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Budget £6-7.99 
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Full price £11+ 
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John
CAROLLO (b.1954) Starry Night, Anguish in
Every Household, Clarinet Quartet 1, Transcendence in the Age
of War 
Brno Sax Qt, Moravian PO/Petr Vronský/Jan Kucera rec. 2010
NAVONA RECORDS NV 5844 [71:07] 
[Byz]
New music that often has every right to stand
alongside the great works of past centuries and to reward those who
have put so much creative effort into it.
Isaiah
CECCARELLI (b.1973)
Bréviaire
d'Epuisements
Emilie Laforest (voice) Josée Lalonde (voice) Lori Freedman (bass clarinet)
Philippe Lauzier (bass clarinet) Pierre-Yves Martel (viola da gamba)
Isaiah Ceccarelli (percussion) rec. 2009
AMBIANCES MAGNETIQUES AM 199 [51:39]
[Byz]
Only
really recommendable to those with plenty of cash to spare and a strong
urge for avant-garde joyriding.
Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise
Brillante, Piano Sonata 2, Mazurkas, Nocturnes, Polonaise see
Yundi
Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Nocturne see BRAHMS
Sebastian
CURRIER (b.1959) Piano Sonata, Departures and Arrivals,
Scarlatti Cadences, Brainstorm
Laura Melton (piano) rec. 2009/10
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559638 [55:10] [Byz] 
Currier's
music is on the cusp of the kind of broader exposure it deserves.
Richard
DANIELPOUR (b. 1956) The Enchanted Garden: Preludes,
Book I and II
Xiayin Wang (piano) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.559669 [49:37]
[HC]
A
lovely disc of attractive and accessible piano music.
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862
- 1918) Complete Orchestral Music - Vol.6 Suite bergamasque,
Petite Suite, Printemps, En blanc et noir, Symphony
Lyon Ntl O/Jun Märkl rec. 2010
NAXOS 8.572583 [74:21]
[NB]
Collectors
five discs into this series won’t need to read this review to
make up their minds.
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Violin sonata Edward ELGAR (1857-1934)
Violin sonata Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Humoresques
Efi Christodoulou (violin) Margaret Fingerhut (piano) rec. 2010
GUILD GMCD 7358 [59:11]
[GA]
The
Sibelius Humoresques are the standout in this interesting and enterprising
program of early 20th century violin works.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934) Appalachia, The Song of the High
Hills
Olivia Robinson (soprano) Christopher Bowen (tenor) Andrew Rupp (baritone)
BBC SO & Ch/Andrew Davis rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHSA5088 
[64:24] [IL]
Beautifully-shaped
and sensitive readings.
Jeanne
DEMESSIEUX (1921-1968)
Organ Works: Six Études,Triptych, Te Deum
Pierre Labric (organ) rec. 1969/1972
DISQUES FY & DU SOLSTICE SOCD 269 [62.35] 
[GH]
Probably
one for the specialists.
François
DEVIENNE (1759-1803)
Six Duos
Concertants for Flute and Viola
Ewa Murawska (flute), Marcin Murawski (viola) rec. 2008, DDD
ACTE PREALABLE APO222 [69:04] 
[CR]
Elegance
and wonderful energy.
Lawrence
DILLON (b.
1959) Violin Music
Danielle Belén (violin, kazoo) David Fung (piano) Juan-Miguel
Hernandez (viola) Stan Muncy (marimba) rec. 2009
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559644 [61:21]
[Byz]
Quality music, quality performances, quality production.
Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1848)
Linda di Chamounix
Eglise Gutiérrez (soprano) Stephen Costello (tenor) Ludovic Tezier
(bass-baritone) Ch & O Royal Opera House, Covent Garden /Sir Mark
Elder rec. live, 2009
OPERA RARA ORC43 [3 CDs: 165:33]
[RJF]
Performed
in the new Critical Edition by Gabrielle Dotto, this is another quality
recording of a Donizetti opera complemented by the unsurpassed Opera
Rara presentation.
Paul
DUKAS (1865-1935)
La Péri, Symphony, The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Netherlands RPO/Jean Fournet
REGIS RRC1344 [75:00]
[ST]
The
playing and direction on the disc is good; my only complaint is that
the sound is ever so slightly recessed.
