Camille
SAINT-SAENS (1835-1921)
Romances see Come Blow Your
Horn
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Symphony 3 see
Romantische Sinfonien
Siegfried
SALOMON (1885-1962) Cello Concerto see Erling
Bengtsson
Domenico
SCARLATTI (1685 - 1757) Miserere, Salve Regina,
Magnificat, Laetatus sum 
Western Washington University Concert Ch, Bellingham/Robert Scandrett
rec. 1991
CARUS 83.320 [65.42] [RH]
Scandrett
and his choir bring a freshness to the music which adds interest to
what is otherwise of frankly limited charm.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Complete Symphonies
Les Musiciens du Louvre Grenoble/Mark Minkowski rec. 2012
NAÏVE V5299 [4 CDs: 247:06] [ST]
The
most successful Schubert set to have appeared since Abbado. Invest and
enjoy.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Wandererfantasie, Impromptus, Piano sonata 16, Moments Musicaux, Allegretto
Paul
Lewis (piano) rec. 2011/12
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC902136.37 [55:15 + 67:58] [DC]
A
recording to relish.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) String Quintet; Quartettsatz
Takács
Quartet; Ralph Kirshbaum (cello) rec. 2012
HYPERION CDA67864 [63:43] [MS]
Truly
persuasive, compelling and profound accounts from the Takács
Quartet.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797 - 1828) An die Musik
Klaus Mertens (bass-baritone) Tini Mathot (fortepiano) rec. 2011
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72559 [69:02] [GF]
All
in all a mixed recital with some real highlights but also some uncharacteristically
bland readings.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Moments musicaux; Sonata
D850
Valery Afanassiev (piano) rec. 2010
ECM NEW SERIES 2215 [70:54] [DC]
Interesting
approach, but does it live up to the promise?
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Symphony 8 see Romantische
Sinfonien
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphony 8 see
Karel
Šejna
Georg
SCHUMANN (1866-1952)
Symphony, A Serenade
Münchner RSO/Christoph Gedschold rec. 2009
CPO 777 464 2 [73:32] [RB]
Works
of real accomplishment, satisfaction and virile romantic imagination.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Chamber Works
The Nash Ensemble rec. 2011
HYPERION CDA67923 [79:26] [PB-W]
An
outstandingly beautiful Violin Sonata No. 1 but a good yet mixed reception
for the rest.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Symphonies 1 & 3 Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Parsifal Orchestral extracts
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Salome
Orchestral extracts
Piero Coppola rec. 1933-46
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 335 [79:32] [JW]
Justice
done to justice to a musician who was much more than just a ‘house
conductor’.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Piano Concerto Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907)
Piano Concerto Lyric Pieces
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano) O del Teatro alla Scala/Antonio
Pedrotti, Alceo Galliera rec. 1939-48
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111396 [77:58] [GA]
Sensitivity,
fantasy and authority in a near-ideal combination.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Konzertstück, Symphonic Studies
see PFITZNER
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Drei Fantasiestücke see Duo
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Fantasie see
Leonard
Shure
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Symphony 3 see
Romantische Sinfonien
Peter
SEABOURNE (b.1960)
STEPS - Volume 2: Studies of Invention - Books 1-3
Giovanni Santini (piano) rec. 2012
SHEVA COLLECTION SH065 [54:03] [Byz]
Amazingly
inventive.
Déodat
de SÉVÉRAC (1872-1921) Piano Music
- vol. 3: Le chant de la terre; Piano Sonata; Stances à
Madame de Pompadour; Pippermint-Get
Jordi Máso (piano) rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.572429 [70:50] [PCG]
Debussy
said that Sévérac’s music had a “sweet scent.”
He was entirely right.
Déodat
de SÉVERAC (1873-1921)
Piano pieces
François-Michel Rignol (piano) rec. 2008
SOLSTICE SOCD 280 [70:48] [JW]
A
most enjoyable introduction to the Séverac’s music.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony 7
Mariinsky O/Valery Gergiev rec. 2012
MARIINSKY 
MAR0533 [82:21] [DM]
Unflinching,
unerring and, above all, illuminating; a searing Seventh.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony 11
Toronto SO/Peter Oundjian rec. 2008
TSO LIVE [64:19] [JQ]
A
good account of Shostakovich’s Eleventh, though it doesn’t
match Mravinsky.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphonies 1-15
Gürzenich O/Dmitri Kitaienko rec. 2002-04
CAPRICCIO 71029
[12 CDs: c.14:00:00] [DM]
Immensely
satisfying; a traversal to treasure.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony 11
Monte-Carlo PO/Yakov Kreizberg rec. 2010
OPMC CLASSICS OPMC005 [60:22] [BR]
A
fitting tribute to the late Yakov Kreizberg, who succeeds in bestowing
a really Russian sound on the Monte Carlo players.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906–1975) Cello Sonata see
Duo
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Fire On The Island
Monica Groop (mezzo) Jorma Hynninen (baritone) Folke Gräsbeck (piano)
Harri Viitanen (organ) Dominante Choir/Seppo Murto rec. 2009-2010
BIS BIS-CD-1889 [64.55] [PCG]
Scrapings
from the bottom of the Sibelian barrel? In fact there are some really
good things here.
