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Friday
July 30th




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We are reducing to 5 reviews most days during the Summer vacation period.

Friday July 30th

Alan HOVHANESS (1911–2000) Symphonies 7, 14 & 23 TCM Wind O/Keith Brion, rec. 2008 NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559385 [62:43] [JW]

Admirers of the composer need not hesitate

Franz LEHÁR (1870 - 1948) Der Zarewitsch Alexandra Reinprecht, Christina Landshamer, Bayerischen Rundfunks Ch; Münchner Rundfunkorchester/Ulf Schirmer rec. 2009 CPO 777 523-2 [62:53 + 59:48] [NB]

Instructive but flawed

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

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

The Golden Age of Light Music – British Cinema and Theatre Orchestras Vol. 3 rec. 1927-39 GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD 5168 [79:23] [JW]

Compiled with a sure eye and ear

 

Thursday July 29th

Aaron COPLAND (1900 – 1990) Clarinet Concerto; Suite: Appalachian Spring Gerald FINZI (1901 -1956) Clarinet Concerto; Romance Sarah Williamson (clarinet) O of the Swan/David Curtis rec. 2009 SOMM SOMMCD 244 [78:12] [BBr]

There are better versions

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

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

Genuine verve and an animated refinement

Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Also Sprach Zarathustra, Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Metamorphosen, Tod und Verklärung Staatskapelle Dresden/Herbert Blomstedt rec. 1987/89 DAL SEGNO DSPRCD050 [51:09 + 68:10] [NB]

Versions to return to with pleasure

Concert Parisien à l'époque de Louis XV: Jean-Philipp RAMEAU (1683-1764) Troisième Concert Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) Quatuor Michel BLAVET (1700-1768) Sonata Antoine FORQUERAY (1672-1745) La Buisson Jean-Philipp RAMEAU Cinquième Concert Jean-Marie LECLAIR (1697-1764) Trio-sonata Grégoire Jeay (transverse flute), Hélène Plouffe (violin), Juan Manuel Quintana (viola da gamba), Luc Beauséjour (harpsichord) rec. 2009 ANALEKTA AN29926 [63:37] [JV]

There is more drama and contrast in French music than these interpretations suggest

 

Wednesday July 28th

Luigi BOCCHERINI (1743-1805) Cello Concertos Wen-Sinn Yang (cello); Streicherakademie Bozen/Georg Egger rec. 1999 ARTS 47754-8 [image] [79:01] [DC]

Skill and refinement all round – won’t disappoint

Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797-1848) L’Elisir d’Amore Siurina, Auty, Daza, Di Pasquale, Pretorian; The Glyndebourne Chorus; London PO/Maurizio Benini rec. 2009 OPUS ARTE OA 1026 D [126:00] [RF]

More a provincial performance than that from an international house

Alun HODDINOTT (1929-2008) Variants for Orchestra, Night Music, Sinfoniettas 1 & 3, The Sun London SO, New PO/David Atherton, Norman Del Mar rec. 1967-75 LYRITA SRCD.333 [68.43] [GH][RB]

I can only strongly advise you to obtain your copy of this disc urgently [GH] Music that is dissonant and pithy yet impressively approachable [RB]

John JEFFREYS (b. 1927) Idylls and Elegies Various performers DIVINE ART DDA25082 [68:57] [JQ]

An excellent introduction to the music of John Jeffreys for those unacquainted with it

John JEFFREYS (b.1927) Northumbria and beyond - Songs by John Jeffreys Ian Partridge(tenor); Jennifer Partridge(piano) rec. 1991-4 DIVINE ART DDV24128 [72:38] [JQ]

I urge all lovers of English songs to seek out this very fine disc

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

Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Le Sacre du Printemps Silvestre REVUELTAS (1899-1940) La noche de los mayas Simón Bolívar Youth O of Venezuela/Gustavo Dudamel rec. 2010 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8775 [64:07] [JQ]

A disc with that rare “Wow!” factor

The 5 Browns In Hollywood: The 5 Browns rec. 2009 E1 ENTERTAINMENT EIE-CD-2041 [63:00] [JW]

