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Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No. 7 in E Minor (1905) [77:31]
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Mariss Jansons rec. 8-9
March 2007, live, Philharmonie im Gasteig, Munich
BR KLASSIK 
403571900101
[77:31] 
[GD]
A
performance that emphasises every detail ... see Full
Review
Gustav
MAHLER
(1860-1911)
Symphony No. 9 in D (1910) [83:33] 
Bamberger Symphoniker/Jonathan Nott rec. 15–19 September 2008, Konzerthalle
Bamberg, Joseph-Keilberth-Saal.
TUDOR 7162 SACD
[45:25 + 38:08]
[JQ]
A
very fine achievement ... see Full
Review
José
MARÍN (1618-1699)
Songs see
GUERAU
Bohuslav
MARTINU Concerto
for oboe and Small Orchestra see Beethoven
Bohuslav
MARTINU
(1890-1959) Overture, Piano concertos 2 & 4, Les
Fresques de Piero della Francesca
Robert Kolinsky (piano) Basel SO/Vladimir Ashkenazy
rec. 2005/7
ONDINE ODE 1158-2 [65:54]
[RB]
If
you are looking for a single recently recorded disc to represent Martinu
then look no further ... see Full
Review
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ (1890
- 1959) Complete Piano Music - Volume 7 Giorgio
Koukl (piano)
rec. 2008 NAXOS
8.572025 [54:52] [BBr]
This
will not disappoint … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Peter MAXWELL
DAVIES
(b.
1934) The Naxos String Quartets (2002-2007)
Maggini Quartet (Laurence Jackson (violin 1); David Angel (violin 2);
Martin Outram (viola); Michal Kaznowski (cello)) Each of the five CDs
available separately but also as complete boxed set
NAXOS 8.505225 [5 CDs: 72.39 + 56.10 + 55.39 + 72.35 + 63.54]
[GH]
Take
the plunge and purchase. There is much food for thought locked in this
set. ... see Full Review
Simon MAYR
(1763-1845)
Tobiae matrimonium
Stefanie Irányi (mezzo) Cornelia Horak (soprano) Simon Mayr Ch
& Ens/Franz Hauk (director and harpsichord) rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570752-53 [56.36 + 38.43]
[GPu]
A
fascinating piece, winningly played and sung … see Full
Review
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) The Hebrides Overture,
Symphony 4 Felipe BOERO (1884-1958) El
Matrero O
La Scala Milan, Teatro Colón O/Ettore Panizza rec. 1928-31 PRISTINE
AUDIO PASC 189 [67:15] [JW]
Good,
imaginative work all round ... see Full
Review
Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809 - 1847) String Quartets - Vol. 2 Quartets 2 & 5 New Zealand Qt
rec. 2007 NAXOS 8.570002 [78:35] [BBr]
Intelligent music making … see Full Review
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Magnificat,
String Symphony 12,
Ave Maria Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Magnificat Yale
Voxtet,
Schola Cantorum & Collegium Players/Stephen Carrington rec. 2008 NAXOS
8.572161 [65.56] [RH]
Buy
it if you are interested in early Mendelssohn. His Magnificat is
strongly performed ... see Full
Review
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809 – 1847) Violin Sonata see FRANCK
Gian Carlo MENOTTI
(1911-2007)
Amahl and the Night Visitors, My
Christmas Ike Hawkersmith (treble) Nashville SO &
Ch/Alastair Willis (Amahl); George Mabry (My Christmas) rec. 3-6 December
2006/7
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.669019 [61:36]
[DM]
This
Amahl is a real cracker … see Full
Review
Giacomo
MEYERBEER (1791-1864) Meyerbeer on Record
1899-1913 MARSTON
53009-2 [3
CDs:
77:57 + 78:01 + 78:16] [JW]
Great
Meyerbeer singing on record ... see Full
Review
Darius
MILHAUD
(1892-1974)
Orchestral and Piano Works CD 1 [43:46] La création du
monde - ballet, Op. 81 (1923) [16:47] Saudades do Brasil,
Op. 67 (no 7, Corcovado; no 9, Sumaré; no 8, Tijuca;
no 11, Larenjeiras) (1920-1921) [7:25] Le boeuf sur le toit
- ballet, Op. 58 (1919) [19:35] ORTF National Orchestra/Leonard
Bernstein CD 2 [70:16] Scaramouche for two pianos Op.
