Urlicht AudioVisual News

  • Cuckson, McMillen Get “Expressionistic”

    Ultra-eclectic new music blog Burning Ambulance raves about the newest CD from Miranda Cuckson and Blair McMillen:

    Carter Sessions Eckardt, the new disc of American music for violin and piano or solo violin by Miranda Cuckson (with pianist Blair McMillen) should go a long way towards providing a corrective to [the] misunderstanding [of what “American Expressionism”  is]. … The highly charged phrases and structure of [Elliott Carter’s Duo] are clearly characterized by Ms. Cuckson and Mr. McMillen in a performance of power and charm. … I’ve heard some other pieces by Jason Eckardt, and I think he’s a composer worth keeping an eye on. … The real revelation of this disc (the high level of playing is not a revelation, because I’ve heard Cuckson and McMillen before, and they are always this good) is Roger Sessions‘ magisterial Sonata for Solo Violin, composed in 1953. … Cuckson’s performance is direct, authoritative, and probing. In her extremely well-written and informative notes, she tells us that it was this piece, along with the Carter Duo, that set her on her artistic path. We can all be grateful that she is following the path with such grace and artistry.

    Read the full review here.

    Elliott Carter: Duo for violin and piano (1973) [21:56]
    Roger Sessions: Sonata for solo violin (1953)
    1. Tempo moderato, con ampiezza, e liberamente [10:53]
    2. Molto vivo [6:57]
    3. Adagio e dolcemente [10:22]
    4. Alla Marcia vivace[4:53]
    Jason Eckardt: Strömkarl [12:51]

    Miranda Cuckson, violin
    Blair McMillen, piano

    Produced by Gene Gaudette
    Engineered and edited by Ryan Streber, Oktaven Audio

    CD Edition: Urlicht AudioVisual UAV-5989
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    Available in Europe and Asia in May 2013

  • Miranda Cuckson and Blair McMillen Play Music of Carter, Sessions, and Eckardt

    Urlicht’s newest release is a tour-de-force of modern American masterpieces for violin-piano duo and solo violin, including the  world premiere release  of Jason Eckardt‘s daunting “Strömkarl” for violin and piano – commissioned for this release – played by two of today’s most in-demand champions of new music, violinist Miranda Cuckson and pianist Blair McMillen.

    Of “Strömkarl”, Miranda says:

    Jason Eckardt is an artist whose music impresses with its combination of intellectual thoroughness, vigorous physicality and spontaneous volatility. His enthusiasm for complexities and his sincere assimilation of a variety of musical genres have given his music an individual and distinctly American cast. Collaborating with him and with Blair McMillen on his piece Strömkarl was a memorable experience, and I am delighted to add it to this strong chain, linking works of the past few decades to those of the present.

    The recording includes Elliott Carter‘s Duo for violin and piano, and Roger Sessions‘ Sonata for violin solo.

    Elliott Carter: Duo for violin and piano (1973) [21:56]
    Roger Sessions: Sonata for solo violin (1953)
    1. Tempo moderato, con ampiezza, e liberamente [10:53]
    2. Molto vivo [6:57]
    3. Adagio e dolcemente [10:22]
    4. Alla Marcia vivace[4:53]
    Jason Eckardt: Strömkarl [12:51]

    Miranda Cuckson, violin
    Blair McMillen, piano

    Produced by Gene Gaudette
    Engineered and edited by Ryan Streber, Oktaven Audio

    CD Edition: Urlicht AudioVisual UAV-5989

    CD release date: March 4, 2014
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    Download Apple Lossless HD album from Payloadz.com ($10.99)
    Download FLAC format HD album from Payloadz.com ($10.99)
    Download Apple Lossless CD-quality album from Payloadz.com ($9.99)
    Download FLAC CD-quality album from Payloadz.com ($9.99)
    Download mp3-MAX* album from Payloadz.com ($9.99)
    * mp3-MAX uses mEyeFi Media’s cutting-edge variable bitrate .mp3 encoding, optimized for maximum fidelity and transparency

    Available in Europe and Asia in May 2013

  • CRQ: “Fascinating and Most Valuable”

    mahlerscanposterized2400Classic Recording Quarterly‘s Alan Sanders devotes nearly two pages to a detailed review of the recordings in “The Music of Gustav Mahler: Issued 78s” in the magazine’s Winter 2014 edition, and he likes what he hears!

