Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Piano Trios 1 &
2 
Vienna
Piano Trio rec. 2012
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM 
942 1763-6 [64:07] [MC]
This
will complement any chamber music collection.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Wandererfantasie, Impromptus, Sonata 16, Moments Musicaux
Paul Lewis (piano) rec. 2011/12
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC 902136/37 [55:15 + 67:58] [JQ]
Another
richly rewarding Schubert recital from Paul Lewis.
Erwin
SCHULHOFF (1894-1942)
Sonata see Czech Flute Music
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Heine Songs, Romances and Ballads
Gerald Finley (baritone) Julius Drake (piano) rec. October 2007, German
texts and English translations included
HYPERION CDA67676 [70:09] [JQ]
An
admirable recital.
Alexander
SCRIABIN (1872-1915) Le Poème de l’Extase
see Russian
Composers around 1900
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
John SHEPPARD (1515 - 1585) Missa Cantate, Spiritus
Sanctus see GIBBONS
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1907-1975)
Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 60 (1941) [73:44]
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Andris Nelsons rec. live, 2011,
ORFEO
C 852121 A [73:44][ST] [DM]
A
worthwhile recording and decidedly more than that in places. [ST] Nelsons’
Leningrad fails on every level; a musical and sonic pile-up. [DM]
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Piano Trios Pēteris
VASKS (b. 1946) Episodi e Canto perpetuo
Boulanger Trio, Karla Haltenwanger (piano) rec. 2010
PROFIL PH12045 [68:12] [MC]
Up
there with the finest alternatives on the market.
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957):
Kajanus conducts Sibelius – vol. 1 (1930-1932) Symphony No. 1
in E minor, Op. 39 [35:32] Pohjola’s Daughter – Symphonic Fantasy,
Op. 49 [12:38] Tapiola – Symphonic Poem, Op. 112 [18:04]
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Symphony 1); London Symphony Orchestra/Robert
Kajanus rec. 1930 1932. ADD
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111393 [66:13][RB]
This
will reward any listener and recreates for today’s listeners how the
West discovered Sibelius.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Bedřich SMETANA (1824-1884)
String Quartet 1 see DVOŘÁK
Louis
SPOHR (1784-1859) Clarinet Concerti
Lausanne Chamber O/Paul Meyer (clarinet) rec. 2012
ALPHA 605 [42:16 + 49:51] [BR]
So
good that it borders on essential for anyone who likes the clarinet
concertos of Mozart, Weber, and Crusell.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Charles
Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924) Clarinet Concerto see
British
Clarinet Concertos
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Agostino STEFFANI
(1654
– 1728) Mission
Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo), Philippe Jaroussky (counter-tenor) (6, 12,
18, 23), Rosario Conte (lute) (5) Coro della Radiotelevisione svizzera,
I Barocchisti/Diego Fasolis Sung texts with German, English and French
translations enclosed * world premiere recording on CD DECCA
478 4732 [80:28] [GF]
As
perfect as anything can be!
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard STRAUSS
(1864-1949)
Josephs-Legende - ballet pantomime op.63 (1914) [61:05]
Orchester der Bayerischen Staatsoper München/Robert Heger rec. 1952,
ACANTA
233593 [61:05] [RMay]
A
great performance, expertly directed and very well played. Heger is
an experienced and convincing Strauss interpreter who has the full measure
of the score.
Johann
STRAUSS (1825 - 1899) Prinz Methusalem
Frank
Ernst (tenor) Jessica Glatte (soprano) Chor und Orch der Staatsoperette
Dresden/Ernst Theis rec. 2010
CPO 777 747-2 [48:04 + 55:02] [GF]
Lovers
of Viennese operetta will be delighted with this latest offering.
Johan
SVENDSEN (1840-1911) String Octet see
BRUCH
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Thomas TALLIS (1505 - 1585)
Missa puer natus est nobis see GIBBONS
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Violin
Concerto, Souvenir d’un lieu cher Franz
Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphony 47
Christian Joseph Saccon (violin) Sara Costa (piano) O di Padova e del
Veneto/Maffeo Scarpis
WIDE CLASIQUE WCL 127 [76:20 + DVD 76:20] [JW]
A
recommendation is most appropriately made to admirers of Saccon.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony 6 John
ADAMS (b. 1947) The Chairman Dances
World
O by East-West Music/Josep Vicent rec. 2010/11
COLUMNA MUSICA 1CM 0285 [65:56] [JWh]
For
members of the orchestra and maybe for those with an interest in the
development of youth music.
