RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Frank
BRIDGE
(1879-1941) Dance
Rhapsody (1908) [18:22] Dance Poem
(1913) [15:38] Two Jefferies Poems:
(1) The Open Air; (2) The Story
of My Heart (1916) [7:44; 4:25] Overture
Rebus (1940) [10:38] Allegro Moderato
for string orchestra (1941) [14:47] 
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Nicholas Braithwaite
rec. 1979. ADD
LYRITA SRCD.243 [71:38] [RB]
Handsomely
presenting the early Tchaikovskian-sumptuous
Bridge, the transitional Bridge and the subtle
and finely dissonant post-Great War Bridge
(Rebus). … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jan
CARLSTEDT (1926–2004) String
Quartet No.1 in D minor Op.2 (1951/2) [19:18] String Quartet
No.2 Op.22 (1966) [26:34] String Quartet No.3 Op.23 (1967)
[20:08] 
Lysell
Quartet rec. Eklidens skolas aula, Nacka, Sweden, July 1993
and October 1995 ACOUSTICA
ACCD-1013 [66:46] String Quartet No.4 Op.31 (1972) [25:21]
String Quartet No.5 Op.32 (1977) [22:24] String Quartet No.6
Op.60 (1998) [25:01] Lysell
Quartet rec. Eklidens skolas aula, Nacka,
October 1995 and Dala-Järna kyrka,
January 2004 ACOUSTICA
ACCD-1015 [72:57] [HC]
They
may not have the sophistication of Bartók’s quartets nor the
all-embracing concerns of Shostakovich, but they represent their
composer at his best. They are just too fine to be ignored ...
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gerald
FINZI
(1901-1956)
Clarinet Concerto Op. 31 (1949) [29:19] Cello
Concerto Op.40 (1956) [41:06]
John Denman (clarinet) Yo-Yo Ma (cello) New
Philharmonia Orchestra/Vernon Handley (clarinet
concerto) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Vernon
Handley (cello concerto) rec. 1977, 1979.
ADD
LYRITA SRCD.236 [70:28] [RB]
The
pastoral mystic at prayer – ecstatic in soliloquy
and in irrepressible delight … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Santiago
de MURCIA
(1682-1732) La Guitarra
Española Folias
Españolas [3:11] Prelude [1:40] Passacalles
por la E [7:59] Suite (after Gaspar Sanz,
1675, arr. Carter) [7:17] * Zarambeques, o
Muecas [2:33] * Canarios [3:45] Passacalles
por la B [5:09] Cumbees [4:14] * Passacalles
por la D [9:44] Marionas por la B [4:13] Preludio
Grabe de Coreli [2:55] * Giga de Coreli [3:02]
* Gaitas [4:04]
William Carter (baroque guitar); Susanne Heinrich
(bass viol) * rec. 17-19 September 2006, St.
Andrews Church, Toddington (Gloucestershire)
LINN CKD 288 [60:23] [GPu]
A
fascinating, beautifully played recital of
the music of one of the great Spanish guitar
masters … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz SCHUBERT
(1797-1828) Piano Trio No.1 in B flat D.898 (1827)
[39:46] Piano Trio No.2 in E flat D.929 (1827) [42:52] Notturno
in E flat D.897 (1827) [8:40] Sonatensatz D.28 (1812) [7:16]
Frank Braley (piano);
Renaud Capuçon (violin); Gautier Capuçon (cello) rec. MC2 Maison de
la Culture de Grenoble, 10-12 Sept. 2006
VIRGIN CLASSICS 00946 365476 2 [47:11 + 51:40][TH]
Goes
straight to the top for my recommendations
of these wonderful works ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Peter
SCULTHORPE
(b. 1929) CD1 Requiem
(2004)a [42:15] CD2 My
Country Childhood (1999)b [15:54]
Earth Cry (1999)b [5:57]
Great Sandy Island (1998)b
[22:47] New Norcia (2000)b
[5:07] Quamby (2000)b [23:26]
Adelaide Chamber Singersa; William
Barton (didjeridu)a Adelaide Symphony
Orchestra/Arvo Volmera, James Juddb
rec. Adelaide Town Hall, November 2005 (Requiem)
and June 2000 (CD2)
ABC CLASSICS 476 5692 [42:15 + 73:16]
[HC]
A
magnificent release that may be safely recommended
to all Sculthorpe admirers. A fine introduction
to this endearing composer’s sound-world.
