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RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
English
Suite No. 2 in A minor, BWV807 Partita No. 1 in B flat, BWV825
Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV826 English Suite No. 3 in G minor,
BWV808 Anne-Marie
McDermott (piano) Recorded 26-29 April 1999, St George's, Brandon
Hill, Bristol
GMN C0112 [63.26] [TB]
One
of the best discs of Bach's keyboard music. Confirms the quality
of the music, and there can be no higher praise. … see Full
Review
George
ENESCU
(1881-1955) String
Octet, Op.7 (1900) - Piano Quintet, Op. 29 (1940]
Kremerata Baltica with Andrius Zlabys (piano) - Gidon Kremer -
Recorded at the Angelica-Kauffman Saal, Schwarzenberg, Austria,
June 2000 (Octet), and at the Probesaal der Philharmonie
Rheinland-Pfalz, Ludwigshafen, Germany, November 2001 (Quintet)
NONESUCH 7559-79682-2
[73.11] [TH]
Unerring
precision, fervour and big-boned yet sensitive … see Full
Review
EDWARD
GREGSON Concerto for Orchestra ALUN HODDINOTT Concerto
for Orchestra JOHN McCABE Concerto for Orchestra RLPO/Douglas
Bostock Rec 2001, Liverpool CLASSICO
CLASSCD 384 [78’08"]
[PC]
I
will be returning to this exceptional disc again and again. …
see Full Revie
Ignaz
PLEYEL
(1757-1831); Symphony opus 3, number one in D
(B. 126) ; Symphonie Concertante number 2 in F for piano and violin
(B. 115) ; Sixth Symphonie Periodique in F (B. 140) ;
Jakub Dzialak, violin ; Riccardo Bovino, piano ; Zurich Chamber
Orchestra/Howard Griffiths ; Recorded in the Kirche Neumünster,
Zurich, July 27-30, 2000. DDD ; CPO
9997592 [55:09] [KB]
A winner through and through … see Full
Review
Francis POULENC (1899-1963)
Les
Animaux Modèles (1941) - Sinfonietta (1948)
Orchestre Philharmonique
du Luxembourg/Jonathan Darlington - Recorded Luxembourg Conservatoire,
15th – 19th September 1997
TIMPANI 1C1041 [70:42] [GPJ]
lovingly
shaped, sharply characterised, tight yet flexible. The Luxembourg
Philharmonic play superbly … see Full
Review
STOCKHOLM
CHAMBER BRASS NOW -
Anders HILLBORG (b.1954) Brass
Quintet (1998) - Eino TAMBERG
(b.1930) Music for Five op.86 (1992) - Per
MÅRTENSSON (b.1967) I-Ching Variations (1998-9)
for brass quintet and live electronics - Poul
RUDERS (b.1949) Break Dance (1984) for piano and brass
quintet - Luciano BERIO (b.1925)
Call (1985) - Joakim AGNAS (b.1969)
Tango (1996) - Yong-Won SUNG (b.1977)
Pandragon (2000) - Fredrik HÖGBERG
(b.1972) Melancholy Tango (2000) for five brass players
and their voices
Stockholm Chamber Brass, Per Mårtensson, electronics, Frederik
Ullén, piano - Recorded January 2001 at Danderyd Grammar
School, Sweden
BIS-CD-1213 [62:53] [GPJ]
These
extremely difficult modern works made to sound effortless, directing
attention to their quality and expressiveness rather than their
uncompromising modernity. … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
Frank
BRIDGE (1879-1941)
Enter
Spring (1924) [18.11] - Summer (1912) [9.37]
- Christmas Dance - Sir Roger de Coverley (1918) [4.17]
- Cello Sonata (1940) [23.13] - Go Not Happy Day [1.37]
- rec ADD/DDD
DECCA The British Music Collection 470 189-2 [57.11] [RB]
The
more romantic impressionist Bridge in a satisfying though rather
short-timed collection. ... see Full
Review
Edward
ELGAR (1865-1934)
Symphony
No. 1 (1908) [48.43] - Symphony No. 2 (1911) [51.35] - Introduction
