der Westen on Bass as they play 11 standards all of which offer the trio’s “Ode to the Night.” The album makes for a warm and enveloping evening of DSD listening. Very nice. 

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Electronic Music

AND THE WINNER IS…. The New Poetry Of The FallenTestament (Pure DSD) by The LawnDogs (HRES2126, Hunnia Records)

The New Poetry Of The Fallen Testament is Live to Pure DSD 256 Stereo recording made at SuperSize Recording in Hungary. The Lawn Dogs is a European rock and electronic music band that offers special thanks to Bolcso Bar & Restaurant for providing great food and beer during the recording session. This album offers a lively mix of both rock and electronic music with Hunnia’s fine Pure DSD 256 recording. Definitely an album for fans of this genre to consider.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Solo Instrumental

AND THE WINNER IS…. The Complete Beethoven Sonatas (DSDBundle) by Peter Takács (Peter Takács Music)

While all 11 of Peter Takács’ albums of the complete set of Piano Sonatas are available individually, the complete (money saving) bundle is a wonderful way to go. Takács is not an overly flamboyant pianist. He lets Beethoven speak for himself, yet I found absolutely nothing missing in these performances. The usual “greatest hits” sonatas are as fine as one could wish, but what really impressed me is how much I thoroughly enjoyed all of the lesser known ones. I kept thinking that each was like a totally new discovery, and each was something I would never want to be without. The DSD Soundmirror recording is top-notch.

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: Jazz Fusion

AND THE WINNER IS… Signs Of The Coast by Eugenijus Jonavicius (AF202201DSD, AnalogFather)

An album that was several years in the making, Signs Of The Coast features composer and guitarist Eugenijus Jonavicius leading a Jazz quartet. Jonavicius is in demand as a session musician as well as a teacher of guitar masterclasses. His session chops are very apparent on the album, which led it to be the best selling title from Analog Planet this year.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Vocals (Lied / Opera)

AND THE WINNER IS…. Verdi: La Traviata by Lisette Oropesa (PTC5186956, Pentatone)

Verdi’s 1853 Opera was quite different for its time. No towering characters from the past, but almost a precursor to Opera Verismo still decades ahead in time. Like most of the great operas there are recorded versions that will top peoples’ lists for a long time. But this superb recording and performance stands with the best, and offers modern sound. Again we have Lisette Oropesa along with a really solid cast, accompanied by The Dresdner Philharmonie and The Staatsopernchor Dresden. The conductor is Daniel Oren. This could easily be my only La Traviata.

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: Jazz Piano

AND THE WINNER IS…. Chasing A Dream (Pure DSD) by Gábor Csordás (HRES2122, Hunnia Records)

Pianist Gabor Csordas brought us 4 Pure DSD 256 Stereo albums this year. When it comes to our Album of the Year nominations, the one I selected was Chasing A Dream. It features quite a range of styles from the mellow Jazz of the title song to the lovely Tokyo Ballad to a Jazzy disco themed song titled Fresh. The range and variety of styles and musical influences here are quite a treat. Csordas is a Jazz player with style and one to watch.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Chamber Music

AND THE WINNER IS…. Reggio: 24 Sonatas for Bass Lute, Vol. 1 (World Premiere Recording) Kit Samara, Konstantin Shenikov (E157HR, HR Recordings)

I love this album! Antonino Reggio is a bit of a mystery. He was a priest, a monsignor, a musician, and a composer. He was born in Sicily in 1725, but no one seems to be absolutely sure about the year of his death. And no one seems to be sure about when these Sonatas were written, but they are delightful as played by Konstantin Shenikov, lute; and Kit Samara, baroque harp. The combination of harp and lute really works for this music! HR Recordings says this is Volume 1 with 12 of the 24, and that Volume 2 will be coming in a few months. I can hardly wait!

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: World Music

AND THE WINNER IS… A Wind Invisible Sweeps Us Through The World by Rembrandt Trio (JL024, Just Listen Records)

The Rembrandt Trio returns to NativeDSD with their latest Just Listen album A Wind Invisible. The trio, which includes pianist and composer Rembrandt Frerichs, bass player Tony Overwater and Vinsent Planjer on percussion is known for their selection of unique musical themes and styles. Here we have an album of complex melodies that brings the listener World Music with influences from Jazz, Classical and Oriental Music. The album features the fine recording skills of Jared Sacks and is beautifully presented. It’s a musical journey you will enjoy and look forward to embarking on.

– Brian Moura

The post The Winners: 2022 Albums of the Year appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

View Nominations (Part 1/3)

View Nominations (Part 2/3)

Within each of the 11 Categories, the album with the most votes will win an AOTY Category Award. After the voting period is over, the one album with the overall most votes will also win the AOTY Audience Award.

During 2022, the NativeDSD family of music labels released hundreds of DSD albums in a wide variety of musical genres – from Pop and Rock to Jazz, Electronic Music, Blues, Tango, Samba, Soul and Funk, Swing, World, Gospel, Christmas, Classical and more.  

Next comes the difficult part. How does NativeDSD select the nominees for Best DSD Albums of the Year? As has been our tradition, NativeDSD has asked Senior Reviewer Bill Dodd and Technical Advisor Brian Moura to carefully review the year’s DSD releases and bring our listeners 2 to 5 nominations in several musical categories.  

Brian Moura and Bill Dodd have selected nominees across 11 Categories.
Today we reveal the Nominations of these 4 Categories:

Vocals (Non-Classical)

Orchestral

Jazz Fusion

Solo Instrumental

This is a great way to applaud and reward the excellent music and performances that the music labels and artists have brought us this year. And it also is a guide for our listeners to see what we have selected as the best DSD music in 2022. The nominations highlight what you may have missed throughout the year.  

Enhance your personal DSD collection as you prepare for some fine holiday musical enjoyment.  

Best of all, these albums are available at 25% Off through January 5th, 2023 as part of the Album of the Year sale. The discount is automatically applied in you cart. Another incentive to read the list and add to your DSD collection right away.

Category: Vocals (Non-Classical)

Route 66 (Monophonic Recording)

Bobby Troup
2XHDJA1226, 2xHD-Jazzology Records

Bobby Troup was a multi-talented actor, singer, songwriter, arranger, and Jazz pianist. He was also the husband and musical accompanist for singer Julie London. The title track of his album Route 66 features his best-known single along with 23 additional songs – many written by Troup. Troup has an engaging singing style that is mellow and cited by some as a fine example of the male “crooner”. Route 66 features a transfer of a Monophonic Analog Tape from the Jazzology Records catalog to DSD by 2xHD. It makes a fine addition to your DSD catalog.
– Brian Moura

Ray!

