NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] George
Frederick Bristow – America’s
First Great Classical Composer by Andrew
Hartman
An
interview with Bournemouth SO chief executive
Dougie Scarfe by Ian Lace
Some
Recent Eloquence Releases: Summer 2017
by Brian Wilson
National Discography updates by Mike Herman:
Russian,
Soviet & Post-Soviet Concertos
Forgotten
Artists: Carl Melles by Christopher
Howell
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LATEST REVIEWS
Friday
August 11th
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Complete
Symphonies - NDR Elbphilharmonie O/Thomas
Hengelbrock rec. 2016 C MAJOR 741104
Blu-ray [210 mins] [DBi] A
splendid, vigorous set of performances all
filmed at a single concert.
Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1848) Rosmonda
d’Inghilterra - Jessica Pratt,
Eva Mei (sopranos) Dario Schmunck (tenor)
O Donizetti Opera/Sebastiano Rolli rec.
2016 DYNAMIC 57757 Blu-ray
[151 mins] [RJF] This Donizetti work
may not have the quality of those that followed,
but has the dramatic centre to demand and
gets excellent singing and acting in this
first filmed performance, after years of
neglect.
Sir
Edward ELGAR (1957-1934)
The Black Knight, Scenes from the Bavarian
Highlands - London SO & Ch/Richard
Hickox rec. 1995 CHANDOS CHAN10946X
[61:24] [RB] Hickox's The Black
Knight is superb. Muscular presentations,
well recorded and documented.
Morton
FELDMAN (1926-1987) Patterns
in a Chromatic Field - Rohan de Saram
(cello) Marianne Schroeder (piano) rec.
1993 HAT[NOW]ART 204-2
[2 CDs: 105:25] [SB] A characteristic
late Feldman work which will appeal to devotees;
newcomers should start elsewhere.
Edvard
GRIEG (1843-1907) String Quartets
Nos 1 & 2 - Meccore String Qt rec. 2016
MDG 903 1998-6 SACD [57:09]
[MC] The Meccore Quartet’s praiseworthy
interpretations of Grieg’s works for
string quartet produce compelling expression,
and are the accounts to own.
Petr
FIALA (b.1943) Czech Christmas
Mass, Marian Mass & Maria, Mystical
Rose - Jitro Children’s Ch, Brno
St Augustine’s Girls’ Ch, Czech
Phil Ch of Brno/Petr Fiala rec. 2016
ARCO DIVA UP 01752-131 [53:56]
[JW] A naturally recorded and charming
disc.
Roman
MACIEJEWSKI (1910-1987) Transcriptions
for Two Pianos Vol. 1 - Katarzyna Rajs,
Piotr Kepinski (pianos) rec. 2016
CD ACCORD ACD230-2 [59:03] [RHa]
A compilation of two-piano transcriptions
of varied keyboard repertoire, appealingly
performed and recorded.
Alessandro
STRADELLA (1639-1682) San
Giovanni Crisostomo - Harmonices Mundi/Claudio
Astronio rec. 2014 BRILLIANT CLASSICS
94847 [65:44] [JV] I enjoyed
the performance, although it is a notch
too dramatic.
I
Love My Love A Folk Song
Collection rec. 1919-45 ALBION RECORDS
ALBCD032 [74:22] [RB] Albion
delve among vintage folksong material and
come up with more than a few nuggets.
Bruno
Walter Symphonies by Beethoven,
Brahms & Haydn - Vienna PO rec. 1936-38
OPUS KURA OPK2117 [71:23] [SG]
Non-interventionist transfers that allow
the sheer potency and commitment of
the playing to shine forth.
Thursday
August 10th
Alberto
CURCI (1886-1973) Violin Concertos
1-3, Suite italiana in stile antico - Franco
Gulli (violin) Studio O/Franco Capuana rec.
1963/64 FIRST HAND RECORDS FHR53
[72:04] [RB] Caught in the warmly luxurious
19th century aspic of late-romance.
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Etudes
- Paulina Zamora (piano) rec. 2016 DELOS
DE3530 [49:04] [DD] A
very fine recording of these lovely pieces.
