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Erkki
SALMENHAARA
(1941-2002) Piano Chamber Music 
Jouni Somero (piano); Raymond Cox (violin); Laura Bucht (cello) rec.
2009. DDD
FINNCONCERT FCRCD-9727 [66:34] 
[RB]
A
fascinating collection that will have you hoping for CDs of the last
two symphonies, the string quartet and the horn and cello concertos.
Émile
SAURET (1852–1920) Music for violin and piano
Michi Wiancko (violin) Dina Vainshtein (piano) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572366 [67:30] [RB]
While
hardly profound statements neither are these vapid effusions.
Domenico
SCARLATTI (1685-1757)
Sonatas
Marek Drenowski (piano) rec. 1987
DUX 0789 [52:45]
[JW]
Not
really much of a contender.
Giacinto
SCELSI (1905-1988)
Collection - Vol. 4: Early piano works
Donna Amato (piano) rec. 2002
STRADIVARIUS STR33804 [63:31]
[RB]
Intriguing.
Adventurers really do not need to be all that hardy to enjoy this collection.
Peter
SCHICKELE (b. 1953) A Year in the Catskills; Gardens;
What Did You Do Today at Jeffrey’s House?; Dream Dances;
Diversions
Blair Woodwind Qnt, Felix Wang (cello) Melissa Rose (piano) rec. 2009
NAXOS
8.559687 [52:03]
[KS]
Colorful,
original, whimsical, and adventuresome, this collection of musical short
stories from one of America’s most diverse composers has something to
please every ear.
Arnold
SCHOENBERG (1874-1951) String Quartet; String Trio; Phantasy
see MAHLER
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Schwanengesang
Dominik Wörner (bass-baritone) Christoph Hammer (piano) rec. 2009
ARS PRODUCTION ARS 38 494 CD [61:41]
[JS]
A
coherent, well considered and thoroughly fresh performance.
William SCHUMAN (1910-1992) A Free Song see
Pulitzer Project
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Manfred
Johann von Bülow, Chor des Städtischen Musikvereins zu Düsseldorf;
Düsseldorf Symphoniker/Andrey Boreyko rec. 2010
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101575 
[89:00]
[JS]
This
disc does not give an adequate impression of Manfred’s beauties
and complexities.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) String Quartets
Doric String Qt rec. 2011
CHANDOS CHAN10692 [74:15] [RMo]
Much
to admire but I find myself as often disturbed and perplexed as I am
charmed.
Roger
SESSIONS The Black
Maskers - Suite see Hanson
Conducts
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) New Babylon
Basel Sinf/Mark Fitz-Gerald rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.572824-25 [43:15 + 48:08]
[SA]
It
is a great addition to any collector of his music and is superbly played
on this disc.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Music from the films - Volume 5 Golden Hills Suite, The
Tale of the Priest and his worker Balda, Adventures of Korzinkina, The
Silly Little Mouse
Byelorussian Radio and TV SO/State Cinematographic O/Walter Mnatsakanov
rec. 1997
DELOS DRD2005 [62:44]
[NB]
Collectors
of this continuing series will not need to read this review to persuade
them to buy this disc.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Symphonies 6 & 7, Finlandia
New Zealand SO/Pietari Inkinen rec. 2009-10
NAXOS 8.572705 [59:28]
[BR]
I’ve
been critical of Inkinen’s Sibelius symphonies so far, but this Sixth
is distinguished and his Seventh is absolutely mandatory.
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) The Tempest, The Bard,
Tapiola
Lahti SO/Okko Kamu rec. 2011
BIS-SACD-1945 
[71:41] [RB]
Kamu,
an elder statesman of Finnish music, sets out his Sibelian wares in
splendid new recordings.
