NEW
& RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Forgotten Artists: Harold Craxton
by Christopher Howell
[New]
Brun symphonies recorded by Adriano
Robin Field: Lake District Composer by John France
Getting to Know … The Symphonies & Concertos of Karol Szymanowski by David Barker
Bum Notes – or Dude, Where’s My Booklet? by Dan Morgan
William Mathias: Canzonetta for Organ
by John France
MWI Recommends
- Prokofiev symphony 5 & Tchaikovsky violin concerto.
NOTICES
2015 marks the 20th anniversary of Musicweb
International! We have received a number of tributes
-
read what they are saying about us.
[New] Two more additions to the Classic Archive Collector’s
edition:
Voices and
Conductors. These are Blu-ray videos playing for approx 14
hours.
In 2014, we
published around 2500 classical and 300 jazz & nostalgia
reviews.
Hoffnung
postcards are back on sale
In order to persuade more of you to make
a donation to MusicWeb International we are giving away CDs - click the
Donate button top right for more details.
Publishing schedule
Monday: Other reviews (nostalgia, books, other music), Wednesday: MWI
Recommends, Friday: Articles.
Live performance reviews posted daily at Seen
and Heard
Jazz
reviews posted weekly
Shopping on-line? Help us by doing
it through the MusicWeb
sales page.
LATEST REVIEWS
Friday
January 30th
Edwin York BOWEN (1884-1961) Viola Sonatas 1 & 2; Phantasy -
Matthew Jones (viola), Michael Hampton (piano) rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.572580 [71.18] [EML]
Anyone and everyone should hear these pieces but I favour the Boyd/Forsberg performances on Dutton Vocalion.
Louis GLASS (1864 – 1936); Symphony 3 Forest; Summer Life
Staatsorchester Rheinische Phil/Daniel Raiskin rec. 2009
CPO 777525-2 [65:20] [GF]
Those with an interest in Nordic music should be able to derive quite a lot of pleasure from this issue.
Benedetto MARCELLO (1686-1739) Sonatas -
Jacques Vandeville (oboe) Jean-Michel Louchart (organ) rec. 2014
SYRIUS SYR141466 [78:07] [DC]
An unlikely first choice.
Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) The Essential Orchestral Favorites
-
Pekka Kuusisto (violin) Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam rec. 1939-2007
ONDINE ODE1265-2D [69:34 + 79:32] [LW]
A special edition with idiomatic performances to celebrate Sibelius’s sesquicentennial.
Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) Il Trovatore
-
Misha Didyk, Marina Poplavskaya, Scott Hendricks, La Monnaie/Marc Minkowski rec. 2012
BEL AIR CLASSIQUES BAC109 DVD [149:00] [JS]
More than most discs this DVD is a case of caveat emptor.
Tomás Luis de VICTORIA (1548-1611) Easter Week: Lamentations and Tenebrae Responsories -
Ch Trinity College, Cambridge/Richard Marlow rec. 1990
ALTO ALC1269 [79:12] [JW]
Music that is finely contrasted and is here conveyed with urgent warmth.
The Great Carlo Bergonzi rec. 1959-77
RCA RED SEAL 88857 018082 [67.48 + 57.53] [RJF]
The presentation and sequencing of the extracts mars some incomparable tenor operatic singing as a wholly commendable issue.
The Medici Castrato: A Homage to Gualberto Magli -
Raffaele Pe (counter-tenor) Chiara Granata (triple harp) David Miller (theorbo) rec. 2013
GLOSSA GGD923501 [57:02] [JW]
This precisely targeted concept album rewards close listening.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Suites & Overtures for the Radio Staatsoperette
O Dresden/Ernst Theis rec. 2006-11
CPO 777838-2 [68:05 + 64:30] [NB]
A hugely valuable addition to the discography of music in the Weimar Republic.
In an Old Abbey British Organ Music -
Paul Walton (organ) rec. 2013
REGENT REGCD431 [75:27] [WK]
High quality playing, good sound and an excellent choice of programme.
Thursday
January 29th
Alfred HILL (1869-1960) String Quartets Vol. 5 - Dominion Qt rec. 2012 NAXOS 8.573267 [66:10] [DD] A well-played trio of quartets harking back to the late 19th century but with a clear musical purpose.
Joseph JONGEN (1873-1953)
Rhapsodie,
Méditation,
Deux Pičces,
Concerto for woodwind quintet -
5 Beaufort–Brussels Woodwind Qnt
rec. 2014
PHAEDRA 92085 [74:59]
[JW] Jongen’s lyric generosity and extrovert qualities very well caught.
Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Elias - Kantorei St. Nikolai, Hamburg Camerata/Matthias Hoffman-Borggrefe rec. 2013 TROUBADISC TROCD01445 [65:07 + 64:05]
[RWe] A solid account of Elias, with a fine bass in the title role and good support all round, but does not displace the leading contenders.
Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567-1643) Complete Operas - Concentus Musicus/Nikolaus
Harnoncourt rec. 1968/74 WARNER CLASSICS 2564 631482
[9 CDs: 423:46] [GF] A big black mark for presentation, but in every
other respect this is an issue that should be snapped up by anyone with
an interest in baroque opera or really any interest in music.