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
Maurice DURUFLÉ (1902-1986) Requiem, Quatre Motets
see Voices
from Heaven
Antonín
DVORÁK
(1841-1904) Cello Concerto 2 Piano Concerto
Mstislav Rostropovich (cello) Frantisek Maxián (piano) Czech PO/Václav
Talich rec. 1951-1952
REGIS RRC1368 [76:52]
[GA]
This
release is not recommendable; the recording is raw and uncomfortable,
and there are superior versions of both these Dvorák concertos currently
available.
Antonin
DVORÁK (1841-1904) Piano trios
Max Brod Trio rec. 2010
AUDIOMAX 703 1682-2 [70:36] [GD]
I
love the way that they land running at the start of the work, fully
engaging the listener from the very first note.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Antonín DVORÁK (1841-1904)
Symphony 9 see BRAHMS
Antonín
DVORÁK (1841-1904) Violin Concerto see Romantic
Works for Violin
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Edward ELGAR
(1857-1934) The violin music: Violin
concerto, Serenade, Salon pieces, Violin sonata
Marat Bisengaliev (violin) Benjamin Frith (piano) West Kazakhstan PO/Bundit
Ungrangsee rec. 1999-2009
NAXOS 8.572643-45 [3 CDs: 194:31]
[GA]
A
captivating Elgar Violin Concerto is worth the price of the set by itself,
and the rest is very fine.
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934) Violin sonata see
DEBUSSY
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934) Serenade see HAYDN
Michael
J. EVANS (b.1964)
Eidola: The Haunted Palace, Piano Concerto, Nocturne
with Sunrise
Karolina Rojahn (piano) Moravian PO/Vit Micka rec. 2010
NAVONA RECORDS NV5843 [59:35]
[Byz]
Easy,
attractive melodies but there are also glimpses of greater potential.
Manuel
de FALLA (1876-1946) El sombrero del tres picos see
Invitation to the Dance
Morton
FELDMAN (1926-1987) 2 Instruments; Dance Suite Barbara
MONK FELDMAN (b.1953) Duo; Pour un Nuage Viole
OGREOGRESS 40720 
[91:11] [GD]
Two
Feldman themes: his early work and the music written by his widow after
his death.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Friedrich
Ernst FESCA (1789-1826) Flute Quartets
Linos Ens rec. 2005
CPO 777 126-2 [69:04]
[CR]
Charming
repertoire. Enjoyable sound. Breathtaking flute playing.
Lukas
FOSS (1922-2009)
The Prairie
Elizabeth Weigle (soprano); Gigi Mitchell-Velasco (mezzo); Frank Kelly
(tenor); Aaron Engebreth (baritone) Providence Singers Boston Modern
Orchestra Project/Andrew Clark rec. 2007
BMOP/SOUND 1007
[53:02] [CR]
An
excellent recording which captures the work's essence very well.
César
FRANCK (1822-1890) Violin Sonata Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Violin Sonata Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Violin Sonata Shlomo Mintz (violin) Yefim
Bronfman (piano) rec. 1985/6
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94160 [58.04]
[SA]
A
wonderful disc of three classic sonatas which I have never heard bettered
or enjoyed more.
Luis
de FREITAS BRANCO (1890-1955) Orchestral Works - Vol.
4: Symphony 4, Vathek
RTÉ Ntl SO/Álvaro Cassuto rec. 2010
NAXOS 8.572624 [76.23]
[GH]
A
most enjoyable and interesting composer.
Andrea
GABRIELI (1532/33
- 1585) Keyboard Music
Glen Wilson (harpsichord, spinet) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572198 [72:15]
[JV]
Nobody
interested in early keyboard music should miss this disc.
Niels
Wilhelm GADE (1817-1890) Novelette 1 & 2
Aarhus Ch O/Ove Vedsten Larsen rec. 1981
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94185 [42:48]
[BR]
Very
pleasant additions to the romantic string-serenade repertoire.
Hans
GÁL
(1890-1987) Piano Music
Martin Jones (piano) rec. 2005,
NIMBUS NI 5751-52 [67:35 + 72:45]
[JW]
Nimbus’s
more billowy recording suits Jones’s mellow approach and he can be warmly
commended for his rich tone and more horizontal response.
