Classical Editor: Rob Barnett             Music Webmaster Len Mullenger: Len@musicweb-international.com


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PART 4
M to R

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ALPHABETICAL LISTING

MAHLER Symphony No.1 in D Symphony No.2 in C minor "Resurrection" Doris Soffel (Mezzo), Edith Mathis (Soprano), London Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra Conducted by Klaus Tennstedt EMI Double Forte 5 74182 2 [142.58] [TD]

A welcome reissue at mid price of two recordings that represent a much-loved conductor well.

MAHLER Symphony No.2 in C Minor "Resurrection" Petra Lang (Mezzo), Heidi Grant Murphy (Soprano) Dallas Symphony Chorus and Orchestra Conducted by Andrew Litton Delos SACD 3237 (2 CDs) [82.55] [TD]

I approached this Second with some apprehension. However, one thing I've learned about Mahler performances and recordings is that you cannot predict from one work how well a conductor will do with another.....A fine and well-recorded new version, beautifully played, short of the greatest in a competitive market.

MAHLER Symphony No.10 in F sharp minor  Revised performing version (1997) by Remo Mazzetti, Jr. Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Jesus Lopez-Cobos Telarc 80565 [72.54] [TD]

We now have available on record and in the concert hall performing editions of this material prepared by four men.....What Cooke, Carpenter and Wheeler had in common was that they arrived at their versions independently. Remo Mazzetti, on the other hand, whose second version of the work is recorded here, is different from the others in that he began work after they had finished and, in the case of Wheeler and Cooke, after both men had died.

MARTINU Symphony no. 2, Symphony no. 4 National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine/Arthur Fagen NAXOS 8.553349 [60.58] [TB]

A disappointing issue.

McEWEN Violin Sonatas No. 2; No. 5 Sonata-Fantasia & No 6, Prince Charlie - A Scottish Fantasia Olivier Charlier (violin); Geoffrey Tozer (piano) rec 16/17 March 2000 Potton Hall, Suffolk CHANDOS CHAN 9880 [62:43] [JF]

It is dangerous for a reviewer to abuse superlatives - but this is a phenomenal disc. The playing is superb and the programme is revelatory.

MOZART Piano Concerto no. 24 in C minor, K491 Piano Concerto no. 27 in B flat major, K595 Robert Casadesus (piano) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Dimitri Mitropoulos (K491); Carl Schuricht (K595) Orfeo C 536 001 B [58.33] [TB]

These remastered mono recordings were made at the Salzburg Festivals of 1956 and 1961....the verdict on this issue has to be that it makes an interesting, but not a compelling, addition to the catalogue.

Cristóbal de MORALES  Missa Si bona suscepimus   The Tallis Scholars directed by Peter Phillips Gimell CDGIM 033  [56:01] [GD]

This is something special.

PALESTRINA Master of the Renaissance Six Masses, Two Motets & The Lamentations Pro Cantione Antiqua/Brown/Turner Recorded 1988/91/92 REGIS RRC 4002 4CDs [275'.42"] [CF]

A classy act at bargain price.

Luis de PABLO Une couleur… Daniel Kientzy (saxophones) Orchestre National de Roumania/Remus Georescu Nova Musica NMCD 5108 [22.16] [PW]

The music is bold and lyrical by turns and characteristic of Pablo's orchestral writing of the period - an exciting score that makes a powerful and immediate impression.

Arvo Pärt Tabula Rasa, Collage über Bach, Symphony no. 3 Leslie Hatfield, Rebecca Hirsch (violins) Ulster Orchestra Takuo Yuasa Naxos 8.554591 (78 minutes) [TB]

Thanks to Naxos's well judged recorded balances the music is conveyed with great conviction. One of the company's best

Paul PATTERSON Wind Quintet; Comedy; Westerly Winds Luis TINOCO Autumn Wind James OLSEN Imbroglio Gustav HOLST Wind Quintet Galliard Ensemble Meridian CDE84429 [69.30] [PW]

Something to please everyone, and hopefully nothing to scare away more timid listeners.