Carmen Gomes Inc.
SL1052A, Sound Liaison

One of the year’s best-selling albums at NativeDSD this year, Ray! rocketed up our Top Selling DSD Best Sellers chart in days and dominated the best sellers list for weeks and weeks. The album stars the popular and talented Carmen Gomes and her ensemble. Gomes uses the album to put her distinctive vocals and style on favorites including The Sun Is Gonna Shine Again, Georgia On My Mind, Willow Weep For Me and Makin’ Whoopee. Recorded in Stereo DXD and mastered to Analog Tape, this album is one you will savor again and again.
– Brian Moura

Day Three Take One (Double Album, Pure DSD)

David Elias & the Casual Tees
SSP20070420, Sketti Sandwich Productions

Singer and songwriter David Elias gained fame for his mellow songs and performances at the San Gregorio General Store, a historic general store and bar on the California coast. On Day Three Take One, Elias returns to the general store for a live recording, direct to Stereo Pure DSD engineered by an all-star team that includes Gus Skinas and Dr. Andrew Demery from the Sony & Philips DSD development team. The album features over 2 hours and 20 minutes of music and adventures. In addition to the songs on the album, you will enjoy banter between Elias, the band (“the Casual Tees”) and the session engineers – along with the occasional food and bar order from the band as the evening proceeds. The music and sound quality is excellent, and the mood is relaxed and fun. A true DSD highlight in 2022.
– Brian Moura

Category: Orchestral

Bruckner: Symphony No. 9

Iván Fischer, Budapest Festival Orchestra
42822, Channel Classics Records

This is a towering Bruckner Nine from Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Bruckner’s “unfinished” symphony lacks nothing, which is not a surprise since their Bruckner Seven was a multiple-award winner. The recording is excellent.
– Bill Dodd

Bruckner: Symphony No. 4

London Symphony Orchestra, Simon Rattle
LSO0875, LSO Live

Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra shine in this fine rendering of Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony, including an entire album’s worth of music that “didn’t make the cut” to the final version. I think Rattle’s Bruckner 4 is excellent in its “final” form, but the extras make for interesting listening and conjecture.
– Bill Dodd

Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4 (4 Album Set)

London Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Haitink
LSO0570, LSO Live

This release of the Brahms Symphonies from Bernard Haitink and the London Symphony Orchestra together in one set is far more than just a nice way to save money, it’s a wonderful cycle from a conductor whose powers and insights have never been more obvious. There are many fine Brahms symphony recordings available, but each of these can stand with the very best! Exciting, meaningful, and very well recorded.
– Bill Dodd

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3

National Symphony Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda
NSO0008D, National Symphony Orchestra

These are absolutely delightful Beethoven First and Third Symphonies from Gianandrea Noseda and the National Symphony Orchestra! Fleet of foot, powerful, but … charming as well. These performances are assured, refreshing, and easy to recommend. I look forward to the rest of the cycle! I was also quite impressed with how well recorded this is.
– Bill Dodd

Pelléas & Mélisande

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Jonathan Nott
PTC5186782, Pentatone

Maurice Maeterlinck’s play, Pelléas Et Mélisande was an inspiration for many composers: Faure, Sibelius, Schoenberg, and Debussy’s only Opera. This album features two of those: A symphonic poem by Schoenberg, and a suite adapted from Debussy’s Opera by Conductor Jonathan Nott. I was expecting the two works to differ dramatically, but they truly work together. Diaphanous, shimmering, even mystical feelings wrap around you as you listen, aided by Pentatone’s fine recording.
– Bill Dodd

Category: Jazz Fusion

Signs Of The Coast

Eugenijus Jonavicius
AF202201DSD, AnalogFather

An album that was several years in the making, Signs Of The Coast features composer and guitarist Eugenijus Jonavicius leading a Jazz quartet. Jonavicius is in demand as a session musician as well as a teacher of guitar masterclasses. His session chops are very apparent on the album, which led it to be the best selling title from Analog Planet this year.
– Brian Moura

The Journey Home (Pure DSD)

Kriz
HRES2205, Hunnia Records

Krisztian Csapo, also known as “Kriz”, is a trombone player and session musician in Europe. The Journey Home is a Stereo Pure DSD 256 album that features 16 top musicians playing Jazz Fusion and Big Band Jazz. The performances are stellar, and this album really cooks. Easily one of the best DSD releases of the year.
– Brian Moura

Sus Signal

Reinless
AF202206DSD, AnalogFather

AnalogFather is a new label at NativeDSD that focuses on bringing Analog Recordings from Lithuanian musicians to DSD. Sus Signal is the debut album by Reinless. The band, fronted by Jazz trombone player, arranger, and composer Jievaras Jasinskis brings us an album of fine Jazz Fusion, Jazz, Funk, and Soul Music. While Reinless also released a second Jazz Fusion in DSD titled 434 later in the year, Sus Signal gets my nod for one of the year’s best albums.
– Brian Moura

Category: Solo Instrumental

The Complete Beethoven Sonatas (DSD Bundle)

Peter Takács
Peter Takács Music

While all 11 of Peter Takács’ albums of the complete set of Piano Sonatas are available individually, the complete (money saving) bundle is a wonderful way to go. Takács is not an overly flamboyant pianist. He lets Beethoven speak for himself, yet I found absolutely nothing missing in these performances. The usual “greatest hits” sonatas are as fine as one could wish, but what really impressed me is how much I thoroughly enjoyed all of the lesser known ones. I kept thinking that each was like a totally new discovery, and each was something I would never want to be without. The DSD Soundmirror recording is top-notch.
– Bill Dodd

The Year That Never Was

Matei Varga
DSL92258, Sono Luminus

Romanian Pianist, Matei Varga, who lives in the USA, says that the dark period of the pandemic caused him to explore new music and different composers at home. The result is music largely by Cuban composer, Ernesto Lecuona. (A side note: Some of you may recall the very popular song, “The Breeze and I” adapted from Lecuona’s Andalucia.) Varga separates selections by Lecuona with works by a number of unexpected composers including Beethoven, Chopin, Gershwin, and others. You could call it salon music. The program is varied, and always delightful. Well recorded, excellent musicianship, and it’s clear that Matei Varga loves this music.
– Bill Dodd

Fantasia! Dialogue For One

Pauline Oostenrijk
COBRA0085, Cobra Records

Fantasia: Dialog For One! Pauline Oosternrijk, playing both Piano and Oboe (but not at the same time), is delightful with a selection of Telemann’s Fantasias for Piano (or harpsichord), and his Fantasias for Oboe (or Flute). Piano and Oboe Fantasias are alternated in the program to create the “dialog.” All of Telemann’s many “Fantasias” for various instruments are short, basically unstructured, and delightful.  The final track is a “Postludium” Oostenrijk has created from themes from various Telemann Fantasias. The bottom line is fine musicianship and thoughtful programming of these pieces from a master composer.
– Bill Dodd

Enjoy discovering some of the best DSD albums released in 2022. Here is Part 1 and Here is Part 2 of the Album of the Year 2022 nominations! Stay tuned for Part 3. And remember: all of the nominated albums are 25% Off until January 5th, 2023. The discount is automatically applied in your cart.

The NativeDSD Team would like to thank Bill Dodd and Brian Moura for having spent an eternity listening to all of the albums released in 2022, and for selecting the albums they believe you should not miss.

