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John
Luther ADAMS (b.
1953) Four Thousand Holes [32:51] … And Bells Remembered …
[10:06] 
Stephen Drury (piano) Scott Deal (percussion) The Callithumpian Consort/Stephen
Drury John Luther Adams, electronic “aura” rec. no date provided.
COLD
BLUE MUSIC CD 0035 [42:57]
[KM]
New
ambient-influenced music from a composer with much to say. Many may
dislike this album, others may love it. Which will you be?
William
ALWYN
(1905-1985) Symphony No. 1 (1949) [41:13] Symphony No. 4 (1959)
[35:14]
London Philharmonic Orchestra/William Alwyn recording data not given
LYRITA
SRCD.227 [76:33]
[SV]
All
told devotees of the British symphonists should find this worthwhile.
William
ALWYN (1905-1985) The Fairy Fiddler see
JOUBERT
Carl
Philipp Emanuel BACH
(1714-1788) Flute
Sonatas
Eckart Haupt (flute) Siegfried Pank (viola da gamba) Armin Thalheim
(harpsichord) rec. 1982
PHOENIX EDITION 452 [48:39] [CR]
Playing
consistently of a high standard in uncomplicated interpretations of
well written music.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg Variations
Steven
Devine (harpsichord) rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHACONNE CHAN 0780 [79:21]
[DC]
No
surprises, but certainly guaranteed high grade Goldbergs.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg Variations
Colin
Booth (harpsichord) rec. 2010
SOUNDBOARD RECORDS SBCD 210 [73:58]
[DC]
So,
you thought you knew the Goldberg Variations ...
Johan
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Partita No.5 , Concerto in F major in the Italian Style Prelude and
Fugue No.7, 9, 14, 22 Concerto in D minor for keyboard and strings
Glenn Gould (piano) Toronto Symphony Orchestra/Sir Ernest MacMillan*
rec. radio, 1952-1955
ISTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS 6614 [70:24]
[DC]
They
haven’t bothered, so why should we?
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Concerto No.1-5
Ramin Bahrami (piano) Gewandhausorchester/Riccardo Chailly rec. 2009
DECCA
478 2956 [74:42]
[DC]
The
one to have.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Christmas Oratorio
Barbara
Schlick, Michael Chance, Howard Crook, Peter Kooy, Ch & O of Collegium
Vocale Ghent/Philippe Herreweghe rec. 1989
VIRGIN CLASSICS 0963342 [78:09 + 71:33]
[GD]
Herreweghe
marshals his impressive forces to create a whole that is greater than
the sum of its parts.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685 - 1750) Thomanerchor Leipzig
- The Great Bach Tradition Excerpts from: St Matthew Passion,
St John Passion, Magnificat, Christmas Oratorio
Thomanerchor Leipzig, Dresdner Kreuzchor/Rudolf Mauersberger; Gewandhausorch
Leipzig, Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum
BERLIN CLASSICS 0300224BC [77:02]
[JV]
An
interesting disc documenting the interpretation of Bach's music by his
'own' choir during the 20th century.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) St John Passion
Ula
Graf (soprano) Marga Hoeffgen (alto) Julius Patzak (tenor) Gérard Souzay
(baritone) Walter Berry (bass) Vienna SO & Singakademie/Fritz Lehmann
rec. 1955
MUSIC & ARTS CD-1238 [63:24 + 56:50] [DC]
Interesting,
but ultimately one for the specialists.
Samuel
BARBER (1910 - 1981) Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
see WALTON
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Piano Concertos 1-3
András Schiff (piano) Budapest Fest Orch/Iván Fischer rec. 1996
WARNER APEX 2564 67437-8 [76:04]
[DM]
Peerless
performances, alert, alive, astounding.
Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Rhapsodies 1 & 2 see
KHATCHATURIAN
Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945)
The Miraculous Mandarin see BRITTEN
Amy
BEACH
(1867-1944) Piano
Music Volume 3 – The Mature Years
Kirsten Johnson (piano) rec. 2010,
GUILD GMCD 7351 [74:43] 
[JW]
If
you prefer a more carefree, light-hearted, beautifully deft Beach, go
for Johnson.