The playing has vigour and panache

Images and Impressions: Music for flute and harp including William ALWYN (1905-1985) Naiades Vincent PERSICHETTI (1915-1987) Serenade 10 Anthony PAYNE (b.1936) A 1940s Childhood Andre JOLIVET (1905-1974) Alla Rustica Judith Hall (flute); Elinor Bennett (harp) rec. 1989 NIMBUS NI5247 [59:45] [CR]

An excellent disc which has much to offer and deserves to be heard

Constantin Silvestri A Bournemouth Love Affair George ENESCU (1881-1955) Symphony 1, Orchestral Suites Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony 29 Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Symphony 1 Constantin SILVESTRI (1913-1969) Three Pieces for Strings Antonin DVORÁK (1841-1904) Slavonic Dances 3-5 Bournemouth SO/Constantin Silvestri rec. 1960s NIMBUS ALLIANCE/RMA NI 6124 [70:33 + 76:13] [NB][RB]

Heartfelt exuberance, sensitivity and quicksilver fleetness

 

Tuesday July 27th

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The Bach Cantata Pilgrimage - Volume 11 Cantatas for the 20th & 21st Sundays after Trinity Magdalena Kožená (soprano) Monteverdi Ch; English Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner. rec. 2000 SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG 168 [64:55 + 80:10] [JQ]

Those who are collecting this excellent series should add this pair of discs to their shelves as soon as possible

Giacomo CARISSIMI (1605-1674) Oratorios Les Voix Baroques/Alexander Weimann rec. 2009 ATMA ACD2 2622 [67:42] [MS]

A splendid, atmospheric and technically precise and accurate collection of four of Carissimi's lovely oratorios

John FIELD (1782-1837) Complete Piano Concertos Paolo Restani (piano) Nice PO/Marco Guidarini rec. 2007/8 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93783 [4 CDs: 226:27] [BW]

Enjoyable and unjustly neglected music in recommendable performances and recordings at a modest cost

George GERSHWIN (1898-1937) A Gershwin Songbook, I Got Rhythm, Piano Concerto Aalborg SO/Wayne Marshal rec. 1992-5 EMI CLASSICS 6066882 [77:53] [WK]

Creditable performances of two Gershwin masterpieces

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Rosso : Italian baroque arias by Sartorio, Stradela, Handel, Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Porpora & Marcello Patricia Petibon (soprano) Venice Baroque O/Andrea Marcon rec. 2009 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8763 [75:24] [BW]

Well-known and unknown arias, all made to sound superb

 

Monday 26th July

Cantate Contarini Marta Infante (mezzosoprano); Ars Atlántica/Manuel Vilas rec. 2008 ENCHIRIADIS EN 2027 [61:45] [JV]

Great stuff, outstanding performances - but no English translations of the lyrics

26 Danish Violin Concertos - Vol.4 Niels Wilhelm GADE (1817-1890) Carl NIELSEN (1865-1931) Otto MALLING (1848-1915) Axel GADE (1860-1921) Knudage RIISAGER (1897-1974) Kai Laursen (violin) rec. 1966-78 DANACORD DACOCD 467-468 [60:41 + 63:03] [NB]

Flaws but credit to Kai Laursen and his prophet-in-the-wilderness role of promoting so much music that he clearly cared passionately about

The Great Pianists - Masters of the Piano Roll Vol. 11 Shura Cherkassy and Leopold Godowsky (piano) rec. c. 1916-29 DAL SEGNO DSPRCD 051 [60:10] [JW]

Reflects central repertoire, erring on the side of panache, dance rhythms, and sentiment

Migrations Sofia GUBAIDULINA (b.1931) 7 Etüden fur Kontrabass, Pentimento Klaus AGER (b.1946) Migrations Sofia Gubaidulina (Donner-Tube); Ens Mobile rec. 2009 THOROFON CTH 2569 [60:04] [MS]

Interesting tonalities, concepts behind them and convincing execution to that end

Remembrance of Things Past John DOWLAND (1563-1626) Peter CROTON (b.1957) Theresia Bothe (soprano); Peter Croton (lute); Derek Lee Ragin rec. 2009 GUILD GMCD 7341 [62:34] [JW]

A somewhat out of the way disc


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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