New Finnish CDs
Jukka Tienssu. nemo - Puro - Spiriti. CD 37559
We recently acquired a group of Finnish titles on the Alba label including two recordings with music by composer Jukka Tiensuu (CD 37559 and CD 37560). Complementing our collection of his scores, these recordings include a piano concerto entitled Mind, selections from Alma for orchestra and electronics, and a piece for accordion and orchestra called Spiriti. And on the subject of accordions, the instrument figures prominently in the musical activity of Finland from its love of Tango to its International Accordion Festival held each year in Ikaalinen.
Explore further: recordings of Finnish tango from our collection.
Tom Jobim
Tom Jobim. Waters of march. DVD 1706
Originally from Brazilian label Biscoito Fino, this rich three-part DVD program (DVD 1704, 1705 & 1706) chronicles Jobim’s life and music through a mix of documentary material, interviews and live performances. Taken primarily from a 1990 show, performances feature Jobim on vocals and piano, with a band that includes cellist Jaques Morelenbaum and the occasional special guest: see Chico Buarque in Part 3/She’s a Carioca/Ela è Carioca doing “Ela Desatinou”. Part 1 (No More Blues/Chega de Saudade) also contains material from a 1995 performance with Buarque, Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Gilberto Gil and Paulinho da Viola, and Part 2 (Waters of March/Águas de Março) presents beautiful footage of a place dear to Jobim, Rio’s Botanical Gardens.
Royal Swedish Opera Archives
Die Walküre. Royal Swedish Opera Archives. CD 36758
We’ve just received several CDs on the Caprice label featuring unpublished house and live recordings from the Royal Swedish Opera. A series highlight so far is a complete performance of Die Walküre (CD 37658) taken from 1955 and 1956 in which Birgit Nilsson sings her first Brünnhilde. Another issue offers Mozart opera arias and excerpts (CD 37659) recorded between 1952 and 1967 with performances by Nilsson, Elisabeth Söderström and others. More titles in this series — Strauss, Berlioz and Verdi (including Björling in Trovatore from 1957) — are on the way.
– Peter Laurence