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TUESDAY June 30th
Sir
Julius BENEDICT (1804-1885) Piano
Concertos in C minor and E flat Walter
MACFARREN (1826-1905) Concertstück 
Howard
Shelley (piano); Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra/Howard Shelley
rec. 2008; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 48 HYPERION
CDA67720 [70:50][RB] 
The
energy behind this series shows no sign of flagging ... see Full
Review
Adagio:
Let the World Be Still Various
artists Universal Classics
and Jazz 4763377 [75:33 + 75:27][GPu] 
A
real mixed bag of an album … see Full
Review
Plácido
Domingo - Live Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Carmen (1875) Plácido
Domingo (tenor); Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper/Carlos Kleiber rec.
1978 TDK DV-CLOPCAR [154:00] Umberto
GIORDANO (1867-1948) Fedora Plácido
Domingo (tenor); Coro & Orchestra del Teatro alla
Scala/Gianandrea Gavazzeni rec. 1993 TDK
DVWW-OPFED [113:00] Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Il trovatore Plácido
Domingo (tenor); Chor & Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper/Herbert
von Karajan rec. 1978 TDK DV-CLOPIT (2 DVD) [151:00] TDK
DV-GOLDBOX2 
(4
DVD)[GF] 
No
opera lover is likely to be seriously disappointed with this
... see Full Review
Serenissime
Sonate - Music by Giovanni
ARRIGONI (1597-1665), Tarquinio
MERULA (1594-1665), Biagio
MARINI (1597-1665), Francesco
CAVALLI (1602-1676), Marco
FERRO, Martino PESENTI (1600-1648)
and Massimiliano
NERI (1615-1666) Sonatori
de la Gioiosa Marca rec. 2002 DIVOX
CDX-70505 
[71:47][DJB]
Eureka:
irresistible performances of sublime music from unknown composers … see Full
Review
Stokowski Alan
HOVHANESS (1911-2000) Symphony 1 Darius
MILHAUD (1892-1974) Symphony 1 Aaron
COPLAND (1900-1990) Symphony 2 José SEREBRIER (b.1938) Symphony
1 NBC
SO, Houston SO/Leopold Stokowski rec. 1942-57 GUILD
GHCD2347 [72:51][RB] 
In-depth
musical enjoyment ... see Full
Review
MONDAY June 29th
Peggy
GLANVILLE-HICKS (1912-1990) Etruscan
Concerto etc. Tasmanian
Symphony Orchestra/Richard Mills, Antony Walker rec. 1993-2007 ABC
CLASSICS 4763222 [52:57][RB]
A
rewarding collection from this Australian RVW pupil ... see Full
Review
Karl
Amadeus HARTMANN (1905-1963) Concerto
funebre etc. SWR
Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern/Paul Goodwin rec. 2004-7 WERGO
WER67142 [70:39][HC]
A
must for all admirers of Hartmann’s music … see Full
Review
Fanny
MENDELSSOHN-HENSEL (1805-1847) Piano
works Heather
Schmidt (piano) rec. 2007 NAXOS
DIGITAL 8.570825 [67:18][BR]
Marvellously
poetic and remarkably self-confident music … see Full
Review
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Genoveva Ruth
Ziesak (soprano); Arnold Schoenberg Choir; Chamber Orchestra
of Europe/Nikolaus Harnoncourt rec. 1996 TELDEC
2564691261 [69:46 + 58:28][MC]
A
neglected opera with a fine cast featuring the excellent soprano
Ruth Ziesak ... see Full
Review
Bernardo STORACE (c.1637–c.1707) Works
for Harpsichord & Organ Jörg
Halubek (harpsichord, organ) rec. 2006 CPO
777444-2 [72:41][JV]
Decent
and stylish but lacks passion ... see Full
Review
FRIDAY
June 26th
Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Symphonie
fantastique, Romeo et Juliette, Harold en Italie, Rêverie
et caprice Yvonne
Minton (mezzo); Francisco Araiza (tenor); Jules Bastin (bass)
Paris O & Ch/Daniel Barenboim; Berlin PO/Lorin Maazel; Orpheus
CO/Guillermo Figueroa
rec. 1979-91 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
ELOQUENCE
4800714 [3 CDs: 71:45 + 76:00 + 50:18] [RMo]
Leaves
much to be desired ... see Full Review
Dietrich
BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707) Sonatas
Op.1 L’Estravagante
rec. 2006/7 ARTS
47731-8 
[60:30] [GPu]
Exhilarating
performances of some remarkable music … see Full
Review
Baldassare
GALUPPI (1706-1785) Keyboard
Sonatas Andrea
Bacchetti (piano) rec. 2007 BMG-RCA
RED SEAL 88697 367932 [68:50] [MS]
Neglected
keyboard sonatas played with sensitivity and depth ... see Full
Review
Luigi
GATTI (1740-1817) Schöpfungmesse Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Schöpfungmesse Dresdener
Kreuzkor & Philharmonie/Roderich Kriele rec. live, 2008 CARUS
83.245 [69:64] [DC]
Interesting,
but not really top of the pile ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) The
Complete Overtures Haydn
Sinfonietta Wien/Manfred Huss rec. 1994 BIS
BISCD1818 [60:55 + 57:05]
One
of life’s little gifts ... see Full
Review
Francisco
de PEÑALOSA (c.1470-1528) The
Complete Motets Pro
Cantione Antiqua/Bruno Turner rec. 1991 HYPERION
HELIOS CDH55357 [67:53] [BW]
The
Helios catalogue goes from strength to strength ... see Full
Review
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Papillons,
Waldszenen Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Klavierstücke Dejan
Lazić (piano) rec. 2007 CHANNEL
CLASSICS CCSSA27609 [67:32] [DC]
Very
good - a debatable first choice however ... see Full
Review
John
STAINER (1840-1901) The
Crucifixion Michael
George (bass); James Griffett (tenor) Peterborough Cathedral
Choir/Stanley Vann rec. 1978(?) REGIS
RRC1307 [61:00] [RB]
Vann
makes the best possible case for this sentimental ikon ... see Full
Review
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) The
'Four Seasons' & other concertos (arr. solo piano) Jeffrey
Biegel (piano) rec. 2008 NAXOS
8.570031 [60:32] [BR]
Absent
any compelling writing, all we can do is yearn for the originals … see Full
Review
The
Celtic Viol Jordi
Savall (treble viols & fiddle); Andrew Lawrence-King (Irish
Harp & Psalterium) rec. 2008 ALIA
VOX AVSA9865 [75:53] [BW]
Enjoyable
but mainly of interest to specialists ... see Full
Review
THURSDAY
June 25th
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Lieder
und Gesänge John
Mark Ainsley (tenor) Iain Burnside (piano)
rec. 2008 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD145 [77:43] [JQ]
Committed,
sensitive performances ... see Full
Review
Elliot
CARTER (b.
1908) 100th Anniversary
Release Includes Mosaic, Dialogues & DVD: Interview New
Music Concerts Ensemble/Robert Aitkin rec. 2006 NAXOS
8.559614 [64.50] & 2.110257 [51.07]
Testimony
to an astonishing musical personality ... see Full
Review
Arvo
PÄRT (b.
1935) In principio, La Sindone, Cecilia,
vergine romana, Mein Weg, Für Lennart in memoriam Estonian
Philharmonic Chamber Ch; Estonian Ntl SO; Tallinn CO/Tōnu
Kaljuste rec. 2007/8 ECM
NEW SERIES 2050 (4766990) [71:02] [HC]
ECM’s
tireless and indefatigable championing of Pärt ... see Full
Review
Jean-Philippe
RAMEAU (1683-1764) Anacréon, Le
Berger fidèle Thierry
Félix, Veronique Gens, Les Musiciens du Louvre/Marc Minkowski
rec. live, 1995 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 93930 [56.30] [RH]
A
strong and affordable place from which to start your Rameau quest
... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Arnold SCHOENBERG (1874-1951) String
Quartets Anton WEBERN (1883-1945) Five
Movements, String Quartets Alban BERG (1885-1935) Lyric
Suite, String Quartet Margaret
Price (soprano) LaSalle Qt rec. March 1968-70 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 9016 [4 CDs: 72:41 + 62:41 + 57:00 + 45:48] [MC][RB]
Outstanding
playing from the LaSalle … a most welcome return to the catalogue
