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MONDAY
November 30th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The
Bach Cantata Pilgrimage - Vol. 13 
Monteverdi
Ch, English Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner. rec.
2000 SOLI
DEO GLORIA SDG162 [65:19
+ 69:03] 
[JQ]
Another
fine addition to Gardiner’s excellent cycle ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685 -
1750) Missae
breves, Sanctus Ensemble
Vocale de Lausanne, Lausanne CO/Michel Corboz rec. 1974 WARNER
APEX 2564 69046-48 [70:21 + 73.42] 
[RH]
Now
showing its age ... see Full
Review
Leonardo
BALADA (b.
1933) Cristóbal
Colón José Carreras,
Montserrat Caballé, Ch & O Gran Teatre del Liceu,
Barcelona/Theo Alcántara rec. live, 1989 NAXOS
8.660237-38 [64:52 + 47:45] [GF]
Try
this - it has a lot to offer ... see Full
Review
Michael
DAUGHERTY (b.
1954) Metropolis
Symphony, Deus ex Machina Terrence
Wilson (piano) Nashville SO/Giancarlo Guerrero rec. 2007/8 NAXOS
AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559635 [75:55] [NB]
Contemporary
music as fun ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH John DOWLAND (1563-1626) Complete
Lute Music Nigel
North (lute) rec. 2004-7 NAXOS
8.504016 [4CDs: 257:22] [JW]
The
most outstanding collection of Dowland’s lute music before
the public today ... see Full
Review
George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) La
Resurrezione Camilla
Tilling (soprano) Kate Royal (soprano) Toby Spence (tenor) Le
Concert d’Astrée/Emanuelle Haim rec. live, 2009 VIRGIN
CLASSICS 6945670 [62.22 + 49.50] [RH]
Time
and again my ear was drawn to the lovely instrumental contributions
... see Full Review
Albert
SCHNELZER (b. 1972) Predatory
Dances Tobias
Ringborg (violin) Claes Gunnarsson (cello) Per Lundberg (piano)
Staffan Mårtensson (clarinet) Susanna Andersson (soprano)
Francisca Skoogh (piano) rec. 2007 DAPHNE
1031 [66:33] 
[GD]
Remarkable
clarity and mastery of rhythm ... see Full
Review
Georg
Joseph VOGLER (1749-1814) Symphonies,
Ballet Suites 1 & 2, Overtures London
Mozart Players/Matthias Bamert rec. 2008 CHANDOS
CHAN10504 [67:19] [SV]
It's
good to hear this music, and to hear it so well played … see Full
Review
Stephen
Hough in Recital Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Variations
Sérieuses Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Sonata 32 Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826) Invitation
to the Dance Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Waltzes Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) La Plus Que Lente Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Mephisto Waltz Stephen
Hough (piano) rec. 2008 HYPERION
CDA67686 [79:02] 
[BR]
Hough’s
genius for miniatures strikes again … see Full
Review
Ewa
Podleś (alto) Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Cantata Arianna
a Naxos and arias by Rossini, Verdi & Donizetti Polish
RSO/Lukasz Borowicz rec. live, 2008 DUX
0709 [63:06] [RMo]
I
am not quite sure why this disc exists ... see Full
Review
FRIDAY
November 27th
Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797 – 1848) L’Elisir
d’amore Hilde
Güden (soprano) Giuseppe Di Stefano (tenor) Ch & O del
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/Francesco Molinari-Pradelli rec.
1955 DECCA
HERITAGE SERIES 478 1724 [62:32 + 45:37] [GF]
Still
the historic recording of the work ... see Full
Review
Egberto
GISMONTI (b.1947) Saudações Alexandre
Gismonti & Egberto Gismonti (guitars) Camerata Romeu/Zenaida
Romeu, rec. 2006/7 ECM
RECORDS ECM 2082/83 (1797280) [75:37 + 70:03] 
[DC]
Expresses
a sense of joy and optimism ... see Full
Review
Alexander
GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) Masquerade,
Two pieces, Romantic intermezzo Russian
PO/Dmitry Yablonsky rec. 2006 NAXOS
8.570211 [66:57] [RMay]
A
lukewarm reaction to some of Glazunov’s less inspired writing ...
