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John
McCabe - Farewell recital
Presteigne Festival, August 2010
John McCabe (piano) rec. 2010
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0139 [71:09] 
[RB]
Magical
… McCabe’s readings evince long preparation and sustained reflection.
Melodies
of Love and Death Works by Dvorak, Puccini & R. Strauss
Osiris
Trio: Ellen Corver (piano) Peter Brunt (violin) Larissa Groeneveld (cello)
rec. 2010
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72373 [70:42] 
[OL]
“Reception
music” – fair and square.
A
Musical Journey - Austria and Italy Music by Franz Schubert
NAXOS
2.110540
[58.50] 
[RJF]
One
of the very best of the Naxos Musical Journey. Enthusiasts of scenic
beauty, geology and photography should enjoy this journey.
A
Musical Journey - Italy: The Southern Tyrol
Capella Istropolitana/Martin Turnovsky
NAXOS 2.110539
[59.25] [RJF]
Photographic
content rather repetitive at times; another venue could have been accommodated
to add more interest.
The
Musical Treasures of Leufsta Bruk II
Drottningholm Baroque Ens rec. 2010
BIS-CD-1975 [77:22]
[JW]
Another
valuable programme that offers variety, context and brings kudos to
the performers.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH My True Love
Hath My Heart Songs by British composers
Sarah Connolly (mezzo) Malcolm Martineau (piano) rec. 2011
CHANDOS CHAN 10691 [63:00] [JQ]
An
outstanding recital of English song.
Kent
Nagano’s Beethoven Series
from Montréal: The
Story So Far Ideals of the French Revolution RCA
RED SEAL 88697400842 [54:55 + 52:11] ;
Gods, Heroes and Men SONY CLASSICAL 88697857372
[74:23] ;
In the Breath of Time SONY CLASSICAL 88697923602
[41:08 + 49:19]
[ST]
Nagano’s
attempt to make us look at Beethoven through new eyes is a laudable
one.
Nightmare
in Venice
Antonio VIVALDI (1676-1741) Concerto
in G minor La Notte [8:47] Robert JOHNSON
(1583-1633) / Nicholas LE STRANGE (1603-1655) English
Fantasy Suite (The Satyrs’ Masque [2:29]; The Flatt Masque
[1:58]; The Furies [2:03]; The Witches’ Dance [1:54])
Giovanni Paulo CIMA (1570-1622) Sonata
a Tre [3:16] Antonio VIVALDI
(1676-1741) Concerto Grosso in A minor [9:48]
Henry PURCELL (1659-1695) A Midsummer
Night’s Dream Suite (Prelude and Rondeau [4:28]; Fairy
Dance [0:46]; Dance of the Savages [1:35]; Dance for the
Followers of Night [2:52]; Chaconne [2:38]) Dario
CASTELLO (1590-1630) Sonata Decima [5:26] Jean
Marie LECLAIR (1697-1764) Demon Suite (First Demon
Air [2:03]; Second Demon Air [1:08]; Third Demon Air [1:45];
Simphonie [0:34]) Arcangelo CORELLI
(1653-1713) / RED PRIEST Fantasia on ‘La Folia’ [12:32]
Piers Adams (recorders), Julia Bishop (violin), Angela East (cello),
Howard Beach (harpsichord) rec. 2001. DDD RED PRIEST RECORDINGS RP002
[65:54]
[EM]
Some
very virtuosic playing and a tremendous amount of invention - not to
mention liberty-taking!
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Note by Note
- The
making of Steinway L1037
Ben Niles (director) Featuring Pierra-Laurent Aimard, Hélène
Grimaud, Lang Lang & Harry Connick Jnr rec. 2007
DOCURAMA FILMS
NNVG146510 [81:00 + extras] 
[DJB]
Inspirational
and illuminating.
Opera
Danilo Rea (piano) Flavio Boltro (trumpet) rec. 2010
ACT 9508-2 [54:20] [JW]
Doubtless
highbrows will find the whole thing a bit cheap. I liked it.
Passé
– Il Canto Romantico In Italia
Elisabetta Paglia (mezzo); Christopher Howell (piano) rec. 2011, Texts
and translations included
SHEVA SH050 [71:43] [GF]
Good
intentions but the finished results are rather dispiriting.
Plum
Pudding Christmas songs and readings
Felicity Lott (soprano) Gabriel Woolf (reader) Joyful Company of Singers/Peter
Broadbent rec. 2002
CHAMPS HILL RECORDS CHRCD 013 [77:44] [Byz]
Best
consumed at Christmas, but as festive CDs go, it is certainly one of
the most appetising.
Great
Singers Live: Margaret Price
Arias by Mozart, Weber, Rossini, Bellini, Cilea & Verdi
Dame
Margaret Price (soprano) Munich RSO/Heinz Wallberg, Leopold Hager, Thomas
Fulton rec. 1977-91
BR KLASSIK 900305 [78:41] [JQ]
A
feast for the ears from start to finish.
Rainlight:
Evocations of Water for Piano Solo
Jeremy Eskenazi (piano) rec. 2010
DIVINE ART DDA25090 [79:18]
[OL]
A
successful experiment where novelty and enthusiasm overweigh some minor
imperfections in the performance of the “warhorses”.
Russian
Melodies Songs by Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky & Mussorgsky
Ewa Podles (mezzo) Graham Johnson (piano) rec. 1993
FORLANE FOR16683 [69:43] [OL]
This
is an excellent recital: expressive and exciting.
20th
Century Russian Piano Music Works by Gubaidulina, Pärt,
Shostakovich, Shchedrin & Karayev
Vladimir Yurgin-Klevke (piano)
DELOS DRD 2008 [57:45]
[DC]
One
to consider.
Sleep,
Holy Babe - A Collection of
Christmas Lullabies
Blossom Street/Hilary Campbell rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.572868 [57:07]
[JQ]
An
enjoyable and enterprising collection, offering some welcome new listening
for the Christmas season.
Snowflakes
A Classical Christmas
Øystein Baadsvik (tuba) Cantus Women’s Ch, Trondheim SO/Torodd Wigum
rec. 2011
BIS-CD-1885 [65:00] [RB]
Toffee
apple sweetness including one or two real seasonal jolts.
Songs
Of Old Ireland:
Irish Folk Melodies Arranged by Charles Villiers Stanford
Gilberto Fornito (flute, piccolo) Christopher Howell (piano) rec. 2009/2010.
DDD
SHEVA SH031 [64:08] 
[Byz]
The
best way to consider the disc is filed under 'easy listening'.
Vienna
Premieres
Johann Strauss O/Jack Rothstein 1983-92
CHANDOS CHAN 10684(3)X [3 CDs: 182:19] [Byz]
Several
beautifully crafted gems strewn amongst the frothier fare and everything
is nicely played.
Violin
Romances
Aaron Rosand (violin) John Covelli (piano) rec. 1990/3
MUSICAL CONCEPTS MC129 [71:36 + 67:27] [JW]
Stylish
and assured music-making.
Ljuba
Welitsch
sings Mozart, Weber, Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Puccini, J Strauss, R Strauss,
Lehar, Mackeben
rec. 1947 - 1950
NIMBUS NI 7959/60 [60:40 + 47:34]
[SV]
A
essential acquisition for opera lovers - at least, for those not bothered
by the rushing.
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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