Great Violinist series - Jascha Heifetz Sergei PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto No 2 (1935) Louis GRUENBERG Violin Concerto (1943) Jascha Heifetz (violin) Boston SO/Koussevitsky [rec 20 Dec 1937]
San Francisco SO/Monteux [rec 17 Dec 1945] mono recordings NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110942 [62.16] [RB]

Musically speaking not as magnetic a draw as the Walton/Elgar disc but at this price you will want it to complete the picture and may yet be delighted by the Gruenberg

VIDEO REVIEW Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Memories Rachmaninov's Letters and other reminiscences spoken by Sir John Gielgud Specially commissioned performances conducted by Valery Gergiev Directed by Tony Palmer Published in 1998/99. WARNER MUSIC/NVC Arts Video 3984-25386-3 [102 mins] [IL]

This is a well-rounded portrait of a warm, generous man who contrary to received impressions seems to have had a great sense of humour and who enjoyed the good things of life like fast cars and boats etc., rather than being perpetually morose and obsessively concerned with death. This video is strongly recommended for all admirers of Rachmaninov.

ALAN RAWSTHORNE  Symphonic Studies, Oboe Concerto, Cello Concerto. Stéphane Rancourt (oboe), Alexander Baillie (cello), Royal National Scottish Orchestra, David Lloyd-Jones Naxos 8.554763 [PC]

A recording of major importance at bargain basement price.

REGER  30 Lieder.   Frauke May (mezzosoprano) Bernhard Renzikowski (piano) Arte Nova Classics 74321 75076-2 [61.25] [DW]

This is a welcome set of 30 songs, ten of which are receiving their world premiere recording and another the world premiere of the voice and piano version.

Ottorino RESPIGHI (1879-1936) Feste romane; Pini di Roma Nikolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908) Le Coq d'or (Suite) The Cleveleand Orchestra conducted by Lorin Maazel   DECCA Legends 466 993-2 [74:04] [IL]

This reissue has been refurbished in 96KHz 24-bit digital transfer sound. The result is even more clarity and transparency and added perspectives.

RONNEFELD Am Abend tönen dis herbstlichen Wälder (an anthology) Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen and various soloists conducted by Sebastian Gottschick (recorded 5 April & 22-24 October 1999 and 5 & 23 May 2000) dacapo 8.224154 [51:16] [AS]

It would be idle to pretend that I enjoyed this disc, but I am happy to report that it is splendidly performed and recorded.

Hilding ROSENBERG (1892-1985) Symphony No 6 Sinfonia Semplice (1951) [24.02] Symphony No 3 (1939) [33.31] Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra,  Herbert Blomstedt rec Concert Hall, Stockholm, 22 May 1960 (No. 6); 1 Dec 1966 (No.3) PHONO SUECIA - ECHO - PSCD 100 AAD MID PRICE [57.33] [RB]

Rosenberg sings the braying malediction of the trolls with as much malignance as Tubin was able to release in his Symphony No 6.

[Part 1 New]  [Part 2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R]  [Part 5 S-Y] [Part 6 Misc] 
 


Classical Editor: Rob Barnett,  Reviewers: Rob Barnett, Ian Lace, Len Mullenger, and:  Richard Adams, Colin Anderson, Arthur Baker, Terry Barfoot,  Marc Bridle, Arthur Butterworth, Colin Clarke, Paul Conway, Gary Dalkin, Andy Daly, Tony Duggan, Harry Downey,  Christopher Fifield, Lewis Foreman, Simon Foster, Colin France, Christopher Howell, John Phillips, Ailís Ní Ríain, Humphrey Smith, Philip Scowcroft, Colin Scott-Sutherland, Andrew Seivewright, Adrian Smith, Christopher Thomas, Richard Whitehouse, Peter Grahame Woolf, David Wright. A complete list of contributors can be seen here


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Any opinions expressed in reviews or articles on this site are those of the author and  do not necessarily represent the views of the site owner, Len Mullenger or the Editors.  Reviewers and authors retain copyright in their work unless it has been paid for or commissioned by the site owner.

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