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RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sven-David SANDSTRÖM
(b.
1942) Messiah 
Festivalensemble Stuttgart/Helmuth Rilling rec. live, 2009
CARUS 83.453 [36:06 + 54:15] 
[GF]
One of the finest large-scale choral works during the whole post-war era
Vladimir
SCHERBACHOV
(1889-1952) Symphony No.5 (1940-1950) [42:05] The Tobacco Captain,
a suite (1942) [21:44]
St. Petersburg State Academic Symphony Orchestra/Alexander Titov rec.
St.Catherine Lutheran Church, St. Petersburg, 4-6 September 2008. Stereo.
DDD
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9970 [63:49]
[GD]
A fine recording and an excellent introduction to Scherbachov
Arnold
SCHOENBERG (1874–1951) Phantasy see Fantasy
Paul
SCHOENFIELD
(b. 1947) Camp
Songs (2001) [25:41] Ghetto Songs (2008) [24:19] Gerard
SCHWARZ (b. 1947) Rudolf and Jeanette (2007) [15:00]
Music
of Remembrance/Gerard Schwarz rec. 2008
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559641 [65:05] 
[DM]
A little off the beaten track perhaps but it’s certainly worth the
detour
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797–1828) Piano Quintet in A, Piano
Trio No.1 in B-flat
The Schubert Ensemble rec. 2003
CHAMPS HILL RECORDS CHRCD007 [73:00]
[BW]
Good performances, well recorded, but the competition is very strong
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Franz SCHUBERT
(1797-1828)
Die schöne Müllerin
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone); Gerald Moore (piano) rec. 1961
EMI
CLASSICS 9659402 [62:30] 
[KM]
Perhaps the best recording of this work, available in a new edition
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Die schöne Müllerin
ORCHID
CLASSICS ORC100006 [65:32]
[KM]
A mixed recording of this fine song cycle. Gilchrist’s tenor voice
doesn’t fit with all the songs
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797–1828) Winterreise , Die
Schöne Müllerin
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone); Alfred Brendel (piano); András
Schiff (piano) rec. 1979 (Winterreise), 1991 (Die Schöne
Müllerin)
ARTHAUS MUSIC 101 509 [2DVD] 
[KM]
A set of two DVDs, one excellent, the other so-so, but still necessary
for fans of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Schubert’s lieder
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Essential Highlights of Jorma Hynninen
Jorma Hynninen (bar.), Ralf Gothóni (pno), rec. 1988
ONDINE ODE253-2D [64:44 + 72:21]
[RMo]
Hynninen’s artistry at least on a par with, if not superior to
Fischer-Dieskau and Bostridge
Franz
SCHUBERT
(1797-1828)
Schubert Live - Volume Three Twelve German Dances for piano, Sonata
for piano in A minor, Hungarian melody for piano in B minor, Sonata
for piano in C major, "Reliquie", Four Impromptus for piano,
Sonata for piano in B flat major, Allegretto for piano in C minor,
Imogen Cooper (piano) rec. 2008/9
AVIE AV2158 [64:13 + 74:40]
[MS]
A superb and persuasive set of live recordings of some of Schubert's
most compelling late piano music played almost to perfection by one of
his most accomplished advocates.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Piano Sonatas C min., A, B flat
Alfredo
Perl (pno), rec. 2005-6
CELESTIAL HARMONIES 14304-2 [69:16 + 44:29] 
[KM]
A mixed bag: sometimes heavy-handed, sometimes poetic.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797–1828) Fantasie, Sei mir Gegrüsst!
see Fantasy
Erwin
SCHULHOFF (1894–1942) Music for String Quartet
String Quartet No. 1, Five Pieces, String Quartet No. 2
Aviv Quartet rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.570965 [51:02]
[JW]
Warmly recorded traversals, well played and communicative
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano Concerto Edvard
GRIEG (1843-1907) Piano Concerto
Pascal Devoyon (pno), LPO/Jerzy Maksymiuk, rec. 1990
CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2283682 [62:54]
[SV]
One of the more readily recommendable versions of this popular coupling
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810–1856) Complete Works for Pedal
Piano/Organ
Andreas Rothkopf (organ) rec. 1987
AUDITE 97.411 [61:56]
[GD]
What a shame that Schumann did not write more music for the organ or the
pedal piano given the quality of what is on offer here.
