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Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 4 
Sunhae Im (soprano) Pittsburgh SO/Manfred Honeck rec. 2010
EXTON EXCL-00048 [57:40]
[GD]
Continuous
intervention by the conductor and the results are powerful and immediate.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER
(1860-1911) Symphony 5
Lucerne Fest O/Claudio Abbado rec. 2004
EUROARTS 2054074 
[74:00] [DBi]
An
essential purchase that places itself firmly with the top few of a long
list of Mahler Fives.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 5
Lucerne Festival O/Claudio Abbado; Documentary/Jeremy Barham rec. 2004
EUROARTS
2056178 
[95:00]
[DM]
If
you’re new to Mahler and/or this symphony then this DVD is a must-buy.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony
1 Serge PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Piano Concerto 3
Yuja Wang (pno) Lucerne Fest. O/Claudio Abbado rec. 2009
EUROARTS 2057968 [93:00]
[CC]
This
is a tremendous, glowing performance of the Mahler; the Prokofiev is
almost as special.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Thomas Hampson (baritone) Wiener Virtuosen/Ernst Ottensamer rec. 2010
DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 477 9289 [66:57]
[KM]
One
of the finest recordings of these Mahler songs by today’s leading interpreter
of these works.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 9
Staatskapelle Berlin/Daniel Barenboim rec. 2009
UNITEL/C MAJOR 703708
[74:09 + Bonus 22:34] [RC]
A
splendid performance of this complex symphony.
Murat
MALAY Mevlana,
Yunus Emre
Bosphorus SO, 'Golden Horn' SO/Tugrul Karatas rec. 2008-10
MEM PRODUCTIONS (no catalogue number) [47:33] [Byz]
Lovers
of sophisticated classical music should stay well away.
Gian
Francesco MALIPIERO (1883-1973)
Tre commedie goldoniane, Stradivario, La Cimarosiana,
Gabrieliana
O della Svizzera Italiana/Christian Benda rec. 1997
NAXOS ITALIAN CLASSICS 8.570883 [58:02]
[DM]
This
is a most rewarding reissue, and a tantalising glimpse into Malipiero’s
endearing sound-world.
Ursula
MAMLOK
(b.1923)
Collection Vol. 2
Garrick Ohlsson (piano) Daedalus Qt rec. 2007/9
BRIDGE 9293 [62:02]
[Byz]
A
tough and imaginative listen – relentless virtuosic demands.
Francesco
MANCINI (1672-1737) Sonata 4 see VIVALDI
Igor
MARKEVITCH (1912-1983)/Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The Musical Offering
Rémy Baudet (violin) Hans van Loenen (wooden transverse flute) Jeroen
Reuling (cello) Dirk Luijmes (harpsichord) Arnhem PO/Christopher Lyndon-Gee
rec. 1997
NAXOS 8.572158 [51.58]
[Byz]
Markevitch's
Musical Offering is not a Stokowski-style lushification; Markevitch
proves to be more sensitive.
Frank
MARTIN (1890-1974) Jedermann, Der Sturm (excerpts)
Werner EGK (1901-1983) The
Temptation of St. Anthony
Janet Baker (mezzo) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) Berlin PO/Frank
Martin, Koeckert Qt, Bavarian RSO/Werner Egk rec. 1960/5
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9206 [65:09]
[RB]
Classic
1960s vintage recordings of twentieth century works for voice and orchestra
in and toweringly potent performances.
Bohuslav
MARTINU (1890-1959)
Oboe Concerto see STRAUSS
William
MATHIAS (1934 - 1992)
Improvisations for Harp see 20th
Century Harp Classics
Nicholas
MAW
(1935-2009) Sonata
Notturna, Life Studies
Raphael Wallfisch (cello) English String O/William Boughton rec. 1995,
NIMBUS NI5471 [65:07]
[WH]
Two
fine twentieth-century English works for strings in magnificent performances.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Sextet Conradin
KREUTZER (1780-1849) Grand Septet Franz
BERWALD (1796-1868) Grand Septet Alexander
BORODIN (1833-1887) Piano Quintet Nikolai
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908) Piano Quintet
Wiener Oktett rec. 1968/72
DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 2397 [63:31 + 77:07]
[BR]
Tickets
to chamber music heaven.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin Concerto, Octet
James Ehnes (violin) Philharmonia O/Vladimir Ashkenazy, Seattle Chamber
Music Soc rec. 2010
ONYX 4060 [57:31]
[AM]
A
warm Mendelssohn Concerto but a cool Octet from James Ehnes.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847)
Octet, Piano sextet
I solisti Filarmonici Italiani Jolanda Violante (piano) rec. 2009
CPO 777 524-2 [62:28]
[DC]
A
recommendable alternative with a period approach.
