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Isaac
ALBÉNIZ (1860-1909) Selections from Iberia Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Variations Sérieuses Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Piano Sonata 3 
Matthew Bengtson (piano)
ROMEO RECORDS 7280 [63:42]
[Byz]
A
very intelligent recital, imaginative and analytical in equal measure.
William
ALWYN (1905-1985) Violin Concerto, Miss Julie Suite,
Fanfare for a Joyful Occasion
Lorraine McAslan (violin) Royal Liverpool PO/David Lloyd Jones rec.
2010
NAXOS 8.570705 [58:19]
[JF]
Some
very impressive and often very romantic music.
Samuel
ARNOLD (1740-1802) Polly
Laura Albino (soprano) Aradia Ens/Kevin Mallon rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.660241 [78:37]
[GPu]
Slight
but charming music which entertains and is of genuine historical interest.
Charles
AVISON (1709 - 1770) Harpsichord Sonatas, Opp. 5 &
7
The Avison Ensemble: Gary Cooper (harpsichord) Pavlo Beznosiuk, Carolien
Balding (violin) Robin Michael (cello) rec. 2008
DIVINE ART DDA21215 [65:33 + 46:36]
[JV]
Almost
two hours of first-rate musical entertainment.
Charles
AVISON (1709-1770) Concertos see D
SCARLATTI
Grazyna
BACEWICZ
(1909-1969) Piano Quintets 1 & 2, Piano Sonata 2
Krystian Zimerman (piano) Kaja Danczowska, Agata Szymczewska (violin)
Ryzsard Groblewski (viola) Rafal Kwiatkowski (cello)
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8332 [65:09] [GD]
This
music does not play itself; it requires and receives committed interpretation.
The results are magnificent with playing as passionate as it is precise.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann
Ludwig BACH (1667-1731) Trauermusik
Anna Prohaska (soprano) Ivonne Fuchs (alto) Maximilian Schmitt (tenor)
Andreas Wolf (bass) RIAS Kammerchor, Akademie für Alte Musik/Hans-Christoph
Rademann rec. 2010
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC 902080 [77:27]
[JQ]
A
revelation. Johann Ludwig Bach’s masterpiece has been splendidly served
in this superb performance.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) St. John Passion
Katharine Fuge, Joanne Lunn (soprano) Bernarda Fink (alto) Mark Padmore
(tenor) Hanno Müller-Brachmann, Peter Harvey (bass) Monteverdi Ch, English
Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. 2003
SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG712 [35:25 + 79:24]
[JQ]
A
splendid new account of the St. John Passion, which all devotees
of Bach’s vocal music should try to hear.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Easter Oratorio, Ascension
Oratorio
Carolyn Sampson (soprano) Iestyn Davies (counter-tenor) James Gilchrist
(tenor) Peter Harvey (bass) Retrospect Ens/Matthew Halls rec. 2010
LINN CKD373 
[70:26]
[JQ]
An
effervescent disc of Bach’s vocal music, containing distinguished and
stylish performances.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Brandenburg Concertos
Giuliano Carmignola (principal violin) Orch Mozart/Claudio Abbado rec.
2007.
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8908 [47:26 + 44:00]
[MG]
Bach
on the quiet side but refreshingly different.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Béla BARTÓK (1881 - 1945) Sonata for
solo violin see GRIEG
Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) The Miraculous Mandarin
Suite Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphony 1
London SO/Jonathan Pasternack rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572448 [68:29]
[WH]
A
young American conductor with one of the world’s finest orchestras fails
to convince in Bartók and Brahms.
Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) 2 Portraits, First Rhapsody see
KODÁLY
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Symphonies 7-9
Wiener Singverein, Annette Dasch (soprano) Mihoko Fujimura (contralto)
Piotr Beczala (tenor) Georg Zeppenfeld (bass) Vienna PO/Christian Thielemann;
Discovering Beethoven commentary rec. 2008-2010
UNITEL/CMAJOR 705204 
[306:56] [RC]
Among
the best Beethoven cycles available today …In fact, this would
probably be my top choice … an historic musical event.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Missa Solemnis
Krassimira Stoyanova (soprano) Elína Garanča (mezzo) Michael Schade
(tenor) Franz-Josef Selig (bass) Sächischer Staatsopernchor Dresden,
Staatskapelle Dresden/Christian Thielemann rec. 2010
UNITEL CLASSICA 705504
[90:00] [BW]
On
DVD this is already Recording of the Month and the Blu-ray is worth
paying extra.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies 2 & 8
Royal PO/Hermann Scherchen rec. 1954
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 198 [52:32]
[MG]
Performances
of considerable panache which wear their years lightly.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony 5, Piano Concerto
4 Emanuel
Ax (piano) San Francisco SO/Michael Tilson Thomas rec. 2009
SFS MEDIA 821936-0037-2
[68:17]
[GD]
A
turbulent, in-your-face Fifth and a very fine concerto.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concertos 1 & 3
Emil Gilels (piano) New Philh O/Adrian Boult rec. 1967
ICA CLASSICS ICAC 5000 [70:26]
[JW]
Real
rapport between Gilels and Boult.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) 33 Variations in C major on
a Waltz by Anton Diabelli, Andante favori
Gerard Willems (piano) rec. 2010
ABC CLASSICS 476 4113 [69:13]
[DC]
Dive
for cover – lethal weapon turned up to 11.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Bei Männern variations,
Kreutzer sonata, Cello sonata
Ivan Monighetti (cello) Pavel Gililov (piano) rec. 2008
DUX 0704 [71:37]
[OL]
The
music is full of optimism, and the performance is fittingly buoyant.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Concertos 4 & 5
Yevgeny Sudbin (piano) Minnesota O/Osmo Vänskä rec. 2009/2010
BIS BISSACD1758
[70:27] [MB]
Overriding
exuberance - spontaneous, never merely studied.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphonies 4, 5 & 7, Violin concerto
Erich Röhn (violin) Berlin PO/Wilhelm Furtwängler rec. live,
1943/4
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC267/71 [74:12 + 77:41]
[MC]
These
two exceptional discs have real historical significance and capture
the true greatness of these live performances.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Sonatas 17 &
31 Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Piano Sonata
Jill Crossland (piano) rec. 2003
DIVINE ART DIVERSIONS DDV24147 [76:06]
[OL]
A
consistent and well thought-out recital that grew on me with each listening.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Cello sonatas, Magic Flute variations
Jan Páleníček (cello), Jitka čechová (piano) rec. 2010
ARCODIVA no number [63:51]
[GA]
Straightforward
but sensitive performances let down by a recessive balance for the cello
in the sonatas.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony 8 see
KODALY
Alban
BERG (1885-1935) Violin
Concerto, Lulu-Suite, Three Orchestral Pieces, Piano Sonata, String
Quartet, Lyric Suite, Seven Early Songs
Franz Peter Zimmermann (violin) Arleen Augér (soprano) Peter
Donohoe (piano) Alban Berg Qt, CBSO/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 1987-2004
EMI CLASSICS 9072112 [79:14 + 75:14] [LW]
A
fine collection of Berg that should have wide appeal.
