Juan de ANCHIETA
(1462-1523) Missa
Sine Nomine, Salve Regina 
Capilla Peñaflorida Loreto Fernández
Imaz (organ) Ministriles de Marsias/Josep
Cabré Recorded at Villabuena, Álava,
October 2000
NAXOS 8.555772 [67.23] [JW]
Shows
the sophisticated heights to which Anchieta
could ascend …the artists respond with genuine
understanding and unflagging enthusiasm. Let’s
have more Anchieta from them … see Full
Review
Leroy
ANDERSON (1908-1975)
Classical
Juke Box, Syncopated Clock, Chicken Reel,
Fiddle Faddle, Serenata, Sleigh Ride, Irish
Suite, Saraband, Promenade, Trumpeter's Lullaby,
Jazz Legato-Jazz Pizzicato, A Christmas Festival
The Boston Pops/Arthur Fiedler rec. 1947-1950.
ADD
NAXOS NOSTALGIA 8.120649 [57.07]
[RB]
Fiedler
in his element in this prime cut of US light
music. ... see Full
Review
David ARDITTI (b.
1964) String
Quartet No. 1 in D minor Op. 7, String Quartet
No. 2 in G minor Op. 31
Ludamus (1); Bingham Quartet (2) Recorded
live at Stanmore Church, Stanmore, London,
November 1998 (Quartet No. 1) and Chapel of
the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London,
8 October 2003 (Quartet No. 2)
Private release [45:19] [CT]
Arditti’s
style is ultra-conservative but attractive
in its melodic inspiration. … see Full
Review
An Arnold Celebration Malcolm
ARNOLD (b. 1921)
Prelude,
Siciliano and Rondo Op. 80 (arr. John
P. Paynter) Tam O’ Shanter Overture
Op. 51 (arr. John P. Paynter) Concertino
for Saxophone and Winds (arr. Mamoru Nakata)
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness: Suite
from the film (arr. Munetoshi Senoo) Peterloo
Overture Op. 87 (arr. Hisaatsu Kondo)
Little Suite No. 1 Op. 53 (arr. Denis
Bloodworth) Sarabande and Polka from
Solitaire (arr. John P. Paynter) March:
HRH the Duke of Cambridge Op. 60
Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra/Douglas Bostock
Recorded at Sun Azalea, Saitama, March 2001,
DDD
KOSEI PUBLISHING COMPANY KOCD-8000 [CT]
Polished
performances of a variety of familiar and
not so familiar works by Arnold. … see Full
Review
Carl Philipp Emanuel
BACH (1714-1788)
The Solo Keyboard Music 10: Sonatas and Suite
(1749-1752) Sonata
in F (Wq 62,9 / H 58) [13’43] Sonata in G
(Wq 65,26 / H 64) [10:58] Suite in e minor
(Wq 62,12 / H 66) [20:48] Sonata in g minor
(Wq 65,27 / H 68) [11:11] Sonata in D (Wq
62,13 / H 67) [11:52]
Miklós Spányi, clavichord (Joris
Potvlieghe, Tollembeek, Belgium, 1999, after
Gottfried Joseph Horn, Dresden, 1785) Recorded
in July 2000 at the House of the Lumijoki
Youth Association, Finland. DDD
BIS-CD-1189 [70:10] [JV]
Miklos
Spányi has added another fine recording
to his series with all the keyboard music
of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach ... see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750)
The
French Suites
David Cates (harpsichord) Recorded in
Takilma, Oregon, November 2001
MUSIC & ARTS 1124 [2CDs: 95:00] [DS]
A
must for every Bach keyboard enthusiast and
an excellent choice as one’s only version.
… see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685 - 1750) Partita
No. 1 in B minor for solo violin, BWV1002
(1720) [24'58] Sonata No. 2 in A minor for
solo violin, BWV1003 (1720) [17'40] Partita
No. 3 in E major for solo violin, BWV1006
(1720) [16'06]
Ilya Gringolts, violin Recorded in Mol
(Belgium), Galaxy Studios, 11/2002
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 474 235-2GH [58'44]
[JPo]
Disappointing
… an artist who possibly suffers from the
modern-day "hype" leading to increased expectations.
