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Alphabetical Listing

PART 4
M-R

[Click here for the most recent reviews (last five days)]
Click for alphabetical listings by composer:
[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]

 

Elizabeth MACONCHY (1907–1994) Proud Thames, Symphony, Serenata Concertante, Music for Strings Manoug Parikian (violin), London PO, London SO/Vernon Handley LYRITA SRCD288 [JW]

Not always an easy listen but all the more rewarding for it ... see Full Review

Paysages Jules MASSENET (1842-1912) Scènes Alsaciennes (1881) [23:20] Gustave CHARPENTIER (1860-1956) Impressions d’Italie (1891) [35:58] Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1923) Suite Algérienne (1879) [18:13] Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice/Marco Guidarini rec. March 2007, Diacosmie Hall, Nice, France TALENT DOM 2929 106 SACD [77:46] [DC]

An excellent disc, full of approachable, off-the-beaten-track music. ... see Full Review

Paul McCARTNEY (b.1942) Ecce Cor Meum Academy of St Martin in the Fields/Gavin Greenaway rec. 2006 EMI CLASSICS 3704242 [56:51][EM]

Many good bits, although one feels that it does not hang together as a whole; too many sudden changes of direction, too many contesting styles, not enough evidence an over-arching, masterful “voice”. Well performed though and interesting ... see Full Review

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin Concerto, Octet, Three Lieder (arr. Daniel Hope) Daniel Hope, CO of Europe/Thomas Hengelbrock rec. 2007 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4776634 [TP]

Consistently fine playing … worth hearing the original of the concerto … see Full Review

E. J. MOERAN (1894-1950) Piano music see BAINES

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos Nos. 9 & 19; Nine Variations on a Menuet by Duport Clara Haskil, (piano) rec. 1952-6 MEDICI ARTS MM004-2 [67:58][KS]

Flawless, perfectly expressive … even the inferior sound does little to damage this priceless pianism. ... see Full Review

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos Nos. 14, 20 and 25 Wiener Philharmoniker/Rudolf Buchbinder (piano, conductor) rec. 2006 EUROARTS 2055908 [84:33][MG]

Performances of admirable composure and the evident joy in the music making is very appealing … see Full Review

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concerto No. 24 Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano Concerto Yevgeny Kissin (piano); London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Colin Davis rec. 2006 EMI CLASSICS 3828792 [62:19][SV]

A superfluous release, save perhaps as a memento of the two concerts ... see Full Review

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756–1791) Don Giovanni English Chamber Orchestra/Daniel Barenboim rec. 1975 CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 3932562 [77:33 + 79:13][GF]

There’s some good singing here but the recording is let down by lethargic tempos and the omission of most of the recitative. ... see Full Review

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Don Giovanni K527 (1787) arranged for wind ensemble (1788?) by Josef TRIEBENSEE (1772-1846) Opera Senza (Maarten Dekkers, Tomoharu Yoshida (oboes); Thorsten Johanns, Paul-Joachim Blöcher (clarinets); Kathleen Putnam, Hubert Stähle (horns); Henrik Rabien, Hubert Betz (bassoons); Jörg Schade, (double-bass) rec. 22-24 February 2007, Evangelische Kirche, Honrath, Germany. DDD. Stereo, 5+1 and 2+2+2 formats MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 903 1464-6 Hybrid SACD [58:22]

Very good performances and recording: attractive enough, but do we need this kind of distillation of a Mozart opera in this day of multiple recordings? ... see Full Review

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756–1791) Die Zauberflöte Kurt Moll, Peter Schreier, Edda Moser, Anneliese Rothenberger, Walter Berry, Bavarian State Opera Ch & O/Wolfgang Sawallisch rec. 1972 CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 3932662 [74:26 + 73:53] [GF]

An excellently conducted version with Moll and Moser outstanding among the soloists ... see Full Review

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) String Quartets Nos.1-6 Cherubini Quartet rec. 1989-90 EMI CLASSICS TRIPLE 5 00857 2 [3 CDs: 55:46 + 56:44 + 60:28][BW]

These good performances, well recorded, would receive a clear recommendation but the Henschel Quartet offer performances at least as good and their 3-CD set contains more music for little more money ... see Full Review

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809–1847) Lieder Carl LOEWE (1796–1869) Lieder Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) rec. 1967-1970 EMI CLASSICS GREAT RECORDINGS OF THE CENTURY 3919902 [72:31 + 70:54][GF]

Practically anything Fischer-Dieskau recorded in those days is worth having and those who have yet to discover the Lieder-composers Mendelssohn and Loewe should jump at this opportunity ... see Full Review

Ignacy Jan PADEREWSKI (1860–1941) Douze Mélodies sur de poesies de Catulle Mendes and other songs Anna Radziejewska (mezzo) Mariusz Rutkowski (piano) rec. 2007 DUX DUX0585 [RH]

A lovely recital and should be of interest to everyone with a fondness for songs ... see Full Review

Paul PATTERSON (b. 1947) Missa Brevis Michael BERKELEY (b. 1948) Or Shall We Die? London Philharmonic Choir/Owain Arwel Hughes (Patterson)/Richard Hickox (Berkeley) rec. 1984-6 EMI CLASSICS BRITISH COMPOSERS 5059212 [66:05][RB]

Two modern-ish works - leaning on the one hand on protest and on the other on a choral legacy stretching back to Byrd and Tallis. ... see Full Review

Krzysztof PENDERECKI (b. 1933) Die Teufel von Loudun Chor und Orchester der Hamburgischen Staatsoper/Marek Janowski rec. 1969 PHILIPS 4463282 [68.42 + 37.20][OP]

