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Alphabetical Listing

PART 4
M-R

Click for alphabetical listings by composer:
[Part 1 New] [Part 2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R] [Part 5 S-Z]
[Part 6 Misc A-L] [Part 7 Misc M-Z]
[last 5 days] [Recommended recordings]


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Gustav MAHLER (1860–1911) Symphony No.1 Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/Manfred Honeck rec. 2008 EXTON EXCL-00026 [57:59] [GD]

Clarity of sound and texture trumps drama and propulsion… see Full Review 

Otto MALLING (1848-1915) Violin concerto see Danish Violin Concertos

Frank MARTIN (1890–1974) Mass Francis POULENC (1899–1963) Mass, Quatre Petites Prières de Saint François d'Assise, Salve Regina Christ Church Cathedral Choir/Stephen Darlington NIMBUS NI5197 rec. 1989 [RH]

An attractive combination of works, strongly characterised and intelligently sung

Frank MARTIN (1890-1974) Mass for dbl choir a cappella see Chormusik des 20. Jahrhunderts II

Pietro MASCAGNI (1863-1945) Cavalleria Rusticana Ruggero LEONCAVALLO (1857-1919) Pagliacci José Cura, Ch & O Zurich Opera House/Stefano Ranzani rec. 2009 ARTHAUS MUSIK 101 490 [151:00] [IL]

A visual treat with some impressive deliveries if it is not as memorable as the best of Cav and Pag

Jules MASSENET (1842 – 1912) Don Quichotte Teresa Berganza, Isabelle Vernet, Marie-Ange Todorovitch (mezzo), Christian Papis (ten.), Alain Fondary, Nicolas Rivenq (bar.), José van Dam (bass-bar.), Jean-Claude Barbier (bass), Chief Choeurs & Orch. National du Capitole de Toulouse/Michel Plasson, rec. 1992 EMI CLASSICS 309100 2 [68:23 + 46:50] [GF]

Well worth hearing. Why not try the present version while it is available? ... see Full Review

Jules MASSENET (1842-1912) Werther Álvarez, Garanca, Tonca, Eröd, Šramek, Jelosits, Chorus and Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera/Philippe Jordan rec. 2005 (plus bonus, “Marcello Álvarez and Elina Garanca at the Vienna Opera Ball”) ARTHAUS 107 141 [132:00 + 12:00] [CC]

The loving attention Jordan gives to the score adds a whole new dimension. Garanca confirms impressions of her as a leading light in the opera houses of today ... see Full Review 

Nikolai Karlovich MEDTNER (1880-1951) CD 1 Piano Concerto No.1; Stimmungsbilder; Six Fairy Tales CD 2 Piano Concerto No. 2; Russian Fairy Tale; March funebre CD 3 Two Canzonas; Piano Quintet CD 4 Violin Sonatas CD 5 Violin Sonata No.3; Nocturne CD 6 Forgotten Melodies; Sonata-Elegy in D minor Sonata-Fairy Tale Eduard NÁPRAVNIK (1839-1916) Night Intermezzo; Polonaise; Melancholy Tatiana Nikolayeva (piano) ¹ Abram Chatskes (piano) ² Alexander Labko (violin): Evgeny Svetlanov (piano) Borodin Quartet and Evgeny Svetlanov (piano) USSR Symphony Orchestra/Evgeny Svetlanov SVET 42-47/6 [6 CDs] [JW]

For Svetlanov adherents that should be pretty self-recommending. ... see Full Review

Fanny MENDELSSOHN-HENSEL (1805-1847) Piano works Heather Schmidt (piano) rec. 2007 NAXOS 8.570825 [67:18] [JW]

Genuine verve and an animated refinement

Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847) Symphonies 3, 4 & 5; Overtures: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Hebrides, The Fair Melusine; Ye spotted snakes; String 5tet 2 (excerpt), Violin Cto E min. Jascha Heifetz (violin); Edna Philips (soprano) NBC SO/Arturo Toscanini rec. 1941-54 GUILD GHCD 2358/9 [2 CDs: 74:58 + 75:43] [JS]

A fascinating supplement to other versions … see Full Review

Francesco MOLINO (1775-1847) Chamber Works for Flute, Violin and Guitar Sérénade à trois, rec. 2008 CPO 777 448-2 [68:02] [BW]

Effortlessly tuneful music in fine performances ... see Full Review

Leopold MOZART (1719-1787) Sinfonias Münchener Kammerorchester/Hans Stadlmair rec. 1995/8 TUDOR 737 & 7066 [59:03 + 72:38] [DC]

Consistent quality - approved and appreciated

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony 29 see Silvestri

Carl NIELSEN (1865-1931) Violin concerto see Danish Violin Concertos

Joaquín NIN (1879-1949) The Piano Music: Martin Jones (piano) rec. Wyastone, Monmouth, 30 November 2006, 14-15 May 2007 NIMBUS NI 5851 [67.15] [GH]

Fascinating and wonderfully played. A real revelation. ... see Full Review

Alla PAVLOVA (b. 1952) Symphony No. 6; Thumbelina Suite Mikhail Shestakov (violin); Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra/Patrick Baton rec. 2008 NAXOS 8.579003 [65:20] [RB]