Give another ten to fifteen years and try
again. … see Full
Review
Christopher Bunting
plays Bach Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Suite
No. 1 in G major BWV 1007 Suite No. 2 in D
minor BWV 1008 Suite No. 3 in C major
BWV 1009 Suite No. 6 in D major BWV 1012
Christopher Bunting (cello) Record privately
in the 1960s
SYMPOSIUM 1338 [71.57] [JW]
It
is salutary to be reminded of the heights
to which his music making aspired in these
admirable performances. Bunting has tended
to be undervalued. … see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH
(1685-1750) Orchestral Suites
1-4, BWV 1066-1069 Suite
no. 1: Adolf Busch Chamber Players, recorded
28.10.1936, Abbey Road Studio no. 2, London
Suite no. 2: Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra/Willem
Mengelberg, recorded 2.6.1931, Concertgebouw,
Amsterdam Suite no. 3: Paris Conservatoire
Orchestra/Felix Weingartner, recorded 11.5.1939,
Studio Albert, Paris Suite no. 3 – Air (arr.
Mahler): New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra/Willem
Mengelberg, recorded 16.1.1929, Carnegie Hall,
New York Suite no. 4: Boston Symphony Orchestra/Serge
Koussevitzky, recorded 14.8.1946, Tanglewood
Music Shed, Lenox, Massachusetts Brandenburg
Concertos 1-6, BWV 1046-1051 Brandenburg
no. 1: Szymon Goldberg (violin), Gustav Kern
(oboe), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Alois
Melichar Brandenburg no. 2: Philadelphia Orchestra/Leopold
Stokowski, recorded 27-29.9.1928, Academy
of Music, Philadelphia Brandenburg no. 3:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Wilhelm Furtwängler,
recorded 1930, Hochschule für Musik,
Berlin Brandenburg no. 4: Gabriel Bourdon
(violin), Mm. Cortet and Marceau (flutes),
L’Orchestra de Chamber de l’Ecole Normale
de Musique de Paris/Alfred Cortot, recorded
29.5.1933, Paris Brandenburg no. 5: Adolf
Busch (violin), Marcel Moyse (flute), Rudolf
Serkin (piano), Adolf Busch Chamber Players,
recorded 10.1935, Abbey Road Studio no. 1,
London Brandenburg no. 6: William Lincer,
Nicholas Bird (violas), Chamber Orchestra/Fritz
Reiner, recorded 27.10.1949, New York
ANDANTE 69948 71986 2 3 [3 CDs: 65:66,
68:40, 57:35] [CH]
Much
food for thought is offered by this collection
of "unauthentic" Bach performances.
… see Full Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH
(1685-1750) Harpsichord
Concertos Vol. 1 Concerto
for harpsichord and strings, in D minor, BWV
1052 Concerto for harpsichord and strings,
in D major, BWV 1054 Concerto for harpsichord
and strings, in E major, BWV 1053
Concerto Copenhagen/Lars Ulrik Mortensen (music
direction and harpsichord) Rec. 19-21 May,
2002 at Mantzuisgarden, Birkerod. DDD
CPO 999 989-2 [55:57] [MC]
It
is hard to imagine better performances of
these rewarding and appealing concertos. Everything
about this CPO release is out of the top-drawer.
Highly recommended. … see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Cantata
No.20, "O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort", BWV 20
Cantata No.7, "Christ unser Herr zum Jordan
kam", BWV 7 Cantata No.94, "Was frag ich nach
der Welt", BWV 94
Peter Kooij, bass Robin Blaze, counter-tenor
Jan Kobow, tenor Yukari Nonoshita, soprano
Bach Collegium Japan/Masaaki Suzuki (harpsichord)
Rec.: 19-24 April 2002, Kobe Shoin Women’s
University Chapel, Japan. DDD Cantatas vol.
22: Cantatas from Leipzig 1724
BIS-CD-1321 [73:17] [MC]
Inspired
grandeur … a real sense of ceremony … dignified
and highly impressive … a dance-like interpretation
… expressive and extremely uplifting. … See
Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685
- 1750) St.
Matthew Passion, BWV 244 (1727) Rogers
Covey-Crump (tenor) Evangelist Michael George
(bass) Jesus Emma Kirkby (soprano) Michael
Chance (alto) Martyn Hill (tenor) David Thomas
(bass)
Choirs of King’s and Jesus Colleges Cambridge
The Brandenburg Consort/Stephen Cleobury.
recorded in King’s College Chapel, directed
by Ferenc van Damme and Dirk-Jan Bijker, other
recording details unknown.
