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Eric
SAWYER (b. 1962) Our American
Cousin 
Janna
Baty, Alan Schneider, Donald Wilkinson, Tom O’Toole, Boston Modern
Orchestra Project/Gil Rose
rec. 2007 BOSTON MODERN ORCHESTRA
PROJECT BMOP1006 [67:00 + 65:20] [MSJ]
Bittersweet
food for thought ... see Full Review
Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757) 12
Concerti Grossi see AVISON
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Quintet for
Piano and Strings "Trout"; Adagio and Rondo Concertante
Karl Suske (violin);
Dietmar Hallmann (viola); Jürnjakob Timm (cello); Rainer Hucke (double
bass); Peter Rösel (piano) rec. 1987
BERLIN CLASSICS EDEL 0014392BC [48:33] [RB]
Very
satisfying, centred and gracious ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphony
9,
Mass 6 Peter Schreier, Walter
Berry,
Wiener Sängerknaben
Vienna PO/Karl Böhm
rec. live, 1973/6 EUROARTS
2072108 
[112:00]
[CH]
This
DVD makes a strong case for rediscovering Böhm ... see Full
Review
The
Double Life of Franz Schubert -
A dramatization of Schubert’s Last Years Simon
Russell Beale, Jason Fleming, Peter Webber
(Director) NVC ARTS 50-51865-0798-2 [50:00]
[JS]
Seems
much longer than its fifty minute duration ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Gesang
der Geister über den Wassern, Gruppe aus dem Tartarus,
An Schwager Kronos see BRAHMS
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Robert
SCHUMANN (1810–1856) Four Lieder from Goethe’s Wilhelm
Meisters Lehrjahre, Frauenliebe und –leben see BRAHMS
Robert SCHUMANN
(1810-1856)
Arabesque, Piano Sonata, Widmung Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Transcendental Etude 11, St Francis of
Assisi preaching to the Birds, Ballade 2
Mordecai Shehori (piano)
CEMBAL D’AMOUR CD135 [68:37] [JW]
Why
isn’t this man an internationally known soloist? ... see Full
Review
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano
Quintet see MENDELSSOHN
Alexander
SCRIABIN (1872-1915) Mazurkas, Poems, Preludes, Vers la flamme
see Marshev
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Cello
Concerto No.2 Benjamin BRITTEN
(1913-1976) Symphony for Cello and Orchestra
Jamie Walton (cello); Philharmonia Orchestra/Alexander Briger rec. 2008
SIGNUM SIGCD137 [69:33]
[BBr]
Flawed,
perhaps, but much to commend ... see Full
Review
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Symphonies 1 & 5 Philharmonia
O/Efrem Kurtz, Chicago SO/Andre Previn rec. 1957/77
CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2282832 [76:04] [CR]
A
reissue of two early Shostakovich recordings ... see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865 – 1957) Nightride
and Sunrise, op.55 (1908) [16:38] Pan and
Echo (Tanz–Intermezzo No.3), op.53a (1906) [4:51] Suite
from Belshazzar’s Feast, op.51 (1906) [14:31] The
Dryad, op.45/1 (1910) [5:46] Tanz–Intermezzo,
op.45/2 (1904 rev 1907) [2:51] Kuolema (Death),
op.44 and 62 (1903 and 1911) [19:57]
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Pietari Inkinen rec.
29 July-1 August 2007, Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, New Zealand.
DDD
NAXOS 8.570763 [64:34]
[BBr]
Should not be missed at any cost ... see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) THE
SIBELIUS EDITION Detailed
Contents and Tracklist at end of review Vol.1 – Tone Poems BIS-CD-1900/02 [388:56] Vol.2 – Chamber
Music I BIS-CD-1903/05 [437:47] Vol.3 – Voice
and Orchestra BIS-CD-1906/08 [447:36] Vol.4 – Piano
Music I BIS-CD-1909/11 [392:45] Vol.5 – Orchestral
Music for the Theatre BIS-CD-1912/14 [465:27]
[RB]
The
start of the fulfilment of a dream ... see Full
Review
Louis
SPOHR (1784-1859) Symphonies Nos.