     “[Ward] Marston has been at work [transferring Oskar Fried’s acoustic recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2] again, and he has produced a notably clearer and fuller sound than before. …

    “I have compared the [Bruno Walter transfers with those on EMI/Warner’s recent Walter collection (6 79026-2)… the new Symphony No. 9 has a little more warmth and presence. …

    “There is also a Das Lied potpourri and an arrangement of a Wunderhorn song played by the Dol Dauber Salonorchester. Both are strangely convincing. One disc that needs to be mentioned is of the “Urlicht” from the Second Symphony, coupled with one of the Rückert Lieder, sung by the contralto Sara Charles Cahier. She was a member of the Vienna Hofoper between 1907 and 1911, and performed under Mahler’s baton shortly before he lef his post as music director. She also sang in the first performance of Das Lied von der Erde. At the time of the 1930 recording she was 60, but she still sings affectingly. …

    “A fascinating and most valuable set, and it is supported by a very informative 50-page English language essay.”

    Now available in the US and most European and Asian territories.

    • The most comprehensive collection ever assembled of Mahler’s music as issued on 78s between 1903 and 1940 — every such recording listed in Péter Fülöp’s Mahler Discography
    • New transfers by Ward Marston and Mark Obert-Thorn
    • Detailed notes on the music, the recording artists, and revelatory information about performances of Mahler’s music prior to World War II by Sybille Werner
    • Full texts and translations
    • Super-value price

    No longer available, limited to an edition of 1000 copies
    (more…)

  • Gramophone Praises Urlicht’s “Epic” Mahler Box

    In the January 2014 edition of Gramophone, Rob Cowan’s influential Replay column praises “The Music of Gustav Mahler: Issued 78s, 1903-1940” as one of the month’s best reissues:

    UAV-5980.cover.600px2“Epic Mahler Box-set[]… Excellent transfers and exhaustive notes complete a valuable issue.”

    Now available in the US and most European and Asian territories.

    • The most comprehensive collection ever assembled of Mahler’s music as issued on 78s between 1903 and 1940 — every such recording listed in Péter Fülöp’s Mahler Discography
    • New transfers by Ward Marston and Mark Obert-Thorn
    • Detailed notes on the music, the recording artists, and revelatory information about performances of Mahler’s music prior to World War II by Sybille Werner
    • Full texts and translations
    • Super-value price

    No longer available, limited to an edition of 1000 copies

    (more…)

  • “One of the most important Mahler issues in recent decades”

    “Many Mahler enthusiasts and specialists will doubtless possess a number of the recordings in this boxed set from earlier transfers on different labels, and so it may appear that the acquisition of this release will seem like unnecessary duplication. Nonetheless, I strongly urge them to investigate the contents as there may well be important first recordings of Mahler’s music which they do not have, and the quality of the transfers is in many ways easily the best in terms of releasing from those old 78rpm grooves more musical detail and the removal of a great deal of the inherent surface noise. In addition, the booklet accompanying this release is particularly informative, going way beyond the normal notes in imparting important information regarding the performance of Mahler’s music in the inter-war period particularly, information which is not readily available elsewhere. This collection of every known commercially issued Mahler recording from 1903-40 is one of the most important Mahler issues in recent decades and is very strongly recommended indeed.” — Robert Matthew-Walker, International Record Review, Dec. 2013

    “THE Mahler historical set to have: sensational restorations, superb annotations … If you have anything more than a passing interest in Mahler and want to hear the music ‘fresh’ from some of the composers’ most ardent early champions, skip the competition and snatch up this set — premium quality at an insanely low price.” — Steve Nash, amazon.co.uk

     

    • UAV-5980.cover.600px2The most comprehensive collection ever assembled of Mahler’s music as issued on 78s between 1903 and 1940 — every such recording listed in Péter Fülöp’s Mahler Discography
    • New transfers by Ward Marston and Mark Obert-Thorn
    • Detailed notes on the music, the recording artists, and revelatory information about performances of Mahler’s music prior to World War II by Sybille Werner
    • Full texts and translations
    • Super-value price

    Produced by Gene Gaudette

    Urlicht AudioVisual UAV-5980 (8 CDs)

    No longer available; limited to an edition of 1000 copies

    (more…)

  • The Music of Gustav Mahler – Issued 78s, 1903-1940

    The Music of Gustav Mahler – Issued 78s, 1903-1940

    This collection of every known commercially issued Mahler recording from 1903-40 is one of the most important Mahler issues in recent decades and is very strongly recommended indeed.” — Robert Matthew-Walker, International Record Review, Dec. 2013

