NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Jonathan Leshnoff - an
interview with the American composer by Lee Denham
[New] Cello Concerto
Project: 1961-70 - a new timeline by Patrick Waller
Passiontide and Easter 2021 - a survey by
Brian Wilson
Lalo’s Le roi d’Ys
- a survey by Ralph Moore
Voices of the Past - a survey by
Brian Wilson
Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder
- a survey by Ralph Moore
Decca and DG: Early 2021 Round-up
by Brian Wilson
Vocal Retrospective: 1.
Dueling Rinaldos by Ralph Moore & Mike Parr
NOTICES
New Jazz Reviews
Matchbox Bluesmaster Set 1 ~
Matchbox Bluesmaster Set 2 ~
Jelly Roll Morton ~
British Trad Jazz ~
Jason Kao Hwang
NEW from
Acte Prealable
AP0500 Ride to a
marvellous country - Katarzyna Dondalska, soprano
AP0479 Jerzy Gablenz - Songs 4
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Wednesday March
31st
John ADAMS (b. 1947)
My Father Knew Charles Ives, Harmonielehre
-
Nashville SO/Giancarlo Guerrero rec. 2018-2019 NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559854 [69:03]
[WH] These brilliantly played and recorded performances might just make an ideal point of entry for those new to the composer.
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) 14 Intermezzi
-
Christophe Sirodeau (piano) rec. 2019 MELISM MLS-CD-022 [62:39]
[MG]
Intensely thoughtful accounts by a fellow composer.
Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Cello Concerto; Bohuslav MARTINŮ (1890-1959) Cello Concerto No 1
- Victor Julien-Laferričre (cello) Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de
Ličge/Gergely Madaras
ALPHA 731
[66:37] [DMD]
A Dvořák that goes to the top of the pile paired with moving Martinů.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Sonata in D major Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Fantasie
-
Piano Duo Scholtes & Janssens rec. 2020 CHALLENGE RECORDS CC72848 [43:34]
[DC]
A convincing challenger to Perahia/Lupu?
Youri Egorov (piano)
The Complete Discography - Edited by Wim de Haan publ. 2021
Private Release [SG]
Carefully collated, this splendid discography constitutes an authoritative resource.
Feminae
The Female in Music
- Lisa Maria Schachtschneider (piano) rec. 2020 ARS PRODUKTION ARS38314 SACD [78:31]
[GT]
An outstanding recording debut.
For Clarinet and Strings
Gemini/Ian Mitchell rec. 1995/2020 MÉTIER MSV28608 [72:24] [JW] 80 years of novel and enriching music for various clarinet-led combinations.
Hera Hyesang Park (soprano)
I am Hera
-
Johannes Maria Bogner (harpsichord),
Wiener Symphoniker/Bertrand de Billy
rec. 2020
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4839456
[69:14] [MP] A welcome calling-card from a fully developed young
artist.
Tuesday
March 30th
Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
Musical Offering; Variations on Vom Himmel hoch - Calefax rec. 2020 PENTATONE PTC5186840 SACD
[67:39]
[BW] Only those without open ears and minds need steer clear.
Thomas de HARTMANN (1885-1956) Songs
- Nina Lejderman, Claron McFadden (soprano) Elan Sicroff (piano)
rec. 2011/2015 NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6413 [76:29]
[DC] A powerful symbiosis between text and composer.
Michael HAYDN (1737-1806) Missa Sancti, Vesperae
- St. Albans Cathedral Girls’ Choir, Lawes Baroque Players/Tom Winpenny rec. 2019 NAXOS 8.574163 [78:54]
[GPu] An attractive addition to the Michael Haydn discography
Sir Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)
Songs Vol. 1 - Elisabetta Paglia (mezzo)
Christopher Howell (piano) rec. 2018 DA VINCI CLASSICS C00304 [65:50]
[JW] A plethora of premiere Stanford recordings from a well-established pairing.
Alessandro STRADELLA (1639-1682) Il Trespolo tutore
- Andrzej Lenart, Paulina Tuzińska, Period Instrument O Fryderyk Chopin University of Music/Andrea De Carlo
rec. 2018 DUX 8512 DVD [155 mins] [CRo]
Ribald and energetic production of Stradella’s comic opera, not for the prudish.
Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2, Konzertstück
-
Ronald Brautigam (fortepiano)
Kölner Akademie/Michael Alexander Willens rec. 2018 BIS BIS-2384 SACD [56:18]
[RHa]
Lithe, adventurous readings of an all-too-infrequently recorded trilogy in superlative stereo and surround sound.
Malcolm Arnold: Catalogue of Works
by Alan J Poulton Publ. 2021 Malcolm Arnold Society
157 pages [RB] At an accessible price this, in so many beneficial ways, strikes deep roots and resilient branches for academics, musicologists and enthusiasts.
Véronique Gens (soprano) Nuits
- I Giardini rec. 2019 ALPHA CLASSICS 589 [61:41] [GF] Readers who appreciate Véronique Gens as much as I do should definitely contemplate a purchase.
Monday March 29th
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphony No 2, Academic Festival Overture
- Gewandhausorchester/Herbert Blomstedt rec. 2019 PENTATONE PTC 5186 851
[55:00] [DMD]
Joy unconfined from Blomstedt’s Indian summer
Théodore DUBOIS (1837-1924)
Piano Quartet & Quintet -
Oliver Triendl (piano) Nina Karmon (violin) Stefan Schilli (oboe) Anja Kreynacke (viola) Jakob Spahn (cello)
rec. 2020 CPO 555 357-2 [59:51] [PRB]
If you’ve a passion for discovery – and occasionally enjoy music with a spoonful or two of sugar – then these works could really prove the ideal confection.
Uuno KLAMI (1900-1961)
Complete chamber music - Uuno Klami-Ensemble rec. 2020
ALBA ABCD460 [47:15] [HC]
A compulsory purchase all completists of Klami’s music.
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony No 10
(Cooke 3rd ed.)-
Minnesota Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä
rec. 2019 BIS BIS-2396 SACD
[78:20] [CSa] Should certainly be considered seriously as a choice in this Symphony
Carl NIELSEN (1865-1931)
Aladdin Suite, Maskarade & other orchestral works - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Järvi rec. 1995
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 447 757-2 [72:24] [PBW]
Terrific music and authoritative interpretations, though sometimes short on atmosphere.
Heinrich SCHÜTZ (1585-1672)
Geistliche Chor-Music 1648 -
Ensemble Polyharmonique/Alexander Schneider rec. 2019 RAUMKLANG RK3903 [57:20]
[JV]
A meaningful alternative to existing interpretations.
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Symphonies Nos 9 and 10 - London SO/Gianandrea Noseda rec. 2018, 2020
LSO LIVE SACD LSO0828 [79:05] [RC]
A prime contender.
John WORGAN (1724-1790)
Complete Harpsichord Music - Julian Perkins, Timothy Roberts (harpsichord) rec. 2018, 2020
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0375 [76:34] [JW]
Wit, charm and colour from an admired keyboardist of the eighteenth-century.
Sir Adrian Boult (conductor)
The NBC Recordings rec. 1938 PRISTINE PASC626 [2 CDs: 160:41]
[RB]
Unique recordings with the dewy 1930s freshness of discovery.
Moments Musicaux
Works by Schubert, Choe & Rachmaninov -
Yeseul Kim (piano) rec. 2020 GENUIN GEN21725 [76:52] [DC]
Well worth considering.
Friday March 26th
Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) Complete Folk Songs
for voice and piano -
Mark Milhofer (tenor) Marco Scolastra (piano) rec. 2019/20 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 96009 [67:52 + 57:29]
[RWe]
A superb collection bringing new dimensions to this repertoire.
Hanns EISLER (1898-1962)
Deutsche Sinfonie -
Wiener Jeunesse Choir,
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra/Günther Theuring rec. 1989 CAPRICCIO C5428 [66:41]
[SB] An impressive work and more than a document of its time.
César FRANCK (1822-1890)
Trois Pičces; Trois Chorals - Pétur Sakari (organ)
rec. 2020 BIS BIS-2349 SACD
[80:37]
[DM]
Deeply impressive performances, rendered in top-flight sound; organ
recordings don’t come much better than this.