2 & 8 etc.
North German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra/Howard Griffiths rec. 2006-7
CPO 7771782 
[68:46][TB]
A
composer more written about than actually heard ... see Full
Review
Charles
Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924) Symphonies
Nos. 3 & 6
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/David Lloyd-Jones rec. July 2006-7
NAXOS 8.570355 [80:18][CH]
Lloyd-Jones
emerges with increased stature. The Sixth benefits in particular
... see Full Review
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Quixote
Josef HAYDN (1732-1809) Cello
Concerto No. 2
Mstislav Rostropovich (cello); BBC Symphony Orchestra/Malcolm Sargent
& London Symphony Orchestra/Mstislav Rostropovich rec. 1964-5
BBC LEGENDS BBCL42402 [65:33][JW]
Genial,
broadly beamed and strong on rich, rounded cantabile ... see Full
Review
Max STEINER (1888-1971)She
(1935) complete film score
Moscow Symphony Orchestra/William Stromberg Rec. Mosfilm Studio, Moscow;
November 2007 TRIBUTE
FILM CLASSICS TFC-1003 [71:07][IL]
A
must for all Max Steiner enthusiasts. ... see
Full Review
Arthur SULLIVAN (1842-1900) The
Gondoliers, Cello Concerto Sir
Geraint Evans, Owen Brannigan, Glyndebourne Festival Ch, Pro Arte
O/Sir Malcolm Sargent Julian Lloyd Webber, London SO/Sir Charles
Mackerras
rec. 1957/86 CLASSICS FOR
PLEASURE 2134282 [57:56 + 56:17] [SV]
Plenty
of zip and rhythmic alertness ... see Full
Review
Boris
TCHAIKOVSKY (1925-1996) Complete String
Quartets
Ilya Ioff (violin); Elena Raskova (violin); Lydia Kovalenko (viola);
Alexey Massarsky (cello) rec. 2008
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9964-65 [42:12 + 67:28][HC]
Intimate
thoughts without histrionics ... see Full
Review
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Symphony 5, The Storm, The
Tempest NBC SO/Leopold
Stokowski rec. live, 1942/3
GUILD GHCD2334 [73.41] [RMo]
Wonderful
though this is the sound cannot compete with a modern recording ...
see Full Review
Donald Francis TOVEY (1875-1940)
Chamber Music - Volume 1 Piano Trio in B minor op.1 (1900) [37:40]
Piano Trio in C minor op.8 Style Tragique (1908) [27:26]
London Piano Trio rec. 27-29 August 2007, Potton Hall Studio, Westleton,
Suffolk. DDD first recordings
TOCCATA TOCC 0068 [65:06]
[JW]
Self-recommending
for the new generation of Tovey admirers ... see Full
Review
Geirr
TVEITT (1908–1981) Tonen
(Songs) Birgitte
Grimstad (vocals and guitar)
rec. 1966–94 MUDI MUD2097 [68:43
+ 57:40]
[GF]
A
wholly engrossing experience ... see Full
Review
Pēteris
VASKS (b.
1946) Viatore, Cantus
ad pacem, Canto di forza, Musica
seria, Te Deum Tālivaldis
Deksnis (organ) rec. 2006/7 WERGO
WER67122 [77:45] [HC]
A
magnificent release ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Simon Boccanegra
Orchestra and Chorus
of Teatro San Carlo, Naples/Mario Rossi rec. 1958
ISTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS 6552/53 [74.02 + 60.30][RJF]
A
welcome legitimate addition to Gencer’s live recordings ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) La
Forza del Destino (1869 version) Violetta
Urmana, Marcello Giordani, Carlo Guelfi, Ch & O Maggio Musicale
Fiorentino/Zubin Mehta rec. live, 2007 TDK
DVWW-OPFORZA [189:00]
[ST]
Now
leads the field … one of the great Verdi DVDs ... see Full
Review
Tomas
Luis de VICTORIA (1548-1611) Requiem
see Lôbo
Heitor VILLA-LOBOS
(1887-1959) Bachianas Brasileiras (excerpts)
etc.
