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Camille
SAINT-SÄENS (1835-1921) Piano Concerto 4 see TCHAIKOVSKY
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Piano Concerto 2 see
SCHUMANN
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Violin sonata 1 see DANCLA
Alessandro
SCARLATTI (1660-1725)
Euridice dall'Inferno, La concettione della Beata
Vergine, Cello Sonata 2, Toccata 
Ars Lyrica Houston rec. 2005/6
NAXOS 8.570950 [57:41] 
[MS]
Less
than perfect but still worth investigating ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHMIDT (1874-1939) Symphony
1,Notre Dame (excerpts) Malmö SO/Vassily
Sinaisky
rec. 2007 NAXOS 8.570828 [61:02] [BBr]
It
isn’t the best music that Schmidt wrote … see Full
Review
Arnold
SCHOENBERG (1874-1951) Sonata (1926) Transcribed for Flute
and Piano by Felix Greissle (1899-1982) from the Quintet for Wind Instruments,
Op. 26 (1923-24) see SCHULHOFF
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Schwanengesang etc. Ian
Bostridge (tenor); Antonio Pappano (piano) rec. 2008 EMI
CLASSICS 2426392 [60:51][GF] 
Small-scale
but refreshing ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT
(1797–1828) Poets
of Sensibility, Vol. 6
Jan Kobow (tenor); Ulrich Eisenlohr (fortepiano) rec. Studio 2, Bayerischer
Rundfunk, Munich, Germany, 8-12 October 2007
NAXOS 8.570480 [55:54]
Kobow
- one of the most accomplished Lieder singers of his generation ...
see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Death
and the Maiden (adapted A. Stein) Symphony No. 8 in B
minor (completed B. Newbould & M. Venzago) Buffalo
PO/JoAnn Falletta rec. 2007 NAXOS
8.572051 [77:59] [ST]
I
really liked the arrangement of Death and the Maiden ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Rosamunde, Deutsche
Tanze Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Symphony
9 Leopold Stokowski & his
SO rec. 1947-52 CALA
CACD0550 [76:07] [JW]
Good
to have this New World back ... see Full
Review
Erwin
SCHULHOFF
(1894-1942)
Sonata for Flute and Piano (1927) Concertino for Flute, Viola and Double-bass
(1925) Arnold SCHOENBERG (1874-1951)
Sonata (1926) Transcribed for Flute and Piano by Felix Greissle (1899-1982)
from the Quintet for Wind Instruments, Op. 26 (1923-24) 
Fenwick Smith (flute); Mark Ludwig (viola); Edwin Barker (double-bass);
Sally Pinkas (piano) (Schulhoff Sonata); Randall Hodgkinson (piano)
(Schoenberg) rec.1982, 1992
CHANDOS CHAN 10515 [66:03] 
[KS]
Complex
and dense from Schoenberg and jazzy delights from Schulhoff ... see
Full
Review
Clara
SCHUMANN (1819-1896) Lieder Jörg
Waschinski (soprano)
Aulos-Streichquartett Berlin
rec. 2008 PHOENIX EDITION 170 [42:21] [GF]
A
very special disc that fills a gap in the catalogue … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Robert
SCHUMANN
(1810 – 1856)
Heinrich Heine Lieder
Florian Boesch (baritone); Malcolm Martineau (piano) rec. 2007
ONYX 4041 [59:58]
[GF]
A
superb disc in every respect ... see Full
Review
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Piano Concerto Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907)
Piano Concerto Camille SAINT-SAËNS
(1835-1921) Piano Concerto 2
Howard Shelley (piano and conductor) Opera North O rec. 2008
CHANDOS CHAN10509 [79:00]
[KS]
Worthy
war horses and a pleasant treat. Fresh and exciting ... see Full
Review
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Piano Concerto, Arabesque see Gilels
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony
11 Royal Liverpool
PO/Vasily Petrenko rec. 2008 NAXOS
8.572082 [57:37] [BBr]
An
essential disk for all collections ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Violin Concerto Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931) Violin Concerto Maxim
Vengerov, Chicago SO/Daniel Barenboim rec. 1996 WARNER
CLASSICS 2564693673 [69:36][RB] 
Such
great artistry ... see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS
(1865-1957)
Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39 (1899) [39:03]1 Symphony
No. 3 in C major, Op. 52 (1907) [29:50]2
Hallé Orchestra/Sir Mark Elder rec. 1BBC Studio 7, New Broadcasting
House, Manchester, 1-2 August 2006. Bridgewater Hall, Manchester concert,
26 April 2007. DDD
HALLE CD HLL 7514 [68:58]
[MG]
Sensitive
attention to balance, structure, phrasing and dynamics … see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS
(1865-1957) Symphony No. 3
in C Major op. 52 (1907) Symphony No. 6 in D Minor op. 104 (1923) Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Violin Concerto in D major (1931)
Northern Sinfonia/Thomas Zehetmair (violin/director)
rec. 2007/8 DDD
AVIE AV2150 [74:22]
[RB]
Fascinating
readings ... see Full
Review
John
Philip SOUSA (1854-1932) Music
for Wind Band – Vol. 7 Royal
Artillery Band/Keith Brion rec. 2005 NAXOS
8.559247 [57:26] [JS]
Further
exploration of this rich seam ... see Full
Review
Carl
STAMITZ
(1745-801)
Clarinet Concertos - Volume 2 Concertos No.7,8,10,11
Kálmán Berkes (clarinet) Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia rec. 1996/97 .
