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Paul
CARR (b. 1961) Requiem For An Angel 
Sophie Bevan (soprano) Mark Stone (baritone) Chorus Angelorum; Bath
Philharmonia/Gavin Carr rec. 2010
STONE RECORDS 5060192780048 [71:37]
[JQ][RB]
A
first recording of an accessible, recent Requiem by a British composer
[JQ] Balmy, honey-honed consolation is in the ascendant [RB]
Alfredo
CASELLA (1883-1947)
Notte di maggio, Cello Concerto, Scarlattiana
Olivia Andreini (mezzo); Andrea Noferini (cello); Sun Hee You (piano)
Roma SO/Francesco La Vecchia rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.572416 [66:18]
[JW]
La
Vecchia and his forces have Casella in their bloodstream.
Ernest
CHAUSSON (1885-1899)
Symphony Gabriel FAURE (1845-1924)
Pelléas et Mélisande Suite Arthur
HONEGGER (1892-1955) Rugby, Pacific 231,
Pastorale d’Eté
Netherlands RPO/Jean Fournet rec. 1993. DDD
REGIS RRC1328 [75.00]
[RB]
A
nicely judged collection of French orchestral music.
Luigi
CHERUBINI (1760-1842) Horn Sonatas see
La
Grande Fanfare
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Erik CHISHOLM
(1904-1965) The Forsaken Mermaid, The Hoodie Craw
Murray
McLachlan and Graham Scott (pianos) rec. 2009
ECT RECORDS ECT 2010.1 [62:36]
[JF]
Stunning
music, stunningly played.
Erik
CHISHOLM
(1904-1965) Music for Piano - Vol. 6
Ceol Mor Dances, Dunedin Suite, Scottish Airs, Nocturnes
Murray McLachlan (piano) rec. 2006
DIVERSIONS DDV24149 [77:30]
[JW]
Those
who have been following this series will eagerly wish to acquaint themselves
with this release. Start with those Nocturnes.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849) A Century of Romantic Chopin
rec.
1895-2003
MARSTON 54001-2 [4 CDs: 319:07]
[JW]
Belongs
on the shelves of every piano collector, and anyone seriously interested
in Chopin interpretation on disc.
Fryderyk
CHOPIN
(1810 - 1849) Transcriptions
Jaroslaw KORDACZUK (b.1967) Hommage
ŕ Chopin
Jolanta Stopka (violin) Magdalena Blum (piano) rec. 2009
ACTE PREALABLE AP0208 [53:48]
[Byz]
Many
of Acte Préalable's previous releases have been favourably reviewed
here but this cannot join them without significant reservation.
Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Ballades 1-4 see
BRAHMS
Rebecca
CLARKE (1886-1979) Viola Sonata Henri
VIEUXTEMPS (1820-1881) Viola Sonata Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Viola Sonata
Tabea Zimmermann (viola) Kirill Gerstein (piano) rec. 2010
MYRIOS CLASSICS MYR004 
[65:39] [JW]
Highly
communicative and agile … played with great commitment and authority.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Frederic CLIFFE (1857-1931) Violin Concerto
see d'ERLANGER
Dinos
CONSTANTINIDES (b.
1929) Symphonic
Music Concerto for Saxophone Quartet, Homage to Louisiana,
Violin Concerto, Threnos of Creon, Bassoon Concerto
Athens Saxophone Qt, Louisiana Sinf/composer
CENTAUR CRC3036 [69:27]
[RB]
Attractively
memorable and melodic music.
Julius
CONUS (1869-1942) Violin Concerto see
TCHAIKOVSKY
John
CORIGLIANO
(b. 1938) The
Ghosts of Versailles
Teresa Stratas (soprano) Hĺkan Hagegĺrd (baritone) Metropolitan Opera
Ch & O/James Levine rec. 1992
METROPOLITAN
OPERA 811357013298 [180:00] [WK]
Corigliano’s
only opera in a magnificent production-thirty years old, but still a
serviceable DVD translation.
John
CORIGLIANO (b.1938)
Circus
Maximus, Gazebo Dances
Texas U Wind Ens/Jerry Junkin rec. 2006
NAXOS 
AUDIO NBD0008 [52.54]
[DBi]
Excellent
performances of some interesting and occasionally impressive music.
The recording is a new state of the art and is the first of a series
of such recordings from Naxos.
John
CORIGLIANO
(b. 1938) Circus Maximus, Gazebo Dances
Texas U Wind Ens/Jerry Junkin rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.559601 [52:54]
[KM]
A
mixed bag of music for wind ensemble; original, yet not entirely satisfying.
Ronald
CORP (b. 1951) Dhammapada
Apsara/Ronald Corp rec. 2010
STONE RECORDS 5060192780055 [58:04]
[RB]
A
reverential but life-enhancing yet unassertive sequence.
