NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
Some
Recent Eloquence Releases: Summer 2017
by Brian Wilson
National Discography updates by Mike
Herman: Russian,
Soviet & Post-Soviet Concertos
Forgotten
Artists: Carl Melles by Christopher
Howell
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other music); Friday: Articles.
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LATEST REVIEWS
Friday
July 21st
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) String Sextets
Nos 1 & 2 - Roland Glassl (viola) Wolfgang
Emanuel Schmidt (cello) Mandelring Qt rec.
2016 AUDITE 97.715 [71:41]
Renaud Capuçon, Christoph Koncz (violins)
Gérard Caussé, Marie Chilemme (violas) Gautier
Capuçon, Clemens Hagen (cellos) rec. 2016
ERATO 9029 588837 [76:49] [RK]
Two fine recordings, though that on Erato
is surely the most likely to give lasting
pleasure.
Claudio
DALL’ALBERO Polyphonia
in Excelsis - Ch Sidney
Sussex College, Cambridge/David Skinner
rec. 2016/17 RESONUS RES10190
[72:39] [RHa] Ancient modes and contemporary
harmonies converge in attractive sacred
choral works from a new Roman master.
Christoph
GRAUPNER (1683-1760) Das
Leiden Jesu - Solistenensemble Ex Tempore,
Barockorchester Mannheimer Hofkapelle/Florian
Heyerick rec. 2016 CPO 555 071-2
[68:41] [DC] Significant discoveries
even for Graupner fans.
Betty
ROE (b.1930) Songs - Sarah
Leonard, Anne Marie Sheridan (sopranos)
Robin Tritschler (tenor) Stephen Varcoe
(baritone) Nigel Foster (piano) rec. 2014-16
MÉTIER MSV28566
[65:52] [JF] Convincingly performed,
this is a well-produced retrospective of
the songs of Betty Roe.
Camilla
SÖDERBERG (b. 1953) Endless
Games - Johannes Thorell (saxophone)
Magnus Sköld (piano) Sverrir Guðjónsson
(voice) Camilla Söderberg (tenor recorder)
rec. 2007 DB PRODUCTIONS DBCD181
[71.24] [MW] An excellent example of
electronic music with some striking compositions.
Elgar
and his Peers Works by
Elgar, Beecham, O'Donnell & Vaughan
Williams - London Symphonic Concert Band/Tom
Higgins rec. 2016 SOMM SOMMCD0170
[74:33] [JQ] This disc is valuable,
especially for the welcome light it sheds
on a less familiar side of Elgar’s
output.
Medieval
Songs and Dances St George’s
Canzona/John Sothcott CRD 3421
[49:47] Merry it is while Summer
lasts St George’s Canzona/John
Sothcott rec. 1982 CRD 3412
[47:22] New Fashions Cries
& Ballads of London - Red Byrd/Nancy
Hadden rec. 199 CRD 3487
[66:22] [EML] All three discs can be
recommended despite the outdated presentation
and slightly unprofessional appearance of
the booklets.
El
teatro del arpa Sara Águeda
(harp) Adriana Mayer (mezzo) Víctor
Sordo (tenor) Calia Álvarez (vihuela
de arco) Daniel Garay (percussion) rec.
2016 DUX 1359 [70:17] [JV]
This disc is the best possible case
for the harp.
Thursday
July 20th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
The Well-Tempered Clavier Books 1 &
2 - Frédéric Desenclos (organ)
rec. 1998-2001 ALPHA 819
[4 CDs: 249:15] [DC] New clothes for
the ‘Old-Testament’.
Philip
GLASS (b. 1937) Life: A
Journey Through Time - The Hague Philharmonic/Carolyn
Kuan ORANGE MOUNTAIN MUSIC OMM0116
[58.36] [MW] An enjoyable introduction
to the wonderful world of Glass.
Orlande
de LASSUS (1532-1594) Requiem
a 5 - Ch of Girton College, Cambridge/Gareth
Wilson, Historic Brass of the Guildhall,
London; Lucy Morrell (organ) rec. 2016 TOCCATA
CLASSICS TOCC0397 [60.48] [GH]
A compelling disc.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Great Mass - Kammerch & Hofkapelle Stuttgart/Frieder
Bernius rec. 2016 CARUS 83.284
[56:06] [RK] A good and rewarding performance,
though not the very finest around.