DDD.
NAXOS 8.554339 [68:06] 
[BW]
Attractive
music, persuasively presented ... see Full
Review
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Ariadne auf Naxos Staatskapelle
Dresden/Giuseppe Sinopoli rec. 2000 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 9084 [71:12 + 50.39][DH]
I
envy collectors who can snaffle this set on a super-budget label ...
see Full Review
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Metamorphosen, Piano
Quartet, Prelude to Capriccio Nash
Ens rec. 2006 HYPERION
CDA67574 [77:33] [SV]
Beautiful,
sympathetic, and musically keen ... see Full
Review
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Violin Concerto in D major (1931)
see SIBELIUS
Giuseppe
TARTINI (1692-1770) Violin
Concertos Vol. 15 L'Arte
dell'Arco/Giovanni Guglielmo
rec. 2006 DYNAMIC CDS 591/1-2 [47:44
+ 45:46] [JV]
Excellent
examples of Tartini’s art - stylish and tasteful ... see Full
Review
John TAVENER
(b.1944) Canciones
Españolas (1972) [16:23] Requiem for Father Malachy (1973)
[35:27] James Bowman (counter-tenor); Kevin Smith (piano) (Canciones)
The King’s Singers; The
Nash Ensemble/John Tavener rec. 1975. ADD.
LYRITA SRCD.311
[52:00]
[RB]
Vital
and emotionally inventive … thriving originality. ... see Full
Review
John
TAVENER (b.
1944) Requiem
(2008) [34:44] Mahāshakti for solo violin, tam-tam and strings
(2003) [18:22] Eternal Memory for cello and strings (1991) [9:55]
Elin Manahan Thomas (soprano); Andrew Kennedy (tenor); Josephine Knight
(cello); Ruth Palmer (violin) Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Chorus/Ian
Tracey Royal Liverpool
Philharmonic Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko rec. 2008 DDD
EMI CLASSICS 2351342 [63:02]
[RB]
Melodist
not minimalist ... see Full Review
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony
4 Camille SAINT-SÄENS (1835-1921) Piano
Concerto 4 Robert
Casadesus (piano) RIAS SO/Eugene Ormandy
rec. live, 1952/4 AUDITE 95.589 [68:00]
[RB] 
Ormandy
and Casadesus enthusiasts need this.... see Full
Review
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
CD
1
Symphony No. 5 in e minor, Op. 64 (1888) The Tempest – Symphonic
Fantasia in f minor after Shakespeare, Op. 18 (1873) CD 2 Romeo
and Juliet – Fantasy Overture after Shakespeare (rev. version,
1880) Symphony No. 6 in b minor ‘Pathétique’, Op. 74 (1892)
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Litton rec. 1989/90 DDD.
VIRGIN de virgin 6 93238 2 [2 CDs 72:59+67:01]
[BW]
The
outer movements of No.5 are too slow; the rest is superb ... see Full
Review
Piotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano Concerto
1 see
Gilels
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Peter
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Songs
Joan Rodgers (soprano); Roger Vignoles (piano) rec. 1992
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55331 [64:52][GF]
At
Helios price Rodgers is irresistible ... see Full
Review
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN
(1681-1767) Twelve
Fantasies for Solo Violin,
Augustin Hadelich (violin) rec. 2007.