Johann
Ernst GALLIARD (1687-1749) Pan and Syrinx see
PURCELL
George GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
Rhapsody in Blue see Jazz
Nocturne
George
GERSHWIN (1898-1937) Rhapsody in Blue see
Rhapsodies for Two Pianos
Gordon
GETTY (b.
1934) Overture ‘Plump Jack’, Ancestor Suite,
Homework Suite
ASMF/Sir Neville Marriner rec. 2009
PENTATONE CLASSICS PTC 5186 356
[60:22] [DM]
Well-formed
but ultimately rather dreary.
Alberto
GINASTERA (1916-1983)
Cello Concertos 1 & 2
Mark Kosower (cello) Bamberg SO/Lothar Zagrosek rec. 2009/10
NAXOS 8.572372 [68:58]
[NB]
A
disc that one admires very much indeed without necessarily liking it
a lot - certainly one of the finest Naxos concerto discs that I have
heard.
Philip
GLASS (b. 1937) Kepler
Martin Achrainer Soloists and Chorus of the Landestheater Linz, Bruckner
O Linz/Dennis Russell Davies rec. 2009
ORANGE MOUNTAIN 
OM5004
[120:00]
[KM]
More
of the same from Glass.
Philip
GLASS (b. 1937) Violin Sonata see
Glass Heart
Alexander
GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) The Seasons see
Invitation to the Dance
Reinhold
GLIČRE (1875 1956) Symphony 3 see Stokowski
Mikhail
GLINKA (1804-1857) Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture,
Three Dances from A Life for the Tsar Pytor
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
The Nutcracker Act 2
BBC SO/Gennadi Rozhdestvensky rec. 1981
ICA CLASSICS
ICAD5027 [65:08]
[AM]
A
wonderful blast from the Promenading past with Rozhdestvensky's perfectly
judged Nutcracker.
Percy
Aldridge GRAINGER
(1882-1961) Piano Favourites
Martin Jones (piano) rec. 1989/91
NIMBUS NI7703 [78:05]
[BW]
An
excellent sampler for the complete box set – all that many will need.
Romantic
Trumpet Sonatas Edvard
GRIEG (1843-1907) Holberg Suite (arr. Daniel-Ben Pienaar)
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Sonata 1 Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY
(1809-1847) Sonata 2 Karl PILSS (1902-1979)
Sonata
Jonathan Freeman-Attwood (trumpet) Daniel-Ben Pienaar (piano) rec. 2010
LINN
RECORDS HYBRID SACD CKD370
[69:56]
[BR]
Linn
have struck gold: romantic trumpet sonatas! Go on, do a double-take.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johan HALVORSEN
(1864
- 1935) Orchestral Works - Vol. 3 Symphony 3, Fossegrimen,
Bergensiana
Ragnhild Hemsing (Hardanger fiddle) Bergen PO/Neeme Järvi
rec. 2009/10
CHANDOS CHAN10664 [79:53]
[NB]
Utterly
beguiling.
George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Messiah
Elizabeth Watts (soprano) Catherine Wyn Rogers (alto) Mark Le Brocq
(tenor) James Oldfield (bass) Huddersfield Choral Soc, Northern Sinf/Jane
Glover rec. 2010
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD246 [71:17 + 67:01] 
[JS]
A
solid and worthy recording rather than one which seriously competes
with the best previous recordings of this often recorded work.
Emil
HARTMANN (1836-1898) Nordic and German Songs
Iben
Vestergård (soprano) Cathrine Penderup (piano) rec. 2010
DANACORD DACOCD 712-713 [60:06 + 64:44]
[Byz]
The
singer here might well have been off-colour whilst making this recording.
Joseph
HAYDN
(1732-1809)
Horn Concerto No.1 in D major (1762) [16:54] Symphony No.31 in D major
Hornsignal (1765) [28:29] Michael HAYDN
(1737-1806) Horn Concerto in D major (c.1777) [15:24]
Anthony
Halstead (natural horn) The Hanover Band/Roy Goodman rec. January 1989,
Frognal School, Hall
NIMBUS NI 5190 [60:47]
[JW]
Full
of character and acumen … you won’t go far wrong with this.
