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Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Organ Works
- Vol. 2 
Andrew-John Smith (organ) rec. 2009
HYPERION CDA67815 [76:02]
[WK]
Played
authoritatively and with great enthusiasm; showing a lesser-known side
of this composer.
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Morceau de Concert for harp
and orchestra see Harp Concertos
Giuseppe
SAMMARTINI (1695-1750) Concertos & overtures
Benoît Laurent (oboe) Les Muffatti/Peter Van Heyghen rec. 2009
RAMÉE RAM 1008 [79:10] [JV]
Lovers
of 18th-century music are well advised to follow Les Muffatti on their
voyage of discovery through Sammartini's oeuvre.
Continuum:
Symphony at Night Marco
SCHÄDLER (b.1964) Nachtschicht Matthias
FROMMELT (b.1975) Nocturne, Turbulenz, Ohne Namen
Jürg HANSELMANN (b.1960)
Dies Irae Variationen
Klavierduo Sandra und Jürg Hanselmann (pianos) Sinf Orch Liechtenstein/Albert
Frommelt/William Maxfield; Sinf Vorarlberg/Benjamin Lack rec. 2007-2010
CARUS
83.364 [76:46]
[Byz]
All
the performances on this disc are better than might be imagined from
such low-key ensembles.
Florent
SCHMITT (1870-1958) Music for two pianos
Leslie
De’Ath, Anya Alexeyev (piano) Kimberly Barber (mezzo) James Mason (oboe)
rec. 2010/11
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX7273 [67:16 + 59:09]
[RB]
Refreshing
stuff adding with real éclat to the diversely populated world of Florent
Schmitt.
Philipp SCHOENDORFF
(1565/70-in or after 1617) Missa Usquequo Domine, Magnificat,
Missa super La dolce vista Philippe DE MONTE
(1521-1603) Magnificat, Usquequo Domine oblivisceris me?
Cinquecento
rec. 2010
HYPERION CDA67854 [60:02]
[JV]
One
hour of pure joy.
Franz
SCHREKER (1878-1934)
Der ferne Klang
Sally Du Randt (soprano) Mathias Schulz (tenor) Stephen Owen (bass-baritone)
Augsburg Theatre Opera Ch, Augsburg PO/Dirk Kaftan rec. live, 2010
ARS PRODUKTION ARS 38 080 [70:05 + 74:17]
[DC]
One
of the best available.
Franz
SCHUBERT
(1797-1828)
String Quartet No.13 in A minor, D.804 Rosamunde (1824) [35:36]
String Quartet No.14 in D minor, D.810 Death and the Maiden (1824)
[42:33]
Brandis Quartett rec. 1994/95 DDD
NIMBUS NI5438 [78:35] [OL]
Technically
impeccable performances, a little on the dry side.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Die schöne Müllerin
Christopher Maltman (baritone) Graham Johnson (piano) rec. 2010
WIGMORE HALL LIVE WHLIVE0044 [62:34]
[JQ]
A
masterly live recording to which I’m sure I’ll return often
in the future.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Winterreise
Christopher Maltman (baritone) Graham Johnson (piano) rec. 2010
WIGMORE HALL LIVE WHLIVE0046 [77:31]
[JQ]
A
memorable reading: an interpretation full of insight and imagination.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Die Winterreise
Laurens Bogtman (baritone), Felix de Nobel (piano) rec. 1954
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR 524 [64:25] [CH]
This
revival only shows that some records have been forgotten because they
weren’t especially good.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Winterreise
Peter
Harvey (baritone) Gary Cooper (fortepiano) rec. 2009
LINN RECORDS 
CKD 371 [74:38] [JQ]
An
outstanding account of Winterreise.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Schwanengesang see
BEETHOVEN
Erwin
SCHULHOFF (1894-1942) Violin sonata 2 see
ENESCU
Andrew
SCHULTZ (b.