NAXOS 8.570563 [64:52]
[KS]
Graceful
and elegant playing makes this simple well crafted music a joy to hear
... see Full
Review
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767)
Passion Cantatas Klaus
Mertens (bass-baritone)
Accademia Daniel/Shalev Ad-El
rec. 2006/7 CPO 777 299-2 [69:53] [MS]
Splendid,
meticulously prepared and executed ... see Full
Review
Jukka
TIENSUU (b. 1948) Nemo; Puro; Spiriti Kari Kriikku
(clarinet); Mikko Luoma (accordion); Avanti!/Susanna Maikki ALBA ABCD258
[68:35]
Jukka TIENSUU (b. 1948) Alma III - Soma; Mind
- Concerto for piano and orchestra; Mood; Alma II - Lumo
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra/Susanna Maikki
ALBA ABCD224
[65:19][RB]
Mosaic in frenzied motion, fantasy off the
leash ... see Full
Review
Michael
TIPPETT (1905-1998) Concerto
for double string orchestra; Piano Concerto; Fantasia Concertante on
a theme of Corelli
Moscow Chamber Orchestra; Bath Festival Orchestra/Rudolph Barshai rec.
1962-4 EMI CLASSICS
ENCORE 2357442 [73:15][RB]
Lustrous
vigour but has taken a toll in edgy string sound ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe TORELLI (1658-1709)
The Original Brandenburg Concertos
Charivari Agréable/Kah-Ming Ng (harpsichord and chamber organ) rec.
2008 SIGNUM SIGCD157
[62:30][BW]
A
welcome addition to the catalogue ... see Full
Review
Hans
Peter TÜRK (b. 1940) Siebenbürgische
Passionsmusik für Karfreitag nach dem Evangelistem Mattäus
Meissner Kantorei 1961/Chrisfried Brödel rec. 2008
MUSIKPRODUCTION
DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG90215546
[69.36][RH]
Fascinating
… interesting, approachable and highly recommendable ... see Full
Review
Jacobus
VAET
(c.1529-1567) Missa Ego flos campi
& other works Cinquecento
rec. 2008 HYPERION CDA67733
[75.21]
[GH]
Vaet
is a fine composer ... see Full Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) La traviata
(1853) Maria
Callas (soprano); Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent
Garden/Nicola Rescigno rec. 1958
ISTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS 6541/42 [60:38 + 59:23][GF]
Callas
lovers should invest without delay ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Il Trovatore
Franco Corelli
(tenor); Chorus and Orchestra of the Rome Opera/de Fabritiis rec. 1961
OPERA FANATIC OF5 [72.31
+ 66.24][RMo]
Corelli
at his energised best ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813–1901) Simon Boccanegra
Tito Gobbi (baritone);
Victoria de Los Angeles (soprano); Rome Opera House Ch & O/Gabriele
Santini rec. 1957 NAXOS
HISTORICAL 8.110119-20 [62.12 + 78.09][RMK]
Cracking
characterisation by great singers ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Don
Carlo Jussi
Björling, Robert Merril, Cesare Siepi, Metropolitan Opera House
Ch & O/Fritz Stiedry live rec. 1950 WEST
HILL RADIO ARCHIVES WHRA 6021 [3 CDs: 68.02 + 66.53 + 68.49] [RM]
Björling
singing as well as he is to be heard anywhere and at any time
... see Full
Review
Gilbert
VINTER (1909-1969) The Pye Years
Huddersfield Glee
and Madrigal Society; Black Dyke Mills Band/Geoffrey Brand rec. 1968-1972
DOYEN DOYCD256 [72.01][RB]
Its
constituency is wider than the brass band world ... see Full
Review
Robert
de VISÉE (c.1660-circa 1732) Pièces
de théorbe
Fred Jacobs (French theorbo) rec. 2007
METRONOME METCD1072 [56:56][GPu]
Dignified
music, expertly and idiomatically played … see Full
Review
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) The
Four Seasons Francesco
GEMINIANI (1687-1762) Concerti Grosso Christina
Day Martinson (violin) Boston Baroque/Martin Pearlman rec.
2008 TELARC
CD-80698 [59:26] [DC]
Like
the good parts of the curate’s egg – yummy, but with lurking
yuk… see Full Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Die
Walküre - Act
I and highlights from other works
Staatskapelle Dresden/Karl Elmendorff rec. 1944
HÄNSSLER PROFIL PH07048 [65:34 + 52:51][GF]
Some
truly excellent Wagner singing ... see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Götterdämmerung (1869-1874) - Act III Scene 3 – Brünnhilde’s
Immolation [19:48] see PURCELL
Riccardo
ZANDONAI (1883-1944) Francesca
da Rimini Orchestra
Filarmonica Marchigiana, Coro Lirico Marchigiano ‘V. Bellini’/Maurizio
Barbacini rec. 2004
ARTHAUS 101363 
[137:00][GF]
A
more than decent picture of this relative rarity ... see Full
Review
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