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 99781 [165.43] [JP]
Visual
images first class but otherwise often perfunctory
… mundane; a great pity. … see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750)
Mass in B Minor CD 1 Kyrie Kyrie
eleison (Chorus) Christe eleison (Elisabeth
Schwarzkopf, Kathleen Ferrier) Kyrie eleison
(Chorus) Gloria Gloria in excelsis
Deo (Chorus) Laudamus te (Elisabeth Schwarzkopf)
Gratias agimus tibi (Chorus) Domine Deus (Elisabeth
Schwarzkopf and Walter Ludwig) Qui tollis
peccata mundi (Chorus) Qui sedes ad dexteram
Patris (Kathleen Ferrier) Quoniam tu solus
sanctus (Paul Schöffler) Cum Sancto Spiritu
(Chorus) Credo Credo in unum Deum (Chorus)
Patrem omnipotentem (Chorus) Et in unum Dominum
(Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Kathleen Ferrier)
Et incarnatus est (Chorus) Crucifixus (Chorus)
CD2 Et resurrexit (Chorus) Et in Spiritum
Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem (Paul Schöffler)
Confiteor unum baptisma (Chorus) Sanctus
and Benedictus Sanctus (Chorus) Osanna
in excelsis (Chorus) Benedictus (Walter Ludwig)
Agnus Dei Agnus Dei (Kathleen Ferrier)
Dona nobis pacem (Chorus) Vienna Singverein
Vienna Symphony Orchestra/Herbert Von Karajan
Broadcast on 15 June 1950: 200th
anniversary of the composer’s death. Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897). Four Serious
Songs. Opus 121. (Vier Ernste Gesänge)
‘One thing befalleth’ ‘So I returned’ ‘O death,
how bitter art thou’ ‘Though I speak with
the tongues of man’ BBC Symphony Orchestra/Sir
Malcolm Sargent. Broadcast 12 January 1949
CD 3 Oslo Recital Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) The Fairy
Queen, ‘Hark! The echoing air’ George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Atlanta,
(1736) ‘Like as the love-lorn Turtle’
Admeto, (1727) ‘How changed
the vision’ Hugo
WOLF (1860-1903). 'Secrecy – Veborgenheit’.
‘The Gardener’. ‘On gazing at an old picture-
Auf ein altes Bild’. ‘Travelling’ Oslo Recital,
October 1949 Adolf
JENSEN (1879-?). ‘Altar’ London
Recital Henry PURCELL
(1659-1695). arr. Britten (1913-1976).
‘From silent shades’ Sir
Charles V STANFORD
(1852-1924). ‘The Fairy Lough’. ‘A soft
day’ Joseph PARRY
(1848-1918). ‘Love is a bable’ Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958). ‘Silent
Noon’ Frank BRIDGE
(1879-1941). ‘Go not, happy day’
Peter WARLOCK
(1894-1930) ‘Sleep’. ‘Pretty ring time’
TRADITIONAL arr.
Britten ‘Come
you not from Newcastle?’ arr.
Hughes ‘Kitty
my love’ Broadcast by the BBC on 5 June 1952
Immortal Performances Series - Bargain Price
GUILD GHCD 2260-62 [3CDs: 74.47+65.10+60.23]
[RF]
If
not a perfect selection as a tribute to Ferrier’s
memory, there is much to enjoy for lovers
of her singing. Commended. … see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Cantata
No. 82 Ich habe genug (BWV 82) [23:50]
Cantata No. 199 Mein Herze schwimmt im
Blut (BWV 199) [26:50]
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (mezzo) The Orchestra
of Emmanuel Music/Craig Smith Recorded in
May 2002 at Emmanuel Church, Boston, USA.
DDD
NONESUCH 7559-79692-2 [50:40] [JV]
Two
of Bach’s most beloved and brilliant cantatas,
in a pretty old-fashioned performance ...
see Full
Review
Samuel BARBER
(1910-81) Compilation:
The Best of Barber Knoxville: Summer of
1915 (1947, arr. for soprano and chamber
orchestra 1950* +) Overture: The
School for Scandal (1931) + Violin Concerto
– Andante (1939) + Piano Concerto –
Canzone (1962)◘ + Adagio for
Strings (1938) ● Agnus Dei (based
on Adagio for Strings) ♪ * Sylvia
McNair (soprano) + Robert McDuffie (violin)
◘ Jon Kimura Parker (piano) Robert Shaw
Festival Singers/Robert Shaw ♪
Atlanta Symphony + and Saint Louis ●
Symphony Orchestras/Yoel Levi Overture and
Knoxville were recorded in April 1991;
the Concertos in July 1996; all in the Woodruff
Arts Centre, Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia.