165b (1937) [8:05] Le Bal martiniquais for two pianos Op. 249
(1944) (Chanson Créole 2:32; Biguine 4:44) Paris for four pianos
Op. 284 () [10:26] Le Carnaval d'Aix for piano and orchestra
(1926) [16:08] Suite française for orchestra, Op. 248 (1944)
[13:42] Suite provençale for orchestra, Op. 152b (1936) [13:26]
Michel
Béroff; Jean-Philippe Collard; Christian Ivaldi; Noel Lee (pianos) Orchestre
Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo/Georges Prêtre rec. 12-13 November 1976,
Salle Wagram, Paris (Bernstein); 1971, Paris (pianos), 1983, Monte-Carlo
(CD2). ADD/DDD
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9007 [43:46 + 70:16]
[RB]
An
inexpensive and spirited introduction to Milhaud ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
MINKUS (1826-1917) La Bayadère Act IV
see ADAM
Benna
MOE (1897-1983)
Six Instructive Studies see Romantic
Piano Works by Danish Women Composers
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567–1643) Sacred
Music & Madrigals Taverner
Consort, Taverner Choir and Taverner Players/Andrew Parrott VIRGIN
CLASSICS 9669652 [5 CDs: 314:35] [MC]
Andrew
Parrott and his forces are in impeccable form in these mainly sacred
works from Monteverdi ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791)
Violin concerto 3 Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Violin concerto
Gioconda De Vito (violin) Royal PO/Sir Thomas Beecham, German Opera
House O, Berlin/Paul van Kempen rec. 1941/9
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111349 [63:57]
[RMay]
Eye-opening
and bargain-priced accounts of considerable interest ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
The Complete Operas
DECCA
4781600 [44 CDs]
[RF]
A
very strong contender as first recommendation for the complete Mozart
operas heard in classic recordings. … see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756 -1791) Die Entführung
aus dem Serail Kurt
Streit (tenor) Aga Winska (soprano) Ch & O Wiener Staatsoper/Nikolaus
Harnoncourt rec. live, 1989 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 0734540 [137.27 + 61.03] 
[RMK]
A
strong production but somewhat light on main character charisma
... see Full Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano
Concerto 22 Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849) Piano
Concerto 2 Mindru
Katz (piano) BBC Welsh SO, BBC Scottish SO/Yuval Zaliouk rec.
1974/5 CEMBAL
D’AMOUR
CD142 [66:16] [JW]
Nobility,
unostentatious filigree, tonal allure and digital excellence ...
see Full Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) String Quartet K80 see Birth
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony 29 see
BEETHOVEN
Otto
NICOLAI (1810-1849)
Il
Templario - Melodramma in three acts (1839-40) Kauta
Räsänen (bass) – Cedrico il Sassone; Stanley Jackson (tenor) – Vilfredo
d’Ivanhoe, his son; Judith Kuhn (soprano) – Ravena, his lover and Cedrico’s
ward; Andreas Kindschuh (baritone) – Luca di Beaumanoir, grand master
of the templars; Hans Christoph Begemann (baritone) – Briano di Bois-Gilbert,
templar knight; André Riemer (tenor) – Isacco di York; Tiina Penttinen
(mezzo) – Rebecca, his daughter
Chor der Oper Chemnitz, Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie/Frank Beermann
rec. live, Theater Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany, 7 March 2008 Booklet
notes in German, English and French; Libretto in Italian, German and
English
CPO 777 4324-2 [69.33 + 79.11]
[MMB]
Commendable,
enjoyable though not memorable ... see Full
Review
Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931)
Cantatas
Jens Albinus (recitation); Ditte Højgaard Andersen (soprano); Mathias
Hedegaard (tenor); Palle Knudsen (baritone); The Danish National Opera
