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RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Cheryl
FRANCES-HOAD (b.1980) The Glory Tree 
Nicholas Daniel (oboe) Lendvai String Trio, Ensemble na Mara, London
Mozart Trio rec. 2008
CHAMPS HILL RECORDS CHRCD021 [77:00]
[CR]
Refreshingly
engaging and unapologetic, with a strong sense of identity and emotional
depth.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Denis LEVAILLANT
(b.1952) La
Petite Danseuse de Degas
Ballet & O de l’Opéra National de Paris/Koen Kessels
EUROARTS
108 026 [112:00; Interviews: 20:00]
[IL]
An
inspired and visually ravishing creation. This ballet deserves to go
from success to success.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Harmonies du soir
Nelson Freire (piano) rec. 2011
DECCA 478 2728 [56.09] [RBe]
An
absolutely superlative recital.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Arias
Ildebrando d’Arcangelo (bass-baritone) O del Teatro Regio di Torino/Gianandrea
Noseda rec. 2010
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9297 [60:45] [GF]
One
of the most thrilling bass recitals that has come my way.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sergey PROKOFIEV
(1891-1953)
Romeo and Juliet
Tamara Rojo, Carlos Acosta, Royal Ballet Sinfonia/Boris Gruzin rec.
2007
DECCA 074 3336 
[138:00]
[DM]
Nureyev
and Fonteyn will always be iconic but this is in another league entirely.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sergei RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943) Piano Concertos 1 & 4, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Simon
Trpceski (piano) Royal Liverpool PO/Vasily Petrenko rec. 2009-2011
AVIE AV2191 [77:09]
[JQ]
If
you haven’t already sampled this fine partnership of Trpceski and Petrenko
in Rachmaninov, don’t delay any longer!
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Venezia
Johann ROSENMÜLLER
(1619-1684) Sonatas Giovanni LEGRENZI
(1626-1690) Sonatas Alessandro STRADELLA
(1639-1682) Sinfonias
Rare Fruits Council/Manfredo Kraemer rec. 2010
AMBRONAY AMY028 [81.53]
[GH]
Not
just a disc for specialists. Exemplary musicianship, breath-taking virtuosity
and superb presentation. Sheer musical pleasure.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Igor STRAVINSKY
(1882-1971) L’Oiseau de Feu, Petrouchka,
La Sacre du Printemps, Pulcinella
Monte Carlo PO/Yakov Kreizberg rec. 2010
OPMC CLASSICS OPMC001 [3 CDs: 159:54]
[BW]
Individually
these performances are at or near the top of the pile; collectively
this is an irresistible offering.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Svend Erik TARP
(1908-1994)
Piano Works Theme with variations, Suite, Sonatinas, Improvisations,
Sonata
Tonya Lemoh (piano) rec. 2010
DACAPO 8.226053 [58:32]
A
quality artefact that all but recommends itself [Byz] Do try this most
intriguing and musically valuable disc [RB]
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giuseppe
VERDI (1813 – 1901) La traviata
Patrizia Ciofi (soprano) Roberto Saccŕ (tenor) Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone)
Eufemia Tufano (mezzo) Orch/Chor of the Teatro La Fenice/Lorin Maazel
rec. 2004
ARTHAUS 107
227 [146:00]
[GF]
This
Violetta has looks, acting ability and voice placing her among the best.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Antonio
VIVALDI (1678 - 1741) The Complete Cello Sonatas
David
Watkin (cello) Helen Gough (cello continuo) David Miller (theorbo, archlute,
guitar) Robert King (harpsichord, organ) rec. 1993
HYPERION DYAD CDD22065 [65:35 + 50:02]
[JV]
Don’t
delay; purchase this reissue today.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Rudolph ZUMSTEEG
(1760
- 1802) Die Geisterinsel
Kammerchor Stuttgart, Hofkapelle Stuttgart/Frieder Bernius rec. live
2010
CARUS 83.229 [3 CDs: 139:26]
[JV]
Enjoyable
Singspiel in a fine performance with an impressive cast.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Duos for Violin & Cello
Works by Martinů, Süss,
Klein, Dünser, Schulhoff & Toch
Eufonia
Duo Vienna rec. 2010
VMS MUSICAL TREASURES VMS224 [76.00] [SA]
76
minutes of aurally sublime and fascinating music.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Lamentarium
Luigi
ROSSI (1597-1653) Marco MARAZZOLI
(1602-1662) Marc'Antonio
PASQUALINI (1614-1691)
Atalante
(Nadine Balbeisi (soprano)*, Theodora Baka (mezzo)**, Paulina van Laarhoven,
Annalisa Pappano, Nora Roll (viola da gamba), Erin Headley (viola da
gamba, lirone), Siobhán Armstrong (arpa doppia), Elizabeth Kenny, Andrew
Maginley (chitarrone))/Erin Headley
rec. 2010, DDD
NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6152 [67:17]
[JV]
One
of the best recordings I have heard all year.
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
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.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano Sonata8, 17 & 23
Ingrid Fliter (piano) rec. 2011,
EMI CLASSICS 094573 2 [72:58]
[WH]
Outstanding
performances of three favourite minor-key Beethoven sonatas.
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.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) A Faust Symphony
Charles Bressler (tenor) Choral Art Society, New York PO/Leonard Bernstein
rec. 1964
SONY 88697 857572 [71:10]
[IL]
White
heat roller-coaster thrills.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Franz LISZT
(1811-1886)
Faust & Dante symphonies, Dante Symphony, Dante sonata, Piano sonata,
Hungarian Rhapsody 2, Verdi Paraphrases
Plácido Domingo, Berlin PO/Daniel Barenboim (piano) rec. 1985-98
WARNER
CLASSICS 2564 67440-3 [3 CDs: 211:26]
[MC]
Barenboim
and Liszt make a perfect combination making this a desirable Warner
Classics box set.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Sergei
RAKHMANINOV
(1873-1943) The
piano Concertos Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Rhapsody
on a Theme of Paganini,
John Lill (piano) BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Tadaaki Otaka rec.
1993-1996. DDD
NIMBUS NI 1720 [3 CDs: 64:37 + 71:53 + 71:17]
[JQ RB]
Consistently
satisfying performances that reveal Rachmaninov’s music to the listener
faithfully and without unnecessary ostentation. [JQ] An evocative synthesis
of ursine majesty and razory melancholy. [RB]
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]
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