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Granny Grammy

  Tobias

The Grammy's are undoubtedly the most important annual prizes to be awarded in the music business in the USA. While MTV and other music stations have set up their own competetions, concentrating on action and adventure and complementing the hot shots of the year, this is a more beholding and far more conservative affair. The Gramy's are something like a dinosaur: Mighty and strong, but very slow to get moving. Which is why you will find a lot of the artists that shaped the scene some time ago, instead of those that inspire it today and which is why they often carry the feeling of a life-time acchievment award. This year's show (the 48th already) makes no difference to that formula.

No surprises, then, as we check the nominees: On the label front, Naxos remains the clear number one and the company to beat. In a total of eleven categories, they rack up an amazing twelve nominations (and that's excluding those for Production work and Surround Sound) - in the field of "Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra)", they even take three of the available five positions. The Deutsche Grammophon notches up six nominations (plus one Production credit), Virgin Classics and EMI five and Decca three. Of the smaller and independent labels, CPO is among the big boys with Antheil's Symphony Numer three (directed by Hugh Wolff), as are Pentatone, Chandos and Hyperion. Looking at the performers, it's the same picture of many familiar faces, including the final breakthrough of an old master: Nelson Freire from Brazil has slowly but very surely edged up critics' and connaisseurs' rankings and now sees many years of hard work and continuous improvment rewarded with a nomination for his latest album. Two things are remarkable about this: First of all, Freire is not one of those young superstars, but a pianist who was discovered at a fairly late stage of his career. And secondly, because of his pretty standard repertoire: Chopin's Etudes. Which befits his slogan: “It is inside the core repertoire that we actually have the most to discover” We'll bring you more about this remarkable man soon, but meanwhile, here's the entire list of nominations:

Field 28 - Surround Sound
Category 93 -  Best Surround Sound Album
(For vocal or instrumental albums. Albums only.)

• Brothers In Arms - 20th Anniversary Edition
      Chuck Ainlay, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer;
      Chuck Ainlay & Mark Knopfler, surround producers (Dire Straits)
      [Warner Bros.]

• The Girl In The Other Room
      Al Schmitt, surround mix engineer; Robert Hadley & Doug Sax, surround mastering engineers; Al
      Schmitt, surround producer (Diana Krall)
      [Verve]

• Honky Château
      Greg Penny, surround mix engineer; Greg Penny, surround mastering engineer; Greg
      Penny, surround producer (Elton John)
      [Universal Music Enterprises]

• In Your Honor
      Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer;
      Nick Raskulinecz, surround producer (Foo Fighters)
      [Roswell/Sony/BMG]

• Mussorgsky/Stokowski: Pictures At An Exhibition - Boris Godunov - Night on Bare Mountain
      Phil Rowlands, surround mix engineer; Phil Rowlands, surround mastering
      engineer; Nick Parker & Phil Rowlands, surround producers (José Serebrier &
      Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra)
      [Naxos]

Field 29 - Production, Classical
Category 94 -  Best Engineered Album, Classical
(An Engineer's Award.  (Artist names appear in parenthesis.))

• Bolcom: Songs
      Tim Handley, engineer (Carole Farley & William Bolcom)
      [Naxos]

• Britten, Bartok & Hartmann
      Jin Choi, Jean-Marie Geijsen & Erdo Groot, engineers (Gordan Nikolic &
      Netherlands Chamber Orchestra)
      [PentaTone Classics]

• Bruckner: Sym. No. 7
      Roger De Schot & Erdo Groot, engineers (Yakov Kreizberg & Wiener Symphoniker)
      [PentaTone Classics]

• Chesky: Area 31
      Barry Wolifson, engineer (Anthony Aibel & Area 31)
      [Chesky Records]

• Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets
      Da-Hong Seetoo, engineer (Emerson String Quartet)
      [Deutsche Grammophon]

Field 29 - Production, Classical
Category 95 -  Producer Of The Year, Classical
(A Producer's Award.  (Artist names appear in parenthesis.))