see Full Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano
Concertos 23 & 24 Mitsuko
Uchida (piano and director) Cleveland O rec. live, 2008 DECCA
478 1524 [59:52] [RM]
Uchida
has something profound and even slightly disturbing to say about
this music ... see Full Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Winterreise, Piano
Sonata (D840) Peter
Schreier (tenor) Sviatoslav Richter (piano) rec. 1979/85 DECCA
THE ORIGINALS 478 1714 [56:52 + 65:51] [JQ]
Contains
insights and thought-provoking details at every turn ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH William SCHUMAN (1910-1992) Symphony
6, Prayer in a Time of War, New England Triptych Seattle
Symphony/Gerard Schwarz rec. 1990-2008 NAXOS
AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559625 [60:51] [RB]
A
Schuman symphonic cycle becomes more than a pipe-dream. Stunning
and totally committed playing ... see Full
Review
William
Grant STILL (1895 - 1978) Symphonies
4 & 5, Poem for Orchestra Fort
Smith Symphony/John Jeter rec. 2009 NAXOS
AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559603 [56:24] [RB]
Revel
in these fine and likeably accessible works ... see Full
Review
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Suites: Der
Rosenkavalier, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Josephs-Legende Buffalo
PO/JoAnn Falletta rec. 2008 NAXOS
8.572041 [68:34] [RM]
Falletta
need fear no comparison with her illustrious predecessors ... see Full
Review
The
Art of Bernard Haitink DECCA
478 1429 [7 CDs] [WH]
Three
indifferent performances, but most of the others are gems … see Full
Review
Mordecai
Shehori – The Celebrated New York Concerts - Vol.
4 Joseph
HAYDN (1832-1809) Arietta and Variations Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Piano Sonata D784 Sergei
RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943) Selection Franz
LISZT (1881-1886) Années de pèlerinage Mordecai
Shehori (piano) rec.1980-2001 CEMBAL
D’AMOUR CD139 [65:58] [JW]
Exciting!
... see Full Review
THURSDAY
November 26th
Charles-Valentin
ALKAN (1813-1888) Grande
Sonate,
Symphony Stefan
Lindgren
(piano)
rec. 1992/8 DAPHNE
1034 [67:05] [OL]
Simpler,
leaner, and less romantic than the competition ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Six
Partitas András
Schiff (piano) rec. live, 2007 ECM
2001-2 (476 6991) [72:14 + 60:50] [ST]
A
very special disc ... see Full
Review
Elliott
CARTER (b. 1908) Mosaic,
Dialogues & other works New
Music Concerts Ensemble/Robert Aitken rec. 2006/7 NAXOS
8.559614 [64:50] + 2.110256 
[51:07] [CR]
A
fantastic product, with world class recordings of Carter’s
music ... see Full Review
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Rossini
Mezzo - Scenes & arias Silvia
Tro Santafé (mezzo) Lluis Vich Vocalis; Navarra SO/Julian
Reynolds rec. 2009 SIGNUM
CLASSICS SIGCD170 [61:06] [GF]
A
worthy heir to Teresa Berganza - more discs from her, please Signum
... see Full Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Schwanengesang Ian
Bostridge (tenor), Antonio Pappano (piano) rec. 2008 EMI
CLASSICS 2426392 [60:51] [CR]
Unsentimental
but nevertheless expressive ... see Full
Review
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Le
Bourgeois Gentilhomme Suite, Salome - Dance of the Seven
Veils, Don Juan, Der Rosenkavalier Suite London
SO, Tivoli O/Richard Strauss rec. 1921-26 PRISTINE
AUDIO PASC175 [72:38] [JW]
Inevitable
sound issues but a valuable document nonetheless ... see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Tannhäuser -
Overture and Venusberg Music Frederick DELIUS (1862-1934) The
Walk to the Paradise Garden Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Variations
