MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             


Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger




Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Chandos recordings
All Chandos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing

 

Alphabetical Listing

Recommendations

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 week] [Recommended recordings]


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


RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Jacobus CLEMENS non Papa (1510/1515-1555/6) Missa Pro Defunctis, Motets Brabant Ens/Stephen Rice rec. 2010 HYPERION CDA67848 [72.52] [GH]

Jacobus Clemens can be considered up there with the very best. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Edvard GRIEG (1843 - 1907) Violin Sonata 1 Béla BARTÓK (1881 - 1945) Sonata for solo violin Richard STRAUSS (1864 - 1949) Violin Sonata Vilde Frang (violin) Michail Lifits (piano) rec. 2010 EMI CLASSICS 9476392 [78:49] [GF]

Give us more of Vilde Frang, please, EMI! 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH  Charles IVES (1874-1954) A Concord Symphony, orch. Henry Brant Aaron COPLAND (1900-1990) Organ Symphony Paul Jacobs (organ) San Francisco SO/Michael Tilson Thomas rec. 2010 SFS MEDIA 82193600382 [77:07] [KM]

A must for any fan of Ives. The Concord Symphony is a magnificent realization, and the performance here is top-notch.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 4; Rückert-Lieder Magdalena Kožená (mezzo) Lucerne FO/Claudio Abbado rec. 2009 EUROARTS 2057988 [79:24] [DM]

A must-have for all Mahlerians.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH  Giovanni Benedetto PLATTI (1697 - 1763) Oboe sonatas, Cello sonatas, Trios Ensemble Cordia rec. 2005 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94007 [65:36] [JV]

The best possible recording of Platti's music.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Max REGER (1873-1916) Piano Concerto Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Burleske Marc-Andre Hamelin (Piano) Berlin RSO/Ilan Volkov rec. 2010 HYPERION CDA67635 [56.53] [RBe]

Absolutely outstanding. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Pétrouchka, Le Sacre du Printemps Bergen PO/Andrew Litton rec. 2008/9 BIS BISSACD1474 [69:00] [DC]

Stop press: crusty old cynic declares recording as ‘near definitive’.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH  Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony 5; 1812 Overture Alexander GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) Sten'ka Razin Berlin State Opera O, Berlin PO/Alexander Kitschin rec. 1928-29 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 268 [72:21] [JW]

A rather amazing disc.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Richard WAGNER (1813-1883) Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - orchestral excerpts César FRANCK (1822-1890) Symphony Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924) Pelléas et Mélisande – concert suite Boston SO/Charles Munch rec. 1959-1961 ICA CLASSICS ICAD 5015 [70:28] [RM]

A very significant musical record.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Jan Dismas ZELENKA (1679-1745) Officium defunctorium, Requiem Collegium 1704 & Vocale/Václav Luks rec. 2010 ACCENT ACC 24244 [61:26 + 40:04] [DC]

Drop dead gorgeousness.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH La Chasse Royale - Keyboard Manuscript of Antoine Selosse Music by John BULL (1562?-1628) John ROBERTS? (fl 1650-1670) Terence Charlston (clavichord, harpsichord, organ) rec. 2009 DEUX-ELLES DXL1143 [59:19 + 33:30] [JV]

Terence Charlston has done it again: another fine recording of unknown but high-quality repertoire.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH English Spring Arnold BAX (1883-1953) Spring Fire (1913) [32:33] Frederick DELIUS (1862-1934) Idylle de Printemps (1889) [10:45]; North Country Sketches: The March of Spring (1914) [10:08] Frank BRIDGE (1879-1941) Enter Spring (1927) [20:50] The Halle/Sir Mark Elder rec. 2010 HALLE CD HLL 7528 [74:30] [RB]

A winner on all counts.

 

BARGAINS OF THE MONTH

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.

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Ein Heldenleben Chicago SO/Daniel Barenboim rec. 1990 WARNER APEX 2564 67716-3 [62:39] [BW]

A Heldenleben to rival the best – and Till is not far behind.

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH William WALTON (1902-1983) Violin Concerto Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Havanaise Christian SINDING (1856-1941) Suite im alten Stil Mario CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO (1895-1968) Violin Concerto 2 ‘The Prophets’ Jascha Heifetz (violin) Philharmonia O/William Walton, RCA Victor SO/William Steinberg, Los Angeles PO/Alfred Wallenstein rec. 1950-4 NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111367 [77:25] [BW]

One of the greatest historical bargains that I’ve heard for a long time.

 

 


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 week] [Recommended recordings]


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



EXPLORE MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL

Making a Donation to MusicWeb

Writing CD reviews for MWI

About MWI
Who we are, where we have come from and how we do it.

Site Map

How to find a review

How to find articles on MusicWeb
Listed in date order

Review Indexes
   By Label
      Select a label and all reviews are listed in Catalogue order
   By Masterwork
            Links from composer names (eg Sibelius) are to resource pages with links to the review indexes for the individual works as well as other resources.

Themed Review pages

Jazz reviews

 

Discographies
   Composer
      Composer surveys
   National
      Unique to MusicWeb -
a comprehensive listing of all LP and CD recordings of given works
.
Prepared by Michael Herman

The Collector’s Guide to Gramophone Company Record Labels 1898 - 1925
Howard Friedman

Book Reviews

Complete Books
We have a number of out of print complete books on-line

Interviews
With Composers, Conductors, Singers, Instumentalists and others
Includes those on the Seen and Heard site

Nostalgia

Nostalgia CD reviews

Records Of The Year
Each reviewer is given the opportunity to select the best of the releases

Monthly Best Buys
Recordings of the Month and Bargains of the Month

Comment
Arthur Butterworth Writes

An occasional column

Phil Scowcroft's Garlands
British Light Music articles

Classical blogs
A listing of Classical Music Blogs external to MusicWeb International

Reviewers Logs
What they have been listening to for pleasure

Announcements

 

Community
Bulletin Board

Give your opinions or seek answers

Reviewers
Past and present

Helpers invited!

Resources
How Did I Miss That?

Currently suspended but there are a lot there with sound clips


Composer Resources

British Composers

British Light Music Composers

Other composers

Film Music (Archive)
Film Music on the Web (Closed in December 2006)

Programme Notes
For concert organizers

External sites
British Music Society
The BBC Proms
Orchestra Sites
Recording Companies & Retailers
Online Music
Agents & Marketing
Publishers
Other links
Newsgroups
Web News sites etc

PotPourri
A pot-pourri of articles

MW Listening Room
MW Office

Advice to Windows Vista users  
Questionnaire    
Site History  
What they say about us
What we say about us!
Where to get help on the Internet
CD orders By Special Request
Graphics archive
Currency Converter
Dictionary
Magazines
Newsfeed  
Web Ring
Translation Service

Rules for potential reviewers :-)
Do Not Go Here!
April Fools




Untitled Document


Reviews from previous months
Join the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the discs reviewed. details
We welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin Board
Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to which you refer.