In the end Die Teufel is about fear and pity, intolerance, heresy and hypocrisy – Jeanne silently praying as Grandier is burning to death … ... see Full Review

Giacomo PUCCINI (1858–1924) Tosca Magda Olivero (soprano); Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Milano della RAI/Emidio Tieri rec. 1957 ISTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS 6519/20 [42:44 + 66:17][GF]

Olivero collectors should invest in this set; others who want a Tosca, not a specific Tosca, are advised to look elsewhere ... see Full Review

Giacomo PUCCINI (1887-1924) Il Trittico Alberto Mastromarino, Amarilli Nizza, Teatro Comunale di Modena Orchestra/Julian Reynolds rec. live 2007 TDK DVWW-OPTRIT [IL]

Much to recommend it. ... see Full Review

Roger QUILTER (1877-1953) The Complete Quilter Songbook Vol. 1 Mark Stone (baritone)/Stephen Barlow (piano) rec. 2005/6 SONY BMG 88697 139962 [JQ]

This pair of discs will give a great deal of pleasure and they should be warmly welcomed by all enthusiasts for English song ... see Full Review

Sergei RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943) The Bells see ADAMS

Enjoyable, but lacking just a little sparkle and grit ... see Full Review

Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Official Collection Vol. 9 Symphony 2, The Rock Russian Federation State SO/Evgeny Svetlanov rec. 1995 WARNER MUSIC 5101 122352 [JW]

Vivid, full of candour, clear-eyed architecture and communicative drama ... see Full Review

Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Miroirs; Gaspard de la Nuit Minoru Nojima (piano) rec. 1989 REFERENCE RECORDINGS RR-35CD [50:30] [CH]

Nojima has made a great Liszt record but unfortunately his “other” disc goes some way to explaining his slender reputation. ... see Full Review

Aribert REIMANN (b. 1936) Zyklus, Kumi Ori, Die Pole sind in uns Yaron Windmüller (baritone) Axel Bauni (piano), Saarbrücken RSO/Günther Herbig rec. 2004 NAXOS 8.570199 [DC]

If you feel your collection lacks intellectual weight and you long for an antidote to hedonistic thrills, then this is certainly worth a try ... see Full Review

Josef Gabriel RHEINBERGER (1839–1901) Oster-Hymne; Vier schstimmige Motetten; Mass in E flat; Drei geistliche Gesänge Phoenix Bach Choir and Kansas City Chorale/Charles Bruffy rec. 2007 CHANDOS CHSA 5055 [56.22][RH]

Lovely works, well recorded … this should suit if you want to explore Rheinberger's choral music. ... see Full Review

Franz Xaver RICHTER (1709-1789) Six Grandes Symphonies Helsinki Baroque Orchestra/Aapo Häkkinen rec. 2005 NAXOS 8.557818 [73.26][GH]

The whole disc should give much pleasure. Buy it. ... see Full Review

Ferdinand RIES (1784-1838) Piano Concertos, Vol. 2 Swedish National Air with Variations; Introduction and Polonaise; Piano Concerto in C sharp minor Christopher Hinterhuber (piano) Gävle Symphony Orchestra/Uwe Grodd rec. 2006 NAXOS 8.557844 [60:27] [TP]

This disc offers you satisfying performances of satisfying music.  How can you refuse? ... see Full Review

Georg Wenzel RITTER (1744-1808) Bassoon Quartets Paolo Carlini, rec. 2006 NAXOS 8.570500 [JW]

Mozartian protagonist whose achievements, whilst modest, also enrich the bassoon repertoire ... see Full Review

Cyril ROOTHAM (1875-1938) The Stolen Child, Miniature Suite, City in the West, The Psalm of Adonis, For the Fallen BBC Northern Singers Northern Sinfonia & Ch/Richard Hickox rec. 1986 EMI CLASSICS BRITISH COMPOSERS 5059232 [RB]

Don’t miss out on this treasurably warm music from the British musical renaissance ... see Full Review

Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) La pietra del paragone Sonia Prina, Francois Lis, Ensemble Matheus/Jean–Christophe Spinosi rec. live 2007 NAÏVE V5089 [RJF]

Staged, if that is the word, courtesy of cinematographic magic. Importantly, taken at face value, it works ... see Full Review

Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) La pietra del paragone. Marie-Ange Todorovich Il Marco Vinco (bass); Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real, Madrid/Alberto Zedda OPUS ARTE. OA 0987 D [2 DVDs:189min]

Experienced singers contribute to the success of this updated production ... see full review

Nino ROTA (1911–1979) Complete Music for Viola/Piano and Violin/Piano Marco Fornaciari (violin and viola), Gabriele Baldocci (piano) rec. 2006 ARTS MUSIC 47718-8 [BBr]

We badly need this kind of music these days - well crafted and tuneful music ... see Full Review

 


[Click here for the most recent reviews (last five days)]
Click for alphabetical listings by composer:
[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]


Over a period of three years from December 2003, I have spent a lot of time in the company of Harry Partch – not literally, of course, as he died in 1974, but working my way though an article and some eight reviews that can all be found on MusicWeb. Then, at the MusicWeb annual lunch (January 2007), the name of John Cage caught my ear. For reasons that my subconscious was not prepared to divulge, my curiosity was tickled. Partch and Cage have on occasion been paired off, as a sort of American "Debussy and Ravel" – was there any real connection between them? This may come as a bit of an anticlimax but, other tha [Letter to Ben Johnston, 1952, reproduced in Innova Enclosure 3] Who is right – the "pro" camp or t
Untitled Document


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