and Allegro (1905) [14.16] - Serenade (1892) [12.04]
LPO/Solti (symphonies);
English Chamber Orchestra/Britten (Intro & Allegro);
Academy of St Martin in the Fields/Neville Marriner (Serenade)
- rec 1968 (Serenade), 1969 (Intro), 1972 (1), 1975
(2), Kingsway Hall, Maltings Snape (Intro) ADD
DECCA The British Music Collection 473 082-2 [2CDs: 127.15]
[RB]
An
alchemist in this music. An exhilarating experience. First choice
for the Second Symphony ... see Full
Review
Benjamin
FRANKEL (1906-1973)
Symphony
No. 1 (1958) [25.33] - Symphony No. 2 (1962) [35.36] - Symphony
No. 3 (1964) [17.24] - Symphony No. 4 (1966) [25.02] - Symphony
No. 5 (1967) [18.03] - Symphony No. 6 (1969) [28.21] - Symphony
No. 7 (1970) [28.03] - Symphony No. 8 (1971) [24.14] - Overture:
May Day (1948) [9.26] - Mephistopheles Serenade and
Dance (1952) [6.09] - Overture to a Ceremony (1971)
- A Shakespeare Overture (1956) - The composer introducing
his symphonies 2 and 3
Queensland SO/Werner Andreas Albert - rec ABC Studio 420, Ferry
Road, Brisbane, Australia, May 1993, Apr 1994, Oct 1994, Sept
1995, April 1999
CPO 999 661-2 [4CDs: 53.24+59.18+60.03+70.27=243.12] [HC]
Frankel’s
symphonies have now - at long last - been given their due. Recommended
without reservation. ... see Full
Review
Roy HARRIS
(1898-1979); Symphony No. 7 (1952, revised 1955); Symphony
No. 9 (1962);
Epilogue to Profiles in Courage - JFK (1964); National Symphony
Orchestra of Ukraine/Theodore Kuchar. Recorded in the Grand Concert
Studio, National Radio Company of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine, 19th
- 27th June 1999.
NAXOS 8.559050 [57.49] [RB]
The sunrise, the rolling horizons, vigour and muscular glory.
Don't miss this wonderful disc ... see Full
Review
Gustav
HOLST (1874-1934)
Choral
Hymns from the Rig Veda (1908-12) [12.16] Savitri -
A chamber opera in one act (1908) [30.43] Seven Partsongs [20.05]
The Evening-Watch (1924) [4.26] A Fugal Concerto (1922)
[7.26] St Paul's Suite (1912-13) [12.33] The Perfect
Fool - ballet music (1923) [10.43] Egdon Heath (1928)
[12.49] The Hymn of Jesus (1920) [21.46] A Moorside
Suite (1928) [14.26] Rec 1961-1994 ADD DDD
DECCA The British Music Collection 470 191-2 [149.30] [RB]
Quite
simply the best and most economical introduction to the extra-Planetary
Holst ... see Full Review
Julius
KATCHEN, piano -
Volume 1: Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano Concerto No 1 - Piano Concerto No
2 - Rondo in B Flat Major - Piano Concerto No 3 - Piano Concerto
No 5 - LSO - Piero Gamba
DECCA 460 822-2 [2 CDs 149’59] -
Volume 2: Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Concerto No 5 - Choral Fantasia - Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concerto No 13 K415
- Piano Concerto No 20 K466 - Piano Concerto No 25 K503 - Piano
Sonata in A Major K331 - LSO conducted by Piero Gamba (Beethoven)
- New Symphony Orchestra of London conducted by Peter Maag (K415)
- Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra conducted by Karl Munchinger (K466,
K503) DECCA 460
825-2 [2 CDs 152’54] -
Volume 3: Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Piano Concerto No 1 - Piano Concerto No 2 - Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano Concerto - Fantasie in C
Major - LSO conducted by Pierre Monteux (Brahms No 1) - LSO conducted
