NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] The Loder Family and their Music in Provincial Britain:
Report on a Study Day by Raymond J Walker
[New] Encounters with British Composers by Andrew Palmer
Download News 2015/9 by Brian
Wilson
Meyerbeer: From Berlin To India
by Nick Fuller
A to Z of the Piano Trio Repertoire by David Barker: "E"
Composers
MWI Recommends: Works
of Leoš Janáček.
NOTICES
Have You Seen ... ? From BBC Radio 3's The
Essay:
Arnold Bax ~
Malcolm Arnold ~
Hildegard of Bingen
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Publishing schedule
Monday: Other reviews (nostalgia, books, other music); Wednesday: MWI
Recommends; Friday: Articles.
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LATEST REVIEWS
Friday October 30th
Luigi BOCCHERINI (1743-1805) Stabat mater Baron Emanuele d'ASTORGA (c.1680-1757) Stabat mater -
King's Consort/Robert King rec. 1999
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55287 [73.20] [PCG]
A most welcome reissue which should help give this music a new lease of life.
George Frideric HANDEL (1685 – 1759) Siroe, Re di Persia
-
Ann Hallenberg, Johanna Stojkovic, Sunhae Im, Capella Coloniensis/Andreas Spering rec. 2003
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2921826.27 [79:08 + 75:57] [GF]
Lots of pleasure to be derived from this.
Paul HINDEMITH (1895-1963)
Pieces; Sonata for cello solo; Meditation; Sonata for cello and piano -
David Geringas (cello) Ian Fountain (piano) rec. 2014
ES DUR RECORDS ES2054 [54:52] [SB]
Rather short measure but nothing but admiration for eloquent playing and expertise from Geringas and Fountain.
Richard LLOYD (b. 1933) Illumine me -
The Bede Singers/David Hill rec. 2014
REGENT REGCD455 [74:40] [JQ]
A most rewarding programme of music by Richard Lloyd, expertly performed.
Mikis THEODORAKIS (b.1925) Echowand lieder
-
Johanna Krumin (soprano) Markus Zugehör (piano) rec. 2014
WERGO WER51202 [52:34] [SA]
That Theodorakis was so thrilled by the result ... says it all.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH A-Z of Singers rec. 1902-57
NAXOS 8.558097-100 [4 CDs: 312:54] [PSt]
For anyone who wants on overview of this period this is self-recommending.
Music For Winds Works by Barber, Hindemith, Janáček, Ligeti & Nielsen -
London Winds rec. 2015
CHANDOS CHAN10876 [80:13] [GPJ]
Five masterpieces – delightfully entertaining, beautiful, splendidly recorded and performed with consummate excellence.
Maestro Vladimir Spivakov
Anniversary Edition rec. 1970-1990
MELODIYA MELCD1002300 [5 CDs: 341:00] [SG]
A worthy anniversary tribute to a multi-faceted musician.
Thursday October 29th
Gordon GETTY (b.1933)
The little match girl,
A prayer for my daughter,
Poor Peter,
Joan and the bells -
Bavarian Radio Ch, Munich Radio O/Asher Fisch; Ulf Schirmer
rec. 2013/14
PENTATONE PTC5186480 SACD [66.59] [PCG]
Admirers of Getty’s music will want this disc and those who are discovering him for the first time should also be well satisfied.
Christopher
IRVIN (b. 1953) Orchestral and Choral Works Vol. 2 - Richard
Weigall (oboe) RTÉ Concert O/Gavin Sutherland, John Longstaff rec.
2014 CAMPION CAMEO 2087 [78:14] [JF] An enjoyable
disc of light music that hat tips toward the Edwardian era.
Gian
Francesco MALIPIERO (1882-1973) Sinfonia degli eroi,
Ditirambo tragico, Grottesco, Dai sepolcri
- Thessaloniki State SO/Amaury du Closel rec. 2012 NAXOS 8.572766
[57:03] [DJB] A welcome addition to the Malipiero discography.
