NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
Download News 2016/2 by Brian
Wilson
New Music Director for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
by John Quinn
MWI Recommends:
The works of Paul Hindemith.
NOTICES
[New] BBC Radio 3 broadcast dedicated to the music of Grace
Williams- see
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William Sterndale Bennett bicentenary celebrations -
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'Capriccio' - see
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2016 - see here for
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Publishing schedule
Monday: Other reviews (nostalgia, books, other music); Wednesday: MWI
Recommends; Friday: Articles.
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LATEST REVIEWS
Monday February 29th
Nicolaus BRUHNS (1665-1697)
Complete Organ Music - Adriano Falcioni (organ) rec. 2013 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 94447 [70:10] [JV] Most pieces in the programme
are available in better recordings.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH George Frideric HANDEL
(1685-1759) Duetti e Terzetti italiani - La Risonanza/Fabio
Bonizzoni rec. 2014 GLOSSA GCD921517 [61:10] [BW]
The latest volume in a very fine series of recordings of music that
ought to be better known.
Michael NYMAN (b. 1948)
War Work: Eight Songs with Film -
Michael Nyman Band
Hilary Summers (contralto)
rec. 2014
MN RECORDS MNRCD138 [67:40] [DC] Nyman back at his potent best.
RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) All-night Vigil, The Theotokos - Netherlands Radio Ch/Kaspars Putniņš
rec. 2012 BIS BIS2039 SACD [60:20] All-night Vigil - Phoenix
& Kansas City Chorales/Charles Bruffy rec. 2014 CHANDOS
CHSA5148 SACD [75:34] [DM] The Dutch bring emotional intensity
to the Vigil, the Americans weight and beauty; you must hear both.
Robert SCHUMANN
(1810-1856) Manfred – Münster
Concert & Philharmonic Chs, Münster SO/Fabrizio Ventura rec. 2015
ARS PRODUKTION ARS38192 SACD [65:32] [NH] This
issue falls a little short of the ideal but has a good deal going for
it. No-one buying it is likely to be disappointed.
Amber Songs
Kamér Youth Choir/Janis Liepinš rec. 2014 KAMÉR KCD013
[74:19] [JQ] A very fine advertisement for Latvian choral singing.
Five Danish Piano Trios
Works by Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, Hegaard, Koch,
Nielsen & Norholm
-
Trio Ismena
rec. 2013
DACAPO 8.226583 [70.56] [GH] It's good to have a chance to hear all five works so superbly played.
Masterworks and Miniatures Organ and harpsichord music from
renaissance Venice -
Richard Lester (keyboards)
rec. 2014
NIMBUS NI5931 [77:53] Sheet music, DVD & CD - Richard Lester
(ed.)
NIMBUS MUSIC PUBLISHING NMP1015 [DC] A master-class and entertainment in one.
Napoli Royal
Danish Ballet & Ballet School, Det Kongelige Kapel/Graham Bond rec.
2014 OPUS ARTE DVD OA1195D [105:00] [RMay] One
of the most enjoyable ballet recordings that I've come across
for some time. I can't envisage any ballet fan being anything
but fully delighted.
Jascha Spivakovsky (piano) Bach to Bloch Vol.
2 - Works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin & Mozart
rec. 1955-67 PRISTINE AUDIO PAKM067 [77:12] [JW] Intriguing but admiration not unmixed. Spivakovsky pushes things sometimes to extremes.
Other reviews
Ennio MORRICONE (b.1928)
The Hateful 8 soundtrack -
Czech Ntl SO/Ennio Morricone
DECCA 476 9489 [71:08] [MW] Might be presented for home listening in more purely musical terms.
Friday February 26th
George ENESCU (1881-1955) Complete works for piano solo -
Raluca Stirbat (piano) rec. 2010/2013
HÄNSSLER CLASSIC CD98.060 [3 CDs:201:19] [SB]
For anyone who wants a complete survey of Enescu’s fascinating piano works this will do very well.
Bonifazio GRAZIANI (1604-1664) Adae Oratorium, Fili Prodigi and Five Motets
-
Consortium Carissimi/Garrick Comeaux rec. 2014
NAXOS 8.573256 [71:20] [JV]
This is not a recording to get very excited about but Graziani's oeuvre seems well worth exploring.
Charles IVES (1874-1954) New England Holidays; Central Park in the Dark; Three Places in New England; The Unanswered Question
-
Melbourne SO/Sir Andrew Davis rec. 2015
CHANDOS CHSA5163 SACD [72:27] [DC]
The Answered Question.
