Dodd’s Discoveries
NativeDSD Senior Reviewer and Classical Music advisor Bill Dodd brings us regular music reviews of his latest “discoveries”.
The album(s) included in the most current review is available at 40% off until a new review is posted!
*Discount is applied automatically at checkout
*This is a constantly changing special, so act quickly in order not to miss out on the current discounted album
Music Reviews
Hungarian and proud of it!
I got hooked on Miklos Rozsa’s music as a high school kid, when I saw Ben Hur in a newly-remodeled theater in it’s first “roadshow” run. The Sound system in that theater was excellent, and I was blown away. I played the soundtrack album so often I imagine I was driving my parents crazy! I […]
Music Reviews
Don’t Miss These! Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra debuts its own label with these two releases. I was thoroughly impressed by each one, and I want to be sure that they get the attention they deserve. First, Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg and the MSO’s chief conductor, Jaime Martin in song suites by Debussy and Strauss. Ariettes Oublidees, the Debussy songs […]
Music Reviews
Telemann’s Barbaric Beauty by Holland Baroque with Milos Valent
If you’re not a big fan of Baroque Music, I’ve got the perfect “discovery” for you… Barbaric Beauty! At least, this is how Telemann described the pieces he wrote after discovering the music played along the Polish-Hungarian border. “If you were to write down all that was played there, after a week you would have […]
Music Reviews
One For The Piano Lover’s Collection
If you love great piano works and superb musicianship, check out the various albums by the young Dutch pianist, Hannes Minnaar. This one, his debut album, features Rachmaninoff’s Sonata No.1, and Ravel’s Sonatine and Miroirs. You might be surprised to find these in one program, but Rachmaninoff and Ravel were very much contemporaries, born within two […]
Music Reviews
Amazingly BIG sound from five people
The Pacific Quintet, players from all over the world, make a joyful noise, presenting music from their home countries of Japan, Honduras, South Korea, Germany and Ukraine/Turkey. No, it doesn’t sound like world music as much as it seems like…just music. In fact, as a salute to Leonard Bernstein the last three pieces are arrangements […]
Music Reviews
One Remarkable Recital!
Two very talented musicians and five composers in one remarkable recital! Anna Fedorova, piano, and Dana Zemtsov, viola, are magical together. If you watch the video on this album’s listing you will hear them describe a kind of “deja vu” they feel whenever they are in France. These pieces by five different composers create a similar […]
Music Reviews
The Himalaya Sessions are Transportive
These two albums belong together. They create a transportive mood and time that are truly remarkable. Open up the booklet for each to get some idea of what the poet, writer, pianist, storyteller has to say. But don’t make the mistake that you need to follow everything. Let me try to describe the experience of lining up the […]
Music Reviews
Here, everything feels “right”
I want to thank Semyon Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic for the wonderful couple of hours I just spent listening to this Pentatone double album release featuring Dvorak’s 7th, 8th, and 9th (New World) symphonies. It’s easy to have some strong favorites in this music– Some great conductors have done them very well– Kubelik, Fischer, Colin […]
Music Reviews
You need to hear these…
There is no better example of why we do these “discoveries” than this recording of Beethoven’s 4th and 8th Symphonies with Bernard Haitink and the London Symphony Orchestra. Recently I saw an on line review from David Hurwitz that made me want to revisit this album. I’m glad I did! I don’t care how many recordings […]
Music Reviews
The Big Three
Many would say that the big three of the top English composers of the 20th Century would be the three whose music makes this album one of the hidden gems available at NativeDSD Elgar is celebrated for his Symphonies, his Cello Concerto, and (of course) The Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance Marches. Elgar’s […]
Music Reviews
Very British and Very Beautiful
The extremely talented Ning Feng is joined by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Carlos Miguel Prieto in the Violin concertos of Edward Elgar (1857-1934), and Gerald Finzi (1901-1956). Elgar’s Violin Concerto isn’t quite as well known as his Cello Concerto, but has a similar passion and beauty. It’s been said that Elgar’s pieces are […]