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BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH American
Music for Percussion Vol. 1 Works by Tower, Sandler, Higdon,
Rodriguez & Schuller 
New England Conservatory Percussion Ens/Frank Epstein & Gunther
Schuller rec. 2004-8
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559683 [67:12] [DM]
So
much here to delight the receptive ear … astonishing … the most original
percussion writing I’ve heard in ages.
American
Music for Percussion 2 Works by Carter, Child, Cohen, Harbison
& Lerdahl
Kimberly Soby (soprano) Mary Kate Vom Lehn (mezzo) Thea Lobo (alto)
New England Conservatory Percussion Ens/Frank Epstein rec. 2000-9
NAXOS
AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559684 [50:26] [Byz]
The
curiosity rating is almost off the dial.
Martha
Argerich and Friends - Live from the Lugano Festival 2010 rec.
2010
EMI CLASSICS 0708362 [3 CDs: 80.33 + 80.38 + 78:53]
[OL]
This
very rewarding collection contains wonderful music in excellent interpretations.
Martha
Argerich at the Verbier Festival Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concerto 2 Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Piano Concerto 1 Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Symphony
Martha Argerich (piano) Verbier Festival CO/Gábor Takács-Nagy rec. 2010
EUROARTS/IDÉALE
AUDIENCE 3079564 
[87:00]
[DM]
Strictly
for Argerich fans, I’m afraid.
Arrau
with Szell Live from Carnegie Hall
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Concerto 1 Fryderyk CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Piano Concerto 2 Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Burleske Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Konzertstück Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Piano Concerto 2
Claudio Arrau (piano) New York P-SO/George Szell rec. 1945-55
WEST HILL RADIO ARCHIVES WHRA6037 [67:26 + 54:25]
[JW]
Admirable
for the opportunity to hear the collaborative novelty of two great musicians
in live performances.
Sir
Thomas Beecham - English Music by Delius, German, Bantock, Bax &
Berners
Royal
PO/Sir Thomas Beecham rec. 1946-57
EMI CLASSICS 9099152 [6 CDs: 426:03]
[JW]
This
is a fine, bargain-priced offering. A lifetime’s listening guaranteed.
Birth
of the Violin Works by Westhoff, Biber, Pisendel, Matteis,
Guillemain & Rust
Rebekka Hartmann (violin) rec. 2011
SOLO MUSICA SM 151 [67:02]
[MC]
Should
appeal mainly to the specialist listener.
Casablanca
– Classic film scores for Humphrey Bogart
Max STEINER, Franz
WAXMAN, Frederick
HOLLANDER, Victor YOUNG,
Miklós RÓZSA
The National Philharmonic Orchestra/Charles Gerhardt rec. 1973
RCA RED SEAL 88697 77937 (distributed by Sony Music Entertainment)
[51:07]
[IL]
An
ideal introduction to film music of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Cathedral
Brass Volume
II
Bristol Cathedral Ch, Black Dyke Band/Dr Nicholas J. Childs rec. 2010/1
DOYEN
DOYCD244 [75:27]
[DM]
Another
disc with broad appeal, from one of the best bands in the business.
Boris
Christoff – The 1976 Lugano Recital; Alfredo
Kraus – Live in Las Palmas 1995; Renata Scotto – The 1984 Tokyo Recital
DYNAMIC
33683 
[3 DVDs: 247:00]
[DBe]
I
would recommend these recitals with a few provisos.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Duos for Violin & Cello
Works by Martinů, Süss,
Klein, Dünser, Schulhoff & Toch
Eufonia
Duo Vienna rec. 2010
VMS MUSICAL TREASURES VMS224 [76.00] [SA]
76
minutes of aurally sublime and fascinating music.
A
History of Brass Bands –
The Golden Period
- Inaugural Lecture by Professor Nicholas Childs and Interviews
with Dr Robert Childs, Professor Trevor Herbert, Professor Philip Wilby
and Dr Roy Newsome [c100:00]
Black Dyke Band/Professor Nicholas Childs (lecturer and conductor) rec
2009 16:9 colour All regions
WORLD OF BRASS WOB129 [c.100:00]
[JS]
This
may not be the most glamorous of music videos but when the content is
of such interest and put across with such obvious authority and enthusiasm
this is of little importance.
Placido
Domingo - My Greatest Roles Vol. 3 Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Carmen
Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Samson et Dalila
Jacques OFFENBACH (1819-1880) Les
Contes d’Hoffmann
WARNER CLASSICS
50-52498-1411-2-8 [4 DVDs: 478:00] [GF]
“My
Greatest Roles” says this box, and this is no mere hype.
William
Dowdall (flute) Works for solo flute
rec.
