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LATEST
CD REVIEWS (last two days)
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in the week?
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Fidelio
(1814) Leonore (mezzo) – Angela Denoke Florestan
(tenor) – Jon Villars Don Pizarro (baritone)
– Alan Held Rocco (bass) – Laszlo Polgar Marzelline
(soprano) – Juliane Banse Jaquino (tenor)
– Rainer Trost Don Fernando (bass-baritone)
– Thomas Quasthoff Arnold Schoenberg Choir
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Simon Rattle
Recorded in concert at the Philharmonie, Berlin,
25-28 April, 2003
EMI CLASSICS 7243 5 57555-2 (2CDs: 65’58+44’17)
[TH]
Difficult
to see this version toppling existing recommendations.
… see
Full Review
Giles FARNABY (c1563-1640)
"Farnaby’s Dreame" For
two Virginals */*** [01:14] Muscadin * [01:16]
Fantasia * (M.B., No. 5) [05:06] Meridian
Alman * [01:42] Mal Sims * [01:28] Alman *
(M.B., No. 22) [01:02] Rosseter’s Galliard
* [02:16] Wooddy-Cock * [06:09] A maske *
(M.B., No. 33) [01:49] Pawles Wharfe * [02:08]
The Old Spagnioletta * [00:56] Fantasia *
(M.B., No. 12) [03:52] His Humour * [01:28]
A Maske * (M.B., No. 31) [02:11] The King’s
Hunt * [02:06] Fantasia * (M.B., No. 7) [03:46]
A Gigge * [01:17] Gallarda * [01:34] Tell
mee Daphne * [01:54] Spagnioletta * [02:00]
Fantasia * (M.B., No. 10) [03:42] A Maske
** (M.B., No. 32) [01:07] Alman (Johnson,
set by Farnaby) ** (M.B., No. 23) [00:43]
Fantasia ** (M.B., No. 6) [03:31] Pavana (Johnson,
set by Farnaby) ** [05:45] Why aske you **
[01:59] Giles Farnaby’s Dreame ** [00:57]
Quodling’s Delight ** [02:52] Lachrymae Pavan
(Dowland, set by Farnaby) ** [08:01] A Toy
** [01:11] (M.B. refers to the series Musica
Brittannica, in which a number of Farnaby’s
compositions have been published)
Pierre Hantaï, harpsichord (Italian
harpsichord by F.A, 1677 *; Flemish harpsichord
by Ruckers, Antwerp 1624 **); Elisabeth Joyé,
spinet (French, 17th century ***) Recorded
in February and March 1990 in the Museum of
Chartres (*) and the Unterlinden Museum at
Colmar (**), France DDD
ACCORD 476 057-2 [76:27] [JV]
Farnaby
may be a rather obscure composer of the Elizabethan
era, his music is imaginative and often virtuosic
– well worth hearing … see Full
Review
Nicholas Zumbro plays de Falla and Granados
Enrique
GRANADOS (1867-1916)
Goyescas
Book I El Pelele, Crepusculo, Los requiebros,
Coloquio en la reja, El fandango de candil,
Quejas ó la maja y el ruiseñor,
Intermezzo Goyescas Book II El amor
y la muerte; Balada, Epilogo; Serenata del
espectro Manuel de
FALLA (1876-1946) El Amor Brujo,
Pantomine, Scene-Chanson du feu-follet,
Nicholas Zumbro (piano) Recorded at St
Silas Church, London (1994?)
CONCERT ARTIST/FIDELIO RECORDINGS CACD 9004
[72.24] [JW]
Zumbro
shows fine affinities with Spanish music –
its colour and rhythm … see Full
Review
Leoš
JANÁČEK (1854-1928) Violin
Sonata (1914-21) [16’03] Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Violin Sonata
No.1 in F minor, Op.80 (1946) [27’05]
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) 19 Preludes, from Op.34,
transcribed for violin by Dmitri Tsiganov
[23’19] 
Kai Gleusteen (violin) Catherine Ordronneau
(piano) Recorded at Crear Studios, Scotland,
2-4 September 2002. DDD
AVIE AV 0023 [67’00] [TH][JW]
Works
well on its own terms as an enjoyable recital
[TH]
This is an attractively programmed disc but
it’s been badly recorded. [JW]… see Full
Review
Lars-Erik LARSSON
(1908-1986) God
in Disguise (Förklädd Gud)
Op. 24 (1940) [29.12] A Winter's Tale (En
vintersaga) - four vignettes to Shakespeare's
play Op. 18 (1937) [9.53] Little Serenade
(Liten serenad) Op. 12 (1934) [10.34]
Pastoral Suite (Pastoralsvit)
Op. 19 (1938) [13.30] Sven Wollter (narrator)
Jeanette Kohn (sop) Thomas Lander (bar)
Jönköping Chamber Choir Jönköping
Sinfonietta/Christopher Warren-Green rec.