• Christopher Alder
      • Bach: Cantatas (Thomas Quasthoff, Rainer Kussmaul, Members Of The
      RIAS-Kammerchor, Berlin Baroque Soloists)
      • Beethoven: Piano Cons. Nos. 2 & 3 (Martha Argerich, Claudio Abbado & Mahler
      Chamber Orchestra)
      • Chopin: Scherzi / Impromptus (Yundi Li)
      • Lamento (Magdalena Kožená, Reinhard Goebel & Musica Antiqua Köln)

• Steven Epstein
      • Brahms: Music For 2 Pianos (Yefim Bronfman & Emanuel Ax)
      • Music For Organ, Brass And Timpani (Anthony Newman, Graham Ashton, Graham
      Ashton Brass Ensemble & Duncan Patton)
      • Silk Road Journeys: Beyond The Horizon (Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble)

• Michael Fine
      • Fuchs: An American Place (JoAnn Falletta & London Symphony Orchestra)
      • Ranjbaran: Persian Trilogy (JoAnn Falletta & London Symphony Orchestra)
      • Soul Of Tango (Gisèle Ben-Dor, Juanjo Mosalini & Santa Barbara Symphony)

• Tim Handley
      • Adams: Shaker Loops (Marin Alsop)
      • Bolcom: Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience (Leonard Slatkin, Christine
      Brewer & Joan Morris)
      • Brahms: Sym. No. 1 (Marin Alsop & London Philharmonic Orchestra)
      • Daugherty: Philadelphia Stories (Marin Alsop & Evelyn Glennie)
      • Glass: Syms. Nos. 2 And 3 (Marin Alsop & Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra)

• Thomas C. Moore
      • Chausson: Le Roi Arthus (Leon Botstein, Apollo Voices, A. Kennedy, D.
      McIntyre, G. Sorenson, D. Okulitch, F. Le Roux, S. O'Neill, S. Bullock & A.
      Schroeder)
      • 4 + Four (Turtle Island String Quartet With Ying Quartet)
      • Mozart: Flute Cons., Sym. No. 41 (Martin Pearlman & Boston Baroque)

Field 30 - Classical
Category 96 -  Best Classical Album
(Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s) if other than the Artist.)

• Bolcom: Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience
      Leonard Slatkin, conductor; Jerry Blackstone, William Hammer, Jason Harris,
      Christopher Kiver, Carole Ott & Mary Alice Stollak, choir directors; Tim
      Handley, producer (Christine Brewer & Joan Morris; University Of Michigan School
      Of Music Symphony Orchestra)
      [Naxos]

• Chávez: Complete Chamber Music, Vol. 3
      Jeff Von Der Schmidt, conductor; Southwest Chamber Music & Tambuco Percussion
      Ensemble; Jan Karlin & Matthew Snyder, producers
      [Cambria Master Recordings]

• Martha Argerich And Friends: Live From The Lugano Festival
      Martha Argerich; Ulrich Ruscher, producer
      [EMI Classics]

• Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets
      Emerson String Quartet; Da-Hong Seetoo, producer
      [Deutsche Grammophon]

• Shostakovich: Sym. No. 13
      Mariss Jansons, conductor; Sergei Aleksashkin; Wilhelm Meister, producer (Chor
      Des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks)
      [EMI Classics]

Field 30 - Classical
Category 97 -  Best Orchestral Performance
(Award to the Conductor and to the Orchestra.)

• Antheil: Sym. No. 3 "American"
      Hugh Wolff, conductor (Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt)
      [CPO]

• Bruckner: Sym. No. 7
      Yakov Kreizberg, conductor (Wiener Symphoniker)
      [PentaTone Classics]

• Mussorgsky/Stokowski: Pictures At An Exhibition
      José Serebrier, conductor (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra)
      [Naxos]

• Popov: Sym. No. 1; Shostakovich: Theme & Variations
      Leon Botstein, conductor (London Symphony Orchestra)
      [Telarc]

• Shostakovich: Sym. No. 13
      Mariss Jansons, conductor (Sergei Aleksashkin; Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks;
      Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks)
      [EMI Classics]

Field 30 - Classical
Category 98 -  Best Opera Recording
(Award to the Conductor, Album Producer(s) and Principal Soloists.)