The post 2022 Album of the Year – Nominations (Part 3 of 3) appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

View Nominations (Part 1/3)

View Nominations (Part 3/3)

Within each of the 11 Categories, the album with the most votes will win an AOTY Category Award. After the voting period is over, the one album with the overall most votes will also win the AOTY Audience Award.

During 2022, the NativeDSD family of music labels released hundreds of DSD albums in a wide variety of musical genres – from Pop and Rock to Jazz, Electronic Music, Blues, Tango, Samba, Soul and Funk, Swing, World, Gospel, Christmas, Classical and more.  

Next comes the difficult part. How does NativeDSD select the nominees for Best DSD Albums of the Year? As has been our tradition, NativeDSD has asked Senior Reviewer Bill Dodd and Technical Advisor Brian Moura to carefully review the year’s DSD releases and bring our listeners 2 to 5 nominations in several musical categories.  

Brian Moura and Bill Dodd have selected nominees across 11 Categories.
Today we reveal the Nominations of these 4 Categories:

Jazz Piano

Vocals (Lied / Opera)

Chamber Music

World Music

This is a great way to applaud and reward the excellent music and performances that the music labels and artists have brought us this year. And it also is a guide for our listeners to see what we have selected as the best DSD music in 2022. The nominations highlight what you may have missed throughout the year.  

Enhance your personal DSD collection as you prepare for some fine holiday musical enjoyment.  

Best of all, these albums are available at 25% Off through January 5th, 2023 as part of the Album of the Year sale. The discount is automatically applied in you cart. Another incentive to read the list and add to your DSD collection right away.

Category: Jazz Piano

Chasing A Dream (Pure DSD)

Gábor Csordás, Sándor Tóth & Tamás Hidász
HRES2122, Hunnia Records

Pianist Gabor Csordas brought us 4 Pure DSD 256 Stereo albums this year. When it comes to our Album of the Year nominations, the one I selected was Chasing A Dream. It features quite a range of styles from the mellow Jazz of the title song to the lovely Tokyo Ballad to a Jazzy disco themed song titled Fresh. The range and variety of styles and musical influences here are quite a treat. Csordas is a Jazz player with style and one to watch.
– Brian Moura

Home

Jan Gunnar Hoff
2L168, 2L

Pianist Jan Gunnar Hoff released his fourth solo album titled Home at NativeDSD this year. It arrived in a multitude of formats including Stereo and 5.1 Channel Surround Sound plus 7.1.4 Immersive Sound in Auro3D, Dolby Atmos and Discrete Immersive Sound. The album is described as “both as an homage to and as a statement of belonging to northern Norway, with its naked landscape and its Arctic location.” Most of the songs are composed by Hoff with his unique interpretations of such classics as Moon River, Summertime and What Might Have Been. Home offers a thoughtful, moving, and beautiful set of solo piano performances. It is a musical treat worth a place in your music library.
– Brian Moura

Time For Ballads: The Maene Sessions

Rob van Bavel
SL1053A, Sound Liaison

In 2013 Daniel Barenboim commissioned Chris Maene to build a perfect parallel-strung concert grand piano. On the album Time For Ballads: The Maene Sessions, pianist Rob van Bavel is accompanied by Frans van Geest on Double Bass and Marcel Serierse on Drums as they play 13 ballads including Body and Soul, In A Sentimental Mood, The Shadow Of Your Smile and several original compositions. Van Bavel felt this the perfect piano to use in his tribute to ballads would be the Chris Maene Straight Strung Concert Grand Piano a beautiful little wooden church called ‘De Terp’ in Oudorp. One can debate whether it’s the piano, the Jazz Ensemble, the church or all of the above that contributes to the fine music and sonics on this album. To my ears it’s a winner all around.
– Brian Moura

Category: Vocals (Lied / Opera)

Schubert: Winterreise

Michael Wilmering & Daan Boertien
TTK0078, TRPTK

Michael Wilmering is that rarity among concert baritones– He is truly an “actor” in the very best sense. He is immersed in what he is singing, and he makes us understand and feel it as few others can do. And Daan Boertien is his perfect partner on the piano. The pandemic gave them lots of time to study Schubert’s famous song cycle and they present it intimately and beautifully. TRPTK’s recording captures the two things that are the most difficult test of audio quality: The piano, and the male voice.
– Bill Dodd

Jean Sibelius Orchestral Songs

Marianne Beate Kielland, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Petr Popelka
LWC1239, LAWO Classics

I admit to being a big fan of Sibelius, but I am new to these songs. They were originally written for voice and piano, but each has been orchestrated by Sibelius himself or others. One of my favorite Mezzos, Marianne Beate Kielland, is backed by The Norwegian Radio Orchestra conducted by Petr Popelka and the result is completely successful.
– Bill Dodd

French Bel Canto Arias

Lisette Oropesa
PTC5186955, Pentatone

I know you’re probably confused. French Bel Canto Arias by Rossini and Donizetti? But it’s pretty much accurate. I can recommend reading the liner notes for background. What’s important is that Lisette Oropesa soars to great heights, and wrings great beauty out of these various arias. She is accompanied by The Dresdner Philharmonie and The Staatsopernchor Dresden conducted by Corrado Rovaris. I think I’ll be listening to this lovely set quite a bit.
– Bill Dodd

Verdi: La Traviata

Lisette Oropesa
PTC5186956, Pentatone

Verdi’s 1853 Opera was quite different for its time. No towering characters from the past, but almost a precursor to Opera Verismo still decades ahead in time. Like most of the great operas there are recorded versions that will top peoples’ lists for a long time. But this superb recording and performance stands with the best, and offers modern sound. Again we have Lisette Oropesa along with a really solid cast, accompanied by The Dresdner Philharmonie and The Staatsopernchor Dresden. The conductor is Daniel Oren. This could easily be my only La Traviata.
– Bill Dodd

Category: Chamber Music

Reggio: 24 Sonatas for Bass Lute, Vol. 1 (World Premiere Recording)

Kit Samara, Konstantin Shenikov
E157HR, HR Recordings

I love this album! Antonino Reggio is a bit of a mystery. He was a priest, a monsignor, a musician, and a composer. He was born in Sicily in 1725, but no one seems to be absolutely sure about the year of his death. And no one seems to be sure about when these Sonatas were written, but they are delightful as played by Konstantin Shenikov, lute; and Kit Samara, baroque harp. The combination of harp and lute really works for this music! HR Recordings says this is Volume 1 with 12 of the 24, and that Volume 2 will be coming in a few months. I can hardly wait!
– Bill Dodd

Bach: The Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord

Andoni Mercero and Alfonso Sebastian
EUDDR2205, Eudora Records

Reviewer Rushton Paul, Positive Feedback, sums up his reaction to this album: “This is not treadle-pumping Bach. This is joyous Bach – full of life, full of invention, ever flowing with ideas.“ I agree! Just as with Rachel Podger’s amazing Vivaldi albums, there is love and total commitment in the playing of Mercero and Sebastian. Even people who aren’t drawn to Bach could easily be won over by this album! And the recording quality is superb!
– Bill Dodd

