Christine
Brewer Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Tannhäuser
(1845) - Great hall of song [4'55] Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Don
Giovanni (1787) - He threatened my honour
(Or sai chi l'onore)b [6'14] Christoph
Willibald GLUCK (1714-1787) Alceste
(1776) - Almighty gods of death! (Divinités du Styx) [4'41]
Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826) Oberon
(1826) – Ocean! Thou mighty monster [8'49]. Euryanthe
(1823) - Fading is the star that guides me a [3'59] Sir
Arthur SULLIVAN (1842-1900) The Golden Legend - The
night is calm and cloudless c [5'09] Emmerich
KÁLMÁN (1882-1953) Countess Maritza (1924) – Where is love's kingdom? c [6'54] Richard
RODGERS (1902-1979) Carousel (1945)
– You'll never walk alone c [4'01] Franz
LEHÁR (1870-1948) Giuditta (1934)
– On my lips ev'ry kiss is like wine (Meine Lippen sie küssen
so heiss) c [5'45] Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Stabat mater (1832) – Blessed virgin, may the flame of love c [4'19] Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Ah! perfido (1795/6)
[13'16] Bob MERRILL (b 1921) Carnival (1961)
- Mira – can you imagine that? [4'26] 
Christine Brewer (soprano); aJanice
Watson (soprano); bBarry Banks (tenor); cGeoffrey
Mitchell Choir; Philharmonia Orchestra/David Parry. Rec. Blackheath
Concert Halls, London, on March 7th, 9th and 10th, 2005. DDD Notes and
text included. CHANDOS
OPERA IN ENGLISH CHAN3127 [73'52][CC]
The
generative impulse for this disc was Brewer's recording of Fidelio.
Chandos's faith in Brewer has been justified, completely and utterly.
... see Full Review
Songs
of the British Isles
Kathleen Ferrier (contralto) CD transfers by Mark Obert-Thorn
NAXOS 8.111081 [74:48] [CH]
Time
is gradually taking its distance from the
adored myth. Yet there is still so much that
is beautiful and Naxos’s transfers (as well
as their price) provide a good reason to explore.
... see Full
Review
Dietrich
Fischer-Dieskau: The
Mastersinger Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Excerpts
from Die Zauberflöte (Berlin Philharmonic
Orchestra/Karl Böhm, 1964), Cosí fan Tutte
(Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Eugen Jochum,
1963), Le nozze di Figaro (Orchestra
of the German Opera/Karl Böhm, 1968) and Don
Giovanni (Prague National Theatre Orchestra/Karl
Böhm, 1967) Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Excerpts from
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Orchestra
of the German Opera /Eugen Jochum, 1976) and
Das Rheingold (Berlin Philharmonic
Orchestra/Herbert von Karajan, 1968) George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Excerpts
from Serse (Munich Chamber Orchestra/Hans
Stadlmair, 1978) and Giulio Cesare
(Munich Bach Orchestra/Karl Richter, 1970)
Christoph von GLUCK
(1714-1787) Excerpt from Orfeo et Euridice
(Munich Bach Orchestra/Karl Richter, 1968)
Carl ORFF
(1895-1982) Excerpts from Carmina Burana
(Orchestra of the German Opera/Eugen Jochum,
1968) Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Excerpts from
La traviata (Berlin Radio Symphony
Orchestra/Ferenc Fricsay, 1961), Macbeth
(London Philharmonic Orchestra/Lamberto Gardelli,
1971), Rigoletto (Orchestra of La Scala,
Milan/Rafael Kubelik, 1964) and Don Carlo
(Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent
Garden/Georg Solti, 1976) Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Excerpt
from Tosca (Orchestra of the Saint
Cecilia Academy, Rome/Lorin Maazel, 1967)
Josef
HAYDN (1732-1809) Excerpt from
The Creation (Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Herbert
von Karajan, 1969) Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Excerpts from
