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OF THE YEAR
RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
January 2007
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) The Bach
Cantata Pilgrimage: Volume 7 Cantatas for The Fourteenth Sunday after
Trinity Es ist nichts Gesundes an meinem Liebe,
BWV 25 [17:42] Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV
78 [23:05] Wer Dank opfert, der preiset mich,
BWV 17 [16:24] - Malin Hartelius (soprano); Robin Tyson (alto);
James Gilchrist (tenor); Peter Harvey (bass) The Monteverdi Choir
English Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. Abbaye d'Ambronay,
France, 24 September 2000 Cantatas for the Feast of St. Michael
and All Angels Nun ist das Heil, und die Kraft, BWV 50 [3:15]
(Occasion unspecified) Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir,
BWV 130 [15:30] Es erhub sich ein Streit, BWV
19 [20:24] Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg, BWV
149 [18:21] - Malin Hartelius (soprano); Richard Wyn Roberts
(alto); James Gilchrist (tenor); Peter Harvey (bass) The Monteverdi
Choir English Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. Unser
Lieben Frauen, Bremen, 29 September 2000 
SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG 124 [57:27 + 57:44][JQ]
In
every respect this set lives up to the very high standards of previous
issues in the series. It's essential listening for all lovers of Bach's
cantatas. ... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano Sonatas 8-18, 21-27
David Allen Wehr rec. 2003/4
CONNOISSEUR SOCIETY CD4262 (Vol. 2) [78.15 + 79.40]; CD4263
(Vol. 3) [79.05 + 79.10] [PSh]
Exquisite
Beethoven by one of the finest pianists currently before us, recorded
in laboratory quality sound. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Max BRUCH (1838-1920)
Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op. 26 (1864-68) [23:40] Romance for
viola and orchestra in F major, Op. 85 (c. 1911) [8:23] - Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin Concerto in
E Minor, Op. 64 (1844) [26:56] Janine
Jansen (violin, viola) Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Riccardo
Chailly rec. live, 5-9 September 2006, Gewandhaus, Leipzig,
Germany (live performances).
DDD DECCA 4758133 [59:05] [MC]
Janine
Jansen fully deserves her exalted reputation and doesn't put a foot
wrong with this excellent Decca release of two staples of the violin
concerto repertoire. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Enrique
GRANADOS (1867-1916) Goyescas
(Los majos enamorados) (1909-11) [55:57]
El Pelele (The
Straw Man) [5:49] (arranged for guitars by Christophe Dejour)
Trio Campanella: (Christophe Dejour; Frank Massa; Thomas Winthereik,
(guitars)) rec. Torpen Chapel, Denmark, December 2006, April 2006.
NAXOS
8.557709 [61:47][KS]
To
put it simply, this is the finest recording of music for guitars that
I have ever heard ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Messiah (Dublin version,
1742) [140:05]
Susan Hamilton (soprano) Annie Gill, Claire
Wilkinson (contraltos) Nicholas Mulroy (tenor)
Matthew Brook (bass) Dunedin Consort and
Players/John Butt rec. Greyfriars Kirk,
Edinburgh, 1-4 May 2006. DDD
LINN RECORDS CKD 285 
[76:37 + 63:28][MG]
With a scholarly yet accessible approach and attractive consistency of
character, this is a performance which convincingly conveys
spirituality in a fresh and immediate recording. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jerome KERN (1885-1945) Show
Boat (1927) Book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Magnolia Hawks - Frederica von Stade (sop); Gaylord Ravenal - Jerry
Hadley (tenor); Julie Laverne - Teresa Stratas (sop) ; Joe - Bruce
Hubbard (bass); Queenie - Karla Burns (mezzo); Frank Schultz - David
