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Download
The
Ernest Ansermet Collection from Cascavelle
(5 CDs only available separately)
These
five discs certainly contain a good share of excitement and drama.
Ernest
Ansermet - The
Early Days 
various orchestras rec. 1916-55
CASCAVELLE VEL 3119 [8 CDs: 547:29] 
[JW]
I
am glad to make the acquaintance of this set, not least for the rarer
items and for those truly fine recordings among them.
Back
to Melody Wojciech
KILAR (b.1932) Orawa Maciej MALECKI
(b.1940) Polish Suite for String Quartet; Andante
and Allegro for solo viola and five string instruments Slawomir
CZARNECKI (b.1949) Quartet No.2 ‘Spiš’
Opium Quartet with Wojciech Walczak (viola) and Radoslaw Nur (double
bass) rec. 2009
CD ACCORD ACD 163-2 [56:50] [JW]
I
think you’ll be in for a pleasant surprise.
Barbirolli
in New York
New York P-SO/Sir John Barbirolli, rec. 1959
WEST HILL RADIO ARCHIVES WHRA6033 [4 CDs: 311:44] 
[JW]
Admirers
of the conductor will find this set indispensable.
British
Women Composers Ethel SMYTH
(1858 – 1944) Violin Sonata Irène WIENIAWSKA
(1879- 1932) Violin Sonata Phyllis
TATE (1991-1987) Triptych
Clare Howick (violin) Sophia Rahman (piano) rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572291 [78:09]
[BBr]
Not
just for those who are passionate about British music, it’s for everyone
interested in good music.
Fritz
Busch Works by Mendelssohn, Beethoven,
Schibert, Wagner & Alfven
Winterthur SO, Los Angeles PO, Konserthus Stiftelsens O Malmö/Fritz
Busch rec. 1946/9
GUILD GHCD 2366 [78:56]
[BBr]
A
fine disk.
Contemporary
British Organ Music - Vol. 2 Avril
ANDERSON (b.1953) Repetitive Strain; The Lone Piper;
The Grass is Sleeping; Each Night That Dies With Dawn David
SUTTON–ANDERSON (b.1956) Fantasia; Unda Maris; Three
Pieces; encircling, unfolding; Happy Birthday Mr Lambert
Michael Bonaventure (organ) rec. 2010
SFZ MUSIC SFZM0610 [78:39] 
[BBr]
Some
fine music which is worth investigating.
Great
Pianists: Alfred Cortot Works
by Purcell, Bach, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns & Franck
rec. 1929-37
NAXOS
HISTORICAL 8.111381
[DC]
A
real treat.
Departures
Lennox BERKELEY (1903 - 1989)
Tombeaux Roger QUILTER (1877 - 1953)
Four Songs of Mirza Schaffy Giles SWAYNE
(b.1946) The Joys of Travel Benjamin BRITTEN
(1913 - 1976) Quatre Chansons Françaises Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872 - 1958) Songs of Travel
Benjamin Hulett (tenor), Alexander Soddy (piano) rec. 2009
SAPHRANE S62611 [68:31]
[BBr]
Benjamin
Hulett has the ability to tell a story and engage us in the telling.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
In Dulci Jubilo -
Romantic Choral Music for Christmas
Norddeutscher Figuralchor/Jörg Straube rec. 2009
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM GOLD 
MDG947 1651-6 [74:57]
[CC]
This
is a tremendous Christmas disc with a difference. Romantic period choral
writing - a superb collection.
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
English String Music
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Introduction
& Allegro, Serenade, Elegy, Sospiri Ralph VAUGHAN
WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Tallis & Greensleeves Fantasias
Frederick DELIUS (1862-1934) Brigg
Fair
Sinfonia
of London, New PO, Hallé O/Sir John Barbirolli rec. 1962-70
EMI
CLASSICS MASTERS 6317882
[BBr]
These
performances defy criticism. They really don’t make them like this any
more.
Christoph
Eschenbach: The Early Recordings
Christoph
Eschenbach (piano) London SO/Hans Werner Henze, Boston SO/Seiji Ozawa
rec. 1966-74
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9189
[6 CDs: 328:19] [WH]
Very
much a mixed bag, but the best is outstanding.