Heinrich
SCHÜTZ (1585-1672) Musikalische Exequien SWV 279-281,
Psalm 51 SWV148 “Erbarm dich mein”, Psalm 6 SWV 24 “Ach Herr, straf
mich nicht”, Psalm 143 SWV 248 “Herr mein Gebet”, Psalm 130 SWV 25 “Aus
der Tiefe”, Psalm 102 SWV 200 “Hör mein Gebet”
Weser-Renaissance Bremen/Manfred Cordes 2008
CPO 777 410-2 [63:64]
[GD]
Nothing but praise for the performance and the recording
Rodion
Konstantinovich SHCHEDRIN
(b.1932)
Concerto for Orchestra No.4 Khorovody (Roundelays) Concerto
for Orchestra No.5 Four Russian Songs Kristallene Gusli (Crystal
Psaltery)
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Kirill Karabits rec. 2009
NAXOS
8.572405 [58:51]
[NB]
One of Naxos’ best and most important releases of music by a living
composer bar none
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906
– 1975) Complete Works for Two Pianos
Piotr Laul and Alexander Sandler (pianos) rec. 2005/2006
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA9941 [69:50]
[NB]
A very recommendable disc with idiomatic and compelling performances
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Symphonies 5-7 Philadelphia
O, NBC SO/Leopold Stokowski rec. 1939-42
MUSIC & ARTS CD1232 [79:40 + 73:26]
[JW]
Essential for Stokowskians: underline the essential
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906 - 1975) Symphony 7
St Petersburg SO/Yuri Temirkanov, rec. 2008
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD194 [71:44]
[DC]
Not a first choice, unfortunately.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975)
Symphony No. 11 in G minor, Op. 103, “The Year 1905” (1957)
Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra/Mark Wigglesworth rec. 2006
BIS
BIS-SACD-1583 [63:41]
[WH]
A magnificently cogent reading of a frequently misunderstood modern
masterpiece
Francesco
SPINACINO (c.1450-after 1507) Intabulature de Lauto
Massimo
Marchese (lute) rec. 2005
TACTUS TC 451901 [61:24]
[GP]
Music of both aesthetic and historical interest, well played
Louis
SPOHR (1784-1859) Concertantes 1 & 2, Violin Duet
in G
Henning Kraggerud, Øyvind Bjorå (violin), Oslo Camerata & Barratt
Due Ch. O/Stephan Barratt-Due, rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.570840 [57:02]
[JW]
Sprucely performed, notably well played and recorded
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard STRAUSS
(1864–1949) Ein
Heldenleben Anton WEBERN (1883-1945)
Im Sommerwind
Chicago SO/Bernard Haitink rec. 2009. DSD
CSO-RESOUND CSOR 901 1004 [62:32] [JQ]
A magnificent CD, including as fine a CD version of Ein Heldenleben as I
can recall
Igor
STRAVINSKY
(1882-1971) The Rite of Spring (1911-1913)
Silvestre REVUELTAS (1899-1940)
La noche de los mayas (1939)
Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela/Gustavo Dudamel rec. 2010,
DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 477 8775 [63:56]
[DM]
Not a life-changing Rite, but the Revueltas is a terrific filler. Great
fun.