1960) Endling, Violin Concerto, Once upon a time
Jennifer
Pike (violin) Tasmanian SO/Richard Mills rec. 2008
ABC CLASSICS 476 4519 [67:51]
[RB]
Schulz's
magnetic pull is towards the pensive, steadily glowing and leaning towards
the whisper.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Symphony 3 see
GAL
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Heinrich
SCHÜTZ (1585-1672)
Musicalische Exequien, Motets
Vox Luminis/Lionel Meunier rec. 1999/2010
RICERCAR RIC311 [55:07]
[JV]
One
of the best recordings of Schütz' Musicalische Exequien.
Heinrich
SCHÜTZ (1585
- 1672) Italian Madrigals
Dresdner Kammerchor/Hans-Christoph Rademann rec. 2010
CARUS 83.237 [57:21]
[JV]
These
performances are dull.
Kurt
SCHWERTSIK (b.1935)
Nachtmusiken, Herr Kentdeckt Amerika, Baumgesänge
BBC
Philharmonic/HK Gruber rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHAN10687 [59:52]
[NB]
A
fascinating disc for the inveterately curious.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) Symphony
5
London SO/Leonard Bernstein rec. live, 1966,
EUROARTS IDÉALE AUDIENCE 
3085318
[54:45]
[DM]
Vintage
Lenny; not to be missed.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975)
Symphonies 6 & 12
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko rec. 28-29 July
and *23-24 June, 2010, Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. DDD
NAXOS 8.572658 [69:38]
[JQ]
A
fine version of the Sixth Symphony but, despite the excellent performance,
the Twelfth remains a weak piece.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906 – 1975)
Piano Duos and Duets Vol. 1
Vicky Yannoula and Jakob Fichert (piano duet/duo) rec. 2007
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC 0034 [75:46]
[DC]
Terrific
stuff.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jean SIBELIUS
(1865-1957)
Lemminkäinen Suite Edvard GRIEG
(1843-1907) Peer Gynt Suite 1
Philadelphia O/Eugene Ormandy rec. 1947-51
PRISTINE PASC 299 [56:52]
[RB]
A
Lemminkainen Suite to remind us of Ormandy's Sibelian fire and of why
he was rated so highly by the composer himself.
Parallels
Alexander
SKRIABIN (1872-1915) Sonata-Fantasia 2, Two Poems, op.32,
Five Preludes, op.74, Three Etudes, op.65 Nikolai
ROSLAVETS (1881-1944) Sonata 2, Two Poems, Five Preludes,
Three Etudes
Anya Alexeyev (piano) rec. 2009
MARQUIS 81415 [72:46]
[Byz]
An
attractive choice for the curious.
Haskell
SMALL (b.1949) Lullaby of War, Renoir's Feast,
Three Etudes in Sound
Martin Rayner (narrator) Soheil Nasseri (piano) rec. 2007
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559649 [64:19]
[Byz]
One
of those occasional discs that really does live up to the 'American
Classics' label.
Arthur
SOMERVELL (1863-1957)
Normandy, Piano Concerto Sir Frederic Hymen
COWEN (1852-1955) Concertstück
Martin Roscoe (piano) BBC Scottish SO/Martyn Brabbins rec. 2010
HYPERION CDA67837 [68:06]
[JF]
An
important release for enthusiasts of British music and for those listeners
who specialise in romantic piano concertos.
Ann
SOUTHAM (1937-2010)
Glass Houses Revisited
Christina Petrowska Quilico (piano) rec. 2010
CENTREDISCS CMCCD 16511 [58:06]
[KM]
A
fine recording of minimalist-inspired piano pieces that combine motion
and speed in a unique musical language.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Charles
Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924) Piano Trio 1, Legend, Jig,
Hush Song, Piano Quartet 2
Gould Piano Trio with David Adams (viola) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572452 [79:48]
[CH]
Major
works, finely performed. Deserves to be a bestseller.