Paul
PARAY (1886-1979) Chamber works
- Eliot Lawson (violin) Samuel Magill (cello)
Diane Andersen (piano) rec. 2016 AZUR
CLASSICAL AZC155 [66:29] [SG] Paray’s
gift for melody permeates these delightful
scores.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Rare
Piano Transcriptions - Julia Severus (piano)
rec. 2016 NAXOS 8.573468
[73:26] [NB] Admirers of this composer
really need not delay - this is an excellent
recital in every respect.
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882 – 1971)
Rarities - Igor & Soulima Stravinsky
(piano) Beecham SO/Thomas Beecham; Royal
Albert Hall O/Eugene Goossens; Berlin State
Opera O/Oskar Fried; Philadelphia O/Leopold
Stokowski rec. 1916/38 PRISTINE
AUDIO PASC496 [78:13] [GPJ] Fascinating
early performances make this a ‘must’
for Stravinsky enthusiasts.
Vale
Richard Craig (flutes) Cora
Schmeiser (soprano) Distractfold Ens rec.
2011/14 MÉTIER MSV28540
[60:51] [JF] An interesting exploration
of modern music for flute, voice and other
instruments;
the performances appear to me to be
brilliant.
Wednesday
July 19th
Judith
BINGHAM (b. 1952) Organ Works
- Stephen Farr (organ & harpsichord)
Jeremy Cole (organ) rec. 2011/16 RESONUS
CLASSICS RES10191 [69:13 + 53:49]
[DC] An invaluable collection of Bingham’s
more recent organ works.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1883-1897) Complete
Duets & Quartets - Juliane Banse (soprano)
Ingeborg Danz, Iris Vermillion (mezzo) Marianne
Beate Kielland (alto) Christoph Prégardien,
Marcus Ullmann (tenor) Andreas Schmidt (baritone)
Helmut Deutsch, Wolfram Rieger (piano) rec.
1997-2003 CPO 777 537-2
[3 CDs: 149.25] [MW] High artistry,
charm and sheer delight – a set to
enjoy.
Kenji
BUNCH (b. 1973) The Snow
Queen - Orchestra NEXT/Brian McWhorter
INNOVA 977 [49:37 + 52:56]
[DC] A highly effective new large-scale
ballet score.
Pascal
DUSAPIN (b. 1955) Item
- Arne Deforce (cello) Benjamin Dieltjens
(clarinet) rec. 2015/17 AEON AECD1756
[59:37 + 40:59] [SSi] This most valuable
release confirms Dusapin as a leading French
composer of his day.
Edvard
GRIEG (1843-1907) String Quartets
- Meccore Qt rec. 2016 MDG 903 1998-6
SACD [57:09] [RK] Intensity
and precision make for a notable performance
of Grieg’s wonderful first - and only
complete - string quartet.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Tommie
HAGLUND (b.1959) Flaminis
Aura, Il Regno degli Spiriti,
Sollievo, Serenata per Diotima
- Ernst Simon Glaser (cello), Julia Kretz–Larsson
(violin), ZilliacusPerssonRaitinen, Gothenburg
Symphony/David Afkham, Malmö SO/Joachim
Gustaffson rec. 2012/15 BIS BIS–2025
SACD [83:46] [NB] Unique and
powerful music, stunningly played and recorded.
Witold
LUTOSŁAWSKI (1913-1994)
Opera Omnia Vols 4 & 5 - NFM Wroclaw
PO & Ch/Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Jacek
Kaspszyk rec. 2012/3 CD ACCORD ACD197-2
[66:54] [SB] Two more in this luxuriously
produced series of Lutoslawski’s complete
works.
Music
of the Night: American Nocturnes
Cecile Licad (piano) rec. 2017 DANACORD
DACOCD783/4 [65:10 + 53:39]
[JF] Cecile Licad is impeccable, absolute
master of these diverse styles.
Tuesday
July 18th
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin
Sonatas Nos 6 & 9 - James Ehnes (violin)
Andrew Armstrong (piano) rec. 2015/16 ONYX
4170 [61:57] [DHu] Impeccably
executed performances, if not entirely for
those who like their Beethoven with a little
more cut-and-thrust.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphonies
Nos 3 & 4, Haydn Variations - Philharmonia
O/Arturo Toscanini rec. 1952 PRISTINE
AUDIO PASC377 [57:10 + 43:29] [SV]
Important documents, and the performances
they enshrine are first-class.
