As I have grown older, I have come to the startling and disheartening realization that I will not be able to read all the books there are, and, more importantly, listen to all the music there is (much less write about it). I otherwise appreciate a finite lifespan, but not when it comes to books and music. For a genre of music garnering a percentage of listeners in the single digits, jazz is represented disproportionately in the market place.

Demanding much of talent and technique, jazz provides new releases that tend to be, at least, "pretty good" (not unlike sex, pizza and beer). The "wisdom" alluded to in Reinhold Niebuhr's serenity prayer (..."and the wisdom to know the one from the other.") is that discerning taste able to separate the merely "good" from the quite "exceptional." What follows are some of the recordings I heard this year but did not or could not write about. The majority of these will not have otherwise been covered at All About Jazz.

John Butt—J.S. Bach: Das wohltemperierte Klavier (Linn Records, 2014). John Butt and his Dunedin Consort has already lit a blazing bonfire in period instrument/performance circles. Butt's Mozart Requiem (Linn, 2014) was revelatory and his reading of Handel's Messiah (Linn, 2013) was transcendent. Butt has previously established his Bach bona fides with meticulously researched recordings of the Brandenburg Concertos, John Passion and the Mass in B Minor. It is no surprise then that Butt elected to display his keyboard chops on Bach's Well-Tempered Clarier. As expected, Butt performs on harpsichord, specifically a copy of German instrument (dated 1702-04) by Michael Mietke tuned to a' = 415Hz (the Modern a note resonates at 440Hz). Butt's playing is reverent, precise and accurate. He obviously treasures his Bach in the original vernacular, crisp and punctuated.

Lara St. John—Schubert (Ancalagon, 2014). Violinist Lara St. John has become a special brand of raconteur in the classical music business. Her early Bach recordings are quite exceptional, but St. John has cleared a path with some well-conceived projects like her recent Bach Sonatas with harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet and coupling of Vivaldi and Piazzolla over The Four Seasons. Entitled simply Schubert, St. John programs a recital of Schubert pieces from early and late in the young composer's life, using the unique format of violin, cello (Ludwig Quandt), harp (Langlamet)and soprano voice (Anna Prohaska). The vocal selections are songs based on Goethe. St. John's daring pays off in a highly listenable recording that has much to teach us about performance and interpretation.

Igor Kamenz—Plays Scarlatti (Naive, 2014). Russian pianist Igor Kamenz recorded repertoire has up until now included Beethoven sonatas. His performance repertoire includes Beethoven, Schumann, Couperin, Liszt...and a healthy smattering of Domenico Scarlatti. Scarlatti, Couperin and all of these romantics make for strange stylistic bedfellows. But Vladimir Horowitz made it work in his own inimitable style. Kamenz reprises many of the same sonata Horowitz addresses, doing so in a much more period punctual manner. Kamenz goes light on the Romanticism in deference to a more Classical approach. That said, Kamenz plays the minor key sonatas richly and well-paced. The A minor Sonata, K109 is almost Chopinesque, creamy with reverie. He attacks the up-tempo and driving D minor sonata, K141 with near fury. Kamenz concentration and articulation are impressive and expressive.

Jeno Jando—Haydn: The Last Seven Words of Our Saviour on the Cross (Naxos, 2014). Jeno Jando could properly be considered the house pianist for Naxos. He has recorded for the label since its inception producing the complete sonatas of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, as well as Schubert and Schumann. He is omnivorous in his repertoire equally at home with Bach or Bartok. Jando augments his Haydn repertoire with the piano reduction of "The Seven Last Words." Papa Haydn prepared three scores of his piece: one for orchestra, one for string quartet and one for solo piano. Jando's performance is welcome as there are few piano recordings of the piece. As would be expected, Jando infuses the piece with all of his experience, with early sections sounding startling Baroque, while the later sections evolve into the avant-garde. It is a harrowing account of a staid piece of music.

Ulrich Roman Murtfeld—American Recital (Audite, 2014). German pianist Ulrich Roman Murtfeld takes a big bite out of 100 years of North American piano composition on his American Recital. Murtfeld brings together five disparate American composers in Gottschalk, Gershwin, Glass, Rzewski and Barber, thereby assembling one of the better piano collections recently conceived. Murtfeld's Gottschalk is solid with the exception of "The Banjo" which is played at too fast a tempo (but played well nevertheless). His Gershwin is equally solid, rhythmic and relaxed in turn. Philip Glass' "Opening Piece" from Glassworks is sumptuous and deep, resonating from liberal pedal use. Rzewski's Piano Piece No. 4 is about as far out as the recital gets while Barber's "Nocturne," Op. 33 is dark and rich. Barber's piano sonata is performed similarly. Murtfeld's confident hand and command of his American repertoire make of a most entertaining listen.