Jeremy
BECK
(b.1960) In
Flight Until Mysterious Night, Cello Sonata 2, Gemini, Slow
Motion, September Music,
IonSound Project, Margaret Andraso (soprano) rec.2009
INNOVA 797 [69:21]
[Byz]
Not
an essential purchase, then, but of those who do commit, few are likely
to find themselves feeling short-changed by this quality product.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Fidelio
Nina Stemme, Jonas Kaufmann, Mahler CO, Lucerne Festival O/Claudio Abbado
rec. 2010
DECCA 478 2551 [68:37 + 46:25]
[JQ]
This
Fidelio will surely be one of the most important releases of
2011. I urge you to hear it.
Ludwig
Van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony
5
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Der fliegende Hollander Overture Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Juan
Royal Opera House O, BBC SO/Sir Georg Solti rec. 1963-85
ICA CLASSICS ICAD5024 
[96:20]
[AM]
Solti’s
Strauss impresses most among these three BBC TV broadcasts.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony 9, The Creatures
of Prometheus Overture
Wilma Lipp, Ursula Boese, Fritz Wunderlich, Franz Crass, Wiener Singverein,
Philharmonia O/Otto Klemperer rec. 1960
IDIS 6615 [76:06]
[RMo]
The
Testament version is to be preferred.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphonies 4 & 7
Royal Flemish Philharmonic/Philippe Herreweghe rec. 2004
PENTATONE CLASSICS PTC 5186 315 
[75:40]
[DC]
Not
bad, but better can be had.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano Sonatas 8, 17 & 23
Ingrid Fliter (piano) rec. 2011,
EMI CLASSICS 094573 2 [72:58]
[WH]
Outstanding
performances of three favourite minor-key Beethoven sonatas.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Thirty-three
variations on a Waltz by Diabelli
Paul Lewis (piano) rec. 2009
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC 902071 [52:46] [JQ]
A
very fine reading of the ‘Diabelli’ Variations, which enhances still
further Paul Lewis’s reputation as a leading Beethoven interpreter.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Complete works for Solo Piano - Vol. 10
Bagatelles
Ronald Brautigam (fortepiano) rec. 2010
BIS-SACD-1882 [71:07]
[DC]
Staggering
in its range, this is a recording to treasure.
Ludwig
Van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) String Quartets 3, 5 and 16
Artemis
Qt rec. 2010/11
VIRGIN CLASSICS 0708342 [78:34]
[MC]
Admirable
rapport, remarkable technical prowess, near flawless intonation. Outstanding.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano
Concertos 4 & 5
Emil Gilels (piano) Philharmonia O/Leopold Ludwig rec. 1957
REGIS RRC1367 [72:09] [WH]
Magnificent
performances from Gilels and Ludwig, but the sound is a problem in one
of the concertos.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Violin
Concerto
Gidon Kremer (violin) ASMF/Sir Neville Marriner rec. 1980
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802064 [44:28] [RMo]
A
light, attractively played account but those incongruous Schnittke cadenzas!
Ludwig
Van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Fidelio
Bernd Aldenhoff, Christel Goltz, Chor der Staatsoper Dresden, Staatskapelle
Dresden/Joseph Keilberth rec. live, 1948
HÄNSSLER PROFIL PH10033 [70:44 + DVD]
[MC]
Defying
its sixty-six years the sound quality of Keilberth’s Fidelio is
certainly remarkable for its age.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concerto 1 see
Arrau
with Szell
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concerto 2 see
Martha Argerich
Ed
BENNETT (b.1975) Stop-Motion Music, Slow Down, Cartoon
Music, Monster, for JF, My Broken Machines, Ghosts
Decibel, Fidelio Trio, Paul Roe (bass clarinet) ConTempo Qtet, Garth
Knox (viola d’amore) rec. 2006-2010
NMC RECORDINGS D169 [73:32] [DC]
Very
good, but I’m still dry all over.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Hector BERLIOZ
(1803-1869) Roméo et Juliette
Olga Borodina (mezzo) Thomas Moser (tenor) Alastair Miles (bass) Bayerischen
Rundfunks Ch, Vienna PO/Sir Colin Davis rec. 1993
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802046 [53:12 + 43:07] [JQ]
If
you haven’t got a recording of this Berlioz masterpiece in your collection,
you really can’t do better than this.
