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& RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Decca Phase 4 Stereo Concert Series boxset - Part 5 of reviews by Dan Morgan
[New] Download News 2014/13 by Brian Wilson & Geoffrey Molyneux
[New] Balkan & East-Central European Concertos discography: Chopin by Mike Herman
An Interview With The Composer Will Todd by Rob Barnett
Arthur Butterworth's Second Symphony – A Half Centenary Review by John France
MWI Recommends
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Schumann symphony 3.
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LATEST REVIEWS
Friday
October 31st
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 7 -
Simón Bolívar SO Venezuela/Gustavo Dudamel rec. 2012 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 479 1700 [78:52] [GPJ] Totally stunning ... should finally put an end to this symphony’s ‘Cinderella’ status
Pietro MASCAGNI (1863-1945) Messa di Gloria - Iorio Zernnaro (tenor) Pietro Spagnoli (bass) Ensemble Seicentonovecento/Flavio Colusso rec. 1991 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94943 [51:16] [JS] It has been an unexpected pleasure to get to know this work.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos 18 & 19 -
Cleveland O/Mitsuko Uchida (piano and director) rec. 2014 DECCA 478 6763 [60:48] [MC] Once again the classy Uchida demonstrates remarkable form on this latest Decca release.
Andrzej PANUFNIK (1914-1991) Violin, Cello and Piano Concertos -
Alexander Sitkovetsky (violin) Raphael Wallfisch (cello) Ewa Kupiec (piano) Polish RSO/Lukasz Borowicz rec. 2013 CPO 777 687-2 [66.15] [GH] CPO’s wonderful complete overview of Panufnik’s orchestral works continues with this highly desirable CD of these fascinating concertos.
Josef Gabriel RHEINBERGER (1839-1901) Songs - Lydia Teuscher (soprano) Christine Müller (mezzo) Andreas Weller (tenor) Klaus Häger (baritone) Götz Payer (piano) rec. 2012 CARUS 83.376 [75:45] [JW] Elegance of the performances supports the refined elegance of the compositions.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Scenes from Goethe's Faust - Christian Gerhaher (baritone) Christiane Karg (soprano) Alastair Miles (bass) Bavarian RSO/Daniel Harding rec. 2013 BR KLASSIK 900122 [72:40 + 43:00] [SSi] A recording which brings out the best of this unjustly neglected work.
Pyotr Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Romances - Natalia Petrozhitskaya (soprano) Dmitry Zuev (baritone) Antonina Kadobnova (piano) rec. 2014 MELODIYA MELCD1002278 [60:42] [RMo] This could have been a highly desirable recital but without a libretto it remains frustrating.
Rudolf Barshai: The Note A film by Oleg Dorman EUROARTS DVD 2059528 [90:00] [JW] A life fully lived, candidly remembered and unselfconsciously revealed.
Richter plays Schumann and the Russians -
Sviatoslav Richter (piano) rec. 1976-1985 PARNASSUS PDVD1203 DVD [122:00] [SG] This DVD is a true labour of love.
John Williams Guitar Magician rec. 1959 ALTO ALC1253 [78:10] [GF] Williams started at the top and remained there.
Thursday October 30th
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) String Trios, Op. 9 -
Jascha Heifetz (violin) William Primrose (viola) Gregor Piatigorsky (cello)
rec. 1957/60 PRISTINE AUDIO PACM094 [63:33] [RMo] Three now legendary musicians playing in harmony and now heard for the first time in more than tolerable – indeed very acceptable – stereo sound.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jake
HEGGIE (b. 1961) Out of
Darkness - Caitlin Lynch (soprano)
Sarah Larsen (mezzo) Music of Remembrance/Mina
Miller rec. 2012/13 NAXOS 8.559770 [78:44] [GF] A disc
to savour and return to for the beauty of the
music, for the excellence of the performances
and for its message.