on an Original Theme Melbourne
SO/Charles Mackerras rec. live, 2007 ABC
CLASSICS 476 3224 [65:28] [JW]
Enjoyable
but not top-notch ... see Full Review
The
Beautiful Beatles The
Aureole Trio rec. 2008 KOCH
INTERNATIONAL KIC-CD-7755 [58:15] [GF]
Eminently
suitable for concentrated listening as well as relaxation ... see Full
Review
The
Piano at the Carnival Aram
KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978) Masquerade Suite Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Carnaval Franz
LISZT (1811-1888) Hungarian Rhapsody 9 Antonin
DVORAK (1841-1904) Carnival Overture Anthony
Goldstone (piano) rec. 2008/9 DIVINE
ART DDA25076 [76.31] [GH]
Something
of an unusual disc, but nicely planned ... see Full
Review
Unaccompanied Niccolo
PAGANINI (1782-1840) Nel
cor piu non mi sento, God Save the King Bela
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Sonata for Solo Violin Nikos
SKALKOTTAS (1904-1949) Sonata fur Geige allein Eugene
YSAŸE (1858-1949) Sonate George
Zacharias (violin) rec. 2008 DIVINE
ART DDA25074 [69:18] [ZT]
A
highly refined technique an empathy with the music ... see Full
Review
WEDNESDAY
November 25th
Asger HAMERIK
(1843-1923) The
Symphonies 1-7, Requiem for orchestra, choir and contralto
Randi
Stene (mezzo) Danish National Symphony Chorus/Saul Zaks Helsingborg
& Danish National Symphony Orchestras/Thomas Dausgaard. rec. 1997-2005,
Helsingborg & Copenhagen
DACAPO 6.200002 [4 CDs: 72:04 + 72:54 + 68:14 + 78:48]
[RB]
Romantic
era symphonies - exemplary in every way and rewarding to the attentive
listener... see Full Review
Krzysztof MEYER
(b.1943)
Symphony No.7 Sinfonia del Tempo che passa, op.97 (2002/2003)
[41:34] Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra, op.105 (2005/2006)
[35:26]
Magdalena Rezler–Niesoilowska (violin), Julius Berger (cello) National
Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice/Gabriel Chmura (Symphony);
Lukasz Borowicz (Concerto) rec. 23 – 25 November 2004 (Symphony) and
10 – 11 June 2008 (Concerto), Concert Hall of the National Polish Radio
Symphony Orchestra in Katowice DDD
DUX 0695 [76:59]
[BBr]
His
music is well worth the effort … see Full
Review
Pyotr Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Symphony No 1 in G minor,
Op 13, “Winter Daydreams” [41:35] Symphony No 6 in B minor, Op 74, “Pathétique”
[46:44]
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Vladimir Jurowski rec. 2008,
LPO 0039 [41:35 + 46:44]
[BR]
A
revelatory First, and a fine Sixth too … see Full
Review
Facets
3 –
New American Music for Trumpet James
WINTLE (b.1942) Distant Voices (2006) [17:08] Barbara
HARBACH (b.1946)
Perambulations for trumpet and piano (2004) [5:08] Emily! (2007) [7:46]
Francine TRESTER
(b.1969) Four Thoreau Songs (2007) [6:20] Sonata for
trumpet and piano (2005) [13:56] Joseph KLEIN
(b.1962) Die Königskünderin (The King-Proclaimer) (2006) [4:26]
Ulysses KAY
(1917-1995) Tromba (1983) [8:00]
John Holt (trumpet and flugelhorn) Nataliya Sukhina (piano) Sophia Grech
(mezzo) Igor Borodin and Julia Bushkova (violins): Katrin Meidell (viola)
and Johannes Kleinmann (cello) rec. 2007-2009
CRYSTAL RECORDS CD 768 [63:19]
[JW]
First
class ambassadors for this new music ... see Full
Review
A
Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Choir of King’s College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
rec. live, Chapel of Kings College, Cambridge, 24 December 2008 Texts
enclosed Track-Listing at end of review
EMI CLASSICS 50999 6860822 [54:53 + 34:58]
[RC]
A
fine souvenir of a memorable occasion ... see Full
Review
Flying
Solo Béla BARTÓK (1881
- 1945) Sonata for Solo Violin Sz.117 [25:37] Nicolò
