NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Berlioz’s
Les nuits d’été - a survey by Ralph Moore
[New] A
Portrait of the Pianist Adolph Hallis by William Snedden
Wagner’s
Der fliegende Holländer - a survey by Ralph Moore
Mozart's
Die Zauberflöte - a survey by Ralph Moore
Peter
Gammond - an obituary by Kenneth Shenton
NOTICES
[New] Jazz Reviews
Thierry Derckel Trio ~~ Ken
Colyer band ~~
Buster Bailey ~~ Miles
Davis ~~ Potato
Head Band
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Monday: Other reviews (nostalgia, books, jazz, other music); Friday:
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Friday August 16th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg Variations -
Evgeni Koroliov (piano) rec. 1999 PIANO CLASSICS PCL0010
[39:11 + 45:41] [RMo] One of the very finest versions.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Overtures - City of Birmingham
SO/Edward Gardner rec. 2013-18 CHANDOS CHSA5235 SACD
[74:53] [SSi] An excellent disc of Mendelssohn’s overtures,
to which I will often return.
Bach
& Co Les Accents/Thibault Noally (violin)
rec. 2017 APARTÉ AP206 [70:18] [JV] An enjoyable
portrait of Bach and his contemporaries.
L’esprit
des six Works by Poulenc, Milhaud, Auric,
Taillferre & Honegger - Davide Bandieri, Calogero Presti (clarinet)
Guillaume Herpsberger (piano) Axel Benoit (bassoon) rec. 2018
CLAVES 50-1804 [69:24] [SB] A range of moods
from five of Les Six – of particular appeal to clarinettists.
La
Fresque Ballet Preljocaj rec. 2017 NAXOS
Blu-Ray NBD0094V [91 mins] [RMay] Contemporary
dance that benefits from a strong storyline and won’t frighten
the horses.
Lebanese
Piano Music Vol. 2 Tatiana Primak-Khoury (piano)
rec. 2017 GRAND PIANO GP812 [78:40] [RB]
A generous ear-opening collection benefiting from sound that
is powerful and clear.
Organ
Party Vol. 4 Kevin
Bowyer (organ) rec. 2017 PRIORY RECORDS PRCD1192
[79:36] [MR] A wonderfully life-affirming release in Priory’s
“Organ Party” series hosted by Kevin Bowyer.
Towards
the Light Works by Livorsi, Rautavaara & Wennäkoski
- Helsinki Chamber Ch/Nils Schweckendiek rec. 2014 ICSM RECORDS
CHRONOS ICSM013 [68:10] [BW] Very much a recording
of two halves, to which I shall probably turn in future only for
the Rautavaara.
Thursday August 15th
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Christus am Ölberge
- Chorus Cathedralis Aboensis, Turku PO/Leif Segerstam rec. 2017
NAXOS 8.573852 [64:07] [LW] Segerstam delivers
a massive and monumental performance of Beethoven’s oratorio.
João
Domingos BOMTEMPO (1771-1842) Complete Piano Sonatas
- Luísa Tender (piano) rec. 2018 GRAND PIANO GP801-02
[68:53+79:17] [RB] All credit for bringing these lively sonatas
into a courtyard lit by welcoming sunshine.
Charlie
CHAPLIN (1889-1977) Chaplin’s Smile
- Philippe Quint (violin) Marta Aznavoorian (piano) WARNER
CLASSICS 9362490180 [55:20] [BMC] A
mix of light-heartedness and tender passion with astonishing technique.
Jean-François
DANDRIEU (1682-1738) & Arcangelo CORELLI (1653-1713)
Sonatas - Le Consort/Justin Taylor rec. 2018 ALPHA CLASSICS
542 [61:43] [BW] Convincing accounts of the sonatas
of a composer better known for his organ music.
Paul
HINDEMITH (1895-1963) Ludus Tonalis - Käbi
Laretei (piano) rec. 1965 ELOQUENCE 484 0142
[54:04] [SB] A legendary recording receives its first CD issue
and turns out to deserve its reputation.
