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The Romantic Generation: Charles Rosen (piano) Music
of Chopin, Liszt & Schumann from NI2559 CD
Rreview
Mountain Songs -Robert Beaser from NIM2560 CD
review
Beethoven piano Sonatas -Feltsman from NI2561
Serge Prokofiev Six Pieces from the ballet Romeo and Juliet (1935) Dmitry
Shostakovich Seven Preludes from Op.34 (1933) Dmitry Shostakovich Sonata
for viola and piano, Op.14 from NI 6117 see CD
Review
Latest
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Mahler
Military Music
Bohuslav Martinů Le
Jour de Bonté (The Day of Charity) - opera with libretto
Nicolaus
Kraft (1778-1853) Cello Concertos
Vintage
Children’s Favourites –
48 original mono recordings from 1926 to 1959
The
Golden Age of the Gramophone –
The
42 Best Loved Popular Classical Recordings 1907-1945
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We are reducing
to 5 reviews most days during the Summer vacation period.
Friday
July 30th
Alan
HOVHANESS (1911–2000) Symphonies 7, 14 & 23 
TCM Wind O/Keith Brion, rec. 2008
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559385 [62:43] 
[JW]
Admirers
of the composer need not hesitate
Franz
LEHÁR (1870
- 1948) Der Zarewitsch
Alexandra Reinprecht, Christina Landshamer, Bayerischen Rundfunks Ch;
Münchner Rundfunkorchester/Ulf Schirmer rec. 2009
CPO 777 523-2 [62:53 + 59:48] 
[NB]
Instructive
but flawed
Leopold
MOZART (1719-1787)
Sinfonias
Münchener Kammerorchester/Hans Stadlmair rec. 1995/8
TUDOR 737 & 7066 [59:03 + 72:38]
[DC]
Consistent
quality - approved and appreciated
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) L’Italiana in Algeri
Lorenzo
Regazzo, Ruth Gonzalez, Transylvania State PCh, Virtuosi Brunensis/Alberto
Zedda rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.660284-85 [68:57 + 67:17] 
[JS]
The
freshness of new discovery
The
Golden Age of Light Music – British Cinema and Theatre Orchestras
Vol. 3
rec. 1927-39
GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD 5168 [79:23]
[JW]
Compiled
with a sure eye and ear
Thursday
July 29th
Aaron
COPLAND (1900 – 1990) Clarinet Concerto; Suite: Appalachian
Spring Gerald FINZI (1901 -1956) Clarinet
Concerto; Romance
Sarah Williamson (clarinet) O of the Swan/David Curtis rec. 2009
SOMM SOMMCD 244 [78:12]
[BBr]
There
are better versions
Pietro
MASCAGNI (1863-1945) Cavalleria Rusticana Ruggero
LEONCAVALLO (1857-1919) Pagliacci
José Cura, Ch & O Zurich Opera House/Stefano Ranzani rec. 2009
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101 490 
[151:00]
[IL]
A
visual treat with some impressive deliveries if it is not as memorable
as the best of Cav and Pag
Fanny
MENDELSSOHN-HENSEL (1805-1847) Piano works
Heather Schmidt (piano) rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570825 [67:18] 
[JW]
Genuine
verve and an animated refinement
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don
Juan, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Metamorphosen,
Tod und Verklärung
Staatskapelle Dresden/Herbert Blomstedt rec. 1987/89
DAL SEGNO DSPRCD050 [51:09 + 68:10]
[NB]
Versions
to return to with pleasure
Concert
Parisien à l'époque de Louis XV:
Jean-Philipp RAMEAU
(1683-1764) Troisième Concert Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) Quatuor Michel
BLAVET (1700-1768) Sonata Antoine
FORQUERAY (1672-1745) La Buisson Jean-Philipp
RAMEAU Cinquième Concert Jean-Marie
LECLAIR (1697-1764) Trio-sonata
Grégoire Jeay (transverse flute), Hélène Plouffe (violin), Juan Manuel
Quintana (viola da gamba), Luc Beauséjour (harpsichord) rec. 2009
ANALEKTA AN29926 [63:37]
[JV]
There
is more drama and contrast in French music than these interpretations
suggest
Wednesday
July 28th
Luigi
BOCCHERINI (1743-1805) Cello Concertos
Wen-Sinn Yang (cello); Streicherakademie Bozen/Georg Egger rec. 1999
ARTS
47754-8 ![[image]](sacd.jpg "boccherini-cello-concertos-egger-arts-clements-1.jpg")
[79:01]
[DC]
Skill
and refinement all round – won’t disappoint
Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1848) L’Elisir d’Amore
Siurina, Auty, Daza, Di Pasquale, Pretorian; The Glyndebourne Chorus;
London PO/Maurizio Benini rec. 2009
OPUS ARTE OA 1026 D [126:00]
[RF]
More
a provincial performance than that from an international house
Alun
HODDINOTT
(1929-2008) Variants for Orchestra, Night Music,
Sinfoniettas 1 & 3, The Sun
London SO, New PO/David Atherton, Norman Del Mar rec. 1967-75
LYRITA SRCD.333 [68.43]
[GH][RB]
I
can only strongly advise you to obtain your copy of this disc urgently
[GH] Music that is dissonant and pithy yet impressively approachable
[RB]
John
JEFFREYS
(b. 1927) Idylls and Elegies
Various performers
DIVINE ART DDA25082 [68:57]
[JQ]
An
excellent introduction to the music of John Jeffreys for those unacquainted
with it