Garrison (tenor); Ellie May Chipley - Paige O'Hara (sop); Captain Andy
Hawks - Robert Nichols (baritone); Parthy Ann Hawks - Nancy Kulp ;
Lady on levee - Lillian Gish Ambrosian Chorus London
Sinfonietta/John McGlinn rec. Abbey Road Studio 1, London,
June-September 1987. EMI
CLASSICS GREAT RECORDINGS OF THE CENTURY 3615432 [3
CDs: 70:26 + 74:55 + 76:10] [TH]
A
heart-warming experience and another GROC to savour ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz LISZT (1811-1886) A
Faust Symphony (1857) (i) Faust [30:16]; (ii) Gretchen [23:19];
(iii) Mephistopheles [25:58] Kenneth
Riegel (tenor) Tanglewood Festival Chorus Boston Symphony Orchestra/Leonard
Bernstein rec. Symphony Hall, Boston, 26 July 1976. ADD Directed
by Humphrey Burton Picture format NTSC 4:3; Sound Formats PCM
Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1; Region Code 0; Disc Format DVD 9;
subtitles in English, French, German and Spanish EUROARTS
2072078 
[83:00]
[PCW]
A stupendous one-off occasion - you may struggle to find something
better than this in any format ... see Full
Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
The Piano Sonatas
Joyce Hatto (piano) rec. Concert Artist
Studios, Cambridge, 1995 - 2005
CONCERT ARTISTS IPO01052 [re-edited and
re-mastered] (5CDs packaged together
in slim-line case with a booklet - German
booklet available on request. 5discs for
the price of 3) [CH]
A
cycle consistently illuminated by an inner
spirituality. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924) La
Bohème (1896) Rodolfo,
Aquiles Machado (ten); Mimi, Inva Mula (sop); Marcello, Fabio
Maria Capitanucci (bar); Musetta, Laura Giordano (sop); Schaunard,
David Menendez (bar); Colline, Felipe Bou (bass); Alcindoro,
Alfredo Mariotti (ten); Benoit, Juan Tomas Martinez (bass);
Parpignol, Gonzalo Fernandez de Teran Chorus and Orchestra
of the Teatro Real, Madrid (Madrid Symphony Orchestra and Chorus)/Jesus
Lopez-Cobos rec. live, Teatro Real, Madrid, March 2006 Stage
director, Giancarlo del Monaco. Set and Costume Designer, Michael
Scott Television Director, Robin Lough Plus bonus of interviews
and cast gallery Picture format: 16/9 Anamorphic. Recorded
in High Definition Sound formats: LPCM Stereo. DTS 5.1 Sung
in Italian with subtitles in English, German, French, Italian,
Spanish OPUS
ARTE OA0961D [2
DVDs: 149:00] [RJF]
The
realistic sets provide an ideal framework for Inva Mula's detailed
and poignant portrayal of Mimi's brief life and also for the realisation
of the director's cinematographic aspirations for the work. ... see
Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sergei PROKOFIEV
(1891-1953) Peter and the Wolf
Op. 67 (1936)
Philharmonia Orchestra/Mark Stephenson Suzie Templeton (director)
Special features: The Musical Themes; The Story - Picture Gallery;
The Making of Peter & The Wolf; A Day on the Film Set; Director's
Commentary Language versions: English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese,
Dutch, Italian (Bonus Material) Subtitle Languages GB for the Bonus
Material Sound format: PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 2.0, Dolby Digital
5.1, DTS 5.1 Region Code: 2.5 Breakthru Films 2006
ARTHAUS-MUSIK 101 804-GB [movie:
35:00; bonus: 75:00][DC]
A
wonderful production, richly deserving of any and all awards which
must surely come its way. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) The
Complete Piano Works Volume 1 Jeux d'eau (1901)
[5:46] Sonatine (1905) [11:04] Miroirs (1905)
[27:46] Gaspard de la nuit (1908) [22:23] Volume
2 Serenade grotesque (1893) [3:27] Menuet antique [5:44] Pavane
pour une infante defunte (1899) [6:02] Menuet sur le
nom de Haydn (1909) [1:42] A la maniere de Borodine (1913)
[1:31] A la maniere de Chabrier (1913) [1:41] Prelude (1913)
[1:25] Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911) [14:13] Le