Synne
SKOUEN (b. 1950) Call-Notes
Geir Inge Lotsberg (violin) Ellen Ugelvik (piano) Norwegian Radio O/Christian
Eggen, Johannes Martens (cello) Oslo Str Qt rec. 2009-2010
AURORA ACD5062 [72:02]
[WH]
Challenging,
innovative and ultimately convincing music with many moments of rare
beauty.
Alexander
SKRIABIN (1872-1915)
24 Preludes Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
24 Preludes
Marta Deyanova (piano) rec. 1985
NIMBUS NI 5026 [55:33]
[DJ]
Another
superb reissue from Nimbus, excellently engineered.
Leo
SOWERBY (1895-1968) The Canticle of the Sun see
Pulitzer Project
Wilhelm
STENHAMMAR
(1871-1927) Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor
Op.1 (1893) [42:02] Piano Concerto No.2 in D minor Op.23 (1904-07) [25:52]
Niklas
Sivelöv (piano) Malmö Symphony Orchestra/Mario Venzago rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572259 [67:57]
[NB]
This
is a winner.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Piano Trios 1 & 2, Works for
piano quartet
Amelia Piano Trio, Max Mandel (viola) rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.570896 [62:24] [JZ]
Stylish
and engaged performances in vibrant sound.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Ariadne auf Naxos
Elena Moşuc, Emily Magee Zurich Opera House O/Christoph von Dohnányi
rec. 2006
ARTHAUS MUSIK 107249
[127:00]
[WK]
Fine
conducting and a stellar performance by Elena Moşuc as Zerbinetta
put this DVD over the top - definitely worth looking into.
Igor
STRAVINSKY
(1882-1971)
The Firebird: Suite See RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony 4
Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) A Night on the Bare Mountain
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) The
Love for Three Oranges Suite
BBC Singers, BBC SO & Ch/Gennadi Rozhdestvensky rec. 1979/81
ICA
CLASSICS ICAC5035 [68:34] [DM]
A
most entertaining collection. Another fine issue from ICA.
Piotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony 5, Francesca
da Rimini Alexander BORODIN (1833-1887)
Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances
Sym O/Albert Coates rec. 1922-1924
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 297 [68:50]
[CH]
For
confirmed admirers only, I’d say.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840 – 1893) Symphony 6; Capriccio
Italien
Russian Ntl O/Mikhail Pletnev rec. 2010
PENTATONE PTC5186 386 [62:13]
[DC]
Not
an unqualified success ...
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-93) Romeo and Juliet see
DVORÁK
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony 4 see
BRITTEN
Alexander
TCHEREPNIN (1899-1977) Complete Piano Concertos
Noriko Ogawa (piano) Singapore SO/Lan Shui rec. 1999
BRILLIANT 9232 [54:27 + 79:24] [CH]
The
case for Tcherepnin couldn’t be better presented, but I’m not convinced.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Georg Philipp TELEMANN
(1681 - 1767) Early Concertos and Sonatas
Ens Cordia/Stefano Veggetti (cello) rec. 2009
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94208 [61:17]
[JV]
This
is simply an outstanding disc.
Randall
THOMPSON The Testament of Freedom see Howard
Hanson Conducts
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Fantasy see MATHIAS
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) A Sea Symphony (1909)
[66:19]
Geraldine McGreevy (soprano); Tommi Hakala (baritone) MDR Symphony Orchestra
and Radio Choir/Howard Arman rec. 2007
MDR KONZERTE VKJK 0731 [66:19]
[WH]
Mainly
German forces combine for a very fine performance of the Sea Symphony
– this disc is an unexpected gem.
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) The Lark Ascending, Flos
Campi, On Wenlock Edge see Arcadia
Lost
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Il Trovatore
Franco Corelli (tenor) Leontyne Price (soprano) Metropolitan Op O/Ch/Fausto
Cleva rec. 1961
SONY CLASSICAL 88697 910062 [65.22 + 59.30]
[RJF]
This
is strictly only for lovers of live recordings and first performances
by favourite singers.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Un ballo in maschera
Jan Peerce, Robert Merrill, Zinka Milanov, Marian Anderson, Metropolitan
Opera O/Dimitri Mitropoulos rec. 1955
SONY CLASSICAL 88697 910022 [48:23 + 76:23]
[DBe]
Significant
historical importance, a strong cast even given some faults and decent
sound.