Beethoven: Sonatas for Violin and Piano Nos. 1, 5, and 10

Rachel Podger & Christopher Glynn
44222, Channel Classics Records

Rachel Podger’s first album of music by Beethoven is a winner. She and pianist Christopher Glynn survey Beethoven’s First, Fifth, and Tenth Sonatas for violin and Piano, and the result shows dramatically the journey from early to late Beethoven, Classical to Romantic! The playing from this pair is everything you’d expect from world-class musicians, and the sound is everything you’d expect from Channel Classics.
– Bill Dodd

Category: World Music

A Wind Invisible Sweeps Us Through The World

Rembrandt Trio
JL024, Just Listen Records

The Rembrandt Trio returns to NativeDSD with their latest Just Listen album A Wind Invisible. The trio, which includes pianist and composer Rembrandt Frerichs, bass player Tony Overwater and Vinsent Planjer on percussion is known for their selection of unique musical themes and styles. Here we have an album of complex melodies that brings the listener World Music with influences from Jazz, Classical and Oriental Music. The album features the fine recording skills of Jared Sacks and is beautifully presented. It’s a musical journey you will enjoy and look forward to embarking on.
– Brian Moura

Influences (Pure DSD)

David Yengibarian Trio with Eva Alekszandrovna & Vasilis Klapakis
HRES2131, Hunnia Records

David Yengibarian released a pair of World Music albums this year on Hunnia. My favorite is Influences. Here he is joined by the David Yengibarian Trio with guest musicians Eva Alekszandrovna and Vasilis Klapakis. This Pure DSD 256 Stereo album is a high energy and lively World Music album that highlights the trio’s musical influences which include Armenian, European and American Jazz, Improvised Music, Tango, and Tango Nuevo of Astor Piazzolla. It’s World Music delivered in state of the art Pure DSD 256 sound with an energy that will entertain and delight any listener.
– Brian Moura

Sangam (Pure DSD)

Paul Livingstone & Peter Jacobson
YAR84146DSD, Yarlung Records

Producer and Recording Engineer Bob Attiyeh at Yarlung is known for bringing new musical artists in a wide variety of genres and styles to NativeDSD. This year was no exception. With Sangam, we discover the music of Paul Livingstone (sitar) and Peter Jacobson (cello). Subtitled Confluence: Music From Inside The Heart Of Raga, the album brings us World Music which is a blending (or confluence if you will) of Hindustani music with Western improvisations. Fresh, unique, and recorded in Pure DSD 256 sonics. An interesting and enjoyable musical change of pace.
– Brian Moura

Enjoy discovering some of the best DSD albums released in 2022. And remember: all of the nominated albums are 25% Off until January 5th, 2023. The discount is automatically applied in your cart.

The NativeDSD Team would like to thank Bill Dodd and Brian Moura for having spent an eternity listening to all of the albums released in 2022, and for selecting the albums they believe you should not miss.

The post 2022 Album of the Year – Nominations (Part 2 of 3) appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

View Nominations (Part 2 of 3)

View Nominations (Part 3 of 3)

Within each of the 11 Categories, the album with the most votes will win an AOTY Category Award. After the voting period is over, the one album with the overall most votes will also win the AOTY Audience Award.

During 2022, the NativeDSD family of music labels released hundreds of DSD albums in a wide variety of musical genres – from Pop and Rock to Jazz, Electronic Music, Blues, Tango, Samba, Soul and Funk, Swing, World, Gospel, Christmas, Classical and more.  

Next comes the difficult part. How does NativeDSD select the nominees for Best DSD Albums of the Year? As has been our tradition, NativeDSD has asked Senior Reviewer Bill Dodd and Technical Advisor Brian Moura to carefully review the year’s DSD releases and bring our listeners 2 to 5 nominations in several musical categories.  

Brian Moura and Bill Dodd have selected nominees across 11 Categories.
Today we reveal the Nominations of these 3 Categories:

Soloist with Orchestra

Jazz Ensemble

Electronic Music

This is a great way to applaud and reward the excellent music and performances that the music labels and artists have brought us this year. And it also is a guide for our listeners to see what we have selected as the best DSD music in 2022. The nominations highlight what you may have missed throughout the year.  

Enhance your personal DSD collection as you prepare for some fine holiday musical enjoyment.  

Best of all, these albums are available at 25% Off through January 5th, 2023 as part of the Album of the Year sale.  Another incentive to read the list and add to your DSD collection right away.

Category: Soloist with Orchestra

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos 2 & 4

Anna Fedorova, Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen, Modestas Pitrenas
42522, Channel Classics Records

A recent review of this album by Adrian Quanjer  (here)  sums it up with “It’s all about passion and poetry”, and I agree. Anna Fedarova plays with surgical accuracy, but with great passion. No, there are no special effects or moments of forced showmanship. She captures Rachmaninoff’s moody presence, but also his magic. Anna Fedorova writes in the liner notes, “For me, it represents the change of the era, a farewell to the past and a dive into a quite terrifying future”. And the Sinfonieorcheter St. Gallen conducted by Modestas Pitrenas provides perfect backing.  
– Bill Dodd

Sonoko

Miriam Welde, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Tabita Berglund / Joshua Weilerstein
LWC1222, LAWO Classics

What a lovely album this is! Sonoko Miriam Welde with some incredibly beautiful late Romantic pieces for violin and orchestra.  Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No, 1 in G Minor is from the 1860’s, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending was first performed in 1921, and from the later 1930’s Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto all make this album glow with achingly beautiful music. Welde is accompanied by the Oslo Philharmonic.
– Bill Dodd

Schoenberg Messiaen Ravel

Francesco Piamontesi, Jonathan Nott, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
PTC5186949, Pentatone

An exciting and sparkling Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major is the primary reason I’m nominating this release.  Swiss Pianist  Francesco Piamontesi takes no prisoners in his playing, and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande conducted by Jonathan Nott is with him all the way.  The rarely heard Schoenberg Piano Concerto and Messiaen’s oddball Oiseaux Exotiques fill out the album of music composed by European composers with an American connection. – Bill Dodd

Category: Jazz Ensemble

When Night Falls

Angelo Verploegen, Ed Verhoeff & Eric van der Westen
JL026, Just Listen Records

It’s always a highly anticipated event when Just Listen releases an album with Angelo Verploegen. When Night Falls is his fourth album on Just Listen. Here he is joined by Ed Verhoeff on Guitar and Eric van der Westen on Bass as they play 11 standards all of which offer the trio’s “Ode to the Night.” The album makes for a warm and enveloping evening of DSD listening.  Very nice. 
– Brian Moura

The Gift

Michael Moore & Paul Berner
SL1058A, Sound Liaison

Michael Moore and Paul Berner won an Album of the Year award last year for their Stereo DSD album Amulet.  This year they returned to NativeDSD with The Gift – a second One Microphone Recording that was made at the same session that gave us Amulet.  Playing a set with 10 well known standards, Moore and Berner masterfully blend their instruments in a way that brings a certain musical magic to each track. This is Jazz music at its finest.
– Brian Moura

