NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Haydn’s
The Seven Last Words - A selective survey by
Ralph Moore
My
Birtwistle Journey by Jayne Lee Wilson
Composer
Greg Caffrey in conversation with Robert Beattie
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AP0536 Roman Statkowski - Works for Piano 3
AP0537 Roman Statkowski - Works for Violin and Piano
AP0538 Koncepcja
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Friday May 20th
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphonies Nos 3 & 4 - Gewandhausorchester
Leipzig/Herbert Blomstedt rec. 2021 PENTATONE PTC5186852
[80:38] [JQ] Interpretations and playing of great distinction.
Umberto
GIORDANO (1867-1948) Siberia - Sonya Yoncheva
(soprano) Giorgi Sturua (tenor) O e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/Gianandrea
Noseda rec. 2021 DYNAMIC CDS7928.02 [51:11 + 43:43]
[MC] Those who enjoy the verismo tradition and rarely recorded
operas should savour this.
Edward
GREGSON (b. 1945) Chamber Music - Alison Teale (cor
anglais) Rob Buckland (alto saxophone) Navarra String Quartet rec.
2021 NAXOS 8.574223 [67:04] [JF] Five premiere
recordings reveal great depth, vision and technical assurance.
George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) La Resurrezione
- Sophie Bevan, Lucy Crowe (soprano) Iestyn Davies (countertenor),
The English Concert/Harry Bickett rec. 2021 LINN CKD675
[64:48+52:30] [RMo] A faithful, atmospheric recreation of Handel’s
youthful showpiece, compromised by some indifferent singing.
Fernando
PALATÍN (1852-1927) Violin Virtuoso - Rafael
Muñoz Torrero (violin) Julio Moguer (piano) rec. 2020 IBS
CLASSICAL IBS222021 [68:13] [JW] An attractive exploration
of the art of a little-remembered virtuoso of the violin.
Dora
PEJAČEVIĆ (1885-1923) Piano Concerto, Symphony
- Peter Donohoe (piano) BBC Symphony Orchestra/Sakari Oramo rec. 2021
CHANDOS CHSA5299 SACD [70:57] [NB] A sweepingly impressive
symphony overshadows a less individual concerto.
David
YARDLEY (b. 1978) The Lost Codex
of Avalon - David Yardley (alto) Chloe Lankshear
(soprano) Cristina Alís Raurich (portative organ) The Song Company,
Sydney Chamber Choir/Sam Allchurch, Pastance TALISMAN
[57:30] [MP] Enjoyably performed Medieval pastiche that will especially
appeal to the re-enactment crowd.
Thursday May 19th
Robert
DOCKER (1918-1992) Three Contrasts & other
orchestral works - RTÉ Concert Orchestra/Barry Knight rec. 1995 NAXOS
8.574322 [78:38] [JF] Delightful, committed playing by
all the performers.
Sir
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Elgar Reimagined
- Raphael Wallfisch (cello), English Symphony Orchestra/Kenneth Woods
rec. 2020 LYRITA SRCD 394 [69:27] [JQ] An excellent
re-imagining of Elgar’s String Quartet.
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Complete Symphonies Vol. 26 - Heidelberger
Sinfoniker/Johannes Klumpp rec. 2020 HÄNSSLER CLASSIC HC22019
[68:16] [MC] Johannes Klumpp and the Heidelberger Sinfoniker make
a strong case for these early symphonies.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No. 8 - London Philharmonic
Choir & Orchestra/Vladimir Jurowski rec. 2017 LONDON PHILHARMONIC
ORCHESTRA LPO-0121 [83:25] [RMo] Initial sound issues
soon give way to reveal a stupendous performance, even if the some
of the solo singing has been bettered.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Violin Concertos Nos 1 &
3, Sinfonia Concertante - David Oistrakh (violin), Rudolf Barshai
(viola), Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra/Kirill
Kondrashin rec. 1959-63 ALTO ALC1454 [75:23] [RB]
A heartfelt entry-price contender in strong 1960s mono.
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Pan’s Anniversary
- Britten Sinfonia/William Vann rec. 2021 ALBION RECORDS ALBCD054
[71:48] [NB] Dependably fine recordings of unknown Vaughan Williams,
the arrangement of The Fantasia is more a curio than convincing.
Legendary
Soviet Violinists Concerts in Germany 1950-1977
- Boris Goldstein (violin), Igor Bezrodny (violin), Julian Sitkovetsky
(violin) MELOCLASSIC MC2050 [62:16 + 66:13] [JW]
Three great Soviet violinists burnish their reputations in German
broadcast performances.
Wednesday May 18th
Samuel
BARBER (1910–1981) Orchestral Works -
Molly McGurk (soprano), London Symphony Orchestra, West Australian
Symphony Orchestra/ David Measham rec. 1973–76 ALTO
ALC1463 [78:04] [RB] Vintage Barber recordings …
superheated radiance … penetrating poignancy.
Lord
BERNERS (1883–1950) Le Carrosse Du Saint-Sacrement,
Caprice péruvien - Ian Caddy (baritone), Alexander Oliver
(tenor), RTÉ Sinfonietta/David Lloyd Jones, BBC Symphony Orchestra/
Nicholas Cleobury rec. 1983/95 NAXOS 8.660510 [78:47]
[GH] A re-issue of the composer’s only opera in a lively
and strongly characterised presentation.
