The
Complete Martini & Rossi Concerts 1952-1956
see review for details 
Ebe Stignani (mezzo), Giuseppe Di Stefano (tenor), Margherita
Carosio (soprano), Giulietta Simionato (mezzo) rec. 1950-56
GREAT OPERA PERFORMANCES
GOP 66.361 [69.53 + 62.37] [RM-O]
There
are many examples of Di Stefano's artistry to enthuse over in this
album ... see Full Review
Measure
For Measure: The
Music of Shakespeare’s Plays Thomas
MORLEY (1557-1602) O Mistress Mine [1.36]; La Volta; [0.52] It was a lover and his lass
[3.45]; William CORKINE (fl.1610-29) Walsingham; How should
I your true love know [3.40]; Come live
with me [3.20]; John
DOWLAND (1563-1626) Fortune my foe [4.26];
If music and sweet poetry agree [4.20] Richard
SUMARTE (c.1590-c.1630) Whoope do me no harm [1.09] Richard FARNABY (1594-1623) Jog On [2.19] Robert JOHNSON (1580-1634) Hark, Hark the lark [4.00]; Satyrs Dance [2.10]; Two Maids wooing a man
[1.13]; Full Fathom Five [1.35]; Where the bee sucks [1.34];
The First Witches Dance [1.25]; The Second Witches Dance
[1.06]; Come Away, Hecate [3.01] ANON Bonny Sweete Robin[ 3.01]; Go from my window [4.00]; Take o take those lips
away [2.04]; The Tempest [1.21] Greensleeves [3.29]
Callino Casturame [2.36]; Lawne as white as driven snow
[1.09] Pamela
Dellal (mezzo) Ensemble Chaconne rec. St. John’s
Church, Beverly Farms, Massachusetts; 24, 28 May 2004. DDD
AMERICAN MASTERWORKS AMCD1594 [66.21][GH]
Not
a strong recommendation but the disc throws
a fascinating light on some aspects of the
music Shakespeare expected to have been heard
in the first productions of his plays. ...
see Full
Review
Medieval
Carols English
15th Century Anonymous
Ave Maria [2:53]; What tidings bringest
thou? [4:08]; Deo gracias Anglia [3:58]; Be
merry be merry [2:34]; There is no rose [4:35];
Eya mater Stephane [2:38]; Hail Mary full
of grace [3:44]; Now may we singen [4:23]
English Traditional
Gaudete Christus est natus [1:43] Hildegard
of Bingen O viridissima virga [4:46]
Anonymous
Alma redemptoris mater [6:26] Spanish
Traditional Riu riu chiu [2:23]
Anon, French
(c.1090) Planctus Guillelmus [6:48] Peter
Abelard Nowell sing we [3:21];
Planctus David [15:31]
Oxford Camerata (Rebecca Outram; Deborah Mackay;
Philip Cave; Jeremy Summerly)/Jeremy Summerly
rec. Chapel of Hertford College Oxford, 15-17
December 1992. DDD
NAXOS 8.550751 [69:51] [RB]
You
can almost see the breathy cold condensation
rising from each singer’s mouth. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
The Mystery of Christmas
Arr.
R. ANDERSON The Huron Carol [2:40] Robert
EVANS Ring-a the News* [3:09] Trad.
Arr. Noel EDISON O Come All Ye Faithful* [4:04] Harold
DARKE In the Bleak Midwinter* [5:37] Healey
WILLAN The Three Kings [2:59] Trad.
Dutch King Jesus hath a Garden [2:29] Franz
GRUBER Silent Night [3:10] Trad.
English arr. David WILLCOCKS Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing
Day [2:07] Arthur HONEGGER Laudate
Dominum* [2:22] Francis POULENC Quatre
Motets pour le temps de Noël [11:45] Trad.
French arr. David WILLCOCKS Ding-Dong Merrily on High* [2:09]
Elizabeth POSTON Jesus Christ
the Apple Tree [3:46] John RUTTER What
Sweeter Music* [5:00] Trad. German The
Linden Tree Carol [1:43] Benjamin BRITTEN
A Hymn to the Virgin [3:17] Trad.
Polish arr. Sir Malcolm Sargent Star in the South [3:20]
MENDELSSOHN arr. Noel EDISON Hark
the Herald Angels Sing* [3:14] John TAVENER
God is with Us – A Christmas Proclamation* [5:03]
The Elora Festival Singers/*Michael Bloss (organ)/Noel Edison rec. The
Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Toronto. June 1997. DDD
NAXOS 8.554179 [66:52][JQ]
This
will make an excellent Christmas present for a musical friend. Better
still, buy two copies and treat yourself too. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Viktoria
Mullova - Recital - Katia Labèque Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Suite Italienne (transcribed
in 1933 for violin and piano by Stravinsky and Samuel Dushkin from ballet
Pulcinella, 1919-20) [15:06] Franz
SCHUBERT (1797–1828) Fantasy for violin and piano in C major, D934 (1827)
[24:26] Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Sonata for violin and piano (1923-27) [16:51] Clara
SCHUMANN (1819-1896) Romance No. 1 in D flat major (Andante
molto) from the Three Romances for violin and piano, Op.
