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& RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Download News 2014/11 by Brian Wilson and Dan Morgan
[New] Christopher Hogwood - an obituary
Forgotten
Artists: Hélène Boschi by Christopher Howell
A survey of
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Brian Wilson
MWI Recommends
- Handel Music for the Royal Fireworks & Strauss Don
Juan.
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LATEST REVIEWS
Tuesday
September 30th
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concertos 3 & 4 - Maria João Pires
(piano) Swedish Radio SO/Daniel Harding rec. 2013 ONYX 4125 [71:30] [JQ] This
contains many pleasures.
Sir
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) The Apostles - Alison Hargan (soprano) Alfreda Hodgson (mezzo)
David Rendall (tenor) Bryn Terfel (baritone)
London SO & Ch/Richard Hickox rec. 1990 CHANDOS CHAN241-49 [73.49
+ 53.04] [PCG] Terfel
as Peter for Hickox is quite simply streets
ahead of his competition.
Jorge
GRUNDMAN (b.1961) A Mortuis
Resurgere - Susana Cordón (soprano)
Brodsky Qt rec. 2013 CHANDOS CHSA5138
SACD [54:05] [JW] At
54 minutes this needs to be listened to with
a sympathetic ear.
Sir
Peter MAXWELL DAVIES (b. 1934) Strathclyde Concertos 9 & 10, Carolísima - Scottish
CO/Sir Peter Maxwell Davies rec. 1996 NAXOS
8.572356 [77.01] [JWh] Maxwell
Davies at his approachable best.
Anton
RUBINSTEIN (1829-1894) Piano Quartets
- Leslie Howard (piano) Rita Manning (violin)
Morgan Goff (viola) Justin Pearson (cello) rec.
2013 HYPERION CDA68018 [76:28]
[JW] Splendid performances
– sensitive, energised and with fine ensemble.
Jeroen
van VEEN (b. 1969) Piano Music
- Jeroen van Veen, Sandra van Veen (piano) Frank
Steijens (carillon) rec. 2011-2014 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 9454 [5 CDs: 4188:06] [JW] If
you like your minimalism mellifluous …
Ivry
Gitlis (violin) Portrait rec. 1967-95 DECCA
5346246 [5 CDs: 342:47] [SG] Always
a maverick but his playing keeps you on the
edge of your seat.
In
Praise of Saint Columba The Sound World of the Celtic Church - Ch Gonville & Caius College,
Cambridge/Geoffrey Wheeler rec. 2013 DELPHIAN
DCD34137 [76.15] [GH] A
generously filled and decidedly ambitious disc.
Music prepared and performed immaculately and
with imagination and recorded in a lovely and
lively acoustic.
Monday
September 29th
Heinrich Ignaz
Franz VON BIBER (1644-1704) Fidicinium Sacro-Profanum - Ars Antiqua Austria/Gunar Letzbor rec. 2013 CHALLENGE CLASSICS
SACD CC72575 [47:03] [JV] These compelling sonatas are performed
by musicians who have a thorough knowledge of the composer and his historical
context.
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin concerto Max BRUCH (1838-1920) Violin concerto 1 -
Hideko Udagawa (violin)
London SO/Sir Charles Mackerras
rec. 1989 NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6270 [61:52] [SG] Recordings that would grace any CD collection.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Alfredo CASELLA (1883-1947) Complete Piano Music - Michele d’Ambrosio
(piano) rec. 2012/13 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9281 [3 CDs:
212.40] [PCG] I was delighted to encounter this set.
Those interested in approachable piano music for both listening and
performance will be grateful for such a comprehensive issue.
Ernö DOHNÁNYI (1877-1960) Ruralia Hungarica,
Three Pieces,
Etudes de Concert,
Rhapsody
Ernö Dohnányi (piano)
rec. 1960 EVEREST SDBR3061 [51:58] [JW] Collectors of this composer’s music will need to hear this disc.
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Violin Concerto, Violin Sonata - Thomas Albertus Imberger (violin) Michael Korstick (piano) Israel
CO/Martin Sieghart rec. 2012/13 GRAMOLA 98992 SACD [57:21] [SV] Vibrant sound and accurate intonation.