Franz
Joseph HAYDN (1737-1809) Trios
Annie Laflamme (flute) Dorothea Schönwiese-Guschlbauer (cello) Richard
Fuller (fortepiano) rec. 2009
COVIELLO CLASSICS COV21011 [58:38] [JS]
Very
attractive and engaging music, played and recorded so as to display
it at its best.
Passione
Joseph HAYDN
(1732-1809) Symphony 49 Edward ELGAR
(1857-1934) Serenade Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concerto 12
Ingrid Andsnes (piano) Telemark CO/Lars-Erik ter Jung rec. 2010
FABRA FBRCD 07 [60:58] [Byz]
Performed
with not very much passion.
Franz
Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphonies 25, 42 & 65
Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä/Patrick Gallois rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570761 [67:21]
[SV]
Musically
informed performances played by a polished modern orchestra. This disc
is sure to please and at minimal cost.
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Kleine Orgelsolomesse; Theresienmesse
Soloists,
Trinity Choir, Rebel Baroque O/J. Owen Burdick rec. 2004/08
NAXOS 8.572128 [56:04]
[GA]
Lively
and vigorous readings on period instruments of the Kleine Orgelsolomesse
and the Theresienmesse at a bargain price.
Franz
Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Keyboard concertos 3, 4 &
11 Jolanda
Violante (fortepiano) L’Arte dell’Arco/Federico Guglielmo (violin and
director) rec. 2008
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94175 [64:22] [GA]
The
orchestra plays extremely and Violante is an able and agile soloist,
but their efforts are undermined by a dull-sounding fortepiano.
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphony 102 see PROKOFIEV
Paul
HINDEMITH (1895-1963)
Kleine Kammermusik György LIGETI
(1923-2006) Six Bagatelles for Wind Quintet Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931) Wind Quintet
Quintett.Wien rec. 2001, DDD
NIMBUS NI 5728 [50:06]
[LW]
Fine
accounts of twentieth-century wind quintets, but more could have been
included.
Gustav
HOLST
(1874-1934) The Planets (version for 4
hands) York BOWEN (1884-1961) Suite
in Three Movements
York2 Duo: Fiona and John York (piano) rec. 2010
NIMBUS NI5871 [70:28]
[OL]
The
coordination of the partners is marvelous, the variety of the sounds
they produce is spectacular, and the feeling of the right sound at the
right moment is priceless.
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
Herbert HOWELLS (1892-1983)
Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis, Requiem see Voices
from Heaven
Paul HINDEMITH (1895-1963) String Quartet Op.22 (1923) ]
see SCHULHOFF
Johann
Nepomuk HUMMEL (1778
- 1837) Te Deum, Missa Solemnis, Alma virgo
Andrea Čajová (soprano) Zuzana Dunajčanová (alto)
Ondrej šaling (tenor) Rastislav Uhlár (bass) Chorus Alea,
Solamente Naturali Bratislava/Didier Talpain rec. 2007
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94115 [67:40]
[JV]
Hummel's
splendid choral and orchestral writing comes off very well here.
Kamran
INCE (b.1960) Symphony 5 'Galatasaray'; Hot,
Red, Cold, Vibrant; Requiem Without Words; Before Infrared
Turkish Ministry of Culture Choir, Bilkent SO/Kamran Ince rec. 2005-07
NAXOS
8.572553 [75:38]
[Byz]
Those
who are happy to be bludgeoned by their music, or who equate volume
with passion, should find much to enjoy in Ince's music.
David
JEPHCOTT
(b.1949) A
Different View
David Morris (whistler) Royal Liverpool PO/Clark Rundell rec. 2007 DDD
NIMBUS
ALLIANCE NI 6140 [64:46]
[Byz][RB]
Hardly
compelling but certainly worthy of consideration by anyone attracted
to pretty, timeless music that is lightweight, but not banal. [Byz]
Pleasing and undemanding listening. [RB]
FrantiŠek
JIRÁNEK (1698-1778) Concertos & sinfonias
Sergio Azzolini (bassoon) Marina Katazhnova (violin) Jana Semerádová
(flute) Collegium Marianum/Jana Semerádová rec. 2010
SUPRAPHON SU4039-2 [66:50]
[JW]
Decidedly
attractive discoveries with a strong and distinct Italianate lyric gift.