Sándor
VERESS (1907-1992) String Quartets 1 & 2, String
Trio
Ens Des Équilibres rec. 2011
HUNGAROTON HCD 32691 [71:01] [RB]
Already
enthusiastic about Bartok or Rozsa? Ready to try something new. This
disc will satisfy.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Heitor
VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959) Complete Guitar Music
Frédéric Zigante (guitar) rec. 2009/10
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9196 [50.41 + 54.01]
[GH]
An
excellent and inexpensive collection.
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) The Four Seasons; La tempesta
di Mare
Robert Atchison (violin) Sir Michael Gambon (narrator) Altamira CO rec.
2011
GUILD GMCD7375 [55:26]
[JW]
I
rather warmed to these well recorded, expansive performances.
Antonio
VIVALDI
(1678 - 1741) The French Connection 2
Katy
Bircher (transverse flute), Gail Hennessy (oboe), Peter Whelan (bassoon),
Adrian Chandler (violin); La Serenissima/Adrian Chandler rec. 2011,
DDD
AVIE AV 2218 [79:03]
[JV]
An
interesting contribution to the growing Vivaldi discography.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Meistersinger (symphonic compilation) Eine Faust-Ouvertüre,
Deux Entr’actes Tragiques, Overture to Columbus
Royal
Scottish Ntl O/Neeme Järvi rec. 2010.
CHANDOS CHSA5092
[79:54]
[IL]
This
Meistersinger is not a prize-winning song.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) A Faust Overture
Franz LISZT (1811-1886) A Faust Symphony
Endrik Wottrich (tenor) Staatskapelle Dresden/Christian Thielemann rec.
2011
UNITEL CLASSICA/C MAJOR 707804 
[131:05] [DBi]
A
beautifully performed and recorded Liszt Bicentennial concert.
Mieczyslaw
WEINBERG (1919-1996) Weinberg
Edition - Vols 1 & 2 Symphonies 6 & 17, Sinfonietta 1
Wiener Sangerknaben/Gerald Wirth, Vienna SO/Vladimir Fedoseyev, Vorarlberg
SO/Gerard Korsten rec. 2010
NEOS NEOS11125/6
[66:59 & 53:01]
[RB]
Two
deeply serious but only occasionally grim symphonies and an entertaining
Sinfonietta.
Mieczysław
WEINBERG (1919-1996)
Requiem
Elena Kelessidi (soprano) Wiener Sängerknaben/Gerald Wirth; Prague
Philharmonic Ch, Wiener SOVladimir Fedoseyev rec. live, 2010
NEOS 11127
[60:46]
[RB]
A
masterfully varied and poignant Requiem.
Mieczysław
WEINBERG (1919-1996) Violin Concertino see
CONUS
Charles-Marie
WIDOR (1844-1937) Piano Concertos 1 & 2, Fantaisie
Markus Becker (piano) BBC Ntl O of Wales/Thierry Fischer rec. 2010
HYPERION
CDA67817 [71:38] [NB]
Not
as revelatory as some of the discs in this series.
Henryk
WIENIAWSKI (1835-1880)
Violin Concerto 1 Max BRUCH (1838-1920)
Violin Concerto 1 Ole BULL (1810-1880)
Cantabile doloroso e Rondo giocoso
Charlie Siem (violin) London SO/Andrew Gourlay rec. 2011
WARNER CLASSICS 2564 66661-2 [61:40] [JW]
A
highly proficient technician who forms clearly solid ensembles with
his collaborators.
Hugo
WOLF (1860-1903) Italian Serenade see
JANÁČEK
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