NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
Second Thoughts & Short Reviews - Spring 2019-3 by Brian Wilson,
Simon Thompson & Johan van Veen
Schubert's
Winterreise - a survey by Ralph Moore
Humperdinck’s
Hänsel und Gretel - a
survey by Ralph Moore
Piano Trio
Discography & Review Index: N, O, P & Q composers compiled by David
Barker
Blandine Verlet - an obituary by
Kenneth Shenton
A Dozen Obscure Favorites by
Andrew Hartman
NOTICES
For over 20 years MusicWeb International has never operated a
PayWall. We can keep it free if you can be persuaded to make a donation.
Click the Donate button top right for more details.
Publishing schedule
Monday: Other reviews (nostalgia, books, jazz, other music); Friday: Articles
Live performance reviews posted daily at
Seen and Heard
Shopping on-line? Help us by doing it through the
MusicWeb sales page.
Friday May 31st
Georgy
CATOIRE (1861-1926) & Ignaz
FRIEDMAN (1882-1946) Piano Quintets - Bengt Forsberg (piano)
Ulf Forsberg, Nils-Erik Sparf (violin) Ellen Nisbeth (viola) Andreas
Brantelid (cello) rec. 2017 BIS BIS-2314 SACD [62:08]
[SG] Two works thankfully rescued from the mists of time.
George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Orlando – Christophe Dumaux (countertenor) Elena de La Merced (soprano)
La Grande Écurie Chambre Roy/Jean-Claude Malgoire
rec. 2008 PAN CLASSICS PC10392 [3 CDs: 157:34]
[CRo]
Only likely to appeal to Handel completists.
John ROBERTSON
(b.1943) Clarinet & Trumpet
Concertos,
Symphony No. 3 - Mihail Zhivkov (clarinet), Fernando Serrano Montoya (trumpet)
Sofia PO/Anthony Armoré rec. 2017 NAVONA NV6223 [77.53] [MW]
Instantly accessible and attractive music, though
marred by indifferent performances in parts.
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Album for the Young -
Zebra Trio rec. 2018 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0522 [77:37] [SSi]
An interesting and intriguing arrangement which is wonderfully played but which made me return to the original piano version.
Bennewitz Quartet,
Works by Haas, Krása, Schulhoff & Ullmann
- Pavel Rehberger
(percussion)
rec. 2018 SUPRAPHON SU4265-2 [66:01]
[JW] Full of spirit and breathless excitement.
Xavier Sabata (countertenor) L’Alessandro amante
- Vespres d’Arnadí/Dani Espasa rec. 2018 APARTÉ AP192 [64.30]
[MC] A striking and rewarding album.
Thursday May 30th
Felix MENDELSSOHN (1810-1849) Piano Trios
- Trio Metral rec. 2018 APARTÉ MUSIC AP198 [57:15] [DJB] Not perfect, but a young trio with quite a future.
Olivier MESSIAEN (1908-1992)
Catalogue d’Oiseaux -
Ciro Longobardi (piano) rec. 2017/18 PIANO CLASSICS PCL10155 [2:28:00]
[SSi] Longobardi brings this colourful work to life.
Markus REUTER (b. 1972)
String Quartet No. 1 - Matangi Quartet rec. 2018
SOLAIRE RECORDS SOL1008
[53:35] [DC]
Immerse yourself and make some discoveries.
Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
String Quartet No. 1, Piano Quintet - Quatuor Girard, Guillaume Bellom (piano) rec. 2018
B-RECORDS LBM018
[59:33] [MC]
Stylish performances have great warmth and vivacity throughout.
Sir John Barbirolli (conductor)
Concert in Buenos Aires - Philharmonia O rec. 1963
BARBIROLLI SOCIETY SJB1092-93
[79:59 + 44:28] [JQ]
Despite sonic limitations, these previously unpublished recordings were well worth rescuing from the archives.
Albert Markov (violin)
Legendary Treasures Vol. 1 - Serafima Chernyakhovskaya (piano), Moscow RSO/Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Zakhary Khurodze, USSR Cinema SO/Hajibeyov Niyazi rec. 1956-63
DOREMI DHR-8067/8
[80:20+81:20] [SG]
A violinist in the line of Heifetz, Milstein and Oistrakh.
Wednesday May 29th
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) English Suites
-
Masaaki Suzuki (harpsichord) rec. 2016 BIS BIS-2281 SACD [75:48 + 76:35]
[SSi]
A most enjoyable performance of Bach’s English Suites.
Bach Family Complete Organ Music
-
Stefano Molardi, Luca Scandali, Filippo Turri (organ)
rec. 2013-18 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95803 [24 CDs : 28 hrs 14 minutes]
[SG]
A set no organ fancier will want to be without.
Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869)
Roméo et Juliette; Béatrice et Bénédict; Le Roi Lear - Marion Lebègue (mezzo-soprano), Julien Behr (tenor), O National de Lyon/Leonard Slatkin
rec. 2014 NAXOS 8.573449-50 [60.38 + 57.52] [PCG]
A most welcome addition to Slatkin’s Berlioz performances from Lyon.
Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868)
Le Comte Ory - Philippe Talbot (tenor), O des Champs-Elysées, Les Éléments/Louis Langrée
rec. 2017 C MAJOR DVD 747408 [2 discs: 150 mins]
[RJF] A pity that the staging is not in period, otherwise the orchestral and sung virtues here would have made this a first-choice recording.