Dec 2001, Feb 2002, Jönköpings konserthuset,
Sweden. DDD
INTIM MUSIK IMCD 082 [63.00] [RB]
Confident
feel-good music not afflicted with blandness
or facile emotion. ... see Full
Review
Sergei
PROKOFIEV
(1891 - 1953) Ivan
the Terrible: Oratorio from the film
score, Op. 116 (1942-5) (arr. 1960 Stasevich/Slatkin)
[65.27] Claudine Carlson, Mezzo-soprano. Baritone
soloist uncredited.
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Leonard
Slatkin Recorded March 1979. Location not
given. Notes and technical information in
English. Photos of Prokfiev and from the film.
Digitally remastered by Paul Stublebine. Originally
on Vox/Turnabout QS LP CD tracks 2.0 track
stereo. SACD tracks 2.0 track stereo and 4.0
track surround. All tracks have index points
when appropriate. Hybrid
SACD playable on SACD players and CD
players.
MOBILE FIDELITY UDSACD 4003 [65.27] [PSh]
A
very well played, fine sounding version of
what may soon become a high resolution, surround
sound war-horse ... see Full
Review
Sergei RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943)
Piano
Concerto No. 1 in F# minor Op.1 (1891) Piano
Concerto No. 2 in C minor Op.18 (1901) Piano
Concerto No. 3 in D minor Op. 30 (1909) Piano
Concerto No. 4 in G minor Op.40 (1927) Rhapsody
on a Theme of Paganini in A minor (1934)
Oleg Marshev (piano)Aarhus
Symphony Orchestra/James Loughran Rec. Frichsparken,
Aarhus, May/Oct 2001 DDD
DANACORD DACOCD 582-583 [3CDs: 165.38]
[JF]
A
fine version of the famous Rachmaninov Concerti.
Certainly one to consider owning beside Ashkenazy,
Shelley and Argerich. Well presented. … see
Full Review
Robert SCHUMANN
(1810-1856)
Carnaval,
Op. 9 Papillons, Op. 2 Kinderszenen,
Op. 15 Arabeske, Op. 18
Nelson Freire, piano Recorded at Auditorio
Massimo, Lugano, December 2002
DECCA 4739022 [59:57] [DS]
Freire
enthusiasts should love the performances,
sound deficiencies or not. … see Full
Review
Karol SZYMANOWSKI
(1882-1937) String
Quartet No. 1 in C major Op. 37 (1917) String
Quartet No. 2 Op. 56 (1927)
Camerata Quartet Rec. Concert Hall, Karol
Szymanowski State Music School, Warsaw, April
2000
DUX 0366 [35.34] [JW]
I
admired the Camerata’s playing – if timing
considerations are against them I don’t think
you’ll be disappointed by the performances.
… see Full
Review
Giuseppe VERDI
(1813-1901)
Don
Carlos. Opera in Five Acts (sung in
Italian) (1886 Modena and 1867 Paris versions)
Philip (King of Spain), Jaakko Ryhänen
(bass); Don Carlos (Infante of Spain), Lars
Cleveman (ten); Rodrigo (Marquis of Posa),
Peter Mattei (bar); The Grand Inquisitor,
Bengt Rundgren (bass); Elisabeth de Valois
(Philip's Queen), Hillevi Martinpelto (sop);
Princess Eboli (Elisabeth's lady-in-waiting),
Ingrid Tobiasson (m.sop); Tebaldo (Elisabeth's
page), Iwa Sörenson, (sop); The Count
of Lerma (A Royal Herald), Klas Hedlund (ten);
An Old Monk, Martti Wallén (bass);
A Voice from Heaven, Hilda Leidland (sop)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Swedish
Opera, Stockholm/Alberto Hold-Garrido Recorded
at the Royal Swedish Opera, Stockholm on 18th
December 1999 and 22nd and 27th
January 2000 Bargain Price
NAXOS OPERA CLASSICS 8.660096-98 [3CDs:
78.51+70.18+45.40] [RF]
Other
than Mattei’s singing, I regrettably find
little to recommend in this issue, particularly
now the price is matched by better sung versions
elsewhere. … see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano
Sonatas: No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No.
