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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Edward MacDOWELL (1860-1908) Piano Sonatas 1-4 Donna Amato (piano) rec. 2002 ALTARUS AIR-CD-9023 [81:24] [RB]

The intellect and humanity of an artist in the grand tradition.

Bruno MADERNA (1920-1973) Piano Concertos, Quadrivium Aldo Orvieto, Fausto Bongelli (piano) Gruppo 40.6, Orch della Fondazione Arena di Verona/Carlo Miotto rec. 2009/10 NAXOS 8.572642 [66:32] [MS]

Expertly played important and enjoyable music.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No. 2 in C minor Resurrection (1894) [95:42] Sarah Connolly (mezzo); Christiane Oelze (soprano) MDR Rundfunkchor; Berliner Rundfunkchor; Gewandhauschor Gewandhausorchester Leipzig/Riccardo Chailly rec. 2011 ACCENTUS ACC 10238 BLU-RAY [95:42] [DM]

Thoroughly satisfying.

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 6 Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia/Antonio Pappano rec. 2011 EMI CLASSICS 0844132 [38:47 + 45:48] [DM]

I so wanted to welcome this new Sixth but given the quality of the competition this release falls far, far short of what I expected.

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Das Lied von der Erde Sibylla Rubens (soprano) Renée Morloc (alto) Markus Schäfer (tenor) Markus Eiche (baritone) Münchener Bach O/Hansjörg Albrecht rec. 2011 OEHMS CLASSICS OC792 [62:15] [KE]

Probably best for the curious who wonder what a mixture between the original and the reduction would sound like. 

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Das Lied von der Erde (1908-1909) Jane Henschel (mezzo); Gregory Kunde (tenor) Houston Symphony Orchestra/Hans Graf rec.2009 Song texts available here NAXOS 8.572498 [62:46] [DM]

The talents of this newcomer are so prodigious and its faults so minor … this comes pretty close to ideal.

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (for chamber orchestra, arr. Schoenberg) (Mahler’s original version, for voice and piano, 1885) [17:01] Das Lied von der Erde (for chamber orchestra, arr. Schoenberg-Riehn) (1908-1909) [62:00] Brennen Guillory (tenor); Emma Curtis (contralto); David Stout (baritone) Orchestra of the Swan/Kenneth Woods rec. 2010, Song texts and English translations provided SOMM CÉLESTE SOMMCD 0109 [79:27] [DM]

A fine Mahler disc, much prized for a radiant account of the Wayfarer songs.

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Adagietto from Symphony 5, Adagio from Symphony 10 arr. for string orchestra, H. Stadlmair Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) String Quartet 11 arr. for string orchestra, G. Mahler Amsterdam Sinf/Candida Thompson rec. 2010 CHANNEL CLASSICS CCS SA 31511 [59:55] [DC]

A fine release and a treat for non-purist string fans.

Gian Francesco MALIPIERO (1882 - 1973) Impressioni dal vero I-III, Pause del silenzio I & II Roma SO/Francesco La Vecchia rec. 2009/2010 NAXOS 8.572409 [79:53] [CH]

Worth buying for “Impressioni dal vero I” and then making up your mind about the rest.

Bohuslav MARTINŮ (1890- 1959) Sextet see REICHA

Marin MARAIS (1656-1728) Pièces de viole oubliées et changées Juliane Laake (descant viol, bass viol) Art d'Echo rec. 2010 CRYSTAL N 67 065 [70:42] [JV]

A disc not to be missed.

Victor MASSÉ (1822-1884) Galathée, Les noces de Jeannette Albert Vauguet (tenor) Jane Morlet (soprano) Ninon Vallin (soprano) Léon Ponzio (baritone) O & Ch of the Opéra-Comique, Paris/Émile Archainbaud/Laurent Halet rec. 1912/1922 MARSTON 53010-2 [3 CDs: 76:43 + 75:56 + 77:10] [JW]

Aimed squarely at specialists in French opera on disc. Realised with outstanding intelligence and application.

Johann Simon MAYR (1763-1845) Medea in Corinto Alastair Miles (bass) Alek Schrader (tenor) Nadja Michael (soprano) Ramón Vargas (tenor) Bavarian State O & Ch/Ivor Bolton rec. 2010 ARTHAUS MUSIK 108 030 [151:00 + 48:00] [RJF]

Arresting music for the bel canto enthusiast.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Erkki MELARTIN (1875-1937) The Solo Piano Works Maria Lettberg (piano) rec. 2008 CRYSTAL CLASSICS N67048 [69:05 + 66:49] [RB]

Quite glorious.