by Janos Ferencsik (Brahms No 2) - Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Istvan Kertesz (Schumann)
DECCA 460 828-2 [2 CDs 157’24] -
Volume 4: Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Piano Concerto No 1 - Piano Concerto No 2 - Mephisto waltz
- Funerailles - Hungarian Rhapsody No 12 - Edvard
GRIEG (1843-1907) Piano Concerto - Modest
MUSSOURGSKY (1839-1881) Pictures at an Exhibition -
Mily BALAKIREV (1837-1910) Islamey
- LPO conducted by Ataulfo Argenta (Liszt Concertos) - Israel
Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Istvan Kertesz (Grieg)
DECCA 460 831-2 [2 CDs 134’41] -
Volume 5: Pyotr I TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Piano Concerto No 1 - Sergei PROKOFIEV
(1891-1953) Piano Concerto No 3 - Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Hungarian Fantasie - Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Piano Concerto No 2 - Rhapsody
on a Theme of Paganini - Erno DOHNANYI
(1877-1960) Variations on a Nursery Theme - LSO conducted
by Piero Gamba (Tchaikovsky, Liszt) - LSO conducted by Istvan
Kertesz (Prokofiev) - LSO conducted by Georg Solti (Rachmaninov
No 2) - LPO conducted by Adrian Boult (Rachmaninov Rhapsody and
Dohnányi)
DECCA 460 834-2 [2 CDs 152’22] -
Volume 6: George GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
Piano Concerto in F - Rhapsody in Blue - Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Piano Concerto for the Left Hand
- Piano Concerto in G - Benjamin BRITTEN
(1913-1976) Diversions for Piano (left hand) and Orchestra
- Bela BARTÓK (1881-1945)
Piano Concerto No 3 - Mantovani and his Orchestra (Piano Concerto
in F) - LSO conducted by Istvan Kertesz (Ravel, Rhapsody in Blue,
Bartok) - LSO conducted by Benjamin Britten (Britten)
DECCA 460 837-2 [2 CDs135’10] -
Volume 7: Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Sonata Op 111 - Piano Sonata op 57 Appassionata -
33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli Op 120 - Six Bagatelles
Op 126 - Polonaise Op 89 - Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Sonata in C Major K545 - Piano
Sonata in B Flat Major K333/315c
DECCA 466 714-2 [2 CDs 142’39] - Volume 8: Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Fantasie in C Major Fantasie
- Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Carnaval - Toccata in C - Arabeske - Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Clair de lune - Manuel
de FALLA (1876-1946) Ritual Fire Dance - Frederic
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Piano Sonata No 2 Op 35 - Piano
Sonata No 3 Op 58 - Fantasie-Polonaise Op 66 - Polonaise Op 53
- Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Rondo Capriccioso - On Wings of Song Arr Liszt - J
S BACH (1685-1750) Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring Arr
Hess DECCA 466
717-2 [2 CDs 145’34] [JW] - All recordings Volumes 1-8 made
between 1955-69
Pianism
and musicality such as Katchen’s come but rarely and should be
embraced when they do. A set of major importance. … see Full
Review
Ernest
John MOERAN (1894-1950)
Symphony
in G minor (1937) [44.30] Sinfonietta (1940) [23.03]
Bournemouth SO/David Lloyd-Jones rec: 4-5 June 2001, Wessex Hall,
Poole Arts Centre, Poole, Dorset, DDD
NAXOS 8.555837 [67.33] [RB]
I
came to this disc with exalted expectations which have been met.