Keeping
the Doors Open Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin Concerto Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano Trio
Isaac Stern (violin) Mstislav Rostropovich (cello) Vladimir Horowitz
(piano) Israel PO/Leonard Bernstein rec. 1967/76
SONY CLASSICAL 88697 753472 [JW]
I
wouldn’t especially commend either performance.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Piano Trios: in d; in c
Schweizer Klaviertrio: Angela Golubeva (violin) Sebastien Singer (cello)
Martin Lucas Staub (piano) rec. 2010
AUDITE 92.550 
[57:08]
[KS]
Splendid performances of some sublime music.
A near perfect hour of music-making.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) The Beautiful Melusine Overture see
Fritz Busch
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) A Midsummer Night’s Dream
see Reiner
Rarities
Gian
Carlo MENOTTI (1911-2007) The Saint of Bleecker Street,
The Unicorn, the Gorgon & the Manticore
Gabrielle Ruggiero (soprano) Gloria Lane (mezzo) David Poleri (tenor)
unnamed Ch & O/Thomas Schippers rec. 1955/7
NAXOS 8.111360-61 [79:30 + 76:18]
[JS]
Listening
to these operas on disc gives only a partial picture of their character
and merits.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Claudio MONTEVERDI
(1567-1643) Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Exultent caeli
O of Age of Enlightenment/Robert Howarth rec. 2010
SIGNUM SIGCD237 [49:08 + 47:59]
[JS]
In
a word: magnificent.
Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567-1643) Vespro della Beata Vergine
Nicholas
Mulroy, Thomas Hobbs (tenor) New College Oxford Ch, Charivari Agréable/Edward
Higginbottom, rec. 2009
NOVUM NCR 1382 [57:30 + 33:02]
[JV]
A
recording with many virtues but also some serious flaws.
Xavier
MONTSALVATGE (1911-2002) Concertino 1 + 13, Tres
postals il-luminades see TOLDRA
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Die Zauberflöte
Hans
Peter Blochwitz (tenor) Willard White (bass) Natalie Dessay, Rosa Mannion
(sopranos) Les Arts Florissants/William Christie rec. 1995
ERATO 2564 677426 [76.08 + 74.19]
[MM-B]
Naturally
accomplished and well judged with a fine performance by orchestra and
singers.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphonies 39 & 41
English Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. 2006
SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG711 [66:51]
[JQ]
Fine,
vital live performances of two of Mozart’s greatest symphonies.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1971)
Sonatas for four hands
Marie and Veronica Kuijken (pianoforte) rec. 2009
CHALLENGE RECORDS CC72363
[76:48] [DC]
Another
winner from Challenge Classics.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756–1791) Duos for Violin and Viola
see Michael
HAYDN
Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931)
Symphonies 1 & 5, Helios Overture, Flute Concerto, Clarinet Concerto,
Maskarade Svend Simon SCHULTZ (1913-1998)
Serenade
Gilbert Jespersen (flute) Ib Erikson (clarinet) Danish State RSO/Thomas
Jensen, Erik Tuxen, Mogens Wöldike rec. 1952/4
DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 1858 [78:46 + 77:56]
[RB]
Nielsen
recordings from the 1950s vanguard in recordings that sound as good
as they are ever likely to sound.
