bill dodd Archives - NativeDSD Music https://www.nativedsd.com/tag/bill-dodd/ Highest DSD Resolution Audio Downloads (up to DSD 1024) Wed, 11 Aug 2021 10:48:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://media.nativedsd.com/storage/nativedsd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/13144547/cropped-favicon-32x32.png bill dodd Archives - NativeDSD Music https://www.nativedsd.com/tag/bill-dodd/ 32 32 175205050 Hidden DSD Treasures https://www.nativedsd.com/dsd-reviews/hidden-dsd-treasures-selected-by-bill-dodd/ Tue, 25 Aug 2020 14:35:00 +0000 http://blog.nativedsd.com/?p=4180 It suddenly dawned on me a few days ago that Native DSD’s available albums have increased dramatically in number well over 1800 now.  If you’re like me, you might forget to check earlier releases for hidden treasure.  Or, you might have developed a different opinion about a given work or performance.  So I decided to spend […]

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It suddenly dawned on me a few days ago that Native DSD’s available albums have increased dramatically in number well over 1800 now.  If you’re like me, you might forget to check earlier releases for hidden treasure.  Or, you might have developed a different opinion about a given work or performance.  So I decided to spend some time with some previous releases to see what I might have missed or simply forgotten about.  Here are just a few thought I’d share with you.

Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 Ivan Fischer, BFO

“I don’t think you could find a better recording of this symphony, both in terms of performance and audio quality.  I have favorites, but none surpass this one for freshness of viewpoint, sense of structure, and a never-ceasing quality that draws the listener in.  One of Maestro Fisher’s best!”

Bill Dodd, Senior Reviewer

Beethoven Symphony No 3 Manze, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra

“Andrew Manze brings out the textures and lines of this pioneering symphony in a very exciting way.  Tempos generally reflect “original instruments” playing, but the instruments here are modern.  You may have favorite recordings of this amazing symphony, but this one will reward you as an addition, or even an introduction.”

Bill Dodd, Senior Reviewer

Enigma

“How can one woman make so much music from one solo viola? Dana Zemtsov’s program is full of what Gramophone calls, “hidden gems”.    From Bach to Stravinsky she lights up the room.  When you check it out, watch the wonderful video as well.”

Brahms / arr. Lazic Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Major after Violin Concerto, op. 77

“Both Bach and Beethoven arranged violin concertos for piano and orchestra, so Dejan Lazic is not really breaking tradition with this transcription/arrangement. He writes that it is well received where he plays it, and I believe it.  When I listen to it I hear reflections of Brahms’ admiration for Beethoven. Looking for something new from Brahms?  Take a listen!”

The Origin of Fire 

“Impossibly beautiful sacred music from a thousand years ago–  performed by four women who have totally absorbed it into their beings. This is not Gregorian Chant. It’s similar at first, but it goes way beyond. The two channel version is heavenly, but the multichannel version is a way to totally transport you.”

Spirit of the American Range

“If I could change anything about this album, it would be the title.  I would title it for its main work, Aaron Copland’s Symphony No. 3.  (The one with the incredible Fanfare for the Common Man)  I would make a big deal out of the world class recording quality in both two channel and multi-channel versions.  I would promote it by having it presented as demonstration music in audio shows.  And most important, I would spread the word that Carlos Kalmar and his Oregonians take no prisoners in their performance.   Oh yes-  there’s a fine performance of Walter Piston’s Incredible Flutist Suite as well.  Arron Copland’s music at its best!”

I hope you will take the time to do a little exploring of your own — you will be surprised by what you’ll find!

Cover Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

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Orchestras, Oboes & Elbows https://www.nativedsd.com/dsd-reviews/oboes-elbows/ https://www.nativedsd.com/dsd-reviews/oboes-elbows/#respond Fri, 01 Jul 2016 13:37:16 +0000 http://blog.nativedsd.com/?p=1009 I’m beginning to really mistrust comparisons. People compare Mahler to Bruckner and Strauss. Except for speaking German and composing for big orchestras making big sounds— Their musical languages are quite different. This is why I’ve had trouble warming up to Nielsen in the past. Too many people have compared Nielsen to Sibelius. I love Sibelius […]

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I’m beginning to really mistrust comparisons. People compare Mahler to Bruckner and Strauss. Except for speaking German and composing for big orchestras making big sounds— Their musical languages are quite different. This is why I’ve had trouble warming up to Nielsen in the past. Too many people have compared Nielsen to Sibelius. I love Sibelius and I have multiple sets of the Sibelius symphonies. But I’d put on some Nielsen from time to time, and wonder why it didn’t sound like Sibelius. Now thanks to this DSD discovery I’m beginning to hear what I’ve been missing. Sir Colin Davis with the London Symphony Orchestra rings my bell with Nielsen’s Fifth Symphony! The Fifth is coupled with the Fourth on an excellent LSO album. The Fifth is what drew me in, but I’m beginning to enjoy the Fourth as well. If you are an old hand with Nielsen, I’m confident that you will enjoy these, done so well by Sir Colin and the LSO. If you are new to Nielsen, or trying to figure him out, this is a wonderful place to start. Oh— I still don’t think he sounds a bit like Sibelius.

