Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3. Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.2. Yuja Wang. Deutsche Grammophon CD
The pair of concertos are from one marvellous live concert performance, superbly recorded. In two long and demanding works, the soloist (and equally youthful orchestra and conductor) show extraordinary energy yet bring real freshness to their performances.
Wang just revels in the big chords and rapid fingerwork of the virtuoso Rachmaninov Third right to its explosive ending.
She and the orchestra sail brilliantly through Prokofiev Two to bring out a myriad of moods and tone colours, then revel in its ''Allegro Tempestuoso'' finale that becomes such a playful and vivacious romp.
Highlight: Prokofiev's romping brief Scherzo Vivace movement.
Ocean Songs, He Waiata Moana. Royal New Zealand Navy Band. Navy CD
In the talented band's first album since 1981, there is a suite from The Bartered Bride (Smetana) to also please classical fans. But aimed at a wider audience are energetic jazz items like Dixi, Just a Closer Walk, and Gaelforce having good workouts from the brass and clarinets, plus a nautical flavour in many arrangements of sea songs, stirring Sousa march, and lots of snappy toe-tapping tunes, conducted by Owen Clarke.
O'Neill reappears strongly in Barry's Here's to the Heroes, a military tribute so appropriate for 2014 as the centenary of the Great War.
Highlight: Versatility from 32 navy band musicians.