22 (1853) [2:29]
Viktoria Mullova (violin) Katia Labèque (piano) rec. 10-13 April, 2005,
IRCAM, Paris, France. DDD
ONYX 4015 [59:25][MC]
This
is an excellently performed and recorded recital worthy of considerable
attention. ... see Full Review
The
Night before Christmas Leopold
MOZART (1719-87) Divertimento in F major,
"Die musikalische Schlittenfahrt" (The Musical Sleigh-ride)
[3:11] Samuel COLERIDGE-TAYLOR (1875-1912)
arr. Sydney Baynes (1879-1938) The
Forest of Wild Thyme, Op. 74: Christmas Overture [5:53] Jules
MASSENET (1842-1912) La vierge: The Last Sleep of the Virgin
(1880) [4:49] Philip LANE (b.1950)
Overture on French Carols (2003) [5:05] The Night before Christmas*
(2005) [6:10] Otto NICOLAI (1818-49) Weihnachts-Ouverture uber Vom Himmel
hoch** [11:26] John CARMICHAEL
(b.1930) orchestrated by Philip Lane
Sleighride to Thredbo Frans LISZT
(1811-86) arr. Anthony Collins
Weihnachtsbaum, S613/R307 (1874-76, excerpts) [10:35] Doreen
CARWITHEN (1922-2003) On the 12th Day** (1955) [20:24]
Stephen Fry (narrator)* BBC Singers** BBC Concert Orchestra/Barry Wordsworth
rec. The Colosseum, Town Hall, Watford, 11-12 September 2006
NAXOS 8.570331 [69:30][DC]
Plaudits
to Naxos for combining commercial attractiveness
with a net cast wide, catching all kinds of
unusual repertoire for our seasonal entertainment.
... see Full
Review
Noël Gustav
NORDQVIST (1886-1949)
Jul, jul strålande jul [2:00] Ivar
WIDÉEN Gläns över
sjö och strand [1:42] TRADITIONAL
Pris vare gud [1:52] Agathe
Ursala BACKER GRONDAHL (1847-1907)
Melodi [2:35] Anne Sofie von Otter, Bengt
Forsberg Sergei Mikhaylovich
LYAPUNOV (1859-1924) Chanteurs
de Noels [2:05] Bengt Forsberg Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Nu sa kommer
julen, Op.1, No.2 [2:00] Giv mig ej glans,
Op.1, No.4 [3:02] Anne Sofie von Otter, Bengt
Forsberg Five Pieces, Op.75 for piano: The
Spruce [2:23] Bengt Forsberg Edvard
GRIEG (1843-1907) Julens Vuggesang
[2:16] Anne Sofie von Otter, Bengt Forsberg
Percy GRAINGER
(1882-1961) Blithe Bells [4:00] Bengt
Forsberg Roger QUILTER
(1877-1953) The Cradle in Bethlehem [2:24]
Michael HEAD
(1900-1976) The Three Mummers [3:09] Anne
Sofie von Otter, Bengt Forsberg Percy
GRAINGER (1882-1961) Sussex Mummers
Christmas Carol [2:06] Bengt Forsberg TRADITIONAL
So Blest a Sight [2:54] Cécile
CHAMINADE (1857-1944) Le Noel des
oiseaux [2:37] Charles
GOUNOD (1818-1893) Noel [2:56]
Anne Sofie von Otter, Bengt Forsberg Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Luonnoksia,
Op. 114; Talvikuva [1:44] Bengt Forsberg Max
REGER (1873-1916) Marias vaggsång
(org.Mariae Wiegenlied) [2:21] Peter
CORNELIUS (1824-1874) 6 Weihnachtslieder
Opus 8 1. Christbaum [1:31] 2. Die Hirten
[2:20] 3. Die Könige Anne Sofie von Otter,
Bengt Forsberg Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Herz
und Mund und Tat und Leben, Cantata BWV 147
Jesu bleibet meine Freude (Arranged by Bengt
Forsberg) Bengt Forsberg Joaquin
NIN Y CASTELLANOS (1879-1949) Villancicos
españolas: Villancico Vasco [1:46];
Villancico Castellano [1:20]; Villancico de
Córdoba [2:04]; Villancico Andaluz
[1:50] Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Ich steh an deiner
Krippen hier, BWV 469 [1:39] Anne Sofie von
Otter, Bengt Forsberg Nun Komm Der Heiden
Heiland Bwv 659 [4:22] Bengt Forsberg
Anne-Sofie von Otter (mezzo) Bengt Forsberg
(piano) rec. Munich, Residenz, Herkulessal,
August 2005
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 572-5 [66:50]
[RB]
Von
Otter and Forsberg ring the seasonal changes
in this silvery celebration of a recital.
