NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Mussorgsky's
Boris Godunov - a survey by Ralph Moore
[New] Second
Thoughts & Short Reviews Winter 2019-2 by Brian Wilson &
Dan Morgan
[New] Martin
Dalby - an obituary by Kenneth Shenton
Berlioz's
Les Troyens - a survey by Ralph Moore
Wagner's
Ring cycle - a survey by Ralph Moore
A revival of Parry's Judith by John Quinn
Stanfordian
Thoughts 9: His most played work by Christopher Howell
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Live performance reviews posted daily at
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Friday February 15th
Samuel
ANDREYEV (b. 1981) Music With No Edges -
HANATSUmiroir rec 2016/18 KAIROS KAI0015025 [77:47]
[RHa] Andreyev’s music is communicative yet challenging;
it’s also rather unusual.
Louis
AUBERT (1877-1968) Works for violin & piano - Stéphanie
Moraly (violin) Romain David (piano) rec. 2018 AZUR
CLASSICAL AZC166 [74:59] [SG] Captivating scores
by a neglected composer.
John
BUCKLEY (b. 1951) To the Northeast
- Mornington Singers/Orla Flanagan rec. 2018 DIVINE ART
DDA25187 [59:29] [JF] It is already shaping
up to be one of my major discoveries of the year.
Johann
Nepomuk HUMMEL (1778-1837) Hummel
Edition rec. 1995-2017 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95792
[20 CDs:] [SSi] An excellent collection which is sure to bring
anyone interested in this period of music many hours of enjoyment.
Witold
LUTOSŁAWSKI (1913-1994) Cello Concerto Henri
DUTILLEUX (1916-2013) Tout un monde lointain -
Johannes Moser (cello) Rundfunk-SO Berlin/Thomas Sřndergĺrd rec.
2017/18 PENTATONE PTC5186689 SACD
[53:52] [LW] Superb accounts of Lutosławski and Dutilleux
cello concertos on a disc of short measure.
Stanislaw
MONIUSZKO (1819-1872) Songs -Leszek Skrla (baritone)
Anna Mikolon (piano) rec. 2018 ACTE PRÉALABLE AP0435
[60:45] [GF] The programme is pleasing, but I am less enthusiastic
about the singing.
Percy
SHERWOOD (1866-1939) Suite & Sonata for 2 pianos
Hubert PARRY (1848-1918) Grosses Duo - Parnassius
Piano Duo rec. 2018 LYRITA SRCD.368 [79:01] [JW]
There’s nothing to dislike here and much to admire.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Götterdämmerung - Gun-Brit
Barkmin (soprano) Daniel Brenna (tenor) Hong Kong Philharmonic Ch
& O/Jaap van Zweden rec. 2018 NAXOS 8.660428-31
[4 CDs: 263:42] [PCG] At its super-budget price, it has much
going for it, though some shortcomings in the singing means that
it is not competitive against the best.
Alexander von ZEMLINSKY (1872-1942)
Eine florentinische Tragödie - Heidi Brunner (soprano)
Wolfgang Koch (baritone) Charles Reid (tenor) ORF Vienna RSO/Bertrand
de Billy rec. 2010 CAPRICCIO C5325 [52.18] [MC]
A dramatic and suitably decadent depiction.
Roger
Sayer (organ) The Grand Organ of Temple
Church - rec. 2018 ORCHID CLASSICS
ORC100090 [74:15] [MR] Roger Sayer has achieved the
near-impossible of rendering this heavyweight programme accessible.
Thursday February 14th
Stephen
DODGSON (1924-2013) Chamber Music with Harp and Guitar
- Karolos rec. 2015 NAXOS 8.573857 [81:57] [WH]
Finely crafted music in performances that could not be bettered.
Jan
Ladislav DUSSEK (1760-1812) The Complete Piano Sonatas
Vol. 4 - Tuija Hakkila (fortepiano) rec. 2017 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 95604 [61:24] [RHa] Well-played accounts of
sonatas encompassing the under-rated Dussek’s entire career.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-47) & Benjamin BRITTEN
(1913-76) Violin Concertos Peter Ilich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-93) Sérénade mélancolique - Sebastian Bohren (violin)
Royal Liverpool PO/Andrew Litton rec. 2017 RCA RED SEAL
19075871142 [70.21] [PCG] Admirers of the soloist will
rush to acquire such a superb representation of his art.
Thea
MUSGRAVE (b. 1928) Phoenix Rising, Loch Ness,
Poets in Love - BBC Ntl O Wales/William Boughton rec. 2018
LYRITA SRCD372 [62:49] [JQ] The whole disc
is rewarding but Phoenix Rising is something special.
