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Alphabetical Listing

PART 4
M-R

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]


Superbudget £5.99 or less Budget £6-7.99 Medium £8-10.99 Full price £11+ Download

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No 9 Philharmonia O/Esa-Pekka Salonen rec. 2009 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD188 [77:43] [JQ]

An interesting perspective on this deeply moving symphony: but other interpreters offer much more.

Gian Francesco MALIPIERO (1883 - 1973) The Symphonies – Vol. 5 Moscow SO/Antonio de Almeida rec. 1993 NAXOS 8.570882 [71:23] [MS]

A revealing and pleasing conclusion to the Naxos reissue of the Marco Polo Malipiero symphonies set.

Francesco MANCINI (1672 - 1737) Twelve Recorder Sonatas Ens Tripla Concordia, rec. 1992-2009 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94058 [44:25 + 53:14] [JV]

Infectious performances of well-written and entertaining music.

Frank MARTIN (1890 – 1974) Pavane couleur du temps see Farewell

Bohuslav MARTINŮ (1890-1959) Music for Cello & Piano Karine Georgian (cello) Ian Munro (piano) rec. 1998 ALTO ALC 1057 [73:39] [RB]

Gripping recordings of Martinů’s complete works for cello and piano.

Bohuslav MARTINU (1890-1959) Viola Sonata 1 see Remembrances from Home

William MATHIAS (1934-1992) Shakespeare Songs see Full fathom five

Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847) Elias Claudia Barainsky, Franziska Gottwald, Rainer Trost, Thomas E Bauer, Chorus Musicus Köln, Das Neue O/Christoph Spering rec. 2009 MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 602 1656-2 [61:47 + 61:14] [JS]

Another fine new recording of Elias, again one which takes the composer’s intentions seriously and above all freshly.

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Elias MDR SO & Radio Ch/Jun Märkl rec. 2008/9 NAXOS 8.572228-29 [66:45 + 65:53] [GD]

Perfectly serviceable with no frills. A budget price Elijah in every sense.

Nikolai MIASKOVSKY (1881-1950) Cello Sonata 2 see Russian Music

Ludwig MINKUS (1826-1917) Ballet music Elizabethan Trust Melbourne O, Sydney SO/John Lanchbery, London Festival Ballet O/Terence Kern, Copenhagen PO/Ole Schmidt, rec. 1972-83 EMI CLASSICS 6486402 [72:26 + 72:18] [RMay]

This well-filled set offers plenty of attractive music that deserves to be rather better known.

Ludwig MINKUS (1827-1890) Don Quixote (highlights) see DELIBES

Stanisław MONIUSZKO (1819-1872) Paria Leszek Skrla, Janusz Lewandowski, Katarzyba Holysz, Tomasz Kuk, Castle Opera Ch & O/Warcislaw Kunc rec. 2008 DUX 0686/87 [54:30 + 67:39] [JW]

For specialised collectors of Moniuszko’s oeuvre.

Claudio MONTEVERDI (1567-1643) Vespro della Beata Vergine Apollo’s Singers, Apollo’s Fire/Jeannette Sorrell rec. 1998 AVIE AV2206 [41:52 + 48:14] [MG]

An eclectic Vespers in which there’s never a dull moment. 

Leopold MOZART (1719-1787) Trumpet Concerto see Trumpet Concertos

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Violin Concertos 3 & 5, Sinfonia Concertante Richard Tognetti (violin & leader) Christopher Moore (viola) Australian CO rec. 2009 BIS-SACD-1754 [79:52] [DC]

Mozart brought to life …extremely communicative.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony 40, Lucia Silla, Ballet Music from Idomeneo Amanda Forsythe (soprano) Apollo’s Fire/Jeanette Sorrell rec. 2003/08 AVIE AV2159 [61:05] [BBr]

Very stylish performances.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Complete Horn Concertos and Fragments Barry Tuckwell (horn, dir.) Philharmonia O rec. 1990 ALTO ALC1107 [71:20] [RB]