... see Full Review
Great
Norwegian Performers: 1945-2000 - Volume 1
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Ständchen
Op.17/2 (1885-87) [2:21] Zueignung Op.10/1 (1885)
[1:34] Richard WAGNER
(1813-1883) Dich, teure Halle – Tannhäuser (1845) [3:04] Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Stride la vampa! – Il Trovatore
(1853) [2:46] Condotta ell'era in ceppi – Il Trovatore (1853) [4:54]
Sigurd LIE Norwegian
Dance No. 2 [2:57] Edward ELGAR
(1857-1934) Serenade (1932) – arranged Joseph Szigeti [2:39]
Manuel de FALLA (1876-1946) Spanish Dance
No. 1 from La vide breve (1914) arranged Fritz. Kreisler [3:17] Fritz
KREISLER (1875-1962) La Gitana [3:16] Moritz
MOSZKOWSKI (1854-1925) Guitarre Op.45/2 arranged Pablo de
Sarasate [3:05] TRADITIONAL
Turkey in the Straw [1:51] Ludvig
Mathias LINDEMAN (1812-1887) Variations on the Choral: “Hvo
ene lader Herren raade” [9:34] Johan KVANDAL
(1919-1999) Concerto for Flute and Strings Op.22 (1963) [13:36]
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D Minor BWV903 (1709) [11:22] Sicilienne
from the Sonata for flute and harpsichord in E flat major BWV1031 (c.1731)
[2:24] Moritz MOSZKOWSKI (1854-1925)
Etude Caprice arranged Marcel Moyse [1:26]
Performers: Marit Isene (mezzo)/Ernst Glaser (violin), Kari Aarvoll,
Johan Øian, Robert Riefling (piano), Arild Sandvold (organ), Ørnulf
Gulbransen (flute) Orchestras: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic
Orchestra Conductors: Herbert Blomstedt, Arvid Fladmoe, Sverre Bruland
rec. live in concert and studio broadcasts, 1946-73
SIMAX CLASSICS PSC 1830 [70:16]
These
are musicians we should hear. And let’s hear more of them and the others
to come in this valuable series. ... see Full
Review
Opera
Night for the German AIDS Foundation – Live Concert
from the Opera Cologne 2005 Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Einzug der Gaste (Tannhauser) Chorus
of the Opera Cologne [7.57] Lied an den Abendstern (Tannhauser)
Thomas Quasthoff (baritone) [8.15] Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1848) Una furtiva lagrima (L'elisir
d'amore) Saimir Pirgu (tenor) [4.54] Leonore viens (La
Favorita) Carlos Alvarez (baritone) [7.30] Gioacchino ROSSINI (1792-1868) Nacqui all'inffanno (La
Cenerentola) Vivica Genaux (mezzo) [10.09] Bell raggio
lusinghier (Semiramide) Isabel Bayrakdarian (soprano)
[9.07] Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Dove
sono i bel momenti (Marriage of Figaro) Tamar Iveri
(soprano)
[7.31] Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) Pace
Pace mio Dio (Force of Destiny) Michele Crider (soprano) [7.50];
10. Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924) Recondita
armonia (Tosca) Neil Shicoff (tenor) [6.50] E lucevan le stelle (Tosca)
Neil Shicoff [4.33] Chi il bel sogno di Doretta (La Rondine) Tamar
Iveri [5.07] Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Marie
Theres! Hab' mir's gelobt (Der Rosenkavalier) Edda Moser, Claudia
Rohrbach, Regina Richter (sopranos) [6.04] George
GERSHWIN (1898-1937) Introduction [1:07], Summertime Michele
Crider [5.50](Porgy and Bess) [1.07] Jeronimo
GIMENEZ La tarantula e un bicho mu malo (La Tempranica)
Vivica Genaux [5.54] Albert LORTZING (1801-1851) O
sancta justitia (Zar und Zimmermann) Thomas Quasthoff [10.57] Ernesto