John
JEFFREYS (b.1927)
Northumbria and beyond - Songs by John Jeffreys
Ian Partridge(tenor); Jennifer Partridge(piano) rec. 1991-4
DIVINE ART DDV24128 [72:38]
[JQ]
I
urge all lovers of English songs to seek out this very fine disc
Giovanni
Battista PERGOLESI
(1710)-1736) Stabat Mater, Salve Regina
Katia
Ricciarelli (soprano); Manuela Custer (alto); Francesco Baroni (organ)
I Filarmonici CO/Giorgio Croci rec. 1995
TACTUS TC711602 [60:07]
[J-PJ]
Uninspired
Igor
STRAVINSKY
(1882-1971) Le
Sacre du Printemps Silvestre REVUELTAS
(1899-1940) La
noche de los mayas
Simón Bolívar Youth O of Venezuela/Gustavo Dudamel rec. 2010
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8775 [64:07]
[JQ]
A
disc with that rare “Wow!” factor
The
5 Browns In Hollywood:
The 5 Browns rec. 2009
E1 ENTERTAINMENT EIE-CD-2041 [63:00]
[JW]
The
playing has vigour and panache
Images
and Impressions:
Music
for flute and harp including William ALWYN
(1905-1985) Naiades Vincent
PERSICHETTI (1915-1987) Serenade 10
Anthony PAYNE (b.1936) A 1940s Childhood
Andre JOLIVET (1905-1974) Alla Rustica
Judith Hall (flute); Elinor Bennett (harp) rec. 1989
NIMBUS NI5247 [59:45]
[CR]
An
excellent disc which has much to offer and deserves to be heard
Constantin
Silvestri –
A
Bournemouth Love Affair George ENESCU
(1881-1955) Symphony 1, Orchestral Suites Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony 29 Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Symphony 1 Constantin
SILVESTRI (1913-1969)
Three Pieces for Strings Antonin DVORÁK
(1841-1904) Slavonic Dances 3-5
Bournemouth SO/Constantin Silvestri rec. 1960s
NIMBUS ALLIANCE/RMA NI 6124 [70:33 + 76:13]
[NB][RB]
Heartfelt
exuberance, sensitivity and quicksilver fleetness
Tuesday
July 27th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
The Bach Cantata Pilgrimage - Volume 11 Cantatas for the 20th
& 21st Sundays after Trinity
Magdalena Kožená (soprano) Monteverdi Ch; English Baroque
Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner. rec. 2000
SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG 168 [64:55 + 80:10]
[JQ]
Those
who are collecting this excellent series should add this pair of discs
to their shelves as soon as possible
Giacomo
CARISSIMI (1605-1674)
Oratorios
Les Voix Baroques/Alexander Weimann rec. 2009
ATMA ACD2 2622 [67:42]
[MS]
A
splendid, atmospheric and technically precise and accurate collection
of four of Carissimi's lovely oratorios
John
FIELD (1782-1837)
Complete Piano Concertos
Paolo Restani (piano) Nice PO/Marco Guidarini rec. 2007/8
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93783 [4 CDs: 226:27]
[BW]
Enjoyable
and unjustly neglected music in recommendable performances and recordings
at a modest cost
George
GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
A Gershwin Songbook, I Got Rhythm, Piano Concerto
Aalborg SO/Wayne Marshal rec. 1992-5
EMI CLASSICS 6066882 [77:53]
[WK]
Creditable
performances of two Gershwin masterpieces
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Rosso :
Italian baroque arias by Sartorio, Stradela, Handel, Vivaldi,
Scarlatti, Porpora & Marcello
Patricia Petibon (soprano) Venice Baroque O/Andrea Marcon rec. 2009
DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 477 8763 [75:24]
[BW]
Well-known
and unknown arias, all made to sound superb
Monday
26th July
Cantate
Contarini
Marta Infante (mezzosoprano); Ars Atlántica/Manuel Vilas rec.
2008
ENCHIRIADIS EN 2027 [61:45]
[JV]
Great
stuff, outstanding performances - but no English translations of the
lyrics
26
Danish Violin Concertos - Vol.4 Niels
Wilhelm GADE (1817-1890) Carl NIELSEN
(1865-1931) Otto MALLING (1848-1915)
Axel GADE (1860-1921) Knudage
RIISAGER (1897-1974)
Kai
Laursen (violin) rec. 1966-78
DANACORD DACOCD 467-468 [60:41 + 63:03]
[NB]
Flaws
but credit to Kai Laursen and his prophet-in-the-wilderness role of
promoting so much music that he clearly cared passionately about
The
Great Pianists - Masters
of the Piano Roll Vol. 11
Shura Cherkassy and Leopold Godowsky (piano) rec. c. 1916-29
DAL SEGNO DSPRCD 051 [60:10]
[JW]
Reflects
central repertoire, erring on the side of panache, dance rhythms, and
sentiment
Migrations
Sofia GUBAIDULINA (b.1931) 7
Etüden fur Kontrabass, Pentimento Klaus
AGER (b.1946) Migrations
Sofia Gubaidulina (Donner-Tube); Ens Mobile rec. 2009
THOROFON CTH 2569 [60:04]
[MS]
Interesting
tonalities, concepts behind them and convincing execution to that end
Remembrance
of Things Past John DOWLAND
(1563-1626) Peter CROTON (b.1957)
Theresia
Bothe (soprano); Peter Croton (lute); Derek Lee Ragin rec. 2009
GUILD GMCD 7341 [62:34]
[JW]
A
somewhat out of the way disc
We
had great success with selling the Haydn Symphonies as mp3
files put onto CD (see 
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