Charles
Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924) Violin Sonata no.1 see English
Violin Sonatas
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Max
STEINER (1888-1971) The Classic Film Scores
National PO/Charles Gerhardt rec. 1973
SONY/RCA RED SEAL 88697 812702 [53:12]
[IL]
A
fine tribute to one of the leading film music pioneers of Hollywood’s
Golden Age.
Johann
STRAUSS II
(1825-1899) Die
Fledermaus:[152:00] A bonus includes Ballet Music and Gala Sequence
Vienna
State Opera Chorus Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Herbert von Karajan
rec. 1960
ALTO ALC 2018 [77:03 + 75:39]
[IL]
A
glittering Fledermaus but with one or two flaws.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Juan, Metamorphosen, Lieder
Joan Rodgers (soprano) Strasbourg PO/Jan Latham-Koenig (conductor, piano)
rec. 2001/8
AVIE AV2172 [63:24] [WH]
An
unusual programme and a very fine Strauss collection.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Quixote, Till Eulenspiegels
lustige Streiche, Don Juan
Paul Tortelier (cello) Berlin PO/Rudolf Kempe, Fritz Lehmann rec. 1954/8
REGIS
RRC1371 [73:37] [MC]
I
would be perfectly happy if these accounts were the only ones in my
collection.
Igor
STRAVINSKY
(1882-1971) Piano Music
Martin Jones (piano) rec. 1994,
NIMBUS NI 5519/20 [65.51 + 70.40]
[DC]
Immensely
enjoyable.
Josef
SUK (1874-1935) Fantasy see RESPIGHI
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Symphony 6, Nutcracker Suite
Large SO, Ministry of Culture, Russian Federation/Gennadi Rozhdestvensky,
Moscow State SO/Pavel Kogan rec. 1989
ALTO ALC1106 [67:43]
[NB]
Even
at bargain price point there are far too many other finer versions than
this of both works – a rare Rohzdestvensky dud.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893)
3 String Quartets, String Sextet Souvenir de Florence
Franz Schubert Quartett rec. 1993
NIMBUS NI 5711/2 [71:04 + 76:26]
[NB]
In
a competitive marketplace this is up against testing opposition but
as music this richly demands to be heard.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893)
Romeo and Juliet - Fantasy Overture see Prokofiev
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681 - 1767) Tafelmusik
Musica
Antiqua Köln/Reinhard Goebel rec. 1988
ARCHIV 477 8714 [4 CDs: 253:25]
[JV]
One
of the best Telemann recordings of all time.
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681 - 1767) Der Tag des
Gerichts
Siri Karoline Thornhill (soprano), Susanne Krumbiegel (contralto), Tobias
Hunger (tenor), Gotthold Schwarz (bass) Bach Consort Leipzig/Gotthold
Schwarz rec. 2009
RONDEAU ROP6036 [73:17]
[JV]
A
fine recording of what is a true masterpiece of an old man, who was
still young in spirit.
Sergei
VASILENKO (1872-1956)
Viola Sonata op. 46 [18:44] Lullaby [4:01] Four Pieces on Old Lute
Music op. 35 [14:43] Sleeping River [2:18] Oriental Dance op. 47 arr.
Artamonova [5:33] Suite Zodiakus IAS after Unknown Authors of the Eighteenth
Century [13:20] Four Pieces (1953) [8:09]
Elena Artamonova (viola) Nicholas Walker (piano) rec. 2010. DDD
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC 0127 [67:34]
[RB]
Great
and sometimes astonishing fervour in the sonata makes you sit upright
with some surprising coups.
Sinfonia
Antartica; Scott of the Antarctic – Archive recordings from the
Heroic Age of Polar Exploration Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Sinfonia Antartica, Scott
of the Antarctic Stanley Kirkby, Robert Carr (baritones) Sir John
Gielgud (narrator) Margaret Ritchie (soprano) London PO/Sir Adrian Boult
Philh Orch/Ernest Irving rec. 1953/1948 CD41 RECORDINGS CD41-024
[67.14]
[JD]
This
curious commemorative release does claim our attention.