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Violin Concerto Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Violin Concerto
Soyoung Yoon (violin) Gorzów PO/Piotr Borkowski rec. 2012
DUX 0336 [72.05][PCG]
Even
if you think you know these pieces so well that no performance can say
nothing more to you, have a listen to this one.
Bedřich
SMETANA (1824-1884) The Bartered Bride
Dana
Burešova (soprano) Tomáš Juhás (tenor) BBC Singers,
BBC SO/Jiří Bělohlávek rec. 2011
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC 902119.20 [64:31 + 71:49] [LW]
This
new Bartered Bride joins the best of its predecessors.
Charles
Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)
Clarinet Concerto Gerald FINZI (1901-1956)
Clarinet Concerto Malcolm ARNOLD (1921-2006)
Clarinet Concerto 2
BBC SO/Michael Collins (clarinet) rec. 2012
CHANDOS CHAN10739 [65:45] [JW]
Terrific
performances.
Alessandro
STRADELLA (1639 - 1682) La Susanna
Gemma Bertagnolli (soprano) Isabel Alvarez (soprano) Primo Giudice Harmonices
Mundi/Claudio Astronio rec. 2011
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94345 [48:27 + 41:33] [JV]
At
budget price, you can hardly go wrong with this disc.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949)
The Complete Songs - Volume 6
Elizabeth Watts (soprano), Roger Vignoles (piano) rec. 2012
HYPERION CDA67844 [67.00] [PCG]
Watts gives the music some of the best performances it is ever likely
to get.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Don Juan Sylvie BODOROVÁ
(b.1954) Symphony 1
Prague SO/Jirí Kout rec. 2011
FOK 0005 - 2 031 [54:33] [RB]
Students
and enthusiasts of the modern symphony need to hear this.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Salome Orchestral extracts
see SCHUMANN
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Violin Sonata see
RESPIGHI
Josef
SUK (1874-1935)
A Summer’s Tale, Prague
BBC SO/Jiří Bĕlohlávek rec. 2012
CHANDOS CHSA5109
[79:32] [JQ]
This
pair of performances represents the partnership between Jiří
Bĕlohlávek and the BBC Symphony Orchestra at its fruitful
best.
Franz
von SUPPÉ (1819-1895)
Overtures and marches
Royal Scottish Ntl O/Neeme Järvi rec. 2012
CHANDOS CHSA5110
[79:42] [RB]
This
disc could hardly be more generously assembled and the quality of the
audio and the music-making is similarly high.
Karol
SZYMANOWSKI (1882-1937)
Piano Sonatas 1-3
Gajusz Kęska (piano) rec. 2008/9
DUX 0893-94 [34:34 + 50:17] [JW]
Usefully
captures, in good sound, the pianistic Szymanowski in sonata mode.
Karol
SZYMANOWSKI (1882-1937)
Symphonies 2 & 4, Concert Overture
Louis Lortie (piano) BBC SO/Edward Gardner rec. 2012
CHANDOS CHSA5115
[70:57] [DC]
Opulence
and refinement perszymanowskified.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Famous Waltzes
New
York PO/Kurt Masur rec. 1994
WARNER CLASSICS APEX 2564 65935-4 [62:48] [Byz]
An
affordable gift for a loved one keen to escape the clamour and trinketry
of pop and discover what real music sounds like.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Symphony 6, Romeo and Juliet
Brussels PO/Michel Tabachnik rec. 2010/11
BRUSSELS PHILHARMONIC RECORDINGS BPR003 [64:04] [BR]
A
half-effort; I hope you don’t mind if I praise their other album
instead.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Violin Concerto Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin Concerto Anton
ARENSKY (1861-1906) Violin Concerto
Aaron Rosand (violin) Orch of Radio Luxemburg/Louis de Froment rec.
1973
VOX CLASSICS 7211 [76:01] [JW]
It’s,
above all, as a tribute to Rosand and Vox that this disc should be welcomed.
Pyotr
Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
The Sleeping Beauty
Bergen PO/Neeme Järvi rec. 2012
CHANDOS CHSA5113(2)
[77:14 + 77:56] [DBi]
A
great work in a very fine performance beautifully recorded.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Symphony 6, Romeo and Juliet
Swedish CO/Thomas Dausgaard rec. 2011
BIS BIS-SACD-1959
[62:20] [BR]
Alas.