Thomas de HARTMANN (1885-1956)
Piano works
- Elan Sicroff (piano) rec. 2011-2015 NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6409 [66:46 + 59:21]
[DC]
A supreme craftsman played with sublime musicianship.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos
Nos 9 & 17 (arr. Lachner) -
Alon Goldstein (piano)
Alexander Bickard (double bass) Fine Arts Qt rec. 2019 NAXOS 8.574164 [63:46]
[PRB]
Lachner’s skilful makeover of Mozart piano concertos into two equally-successful chamber works.
Joaquín RODRIGO (1901-1999)
Tres Piezas Espańolas, Sonata Giocosa -
Narciso Yepes (guitar)
rec. 1986 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 419 620-2 [57:50] [JW] Dexterous performances from Rodrigo’s acknowledged champion.
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Symphony No. 2
- London SO/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 2019 LSO LIVE LSO0851 SACD [58:50]
[JQ]
A richly enjoyable performance of Rachmaninoff’s great symphony.
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 - Czech PO/Lawrence Foster rec. 2008 PENTATONE PTC5186327 SACD
[65:22]
[BW] Satisfying, if slightly unexciting, performances.
Fake Bach A Journey into Bach Arrangements
-
Luigi Palombi (piano) rec. 2019 DYNAMIC CDS7891 [58:45] [RCh]
An engaging recital for fans of Bach transcriptions.
The Taste of This Nation
Works by Corbett, Pepusch & Shuttleworth -
Ciara Hendrick (mezzo)
Spiritato/Kinga Ujszászi rec. 2020 DELPHIAN RECORDS DCD34236 [74:26]
[JV] If you like to expand your musical horizon and to hear completely unknown stuff, this is your disc.
Thursday March 25th
John ECCLES (1668-1735)
Semele -
Anna Dennis (soprano) Richard Burkhard (baritone) Academy of Ancient
Music, Cambridge Handel Opera/Julian Perkins
rec. 2019 AAM RECORDS AAM012 [72:07 + 49:20] [JW]
Outstandingly well sung and performed English-language opera.
George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Almira, Königin von Castilien - Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra/Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs rec. 2018
CPO 555 205-2 [4 CDs: 241:55] [CRo]
Bold new recording of Handel’s first opera featuring some proactive and provocative orchestral playing if not entirely satisfactory overall.
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924) La Fanciulla del West - Melody Moore (soprano), Marius Vlad (tenor), Lester Lynch(baritone) Cluj-Napoca Choir, Transylvania State PO/Lawrence Foster rec. 2019
PENTATONE SACD PTC5186778 [60:19 + 72:29] [MP]
A solid and reliable new recording of Puccini’s Western opera.
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Ma Mčre l'Oye, Une barque sur l'océan, Alborada del gracioso, Rapsodie Espagnole, Boléro - Berlin Philharmonic/Pierre Boulez rec. 1993
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 439 859-2 [75:33] [RB]
Music that responds well to a grand acoustic and delivers breathy delicacy as well as rippling muscularity.
Bright SHENG (b. 1955)
Let Fly!, Zodiac Tales, Suzhou Overture - Dan Zhu (violin), Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra/Bright Sheng rec. 2018, 2019
NAXOS 8.570628 [67:50] [GPu]
Colourful music which also makes the listener think.
Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Folk Songs Volume 2 - Mary Bevan (soprano), Nicky Spence (tenor), Roderick Williams (baritone), Thomas Gould (violin), William Vann (piano) rec. 2016, 2020
ALBION RECORDS ALBCD043 [56:22] [JQ]
A great deal to enjoy in this second instalment.
Lise Davidsen
(soprano)
Music by
Beethoven, Wagner, Verdi
- London PO/Sir Mark Elder rec. 2020 DECCA 4851507
[63:28]
[MMB] A uniquely extraordinary voice; a recital to buy, cherish and enjoy
repeatedly.
Sergio Fiorentino (piano)
Live in USA rec. 1996-99 RHINE CLASSICS RH-015 [9 CDs: 673:00]
[SG]
Life-enriching performances.
Stephen Hough (piano) Vida Breve
rec. 2018 HYPERION RECORDS CDA68260 [78:09] [RCh] Recital playing of the highest order.
Sarah Willis (horn) Horn Discoveries
-
Kotowa Machida (violin), Philip Mayers (piano), Klaus Wallendorf (horn) Havana Horns rec. 2014 ALPHA CLASSICS 732 [51:09] [NB]
A disc to entertain and inform.