Jean-Philippe RAMEAU (1683-1764) Pičces de Clavecin -
Blandine Rannou (harpsichord) rec. 2000
ALPHA CLASSICS 309 [63:25 + 74:09] [SSi]
Rannou’s virtuosity and poise shines through and sheds new light on this fine music.
Brazilian
Adventures Ex Cathedra/Jeffrey Skidmore rec. 2014
HYPERION CDA68114 [77:46] [JQ] Previously hidden musical
treasure from colonial Brazil brought vividly to life by Ex Cathedra.
Christmas from Christ's Carols by Warlock, Holst, and Vaughan Williams -
Christ's College/David Rowland rec. 2014
REGENT REGCD446 [73:49] [JQ]
A delightful disc of English Christmas music.
Clockworking
Nordic Affect SONO LUMINUS SLE-70001 [44:31] [GF] I
can’t say that I have digested the music on this disc completely
but it has grown in stature and I hope to hear more from these Icelandic
composers.
Flos Virginum
Motets of the 15th Century - Stimmwerck rec. 2013 CPO 777 937-2 [62:10]
[GH] A rare disc of pleasingly unusual repertoire.
Wednesday October 28th
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann
Sebastian BACH (1675-1750) Magnificat,
Cantata 63 - Dunedin Consort/John Butt (organ)
rec. 2014 LINN CKD469 SACD
[78:00] [JQ] A compelling
package for Bach collectors.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphonies
1 & 2 - London PO/Vladimir Jurowski rec.
2008 LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA LPO-0043
[44:16 + 41:31] [SV] Much
to enjoy in Jurowski's refreshing Brahms
- here handsomely recorded.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Alfredo
CASELLA (1883-1947) Symphony 1, Symphonic Fragments from
Le Couvent sur l’eau, Elegia eroica - Gillian
Keith (soprano) BBC Philharmonic/Gianandrea Noseda
rec. 2013/15 CHANDOS CHAN10880 [77:14] [IL] Hugely
enjoyable for Casella fans and all those who enjoy Technicolor excitement
in their music.
Gary DAVISON
(b. 1961) The Armour of Light - Ch of Wells Cathedral/Matthew
Owens; Jonathan Vaughn (organ) Matthew Souter (viola) Simon Jones (trumpet)
rec. 2014 REGENT REGCD452 [76:30] [JQ] Attractive and
well-crafted liturgical music even if it doesn’t appear to break
much new ground.
Paul HINDEMITH
(1895-1963) Mathis der Maler, Symphony in
E flat - NDR SO/Christoph Eschenbach ONDINE
ODE1275-2 [67:28] [DM] Eschenbach gives middling performances
here; Blomstedt is still my first choice for Mathis, Tortelier for the
partnering symphony.
Charles
KOECHLIN (1867-1950) String Quartets
1 & 2 - Ardeo Qt rec. 2006 AR RÉ-SÉ
AR2006-3 [61.32] [MC]
A captivating and pleasurable release letting
us hear music that deserves wide circulation.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Il Re Pastore - John
Mark Ainsley (tenor) Sarah Fox, Ailish Tynan (sopranos) O of Classical Opera/Ian Page rec. 2014 SIGNUM
CLASSICS SIGCD433 [62:38 + 54:34] [ST] A great success, this
set is well worth checking out.
Jean-Pierre
Rampal (flute) The Complete Erato Records
Vol. 1 rec. 1954-63 ERATO 2564
619044 [10 CDs: 16 hours] [JW]
Rampal completists had better check their shelves
and get busy.
Tuesday October 27th
Joachim
Nikolas EGGERT (1779-1813) Symphonies
1 & 3, Svante Sture - Gävle SO/Gérard Korsten rec. 2009-14 NAXOS
8.572457 [66:20] [JF]
A wholly successful project that demands
to be continued.
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphonies
31, 70 & 101 - Scottish Ch O/Robin Ticciati
rec. 2015 LINN RECORDS SACD CKD500
[77.00] [MC] Fresh
and responsive.
