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Alphabetical Listing

PART 7
Misc. M-Z

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]
[last 5 days] [Recommended recordings]



The McCormack Edition Vol. 9 - Victor Talking Machine Company Recordings (1920-1923) John McCormack (tenor) NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110385 [77:26] [RM]

Gems sung by a voice which for sheer quality can only be spoken of in the same breath as Schipa, Vinogradov and Wunderlich.

O Magnum Mysterium Masses by Dufay, Ockeghem, Desprez, Gombert, Finck, Brumel & Isaac Schola Cantorum Sttutgart/Clytus Gottwald rec. 1971-88 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94367 [4 CDs: 283:02] [CR]

An enjoyable and valuable introduction to the choral repertoire of this era. 

Maurice Maréchal & André Lévy (cello) Cécile Ousset (piano) André Collard (piano) rec. 1958/59 FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR633 [67:21] [JW]

Two examples of the French school of cello playing captured toward the end of the musicians’ careers.

Morgen Songs by Strauss, Schubert, Lidholm, de Frumerie, Karkoff & Nystroem Elin Skorup (soprano) Fabienne Romer (piano) rec. 2011 DAPHNE 1044 [64:43] [GF]

Indisputable technical accomplishment coupled with brilliance and power.

Musical Humors and Lamentations Works by Holborne, Hume, Dowland & Purcell L'Art du Bois rec. 2009 ET'CETERA KTC 1418 [59:32] [JV]

The playing of L'Art du Bois is great, but some of the arrangements don't really work.

A Musical Journey: Czech Republic - Castles and towns in Bohemia and Moravia Music by Mozart Miloš Števove (horn) Capella Istropolitana/Jozef Kopelman rec. 1988 NAXOS 2.110542 [53:22] [RMay]

The music’s the main focus with film clips offering pleasant visual diversion along the way.

A Musical Journey: Tuscany, Umbria & Rome NAXOS 2.110276 [57.26] [RJF]

In an area rich in historical and archaeological interest, too many of the visual images are tedious and lacking in relevance. They could be anywhere.

A Musical Journey - France - A Musical Tour of the South of France Music by Debussy, Satie and Ravel NAXOS DVD 2.110545 [57.24] [RJF]

Better than some in this series, but the photography still misses as much of the area as it captures.

A Musical Journey: A Musical Tour of Siena, Pisa and Nervi NAXOS 2.110275 [57:00] [RJF]

The usual mixed outcome of this series with some interesting pictures alongside opportunities missed.

New Year's Concert - 2012 Vienna Boys' Choir/Vienna PO/Mariss Jansons rec. 2012 SONY CLASSICAL 88691913772 [47:36 + 57:25] [MC]

Really satisfying sound quality adds to the enjoyment of these stirring and winning performances.

Nightbreak Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Vallée d’Obermann; Les Cloches de Genčve; Les jeux d’eau ŕ la Villa d’Este Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Intermezzo; Ballade Philip GLASS (b.1937) Dracula Bruce Levingston (piano) rec. 2005/9 DORIAN SONO LUMINUS DSL-92144 [63:38] [BR]

A sleepy recital of night-music really comes to life for Rihm and Glass.

The organ of Joachim Wagner in Siedlce Wolfgang Zerer (organ) rec. 2011 DUX 0828 [63:58] [JV]

An exciting document of a major discovery in the field of organology.

The Historic Organs of Malta and Gozo Michal Novenko (organ) rec. 2011 PRIORY PRCD1067 [76:53] [JF]

I enjoyed every note in this new Priory release. Fascinating.

Luciano Pavarotti A film by Esther Schapira EUROARTS 2058918 [96:00] [ST]

Nothing here that would make me want to see this again. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Los Pajaros Perdidos - The South-American Project Raquel Andueza, Lucilla Galeazzi (soprano) Philippe Jaroussky (counter-tenor) Luciana Mancini (mezzo) Vincenzo Capezzuto (alto) L’Arpeggiata/Christina Pluhar (harp) rec. 2011 VIRGIN CLASSICS 6785162 or 0709502 [75:23] [BW]

Sheer musical enjoyment.

Petits-Fours: Favourite Encores Brodsky Qt rec. 2011 CHANDOS CHAN10708 [66:04] [JW]

Warm and sympathetic … finely played … not always wholly convincing arrangements.

Hermann Prey (baritone) Great Singers Live rec. 1966-92 BR KLASSIK 900307 [64:46] [MC]

This is a disc that I will often return to. 

Queen Elizabeth II - Diamond Jubilee - Royal Music from Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey Choir, London Brass, English Chamber Orchestra/Martin Neary Martin Baker, Iain Simcock (organ) rec. 1993-4, 1997-8. GRIFFIN GCCD 4077 [77:10] [JWh]

A fine commemorative collection in spectacular sound.

Relic French lute music by Dufaut, Gallot, Mercure & Pinel Anders Ericson (lute) rec. 2009 DAPHNE RECORDS 1042 [53:34] [BR]

An unusual lute recital makes for a rewarding listen.