2 (1801) [13’38]; No. 15 in D, Op. 28, ‘Pastorale’
(1801) [21’15]; No. 16 in G, Op. 31 No. 1
(1802) [24’01].
Artur Schnabel (piano) Rec. Abbey Road
Studio No. 3, London, on April 10th-11th,
1933 (No. 14), February 3rd and
17th, 1933 (No. 15) and November
1935 and January 15th, 1937 (No.
16). ADD Complete Beethoven Sonata Society
recordings vol. 5
NAXOS GREAT PIANISTS 8.110759 [58’54]
[CC]
There
is a wealth of experience on display here.
… see Full
Review
Sir Lennox BERKELEY
(1903-1989) Symphony
No. 4 (1977-78) Michael
BERKELEY (b. 1948) The Garden
of Earthly Delights (1998) Cello Concerto
(1983)
Alban Gerhardt (cello) BBC National Orchestra
of Wales/Richard Hickox Recorded Brangwyn
Hall, Swansea; 17 and 18 December 2002 DDD
Berkeley Edition: Volume Three
CHANDOS CHAN 10080 [65:09] [CT]
Another
fine instalment in Chandos’s Berkeley Edition,
with the promise of more to come. … see Full
Review
Umberto GIORDANO
(1867 – 1948) Andrea
Chenier (1896) Maddalena di Coigny
– Maria Caniglia (soprano) Andrea Chenier
– Beniamino Gigli (tenor) Garlo Gerard – Gino
Bechi (baritone) Countess di Coigny – Giulietta
Simonato (mezzo-soprano) Madelon – Vittoria
Palombini Bersi – Maria Huder Roucher – Italo
Tajo Fouquier –Tinville – Giuseppe Taddei
Mathieu – Leoni Paci Fleville - Giuseppe Taddei
The Abbe – Adelio Zagonara L’Incredibile -
Adelio Zagonara Majordomo – Gino Conti Dumas
– Gino Conti Schmidt – Gino Conti
Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala Opera
House, Milan/Olivero de Fabritiis Recorded
Milan November 1941 by La voce del padrone
Umberto GIORDANO
(1867 – 1948) Andrea Chenier
(excerpts) Giacomo Lauri Volpi (tenor) Recorded
1941 Antonio Cortis
Recorded 1930 Cesare Formichi (baritone) Recorded
1927 Claudia Muzio (soprano) Recorded 1935
Francesco Merli (tenor) Recorded 1928 Aureliano
Pertile (tenor) Recorded 1930
NAXOS 8.110275-76 [2CDs: 53.41+74.53]
[RH]
A
fine, dramatic performance with a superlative
cast. … see Full
Review
George Frederic
HANDEL (1685-1759)
Ballet music Alcina (HWV 34) [25:47] Terpsichore
(HWV 8b) [11:10] Il Pastor fido (HWV 8c) [10:22]
English Baroque Soloists/John Eliot Gardiner
Recorded in March 1984 at St Luke’s Church,
London DDD
WARNER ELATUS 2564-60335-2 [47:21] [JV]
A
recording of ballet music by Handel which
isn’t often performed – almost 20 years old,
it still sounds quite good, despite some shortcomings
… see Full Review
Joseph Martin KRAUS
(1756-1792)
"Complete Piano Music" Rondo
in F (VB 191) [09:00] Sonata in E flat (VB
195) [19:52] Scherzo con variazioni (VB 193)
[11:59] Larghetto (VB 194) [00:42] Sonata
in E (VB 196) [32:07] Swedish Dance (VB 192)
[03:47] Zwei neue kuriose Minuetten (VB 190)
[01:51] Jacques Després, piano (Steinway)
Recorded in October 2000 in Convocation
Hall, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
DDD
NAXOS 8.555771 [79:19] [JV]
This
first recording of the keyboard music by Kraus
is a missed opportunity because of a bad choice
of instrument … see Full
Review
Jacob OBRECHT (1450-1505)
Missa
Sub Tuum Presidium Confugimus; Benedicamus
In Laude; Salve Crux; Beata es Maria; Salve
Regina a 3; Mille Quingentis;
Factor Orbis.