The Adagio for Strings was recorded
in the Powell Symphony Hall, St Louis, Missouri
in March 1981 and the Agnus Dei in
the Church of St Pierre, Gramat, France in
July 1994
TELARC CD-80632 [61:17] [IL]
A
compilation of short works and excerpts recommended
to those beginning to appreciate the music
of Barber. A moving performance, in full,
of Knoxville. … see Full
Review
Arnold BAX
(1883-1953) First Recordings
1925-49 Fanfare
for a Cheerful Occasion [00.49] Kneller
Hall Musicians/Capt H.E. Adkins - rec. 17
June 1932 Mater Ora Filium (1922) [11.30]
Leeds Festival Choir/Albert Coates - rec.
29 Oct 1925 Tintagel (1917-1919) [11.59]
New Symphony Orchestra/Eugene Goossens - rec.
17 May 1928 Mediterranean (1921) [3.07]
New Symphony Orchestra/Eugene Goossens - rec.
23 May 1928 Overture to a Picaresque Comedy
(1934) [8.57] orch/Hamilton Harty - rec.
18 Apr 1935 Morning Song - Maytime in Sussex
(1947) [8.22] Harriet Cohen (piano); orch/Malcolm
Sargent - rec. 7 Feb 1947 Oliver Twist:
Theme [7.40]; Pickpocketing
[00.57]; Chase [1.33]; Fagin's Romp
[1.48]; Finale (1948) [4.04] Philharmonia
Orchestra/Muir Mathieson - rec. 1 Sept 1948
Malta GC: Quiet Interlude [1.56];
Gay March (1942) [1.24] London Symphony
Orchestra/Muir Mathieson - rec. 1944? Fanfares
for the Royal Wedding of T.R.H. Princess Elizabeth
and The Duke of Edinburgh (1952) [00.56+1.33]
Trumpeters Royal Military School of Music/Capt
M Roberts - rec. 4 Dec 1947 Talk by Arnold
Bax (1949) [10.05] rec. 6 June 1949 BBC
SYMPOSIUM RECORDS 1336 [78.24] [JW]
Assuredly
an evocative and gap-filling selection of
Bax recordings. All inquisitive Bax admirers
should acquire. … see Full
Review
Amy BEACH
(1867-1944) Quartet
for Strings Op. 89 (1921-29) Violin Sonata
Op. 34 (1896) * Pastorale Op. 151 (1921-41)
Dreaming Op. 15 No. 3 (for Piano 1892; transcribed
for Cello and Piano by the composer 1927)
Ambache (Helen Keen (flute) Jeremy Polmear
(oboe) Joan-Enric Lluna (clarinet) Brian Sewell
(bassoon) Timothy Brown (horn) Gabrielle Lester
(violin*- Violin Sonata) Ruth Ehrlich (violin)
Martin Outram (viola) Judith Herbert (cello)
Diana Ambache (piano)) Recorded St Michael’s
Church, Highgate, October 2002
CHANDOS CHAN 10162 [55.41] [JW]
An
attractively presented disc… generous recorded
sound is a definite bonus and the programme
sufficiently enjoyable to tempt. … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1826) Symphonies
1-9: S.464 arr. 1837-1865 by Franz
Liszt (1811 - 1886)
Cyprien Katsaris, piano Recorded 1985-1989,
location not given. Notes in English, Français,
Deutsch
TELDEC CLASSICS 2564 60865-2 [6CDs:
61.15+53.48+71.23+44.06+66.41+65.36] [PSh]
The
best set of these amazing transcriptions which
every Beethoven lover must own—even a Beethoven
hater might like them … see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827):
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 [35’03"]
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897): Symphony No. 4 in E minor,
Op. 98 [36’46"] Wiener
Symphoniker/Fritz Busch Recorded: Vienna,
1950
URANIA RM 11.907 [71’54"] [JQ]
Unless
you’re a Busch completist I’d suggest you
look elsewhere. … see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano
Concertos: No. 1 in C, Op. 15a
(1795) [32’10]; No. 2 in B flat, Op. 19b
(1798) [27’54]; No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 (1800)
[33’19]c, [32’37]d;
No. 4 in G, Op. 58 (1806) [29’00]e,
[33’23]f; No. 5 in E flat, Op.