Lula
ROMERO (b. 1976) Ins Offene, Die Wanderung,
Entmündigung - Zafraan Ens/Premil Petrovic rec. 2018
WERGO WER64292 [75:43] [RHa] An uncompromising new
voice, creating novel, confrontational sounds in works that are
designed to challenge rather than soothe.
Piotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Pique Dame -
Wiener Philharmoniker/Mariss Jansons rec. 2018 C MAJOR
801408 DVD [183 mins] [RWe] An excellent account
of one of the great operas.
Tommy
Reilly (harmonica) A Life in Music rec.
1945-88 CHANDOS CHAN20143 [77:20] [JW] A
huge amount here to entertain the keen listener.
Wednesday August 14th
Francesco
CAVALLI (1602-1676) La Calisto - Teresa
Kubiak (soprano) Ugo Trama (bass) Glyndebourne Festival Ch, London
PO/Raymond Leppard rec. 1971 ELOQUENCE 4829400
[2 CDs: 119: 59] [RWe] This wonderful performance catches
some great singers in their prime.
Andrzej
DOBROWOLSKI (1921-1990) Music for Orchestra
- Polish National RSO/Wojciech Michniewski, Zdzisław
Szostak, Stanisław Wisłocki rec. 1972-2011 DUX
1554 [48:52] [RHa] Interesting as it was to finally
experience music by a composer whose name I have known for several
years, it sounded just a little bit dated to my ears.
Truman
HARRIS (b.1945) Chamber music - Laurel Bennert Ohlson
(horn), Alice Kogan Weinreb (flute); Eclipse CO/Sylvia Alimena
rec. 2006-2016 NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559858 [75:33]
[BW] Those who yearn for tuneful and approachable contemporary
music should check this one out.
Peter
LINDROTH (b. 1950) The Wilfred Owen Songs -
John Erik Eleby (bass-baritone), Mats Jansson & Yoriko
Asahara (piano) rec. 2018/19 STERLING CDM3005-2
[53:25] [NH] Something of a winner.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No. 4 - London SO/Josef
Krips, Suzanne Danco (soprano) rec. 1957 CAMEO CLASSICS
CC9112 [60:24] [RMo] I don’t think
Mahler was Krips’ forte.
Sir
Hubert PARRY (1848-1918) Piano Trio No 2; Piano
Quartet - Leonore Piano Trio, Rachel Roberts (viola) rec. 2018
HYPERION CDA68276 [65:31] [PRB] Plenty of
heartfelt, melodious music and attractive harmony, well crafted
and beautifully written.
Bronislaw
Gimpel (violin) Violin Concertos by Glazunov, Lalo
& Paganini - SW German Radio SO/Rolf Reinhardt rec. 1956-57
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR1620 [69:33] [JW] This
restoration is very welcome.
Pavarotti Music from the Motion
Picture DECCA 483 4894 [83 mins]
[RB] There will always be Pavarotti.
Tuesday August 13th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Violin Concertos - Isabelle
Faust (violin) Bach-Collegium Stuttgart/Helmuth Rilling rec. 1999/2000
HÄNSSLER CLASSIC HC18054
[42:54 + 51:40] [NH] A good, at times very good, conspectus
of Bach concertos, with execrable documentation.
Heinrich
Ignaz Franz von BIBER (1644-1704) Fidicinium
Sacro-Profanum - Duodecima Francesco Corti (organ) Harmonie
Universelle/Florian Deuter and Mónica Waisman rec. 2018
ACCENT ACC24357 [76.05] [DBi] A first class
set of lesser known string sonatas by Biber.