    Epic… Excellent transfers and exhaustive notes.
    – Gramophone

    This impressive collection of early — very early — Mahler recordings includes symphonies led by the likes of Bruno Walter, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Eugene Ormandy and Willem Mengelberg, often in interpretations more willful and changeable than we are used to today.
    – Zachary Woolfe, “2014 Holiday Gift Guide: Best Music,” The New York Times

    • The most comprehensive collection ever assembled of Mahler’s music as issued on 78s between 1903 and 1940 — every such recording listed in Péter Fülöp’s Mahler Discography
    • New transfers by Ward Marston and Mark Obert-Thorn
    • Detailed notes on the music, the recording artists, and revelatory information about performances of Mahler’s music prior to World War II by Sybille Werner
    • Full texts and translations
    • Super-value price

    Produced by Gene Gaudette
    Special thanks to Henry-Louis de La Grange

    CD Edition: Urlicht AudioVisual UAV-5980
    No longer available, limited to an edition of 1000 copies

    (more…)

  • Amanda Maier Meets Johannes Brahms

    Amanda Maier was greatly admired by Johannes Brahms for both her virtuoso artistry as a violinist and her ambitious, challenging compositions, including her own Violin Sonata. Brahms gave Maier an early edition of his own Third Violin Sonata — and made numerous revisions before publication based on Maier’s advice.

    Amanda Maier Meets Johannes Brahms brings together their mutually infuential violin sonatas along with Brahms’ Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano. Elmira Darvarova, the frst female concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, is joined by rising Canadian piano star Bryan Wagorn and, in Brahms’ Horn Trio, New York Philharmonic principal horn Philip Myers in a rare solo appearance.

    This release contains the only recording of the Maier Sonata currently available. The download edition also includes a bonus work not available on CD: Clara Schumann’s 3 Romanzen for piano and violin, Op. 22!

    Amanda Maier Meets Johannes Brahms

    1. Brahms: Horn Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 40
    2. Maier: Violin Sonata in b minor
    3. Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in d minor, Op. 108

    Elmira Darvarova, violin • Philip Myers, horn • Bryan Wagorn, piano

    Recorded January 6 & 7, 2013 at Bristol Hall, Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ
    Engineered by John C. Baker
    Produced by Gene Gaudette

    Urlicht AudioVisual UAV-5994

    CD release date: October 1, 2013

  • Amanda Maier Meets Johannes Brahms (Extended Edition)

    UAV5994.cover.273Amanda Maier was greatly admired by Johannes Brahms for both her virtuoso artistry as a violinist and her ambitious, challenging compositions, including her own Violin Sonata. Brahms gave Maier an early edition of his own Third Violin Sonata — and made numerous revisions before publication based on Maier’s advice.

    Amanda Maier Meets Johannes Brahms brings together their mutually infuential violin sonatas along with Brahms’ Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano. Elmira Darvarova, the frst female concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, is joined by rising Canadian piano star Bryan Wagorn and, in Brahms’ Horn Trio, New York Philharmonic principal hornPhilip Myers in a rare solo appearance.

    This release contains the only recording of the Maier Sonata currently available. The download edition also includes a bonus work not available on CD: Clara Schumann’s 3 Romanzen for piano and violin, Op. 22!

    Amanda Maier Meets Johannes Brahms

    1. Brahms: Horn Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 40
    2. Maier: Violin Sonata in b minor
    3. Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in d minor, Op. 108
    4. Bonus tracks in the download edition ONLY — Clara Schumann: 3 Romanzen for piano and violin, Op. 22

    Elmira Darvarova, violin • Philip Myers, horn • Bryan Wagorn, piano

    Recorded January 6 & 7, 2013 at Bristol Hall, Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ
    Engineered by John C. Baker
    Produced by Gene Gaudette

    Urlicht AudioVisual UAV-5984

    HD download release date: October 15, 2013

    Buy the CD Edition here .

    Also available in download formats:

    • Download editions are delivered in .zip format and contain all music files with
      • full metadata,
      • complete liner notes in .pdf format,
      • and .cue sheets and mini-covers for portable players!
    • FLAC is for audiophile portables and home theater systems and requires a FLAC-compatible player
    • iTunes users: download the mp3 to your iTunes directory, unzip, and enjoy!
    • We accept PayPal for download sales. Downloads are delivered by the secure Payloadz service; after purchase, you will receive an e-mail with a direct download link.