The Clerks’ Group/ Edward Wickham Recorded
at St. Andrew’s Church, West Wratting, February
2003
ASV GAUDEAMUS 341 [69.41] [GH]
For
all that I might have preferred more flamboyance
and passion in these chaste performances The
Clerks’ Group is the best companion in this
repertoire. … see Full
Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Ethyl
SMYTH (1858-1944)
String
Quartet in E Minor: Allegretto lirico [12:10];
Allegro molto leggiero [5:48]; Andante [12:51];
Allegro energico [10:26] Amy
Marcey BEACH (1867-1944) Quartet
in one movement [14:57]: Grave - Piu animato
- Allegro molto - Grave Susan
SPAIN-DUNK (1880-1962) Phantasy
Quartet in D Minor [13:11]: Allegro con fuoco
- Andante moderato – Allegro con fuoco – Piu
tranquillo Archaeus
Quartet: Anne Hooley: Violin, Bridget Davey:
Violin, Elizabeth Turnbull: Viola, Martin
Thomas: Cello Recording location and dates
not given.
LONTANO RECORDS LORELT LNT 114 [69:23]
[SA]
I
cannot remember a record I’ve enjoyed more
this year or one I felt compelled to listen
to time after time – a fabulous disc! … see
Full Review
Siegfried WAGNER
(1869 – 1930) Die
Heilige Linde op. 15 (1927) Arbogast,
king of a German tribe – John Wegner (baritone)
Hildegard, his wife – Dagmar Schellenberger
(soprano) Sigrun, his sister – Ksenija Lukic
(soprano) Gundelind, his cousin – Mechthild
Georg (mezzo-soprano) Fritigern, a king’s
son from a neighbouring tribe – Thorsten Scharnke
(tenor) Ekhart, a count – Adam Kruzel (baritone)
Philo, a minion of the Roman emperor - Volker
Horn (tenor) Caius, his messenger - Hein Heibuchel
(tenor) Autonoe - Katalin Ilalmai (mezzo-soprano)
Antenor – Roman Trekel (baritone) A soldier
– Soon-Dong Kwon (bass) Knight – Josef Otten
(bass)
WDR Rundfunkchor Köln WDR Sinfonieorchester
Köln/Werner Andreas Albert Recorded October
8-19, 2001, Philharmonie Köln
CPO 999 844-2 [3CDs: 50.01 + 50.53 + 48.13]
[RH]
The
first recording of the 14th opera
by the son of the more famous Richard; this
story of sparring Saxons and Romans is well
performed but opera itself rarely grips. …
see Full Review
American Women
Composers Ursula
MAMLOK From
My Garden (1983) Designs (1962) Sonata (1988)
Ruth CRAWFORD
(1901-1953) Sonata (1926) Louise
TALMA (b 1906) Sonata (1962) Ellen
Taaffe ZWILICH (b 1939) Sonata
in Three Movements (1974)
Catherine Tait (violin) Barry Snyder (piano)
Recorded Eastman Theatre of the University
of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music 1995
GASPARO GSCD-300 [59.41] [JW]
Committed
and understanding performances of this bracing
music … see Full
Review
Andrew GRIFFITHS
- baritone WILLIAMS:
‘My Little Welsh Home’; ‘Llanfihangel Bachellaeth’;
‘Gwynfyd’; ’Crwys’Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Don
Giovanni, ‘Madamina! Il catalogo é
questo’ George Frideric
HANDEL (1685-1759) ‘Thou Art Gone
Up On High’ TRADITIONAL
‘Dafydd y Garreg Wen’ (David of the White
Rock) LEWIS
‘Cân Yr Arad Goch’ SCHÖNBERG
‘Stars’; ‘Empty Chairs At Empty Tables’
(Sir) Arthur
SULLIVAN ‘The
Lost Chord’ Mitch
LEIGH ‘Man of La Mancha’ Vaughan
THOMAS ‘Berwyn’Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Tannhäuser,
‘O du Mein Holder Abendstern’(Sir)
William Sterndale BENNETT
(1816-1875) ‘The Carol Singers’
Andrew Griffiths (baritone) (b.1968) Accompanist.
Annette Brynn Parry (piano) Recorded at the
Tabernacl, Machynlleth, Wales. 2003
BERSE RECORDS BECD 1 [50.07] [RF]
The
virtue of this disc lies in its variety. While
never scaling the operatic heights Griffiths’
singing will give pleasure in the lighter
repertoire and, to his compatriots, in the
Welsh language songs. … see Full
Review
BOOK
REVIEWS
Suzanne Rhodes DRAYER A
Singer’s Guide to the Songs of JOAQUÍN RODRIGO Scarecrow
Press Inc., 266 pages, ISBN 0-8108-4408-7
A
useful little book intended to introduce Rodrigo’s
songs to potential performers. … see
Full Review
Luca Marenzio
The Career of a Musician between the Renaissance
and the Counter-Reformation by Marco Bizzarini
Translated by James Chater Published September
2003
Ashgate; ISBN 0 7546 0516 7; 370 pages, 10
b/w illustrations, 40 musical examples £49.50
MusicWeb price £42.50
This
is a book containing much important information
about a significant 16th century
composer and it sheds fascinating light on
the mechanisms by which a Roman composer in
the period might construct a career in music.