de CURTIS Non ti scordar di me, Saimir Pirgu [4.06] Gene de PAUL Bless your beautiful hide (Seven
Brides for Seven Brothers) Carlos
Alvarez [4.37] Leonard BERNSTEIN (1918-1990) Tonight (West
Side Story) Complete Cast and Chorus [3.59] Gurzenich Orchestra Cologne/Markus
Stenz Konrad Beikircher, narrator and presenter rec. 2 July 2005, Cologne. Picture
Format 16.9; Region Code: 0 ARTHAUS
MUSIK 101105 
[125:00]
[RM-O]
A
mixed bag recital in an admirable cause ... see Full
Review
Parry’s
Barrel Organ John Longman’s
New Invented Patent Barrel Organ with bells, drum and triangle
From Barrel No. 4 God Save the King, March in Blue
Beard, Duke of York’s March, Minuet by Vandermere [5:10] Lady
Montgomery’s Reel, Miss Murray’s Strathspey, Paddy O’Rafferty, The Chartreuse
[4:54] From Barrel No. 3 De’il
Amongst the Taylors, Fife Hunt, Lord McDonald’s Reel, Mrs. Gordon of
Troop) [3:52] La Conservatoire, Ramah Droog,
Speed the Plough [2:55] From Barrel No. 5
Two unidentified titles [1:52] From
Barrel No. 2 100th Psalm, Morning
Hymn, Sicilian Mariners, Portuguese, Adeste Fideles [5:54] From
Barrel No. 1 Stowr Lodge, Mdm. Hillingbury,
Lord Howis Reel, Highlandman-Reel, Polly Put the Kettle On [4:50]
From Barrel No. 2 Evening Hymn,
German Hymn, 36th Psalm, 104th Psalm [5:33]
From Barrel No. 5 Three unidentified
tunes [2:56] SAYDISC CD-SDL 234
[38:01][PG]
An
interesting disc and the surest proof that everyone living in a modern
age should be glad for the invention of the portable music player. ...
see Full Review
Marina
Piccinini - works for flute and piano Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Flute
Sonata in D major Op.94 (1943) [23:51] Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Syrinx (1913) [3:17] Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Liebestod from Tristan
and Isolde (1859) (arr. Liszt) [8:39] Cesar
FRANCK (1822-1890) Violin Sonata in A major (1886)
(arr. for flute M. Piccinini) [37:55] Marina
Piccinini (flute) Andreas Haefliger (piano) rec. Reistadel-Neumarkt/Oberpfalz
November 2004 and May 2005 AVIE
AV2087 [64:08] [JW]
Recording
captures sonority with clarity and warmth; playing first class.
Very much a question of whether the programme has sufficient balance
to appeal. ... see Full
Review
20th
Century Polish Music for Violin & Piano
Karol SZYMANOWSKI
(1882-1937)
Violin sonata in D minor, op. 9 (1904) [19.17] Grażyna
BACEWICZ (1909-1969) Violin sonata no. 4 (1949) [16.55] Witold
LUTOSŁAWSKI (1913-1994) Partita for violin and piano
(1984) [13.55] Patrycja
Piekutowska (violin) Beata Bilińska (piano) rec. May 2006, Studio
S-1, Polish Radio, Warsaw. DDD
DUX 0544 [50:49] [ED]
Overall,
an interesting trio of works in recommendable performances, supported
by lucid and informative documentation. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH The
Tallis Scholars - Renaissance Giants CD
1 Thomas TALLIS (c.1505-1585) Spem
in alium [9:58] John TAVERNER (c.1490-1545) Western
Wind Mass [32.18] Josquin DES PRÉS (c.1440-1521) Missa
Pange lingua [29:47]
CD 2 Giovanni Pierluigi da PALESTRINA (c.1525-1594) Missa
Brevis [21:38] William BYRD (1543-1623) Mass
for four voices [22:06] Tomás Luis da VICTORIA (1548-1611) Requiem
[35:26] The Tallis Scholars/Peter
Phillips (director)
rec. Merton College Chapel, Oxford:1985 Tallis, 1986 des Prés, 1986 Palestrina, 1984 Byrd.