• Britten: Death In Venice
      Richard Hickox, conductor; Michael Chance, Philip Langridge & Alan Opie; Brian
      Couzens, producer (BBC Singers; City Of London Sinfonia)
      [Chandos Records Ltd]

• Conradi: Ariadne
      Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Barbara Borden, Karina Gauvin, Ellen
      Hargis, Jan Kobow, Julian Podger, Marek Rzepka, James Taylor & Matthew White;
      Renate Wolter-Seevers, producer (Boston Early Music Festival Chorus; Boston
      Early Music Festival Orchestra)
      [CPO]

• Strauss, R.: Daphne
      Semyon Bychkov, conductor; Johan Botha, Renée Fleming, Anna Larsson, Michael
      Schade & Kwanchul Youn; Michael Haas, producer (West German Radio Symphony
      Orchestra (Köln))
      [Decca]

• Verdi: Falstaff
      Sir Colin Davis, conductor; Carlos Alvarez, Bülent Bezdüz, Marina Domashenko,
      Jane Henschel, Ana Ibarra, Maria Josè Moreno & Michele Pertusi; James Mallinson,
      producer (London Symphony Chorus; London Symphony Orchestra)
      [LSO Live]

• Vivaldi: Bajazet
      Fabio Biondi, conductor; Patrizia Ciofi, David Daniels, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo,
      Elina Garanca, Vivica Genaux & Marijana Mijanovic; Nicolas Bartholomée, producer
      (Europa Galante)
      [Virgin Classics]

Field 30 - Classical
Category 99 -  Best Choral Performance
(Award to the Choral Conductor, and to the Orchestra Conductor if an Orchestra is on the recording, and to the Choral Director or Chorus Master if applicable.)

• Bernstein: Mass
      Kent Nagano, conductor; Simon Halsey & Kai-Uwe Jirka, choir directors; Richard
      Grant & Lynne Morrow, chorus masters (Julian Frischling & Jerry Hadley;
      Rundfunkchor Berlin, Staats-Und Domchor Berlin & Soloists Of The Pacific Mozart
      Ensemble; Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin)
      [Harmonia Mundi]

• Bolcom: Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience
      Leonard Slatkin, conductor; Jerry Blackstone, William Hammer, Jason Harris,
      Christopher Kiver, Carole Ott & Mary Alice Stollak, choir directors (Christine
      Brewer, Measha Brueggergosman, Ilana Davidson, Nmon Ford, Linda Hohenfeld, Joan
      Morris, Carmen Pelton, Marietta Simpson & Thomas Young; Michigan State
      University Children's Choir, University Of Michigan Chamber Choir, University Of
      Michigan Orpheus Singers, University Of Michigan University Choir & University
      Musical Society Choral Union; University Of Michigan School Of Music Symphony
      Orchestra)
      [Naxos]

• Lauridsen: Lux Aeterna
      Stephen Layton, conductor (Polyphony; Britten Sinfonia)
      [Hyperion]

• Penderecki: A Polish Requiem
      Antoni Wit, conductor; Henryk Wojnarowski, chorus master (Izabela Klosinska,
      Ryszard Minkiewicz, Piotr Nowacki & Jadwiga Rappé; Warsaw National Philharmonic
      Choir; Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra)
      [Naxos]

• Schoenberg: Accentus
      Laurence Equilbey, choir director (Jonathan Nott; Accentus; Ensemble
      Intercontemporain)
      [Naive]

Field 30 - Classical
Category 100 -  Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra)
(Award to the Instrumental Soloist(s) and to the Conductor.)

• Beethoven: Piano Cons. Nos. 2 & 3
      Claudio Abbado, conductor; Martha Argerich (Mahler Chamber Orchestra)
      [Deutsche Grammophon]

• Concerto For String Quartet And Orchestra
      Robert Craft, conductor; Fred Sherry String Quartet (Twentieth Century Classics
      Ensemble)
      Track from: Schoenberg: Concerto For String Quartet And Orchestra
      [Naxos]

• Eventide
      JoAnn Falletta, conductor; Thomas Stacy (London Symphony Orchestra)
      Track from: Fuchs: An American Place
      [Naxos]

• Schumann: Cello Concerto; Bloch: Schelomo
      Paavo Järvi, conductor; Truls Mørk (Orchestre Philharmonique De Radio France)
      [Virgin Classics]

• UFO
      Marin Alsop, conductor; Evelyn Glennie (Colorado Symphony Orchestra)
      Track from: Daugherty: Philadelphia Stories
      [Naxos]

Field 30 - Classical
Category 101 -  Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra)
(Award to the Instrumental Soloist.)

• Chopin: Études, Op. 10, Barcarolle, Op. 60, Son. No.2
      Nelson Freire
      [Decca]

• Night Breeze - Harp Music Of Carlos Salzedo
      Sarah Schuster Ericsson
      [Cambria Master Recordings]

• Scriabin, Medtner, Stravinsky
      Evgeny Kissin
      [BMG Classics RCA Red Seal]

• Szymanowski: Piano Son. No. 3, Métopes, Masques
      Piotr Anderszewski
      [Virgin Classics]

• Vengerov: Kreisler, Sarasate, Paganini, Wieniawski
      Maxim Vengerov (Ian Brown)
      [EMI Classics]

Field 30 - Classical
Category 102 -  Best Chamber Music Performance
(Award to the Artists.)

