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Jean
ABSIL (1893-1974)
Selected Piano Works 
Daniel Blumenthal (piano) rec. 2009-10
FUGA LIBERA FUG578 [55:21 + 60:30] 
[RB]
If
you like Debussy and early 20C modernism but short of the dodecaphonic
divide then I cannot imagine a better choice for exploration.
Thomas
ADČS
(b. 1971) Songs
and choral works
Sarah Bickley (mezzo) Robin Blaze (counter-tenor) Christopher Maltman
(baritone) The Composer’s Ens, City of Birmingham SO/Thomas Adčs; Polyphony/Stephen
Layton
EMI CLASSICS 0272012 [59.38] [GH] 
At
the end of the CD I felt like shouting out “Will the real Thomas Adés
please stand up?”
Franco
ALFANO (1875-1954)
Violin Sonata, Piano Quintet, Nenia and Scherzino
Elmira Darvarova, Mary Ann Mumm (violin) Scott Dunn (piano) Craig Mumm
(viola) Samuel Magill (cello) rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.572753 [66:16]
[Byz]
Considerable
originality, dulcet, optimistic, indelible.
Charles-Valentin
ALKAN (1813-1888)
Music
for Organ or Pedal-Piano Treize Pričres, Petits Préludes sur les
8 gammes du plain-chant, Impromptu sur le Choral de Luther
Kevin Bowyer (organ) rec. 1988
NIMBUS NI 5089 [73:48] 
[Byz]
These
masterly performances are sure to live on.
William
ALWYN (1905-1985) Prelude and Derrybeg Fair from
The Fairy Fiddler see JOUBERT
Richard
ARNELL
(1917-2009) String
Quartets 1-5
Tippett Qt rec. 2010
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7268 [65:33] [RB]
World
premiere recordings - definitive too. An impressive cycle of string
quartets in powerfully projected and acted performances and recordings.
Grazyna
BACEWICZ
(1909-1969) Violin Concertos 2, 4 & 5
Joanna Kurkowicz (violin) Polish Radio SO/Lukasz Borowicz rec. 2010
CHANDOS
CHAN10673 [80:51] [DW]
Why
these concertos don’t enjoy greater currency is beyond me; concert programmes
would be the richer for their inclusion.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
St Matthew Passion, St John Passion, Mass in B minor
De Nederlandse Bachvereniging, Amsterdam Baroque Ch & O/Ton Koopman
rec. 1992-94
ERATO CLASSICS 2564 67361-6 [7 CDs: 380:51]
[GD]
There
is plenty to like about Koopman’s performances.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Motets
Dorothee Mields (soprano) Robin Blaze (counter-tenor) Thomas Hobbs (tenor)
Peter Kooij (bass) Collegium Vocale Gent/Philippe Herreweghe rec. 2011
PHI
LPH002 [62.31] [KM]
If
you want a recording of Bach’s motets, this is the one to get.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Orchestral Suite 2, Oboe Concerto, Concerto for oboe & violin, Concerto
for 2 violins, Brandenburg Concertos 2, 4 & 5
London Conchord Ensemble Florian Uhlig (piano) rec. 2004-6
CHAMPS HILL RECORDS CHRCD014 [63:19 + 56:48]
[Byz]
What
makes this stand out is the chamber music approach.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) A Bach Christmas
rec. 1983-2003
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94103 [10 CDs: 549:14]
[JV]
If
you want a Christmas with Bach you had better look for something else.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The Well-Tempered
Clavier Book I
Abdel Rahman El Bacha (piano) rec. 2010
TRITON OVCT-00077 
[54:48 + 56:36]
[DC]
Superb:
measured and uncontroversial, but how does he do it?
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Piano Transcriptions - Volume 10 by Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) & Isidore PHILIPP (1863-1958)
Nadejda
Vlaeva (piano) rec. 2010
HYPERION CDA67873 [77:09]
[JW]
Driven
through with panache, rounded tone, strikingly intimate gestures and
intense, but never tone-forced, splendour.
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Magnificat, Brandenburg Concerto 5
Los Angeles PO, Budapest RSO/Otto Klemperer rec. 1945-50
GUILD GHCD 2360 [60:38] 
[CH]
The
first movement of the Brandenburg Concerto is a miracle. Rather more
caution is needed elsewhere.