Alluring virtues. Big-band Mozart, directed and played with evident intelligence and joie-de-vivre.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos 18 & 22 Northern Sinfonia/Imogen Cooper (piano/director) rec. 2009 AVIE AV2200 [66:22] [BW]

Not quite the equal of its two excellent predecessors by these artists, but very enjoyable.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Horn Quintet see La Grande Fanfare

Georg MUFFAT (1653-1704) Apparatus musico-organisticus Tobias Lindner (organ, harpsichord) rec. 2004 ORGANUM MUSIKPRODUKTION OGM292016 [54:19 + 46:12] [DC]

A genuine lode of superb music making, stunning organ sounds and state of the art interpretation.

Adrian MUNSEY (b 1947) Songs Elin Manahan Thomas (soprano) Honor Blackman (actress) Jane Alexander, Will Martin (vocalists) Blake, Crouch End Festival Ch, Saint Joseph’s Youth Ch, Treorchy Male Ch, Muscle Shoals Horns and Rhythm Section, City of Prague PO/Gareth Williams rec. 2008-10 MUSIC INFINITY INS147 [48:10] [BBr]

This is a delight and is most welcome. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Modest MUSSORGSKY
(1839-1881) Songs and Dances of Death see Come Away, Death

 

Johann Baptist Georg NERUDA (1707-1780) Trumpet Concerto see Trumpet Concertos

Otto NICOLAI (1810-1849) Orchestral Works - Vol. 2 Johannes Pieper (clar.) Evangelische Kantorei Siegen, Phil. Südwestfalen Landesorchester NRW/David Stern, rec. 2003 MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG6011268-2 [48.15] [CF]

The performers enter into the spirit and style of the music which is worthy of committing to a disc, which has clean, spacious sound.

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Vitezlav NOVÁK (1870-1949) Piano Music Radoslav Kvapil (piano) rec. 2010 ALTO ALC 1113 [76:18] [RB]

Miraculously sure-footed and full of insight. Kvapil is a virtuoso of dexterity, mood and narrative.

Jacques OFFENBACH (1819 – 1880) Gaïté Parisienne, Overtures Cincinnati Pops O/Erich Kunzel rec. 1978-83 ALTO ALC 1073 [76.08] [RH]

For a bit of fun at budget price you can’t go wrong.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Hans OTTE (1926-2007) Das Buch der Klänge Ralph van Raat (piano) rec. 2009 NAXOS 8.572444 [67:24] [DC]

An open door into magical worlds.

Niccolò PAGANINI (1782-1840) Violin Concerto 1 Pyotr Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Sérénade mélancolique, Valse-Scherzo Midori (violin) London SO/Leonard Slatkin rec. 1897 NEWTON CLASSICS 8802028 [51:15] [AM]

Bright, impressive recordings made in the early years of a now famous violinist’s career.

Giovanni Battista PERGOLESI (1710-1736) Missa Romana, Stabat Mater, Salve Regina Alessandro SCARLATTI (1660-1750) Messa per il Santo Natale, Stabat Mater Leonardo LEO (1694-1744) Salve Regina Concerto Italiano/Rinaldo Alessandrini, Europa Galante/Fabio Biondi rec. 1993-2008 NAïVE OP30507 [3 CDs: 3:17:36] [GH]

Well worth investing in.

Astor PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) Tango Suite see Siempre Nuevo

Ildebrando PIZZETTI (1880-1868) Piano Trio, Violin Sonata, Tre Canti Leila Rásonyi (violin) László Fenyö (cello) Alpaslan Ertungealp (piano) rec. 1994 NAXOS 8.570875 [72:52] [BBr]

A valuable addition to the ever-growing recorded repertoire of chamber music.

Alexander PRIOR (b.1992) Velesslavitsa Michael Province, Simone Porter (violins) Nathan Chan (cello) Zhang Xiao Ming (piano) Northern Sinfonia/Alexander Prior rec. 2009 TOCCATA CLASICS TOCC 0109 [46:35] [BBr]

I find nothing in the music worthy of praise.

