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All
Your Cares Beguile - Songs & Sonatas from Baroque London
Martin
Davids (violin) David Yearsley (organ) rec. 2006
MUSICA OMNIA MO0111 [75:26]
[JV]
From
a historical perspective the performances are questionable, and musically
they are largely unsatisfying.
Animal
Parade Christopher STEEL (b.1938)
Changing Moods John GARDNER (b.1917)
Five Dances William MATHIAS (1934-1992)
Recessional Dobrinka TABAKOVA (b.1980)
Diptych John RUTTER (b.1945) Toccata
in Seven Ian FARRINGTON Animal Parade
William
Saunders (organ) rec. 2010
REGENT REGCD346 [72:04]
[JS]
A
very welcome and enjoyable recital of music off the beaten track but
worth exploring.
Balanchine
Ballets Jewels, Serenade, Allegro Brillante and Symphony in C
Michel
Plasson, Seiji Ozawa, Riccardo Muti, Richard Hickox, Rudolf Barshal,
Sir Thomas Beecham, rec. 1959-90
EMI CLASSICS 648625 2 [77:11 + 73:53]
[JF]
A
good, packed, double that includes much attractive music.
Sir
Adrian Boult The 1956 Nixa Westminster Stereo Recordings - Vol.
2 Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Symphonies
1-4 Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Overtures
London
PO/Sir Adrian Boult rec. 1956
FIRST HAND RECORDS FHR 07 [3 CDs: 59:37 + 70:18 + 76:51]
[RB]
The
impression that remains is one of pulse-racing music-making.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Come Away, Death
Wolfgang PLAGGE (b.1960) Södergran-sanger
Maja Solveig Kjelstrup RATKJE (b.1973)
HVIL Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881)
Songs and Dances of Death
Marianne Beate Kielland (mezzo) Sergej Osadchuk (piano) rec. 2009
2L 2L064SACD 
[63:32] [OL]
This
disc gave me one of the strongest musical experiences I have ever had.
Great
Pianists - Alfred Cortot Works
by Purcell, Bach, Mendelssohn, Franck & Saint-Saëns
rec. 1929-37
NAXOS 8.111381 [75:47]
[JW]
A
really splendid disc.
Dialogues
of Sorrow - Passions on the Death of Prince Henry
Gallicantus/Gabriel
Crouch; Elizabeth Kenny (lute) rec. 2010
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD210 [70:46]
[JV]
An
impressive display of heartfelt grief.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Festival
Music from the Düben Collection
Göteborg Baroque/Magnus Kjellson rec. 2009
FOOTPRINT FRCD 053 [68:14]
[JV]
This
programme of music from the Düben Collection is given spirited
performances by Göteborg Baroque.
España
- Classical Masterpieces
rec. 1966-2002
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9147 [20 CDs: c. 22:00:00]
[RB]
An
inexpensive and stimulating collection.
Essential
Organ:
A Journey Through Italian Organ Music
TACTUS
TC950002 (Sampler Disc) [75:46]
[By]
In
spite of the music, which is of a high standard, this disc is as difficult
to recommend as it was to review.
Farewell
Franz Joseph HAYDN (1732 – 1809)
Symphony 45 Frank MARTIN (1890 – 1974)
Pavane couleur du temps Wladimir VOGEL
(1896 – 1984) Abschied Herman HALLER
(1914 – 2002) Abschied Hans SCHAEUBLE
(1906 – 1988) Symphony
Barbara Böhl (soprano) Camerata Zürich/Marc Kissóczy rec. 2008/9
GUILD GMCD7342 [71:20]
[BBr]
This
is music which deserves to be heard.
Edwin
Fischer - Piano Playing from the Heart
rec. 1931-54
EMI CLASSICS ICON 6294992 [12 CDs]
[JW]
A
vast amount of music to which to listen, and to treasure.
Fleur
De Lys
The Solo Suite before Bach Nicolas HOTMAN
(1610-1663) Suite in d minor Le Sieur DUBUISSON
(?-1688) Suite in d minor Le Sieur DE MACHY
(?-1692) Suite 4 Jean DE SAINTE COLOMBE
(c.1615-c.1701) Suite Marin MARAIS
(1656-1728) Tombeau pour Mr. de Ste. Colombe
Charles Medlam (viola da gamba), William Carter (theorbo) rec. 2010
CELLO
CLASSICS CC1028 [71:04]
[JV]
The
performances lack elegance and aristocratic splendour.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Flights of Fantasy -
Early Italian Chamber Music
Irish Baroque Orch. Chamber Soloists/Monica Huggett, rec. 2009
AVIE AV2202 [78:56]
[JV]
The
Italian composers of the 17th century let their fantasy fly, and so
do Monica Huggett and her colleagues.