Léon
JESSEL (1871-1942) Schwarzwaldmädel - Benno Kusche (baritone) Brigitte Lindner (soprano)
Adolf Dallapozza (tenor) Stuttgart
PO/Willy Mattes rec. 1976 WARNER CLASSICS
2564 628922 [61:58] [JS] Music
of energy and charm ... a real discovery.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Felix MENDELSSOHN (1808-1847) Symphony 3, The Hebrides overture Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano concerto -
Maria João Pires (piano)
London SO/Sir John Eliot Gardiner
rec. 2014 LSO LIVE LSO0765 SACD/BD-A [79:17] [DJB] Exceptional Mendelssohn, a different but interesting take on the Schumann, all in demonstration class sound.
Emil
Nikolaus von REZNICEK (1860-1945) Symphonies 3 & 4 - Robert Schumann Philh/Frank
Beermann rec. 2010 CPO 777637-2 [71:14] [CF] Frank
Beermann, all power to his elbow, has espoused
the Reznicek cause with apparent vigour and
obvious enthusiasm.
Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) L’italiana in Algeri -
Alex Esposito (bass) Anna Goryachova (mezzo)
Ch & O Teatro Communale, Bologna/José Ramón Encinar
rec. 2013 OPUS ARTE DVD OA1141D [153:00 + 10:00] [RJF] Rossini’s second most popular comic opera is brought up to date in spectacular fashion in this production that will appeal to some and appal others.
Philip SAWYERS (b.1951) Cello Concerto,
Symphony 2,
Concertante for Violin & Piano -
Maja Bogdanovic (cello) Louisa Stonehill (violin) Nicholas Burns (piano)
Orchestra of the Swan/Kenneth Woods
rec. 2013 NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6281 [59:42] [NB] Music that is accessible in the best sense - knotty but not opaque, challenging but compelling.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797–1828) Nachtviolen - Christian Gerhaher (baritone) Gerold
Huber (piano) rec. 2012 SONY CLASSICAL
88883 712172 [76:53] [MC] A
veritable master-class in musicality.
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) & Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Cello Sonatas -
Antonio Janigro (cello)
Eva Wollmann (piano)
rec. 1955 FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR979 [51:00] [SG] Long forgotten treasures, sympathetically restored.
Mordecai
Shehori (piano) The Celebrated New York
Concerts Vol. 7 rec. 1979-90 CEMBAL
D’AMOUR CD172 [69:03] [JW] An
enjoyable continuation of Shehori’s live
concert series.
Wednesday
October 29th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Johannes-Passion -
Mark Padmore (tenor) Christian Gerhaher (baritone) Camilla Tilling (soprano)
Magdalena Kožená (mezzo) Berlin PO/Sir
Simon Rattle rec. 2014 BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER BPHR140031 [2 DVDs/1 Blu-ray: 187:00] [MC] A magnificent performance
which radiates a searing devotional intensity.
Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Piano
Concerto 2, Two Portraits, Dance Suite, Divertimento
- Géza Anda (piano) Rudolf Schulz, Willy
Kirch (violin) Walter Brose (viola) Hermann
Schumacher (double bass) RIAS SO/Ferenc Fricsay
rec. 1951-53 PRAGA DIGITALS PRD/DSD
350108 SACD [79:18] [JW] These
performances in good transfers prove enduringly
valuable.
Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies 2 & 8 - Orchestre
Révolutionnaire et Romantique/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. 2013 SOLI
DEO GLORIA SDG721 [57:00] [JQ] New Beethoven performances from
Sir John Eliot Gardiner which are anything but dull.
Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Etudes - Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano) rec.
1956-60 MELODIYA MELCD1002108 [61:34] [JW] It’s
hard not to be impressed by this magisterial
Moscow accounts in still good-sounding recordings.
Carl
MILLÖCKER (1842-1899) Gasparone – Miriam Portmann (soprano), Thomas Zisterer (tenor) Franz Lehár O/Marius
Burkert rec. 2013 CPO 777 815-2 [2 CDs: 105:44] [RW] Most enjoyable.