Speaking of Richard Strauss– How about some Strauss that is delicate? No, I’m not kidding. Not Zarathustra, not Elektra–   but lovely, Delicate Strauss. That’s the name of the album from the Hermitage Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Oboist Alexei Utkin.   Strauss lived a long time,1864 to 1949. The music here includes a Romance from 1879, and the absolutely delightful Oboe Concerto in D Major from 1945. If you are looking for some quite lovely and quite unexpected music, take a listen:

By the way, the same excellent forces on the same label have another major delight: Britten- Works for Oboe. Even If you don’t know Oboes from your elbows, you will find some wonderful listening here:

Finally— while I’m still on the subject of elbows –just kidding, I mean oboes, If someone were to suggest some oboe sonatas, you might assume that’s music for watching paint dry.   Not so with this album of French Oboe Sonatas.   Music from Poulenc, Dutilleux, Saint-Saens and others is performed with skill and enthusiasm by Joris van den Hauwe, oboe, Dalia Ouziel, piano, and Etienne Broudreault on bassoon. And you’ll love the way it’s recorded:

Photo by Jacob Bentzinger on Unsplash

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Music doing pirouettes in your head https://www.nativedsd.com/dsd-reviews/3-music-doing-pirouettes-in-your-head/ https://www.nativedsd.com/dsd-reviews/3-music-doing-pirouettes-in-your-head/#respond Fri, 04 Mar 2016 15:37:27 +0000 http://blog.nativedsd.com/?p=470 There’s a myth that only French conductors and orchestras should perform French music, or only conductors and orchestras from the UK should be doing British music, and so on. I don’t believe it. Carlos Kalmar and the Oregon Symphony are extraordinarily fine with their “This England” set: Ralph Vaughn Williams (1872-1958) had been working on […]

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There’s a myth that only French conductors and orchestras should perform French music, or only conductors and orchestras from the UK should be doing British music, and so on.

I don’t believe it.

Carlos Kalmar and the Oregon Symphony are extraordinarily fine with their “This England” set:

Ralph Vaughn Williams (1872-1958) had been working on and off for many years on his operatic version of Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. When it seemed that the opera would probably never be completed, he reworked some of the music into his Symphony no.5 (1943). The Fifth is my favorite VW symphony, and this performance rivals the one I like best– from Sir John Barbirolli.

Also in this set is a very atmospheric performance of Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea Interludes and “Passacaglia from his Opera, Peter Grimes. Kalmar and his Oregon band absolutely nail this suite.

Just released is another symphony with music reworked from an opera, and one from a ballet:

I really like this one! The young American conductor James Gaffigan gets amazing performances of Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony nos. 3 and 4 from the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Prokofiev adapted parts of his unperformed opera The Fiery Angel to make his Symphony no. 3 in 1928. And a year later he drew on his ballet The Prodigal Son for his Symphony no. 4. If you love Prokofiev’s ballets, Romeo and Juliet, and Cinderella, you will find this music doing pirouettes in your head. Good stuff.

One final discovery of transformed opera music:

Earl Wild’s “Fantasy on Porgy and Bess,” a remarkable piano transcription of music from Gershwin’s only opera, is given a fine performance by Hyperion Knight. Also in the set is Gershwin’s own solo piano arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue. By the way, Gershwin wanted to study with Maurice Ravel, but Ravel is reported to have said, “Why be a second rate Ravel, when you can be a first rate Gershwin?” As it turns out, you can hear definite Gershwin influences in Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G.

Photo by Michael Afonso on Unsplash

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A Hidden DSD Treasure https://www.nativedsd.com/dsd-reviews/the-hidden-dsd-treasure/ https://www.nativedsd.com/dsd-reviews/the-hidden-dsd-treasure/#respond Wed, 17 Feb 2016 14:47:26 +0000 http://blog.nativedsd.com/?p=374 Native DSD is a treasure trove of great music, but you may not be familiar with some of it. My goal is not to “teach” or to “review” — I simply want to share my thoughts on some of the discoveries I’ve made here. Many years ago I discovered Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem (1947). For a […]

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Native DSD is a treasure trove of great music, but you may not be familiar with some of it. My goal is not to “teach” or to “review” — I simply want to share my thoughts on some of the discoveries I’ve made here. Many years ago I discovered Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem (1947). For a very long time the only recording available was by the composer with choir, soloists, a full orchestra, and organ. Duruflé also arranged versions for reduced forces so that the Requiem could be performed in virtually any setting. One of the most beautiful recordings I have ever heard, and certainly the best with just an organ and cello to accompany the choir and soloists is by the Channel Classics artists, The Gents.

This is a superb set entitled “Lux Aeterna” which includes the Requiem, Duruflé’s Messe cum Jubilo, and a number of shorter  choral works by Poulenc. All are conducted by Peter Dijkstra.  Oh yes— The Gents invited some guest female voices to fill out the parts in the Requiem. This is wonderful music.

Even if you are not a fan of organ music, another very nice taste of Maurice Duruflé’s genius is the following recording “The Great Organ Works”:

Discovery is important to me. Along with finding an exciting new viewpoint of a favorite work, I really love discovering music and composers I haven’t heard before, or haven’t been able to get close to in the past.

What do you think of when you hear the name, Georges Enescu? The Romanian Rhapsodies? The opera Oedipe? Get ready for a surprise.

Hannu Lintu conducts the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra in Enescu’s Symphony No. 2 (1912-1914), and the Chamber Symphony (1954). The second symphony is quite Strauss-like (Richard)  in spots, but also reminds me of Korngold and even occasionally of Sibelius. The music is totally accessible and involving. The Chamber Symphony from 40 years later is just as accessible, but shows modern and neo-classical influences. I find both quite enjoyable— and I really don’t understand why they are not performed more often. Take a listen to the excerpts.

Photo by Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash

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