Tombeau de Couperin (1917) [35:36] La Valse (1920)
[11:30] Joyce
Hatto (piano) rec. 17-18 May 2005, Concert Artist Studios CONCERT
ARTIST CACD20042 (9138/9139) [67:09 + 71:35] [DC]
With
a lifetime of living with these works, Joyce Hatto records them
with the advantage of knowing their every wrinkle and secret
like few others. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sir Donald TOVEY (1875-1940) Cello
Concerto, Op. 40 (1935) [54:16] * Air for
strings** (arr. Peter Shore) [2:15] Elegiac
Variations, op. 25, for cello and piano
(1909) [10:11] Alice
Neary (cello) Ulster Orchestra/George Vass,
Gretel Dowdeswell (piano) rec. Ulster Hall, Belfast, 29-30 May 2006. *First modern
recording; **First recording TOCCATA
TOCC0038 [67:04] [RB]
Fresh,
keenly imagined and emotionally engaging. The performance,
recording, documentation and presentation adroitly complement
this major work. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Carl VINE (b.1954) The
Piano Music: 1990-2006 Piano Sonata No.1 (1990) [15:31]
Piano Sonata No.2 (1998) [20:41] Five Bagatelles (1995) [8:50] Red
Blues (1999) [4:46] The Anne Landa Preludes (2006)
[24:00] Michael
Kieran-Harvey (piano)
rec. 20 May 2004, Studio 200, ABC (Sonata No.1); 10 February 1999, Newcastle
Conservatorium (Sonata No.2); 10-11 May 2006, City Recital Hall, Angel
Place, Sydney TALL POPPIES
TP190 [74:15] [DC]
Wow!
... see Full Review
RECORDING OF
THE MONTH Libre
comme un oiseau Aurelian-Octav POPA (b.1937) Perpetuum
mobile [10.05] Henry PURCELL (1659-1695) Prelude from The
Fairy Queen [1.33] Martian
NEGREA (1893-1973) Le mois de Mars [2.40] Henry
PURCELL Prelude from The Fairy Queen [1.46] Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Three Pieces for solo clarinet
[5.13] Henry PURCELL Hornpipe from The
Fairy Queen [0.56] Tiberiu OLAH (1928-2002) Sonata
for solo clarinet [6.40] Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Partita [2.37] Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992) Abime des Oiseaux [6.31] Francois
COUPERIN (1668-1733) Les petits moulins a vent [1.21] John
CAGE (1912-1992) Sonata [4.36] Hans-Ulrich
LEHMANN (1937-) Mosaik [7.05] Carl
Philippe Emanuel BACH (1714-1788) Solfegietto [1.32] Aaron
COPLAND (1900-1990) Cadenza [3.35] Corneliu
CEZAR (1937-1998) Theatrale [1.28] Olivier
MESSIAEN Subtilite des Corps Glorieux [3.34] Mihnea
BRUMARIU (b.1958) Musique pour Aurelian [5.10] Olivier
MESSIAEN Hymne des passereaux au lever du jour [1.13] Aurelian-Octav
Popa (clarinet) rec. IRCAM, Espace de Projection, December
2004. DDD. CALLIOPE
CAL 9354 [69.30][ED]
A most engaging recital. Let
your imagination take flight! ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Songs
- Rodion Pogossov
Edward GRIEG (1843-1907)
With a water lily, Op. 25 No. 4 [2:16]; Dereinst, Gedanke mein,
Op. 48 No. 2 [2:52]; Die verschwiegene Nachtigall, Op.
48 No. 4 [3:15]; Zur Rosenzeit, Op. 48 No. 5 [2:47]; Ein
Traum, Op. 48 No. 6 [2:19]; Antonio
Pietro CESTI (1623-1669) Alessandro (1651): Si mantiene il mio amor (realisation
by John Glenn Paton) [2:27]; Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Oh no, I beg you, do not leave,
Op. 4 No. 1 [1:52]; In the mysterious silence of the night, Op. 4
No. 3 [2:42]; I was with her, Op. 14 No. 4 [1:25]; All things pass
away, Op. 26 No. 15 [1:43]; Christoph
Willibald GLUCK (1714-1787) Paride ed Elena: O del mio
dolce ardor [3:17];Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
(1883): Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht [3:41]; Ging heut'
Morgen ubers Feld [4:18]; Ich hab' ein gluhend Messer [3:07];
Die zwei blauen Augen [5:15]; Antonio
CALDARA (1670-1736) La constanza in amor vince l'inganno,
cantata: Come raggio di sol [2:32]; Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) The fearful minute, Op.
