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NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
Prokofiev's
Alexander Nevsky - a survey by Ralph Moore
Rolando
Panerai - An obituary by Ralph Moore
Another
Dozen Obscure Favorites by Andrew Hartman
Short
Reviews & Second Thoughts: Autumn 2019/1 by Brian Wilson,
Dan Morgan, Johan van Veen & Simon Thompson
Listening
Studio Report by John Quinn
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Friday November 8th
Béla
BARTOK (1881-1945) Bluebeard’s Castle - John
Relyea, Michelle DeYoung, Bergen PO/Edward Gardner rec. 2018
CHANDOS CHSA5237 SACD [58:56] [MR] A stunning recording
and a riveting interpretation but it is the orchestra which steals
the show here.
Hans
Werner HENZE (1924-2012) Heliogabalus
Imperator - Anssi Kartunen (cello) BBC SO/Oliver Knussen rec.
2014 WERGO WER73442 [72.11] [MC] First-class
performances of four fascinating and compelling examples of Henze’s
characteristic sound-world.
Antonio
SALIERI (1750-1825) Tarare - Cyrille Dubois,
Jean-Sebastian Bou, Karine Deshayes, Les Talens Lyriques/Christophe
Rousset rec. 2018 APARTÉ AP208 [3 CDs: 164:13] [SSi]
This intriguing work will bring hours of enjoyment.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Symphonies Nos 2 & 4, Overture:
Genoveva - London SO/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. 2018 LSO
LIVE LSO0818 SACD [69:04] [JQ] A desirable release to
initiate a Schumann series from Gardiner and the LSO.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Salome - Birgit Nilsson (soprano)
Gerhard Stolze (tenor) Grace Hoffman (mezzo)Wiener PO/Georg
Solti rec. 1961 PRISTINE AUDIO PACO165 [78:35
+ 66:55] [RMo] If the combination of Pristine’s enhanced
sound and the Elektra bonus appeals, you need not hesitate.
Magnificat
Glen Dempsey (organ) Ch of St John’s College Cambridge/Andrew
Nethsingha rec. 2018 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD588 [58:44]
[ST] Utterly praiseworthy.
Nordic
Music Works by Grieg, Berwald & Nielsen - Ana-Marija
Markovina (piano) Schleswig-Holstein SO/Peter Sommerer rec. 2017/18
HÄNSSLER CLASSIC HC17027 [63:32] [RC] There are
better performances of the Grieg but the Berwald makes this attractive.
Shqipëria
Në Art Albanian Piano Works - Marsida
Koni (piano) rec. 2018 AULICUS CLASSICS ALC0020 [68:53]
[PRB] Well worth considering for something a little different.
Thursday November 7th
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824 -1896) The Nine Symphonies -
Vienna PO/Claudio Abbado, Horst Stein, Karl Böhm, Lorin Maazel, Georg
Solti, Zubin Mehta rec. 1964–74 ELOQUENCE 484 0204
[9 CDs: 567 mins] [RMo] Of great interest to the Bruckner enthusiast
even if some of the performances here will divide judgement.
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Nocturnes Maurice DURUFLÉ
(1902-1986) Requiem - Magdalena Kožená (mezzo-soprano),
Rundfunkchor Berlin, Deutsches SO Berlin/Robin Ticciati rec. 2019
LINN CKD623 [65:01] [JQ] An unusual programme,
but if the coupling appeals this disc is an attractive proposition.
Antonin
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) & Bohuslav MARTINŮ
(1890-1959) Piano Concertos - Ivo Kahánek (piano) Bamberg
SO/Jakub Hrůša rec. 2017/19 SUPRAPHON SU4236-2
[59.34] [MC] Compelling performances which feel fresh and exhilarating.
Reinhard
KEISER (1674-1739) Croesus - Dorothea Röschmann,
Roman Trekel, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin/René Jacobs
rec. 2000 HARMONIA MUNDI HMM931714.16 [3 CDs: 188:09]
[ST] Investigate with confidence and find your curiosity rewarded.
Michael
PRAETORIUS (1571-1621) Lutheran Mass for Christmas
Morning - Gabrieli Consort and Players/Paul McCreesh rec. 2017 CHÂTEAU
DE VERSAILLES CVS003 DVD [121 mins] [JQ] An outstanding
and inspired musical reconstruction which brings the music of early
seventeenth-century Germany vividly to life.
Giovanni
SALVIUCCI (1907-1937) Serenade, String Quartet, Chamber
Symphony - Ens Überbrettl/Pierpaolo Maurizzi rec 2017/18 NAXOS
8.574049 [83:05] [RHa] One gets the idea, but performances
are serviceable at best and the sound is too dry.
