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RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johannes BRAHMS (1833 – 1897) Piano Sonata 3 Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873 – 1943) Piano Concerto 2 Julius Katchen (piano) New SO/Anatole Fistoulari rec. 1949/51 PRISTINE AUDIO PAKM035 [64:28] [BBr]

These performances are amongst the best available … see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Ruggero LEONCAVALLO (1857-1919) I Medici Plácido Domingo (tenor) Daniela Dessi (soprano) Ch & O Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/Alberto Veronesi rec. 2007 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON DG 477 7456 [78:43 + 46:21] [JS]

With luxury forces throwing themselves unsparingly into an idiomatic, well focused and vigorous performance this is a significant achievement and DG’s enterprise deserves to be richly rewarded

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Richard WAGNER (1813–1883)
Lohengrin Jonas Kaufmann (tenor) Anja Harteros (soprano) Ch & O Bayerische Staatsoper/Kent Nagano rec. 2009 DECCA 0743387 [2 DVDs: 207:00] [ST]

Marvellous singing and intelligent stagecraft

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

 

BARGAINS OF THE MONTH

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Symphony 8 Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko rec. 2009 NAXOS 8.572392 [61:57] [JQ] [BBr]

A powerful, stirring performance of this dark, brooding symphony [JQ] A real success [BBr] ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Sir Adrian Boult The 1956 Nixa-Westminster stereo recordings, Vol. 1 Sir William WALTON (1902-1983) Symphony 1 Sir Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Falstaff, Symphony 2, Cockaigne Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) Soirées musicales, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Matinées musicales, Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia London PO/Sir Adrian Boult rec. 1956 FIRST HAND RECORDS FHR06 [3 CDs: 77:05 + 76:34 + 75:59]

A splendid set, which all admirers of Sir Adrian Boult should hear [JQ] These recordings have never sounded as good. [RB]

 

 

 

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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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