Romances Françaises – French Songs Works by Naderman, Boieldieu & Gail. Sylvie Nicephor (soprano) Etsuko Shoji (harp) CALLIOPE CAL1101 [57:48] [WH]

An interesting collection of French classical romances, useful for anyone exploring this particular repertoire.

Romantic Rarities Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Theme and Variations from String Sextet op.18 Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Sonata in F minor (compl Ratz & Holtham) Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849) Rondo ŕ la Mazur Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Davidsbündlertänze Ian Holtham (piano) rec. 2009 TALL POPPIES TP219 [67:40] [CH]

If Holtham comes your way with a similar programme I should think you’d be glad to buy this souvenir of it.

Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt – The Capitol Recordings Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphony No.94 Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphony No.5 Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concerto No.3 Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphony No.2 Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Rosamunde extracts Richard WAGNER (1813-1883) Orchestral scenes Ventislaw Yankov (piano) NWDR Symphony Orchestra/Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt rec. 1955 TAHRA TAH 694-696 [3 CDs: 75:42 + 77:26 + 71:05] [JW]

Tahra’s commitment to Schmidt-Isserstedt’s legacy is admirable.

Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt – The Telefunken Recordings Joseph HAYDN Symphony No.92 Antonin DVORÁK Symphony No.9 Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No.6 Franz LISZT Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 Nikolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV The Flight of the Bumble Bee Franz SCHUBERT Symphony No.9 NWDR Symphony Orchestra/Sydney Symphony Orchestra/Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt rec. 1953; 1954 , 1959 TAHRA TAH698-700 [3 CDs: 66:12 + 54:10 + 51:28] [JW]

Excellent playing, astutely paced, considered and intelligent.

The Scottish Viola – A Tribute to Watson Forbes Martin Outram (viola) Julian Rolton (piano) rec. 2011, NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6180 [68:13] [JWh]

A fine viola and piano duo captured in natural sound.

Seraph James MACMILLAN (b.1959) Seraph Toru TAKEMITSU (1930-1996) Paths Alexander ARUTIUNIAN (1920-2012) Trumpet Concerto Bernd Alois ZIMMERMANN (1918-1970) Trumpet Concerto Alison Balsom (trumpet) BBC Scottish SO/Lawrence Renes, Scottish Ens rec. 2011 EMI CLASSICS 6785902 [56:04] [Byz]

Who could fail to be impressed?

RECORDING OF THE MONTH  A Song of Farewell Music of Mourning and Consolation The Gabrieli Consort/Paul McCreesh rec. 2009 SIGNUM RECORDS SIGCD281 [75:56] [NB]

A disc of the year without doubt.

Song Recital Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) Reynaldo HAHN (1874-1947) Matthew Polenzani (tenor), Julius Drake (piano) rec. live, Wigmore Hall, London, 1 May 2010. DDD CD booklet notes and artist biographies in English only, sung texts included in the original German, Italian and Venetian with English translations WIGMORE HALL LIVE WHLIVE 0048 [76.09] [MMB]

Work of remarkable quality and undoubtedly one of the foremost song recitals that I have ever heard.

Sounds from Within ... Frank MARTIN (1890-1974) Ballade for flute and piano [7:23] Simon HOLT (b.1958) Maiastra for solo flute* [10:24] Béla BARTÓK (1881-1945) Suite Paysanne Hongroise for flute and piano (arrangements of Chants populaires tristes, for flute and piano, by Paul Arma) [13:13] Wissam BOUSTANY (b.1960) Improvisation I for solo flute [7:42] Bohuslav MARTINU (1890-1959) Sonata No.1 for flute and piano [19:07] Wissam Boustany (flute); Stefan Warzycki (piano) rec. 1990, * premičre recording NIMBUS NI 6166 [58:13]

A great disc in every way

Sprezzatura Paul CHIHARA (b.1938) Viola Sonata Paul SISKIND Etwas für Bratsche Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-76) Lachrymae Paul HINDEMITH (1895-1963) Viola Sonata Shelly Tramposh (viola) Cullan Bryant (piano) rec. 2010 RAVELLO RECORDS RR7818 [60:40] [JW]

Useful for the two works new to disc. 

Josef Suk – Early Recordings rec. 1956-67 SUPRAPHON SU 4075-2 [6 CDs: 76:38 + 73:37 + 77:41 + 72:04 + 68:48 + 60:27] [JW]

An excellently engineered, intelligently programmed. A fitting salute to the great violinist.

Tears of Joy English lute songs and secular music Zefiro Torna rec. 2011 ETCETERA KTC 4038 [54:48 + bonus CD] [JW]

As Bones never quite said to Kirk: ‘English lute songs, Jim, but not as we know them’.

Terzetti Trios for flute, viola and harp by Bax, Debussy, Ravel, Mathias & Dubois The Debussy Ens rec. 2010 DIVINE ART DDA25099 [63:20] [JF]

A great CD with a wide-ranging selection.

