NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Stanfordian
Thoughts - 17. The Irish Symphony by Christopher Howell
The
Comedy Overture survey - an update by David Barker
Ravel’s
Daphnis et Chloé - a survey by Ralph Moore
Stanfordian
Thoughts - 16. Stanford and the Mass by Christopher Howell
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Latest Acte Prealable releases
AP0539 Grazyna Bacewicz - Works for Violin
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Friday September 9th
Charles
Koechlin (1867-1950) The Seven Stars’ Symphony,
Vers la voûte étoilée - Basel Symphony Orchestra/Ariane Matiakh
rec. 2021 CAPRICCIO C5449 [56] [JW] Koechlin’s
vibrant cinematic salute is complemented by a beautiful nocturne.
Nikolai
Medtner (1880-1951) Complete Piano Music Vol. 1 - Thomas
Ang (piano) rec. 2022 Private release [51] [DMD]
An irresistible album at a bargain price from an up-and-coming
pianist.
Pēteris
Vasks (b. 1946) The Seasons & other piano
works - Reinis Zariņš (piano) rec. 2021 ONDINE ODE1361-2
[80] [SB] Fine versions of Vasks’ major piano works.
Kettle
of Fish Musical Memoirs of a Maverick Composer by
Anthony Gilbert publ. 2021 Self-published [MMB] Notable
musical tale of an original creative artist and music luminary.
Hans
Knappertsbusch (conductor) The Orchestral Edition
rec. 1927-62 ELOQUENCE 484 1824 [18
CDs: 857] [RMo] The “other” – orchestral - side
to Kna’s art comprehensively presented here.
Uncommon
Voices Natasha Stojanovska (piano) rec. 2020 NAVONA
RECORDS NV6440 [70] [SA] Music worthy of further study
and exposure - more please!
Thursday September 8th
Peter
Drew Symphony No. 1 - Zagreb Symphony Orchestra/Ivan
Josip Skender rec. 2022 NAVONA RECORDS NV6441 [31]
[SA] Moments of grandeur do the composer’s influences good
service.
Gustav
Mahler (1860-1911) Des Knaben Wunderhorn -
Dietrich Henschel (baritone), Bochumer Symphoniker/Steven Sloane rec.
2017 AVANTICLASSIC AVA10522 [2 CDs: 85] [SB] All
Mahler’s Wunderhorn songs in orchestral versions, sensitively
sung.
Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) String Quartets Vol. 5 -
Armida Quartett rec. 2019/2020 AVI MUSIC 8553496
[2 CDs: 126] [DF] The enthralling cycle continues.
Sergey
Rachmaninov (1873-1943) Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,
Variations on a theme of Corelli, Preludes - Tamás Vásáry, Lazar Berman
(piano) London Symphony Orchestra/Yuri Ahronovitch rec. 1977
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 457 906-2 [69] [RB] If you missed
this first time round, now’s your chance to redress the omission
and reward your ears and heart.
Dmitri
Shostakovich (1906-1975) Symphony No.5 - Stadium Symphony
Orchestra of New York/Leopold Stokowski rec. 1958 HIGH DEFINITION
TAPE TRANSFER HDTT13575 [44] [RMo] A grand, cohesive
account contrasting interestingly with Bernstein’s contemporary
recording
Ralph
Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) Symphonies 6 & 9,
The Wasps Overture - BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir
Malcolm Sargent rec. 1957-64 SOMM ARIADNE 5016 [73]
[JQ] An important contribution to the celebrations of RVW’s
150th anniversary.
British Wind Quintets Works by Bowen, Spain-Dunk,
Jenkins, Holst, Jacob, and McEwen - Camarilla Ensemble rec. 2021
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX7398 SACD [72] [JW] A sequence of previously
unrecorded works offers charm and colour.
Wednesday September 7th
Antonín
Dvořák (1841–1904) Complete Symphonies,
Legends & Slavonic Dances - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/ José
Serebrier rec. 2011–2014 WARNER CLASSICS 9029623881
[7 CDs: 515] [RMo] Dull, drab, dutiful Dvořák, devoid
of lilt and lift.
Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Piano Concertos Nos 20 &
25 - Anne-Marie McDermott (piano) Odense Symfoniorkester/Sebastian
Lang-Lessing rec. 2020 BRIDGE 9562 [66] [MG] A
stimulating freshness, directness and clarity of focus from pianist,
orchestra and conductor.
Richard
Strauss (1864–1949) Symphonia Domestica, Horn
Concerto - Myron Bloom (French horn), Cleveland Orchestra/ George
Szell rec. 1961–64 HIGH DEFINITION TAPE TRANSFERS HDTT13828
[57] [RMo] An established classic of remarkable virtuosity newly
revitalized.
Giuseppe
Verdi (1813-1901) Falstaff - Nicola
Alaimo (bass-baritone) Alice Ford, Aylin Pérez (soprano) Orchestra
and Chorus of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/John Eliot Gardiner rec.