Pehr
Henrik NORDGREN (1944 – 2008) The Good Samaritan,
Wind quintet 2 see Arctic
Hysteria
Jan
NOVÁK (1921-1984)
Sonata Serenata for Violin and Guitar see DUO
TERES
Robert
OBOUSSIER (1900-1957) Antigone see
BLOCH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Giovanni PACINI
(1796-1867)
Il convitato di pietra
Leonardo Cortellazzi (tenor) Geraldine Chauvet (mezzo) Transylvania
State PCh, Cluj Südwestdeutsches CO Pforzheim/Daniele Ferrari rec.
live, 2008
NAXOS OPERA CLASSICS 8.660282-83 [44.55 + 47.28]
[RJF]
A
different take on a well-known story is accompanied by a Pacini’s
sure composition and an enjoyable first public performance.
Nicolò
PAGANINI (1782-1840)
Sonata no.1 in A , Sonata no.4 in A see DUO
TERES
Giovanni
Pierluigi da PALESTRINA (1525/6-1594) Missa Aeterna
Christi munera, Sicut cervus desiderat, Vidi turbam magnam, Magnificat
primi toni a 8
Westminster Cathedral Ch/James O'Donnell rec. 1991
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55368 [GD]
The
Westminster Choir sing beautifully but there is no way that any choir
can maintain results at this phenomenal level indefinitely
Charles
Hubert Hastings PARRY (1848-1918)
Symphony 1, From Death to Life
English SO/William Boughton rec. 1991
NIMBUS NI 5296 [70:33]
[RB]
Eloquent
and broadly paced readings of works from the extremes of Parry’s career.
Vincent
PAULET
(b.1962)
La Ballade des Pendus, Nuit, Partita 2, Cello sonata
Isabelle Soccoja (mezzo) Marion Ralincourt (flute) Florent Héau (clarinet)
Jean-Michel Dayez (piano) Parisii Qt; Arnaud Vallin (violin) Xavier
Gagnepain (cello) Nicolas Krüger (director) rec. 2010
HORTUS 080 [75:27] [MS]
A
substantial new collection of early works by a French composer with
a lot to say … highly sympathetic and persuasive performances.
Flor
PEETERS (1729–1774) Organ music
D’Arcy
Trinkwon (organ) rec. 2009
HYPERION CDA 67825 [73:38]
[HC]
A
generously filled selection of Peeters’ organ works in magnificent
performances and recording.
Astor
PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas see
VILLA-LOBOS
David
L. POST (b.1949)
String Quartets 2-4, Fantasia on a Virtual Choral
Hawthorne String Qt rec. 2002-7
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559661 [59:54]
[RC]
Chamber
music mavens willing to sample fairly approachable contemporary works
should find the disc rewarding.
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) L’Histoire de Babar see
DEBUSSY
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Sergei PROKOFIEV
(1891-1953)
Piano Concerto 2 Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Piano Concerto
Anna Vinnitskaya (piano) Deutsches SO Berlin/Gilbert Varga rec. 2010
NAÏVE
V5238 [54:30] [GD]
I
can't wait to hear some more.
Serge
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Piano Concerto 3 see
MAHLER
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Madama Butterfly
Victoria de los Ángeles (soprano) Giuseppe di Stefano (tenor) O &
Ch Teatro dell'Opera di Roma/Gianandrea Gavazzeni rec. 1954
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94206 [DB]
Classic
performances alongside well judged work of an exceptional and under-recorded
conductor.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sergei RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943)
Piano Concerto 2 Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Liebestraum 3, Mephisto 1, Hungarian Rhapsody 2
Nobuyuki Tsujii (piano) Deutsches SO Berlin/Yutaka Sado rec. 2007/8
CHALLENGE
CLASSICS CC72371 [59:50]
[MC]
Tsujii
is a force to be reckoned with.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Symphonies 1-3,
The Isle of the Dead, The Rock, Symphonic Dances, The Bells, Spring,
Russian Songs
Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, Philadelphia O/Charles Dutoit rec.
1990-3
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802021 [4 CDs: 288:47]
[RB]
Refined
recordings and playing but where is the abandon? An excellent Second
Symphony, though.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943) Cello Sonata, Vocalise, Romance/Ballade,
Elegie Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Nocturne, Pezzo capriccioso
Marina Tarasova (cello) Alexander Polezhaev (piano) rec. Moscow, 2002.