73 (1809) [37’37]g, [37’09]h.aAnia
Dorfmann, bWilliam Kapell, cMarguerite
Long, dArtur Rubinstein, eWalter
Gieseking, fClara Haskil, gRudolf
Serkin, hArtur Schnabel (pianos);
abdNBC Symphony Orchestra/adArturo
Toscanini, bVladimir Golschmann;
cOrchestre de la Société
des Concerts du Conservatoire, Paris/Felix
Weingartner; eSaxon State Orchestra/Karl
Böhm; fLondon Philharmonic
Orchestra/Carl Zecchi; gPhilharmonic
Symphony Orchestra of New York/Bruno Walter;
hPhilharmonia Orchestra/Alceo Galliera.historical
recordings ANDANTE
AND1995 [4CDs: 263’09: 60’04+65’56+62’23+74’46]
[CC]
All
students of Beethoven, or of piano playing,
should have at least a listen to this set.
Bravo brave Andante. … see Full
Review
Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770
- 1827) Egmont
Overture Op. 84 (1810) Johannes
BRAHMS (1833 - 1897) Violin Concerto
in D Op. 77 (1878) Antonin
DVOŘÁK (1841 - 1904) Symphony
No. 9 in E Minor, From the New World
Op. 95 (1893) Giuseppe
VERDI (1813 - 1901) I Vespri
siciliani Overture (1855)
Gil Shaham (violin) Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Claudio
Abbado.recorded in the Teatro Massimo, Palermo,
1st May, 2002. Video directed by
Bob Coles
TDK
DVD EUC02 [90 minutes main programme +
28 minutes documentary] [JP]
Fizzes
with excitement. … see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano Sonata
No 1 in F Op. 2 No. 1 (1793-95) Piano Sonata
No 2 in A major Op. 2 No. 2 (1794-95) Piano
Sonata no 3 in C major Op. 2 No. 3 (1794-95)
Joyce Hatto (piano) Recorded Concert
Artist Studios, Cambridge, August and December
1995 The Complete Piano Sonata Volume 1
CONCERT ARTIST/FIDELIO RECORDINGS CACD 8002-2
[67.08] [JW]
A
well characterised and effortlessly fluent
disc. … see
Full Review
Ludwig Van BEETHOVEN
(1770 - 1827) Sonata
#8 in d, Op. 13, "Pathétique"
(1798) [16.50] Sonata #21 in C, , Op. 53,
"Waldsteinsonate" (1804) [22.01]
Sonata #23 in f, , Op. 57, "Appassionata"
(1805) [21.53] Rondo a Capriccio Op. 129,
"Rage over a lost penny" (1795)
[5.54]
Wilhelm Kempff, piano Restored from 78
rpms: THS Studio Hogler Siedler, Dormager,
Germany. ADD Notes included consist of listing
and timings of works, issue and matrix numbers.
Note: "Free download of the booklet at
www.haenssler-classic.de" See comments.
HAENSSLER CD 94.046 [67.08] [PSh]
Superb
versions of these familiar works—very good
sound, legendary artistry … see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Complete
String Quartets String
Quartet No. 1 in F Op. 18 No. 1 (1798-1800)
String Quartet No. 2 in G Op. 18 No. 2 (1798-1800)
BOHEME CDBMR 009155 [56.26] String
Quartet No. 3 in D Op. 18 No. 3 (1798-1800)
String Quartet No. 4 in C minor Op. 18 No.
4 (1798-1800) BOHEME CDBMR 009156 [49.53]
String Quartet No. 5 in A Op. 18 No. 5 (1798-1800)
String Quartet No. 6 in B flat Op. 18 No.
6 (1798-1800) BOHEME CDBMR 009157 [54.01]
String Quartet No. 7 in F Razumovsky
Op. 59 No. 1 (1805-06) String Quartet No.
10 in E flat Harp Op. 74 (1809) BOHEME
CDBMR 009158 [73.42] String Quartet No.
8 in E minor Razumovsky Op 59. No.
2 (1805-06) String Quartet No. 9 in C Razumovsky
Op. 59 No. 3 (1805-06) BOHEME CDBMR
009159 [72.59] String Quartet No. 11 in
F minor Serioso Op. 95 (1810) String
Quartet No. 12 in E flat Op. 127 (1823-24)
BOHEME CDBMR 009160 [59.32] String
Quartet No. 13 in B flat Op. 130 (1825-26)
Grosse Fuge in B flat Op. 133 (1825-26) BOHEME
CDBMR 009161 [53.18] String Quartet No.
14 in C sharp minor Op. 131 (1826) String
Quartet No. 16 in F Op. 135 (1826) BOHEME
CDBMR 009162 [60.43] String Quartet No.