It is unfortunate that the book’s structure
and editing mean that it could be rather off-putting
for the casual reader. … see Full
Review
OPERETTA
by Richard TRAUBNER (1897-1951) 2nd edition, Routledge,
(Taylor & Francis Bks Ltd) 2003 ISBN 0-415-96641-8. pp.498. £20
One
of the best reference books of the Musical Theatre is Richard Traubner's
book, ‘Operetta’. Originally published in 1983 it is now reprinted in
a second edition. … see Full Review
THE PENGUIN GUIDE
TO COMPACT DISCS & DVDs 2003/4 Edition:
The Key Classical recordings on CD, DVD
& SACD 2004 Edition Edited
by Ivan March
Reviews by: Ivan March; Edward Greenfield;
Robert Layton Assistant Editor: Paul Czajkowski
Paperback 1566 pp. ISBN 0141013842 £24.99
[RB]
The
most wide-ranging and satisfying classical
review print source on the market. ... see
Full Review
Rudolf Serkin: A
Life By Stephen Lehmann
Humanities Bibliographer, Van Pelt-Dietrich
Library Center, University of Pennsylvania,
USA; and Marion Faber, Professor
of Modern Languages and Literatures, Swarthmore
College, Pennsylvania, USA.Published by Oxford
University Press, USA, 27 February 2003 ISBN:
0-19-513046-4 £20 [US$35.00] Hardcover 234mm
x 156mm [6-1/8" x 9-1/4"]360 pp.;
53 illustrations. Discography by Paul Farber.
[PSh]
An
interesting story about a very interesting
man, interesting even if he isn’t your favourite
pianist. … see Full
Review
RECORDINGS OF
THE MONTH
Arnold BAX (1883-1953)
The Seven Symphonies (1921-1939) Rogue's
Comedy Overture (1936) [9:59] (dedicated to Julius Harrison)
premiere recording Tintagel (1917-19) [15:13] (dedicated
to Miss Harriet Cohen) Interview with Vernon Handley by Andrew McGregor
BBC Philharmonic/Vernon
Handley CHANDOS CHAN
10122 [5CDs: 74:03+77:24+73:41+69:37+60:43]
Reviews by
Richard Adams
A master conductor, at the absolute height
of his powers interpreting music that he loves passionately - definitive
… see Full Review
Rob Barnett
Bax the poet of the emotions does not shy
from violence nor from whole-hearted celebration, ecstatic absorption
in beauty, sorrow and drama. You could not have a better starting
place and destination than this epochal set. … see Full
Review
Graham
Parlett
Vernon Handley’s Bax cycle has been a long time in coming, but it
has proved well worth the wait. … see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Violin
Concerto in D major, Op.61 (1806) Felix MENDELSSOHN
(1809-1847) Violin Concerto in E minor, Op.64 (1844)
Viktoria Mullova (violin) Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique/John
Eliot Gardiner Recorded in Watford Colosseum, 5-7 June, 2002
PHILIPS 473 872-2 [68’17] [TH]
Will
irritate as many as it will thrill. I definitely fall into the latter
camp. Recording quality superb, full and warm. … see Full
Review
Derek
BOURGEOIS
(b.1941) Apocalypse
Op. 187 (2003) Sonata for Trombone and Brass Band Op. 156B
(1998) Blitz Op. 65 (1981) Concerto Grosso for Brass
Band Op. 61A (1983)
Ian Bousfield (trombone) Yorkshire Building Society Band/Dr.
David King Rec. Peer Hall, University of Salford, 14th-16th
March 2003 DDD EGON
SFZ113 [69:45] [CT]
A
band and conductor at the very height of their considerable musical
powers in music of unbridled excitement. … see Full
Review
Sylvie
BODOROVÁ (b.1954)
Terezin
Ghetto Requiem for baritone and string quartet (1997) [16.11]
Concierto de Estio for guitar and string quartet (1999) [16.01]
Ronald STEVENSON (b.1928) String
Quartet Voces Vagabundae (1989) [29.10]
Nigel Cliffe (bar) María Isabel Siewers (guitar) Martinů
Quartet rec. Domovina Sudio, Prague, June 2002, Jan 2003
ARCO DIVA UP 0052-2 131 [62.11] [RB]
Two
composers unpredictably but stimulatingly
matched; tonal music that has not lost its
ability to surprise, delight and warn ...
see Full
Review
Aaron COPLAND
(1900-1990)
Music
for piano: Passacaglia (1921/22)
[7’12]. Piano Variations (1930) [11’18].