I love Thomas Dausgaard’s conducting, and I like the orchestra’s
playing, but a chamber orchestra sounds rather saddening in this music.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Violin Concerto see
SIBELIUS
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Serenade for Strings
see Warsaw Philharmonic
Chamber Orchestra
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony 2 see
Romantische Sinfonien
Alexander
TCHEREPNIN (1899-1977)
Piano Music: 1913-1961
Alexander Tcherepnin, Mikhail Shilyaev (piano) rec. 1965/2012
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0079 [79:48] [SA]
A
perfect place to start to get to know this fascinating composer.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Alexander TCHEREPNIN
(1899-1977)
Complete Piano Music - Vol. 2
Georgio Koukl (piano) rec. 2011/12
GRAND PIANO GP632 [62:54] [SA]
A
truly superb listening experience.
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) Concerti per strumenti
vari e orchestra
Accademia Hermans/Fabio Ciofini (harpsichord) rec. 2007
LA BOTTEGA DISCANTICA 194 [61:28] [BW]
Not
my first choice for a Telemann collection but well worth having.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Veljo
TORMIS (b.
1930) Curse upon Iron - Works for male choir
Orphei Drängar/Cecilia Rydinger Alin rec. 2012
BIS-SACD-1993
[72:48] [GF]
This
is a disc not to be missed by choral music lovers.
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Symphony 4 Arthur BENJAMIN (1893-1960)
Symphony
Hallé O, BBC SO/Sir John Barbirolli rec. 1948-50
BARBIROLLI SOCIETY SJB 1064 [73:46] [RB]
A
freshly imagined if deliberate RVW and an incendiary and kinetic Benjamin.
Barbirolli vies with Cantelli, Golovanov, Kleiber or Mravinsky.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata
Roberto
di Biasio, Michele Pertusi, Ch & O del Teatro Regio di Parma/Daniele
Callegari rec. 2009
C MAJOR 720608 
[144:00] [ST]
Showcases
the young Verdi at his very finest.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901)
Nabucco
Leo Nucci (baritone) Riccardo Zanellato (bass) Bruno Ribeiro (tenor)
Ch & O Teatro Regio, Parma, Italy/Michele Mariotti rec. 2009
C MAJOR 720504 
[137:00] [RJF]
The
strengths lie in the conducting and choral singing in a highly competitive
video market.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901)
Rigoletto
Leo Nucci , Piotr Beczala, Elena Moşuc, Ch & O Zurich Opera
House/Nello Santi rec. 2006
ARTHAUS MUSIK 108 057
[128:00] [DBi]
Finely
sung and played but static staging and poor disc production values.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Villazón Verdi
Rolando
Villazón (tenor) O Teatro Regio Torino/Gianandrea Noseda
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4779460 [56:37] [ST]
My
primary reaction is one of disappointment.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) I due Foscari
Leo Nucci, Roberto di Biasio, Tatiana Serjan Orchestra e Coro del Teatro
Regio di Parma/Donato Renzetti rec. 2009
C MAJOR 721008
[117:00] [ST]
The
opera itself really is a cracker and Nucci reminds you just how good
it is.
Leonardo
VINCI (1690 - 1730) La Partenope
Maria Grazia Schiavo (soprano) Sonia Prina (contralto) I Turchini di
Antonio Florio/Antonio Florio rec. 2011
DYNAMIC CDS 686/1-2 [52:43 + 72:41] [JV]
Opera-lovers
will want this recording despite its shortcomings.
Carl
VINE (b. 1954) String Quartets 2-5, Knips Suite
Goldner
String Qt rec. 2009
ABC CLASSICS 476 5168 [78:11] [RB]
Modern
anxieties, sorrows and consolations are alive in this music.
Richard
WAGNER (1813 - 1883) Siegfried
Lance Ryan (tenor) Susan Bullock (soprano) Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester/Sebastian
Weigle rec. 2011
OEHMS CLASSICS OC 937 [4 CDs: 239:59] [GF]
Serious
shortcomings among so much that is good.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Tristan und Isolde Act II
Kirsten Flagstad, Eyvind Laholm, New York P-SO/John Barbirolli rec.