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Violin Concerto in D see Berg
Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Three
Pieces see DEBUSSY
Josef
SUK (1874-1935)
Asrael Symphony, A Summer’s Tale
Royal Liverpool PO/Libor Pešek rec. 1990
VIRGIN CLASSICS 6285302 [62:09 + 51:56]
[GD]
A commendable release
Josef
SUK (1874-1935)
Chamber Works Piano
Trio Op. 2 ; Piano Quartet Op. 1; Ballade and Serenade Op. 3; Four Pieces
for Violin and piano Op. 17; Elegy for Piano Trio Op. 23
Atos Trio (Annette von Hehn (violin); Stefan Geinemeyer (cello); Thomas
Hoppe (piano); Martin von de Nahmer (viola) rec. 2008.
CPO 777 470-2 [73.15]
[GH]
The performances are excellent … music which deserves and here receives
fine renditions
Josef SUK (1874-1935)
Pohádka see DVOŘÁK
Pierre
TABART
(1645–c.1699) Te
Deum; Magnificat; Requiem see
TUBERY
Sergey
Ivanovich TANEYEV (1856 – 1915) Symphony No.2 in B flat
major (edited/completed: Vladimir Blok); Symphony No.4 in C minor Op.12
Novosibirsk
Academic Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Sanderling rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572067 [78:22]
[NB]Convincing
and colourful performances that will bring pleasure to those interested
in the byways of 19th century Russian symphonic repertoire
Sergey
TANEYEV
(1856-1915) Complete
String Quartets - Volume 1 String Quartet no.1 in B flat minor Op.4
(1890) [32:38] String Quartet no.4 in A minor Op.11 (1900) [37:44]
The Taneyev Quartet rec. 1977,
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9933 [70:22] [GD]
The Taneyev Quartet really have their fingers on the pulse and the
quality of these readings fully justifies their reissue
Sergey
TANEYEV
(1856-1915) Complete String Quartets - Volume
3 String Quartet no.3 in D minor Op.7 (1896) [26:43] String Quartet
no.8 in C major (1883) [39:17]
The Taneyev Quartet rec. 1977, 1979,
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9935 [66:00]
[GD]
Performances as committed as ever but somewhat short of ideal.
Sergey
TANEYEV
(1856-1915) Complete String Quartets - Volume
4 String Quartet no.6 in B flat Major Op.19 (1905) [36:30] String
Quartet no.9 in A Major (1883) [34:37]
The Taneyev Quartet rec. 1977, 1979, St. Petersburg Recording Studio.
ADD. Stereo
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9936 [71:07]
[GD]
A worthy inclusion in the cycle, but not in any sense exceptional
Sergey
TANEYEV
(1856-1915) Complete String Quartets - Volume
5 String Quartet no.2 in C Major Op.5 (1895)
The Taneyev Quartet rec. 1979, St. Petersburg Recording Studio. ADD.
Stereo
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9937 [41:03] [GD]
Passion and drama from the Taneyev Quartet. We owe a huge debt of
gratitude to the Northern Flowers label
Sergei
Ivanovich TANEYEV
(1856-1915)
CD 1 String Quintet in G major, Op. 14 (1901) String Quintet in C Major,
Op. 16 (1904) CD 2 Piano Quintet in G minor, Op.30 (1911)
The S. I. Taneyev Quartet (Vladimir Ovcharek (violin I), Vissarion Solovyev
(violin II), Grigory Lutzky (viola), Josef Levinzon (cello)); Yuri Kramarov
(viola) (op.16); Beynus Morozov (cello) (op.14); Tamara Fidler (piano)
(op.30) rec. 1980-1981 (CD 1) 1968 (CD 2). ADD
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9944/9945 [79:01 + 48:14]
[WK]
For many Taneyev without the Taneyev Quartet is hard to imagine
Sergei
TANEYEV
(1856-1915)
Violin Sonata (1911) [23:24] ¹ Piano Quartet Op.20 (1906) [36:51] ²
Vladimir
Ovcharek (violin); Tamara Fidler (piano) ¹ Vladimir Ovcharek (violin);
Vladimir Stopichev (viola); Iosif Levinson (cello); Eliso Virsaladze
(piano) ² rec. 1980 (Sonata) and 1987 (Quartet), St Petersburg Recording
Studio
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9962 [60:15]
[JW]
Ovcharek is a touch cooler than Feigin
Leonard
Bernstein Conducts Pyotr Ilyich
TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893) Symphony No. 4 in F minor
Nathan
Milstein Rarities Pyotr Ilyich
TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893) Violin Concerto in D
Boris
TCHAIKOVSKY
(1925 – 1996)
Violin Concerto (1969)
Victor Pikaizen (violin) Odense Symphony Orchestra/Edward Serov rec.