A superb bargain. ... see Full Review
The
Art of Anne Sofie von Otter - Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Carmen-Habanera,
L’amour est un oiseau rebelled - Carmen-Gypsy Song, Les tringles
des sisters tintaient - Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART (1756-1791) Le Nozze di Figaro-Non so più
- Le Nozze di Figaro-Voi che sapete - Don Giovanni-Batti, batti
o bel Masetto - Cosi fan tutte-Smanie implacabili - Cosi fan tutte-Soave
sia il vento - La Clemenza di Tito-Parto, ma tu ben mio - Mass
in C Minor-Laudamus te - George Frideric
HANDEL (1685-1759) Ariodante-Dopo notte, atra e funeste
- Hercules-Begone, my fears, fly, hence away - Hercules-Cease,
ruler of the day, to rise - Il pianto di Maria –Se d’un Dio fui
fatta Madre - Messiah – O thou that Tellest - J
S BACH (1685-1750) Mass in B Minor – Qui sedes ad dextram
Patris - St Matthew Passion – Buss und Reu - Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Oh Solitude - Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Elijah – Oh rest in the Lord
- Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Ave
Maria - An Silvia - Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)
Rheinlegendchen - Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen – Ging heut’
morgen über Feld - Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Lullaby - Jacques
OFFENBACH (1819-1880) Les Contes d’Hoffmann-Barcarolle-belle
Nuit - Les Contes d’Hoffmann-Une poupée aux yeux - Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869) La Damnation de Faust-Le Roi de
Thule - La Damnation de Faust-D’amour l’ardente flamme - Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Frauenliebe und Leben-Du Ring
an meinem Finger - Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907)
Haugtussa-Ved Gjaetle-Bekken - Giacomo
MEYERBEER (1791-1864) Mina - Cécile
CHAMINADE (1857-1944) L’Anneau d’argent - Je Voudrais…
- Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957)
Mariettas Lied - Come away, Death - Percy
GRAINGER (1882-1961) The Sprig of Thyme - Gunnar
HAHN (b 1908) Visa från Lappland - Kurt
WEILL (1900-1950) One life to live - Benny
ANDERSSON (b 1946) and Björn
ULVAEUS (b 1945) Like an Angel passing through my room
- Elvis COSTELLO (b 1954) For
the stars - Franz Xavier GRUBER (1787-1863)
Stille Nacht - Mel TORME and
Robert WELLS The Christmas Song
Anne Sophie von Otter,
soprano with various accompaniments
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 472 474-2 [2 CDs 75’45 and 76’58] [JW]
A
well chosen selection and a solid decade’s worth of distinction,
exploration and achievement. … see Full
Review
Michael
PRAETORIUS (1571-1621)
Seven Dances from Terpsichore (1612) -
Anthony HOLBORNE (1547-1603) Dances from ‘Short
Airs Both Grave and Light’ (1599)-
Christoph DEMANTIUS (1567-1643) German and Polish
Dances (1601)- Thoinot ARBEAU
Dances from Orchesographie (1589)
Praetorius Consort directed by Christopher Ball - No other recording
details given
REGIS RRC 1076 [77.09] [GH]
Highly
recommended, with lively and colourful performances especially
as it is at bargain price. … see Full
Review
William
WALTON (1902-1983)
Cello
Concerto * [24’03"] - The Twelve** [12’13"] - Coronation
Te Deum*** [10’25"] - Variations on a Theme by Hindemith****
[23’04"] - Façade: excerpts from Suites 1 & 2*****
[8’41"] - *Pierre Fournier (cello); Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- ** Ann Dowdall (sop); Shirley Minty (contralto); Robert Tear
(ten); Michael Wakeham (bar); London Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra
- ***London Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra - ****Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra - *****BBC Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by William Walton - Recordings: *Usher Hall, Edinburgh,
23 August 1959; ** and ***Westminster Abbey, London, 2 January
1966; ****Royal Festival Hall, London, 8 March 1963; *****Royal
Albert Hall, London, 20 August 1968
BBC Legends BBCL 4098-2 [79’05"][JQ]
An
invaluable disc ... just the sort of issue that make the BBC Legends
series so important … see Full Review
2020
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and more.. and still writing ...
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International Web Site Founder: Len Mullenger [UK], Classical
Editor: Rob Barnett [UK], Regular Reviewers: Steve Arloff [UK],
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