NEW
& RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Arthur Butterworth
(1923-2014) An obituary by Paul Conway
[New]
Balkan & East-Central European Concertos discography: Martinů by Mike Herman
Decca Phase 4 Stereo Concert Series boxset - Part
8 of reviews by Dan Morgan
Download News 2014/14 by Brian Wilson & Geoffrey Molyneux
Getting to Know … The Piano Concertos of Johann Hummel
by David Barker
A new review index: Johann Hummel
Even chili peppers can't
save Danish orchestra by
Brian Reinhart
Magdalena Kožená in conversation with Michael Cookson
MWI Recommends
- Unheralded Masterworks.
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LATEST REVIEWS
Friday
November 28th
Adolphe ADAM (1803-1856) Giselle
-
Natalia Osipova, Carlos Acosta, Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House O/Boris Gruzin rec. 2014
OPUS ARTE OA1144D DVD [113:00 (ballet) + 10:00 (features)] [RMay]
This now joins that Bolshoi version at the very top of the list.
Margaret Ruthven LANG (1867-1972) Choral music
-
Crane School of Music rec. 2012
DELOS DE3426 [60:42] [BR]
From mystical sacred music to Irish limericks, an interesting maverick composer is rediscovered.
Francesco Onofrio MANFREDINI (1684-1762) Sinfonie da chiesa -
Capricornus Consort Basel/Peter Barczi rec. 2013
CHRISTOPHORUS CHR77380 [75:28] [JV]
This collection includes lots of good stuff.
Jean-Philippe RAMEAU (1683-1764) Premier livre de pičces de clavecin
-
Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord) rec. 2014
HYPERION CDA68071/2 [67:52 + 60:35] [DC]
Utter refinement and strong in character.
Bright SHENG (b.1955) The Song and Dance of Tears; Colours of Crimson; The Blazing Mirage
- Hong Kong Philharmonic/Bright Sheng rec. 2013
NAXOS 8.570610 [59:55] [DRD]
A successful combination of Chinese melodies and the classical tradition. Deserves to achieve wide recognition.
Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) The Firebird
Suite Arnold SCHÖNBERG (1874-1951) A Survivor from Warsaw
Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) Night on the Bare Mountain
-
European Community Youth O/Claudio Abbado rec. 1979/94
ORFEO C892141B [53:41] [GPJ]
Occasional balance problems and intrusive audience noise but still emphatically worth hearing for Abbado’s glorious musicality.
Henry VIEUXTEMPS (1820-1881)
Viola sonata Darius MILHAUD (1892-1974) Quatre Visages César FRANCK (1822-1890)
Violin sonata -
Peijun Xu (viola) Paul Rivinius (piano) rec. 2014
PROFIL PH14012 [70:14] [MC]
Accomplished playing throughout this desirable recital.
Russian Chamber Music for Wind Instruments - Vol. 2
Works by Balakirev, Glazunov, Glinka & Ippolitov-Ivanov -
rec. 1975-81
MELODIYA MELCD1002186 [61:18] [MC]
This highly desirable Melodiya reissue should prove fascinating for chamber music lovers in general not just those with a particular interest in Russian music.
Thursday November 27th
Joseph HAYDN
(1732-1809) Symphonies 49 & 80, Violin Concerto 1 - Freiburger
Barockorchester/Gottfried von der Goltz (violin) rec.
2008 HARMONIA MUNDI MUSIQUE D'ABORD HMA1952029
[69:19] [MC] An outstanding re-issue.
Gabriel
JACKSON (b. 1962) The Voice of the Bard, Ruchill
Linn, Airplane Cantata, Winter Heavens, Choral
Symphony - Rex Lawson (pianola) BBC Singers/David Hill, James Morgan
rec. 2011/14 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD381 [68:47] [JQ]
An exciting programme of recent choral works by Gabriel Jackson in virtuoso
performances.
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Schwanengesang
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Dichterliebe -
Hans Duhan,
Thom Denijs (baritone) Ferdinand Foll, Enni Denijs-Kruyt (piano)
rec. 1928/29
PRISTINE AUDIO PACO109 [73:17] [RMo] I am unable to welcome this issue ... there are much better alternatives.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Juan, Death and Transfiguration,
Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks - Pittsburgh SO/Manfred
Honeck rec. 2012 REFERENCE RECORDINGS FR-707 SACD [59:24]
[BR] Chicago/Reiner, Cleveland/Szell, Pittsburgh/Honeck, and that’s
no exaggeration.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) The Nutcracker
- Bergen PO/Neeme Järvi rec. 2013 CHANDOS CHSA5144 SACD
[84:12] [DM] I wouldn’t want to find this in my Christmas stocking;
simply dreadful.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis,
A Pastoral Symphony,
Five Variants of ‘Dives and Lazarus’, ‘The Wasps’ overture -
Sarah Fox (soprano)
Hallé/Sir Mark Elder
rec. 2012/13
HALLÉ CDHLL7540 [74:16] [JQ] A wonderful performance of the ‘Pastoral’ crowns another fine Vaughan Williams disc from Elder and the Hallé.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH British Cello Concertos
by Joubert, Simpson & Wright - Raphael Wallfisch (cello) BBC Ntl O Wales/William Boughton rec. 2013 LYRITA SRCD344 [70:38]
[DBi] An outstanding trio of concertos brilliantly performed and recorded. An essential purchase for lovers of the cello and 20th century British music.