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Swansong & other songs -
Sir John Tomlinson (bass)
Sophie Bevan (soprano)
Julian Bliss (clarinet)
Alec Frank-Gemmell (horn)
Christopher Glynn (piano) rec. 2017/18 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD550 [72:43]
[JQ]
Wotan meets Schubert and the results aren’t ideal.
Antoni WOJNAR
The Nochat’s Dance DUX 1491 [50.14]
[MW] Pleasant background music, amiable and innocuous, while pressing no boundaries.
Sandrine Piau (soprano) Si j'ai aimé … - Le Concert de la Loge/Julien Chauvin (violin) rec. 2018 ALPHA CLASSICS 445 [59.25]
[MC] A valuable addition to the French Romantic discography.
Symbiosis Violin Sonatas
by Franck & Poldowski -
Merel Vercammen (violin)
Dina Ivanova (piano) rec. 2019 GUTMAN RECORDS CD191 [57:01]
[JW] Sensitive and thoughtful readings.
Tuesday May 28th
André CAMPRA (1660-1744) L'Europe galante
- Les Nouveau Caractères/Sébastien d'Hérin rec. 2017 CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES SPECTACLES CVS002 [2 CDs: 122.50]
[JV]
This production offers the opportunity to listen to this important work at full length.
Francesco CAVALLI (1602-1676) Il Giasone
- Valer Sabadus (countertenor);
Kristina Hammarström (mezzo-soprano); Cappella Mediterranea/Leonardo Garcia Alarcón rec. 2017 ALPHA DVD 718 [182:29]
[RHa] A camp caper in post-modern garb from a top notch cast.
Fini HENRIQUES (1867-1940) Piano Music
- Thomas Trondhjem (piano) rec. 2018 DANACORD DACOCD840 [79:43] [RB] Backward-looking smiling affection and never a hint of a smirk, satire or sarcasm.
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Romeo & Juliet -
Baltimore SO/Marin Alsop rec. 2015 NAXOS 8.573534-35 [75:03 + 69:11]
[JQ]
Marin Alsop’s account does full justice to Prokofiev’s inspired score.
Maurice RAVEL (1873-1937)
Daphnis et Chloé Suites, La Valse, Le Tombeau de Couperin
- Münchner Philharmoniker/Sergiu Celibidache rec. 1979-87 MÜNCHNER PHILHARMONIKER MPHIL0010 [67.53] [MC] Lovers of French music and admirers of the legendary Celibidache will be in their element.
Galina USTVOLSKAYA (1919-2006) Complete Works for Violin and Piano
- Evgeny Sorkin (violin),
Natalia Andreeva (piano) rec. 2018 DIVINE ART DDA25182 [49:19] [JF] Committed and well-recorded performances.
Quartetto Italiano
The Complete RIAS Recordings
rec. 1951-63 AUDITE 21.456 [3 CDs: 212:57] [JW] Time spent here is stimulating, rewarding and enriching.
Widmung Maria Sournatcheva (oboe)
Alexander Shaikin (piano) rec. 2018 MDG 903 2073-6 SACD [53:37]
[SSi] A charming disc in which the oboe playing of Maria Sournatcheva adds a new dimension to some favourite romantic songs.
Monday May 27th
Guillaume LEKEU (1870-1894)
Violin Sonata, Piano Trio -
Bruno Monteiro (violin)
Miguel Rocha (cello)
João Paulo Santos (piano) rec. 2018 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95739 [77:55]
[SB] A useful coupling of the two main chamber works of this gifted composer who died young.
Marcin MIELCZEWSKI (d. 1651)
Vocal Works Vols 1 & 2 -
Wrocław Baroque Ens/Andrzej Kosendiak
rec. 2016/17 CD ACCORD ACD227-2/248-2 [72:47 + 53:26] [SSi]
Highly recommended; this will widen your baroque musical horizons.
Jean Louis NICODÉ (1853-1919)
Andenken an Robert Schumann, Variationen und Fuge, Ein Liebesleben - Simon Callaghan (piano) rec. 2018
HYPERION CDA68269
[81:17] [RB]
Little-known music presented by a practised musician and with deep-rooted conviction.
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Tosca - Anja
Harteros (soprano) Staatskapelle Dresden/Christian Thielemann rec. 2018
C MAJOR Blu-ray 748404 [122:05] [MC]
A most impressive and exciting Tosca.
Kaija SAARIAHO (b. 1952)
True Fire, Ciel d’hiver, Trans -
Gerald Finley (baritone)
Xavier de Maistre (harp)
Finnish RSO/Hannu Lintu rec. 2017 ONDINE ODE1309-2 [60:37]
[GH] The performers draw out every luminous detail of Saariaho’s writing.
Stéphane Degout (baritone)
Poèmes d’un jour - Simon Lepper (piano) rec. 2017
B RECORDS LBM017
[71:00] [GF]
A very attractive programme splendidly performed by singer and pianist alike.
Élégies l'Opéra de Toulon
SO/Pierre Dumoussaud rec. 2018
HORTUS 734
[49:30] [JW]
The centenary of the ending of the war may be past, but this remarkable series continues.
Estonian Incantations I
Works by Aints, Grünberg, Jürjendal & Sööt -
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Ch/Kaspars Putniņš rec. 2016 TOCCATA NEXT TOCN0002 [56:36]
[RHa] A splendid calling-card for Toccata’s new imprint; something fresh and unfailingly inventive.
