Archive for Brian Wigman
Pittsburgh Symphony’s Beethoven in ClassicalNet
Brian Wigman reviews the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Manfred Honeck’s Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7 for ClassicalNet: “On a completely subjective note, few releases on the market excite me as much as those from Reference Recordings. Long-known for superlative sound quality and intelligent repertoire selection, they have recently focused on getting the very best from American orchestras. Pittsburgh and Kansas City are similar musically to their baseball counterparts in that they are respected but…
Mahler Symphony No. 1 is a Welcome Back Party for Utah
Classical.net critic Brian Wigman calls the new Mahler Symphony No. 1 recording a “‘welcome back’ party” for the Utah Symphony: “…there is…much to admire. Whatever reservations I have with that Scherzo, the closing bars of it are thrilling. And the third movement strikes me as very well paced, with plenty of color and gorgeous woodwind solos. … And the Finale is marvelous…the climaxes are exciting as you could wish, with the final pages an absolute…
Minnesota Orchestra’s Copland a Triumph
Celebrate #ThrowbackThursday with a 2013 review of our Minnesota Orchestra: Copland 100 CD, and buy the newly released LP today! “The Minnesota Orchestra has a rich history of excellence when it comes to Copland, both on record and with the various music directors who have led the ensemble. That tradition is gloriously upheld in this 2000 tribute program. As always, Oue leads his marvelous players with distinction, and the sound is top notch. If you’re…
“Make Room” for Kansas City Symphony’s Saint-Saëns
ClassicalNet critic Brian Wigman reviews the new Kansas City Symphony Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 “Organ” recording: “Are we having fun yet? This is yet another fantastic disc. The Kansas City Symphony is one of America’s finest ensembles…And Michael Stern is one of America’s finest conductors…Stern gives his excellent first-desk soloists a chance to shine. The Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso sparkles here, and in outstanding sound.… The orchestra plays with total commitment and real power.… The…
ClassicalNet Reviews Minnesota Orchestra’s Bruckner Symphony No. 9
Brian Wigman says our 1997 Bruckner Symphony No. 9 recording featuring Stanislaw Skrowaczewski and the Minnesota Orchestra should be “required listening.” “This disc dates from 1997, well before the Bruckner explosion and at a time when a small label like Reference Recordings was still carving a niche as an audiophile enterprise. Everything works wonderfully. I dare you to play this for friends; I imagine they would name a great European orchestra if asked who was…
Joel Fan: Dances For Piano and Orchestra “Sparkles”
ClassicalNet critic Brian Wigman has a new review for Joel Fan and the Northwest Sinfonietta’s Dances for Piano and Orchestra recording: “This diverse and engaging program of works for piano and orchestra reflects Joel Fan’s ongoing commitment to international music. … There is…a real sense of intelligence and enjoyment. Captured in excellent sound, this program has a wide potential audience, from piano students and teachers to the adventurous listener. … I can’t imagine any piano…
Pittsburgh Symphony Bruckner “Simply Tantalizing”
Brian Wigman of Classical.net has been “anticipating this release since the beginning of Pittsburgh’s partnership with Reference Recordings” because “the prospect of Bruckner was simply tantalizing.” His review: “The opening instantly establishes this as Honeck’s own performance. … It’s quite magical.… About 10 minutes in, the strings and brass work so thrillingly together that it effectively captures everything right about this disc. … At about the same speed on EMI, Herbert von Karajan finds markedly…
Classical Net Weighs in on Dvořák & Janáček
Classical.net‘s Brian Wigman weighs in on our Pittsburgh Symphony Dvořák & Janáček SACD: “Manfred Honeck has showed a deep sympathy for Czech music on disc, and there’s not really anything he can’t do with this orchestra. … The Dvořák is phrased in the most beautiful way; radiantly recorded, the Pittsburgh Symphony simply shines. … nothing less than a world-class band at their peak. …the Janáček is a neat and rarely heard coupling … I like…
ClassicalNet Reviews Andrés Segovia Archive: French Composers
Brian Wigman reviews the second release in Roberto Moronn Pérez’s Andrés Segovia Archive recordings: “…these pieces will undoubtedly enhance the solo guitar repertoire, a facet of music that has gotten enormous attention and contributions over the last few decades. The works within the Segovia Archive are predictably well-crafted and worth hearing. … I raved about Roberto Moronn Pérez before, and I’ll do it again. This is truly an ambitious and difficult project, but the guitarist…
ClassicalNet Says Miraculous Metamorphoses is Christmas in March!
Classical.net‘s Brian Wigman says Miraculous Metamorphoses is like Christmas in March: “Reference Recordings is kind of like the musical equivalent to Santa Claus, in that you realistically don’t know when a nice surprise is going to show up at your door, and you also have no real idea how they did what they did. Hot on the heels of a fabulous Strauss disc with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the label triumphs again with a well-themed, superbly…
Portraits of Colorado Reviewed on Classical Net
Classical.net‘s Brian Wigman sees the picture being painted by Charles Denler’s Portraits of Colorado: “It has been over 20 years since my last trip to Colorado, but this music paints a vivid and deeply affectionate picture of the incredible beauty on display there…Each movement is under five minutes, but every one has a distinct character, with a majestic and touching theme running through the entire piece…Part traditional symphony, with echoes of a film score, the…
ClassicalNet Tabs New Bizet Release as “Outstanding”
Brian Wigman of Classical.net has a new review for our San Francisco Ballet Orchestra Bizet release, and notes that it, “may surprise you.” “The symphony may surprise you. West treats it with a much more balletic touch than usual, leading to a more measured approach that allows each orchestral voice to sing … Perhaps the best thing about this particular take is that West brings a welcome sense of contrast to each movement, and a…