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NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Exploring
Searle's Piano Sonata by John France
[New] Vladas
Bagdonas, Leader of the Vilnius State Choir in conversation with
Ona Jarmalavičiūtė
Between
what opera is and how it is portrayed Composer Matthew Peterson
in conversation with Ona Jarmalavičiūtė
Exploring
Salzedo's Capriccio for brass quintet by John France
Mahler's
Symphony 4 - an update to Tony Duggan's survey by Brian Wilson
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Acte Prealable
AP0463 Ignacy Krzyzanowski - Piano Works 2
AP0476 Raul Koczalski - Chamber Works 2
AP0478 René de Boisdeffre - Works for Violin, Cello and Piano
AP0484-85 Fernand de la Tombelle - Organ Works 1
AP0487 Henryk Pachulski - Piano Works (and Chamber) 3
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Friday October 23rd
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin Concerto; Symphony No.2 - Isaac
Stern (violin); Royal PO/Sir Thomas Beecham rec. 1951-59 BEULAH
14PDR4 [78:17] [BW] Not Beecham at his characteristic
best, but his many fans will wish to add this to their collection.
Eric
COATES (1886–1957) Orchestral Works Vol. 2 - BBC
Philharmonic/John Wilson rec. 2019 CHANDOS CHAN20148
[57:08] [JW] A fine selection of pieces, played and directed with
relish.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Das Lied von der Erde - Robert
Dean Smith (tenor) Gerhild Romberger (alto) Budapest Festival O/Iván
Fischer rec. 2017 CHANNEL CLASSICS CCSSA40020 SACD
[61:24] [WH] An ideal recorded Das Lied is hard to come by, but
this fine performance comes as near as many.
Arnold
ROSNER (1945-2013) Requiem - Crouch End Festival Ch, London
PO/Nick Palmer rec. 2019 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0545
[69:22] [EJW] A work with a wide range of expressive extremes but
also delicacy and an imaginative use of instrumental colours.
Gioacchino
ROSSINI (1792-1866) Moïse - Alexey Birkus (bass)
Virtuosi Brunensis/Fabrizio Maria Carminati rec. 2018 NAXOS
8.660473-75 [3 CDs: 168:20] [PCG] I welcomed the chance
to hear the work in Rossini’s final version, especially when delivered
with as much conviction as here.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Juan, Brentano Lieder,
Tod und Verklärung - Louise Alder (soprano) Deutsches SO Berlin/Robin
Ticciati rec. 2019 LINN CKD640 [68:34] [MC] Beautiful
playing, praiseworthy singing.
The
Hitchcock Spinet The Hitchcock Trio rec. 2019
GENUIN GEN20696 [68:04] [JV] Eloquent proof that the spinet
is more than a cheap substitute for the harpsichord.
Armin
Jordan (conductor) Works by Debussy, Roussel & Chausson
- Dame Felicity Lott (soprano) O Romande rec. 1988/94 AUDITE
95.648 [74:36] [SV] Insightful, freshly considered performances.
Thursday October 22nd
Kalevi
AHO (b. 1949) Symphony No. 5, Sieidi
- Colin Currie (percussion) Lahti SO/Dima Slobodenoiuk rec. 2017/20
BIS BIS-2336 SACD [61.08] [PCG] Essential for Aho fans,
and attractive for those who welcome the excitement of two approachable
and comprehensible pieces of modern music.
Salvatore
LANZETTI (1710-1780) Sonatas for Violoncello - Agnieszka
Oszańca (cello), Maria Misiarz (cello), Gabriele Palomba (theorbo),
Fabio Bonizzoni (harpsichord) rec. 2019 CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72794
[68:55] [JV] Entertaining and compelling.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Das Lied von der Erde - Het
Collectief/Reinbert De Leeuw rec. 2020 ALPHA 633 [63:21]
[BW] A chamber adaptation that is only partly successful.
Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567-1643) L’Orfeo - Emiliano
Gonzalez Toro (tenor) Ens vocal de Poche, I Gemelli rec. 2020
NAÏVE V7176 [42.58 + 53.36] [GH] This should become a classic
in due course.
Christopher
ROUSE (1949-2019) Symphony No. 5, Supplica, Concerto
for Orchestra - Nashville Symphony/Giancarlo Guerrero rec. 2017-19 NAXOS
8.559852 [71:32] [WH] Three brilliantly performed works
from a modern master of the orchestra.
Kazimierz
SEROCKI (1922-1981) Forte e piano,
Pianophonie - Jerzy Witkowski, Szabolcs Esztényi (piano) Polish
RSOs Krakow & Katowice/Stanisław Wisłocki rec. 1973/79
DUX 1287 [45:23] [HC] Hard nuts to crack but definitely
well worth the cracking, especially when heard in such committed performances
as those here.
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Folk Songs Vol. 1 - Mary
Bevan (soprano), Nicky Spence (tenor), Roderick Williams (baritone),
Jack Liebeck (violin), William Vann (piano) rec. 2020 ALBION
RECORDS ALBCD042 [68:41] [JQ] An auspicious beginning to
a series which will bring us all of RVW’s solo-voice folk song
arrangements.
Classical
Oboe Concertos Works by Ferlendis, Hofmann, Dittersdorf
and Mozart - Andrius Puskunigis (oboe, oboe d'amore), St. Christopher
CO/Donatas Katkus rec. 2014 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95218
[63:47] [SV] At the very least, it is worth getting to know the
Ferlendis and Hofmann.
Wednesday October 21st
Fikret
AMIROV (1922-1984) Symphony, 1001 Nights Suite
- Kyiv Virtuosi SO/Dmitri Yablonsky rec. 2018/19 NAXOS 8.573803
[57:22] [EJW] Fine playing, uninspired music.
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony No. 5 - Gewandhaus O Leipzig/Franz
Konwitschny rec. 1961 BERLIN CLASSICS 0301621BC [81:15]
[RMo] One of the three or four greatest Bruckner Fifth recordings
I know.
Paul
DRAYTON (b.1944) Nocturne, Antique Suite George
LLOYD (1913-1998) Symphony No.10 - Abbey Brass/Paul Drayton,
Tony Hindley rec. 2020 FS RECORDS FSR201 [60:26] [JW]
Everything about this release speaks of engaging vitality.
Olivier
GREIF (1950-2000) Piano Quintet - Syntonia Quintet rec.
2020 CIAR CLASSICS CC002 [48:25] [SG] Not for the
faint-hearted.
Michel
LAMBERT (1610-1696) Leçons de Ténèbres -
Monique Zanetti (soprano) Ens Les Temps Présents rec. 2018
AEOLUS AE-10113 [58:30] [CRo] Fine performances of rare
but delightful repertoire.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Cello Concertos - Alban Gerhardt
(cello) SWR SO/Jukka-Pekka Saraste rec. 2018 HYPERION CDA68340
[57:22] [HC] Played with consummate assurance and deep understanding.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Träume - Jenufa Gleich (soprano)
BBC Ntl O Wales/Fabrice Bollon rec. 2019 STONE RECORDS 5060
19278 1038 [59.15] [PCG] I cannot wait to hear Jenufa Gleich
in some signficiant Wagnerian roles.
Mieczysław
WEINBERG (1919-1996) Flute Concertos, Symphony No.7 - Łukasz
Długosz (flute) Aleksandra Gajecka-Antosiewicz (harpsichord) Silesian
CO/Robert Kabara rec. 2019 DUX 1589 [62.45] [MW] An
affecting and valuable release – one to explore and enjoy.
Tuesday October 20th
Domenico
Maria DREYER (17-18th C), Louis DÉTRY (17-18th C) & Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) Sonatas - Renata Duarte
(recorder, oboe) Aline Zylberajch (harpsichord) Ricardo Rapaport (bassoon)
Annabelle Luis (cello) rec. 2019 CYBELE RECORDS SACD 231904
[50:43] [DC] Proof that obscure need not mean second-rate.