Franz
REIZENSTEIN (1911-1968) & Berthold GOLDSCHMIDT
(1903-1996) Cello Concertos - Raphael Wallfisch (cello)
Konzerthausorchester Berlin/Nicholas Milton rec. 2016/17
CPO 555 109-2 [56.06] [MC] Definitely
worth exploring; the Reizenstein is a real discovery.
Florent
SCHMITT (1870-1958), Albert ROUSSEL (1869-1937)
& André PRÉVOST (1934-2001) Violin
Sonatas - Hélčne Collerette (violin) Anne Le Bozec (piano) rec.
2016 RADIO FRANCE SIG11107 [64:11] [SG] Convincing
performances of remarkable works.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) A Lost World - Susanna
Phillips (soprano), Shenyang (bass), Brian Zeger (piano) rec. 2017
DELOS DE3544 [66:25] [GF] Both singers have
good insights but neither of them have really attractive voices.
Jennifer
Pike (violin) The Polish Violin - Petr Limonov
(piano) rec. 2018 CHANDOS CHAN20082 [75:16] [MR]
Remarkable variety and quality from both composers and performers.
George
Szell Conducts Czech Music Works by Dvořák
& Smetana - NBC SO George Szell rec. 1941 PRISTINE AUDIO
PASC543 [76:37] [JW] This exciting but uneven concert
preserves Szell’s virtues as well as his occasional weaknesses.
The
Wagon of Life Mark Rowlinson (baritone) Peter
Lawson (piano) rec. 2003 DIVERSIONS DDV24168 [79.24]
[JF] This reissue will be of great interest to all those enthusiasts
of song who missed this disc first time around.
Wednesday February 13th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Sonatas & Partitas
for solo violin - Dénes Zsigmondy (violin) rec.
1995 PALADINO PMR0093 [68:01+77:26] [SG] A
thoroughly enriching experience.
Walter
BRAUNFELS (1882-1954) Works for piano & orchestra
- Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz/Gregor Bühl rec. 2017/18
CAPRICCIO C5345 [65:35] [JQ] Admirers
of the composer should not hesitate.
Orazio
COLOMBANO (c1554-after 1595) Psalms for six voices
- Cappella Musicale della Cattedrale di Vercelli/Denis Silano
rec. 2018 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95839 [77:48] [JV]
Very fine music, very well performed.
Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797 – 1848) Messa di Requiem - Ch
& O Donizetti Opera/Corrado Rovaris rec. 2017 DYNAMIC
CDS7813 [69:59] [GF] An attractive work that should
be heard more often, and given an excellent performance here.
Erik
Gustaf GEIJER (1783-1874) & Andreas RANDEL
(1806-1864) String Quartets - Norrköpingskvartetten rec.
1977 STERLING CDA1829-2 [65:55] [SSi] Let us
hope that Sterling mine Swedish Radio’s archives further to
come up with more gems like this.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No. 5 - Swedish RSO/Daniel
Harding rec. 2016 HARMONIA MUNDI HMM902366 [73:23]
[ST] Very good, but not quite up there with the best.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphonies, Concertos &
Serenades - Südwestfunk-O Baden-Baden/Hans Rosbaud rec. 1951-62
SWR MUSIC SWR19066CD [9 CDs: 570
mins] [JW] A successful and valuable collection.
Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931) Woodwind Quintet György
LIGETI (1923-2006) Bagatelles Antonín DVOŘÁK
(1841-1904) String Quartet No. 12 - Ens Ouranos rec. 2018
NOMADMUSIC NMM056 [61:55] [MC]
One of the finest albums of wind music I have had the
pleasure of hearing for some time.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphonies
No. 2 & 3 - London PO/Vladimir Jurowski rec. 2016 LPO
LPO0109 [77:03] [RC] Here’s a case where live
performances clearly stand with the best studio efforts.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Götterdämmerung
- Birgit Nilsson (soprano) Hans Hopf (tenor) Metropolitan Opera
Ch & O/Erich Leinsdorf rec. 1962 PRISTINE CLASSICAL
PACO156 [4 CDs: 245:15] [RMo] The cycle closes
with what is in many ways the best performance of all.
Tuesday February 12th
Antonio
BAZZINI (1818-1897) Complete Opera Transcriptions
- Anca Vasile Caraman (violin), Alessandro Trebeschi (piano) rec.
2017 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95674
[5 CDs: 307:06] [SSi] A lot here to enjoy.
Antonin
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Piano Quartets - The Dvořák
Piano Qt rec. 2018 SUPRAPHON SU42572 [72:48] [NB]
For all its undoubted qualities, it would be hard to suggest
that this supplants other versions in either piece.