Piano Sonata (1939-41) [24’43]. Piano
Fantasy (1955-57) [33’20].
Raymond Clarke (piano) Rec. King’s Hall,
University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, September
1st, 2001. DDD
DIVINE ART 25016 [76’52] [CC]
My
recording of the month, without a shadow
of a doubt. For anyone who has yet to experience
the wonders of Copland’s music for piano,
here is the place to start. … see Full
Review
Frederic CLIFFE
(1857-1931) Symphony
No. 1 in C minor Op. 1 (1889) [43.25] Orchestral Picture: Cloud
and Sunshine (1890) [14.26]
Malmö Opera Orchestra/Christopher Fifield rec. 6-8 May 2003,
St. Johannes Church, Malmö, Sweden. DDD
STERLING CDS-1055-2 [57.54] [RB]
Two
virile and confident works in the Mendelssohn-Schumann tradition given
splendidly engaged, life-imbued performances and audio to match. ...
see Full Review
Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Lieder:
Der Blumenstrauß, op.47/5, Pagenlied, Des Mädchens Klage,
Die Liebende schreibt, op.86/3, Suleika, op.34/4, Suleika, op.57/3,
Reiselied, op.34/6, Erster Verlust, op.99/1, Auf Flügeln des
Gesanges, op.34/2, Andres Maienlied (Hexenlied), op.8/8, Der Blumenkranz,
Ferne, op.9/9, Scheidend, op.9/6, Reiselied, op.19/6, Herbstlied,
op.84 [not 85 as printed on the cover and in the booklet]/2, Venetianisches
Gondellied, op.57/5, Schlafloser Augen Leuchte, Neue Liebe, op.19/2,
Der Mond, op.86/5, An die Entferne, op.71/3, Die Sterne schau’n in
stiller Nacht, op.99/2, Frühlingslied, op.47/3, Nachtlied, op.71/6,
Volkslied, op.47/4
Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto), Dalton Baldwin (piano) Recorded
at "La Chartreuse", Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, December
1989 WARNER ELATUS
2564-60535-2 [58:47]
Stutzmann’s
gloriously rich, true contralto tones suggest riches and depths not
always suspected in these songs. … see Full
Review
Ervin (Erwin) SCHULHOFF (1894-1942)
1-5 Divertimento for String Quartet Op.14 (1914) [21:24] 6-9
String Sextet, for two violins, two violas and two cellos (1920-24)
[21:52] 10-13 Duo for violin and cello (1925) [17:08]
Kocian Quartet (Pavel Hula (first violin) tracks 1-13; Jan Ostrcil
(second violin) tracks 1-9; Zbynek Padourek (viola) tracks 1-9; Vaclav
Bernasek (cello) tracks 1-13; Jan Talich (viola) tracks 6-9; Evzen
Rattay (cello) tracks 6-9) Recorded March – October 1994, Domovina
Studio, Prague. DDD Chamber Works Vol. 2
SUPRAPHON 11 2167-2 131 [61:04] [MC]
Repeated
listening to these Schulhoff scores offers
revelatory rewards. In fact I strongly and
confidently feel that we have discovered
a major twentieth century composer here.…
see Full
Review
Ethyl
SMYTH (1858-1944)
String
Quartet in E Minor: Allegretto lirico [12:10];
Allegro molto leggiero [5:48]; Andante [12:51];
Allegro energico [10:26] Amy
Marcey BEACH (1867-1944) Quartet
in one movement [14:57]: Grave - Piu animato
- Allegro molto - Grave Susan
SPAIN-DUNK (1880-1962) Phantasy
Quartet in D Minor [13:11]: Allegro con
fuoco - Andante moderato – Allegro con fuoco
– Piu tranquillo Archaeus
Quartet: Anne Hooley: Violin, Bridget Davey:
Violin, Elizabeth Turnbull: Viola, Martin
Thomas: Cello Recording location and dates
not given.
LONTANO RECORDS LORELT LNT 114 [69:23]
[SA]
I
cannot remember a record I’ve enjoyed more
this year or one I felt compelled to listen
to time after time – a fabulous disc! …
see Full Review
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
American
Orchestral Compositions (1890-1916) Edward
MACDOWELL (1860-1908) Suite
No. 1 in D minor Op. 42 (1891) [21.32] Suite No. 2 Indian Op.