Alexander
KASTALSKY (1856-1926) Requiem for Fallen Brothers
- Anna Dennis (soprano) Joseph Beutel (bass-baritone) O St Luke’s/Leonard
Slatkin rec. 2018 NAXOS 8.574245 [63:57] [MW] A
fascinating release of an extraordinary rarity, well worth exploring.
Jaakko
MÄNTYJÄRVI (b. 1963) Choral works - Ch
Trinity College Cambridge/Stephen Layton rec. 2018-20 HYPERION
CDA68266 [70:54] [MR] A fabulous disc in terms of performance,
music, recording and accompanying documentation.
Jules
MASSENET (1842-1912) Roma - Iano Tamar (soprano),
Svetlana Arginbaeva (contralto), Warren Mok (tenor) Bratislava Chamber
Ch; O Internazionale d’Italia/Marco Guidarini rec. 1999 DYNAMIC
CDS267/1-2 [68:28 + 60:33] [RMo] More than 20 years on,
it remains the only opportunity to hear this.
Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Royal Welcome Songs for King Charles
II Vol. III - The Sixteen/Harry Christophers
rec. 2018 CORO COR16182 [74:05] [JW] Christophers
wins out over the opposition.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony No. 5 - Bavarian RSO/Mariss
Jansons rec. 2014 BR KLASSIK 900191 [44:27] [ST] Not
really competitive.
From
the Ground Up The Organ of Peterborough Cathedral
- David Hill (organ) rec. 2019 REGENT REGCD539
[67:48] [JF] A magnificent instrument, brilliantly played.
Scelsi
Revisited Klangforum Wien/Emilio Pomàrico, Sian Edwards,
Johannes Kalitzke, Sylvain Cambreling rec. live, 2013-15 KAIROS
0015030KAI [66:37 + 79:17] [RHa] A superb homage to an
underappreciated Italian master.
Monday October 19th
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphony No. 1, Tragic Overture - Gewandhaus
O Leipzig/Herbert Blomstedt rec. 2019 PENTATONE PTC5186850
[62:32] [ST] If this is the start of a cycle, then count me in for
the rest.
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony No. 7 - Der Ring Tokyo O/Yoshinori
Nishiwaki rec. 2019 FINE NF NF65809 SACD [63:51] [RMo]
Left me largely unmoved.
Johann
Baptist CRAMER (1771-1858) Piano Concerti Nos 1, 3 &
6 - London Mozart Players/Howard Shelley (piano) rec. 2018 HYPERION
CDA68302 [78:18] [JF] The Cramer Piano Concerto project
is now completed.
Sir
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) From America Vol. 2
- Yehudi Menuhin (violin), NBC SO/Sir Malcolm Sargent, Arturo Toscanini
rec. 1940/45 SOMM ARIADNE 5008 [69:27] [SG] Best
possible restorations for these valuable historical audio documents.
Launy
GRØNDAHL (1886-1960) Legacy Vol. 2 - Danish RSO/Launy Grøndahl
rec. 1954-57 DANACORD DACOCD882 [64:18 + 59:18] [JW]
You could hardly ask for more authentic historic documents.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906–1975) Symphony No.11 - London
PO/Vladimir Jurowski rec. 2019 LPO LPO0118 [58:38]
[BW] A knock-out performance of this searingly intense symphony.
Northern
Dances Folk Music from Scandinavia and Estonia Gunnar
Idenstam (organ), Erik Rydvall (nyckelharpa) rec. 2018 TOCCATA
NEXT TOCN0004 [70:34] [MW] Unusual, genuinely exciting
– a box of delights, perfect for late-night listening.
Palace
Premières The Countess of Wessex’s String O/Major
David B Hammond rec. 2019 MPR CWSO01 [75:49] [NB] An
enterprising disc of wholly enjoyable music performed with sensitivity
and commitment.