Not to be missed. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-75) Cello Concerto No.1 in E flat major
Op.107 (1959) [28:06] Cello Concerto No.2 in G major Op.126 (1966) [35:21]
Rafał
Kwiatkowski (cello) Polish Radio Orchestra/Wojciech Rajska rec.
Witold Lutosławski Studio of Polish Radio in Warsaw, 1999-2000
DUX 0549 [63:27][DC]
These
recordings are ones with which you will be
reluctant to part. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH William WALTON (1902-1983) Viola
Concerto (original version) (1928-9) [24:51] Edmund
RUBBRA (1901-1986) Meditations on a Byzantine Hymn Op.117
(1962) [11:15]
Viola Concerto in A major Op.75 (1952) [25:05] Lawrence
Power (viola) BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Ilan Volkov rec. City Hall, Glasgow,
16-17 September 2006 (concertos); Henry Wood Hall, London, 27 September 2006
(Meditations) HYPERION
CDA67587 [61:13] [DC]
Well
nigh irresistible ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sabine
Meyer French clarinet works Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921) Sonata
for clarinet and piano in E flat major, Op. 167 (1921) [15:26] Francis POULENC (1899-1963) Sonata for clarinet
and piano, Op. 184 (1959-62) [14:03] François DEVIENNE (1759-1803) Sonata No. 1 in C
major for clarinet and piano, (c. 1790s) [16:50] Darius MILHAUD (1892-1974) Scaramouche (arranged
for clarinet and piano in 1941) [9:52] Sabine
Meyer (clarinet), Oleg Maisenberg (piano) rec. 26-28 September
2006, Potton Hall, Suffolk. DDD EMI
CLASSICS 3 79787 2 [56:12] [MC]
This
EMI Classics release of French works for clarinet and piano is
an outstanding achievement ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Willem
Van Otterloo and Residentie Orkest The
Original Recordings 1950-1960
Hector BERLIOZ Symphonie
fantastique Carl
Maria von WEBER orch. BERLIOZ
Aufforderung zum Tanz Johan
WAGENAARDe Getemde Feeks
Op. 25 (Overture) Cyrano de Bergerac Op.
23 (Overture) Max
REGER Variations and Fugue on
a Theme of Mozart Eine romantische
Suite Alphons
DIEPENBROCK Music to Sophocles’
Tragedy Electra Maurice
RAVEL Valses nobles et sentimentales,Daphnis
et Chloé Suites1and 2 Modest
MOUSSORGSKY orch. RAVEL
Pictures at an ExhibitionJoseph
HAYDN Symphony No. 45 ‘Farewell’
symphony No. 55 ‘The Schoolmaster’Symphony
No. 92 Robert SCHUMANN
Overture Manfred Franz
SCHUBERT Symphony No. 8 in B minor,
‘Unfinished’, From: Rosamunde,
Entr’acte No. 3 ; Balletmusic No. 2 Gustav
MAHLER Kindertotenlieder
Herman Schey (baritone) Symphony No. 4 Teresa
Stich-Randall (soprano) Sergei
RACHMANINOV Rhapsody on a Theme
of Paganini Abbey Simon (piano) Anton
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 Overture
in G minor Maurice
