Tag: Robert H. Levi

“I have not ever heard, in my lifetime, a better solo violin LP…”

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Bob Levi responds to Petteri Iivonen’s vinyl release of J. S. Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D Minor AKG C-24 Stereo Tube Microphone, No mixer, direct from the microphone amplifier to the Tape Deck using the shortest possible length of custom wire. Agfa Formula 468 Tape…. One has to understand that Yarlung Records is a non-profit organization and releases its amazing productions when financially feasible. This performance was included in a CD compilation of Petteri Iivonen’s work titled Art of the Violin, Yarlung Records 05787, in 2008, to rave reviews. Being a CD with its limitations, I did not realize the overall importance of this recording. The performance was both exciting and nuanced but not what you would expect from analog’s ability to make the violin come alive in the room. Now we have the BOMB! I talked with Bob Attiyeh the other day, and he mentioned that Elliot Midwood, Partita‘s executive Continue Reading →

Newsletter: Dec 19, 2017

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Dear Friends, Greetings! And Happy Holidays to you! While it isn’t Christmas music specifically, Nostos gets into the holiday spirit with rousing acapella choral repertoire from English, German, Russian, Hanseatic and American musical traditions. Thank you Rob Istad, thank you University Singers and thank you executive producer Leslie Bigos for this fabulous album. We anticipate Nostos will also be available in Stereo, SonoruS Holographic Imaging and Quatro Surround Sound on NativeDSD this week too. Thank you Tom and thank you Jared! Here’s video from the pre-recording live concert of the American Spiritual My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord Great news on the Yuko Mabuchi Trio front: The Trio travels to New York City to be part of the Arts Presenters Showcase in Manhattan mid January. Yuko, Del and Bobby will perform at the mid-town Hilton at 4:30pm on January 13th. Guests are welcome. Also, Yarlung executive producers Craig and Diane Martin have made it possible for us to release our first double 45rpm vinyl album for Yuko Continue Reading →

Newsletter: Sep. 5, 2017

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Dear Friends, Greetings and happy weekend. Two pieces of musically delicious news to share! Sibelius Piano Trio has received a Nomination for a Latin GRAMMY Award for Diego Schissi’s wonderful composition Nene, commissioned by Yarlung Artists Coretet and underwritten by Leslie Lassiter, Raulee Marcus and Steve Block. Kudos to Diego, the Sibelius Piano Trio, and to executive producer Ann Mulally and 100th Anniversary sponsors Linda and Randy Bellous! Here is the album if you’d like another copy. [Reviews & Articles] Also, our wonderful new CD featuring Yuko Mabuchi Trio comes out this weekend! Help yourself! Video and Music Jeff Wilson’s review in The Absolute Sound Robert H. Levi’s review in Postive Feedback Thoughts by Peter Rutenberg Have a wonderful weekend! I look forward to seeing our board, executive producers and major donors at our Yarlung Annual Meeting and concert in a few weeks! Thank you to so many of you for making our work possible. Sincerely, Bob Attiyeh

Review: Yuko Mabuchi Trio Concert

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by Robert H. Levi Senior Associate Editor at Large, Positive Feedback Yuko Mabuchi plays the ivories with the touch of an angel and the understanding of an artist many times her young age. She is backed by seasoned musicians with strong drive plus an acute sense of playing with and not over the pianist. This is Yarlung’s third jazz album recorded like you wish all performances were recorded: listening is just like being there. All that’s missing here is the expensive tickets and sticky floor! The selection of mostly standards and stand-outs is delightful and hard to leave. I liked every one of them, particularly the All The Things You Are, Take The A Train, Satin Doll Medley and St. Thomas, a Sonny Rollins classic. The Japanese Medley was hauntingly gorgeous and intriguing. I played it twice in my first listening pass. The album is all about Yuko Mabuchi and Continue Reading →

exaSound salutes Yarlung Records on its 10th Anniversary

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Yarlung Records.com    |  exaSound.com  |   YarlungRecords.NativeDSD.com exaSound sponsored Yarlung’s first quartet of albums in high resolution DSD, and exaSound salutes Yarlung Records on its 10th Anniversary Review by Robert H. Levi Review by Dr. David Robinson The Collaboration Some audiophiles believe that Quad DSD is the finest medium to deliver great music on the planet.  Recording music to Quad DSD is one thing, but playing it back is another much more difficult process.  The circuitry and design aesthetic required to take the super high resolution DSD files and deliver them as living and breathing music takes enormous skill and care.  For this most important and delicate step we are especially grateful to George Klissarov.  It is his musical aesthetic and from-the-ground-up engineering that enabled him to create the exaSound e22, which must be one of the finest Quad DSD and high resolution PCM digital to analog converters on the planet.  Continue Reading →