PAGANINI (1782 – 1840) Caprices for Violin Op.1 Nos. 4, 9,
21 [13:05] Eugène YSAŸE (1858 – 1931)
Sonata No.3 in D minor Op.27 No.3 “Ballade” [6:40] Sonata No.5 in G
major Op.27 No.5 [9:03] Bernd Alois ZIMMERMANN
(1918 - 1970) Sonata for Solo Violin [9:12]
Augustin Hadelich (violin) rec. LeFrak Hall, Queens College, New York,
USA, 30 December 2008 and 5-6 January 2009
AVIE AV2180 [64:09]
[NB]
The
music is the master and it is well served ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH In
Terra Pax: A Christmas Anthology
Gustav
HOLST, John JOUBERT, William MATHIAS, Herbert HOWELLS, Gerald FINZI,
Peter WARLOCK, Kenneth LEIGHTON, John RUTTER, John GARDNER, William
MATHIAS, Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Julia Doyle (soprano); Roderick Williams (baritone); Mark Williams (organ,
celesta, piano) City of London Choir; Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Hilary
Davan Wetton rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572102 [57:37]
[ST]
As
good a Christmas recital as you’re likely to find ... see Full
Review
The
Jewish Soul David
ZEHAVI (1910-1975) Eli, Eli arranged
for cello and piano by Roy Friedman [2:45] Ernest
BLOCH (1880-1959)
Meditation Hébraïque for cello and piano (1924) [6:29]From
Jewish Life for cello and piano (Prayer, Supplication,
Jewish Dance) (1924) [9:07] Joachim
STUTSCHEWSKY (1891-1982) Hassidic Suite for cello and piano
(1946) [9:34] Odeon PARTOS
(1907-1977) Yizkor (In Memoriam) for cello and piano
[10:22] Mark KOPYTMAN (b.1929) Kaddisch
for cello and piano (1981) [14:50] Max BRUCH
(1823-1920) Kol Nidrei Op.47 (1880) arranged for five
cellos by Günter Ribke [10:47] ¹
Amit Peled (cello) Eli Kalman (piano)Yotam Baruch, DaVin Lee, Andrew
Talle and Jong Bin Kim (cellos) ¹ rec. June 2008, Harduf, Israel, and
December 2007, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Spencerville, Maryland
CENTAUR
CRC 2988 [63:57]
[JW]
A
leavening of novelty for the curious-minded ... see Full
Review
Organ Christmas
Beatrice-Maria and Gerhard Weinberger (organ and
organ duet) rec. 2009,
CPO 777 487-2 [63:36]
[DM]
Dull
and uninspired ... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Sacrificium
Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo) Il Giardino Armonico/Giovanni Antonini rec.
2009 Italian texts and German, English and French translations enclosed
DECCA
478 1521 Limited Edition [77:55 + 21:15]
[GF]
This
is certainly an indispensable issue! ... see Full
Review
TUESDAY
November 24th
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Konzertstück in C, WoO 5 (orch. Juan MANÉN
(1883 - 1971) (1929)) (1787) [20:25] Grosse Fuge in B♭,
op.133 (orch. Felix WEINGARTNER (1863-1942)
(1906)) (1825/1826) [19:11] Arnold SCHOENBERG
(1874-1951) 10 Waltzes for string orchestra (1897?)
[16:19]
Wrocławer Chamber Orchestra/Ernst Kovacic (violin) rec 17-20 November
2008, Jan Kaczmarek Concert Hall of Radio Wrocław. DDD
CD ACCORD ACD 145-2 [56:05]
[BBr]
Just
too polite … see Full Review
George
Frideric HANDEL (1685
– 1759) Giulio Cesare in Egitto (1724)
Angelo Manzotti (sopranist) – Giulio Cesare; Alexandra Zabala (soprano)
– Cleopatra; Paola Pittaluga (contralto) – Cornelia; Patrizia Bozzo
(soprano) – Sesto; Angelo Galeano (counter- tenor) – Tolomeo; Riccardo
Ristori (bass) – Achilla; Angelo Bonazzoli (counter-tenor) – Nireno;
Guido Ripoli (baritone) – Curio
Il Concento Ecclesiastico Vocal Ensemble and Orchestra/Luca Franco Ferrari
rec. live, 30 July 2006, Savona Italian libretto enclosed
CONCERTO CD 2042-3 [3 CDs: 70:08 + 74:14 + 65:55]
[GF]
Worth
hearing for a thrilling Cesare and a partly ravishing Cleopatra ...