DDD
ALTO ALC1132 [72:27]
[RB]
Viscous
hoarseness of tone complemented by nobility and emotionality.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873–1943) Symphonic Dances see
TCHAIKOVSKY
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Daphnis et Chloé Suites 1 &
2; Pavane pour une infante défunte; Alborado del gracioso; Rapsodie
espagnole
Concertgebouw O/Bernard Haitink rec. 1961/71
DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 2381 [56:58]
[RB]
Healthy
Ravel exegesis compromised somewhat by blunted dynamic contrast.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Piano Concerto see
PROKOFIEV
Ferdinand
REBAY (1880-1953) Der Kleine Rosengarten, 6 Russische
Volkslieder
Maximilian
Kiener (tenor) Gonzalo Noqué (guitar) rec. 2010
ARSIS 4240 [60:39]
[Byz]
Rebay
makes his understated, mellifluous yet persuasive way.
Ottorino
RESPIGHI (1879-1936) Pini di Roma see Toscanini
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Nikolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
(1844-1908) Scheherazade, Tale of Tsar Saltan
Seattle SO/Gerard Schwarz rec. 2010
NAXOS 8.572693 [66:37]
[BR]
I
put the disc on expecting ‘decent.’ But it’s not decent: it’s spectacular!
Nikolai
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844 – 1908) The Tsar's Bride
Ekaterina
Kudriavchenko (soprano) Vladislav Verestnikov (baritone) Arkady Mishenkin
(tenor) Nina Terentieva (mezzo) Sveshnikov Russian Academic Ch, Bolshoi
Theatre O/Andrey Chistiakov rec. 1992
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93969 [75:33 + 70:41]
[RMo]
Despite
its distinct price advantage, it is hard to recommend this bargain Brilliant
issue over the Philips.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
Nikolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908)
Piano Quintet see MENDELSSOHN
Joaquín
RODRIGO (1901-1999) Complete Guitar Music
Ignacio Rodes, Marco Socías, Carlos Pérez, Carles Trepat (guitars)
rec. 1998-2007
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9177 [OL]
There
are some gems and pearls, but you won't appreciate them so much after
going through similar, but less inspired works
John
ROSE (b.1928) String quartets 1 & 2, Preludes &
fugues, Essay on DSCH
The Edinburgh Qt, Robert Melling (piano) rec. 2009/10
DIVINE ART DDA25092 [74:14]
[RB]
Music
of patent sincerity and some fascination.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gioachino ROSSINI
(1792-1868) Petite Messe Solennelle
Gewandhaus Ch & O/Riccardo Chailly rec. 2008
EUROARTS 2057428 [85:00]
[RJF]
This
performance not only elevates this rarely heard work to stand alongside
the composer’s better-known Stabat Mater, but also the great
Mass by his fellow Italian opera composer, Verdi.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Christoph ROTHE
(1653-1700) St Matthew Passion
Cantus Thuringia, Capella Thuringia/Bernhard Klapprott rec. 2009
CPO 777 554-2 [63:05 + 34:07]
[JV]
This
St Matthew Passion is a major discovery - the performance fully explores
its expressive qualities.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Miklos ROZSA
(1907-1995) Ben Hur, Quo Vadis, Julius Caesar
- filmscores
National PO & Ch, Royal PO & Ch/Miklos Rozsa, Bernard Herrmann
rec. 1974-77
DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 3790 [47:10 + 52:47]
[RB]
Magnificent
performances and recordings.
Miklós
RÓZSA (1907-1995)
Overture to a Symphony Concert, Rhapsody, Notturno ungherese, Three
Hungarian Sketches
Mark Kosower (cello) Budapest SO MÁV/Mariusz Smolij rec. 2007/2009
NAXOS 8.572285 [JW]
Committed,
idiomatic and sharply attuned to the composer’s sensibilities
Edmund
RUBBRA (1901-1986) String Quartets 1, 3, & 4
Maggini Qt rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572555 [54:51]
[JF]
Played
with sympathy and enthusiasm … an impressive addition to the catalogue.
John
RUTTER (b. 1945) A Song in Season
Cambridge Singers, Royal PO, City of London Sinf/John Rutter rec. 2002/10
COLLEGIUM
COLCD135 [77:07]
[JQ]
John
Rutter’s many admirers will surely welcome this disc.
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for alphabetical listings by composer:
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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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