Salle Church, Norfolk: 1993 Taverner. St.John, Hackney, London: 1987 Victoria GIMELL
CDGIM207 [72:03 + 79:10] [DC]
Programming,
performance and production are well-nigh faultless. ... see Full
Review
Romantic
Russia: The Rosette collection
Mikhail
Ivanovich GLINKA (1804-1857)
Ruslan and Lyudmila: (1842) Overture [4.58]
Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881)
Khovanshchina: (1880) Prelude (arr. Rimsky Korsakov) [4.59]
Sorochintsy Fair: (1867) Night on the Bare Mountain (arr. Rimsky-Korsakov) [11.08]
Alexander BORODIN (1833-1887)
Prince Igor: Overture (arr. Glazunov) [10.46]
Polovtsian Dances (arr. Rimsky-Korsakov) [13.42]
London Symphony Chorus/John Alldis,
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Georg Solti
rec. Kingsway Hall, London, UK, September 1966. ADD
DECCA 476 5310 [45.33]
Great
Polovtsian Dances, excellent everything else, at a bargain
price. ... see Full Review
Sacred
Bridges
Salomone ROSSI (1570-c1630)
Psalm 124 (1622) [02:27] Ali UFKÎ (Wojciech BOBOWSKI) (1610-1675)/Claude
GOUDIMEL (1514/20-1572) Psalm 9 [06:17] Jan Pieterszoon SWEELINCK (1562-1621)
Psalm 6 (1604) [04:01] Ali UFKÎ/Genevan Psalter Psalm 6 [13:22] trad Jewish Psalm 113 [01:44] Salomone ROSSI Psalm 118 (1622) [04:49]
Sarband Instrumental improvisation on
Psalm 2 [06:08] Jan Pieterszoon SWEELINCK Psalm
7 (1604) [04:36] Ali UFKÎ/Genevan Psalter Psalm 2 [09:02] Jan Pieterszoon SWEELINCK Psalm 2 (1604)
[03:07] Ali UFKÎ/Claude GOUDIMEL Psalm 5 [12:06]
Salomone ROSSI Psalm 128 (1622) [03:54]
The King's Singers: David
Hurley; Robin Tyson (alto); Paul Phoenix (tenor); Philip Lawson; Christopher
Gabbitas (baritone); Stephen Connolly (bass) Sarband: Mustafa Doģan
Dikmen (voice); Celaleddin Biçer (ney); Ahmed Kadri Rizeli (kemānçe
ī-rūmī); Safinaz Rizeli
(kanūn); Vladimir Ivanoff (bendir)
rec. May 2005, St Andrews Church, Toddington, UK. DDD
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD065 [71:36] [JV]
An
interesting look at the way three different religions have dealt
with the Book of Psalms ... see Full
Review
Scandinavian Serenade
Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907)
Holberg Suite, op.40 1. Praeludium [2:40] 2. Sarabande [4:30]
3. Gavotte [3:23] 4. Air [6:03] 5. Rigaudon [3:41] Elegiac Melodies,
op.34 6. Hjerterar [3:26] 7. Våren [5:28] Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) 8. Valse Triste, op.44 [4:34] Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931) Little Suite, op.1 9. Praeludium [2:55]
10. Intermezzo [4:52] 11. Finale [6:04] Dag
WIRÉN (1905-1983) Serenade, op.11 12. Praeludium [3:00] 13.
Andante espressivo [3:38] 14. Scherzo [2:50] 15. Marcia [6:04] Jean
SIBELIUS Rakastava, op.14 16. The Lover [3:58] 17. The path
of the lover [2:04] 18. Good night, my beloved, farewell [4:45]
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/Sir Neville Marriner rec. Kingsway
Hall, London, UK, May 1970 (Holberg Suite), May 1977 (tracks 6-18)
DECCA ELOQUENCE 442 8196 [73:22][GPJ]
In
its way, this is a very special recording, impossible to recommend
too
strongly. Snap it up and enjoy! ... see Full
Review
The
Sheba Sound – Crossing Musical Boundaries: Two oboes,
bassoon and harpsichord CD1 - Kaleidoscope - Rocked Baroque
to Folk Music [58:28] BACH,
arr. LANGFORD, Gigue; HEFTI, arr. LANGFORD, The Odd Couple; MÜLLER, Zwei Freunde - Polka de Concert; BULL, arr. LESTER, The
King's Hunt; TRADITIONAL ARABIC
SONG, arr. LANGFORD, On
the Palm Tree; BOYCE, Allegro from Sonata no 10 in E minor; ASHLYN, The
Bassoon Song; ANON, arr. LESTER, Can
Shee Forgive?; Two BEATLES songs,
arr. HYMAS, Here Comes
the Sun, Obladi Oblada; PURCELL,
arr. DODS, Chaconne & Sinfonie; RUNSWICK, Hawkeye; BYRD, arr. LESTER, The