Friedrich
SCHNEIDER (1786-1853) Symphony No.17 Felix
MENDELSSOHN BARTHOLDY (1809-1947) Violin Concerto, Symphony
No.1 - Hiro Kurosaki (violin), Cappella Coloniensis/Sigiswald Kuijken
rec. 2002 CPO 999 932-2 [77:53] [WM] A valuable
reissue, both for an interesting work by Schneider and wonderful insights
into Mendelssohn.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Piano Sonatas No. 1-2, 24
Preludes - Andrey Gugnin rec. 2018 HYPERION CDA68267
[79:27] [GPJ] A simply stunning recital of this wonderful repertoire.
William
WORDSWORTH (1908-1988) Orchestral Music Vol. 2 - Arta
Arnicane (piano) Kamila Bydlowska (violin) Liepāja SO/John Gibbons
rec. 2019 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0526 [79:41] [WK]
More Wordsworth, and very welcome it is.
Vladimir
Ashkenazy (piano) The First Recordings rec.
1955-59 PROFIL EDITION PH19030 [4
CDs: 247:42] [RC] Not only will Ashkenazy’s admirers covet
this set but other keyboard aficionados might want to consider acquiring
it as well.
Wednesday November 6th
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony No. 2 - Staatskapelle Dresden/Christian
Thielemann rec. 2019 C MAJOR 730604 Blu-ray [63 mins]
[RWe] Bruckner’s Second arrives on film, and in a very fine
performance.
Eric
COATES (1886-1957) Orchestral Works Vol. 1 -
BBC Philharmonic/John Wilson rec. 2019 CHANDOS CHAN20036
[70.39] [IL] John Wilson shows his enduring love and empathy with
the uncrowned king of Light Music.
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Clair de lune, Préludes book
2, Pour le piano, Deux arabesques - Katie Mahan (piano) rec.
2019? KM CLASSIC [67:33] [RCh] A vividly coloured,
imaginative recital.
Philip
GLASS (b. 1937) Samurai Marathon - The City
of Prague PO/Richard Hein ORANGE MOUNTAIN MUSIC OMM0135
[31.00] [MW] A poor value disc of tiny pieces from earlier works
by Glass.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No. 1 - SO Bayerischen Rundfunks/Mariss
Jansons rec. 2007 BR KLASSIK 900179 [54.25] [MC]
Warm and appealing yet overall lacking in penetration.
Bernhard
MOLIQUE (1802-1869) Chamber Music (Volume 2)
- Parnassus Akademie rec. 2019 MDG 303 2132-2
[72:12] [PRB] A highly engaging disc.
Alexander
MOYZES (1906-1984) Gemer Dances; Down the River
Vah; Pohronie Dances - Slovak RSO Bratislava/Ondrej Lenárd rec.
1989 NAXOS 8.555477 [71:12] [RB] Subtlety and
fresh invention here but Slav dazzle and whirl are predominant.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Schwanengesang Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Vier ernste Gesänge - Gerald
Finley (baritone), Julius Drake (piano) rec. 2018 HYPERION
CDA68288 [73:21] [JQ] A deeply satisfying disc.
From
the Ground Up Luciana Mancini (mezzo) O/Modernt/Hugo
Ticciati (violin) rec. 2018 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD574
[55:25] [ST] Plenty of things that are commendable, but a potential
that is not quite fulfilled.
Landscapes
Works by Albéniz, Mompou, D Scarlatti &
Schubert - Andrew Tyson (piano) rec. 2019 ALPHA 546
[61:55] [RHa] The seemingly bland title conceals a brilliantly
conceived programme and pianism of flair and taste.
Tuesday November 5th
George
ANTHEIL (1900-1959) Symphony No. 1, Capital of the
World - BBC Philharmonic/John Storgårds rec. 2018 CHANDOS
CHAN20080 [70.26] [IL] Another wild, unruly, turbulent
and brashly colourful Antheil collection.
Dora
BRIGHT (1862-1951) Piano Concerto No. 1, Variations Ruth
GIPPS (1921-1999) Piano Concerto, Ambarvalia - Samantha
Ward & Murray McLachlan (piano) Royal Liverpool PO/Charles Peebles
rec. 2019 SOMM CÉLESTE SOMMCD273 [75:22] [PRB]
SOMM should be applauded for making these undeservedly neglected
works available to the wider listening public.
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphonies Nos. 1 & 9 - Lucerne
Festival O/Claudio Abbado rec. 2012-2013 ACCENTUS MUSIC ACC30489
[60.12 + 63.06] [MW] A characteristic Abbado interpretation of
the 9th, both sustained and deeply moving,
but there are significant question-marks over the choice of edition
for the 1st.
Grigori
FRID (1915-2012) Double Concerto, Symphony No. 3, Two
Inventions - Isabelle van Keulen (viola) Oliver Triendl (piano) Georgian
CO Ingolstadt/Ruben Gazarian rec. 2018 CAPRICCIO
C5353 [68:31] [RHa] The Symphony is formulaic
Soviet-era fodder but the Concerto is of an entirely different order
however and well worth hearing.