Friedrich
GERNSHEIM (1839–1916) Piano Music Vol. 1 -
Jens Barnieck (piano) rec. 2018 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0206
[60:45] [RB] Most sympathetically shaped and sounded out …
very listenable.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No. 4 - Sofia Fomina
(soprano) London PO/Vladimir Jurowski rec. 2016 LONDON
PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA LPO-0113 [59:07] [RMo] A glorious
reminder of what a boon Jurowski has been to the orchestra.
Amilcare
PONCHIELLI (1834-1886) La Gioconda - Anita Cerquetti,
Mario Del Monaco, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/Gianandrea Gavazzeni
rec. 1957 ELOQUENCE 4828597
[74:29 + 75:47] [PSt] Undeniably well-sung, but distinctly
under-characterised.
Mira
J. SPEKTOR (b. 1928) Summer & Winter Songs
- Maeve Höglund (soprano) Jean-Paul Björlin (piano &
tenor) rec. 2018 NAVONA RECORDS NV6236
[41:48] [SA] A selection of songs that makes you want to hear
more.
Colour
& Light Nathan Williamson (piano) rec. 2018
SOMM SOMMCD0196 [78:17] [SSi] An interesting
and varied program - a worthy addition to any collection of twentieth
century British music.
Serge
Koussevitzky (conductor) Works by Barber, Honegger
& Sibelius - Ruth Posselt (violin) Boston SO rec. 1948-1949
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC561 [71:37] [JW] Familiar
performances given the Pristine clean-up.
Monday August 12th
Johann
Baptist CRAMER (1771-1858) Piano Concerti Nos 4
&-5 - London Mozart Players/Howard Shelley (piano) rec. 2018
HYPERION CDA68270 [60:52] [MR] Bridging Mozart
and Beethoven, they are very much original and distinctive works
in their own right.
Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1848) Gemma di Vergy -
Louis Quilico (baritone) Montserrat Caballé (soprano) Schola Cantorum,
Opera O of New York/Eve Queler rec. 1975 SONY 88985470342
[74:34 + 53:04] [RMo] Bel canto devotees and fans of Caballé
will still find much to enjoy here.
Victor
HERBERT (1859-1924) Cello Concertos; Operetta Spectacular
- Lynn Harrell (cello), ASMF/Neville Marriner, Kingsway SO/Camarata
rec. 1975-94 ELOQUENCE 4827305 [66:54 + 43:16]
[JW] Presents the two sides of Herbert’s oeuvre in performance
that reflect those elements vividly.
Dmitri
KABALEVSKY (1904-1987) Symphonies Nos 1 & 2,
Colas Breugnon & Pathetique overtures -
Malmö SO/Darrell Ang rec. 2017 NAXOS 8.573859
[51:31] [WK] Ang makes a strong case for Symphony No. 2, but
elsewhere the results are less successful.
Franz
LEHÁR (1870-1948) Die lustige Witwe - Iurii
Samoilov (baritone) Marlis Petersen (soprano) Frankfurt Opera
Ch & Museum O/Joana Mallwitz rec. 2018 OEHMS CLASSICS
OC983 [32:29 + 64:04] [GF] A lot to admire here,
in particular the singing of the leads.
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) Overture and Concertos
for Darmstadt - Les Ambassadeurs/Alexis Kossenko (transverse
flute) rec. 2014 ALPHA 499 [70:23] [BW] Be prepared
for this very fine reissue to lead you to discover more of Telemann’s
music.
Veronika
Dzhioeva (soprano) Ritorna Vincitor! -
Kaunas City SO/Constantine Orbelian rec. 2018 DELOS DE3575
[59:32] [MC] Dzhioeva is in marvellous voice - I am puzzled
why she is not far better known.
Edvard
Grieg Kor Works by Grieg, Bull, Grøndahl &
Lang - Audun Iversen (baritone), Edvard Grieg Kor, Håkon
Matti Skrede, Paul Robinson rec. 2018 CHANDOS CHSA5232
SACD [64:02] [RHa] A bit of a mixed bag; in general
the choir packs a bigger punch in its more intimate eight-voice
form.
