NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
Rossini’s
Guillaume Tell - A survey by Ralph Moore
Piano
Trio Discography: End of Year Update by David Barker
The
Cello Concerto - A New Timeline: 1901-1940 by Patrick C Waller
Mahler's
First Symphony - a survey by Lee Denham
Late
2020 Retrospective by Brian Wilson
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AP0480 Żeleński - Roguski - Recently Discovered Works
AP0481 René de Boisdeffre - Songs 1
AP0488-89 Carl Maria von Weber - Complete Piano Sonatas
AP0490 Swan Hennessy - Viola and Piano Works
Jazz & Nostalgia Reviews
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AP0463 Ignacy Krzyzanowski - Piano Works 2
AP0476 Raul Koczalski - Chamber Works 2
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AP0487 Henryk Pachulski - Piano Works (and Chamber) 3
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Friday January 15th
York
BOWEN (1884-1961) Piano works - Nicolas Namoradze (piano)
rec. 2019 HYPERION CDA68303 [66:21]
[JF] A most welcome release.
Nicola
LeFANU (b. 1947) The Crimson Bird & other
orchestral works - BBC SO/Norman Del Mar, Ilan Volkov, RTÉ Ntl SO/Colman
Pearce rec. 1973-2017 NMC D255 [76:28] [SSi] I
hope that this excellent disc is just the first of a series dedicated
to exploring the music of Nicola LeFanu.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886]) Schwanengesang, Quatre
Valses oubliées - Can Çakmur (piano) rec. 2020 BIS BIS2530
SACD [80:12] [MZ] The young pianist Can Çakmur makes
a vivid impression with thoughtful performances of Liszt obscurities,
beautifully recorded.
Alexander
MOSOLOV (1900-1973) Symphony No 5, Harp Concerto - Taylor
Ann Fleshmann (harp) Moscow SO/Arthur Arnold rec. 2019 NAXOS
8.574102 [68.55] [PCG] The symphony may not provide much
interest, but the concerto is a fine work.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Winterreise - Asambura
Ensemble rec. 2019 DECURIO 004 [77:29] [CSe] A
high water-mark of German Romanticism is subsumed within a Persian
deluge - the result is strange, disorientating and transformative.
Edward
SMALDONE (b. 1956) Once and Again -
Brno PO Strings/Mikel Toms rec. 2013-2019 NEW FOCUS RECORDINGS
FCR258 [67:14] [RP] Works with structural integrity,
aural brilliance and rhythmic vitality.
Magical
Russia Duo Natalia rec. 2019 ARS PRODUKTION
ARS38571 [77:02] [RCh] Intonation problems mean that
this is not a disc I shall be returning to.
Mahler’s
Forgotten Conductor Heinz Unger and His Search for Jewish
Meaning 1895-1965 by Hernan Tesler-Mabé publ. 2020 University
of Toronto Press [SG] A worthy tribute to a long-forgotten
conductor and devoted Mahlerite, whose evangelistic zeal did much
to promulgate the composer's music.
Isaac
Stern (violin) Live Vol. 2 - Pinchas
Zukerman (violin) Leonard Bernstein (piano) Concertgebouw Orchestra/Bernard
Haitink rec. February 1953-68 DOREMI DHR-8128-29
[79:37 +79:19] [JW] Enough good things to tempt even the Sternist
sated by the vast Sony box.
Verklärte
Nacht Works by Lehar, Schoenberg, Fried & Korngold
- Stuart Skelton (tenor) Christine Rice (mezzo) BBC SO/Edward Gardner
rec. 2020 CHANDOS SACD CHSA5243 [63:36] [RWe] Recommended
both for the excellent performances and valuable programme.
Thursday January 14th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Keyboard Works - Jill Crossland
(piano) rec. 2003 DIVERSIONS DDV24169 [75:18] [JF]
A satisfying and commanding performance.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin Concerto Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Symphony No. 4 - Zino Francescatti
(violin), National Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra/Antal
Doráti rec. 1965/72 ANTAL DORÁTI LIVE ADL 228
[77:34] [JW] The Vaughan Williams is the better performance of
this somewhat odd coupling.
Ed
BENNETT (b. 1975) Psychedelia - RTÉ National
Symphony Orchestra/David Brophy rec 2013-20 NMC D257
[78:13] [RHa] Yet more invigorating fare from Ireland; Bennett’s
music oscillates seamlessly between the febrile and the subtle.
Ernest
CHAUSSON (1855-1899) Concerto, String Quartet - Philharmonia
Chamber Players, Gabriele Pieranunzi (violin), Jin Ju (piano) rec.
2018 AULICUS ALC0029 [73:76] [RMo] These two
works could hardly be given better advocacy.
Armand-Louis
COUPERIN (1727-1789) Pièces de clavecin - Christophe
Rousset (harpsichord) rec. 2017 APARTÉ AP236 [49:41+51:06]
[SSi] Christophe Rousset and the instrument showcase Armand-Louis
Couperin’s music.