    Download the High Definition FLAC edition here — $10.99

    Download the CD quality FLAC edition here — $9.99

    Download the mp3 (VBR 48kHz maximum quality) edition here — $8.99

  • More Praise for Cuckson, Burns, and Nono

    Miranda Cuckson and Christopher Burns | Luigi NonoThe Examiner‘s Stephen Smoliar relates his experience listening to the new recording of Luigi Nono’s La lontananza nostalgica utopica futura with violinist Miranda Cuckson and electronica master Richard Burns some years after having heard a live performance by Gidon Kremer:

    A recent release of this composition by Urlicht has taken a rather unique approach to capturing that sense of journey. Violinist Miranda Cuckson and “projectionist” Christopher Burns made a recording after having given a performance in New York. This was a multi-track recording for playback on a 5.1 Surround Sound system, and it was released as a Blu-ray audio disc. For those who lacked the necessary technology, that disc was packaged with a more conventional stereophonic CD. As one who lacks that “necessary technology,” my own listening experience involved playing the CD with full knowledge of my previous spatial experience.

    With that disclaimer I have to say that there is much to be gained from the CD in spite of its limitations. Without the spatial effects one is more inclined to attend to Nono’s motivic vocabulary. While this may make the journey less “physical,” one can still appreciate that sense of peregrination through the six sections of the piece (conveniently marked as separate tracks on the CD). Furthermore, those who understand the semantics of “madrigal” in its Renaissance context will probably be more likely to appreciate why Nono chose this noun to categorize this particular composition.

    Nevertheless, the other significant disclaimer I must make is that I had the advantage of listening to this recording with the benefit of past experience. There is no doubt that this is complex music, the result of scrupulous attention to both the notations encountered on the music stands and the sounds on the recorded tracks. It is probably more than most listeners will be able to manage on first contact. Nevertheless, it does not take many exposures for mind to encounter familiarities as the performance peregrinates. The listener willing to let this music work its magic on its own terms is likely to be well rewarded.

    Luigi Nono: La lontananza nostalgica utopica futura (1988-89)
    Miranda Cuckson, violin / Christopher Burns, electronics

    Produced by Christopher Burns and Richard Warp
    Recording engineer: Richard Warp
    Recorded at A Bloody Good Record Inc, Long Island City NY
    Mixing engineer (stereo CD): Richard Warp
    Mixing engineers (DTS 5.1 surround mix): Paul Special and Richard Warp
    Assistant mixing engineer (DTS 5.1 surround mix): Dillon Pajunas
    DTS 5.1 surround mix produced at Sonic Arts Center, CCNY, NYC
    Produced for New Spectrum Recordings, NYC
    Executive producer: Glenn Cornett

    Urlicht AudioVisual UAD-5992

    CD plus Blu-Ray Audio for home theater systems — available at Amazon.com.

    CD plus DTS-CD for home theater systems — available here.

  • Gary Karr, Elmira Darvarova & Harmon Lewis Play Handel & Barthélémon

    The two composers on this disc lived and worked in London. Rather than performing a servile role in the aristocratic courts of Europe or working as music directors in churches, they joined many of Europe’s finest musicians in London, where they were offered independence and respect. One composer is in the pantheon of greats. The other has unjustifiably become an historical footnote, and the man who is arguably the world’s greatest virtuoso double bassist is out to right this wrong!

    Double bassist Gary Karr, one of the greatest living string virtuosos, presents the world premiere recordings of trios by late Baroque composer François-Hippolyte Barthélemon, coupled with his edition of string trios by Barthélemon’s friend and colleague Georg Frideric Handel. Karr is joined by his longtime keyboard collaborator Harmon Lewis and MET orchestra past concertmaster Elmira Darvarova. A must-have recording for fans of double bass, baroque music, and just plain terrific music-making!

    George Frideric Handel: Sonata in g minor, Op. 2 No. 8
    I. Andante • II. Allegro [energico] • III. Largo • IV. Allegro [con fermezza]

    François-Hippolyte Barthélemon: Duetto I in C Major
    I. Allegro moderato • II. Andante con variazioni • III. Allegretto

    Barthélemon: Duetto II in A Major
    I. Allegro moderato • II. Adagio • III. Rondeau. Allegretto

    Handel: Sonata in E Major, Op. 2 No. 9
    I. Adagio • II. Allegro • III. Adagio • IV. Allegro

    Gary Karr, double bass
    Elmira Darvarova, violin
    Harmon Lewis, continuo

    Produced by Gary Karr

    Urlicht AudioVisual UAV-5993

    CD release date: July 16, 2013