Die Frau ohne Schatten (Bavarian State
Orchestra/Joseph Keilberth, 1964), Arabella
(Bavarian State Orchestra/Joseph Keilberth,
1964) Elektra (Dresden State Opera
Orchestra/Karl Böhm, 1961) and Salome
(Hamburg State Opera Orchestra/Karl Böhm,
1971) Franz SCHUBERT
(1797-1828) Lieder: Im Frühling
D882 (Sviatoslav Richter, piano 1978); Der
Musensohn D764 (Jörg Demus, piano 1960)
Ständchen D957/4, An Silvia
D891, Die Forelle D550, Erlkönig
D328 and Heidenröslein D257 (all
Gerald Moore, piano 1969-1972) Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Ruckert Lieder:
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra/Karl Böhm, 1964)
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) with accompaniments
as given above rec. locations not given, dates
as above ADD Gramophone Awards Collection
series
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON DG 476 7111 [78:58
+ 75:27][PCW]
A
most fitting tribute to a master singer
and a stunningly versatile artist … see
Full
Review
Dietrich
FISCHER-DIESKAU: Early Recordings on
Deutsche Grammophon ACH
cantatas BWV 56 and 82 BWV 4
HANDEL
Guilio Cesare (arias and
scenes) BRAHMS
Vier ernste Gesänge
WOLF
Italiensiches Liederbuch
VERDI
Falstaff ORFF
Carmina Burana SCHUMANN
Dichterliebe; 7 Lieder;
Kerner-lieder BRAHMS
Die schöne Magelone;
Heine-lieder HENZE
Neapolitanisches Lieder FORTNER
The Creation MARTIN
Monologues from Jedermann GLUCK
Orpheus and Eurydike MEYERBEER
Lieder VARIOUS
Goethe settings REICHARDT
Petrach settings FISCHER-DIESKAU
Erzähltes Leben (full track listing
at end of review) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
(baritone) Karl Engel, Hertha Klust, Jörg
Demus, Günther Wiessenborn, Joseph
Metternich, Cornelis van Dijk, Maria Stader,
Rita Streich Berliner Philharmoniker, Martin
Kraus, Kammerorchester, Karl Ristenpart,
Radio Symphonie Orchester, Berlin, Ferenc
Fricsay, Sinfonie-orchester des Norddeutschen
Rundfunks, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt. Various
recording dates. Partly mono. AAD/ADD DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 28947 75270 [9 CDs: 80:10
+ 78:10 + 75:58 + 69:48 + 76:41 + 68:49
+ 69:43 + 78:59 + 81:10] [AO]
A
true tribute, an excellent opportunity for those wanting an overview
of Fischer-Dieskau's early career. Nine wonderful discs – good value
for money. ... see Full
Review
Four
Seasons (Si Ji) Wang
HUIRAN (arr. Yang) 1.
Y Dance [5:56] He LUTING
2. Shepherd Boy with flute [2:58] Dietmar
UNGERRANK Intonation 4 Sound-and-Image
Compositions 3. Intonation [2:00] 4. Long out-stretched Pier with
its Shadows [2:27] 5. Wind on The Hill [1:39] 6. Waiting for Guests
[1:41] 7. Land Circus [1:55] Traditional
8. Heavenly Bird [1:11] 9. Lantern Song
[1:43] 10. Mayila [2:14] Evan
HIRSCHELMAN 11. Meditation No. 2 [2:05]
12. Meditation No. 1 [1:19] Stephen
GOSS 13. The Blue Kite [4:01] 14. Yellow
Earth [4:28] 15. Farewell My Concubine [2:38] Carlo
DOMENICONI I Ching 16. 1 T’ai [2:08] 17.
3 Lin [3:06] 18. 4 T’ung Jen [1:17] 19. 5 Huan [1:44] 20. 6 K’uei
[2:40] 21. 7 Chieh [3:43] Stephen
Funk PEARSON 22. South China Sea Peace
[4:59] Thierry ROUGIER
Four Seasons 23. Spring [2:01] 24. Summer
[1:50] 25. Autumn [2:19] 26. Winter [2:53]
Xuefei Yang, guitar Rec. AC Studio, San Francisco. No date given
GSP RECORDINGS GSP 1028CD [67:35][ZT]
Only
by personal audition can an awareness of this CD’s unique beauty
be acquired. Unreservedly recommended and definitely not to be missed.
... see Full Review
Das
Gäsebuch (Geese Book) The
Late Medieveal Liturgy of St Lorenz, Nuremberg Kaspar
OTHMAYR (1515-1553) and Lucas OSIANDER
(1534-1604) Bicnium and Chorale: Komm, Heiliger Geist,
Herre Gott [3:12] Anonymous Introitus:
Viri Galilei [2:41] Hans KOTTER (ca.
