Superbudget £5.99 or less 
Budget £6-7.99 
Medium £8-10.99 
Full price £11+
Download
A
Musical Journey –
Italy: Ravenna, Venice, Faenza with music by Mozart Ravenna:
Mosaic Factory; Venice: Basilica of San Marco, Carnival Masks and Carnival;
Faenza: Majolica Factory 
NAXOS 
2.110237
[52.50]
[MMB]
Good
value for money, though a little dull, still pleasant enough ... see
Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH De Angelis Anneliina
Koskinen (soprano, diatonic C-flute, reed pipe, bells, Loriman
pipe, tenor rebec, symphonia, Celtic harp, 5 stringed kantele)
rec. 2008 ALBA
ABCD282 [61:06] [EM]
This
disc completely captivated me ... see Full
Review
Argerich
& Freire - Salzburg
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
Variations on a Theme by Haydn Sergei RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943) Symphonic Dances Franz SCHUBERT
(1797-1828) Grand Rondeau Maurice RAVEL
(1875-1937) La Valse
Martha Argerich (piano); Nelson Freire (piano) rec. live, 2009
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8570 [72:27]
[MC]
A
thrilling live recital ... see Full
Review
Birth
of the String Quartet Alessandro
SCARLATTI (1660-1725) Sonata a Quattro Giovanni
Battista SAMMARTINI (1700-1775) Sinfonia per archi Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) String Quartet K80 Luigi
BOCCHERINI (1743-1805) String Quartet Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) String Quartet Op. 9/4 Casal
Qt rec. February 2009 SOLO
MUSICA SM126 CD [68:56] [JS]
Deserves
to be popular well beyond those already addicted to string quartets
or to music of this period … see Full
Review
Boult
Conducts English Music Sir
Malcolm ARNOLD (1921-2006) English Dances Sir
Arnold BAX (1883-1953) Tintagel Sir
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Bavarian Dances, Chanson
de matin, Chanson de nuit Gustav
HOLST (1874-1934) The Perfect Fool George
BUTTERWORTH (1885-1916) A Shropshire Lad, The
Banks of Green Willow Sir William
WALTON (1902-1983) Siesta London
PO/Sir Adrian Boult
rec. 1954 PRISTINE
AUDIO
PASC193 [79:43] [JQ]
Examples
of one of Britain’s finest conductors in his prime ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Cantare - La
voix de la Harpe Isabelle
Moretti (harp) Dame Felicity Lott (soprano)
rec. 2009 NAÏVE
V5186 [78:29] [JQ]
A
delectable experience ... see Full
Review
Clarinet
Variations Jean
FRANCAIX (1912 - 1997) Clarinet Concerto Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792 - 1868) Introduction, Theme and Variations Brian
BOYDELL (1917 - 2000) Elegy and Capriccio Charles
Villiers STANFORD (1852 - 1924) Clarinet Concerto Archibald
James POTTER (1918 - 1980) Fantasy John
Finucane (clarinet)
RTÉ Ntl SO/Robert Houlihan rec. 2009 RTÉ LYRIC
FM CD124 [76:25] [HC]
Not
just a visiting card highlighting Finucane’s virtuosity and
impeccable technique but also a rewarding cross-section of the
artist’s broad repertoire … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Concerto
Italiano Domenico
DALL’OGLIO (c.1700
- 1764) Violin
Concerto Michele STRATICO (1728 - after
1782) Violin Concerto Pietro NARDINI (1722
- 1793) Violin Concerto Antonio LOLLI (1725
- 1802) Violin Concerto Giuliano
Carmignola (violin) Venice Baroque O/Andrea Marcon
rec. 2009 ARCHIV
477
6606 [81.40] [RH]
Four
18th century Italians whose music is dazzling - buy
it ... see Full Review
Don
Quijote al Piano Ernesto
HALFFTER (1905-1989) Serenata
a Dulcinea Roberto GERHARD (1896-1970) Danzas
de Don Quijote Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Don
Quixote Ana
Vega-Toscano (piano)
rec. 2008 COLUMNA
MÚSICA 1CM0233 [43:36] [JF]
I
enjoyed all the music on this CD ... see Full
Review
The
Elephant and the Fly Chick
COREA (b.1941) Trio for flute, bassoon and