Leonid
DESYATNIKOV (b. 1955) Sketches
to sunset, Russian seasons
- Brno PO, Lithuanian CO/Philipp Chizhevsky
rec. 2014/16 QUARTZ QTZ2122
[58:50] [SA] Performances that do a
marvellous job in bringing this composer’s
music thrillingly to life.
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) String Quartets
op. 20 Vols 1 & 2 - Chiaroscuro Qt rec.
2015 BIS BIS2158/68 SACD
[74:34 & 75:08] [DJB] Good enough
to convert non-believers to the authentic
instrument side.
Franz
LISZT (1811–1886) 12
Grande Etudes - Wenbin Jin (piano) rec.
2015 NAXOS 8.573709 [72:28]
[JWe] A magnificent recording of a formidable
set of works.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Lieder
Vol. 3 - Ian Bostridge (tenor) Julius Drake
(piano) rec. 2014 WIGMORE HALL LIVE
WHLIVE0088 [79:31] [JQ] A highly
distinguished Schubert recital: artistry
at the highest level.
Flemish
Baroque Treasures Unveiled
Works by Drymans & Kennis - Utopia,
Euterpe Baroque Consort/Bart Rodyns rec.
2015/6 PHAEDRA PH92093
[53:54] [JV] Well worth investigation,
despite the rather short playing time.
Véronique
Gens (soprano) Visions
- Munich RSO/Hervé Niquet rec. 2017
ALPHA CLASSICS 279 [55.43] [MC]
With Gens in quite sensational form,
this is an eminently desirable album of
rarely heard French arias.
Monday
July 17th
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) &
Franz Alexander PÖSSINGER (1767-1827)
Violin Concertos - Anton Steck (violin)
L’arpa festante/Matthew Halls rec.
2016 ACCENT ACC24320 [62:01]
[CC] A most refreshing take on a well-known
favourite, while piquing one’s interest
in the coupling.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Heinrich
Ignaz Franz von BIBER (1644-1704)
Missa Alleluja, Nisi Dominus,
Pastorella in A, Hic est panis
- St. Florianer Sängerknaben, Ars Antiqua
Austria/Gunar Letzbor (violin) rec. 2014/15
ACCENT ACC24325 [59:08]
[JV] This disc is a treasure. Don't
miss it.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) String
Quartet No. 12, String Quintet - Škampa
Qt rec. 2015 CHAMPS HILL RECORDS
CHRCD110 [61:19] [LW] The Škampa
Quartet delivers exceptional accounts of
Dvořák’s ‘American’
works.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Vienna
PO/Bruno Walter rec. 1936-1938 OPUS
KURA OPK2118/9 [64:34 + 39:00]
[SG] Newly remastered, Walter’s
Mozart recordings sound vital and fresh,
with depth and perspective.
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Proserpine - Véronique Gens (soprano)
Flemish Radio Ch, Munich RO/Ulf Schirmer
rec. 2016 EDICIONES SINGULARES ES1027
[55:32 + 39:18] [GF] A quality product
indeed!
Charles
Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)
Preludes - Sam Haywood (piano) rec. 2016
HYPERION CDA68183 [69:41] [MR]
The 48 Preludes in all keys bring Bach to
mind, but stylistically Stanford is very
much his own man. Sam Haywood masterfully
handles these mighty miniatures.
Georg
Philip TELEMANN (1681-1767) & Johann
WALTER (1496-1570) Ein feste
Burg ist unser Gott - Concerto Melante/Raimar
Orlovsky rec. 2016 DEUTSCHE HARMONIA
MUNDI 88985347982 [70:31] [GPJ]
The brilliant young German ensemble Concerto
Melante have come up with a delightful disc
celebrating both Martin Luther and
Telemann.
Pauline
VIARDOT (1821-1910) Deutsche
Lieder - Miriam Alexandra (soprano)
Eric Schneider (piano) rec. 2016 OEHMS
CLASSICS OC1878 [71:17] [SSi]
A good disc, let down by the engineers in
a few songs, but indispensable for those
who want to delve into the musical art of
Pauline Viardot.
Other reviews
Strings
& Bass Florian Willeitner,
Johannes Dickbauer (violins), Matthias Bartolomey
(cello) Georg Breinschmid (double bass,
bass guitar) rec. 2016 GRAMOLA 99140
[76:56] [DJB] Fine music across a number
of genres, and brilliantly performed –
just ignore the bonus track.