28 No. 6 [3:36]; Again, as before, alone, Op. 73 No. 6 [2:08]; Don
Juan's Serenade, Op. 38 No. 1 [2:40]; On the golden cornfields, Op.
57 No. 2 [3:10]; Maury YESTON
(b. 1945) Nine, musical: Unusual Way [2:57]
Rodion Pogossov (baritone); Malcolm Martineau (piano) rec. 16-21 February
2006, Potton Hall, Suffolk
EMI CLASSICS DEBUT 3596352 [60:26] [GF]
Always
thrilling to hear a young singer on his way up. I wouldn't in
the least be surprised if Rodion Pogossov becomes one of the
most sought after baritones ... see Full
Review
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Arthur
BLISS (1891-1975)
Orchestral works
see review for details rec. 1970-79
EMI CLASSICS BRITISH COMPOSERS
5865892 [79:23 + 74:43] [RB]
An
unmissable and generous set ... vitally
essential Bliss. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
The Symphonies CD1 Symphony No. 1 (1884-96) [54:32]*
Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" (1888-94): I [21:35] CD2 Symphony
No. 2 "Resurrection"
(1888-94): II-V [60:57] + CD3 Symphony No.
3 (1895-6): I-IV [65:22] CD4 Symphony No.
3 (1895-6): V-VI [30:04] ^ Symphony No.
4 (1899-1901): I-III [48:43] CD5 Symphony
No. 4 (1899-1901): IV [9:09] # Symphony
No. 5 (1901-2) [67:49] CD6 Symphony No.
7 (1908) [78:48] CD7 Symphony No. 6 (1903-05):
I-III [53:53] CD8 Symphony No. 6 (1903-05):
IV [29:22] Symphony No. 9 (1909) I-II [44:12]*
CD9 Symphony No. 9 (1909) III-IV [42:28]*
Symphony No.10: Adagio (1910) [26:04] CD10
Symphony No.8 (1909) [78:50]* $ CD 11 Das
Lied von der Erde (1909) [61:55]*
Kristina Laki (soprano)+, Lucia Popp (soprano)#,
Julia Varady (soprano)$, Marianne Haggander
(soprano)$, Maria Venuti (soprano)$, Florence
Quivar (mezzo)+$, Ann Howells (mezzo-soprano)$,
Maria Lipovcek (mezzo-soprano)%, Gwendolyn
Killebrew (contralto)^, Paul Frey (tenor)$,
Ben Heppner (tenor)%, Alan Titus (baritone)$,
Siegfried Vogel (bass)$; Kolner Rundfunkchor
+$, Sudfunk-Chor Stuttgart +$, Knabenchor
des Collegium Josephinium, Bonn ^, Frauenchor
des Bayerischen Rundfunks und des Westdeutschen
Rundfunks ^, The Little Singers of Tokyo
$, Prager Philharmonischer Chor $; Kolner
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester/Gary Bertini rec. 21, 23 November 1991,
Suntory Hall Tokyo (Symphony No.1); 29 April - 4 May
1991, Philharmonie, Koln (Symphony No.2);
25-27 March 1985, Studio Stollberger-Strasse,
Koln (Symphony No.3); 30 November and 4
December 1987, Philharmonie, Koln (Symphony No.4); 29 January - 3 February 1990, Philharmonie,
Koln (Symphony No.5); 21 September 1984,
WDR Studios, Koln (Symphony No.6); 9-15
February 1990, Philharmonie, Koln (Symphony
No.7); 12-14 November 1991, Suntory Hall
Tokyo (Symphony No.8); 20 February 1991,
Suntory Hall Tokyo (Symphony No.9); 1-3
July 1991, Philharmonie, Koln (Symphony
No.10: Adagio); 16-17 November 1991, Suntory
Hall Tokyo (Das Lied von der Erde);
Live recordings *. DDD
EMI CLASSICS 0946 3 40238 2 5 [11 CDs:
76:07 + 60:57 + 65:22 + 78:47 + 77:32 +
78:48 + 53:53 + 73:34 + 68:32 + 78:50 +
61:55][TP]
This cycle is an
essential purchase for all Mahlerians and
the best possible set for beginners ...