Earl of Salisbury's Pavane; Henry
VIII arr. RICHARDSON, Greensleeves; LANGFORD, Folk Song Suite; COUPERIN, arr. LANGFORD, Les
Baricades Mistérieuses; LANGFORD, The
Carnival of Venice CD2 - Reflections - Baroque and Contemporary
Works [56:47] Georg
Friedrich HANDEL, Arrival of the Queen of Sheba; Giuseppe
San MARTINI, Trio Sonata no 5 in G; David MATTHEWS, Toccatas and Pastorals Op 13; François
COUPERIN, Suite L'espagnole; Elizabeth
MACONCHY, Trittico; Michelangelo JERACE, Sinfonia no 2 in E minor; Jean-Michel
DAMASE, Suite pour Quatre The
Sheba Sound: Catherine Smith, Deirdre Lind; Sandra Mackay,
Valerie Taylor (oboes); Deirdre Dundas-Grant, Nicholas Hunka,
Robin Kennard (bassoon); Harold Lester, Alastair Ross, David
Owen Norris, John Alley (harpsichord) rec. Pye REC 277 LP,
All Saints Church, Petersham, 1977; Pye 1981; BBC, 1987; Sheba
Sound recording 1980, St James Church Clerkenwell; Live Wigmore
Hall, 1984;
BBC recording, 1985. ADD OBOE
CLASSICS CC 2014 [58:28 + 56:47] [RB]
A
winner and not just for cross-over children of the seventies and
eighties. ... see Full Review
Shostakovich
and his Comrades – A Centenary Celebration
Dmitri KABALEVSKY (1904-1987)
Sonata No.3 in F major Op.46 (1945) [13:55] Nikolai
MIASKOVSKY (1881-1950) Song and Rhapsody Op.58 (1942) [11:32]
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Piano Sonata No.1 Op.12 (1926) [12:36] Piano Sonata No.2 in B minor
Op.61 (1942) [27:05] Ronald STEVENSON
(b.1928) Recitative and Air (DSCH) (1975) [5:35] Rodion
SCHEDRIN (b.1932) Tschastuschki – concerto for piano
solo Naughty Limericks (1963 revised for solo piano 1999) [9:00]
Murray McLachlan
(piano) Rec. at the Sixth Chetham’s International Summer School and
Festival for Pianists, Whitely Hall, Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester,
August 2006 DUNELM
RECORDS DRD0264 [79:44][JW]
Test the early Shostakovich sonata first to
see if you’re prepared to allow the pianist this level of incineration
... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Leopold
Stokowski - Orchestral Transcriptions Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Passacaglia and Fugue in
C minor, BWV 582 Overture (Suite) No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068: II.
Air, Air on a G String Was
mir behagt, BWV 208, "Hunt Cantata": Aria: Sheep may safely
graze Fugue in G minor, BWV 578, Little Fugue Komm süsser Tod,
BWV 478 Christ
lag in Todesbanden, BWV 4: Jesus Christus Gottes Sohn St. John Passion,
BWV 245: Aria: Es ist vollbracht! Clavierubung III: Wir glauben all'
an einem Gott, BWV 680 ‘Giant’ Fugue
Orgelbuchlein: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 599 ANONYMOUS Two
Ancient Liturgical Melodies George Frederic
HANDEL (1865-1759) Messiah, HWV 56, Part I: Pastoral Symphony, "Pifa" Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Dido and Aeneas, Z. 626: When
I am laid in earth, "Dido's Lament" All arrangements by L. Stokowski Bournemouth
Symphony Orchestra/José Serebrier rec. Concert Hall, Lighthouse, Poole, UK, 29-30
June 2005. DDD NAXOS
8.557883 [67:51] [IL]
Sheer
magnificence. Heartily recommended. ... see Full
Review
Three
Piano Concerti -Three Great Virtuosi
Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Piano Concerto No.1 in E flat major G124 (1849) [16:17]
Simon Barere (piano) New York Philharmonic Orchestra/David Broekman
rec. Carnegie Hall, May 17, 1946 Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor Op.
22 (1868) [22:15] Reginald Paul (piano) Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra/Stanley
Chapple rec. Stoll Theatre, London early 1930 Ignacy
Jan PADEREWSKI (1860-1941) Piano Concerto in A minor Op.