Henrique
OSWALD (1852-1931) Piano Concerto Alfredo NAPOLEÃO DOS SANTOS (1852-1917) Piano Concerto 2 - Artur Pizarro (piano) BBC
Ntl O Wales/Martyn Brabbins rec. 2013 HYPERION
CDA67984 [67:09] [RB] Charming romantic piano concertos by composers
whose lives seem not to have been blighted by
having been child prodigies.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Il Trovatore – Plácido
Domingo, Anna Netrebko, Staatskapelle Berlin/Daniel Barenboim rec. 2013 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
DVD 0735132 [145:00] [ST] Any scenes where there’s
a possibility of dramatic involvement pass for nothing, with almost
Brechtian levels of alienation.
Sacred
Love Choral works by Falik,
Maskats & Sviridov - Aleksandrs Antoņenko
(tenor) Ieva Ezeriete (soprano) Latvian Radio
Ch/Sigvards Kļava rec. 2011 ONDINE
ODE1226-2 [57:02] [RB] For
all lovers of a cappella singing this
is surely a must-have.
Andrés
Segovia Archive Spanish Composers/French Composers - Roberto Moronn Pérez (guitar) rec. 2010/13 REFERENCE RECORDINGS FR-705/9 [70:32 & 62:29] [BR] What an
excellent series for guitar lovers. The best
works commissioned or premiered by Segovia,
brought back to light.
Transeamus English Carols and Motets -
Hilliard Ensemble rec. 2012 ECM NEW SERIES
4811106 [67:42] [BW] A
very fine swan-song from this distinguished
ensemble.
Tuesday
October 28th
John
Luther ADAMS (b.1953) Become Ocean - Seattle SO/Ludovic Morlot rec. 2013 CANTALOUPE
CA21101 CD/DVD [42:00] [KM] I
found this a fairly bland work with little originality
and not enough “music” to interest
me.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685 -1750) Motets - Rheinische Kantorei/Hermann Max rec. 2012 CPO 777807-2 [63:11] [JV] This discs ranks among the upper echelon of
choral performances.
Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Piano Concerto
2 Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano Concerto 1 - Géza Anda (piano) SWR Radio
SO Stuttgart/Hans Müller-Kray/Ferdinand Leitner
rec. 1950/1973 HÄNSSLER CLASSIC CD94.225 [71:58] [JW] For Anda
admirers here is an opportunity to hear his
Bartók concerto in embryo, and to take pleasure
in his Tchaikovsky.
Herbert
HOWELLS (1892-1983) When
first thine eies unveil - Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Ch/Paul Spicer
Jonathan Stamp (organ) rec. 2013 SOMM
CÉLESTE SOMMCD 0140 [79:27] [NB] All in all a very high quality product from
Somm and a precious addition to the Howells
discography.
Darius
MILHAUD (1892-1974) Orchestral
Works rec. 1968/1972 BRILLIANT CLASSICS
94862 [75:25 + 74:28] [GPJ] A collection of Milhaud’s zany, irresistible
pieces, several conducted by the composer himself,
and including the grand-daddy of all ear-worms, Le bœuf sur le toit.
Florent
SCHMITT (1870-1958) Le
Petit Elfe Ferme-l’Oeil; Introït, Récit
et Congé - Aline Martin
(mezzo) Henri Demarquette (cello) O Ntl Lorraine/Jacques Mercier rec. 2013 TIMPANI 1C1212 [51:10] [SG] A wonderful
discovery. Hats off to Timpani, they’ve
done it again.
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Le Sacre
du printemps - Basel SO/Dennis Russell
Davies (conductor/piano) Maki Namekawa (piano)
rec. 2013 SINFONIEORCHESTER BASEL SOB06 [73:15] [SA] Stravinsky fans will find this a must have
as soon as they hear it.
European
Light Music Classics New London
O/Ronald Corp rec. 1997 HYPERION HELIOS
CDH55477 [74:25] [RB] Memories
affectionately stirred with the musical equivalent
of a grand tour - and nothing too profound.