15 in A minor Op. 132 (1825) Sextet for two
French horns and string quartet in E flat
Op. 81b (? 1795) BOHEME CDBMR 009163 [61.15]
Taneyev
Quartet Vitali Buyanovsky and Vladimir Shalty
(French horns) Recorded 1971 (Sextet) and
between 1981 and 1988 in the St Petersburg
Recording Studio BOHEME
CDBMR 009155-009163 (as noted above, all
available singly) [JW]
The
sound is warm and fine … gifted, intellectually
… slow movements and tempi generally point
to profundity and elevation of expression.
In the end though I found myself relatively
unmoved … somewhat aloof. … see Full
Review
Ludwig
Van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
String
Quartets, Volume 1: Rasumovsky Quartets String
Quartet, in F major Rasumovsky Op.59
No.1 [39:57] String Quartet, in C major Rasumovsky
Op.59 No.3 [32:58]
Borodin Quartet (Ruben Aharonian (violin);
Andrei Abramenkov (violin); Igor Naidin (viola);
Valentin Berlinsky (cello)) Recorded at the
Small Hall, Moscow Conservatoire, Moscow;
March 2003. DDD
CHANDOS CHAN 10178 [72:59] [MC]
Clarity
and real presence. High quality performances
certainly worth consideration but the competition
is exceptionally fierce … see Full
Review
Vincenzo BELLINI
(1801-1835)
I
Puritani - opera in three Acts Elvira,
Maria Callas (sop); Arturo, Giuseppe di Stefano
(ten); Riccardo, Rolando Panerai (bar); Giorgio,
Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (bass); Bruno, Angelo
Mercuriali (ten); Gualtiero Valton, Carlo
Forti (bass); Enrichetta, Aurora Cattelani
(sop)
Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala,
Milan/Tullio Serafin Recorded March and April
1953 in the Basilica di Santa Eufemia, Milan
Bargain Price
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110259-60 [2CDs: 69.09+73.19]
[RF]
Callas
gives one of her best performances on record
in terms of characterization and vocal quality.
… see Full
Review
Vincenzo BELLINI
(1801
- 1835) Introduction
and Druids’ Chorus (Norma) Giuseppe
VERDI (1813 - 1901) Te Deum
Arrigo BOITO (1842
- 1918) Prologue (Mefistofele)
Nicola Moscona (bass) Boys’ Chorus, Mixed
Chorus NBC Symphony Orchestra/Arturo Toscanini
Recorded Studio 8-H, 2 December 1945. ADD
GUILD GHCD 2263 [50.32] [RH]
An
important historical document which is, perhaps,
lacking in choral intensity. … see
Full Review
Georg
Anton [Jirí Antonín] BENDA
(1722
- 1795) Clavier
Sonatas1-6
Antonio Piricone (piano) Recorded at
the Royal Academy, Aarhus, 4 August 2002
CLASSICO CLASSCD 488 [65.52] [JW]
Piricone
is alive to Benda’s grace as well as his lyricism,
to the courtly phrase as much as to the more
interior one … see Full
Review
Gunnar BERG
(1909-1989)
Piano and Orchestra - Volume 1 Essai
acoustique (1954) - pour piano
et orchestre (1959) Frise
(1961) Uculang (1967) Aloys
Kontarsky (piano) Aarhus Symphony Orchestra/Ole
Schmidt rec. 7 Oct 1977 (Essai) Béatrice
Berg (piano) Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Miltiades
Caridis rec. 28 Sept 1966 (-pour) Elisabeth
Klein (piano) members of Danish Radio Symphony
Orchestra/Tamás Vetö rec. 18 Oct
1977 (Frise)
Béatrice Berg (piano) Aarhus Symphony
Orchestra/Kari Tikka rec. 7 Oct 1977 (Uculang)
ADD variously from LP releases (Unicorn, DMA)
and Danish Radio studio recordings.
DANACORD DACOCD 611-612 [44.48+47.55]
[RB]
Pointillist
modernism rattling with explosive discontinuity.
Not for the faint-hearted or the melody-reliant.
... see Full Review
Ernest BLOCH (1880-1959)
Piano
Quintet No. 1 (1923) [32.56] Piano Quintet
No. 2 (1957) [17.59]
Ivan Klánský (piano) Kocian
Quartet rec. Domovina Studio, Prague, 21-22
Jan 2002. DDD
PRAGA DIGITALS PRD 250185 [50.46]
[RB]
Masterfully
concentrated and at times mystic .... aggression
and excitement ... see Full
Review
Claude
BOLLING
(b 1930) Suite
No. 1 for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio Suite
No. 2 for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio
Roselli Quartet (Giovanni Roselli (flute)
Alberto Alibrandi (piano) Marco Panascia –
Suite No. 1 - and Gianni Stocco – Suite No.