17 (1888) [31:34] Jesús Mariá Sanroma (piano) Boston Promenade Orchestra/Arthur
Fiedler rec. 1939 SYMPOSIUM
1353 [70:16] [JW]
Fascinating
mix: one klaviertiger of ravenous divinity, the great Barere, one
pianist whose star has waxed and waned, Sanroma – and one almost
unknown, Reginald Paul. ... see Full
Review
Barry Tuckwell - Horn
Sonatas Ignaz MOSCHELES (1794-1870)
Thème varié for horn and piano, Op. 138b ‘Feuillet d’album
de Rossini’(Rossini’s Album Leaf) (c.1861) [8:14] Duo for
horn and piano in F major, Op. 63 (Introduction and Rondo écossais)
(c.1821) [8:36] Paul HINDEMITH (1895-1963)
Horn Sonata in E-flat major (1943) [10:32] Horn Sonata in F major (1939)
[17:16] Joseph Gabriel RHEINBERGER (1839-1901)
Horn Sonata in E flat major, Op. 178 (1894) [21:39]
Barry Tuckwell (French horn) Daniel Blumenthal (piano) rec. April 1997,
Miriam A. Friedberg Concert Hall, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Baltimore,
Maryland, USA. DDD
ABC CLASSICS ABC 476 5254 [66:17][MC]
This
release from ABC Classics of non-mainstream repertoire serves as richly
enjoyable evidence of the performing talents of French horn player Barry
Tuckwell. ... see Full Review
Twenty
Great Pianists Claudio Arrau,
Simon Barere, Robert Casadesus, Shura Cherkassky, Sviatoslav
Richter, Alfred Cortot, Guiomar Novaes, Walter Gieseking, Emil
Gilels, Moura Lympany, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Leopold Godowsky,
Egon Petri, Myra Hess, Vladimir Horowitz, Wilhelm Kempff, Alicia
de Larrocha, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Artur Rubinstein, Rudolf
Serkin LIVING
ERA CLASSICS AJC 8563 [77:15] [JW]
The
disc makes no silly pretensions for the greatest this or the greatest
that but those transfers! ... see Full
Review
Twenty
Great Violinists Adolf
Busch, Mischa Elman, Zino Francescatti, Fritz Kreisle, Ida Haende,
Jascha Heifetz, Bronislaw Huberman, Leonid Kogan, Georg Kulenkampff,
Yehudi Menuhin, Nathan Milstein, Erica Morini, Ricardo Odnoposof,
David Oistrakh, Ruggiero Ricci, Albert Spalding, Isaac Stern,
Josef Szigeti, Efrem Zimbalist - see review for perfomance details LIVING
ERA CLASSICS AJC8562 [75:30] [JW]
Personalised
tones and aural characteristics compromised. Newcomers should regard
with considerable caution. ... see Full
Review
At Twilight Choral
Music by Percy Grainger and Edvard Grieg Percy
GRAINGER (1882-1961) Irish Tune from County Derry [3:41]
Dollar and a half a day [3:32] Shenandoah [1:49] Stormy [1:27] The Gypsy's
Wedding Day [1:53] Brigg Fair [2:54] Mo nighean dubh [4:53] O mistress
mine [1:50] Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907)
Four Psalms, Op. 74 How fair is Thy face [5:18] God's Son hath set me
free [6:18] Jesus Christ our Lord is risen [7:18] In heav'n above [5:37]
Ave, maris stella [3:36] Percy
GRAINGER Soldier, soldier [3:27] Mary
Thomson [2:31] Ye banks and braes [2:48] Dalvisa [0:59] Australian Up-Country
Song [2:03] Near Woodstock Town [2:34] The Sussex Mummers' Carol [1:46]
A Song of Varmeland [2:38] At twilight [4:19]
David Wilson-Johnson (baritone); Paul Agnew (tenor)/Polyphony/Stephen
Layton rec. Church of St. John-at-Hackney, London, 10-11 October 1994.
DDD HYPERION
HELIOS CDH55236 [75:13][JQ]
I
thoroughly enjoyed this disc and I hope that many other collectors will
derive equal pleasure from it. ... see Full
Review
Vocal
Rarities Richard WAGNER (1813-1883)
Tannhäuser - Dir töne Lob! [1:58] Tannhäuser - Dir, Göttin der Liebe!