Mary
McAULIFFE (b. 1947)
Return to Old Ireland
- Donald George (tenor) Lucy Mauro (piano) West
Virginia Univ Studio O & Ch/Jeffry Blake
Johnson, Michael O’Neal Singers/Michael
O’Neal rec. 2000-12 DELOS DE1046
[47:36] [GF] Lovers
of Irish music shouldn’t hesitate.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony
41 Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony
2 - Poznán PO/Sir Neville Marriner rec. 2013
DUX 1196 [66:23] [DC] A
nice souvenir but not really competitive.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don
Juan, Symphony - Frankfurter Opern
& Museum O/Sebastian Weigle rec. 2014/15
OEHMS CLASSICS OC890 [62:07]
[RMay] A welcome new
disc.
Thomas
TALLIS (c.1505-1585) Tallis
Edition Vol. 5 - The
Cardinall’s Musick/Andrew Carwood rec.
2014 HYPERION CDA68095 [71:58]
[JQ] Those who are collecting this outstanding
Tallis series need not hesitate over acquiring
Volume 5.
Will
TODD (b.1970) Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland - Fflur
Wyn (soprano) Opera
Holland Park/Matthew Waldren rec. 2015 SIGNUM
CLASSICS SIGCD420 [68.42] [PCG] Immediately
approachable.
The
Sound of the 20s Ernest
BLOCH (1880-1959) Violin Sonata 1 Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Violin Sonata George
ENESCU (1881-1955) Violin Sonata 3
- Stefan Tarara (violin) Lora Vakova-Tarara
(piano) rec. 2015 ARS PRODUCTION SACD 38179 [78:46] [JW] Challenging
and in many ways rewarding.
Monday October 26th
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Sir Arthur BLISS (1891-1975) Morning Heroes; Hymn to Apollo
- BBC SO & Ch/Sir Andrew Davis rec. 2015
CHANDOS CHSA 5159 SACD [65:12] [JQ]
A splendid new recording of Bliss’s eloquent musical commemoration of the fallen of World War I.
Zygmunt KRAUZE (b. 1938) Hommage ŕ Strzemiński
rec. 1969-2014
DUX 1207 [74:25] [DC]
At its best, a source of endless awe.
Alexander Nikolayevich SCRIABIN (1872-1915) Piano Sonata 3 Modest Petrovich MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on the Bare Mountain -
Alessio Bax (piano) rec. 2015
SIGNUM RECORDS SIGCD426 [66:16] [SA]
Bax's playing is brilliantly illuminative.
Josef SUK (1874-1935) O Matinec Ernest CHAUSSON (1855-1899) Dances Max REGER (1873-1916)
Aus Meinem Tagebuch -
Paul Orgel (piano) rec. 2014
MSR CLASSICS MS1533 [60:33] [JW]
An unlikely looking triptych with a shared mood.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Complete Symphonies -
Russian Ntl O/Mikhail Pletnev rec. 2011-13
PENTATONE PTC5186489 [7 CDs: 409:22] [ST]
This set stands pretty near the top.
Giuseppe VERDI (1813–1901) La Traviata
- Angela Gheorghiu, Ramón Vargas, O Teatro La Scala/Lorin Maazel rec. 2007
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101342 Blu-ray [202.00] [MC]
Treasurable and powerfully charged this deserves great praise.
Göttweig Partitas Music at the Court of Emperor Leopold I -
Lydia Maria Blank (harpsichord) rec. 2008
STELLAMARIS SM201401 [74:14] [JV]
This music has a rather intimate character and that comes off perfectly here.
Earl Wild (piano) The Complete RCA Album Collection rec. 1947-76
RCA RED SEAL 88875030742 [5 CDs: 241:25] [JW]
A salute to Wild's recordings for RCA Victor and Columbia Masterworks.
Other reviews
The
Golden Age of Light Music 100 Greatest American Light Orchestras
Vol. 1 GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD5230 [74:39] [JW] A
terrific opening release for this new marque from Guild.