Sadly, uncompetitive in view of competition,
price and short timing.
Bechara
EL-KHOURY (b.1957) Orages,
Espaces–Fragmentations, Poème
nocturne, Le chant d’amour
- O de Paris/Paavo Järvi & Elvind Gullberg
Jensen, O Colonne/David Coleman, O Natl
de France/Daniele Gatti rec. 2000-13
NAXOS 8.573617 [52.06] [GH]
If Bechara El-Khoury is a new name to you
then this CD might make a good start.
Stefan
KISIELEWSKI (1911-1991) Piano
Pieces - Magdalena
Lisak (piano) rec. 2013 CD ACCORD
ACD210-2 [60:07] [JW] A composer
who put the motor in motoric.
Jean
Paul Egide MARTINI (1741-1816)
Requiem pour Louis XVI et Marie Antoinette
- Festival Ch Musica Franconia, La
Banda/Wolfgang Riedelbauch rec. 2016
CHRISTOPHORUS CHR77413 [73:46]
[JV] Martini's Messe de Requiem
is an impressive work which makes one curious
about other areas of his oeuvre.
Stanisław MORYTO
(b. 1947) Orchestral works - Witold
Lutosławski Chamber Philharmonic in
Łomża/Jan Miłosz Zarzycki
rec. 2016 DUX 1376
[58.44] [MW] A rewarding release of
melodic and highly enjoyable contemporary
music.
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) Stabat
mater, Litanies à la Vierge
noire- Michèle Lagrange (soprano)
Ch & O Ntl de Lyon/Serge Baudo rec.
1984 HARMONIA MUNDI MUSIQUE D'ABORD
HMA1905149 [42:51] [RB] short
measure, but the musical values are high.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Otello
- José Cura, Dorothea Röschmann,
Sächsischer Staatsopernchor Dresden,
Staatskapelle Dresden/Christian Thielemann
rec. 2016 C MAJOR 740104
Blu-ray [147 mins] [DBi]
A well sung and beautifully played but
rather stately performance ruined by an
eccentric production.
Con
voce quasi humana Vocal
music of the Trecento - Ens Perlaro/Lorenza
Donadini rec. 2015 RAUMKLANG RK3501
[65:32] [SG] I'm amazed by the
richness and diversity of this repertoire.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Thousands
of Miles Lieder by Korngold,
Alma Mahler, Weill & Zemlinsky - Kate
Lindsey (mezzo) Baptiste Trotignon (piano)
rec. 2016 ALPHA 272 [63:45]
[IL] An absolute delight. Highly recommended.
Wednesday
August 9th
Brett
DEAN (b. 1961) Dramatis
Personae Luca FRANCESCONI (b.
1956) Hard Pace - Håkan
Hardenberger (trumpet) Gothenburg SO/John
Storgårds rec. 2014/15 BIS
BIS-2067 SACD [58:30] [DBi] A
pair of very listenable modern trumpet concertos.
John IRELAND
(1879-1962), Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934) & Arnold
BAX (1883-1953) Cello sonatas -
Lionel Handy (cello) Jennifer Hughes (piano)
rec. 2016 LYRITA SRCD361
[70.52] [SG] This is music which deserves
a wider currency, and these performances
are both convincing and rich in musical
insights.
Arthur
Vincent LOURIÉ (c.1891-1966)
Complete Piano Works Vol. 2 - Giorgio Koukl
(piano) rec. 2016 GRAND PIANO GP750
[81:18] [SA] Lourié’s music
is so interesting and so tuneful and so
varied.
Benedetto
MARCELLO (1668-1739) Conserva
me Domine - Terry
Wey (alto) La Gioia Armonica/Jürgen Banholzer
rec. 2015 CPO 555 033-2
[69:18] [JV] A musically satisfying
disc which opens new horizons.
