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Avril
ANDERSON (b.1953) Organ Works see
Contemporary British
Organ Music
Anton
Stepanovich ARENSKY
(1861-1906)
Piano Trios 1 & 2 
Rachmaninov Trio Moscow
TUDOR 7152 [58:42] 
[BW]
As
good as any version of the better-known First Trio and my benchmark
for the Second.
Anton
ARENSKY (1861-1906) Six Caprices see GLAZUNOV
Daniel
ASIA (b.1953) Purer than the Purest Pure; Why
(?) Jacob; Summer is Over; The She Set; Out of
More; Sounds shapes
BBC Singers/Odaline de la Martinez rec. 2009
SUMMIT DCD550 [60.01]
[RH]
Exemplary
performances. This collection shows Asia to have a nice ear and it is
well worth investigating.
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
Weihnachts-Oratorium
Carolyn Sampson (soprano) Wiebke Lehmkuhl (tenor) Martin Lattke (tenor)
Konstantin Wolff (bass) Dresdener Kammerchor, Gewandhaus O/Riccardo
Chailly rec. 2010
DECCA 478 2271 [69:15 + 63:07] 
[DC]
Not
just for Christmas – a joy forever.
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) The Christmas Oratorio (arr.
by Bill Dobbins for Big Band and 6 part male chorus)
The Kings Singers, WDR Cologne Big Band/Bill Dobbins rec. 2009
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD215 [55:22 + 51:59]
[NB]
Sadly
lacking.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1785-1850) A Choral Year
Bach Collegium Japan/Masaaki Suzuki, rec. 1995-2009
BIS-CD-1951 [82.15] 
[DC]
To
be taken in big, healthily enjoyable draughts.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Motets
Voces8; The Senesino Players/Barnaby Smith
SIGNUM SIGCD213 [58:31]
[GD]
None
of the big names have produced anything that is quite as much fun as
this.
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
Complete Edition
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94050 [c. 170:00:00] 
[JW]
I’ll
be keeping this box.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1785-1850) Italian concerto
see Solomon
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Toccata
& Fugue see DVOŘÁK
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sir
Arnold BAX
(1883-1953) Piano Quintet Frank
BRIDGE (1879-1940) Piano Quintet
Ashley Wass (piano) Tippett Qt rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572474 [68:18]
[IL]
Stunning
performances of two important British piano quintets.
Adrian
BEECHAM (1904 – 1982) Six Spanish Songs see
A Romantic Evening
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Violin Sonatas 1, 4, 7 & 8
Alina Ibragimova (violin); Cédric Tiberghien (piano) rec. live, 2009
WIGMORE
HALL LIVE WHLIVE0036 [82:24]
[CC]
This
is clearly a very special musical partnership, on the evidence of this
disc. As fresh and invigorating music-making as one is likely to hear.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Symphonies, Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2, Fidelio
Vienna
PO, Berlin PO, CBSO/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 1995-2003
EMI CLASSICS 4575732 [9 CDs: 10:00:00]
[ST]
The
keynote of the set is energy: pulsating, crackling,
electrifying energy.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Symphonies 5 & 6
Vienna PO/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 2002
EMI CLASSICS 6317692 [76:38]
[SV]
These
performances won't disappoint Sir Simon's fans, and they're frankly
better than I expected from him.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig Van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
The Complete Violin Sonatas
Renaud Capuçon (violin) Frank Braley (piano) rec. 2009
VIRGIN CLASSICS 6420010 [3 CDs: 71:44 + 77:45 + 73:47]
[MC]
Can
stand alongside the finest sets available.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) The Complete String Trios
Leopold
String Trio, rec. 1998
HYPERION DYAD CDD22069 [73:04+76:34]
[GD]
An
excellent Beethoven recording.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) The Complete Piano Sonatas
Louis
Lortie (piano) rec. 1991-2010
CHANDOS CHAN 10616(9) [9 CDs: 640:14]
[DC]
Who’s
your Beethoven? Elegant and refined perhaps...?
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano sonatas see
Solomon
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Leonore Overture 3 see
ORFF
Moisčs
BELTRAN (b.1967) Esguards silents see Girona
XXI Vol. 3
Lennox
BERKELEY (1903 - 1989) Tombeaux see
Departures
Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Symphony, Petite Suite d’orchestre,
Roma, Orch. Suite 3
O de Paris/Paavo Järvi, rec. 2009
VIRGIN CLASSICS 6286130 [75:54]
[BW]
Roma
is no neglected masterpiece and there are better versions of the other
works.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Georges BIZET
(1838 – 1875)
Carmen
Jessye Norman (soprano) Mirella Freni (soprano) Neil Shicoff (tenor)
Ntl O de France/Seiji Ozawa rec. 1988
DECCA 478 2488 [79:55 + 78:39]
[GF]
A
remarkable recording. Jessye Norman’s assumption of the title role is
unforgettable.
Howard
BLAKE (b.1938)
The
Snowman – The Live Stage Show
SONY MUSIC CDR 81267 
[80:00]
[BBr]
Great
entertainment! And remember, The Snowman is not just for Christmas,
now it can be for the whole year!
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833–1897)
Violin Concerto Antonin DVORÁK
(1841–1904) Violin Concerto
David Oistrakh (violin) USSR Large SO/Kirill Kondrashin rec. 1951
REGIS RRC 1349 [70:54]
[BBr]
Truly
great fiddling.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Theme & Variations
Garrick
Ohlsson (piano) rec. 2009
HYPERION CDA67777 [61:26 + 45:56]
[DC]
Be
impressed, be moved.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Violin Concerto, Double Concerto
David Nadien (violin) Leonard Rose (cello) Seattle Youth SO/Vilem Sokol,
Stratford Festival O/George Schick, rec. 1968/73
CEMBAL D’AMOUR CD146 [69:37]
[JW]
Certainly
not unproblematic but exuding character and vital engagement. Nadien
was a past master at both.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Cello Sonata 1 see STRAUSS
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Fünf Gesänge see POULENC
Frank
BRIDGE
(1879-1940) Piano
Quintet see BAX
Benjamin
BRITTEN
(1913-1976)
A Ceremony of Carols Elizabeth POSTON
(1905-1987) An English Day-Book
National Youth Ch Scotland Girls Ch/Christopher Bell rec. 2010
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD228 [49:06]
[BW]
Not
my first choice for the Britten but the couplings may appeal.
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976)
Cello Suites 1-3
Paul Watkins (cello) rec. 2001/2
NIMBUS NI5704 [69:08] [WH]
A
master cellist brings out the lyrical side of Britten’s solo cello writing.
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913 - 1976) Quatre Chansons Françaises
see Departures
Max
BRUCH (1838-1920)
Symphonies 1 & 2
Staatskapelle Weimar/Michael Halász rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.570994 [61.07]
[CF]
Michael
Halász persistently takes swift tempi.
Max
BRUCH (1838-1920) Violin Concerto 1 see
MOZART
Anton
BRUCKNER
(1824-1896) Symphony 3
Bamberg SO/Jonathan Nott rec. 2003
TUDOR 
7133 [62:57]
[BW]
Makes
a strong case for the Symphony and for its original version.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Anton BRUCKNER
(1824-1896) Symphony 6
London PO/Christoph Eschenbach rec. live 2009
LPO LIVE LPO-0049 [59:59]
[GD]
It's
a great recording and worth every penny.
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony 8
Mozarteumorchester Salzburg/Ivor Bolton
OEHMS CLASSICS OC751 [80:45]
[GD]
Probably
the best Bruckner 8 you will ever hear conducted by a Brit, although
that isn't saying much.
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