RAVEL Pavane pour une infante
défunte Manuel
DE FALLA Three dances from El
sombrero de tres picos : The Neighbours’
dance; Dance of the miller ; Final
dance Morton
GOULD Interplay ‘American
Concertette’, Spirituals Sergey
PROKOFIEV Concerto No. 3 for piano
and orchestra Alexander Uninsky (piano)Léon
ORTHEL Symphony No. 2 ‘Piccola
sinfonia’ Sem
DRESDEN Dansflitsen Hendrik
ANDRIESSEN Variations and Fugue
on a Theme of Kuhnau, Ricercare Henk
BADINGS Symphony No. 3 Edvard
GRIEG 4 Norwegische Tänze
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
Der Geschöpfe des Prometheus
Symphony No. 8 Overture: Die Weihe
des Hauses Johannes
BRAHMS Symphony No. 1 Tragische
Ouvertüre Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 Erna
Spoorenberg (soprano); Maria von Ilosvay (alto);
Frans Vroons (tenor); Herman Schey (bass);
Toonkunstkoor Amsterdam Symphony No 4 Pyotr
Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No
4 Residentie Orkest, The Hague/Willem van
Otterloo All recordings made in Amsterdam,
Concertgebouw unless otherwise stated. Mono/*Stereo
CD contents detailed listing at end of review
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC 72142 [13 CDs:
75:39 + 76:31 + 74:39 + 77:46 + 61:04 + 75:35
+ 74:31 + 76:11 + 79:16 + 74:55 + 81:16 +
79:18 + 71:50] [JQ]
A
revelatory set which does a great deal to
restore the reputation of a seriously undervalued
conductor. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Alexander
ZEMLINSKY (1871-1942)
Six
Songs (lyrics: Maurice Maeterlinck)
[21:20]: (i. Die drei. schwestern, op. 13
[4:15]; ii. Die mädchen mit den verbundenen
augen, op. 13 [3:17]; iii. Lied der jungfrau,
op. 13 [2:56]; iv. Als ihr geliebter schied,
op. 13 [2:35]; v. Und kehrt er einst heim,
op. 13 [3:10]; vi. Sie kam zum schloss gegangen,
op. 13 [ 5:07]) Erwin
SCHULHOFF (1894-1942) Menschheit
(lyrics: Theodor Däubler): (Der
Dudelsack, op. 28 [5:15]; ii. Flügellahmer
versuch, op. 28 [8:10]; iii. Oft einfach,
op. 28 [2:44]; iv. Dämmerung, op. 28
[4:15]; v. Einblick, op. 28 [8:12]) Landschaften, (lyrics: Theodor
Kuhlemann): (Die Türen Sind Zugeweht,
op. 26 [2:43]; ii. Alle Frauen Weinen, op.
26 [3:12]; iii. Demut Faltet Den Raum, op.
26 [3:55]; iv. Viele Wege Sind Kleine, Vergangene,
op. 26 [2:20]; v. Die Goldnen Winde, op. 26
[3:34])
Randi Stene (mezzo) Trondheim Symphony Orchestra/Muhai
Tang rec. 14-18 June 2004. Olavshallen, Trondheim,
Norway. DDD
SIMAX PSC 1249 [65:41] [RB]
Randi
Stene and the orchestra are magnificent in
these gloriously emotion saturated songs.
... see Full
Review
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphony
no. 1 in C minor op. 68 [43:08] Symphony no.
2 in D major op. 73 [46:19]* Symphony no.