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992) La Nativité du Seigneur
- Richard Gowers (organ) rec. 2017 KING’S COLLEGE
CAMBRIDGE KGS0025 [67:40] [ST] This marvellous recording
has helped me become a Messiaen convert.
Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567-1643) Il ritorno d'Ulisse
in patria - Furio Zanasi, Lucile Richardot, Monteverdi
Ch & English Baroque Soloists/John Eliot Gardiner rec. 2017
SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG730 [3 CDs: 185:10] [SG]
Music-making of the highest order.
Arvo
PÄRT (b. 1935) & Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Fratres - Hein Wiedijk (clarinet)
Camerata RCO/Jörgen van Rijen (trombone) rec. 2016/17 BIS
BIS-2316 SACD [58:32] [RHa] Fine playing, if perhaps
somewhat niche appeal.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Symphony No.2, The Isle of
the Dead - Castilla y León SO/Andrew Gourlay rec. 2017/18
OSCYL OSCLY001 [75:12] [NB] A really excellent
calling card for this orchestra and their talented musical director.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) I Lombardi
alla prima crociata - Giuseppe Gipali (tenor)
Lavinia Bini (soprano) O & Ch Teatro Regio, Parma/Michele Mariotti
rec. 2018 DYNAMIC Blu-ray 57826 [140 mins] [RJF]
Fine singing from the principals and good orchestral support,
but there are problems elsewhere.
Thomas
Athanaselos (guitar) In Memoriam rec. 2017
Private release [51:02] [JW] Plenty of enjoyable
things on board.
Messa per Rossini Ch & O del Teatro alla
Scala/Riccardo Chailly rec. 2017 DECCA 483 4084
[59:48 + 40:56] [JQ] An ideally red-blooded Italian performance
of a work that is anything but a musical curiosity.
Elisa
Netzer (harp) Toccata rec. 2015 NAXOS
8.573835 [51.49] [MW] An outstanding debut recital
from an exciting young Swiss artist: a must-buy for lovers of the
harp.
Monday February 11th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Cantata No. 21 - Bach
Ch of Bethlehem, Bach Festival O/Greg Funfgeld rec. 2018 ANALEKTA
AN29540 [49:03] [MR] Comfortable, relaxed and affectionate.
Pascal
DUSAPIN (b. 1955) Wenn du dem Wind, Aufgang, À
quia - Natascha Petrinsky (mezzo soprano), Nicolas Hodges (piano),
Carolin Widman (violin), O Ntl de Pays de la Loire/Pascal Rophé
rec. 2017 BIS SACD BIS2262 [78:58] [GH] The
experience of hearing this disc lives with you for some time afterwards.
Miriam
HYDE (1913-2005) Songs - Charlotte de Rothschild
(soprano), Adrian Farmer (piano) rec. 2018 LYRITA SRCD378
[63:02] [PCG] These songs require a greater variety of delivery
to realise their strengths.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos Nos 15 &
16, Piano & Wind Quintet - Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano) Manchester
Camerata/Gábor Takács-Nagy rec. 2018 CHANDOS CHAN20035
[71:03] [RBe] Worthy to sit alongside the great Mozart concerto
recordings.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Piano Concertos Nos 2 &
4 - Daniil Trifonov (piano) Philadelphia O/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
rec. 2015/18 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 483 5335 [70:17]
[MC] This has been a near permanent fixture in my CD player.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Swan Lake
- State Academic SO of Russia "Evgeny Svetlanov"/Vladimir
Jurowski rec. 2017/18 PENTATONE PTC5186640
SACD [2 discs: 151.46] [DBi] A lovely performance,
beautifully recorded, but there is strong competition from Bergen
and Jarvi on Chandos.
Jörg
WIDMANN (b. 1973) Arche - Hamburg State
Opera Ch, Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg/Kent Nagano rec.
2017 ECM 2605/06 [74:55+26:09] [RHa] Provocative,
sometimes diffuse, often overwhelming, always absorbing.
Devy
Erlih (violin) Volume 2: Works by Paganini,
Bartok, Jolivet & Stravinsky - rec. 1973 DOREMI
DHR-8071/2 [70:57 + 71:33] [SG] Violin fanciers
will welcome these wonderful, musically informed performances back
to the calatogue.
French
Music for String Orchestra Ciconia Consort/Dick
van Gasteren rec. 2018 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95734
[79:45] [SB] A valuable collection of lesser-known works.
Carla
Maffioletti (voice and guitar) Sentimental
rec. 2017 Private release [38:12] [JW] A calling
card for nice arrangements, deft performances and genial stylistic
breadth.