Pietro
MASCAGNI (1863-1945)
Cavalleria rusticana - Maria Callas
(soprano) Anna Maria Canali (mezzo) Ch &
O La Scala/Tullio Serafin rec. 1953 PRISTINE
AUDIO PACO088 [77:25] [SV] I'm
not sure that this remastering, fine as
it is, is worth the extra outlay.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Coronation Mass, Vesperae solennes de confessore
- Sandrine Piau (soprano) Renata Pokupić
(alto) Benjamin Bruns (tenor) Andreas Wolf
(bass) Accentus, Insula O/Laurence Equilbey
rec. 2016 ERATO 9029 587253
[51:47] [RK] Accentus deserves better
from Erato's engineers - what a pity.
Louis
SPOHR (1784–1859) Symphonies
Nos 7 & 8 - Slovak State PO/Alfred Walter
rec. 1991 NAXOS 8.555527
[68:58] [RB] A good and inexpensive Spohr
introduction. The Seventh is a delight.
Stephen
WILKINSON (b. 1919) The
Sunlight on the Garden - Mhairi Lawson
(soprano) Clare Wilkinson (mezzo) James
Gilchrist (tenor) Matthew Brook (bass) Anna
Markland, Ian Buckle (piano) rec. 2015 SIGNUM
SIGCD516 [65:15] [RB] The English
song tradition continues to bear fruit.
Impressions
Works by Ravel, Debussy & Sluka - Kateřina
Englichová (harp) Vilém Veverka (oboe) rec.
2016 SUPRAPHON SU4212-2
[59.59] [MW] Beautifully played and
recorded arrangements – perfect listening
for a summer’s evening.
Anna
Wandtke (violin) Violin
Soul - The New Art Ens rec. 2015/16
DUX 1318 [51:25] [JW] A
rather odd approach to the repertoire from
a good, honest young violinist who needs
to work out what kind she wants to be.
Tuesday
August 8th
Joseph
Bodin de BOISMORTIER (1689-1755)
Sonates Op. 51 - Elysium
Ens rec. 2015 RESONUS RES10171
[71:24] [JV] Performances in truly conversational
style.
Frank
CORCORAN
(b. 1944) Rhapsodic
Celli - Martin Johnson (cello) Fergal
Caulfield (piano) RTÉ Ntll SO & Cello
Octet /Gavin Maloney rec. 2016 RTÉ
LYRIC FM CD154
[68:17] [MW] A wonderful introduction
to the world of Frank Corcoran, and an excellent
addition to the RTÉ series of Irish composers.
Reinhold
GLIERE (1875-1956) Piano Music
- Gianluca Imperato (piano) rec. 2016 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 95296 [70:22] [RB] Sympathetic
readings cloaked in a warm aura.
John
IRELAND (1879-1961) Violin
Sonata No. 2, Fantasy-Sonata, Piano works
- Tessa Robbins (violin) Thea King (clarinet)
Alan Rowlands (piano) rec. 1962/2000 HERITAGE
HTGCD197 [74:37] [JW] Valuable
for their second-generation status and for
revealing how Ireland’s original interpreters
passed on the lineage to their students
and, thence, beyond.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen,
Symphony No. 4, Das Lied von der Erde
- Margaret Ritchie (soprano) Eugenia Zareska,
Nan Merriman (mezzo) Ernst Haefliger (tenor)
Eduard van Beinum rec. 1946-56 PRISTINE
CLASSICAL PASC498
[69:06 + 76:44] [RMo] Mahlerites and
admirers of this conductor have every reason
to be grateful to Pristine for assembling
this collection and presenting it in the
best possible sound.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Die Zauberflöte - Martin Summer, Yasmin
Özkan, Ch & O Teatro alla Scala/Ádám
Fischer rec. 2016 C MAJOR 740504
Blu-ray [173 mins] [DBi] Definitely
one of the most enjoyable performance I
have ever seen.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) &
Aram KHACHATURIAN (1903-1979)
Piano concertos -Alicia de Larrocha (piano)
London SO/André Previn, London PO/Rafael
Frühbeck de Burgos rec. 1972-1974 ELOQUENCE
4820725 [81:48] [SB] Fans of
de Larrocha will be intrigued and rewarded;
others should look elsewhere.