Arnold SCHOENBERG (1874-1951) Pierrot Lunaire
& documentary by Matthias Leutzendorffand Christian Meyer -
rec. 2011
BELVEDERE DVD 10130 [91:32] [RWe]
Captures a very valuable live interpretation and adds a revealing documentary; non-German speakers will need to obtain a text and translation to get full value.
Rain WORTHINGTON (b.1950) Dream Vapors: Selected Works for Orchestra -
rec. 2010-2015
NAVONA RECORDS NV6025 [52:58] [MW]
Explore this - it is special.
The Britannic Organ Vol. 11
Historic Improvisations by British and German organists
OEHMS OC850 [74:40 + 68:22] [JW]
Consistently among the best looking productions on the market today.
Easter Day at Hereford
Hereford Cathedral Ch/Geraint Bowen rec. 2015
REGENT REGCD478 [77:20] [CRo]
A worthwhile snapshot of the sound currently being made by one of the more distinctive English cathedral choirs.
Constantin Silvestri (conductor) Works by Alfvén, Dvořák, Enesco, Rimsky-Korsakov & Tchaikovsky -
NHK SO rec. 1964
KING INTERNATIONAL KKC2049/50 [69:15 + 62:55] [SV]
Silvestri: given to impulsive accelerations, taking unmarked holds and liberally using agogics to underscore important arrival points.
Thursday February 25th
Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Keyboard Concertos - O Sinfonica Nazionale della
RAI/Andrea Bacchetti (piano/conductor) rec. 2014 SONY CLASSICAL
88875 184942 [71:31 + 23:01] [DC] Strong enough to leave you
wanting more.
Karol BEFFA (b. 1973)
Into the Dark - Ens Contraste/Johan Farjot rec. 2013 APARTE
AP108 [71:00] [BBa] First impression: too smooth and lacking
in spark or fire. A big mistake, that first impression.
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphony 4 Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Symphony 1 Karol SZYMANOWSKI (1882-1937) Symphony 4
- Jan Ekier
(piano) Warsaw PO/Witold Rowicki rec. 1967 ORCHESTRAL CONCERT CDS CD15/2016 [71:46]
[JW] Bravura and warmth in the Szymanowski.
Peter Racine FRICKER (1920-1990)
The Vision of Judgement,
Symphony 5 -
Robert Tear (tenor),
Dame Gillian Weir (organ), Royal Liverpool PO/Sir Charles Groves,
BBC SO/Sir Colin Davis
rec. 1976/80
LYRITA REAM.1124 [66:48] [JQ] Another important release from Richard Itter’s treasure trove.
George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Messiah -
BBC SO & Ch/Thomas Beecham
rec. 1927 PRISTINE AUDIO PACO129 [61:01 + 63:03] [CRo] An early milestone in the recorded history of Messiah and also of interest to Beecham fans.
Moritz MOSZKOWSKI
(1854-1925) Works for Violin and Piano - Nazrin Rashidova (violins)
Daniel Grimwood (piano) rec. 2014/15 NAXOS 8.573410
[78:26] [PRB] Highly-enjoyable, uncomplicated and decidedly easy-on-the-ear.
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Violin
Sonatas 1 & 2, Sonata for Two Violins, Five Melodies - Natalia Lomeiko
(violin); Yuri Zhislin (violin); Olga Sitkovetsky (piano) rec.
2012 ATOLL ACD513 [68.04 + 12.44] [JW] Elegant, refined performances.
Igor STRAVINSKY
(1882-1971) The Rite of Spring - MusicAeterna/Teodor
Currentzis rec. 2013 SONY CLASSICAL 88875 061412 [34:46]
[RWe] A sensational but also sensitive account of this inexhaustible
score that is among the very best of recent versions.
Wednesday
February 24th
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin Sonatas - Stephan Schardt
(violin) Philipp Vogler (piano) rec. 2015 MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS
UND GRIMM SACD 903 1916-6 [56:27] [JW] I can almost guarantee
you’ve never heard performances like these.
Frank
BRIDGE (1879-1941) Piano Quintet
Cyril SCOTT (1879-1970)
Piano Quintet 1 - Raphael Terroni (piano) Bingham
String Qt
rec. 1989 NAXOS 8.571355 [67:05]
[PRB] An important reissue with something
original to say. Valuable additions to the genre.
Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Polonaise-Fantaisie, Waltzes,
Ballade 1,
Berceuse,
Nocturnes -
Thierry de Brunhoff (piano) rec. 1961 FORGOTTEN
RECORDS FR830 [53:01] [SG] Sensitive, poetic readings of Chopin,
by Cortot’s favourite pupil.