piano Kenny G (b.1956) Esther Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797 - 1848) Trio Franz
von SUPPE (1819-1895) Idyll Johann
Wilhelm GANGLBERGER (1876 - 1938) Konzertidyll “tirili”,
My Teddybear Henri KLING (1842-1918) The
Elephant and the Fly Rudolf
Huber (flute); Wolfgang Kuttner (bassoon); Otto Probst (piano);
Ulrike Mattanovich (harp); Oskar Moser (double-bass) rec. 2008 VMS
203 [62:52] [CR]
Much
to enjoy … see Full Review
The
English Viola Arthur
BLISS (1890 - 1975) Viola Sonata Frederick
DELIUS (1862 - 1934) Violin Sonata 3 Frank
BRIDGE (1879 - 1941) Short works Enikö Magyar
(viola); Tadashi Imai (piano)
rec. 2009 NAXOS
8.572407 [67:52] [JW]
Announces
another highly impressive young violist and duo ... see Full
Review
France
- A Musical Journey: Cathedrals
and Megaliths, Calvaries and Tapestries from Brittany to the
Loire Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924) Requiem, Pavane, Sicilienne, Berceuse Oxford
Camerata/Jeremy Summerly,
Slovak RSO/Keith Clark NAXOS
2.110249 [77.56] [RJF]
Less
a tourist mélange, more a visually uplifting spiritual experience
to Fauré’s ethereal music ... see Full
Review
French
and Brazilian Piano Music
CD 1 Francis POULENC (1899 - 1963) CD
2
Heitor VILLA-LOBOS (1887 -1959) Frutuoso
VIANNA (1896 - 1976) Francisco MIGNONE
(1897 - 1986)
Elizabeth Powell (piano) rec. March and November 1959 (Brazilian works);
December 1960 (Poulenc) Burnham, BuckinghamshireCD 2 is a re-issue of
Lyrita RCS 22 and CD 1 has recordings receiving first ever issue
LYRITA REAM 2111 [47:06 + 46:12]
[JW]
What
an unusual, unexpected and pleasant restoration ... see Full
Review
French
Flute Chamber Music Marcel
TOURNIER (1879-1951) Suite Op.34 [13:46]; Florent
SCHMITT (1870-1958) Suite en rocaille Op. 84 (1937)
[13:41]; Gabriel PIERNÉ (1863-1937)
Variations libres et finale, Op. 51 (1933) [10:52]; Jean
FRANCAIX (1912-1997) Quintette (1932) [9:16]; Albert
ROUSSEL (1869-1937) Sérénade, Op. 30 (1925) [15:53]
Mirage
Quintet (Robert Aitken (flute); Erica Goodman (harp); Jacques Israeilivitch
(violin); Teng Li (viola); Winona Zelenka (cello)) rec. 6-9 October
2007, St Anne’s Church, Toronto, Canada. DDD
NAXOS 8.570444 [63:53]
[CR]
A
wonderful range of expression, unity and sensitivity. The music has
much to offer. ... see Full Review
Oskar
Fried – Volume 4 Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony No. 7 in E (1881-83) [56:41]
Richard WAGNER (1813–1883) Der fliegende
Holländer – Summ ‘und brumm’. Du gutes Rädchen (1843)
[3:46] Lohengrin – Treulich gefürt (1850) [3:30] Tannhäuser- Freudig
begrüssen wir die edle Halle (1845) Tannhäuser- Beglückt darf nun dich
(1845) [3:22] Carl Maria von WEBER
(1786-1826)
Der Freischütz – Was gleicht wohl (1817) [2:51] Pietro
MASCAGNI (1863–1945)
Cavalleria rusticana – Regina coeli (1890) [4:25] 
Choir and Orchestra of the Staatsoper Berlin/Oskar Fried rec. c.1924
(Bruckner) and 1927, Berlin
MUSIC & ARTS CD-1231 (1) [79:07] 
Fluidity
and relatively speedy intent, saturated with a degree of metrical coming
and going ... see Full Review
The
Fringes of the Fleet
John ANSELL
(1874-1948) Overture:
Plymouth Hoe [7:29] Sir Edward ELGAR
(1857-1934) The Fringes of the Fleet (The Lowestoft Boat
[3:58]; Fae's Discourtesy [3:31]; Submarines [2:40]; The Sweepers [3:27];
Inside the Bar [2:30]); Big Steamers [3:04] John
IRELAND (1879-1962) The Soldier [2:34]; Blow Out,
You Bugles [3:04] Sir Edward ELGAR
(1857-1934) Elegy for Strings [4:31] Haydn
WOOD (1882-1959) A Manx Overture - The Isle of Mountains
and Glens [7:59]Sir Edward GERMAN
(1862 -1936) Big Steamers [2:58] John
ANSELL (1874-1948) Overture: The Windjammer [8:27]
Haydn WOOD
(1882-1959) March: Elizabeth of England [5:05]
Roderick
Williams, Nicholas Lester, Duncan Rock, Laurence Meikle, (baritones).
Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra/Tom Higgins rec. All Hallows Church,
Gospel Oak, London, 9-10 May 2009 DDD
SOMM SOMMCD243 [61:26]
[RB]
Well
worth a listen! ... see Full Review
Wilhelm
Furtwängler - Early Recordings Vol. 4 Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Lohengrin Prelude
to Act I, Tristan und Isolde Prelude & Liebestod, Götterdämmerung Siegfried’s
funeral music Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Hungarian
Dances 1 & 10 Johann STRAUSS (1825-1899) Die
Fledermaus Overture Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Till
Eulenspiegel Berlin
PO/Wilhelm
Furtwängler
rec. 1930-6 NAXOS
HISTORICAL
8.111005 [63:19] [RMay]
One
of the most controversial - and fascinating - artists of his time
... see Full Review
The
Golden Age of Light Music
- A Box of Light Musical Allsorts
rec.
1951-58
GUILD GLCD5157 [77:51]
The Golden Age of Light Music - That's Light Musical Entertainment
rec. 1950-58
GUILD GLCD5158 [78:29] [JW]
Two
pleasing selections ... see Full
Review
The
Golden Age of Light Music: The
1930s revisited GUILD
LIGHT MUSIC GLCD5163 [78:55] [BW]
Follows
the earlier volumes in offering wonderful escapism ... see Full
Review
Howard
Goodall’s Choir Works rec.
1997 WARNER
MUSIC
ENTERTAINMENT 50-51865-3700-2 [145:00] [JQ]
A
bright and breezy but very interesting guide to varied aspects of choral
traditions ... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Caroline
Goulding
(violin) Fritz KREISLER (1875-1962) Gypsy
Caprice & other short pieces John CORIGLIANO (b.1938) Red
Violin Caprices Paul SCHOENFIELD (b.1947) Four
Souvenirs Henri VIEUXTEMPS (1820-1881) Souvenir
d'Amérique George GERSHWIN (1898-1937) Selections
from "Porgy and Bess" TRADITIONAL Cape
Breton Island Fiddling w/Christopher
O'Riley (piano)
rec. 2009 TELARC
CD80744 [67:31] [OL]
Amazing
musicality, virtuosity with a personality ... see Full
Review
Great
Pianists –
Volume 1 Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano Concerto No. 4 in G, Op. 58 (1805/6) [32:52] ¹
Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Konzertstück (1821) [16:14] ² Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873 - 1943) Variations on a Theme of Paganini,
Op. 43 (1934) [21:53] ³
Wilhelm Backhaus (piano); New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Guido Cantelli,
rec. live 1956 ¹ Lili Kraus (piano); Concertgebouw Orchestra/Pierre
Monteux, rec. live 1939 ² Artur Rubinstein (piano); New York Philharmonic
Orchestra/Victor De Sabata, rec. live c.1953 ³
GUILD GHCD 2349 [71:02] [JW]
Boredom
is not on the agenda ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jag & Jersey Libby
LARSEN (b.1950) Yellow Jersey, Corker James
M. DAVID (b.1978) E-TYPE Jag Norbert
BURGMÜLLER (1810 - 1836) Duo Jean
FRANÇAIX (1912 - 1997) Tema con Variazioni Scott
McALLISTER (b.1969) Black Dog Linda
Cionitti (clarinet) rec. 2008 MSR
CLASSICS
MS1329 [61:03] [NB]
A
veritable box of unexpected delights - a disc I urge you to hear … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Simon
Keenlyside Recital Franz SCHUBERT
(1797-1828)
Hugo WOLF (1860-1903) Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Maurice RAVEL
(1875-1937) Francis POULENC (1899
– 1963)
Simon Keenlyside (baritone); Malcolm Martineau (piano) rec. live, Wigmore
Hall, London, 26 October 2008. DDD Original texts and English translations
included
WIGMORE HALL LIVE WHLIVE0031 [74:08]
[JQ]
A
quite exceptional recital disc ... see Full
Review
Lava -
Opera Arias from 18th Century Napoli by Pergolesi, Vinci, Porpora,
Leo and Hasse Simone
Kermes (soprano) Le Musiche Nove/Claudio Osele
rec. 2008 DEUTSCHE
HARMONIA
MUNDI 88697 541212 [76:47] [JV]
The
merits outweigh the demerits - no one interested in baroque opera
should miss this disc ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH London Mozart Players:
the complete HMV stereo recordings Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphonies 28 & 41,
Concertos for Two PianosJuan Crisóstomo
de ARRIAGA (1806-1826) Symphony Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphony 103 Vitya
Vronsky, Victor Babin (pianos) London Mozart Players/Harry Blech
rec. 1955-7 FIRST
HAND REMASTERS FHR05 [3 CDs: 67:58 + 64:05 + 67:21] [JS]
An
irresistible bargain and a worthy memorial to Harry Blech … see Full
Review
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]
EXPLORE
MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL 