2021 DYNAMIC 57951 Blu-ray [143]
[MP] A consistently entertaining Falstaff takes the lead among
videos of Verdi’s great comedy.
Siegfried
Wagner (1869–1930) An Allem Ist Hütchen Schuld!
- Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra/David Robert Coleman rec.
2019 MARCO POLO 8225378-80 [3 CDs: 161] [GF]
An interesting work but the performance is too undistinguished
to be given a general recommendation.
Adolf
Busch (violin)/Rudolf Serkin (piano) At the Library
of Congress rec. 1944–48 PRISTINE AUDIO PACM114
[68] [JW] Three first ever releases feature in the Busch-Serkin
duo’s Library of Congress recordings.
Legendary
Polish Pianists Barbara Hesse-Bukowska, Henryk Sztompka,
Marian Filar, Regina Smendzianka (piano) rec. 1949-59 MELOCLASSIC
MC1063 [65+59] [RCh] Quality playing from these little-known
pianists.
Tuesday September 6th
Benjamin
Britten (1913–1976) War Requiem Sir Arthur
Bliss (1891–1975) Morning Heroes - Royal Liverpool
Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Charles Groves, City of Birmingham Symphony
Orchestra/ Simon Rattle rec. 1974 WARNER CLASSICS 5059092
[2 CDs: 143] [JQ] These scores, here in excellent performances,
express profound sentiments and complement each other well.
Anton
Bruckner (1824–1896) Symphony No 4 - Vienna Philharmonic
Orchestra/ Wilhelm Furtwängler rec. 1952 PRISTINE AUDIO
PASC666 [66] [RMo] A splendid revitalization of a thrilling
performance caught on the wing.
Richard
Strauss (1864–1949) Symphonia domestica - Chicago
Symphony Orchestra/ Fritz Reiner rec. 1956 HIGH DEFINITION
TAPE TRANSFER HDTT9925 [44] [RMo] I am newly struck by
the sheer virtuosity of the Chicago players.
Musical
Art Quartet Complete Columbia Recordings rec.
1927-28 BIDDULPH 85017-2 [73] [JW] The stylish
refinement and elegance of a great quartet, led by the unforgettable
Sasha Jacobsen.
Poèmes
Irène Duval (violin), Pierre-Yves Hodique (piano) rec. 2015
MIRARE MIR312 [73] [OL] Two young French musicians present
a Romantic collection for violin and piano which is too dry for such
ambrosial material.
Ruggiero
Ricci (violin) Complete Decca Recordings
rec. 1950-74 ELOQUENCE 484 2150 [20
CDs: 1240] [SG] Will greatly appeal to aficionados of great violin
playing by an artist of commanding stature.
Secret
Love Letters Works by Chausson, Debussy, Franck
& Szymanowski - Lisa Batiashvili (violin) Giorgi Gigashvili (piano)
Philadelphia Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin (piano) rec. 2022
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4860462 [71] [DMD] Warning: this
electrifying music making may put your ears at risk of combustion!
Monday September 5th
Gustav
Holst (1874-1934) The Planets - Women's
Voices of the Roger Wagner Chorale, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra/Leopold
Stokowski rec. 1956 Reviewed as download HIGH DEFINITION TAPE
TRANSFER HDTT8874 [46] [RMo] A grand and classic recording
given new impact.
Gustav
Mahler (1860-1911) Symphony No 7 - Bayerisches Staatsorchester/Kirill
Petrenko rec. live 2018 BAYERISCHE STAATSOPER RECORDINGS BSOREC0001
[73] [LD] A dazzling, but chilly Song of the Night.
Dora
Pejačević (1885-1923) Piano Concerto, Symphony
- Peter Donohoe (piano), BBC Symphony Orchestra/Sakari Oramo rec.
2021 CHANDOS CHSA5299 SACD [71] [SB] The work
of this Croatian composer is well worth exploring.
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Symphonies No 8 and 9 - Gewandhausorchester
Leipzig /Herbert Blomstedt rec. 2021 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 486
3045 [2 CDs: 88] [JQ] Masterly and highly distinguished
Schubert performances.
Budapest
Quartet Introuvables rec. 1934-1938 PRISTINE
AUDIO PACM113 [2 CD: 153] [JW] Rare examples from the
Budapest Quartet’s recorded legacy brought to life in vivid
restorations.
Anthony
Collins (conductor) Complete Decca Recordings - London
Symphony Orchestra rec. 1945-1956 ELOQUENCE 484 1467
[14 CDs: 889] [PCG] This comprehensive collection is inevitably
something of a mixed bag.
Ossy
Renardy (violin) The Complete Remington Recordings -
Eugene Helmer, Eugene List (piano) rec. 1953 BIDDULPH 85016-2
[2 CDs: 108] [SG] Performances with many revelatory moments.