Pyotr Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) The Seasons (arr. two guitars)
Grigoryan Brothers (guitars)
rec. 2011 MATERIAL RECORDS MRE041 [44:15] [RMay] Enjoyable though it certainly is its particular appeal will be primarily to devotees of the classical guitar.
Douglas YOUNG (b. 1947) The Hunting of the Snark -
Peter Easton (narrator)
Douglas Young (piano and percussion)
Leicestershire Schools SO & Chorale/Peter Fletcher
rec. 1982 CAMEO CLASSICS CC9019CD [53.40] [PCG] Very much in the modern avant-garde style of the 1960s and 1970s.
Howard Karp
(piano) Concert Recordings 1962-2007 ALBANY RECORDS
TROY1492 [6 CDs: 437:00] [DM] A hidden talent revealed at last;
a must for all pianophiles.
Friday
September 26th
Eduard ABRAMIAN (1923-1986) Twenty-Four Preludes for Piano -
Mikael Ayrapetyan (piano) rec. 2012 GRAND PIANO GP 665 [60:37] [SA] Any lover of piano music will find it a thoroughly rewarding experience.
Dieterich BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707) Opera Omnia XIX: Vocal Works 9 -
Amsterdam Baroque Ch & O/Ton Koopman rec. 2012/13 CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72258 [79:01] [MS] Koopman’s series unveils the wonders of Buxtehude ... superb interpretation and playing.
Leoš JANÁČEK (1854-1928) String Quartets 1 & 2 Erwin SCHULHOFF (1894-1942) String Quartet 1 -
Talich Qt rec. 2004/5 LA DOLCE VOLTA LDV256 [57:08] [JW] Every reason to welcome back this newly repackaged trio of recordings.
Franz LEHÁR (1870-1948) Wo die Lerche singt (Where the Lark Sings) -
Sieglinde Feldhofer, Jevgenij Tauntsov, Miriam Portmann, Gerhard Ernst, Franz-Lehár O/Marius Burkert rec. 2013 CPO 777 816-2 [56.38 + 73.16] [IL] An entertaining Lehár operetta that deserves to be better known.
Anton RUBINSTEIN (1829-1894) Symphony 5; Dmitry Donskoy Overture; Faust - George Enescu PO/Horia Andreescu rec. 1988 NAXOS 8.557005 [71.30] [DD] Acceptable bargain reissue of serviceable performances. No creative genius but worth hearing for fans of nineteenth century Russian music.
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Wanderer Fantasy; Impromptus; Klavierstücke -
Jura Margulis (piano con sordino) OEHMS CLASSICS OC435 [73:01] [BR] This CD is a vehicle for a new kind of piano. Now isn’t that exciting? Let’s review the instrument itself.
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Grand Sonata; Romanze; Aveu passionné Xaver SCHARWENKA (1850-1924) Piano Sonata 2; Two pieces from “Im Freien” -
Joseph Moog (piano) rec. 2014 ONYX CLASSICS 4126 [65:46] [BR] Scharwenka’s sonata is a forgotten gem, and this is a worthwhile recital.
Carlo TESSARINI (c.1690 - c.1766) Violin Sonatas -
Valerio Losito (violin) Federico Del Sordo (harpsichord) rec. 2013 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94787 [53:05] [JV] Very fine performances which convincingly bring out the characteristics and qualities of Tessarini's sonatas.
Thursday
September 25th
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Symphonies 3 & 4 - London SO/Valery
Gergiev
rec. 2012 LSO LIVE LSO0737 SACD [77:15]
[ST] Fine performances
but there are so many other great ones out there.
August ENNA (1859-1939)
Overture Cleopatra, Violin
Concerto, Symphonic Fantasy - Kathrin Rabus (violin) NDR
Radiophilharmonie/Hermann Bäumer rec. 2011 CPO 777 674-2
[63:40] [DC] Well worth
exploring.
Aram KHACHATURIAN
(1903-1978) The Battle of Stalingrad
& Othello Suites - Viktor Simcisko
(violin) Jana Valaskova (soprano) Slovak Philharmonic Ch, Slovak Radio
SO/Adriano rec. 1989/92 NAXOS FILM MUSIC CLASSICS
8.573389 [63:14] [MC] Should
appeal mainly to specialist
film score collectors and admirers of Russian music.