Chorus; Vox Aros, male-choir; Aarhus Cathedral Choir; Aarhus Symphony
Orchestra/Bo Holten rec. 2009 DACAPO
8.226079 [65:52]
[RB]
Sturdy
celebratory music spliced with modest amounts of Nielsen's freshness
and originality. ... see Full
Review
Leo
ORNSTEIN
(1893-2001) Compete Works for Cello and Piano:-
Joshua Gordon (cello) Randall Hodgkinson (piano) rec. December 2005,
Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts
NEW WORLD RECORDS 80655-2 [74:50]
[JW]
New
World hits all the right notes with this release ... see Full
Review
Giovanni
Pierluigi da PALESTRINA
(1525 - 1594)
Missa Papae Marcelli, Missa l’Homme Armé
Pro
Cantione Antiqua/Bruno Turner, Mark Brown rec. 1980/90
ALTO ALC1061 [78:45]
[RH]
The
performers wear their learning lightly and never has musical archaeology
been produced with such intelligence ... see Full
Review
Bartlomiej
PEKIEL (d.1670) Missa
Pulcherrima [27:12] Sub tuum praesidium [02:19] Grzegorz
Gerwazy GORCZYCKI (1667-1734) Stabat
mater [03:08] Dignare me, laudare te [02:43] Gaude
Maria virgo [02:27] Tota pulchra es Maria [03:05] Rorate
caeli [02:11] Vocal
Octet Octava/Zygmunt Magiera rec. June-July 2009, St Stanislas,
Bishop & Martyr Royal Cathedral, Wawel Hill, Cracow, Poland.
DDD DUX
0727 [43:04] [JV]
Performances
and recording make it impossible to endorse this disc without
reservation ... see Full Review
Tango! Astor
PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) La
Muerte Del Angel, Oblivion, Le Grand Tango, Four
for Tango, Las Cuatro Estaciones Portenas,
Libertango Moritzburg
Festival
Ens
rec. 2008 SONY
CLASSICS
88697 328032 [55:09] [CR]
Exuberant
playing and one has a sense of the players giving it their all … see Full
Review
Astor
PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) Piazzolla’s
Best Tangos (arr. piano by A. Delle-Vigne) Aquiles
Delle-Vigne (piano)
rec. 1989 NAXOS
DIGITAL 8.572331 [62:51] [BR]
On
piano, the tango is intimate, not fiery, but still wonderful …see Full
Review
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Sonata
7 see Shehori
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Manon
Lescaut Maria
Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Ch & O La Scala, Milan/Tullio
Serafin
rec. 1957 Appendix: Di Stefano singing Puccini arias rec. 1955 NAXOS
HISTORICAL
8.112031-32 [76.09 + 59.09] [RJF]
One
of Callas’s best Puccini realisations recreated by master
magician restorer Mark Obert-Thorn ... see Full
Review
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Puccini Ritrovato (Puccini
Rediscovered) Plácido
Domingo (tenor) Violeta Urmana (soprano) Vienna PO/Alberto
Veronesi rec. 2008 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 477 7455 [63:47] [MC]
Should
prove a veritable treasure chest of the fascinating and rarely heard
... see Full Review
Henry
PURCELL
(1659-1695)
Harpsichord suites and other works
Olivier Baumont (harpsichord/virginal)
ERATO 2564 68655-6 [63.51]
[GH]
A
very useful collection ... see Full
Review
Henry
PURCELL
(1659-1695)
The Fairy Queen (1693) [119:37]
Barbara Bonney (soprano); Elisabeth von Magnus (soprano); Sylvia McNair
(soprano); Michael Chance (counter-tenor); Laurence Dale (tenor); Robert
Holl (bass)Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Concentus Musicus Vienna/Nikolaus
Harnoncourt rec. Musikverein, Vienna, December 1994. DDD
DAS ALTE WERK 2564 686981 [59:20 + 60:17]
[JPJ]
Subtlety
and feeling … see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sergei RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943) Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 (1940) [35:47] The
Isle of the Dead, Op. 29 (1906) [20:58] The Rock - Fantasy,
Op. 7 (1893) [13:01]
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko rec. 5-6 September