Category: Electronic Music

Empty Triangles 2.0 (Exclusive NativeDSD Edition)

by Empty Triangles
SGSEMPT2, AudioDefine Records

Last year, Audio Define brought us the DSD debut album from an electronic rock band named Empty Triangles.  The band’s first album was well received and this year they are back with Empty Triangles 2.0.  Audio Define calls this new release “a retro-inspired collection of electro-pop recorded to Analog Tape using a collection of historic gear from the 80s and 90s to achieve that signature sound, whilst maintaining a modern production and vibe!”  The tracks feature synth-based rock that is very much in the same groove as their debut album.  Electronic Music fans will enjoy this one. 
– Brian Moura

The New Poetry Of The Fallen Testament (Pure DSD)

The Lawn Dogs
HRES2126, Hunnia Records

The New Poetry Of The Fallen Testament is Live to Pure DSD 256 Stereo recording made at SuperSize Recording in Hungary. The Lawn Dogs is a European rock and electronic music band that offers special thanks to Bolcso Bar & Restaurant for providing great food and beer during the recording session. This album offers a lively mix of both rock and electronic music with Hunnia’s fine Pure DSD 256 recording. Definitely an album for fans of this genre to consider.
– Brian Moura

Into The Stratosphere (Exclusive NativeDSD Edition)

Sunsetron
SGSSITSDSD, AudioDefine Records

Audio Define ended the year with another electronic music release: Into The Stratosphere by Sunsetron. As with their albums from Empty Triangle, this is an Exclusive NativeDSD Edition created in the Analog Domain and transferred to DSD by producers Stacey Havana and Cask J. Thomson. They note that “Into the Stratosphere premiered in May 2022, receiving widespread acclaim by listeners appreciating the dreamy electronic compositions, hypnotic vocals, and trance-like production.” The album includes both the vocal and instrumental versions of each song.  It’s an interesting approach. For me, the instrumental versions win out. 
– Brian Moura

View Nominations (Part 2 of 3)

View Nominations (Part 3 of 3)

Enjoy discovering some of the best DSD albums released in 2022. And remember: all of the nominated albums are 25% Off until January 5th, 2023.

The NativeDSD Team would like to thank Bill Dodd and Brian Moura for having spent an eternity listening to all of the albums released in 2022, and for selecting the albums they believe you should not miss.

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The post 2022 Album of the Year – Nominations (Part 1 of 3) appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

Thank you to all 1,238 NativeDSD Music listeners who casted their votes in the various categories!!! ❤️

The NativeDSD Music Team

Category Winner: Vocals

AND THE WINNER IS…. Clique! by Patricia Barber (Impex IMP7002D)

Last year Jazz vocalist, pianist and composer Patricia Barber released her album Higher in Stereo and 5 Channel DSD & DXD at NativeDSD. The album was a top seller at NativeDSD for the balance of the year and was one of our nominees for 2020 Album of the Year.

Now Patricia Barber is back with her new album Clique! This album features 9 classic songs that will be familiar to music fans everywhere. My favorites on the album are This Town and All In Love Is Fair but there are several others that are also very fine. Barber and her Jazz ensemble have performed these tracks many times in Jazz clubs and it shows. The performances are warm and rich. Add in the recording and production team of Jim Anderson and Ulrike Schwarz and you have a Stereo and 5 Channel Surround Sound album that is easily one of the best of the year.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Orchestral

AND THE WINNER IS…. Brahms 4 & MacMillan Larghetto by Manfred Honeck, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (Reference Recordings FR744)

Athletic! I see that word applied to many of Honeck’s recordings – strong, emphatic performances! Sometimes he has been accused of being a bit over the top, but I find this Brahms Fourth to be excellent in every way. If I had to choose just one recording of Brahms 4 to live with for the rest of my days, it could easily be this one. The orchestra is superb, as is the Sound Mirror recording. A bonus on this album is the Larghetto for Orchestra from Scottish Composer, James MacMillan. It’s contemporary, and it is lovely.

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: New Orleans Jazz
+ Audience Award Winner!

AND THE WINNER IS…. Girl Of My Dreams by Fone Jazz Makers (Fone Jazz SACD014)

Fone’s producer, recording engineer and creative leader Giulio Cesare Ricci assembled a Jazz ensemble to perform New Orleans Jazz at an Audio Show in Europe. He recorded Girl of My Dreams to Analog Tape and later transferred it to Stereo DSD for release.

The Jazz Makers pull out all the stops singing and playing 15 songs with Clarinet, Tenor Sax, Trumpet, Sousaphone and Banjo. The music is very enjoyable, and the musicians are having a great time singing and playing it. If you are looking for a Jazz album that is joyous and just plain fun, this is your album!

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Choral Music

AND THE WINNER IS…. Anton Bruckner & Michael Haydn: Motets by MDR Leipzig Radio Choir (Pentatone PTC5186868)

The MDR Leipzig Radio Choir is quite fine in these motets from Bruckner and Michael Haydn. These Bruckner choral pieces are far less grandiose than his symphonies and are lovely. As the booklet notes suggest, finding these two composers together might seem like an odd pairing but there are many commonalities in their lives. Most importantly, the MDR Leipzig Radio Choir and the recording engineers have made this a must-hear release.

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: Solo Piano

AND THE WINNER IS…. Música Callada / Quiet Music (Pure DSD) by Josep Colom (Eudora Records EUDDR2101)

Pianist Josep Colom has released several albums on the Eudora Records label at NativeDSD. On his 5th album in Stereo and 5 Channel Pure DSD 256 Colom performs Frederic Mompou’s Musica Callada on a Model D Steinway and Sons piano. Eudora’s Gonzalo Noqué calls the album a “reference recording of this iconic work”. When I listened to this album, I found it to be the one of the most realistic recordings of a pianist that I have ever heard. It is a fine performance by Colom and an amazing recording from Eudora.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Classical Guitar

AND THE WINNER IS…. Take Me Along (Ta’ Mig Med) – Kim Larsen Songs For Classical Guitar by Jesper Sivebaek (OUR Recordings 8226915)

This album was a bit of a surprise. Classical Guitarist Jesper Sivebaek says that he had two guitar heroes in his youth – Andres Segovia and Danish Rock Musician Kim Larsen. On Take Me Along (Ta’ Mig Med), Sivebaek brings us the product of 10 years of his work – arranging Kim Larsen’s music for Classical Guitar. The album is an enjoyable journey into Larsen’s music presented by a fine Classical Guitarist. Take Me Along is a very enjoyable album and listening to it quickly demonstrated why it was a popular one with NativeDSD listeners in 2021.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Chamber Music

AND THE WINNER IS…. La Muse by Prisma String Trio (Pure DSD) (Cobra Records COBRA0080)

From the booklet notes: “La Muse features two completely different works by French composers both written in 1944:Trio à Cordes Op.105 by Florent Schmitt and Suite La Muse Ménagère’ by Darius Milhaud. One is turbulent and magnificent, the other intimate and poetic. The two composers could not be more different and might be said to clash. And yet, Prisma String Trio feel their works are a beautiful match and complement each other well.“ The first half of the 20th Century was an especially amazing time for music, including these two composers. The Prisma String Trio brings a personal touch to these works, and the results are quite enjoyable. Cobra’s recording is excellent.