[0:59] Siegfried Schmiede mein Hammer [2:38] Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Otello - Ora e per sempre addio [1:40]
Ivan Vasilievich Ershov
[St. Petersburg ?1903] Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART (1756-1791) Don Giovanni - Finch'han dal vino [with
encore] [3:20] Giacomo ROSSINI (1792-1868) Il Barbiere di Siviglia - Largo al factotum [4:11]
Guillaume Tell - Sois imobile [3:30] Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1848) L'Elisir d'Amore - Vien Leonora [3:26] Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Tannhäuser - O du mein holder
Abendstern [3:55] Francisco d'Andrade recorded ?Berlin c.1907
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Die Zauberflöte - Ach, ich fühl's
[3:48] Ernani (Verdi) Ernani, rette mich [4:21]
Il Trovatore (Verdi) In deines Kerkers tiefer Nacht [4:30] Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Aïda - O Vaterland [4:27] Luise Perard-Petzl,
recorded Berlin 1-XII-13 Richard WAGNER
(1813-1883) Tannhäuser - Dir töne Lob! [2:14]
Stets soll nur dir [1:57] Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Aïda - Holde Aïda [3:20]
Pietro MASCAGNI (1863-1945) Cavalleria
Rusticana – aria [1:39] Francis MacLennan, recorded Hamburg 1908
Jacques Fromental HALÉVY (1799-1862)
La Juive - Er kehrt zurück [3:06] Pietro
MASCAGNI (1863-1945) Cavalleria Rusticana - Als euer
Sohn [3:18] Carl Maria von
WEBER (1786-1826) Der Freischütz - Und ob die
Wolke [3:53] Mignon (Thomas) Kennst du das Land [2:56] Johann
STRAUSS II (1825-1899) Zigeunerbaron - So elend und so treu [3:10]
Roxy King recorded Berlin 1905 TRADITIONAL
Unaccompanied Folk Songs Ekh, you, Van'ka [3:19] Nochen'ka -
Ah, you, night, dark night [3:50] Luchinushka - A wooden splinter,
my little one [3:44] Feodor Chaliapin, recorded Milan X-1907
SYMPOSIUM 1350
[79:38][JW]
Unfiltered
transfers that allow one a privileged eyrie on some indisputably great
singing. ... see Full Review
Wind
Music Franz KROMMER
(1759-1831) Octet-Partita in F, op.57 (1807-10) (1. Allegro
vivace [5:13]; 2. Menuetto: Presto [4:25]; 3. Adagio [4:13]; 4. Alla
polacca [4:36]) Leoš JANÁČEK
(1854-1928) Mládí (Youth) – Septet for wind ensemble (1924)
(5. Allegro [3:28]; 6. Andante sostenuto [5:13]; 7. Vivace [3:45]; 8.
Allegro animato [4:37]) Mátyás SEIBER
(1905-1960) Serenade for two clarinets, two bassoons, and
two horns (1925) (9. Allegro moderato [4:29]; 10. Lento [3:46]; 11.
Allegro vivace [5:37]) Johann Nepomuk HUMMEL
(1778-1837) Octet-Partita n E flat for wind ensemble (1803)
(12. Allegro con spirito [6:24]; 13. Andante [3:47]; 14. vivace assai
[2:48]) Antonin DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Slavonic Dances, opp. 46; 72 (1878; 1886): 15. No.8 in G
minor [4:01]; 16. No.9 in C major, op.72 no.1 [4:19]; 17. No. 15 in
C major, op.72 no.7 [3:15]
Wind Soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe rec. 1989?
COE RECORDS CD COE 812 [75:18][GPJ]
A
truly outstanding disc - another happy addition to the list of recent
reissues of the CoE’s recordings. ... see Full
Review
Your
Sweetest Notes
- new music from Norwich
Charles V. Stanford (1852-1924) Ye Choirs
of new Jerusalem (1910) [5:01] William Byrd (1543-1623) Prevent us, O Lord [2:34]
David Cooper Come my way [2:28]Patrick
Hadley (1899-1975) My Beloved Spake (1936)
[2:52] Michael Nicholas A Song of Hosea [3:09]Carl
Rutti (b.
1949) St. Peter and St. Paul (1997) [5:44]
Peter Aston (b. 1938) If Ye Love Me [3:24]; How Lovely is thy Dwelling Place [3:28]Herbert
Howells (1892-1983) O pray for the peace
of Jerusalem (1941) [5:18] Matthew Cann (b. 1972) I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes (2000)
[3:14] Edward C. Bairstow (1874-1946) If the Lord Had Not Helped
Me (1910) [6:05] Spencer Mitchell O Sacrum Convivium [3:44] Heathcote
Statham (1889-1973) Ye that know the Lord
is gracious [3:06] Edgar L. Bainton (1880-1956) And I saw a New Heaven [4:48]
Morten Lauridsen (b. 1943) O Magnum Mysterium (1994)
[5:31] Andrew Simpson (b. 1968) Dixit Dominus (2000) [5:12]
The Choir of Norwich Cathedral/David
Dunnett Julian Thomas (Organist) rec. Norwich Cathedral, 26-28 June
2006. DDD GRIFFIN RECORDS
GCCD 4055 [65:47][WK]
A
variable collection that is notable for its large number of new
works ... see Full Review
BOOK
REVIEWS
Edvard
Grieg in England by Lionel
Carley [CF]
Dr
Carley’s
highly enjoyable book is a compelling read, not only providing a
revealing insight into the private and public life
of the composer, but also a detailed account of concerts of the day
between 1888 and 1906 in England ... see Full Review
Wrong
Sex, Wrong Instrument by
Maggie Cotton [RB]
A
weird old hag hitting things? I think not! Plenty to interest, provoke
and reveal – precious it ain’t. A perfect Christmas-New Year read. ...
see Full Review
Detailed listing (last five 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]
[Recommended
recordings]
ALPHABETICAL
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