Leonard
BERNSTEIN (1918
- 1990) Divertimento for Orchestra, 1600 Pennsylvania
Avenue, Chichester Psalms
Barbara Hendricks (soprano) Thomas Hampson (baritone) Ch King’s
College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury, CBSO/Paavo Järvi, London Sinf/John
McGlinn rec. 1990-7
EMI CLASSICS 6411212 [65.33]
[RH]
A
good reminder of what an interesting and varied composer Bernstein could
be.
Carl
Heinrich VON BIBER (1681-1749) & Heinrich
Ignaz Franz VON BIBER (1644-1704) Sonatas for
trumpets, strings and continuo
Gabriele Cassone (natural trumpet) Roberto Falcone (violin) Ens 'Pian
& Forte'/Antonio Frigé rec. 1998
DYNAMIC DM8001 [68:47] [JV]
The
playing of Gabriele Cassone is this disc's main attraction but the strings
are rather bland.
Thomas
BLOCH (b. 1962) Missa Cantate
Jorg Waschinski (counter-tenor) Thomas Bloch (glass harmonica, cristal
Baschet, crystal bells, keyboards, waterphone, ondes martenot) David
Coulter (musical saw) Paderewski PO/Fernand Quattrocchi rec. 2002/5
NAXOS
8.572489 [66.13]
[RH]
This
disc appealed mainly for Bloch’s interesting use of unusual instruments.
Luigi
BOCCHERINI (1743-1805)
String Quintets Vol. IX
La Magnifica Comunità
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93977 [54:31 + 59:44]
[RC]
Very
desirable and worthwhile … a very good way of getting to know
and understand a fascinating and relatively unfamiliar body of work.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Wach auf, meins Herzens Schöne
Anne
Le Bozec (piano) Vocalensemble Rastatt/Holger Speck rec. 2009
CARUS 83.448 [63:52] [OL]
Warm
and elegant.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-97) Symphonies 2 & 3
SO Bayerischen Rundfunks/Mariss Jansons rec. 2006/10
BR KLASSIK 900111 [79:05]
[MC]
Excellent
performances in live recordings. These rank up there amongst the finest
available versions.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
String Quartet 1 Arnold SCHÖNBERG
(1874-1951) Verklärte Nacht
Amsterdam Sinf rec. 2007/10
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CCSSA30411
[63:23] [DC]
Very
fine indeed.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphony 1 see WAGNER
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphony 1 see
BARTÓK
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) Cello symphony, Symphonic
Suite from Gloriana, Four Sea Interludes from Peter
Grimes
Robert Murray (tenor) Paul Watkins (cello) BBC Philharmonic/Edward Gardner
rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHAN10658 [76:22]
[LW]
Gardner
and the BBC Philharmonic do Britten proud.
Prospero’s
Isle James
Francis BROWN (b. 1969) Piano Quartet, Violin
Sonata, Prospero’s Isle, String Trio
Tamás András (violin) Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola) Gemma Rosefield (cello)
Katya Apekisheva (piano) Jack Liebeck (violin) Nicola Eimer (piano)
rec. 2008
GUILD GMCD7354 [74:30]
[WH]
Four
compelling and highly individual chamber works brilliantly performed
by six outstanding young instrumentalists.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Anton BRUCKNER
(1824-1896)
Symphony 2
Aachen SO/Marcus Bosch rec. live, 2010
COVIELLO COV31015 [66:21]
[GD]
It
all comes together in a way that few manage with this work.
Gavin
BRYARS (b.1943) After Handel’s Vesper, Ramble
on Cortona, Piano Concerto
Ralph van Raat (piano) Capella Amsterdam, Netherlands Radio Ch P/Otto
Tausk rec. 2010
NAXOS 8.572570 [52:42]
[JW]
Wistful,
often romantic and without flourish, and deeply intimate in reach.
Dieterich
BUXTEHUDE (c.1637-1707) Complete Organ Works Volumes
1-3
Hans Davidsson (organ) rec. 2006
LOFT RECORDINGS LRCD1090-96 [7 CDs: 507:25]
[BW]
Amid
the wealth of currently available sets, this is well worth considering.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH William
BYRD (1539?/43?-1623) Masses: For 3, 4 and 5 Voices
Christ Church Cath Choir, Oxford/Stephen Darlington rec. 1989/1991
REGIS RRC1336 [72:11]
[BW]
Despite
the strong competition, this is a superb bargain.
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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