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Complete music for cello and piano Emanuel Gruber (cello) Arnon Erez (piano) rec. 2009 DELOS DE 3415 [65:58] [GA]

Fluent and polished performances that don’t dig deeply enough below the surface.

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Cello sonatas 1 & 2, Variations concertante Paul Watkins (cello) Huw Watkins (piano) rec. 2011 CHANDOS CHAN 10701 [62:59] [JS]

The rapt quality of the music and music-making is so impressive.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Coronation Mass, Vesperae solennes de Confessore Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum, Charivari Agréable/Benjamin Nicholas rec. 2011 DELPHIAN DCD34102 [54:59] [JQ]

A good deal to enjoy here, especially the remarkable treble voice of Laurence Kilsby. 

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Le Nozze Di Figaro Diana Damrau (soprano) Ildebrando D'arcangelo (bass-baritone) Pietro Spagnoli (baritone)Ch & O Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Gérard Korsten rec. 2006 ARTHAUS MUSIK 101589 [2 DVDs: 187:00] [RJF]

This Susanna and Figaro are among the very best, but overall the performance lacks zip.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) & Michael HAYDN (1737-1806) Duos for violin and viola Rachel Podger (violin) Jane Rogers (viola) rec. 2011 CHANNEL CLASSICS CCSSA32411 [72:37] [DC]

A superbly musical and well-proportioned recording. 

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos 22 & 25 Paul Badura-Skoda (piano) Vienna PO/Horst Stein; Concertgebouw O/George Szell rec. 1959/78 MUSIC & ARTS CD-1254 [65:59] [JW]

Contrasting performances. Admirers need not hesitate for a moment.

Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) Khovanshchina Dimiter Petkov, Todor Kostov, Nicola Ghiuselev, Alexandra Milcheva, Sofia National Opera Orchestra/Atanas Margaritov rec. 1978 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94255 [3 CDs: 39:10 + 61:27 + 62:21] [GD]

Not an ideal Khovanshchina by any standards.

Arvo PÄRT (b.1935) Piano Music Ralph van Raat (piano) Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic/JoAnn Falletta 010; DDD NAXOS 8.572525 [65:53] [Byz]

Expressive, dexterous and highly polished.

Arvo PÄRT (b.1935) Partita see 20th Century Russian Piano Music

Phoenix Paul PATTERSON (b. 1947) Phoenix Concerto Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Oboe Concerto Herbert HOWELLS (1892-1983) Oboe Sonata Emily Pailthorpe (oboe) English CO/Benjamin Wallfisch rec. 2010 CHAMPS HILL CHRCD025 [67:26] [RB]

Pailthorpe’s warmly sinuous yet well defined oboe sound … its golden yield and glow can be heard in two rarities and one classic. 

Krzysztof PENDERECKI (b.1933) Viola Concerto, Cello Concerto Grigori Zhislin (viola) Tatjana Vassiljeva (cello) Warsaw PO/Antoni Wit rec. September 2008 NAXOS 8.572211 [57:33] [Byz]

Surely award-winning accounts of these demanding scores.

Willem PIJPER (1894-1947) Violin sonatas Rudolf ESCHER (1912-1980) Violin sonata Alexander VOORMOLEN (1895-1980) Pastorale Ton de LEEUW (1926-1996) Violin sonatina Philippe Graffin (violin) Jelger Blanken (piano) rec. 2010 ONYX 4080 [78:45] [HC]

A generously filled recital of little known though worthwhile Dutch violin sonatas.

Giovanni Benedetto PLATTI (1697-1763) Concerto for cello, strings and bc in C see Italian Concertos and Sonatas

Ignaz Joseph PLEYEL (1757-1831) Piano Trios Trio in C (Ben 441), Trio in e minor (Ben 435), Trio in A (Ben 448), Trio in f minor (Ben 442) Trio 1790 rec. 2007-2008 CPO 777 544-2 [71:38] [JV]

The playing of the Trio 1790 is of the highest order.

Nicola Antonio PORPORA (1686-1768) Concerto for cello, strings and bc in a minor see Italian Concertos and Sonatas

Francis POTT (b. 1957) Christus - Passion Symphony for Solo Organ (1986-1990) Jeremy Filsell (organ) rec. 1997 SIGNUM SIGCD062 [70:43 + 55:09] [JQ]

A highly significant piece of modern organ music in a definitive performance.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Francis POULENC (1899 – 1963) Hommage Felicity Lott (soprano) Graham Johnson (piano) rec. 1994 FORLANE FOR16730 [64:26] [GF]

It is hard to imagine more beautiful singing. Well-nigh criminal not to buy this disc.