1994
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9946 [44:13] [HC]
A great piece that definitely deserves to be better known
Peter
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) The Nutcracker,
Op. 71
USSR State Symphony Orchestra/Evgeny Svetlanov rec. 1988
MELODIYA MEL CD 10 00409 [48:17 + 43:15]
[SFV]
Passages of refinement and real insight alternate with coarse ones,
which makes for frustrating listening
Pyotr
Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Swan Lake ballet
Russian
National Orchestra / Mikhail Pletnev rec. 2009
ONDINE ODE 1167-2D [78:44 + 64:08]
[RM]
Pletnev - somewhat hard-driven
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Violin Concerto see Berg
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano Trio see
GLINKA
Virgil
THOMSON (1896-1989)
The Mother of Us All Suite Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Symphony 2 Emmanuel CHABRIER
(1841-1894) Marche Joyeuse
New York PO/Leopold Stokowski rec. live 1950
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC215 [57:29]
[BBr]
The old magician has done it again
Boris
Ivanovich TISCHENKO
(b.1939) Symphony No.6 for soprano, contralto
and orchestra (1988) [55:11]
Valentina Yuzvenko (soprano); Elena Rubin (contralto); Symphony Orchestra
of the USSR Ministry of Culture/Gennady Rozhdestvensky rec. 1989
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA9947 [55:11]
[NB]
An important and significant work by a strongly individual composer
Verdi:
Otello Giuseppe
VERDI (1813–1901) Otello
Otello – Aleksandrs Antonenko (tenor); Desdemona – Marina
Poplavskaya (soprano); Iago – Carlos Álvarez (baritone);
Wiener Staatsopernchor; Salzburger Festspiele Kinderchor Vienna Philharmonic/Riccardo
Muti rec. 2008
UNITEL 701408 [163:0]
[ST]
The
Solti ROH DVD is still the Otello to go for.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901)
Nabucco
Matteo Manuguerra (baritone) Nicolai Ghiaurov (bass) Renata Scotto (soprano)
Ambrosian Opera Ch; Philharmonia O/Riccardo Muti rec. 1977/8
EMI CLASSICS 4564472 [58:16 + 65:08]
[RMo]
Muti’s set delivers great pleasures
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Otello
Mirella Freni (sop.), Stefania Malagú (mezzo), Jon Vickers, Aldo Bottion,
Michel Senéchal (ten.), Peter Glossop (bar.), José Van Dam (bass-baritone),
Berlin PO, Deutschen Oper Chor. Berlin/Herbert Von Karajan, rec. 1973
EMI
CLASSICS 456450 2 [65.01 + 71.11 + CD-ROM]
[RJF]
This is a performance that is better seen than heard.