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: Funk, Blues & Soul

AND THE WINNER IS… Funky Butt by Arnett Cobb (2xHD-Jazzology 2xHDJA1197)

Tenor Saxophone player Arnett Cobb is a Jazz Legend who was known as the “Wild Man of the Tenor Sax”. His playing featured elements of Jazz, Swing, Soul and Stomps. On Funky Butt, 2xHD Mastering dips into the catalog of Jazzology Records to bring us a collection of Cobb’s tasty sax playing backed by Derek Smith, Ray Drummond, and Ronnie Bedford. From start to finish this album is exciting and entertaining, offering insight as to how Arnett Cobb influenced many genres of music in his day and for generations to come.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Solo Instrumental

AND THE WINNER IS…. Shaping Chopin by Anna Fedorova (Pure DSD) (Channel Classics 43621)

Anna Fedorova has the perfect touch for Chopin, and Channel Classics engineering captures is perfectly. Her program of “Waltzes, Mazurkas, and Nocturnes is absolutely delightful. She is delicate, she is strong, and she truly tells the story of each piece in her playing. All six (so far) of her Albums for Channel Classics are award-worthy.

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: Swing Jazz

AND THE WINNER IS…. Friends Talk (Pure DSD) by ArpiShow (Hunnia Records HRES2114)

ArpiShow is a 6-member Swing Jazz orchestra formed in 2017 by clarinet and saxophone player Arpad Dennert (hence the name “ArpiShow”). The group’s motto is “Pure Swing, Nothing Else!”

Friends Talk features 13 tracks and almost 1 hour of Swing Jazz music. Some tracks are purely instrumental while others also include a vocalist. I found Friends Talk to be very entertaining, full of swinging performances captured in stellar Pure DSD 256 sound quality. One NativeDSD listener called it one of the best albums he has downloaded to date with excellent performances, music and sound quality that is a game changer. That says it all.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Jazz Duo

AND THE WINNER IS…. Amulet (One Microphone Recording) by Michael Moore & Paul Berner (Sound Liaison SL1048A)

On Amulet, we have two talented Jazz musicians – Michael Moore on Clarinet and Paul Berner on Double Bass. Berner first appeared at NativeDSD with his band on a tribute to the music of John Lennon and Paul McCartney titled This Bird Has Flown.

Recorded with One Microphone by Sound Liaison’s Frans de Rond, Amulet is the kind of album that lends itself to this recording technique. Moore’s Clarinet takes the lead and Berner’s Double Bass follows along, with the two musicians participating in a very musical interplay. It is straight forward good music. A pleasure to sit back and enjoy.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Opera & Operetta

AND THE WINNER IS…. Bernstein: Candide by London Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop & Soloists (LSO Live LSO0834)

Marin Alsop’s take on Leonard Bernstein’s operetta, Candide!, is sparkling.

Lenny was Alsop’s mentor, and she does him proud. We are certainly used to Bernstein’s overture, a favorite orchestral lollipop, but when I heard the extra bit of tuba puffing going on in this rendition, I knew that we were in for something satirical and fun. A superb cast is doing something they obviously love. The London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus are, as you’d expect, excellent.

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: Electronic Music

AND THE WINNER IS…. Empty Triangles (Exclusive NativeDSD Edition) by Empty Triangles (AudioDefine Records SGSEMPT1)

This is one of the more unusual releases this year at NativeDSD. The album indicates that it was composed and produced by Cask Thomson of AudioDefine Records. But there is no information about the members of Empty Triangles – the name of the band playing on this self-titled debut album. I guess we will have to keep wondering who the members of the “triangle” are.

That said, the album features an enjoyable mix of electronic and rhythmic rock music with a space theme. It is an Analog Recording that has been transferred to Direct Stream Digital (DSD) for release at NativeDSD. I have listened to Empty Triangles a number of times, enjoying it more each time. Electronic Music and Rock fans will want to give this album a listen.

– Brian Moura

Category Winner: Vocal Solo

AND THE WINNER IS…. Shirat Miriam by Miriam Meghnagi (Fonè Records SACD047)

What a treasure this album is! Miriam Meghnagi sings Jewish songs, accompanied by Guitarist Domenico Ascione. The words are Hebrew, Yiddish, or Ladino, and the songs are from Spain, Italy, and Eastern Europe. These songs are rich in tradition and history of a people scattered across many places, but hearing them for the very first time, with no expectation, I hear so much that reminds me of simple folk songs, some Yiddish Theater, and even French Chanson. Great sound, marvelous singing, I love it!

– Bill Dodd

Category Winner: Jazz Piano

AND THE WINNER IS…. Love You Madly: Live at Bubba’s (Double Album) by Monty Alexander (2xHD-Resonance Records 2XHDRE1187)

Pianist Monty Alexander is well known for his unique piano style which mixes Jazz with the music of Jamaica where he was born. Many listeners are familiar with his recordings on Concord Jazz and Telarc.

Love You Madly hails from an earlier time, back in 1982 when Alexander played a 13 track, 92-minute set at Bubba’s. The album was recorded to Stereo Analog Tape by Mack Emerman, the legendary founder of Miami’s Criteria Recording Studios. Emerman was a big Monty Alexander fan and brought in a mobile recording setup to record this session. It is a fine album full of excellent Jazz performances. Love You Madly quickly became a #1 Best Seller at NativeDSD Music in 2021. When you listen to the album, there is no doubt why.

– Brian Moura

2021 Audience Award

Overall, the highest number of votes went to Girl Of My Dreams by Fone Jazz Makers (Fone Jazz SACD014)

The runner-ups of most votes per album – regardless of the category – were Anna Fedorova: Shaping Chopin (Pure DSD) (2nd place) and Prisma String Trio: La Muse (Pure DSD) (3rd place).

The post The Winners: 2021 Albums of the Year appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

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Dear readers, dear music lovers,

When Michala Petri and I decided to launch our own label on the first of November 2006, we had no direct experience of the business side of the music industry. Prior to our decision, we had each had busy careers and altogether recorded 70 albums for Philips/Polygram, RCA/BMG and EMI – but we were artists and it was others who took care of the extensive and time consuming practical side of the business. For me it has been very inspiring and enriching to learn how the music business industry works, and as a “Label Owner”, I have come to know many wonderful people in the business all over the world.

Our idea from the start was to make an Artist Label, primarily doing recordings and focusing on those where Michala was involved, so we called the label OUR Recordings, and set a goal to release 3 albums every year. One of our primary objectives was to commission and record new repertoire, especially for the recorder as a solo instrument with orchestra. Also we wanted to record some of the many contemporary works that had been written for us over the years. In other words: we searched for the possibility and ability to record what we felt was necessary for our wish to explore new challenges, including the key repertoire for the recorder.