1939
WEST HILL RADIO ARCHIVE WHRA 6044 [73:48] [JW]
Lyrically
direct … makes one regret that Barbirolli didn’t record
more operatic sets.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard WAGNER
(1813-1883)
Die Walküre
Jonas Kaufmann, Anja Kampe, René Pape, Nina Stemme, Mariinsky
O/Valery Gergiev rec. 2011/12
MARIINSKY MAR0527
[4 CDs: 236:36] [ST]
If
the rest of the Wagner bicentennial produces recordings as good as this
then we are in for a great year.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) The Wagner Edition
OPUS ARTE OA1095BD
[25 DVDs] [PCG]
All
of Wagner’s mature operas
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Symphony in C see
Romantische Sinfonien
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Parsifal Orchestral extracts
see SCHUMANN
Helmut
WALCHA (1907-1991) Chorale Preludes - Vol. 1
Wolfgang Rubsam (organ) rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.572910 [67:01] [HP-R]
Varied
pieces skilfully crafted and artfully performed on a versatile and aurally
pleasant instrument.
Carl
Maria von WEBER (1786–1826)
Wind Concertos
Maximiliano Martín (clarinet) Peter Whelan (bassoon) Alec Frank-Gemmill
(horn) Scottish CO/Alexander Janiczek rec. 2011
LINN RECORDS CKD409
[64:31] [BW]
A
strong choice for all but those seeking all Weber’s clarinet concertante
works on one disc.
Anton
WEBERN (1883-1945) Langsamer Satz see
PFITZNER
Kurt
WEILL (1900-1950)
Cello Sonata Hans PFITZNER (1869-1949)
Cello Sonata Samuel BARBER (1910-1981)
Cello Sonata
Quirine Viersen (cello) Silke Avenhaus (piano) rec. 2006
ET'CETERA KTC1315 [70:37] [JW]
A
strong case is made for these youthful and lesser known scores.
Mieczyslaw
WEINBERG (1919-1996) Complete Piano Works 3: Children's
Notebook (Books I-III), 21 Easy Pieces
Allison Brewster Franzetti (piano) rec. 2010
GRAND PIANO GP610 [61:49] [Byz]
Brewster
Franzetti again shows herself to be on multi-faceted, persuasive form.
Mieczyslaw
WEINBERG (1919-1996)
Piano Sonatas 1-3, 17 Easy Pieces
Murray McLachlan (piano) rec. 1996
DIVINE ART DDA25105 [70:35] [JW]
Thoroughly
idiomatic and assured playing.
Mieczysław
WEINBERG (1919-1996)
Symphony 8
Rafał Bartmiński (tenor) Magdalena Dobrowolska (soprano)&dagger
Ewa Marciniec (alto)&dagger Warsaw PO & Ch/Antoni Wit rec. 2011
NAXOS
8.572873 [58:32] [RB]
This
is another major and very personal entry in the catalogue and one that
should also fascinate adherents of Shostakovich’s symphonies of
the 1960s.
Adolf
WIKLUND (1879-1950) Piano Concertos 1 & 2,
Konsertstycke
Martin Sturfält (piano) Helsingborg SO/Andrew Manze rec. 2010
HYPERION CDA67828 [74:59] [GF]
It
is very easy to fall in love with this music so full of ideas. Superb
playing; commanding readings.
Michael
WILLIAMS (b. 1962) The Juniper Passion
rec. 2011
ATOLL ACD 243 [49:15 + 46:18] [BMcC]
A
bloody World War II battle in Italy sets the stage for this opera.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Hugo
WOLF (1860 - 1903) Italienisches Liederbuch
Janet
Baker (mezzo) John Shirley-Quirk (baritone) Steuart Bedford (piano)
rec. 1977
ICA CLASSICS ICAC 5076 [80:13] [GF]
A
thrilling performance of Italienisches Liederbuch.
Ermanno
WOLF-FERRARI (1876-1948)
Idillio-concertino, Concertino, Suite-concertino
Andrea Tenaglia (oboe) Willian Moriconi (cor anglais) Giuseppe Ciabocchi
(bassoon) Rome SO/Francesco La Vecchia rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572921 [77:32] [TB]
Works
neo-classical in structure while possessing a warmly romantic harmonic
characteristic.
Ronn
YEDIDIA (b.1960) Chamber works for clarinet
Alexander Fiterstein (clarinet) Ronn Yedidia (piano) Arnaud Sussmann
(violin) Melissa Reardon (viola) Nicholas Canellakis (cello) rec. 2010
NAXOS
8.559699 [60:43] [JWh]
Tuneful
and delightful.
Jan
Dismas ZELENKA (1679-1745)
Sonatas
Ensemble Marsyas, Monica Huggett (violin) rec. 2011
LINN RECORDS CKD415
[49:43] [BW]
Good
second-rate music made to sound almost first-rate by these performances.
Jan
Dismas ZELENKA (1679-1745)
Melodrama de Sancto Wenceslao
Musica Florea, Musica Aeterna, Ensemble Philidor, Boni Pueri/Marek Štryncl
rec. 2000
SUPRAPHON SU 4113-2 [39:50 + 55:28] [JW]
Many
pleasures, with very good performances from the orchestra and choirs.
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]
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