Robert
CRAWFORD
Recorder quintets see VEALE
Léo
DELIBES (1836-1891) Coppélia Ludwig
MINKUS (1827-1890) Don Quixote (highlights)
O du
Théâtre Ntl de l'Opéra de Paris/Jean-Baptiste Mari, Elizabethan Trust
Melbourne O/John Lanchbery, rec. 1972/7
EMI CLASSICS 9677232 [78:44 + 78:53]
[SV]
I
can't recommend Mari's Coppélia but the Don Quixote selection is good.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Paul DESENNE (b.1959)
Jaguar Songs
Nancy Green (cello) rec. 2008
CELLO CLASSICS CC1026 [55:00]
[WH]
Fascinating
music for cellos, brilliantly played, challenging and deeply rewarding.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) String Quartets 12 & 13
Pavel Haas Qt rec. 2010
SUPRAPHON SU4038-2 [63:14]
[JW]
Virile
and assured readings but others are ‘better’.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Cello Concerto Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Double Concerto Luigi
BOCCHERINI (1743-1805) Cello Sonata 4
Pablo Casals (cello) Jacques Thibaud (violin) Blas Net (piano) Pau Casals
O/Alfred Cortot, rec. 1929/37
PRISTINE AUDIO XR PASC246 [75:27]
[JW]
For
the specialist all three of these recordings will be familiar; for the
less initiated, the Dvořák will be the most well known.
Antonín
DVORÁK (1841-1904) Symphony 6, Nocturne, Scherzo
Capriccioso
Baltimore SO/Marin Alsop rec. 2008/9
NAXOS 8.570995 [68:14]
[BR]
The
best, by far, of Alsop’s until-now sleepy Dvorák cycle.
Antonín
DVORAK (1841 – 1904) Slavonic Dances
James Anagnoson, Leslie Kinton (piano four hands) rec. 1993
CBC RECORDS MUSICA VIVA MVCD1008 [72:59]
[PK]
An
excellent addition to a Dvorák collection.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Violin Concerto see
BRAHMS
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934)
The Kingdom
Clare Rutter (soprano); Susan Bickley (mezzo); John Hudson (tenor);
Iain Paterson (baritone) Hallé Ch & O/Sir Mark Elder rec. 2009
HALLÉ CDHLD7526 [57:49 + 36:28]
[JW]
Good
though this Elder performance is, it lacks the cumulative sense of tension
and raptness that Boult brought to The Kingdom.
Sir
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Variations on an Original Theme
Ralph Vaughan WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Symphony 6
Bavarian RSO/Colin Davis rec. 1983/7
BR KLASSIK 900705 [68:08]
[WH]
A
very fine Enigma coupled with a successful live Vaughan Williams
Sixth.
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934) Enigma Variations Gustav
HOLST (1874-1934) The Planets
London SO, London PO/Sir Adrian Boult rec. 1970/8
EMI CLASSICS 6317832 [78:37]
[MC]
This
is a desirable reissue that cannot be faulted. Wonderful performances
of two orchestral masterworks.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Frédéric
d'ERLANGER (1868-1943) Violin Concerto, Poëme Frederic
CLIFFE (1857-1931) Violin Concerto
Philippe Graffin (violin), BBC Ntl O Wales/David Lloyd-Jones rec. 2010
HYPERION
CDA67838 [69:45] [RB]
Delightful,
exciting and often touching concertos presented with total conviction
and every appearance of unfaltering technique.
Manuel
de FALLA (1876-1946) Complete Piano Works
Azumi
Nishizawa (piano) rec. 2010
VERSO VRS2089 [67:23]
[BBr]
The
well known pieces need stronger interpretations.
Gabriel FAURE (1845-1924) Pelléas
et Mélisande Suite see CHAUSSON
Eric
FISCHER (b. 1950) Topographique Long Range see
HUME
César
FRANCK (1822-1890) Violin Sonata see JANÁČEK
Jack
GALLAGHER (b.1947) Diversions, Berceuse, Sinfonietta,
Symphony in One Movement
London SO/JoAnn Faletta rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.559652 [63:47]
[BBr]
At
the modest price this is a real find!
Carlo
GESUALDO (1566-1613) Madrigals - Book 2
Delitić Musicć/Marco Longhini rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570549 [56:59]
[MS]
Convincing,
idiomatic and thoroughly enjoyable performances of Gesualdo's madrigals
from 1594 by Italian specialists who clearly have the music in their
blood.
Srul
Irving GLICK (1934-2005) South of North see
Let Beauty Awake
Christoph
Willibald GLUCK (1714-1787) Armide
Felicity
Palmer (soprano) Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor) Richard Hickox Singers,
City of London Sinfonia/Richard Hickox rec. 1982
EMI CLASSICS 6407282 [3 CDs: 65:45 + 56:10 + 45:31]
[ST]
Beside
Minkowski just can’t cut the mustard.