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) & Jean FRANÇAIX (1912-1997)
Chamber Music - Sarah Rumer (flute) Joël Marosi (cello)
Ulrich Koella (piano) rec. 2015 PROSPERO PROSP0006 [74:34]
[SG] Blithe, sunny and imbued with charm and wit.
Anton
Bruckner: Eleven Symphonies by William Carragan
publ. 2020 Bruckner Society of America [SB] An
authoritative work on the different versions of the Bruckner symphonies.
Buried
Alive Works by Honegger, Mitropoulos & Schoeck
- Michael Nagy (baritone), The Bard Festival Chorale, The Orchestra
NOW/Leon Botstein rec. 2019 BRIDGE 9540 [78:43] [NB]
A disc that enhances the reputations of all involved.
Duende
Music by Granados, Albéniz, Debussy, Ravel and Falla - Teo Gheorghiu
(piano) rec. 2020 CLAVES RECORDS CD3021 [65:31] [RCh]
A sunny recital vividly brought to life.
Per la Notte di Natale Italian
Christmas Concertos - Concerto Copenhagen/Lars Ulrik Mortensen
rec. 2020 NAXOS 8.574264 [48:17] [JV] The
quality of the performances more than compensates for the lack of
adventure and the short playing time.
Wednesday January 13th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Well-Tempered Clavier
Book 2 - Borbála Dobozy (harpsichord) rec. 2018 BMC
CD 293 [2 CDs: 74:42 + 76:51] [DC] Up with the best for
Bach’s WTC Book 2 on harpsichord.
Gayané
CHEBOTARYAN (1918-1998) Arno BABADJANIAN (1921-1983) & Astor
PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) Piano trios - Trio de L’Île rec.
2020 DIVINE ART DDA25211 [54:53] [DJB] Absolutely
outstanding – previous favourites are swept aside.
Stéfan
ELMAS (1862-1937) Piano Concertos Nos
1 & 2 -Tasmanian SO/Howard Shelley (piano) rec. 2019 HYPERION
CDA68319 [73:55] [EJW] A fine addition to the Hyperion’s
series of concerto recordings.
Erich
Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Piano Trio, String Sextet
- Spectrum Arts Berlin rec. 2019 NAXOS 8.574008 [65:20]
[NB] Prodigious music played with passionate intensity.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Also sprach Zarathustra,
Tod und Verklärung, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche -
San Francisco SO/Herbert Blomstedt rec. 1994-1995 Presto CD DECCA
448 815-2 [72:24] [RMo] A disappointment given the pedigree
of the conductor and orchestra.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
- Georg Zeppenfeld, Vitalij Kowaljow, Sächsische
Staatskapelle Dresden/Christian Thielemann rec. 2019 PROFIL
EDITION PH20059 [4 CDs: 274:20] [ST] This set left me
feeling rather flat in comparison with the other bounty on offer elsewhere.
Andrès Segovia and his Contemporaries - Vol 13 After
Tárrega: The Guitar in Spain - Part 1 rec. 1927-30 DOREMI
DHR-8079 [75:43] [ZT] For those interested in hearing
obscure guitarists from the guitar’s recording infancy, this
CD is a worthwhile investment.
Murray
Perahia (piano) Works by Schubert & Brahms
- Radu Lupu, Sir George Solti (piano) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
(baritone) Amadeus String Qt rec. 1980-2010 SONY 194397883527
[8 CDs: 519:10] [SSi] A most welcome set which exemplifies Murray
Perahia as an interpreter of Schubert and Brahms.
Puer
Natus Est – Christmas Day Mass
from Buckfast Abbey - Matthew Searles (organ)
Ch Buckfast Abbey/Philip Arkwright rec. 2020 AD FONTES AF005
[68:05] [MR] An atmospheric and beautifully-presented recording
of a Christmas Mass.
Tame
Cat and Other Songs by British Composers - Sylvia
Eaves (soprano) Courtney Kenny (piano) Thea King (clarinet) rec. 1982
CAMEO CLASSICS CC9128 [46:43] [JW] A cannily selected
programme.
Tuesday January 12th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Cello Suites - David
Watkin (cello) rec. 2013 RESONUS RES10146 [68:19
+ 76:42] [RMo] This recording presents period practice at its
best.
Johannes
de CLEVE (1528/29-1582) Missa Rex Babylonis
Jacobus VAET (c1529-1567) Rex
Babylonis - Cinquecento rec. 2019 HYPERION CDA68241
[71:06] [JV] Superb performances.
Talivaldis
KENINŠ (1919-2008) Violin Concerto, Concerto for
Five Percussionists, Beatae voces tenebrae - Eva Bindere
(violin) Perpetuum Ritmico (percussion ensemble) Latvian National
Symphony Orchestra/Andris Poga rec. 2020 SKANI LMIC088
[54:37] [HC] Very fine works in assured performances.
Jules
MASSENET (1842-1912) Don Quichotte - Gábor
Bretz, David Stout, Wiener Symphoniker/Daniel Cohen rec. 2019 C
MAJOR Blu-ray 754104 [125 mins] [MP] Excellent casting
and playing are the high spots of an enjoyable staging that doesn’t
quite capture the full mood of Massenet's tender opera.