Various artists rec. 1957-92
CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2283762 [71:52][BW]
An
attractive sampler but go for the parent EMI collections ... see Full
Review
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) The Four
Seasons Francesco GEMINIANI (1687-1762)
Concerti Grossi
Christina Day Martinson (violin); Boston Baroque/Martin
Pearlman rec. 2008
TELARC SACD60698
[59:26][MSJ]
Very
piquant ... see Full
Review
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Violin Concertos - Vol. 2
Shlomo Mintz (violin; conductor) Israel Chamber Orchestra rec. Eglise
Du Liban, Paris, August 1992, March 1993 Original release 1992, 1993
MusicMasters Classics
NIMBUS RECORDS NI 2523-7 [5 CDs: 59:15 + 61:45 + 55:52 + 59:03 +
62:17]
[DC]
Superbly
played and recorded, but a ‘safe’ option nonetheless. ... see Full
Review
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) Cello
Concertos Han-Na
Chang (cello); London Chamber Orchestra/Christopher Warren-Green rec.
2008 EMI CLASSICS 2347910
[67:41][PPLL]
Richly
entertaining ... see Full
Review
Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Les Saisons Amusantes see CHÉDEVILLE
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) Arie
ritrovate - Alternate arias for the operas
Sonia Prina (contralto) Stefano Montanari (violin) Academia Bizantina/Ottavio
Dantone rec. 2007 NAIVE
OP30443 [70:26] [IB]
Worth
reviving but not every one is a hidden masterpiece ... see Full
Review
Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Overtures Euryanthe, Peter Schmoll und seine Nachbarn,
Oberon, Der Beherrscher der Geister, Turandot,
Preciosa, Silvana, Jubel-Ouverture, Abu Hassan,
Der Freischütz
New Zealand SO/Antoni Wit rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.570296 [76:24] [RW]
Delicate
contrasts of mood and bright clear recording ... see Full
Review
Thomas
WEELKES (c.1575-1623) Sacred
Choral Music Tewkesbury
Abbey Schola Cantorum/Benjamin Nicholas
rec. 2008 DELPHIAN DCD34070 [59.52]
[GH]
Worth
exploring ... see Full Review
Giaches de WERT (1535-1596) Vox
in Rama - Il secondo libro de motetti Collegium
Regale/Stephen Cleobury rec. 2007 SIGNUM
CLASSICS SIGCD131 [71:16][JV]
First-rate
performances … a beautiful and transparent sound ... see Full
Review
Hugh
WOOD (b.1932) String Quartet nos.1& 2, The Horses, The Rider Victory Priaulx RAINIER (1903-1986) Quanta,String Trio Lennox BERKELEY (1903-1989) Duo for Cello and Piano, Peter Racine FRICKER (1920-1990) Sonata for Cello and Piano, Martin DALBY (b.1942) Variations for Cello and Piano John MCCABE (b.1939) Partita for Solo Cello
Dartington String Quartet; London Oboe Quartet; Julian Lloyd Webber
(cello); John McCabe (piano) rec. 1970/73/76
LYRITA SRCD.304 [40:38
+ 74:10]
[MS] [RB]
Stimulating and beautiful - otherwise unavailable - so doubly worth getting.
... See Full Review [MS]
Dissonance
dominant but reigning alongside the lyric voice ... see Full
Review [RB]
Gerd
ZACHER (b.
1929)
Organ Works Text, Szamty, Vocalise, Diferencias, Realisation
über Cage’s variations I, Ré
Gerd Zacher (organ) rec. 2004
CYBELE 060.501
[67:20] [DC]
Not
the easiest nut to crack, but an instant organ classic nonetheless
... see Full Review
Bernd
Alois ZIMMERMANN (1918-1970) Requiem
für einen jungen Dichter Eric
Vloiemans Quintet (jazz quintet) Holland Symfonia/Bernhard
Kontarsky
rec. 2005 CYBELE 860.501 [63:10]
[DC]
Stunned,
you’ll rise from this a sadder and a wiser person ... see Full
Review
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2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
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