1485-1541) Fantasia in C [1:21] Anonymous
Mass
for the Holy Lance and the Nails [12:37] Conrad
BRUMANN (d. 1526) Carmen in G [1:19] Anonymous
Mass
for Saint Deocarus [4:55] Ludwig SENFL
(ca. 1492-1555) Lied: Ewiger Gott [2:37] Anonymous
Mass
for Saint Sebaldus [12:56] Heinrich ISAAC
(ca. 1450-1517) Ricercare in D minor [2:28] Anonymous
Mass
for Saint Monica [1:10] Arnold SCHLICK
(ca. 1455-ca. 1525) Maria zart, von edler Art [2:18]
Anonymous Mass for Saint Lawrence
[1:48] Heinrich FINCK (1445-1527)
Ich wird erlost [1:22] Anonymous
Bells
of the Church of St. Lorenz [0:53]
Schola Hungarica/László Dobszay, Janka Szendrei, directors
Matthias Ank, organrec. Lutheran Church, Wendelstein, 9-12 Sept 2002;
Church of St. Lorenz, Nuremberg, Germany, 25 Jan 2003 DDD
Naxos 8.557412 [70:53] [PG]
Several
works here that have never previously been
recorded .... not perfect but certainly
worthy of interest. ... see Full
Review
Beniamino
Gigli: The Gigli Edition
Vol. 10
Beniamino Gigli (tenor), Maria Caniglia
(soprano) (tracks 9, 10), Cloe Elmo (mezzo)
(track 18), Giuseppe Noto (baritone)(track
23). Orchestras/Dino Olivieri (tracks 1–4,
15–16 and 20–21), Lawrance Collingwood (tracks
5–12), Luigi Ricci (tracks 13–14), Umberto
Berrettoni (tracks 17–19 and 22–23) Recorded
in Milan and London 1938 – 1940.
NAXOS 8.110271 [77:29] [GF]
Can
be confidently recommended to Gigli collectors
and every other admirer of good tenor singing.
... see Full
Review
In
The Beginning:
Choral Masterpieces of the 1940s Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) Rejoice
in the Lamb, op.30 (Festival Cantata)
[17:53] Ildebrando
PIZZETTI (1880-1968) Tre composizioni
corali: I: Cade la sera [3:56];
II: Ululate [5:40]; III: Recordare,
Domine [9:05] Gerald
FINZI (1901-1956) Lo, the
Full, Final Sacrifice, op.26 [15:32]
Aaron COPLAND
(1900-1990) In the Beginning [18:17]
Jonathan Hyde (treble), Jeremy Kenyon (alto),
James Gilchrist (tenor), Allan Smith (bass),
James Birchall (bass), Frances Bourne (mezzo-soprano),
Robert Houssart (organ)
Gloucester Cathedral Choir/Andrew Nethsingha
(Chorister Voice Coach, Russell Burton)
Recorded 15th, 16th,
28th and 29th April
and 29th May 2005, Gloucester
Cathedral
AVIE AV2072 [70:39] [JQ]
Stimulating
and enterprising, well executed. ... see
Full
Review
Vittorio Gui:
The Last Concert
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphony
no. 4 in E minor, op. 98 [40:40] Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony
no. 40 in G minor, K. 550 [26:28]
Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/Vittorio
Gui Recorded live at the Teatro Comunale
di Firenze, 5th October 1975
WARNER FONIT 5046712012 [67:20] [CH]
Even
in his 91st year Gui could generate
a sense of occasion, but his memory might
have been better served by something recorded
ten or twenty years earlier. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
Jascha
Heifetz: Hora Staccato
and other favourites Grigoras
DINICU (1889 – 1949) Hora Staccato
(1906); Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835 – 1921) Introduction
and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor for violin
and orchestra op. 28 (1863); Moritz
MOSZKOWSKI (1854 – 1925) Guitarre
Op. 45 No. 2 (arr. Sarasate); Manuel
de FALLA (1876 – 1946) Spanish
Dance No. 1 (from La Vida Breve)
(1913) (arr. Kreisler); Pablo SARASATE (1844 – 1908)
Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs)
for violin and orchestra Op. 20 No. 1 (1878);
Antonio BAZZINI (1818 – 1897)
La Ronde des Lutins – scherzo fantastique
for violin and piano Op. 25 (1852); Henryk WIENIAWSKI (1835 – 1880)
Polonaise Brillante No. 1 in D
for violin and piano Op. 4 (1853); Camille
SAINT-SAËNS Havanaise in
E for violin and orchestra Op. 83 (1887);
Manuel De FALLA
Jota (Seven Popular Spanish
Songs No. 4 (1915) (arr. Kochanski); Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897
– 1957) Much Ado About Nothing –
incidental music (1920) Garden Scene –
Holzapfel und Schlehwein; Joseph
ACHRON (1886 – 1943) Hebrew
Melody for violin and piano Op. 33 (1911);
Sergei PROKOFIEV
(1891 – 1953) Gavotta from
Four Pieces for piano Op. 32 No. 3
(1918) (arr. Heifetz) – March in F
minor from Ten Pieces for piano Op.
12 No. 1 (1906) (arr. Heifetz); Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873 –
1943) Daisies from Six Songs
Op. 38 No. 3 (1916) (arr. Heifetz) – Oriental
Sketch in B flat for piano (1917) (arr.