Jerome
KERN (1885-1945) The Jerome Kern Treasury
Thomas Hampson (baritone), Jeanne Lehman (soprano) London Sinf Ch/Terry
Edwards London Sinf/John McGlinn rec. 1992
EMI CLASSICS - AMERICAN CLASSICS - 9 48946 2 [79:09]
[DM]
Dim
the lights, crack open the Chardonnay and just enjoy.
Wilhelm
KIENZL (1857-1941)
Lieder - Vol. 1
Christiane Libor (soprano) Carsten Süss (tenor) Jochen Kupfer (baritone)
Stacey Bartsch (piano) rec. 2008
CHANDOS CHAN10666 [67:47]
[JZ]
Modern
audiences should be delighted by these engaging performances.
Victor
KISSINE (b.1953) Zerkalo see
Tchaikovsky
FEATURE
REVIEW Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD
(1897-1957) Symphony in F sharp(1947-52) [48:49]
Munich Philharmonic Orchestra/Rudolf Kempe rec. 1972 then transferred
to digital under the supervision of George Korngold for CD reissue in
1983.
VARČSE SARABANDE VSD-5346 [48:49]
[IL]
In
short Kempe’s reading is a recording to be treasured.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Erich
Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Songs Vol. 1
Britta Stallmeister (soprano) Uwe Schenker-Primus (baritone) Klaus Simon
(piano) rec. 2007/8
NAXOS 8.572027 [76:53] [IL]
A
delightful programme comprising the lesser-known Korngold songs delivered
to perfection.
Erich
Wolfgang KORNGOLD
(1897-1957)
String Quartet No.1 see Reznicek
Gui
Sook LEE
Stillness,
Ostinato in Springtime, The Movement, Moving On,
Refrain,
Ji Hyun Kim (piano) Kim McCormick (flute) McCormick Percussion Group/Robert
McCormick DDD
RAVELLO RR7810 [68:48]
[Byz]
Makes
an excellent starting-point for anyone interested in Eastern composers
in particular or attractive contemporary musical exotica in general.
György
LIGETI (1923-2006) Sonate pour alto Heinz
HOLLIGER (b.1939) Trema
Franco DONATONI (1927-2000) Toccatina
Giancinto SCELSI (1905-1988) Manto
Genevičve
Strosser (viola) rec. 2009
AEON AECD 1100 [71:21]
[DC]
Tough,
but something of a reference for this repertoire
György
LIGETI
(1923-2006) Six Bagatelles for Wind Quintet (1953) [11:50] see HINDEMITH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Hungarian Rhapsodies 1-19
Misha Dichter (piano) rec. 1977-1985
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802049 [72:45 + 69:27]
[BR]
A
fantastic set, at bargain price, which treats the rhapsodies more respectfully
than most.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Liszt – His Life and Music
by Malcolm Hayes
2 CDs + book + dedicated website
NAXOS 8.558214-15 [76:34 + 77:35]
[IL]
Will
satisfy Liszt admirers as well as all music-lovers whether beginners
or experienced performers or listeners.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Piano Concertos 1 & 2, Hungarian
Rhapsody
Byron Janis (piano) Moscow Radio SO/Kirill Kondrashin, Moscow PO/Gennadi
Rozhdestvensky rec. 1961/2
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802058 [63:28] [BW]
Only
Richter from the same vintage has an edge on these recordings.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Complete Piano Works - Vol
31 Grande Fantasie de concert sur des motifs favoris de l’opéra
‘La Sonnambula’, Réminiscences de ‘Norma’, Réminiscences des
‘Puritains’ de Bellini, Hexaméron (Morceau de concert; Grandes variations
de bravoure sure la marche des ‘Puritains’ de Bellini)
William Wolfram (piano) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572241 [70:06]
[DM]
The
playing is top-notch and the recording is pretty good too.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886)
Wild
and Crazy rec. 1961-2008
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9526 [79:21 + 77:43]
[DC]
A
very decent collection, despite the title.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Hungarian Rhapsody 2 see
Invitation to the Dance
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Hungarian Rhapsody 2 see
Rhapsodies for Two Pianos
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Rhapsodie espagnole, Hungarian
Rhapsody 2, Prelude and Fugue on the name of Bach, Funérailles
see Cziffra
Anatol
LYADOV (1855-1914) The Enchanted Lake see
RACHMANINOFF
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]
[DM]
Very
much a case of what might have been, I’m afraid.
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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