Francis POULENC (1899-1963) The Complete Songs - Vol. 1 Lorna Anderson (soprano) ; Jonathan Lemalu (bass-baritone) ; Felicity Lott (soprano) ; Christopher Maltman ; Lisa Milne (soprano) ; Robert Murray (tenor); Malcolm Martineau (piano) rec. 2010 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD 247 [69:38] [PBW]

A fine disc containing so many gems from one of the most loveable of composers.

Francis POULENC (1899-1963) Concerto for Two Pianos, Suite Française, Concert Champêtre Jos van Immerseel, Claire Chevallier (piano) Katerina Chroboková (harpsichord) Anima Eterna Brugge/Jos van Immerseel rec. 2008 ZIG-ZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT110403 [57:20] [OL]

An unusual but welcome contribution to the Poulenc discography.

Francis POULENC (1899–1963) The Story of Babar see PROKOFIEV

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Alexander Nevsky, Zdravitsa L. Andreyeva (mezzo) Yurlov State Academic Ch, Capella of Russia, USSR State Academy SO/Evgeny Svetlanov rec. 1966/80 MELODIYA MEL CD10 01831 [52:50] [DM]

This promises much, but fails to deliver.

Sergey PROKOFIEV (1891–1953) Peter and the Wolf Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921) Carnival of the Animals Francis POULENC (1899–1963) The Story of Babar Richard Briers (narrator) David Coram (organ) David Owen Norris (piano) rec. 2011 CATHEDRAL CLASSICS CCCD101 [79:39] [PK]

If you have children on your gift list, this album will be gratefully received and enjoyed.

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Symphony 1 see DVORÁK

Sergey PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Piano sonata 2 see JANÁČEK

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924) Tosca Fiorenza Cedolins (soprano) Marcelo Alvarez (tenor) Ruggero Raimondi (bass-baritone) Ch & O Arena di Verona/Daniel Oren; rec. live, 2006 ARTHAUS MUSIC 108 031 [119:00] [RJF]

One of the best produced and sung video versions of this ever-popular Puccini melodrama. 

Henry PURCELL (1659-1695) arr. Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1973) Chacony in G minor [6:44] see BLISS

Sergey RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Symphony 2 see Europa Konzert from Madrid 2011

Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Piano Trio in D minor Op.9 (1893) [48:26] see Vienna Schubert trio

Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Valses nobles et sentimentales see JANÁČEK

Steve REICH (b.1936) Triple Quartet, Piano Counterpoint (arranged by Vincent Corver from Reich’s Six Pianos), Different Trains Vincent Corver (piano) London Steve Reich Ens/Kevin Griffiths rec. 2011 EMI CLASSICS 5099908731920 [54:43] [RB]

Kineticism with a scalpel-stabbing poignancy.

Anton REICHA (1770-1836) Quintet; Three Pieces Bohuslav MARTINŮ (1890- 1959) Sextet Leoš JANÁČEK (1854-1928) Pochod modráčků, Mládí suite Berlin Philharmonic Wind Qnt rec. 2005/09 BIS-CD-1802 [78:50] [LW]

An outstanding selection of Czech works for winds.

Carl REINECKE (1824-1910) Complete Cello Sonatas Manuel Fischer-Dieskau (cello), Connie Shih (piano) rec. 2010 MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 6031661-2 [62:44] [CH]

Well worth investigating. The name of Reinecke is beginning to come alive for me. 

Ottorino RESPIGHI (1879-1936) Works for Piano and Orchestra Toccata for Piano and Orchestra, Concerto in modo misolidio Sandro Ivo Bartoli (piano) Staatsorchester der Sächsische Landesbühnen/Michele Carulli BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94055 [68:42] [RB]

Heroic and of a Rachmaninovian caste matched with zesty bombast.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Pierre RODE (1774-1830) Violin Concertos 3, 4 & 6 Friedemann Eichhorn (violin) Jena PO/Nicolás Pasquet rec. 2009 NAXOS 8.570767 [73:56] [Byz]

Hugely entertaining and satisfying. 

Joaquín RODRIGO (1901-1999) Concierto de Aranjuez see Europa Konzert from Madrid 2011

Nino ROTA (1911-79) Clarinet Sonata, Clarinet trio see BRAHMS


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]