Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony no. 3 in E flat Eroica - Symphony no. 4 in B flat Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart/Sir Roger Norrington. Rec. 1999? SWR HÄNSSLER CLASSIC CD93.085 [74.53] [DCFW]

If you do not add it to your collection you will be missing something of unequalled excellence and will be all the poorer! … see Full Review

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Requiem in d minor, K. 626 for soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass, chorus and orchestra [50:33] Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) in conversation with Donald Mitchell [26:00] Heather Harper, soprano Alfreda Hodgson, mezzo-soprano Peter Pears, tenor John Shirley-Quirk, bass Aldeburgh Festival Chorus English Chamber Orchestra/Benjamin Britten Recorded 20 June 1971, Aldeburgh Festival Concert Hall (Requiem) Recorded February 1969 (Interview) Great Performers of the 20^th Century series BBC LEGENDS BBCL 4119-2 [76:33] [JS]

It is said that when the angels sing, they sing Mozart: if that is true, then when the angels mourn, they sing the Requiem thus … see Full Review

 

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No. 4 (1892-1895) [53.29] - Richard STRAUSS (1864 -1949) Burleske (1885-1886) [20.09] - Lisa della Casa (soprano) - Byron Janis (piano) Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner - recorded in 1958 RCA RED SEAL 09026 64002 2 [73.38] [CF]

A recording worth its weight in gold for the stylish Reiner and the exemplary playing of the CSO. … see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Das Lied von der Erde (1907-8) Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano) Fritz Wunderlich (tenor) Philharmonia then New Philharmonia Orchestra/Otto Klemperer Recorded in Kingsway Hall, London 19-22 February 1964 No 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London 7-8 November 1964 and 6-9 July 1966 Great Recordings of the Century series EMI CLASSICS 7243 5 66892 2 0 [64’07"] [JQ]

One of the finest accounts of Das Lied von der Erde ever committed to disc. … see Full Review

Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) - The Seven Symphonies - Symphony No. 1 (1898) [38.03] - Symphony No. 2 (1902) [47.14] - Symphony No. 3 (1907) [29.31] - Symphony No. 4 (1911) [36.05] - Symphony No. 5 (1917) [31.35] - Symphony No. 6 (1918) [28.50] - Symphony No. 7 (1920) [23.29] Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (2, 4-7) - Helsinki Radio Symphony Orchestra (1, 3) - Okko Kamu (1-3) - Herbert von Karajan (4-7) - rec. Helsinki, Oct 1972 (1,3); Berlin Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Feb 1970 (2), Feb, May, Sept 1965 (4), Feb 1965 (5), Apr, Sept 1967 (6, 7). ADD DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON TRIO 474 353-2 [3CDs: 78.57+77.47+78.39] [RB]

A classic ... fresh as an analogue daisy. ... stands proud and unblushing in the Sibelius stakes ... see Full Review

Peter Il'ych Tchaikovsky (1850-1893) Swan Lake - Grand Ballet in Three Acts (1877) Russian State Symphony Orchestra/Dmitry Yablonsky - Rec. Studio 5 Moscow State Broadcasting and Recording House, July 2001 NAXOS 8.555873-874 [2CDs: 147.56] [JF]

A great concert performance. Allows us to come to terms with this great music as if it were a Straussian tone poem. Recommended. … see Full Review

Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Mass in G minor* (1922) [21’41"] - Festival Te Deum in F major** (1937) [7’35"] - Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) ‘My love dwelt in a northern land’, Op. 18 No.3 (1890) [4’18"] - Two Choral Songs, Op. 71 (1914): ‘The Shower’ [2’26"]; ‘The Fountain’ [3’56"] - ‘Go, song of mine’, Op. 57 (1909) [4’24"] - ‘Death on the hills’, Op. 72 (1914) [3’14"] - Two Choral Songs, Op. 73 (1914): ‘Serenade’ [2’07"]; ‘Love’s tempest’ [2’59"] - *Isobel Collyer (soprano); Joya Logan (alto); Christopher Mercer (tenor); Martin Johnson (bass) - ** John Birch (organ) The Holst Singers/Hilary Davan Wetton - Recorded in St. Paul’s Girls’ School, Brook Green, London in April 1990 REGIS RRC 1135 [54’13"] [JQ]

With top-drawer performances this Regis CD is an outstanding bargain in every way. It’s reissue is warmly to be welcomed and I recommend it with great enthusiasm. … see Full Review