48 (1892) [36.20] Horatio PARKER (1863-1919)
Vathek - symphonic poem (1903) [14.54] Victor
HERBERT (1859-1924) Hero and Leander - symphonic
poem Op. 33 (1900) [29.11] Arthur FARWELL
(1877-1952) The Gods of the Mountains - suite Op. 52 (1916)
[19.04] Henry HADLEY (1871-1939) Symphony
No. 2 in F minor Op. 30 (1901) [45.15] Salome - symphonic poem
(1905-6) [31.18]
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Karl Krueger rec. 1960s, stereo ADD.
Recordings made by the Society for the Promotion of the American Musical
Heritage BRIDGE
9124A/C [58.00+63.17+76.35] [RB]
Rapturous,
restive and troubled late-romanticism …
superlative playing and the close-up rugged
analogue sound ... see Full
Review
Samuel
BARBER
(1910-1981) Violin
Concerto Op. 14 (1939) Isaac Stern (violin)
New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Leonard
Bernstein, recorded 1964 Piano Concerto
Op. 38 (1962) John Browning (piano) Cleveland
Orchestra/George Szell, recorded 1964 Adagio
for Strings Op. 11 (1938) Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene
Ormandy, recorded 1957 Essay for orchestra
No. 2 Op. 17 The School for Scandal - Overture
Op. 5 (1933) Stern, BrowningNew York Philharmonic
Orchestra/Thomas Schippers, recorded 1965
SONY CLASSICAL SBK87948 [74.09] [JW]
An
Essential Classic that preserves performances
of outstanding commitment and understanding.
… see Full
Review
George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Arias for mezzo soprano Rinaldo:
Or la tromba, Cara sposa, Venti, turbini, Cor ingrato, Lascia ch’io
pianga, Serse: Frondi tenere – Ombra mai fu; Partenope:
Furibondo spira il vento; Agrippina: Bel piacere; Orlando:
Fammi combattere
Marilyn Horne (mezzo soprano), I solisti Veneti/Claudio Scimone
Recorded at the Villa Simes, Piazzola, Italy, April 1982
APEX 2564 60519-2 [43:59] [CH]
This
music springs to life as Handel’s operatic music rarely does. Don’t
miss this enthralling testament to one of the great voices of the
late 20th Century. … see Full
Review
Gustav HOLST
(1974-1934) Four
Songs for voice and violin op. 35 (1917) [7.21] Six Songs op.
16 (1904) [13.02] Vedic Hymns op. 24 (1908) [24.26] Twelve
Humbert Wolfe settings op. 48 (1929) [25.39] Margrete's Cradle
Song Op. 4 No. 2 (1896) [2.38] The Heart Worships (1907)
[3.14] Susan
Gritton (sop) Philip Langridge (ten) Christopher Maltman (bar) Louisa
Fuller (violin) Steuart Bedford (piano) rec. 5-7 May 1998, St Silas
Church, St Silas Place, Chalk Farm, London first issued in 1997 on
Collins Classics English Song Series - volume 6
NAXOS 8.557117 [76.21] [RB]
If
you are at all interested in Holst or English song this is as attractive
a buy as you are ever going to get. Don't delay ... buy today. ...