[MC] ... An inexpensive and stylish way of becoming au fait with
the chamber music of the Second Viennese School [RB] ... see Full
Review
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony
15, Hamlet Russian
Ntl O/Mikhail Pletnev rec. 2008 PENTATONE
CLASSICS PTC5186331 [64:42] [DC]
Unexpectedly
beige ... see Full Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) String
Quartets 1890-1922: Adagio, String Quartet, Voces Intimae, Andante
Festivo Tempera
Qt rec. 2004/5 BIS
CD-1466 [78:50] [RB]
Vivid
music-making and not a sniff of academic completism ... see Full
Review
Karol
SZYMANOWSKI (1882-1937) Symphonies
1 & 4, Concert Overture, Study Ewa
Marczyk (violin) Warsaw PO/Antoni Wit rec. 2007/8 NAXOS
8.570722 [67:18] [DM]
A
splendid addition to an indispensable cycle ... see Full
Review
Ermanno
WOLF-FERRARI (1876-1948) La
vedova scaltra Anne-Lise
Sollied (soprano); Milord Runebif - Maurizio Muraro (bass)
Ch & O Teatro La Fenice, Venice/Karl Martin rec. live,
2007 NAXOS
8.660225-26 [75:25 + 66:17] [GPu]
An
engaging performance of an entertaining comic opera … see Full
Review
Dedications Pehr
Henrik NORDGREN (1944-2008) Solemnity-Euphony Pēteris
VASKS (b. 1946) Musica appassionata Anders
ELIASSON (b. 1947) Sinfonia per archi Ostrobothnian
CO/Juha Kangas rec. 2007 ALBA
ABCD245 [70:27] [HC]
Another
feather in Alba’s cap ... see Full
Review
WEDNESDAY
June 24th
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin
and Viola sonatas 
Oscar Shumsky (violin and viola) Leonid Hambro (piano) rec. details
not given (c1991) DDD reissued from the MusicMasters catalogue
NIMBUS NI 2513/4 [64:47 + 39:07] 
[JW]
Not
without faults but displays rapt wisdom and assurance ... see
Full Review
John
IRELAND
(1879-1962)
Piano Music by John Ireland - Volume 2
Mark Bebbington (piano) rec. CBSO Centre, Birmingham 18-19 January 2008
SOMM SOMMCD 088 [72:28] 
[JF][RB]
I
suggest that you add this to your collection. [JF] A fine series takes
another step forward [RB] ... see Full
Review
Olivier MESSIAEN
(1908-1992)
Complete Organ Works
Hans-Ola Ericsson (organ) rec. 1988-1990, Luleå Cathedral, Sweden
and *November 2008, the Katharinenkirche, Oppenhein, Germany.
BIS-CD-1770-72 [7 CDs: 64:28 + 61:37 + 67:31 + 75:40 + 78:29 + 76:18
+ 81:03] 
[DC]
Consistently
rewarding, and a must for Messiaen fans. ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHMIDT
(1874-1939) Symphony No.1
in E (1896/1899) [45:31] Orchestral excerpts from the opera Notre
Dame, op.2 (1904): Introduction, Interlude and Carnival Music [15:21]
Malmö
Symphony Orchestra/Vassily Sinaisky rec. 22-23 (Notre Dame),
27-30 (Symphony) August 2007, Malmö Concert Hall
NAXOS 8.570828 [61:02]
[JW]
Youthful,
testosterone filled, sap-rising ... see Full
Review
Marko TAJCEVIC (1900-1984)
Complete Piano Music: Seven Balkan Dances (1926); Five Preludes (1935);
Songs from Mur Island (1938); Sonatina (1923); Serbian Dances (1937);
Variations on a Theme in C minor (1948); For Children (1938); Sonatina
(c. 1947); Two Little Suites (1937); For the Young (1935); Six Miniatures
(1920); Music Box (1930)
Radmila Stojanovic-Kiriluk (piano) rec. January 2004, Omni Classic Recording
Studio, Tempe, Arizona
TOCCATA TOCC0041 [79:13]
[RB]
Pastoral
nationalist piano solos ripe for exploration ... see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Das Rheingold (1869)
Staatskapelle Weimar/Carl St. Clair. Directed by Michael Shulz. rec.
Deutsches Nationaltheater, Weimar, 2008. DVD
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101
353 [166:00]
[TD]
Intense
concentration and new insight ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Choral Songs in Honour of Queen Victoria
A.M.