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) András Schiff Plays Bach French Suites Nos. 1-6,
BWV 812-817 Overture (Partita) in the French Style in B minor, BWV 831
Concerto in the Italian Style in F major, BWV 971, "Italian Concerto"
Bonus: András Schiff Explains Bach
András Schiff, piano Rec: 2010.
EUROARTS 
Blu-ray 2058134 [134 min. + 34 min.]
[KM]
An
intimate concert, filmed in a subtle manner, excellent sound, and a
master performing Bach’s French Suites.
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
Concerto in A major BWV 1055 [13:38] Concerto in G minor BWV 1058 [13:36]
Concerto in D major BWV 1054 (1740) [16:42] Concerto in E major BWV
1053 [19:19] Concerto in F minor BWV 1056 (1742) [10:07]
Nick van Bloss (piano) English Chamber Orchestra/David Parry rec. 2008,
NIMBUS
ALLIANCE NI 6141 [73:22]
[DC]
Brilliant
stuff, but some strings are more equal than others.
Johan
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Goldberg
Variations BWV 988 (1742) [49:22] Fourteen Canons BWV 1087
[4:40] Bist du bei mier [2:37]
Daniel-Ben Pienaar (piano) rec.2010
AVIE AV2235 [56:39]
[DC]
Expressive,
atmospheric, intelligent performance.
Samuel
BARBER (1940-1981) Piano Sonata, Excursions see
Ives
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Violin Concertos 1 & 2, Viola
Concerto
James Ehnes (violin/viola) BBC Philharmonic/Gianandrea Noseda rec. 2009-11
CHANDOS
CHAN 10690 [77:45]
[DC]
Tremendous
achievement.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Béla BARTÓK
(1881-1945) Duke Bluebeard’s Castle
Laszló Polgár (bass) Ildikó Komlósi (mezzo) Budapest Fest O/Iván Fischer
rec. 2002
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCSSA90311
[55:27]
A
magnificent performance of Bartók’s masterpiece from all-Hungarian forces
… not to be missed.
Bela
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm,
Out of Doors see
Ives
Ludwig
Van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Symphonies Nos. 1-10
Alison Hargan (soprano); Della Jones (alto); David Rendell (tenor);
Gwynne Howell (bass); London ymphony Chorus; London Symphony Orchestra/Wyn
Morris rec. 1988-89
MUSICAL CONCEPTS MC 199 [5 CDs: 78:23 + 77:27 + 75:14 + 78:16 +
71:41]
[RB]
Old
fashioned values, an intemperate freshness - be prepared to rediscover
Beethoven.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) The Complete Symphonies +
Coriolan and Egmont overtures Discovering Beethoven:
a documentary about each symphony
Wiener Philharmoniker/Christian Thielemann rec. 2010 Full details listed
at end of review
UNITEL/C MAJOR 705308 
[9 DVDs: Music: 446:00; Documentaries: 510:00]
[ST]
A
bold attempt to recapture and redefine Beethoven for the 21st
century.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Piano Sonatas 30-32
Penelope Crawford (fortepiano) rec. 2010
MUSICA OMNIA MO0308 [64:25]
[BR]
Probably
the top choice for Beethoven’s last sonatas on a period instrument:
a magical choice of piano and artistry which can stand up to the greats.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) The Symphonies
Eiddwen Harrhy (soprano); Jean Bailey (contralto); Andrew Murgatroyd
(tenor); Michael George (bass) Oslo Cathedral Choir/Terje Kvam The Hanover
Band/Roy Goodman, Monica Huggett rec. 1982-83,
NIMBUS NI 5144/8 [5 CDs: 62.28 + 79.06 + 76.00 + 65.38 + 65.46]
[DC]
Still
makes a splash and at a bargain price.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Symphony
3 Vienna
PO/Wilhelm Furtwängler rec. 1944
TAHRA
FURT2008 [53:09] [JW]
Splendid.