Pyotr
Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Rare Transcriptions
and Paraphrases
Anthony Goldstone ( piano) rec. 2012
DIVINE ART DDA25093 [63:12] [JW]
A
sense of breadth and tonal imagination, and warm phrasing.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) The Nutcracker
see HUMPERDINCK
Yvonne
TROXLER (b.1962) Penn 1; Shergotty;
Brouhaha; Susurrus; Kaleidoskop
Glass Farm Ensemble rec. 2007/2011
INNOVA 835 [42:50] [DC]
Interesting
and likeable baubles, but no great discoveries here.
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) A Cotswold Romance,
Death of Tintagiles
Rosa Mannion (soprano) Thomas Randle (tenor) Matthew Brook (baritone)
London Philh Ch/London SO/Richard Hickox rec. 1997
CHANDOS CHAN10728X [54:34] [JW]
VW
admirers will be rewarded with outstanding performances and recordings.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) I Due Foscari
Gian Giacomo Guelfi (baritone) Carlo Bergonzi (tenor) Maria Vitale (soprano)
Ch & O RAI Milan/Carlo Maria Giulini rec. 1951
WARNER MUSIC 2564 66143-4 [70:02+28:23] [JS]
Little
more than limited historical interest.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813
- 1901) Otello
Carlos Guichandut (tenor) Giuseppe Taddei (baritone) Cesy Broggini (soprano)
Ch & SO di Torino della RAI/Franco Capuana rec. 1955
WARNER FONIT CETRA 2564 66143-8 [63:18 + 62:32] [GF]
Still
has something to offer, musically and theatrically.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Aida
Roberto Tagliavini (bass) Luciana D'Intino (mezzo) Marco Berti (tenor)
Hui He (soprano) Ch & O Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/Zubin Mehta rec.
2011
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101 598 
[151:00] [GF]
An
honest, middle-of-the road reading with excellent playing and singing.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813 - 1901) Aida
Maria Chiara, Kristján Jóhannsson, Dolora Zajick, Arena
di Verona O/Nello Santi rec. 1992
ARTHAUS MUSIK 107253 [146:00]
[GF]
Many
reasons to avoid this issue.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Gerald
Finley (bass-baritone) Marco Jentzsch (tenor) Anna Gabler (soprano)
Johannes Martin Kränzle (baritone) Glyndebourne Ch, London PO/Vladimir
Jurowski rec. 2011
OPUS ARTE OA1085D
[280:00] [ST]
This
DVD is so good that it will always be so much more than a consolation
prize.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Fantasies for 8 Horns
ACANTA
233597 [64:23] [RMo]
Will
appeal to horn devotees but for others its allure will be less compelling.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Orchestral Excerpts - Vol. 1
Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz rec. 1987/92
NAXOS 8.572767 [69:21] [Byz]
Just
a little lacking in pathos.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Orchestral excerpts - Vol.
2 Alessandra
Marc (soprano) Seattle SO/Gerard Schwarz rec. 1987-92
NAXOS 8.572768 [64:41] [Byz]
On
the soft and slowish side.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Orchestral Excerpts 3: Tristan
und Isolde, Tannhäuser
Alessandra Marc (soprano) Seattle SO/Gerard Schwarz rec. 1986-1992
NAXOS 8.572769 [62:26] [Byz]
Not
really quite good enough to merit a place on the shelf.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Tristan und Isolde
Stephen Gould, Nina Stemme, Berlin RSO & Ch/Marek Janowski rec.
2012
PENTATONE PTC5186404
[3 CDs: 227:59] [ST]
Part
good, part not but top class singing filtered through some very trying
conductorial decisions.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Piano pieces see
LISZT
William
Vincent WALLACE (1812-1865) Chopinesque
Rosemary
Tuck, Richard Bonynge (pianos) Tait CO/Richard Bonynge rec. 2011
NAXOS
8.572776 [79.20] [PCG]
Those
who have enjoyed Tuck’s previous Wallace explorations will adore
these enjoyable performances.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Robert WHITE (1538 - 1574)
Lamentations of Jeremiah see GIBBONS
Fu-Tong
WONG (b.1948) Xi Shi Fantasy
Chiao-Han Liao (piano) rec. 2012
WONG'S MUSIC & CULTURE (TAIWAN) WCD-004 [63:07] [Byz]
Chiao-Han
Liao gives a respectful, polished reading of Wong's music.
Eugène
YSAŸE (1858-1931) Sonata see
PAR.TI.TA
Mikolaj
ZIELENSKI (fl. 1611) Offertoria Totius
Anni 1611 - Vols 2 & 3
Collegium Zielenski/Stanislaw Galonski rec. 2010-2011
DUX 0786/0861 [57:17 & 50:58] [JV]
Well
worth investigating despite shortcomings in the interpretation.
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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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