Classical Music

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

As the death watch for the CD continues, so does the flow of classical CDs: no longer a flood but not yet a trickle. The labels that used to be considered major no longer dominate the field, to the extent that they are players at all. But excellent recordings keep coming out from a variety of sources: in some cases the artists or performing institutions themselves. In any case, the classical critics of The New York Times had no difficulty finding a list of worthies to cite as records of the year for 2009. —James R. Oestreich

Rolnick: ‘The Economic Engine,’ Other Works

Music From China; Todd Reynolds String Quartet; Kathleen Supové, pianist; other performers By ALLAN KOZINN

Rolnick: ‘The Economic Engine,’ Other Works

Having devoted himself largely to electronic music until recently, Neil Rolnick here revisits the world of acoustic instruments, albeit with a touch of electronic processing. One of his concerns is juxtaposing seemingly distant musical languages. The title work is an idiosyncratic dialogue between Chinese and Western instruments and styles. “Hammer and Hair,” a 20-minute violin and piano fantasy, melds modernist accents and Classical forms (including a fugue). And “Uptown Jump” brings together jazzy themes and ragalike percussion. (Innova 724; CD); $21.98.

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Classical Music

Rolnick: ‘The Economic Engine,’ Other Works