Ernst RUDORFF
(1840-1916) Symphony 3, Variations - Bochum SO/Frank Beermann rec. 2011 CPO 777 458-2
[60:17] [NB] This might just stay in a bottom drawer gathering dust.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Parsifal
- Simon O’Neill (tenor) Angela Denoke (soprano) René
Pape (bass) Gerald Finley (baritone) O & Ch Royal Opera House/Sir
Antonio Pappano rec. 2013 OPUS ARTE OA1158D DVD [282:00] [ST] This simply can’t stand up
to the best.
The
Hungarian Viola Máté Szücs (viola) Oliver Triendl (piano)
rec. 2012/13 HÄNSSLER PROFIL PH14022 [68:19] [JW] Rather
obscure pieces projected with care and character.
Los Impossibles L'Arpeggiata/Christina Pluhar, The Kings Singers rec. 2006 NAIVE V5188 [61.05]
[EML] High standards of performance, very appropriate voices and instruments ... thrilling.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Organ
Polychrome - The French School Jan Kraybill (organ) rec. 2013 REFERENCE RECORDINGS RR-133
[71:13] [DM] Pure magic; my store of enchanted objects has just increased
by one.
Sweete Musicke of Sundrie Kindes The Royal Wind Music/Paul Leenhouts rec. 2011 LINDORO NL-3023 [58:50] [JV] Unless you really hate the recorder, you will find this disc irresistible.
Wednesday January 28th
Carl
Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788) Trio Sonatas & Flute Concertos
- Alexis Kossenko (transverse flute) Arte dei Suonatori,
Les Ambassadeurs rec. 2005/14 ALPHA 821
[3 CDs: 2144:39] [JV] This set is definitely one of the
best productions of music by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach to have been
released recently.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Köthener Trauermusik - Sabine
Devieilhe (soprano) Damien Guillon (counter-tenor) Thomas Hobbs (tenor)
Christian Immler (bass) Ens Pygmalion/Raphaël Pichon rec. 2014 HARMONIA
MUNDI HMC902211 [73:53] [JQ] A notable parody score by Bach
in a fine performance.
Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695)
10 Sonatas in 4 Parts
- The King’s Consort rec. 2013 VIVAT MUSIC FOUNDATION
VIVAT106 [53:20] [DC]
Top of a not very big pile.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1875-1943) Piano
Concerto 2, Symphony
3 - Cyril Smith (piano) London SO, Liverpool
PO, BBC SO/Malcolm Sargent rec. 1931-1953 GUILD
HISTORIC GHCD 2423 [76:38] [SG]
Recordings from more than six decades ago that
deserve to be heard.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810 – 1856)
Lieder
- Peter Schreier (tenor) Norman Shetler (piano)
rec. 1972-74 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94694
[4 CDs: 256:24] [GF]
A cultural achievement and at budget price.
Seize the opportunity.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Wilhelm STENHAMMAR (1871-1927)
Piano Sonata 4 Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Valse
triste, Impromptus, Finlandia - Cassandra
Wyss (piano) rec.
2014 CAPRICCIO C5229 [76:14] [SSi] An excellent follow-up
to Wyss's earlier Stenhammar disc.
Boris
TCHAIKOVSKY (1925-1996) Piano Quintet, The War Suite -
Olga Solovieva (piano) Maxim Anisimov (clarinet) Vanbrugh Qt rec. 2012/13
NAXOS 8.573207 [66.47] [MC] A most accessible and agreeable
way of exploring the music of Boris Tchaikovsky.
Delius
and His Circle Paul Guinery
(piano) rec. 2011 STONE RECORDS 5060192780130
[72:25] [EML] An extremely
interesting, well-put-together disc; highly
enjoyable.
Homages
A Musical Dedication - Christoph Denoth (guitar) rec.
2012 SIGNUM SIGCD404 [71:46] [JW] Thoughtful playing,
although ultimately lacking in those qualities that elevate the music’s
descriptive qualities.
Semiramide
- La Signora Regale Arias and Scenes
from Porpora to Rossini - Anna Bonitatibus (mezzo)
Accademia degli Astrusi, La Stagione Armonica/Federico
Ferri rec. 2013 DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 88725479862
[44:14 + 53:21] [BW] Raises
Anna Bonitatibus even higher in my estimation.
Tuesday
January 27th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Concerto
for 2 keyboards, Brandenburg
Concerto 5, Partita 1, Prelude & Fugue - Emil Gilels
(piano) USSR State SO/Kirill Kondrashin rec.
1948-1968 MELODIYA MELCD1002224
[71:35] [JW] A valuable
cache of Gilels' Bach, almost all studio
recordings.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Vom
Reiche Gottes (compiled
by Hans Grischkat)
Maulbronner Kammerchor, Ens Il Capriccio/Jürgen
Budday rec. 2013 K&K VERLAGANSTALT
KuK 115 [78:00] [JQ]
A cantata compiled from Bach’s music
in a worthy but uncompetitive live performance.