O Cambodia
Chinary UNG (b.1942)
In Memoriam
Him SOPHY (b.1963)
The First Strike
Jack BODY (b.1944)
O Cambodia
Gillian WHITEHEAD (b.1941)
The River Flows On ...
Tray So (traditional Cambodian folk instruments)
NZ Trio,
Keo Dorivan, Him Sophy, Him Savy (Vocals)
rec. 2011
ATOLL ACD541 [70:23] [SA] The disc deserves to be heard by many for all kinds of reasons, not least musical.
Wednesday
November 26th
Carl
Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788)
Symphonies 1-6 - Ostrobothnian CO/Sakari Oramo
rec. 2013 ALBA ABCD374 [63:11]
[DC] High octane 18th
century stuff.
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Cantatas - Elin Manahan Thomas (soprano)
Daniel Taylor (alto) James Gilchrist (tenor) Magdalena Consort/Peter
Harvey (bass) rec. 2013 CHANNEL CLASSICS CCSSA35214
SACD [63:00] [JQ] The debut recording by The Magdalena
Consort brings stylish and thoughtful Bach performances.
Christian
Ludwig BOXBERG (1670-1729) Sardanapalus –
Jan Kobow (tenor) Rinnat Moriah (soprano) Theodora Baka (mezzo) Markus
Flaig (bass) United Continuo Ens/Jörg Meder rec. 2014 PAN CLASSICS
PC10315 [3 CDs: 164:46] [RMo] Try as I might
I cannot find much here to engage my modern ears.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano
Concertos 9 & 12 - Ekaterina Litvintseva
(piano) Klassische Philharmonie Bonn/Heribert
Beissel rec. 2013 PROFIL PH14047
[56:24] [MC] Committed
and accomplished playing ... a model of consistency:
enthusiastic and dedicated.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Carl
REINECKE (1795-1883) Cello Concerto John TAVENER (1944-2013) Threnos Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Adagio and Allegro Ernest BLOCH
(1880-1959) Cello Suite 1 Osvaldo GOLIJOV (b. 1960)
Mariel - Michael Samis (cello) Gateway CO/Gregory Wolynec rec. 2013 DELOS DE3446 [66:32] [BR]
You’ve probably never heard these works by a line-up of great
composers, in a recital that exceeds the sum of its parts.
Anton
RUBINSTEIN (1829-1894) Music
for Piano Four Hands Vol. 1 - Duo Pianistico
di Firenze rec. 2013 BRILLIANT CLASSICS
95016 [71:54] [PRB] Extremely
competitively priced, superbly recorded and
with playing of the very highest order this
disc of attractive and unfamiliar music is well
worth acquiring.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Violin Concertos 1 & 2 - Christian
Tetzlaff (violin) Helsinki PO/John Storgĺrds rec. 2013 ONDINE
ODE1239-2 [68:23] [LW] Spectacularly well performed and recorded.
Grounds
for Pleasure Keyboard
Music from 17th century England - Colin
Booth (harpsichord) rec. 2014 SOUNDBOARD
SBCD214 [66:52] [JV]
For harpsichord lovers this is a disc not to
be missed.
Tuesday
November 25th
Elfrida
ANDRÉE (1841-1929) Tre tonbilder,
Sonata, 4 Piano Pieces, Childhood Pieces - Oskar
Ekberg (piano) rec. 2014 DAPHNE RECORDS
1047 [74:42] [PB] Adds
little or nothing to Andrée's musical
status, particularly outside her native Sweden.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Matthäus-Passion - Mark Padmore (tenor)
Christian Gerhaher (baritone) Camilla Tilling (soprano)
Magdalena Kožená (mezzo) Berlin
PO/Sir
Simon Rattle rec. 2010 BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER
RECORDINGS BPHR 140021 [2 DVDs; 1 Blu-ray]
[JQ] This ‘ritualization’
of the Matthäus-Passion by Peter Sellars, superbly
performed, obliges you to think afresh about
the work and about the story it tells.
Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Requiem, Cantique de Jean Racine,
Messe Basse - Gerald Finley (baritone)
Tom Pickard (treble) Douglas Tang, Tom Etheridge
(organ) Ch of King’s College Cambridge,
O Age of Enlightenment/Stephen Cleobury rec.