Edouard LALO
(1823-1892) Symphonie espagnole Pablo DE SARASATE
(1844-1908) Zigeunerweisen
Max BRUCH (1838-1920) Violin Concerto 1 - Renaud Capuçon
(violin) O de Paris/Paavo Järvi rec. 2015 WARNER ERATO 2564
698276 [65:47] [MC] This is a most beautiful release of Romantic
music compellingly played.
Alexander
SCRIABIN (1872-1915) Preludes
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Sonata 1 - Peter Orth (piano) rec. 2014 CHALLENGE
CLASSICS CC72684 [76:59] [RWe] A
well-filled disc with fine accounts of two major
but hardly well known works of the Russian piano
literature, in a unique coupling.
Jean SIBELIUS
(1865-1957) Symphonies 1-7 - Finnish Radio SO/Hannu Lintu ARTHAUS
MUSIK Blu-ray 101797 [3 discs: 565:00] [DBi] A magnificent
set of performances to go alongside Okko Kamu's new Lahti set
on BIS. Buy both.
Dancing
in Daylight Contemporary Piano Trios
from Ireland - Fidelio Trio rec. 2015 MÉTIER MSV28556
[52:15] [JF] One of the best modern chamber
music records I have heard in a long time if
short in playing time.
Melólogos
en Honor de Santa Teresa Works
by Soto Millan, Novel Samano, Rugeles, Marco,
Turina & Cruz de Castro - Marisa Blanes
(piano) Manuel Galiana (reciter) rec. 2015 IBS
CLASSICAL IBS-62015 [76:37] [MW] Worth
hearing - a well-made curiosity, but hardly
essential.
Upheld by stillness
Music by Byrd, de Monte and contemporary composers - ORA/Suzi Digby rec. HARMONIA
MUNDI HMW906102 [78:44] [BW] Byrd’s music and modern compositions inspired by it in fine performances
by ORA, who commissioned the new works.
Tuesday February 23rd
Carl
Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788)
Cello Concertos - Julian Steckel (cello)
Stuttgart CO/Susanne von Gutzeit rec. 2015 HÄNSSLER
CLASSIC HC15045 [60.46] Piano
Concertos Vol. 4 - Michael Rische (piano)
Kammer SO Leipziger rec. 2014/15 HÄNSSLER
CLASSIC HC15046 [55.47] [MC] First
class and remarkably well recorded.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Symphony
9 Leos JANÁČEK (1854-1928)
Sinfonietta, Taras Bulba Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony
1 - NHK SO/Václav Neumann rec. 1978 KING
INTERNATIONAL KKC2051/2 [48:59 + 71:44]
[SV] A memento of the conductor rather than
a basic library choice.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1843-1904) Piano
Trio 2 Leoš JANÁČEK (1854-1928)
String Quartet 1 Ondřej KUKAL (b.1964)
Piano Trio - Petrof Piano
Trio rec. 2014/15 ARCO DIVA UP0181-2
131 [69:07] [JW] A delight and the
Janáček can give food for speculative thought.
Sir
Hubert PARRY (1848-1918) 12 sets
of English Lyrics Vol. 1 - Susan Gritton (soprano)
James Gilchrist (tenor) Roderick Williams (baritone)
Andrew West (piano) rec. 2015 SOMM SOMMCD257 [71.00]
[JQ] A very important addition to the Parry
discography.
Hans PFITZNER (1869-1949)
&
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Orchestral
excerpts from operas -
O
Deutschen Oper Berlin/Christian Thielemann rec.
1995 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON PRESTO 449571-2
[75.24] [PCG] Simply streets ahead of all
other competition.
Domenico
SCARLATTI (1685-1757)
Keyboard Sonatas
- Angela Hewitt (piano)
rec. 2015 HYPERION CDA67613
[76:10] [CRo] A lifetime of sensitive reflection,
performance and personality.
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Violin
Concerto Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Violin Sonata 2 Henryk WIENIAWSKI (1835-1880)
Works for violin & piano - Arnold Eidus
(violin) O Vienna Orch Soc/Frederick Hummel,
Leopold Mittmann, Eileen Flissler (piano) rec.
1952 FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR1121
[77:44] [JW] Eidus’ individuality is
in itself interesting and he’s no anodyne
practitioner.
Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Il Cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione - L’Arte dell’Arco/Federico
Guglielmo rec. 2014 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95045 [54:49 + 53:56]
[BW] One of the very best recordings of ‘The Four Seasons’ and excellent
versions of the other eight Op.8 concertos.
The
Clarinotts
Ernst, Daniel, Andreas Ottensamer (clarinets)
Wiener Virtuosen, Christoph Traxler, František
Jánoška (piano) rec. 2014 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 4811917 [56:50] [WKL] Impeccable
technique … genuine enjoyment in music-making.