Hermann
GOETZ (1840-1876) Piano Concerto Józef
WIENIAWSKI (1837-1912) Piano Concerto
Hamish Milne (piano) BBC Scottish SO/Michal Dworzynski rec. 2009
HYPERION CDA67791 [69:30]
[JW]
It’s
marvellously eloquent and uplifting, and caused this reviewer to replay
it several times on the spot. Just gorgeous.
Károly
GOLDMARK (1830-1915) Violin Concerto see
KORNGOLD
Charles
GOUNOD (1818-1893)
Roméo et Juliette
Roberto Alagna (tenor) AngelaGheorghiu
(soprano) José van Dam (bass) Ch & O National du Capitole
de Toulouse/Michel Plasson rec. 1995
EMI CLASSICS 6407002 [3 CDs: 179:35]
[JS]
A
well considered and enjoyable performance. Probably as good as it is
reasonable to expect - and in many respects much better.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Percy GRAINGER
(1882-1961)
Jungle Book
John-Mark Ainsley (tenor) David Wilson-Johnson (baritone) Polyphony
and Polyphony O/Stephen Layton rec. 1996
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55433 [73:56]
[RB]
Generous
timing, discoveries, Delian gauzy harmonies, tangy instrumentation,
sentimentality, aureate vocal light, succinct and touching settings.
Enrique
GRANADOS
(1867-1916) Valses
Poéticos see Siempre
Nuevo
Johann
Gottlieb GRAUN (1702/3-1771) Horn Quartet see
La
Grande Fanfare
Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907) Violin Sonata
2 see JANÁČEK
Christopher
GUNNING (b.1944) The Film and TV Music
BBC PO/Rumon Gamba rec. 2099/10
CHANDOS CHAN 10625 [75:50]
[BBr]
My
little grey cells tell me that this is a disk not to be missed.
Roy
HARRIS (1898 – 1979) Complete Piano Music
Geoffrey Burleson (pno) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.559664 [56:38]
[BBr]
The
performances have an air of authority.
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Stabat Mater
Ann Hoyt, Luthien Brackett, Stephen Sands, Richard Lippold Trinity Ch,
Rebel Baroque O/J. Owen Burdick rec. 2003
NAXOS 8.572121 [57:21]
[JW]
I’m
not sure you could do better than this.
Joseph HAYDN (1732 – 1809) Symphony 45 see
Farewell
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809)
Trumpet Concerto see Trumpet
Concertos
Joseph HAYDN
(1732 – 1809) Trumpet
Concerto
see Popular
Trumpet Concertos
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Divertimento see
La
Grande Fanfare
Jennifer
HIGDON (b.1962) The Singing Rooms Alvin
SINGLETON (b.1940) Praisemaker Alexander
SCRIABIN (1872 – 1915) La Počme d'Extase
Jennifer Koh (violin) Atlanta SO & Ch/Robert Spano, rec. 2009
TELARC 32630 [78:56]
[BBr]
Don’t
miss this fine work by Higdon.
Gustav
HOLST (1874-1934) The Planets see
ELGAR
Arthur
HONEGGER (1892-1955) Rugby, Pacific 231,
Pastorale d’Eté see CHAUSSON
Tobias
HUME (c.1569-1645) "Poeticall Musicke" Eric
FISCHER (b. 1950) Topographique Long Range
Marianne Muller, Liam Fennelly, Pau Marcos (viola da gamba) rec. 2009
ZIG-ZAG
TERRITOIRES ZZT 100501 [72.47]
[GH]
Modernists
Fischer and Hume make ideal bedfellows. Remarkably true to the composers’
intentions and wonderfully conceived and created.
Johann
Nepomuk HUMMEL (1778-1837) Trumpet Concerto see
Trumpet Concertos
Johann
Nepomuk HUMMEL (1778 – 1837) Trumpet Concerto see
Popular Trumpet Concertos
Leoš
JANÁČEK (1854-1928) Violin Sonata Edvard
GRIEG (1843-1907) Violin Sonata 2 César
FRANCK (1822-1890) Violin Sonata
Vadim Repin (violin) Nikolai Lugansky (piano) rec. 2010
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8794 [63:39]
[JW]
Repin
doesn’t seem to be inside two of the sonatas, and that’s a shame.
Armas
JARNEFELT (1869-1958) Symphonic Fantasy, Serenade,
Berceuse
Lahti SO/Jaakko Kuusisto (violin) rec. 2008
BIS BIS-CD-1753 [77:07]
[RB]
A
generous slice of Järnefelt’s orchestral music. You will be pleased
to welcome its low key charms and melancholy smiles.