Luigi
BOCCHERINI (1743-1805) & Giovanni Battista CIRRI (1724-1808)
Cello Sonatas - Catherine Jones, Alison McGilvray
(cello) Giulia Nuti (harpsichord) William Carter
(archlute, baroque guitar) rec. 2013 DEUTSCHE
HARMONIA MUNDI 88875013182 [77:49] [BW]
An enjoyable recording
made all the more so by the addition of the
little-known Cirri works.
Arcangelo
CORELLI (1653-1713) Church Sonatas
- The Avison Ens rec. 2011/12 LINN
SACD CKD414 [71:05 + 76:48] [SSi]
An exceptionally fine recording of these seminal
works of the trio sonata repertoire.
Christoph
GRAUPNER (1683-1760) Trio Sonatas
- Finnish Baroque O (members) rec. 2013 ONDINE
ODE1240-2 [59:03] [DC]
‘Easy’ Baroque full of joyous sounds
and pleasant surprise.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809)
String
Quartets - Schneider Qt rec. 1951-54
MUSIC AND ARTS CD-1281 [15 CDs: 17hrs]
[SG] These spontaneous
and inspirational readings are both a delight
and an enriching experience. All I can say is,
go for it.
Guillaume
LEKEU (1870-1894) Violin Sonata
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Sonata Movement Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Violin Sonata 1 -
Tasmin Little (violin) Martin Roscoe (piano)
rec. 2013 CHANDOS CHAN10812
[72:56] [JW] Romantically
expressive performances, richly voiced, warmly
conveyed.
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) The
Grand Concertos for Mixed Instruments Vol. 1
- La Stagione Frankfurt/Michael Schneider
rec. 2013-2014 CPO 777859-2
[62:33] [JV] This disc
once again attests to Telemann's versatility.
The
British Composers Guide to Britain
EMI CLASSICS 0290012 [77:25 + 65:33]
[EML] Some lovely works
... and some important and fine recordings but
this is not the way to hear them.
Road
Trip Works by American composers
- Max Baillie (violin, viola, mandolin, percussion)
Dawn Landes (vocals/guitar) Sam Amidon (vocals/guitar)
Aurora O/Nicholas Collon rec. 2014 WARNER
CLASSICS 2564 632791 [67:54] [MC] Eminently
enjoyable and fascinating.
Monday January 26th
Franz Ignaz BECK
(1734-1809) Symphonies - Czech
Chamber PO Pardubice/Marek Štilec rec. 2013 NAXOS 8.573248
[75:31] [DD] Good performances of modest but enjoyable mid eighteenth
century symphonies.
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) The Violin Sonatas - Augustin Dumay (violin) Louis
Lortie (piano) rec. 2014 ONYX 4133 [77:01] Warm-hearted
and deeply felt accounts of Brahms's Violin Sonatas [LW] Communicative
warmth, irresistible lyricism and a kind of serenity [JW].
George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1789) Faramondo - Emily
Fons (mezzo) Maarten Engeltjies (counter-tenor) FestspielOrchester Göttingen/Lawrence
Cummings rec. 2014 ACCENT ACC26402 [3 CDs: 175:37] [RMo] Plenty of rhythmic spring and inner vitality. Nothing
drags.
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 9 - Vienna SO/Jascha Horenstein rec. 1960 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC426 [79:11] [JQ] A valuable issue of Jascha Horenstein’s dark, uncompromising interpretation of Mahler’s Ninth.
Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Piano Trios 1 & 2,
Variations Concertantes -
Gould Piano Trio
rec. 2012/13
CHAMPS HILL RECORDS CHRCD088 [72:33] [BW] Very likeable performances which many will prefer even over the Florestan Trio on Hyperion.
Sergei PROKOFIEV
(1891-1953) Symphonies 1-3 & 7, Sinfonietta
& Autumn Sketch - Bournemouth SO/Kirill Karabits rec. 2013/14
ONYX 4137/9 [65.08 & 79.29]
[MC] Karabits’ recordings are creditable and listeners will find
in them much to engage their interest.
Augusta Read THOMAS (b.1964) Music for Strings NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6263 [79.44] [GH] An exciting CD.
Johan WAGENAAR (1862–1941)
Symphonic Poems Vol. 2 -
Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie/Antony Hermus
CPO 777933-2 [55:26] [DJB] An enjoyable, though not revelatory, hour of good-natured music.
Ernst Levy (piano) Forgotten
Genius Vol. 4 - Works
by Beethoven, Brahms, Franck, Haydn, Liszt & Schubert
rec. 1952-59
MARSTON 52072-2 [78:34 + 79:51] [JW] One of the most perplexing, remarkable musicians you are likely to come across.
Poema
Works by Kangas, Nordgren, Sallinen & Salmenhaara - Marko Ylönen
(cello) Ostrobothnian CO/Juha Kangas rec. 2013 ALBA ABCD372
SACD [65:09] [DC] Fascinating programme, but not a refuge for
the depressed.
Other reviews
Delius and His Music by Martin Lee-Browne and Paul Guinery,
publ. 2014 The Boydell Press [SG] This splendid and long-awaited biography will be avidly welcomed by Delius devotees.
ArkivMusic has more than 10,000 titles in its 
