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A
Daring Game 12 thematic variations on Domenico Scarlatti. A
film by Francesco Leprino 
CONCERTO 
DVD
2021 [98:00] [JW]
This
is certainly a strange one.
An
Anthology of Finnish Piano Music on Finn Concert Records
Five volumes Jouni Somero (piano) Full contents listed at end of review
FINNCONCERT
FCRCD9711 [73:07 + 15:35] FCRCD9713 [75:12] FCRCD9717
[76:07] FCRCD9718 [78:10] FCRCD9722 [65:33] 
[RB]
A
generous and adventurous cross-section of Finnish piano music in elite
versions and healthy open recordings.
An
Anthology of Finnish Piano Music - Volume 3
Selim PALMGREN, Ernst
LINKO, Ilmari HANNIKAINEN
Jouni
Somero (piano) rec. 2006. DDD
FINNCONCERT FCRCD 9717 [76:07]
[Byz]
A
freshness of spirit and absence of regret or pessimism. A pleasant hour's
worth of unpretentious listening.
An
Anthology of Finnish Piano Music -
Volume 5 Väinö
RAITIO, Helvi LEIVISKÄ,
Tauno PYLKKÄNEN, Nils-Eric
FOUGSTEDT, Ernst PINGOUD,
Einari MARVIA, Yrjö
KILPINEN
Jouni Somero (piano) rec. 2008. DDD
FC-RECORDS FCRCD 9722 [65:33]
[Byz]
A
certain sombre quality pervades the programme.
Another
Night Before Christmas and
Scrooge
Simon Callow (narrator) RTÉ Concert Orch/Royal Ballet Sinf/Gavin Sutherland
rec. 2008-2011
NAXOS 8.572744 [79:20] 
[Byz]
A
good stocking-filler or cockle-warmer.
Claudio
Arrau: The Emperor - A film by Peter Rosen - includes complete
performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto 5
University of Chile SO/Victor Tevah
EUROARTS
2058648 [85:00] [JW]
Arrau’s
return to Chile will be of particular interest to admirers.
Azerbaijani
Piano Concertos
Farhad Badalbeyli, Murad Adigezalzade (piano) Joan Rodgers (soprano)
Royal PO/Dmitry Yablonsky rec. 2010
NAXOS 8.572666 [68:52]
[RB]
This
disc makes an attractive companion to Naxos's other two Azerbaijani
discs.
British
Composers Premiere Collections - Volume 2 Maurice
BLOWER (1894-1982) Horn concerto, Eclogue Robin
MILFORD (1903-1959) Suite Frederick
KELLY (1881-1916) Serenade Walter
Gaze COOPER (1895-1981)
Concertino
Rebecca Hall (flute); John McDonough (oboe); Jose Garcia Gutierrez (horn)
Malta PO/Michael Laus rec. 2011,
CAMEO CLASSICS CC9032CD [68.14] [RB]
Quite
a showpiece to set alongside the Strauss First Horn Concerto
Butterfly
Bass
Instinct rec. 2009
ZAPP MUSIC ZM0019 [63.40] [RH]
By
turns serious, humorous and attractively melodic. Do try it.
Chamber
Vespers - Miniature Masterpieces of the Italian Baroque
The
Gonzaga Band rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHAN 0782 [62:16] 
[JV]
The
music is exciting enough, but the performances are too restrained.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH The
Grand Organ of Canterbury Cathedral
John
Robinson (organ) rec. 2010
PRIORY PRDVD6
[78:06]
[ST]
Will
give tremendous pleasure to any discerning music-lover.
La
Capricieuse
Michaela Paetsch Neftel (violin) Wieslaw Pipczynski (accordion) rec.
2009
TUDOR 7168 [74:34] [JW]
A
bit of a hit and miss disc.
On
Christmas Night
Ch St John’s College, Cambridge/Andrew Nethsingha rec. 2011
CHANDOS CHSA5096 
[74:22]
[MC]
If
I wanted a single disc of Christmas-themed music in my collection I
would be happy with this release.
