191
reviews completed so far this month.
Tuesday
January 31st
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Coriolan Overture, Symphonies
4 & 7 
Orch of the Age of Enlightenment/Vladimir Jurowski rec. 2010
IDEALE AUDIENCE 
DVD
3079298 [89:00] [TP]
Dramatic,
rhythmically alive, often spacious and consistently engaging.
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony 7
Cleveland O/Franz Welser-Möst rec. 2008
ARTHAUS MUSIK 
108033
[80:00] [DB]
A
very good performance but lacking in ultimate impact.
English
Violin Sonatas Thomas
DUNHILL (1877-1946) Violin Sonata 2 Granville
BANTOCK (1868-1946) Violin Sonata 3 Charles
Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924) Violin Sonata 1
Susanne Stanzeleit (violin) Gusztáv Fenyo (piano) rec. 1994.
REGIS RRC 1376 [75:34] 
[Byz]
Sure-fire
audience pleasers.
Ignaz
Joseph PLEYEL (1757-1831) Piano Trios Trio
in C (Ben 441), Trio in e minor (Ben 435), Trio in A (Ben 448), Trio
in f minor (Ben 442)
Trio 1790 rec. 2007-2008
CPO 777 544-2 [71:38] 
[JV]
The
playing of the Trio 1790 is of the highest order.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840
- 1893) Tchaikovsky
Edition: Symphonies, tone poems, suites, ballets, operas (8), trio,
quartets, sextet, piano pieces, songs, a cappella choral works
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93980 [60CDs + CD-ROM: 4005:00]
[RB]
The
harvest of a lifetime that encompassed only 53 years. Has wide appeal
that will educate, surprise and delight time after time.
Brio:
Sol y Luna - Traditional
Brio (Mary Anne Ballard (viola da gamba, rebec), Jose Lemos (counter-tenor)
Danny Mallon (castanets, caxixi, doumbek, darbuka, bodhran, riq, agogo
bells, jingle bells, finger cymbals, shaker, woodblock), Steve Rosenberg
(recorder, Persian flute, Renaissance guitars) rec. 2010
DORIAN SONO LUMINUS DSL-92118 [52:24] 
[RB]
The
shadow-lands between Spain and North Africa presented in a lively and
unstuffy way.
Italian
Clarinet Gems Giulio BONNARD
(1885-1972) Notturno Guglielmo CAPPETTI
(1875-1918) Piccola Suite, Notturno Gilfredo
CATTOLICA (1882-1962) Duo
Sergio Bosi (clarinet) Riccardo Bartoli (piano) rec. 2010
NAXOS 8.572690 [64:32]
[Byz]
The
overall tone of this delightful recital is one of serenity.
Traditional
and Modern Carols
Ch of New College Oxford/Edward Higginbottom rec. 1984-1991
REGIS RRC1330 [79:44]
[JV]
Almost
80 minutes of exquisite singing.
Monday
January 30th
Alexander
BERNE (b. 1931) Flickers
of Mime, Death of Memes
Abandoned O/Alexander Berne
INNOVA 804 [53:34 + 53:16] [DC]
Rich
food for grown-up imaginations.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Erkki MELARTIN
(1875-1937) The Solo Piano Works
Maria Lettberg (piano) rec. 2008
CRYSTAL CLASSICS N67048 [69:05 + 66:49]
[RB]
Quite
glorious.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Piano
Concertos 22 & 25
Paul Badura-Skoda (piano) Vienna PO/Horst Stein; Concertgebouw O/George
Szell rec. 1959/78
MUSIC & ARTS CD-1254 [65:59] [JW]
Contrasting
performances. Admirers need not hesitate for a moment.
Seán
Ó RIADA (1931–1971) Olynthiac; The Banks of
Sulán; Nomos 1 & 4; Seoladh na nGamhan; Mise
Éire
Cathal Breslin (piano) Seán Ó Sé (vocal) RTÉ National SO; RTÉ Concert
O; Robert Houlihan, Proinnsías Ó Duinn rec. 1999-2011
RTÉ LYRIC FM CD136 [67:14]
[HC]
This
very fine release provides the best possible introduction to the music
of a composer whose untimely death was a great loss not only for Irish
music but also for contemporary music at large.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Complete Symphonies
Vienna PO/Riccardo Muti rec. 1993
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802081 [65:44 + 72:53] [RB]
Only
one part of the picture.
