Nigel Armstrong, Nigel Armstrong: Bach, Bartók, Korngold. Featuring Sir Neville Mariner and the Colburn Orchestra. Native DSD Catalog number YAR65007DSD
This Yarlung Records recording is simply entitled Nigel Armstrong. Armstrong is a young and dynamic artist, exactly fitting the rising stars captured by the Yarlung label. With a varied repertoire of Bartok, Bach, and Korngold, I was floored by the diversity and sensitivity of this superb artist. Truly a budding Heifetz stylistically, and with the sweetest violin I have heard in years, Nigel Armstrong is an artist to follow closely. The Bartok is solidly played. The difficult Bach is gorgeously rendered. The Korngold Concerto, conducted by great Sir Neville Marriner, is exceptional and captivating.
Recorded on analog tape with tube microphones, Bob Atttiyeh, the exceptional producer and master recordist of Yarlung Records, shows remarkable taste, as usual, and ultimate sensitivity for the performers and the balance of his recordings. The DSD download is worth every penny and more just for the Korngold. Highest recommendation.
Smoke & Mirrors: Vanish, Vol. 2, Takemitsu, Rachmaninov. Featuring the Smoke And Mirrors Percussion Ensemble. Native DSD Catalog Number: YAR15195DSD2
Smoke and Mirror’s Vanish, Vol. 2 is a tour de force in elegant, wide-ranging melodic percussion performance. I cannot say I have ever experienced diversity and elegance like this in musical form, but so what? I love it! Truly addictive, it is musically entertaining and original. The six artists sound like sixteen. What an adventure in style and virtuosity. A sonic masterpiece! Recorded to perfection, and great fun!
Recommended, for sure.
Petteri: Art of the Sonata, Vol. II Brahms & Ysaye. Petteri Iivonen, Violin; Kevin Fitz-Gerald, Piano. Native DSD Catalog Number: YAR76721DSD2
Beautifully played and recorded, you might thing these musicians have been playing together for years. When this was recorded in 2011 they were still in their twenties! Yarlung strikes again. The delicious repertoire between Iivonen and Fitz-gerald on this album is as good as it gets.
The Brahms Violin Sonata Number 3 is played with such uncanny feeling and perfection. The difficult Ysaye Sonata No. 4 in E Minor is polished off with such ease and skill as to make it a true gem. The recording is truly first-class: Very analog in its smoothness and lack of grain. How can Yarlung Records do this and Sony not?
Highest recommendation.
Frederic Rosselet: Bach, Ligeti Cello solo album. Native DSD Catalog Number: YAR07498DSD
Recorded to perfection, this young cello player Rosselet is a true virtuoso.
His skill and sensitivity to the pieces is astounding for such a young player. With toe-tapping rhythms and inflections, this is one magical cello recording. The Bach is exciting and rich. The Ligeti is mysterious and compelling. The combo makes for quite an entertaining package.
Once again, Yarlung has produced a truly reference quality recording which is a winner in DSD. Yo Yo Ma should be looking over his shoulder: Rosselet will be there!
Highest recommendation.
Yarlung Records
Contact: Bob Attiyeh
Please call (310) 276-0175, or email: [email protected] with any questions about
Yarlung Artists and our programs supporting young concert musicians.
Yarlung Records at NativeDSD.com: https://yarlungrecords.nativedsd.com
Downloads in Single, Double, and Quad DSD from Native DSD: https://www.nativedsd.com/
[All cover photographs courtesy of Yarlung Records and NativeDSD.com.]