Heitor
VILLA-LOBOS (1887–1959) Piano Concerto No. 1 see Albeniz
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) Oboe concertos Tomaso
ALBINONI (1671-1751) Oboe concertos
Paul Goodwin (oboe) The King’s Consort/Robert King rec. 1990
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55349 [69:33]
[JW]
Warmly textured and vested with much lyric intensity
Autour
de Vivaldi
Ensemble Guidantus, rec. 2009
SOLSTICE SOCD 257 [62:01]
[JV]
The music on this disc is really good stuff, but the performances are
disappointing
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Der Fliegende Holländer(Original Dresden
version) (1843)
Adam, Silja, Talvela, Kozub, Burmeister, Unger, BBC Chorus; New Philharmonia
Orchestra/Otto Klemperer 1968
EMI CLASSICS 4 56470 2 [75:58 + 76:09]
[ST]
Good but the singing from the two leads is too variable to make this a
serious contender
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods) Katarina Dalayman
(soprano) – Brünnhilde Lars Cleveman (tenor) – Siegfried Attila Jun
(bass) – Hagen
Hallé Choir; BBC Symphony Chorus; London Symphony Chorus; The Royal
Opera Chorus The Hallé Orchestra/Sir Mark Elder rec. 2009. DDD. Libretto
and English translation included on both versions as a pdf document.
HALLÉ
CDHLD7525 [5 CDs] or CDHLM7530 (mp3 edition, 320kbps) [1CD
284:04]
[DH]
Hallé musicians radiate talent and dedication in achieving such
luminous, transparent playing.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Götterdämmerung
Astrid Varnay, Wolfgang Windgassen, Bayreuth Festival Ch & O/Clemens
Krauss rec. live, 1953
PRISTINE AUDIO PACO042A/B [4CDs: 4:19:53]
[RMo]
A splendid achievement
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Lohengrin
(1848) [217:17] Lohengrin – Jess Thomas (tenor) Elsa von Brabant –
Elisabeth Grümmer (soprano) Ortrud – Christa Ludwig (mezzo) Friedrich
von Telramund – Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) King Heinrich –
Gottlob Frick (bass)
Chor der Wiener Staatsoper Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Rudolf Kempe
rec. 1962-3,
EMI CLASSICS 4 56465 2 [3 CDs: 72:02 + 77:10 + 68:05]
[ST]
A
glorious reading becomes all the more appealing in its newest incarnation
Richard
WAGNER (1818-1883) Parsifal - an Orchestral Quest (arr.
1993 by Henk de Vlieger (b.1953)), Overture and Venusberg Ballet Scene
from Tannhäuser, Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin
RSNO/Järvi rec. 2009
CHANDOS CHSA 5077 [69:38]
[ST]
Worth exploring for novelty value
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Excerpts from Die Meistersinger
von Nürnberg, Götterdämmerung, Tristan und Isolde
Staatskapelle Berlin, Cologne Radio Orch./Hans Knappertsbusch, rec.
1953, 1959
DYNAMIC IDIS 6569 [63:17]
[BR]
A titan of Wagner interpretation, live in concert with mostly excellent
results
Carl
Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Overtures, Bassoon concerto
Henri Helaerts (bassoon) Suisse Romande O/Ernest Ansermet rec. 1958/68
DECCA
ELOQUENCE 480 0123 [68:35]
[SV]
This disc, at least for now, merits a firm recommendation
Christopher
WRIGHT (b.1954) Evocation: String and Orchestral
Music
Maxwell Spiers (cor anglais); John Turner (treble recorder) Royal Ballet
Sinfonia/Barry Wordsworth; Royal Ballet Sinfonia/Gavin Sutherland; Manchester
Sinfonia/Christopher Wright rec. 2007, 2009
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7240 [64:11]
[GH]
Sparkle,
rhythmic élan and a certain jazzy quality. Also very much in
the English Pastoral tradition
Eugène
YSAŸE (1858–1931) String Trios
Tor
Johan Bøen (violin); Anders Nilsson (violin); Are Sandbakken
(viola); Juliet Jopling (viola); Johannes Martens (cello) rec. 2007,
2008
SIMAX PSC 1295 [69:56]
[DC]
Fascinating, intense and complex.
Judith
Lang ZAIMONT (b.1945)
Chroma - Northern Lights, Symphony 2, STILLNESS
Slovak Ntl SO/Kirk Trevor rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.559619 [52:26]
[BBr]
A composer who can think her own thoughts
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