PART 2
A-B

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]

Kalevi AHO (b. 1949) Three Interludes for Organ, Symphony for Organ Jan Lehtola (organ) rec. 2010 BIS BIS-SACD-1946 [70:12] [DC]

A handsome addition to the Aho catalogue, but an uncompromising and challenging one. 

Isaac ALBÉNIZ (1860-1909) Iberia see TCHAIKOVSKY

Christophe d’ALESSANDRO (b. 1961) Les douze degrés du silence, Symphonie de l’empereur jaune Christophe d’Alessandro (organ) Markus Noistering (electronics) rec. 2012 EDITIONS HORTUS 096 [67:52] [DC]

Intriguing and exploratory, the organ ‘augmented’.

Volkmar ANDREAE (1879-1962) Piano Concerto, Konzertstück, Violin Concerto, Rhapsodie Fali Pavri (piano); Christian Altenburger (violin) Bournemouth SO/Marc Andreae rec. 2012 GUILD GMCD 7394 [75:10] [RB]

Well worth the investment for those who are curious about Andreae the composer and for adherents of catchily romantic concertos.

Anton ARENSKY (1861-1906) Variations on a theme of Tchaikovsky see RÜTTI

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The Cello Suites Pieter Wispelwey rec. 2012 EVIL PENGUIN RECORDS EPRC012 [57:19 + 76:22] [DC]

Adds to our understanding and appreciation of some truly great music. 

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Sonatas and Partitas for unaccompanied violin Cecylia Arzewski (violin) rec. 2011 BRIDGE 9358 A/B [59.16 + 67.23] [PCG]

Much more emotionally committed than many period instrument practitioners … a substantial performance. 

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg Variations Glenn Gould (piano) rec. 1955 AUDIOPHILE CLASSICS APL 101575 [38:00] [HP-R]

Another release of the 1955 recording. Gould’s playing is always a pleasure. 

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Concertos & Chorale Preludes Kare Nordstoga (organ) rec. 2011 LAWO CLASSICS LWC1035 [50:24 + 73:16] [HP-R]

Excluding certain tracks, this is a first rate performance. 

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) St John Passion Ian Bostridge (tenor) Neal Davies (bass) Carolyn Sampson (soprano) Iestyn Davies (counter-tenor) Roderick Williams (bass) Polyphony; O Age of Enlightenment/Stephen Layton rec. 2012 HYPERION CDA67901/2 [53:45 + 64:25] [JQ]

This desirable new recording deserves a place in the front rank. 

Henk BADINGS (1907-1987) Cello Sonatas 1 & 2 Sem DRESDEN (1881-1957) Cello Sonatas 1 & 2 Doris Hochscheid (cello) Frans van Ruth (piano) rec. 2012 MDG 903 1771-6 [66:29] [JW]

Interesting and thoughtful listening.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770 – 1827) Piano Sonatas - Volume 1 Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano) rec. 2008-11 CHANDOS CHAN 10720(3) [3 CDs: 213:46] [MG]

A significant achievement in its clean directness of utterance.

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Triple Concerto, Symphony 6, Egmont Overture Navah Perlman (piano) Giora Schmidt (violin) Zuill Bailey (cello) Israel PO/Itzhak Perlman rec. 2010 EUROARTS 2058598 [90:00] [JW]

Currently of limited interest. 

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies, 1, 2, 6 & 8, Leonora Overture 3 Berlin PO, Vienna PO/Wilhelm Furtwängler rec. 1948-54 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 355/359 [72:20 & 70:12] [MC]

Pristine Audio has done a marvellous job with these Beethoven transfers which should prove indispensable for Furtwängler admirers. 

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony 8 see Israel Philharmonic

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Fidelio see Deutsche Oper Berlin

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Sonatas 23 & 32 see CHOPIN

Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Symphonie Fantastique, Le Carnaval Romain, Benvenuto Cellini Overture see Gary Bertini

Alexander BERNE (b. 1969) Self Referentials - Vols 1 & 2 Alexander Berne and the Abandoned Orchestra INNOVA 838 [54:38 + 44:55] [DC]

A remarkable journey.

Georges BIZET (1838-1875) Carmen Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo) Marcus Haddock (tenor) The Glyndebourne Ch/London PO/Philippe Jordan rec. 2002 GLYNDEBOURNE GFOCD 016-02 [3 CDs: 160:04] [JS]

Does real justice to the vitality, variety and sheer inventiveness of this opera. 

Ernest BLOCH (1880-1959) Jewish Life, Abodah see GOLIJOV

August de BOECK (1865-1937) A Bouquet of French and Flemish Songs Liesbeth Devos (soprano) Jozef de Beenhouwer (piano) rec. 2011 PHAEDRA PH 92075 [66:33] [Byz]

Wistfully tuneful, often delicately fragrant. 

Giovanni BOTTESINI (1821–1889) Messa da Requiem Joyful Company of Singers, London PO/Thomas Martin rec. 2012 NAXOS 8.572994 [65:25] [RB]

A bit of a discovery.

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Ein Deutsches Requiem Antonin DVORÁK (1841-1904) Biblical Songs Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Jörg Demus (piano) Philharmonia Ch & O/Otto Klemperer rec. 1960/62 ALTO ALC1202 [76:56][RB]

Alto miss a beat with this one.

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano Quintet, Clarinet Quintet John Nakamatsu (piano) Jon Manasse (clarinet) Tokyo String Quartet rec. 2011 HARMONIA MUNDI HMU 807558 [79:13] [RMo]

What lovely music this is and how elegantly both pieces are played here.

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Behind the notes: Brahms performed by colleagues and pupils rec. 1903-52 ARBITER 160 [79:36] [JW]

A most accomplished and historically significant disc. 

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano Trio 1 Bedřich SMETANA (1824-1884) Piano Trio Weiss-Kaplan-Newman Trio rec. 2010 BRIDGE 9362 [65:45] [JW]

Despite some virtues, I would look elsewhere for these trios.

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphony 1 Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Overture A Midsummer Night’s Dream Chicago SO/Sir Georg Solti rec. 1971 ICA CLASSICS ICAD 5089 [68:00] [CF]

Warmth, romanticism, love and tenderness. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH  David BRIGGS (b. 1962) Messe pour Notre-Dame Ch Trinity College, Cambridge/Stephen Layton, David Briggs (organ) rec. 2009 HYPERION CDA67808 [72:34] [JQ]

An entente cordiale between the English choral tradition with that of French church music, spectacularly recorded. 

Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) Billy Budd John Mark Ainsley (tenor) London PO/Sir Mark Elder rec. 2010 GLYNDEBOURNE GFOCD 017-10 [3 CDs: 164:06] [PCG]

Despite the many virtues of this new set the Hickox Chandos version is to be preferred.

Anton BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony 3 Royal Stockholm PO/Sakari Oramo rec. 2010 EXTON EXCL-00073 [55:36] [TB]

In Bruckner’s Third Oramo has full control of his forces and a commanding view of the score. 

Anton BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphonies 4 & 9 Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony 35 NBC SO, Philadelphia O, New York P-SO/ Bruno Walter rec. 1940-48 MUSIC & ARTS CD-1262 [59:10 + 68:20] [JW]

Walter: invariably exciting and typically warm.

Norbert BURGMÜLLER (1810-1836) Overture; Symphony 2; Piano Concerto Leonard Hokanson (piano) Wuppertal SO/Gernot Schmalfuß rec. 1997 MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 335 0817-2 [77:38] [BR]

The piano concerto has a few surprise twists but the symphony is Schubert without the tunes. Interesting to the early-romantic connoisseur, if not essential.

---

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]

---