The
Manchester Gamba Book
Dietmar
Berger (viola da gamba) rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.572863-64 [79:12 + 80:02] [JV]
An
impressive display of technical prowess and stylistic understanding
of the musical material.
Willem
Mengelberg: New York Recordings Vol. 1 Works by Richard Strauss,
Wagner, Tchaikovsky & Johann Strauss II
New York PO, Philharmonic-SO of New York rec. 1926-28
HISTORIC RECORDINGS HRCD00141 [65:58] [JQ]
A
very considerable performance of Ein Heldenleben in a fine new transfer.
Miserere
A Sequence of Music for Lent, St. Joseph, and The Annunciation
Ch of
Westminster Cathedral/Martin Baker Peter Stevens (organ) rec. 2011
HYPERION CDA67938 [79:15] [JQ]
A
beautifully performed, discerningly chosen programme.
Nocturnes
Michael Landrum (piano) rec. 2000
DORIAN SONO LUMINUS DSL-92158 [70:39 + 63:18] [BR]
This
encyclopedic history of the nocturne adds up to more than the sum of
its parts, which is saying something, because it has a lot of parts.
It’s rare to listen to a recital and feel that you’ve learned
something.
Russian
Trumpet Concertos by
Arutiunian, Vasilenko, Shakhov, Goedicke & Böhme
Reinhold Friedrich (trumpet) Göttingen SO/Christoph-Mathias
Mueller rec. 2011/12
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 901 1770-6 
[61:26] [SA]
A
little box of absolute delights with a real power to surprise.
Irene
Scharrer The complete electric and selected acoustic
recordings - The Matthay School Volume 3
APR 6010 [79:53 + 78:06] [JW]
Irene
Scharrer, one of Britain’s great pianists.
Slovenian
Music for Cello and Piano - Vol. 1
Gal
Faganel (cello), Jan Bratož (piano) rec. 2008
ASTRUM ASCD 9.004 [77:13] [SA]
And
now for something completely different.
The
Söderström Organ in the Husby Church Music by Krebs,
JS Bach, CPE Bach & Kellner
Jan H. Börjesson (organ) rec. 2011
OAK GROVE CD 2028 [67:26] [GF]
Organ-lovers
are in for a treat with this disc.
Solti
- Journey of a Lifetime A film by Georg Wübbolt
C
MAJOR 711708 
[106:00] [ST]
A
useful contribution to the Solti debate which shows no sign of dying
down.
Songs
of Springtime
Musica Beata/Peter Hanke, Paul Hedley rec. 2011
ACCLAIM PRODUCTIONS APCD4012 [53:03] [NB]
A
most enjoyable set of performances of beautiful music.
Leopold
Stokowski The
Blue
Danube Waltz and music for strings rec. 1957/58
GUILD GHCD2392 [63:23] [JW]
Lighter
fare excellently restored and brimming with energy.
Swedish
concertos for soprano saxophone Works by Martinsson,
Sandström & Eliasson
Anders Paulsson (soprano saxophone) NorrlandsOperan SO/Christoph Altstaedt,
Helsingborg SO/Tobias Ringborg, Norrköping SO/Johannes Gustavsson
rec. 2011-2012
PHONO SUECIA PSCD 188 [69:00] [GF]
A
fascinating and accessible disc with marvellous music. It should win
many new proselytes for contemporary music.
Toward
the Light Works by Handel, Brahms & Franck
Elaine Huckle (mezzo) Ian Clarke (piano) rec. 2008
RAVELLO RECORDS RR7848 [59.05] [MM-B]
I
admire Ms Huckle’s tenacity and her absolute joy in performing
such beautiful pieces.
OTHER
REVIEWS
The
Björling Sound - A Recorded Legacy by
Stephen Hastings. University of Rochester Press, 2012. The Heart
of Jussi Björling by Yrsa Stenius. Brombergs, 2002 [JW]
These
two books approach Björling in widely divergent ways.
A
Musical Journey: Provence
Music by Chabrier, Ravel, Fauré, Godard, Debussy, Offenbach and
Saint-Saëns
NAXOS 2.110312
[55.09] [RJF]
The
usual mixture of the enjoyable and relevant alongside the frustrating
and even misleading. The musical accompaniment is good.
A
Musical Journey:
Vienna - Austria’s City of Music Music by Johann Strauss II
NAXOS
2.110331
[52.27] [RJF]
Captivating
glimpses of a city with a long history as well as musical connections
second to none.
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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