Great immediacy and intensity which perfectly reflects the tumultuous
nature of the performance.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Sonatas 3 & 21, Andante
favori, Rondo a capriccio
Alice Sara Ott (piano) rec. 2010
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9291 [65:40] [DC]
Easily
recommendable to all-comers.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Sonatas Vol. 9
Garrick
Ohlsson (piano)
BRIDGE 9274A/B [69:16 + 68:21] [WH]
Outstanding
performances and beautifully recorded
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concertos 1 & 5
Walter Gieseking (piano) Philharmonia O/Rafael Kubelík, Berlin Radio
O/Artur Rother rec. 1945/48
MUSIC & ARTS CD1145 [67:38]
[JW]
This
is certainly the best yet restoration of the stereo Emperor, and its
disc mate makes an appropriate and equally distinguished pairing.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies 4 & 6
Philharmonia O/Otto Klemperer rec. 1960
IDIS 6619 [77:54]
[JS]
Poor
recording but can be a very exhilarating experience.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano
concerto 5 see Arrau
Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Les Troyens
Daniella Barcelona Lance Ryan, Valencia Regional Government Ch, Valencian
Community O/Valery Gergiev rec. 2009
UNITEL CLASSICS
706104 [261:00] [KM]
Wonderful
music; horrendous staging.
Dick
BLACKFORD
(b.1936)
Concerto for recorder and string quartet see Pipings
and Blowings
Maurice
BLOWER (1894-1982) Horn concerto, Eclogue see British
Composers Premiere Collections
Sergei
BORTKIEWICZ (1877-1952) Piano Works - Vols 1 & 2
Jouni
Somero (piano) rec. 2005-8
FINNCONCERT FCRCD 9714/19 [76:58 + 69:53] [Byz]
This
promises to be a marvellous series.
Sergei
BORTKIEWICZ
(1877-1952) Piano
Works - volume 4 Piano Sonata no.2, op.60 (1942) [25:57] Aus
Meiner Kindheit, op.14 (1911) [18:39] Ten Preludes, op.15 (1911)
[30:06]
Jouni Somero (piano) rec. 2008. DDD
FINNCONCERT FCRCD 9730 [74:47]
[Byz]
Another
quality disc. No pianophile should be without Bortkiewicz's Piano Sonatas
or his sets of Etudes.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphonies 1-4
Tonhalle O Zurich/David Zinman rec. 2010
SONY/RCA RED SEAL 88697 933492 [3 CDs: 166:00]
[ST]
Traditional
Brahms … excellent, rich and bloomy.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphonies 1-4
London Symphony Orchestra/Antal Doráti Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra/Antal
Doráti (No.2) rec. 1957, 1959, 1963 ADD
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802079 [75:48 + 76:30]
[RB]
Impatient,
intemperate, invincible. Stand back from the blast furnace door!
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77*
(1878) [41:14] 21 Hungarian Dances WoO 1 (1868 and 1880) (arr. Joseph
JOACHIM)** [52:58]
Baiba Skride (violin); Lauma Skride (piano) ** Royal Stockholm Philharmonic
Orchestra/Sakari Oramo* rec. 2009/2010,
ORFEO C 829 112 A [41:14 + 52:58]
[JQ]
This
winningly lyrical account of the Brahms Violin Concerto is worth serious
consideration by collectors.
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
Songs Ring out to the Heavens – Brahms Choral Works
Dave Everson and Steve Multer (Horns); Erik C. Nielsen(Harp); Cynthia
Siebert (piano) The Kansas City Chorale/Charles Bruffy (piano)
rec.1996
NIMBUS NI5524 [65:16]
[NB]
A
disc to savour for its serenely grave beauty and profound musicality.
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
Violin sonatas, Cello sonatas rec. 2009
Yuzuko Horigome (violin) Viviane Spanoghe (cello) André de Groote (piano)
TALENT
DOM3811 14-15 [66:46 + 79:47]
[JW]
Some
of the most intimate performances of Brahms’s string sonatas that I’ve
heard in a long time.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1840-1893) Violin Sonatas 1-3
Albert Spalding (violin) Erno Dohnányi (piano) rec. 1951
PRISTINE AUDIO PACM 078 [67:21]
[JW]
Patrician,
aristocratic, and gently aloof.