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Piano Concertos 1, 2 & 4 Alexander Gavrylyuk (pno) Sydney SO/Vladimir Ashkenazy, rec. EXTON EXCL 00044 [72.22] [DB]

Decent performances of three concertos. Exton's disappointing recording pushes the disc out of serious consideration.

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Piano Concertos 3 & 5 Alexander Gavrylyuk (pno) Sydney SO/Vladimir Ashkenazy, rec. 2009 EXTON EXCL00047 [53.56] [DB]

Good performances of both concertos with decent but unremarkable sound. The best reason for purchase is Gavrylyuk whose star is on the rise.

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Lieutenant Kijé Suite, The Love for Three Oranges Suite, The Ugly Duckling Andrei Laptev (baritone); Jacqueline Porter (soprano) Sydney SO/Vladimir Ashkenazy rec. 2009 EXTON EXCL 00049 [48:13] [DB]

Low key performances not rescued by a very well sung Ugly Duckling. The second class SACD recording cannot withstand some ancient competition.

Sergey PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Symphonies 1 & 5 Philharmonia O/Rudolf Barshai rec. 1989 ALTO ALC 1086 [58:00] [RB]

Prokofiev on a grand scale.

Giacomo PUCCINI (1858 - 1924) La bohème Alfie Boe (tenor) Melody Moore (soprano) English Ntl Opera Ch & O/Miguel Harth-Bedoya rec. 2009 NVC ARTS/WARNER 50-51865-9489-2-6 [120:00] [GF]

A sense of being there at the Coliseum. A set that is worth owning.

Giacomo PUCCINI (1858 - 1934) La Rondine Rosanna Carteri (soprano) Giuseppe Gismondo (tenor) Ch & O Teatro di San Carlo, Naples/Michele Lauro rec. 1958 HARDY VIDEO HCD4026 [107:00] [IL]

For admirers of La Rondine this historic production is a must, even though it’s in monochrome and mono sound. Carteri enchants. 

Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Symphonies 1-3, Isle of the Dead, Symphonic Dances Moscow State SO/Pavel Kogan rec. 1990 ALTO ALC1030-32 [67:16 + 68:05 + 77:12] [RB]

A refreshing hyper-powered alternative with caution thrown to the wind. 

Sergei RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943) Cello Sonata see Russian Music

Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Preludes, Moments Musicaux see In the mists

Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Trio élégiaque see TCHAIKOVSKY

Joseph Joachim RAFF (1822-1882) Symphonies 1-11, Suites, Overtures Bamberger Symphoniker/Hans Stadlmair rec. 1999–2002 TUDOR CD 1600 [9 CDs]

Raff does not shake the foundations but he has so much more than a talent to amuse. Truly imaginative romantic era pictorial symphonies.

Max REGER (1873-1916) Complete Works for Cello and Piano Alexandre Kniazev (cello) Édouard Oganessian (piano) rec. 1997-2009 SAPHIR PRODUCTIONS LVC001103 [3 CDs: 74:01 + 76:01 + 69:00] [GD]

This is a highly commendable set, thanks mainly to the sheer quality of the cello playing.

Aribert REIMANN (b. 1936) Song Cycles after Schubert, Schumann, Brahms & Mendelssohn Juliane Banse (soprano) Cherubini Quartet rec. 1997 TUDOR 7063 [51:21] [CC]

A vitally important issue, and one which adds much to our appreciation of the magnificent songs while in the process encouraging us to re-examine them.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Ottorino RESPIGHI (1879-1936) Fontane di Roma, Pini di Roma, Feste Romane São Paolo SO/John Neschling rec. 2008 BIS-SACD-1720 [63:41] [DC]

Bravo!

Josef Gabriel RHEINBERGER (1839-1901) Musica Sacra X Lydia Teuscher (soprano) Christine Müller (mezzo) Annette Markert (alto) Götz Payer (piano) Kay Johannsen (organ) rec. 2009 CARUS 83.431 [75.33] [GH]

One comes out of the experience enriched and moved. 