Giovanni
BOTTESINI (1821-1889) String Quintets Nos 1-3 - I Musicanti,
Leon Bosch (double bass) rec. 2021 SOMM SOMMCD0645
[77:22] [GPu] Shows that there was more to Bottesini than being
“the Paganini of the double bass”.
Ernest
J MOERAN (1894–1950) Chamber Music - Fidelio Trio,
Nicky Sweeney (violin) rec. 2021 RESONUS RES10296
[66:27] [JW] A rare, and successful, outing for an all-Moeran
chamber disc.
Marguerite
Long (piano) The Complete Fauré & d'Indy
Recordings rec. 1930–1957 APR 6038 [74:31
+ 80:33] [SG] Long’s recordings, greatly enhanced
by the superb restorations of Mark Obert-Thorn.
Vous
avez dit Brunettes? Les Kapsber'girls rec.
2020 ALPHA 761 [63:05] [JV] Very good singing
and playing, but some aspects of the performance are less satisfying.
Rachel
Willis-Sørensen (soprano) Rachel - Opera arias
& scenes rec. 2021 SONY CLASSICAL 19439968352
[77:31] [RMo] A fine, big voice of no special distinction or individuality
in a diverse debut recital.
Tuesday May 17th
Einar
ENGLUND (1916-1999) Complete Music for Solo Piano
- Laura Mikkola (piano) rec. 2017 TOCCATA CLASSICS
TOCC0356 [71:44] [HC] A fine exploration of Englund’s
piano music.
Fanny
MENDELSSOHN HENSEL (1805-1847) A Woman’s Hand
- Helen Cawthorne (piano) rec. 2021 PRIMA FACIE
PFCD172 [61:20] [JF] Technically and interpretively perfect
– a voyage of delight from end to end.
Albert
ROUSSEL (1869-1937) Le Testament de la Tante Caroline
- Marie Lenormand, Marion Gomar, Lucile Komitès, Orchestre des Frivolités
Parisiennes/Dylan Corlay rec. 2019 NAXOS 8.660479 [79:00]
[SB] Roussel’s comic opera is workmanlike but lacks fizz.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Jazz Suite
No.1, The Age of Gold & The Limpid Stream suites,
Suite for Variety Orchestra - Singapore SO/Andrew Litton rec. 2019
BIS BIS-2472 SACD [69:14] [NB] Sophisticated performances
of entertaining music.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Metamorphoses -
Le OFF rec. 2019 NOMADMUSIC NMM100 [58:34] [RMo]
Something of an odd hodgepodge which is nonetheless beautifully
played.
Cool
Tunes for the Big Bassoon Susan Nigro (contrabassoon),
Mark Lindeblad (piano) rec. 2021 CRYSTAL RECORDS CD980
[59:32] [GPJ] An excellent introduction to this diffident and
often neglected instrument.
Symphonies
of the Bach Family Berliner Barock Solisten/Reinhard
Goebel rec. 2021 HÄNSSLER CLASSIC HC21029 [63:37]
[GF] Not a single well-known work within eyesight, but a life-enhancing
excursion off the beaten track that should appeal to every baroque
enthusiast.
Monday May 16th
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony No. 4 - Altomonte Orchester
St Florian/Rémy Ballot rec. 2021 GRAMOLA 99261 SACD
[79:27] [RMo] Ballot’s leisureliness in Bruckner is controversial
as always but with its own interest and insights.
Fortunato
CHELLERI (1690-1757) 6 Sonate di Galanteria -
Luigi Chiarizia (harpsichord) rec. 2017 BRILLIANT CLASSICS
96308 [70:49] [JV] Pleasant sonatas by a little-known
composer.
Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931) & Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Violin Concertos - Johan Dalene (violin) Royal Stockholm
Philharmonic Orchestra/John Storgårds rec. 2021 BIS BIS2620
SACD [73:32] [RWe] The only SACD choice for this coupling,
in fine performances, especially the Nielsen.
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) La Senna Festeggiante
- Gwendoline Blondeel (soprano), Lucile Richardot (mezzo-soprano),
Luigi De Donato (bass), Orchestre del’Opéra Royal/Diego Fasolis
rec. 2021 CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES CVS064 [80:49] [DBi]
Perhaps Vivaldi’s best secular vocal music in a performance
which might be equalled elsewhere but is very enjoyable.
British Piano Concertos Simon Callaghan (piano)
BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Martyn Brabbins rec. 2021 LYRITA
SRCD407 [68:33] [HC] Lesser-known works for piano and
orchestra, played with highly communicative enthusiasm.
Sir Eugene Goossens (conductor)
Cincinnati Symphony, Vol. 1 Works by Delius, Walton
& Vaughan Williams rec. 1941/46 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC654
[76:18] [MSJ] Restorations of sensual and atmospheric performances
by Goossens in Cincinnati.
Dimitri
Mitropoulos (conductor) The Complete RCA and Columbia
Album Collection rec. 1946-1957 RCA 19439888252
[69 CDs] [RCo] Music’s mighty Athenian.
Now
the Green Blade Riseth Choir of King’s College,
Cambridge/Daniel Hyde rec. 2021 KING’S COLLEGE KGS0065
[77:05] [MR] Daniel Hyde’s unfailingly perceptive and inspired
direction in a truly sumptuous demonstration of choral singing.