• A La Carte - Short Works For Winds
      The Borealis Wind Quintet
      [MSR Classics]

• Bartók: The Six String Quartets
      Vermeer Quartet
      [Naxos]

• Borodin Quartet 60th Anniversary
      Borodin Quartet
      [Onyx]

• Martha Argerich And Friends: Live From The Lugano Festival
      Martha Argerich
      [EMI Classics]

• Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets
      Emerson String Quartet
      [Deutsche Grammophon]

Field 30 - Classical
Category 103 -  Best Small Ensemble Performance (with or without Conductor)
(Award to the Ensemble (and to the Conductor.))

• Ancient Voices Of Children
      David Colson, conductor; Tony Arnold, Courtney Hershey Bress, Kathryn Dupuy
      Cooper, Mark Foster, Susan Grace, William Hill, John Kinzie, Justin Murray,
      David Starobin & Dale Stuckenbruck
      Track from: Complete Crumb Edition, Volume Nine
      [Bridge Records, Inc.]

• Boulez: Le Marteau Sans Maître, Dérive 1 & 2
      Pierre Boulez, conductor; Hilary Summers; Ensemble Intercontemporain
      [Deutsche Grammophon]

• Chávez: Complete Chamber Music, Vol. 3
      Jeff Von Der Schmidt, conductor; Southwest Chamber Music & Tambuco Percussion
      Ensemble
      [Cambria Master Recordings]

• Harbison: Mottetti Di Montale
      David Hoose, conductor; Janice Felty & Margaret Lattimore; Collage New Music
      [Koch International Classics]

• O Magnum Mysterium
      Nicholas White, conductor; The Tiffany Consort
      [MSR Classics]

Field 30 - Classical
Category 104 -  Best Classical Vocal Performance
(Award to the Vocal Soloist(s).)

• Bach: Cantatas
      Thomas Quasthoff (Rainer Kussmaul; Members Of The RIAS Chamber Choir; Berlin
      Baroque Soloists)
      [Deutsche Grammophon]

• Bolcom: Songs
      Carole Farley (William Bolcom)
      [Naxos]

• Gounod - Massenet: Arias
      Rolando Villazón (Evelino Pido; Orchestre Philharmonique De Radio France)
      [Virgin Classics]

• Opera Proibita
      Cecilia Bartoli (Marc Minkowski; Les Musiciens Du Louvre)
      [Decca]

• Strauss: Amor
      Natalie Dessay (Antonio Pappano; Orchestra Of The Royal Opera House, Covent
      Garden)
      [Virgin Classics]

Field 30 - Classical
Category 105 -  Best Classical Contemporary Composition
(A Composer's Award.  (For a contemporary classical composition composed within the last 25 years, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year.))

• Ayre
      Osvaldo Golijov (Dawn Upshaw)
      Track from: Golijov: Ayre; Berio: Folk Songs
      [Deutsche Grammophon]

• Bolcom: Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience
      William Bolcom (Leonard Slatkin)
      [Naxos]

• Boyer: Ellis Island: The Dream Of America
      Peter Boyer (Peter Boyer)
      [Naxos]

• Franzetti: Corpus Evita
      Carlos Franzetti (José Luis Moscovich)
      [Amapola Records]

• Nine Episodes For Four Players
      Ned Rorem (Contrasts Quartet)
      Track from: Rorem: Nine Episodes For Four Players
      [Phoenix USA]

Field 30 - Classical
Category 106 -  Best Classical Crossover Album
(Award to the Artist(s) and/or to the Conductor.)

• The Classical Underground
      Imani Winds
      [Koch International Classics]

• 4 + Four
      Turtle Island String Quartet & Ying Quartet
      [Telarc]

• The Jazz Chamber Trio
      Paquito D'Rivera & The Jazz Chamber Trio
      [Chesky Records]

• Jobim: Symphonic Jobim
      Roberto Minczuk, conductor (Orquestra Sinfônica Do Estado De São Paulo)
      [Adventure Music]

• Steiner: The Adventures Of Mark Twain
      William Stromberg, conductor (Moscow Symphony Orchestra)
      [Naxos]

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