2014 KING’S COLLEGE KGS0005 SACD
[51:33] [GPJ] A fine
performance of the famous Requiem,
occasionally let down by poor choral diction
and a congested recording.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Das Lied von der Erde
- Christa Ludwig (mezzo) Waldemar Kmentt (tenor)
Vienna SO/Carlos Kleiber rec. 1967 WIENER
KONZERTHAUS WS 007 [58:40] [SG]
For Carlos Kleiber fans and those wanting to
admire the artistry of one of the greatest conductors
of all time, this is essential listening.
Giovanni
Pierluigi da PALESTRINA (1525-1594)
Il Primo Libro de’ Madrigale a quarto
voci - Concerto Italiano/Rinaldo Alessandrini
rec. 1992 TACTUS TB521604 [56.39]
[GH] The only complete
recording now available of Palestrina’s
first book.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1875-1943)
The Depth of the Unspoken Early Piano Works - Ekaterina Litvintseva
(piano) rec. 2014 PROFIL PH14042
[70:15] [MC] A persuasive
blend of immense technical proficiency, assurance
and romantic expression.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphonies
1 & 2, Die Zauberharfe overture
- Swedish CO/Thomas Dausgaard rec. 2013 BIS
BIS1989 SACD [76:39] [DBi]
A quite lovely pair of symphonies beautifully
performed and recorded, if not quite as sparklingly
different to the competition as some would suggest.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Giovanna
D’Arco - Francesco Meli
(tenor) Plácido Domingo (baritone) Anna Netrebko
(soprano) Munich Radio O/Paolo
Carignani rec. 2013 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
4792712 [64.44 + 44.05] [RJF]
Variable casting among the soloists means that
this does not replace Levine's forty-year-old
EMI Classics recording with a great trio of
Verdian singers
in the main roles.
Monday November
24th
Anatoly ALEXANDROV (1888–1982)
Piano Music Vol. 2 -
Kyung-Ah Noh (piano)
rec. 2013/14
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0216 [77:01]
[RB] If your taste runs to Rachmaninov and then to Medtner here is a composer and a series you owe it to yourself to pursue.
Vincenzo
BELLINI (1801-1835) I Capuleti e i Montecchi -
Nicole Cabell (soprano) Joyce DiDonato (mezzo) Saimir Pirgu (tenor)
Eric Owens (bass) San Francisco Opera/Riccardo Frizza rec. 2012 EUROARTS
2059668 [2 DVDs: 135.00 + 16.00] [PCG] In this of all operas
it is the singing that really matters and this superb rendition will
enchant viewers and listeners alike.
Matti BORG
(b. 1956) 15 Songs to poems by Gustaf Fröding, Landscape
- Gitta Maria Sjöberg (soprano) Mattias Nilsson (baritone) Nordic CO/Erik Jakobsson; U Ch Lille MUKO, Copenhagen/Jesper Grove Jřrgensen
DANACORD DACOCD748 [61:14] [GF] Readers with the slightest
interest in present day Nordic music should give this well-engineered
disc a try. It is well worth anyone’s money.
Johann Nepomuk HUMMEL (1778-1837)
Piano trios 2, 3, 6 & 7
Gould Piano Trio o
rec. 2013
NAXOS 8.573098 [65:24]
Johann Nepomuk HUMMEL
Piano trios 5 & 6 -
Trio Parnassus
SWR MUSIC SWR10148 [41:34] [DJB] Pleasant and undemanding music; the Parnassus performances provide more character but less content.
Felix MENDELSSOHN
(1809-1847) Symphony 3, The Hebrides overture
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano Concerto - Maria Joăo Pires (piano)
London SO/John Eliot Gardiner rec. 2014 LSO LIVE LSO0765 SACD/BD-A
[79:17] [ST] Very winning ways from Gardiner and Pires.
Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) The Rite of Spring, Symphony of Psalms - SWR SO Baden-Baden & Freiburg, Ch & O Ntl de la Radiodiffusion Française/Jascha Horenstein rec. 1953/57 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC418 [56.57] [GH] Worth searching out for your library not only to show how these pieces were done over fifty years ago but also as an example of high standard transfers at their best.
Candlelight
Carols Jacqueline Kerrod
(harp) Seraphic Fire/Patrick Dupré Quigley rec. 2013 SERAPHIC
FIRE MEDIA SFMCD14 [49:48] [DM] Lean festive fare that’s
not without nourishment; fine performances and decent sound.
Gaspar Cassadó (cello)
German Radio Recordings - Max Strub (violin)
Adrian Aeschbacher, Willy Hammer (piano) rec. 1940/44 MELOCLASSIC MC3001 [68:54] [JW] A valuable reclamation from German broadcast material of the 1940s.
Other reviews
Peter GRAHAM (b. 1958) The Triumph of Time Black Dyke Band/Professor Nicholas J. Childs rec. 2014 DOYEN DOYCD337 [65:48] [JF] Graham must be one of the best exponents of the brass band medium composing today. Deserves all success.
The Golden Years of Light Music Grandstand: Production Music of the 1940s
rec. 1942-48 GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD5220 [72:37]
[JF] An album likely to appeal strongly to all enthusiasts of light music.
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