The Thurston Connection: English Music for Clarinet and Piano Arnold BAX (1883-1953) Roger FISKE (1910-1987) Iain HAMILTON (1922-2000) Hugh WOOD (b.1932) Richard Rodney BENNETT (b. 1936) Nicholas Cox (clarinet) Ian Buckle (piano) rec.2011 BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY BMS440CD [68:40] [JW]

Cox’s tone is variegated and warmly communicative, and his articulation is excellent throughout a well balanced selection.

Toscanini Lucerne Concerts Works by Beethoven, Wagner, Strauss & Smetana La Scala SO rec. 1946/49 IMMORTAL PERFORMANCES IPCD 1015-2 [75:40 + 77:31] [RMay]

Though extremely sonically compromised this will probably be an obligatory purchase for Toscanini followers.

Transcriptions for two pianos GrauSchumacher Piano Duo rec. 2008 NEOS 20903 [65:54] [MC]

Clearly articulated, rich in striking dynamic contrast, flowing and full of character.

Huberte Vecray (soprano) - Airs d’opéra rec. 1950-58 MUSIQUE EN WALLONIE MEW1160 [78:36] [JW]

A very decent soprano that circumstances conspired to still when in her prime. 

Emanuel Vardi (viola) - In memoriam 1915-2011 Odeon PARTOS (1907-1977) Yizkor Paul HINDEMITH (1895-1963) Trauermusik Michael COLGRASS (b. 1932) Variations for four drums and viola Tibor SERLY (1901-1978) Concerto for violin and wind orchestra with percussion William WALTON (1902-1983) Viola Concerto Emanuel Vardi (viola & violin) MGM String Orch/Izler Solomon, Michael Colgrass (percussion) Vienna SO/Tibor Serly American Broadcasting SO/Joseph Stopka, rec. 1943-1976 CEMBAL D’AMOUR CD 159 [75:02] [JW]

You will be impressed.

Il vero Orfeo - Sonatas for viola da gamba by and inspired by Arcangelo Corelli Friederike Heumann (viola da gamba) Patrick Sepec (cello) Eduardo Egüez (theorbo) Dirk Börner (harpsichord) rec. 2010 ACCENT ACC 24233 [58:29] [JV]

Wonderful performances of some of Corelli's sonatas in viola da gamba arrangements.

Verses and Voluntaries William Whitehead (organ) rec. 2010 REGENT REGCD366 [68:25] [JV]

An exemplary production.

Bruno Walter: Polydor Acoustics Vol.2 Overtures by Beethoven, Cherubini, Schumann, Berlioz, Wagner & Mendelssohn Berlin State Opera O rec. 1923-25 PRISTINE CLASSICAL PASC322 [61:34] [CH]

Completists’ interest will be strengthened by the fact that, of all the pieces here, the conductor made later studio recordings of only the Beethoven.

Edition Günter Wand: Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin rec. 1988-95 PROFIL EDITION PH10046 [8 CDs: 585:43] [MC]

Wand fans and others will want to snap up this beautifully recorded set.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Günter Wand - The Munich Phil Recordings Anton BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphonies 4, 5, 6, 8 & 9 Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphonies 8 & 9 Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphony 1 Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony 1 Munich PO/Günter Wand rec. 1993-2001 PROFIL EDITION PH06013 [8 CDs: 512:43] [MC]

Indispensable gems in performances that lovers of Austro-German Romantic repertoire will certainly relish.

 

OTHER REVIEWS

W. H. Auden reads W. H. Auden Recorded in 1960 FORUM FRC6145 [78:12] [JW]

I am certain that fresh generations will appreciate the contents of this generously priced disc.

Herman FINCK (1872 - 1939) Finck Album Kelli Uustani; Pirjo Levandi (sopranos); Mart Sander (baritone) Bel Etage Theatre Orchestra/Mart Sander rec. 2007, MusicWorks Studio, Tallinn, Estonia. DDD No texts DIVINE ART DIVERSIONS DDV 62402 [67.54] [JW]

Easygoing Finck deserves to stand alongside the better known Monckton.

The Golden Age of the Light Music - Stereo into the Sixties GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD5192 [73:20] [JF]

Nothing more to say about this fantastic CD – except to Guild - ‘Just keep them on coming!’

Hello Dolly! – The Original Broadway Cast Recording Music and Lyrics by Jerry HERMAN starring Carol Channing as Dolly Levi and David Burns (as Horace Vandergelder) with Eileen Brennan, Sondra Lee and Charles Nelson Reilly rec. 1964 SONY MASTERWORKS BROADWAY 88697499212 [42:44] [IL]

A very successful refurbishment. A real tonic, I defy you to refrain from tapping your feet. Three cheers for Dolly!

Richard RODGERS (1902-1972) and Oscar HAMMERSTEIN (1895-1960) South Pacific - Original Broadway Cast recording featuring Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza rec. 1949 SONY MASTERWORKS BROADWAY 88697 499192 [c.65:00?] [IL]

Scintillating.


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]
[last 5 days] [Recommended recordings]




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