see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Jean
SIBELIUS
(1865-1957) The
Essential SIBELIUS Symphonies 1-7, En Saga,
Pohjola, Valse Triste, Finlandia, Tapiola,
Violin Concerto, 2 Serious Melodies, 2 Serenades,
6 Humoresques, Kullervo, Wood-Nymph, Lemmikainen
Suite, Karelia, Scenes Historiques, Song of
the Athenians, The Origin of Fire, The Captive Queen,
Rakastava, Andante Festivo, King Christian Suite,
Pelleas and Melisande, The Tempest, Snöfrid,
The Bard, Oceanides, Luonnotar, The Broken Voice,
The Boat Journey, Song of my Heart and other songs, 2 String
Quartets, Piano Trio, Piano Quintet, Water
Drops,
Andante Cantabile, Violin Sonata, Malincolia,
4 Violin Pieces, Violin Sonatina, 2 Danses Champêtres,
Florestan, Impromptu, Piano Sonata, Romance,
Kyllikki, 3 Sonatinas, The Solitary Fir Tree,
The Spruce, Scène Romantique, The Village Church
Helena Juntunen, (soprano),
MariAnne Häggander, (soprano), Lilli Paasikivi, (mezzo), Monica
Groop, (mezzo), Anne Sofie von Otter mezzo), Jorma Hynninen, (baritone),
Raimo Laukka, (baritone), Tommi Hakala, (baritone), Sauli Tiilikainen,
(baritone), Stina Ekblad, (narrator), Lasse Pöysti, (narrator),
Leonidas Kavakos, (violin), Laura Vikman, (violin), Nils-Erik
Sparf,
(violin), Jaakko Kuusisto, (violin), Anna Kreetta Gribajcevic, (viola),
Marko Ylönen, (cello), Taneli Turunen, (cello), Torleif Thedéen,
(cello), Joel Laakso, (cello), Erik T. Tawaststjerna, (piano),
Bengt
Forsberg, (piano), Folke Gräsbeck, (piano), Love Derwinger,
(piano), Harri Viitanen, (harmonium), Tempera Quartet, (string quartet)
Helsinki
University Chorus, (choir), Lahti Boys' Choir, (choir), Dominante
Choir, (choir), Jubilate Choir, (choir), Orphei Drängar, (choir),
Leonidas Kavakos (violin); Dong-Suk Kang (violin); Tempera Quartet
Lahti Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä Gothenburg Symphony
Orchestra/Neeme Järvi rec. 1979-2006, Finland, ADD (only trs
9-22 of CD15)/DDD 15 CDs for the price of 4 Full track-listing
at
end of review BIS CD-1697-1700
[15 CDs: 75:32 + 76:10 + 77:20 + 68:16 + 78:19 + 80:46 + 71:36
+ 76:27 + 80:11 + 77:02 + 79:39 + 75:48 + 79:13 + 77:42 + 78:01]
[RB]
With
one strange omission this set justifies
its claim to offer The Essential Sibelius.
It will provide hours of pleasure, discovery
and rediscovery for not very much money.
If this were your only Sibelius you would
have a very fine cross-section of the best
of this great composer. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
New
England Legacy Quincy
PORTER (1897-1966)
Violin
Sonata No.2 (1929) [16:10] Four Pieces for
violin and piano (1947) [12:51] Walter
PISTON (1894-1976) Violin Sonata
(1939) [17:22] Amy
BEACH (1867-1944) Three Compositions
Op.40 (1898): La Captiva [3:25]; Berceuse
[3:02]; Mazurka [3:06]
Joel Pitchon (violin) Jonathan Bass (piano)
rec. Sweeney Concert Hall, Sage Hall, Smith
College, Northampton MA, undated
GASPARO GSCD 367 [56:18] [JW]
An
enjoyable recital. Greater tonal variety
and tensile strength would have brought
greater results ... see Full
Review
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