Christmas
Goes Baroque A
Musical Tour of Switzerland, Germany & Belgium
Slovak
State Phil/Peter Breiner rec. 1989
NAXOS 2.110546
[54:28]
[Byz]
Inoffensive
family-friendly viewing, more than can be said of most Christmas TV
nowadays.
Alfred
Deller
The Complete Vanguard Recordings: French and Italian Discoveries
Deller Consort/Alfred Deller rec. 1950s-1960s?
MUSICAL CONCEPTS MC 197 [6 CDs: 311:07]
Of
great value as an historical document. Sheds light on the manner and
style of performance when musicological research was still in its infancy.
Dancing
The jazz fever of Wolpe, Burian, Martinů, Seiber &
Milhaud
Ebony Band/Werner Herbers rec. 2001-11
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCS 30611 [61:25] [DC]
Top
band, top programme, top disc.
Destination
Paris Works by Martinů, Françaix & Enescu
Lendvai
String Trio rec. 2009
STONE RECORDS 5060192780079 [55:50] [JW]
I’d
like this group to luxuriate just a bit less and to dig in that bit
more.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Echoes
Classic Works Transformed
Seattle SO/Gerard Schwarz rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.559679 [53:35] [BR]
If
there is a thesis to this album, it is that today’s composers are never
too far from their predecessors, and something great can come of the
marriage of old and new.
Fantasies
For Bassoon
Karen Geoghegan (bassoon) Philip Edward Fisher (piano) rec. 2011
CHANDOS CHAN10703 [66:45]
[CR]
Geoghegan’s
work demonstrates the capabilities of the instrument in a way which
is constantly convincing.
Flute
music by female composers
Elisabeth
Weinzierl (flute) Eva Schieferstein (piano) Philipp von Morgen (cello)
rec. 2010
THOROFON CTH2577 [68:11]
[JW]
This
distaff survey offers an unusually wide-ranging repertoire, extremely
well played and well recorded.
Georgian
Miniatures for string orchestra Sulchan
NASSIDZE (1927-1996) Chamber Symphony 3 Joseph
BARDANASHVILI (b. 1948) Concerto quasi una Fantasia Sulchan
ZINZADSE (1925-1991) Miniatures
Alexander Korsantia (piano) Georgian Chamber O Ingolstadt/Ariel Zuckermann
rec. 2010
OEHMS CLASSICS OC 784 [65:27]
[RB]
The
captivating winner is the Zinzadse - but the other two impress for their
heroically furious impetuosity.
The
Golden Age of Light Music - A Return Trip
To The Library
rec. 1946-60
GUILD GLCD5183 [77:28]
[JW]
All
these mono tracks sound good.
The
Golden Age of Light Music Christmas Celebration rec.
1958/9
GUILD GLCD5185 [77:57] [JW] 
This
early Festive offering offers plenty of good cheer and it’s never too
early to slip something nice into your stocking.
The
Golden Age of Light Music – The Lost Transcriptions Volume 3
David
Rose and his orchestra rec. 1942-52
GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD 5184 [77:58]
[JW]
Variety,
panache, breadth of repertoire and rare discs.
Great
British Sopranos
REGIS RRC1374 [79:44]
[JS]
A
fascinating, well filled and well chosen anthology.
Hallé
- English Classics
Hallé
O/Mark Elder, John Wilson rec. 2002-2010,
HALLÉ CDHLD7532 [4 CDs: 62:47 + 71:40 + 74:30 + 69:12]
[RB]
This
sheaf of English music anthologies is satisfying.
Historia
de Compassione Mariae
Amarcord rec. 2009/10
CPO 777 604-2 [57:57]
[JV]
Indispensable
for those who have a special interest in liturgical music.
Konoye
- The Complete Berlin Philharmonic Recordings Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Sinfonia Concertante Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphony 91 Modest
MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) A Night on the Bare Mountain
Berlin PO/Hidemare Konoye rec. 1937-38
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC288 [62:16]
[JW]
Purchase
with confidence, in both interpretative and transfer senses.
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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