Jesús
VILLA-ROJO (b.1940) Music for Cello:
Sonata 2; Lamento; Oración Serena; Expresiones
Asier
Polo (cello) Amaia Zipitria, Gerardo López Laguna (piano) Rafael 'El
Gallina' Romero (ethnic voice) rec. 2009
NAXOS SPANISH CLASSICS 8.572564 [69:15] 
[Byz]
Intelligent,
memorable music played with great technical confidence, communicative
commitment, sureness of touch and expressive insight.
The
Callas Effect
EMI CLASSICS 0843562 [CDs: 77:53 + 75:28; DVD: 70:00] [ST]
Very
good value for money and would make a good gift for a beginner.
Premičre
French Organ Music
Pétur Sakari (organ) rec. 2009
FUGA 9297 
[73:15]
[DM]
An
impressive calling card. More, please.
Friday
January 27th
Jehan
ALAIN
(1911-1940) Complete
Organ Works
Jean-Baptiste Robin (organ) rec. 2008-2009-2010
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94233 [3 CDs: 223:01] [SA]
I
cannot overemphasise the thrill of listening to these captivating compositions.
Fritz
von BOSE (1865-1945)
Suites 1 & 2, Klavierstücke, Thema und Variationen
Alexandra Oehler (piano) rec. 2001
CPO 777 201-2 [78:20]
[DC]
Intriguing Brahmsian left-overs.
Thierry
LANCINO (b. 1954) Requiem
Soloists, Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France/Eliahu Inbal
rec. 2010
NAXOS 8.572771 [72:09]
[WH]
A
stunning performance of an important new choral work, but atmosphere
outweighs memorability in the vocal writing.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Les Préludes,Two Episodes after
Lenau’s Faust,Two Legends
Rotterdam PO/James Conlon rec. 1983
WARNER APEX 2564 665861 [65:28]
[IL]
Good
performances but there is major competition around – even at budget
prices.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
& Michael HAYDN (1737-1806)
Duos for violin and viola
Rachel Podger (violin) Jane Rogers (viola) rec. 2011
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCSSA32411
[72:37]
[DC]
A superbly musical and well-proportioned recording.
Sergey
PROKOFIEV (1891–1953) Peter and the Wolf Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921) Carnival of the Animals
Francis POULENC (1899–1963) The Story of Babar
Richard Briers (narrator) David Coram (organ) David Owen Norris (piano)
rec. 2011
CATHEDRAL CLASSICS CCCD101 [79:39]
[PK]
If
you have children on your gift list, this album will be gratefully received
and enjoyed.
Dmitry
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphonies 1 & 3
Royal Liverpool PO & Ch/Vasily Petrenko rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572396 [64:33] [OL]
Another
excellent disc in Petrenko’s impressive undertaking.
White
Nights Viola
music from St. Petersburg Vol. 1
Tatjana Masurenko (viola) Roglit Ishay (piano) rec. 2010
PROFIL EDITION GÜNTER HÄNSSLER PH10029 [56:49]
[PBW]
A highly enjoyable disc.
Thursday
January 26th
Ernest
CHAUSSON (1855-1899) Concert, Piano Trio
Eric Larsen (piano) Stephen Shipps (violin) Wihan String Qt, Meadowmount
Trio rec. 2000
NAXOS 8.572468 [76:20]
[WK]
Impassioned
and incisive performances of two of Chausson’s chamber masterworks.
Pierre
COCHEREAU (1924-1984) Symphonies Improvisées
Pierre Cochereau (organ) rec. 1978
SOLSTICE SOCD 275 [68:40]
[Byz]
Awe-inspiring
and humbling that this music was thought up more or less on the fly.
Robert
CRAWFORD (b.1925) String Quartets 1-3
Edinburgh Qt rec. 2010
DELPHIAN DCD 34091 [63.00]
[GH]
Some
reservations but worth pursuing and persevering with.
Johannes
ECCARD (1553-1611) & Johannes STOBAEUS
(1580-1646) Preussische Festlieder - Sacred Songs
Vocal Consort Dresden/Capella de la Torre/Peter Kapp rec. 2011
CARUS 83.265 [66.47]
[GH]
For
its period and for its aims the music works well.
Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Messe de Requiem, Cantique
de Jean Racine, Élegie, Pavane, Super flumina Babylonis
Philippe Jaroussky (counter-tenor) Matthias Goerne (baritone) Eric Picard
(cello) Paris Ch & O/Paavo Järvi rec. 2011
VIRGIN CLASSICS 0709212 [61:48]
[GA]
This
Fauré Requiem is rather a mixed bag, but the soloists lift its
level, and the shorter choral works are very successful.
Umberto
GIORDANO (1867-1948) Andrea Chénier
Hector Sandoval, Scott Hendricks, Norma Fantini, Vienna SO/Ulf Schirmer
rec. 2011
UNITEL CLASSICA/ CMAJOR 707908
[130:00] [RMay]
A
striking production and three principals with powerful and skilled voices.
Jef
van HOOF (1886 – 1959) Herinneringsouverture,
Perzeus, Symphony 2
Janacek PO Ostrava/Ivo Venkov rec. 2010
PHAEDRA 92067 [53:21]
[RB]
Affable
and excitable music performed with evident commitment.
Tullio
Serafin
Opera overtures and preludes by Verdi, Bellini, Rossini & Donizetti
rec. 1959/61
MEDICI
MASTERS MM0082 [71:57]
[SV]
Your
call but I can't really recommend this program as a whole.
Wednesday
January 25th
William
CORKINE (fl.
1610-1617) Each
Lovely Grace - The Second Booke of Ayres (1612)
Cantar alla Viola (Nadine Balbeisi (soprano); Fernando Marín (viola
da gamba, lyra-viol)) rec. 2011, . DDD
NIMBUS NI6173 [1:06:45]
[MS]
Unusual
yet stimulating repertoire from the English Renaissance performed with
style and persuasion.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER
(1860-1911)
Symphony 2
Sarah Connolly (mezzo); Christiane Oelze (soprano) MDR & Berliner
Rundfunkchor; Leipzig Gewandhaus Ch & O/Riccardo Chailly rec. 2011
ACCENTUS
ACC 10238
[95:42] 
[DM]
Thoroughly
satisfying.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen,
Das Lied von der Erde
Brennen Guillory (tenor); Emma Curtis (contralto); David Stout (baritone)
Orchestra of the Swan/Kenneth Woods rec. 2010
SOMM CÉLESTE SOMMCD 0109 [79:27]
[DM]
A
fine Mahler disc, much prized for a radiant account of the Wayfarer
songs.
Francis
POTT
(b. 1957) Christus
- Passion Symphony for Solo Organ (1986-1990)
Jeremy Filsell (organ) rec. 1997
SIGNUM SIGCD062 [70:43 + 55:09]
[JQ]
A
highly significant piece of modern organ music in a definitive performance.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Franz
SCHUBERT
(1797-1828) Piano
Sonatas, Impromptus, Klavierstücke
Paul Lewis (piano) rec. 2011,
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC 902115.16 [78:40 + 78:33]
[JQ]
A
distinguished release which confirms the credentials of Paul Lewis as
one of the leading pianists of his generation.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Piano Trios 1 & 2, Two Pieces,
for piano quartet,
Amelia Piano Trio Rieko Aizawa (piano) Anthea Kreston (violin) Jason
Duckles (cello) Max Mandel (viola) rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.570896 [62:24]
[Byz]
Lyrical
beauty and classical proportions.
Mirror
of Eternity Aram
KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978) Flute Concerto [36:49] Houtaf
KHOURY (b.1967) Mirror of Eternity [24:48] Yevhen
STANKOVYCH (b.1942) Chamber Symphony No.3 [18:10]
Wissam Boustany (flute) National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine/Volodomyr
Sirenko rec. 2004,
NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6168 [79:47]
[SA]
These
works are ‘contemporary’ in the best sense of the word.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jelena
Očić (cello)
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)/ Ignaz MOSCHELES
(1794-1870) 5 Studies in melodic counterpoint Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin Sonata 9 (transcr. Czerny)
Paul HINDEMITH (1895-1963) Cello
Sonata
Jelena Očić (cello) Federico Lovato (piano) rec. 2011
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72524 [74:27]
[NB]
Simply
stunning and revelatory … I do not expect to hear a better recital this
year. Deserves to achieve classic status – more please.
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