Heifetz); William
KROLL (1901 – 1980) Banjo And
Fiddle; Georges BIZET (1838 – 1875)
/ Franz WAXMAN (1906
– 1967) Carmen Fantasia for violin
and orchestra on themes from Bizet’s 1875
opera (1946)
Jascha Heifetz (violin), Emanuel Bay (piano)
(1, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12 – 17), Arpad Sandor (piano)
(3, 11), London Philharmonic Orchestra/John
Barbirolli (2), London Symphony Orchestra/John
Barbirolli (5, 8), RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra/Donald
Voorhees Recorded in London, Hollywood and
New York 1934 – 1947.
LIVING ERA CLASSICS AJC 8553 [77:16][GF]
There
we are. End of review. Now grab your overcoat,
Mr Grumble and everybody else, and run down
to the store. There may still be a copy
left. ... see Full
Review
Jewish
Tone Poems Aaron
AVSHALOMOV (1894-1964) Four Biblical
Tableauxa (1928) [12'05] Sheila
SILVER (b. 1946) Shirat Sarab (1985) [22'32]
Jan MEYEROWITZ (1915-1998) Symphony, 'Midrash Esther'c
(1954) [28'26]
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestraac/Gerard
Schwarza, Yoel Levic; Seattle Symphony/Gerard
Schwarzb. Rec. Jesus Christus Kirche,
Berlin, May 1999a, November 2000c, Banaroya
Hallb, Seattle, WA, May 1999. DDD
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS MILKEN ARCHIVE
8.559426 [63'19][CC]
A
fascinating disc. Naxos is once more to be congratulated for its championing
of the fringes of the repertoire. ... see Full
Review
William
Kapell (piano)
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano
Concerto no.2 in B flat, op.19 [27:24] (1) Franz
SCHUBERT (1791-1828) Waltz in B, D.145/2 [00:55], Waltz
in b, D.145/6 [01:07], Waltz in E, D.365/26 [00:38], Waltz in F, D.365/32
[01:01], German Dance in B flat, D.783/6 [00:35], German Dance in
B flat, D.783/7 [00:44], Waltz in F, D.365/34 [00:47], Ländler
in D, D.734/1 [00:59] (2) Sergei RACHMANINOV
(1874-1942) Cello Sonata in G minor, op.19 [31:08] (3)
William Kapell
(piano) NBC Symphony Orchestra/Vladimir Golschmann (1), Edmund Kurtz
(cello) (3) Recorded 24th June 1946 in Carnegie Hall, NY
(1), 3rd July 1952 at the RCA Studios, Hollywood (2), 23rd-24th
April 1947 in RCA Studio no.2, NY (3) CD transfers by Mark Obert-Thorn
NAXOS 8.110767 [65:17]
[CH]
More
evidence of what might have been. Those
interested in the history of piano-playing
in the 20th Century should not
regret paying the modest Naxos price to
hear it. ... see Full
Review
L’Art
de Paul van Kempen – Vol 1
Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Les Préludes*
[15’38”] Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony No 8 in F major** [24’24”] Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Overture: The Hebrides*** [8’59”]
Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868)
Overture: William Tell**** [12’29”] Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Overture: Benvenuto Cellini***** [10’05”]
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano
Concerto No. 2 in B flat major ****** [45’05”]
Adrian Aeschbacher (piano) Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Paul van Kempen
Recorded: * 22 December 1937; ** 7 April, 4 October 1940; *** 26-28
May 1951; **** 5 July 1951; ***** 6 July 1951;****** 14-21 January 1952.
ADD TAHRA TAH 512-513
[61’27 + 55’12”][JQ]
Solid,
musicianly and well prepared but lacking
that last bit of distinction that separates
the great performances from the good ones.
... see Full
Review
Leaving
Home: Orchestral Music in the 20th Century Episode
one: Dancing on a Volcano Musical
excerpts from Wagner, Mahler, Richard Strauss, Berg, Schönberg
and Webern. Bonus features: Complete biographies of composers
mentioned, and audio tracks of Schönberg’s Verklärte
Nacht and Berg’s Violin Concerto. Gidon
Kremer, violin Felicity Palmer, mezzo The City of Birmingham Symphony
Orchestra Sir Simon Rattle, narrator and conductor Verklärte
Nacht taken from NAXOS 8.554371 performed by the Ulster
Orchestra, Takuo Yuasa, conductor. Berg’s concerto is taken from NAXOS
8.554755 performed by Rebecca Hirsch, violin, Eri Klas conducting
the Netherland’s Radio Orchestra. (not identified in the booklet material)
Directed by Peter West. 
ARTHAUS
MUSIK DVD 102033 [50:00] [KS]
There
is much to be learned from this informative
program, which for today’s lightning-fast
society is exactly the right length. ...
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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