We started out at a time where the crisis in the music industry had just started, with a project which logically had been turned down by one of the major labels. We recorded Movements – 3 contemporary recorder concertos with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Shui Lan, and felt a big encouragement when one of the 3 works, the newly composed Northern Concerto by Joan Albert Amargos was nominated for a US Grammy in the category “Best composition of the year”.

Since then we have released 26 recordings at NativeDSD, and have extended both the repertoire and artists, still having in mind our original idea of recording music which deserves to be more well known, and still aiming at the highest quality in all aspects. All albums have been released internationally and distributed by OUR Recordings worldwide, and many have been receiving awards, including the ECHO KLASSIK Awards, and OPUS KLASSIK Award (Germany) – four Grammy nominations (US) – a Gramophone Award nomination (UK) – Diapason d’Or de l’année 2015 (France) – an FMA Award (Faroese Music Award) 2016 – an International Classic Music Award, ICMA 2016 Award and ICMA 2017 and 2019 nominations. Closer to home we have received Danish Music Award (P2 Prize) 2016 and 2019 for Best Danish Release, 2021 “Listeners Prize” as Best Release, and 3 Danish Music Award nominations. Amongst critics choices we have received one Gold and three Silver Global Music Awards, multiple Editor Choices in Gramophone and CD of the Month in BBC Music Magazine and Klassik Heute.

Several “cycles” have contributed to our goal, including the Dialogue – East Meets West series supporting the meeting between East and West – the Recorder Concertos from … series, featuring new concertos from various countries, supporting Michala’s ongoing campaign to expand the recorders modern literature with newly commissioned concertos from an international roster of composers, as well as works for recorder and choir. We also paid tribute to the late Danish modernist composer Axel Borup-Jørgensen with a critically acclaimed multi-volume survey of his work, including the animation film of his orchestra piece Marin which received the OPUS KLASSIK Award as “Best Music DVD/BLUE RAY”. We have recorded so far seven albums with the unique Danish National Vocal Ensemble, which all have been receiving an overwhelming response!

I want to thank all the people we have worked with during our first 15 years – composers, orchestras, musicians, ensembles, choirs, audio and visual producers, venue owners, institutions, distributors, graphic designers, writers, critics, sponsors and so many incredible colleagues, who have helped us grow and believed in us! I can promise we will keep our wish to continue to release albums on the highest artistic and technical level.

Believe in the Power of Music – and thank you all warmly for your invaluable support!

Lars Hannibal
Director/Founder

The post 15 Years of OUR Recordings appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

Why is the album called Russian Painting?

Andrey Konstantinov

The album is called Russian Painting because it contains different facets of the mysterious Russian soul, different states and attitudes of a Russian person, his impressions of a difficult life, his values and movements of the soul.

Andrey Smirnov

Album Russian Paintings is a set of values that form the basis of our existence, universal principles, the best qualities of a Russian person formed subconsciously in the creation of this album. I wanted to wash my face with clean water. The plan was to create a special program with video reproductions of paintings by contemporary artists who now live with us, about which neither we nor those who live today know anything. When musicians are on tour, this is understandable, but at the same time with the concert, organizing exhibitions of artists, and even written under the impressions of the images heard in the music, this makes the Russian Paintings project unique. The music of Russian paintings contains an eternal search, a person’s dream of happiness. Therefore, the fantasy genre is very suitable for revealing the task of the album. The presence of a fairy tale, where there is justice, tall tales, where everything connects and gets along, as in a dream, without unnecessary explanations, bright sadness, which makes us wiser and makes us think about ourselves. What we really are.

What do you call your Fantasies on popular topics are refined and sometimes you go very far from the topic itself, as in jazz, what is more important to you than the composer’s theme or your fantasy on it?

Andrey Konstantinov

As a rule, we choose musical themes that touch us, evoke a spiritual response, give rise to our own associations and reflections. Therefore, each work is a reflection of our inner world, real experiences and impressions expressed through music.

If we assume that Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Bach heard your fantasies, what do you think their reaction would be?

Andrey Konstantinov

I am sure that you would have experienced many pleasant discoveries and would have been positively impressed. After all, the more brilliant a composer is, the more he lets his children go free. He enjoys the independent life of his children. 

Andrey Smirnov

How would the composers of the past have reacted to our processing of their works? It seems that our entire culture today would be alien to them. Especially with regard to one-dayers. At the very least, it would cause surprise and a desire to understand. The music of the Terem Quartet is based on a Fairy Tale, and the Fairy Tale is deep at all times, so they would be happy with such a continuation of the life of their works. We believe in this, because we do not destroy, but preserve the main principles of harmony. A smile and a friendly handshake are definitely guaranteed to us.

Do you think that musical crossover is a promising direction, how do you see the development of classical / academic music?

Andrey Konstantinov

The division into academic and popular music is very conditional. It has always existed. Because a person’s life is diverse and different periods require their own intonations and vibrations. There are people with a very wide range of listening to music, there are those who like one thing. Favorite music corresponds to the inner needs and vibrations of a person and its choice is directly related to the stirring of his psychological wounds, with his development of creative thinking and aesthetic sense. After all, music quenches a person’s” spiritual ” thirst, excites his inner essence, which is not manifested in everyday life, that is, in everyday life. The perception of music passes consciousness and this is its strength. Music can lift a person from his knees or put him on his knees. It all depends on the processes that a person is going through at the moment. The classic crossover tries to balance on the verge of a lively interest of the public and the preservation of musical meanings or the game of meanings. By colliding the text with the context. But I don’t think that it can become the leading direction of our time, because it requires some listening experience, “listening” of the human ear to understand this game. And the level of perception of contemporaries is constantly falling. The modern listener, for the most part, understands only a direct, clearly expressed thought. The nuances fly by. Another thing is that it is the classic crossover that allows you to find your interest in music, both for the sophisticated viewer and the “simple” one. Therefore, he will always be alive.

Andrey Smirnov

Crossover is a search for your own path. The search for answers to their own questions, so the crossover will always be relevant for the artist. The discovery of one’s own Philosopher’s Stone always leads in an unusual way, but using the experience of generations.

We are united by the Internet, but the soul of every person always remains lonely and she always needs help and love.

Andrey Smirnov

What did you perform in front of Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II and what would you perform after so much time in front of Pope Francis?

Andrey Konstantinov

In the Vatican in 1994, we performed “Chardash Monti” in our arrangement. It was chosen by the artistic council consisting of cardinals. 

Andrey Smirnov

Today we would play the fantasy “The Little Prince” to the music of Mikael Tariverdiev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky. It seems to us that the topics of caring for a person, nature, and the soul are the most relevant today. We are united by the Internet, but the soul of every person always remains lonely and she always needs help and love. 

Russian Painting is now available at the NativeDSD Music Store, in
Stereo, Binaural, and Multichannel DSD 64, DSD 128, DSD 256, and DXD, plus Stereo DSD 512.