2 - (bass) Ruggero Ratolo (drums)) Recorded
May 1997 (Suite No. 1) and May 1999 (Suite
No. 2) at the Studio Tape of Catania
NAXOS 8.554848 [57.30] [JW][CMT]
This
is an entertaining addition to Naxos’ Light
Classics line, with excellent recorded sound
and first-rate performances. … [JW]
Finely attentive, precisely accurate; I can't
imagine these being more carefully and lovingly
recreated but these are not musicians on the
edge risking themselves and surprising their
listeners …[CMT] see Full
Review
York BOWEN
(1884-1961) Flute
Sonata Op. 120 (1946) [17.04] Oboe Sonata
Op. 85 (1927) [15.51] Clarinet Sonata Op.
109 (1943) [15.42] Horn Sonata Op. 101 (1937)
[15.44]
Endymion Ensemble: Helen Keen (flute);
Melinda Maxwell (oboe); Mark van de Wiel (clarinet);
Stephen Stirling (horn); Michael Dussek (piano).
rec. Henry Wood Hall, London, 3-5 Sept 2002.
DDD
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7129 [65.36] [RB]
Strongly
recommended to the growing legion of music-lovers
who have discovered Bowen occupying the territory
marked out by Rachmaninov and Medtner. ...
see Full Review
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Piano
Concerto No 1 in D minor Op 15 (1854-58) Tragic
Overture Op 81 (1880 rev 1811)
Erik Then-Bergh (piano) Czech Philharmonic
Orchestra/Karel Ančerl Recorded in the
Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum, February
1958 (Concerto) and October 1963 (Tragic Overture)
Karel Ančerl Gold Edition Volume 15
SUPRAPHON SU 3675-2 001 [61.02] [JW]
This
is no routine run-through and will command
the kind of respect that is its due. see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Piano
Concerto No. 2 in B flat Op. 83 (1878-1881)
Academic Festival Overture Op. 80 (1880)
Alexis Weissenberg (piano) Orchestra Sinfonica
della RAI, Turin/Peter Maag Recorded February
1960 live in Turin
ARTS 43038-2 [58.15] [JW]
In
a crowded market for historical performances,
let alone current contenders, this is strictly
for admirers of pianist and conductor. … see
Full Review
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68
NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo
Toscanini [42’30"] Recorded: Carnegie
Hall, New York City, 10 March 1941 Source:
Victor M-875 (18467/18471 Philadelphia Orchestra
conducted by Leopold Stokowski [42’08"]
Recorded: Academy of Music, Philadelphia,
15 January 1936 Source: Victor M-301 (8971/8975)
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra conducted
by Pierre Monteux [36’24"] Recorded:
War Memorial Auditorium, San Francisco, 19
March 1945 Source: Victor DM-1065 (11-9241/9244)
Vienna Philharmonic orchestra conducted by
Wilhelm Furtwängler [39’12"] Recorded:
Grosser Saal, Musikverein, Vienna, 28 January
1945 Source: RRG recording taped for broadcast
Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by
Bruno Walter [30’02"] Recorded: Grosser
Saal, Musikverein, Vienna, 18-19 May 1936
Source: HMV DB 2933/2936 Concertgebouw Orchestra
conducted by Willem Mengelberg [35’17"]
Recorded: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, 10 May
1932 Source: Columbia (France) LFX 305/308
Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by
Victor de Sabata [40’38"] Recorded: Alte
Jacobstrasse Studio, Berlin, 11, 13, 14, 17
March 1939 Source: Deutsche Grammophon 67490/67495
London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Felix
Weingartner [37’18"] Recorded: EMI Studio
No. 1, Abbey Road, London, 14 February 1938
Source: Columbia (UK) LX 705/709
ANDANTE RE-A-1030 [4CDs: 72’37"+77’27"+77’06"+76’34"]
[JQ]
It’s
not a cheap set to acquire but the rewards
for doing so are great. … see Full
Review
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
FOUR
HAND PIANO MUSIC Volume 10 String Quartet
in C minor, Opus 51 No. 1 (1873) String Quartet
in A minor, Opus 51 No. 2 (1873)
Silke-Thora Matthies; Christian Köhn
(piano) Recorded 7-9 August 1997, Clara Wieck
Auditorium, Sandhausen, Germany