O
felici orecchi miei!
- Vecchie e celebri canzoni napoletane
Domenico Balzani (baritone) Ludo Mariën (accordion) Macri Simone (piano)
PHAEDRA 292023 [59:06]
[GF]
Finely
judged and quite restrained singing. Nothing of the Pavarotti exhibitionist
– and very refreshing it is, filled with joy.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH An
evening with Renée Fleming
Renée Fleming (soprano) Berlin PO/Ion Marin rec. live, 2010
EUROARTS 
2058078 [125:00]
[RJF]
In
excellent vocal form, in a stunning visual and acoustic location, Renée
Fleming enthusiasts, as well as opera lovers in general, should not
hesitate.
Samson
François (piano) –
The Chopin Recordings
Monte Carlo National Opera O/Louis Frémaux rec. 1954-69
EMI CLASSICS ICON 4553572 [10 CDs: 754:55]
[JW]
If
it’s just Francois’s Chopin you’re after then you can’t beat this for
price, or space-saving practicality.
French
Ballet Music by Delibes, Debussy,
Saint-Saëns, Berlioz, Gounod & Massenet
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Thomas Beecham rec. 1957-9
EMI CLASSICS 6318162 [70:23]
[SV]
Sir
Thomas Beecham's aristocratic interpretations have always been an acquired
taste.
The
Gala Concerts
From Vienna, Berlin and Dresden rec. 1998-2005
EUROARTS 2058219
[4 DVDs: 285:00]
[RJF]
The
Verdi concert is the pick of this selection of these so-called Gala
Concerts, some of which should come with a health warning.
Girona
XXI Vol. 3 Jordi CERVELLÓ (b.1935) Clarinet Concertino
Moisès BELTRAN (b.1967) Esguards
silents Miquel ROGER (b.1954) Divertimento
per a Cordes
Josep Fuster (clarinet) Joan Carlos Martínez (guitar) rec. 2009
COLUMNA MUSÍCA 1CM0236 [39 :53]
[GPu]
Three
interesting and diverse works, well played – but the CD offers rather
short measure.
The
Golden Age of Light Music War and Peace
1940-49
GUILD GLCD 5171 [78:50] 
[BBr]
Such
variety and so much to enjoy.
The
Golden Era of Light Music - Lightly Classical rec. 1942-59
GUILD
GLCD 5172 [79:34]
[JW]
Well
transferred, and splendidly annotated, as ever.
Alfred
Hertz - The Complete Recordings - Volume 4
San
Francisco SO/Alfred Hertz, Detroit SO/Ossip Gabrilowitsch
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC233 [65:06]
[JW]
Consistently
excellent work on behalf of Hertz, and I’m curious as to what’s
next from this team.
Hidden
Acoustics Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Sonata for solo violin Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Partita 2
Ruth Palmer (violin) rec. 2008
HIDDEN ACOUSTICS NI6133 [60:19]
[AM]
A
stunning recital by a brilliant violinist, recorded in clear but rich
sound.
The
London Harp Sound
The London Harp Sound/Geoffrey Simon rec. 2008
CALA CACD0119 [67:22]
[JW]
Harps
in all their refulgent glory.
The
Jazz Age for Piano Duo
Anthony Goldstone & Caroline Clemmow (piano duo) rec. 2010
DIVINE ART DDA25089 [70:43]
[JW]
This
is a sparkling and vivacious disc, marvellously played, and not just
for jazzers only.
Jonas
Kaufmann –
Verismo Arias
Jonas Kaufmann (tenor) O dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia,
Roma/Antonio Pappano rec. 2010
DECCA 478 2258 [61:52]
[ST]
Kaufmann’s many fans need not hesitate, he is on excellent form throughout.
Love
Songs
Anne
Sofie von Otter (mezzo) Brad Mehldau (piano) rec. 2010
NAÏVE V5241 [79.06]
[KM]
A
crossover album that features two excellent musicians.
Click
for alphabetical listings by composer:
[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]
[last 5 days] [Recommended
recordings]
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