3 in F major op. 90 [33:26] Symphony no. 4
in E minor op. 98 [38:50] 11 Chorale-Preludes
op. 122, arr. Henk de Vlieger [28:18]*
Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Amsterdam/Jaap
van Zweden Radio Filharmonisch Orkest Holland*/Jaap
van Zweden rec. April 1999, MCO Studio Hilversum*,
June-August 2002, Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 99946 [3 CDs: 43:08
+ 74:37 + 72:09] [CH]
If
you want just one set of Brahms symphonies, at last I can recommend
one that’s equally good all through. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Complete
Piano Music, Vol. 24 Four Mephisto Waltzes (1856-85)
[36:04]: (No. 1, (1856-61) S514 [12:05]; No. 2, S515 (1878/79-81)
[11:12]; No. 3, S216 (1883) [9:48]; No. 4, S696 (1885) [2:59]
) Two Elegies (1874-78) [10:58]: (No. 1, S196 (1874) [5:45];
No. 2, S197 (1878) [5:13]) Grosses Konzertsolo, S176 (1849-50)
[23:08] Giuseppe
Andaloro, piano rec. 8-9 March 2005, Potton Hall, Westleton,
Saxmundham, Suffolk. DDD NAXOS
8.557814 [70:10] [MC]
For
Naxos Andaloro makes an inspired choice as soloist. One senses
his complete involvement with the significant demands of Liszt’s
challenging music ... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Serge PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Sinfonia
concertante in E minor, Op. 125 (1952) [38:24] Nikolai
MIASKOVSKY (1881-1950) Cello Concerto in C minor,
Op. 66 (1944) [28:01]Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)Vocalise, Op. 34 No.
14 (1915, arr. cello and piano) [6:52] Mstislav
Rostropovich (cello); Alexander Dedyukhin (piano) Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir Malcolm Sargent. rec. Abbey
Road, London 15 April 1957 (P), 5 March 1956 (M), 27 April 1957
(mono)
(R). ADD. EMI GREAT RECORDINGS
OF THE CENTURY 3800132 [73:29] [CC]
Stunning.
Those of us lucky enough to hear Slava live
can only be grateful that we experienced the
overwhelming musicality, charisma and generosity.
A fitting memorial ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Sergei
RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943)
CD
1 [73:05] Symphonic Dances, op. 45
(1940) [37:08] The Bells, op.35 (1912)
[35:45] CD 2 [79:42] The Rock - Symphonic
poem after A. Chekhov op. 7 (1893) [14:50]
Prince Rostislav - Symphonic poem after
A.K. Tolstoy (1891) [18:18] Scherzo in
D minor [5:30] Caprice bohémien,
op. 12 (1893) [18:33] The Isle of the Dead,
Symphonic poem after A. Böcklin op. 29
(1907) [22:03]
Olga Lutsiv-Ternovskaya (soprano); Leonid
Bomstein (tenor); Vyacheslav Pochapsky (bass)
(op. 35) Russian State Symphonic Cappella
Russian State Symphony Orchestra/Valeri Polyansky
rec. Moscow Conservatoire, 1998 (CD1); 2001
(CD2)
CD1 first issued as Chandos CHAN9759; CD2
first issued as Chandos CHAN
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 8532 [73:05 + 79:42]
[RB]
You
simply cannot go wrong with this. A budget
price item with all the merits of a premium
production and packed close to maximum playing
time. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Albert ROUSSEL (1869-1937) Symphony
No. 3 in G minor, Op. 42 (1929) [25:31] Bacchus et Ariane,
Op.
43 (1930) [37:37] Royal Scottish
National Orchestra/Stéphane
Denève rec. Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow, 17-18 October 2006 (Symphony); 2-4 May
2006 (Bacchus). DDD NAXOS
8.570245 [63:08] [CC]
Although
Martinon on Erato couples Bacchus with the equally apposite Aeneas
this new Naxos carves a niche firmly for itself on any serious
record collector's shelves. The recording is fabulous with plenty
of depth and definition ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Bedřich
SMETANA
(1824-1884) Má Vlast – a cycle of symphonic
poems (1874-1879) Czech
Philharmonic Orchestra/Václav Talich rec. Dvořák Hall, Rudolfinum,
Prague, June and July 1954. ADD
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111237 [75:22] [JW]
For
the Talich collector this 1954 set is glorious and the one that remains
the most generally recommendable. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite
of Spring) (1911-1913) [35:02]
L’Oiseau de Feu (The Firebird)
(1945 version) [31:23]
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Yuri Simonov
rec. CTS Studio, London, March 1993. DDD
REGIS RRC 1276 [66:25][PC]
An
admirable Firebird and The Rite is about as good as I’ve heard lately.
... 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]
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