see Full Review
Krzysztof
MEYER
(b.1943) Complete works for cello and piano Cello
Sonata No.1, op.62 (1983) [28:29] Canzona, op.56 (1981) [10:59] Cello
Sonata No.2, op.99 (2004) [24:42]
Ewa Mizerska (cello), Emma Abbate (piano), Katarzyna Hlensk (piano -
2nd Sonata only) rec 28-30 January 2008, Witold Lutosławski
Concert Studio, Polish Radio, Warsaw DDD
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0098 [64:34]
[BBr]
For
me this is essential listening … see Full
Review
Zygmunt
NOSKOWSKI
(1846-1909) Piano Works 1 Impressions
Op.29 [12:40]
3 Pièces Op.35 [14:03] Moments mélodiques Op.36 [16:13]
Contes Op.37 [20:31] Feuille de trèfle Op.44 [13:03]
Valentina Seferinova (piano) rec. May 2008, Polish Radio Station S1
ACTE
PRÉALABLE APO 188 [76:41]
[JW]
Idiomatic
skill and some striking moments ... see Full
Review
Henryk
OPIEŃSKI
(1870-1942) Complete Songs; Chamber
Works
Maria Pawlaczyk (soprano) Weronika Firlej-Kubasik (piano) Anna Organiszczak
(piano) ¹ Mariusz Derewecki (violin) ² rec. 2001 and 2003,
Radio Merkury and the Academy of Music, Poznań
ACTE PRÉALABLE APO 075 [63:56]
[JW]
Altogether
a different brand of Polish composition ... see Full
Review
Robin
ORR
(1909-2006) Centenary
Tribute - Archive recordings of performances by friends and colleagues
Granville
Jones (violin); Thurston Dart (harpsichord) rec. historical, various
dates ADD
GUILD GHCD2350 [72:28]
[GH]
A
fascinating collection of historic recordings … see
Full Review
AMERICAN
ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE FROM PIERIAN RECORDING SOCIETY:
Lees, Gold, Lopatnikoff and Kennan
Benjamin LEES (b.1924) Piano Concerto
No. 1 (1955) [26.06] Ernest GOLD (b.1921)
Piano Concerto (1943) [27.05]
Joseph Bloch (piano) (Lees) Marisa Regules (piano) (Gold) National Orchestral
Association/John Barnett (Lees); Leon Barzin (Gold) rec. 30 Oct 1963
from collection of Paul A Snook (Lees); 8 Jan 1945 from collection of
Miklos Pogonyi (Gold) ADD
PIERIAN PIR 0010 [53.11]
[RB]
Kent KENNAN (1913-2003) Chamber
music Sonata for violin and piano "Sea sonata"
(1937) [23:25] Night soliloquy for flute and piano (1936) [4:36]
Scherzo, aria and fugato for oboe and piano (1949) [9:18] Threnody:
for violin and piano (1992) [4:08] Quintet for piano and strings (1935)
[15:10] Richard Kilmer
(Sonata); Adriana Hulscher (Threnody, Quintet); Jennifer Bourianoff
(Quintet) (violins); Felicity Coltman (piano); Megan Meisenbach (flute);
Kathleen Turner (oboe); Ames Asbell (viola); Margaret Coltman-Smith
(cello) rec. studios of KMFA-FM, Austin, Texas
PIERIAN PIR 0017 [52:29]
[RB]
Nikolai LOPATNIKOFF (1903-1976)
Concerto for Violin, Op. 26 (1941) [22:13]
Joseph Fuchs (violin) National Orchestral Association/John Barnett Symphony
no 3, Op. 35 (1953-54) [30:16]
National Orchestral Association/Leon Barzin rec. 12 March 1945; 26 January
1960. ADD PIERIAN PIR
0023 [52:29]
[RB]
Fascinating
music and Kennan revealed as a major romantic voice ... see Full
Review
Lewis
Carroll Alice
in Wonderland, Alice through the Look Glass) Oscar
Wilde Happy Prince, The Rose and the Nightingale,
The Selfish Giant, The Devoted Friend and The Remarkable
Rocket
Read by Sir John Gielgud rec. 1985 (Wilde) 1987 (Carroll)
NIMBUS NI 1797 [112:00] (Wilde)
NIMBUS NI 1723 [4 CDs: 59.42 + 57.55 (Wonderland); 63.19 + 73.16
(Looking Glass)] (Carroll)
[Em]
Engages,
fascinates and enchants ... see Full
Review
FRENCH
and BRAZILIAN Piano Music Francis
POULENC , Heitor
VILLA-LOBOS, Frutuoso VIANNA,
Francisco MIGNONE
Elizabeth Powell (piano) rec. 1959 (Brazilian works); 1960 (Poulenc)
LYRITA
REAM 2111 [2CDs]
[BBr]
Well
worth the outlay … see Full
Review
Out
of the Cool Richard
Rodney BENNETT (b.1936)
Winter Music (1960) [10:57]; Robert SAXTON
(b.1953) Krystallen (1973) [6:39]; Cecilia
MCDOWALL (b.1951) The Moon Dances (2003) [13:57]; Arthur
BUTTERWORTH (b.1923) Aubade (1973) [5:01]; Richard
Rodney BENNETT (b.1936) Summer Music (1983) [10:21]
David HEATH
(b.1956) Out of the Cool (1986) [6:37];
Brian LOCK (b.1967)
Sonata for Flute and Piano (2004) [16:39];
Susan Milan (flute); Andrew Ball (piano) rec. November 2007, St Michael’s
Church, Highgate, London. DDD
METIER MSV 28510 [70:16]
[CR]
An
excellent collection of new British flute repertoire … see Full
Review
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