Leopold KOŽELUCH
(1747-1818) Complete Keyboard Sonatas Vol. 3 - Kemp
English (fortepiano) rec. 2011 GRAND PIANO GP644
[59:57] [DM] Delightful
music, essayed with clarity and elegance; and
there's lots more to come.
Friedrich KUHLAU
(1786-1832) Violin Sonatas Vol. 1 - Christina Åstrand
(violin); Per Salo (piano) rec. 2013 DACAPO 8.226082
[69:34] [SSi] A
disc well worth investigating.
Poul RUDERS (b. 1949)
Chamber and Piano Works Vol. 9 - David Starobin (guitar) Daniel
Druckman (percussion) David Holzman, Sarah Rothenberg (pianos) Amalia
Hall (violin) Hsin-Yun Huang (viola) rec. 2007/13 BRIDGE
9427 [56:34] [GH] Much
here that is of interest.
Robert SCHUMANN
(1810-1856) Kinderszenen, Abegg
Variations, Fantasie in C - Lise de la
Salle (piano) rec. 2013 NAÏVE V5364
[60:48] [BR] When does
meditation become too much? This may or may not
be for you.
British
Piano Concertos rec. 1970s-1990s LYRITA
RECORDED EDITION SRCD2345
[4 CDs: 305:00] British String Concertos
rec. 1970s-1990s LYRITA RECORDED EDITION SRCD2346
[4 CDs: 306:00] [RB] Suitable
for the intrepid and open-minded soul who is happy to entertain a
rewarding range of expression.
Wednesday
September 24th
Christopher BALL
(b. 1936) Cor Anglais Concerto; Clarinet
Quintet; Recorder Concerto; Scenes from a Comedy; Caprice on a Baroque
Theme -
Paul Arden-Taylor (cor anglais, recorder, oboe) Emerald
Concert O, Adderbury
Ens/Christopher Ball MUSICAL CONCEPTS MC151
[77:52] [RB] Heart-lifting
music in performances and recordings to
match.
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Ein deutsches Requiem
- Sally Matthews (soprano) Christopher Maltman (baritone) London SO
& Ch/Valery Gergiev rec. 2013 LSO LIVE LSO 0748
[64:07] [SV] A good
performance but no challenge to your particular
favourite from analogue days.
George
Frideric HANDEL
(1685-1759) The Triumph of Time and Truth
- Sophie Bevan, Mary Bevan (sopranos) Tim Mead (counter-tenor) Ed Lyon
(tenor) William Berger (bass) Ludus Baroque/Richard Neville-Towle rec.
2013 DELPHIAN DCD34135 [78:28 + 76:15]
[BW] You can’t really go
wrong with this fine recording.
Sean
HICKEY (b.1970) Cursive -
Philip Edward Fisher (piano) Julia
Sakharova (violin) Brandon Patrick George (flute) Anne Lanzilotti
(viola) Meredith Clark (harp) DELOS PRODUCTIONS DE3465
[64:05] [JW] An easy,
interesting entry into the sound-world of a rounded, intelligent
composer.
Peter
LIEBERSON (1946-2011) Rilke Songs,
The Six Realms, Horn Concerto -
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (mezzo) Peter Serkin (piano) Michaela Fukacova
(cello) William Purvis (horn) Odense SO/Justin Brown/Donald Palma rec.
2003-2005 BRIDGE 9178 [63:04] [LW] The first in a series of fine
recordings of Peter Lieberson’s music.
Pyotr Ilyich
TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) The
Sleeping
Beauty - USSR State
Academic SO/Evgeny Svetlanov rec. 1980 MELODIYA
MELCD1002243 [3 CDs: 169:42] [RMay] Vividly coloured and vivacious, yet
skilfully crafted.
Jacob
Ter VELDHUIS
(b. 1951) Complete Solo Piano Music -
Jeroen van Veen, Sandra van Veen, Ronald Brautigam (pianos) Netherlands
Radio Chamber Philharmonic/Thierry Fischer rec. 2010/13 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 94873 [71:13 + 61:18] [DC] Rewarding and
illuminating.
Dances and Visions
Works by Lully, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Debussy
& Saint-Saens - Mordecai Shehori (piano) rec. 2014 CEMBAL
D’AMOUR CD173 [63:42] [JW] Shies
away from volatile directness preferring a more considered, almost
resigned perspective.
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