The
Influence of Plainsong Works by Demessieux, Moore & Tournemire - William Dore (organ)
rec. 2013 PRIORY PRCD1117 [74.07]
[GH] William Dore exploits
brilliantly the colours available to him.
Three
Generations of Mazurkas Works by
Chopin, Szymanowska & Szymanowski - Alexander
Kostritsa (piano) rec. 2014 DIVINE ART
DDA25123 [60:04] [JF] I enjoyed Kostritsa’s playing but it would
be hard work listening to 43 mazurkas back to
back.
Monday
October 27th
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Violin Concerto in E,
Concerto for two violins Alban BERG (1885-1935) Violin Concerto -
Leonid Kogan (violin)
Pavel Kogan (violin)
Moscow RSO/Gennady Rozhdestvensky
rec. 1967/71 MELODIYA MELCD1002241 [59:05] [JW] Despite the facial severity, Kogan remained an eloquently expressive player.
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin Concerto,
Violin Romances Louis SPOHR (1784-1859) Violin Concerto 8 -
Siegfried Borries (violin)
Munich PO/Fritz Rieger,
Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie/Georg-Ludwig Jochum
rec. 1959/61 FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR988 [79:49] [SG] Violin fanciers will not want to be without this generously timed disc.
Havergal BRIAN (1876-1972) The Complete Music for Piano -
Peter Hill (piano)
Douglas Young (piano)
Christopher Kay (narration)
rec. 1981 CAMEO CLASSICS CC9016CD [59.03] [JW] A resilient and stylistically assured exponent of Brian’s music even at its most complex.
Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849) Sonata 2,
Impromptus - Adolfo Barabino
(piano) rec. 2008/13 CLAUDIO DVD-A
CR5585-6 [59:13] [DBi] A top class recording of some enjoyable
performances, but as the marketing men might say, other Chopin CDs are
available.
Heinrich
von HERZOGENBERG (1843-1900) Totenfeier, Requiem -
Monteverdichor Würzburg, Thüringen
Philharmonie Gotha/Matthias Beckert rec. 2013 CPO 777755-2
SACD [48:38 + 54:07] [NB] A well produced and performed
but ultimately rather uninspiring pair of discs.
Jacques
OFFENBACH (1819-1880) Pariser Leben - Marco Bakker
(baritone) Anneliese Rothenberger (soprano) Bavarian Radio Ch, Munich Radio O/Willy Mattes
rec. 1982 WARNER CLASSICS 2564 628923 [45:51 + 43:37]
[JS] A thoroughly enjoyable issue of an entertaining performance with
much to commend it.
Jean-Philippe
RAMEAU (1683-1764) Hippolyte et Aricie - Ed Lyon,
Christiane Karg, Sarah Connolly, Glyndebourne
Ch, O Age Enlightenment/William Christie rec. 2013 OPUS
ARTE OABD7150D Blu-ray [186:00] [KM] An
audio recording of this would be excellent; the visuals are too random,
too detached from the music, to make me want to watch this again.
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840 -1893) Piano Trio Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Trio 5 -
Petrof Piano Trio NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6288 [79:17] Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840 -1893) Piano Trio Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906 -1975) Piano Trio 1 -
Evrus Trio
rec. 2007 FONTENAY CLASSICS FCI003 [61:31] [BW] The Petrof Trio are now among my favourite exponents of the Tchaikovsky; the Evrus Trio are also well worth considering.
Celtic Reflections Barry Douglas (piano) rec. 2013 CHANDOS
CHAN10821 [60:00] [ST] A huge amount to enjoy ... nostalgic,
evocative and very relaxing.
An Irish Idyll Works by Bax, Beckett, Rosenthal & Stanford -
Duncan Honeybourne (piano)
rec. 2014 EM RECORDS EMRCD024 [78:16] [RW] This is an ideal programme to provide atmosphere for an enjoyable dinner party.
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