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Il
barbiere di Siviglia - Taylor Stayton
(tenor) Björn Bürge (baritone) Danielle
de Niese (soprano) London PO/Enrique Mazzola
rec. 2016 OPUS ARTE DVD OA1238D
[172 mins] [RJF] The performance does
not compensate for too many gimmicks and
for a poor setting.
Heinrich
SCHÜTZ (1585-1672) Symphonie
Sacrae I - Dorothee Mields (soprano) Hans-Christoph
Rademann (director) rec. 2016 CARUS
83.273 [2 CDs: 90:44] [CRo] Some
listeners may well prefer the relatively
cool, inward approach taken by Rademann
which brings a convincing stylistic unity.
Norge,
Mitt Norge Works by Selmer,
Grieg, Svendsen, Evensen & Gomnaes -
Christiania Mannskor, Royal Norwegian Air
Force Band/Leif Arne Pedersen rec. 2015
LAWO CLASSICS LWC1121 [71:45]
[RB] Steady and sturdy fervour ... effervescence
and crackling confidence.
Monday
August 7th
René
de BOISDEFFRE (1838-1906) Works
for Flute and Piano - Robert Nalewajka (flute)
Joanna Ławrynowicz (piano) Dobrosława
Siudmak (violin) rec. 2016 ACTE
PRÉALABLE AP0379 [67:54]
[RB] Music of a gentle unassuming soul.
A cut above the run-of-the-mill mincing
sentimentality of the genre.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934) & Arnold BAX
(1883-1953) Choral Music - Carice
Singers/George Parris rec. 2016
NAXOS 8.573695 [71:40] [MW] Outstanding
British music in outstanding performances.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Piano Sonata
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Phantasie - Sándor Falvai (piano)
rec. 2015 CELESTIAL HARMONIES
13312-2 [59:41] [RK] Falvai’s
Liszt is exceptional, and if the interesting
Liszt-Schumann mutual admiration society
appeals, this should be an easy choice.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No.
5 - Minnesota SO/Osmo Vänskä rec. 2016 BIS
BIS-2226 SACD [75:30] [BW] Worth
considering for those who find Bernstein
too much but his DG recording remains my
benchmark.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) &
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Cello
Sonatas - Nina Kotova (cello)
Fabio Bidini (piano) rec. 2014 WARNER
CLASSICS 9029 592460 [67:52] [DHu]
Tasty sweets – pity about the main
courses.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Piano
Sonatas Vol. 4 - Vladimir Feltsman (piano)
rec. 2015 NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6345
[65:15] [RMo] Another valuable step
on the road to completion of the series.
La
Belle Vielleuse The virtuoso
hurdy gurdy in 18th Century France
- Monika Mauch (soprano) Ens Danguy rec.
2016 RICERCAR RIC382 [76:17]
[RB] Something of a triumph.
Dances
of Old Vienna Vienna Mozart
Ens, Boskovsky Ens/Willi Boskovsky; I Musici/Felix
Ayo rec. 1961/69 ELOQUENCE 482 6152
[2 CDs: 153:03] [DBi] A delightful,
beautifully recorded, and very well filled
pair of CDs from the archives.
György
Sebők (piano) Works by
Bach, Brahms, Handel & Haydn rec. 1991
FIRST HAND RECORDS FHR40
[82:54] [JW] A most attractive and musically
vivid recital.
Subito
Works by Grieg, Vaughan Williams,
Lutosławski & Wieniawski - Julia
Hwang (violin) Charles Matthews (piano)
rec. 2016 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD486
[61:36] [YJH] This recording is a winner
for anyone interested not only in virtuosic
violin playing in its various moods, but
also in good playing generally.
Other reviews
Oriental
Touch Early Music Meets Oriental
Jazz - Spielleyt,
FisFüz rec. 2013 CHRISTOPHORUS CHR77375
[72.42] [EML] This disc is probably
not one for the purists, but I was enchanted
by it and will certainly enjoy listening
to it again.