Rebecca
SAUNDERS (b. 1967) Still, Aether, Alba -Carolin
Widmann (violin) Marco Blaauw (trumpet) Carl Rosman, Richard Haynes
(bass clarinets) SO Bayerischen Rundfunks/Ilan Volkov, Peter Eövös
rec. 2015-2018 BR KLASSIK 900635 [66:50] [GH] This
may be the future of classical music.
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678–1741) Il Tamerlano - Bruno
Taddia (baritone), Filippo Mineccia (countertenor), Accademia Bizantina/Ottavio
Dantone rec. 2020 NAÏVE OP7080 [3 CDs: 154:19]
[SSi] Not Vivaldi’s best opera but well worth investigating.
…
and … Ars Nova Copenhagen/Paul Hillier rec.
2019-2020 NAXOS 8.574281 [62:48] [MR] An intriguing
programme.
Entente
Musicale Works by Delius, Debussy & Ireland
- Clare Howick (violin); Simon Callaghan (piano) rec. 2019 SOMM
RECORDINGS SOMMCD0625 [80:35] [NB] A unique and successful
combination of familiar repertoire given performances of the highest
quality.
Pioneers
Piano Works by Female Composers - Hiroko Ishimoto (piano)
rec. 2019 GRAND PIANO GP844 [77:30] [RCh] Lots
to enjoy in this generous recital.
Sviatoslav
Richter (piano) Works by Debussy & Haydn rec. 1976-1984
PARNASSUS DVD PDVD1209 [85 mins] [JW] If you
need to see and hear Richter in reasonable sound and vision, then
this DVD might well fit the bill.
Monday January 11th
Linda
BUCKLEY (b. 1979) From Ocean’s Floor - Linda
Buckley (electronics) Crash Ensemble, ConTempo Quartet rec. 2016-19
NMC D258 [78:17] [RHa] 'Ó Íochtar mara' is the unforgettable
standout in a survey of fascinating electroacoustic pieces.
Samuel
DUCOMMUN (1914-1987) Orchestral works - Lausanne Chamber
Orchestra/Victor Desarzens rec. 1963-2019 CLAVES 50-3023
[78:34] [MR] The impact of these interesting works from a little-known
Swiss composer is somewhat diminished by some poor recordings and
uneven performances.
August
ENNA (1859-1939) Kleopatra - Elsebeth Dreisig
(soprano), Magnus Vigilius (tenor), Ruslana Kaval (soprano), Lars
Møller (baritone), Jens Bové (bass), Kirsten Grøønfeldt
(soprano), Danish National Opera Chorus, Odense Symphony Orchestra/Joachim
Gustafsson rec. 2019 DACAPO 8.226708-09 [47:17 +
64:16] [PCG] An opera which, despite its dramatic deficiencies,
well deserves its revival.
Reynaldo
HAHN (1874-1947) L’île du rêve
- Hélène Guilmette, Cyrille Dubois, Anaïk Morel,
Artavazd Sargsyan, Ludivine Gombert, Thomas Dolié, Chœur
du Concert Spirituel, Münchner Rundfunkorchester/Hervé Niquet
rec. 2020 BRU ZANE BZ1042 [60:19] [PSt] Despite
a few tiny caveats, I found the piece utterly enchanting.
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ (1890-1959) Violin Concertos Nos
1 & 2 Béla BARTÓK (1881-1945) Sonata
for solo violin - Franz Peter Zimmermann (violin) Bamberg Symphony
Orchestra/Jakub Hrůša rec. 2018-2020 BIS BIS-2457 SACD [74:40]
[RC] Splendid performances throughout.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Complete Piano Sonatas Vol.
1 - Orli Shaham (piano) rec. 2019 CANARY CLASSICS CC19
[67:17] [DJB] This has the makings of a good series.
Alexander
RAHBARI (b. 1948) Symphonic Poems No. 9-10 - Prague
Metropolitan Orchestra/Alexander Rahbari rec. 2019 NAXOS 8.574208
[57:10] [GPu] Two intriguing and enjoyable works in different
idioms.
Karlheinz
STOCKHAUSEN (1928-2007) Stimmung Cyril
DEACONOFF Our Time, String Quartet, Kontakion
for Pascha, Canticles of Love, Despair and Hope - soloists, Voices
of Silicon Valley, San Francisco Conservatory String Quartet, Indiana
University chorus and orchestra rec. 2006-2018 ORPHEUS CLASSICAL
OR2020-1579 [70:56] [DC] A collection of live souvenirs,
and a well-performed ‘Stimmung’.
John
Ogdon (piano) The Ludwigsburg Recital Works
by J S Bach, Beethoven and Chopin rec. 1967
MELOCLASSIC MC1056 [79:45] [SG] Ogdon at the height of
his powers.
Isaac
Stern (violin) Live Vol. 1 rec. 1950-69 DOREMI
DHR8116-17 [72:10 + 72:17] [JW] Sift the repertoire here
carefully to see if you need these ancillary live performances.