see Full Review
Witold
LUTOSŁAWSKI (1913-1994) Orchestral
Works Vol.8 Dance Preludes for Clarinet and Orchestra (1955)
Double Concerto for Oboe, Harp and Chamber Orchestra (1980) Grave,
Metamorphoses for Cello and String Orchestra (1981) Chain 1
for 14 Performers (1983) Two Children’s Songs for Voice
and Chamber Orchestra (1948) Six Children’s Songs for Voice
and Instruments (1947)
Zbigniew Kaleta (clarinet), Arkadiusz Krupa (oboe), Nicolas Tulliez
(harp) Rafal Kwiatkowski (cello), Urszula Kryger (soprano) Polish
National Radio Symphony Orchestra/Antoni Wit Rec. Grzegorz Fitelberg
Concert Hall, Katowice, Jan and April 2001
NAXOS 8.555763 [57’34] [TH] [CC]
This
is an excellent disc, and the performances are inspired and dedicated.[TH]
This is a very, very rewarding disc. Repeated playing has not only
reinforced but has actually strengthened my admiration for this composer
[CC]. … see Full Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Don Giovanni (Prague Version, 1787). Kwangchul Youn
(bass) Don Giovanni; Regina Schörg (soprano) Donna Anna; Heidi
Brunner (mezzo) Donna Elvira; Jeffrey Francis (tenor) Don Ottavio;
Maurizio Murara (bass) Leporello; Birgid Steinberger (soprano) Zerlina;
Reinhard Mayr (bass) Masetto; Reinhard Hagen (bass) Il Commendatore;
Chorus sine nomine
Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra/Bertrand de Billy Rec. Sendesaal,
Vienna in September 2002. DDD
ARTE NOVA 74321 98338 2 [157’35: 3CDs: 76’21+66’18+16’56] [CC]
Arte
Nova has given us cause to be grateful for
this fascinating document. … see
Full Review
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Sonata
for two violins in C, Op. 56 (1932) [13:40]
Sonata No. 1, for violin and piano in f
minor, Op. 80 (1938/1946) [21:38] Sonata
No. 2, for violin and piano in D, Op. 94a
(1944) [23:48]
Jaakko Kuusisto, Violin I (op. 56),
solo (op. 80) Pekka Kuusisto, Violin II
(op. 56), solo (op. 94a) Iikka Paanannen,
piano (op. 80) Paija Kerppo, piano (op.
94a) Recorded at the Finnish Broadcasting
Company Studios in September, 1998 DDD
WARNER APEX 2564 60623-2 [68:17] [KS]
An
exceptionally fine performance of some magnificent
music … see
Full Review
Franz SCHUBERT (1797
– 1828)
The Symphonies plus An interview with Yehudi Menuhin (In German –
translations in English and French).
Sinfonia Varsovia/Yehudi Menuhin Rec. 20–29 Jan 1997, Studio 1, Polish
Radio, Warsaw. DDD
APEX 2564 60530-2 [236.47], excluding talk [33.13] ~£15
Highly
recommended, particularly at the low price. … See Full
Review
Karol
SZYMANOWSKI
(1882-1937) Violin
Concerto No. 1 (1916) [25.49] Violin Concerto No. 2 (1932) [22.25]
Mandragora (1926) [25.48] Stabat Mater (1926) [25.55]
Litania do Marii Panny (1933) [9.29] Demeter (1924)
[7.53] Kazimierz Pustelak (ten); Zdzislaw Lapinski (cello) (Mandragora)
Jadwiga Gadulanka (sop); Jadwiga Rappé (alto); Andrzej Hiolski
(bar) (Stabat Mater) Jadwiga Gadulanka (sop) (Litania)
Jadwiga Rappé (alto) (Demeter) Polish Radio National
SO/Polish Radio SO Kraków (only Mandragora)/Jerzy Maksymiuk
(concerti); Antoni Wit (all other Szymanowski) Henryk
GÓRECKI (b.1933) Three Pieces in the Old Style
(1963) [9.47] Tadeusz BAIRD (1928-1981)
Colas Breugnon Suite (1953) [14.40]
Polish CO/Jerzy Maksymiuk rec. Warsaw School of Music, Aug-Sept 1976
(Baird, Gorecki); Polish RTV Studios, Katowice, Sept 1978, Mar 1981,
Mar 1983 ADD/DDD EMI CLASSICS
DOUBLE FFORTE 7243 5 75670 2 2 [72.52+69.32] [RB]
For
all of my allegiance to the Rowicki set this generous and extremely
inexpensive coupling is well worth getting. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Giuseppe
VERDI (1813
- 1901) La
Traviata – Opera in 3 Acts Libretto
– Francesco Maria Piave, Violetta Valery
- Tiziana Fabbricini, Flora Bervoix -
Nicoletta Curiel, Annina - Antonella
Trevisan, Alfredo Germont - Roberto Alagna,
Giorgio Germont - Paolo Coni, Gastone, Visconte
de Letorières - Enrico Cossutta,
Barone Douphol - Orazio Mori, Marchese d’Obigny
- Enzo Capuano, Dottor Grenvil - Francesco
Musini, Giuseppe - Ernesto Gavazzi, Domestico
di Flora - Ernesto Panariello, Commissionario
- Silvestro Sammaritano,
Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala, Milan/Riccardo
Muti Rec. La Scala, Milan: March
29, 31, April 2, 7, 1992.
SONY CLASSICAL SM2K 90457 [2 CDs: 61’49+74’29]
[LB]
This
recording has the potential to transform
the indifferent listener into a passionate
devotee of Italian Opera. … see Full
Review
Detailed listing (last two days)]
[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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