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Symphony
1 Sir Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Enigma
Variations
BBC SO/Sir Adrian Boult rec. 1971-6
ICA CLASSICS ICAC5019 [78:21] [JQ]
Fine,
wise performances, which act as welcome supplements to Boult’s studio
versions of these works.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano Concerto 2 Frederic
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Scherzo 1, Polonaise 6 Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Funérailles
Garrick Ohlsson (piano) BBC SO/James Loughran rec. 1974/1978
ICA CLASSICS
ICAD5013 [77:55] [TP]
For
Ohlsson fans and anyone who would see this young lion in his pomp.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Havergal BRIAN
(1876-1972)
Symphony
1 The Gothic
Susan Gritton (soprano) Bach Choir, Brighton Festival Ch, CBSO Youth
Chorus, Huddersfield Choral Soc, London Symphony Ch, BBC National Ch
& O of Wales; BBC Concert O/Martyn Brabbins rec. live, 2011
HYPERION CDA67971/2 [54:07 + 60:41]
[RB]
A
momentous and remarkable work receiving its finest performance and recording
to date.
Havergal
BRIAN (1876-1972) Symphonies 10 & 30, English Suite
3, Concerto for Orchestra
Royal Scottish Ntl O/Martyn Brabbins rec. 2010
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7267 [64:49] [RB]
Dr
Merryheart, Symphonies 9 & 11
London SO/Harry Newstone, Norman Del Mar rec. 1959
DUTTON CDBP 9798 [76:21] [RB]
Two
contrasting Dutton CDs of the orchestral music of Havergal Brian; one
archive-historical the other with modern perceptive studio recordings.
Frank
BRIDGE (1879-1941) Phantasie see CLARKE
Chris
BRUBECK (b.1952) Danza del Soul Michael
GANDOLFI (b.1956) Line Drawings Lukas
FOSS (1922-2009) Central Park Reel
Concord Chamber Music Society rec. 2010
REFERENCE RECORDINGS RR-122 [63:30]
[Byz]
Certainly
worth further investigation by the general listener.
Max
BRUCH (1838-1920) Kol Nidrei, Canzone, Adagio,
Romanze, Ave Maria, Suite on Russian folk melodies
Friedrich Kleinhapl (cello) Czech RSO/Jan Kučera rec. 2010
ARS PRODUKTION
ARS 38 090 [63:48]
[GA]
Bruch’s
pieces for cello and orchestra are not all on the level of the Kol Nidrei,
but they make pleasant listening, and they are very well played and
recorded.
Max
BRUCH (1838-1920) Romance see SCHUBERT
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Mass 3; Psalm 150
Juliet Booth, Jean Rigby, John Mark Ainsley, Gwynne Howell, Corydon
Singers, Corydon Orchestra/Matthew Best rec. 1992
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55332 [68:01]
[LW]
Best’s
Bruckner earns a strong endorsement.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Anton BRUCKNER
(1824-1896)
Symphonies 4 & 7
Basle SO/Mario Venzago rec. 2010
CPO 777 615-2 [61:15 + 64:21]
[CH]
Venzago’s
Bruckner may be for the 2020s as iconic as Wand’s was for the
1990s.
Peter
BRUUN (b. 1968) Breve til havet, Drukne ét Hav i
et Andet, En klokke af sřlv, der kimer alt levende sammen
Frode
Andersen (accordion) Helene Gjerris (mezzo) Esbjerg Ens/Petter Sundkvist
rec. 2010
DACAPO 8.226553 [55:02]
[DM]
A
well-balanced and varied ‘taster’ that’s whetted my appetite for more.
Ferruccio
BUSONI (1866-1924)
Piano Concerto
Roberto Cappello (piano) Corale Luca Marenzio, Roma SO/Francesco La
Vecchia rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572523 [79:50]
[DM]
A
more unlovely performance of this concerto it would be hard to imagine.
Dieterich
BUXTEHUDE (c.1637-1707) Complete organ Works - Volume
4 Christopher
Herrick (organ) rec. 2011
HYPERION CDA67876 [71:06]
[Byz]
Christopher
Herrick clocks up another memorable recording - terrifically nimble-fingered
and fleet-footed.
Dieterich
BUXTEHUDE (c.1638-1707) Opera Omnia XII - Chamber Music
I Catherine
Manson, David Rabinovich (violins) Jonathan Manson (viola da gamba)
Ton Koopman (harpsichord and organ); Mike Fentross (lute) Christine
Sticher (violone) rec. 2010
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72251 [58.50]
[EM]
A
performance that has a zest of life, freshness and vigour.
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for alphabetical listings by composer:
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1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
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5 S-Z]
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7 Misc M-Z]
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