NAXOS 8.557056 [69.02] [TB]
This
rewarding disc will give much pleasure and
will convince most listeners that the music
works perfectly well in this format … see
Full Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Frank
BRIDGE
(1879-1941) Coronation
March (1911) [6’46] Summer (1914)
[10’42] Phantasm, for piano and orchestra
(1927) [24’21] There is a Willow Grows
aslant a Brook (1927) [11’18] Vignettes
de danse (1938) [11’20] Sir Roger de
Coverley (A Christmas Dance) (1922) [4’41]
Howard Shelley (piano) BBC National Orchestra
of Wales/Richard Hickox Recorded at Brangwyn
Hall, Swansea, Nov.28-29 2002 Bridge Orchestral
Works Vol.3
CHANDOS CHAN 10112 [69’55] [TH]
It
may seem a little tiresome to recommend yet
another Chandos/Hickox collaboration wholeheartedly,
but I’m going to anyway. … see Full
Review
Benjamin BRITTEN
(1913-1976) Suite
from the ballet The Prince of the Pagodas
(1997) [51’14] (arranged by Donald Mitchell
and Mervyn Cooke) Colin
McPHEE (1900-1964) Tabuh-Tabuhan,
toccata for orchestra and two pianos (1936)
[19’08] Balinese Ceremonial Music,
transcribed for two pianos (1940) [7’00] Benjamin
Britten, Colin McPhee (pianos – Ceremonial
Music) Elizabeth Birley, John Alley
(pianos – Tabuh-Tabuhan)
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin Recorded
at Watford Colosseum, London, 9-10 January,
2003 Ceremonial Music rec. for the
publishers by Britten and McPhee in New York,
1941
CHANDOS CHAN 10111 [77’40] [TH]
Does
full justice to the exoticism of the music,
with great clarity and spatial depth. … a
very desirable issue. … see Full
Review
Benjamin BRITTEN
(1913-1976) St.
Nicolas, Op. 42 (1948) [45:20] Christ’s Nativity
(1931) [16:16] Psalm 150, Op 67 (1962) [4:21]
Philip Langridge, tenor, David Owen Norris,
piano, Rolf Hind, piano, Joseph Cullen, organ,
Nicholas Elstob, the young Nicolas, Tom Jackman,
Sebastian Stent and Henry Manning, the pickled
boys.
The Tallis Chamber Choir, The English Chamber
Orchestra (St. Nicolas) The BBC Singers (Christ’s
Nativity); The New London Children’s Choir,
London Schools Symphony Orchestra (Psalm 150).
Steuart Bedford, conductor. Recorded on 16-17
March 1996 (Nicolas, Psalm) and 21 March 1996
(Christ’s Nativity) at All Hallows, Gospel
Oak, London. DDD
NAXOS 8.557203 [66:00] [KS]
Music
that is always accessible, but never condescending
… see Full Review
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Complete Symphonies CD1:
Symphony in F minor (No. 00) (1863); Overture
in G minor (1863) [47.59] Recorded 6-10 March
2001 CD2: Symphony in D minor (No. 0) (1869)
[60.56] Recorded 22-25 March 1999 CD3: Symphony
No. 1 in C minor (1866) [46.01] Recorded 13-18
June 1995 CD4: Symphony No. 2 in C minor (1872,
revised 1877) [59.02] Recorded 23-26 October
1999 CD5: Symphony No. 3 in D minor (1889
version) [55.20] Recorded 5 October 1996 CD6:
Symphony No. 4 in E flat major (1880 version)
[70.32] Recorded 25-28 October 1998 CD7: Symphony
No. 5 in B flat major (1876) [73.23] Recorded
7-11 October 1996 CD8: Symphony No. 6 in A
major (1880)
[56.53] Recorded 3-4 March 1997 CD9: Symphony
No. 7 in E major (1883) [68.45] ecorded 27-29
September 1991 CD10 & CD11: Symphony No.
8 in C minor (1890 version) [60.03 & 22.19]
Recorded 8-9 October 1993 CD12: Symphony No.
9 in D minor (1891-6, unfinished)
[61.21] Recorded 12-18 January 2001
Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra/Stanislaw
Skrowaczewski
OEHMS CLASSICS (ARTE NOVA) OC207 [12 CDs
- timings above] [TB]
A
hearty recommendation to this truly excellent
collection of the complete symphonic output
of this wonderful composer. Even the collector
who already possesses this repertoire in alternative
performances will find this set well worth
exploring... see Full
Review
Detailed listing (last two days)]
[Part 1 New] [Part 2 A-B] [Part
3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R]
[Part 5 S-Z]
[Part 6 Misc A-L]
[Part 7 Misc M-Z]
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