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Symphony 2, Oboe concerto
Stéphane
Rancourt (oboe) Hallé O/Sir Mark Elder rec. 2010
HALLÉ CD HLL 7529 [65:56]
[MC]
A
stunning live disc that will garner significant praise.
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) The Lark Ascending see
RESPIGHI
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1972-1958) Fantasy for piano and orchestra
see MATHIAS
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813 – 1901) Un ballo in maschera
Placido
Domingo (baritone) Josephine Barstow (soprano) Sumi Jo (soprano) Wiener
Phil/Sir Georg Solti rec. 1990
ARTHAUS MUSIC 107
271 [145:00] [GF]
Timeless
and all-embracing. It’s hard to resist.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901)
Rigoletto
Richard Tucker (tenor) Robert Merrill (baritone) Roberta Peters (soprano)
Metropolitan Opera Ch & O/Fausto Cleva rec. 1955
SONY CLASSICAL 88697 91005 2 [52:26 + 58:17]
[RMo]
A
wholly creditable souvenir of a good night at the Met.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813–1901) Don Carlo
Franco Corelli, Leonie Rysanek, Met Ch & O/Kurt Adler rec. 1964
SONY
CLASSICAL 88697 91004 2 [75:53 + 79:56]
[RMo]
A
thrilling performance by a first-rate cast recorded in mono sound so
good that one forgets it’s almost “historical”.
Tomás
Luis de VICTORIA (1548-1611) Missa Vidi speciosam
Ch of
Westminster Cathedral/James O'Donnell, David Hill rec. 1984
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55358 [45:07] [MS]
A
welcome reissue of simple, committed singing of beautiful and compelling
music by Victoria.
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) The Four Seasons; Gloria
Mimi
Coertse (soprano) Ina Dressel (soprano) Sonja Draxler (contralto) Julian
Olevsky (violin) Vienna State Opera O/Hermann Scherchen rec. 1958/60
TAHRA
TAH 697 [77:30] [JW]
A
good example of Scherchen’s sensitive exploration of the repertory and
is heard in a fine transfer.
Antonio
VIVALDI
(1678 - 1741) Motezuma
Vito Priante, Mary-Ellen Nesi, Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis rec.
2008
DYNAMIC 33586
[75:14 + 74:46]
[JLZ]
Fine
efforts in this production … visually compelling and aesthetically
satisfying.
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) Six cello sonatas see BACH
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Der Fliegende Holländer
Astrid
Varnay (soprano) Hermann Uhde (bass-baritone) Rudolf Lustig (tenor)
Ludwig Weber (bass) Bayreuth Fest Ch/Orch/Joseph Keilberth rec. l955
PRISTINE
AUDIO PACO 062 STEREO [2:20:49]
[RMo]
This
live Bayreuth set is now clearly top of the heap.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Parsifal
Klaus Florian Vogt, Robert Holl, Katharina Dalayman, Netherlands Radio
PO & Ch/Jaap van Zweden rec. live, 2010
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72519
[4 CDs: 246:04 & bonus DVD]
[GD]
Very
fine indeed … a great performance … well cast, well paced
… a real sense of theatrical drama.
Fu-Tong
WONG (b.1948) Rhapsody of Taiwan
Rhapsody of Taiwan, for orchestra, In Memoriam, Xi
Shi Fantasy, for violin & orchestra, Variations on a Theme
by Chen' Chu-Shui, Fugato for Strings
Su Shien-Ta (violin) Taipei Sinfonietta
WIND MUSIC TCD5234 [46:20]
[Byz]
A
superb melodicist and a fine orchestrator - a latter-day Taiwanese Dvorák!
Deserves the widest of audiences in the West.
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