2007/08
CELESTIAL HARMONIES 13253-2 [73:10]
[CR]
A
CD with variable quality, both in the repertoire and the playing.
Fiery
and Sublime The sources of Quantz's inspiration
La Ricordanza rec. 2010
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG603 1644-2 [78:05]
[GPu]
Fine
performances, very well recorded – an excellent sampler of music for
flute at the time of Quantz.
Fiori
Rossiniani Iwan
MÜLLER (1786-1854) Ernesto CAVALLINI
(1807-1874) Stefano GOLINELLI (1818-1891)
Domenico LIVERANI (1805-1876)
Gioacchino ROSSINI (1792-1868)
Alessandro Travaglini (clarinet) Christopher Howell (piano) rec. Studio
l'Eremo, Lessona, Italy, March 2010. DDD
SHEVA COLLECTION 029 [77:27]
[Byz]
A
fairly appealing package, most obviously for clarinet fans.
Alma
Gluck rec. 1911-1917.
NIMBUS PRIMA VOCE NI7904 [77:03]
[RMo]
A
voice of utmost purity, seamless legato and apparently endless reserves
of breath.
The
Golden Age of Light Music –
The Lost Transcriptions Volume 2
Percy Faith and his orchestra, Mantovani and his orchestra, Sidney Torch
and his orchestra
GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD 5181 [78:42]
[JW]
In
this disc the focus of ‘Lost Transcriptions’ becomes tighter with three
featured conductors; Percy Faith, Mantovani and Sidney Torch.
Inner
Voice Benjamin
BRITTEN (1813-1976) Lachrymae George
ROCHBERG (1918-2005) Viola Sonata Arvo
PäRT (b. 1935) spiegel im spiegel Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Viola Sonata
Peter Minkler (viola); Lura Johnson (piano) rec. 2008
CENTAUR CRC3049 [78:36] 
[WH]
A
highly satisfying recital of four very different, yet complementary,
twentieth-century viola works.
Inspired
by Shakespeare and Hamlet Works by Kuhlau, Tchaikovsky,
Liszt, Joachim & MacDowell
South Jutland SO/Vladimir Ziva rec. 2010
DANACORD DACOCD682 [70:07]
[JS]
Musicianly
performances... an imaginative and unusual programme
Italy
versus France Works
by Lully, Rebel, Muffat, Couperin, Corelli
The Bach Players/Nicolette Moonen rec. 2010
HYPHEN PRESS MUSIC 004 [78:52]
[JV]
The
unimaginative choice of subject and repertoire and the generally bland
performances make it hard to welcome this disc.
Jauchzet
dem Herren - The Psalms of David in the 17th Century
in North Germany
Hans Jörg Mammel (tenor) La Fenice/Jean Tubéry rec. 2009
ALPHA 179 [68:22]
[JV]
A
compelling portrait of the rich musical culture of North Germany in
the 17th century.
Mindru
Katz Live Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Piano Concerto 2 Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Piano Concerto 1
Mindru Katz (piano) Jerusalem SO/Harold Byrns, Gothenburg SO/Sergiu
Comissiona rec. 1961/9
CEMBAL D’AMOUR CD 154 [54:53]
[JW]
Embraces
the liquid elegance as much as the confident brio.
Tina
Kiberg (soprano) Så tag mit hjerte
Tove Lřnskov (piano) rec. 2010
DANACORD DACOCD 685 [65:56] [GF]
A
delectable recital.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Lamentarium
Luigi
ROSSI (1597-1653) Marco MARAZZOLI
(1602-1662) Marc'Antonio
PASQUALINI (1614-1691)
Atalante
(Nadine Balbeisi (soprano)*, Theodora Baka (mezzo)**, Paulina van Laarhoven,
Annalisa Pappano, Nora Roll (viola da gamba), Erin Headley (viola da
gamba, lirone), Siobhán Armstrong (arpa doppia), Elizabeth Kenny, Andrew
Maginley (chitarrone))/Erin Headley
rec. 2010, DDD
NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6152 [67:17]
[JV]
One
of the best recordings I have heard all year.
Liuto
con forza Bengt HAMBRĆUS
(1928-2000) Varianti per liuto solo Ivo
NILSSON (b.1966) Luta for theorbo Erik
PETERS (b.1970) Pice for lute and live electronics Lars
EKSTRÖM (b.1956) Vision and Ashes for theorbo Ingvar
KARKOFF (b.1958) Four Pieces for lute Kent
OLOFSSON (b.1962) Chemin de Silence I-III for theorbo
Peter Söderberg (instrumentals) rec. October 2009-2010
PHONO SUECIA PSCD 186 [62:53]
[GPu]
Fascinating
extensions of the lute and its music.
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]
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