Dmitri
KABALEVSKY (1904-1987) Cello Concertos 1 &
2, Improvisato, Rondo
Marina Tarasova (cello) Natalia Likhopoi (violin) Ludmilla Kuritskaya
(piano) SO Russia/Veronika Dudarova rec. 1993
ALTO ALC 1116 [61:31]
[RB]
A
sensible and logical coupling which, collector symmetry aside, provides
a satisfying and varied musical experience.
Viktor
KALABIS (1923-2006) Symphony 3, Violin Concerto
2, Concerto for Large Orchestra
Josef Suk (violin), Prague RSO/Jirí Belohlávek, Czech PO/Wolfgang Sawallisch,
Ladislav Slovák rec 1971-80
PANTON 81 9027-2 011 [68:39]
Viktor KALABIS (1923-2006) String
Quartets
Kocian Qt, Zemlinsky Qt rec. 2009
PRAGA DIGITALS PRD/DSD 250262 [58:58 + 63:16]
Jindrich FELD (b.1925) Sonata for
flute and string orchestra, Musique concertante Zdenek
LUKÁŠ (b.1928) Music
for Harp and Strings Viktor KALABIS (1923-2006)
Tristium
Carlo Jans (flute); Jitka Hosprová (viola); Katerina Englichová (harp)
Prague CO/Antonín Hradil rec.2006
ARCO DIVA UP 0097 - 2 131 [68:20]
[RB]
Put
the discovery of Kalabis on your to-do list – do hunt down these CDs
and brace yourself for some striking discoveries with the string quartets
and in the case of the Arco Diva disc a melodious slice of the last
century’s finest musical invention.
Aram
KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978) Violin Concerto, Piano Concerto
Boris
Gutnikov (violin) Annette Servadei (piano) USSR Large SO/Konstantin
Ivanov, London PO/Joseph Giunt rec. 1981/7
REGIS RRC 1300 [73:43]
[RB]
Vitality
and poetry in these Russo-Armenian concertos.
Erich
Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Symphony, Much Ado About
Nothing – Incidental Music
Strasbourg PO/Marc Albrecht rec. 2010
PENTATONE PTC 5186 373
[67:41] [IL]
An
intense reading of Korngold’s Symphony of disillusion.
Erich
Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Violin Concerto Christian
SINDING (1856-1941) Suite Károly
GOLDMARK (1830-1915) Violin Concerto
Itzhak Perlman (violin) Pittsburgh SO/André Previn rec. 1977-80
EMI
CLASSICS GREAT RECORDINGS OF THE CENTURY 5096762 [70:58]
[SV]
All
three performances have their merits, but only the Goldmark is a clear
recommendation.
Erich
Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Violin Concerto see
TCHAIKOVSKY
Leoš
JANÁCEK (1854-1928) In the Mists see
In the mists
Erich
Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897–1957) String Quartets 1-3
Doric Qt rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHAN 10611 [79:57]
[BBr]
A
disk to be relished.
Edouard
LALO
(1823-1892) Symphonie
espagnole, Concerto russe Yuzuko
Horigome (violin) Nice PO/Marco Guidarini
TALENT DOM 2910 904 [67:30]
[SV]
Assertively
shaped, purposeful and cogent.
Jean
Xavier LEFEVRE (1763-1829)
Clarinet quartets and sonatas
Eduard Brunner (clarinet) Ana Chumachenco (violin) Hariolf Schlichtig
(viola) Wen-Sinn Yang (cello) Adrian Oetiker (piano) rec. 2005/7
TUDOR 7150 [61:05]
[Byz]
Expressive,
graceful, beautifully crafted.
Leonardo
LEO (1694-1744) Salve Regina see PERGOLESI
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Piano Sonata, Aprčs une Lecture
de Dante, Hungarian Rhapsodies 12 & 13
Mykola Suk (piano) rec. 2004-08
MUSIC AND ARTS CD-1234 [79:15]
[JW]
One
of the most compelling and amazing performances of the Sonata imaginable.
Tremendous.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Tre Sonetti di Petrarca see
In the mists
Witold
LUTOSŁAWSKI (1913-1994) Lutosławski’s
Last Concert
Fujiko Imajishi (violin) Valdine Anderson (soprano) New Music Concerts
Ens/Witold Lutoslawski rec. 1993
NAXOS 8.572450 [75:38]
[LW]
A
must for fans of Lutosławski.
Sergey
LYAPUNOV (1859-1924) Piano Concertos 1 & 2, Rhapsody
on Ukrainian Themes
Shorena Tsintsabadze (piano) Russian PO/Dmitry Yablonsky rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.570783 [58:32]
[IL]
Melodious
and colourful music. Derivative? Perhaps, but so what when it is delivered
with such verve.
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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]
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