Saturated melodic absorption and compelling forward momentum ... see Full Review 

Giovanni Battista PERGOLESI (1710)-1736) Stabat Mater, Salve Regina Katia Ricciarelli (soprano); Manuela Custer (alto); Francesco Baroni (organ) I Filarmonici CO/Giorgio Croci rec. 1995 TACTUS TC711602 [60:07] [J-PJ]

Uninspired

Gavriil Nikolaevich POPOV (1904-1972) Symphony 3, Symphonic aria Dmitri Khrychov (cello) St. Petersburg State Academic SO/Alexander Titov rec. 2008 NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9972 [69:54] [WK]

Interesting music by a long-lost - at least in the West - friend of Shostakovich

Francis POULENC (1899–1963) Flute Sonata; Trio for oboe, bassoon and piano; Clarinet Sonata; Sextet for piano and wind quintet; Oboe Sonata Ensemble 360 rec. 2008 NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6121 [70:19] [BBr]

Well worth having … see Full Review

Francis POULENC (1899–1963) Figure Humaine - Choral Works James Sherlock (organ) Tenebrae/Nigel Short rec. 2009 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD197 [63:33] [MC]

Nigel Short directs the impeccably prepared Tenebrae in beautiful accounts of this music… see Full Review 

Francis POULENC (1899-1963) Figure humaine see Chormusik des 20. Jahrhunderts II

Francis POULENC (1899–1963) Mass, Quatre Petites Prières de Saint François d'Assise, Salve Regina see MARTIN

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) String Quartets: No. 1 in B minor, Op. 50; No. 2 in F, Op. 92; Sonata for Two Violins in C, Op. 56 Pavel Haas Quartet (Veronika Jarušková, Eva Karová (violins); Pavel Nikl (viola); Peter Jarušek (cello)) rec. 2009 SUPRAPHON SU3957-2 [60:42] [CC]

Should go a long way to restoring the Prokofiev Quartets to their rightful place. The sound is magnificent – present, involving and clear. Top place ... see Full Review 

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Symphony 1 see Silvestri

Sergei RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto 2 see BRAHMS

Joseph Joachim RAFF (1822-1882) String Quartets 1 & 7 Quartetto di Milano rec. 1998/9 TUDOR 7079 [68:56] [JW]

Good advocates, relishing the intimacies as well as the more bustling aspects, though not the last word in sheer refinement ... see Full Review

Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Louis Frémaux conducts Ravel LSO/Louis Frémaux, rec. 1990 ALTO ALC1087 [74:34] [RB]

A very good Ravel collection and could more than serviceably stand as the only representation of the composer in any collection ... see Full Review

Vladimir REBIKOV (1866-1920) Russian Piano Music - Volume 2 Anthony Goldstone (piano) rec. 2009, DIVINE ART DDA 25081 [70:05] [JW]

Stakes a permanent claim on the listener ... see Full Review

Silvestre REVUELTAS (1899-1940) La noche de los mayas see STRAVINSKY

Josef RHEINBERGER (1839-1901) Mass and Motets - Sacred Music 9 Saarbrücken Chamber Ch./Georg Grün Rainer Oster (organ), rec. 2009 CARUS 83.410 [66:49] [MC]

Attractive performances that are both characterful and responsive. ... see Full Review

Knudage RIISAGER (1897-1974) Violin concerto see Danish Violin Concertos

Joaquin RODRIGO (1901-1999) Concierto de Aranjuez, Concierto Pastoral for flute & orch., Fantasia para un Gentilhombre Carlos Bonell (guitar), Jennifer Stinton (flute), English Ch. Orch./Steuart Bedford, rec. 1988-9 ALTO ALC1090 [69:50] [RB]

This winning and inexpensive Rodrigo collection ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) Il barbiere di Siviglia - Melodramma Buffa in two acts (1816) Juan Diego Florez (tenor); Joyce DiDonato (mezzo); Chorus and Orchestra of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London/Antonio Pappano rec. 2009 VIRGIN CLASSICS DVD VIDEO 6945581 9 4 [2 DVDs: 102:00 + 74:00 plus bonus] [RF]

An outstanding sung and acted performance that converted adversity into unmitigated triumph. It goes straight to the top of the list. ... see Full Review

Gioacchino ROSSINI (1792 – 1868) Otello Spyres, Pratt, Guagliardo, Trucco, Adami, Chauvet, Transylvania State Philharmonic Choir, Virtuosi Brunensis/ Fogliani rec. 2008 NAXOS 8.660275-76 [68.58 + 79.34] [RH]

If you are curious about Rossini's version of Otello then you will not go far wrong with this Naxos recording ... see Full Review 

Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) L’Italiana in Algeri Lorenzo Regazzo, Ruth Gonzalez, Transylvania State PCh, Virtuosi Brunensis/Alberto Zedda rec. 2008 NAXOS 8.660284-85 [68:57 + 67:17] [JS]

The freshness of new discovery


Click for alphabetical listings by composer:
[Part 1 New] [Part 2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R] [Part 5 S-Z]
[Part 6 Misc A-L] [Part 7 Misc M-Z]
[last 5 days] [Recommended recordings]


 



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