GOODHART (1866-1941) Lady on the silver throne
(Edmund Gosse) [4:31] Arthur SOMERVELL
(1863-1937) With still increasing benefits (Marquis
of Lorne) [2:23] C.H. LLOYD (1849-1919)
A thousand years, by sea and land (Henry Newbolt) [5:01]
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) To
her beneath whose steadfast star (Frederic W.H. Myers) [5:16] C.V.
STANFORD (1852-1924) Out in the windy West
(Arthur C. Benson [5:07] Sir Frederick BRIDGE
(1844-1924) For all the wonder of thy regal day (Earl
of Crewe) [2:58] Sir John STAINER
(1840-1901) Flora's Queen (J.F.R. Stainer) [5:34]
Charles WOOD (1866-1926) A
Century's Penultimate (Arthur C. James) [5:03] Sir
A.C. MACKENZIE (1847-1935) With wisdom, goodness,
grace (Alfred Austin) [3:42] Sir Hubert
PARRY (1848-1918) Who can dwell with greatness!
(Austin Dobson) [3:05] H. Walford DAVIES
(1869-1941) Hark! The world is full of thy praise (Robert
Bridges) [4:44] Sir George MARTIN
(1844-1916) The seaboards are her mantle's hem (John
Davidson) [3:35] Sir Walter PARRATT
(1841-1924) The Triumph of Victoria (T.H. Warren) [2:20]
Spiritus Chamber Choir/Aidan
Oliver rec. 5-7 August 2002 Challow Park Recital Room, Wantage, Oxfordshire
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC
0012 [53:20]
[JF]
A
supremely confident high-water mark ... see Full
Review
Piano Works during and after
Russian Futurism - Volume 1 Nikolaj
OBUCHOV (1892-1954) Invocation (1916) [5:33] Deux Pièces
(1915) [6:42] Conversion (1916) [5:00] Icône (1915) [3:35] Création
de l'Or (1916) [4:50] Ivan WYSCHNEGRADSKY
(1893-1979) Deux Préludes pour Piano (1916) [3:40] Sergey
PROTOPOPOV (1893-1954) II Sonate op.5 (1924) [13:01] Ivan
WYSCHNEGRADSKY Etude sur le Carré Magique Sonore
op.40 (1957) [8:22] Nikolaj OBUCHOV
Aimons-nous les uns les autres (1942) [1:51] La paix pour les réconciliés
- vers la source avec le calice (1948) [2:49] Le Temple est mesuré,
l'Esprit est incarné (1952) [2:59] Adorons Christ - Fragment
du troisième et dernier Testament (1945) [8:09]
Thomas Günther (piano)rec. 1-4 November 2008, Deutschlandfunk Kammermusiksaal,
Köln.
CYBELE 
SACD
160.404 [66:39]
[DC]
A
remarkable document. ... see Full
Review
Svetlanov Anthology of Russian Symphony Music
Nikolay
Andreevich RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908) Complete Orchestral
Works. Complete track-list at end of review
The State Academic Symphony Orchestra/Evgeny Svetlanov rec. c. 1969-1993
SVET 57-009-1/6
[6 CDs: 67:03 + 63:19 + 70:03 + 76:16 + 58:51 + 72:37]
[NB]
A
magnificent legacy ... see Full
Review
Svetlanov
Anthology of Russian Symphony Music
Alexander BORODIN
(1833-1887) Modest MUSSORGSKY
(1839-1881) Anatoly LIADOV (1855-1914)
Complete track-list at end of review
USSR Symphony Orchestra/Evgeny Svetlanov
rec. 1963-1983 SVET 10-14-5 [5 CDs: 76:04 + 76:22 + 75:15 + 75:53
+ 62:07]
[NB]
A
magnificent legacy ... see Full
Review
...
and for something a little different!
Julie
Feeney 'pages':
1. Love Is A Tricky Thing; 2. Impossibly Beautiful; 3. Grace; 4. Valentine's
Song; 5. One More Tune; 6. Myth; 7. Mr. Roving Eye Guy; 8. Stay; 9.
Life's Nudge; 10. Monster; 11. Nothing to Declare; 12. Knock Knock
Julie
Feeney (vocals) Unnamed orchestra
MITTENS label No Number [c.62:00]
[RB]
Hear
it - surprise yourself ... see Full Review
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