Charles
GOUNOD (1818-1893) Faust - Benjamin Bernheim
(tenor) Veronique Gens (soprano) Andrew Foster-Williams (bass-baritone)
Flemish Radio Ch, Les Talens Lyriques/Christophe Rousset rec. 2018
BRU ZANE BZ1037 [3 CDs: 174:28] [GF] A recording
that should be in the collection of every admirer of this opera.
Lydia
KAKABADSE (b. 1955) Ithaka - Cecily Beer (harp)
Clare McCaldin (mezzo) Paul Turner (piano) Sara Trickey (violin) Ch
Royal Holloway/Rupert Gough DIVINE ART DDA25188 [67:56]
[RB] Thoroughly approachable yet not facile.
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992) Méditations sur le mystčre
de la Sainte Trinité - Tom Winpenny (organ) rec. 2018
NAXOS 8.573979 [73:47] [SB] The latest in Tom Winpenny’s
Messiaen series offers a commanding performance on a splendid instrument.
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Ricciardo e Zoraide - Pretty
Yende, Juan Diego Flórez, O Nazionale della RAI/Giacomo Sagripanti
rec. 2018 C MAJOR 752608 DVD [2 DVDs: 176 mins] [CRa]
A feast of first-class singing lifts a forgotten opera to the
heights.
A
Baroque Christmas rec. 1976-2016 HARMONIA
MUNDI HMX2908984.87 [4 CDs: 308:41] [ST]
A bargain, but it’s more than just a stocking filler.
The
Godfather Masters of the German & Italian Baroque
- La Serenissima/Adrian Chandler rec. 2019 SIGNUM SIGCD602
[64:08] Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681–1767) Grand Concertos
for Mixed Instruments Vol. VI - La Stagione Frankfurt/Michael Schneider
rec. 2018 CPO 555239-2 [73:13] [BW] Very fine additions
to the discography by two first-rate ensembles.
Monday November 4th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750), Johann Bernhard BACH
(1679-1749) & Johann Ludwig BACH (1677-1731)
Ouvertures - Concerto Italiano/Rinaldo Alessandrini (harpsichord)
rec. 2018 NAĎVE OP30578 [2 CDs: 130:12] [DJB] Concerto
Italiano have opened my ears afresh to these glorious works.
Jimmy
López BELLIDO (b. 1978) Symphony No.
1, Bel Canto - Fort Worth SO/Miguel Harth-Bedoya rec. 2018/1918/19
MSR CLASSICS MS1737 [75:47] [RB] Draws you back
for repeat hearings.
Nancy
DALBERG (1881-1949) String Quartets - Nordic String
Quartet rec. 2018 DA CAPO SACD 6.220655 [71.08] [MW]
Three superb and deeply moving quartets in outstanding performances.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) String Symphonies Vol. 3 -
Margot Oitzinger (alto), L’Orfeo Barockorchester/Michi Gaigg
rec. 2017 CPO 555 202 [68:58] [RHa] Don’t
let Michi Gaigg’s lovingly turned accounts of Mendelssohn’s
youthful experiments pass you by.
Modest
MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) Boris Godunov - Alexander
Tsymbalyuk, Göteborg Opera Ch, Gothenburg SO/Kent Nagano rec.
2017 BIS BIS-2320 SACD [62:24 + 62:50] [LW] Nagano’s
Boris is well sung and played, but is it good enough?
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Symphony Urbs Roma, La
jeunesse d'Hercule, Danse macabre - Malmö SO/Marc Soustrot
rec. 2013 NAXOS 8.573140 [67:25] [SV] Splendid
performances in fine sound, though the Urbs Roma symphony may not
be everybody’s essential Saint-Saëns.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Winterreise - Ian Bostridge
(tenor), Thomas Adčs (piano) rec. 2018 PENTATONE PTC5186764
[72:26] [RC] An essential addition to your Winnterreise collection.
Lola
Bobesco (violin) The SWR Recordings - Suddeutschen
Rundfunks SO/ Hans-Muller-Kray rec. 1957-61 SWR MUSIC SWR19067CD
[3 CDs: 185:01] [SG] Remastered archive recordings, well-served
in this compilation.
Hugo
Kolberg & Michel Schwalbé (violin) Legendary
Concertmasters of the Berlin Philharmonic rec. 1952-65 MELOCLASSIC
MC2039 [78:01 + 73:05] [JW] A valuable historical document.
Scintillate,
amicć stellć Christmas in the Convents of 16th- and 17th-Century
Italy - Cappella Artemisia/Candace Smith rec. 2011 TACTUS TC280003
[79:12] [BW] Let this recording of music chiefly by female composers,
for Christmas but enjoyable at any time, lead you to other similar
collections by this ensemble.
Other reviews
Bow
to Baton - A Leader's Life by John Georgiadis publ.
2019 CREATESPACE INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING PLATFORM
[TF] A very entertaining read, providing a deep insight into the
orchestral scene in London.