Photographs were taken by: Daniil Rabovsky and Yulia Alekseeva

The post An Interview with Andrey and Andrey about Russian Painting appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

The new works are by the Dutch composers Willem Jeths, Gerard Beljon and the Jewish composers René Samson (Netherlands), Iván Fischer (Hungary) and Efrem Podgaits (Russia).

Jacobien Rozemond and Renée Bekkers have sought out and commissioned captivating works, largely inspired by song. The result is a collage of works exploring all the possibilities of this instrumental combination. For instance, the accordion can sound like an organ, combining with the violin to evoke a profound sense of serenity, as in Podgaits’s Ave Maria and the chorales from Willem Jeths’s Ritratto. These provide a strong contrast with the nostalgic romanticism of Rachmaninov or the folk music in the tangos and Jewish songs. Through the occasional addition of singing and recited texts, the duo expand their colour palette and the programme’s expressive power.

With this release, the Engegård Quartet completes its recordings of the six string quartets that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart dedicated to his paternal friend Joseph Haydn.

With this release, the Engegård Quartet completes its recordings of the six string quartets that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart dedicated to his paternal friend Joseph Haydn.

Written in Vienna in Mozart’s “mature” years from age 25 until he died at 36 years old in 1791 they are a gift to a friend that hardly has its equal.

He worked on them alongside many other works from 1782 to 1785 and proudly presented them to friends and colleagues, often in his own home. His own son believed he would have become immortal had he written nothing else.

Mozart was himself a remarkable violinist and violist. His father Leopold made him aware that being as brilliant a violinist as pianist was simply a matter of will. There are solo passages in his divertimenti requiring exceptional virtuosity on the part of the concertmaster, passages he very likely performed himself. He played the quartets with some of Vienna’s best musicians. Joseph Haydn, himself an able violinist, was among them.

Engegård Quartet

Intercontinental Ensemble presents beautiful works by Martinu, Rota and Mendelssohn on the TRPTK label.

In Motu has motivated us as an ensemble, as musicians and as people to take the next step. We have explored the core repertoire as well as working on our symphonic playing through a new arrangement, always looking for clarity and transparency as well as depth of sound. It was a journey that gave us a lot of hope and joy, and we hope to share these powerful emotions with you through these three beautiful works by Martinu, Rota and Mendelssohn.

Intercontinental Ensemble

The post New Music Available for Download in DSD and DXD appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

New DSD Releases

Cuarteto Quiroga and Veronika Hagen (viola) bring us String Quartets and one String Quintet by Haydn and Mozart. All in C Major, the symbolic key of Light. Recorded in Stereo, 5 Channel & Binaural DSD 256.

• Pure DSD Album in Stereo, 5 Channel Surround Sound & Binaural DSD
• Exclusive Early Release at NativeDSD

Four masterpieces by Haydn and Mozart written all in C Major, the symbolic key of Light. The key was chosen by Haydn himself to depict the moment of Creation in his most famous oratorio, with the luminous cry of “Und Es Ward Licht! (And There Was Light!)”.

This recording explains and celebrates a musical process which, child of its time, ended up shaping a way of writing and making music that would guide generations of composers, performers and music lovers, and whose ethical and aesthetic reflections still gleam brightly today.

Anna Fedorova makes her 6th appearance on Channel Classics with Shaping Chopin: Waltzes, Mazurkas, Nocturnes, and the Fantaisie-Impromptu. Music that made her feel less lonely in 2020, and will hopefully bring some consolidation and joy to you, too. Recorded in Stereo & 5 Channel DSD 256.

• Pure DSD Album in Stereo & 5 Channel DSD
• Exclusive Early Release at NativeDSD

“Chopin’s music has always had an important place in my life. As a child I worked extensively on various pieces with my parents, who were my teachers at that time in Kiev.

Anna Fedorova

While we were separated for a long time in 2020 and 2021, I felt closer to them through his music. Practicing certain waltzes or nocturnes seemed to transport me in time and space and reflected the current mood with their dreaminess and melancholy.

When the opportunity to record a new album spontaneously arose, I immediately thought about the music of Chopin. I selected various Waltzes, Nocturnes and Mazurkas, and added the Fantaisie-Impromptu, as they cover a wide spectrum of emotions, moods, and colors. It’s incredible how Chopin can express himself so intensively and so deeply in a piece which lasts just a few minutes. He always manages to create a captivating atmosphere and a unique dreamworld. While performing Chopin’s miniatures it feels like diving into a living painting, artistically shaping its unique story, colors, and characters with music.”

Anna Fedorova, Piano

Pianist Susana Gómez Vázquez performs piano pieces either dedicated to or written by women on the brand new Eudora Records album “Ad Illam”. Recorded in Stereo & 5 Channel DSD 256.

• Pure DSD Album in Stereo & 5 Channel DSD
• Exclusive Early Release at NativeDSD

A voyage through a universe of unique colours and sonorities, different works melting into one another as they guide listeners on their musical journey. “Ad Illam” (For Her) features pieces either dedicated to or written by women, and together they help us explore the different facets of the feminine personality.

Three drummers Andras Halmos, Hunor G. Szabo, Levente Boros recorded this DSD Album without any prior plans or rehearsals. The album was recorded in Stereo DSD 256.

• Pure DSD Album in Stereo DSD
• Exclusive Early Release at NativeDSD

András, Levente and Hunor are long time friends, they are important figures in the Hungarian creative music scene, members of many influential bands. They have played together in different formations using two drummers, but they have never played together in this particular line up with three drummers.

When they decided to record this album, they chose not to rehearse or plan anything for the session, so everything that is heard, is unedited full improvisation (though specific parts were selected from the 3 hours studio session).

The Drums set-ups are specified on the Album Page

The Oslo Kammerakademi performs French chamber music for winds.

On this recording, the Oslo Kammerakademi performs chamber works for winds by composers Charles Gounod, Charles Koechlin, Florent Schmitt, Theodore Gouvy, and Vincent d’Indy, several of which were composed for the Societe de musique de chambre pour instruments à vent.

This recording is a result of Alpaca Ensemble’s close collaboration with two living composers: Karin Rehnqvist and Ellen Lindquist.

Both Karin Rehnqvist and Ellen Lindquist write music that reflects on humanity’s place in a world profoundly greater than us. In the first work on the recording, Karin Rehnqvist takes the listener into outer space, while on the last track Ellen Lindquist paints us a vast landscape.

NyNorsk Brass Quintet and 11 guest musicians bring the music of Nils Henrik Asheim to Stereo DSD & DXD.

In our time, the poet Keats’ famous adage “beauty is truth, truth beauty” might sound like a lost dream, but Nils Henrik Asheim’s collection “Hornflowers“, reimagines this relationship and brings hope to contemporary ears. Asheim is not a beauty-worshipping aesthetician in the same way as Keats, but he examines the idea of beauty through poetic compositions.

Blog Cover Photo by averie woodard on Unsplash

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