Leonard Bernstein. The Original Jacket Collection Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony No. 3 Op. 55 Eroica Bernstein Talk; How a Great Symphony Was Written [14.22] Recorded January 1964 and December 1965 [talk] Leonard BERNSTEIN (1918-1990) Symphonic Dances from West Side Story orch. Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal Symphonic Suite from On the Waterfront Recorded March 1861 [West Side Story] and May 1960 [On the Waterfront] Aaron COPLAND (1900-1990) Rodeo – four dance episodes Billy the Kid – orchestral suite Recorded May 1960 [Rodeo] and October 1959 [Billy the Kid] George GERSHWIN (1898-1937) Rhapsody in Blue orch. Ferde Grofé An American in Paris Recorded June 1959 [Rhapsody in Blue] and June 1958 [An American in Paris] Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphony No. 82 Hob 1; 82 The Bear Symphony No. 83 Hob 1; 83 The Hen Recorded May 1962 [The Bear] and April 1962 [The Hen] Charles IVES (1874-1954) Symphony No. 2 Bernstein Talk; Leonard Bernstein discusses Charles Ives Recorded October 1958 and June 1966 [Talk] Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No. 7 in E minor Op 55 Recorded December 1965 Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony No. 5 Op 47 Recorded October 1959 Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Symphony No. 5 Op 82 Pohjola’s Daughter Op 49 Recorded March 1961 [Symphony] and May 1964 [Pohjola’s Daughter] Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Le Sacre du Printemps (1913 version) Recorded January 1958 New York Philharmonic Orchestra Leonard Bernstein (piano/conductor) SONY CLASSICAL SX10K89750 [10 CDs 484.28] [JW]

Bernstein - a man for most seasons … this box gives us many imperishable first thoughts in repertoire in much of which he was a towering master. … see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) The Turn of the Screw – opera in 2 Acts (1954) - The Prologue - Philip Langridge, tenor; The Governess - Felicity Lott, soprano; Miles - Sam Pay, treble (young child in her charge); Flora - Eileen Hulse, soprano (young child in her charge); Mrs.Grose, the housekeeper - Phyllis Cannan, mezzo-soprano; Quint, a former manservant - Philip Langridge, tenor; Miss Jessel, a former governess - Nadine Secunde, soprano Aldeburgh Festival Ensemble, Brindisi Quartet/Steuart Bedford. Recorded in October 1993 in The Concert Hall, Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh, UK NAXOS OPERA CLASSICS 8.660109 [2CDs: 53:06+53:17] [GPJ]

As soon as I’d finished listening to this, I immediately wanted to hear it again … an exceptionally powerful musical and dramatic experience. … see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Bohuslav MARTINU (1890-1959) String Quartet No. 1 (1918) - String Quartet No. 2 (1925) - String Quartet No. 3 (1929) - String Quartet No. 4 Concerto da Camera (1937) - String Quartet No. 5 (1938) - String Quartet No. 6 (1946) - String Quartet No. 7 Concerto da Camera (1947) - Madrigals for Violin and Viola (1947) - String Trio No. 2 (1934) - Bedrich SMETANA (1824-1884) String Quartet No. 1 in E minor From My Life (1880) - String Quartet No. 2 in D minor (1882-83) - Leoš JANÁCEK (1854-1928) String Quartet No. 1 Kreutzer Sonata (1923) - String Quartet No. 2 Intimate Letters (1928) Stamitz Quartet - Recorded in Prague 1988 (Janácek), 1990 (Smetana and Martinu) BRILLIANT CLASSICS 6473 [5 CDs 245.48] [JW]

A warm welcome to this disarmingly cheap set. I heartily recommend this comprehensive traversal of the unpredictable, occasionally highly impressive Martinů Quartets. … see Full Review

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BOOK REVIEW

Peter Maxwell Davies: Source book Edited by Stewart Craggs Published by Ashgate Publishing Ltd. 2002 Hardback 318 pages ISBN 1-85928-042-0 £49.50
MusicWeb price £42.50

Likely to be the definitive source of information on the composer’s works for some years to come. … see Full Review

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SCORE REVIEWS

Richard Stoker (arrangements) Eight British Folk-Songs Opus 39c For voice and guitar (fingered and edited by Werner J. Wolff). Doblinger Munich 2002.

MusicWeb is planning its first recording of previously unrecorded orchestral pieces by Arthur Butterworth. If you would wish to part-sponsor that recording please contact len@musicweb-international.com

Did you know you could help sponsor a new recording for as little as £10 - a symphony for £25? such as this one  now reviewed here: GRAHAM WHETTAM  Sinfonia Intrepida   BBCSO/Sir Charles Mackerras.   Redcliffe Recordings RR016 (44' 11'') [PC] Read on

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MusicWeb is now part of the ClassicAll network. Our partner site within the ClassicAll network is www.ludwigvanWeb.com You will now be able to hear extract from reviews of any of our partner labels which you can identify from the special samplebutton.

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