2008; 23 September 2009. DDD
AVIE AV2188 [70:09]
[JQ] [RB]
Magnificent
performances, stunningly recorded [JQ] Certainly one to go for [RB]
... see Full Review
Sergei
RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943) Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27 (1908) [54:05]
Vocalise,
Op. 34, No. 14 (1915) [6:38]
Detroit Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin rec. Orchestra Hall, Detroit,
USA, 24–27 September 2009
NAXOS 8.572458 [60:43]
[WH]
Fine
playing, but more satisfying versions are available … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gioachino ROSSINI
(1792-1868)
Colbran the Muse
Joyce DiDonato (mezzo) Ch & O Accademia Nazionale
di Santa Cecilia, Rome/Edoardo Müller rec. 2009
VIRGIN CLASSICS 6945790 [72.05]
[RJF]
An
outstanding disc for all lovers of singing. Its high standard marks
it out as one that will be around for a long time ... see Full
Review
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Symphonic Dances see Argerich
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Daphnis
et Chloé Suite 2, Valses nobles et sentimentales, La
Valse, Ma Mère l’Oye Suite Rotterdam
PO/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
rec. 2007 EMI
CLASSICS
9663422 [62:02] [WH]
A
fine collection, though even finer individual performances are available
… see Full Review
Maurice
RAVEL
(1875-1937) Daphnis
et Chloé (1912) [56:23]
Boléro (1928) [14:56] La Valse (1920) [12:27] Ma Mère
l’Oye (1908-12) [28:54] Claude DEBUSSY
(1862-1918) Jeux (1913) [18:15] Prélude
à l’après-midi d’un faune (1894) [10:31]
Chorus of the Paris Opera Orchestre de Paris (Ravel); Orchestre National
de l’ORTF/Jean Martinon rec. Salle Wagram, Paris, July-November 1974
(Ravel) and February, March, June and September 1973 and January and
April 1974 (Debussy)
EMI CLASSICS 9 677342 [71:26 + 70:40]
[WH]
A
good basic collection, with three outstanding performances … see Full
Review
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) La Valse see Argerich
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Valentin
RATHGEBER (1682-1750) Concertos see JACOB
Pierre
RODE (1774 – 1830) Caprices for Solo
Violin Axel
Strauss (violin) rec. 2008 NAXOS
8.570958 [77:03] [NB]
As
a listening experience not as rewarding as other discs in the series
... see Full Review
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792 - 1868) Introduction, Theme and Variations see Clarinet
Variations
Christopher
ROUSE (b. 1949) Symphony 2, Flute Concerto,
Rapture Sharon
Bezaly (flute) Royal Stockholm PO/Alan Gilbert rec. 2003-7 BIS
BIS-CD-1586 [66:37] [HC]
Committed
and convincing readings of these superbly crafted scores ... see Full
Review
Albert
ROUSSEL (1869-1937) Symphony
1, Résurrection, Le marchand de sable qui passe Royal
Scottish
Ntl O/Stéphane Denève
rec. 2008/9 NAXOS
8.570323 [64:26] [LW]
Denève
continues his Roussel series in fine style with impressionist works
… see Full Review
Carl
RÜTTI
(b. 1949) Requiem
(2007) [55.02]
Olivia Robinson (soprano); Edward Price (baritone); Jane Watts (organ);
The Bach Choir; Southern Sinfonia/David Hill rec. St. Johns Smith Square,
London, 31 January- 1 February 2009
NAXOS 8.572317 [55.02]
[RH]
Approachable,
beautiful contemporary sacred music ... see Full
Review
Frederic
RZEWSKI (b.
1938) The
People United Will Never Be Defeated!, Winnsboro Cotton
Mill Blues Ralph
van Raat (piano) rec. 2007 NAXOS
8.559360 [73:05] [JFL]
A
great introduction to those who wish to poke in and see what Rzewski’s
compositions are all about … see Full
Review
Click
for alphabetical listings by composer:
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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]
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