Ferdinand RIES (1784 - 1838) Piano Sonatas Vol. 4 Susan Kagan (piano) rec. 2008 NAXOS 8.572299 [58:45] [Byz]

Sparkling and memorable.

Nikolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908) Scheherazade Johann STRAUSS Jr (1825-1899) Waltzes & Polkas Samuel Thaviu (violin) Pittsburgh SO/William Steinberg rec. 1953/5 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 248 [75:39] [BR]

If the coupling suits you, have no fear about these marvelously restored recordings.

Joaquín RODRIGO (1901 – 1999) Joaquín Rodrigo Edition - Vol. 3: Complete Vocal Music rec. 2000-2 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9172 [6 CDs: 369:46] [BBr]

This set is for the curious.

Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) La gazzetta Judith Gauthier (soprano) Marco Cristarella Orestano (buffo baritone) San Pietro Majella Conservatory Ch, Naples Czech Chamber Soloists, Brno/Christopher Franklin rec. live, 2007 NAXOS OPERA CLASSICS 8.660277-78 [69.48 + 59.53] [RJF]

A bubbly effusion of Rossini’s music, some new, some re-cycled, all enjoyable.

Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) Petite Messe Solennelle Basel Madrigal Choir/Fritz Näf rec. 1993 ALTO ALC1121 [79:00] [RH]

Some moments of fine choral singing rather let down by the solo singing.

Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) Guillaume Tell Montserrat Caballé, Nicolai Gedda, Ambrosian Ch, Royal PO/Lamberto Gardelli, rec. 1982 EMI CLASSICS 6407632 [5 CDs: 237:48 + bonus disc] [JS]

This is a welcome and indeed essential reissue.

Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) Stabat Mater Anna Netrebko, Joyce DiDonato, Lawrence Brownlee, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, Ch & O Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia/Antonio Pappano rec. 2010 EMI CLASSICS 6405292 [52:27] [RJF]

I strongly suggest this is a case of try before you buy.

Gioachino ROSSINI (1792–1868) La Cenerentola Overture see TCHAIKOVSKY

Albert ROUSSEL (1869-1937) Suite, Symphonies 3 & 4 O de l’Association des Concerts Lamoureux/Charles Munch rec. 1965 HIGH DEFINITION TAPE TRANSFERS HDCD206 [61:23] [BR]

A great introduction to Roussel. But you’ll soon want every Roussel CD there is!

Francis ROUTH (b. 1927) The Well Tempered Pianist Charles Matthews (piano) rec. 2009/10 REDCLIFFE RECORDINGS RR021 [61:39] [RB]

Routh is a masterfully modern yet accessible composer whose voice stands in the lineage from Debussy, Scott, Shostakovich and Nancarrow.

Miklós RÓZSA (1907-1995) Viola Concerto Béla BARTÓK (1881-1945) Viola Concerto Tibor SERLY (1901-1978) Rhapsody for viola & orch. Lawrence Power (viola) Bergen PO/Andrew Litton, rec. 2009 HYPERION CDA67687 [62:58] [JW]

Power and Litton make a most sympathetic pairing, and can be proud of this disc in all respects.

Anton RUBINSTEIN (1829-1894) Piano Music (1852-1894)/(1871-1890) Joseph Banowetz (pno) rec. 2008 NAXOS 8.570942 [75:21] NAXOS 8.570941 [73:44] [JW]

Banowetz has made something of a study of the executant-composer Anton Rubinstein and is ideally placed to take on these works and present them knowledgeably and with discriminating musicianship.

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH John RUTTER (b.1945) The Original Carols from Clare Clare College Singers & O/John Rutter rec. 1966/8 EMI CLASSICS 9469472 [43:48 + 44:26] [BBr]

These disks are a joy.

John RUTTER (b. 1945) Magnificat, Brother Heinrich’s Christmas Carmen Fuggiss (soprano) Arndt Schmöle (speaker) Knabenchor Hannover, Nürnberger Symphoniker/Jörg Breiding rec. 2006 RONDEAU ROP7004 [61:36] [BBr]

This performance of the Magnificat is splendid.


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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