For
Eternity
Celine Byrne (soprano) RTÉ Ntl SO/Marco Zambelli
RTE LYRIC FM CD 128 [63:53]
[GF]
A
fine voice employed with taste and musicality.
Frozen
river flows
New Noise (Janey Miller (oboe) Joby Burgess (percussion)) rec. 2007/9
OBOE
CLASSICS CC2021 [67:50]
[RB]
Brave
new worlds of the creative imagination.
Full
fathom five et autres Shakespeare songs
Chœur de Chambre Les Éléments/Joël Suhubiette Corine Durous (piano)
rec. 2001
ÉDITIONS HORTUS 028 [63:32]
[JQ]
An
enterprising collection of settings of Shakespeare, performed extremely
well by a French choir.
Emil
Gilels, Vols 1 & 2
Great Artists in Moscow Conservatoire
Emil Gilels (piano) rec. 1949-84
MOSCOW STATE CONSERVATOIRE SMCCD0040 & 81 [62:34 + 72:12]
[JW]
These
two discs contain claimed ‘previously unreleased recordings’
and that seems to be the case.
The
Golden Age of Light Music Magical Melodies
GUILD GLCD5170 [78:23]
[BBr]
Another
sensibly planned, and excellently executed collection from this label.
The
Golden Age of Light Music The Pianist in the Spotlight
rec. 1934-59
GUILD GLCD 5173 [77:24]
[BBr]
Grand
sound, good notes, great fun!
The
Golden Age of Light Music The Lost Transcriptions - Vol. 1
rec.
1942 - 1955
GUILD GLCD 5174 [77:39]
[BBr]
Forget
LemSip, take The Golden Age of Light Music!
La
Grande Fanfare
Luigi CHERUBINI (1760-1842) Horn
Sonatas Johann Gottlieb GRAUN (1702/3-1771)
Horn Quartet Wezeslaus Leopold KOHL
(1753-?) Quartet Joseph HAYDN
(1732-1809) Divertimento Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART (1756-1791) Horn Quintet
Alessio Allegrini (French horn) I Solisti della Scala, Milano rec. 2000
TUDOR
7101 [61:58]
[RB]
If
the repertoire appeals you need have no reservations.
The
Great Waltzes -
The Essential Collection
NAXOS 8.578041-42 [70:51 + 76:53]
[AM]
Variable
performances and too narrow a selection make this a disappointing collection.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Heinz
Holliger Edition
Full contents listed at end of review Rec. 1966-1991. ADD/DDD
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94054 [10 CDs: 537:32]
[JS]
An
unmissable bargain.
I
Am Waiting For You – Janácek Inspirations
Lucie Slepankova (voice) Martin Oprsal (vibraphone/xylophone) Kapralova
Qt, rec. 2009
HUDBABY 2 CR0481-2 [64:12]
[RB]
A
tough but subtle and engaging listen.
Inspiration
Homage to Maria Curcio
Anthony Goldstone (piano) rec. 2009
DIVINE ART DDA25086 [75:23]
[JW]
A
fine tribute to Maria Curcio.
In
the mists Leoš JANÁCEK (1854-1928)
In the Mists Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Piano sonata Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Tre Sonetti di Petrarca Sergei RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943) Preludes, Moments Musicaux
Ivana Gavric (piano) rec. 2009
CHAMPS HILL RECORDS CHRCD009 [73:34]
[LW]
This
debut recording of Ivana Gavric showcases a major talent.
Rudolf
Kempe The Genius of the Podium rec. 1956-72
EMI CLASSICS ICON 629557 2 [11 CDs: 823:34]
[JW]
This
fine box offers some excellent performances spiced by light-hearted
fun in the last two discs.
Lead
me, Lord Samuel Wesley & contemporaries
The Choir of York Minster/Robert Sharpe John Scott Whiteley (organ)
rec. 2010
REGENT REGCD344 [70:48]
[JS]
An
admirable sample of the works of one of England’s best but least known
composers.
Let
Beauty Awake Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
(1872-1958) Songs of Travel Srul Irving
GLICK (1934-2005) South of North – Images of Canada
Paul BOWLES (1910-1999) Blue
Mountain Ballads Samuel BARBER
(1910-1981) Three Songs
Joshua Hopkins (baritone); Jerad Mosbey (piano) rec. 2009
ATMA ACD2 2615 [55:38]
[WH]
A
fine Songs of Travel nestling in a most attractive programme.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Lettere
Amorose
Magdalena Kožená (mezzo) Private Musicke/Pierre Pitzl, rec. 2009
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8764 [61:33]
[GF]
Kožená
and Private Musicke convey their love for this music in readings filled
to the brim with feeling and passion.
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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