Gustavo
BEYTELMANN (b.1945) Encuentro, Otras voces, El
desaparecido see PIAZZOLLA
Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Carmen see Domingo
Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Symphony see Martha
Argerich
York
BOWEN (1884-1961) Miniature Suite see DALE
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Clarinet Sonatas 1 & 2 Joseph
Gabriel RHEINBERGER (1839-1901) Clarinet Sonata
Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer (clarinet) Hans Eijsackers (piano)
rec. 2010
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72505 [65:43]
[OL]
The
shortcoming of this disc is the piano sound.
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
Clarinet trio, Clarinet sonatas 1 & 2
Karl Leister (clarinet) Ferenc Bognár (piano) Wolfgang Boettcher (cello)
rec. 1997
NIMBUS NI 5600 [72:10] [LW]
The
performances and recording of these Brahms clarinet works are top-notch.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Liebeslieder Walzer, Neue Liebeslieder Stephen
HOUGH (b.1951) Other Love Songs
The Prince Consort, Philip Fowke, Stephen Hough (piano) rec. 2010
LINN CKD382
[62:55]
[GD]
An
attractive, fun and well executed album, not to mention an adventurous
programme.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Cello Sonata 1 Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Cello Sonata
Ludwig Hoelscher (cello) Hans Richter-Haaser (piano) rec. 1953
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR 504 [47:34]
[JW]
Hoelscher’s
tonal resources are hardly the acme of variety; all too one-dimensional,
at least as recorded.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphony 2 Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
German Dances, Contredances Max REGER (1873-1916)
Variations and Fugue on a theme of Mozart
Stuttgart State Theatre O, Dresden State O/Fritz Busch rec. 1919 -51
GUILD
GHCD2371 [77:01]
[JW]
A
necessarily specialised programme of broadcasts and acoustic recordings.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1840-1893) Violin sonatas 1-3
Albert Spalding (violin) Erno Dohnányi (piano) rec. 1951
PRISTINE AUDIO PACM 078 [67:21]
[GA]
These
historic recordings of the Brahms violin sonatas are warm and communicative,
with a strong sense of spontaneity.
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Serenade
in D, Op. 11 see FARRENC
Frank
BRIDGE
(1879-1941) Piano
Music - Volume 3
Mark Bebbington (piano) rec. 2010
SOMM SOMMCD0107 [75:46]
Presents
a number of remarkable and important works. A worthy part of what is
a major, important project in British recorded music. [JF] Admirable.
[RB]
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) Phaedra, A Charm of Lullabies,
Lachrymae, Two Portraits, Sinfonietta
Sarah Connolly (mezzo) Maxim Rysanov (viola) BBC Symphony Orchestra/Edward
Gardner rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHAN 10671 [73:18]
[MG]
A
wonderful collection which succeeds because of the excellence of the
performances.
Benjamin
BRITTEN
(1913-1976) The Prince of the Pagodas Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) The Miraculous Mandarin
London Sinf/Oliver Knussen, London PO & Ch/Franz Welser-Möst (Bartók)
rec. 1989/92
EMI CLASSICS 9 49829 2 [77:59 + 70:03]
[LW]
Superb
performance and sound make this reissue of Britten’s ballet unmissable.
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) Death in Venice
Marlin Miller, Alessandro Riga, Scott Hendricks, La Fenice/Bruno Bartoletti
rec. 2008
DYNAMIC 33608 [154:00]
[WH]
Very
fine singing and acting in a rather grey staging of Britten’s late masterpiece.
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1973) Young Apollo; Double Concerto;
Two Portraits; Sinfonietta
Gidon Kremer (violin) Yuri Bashmet (viola) Nikolai Lugansky (piano)
Hallé O/Kent Nagano rec. 1998
WARNER CLASSICS APEX 2564 67391-7 [58:38]
[MC]
Four
splendid early scores that aptly demonstrate Britten’s precocity - this
is a must for all his admirers.
Anton
BRUCKER (1824-1896) Symphony 7
Orch de la Suisse Romande/Marek Janowski rec. 2010
PENTATONE PTC
5186 370 [66:04]
[GD]
It
is all just a bit too reverential for my taste.
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony 7 see
HAYDN
Helen
BUCHHOLTZ (1877-1953) Barcarolle, Vier Menuette, Ballade,
Vier Tänze, Nocturno Sonate
Marco Kraus (piano) rec. 2009
CPO 777 635-2 [55:46]
[DC]
Good
‘Grade 8’ sight-reading fodder.
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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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