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[New] An interview with composer David
Jennings by John France
Haydn’s The Seven Last Words - A
selective survey
by Ralph Moore
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Tuesday May 31st
George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Messiah
-
Eboracum Baroque/Chris Parsons rec. 2020 EBORACUM BAROQUE [2 CDs:
132:08]
[JD] Despite the sense of joy here, significant flaws prevent this recording from being a contender.
John JENKINS (1592-1678)
Four-Part Consorts - Phantasm
rec. 2012 LINN RECORDS CKD677 [76:15]
[JV] Consort playing of the highest level.
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Orchestral Works - Royal Stockholm PO/Sakari Oramo
rec. 2020/21 BIS BIS-2438 SACD [68:43]
[JQ]
A highly enjoyable Ravel collection.
Alfons SZCZERBIŃSKI
(1858-1895) Complete Piano Works 2
- Giorgio Koukl (piano) rec. 2021
GRAND PIANO GP884 [61:52]
[SA]
Hopefully Koukl’s excellent performances of these extremely enjoyable works will bring the composer’s compositional talents to a wider audience of lovers of piano music.
Bronislaw Gimpel (violin)
Live Vol. 1 rec. 1930s-1967 DOREMI DHR-8163/4 [75:24 + 79:12] [SG]
A player who never achieved the fame he deserved.
Syncopated Musings
Works by Scott Joplin and others -
Marilyn Nonken (piano)
rec. 2021 DIVINE ART DDA25220 [67:57] [JW] A reflective, somewhat serious look at Scott Joplin and his collaborators.
Monday May 30th
Samuel BARBER (1910-1981)
The Complete Songs - Fleur Barron (mezzo-soprano), Louise Kemény, Soraya Mafi
(sopranos), Jess Dandy (contralto), Julien Van Mellaerts (baritone), William Thomas (bass), Dylan Perez (piano) rec. 2021
RESONUS RES10301 [78:14 + 80:26] [GF]
A valuable addition to the Barber discography, not least due to 19 first recordings.
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) String Quartets Nos 4-6
- Chiaroscuro Quartet
rec. 2019 BIS BIS-2498 SACD [79:55] [DBi]
The most stimulating disc of Beethoven Quartets I have heard in a very long time - essential listening.
Johann Simon MAYR (1763-1845)
Alfredo il Grande - Marie-Luise Dressen (mezzo), Concerto de Bassus/Franz Hauk rec. 2019
NAXOS 8.660483-84 [87:08 + 69:16] [MP]
An honorable effort to breathe life into a long lost operatic curiosity.
Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
The Complete Symphonies - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra/Klaus Mäkelä rec. 2021
DECCA 485 2256 [4 CDs: 265:13] [RWe]
An impressive debut recording – no allowance required for the conductor’s youth.
Solo
Works by Abel & JS Bach -
Lucile Boulanger (viola da gamba) rec. 2020 ALPHA 783 [2 CDs: 90:44]
[JV] A convincing case for Bach on the viola da gamba.
Three Generations
Works by Alexander, Nikolai & Ivan Tcherepnin -
Quan Yuan (violin), Sue-Ellen Hershman-Tcherepnin (flute), Ian Greitzer (clarinet), David Witten, Donald Berman (piano)
rec. 1997-2019 TOCCATA NEXT TOCN0012 [63:40] [SA]
Three highly talented and individual composers whose music is both
fascinating and genuinely different.
Friday May 27th
Camargo GUARNIERI (1907–1993)
Choros Vol. 2 -
Săo Paulo Symphony Orchestra/Roberto Tibiriçá rec. 2020/21 NAXOS 8.574403 [70:13]
[NB]
Spirited and compelling performances of instantly attractive music.
Mary HOWE
(1882-1964) Songs and Duets
- Courtney Maina (soprano) Christopher A. Leach (tenor)
Mary Dibbern (piano) rec. 2021 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0634 [69:24]
[WK]
Wonderful interpretations of works by an important American voice.
Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Die Tote Stadt
- Klaus Florian Vogt (tenor) Camilla Nylund (soprano)
Finnish National Opera Chorus & Orchestra/Mikko Franck
rec. 2010 OPUS ARTE OACD9050D [2 CDs: 143:42] [DBi]
This is a perfectly decent recording of Korngold’s lovely opera but there are others that include librettos and are better recorded.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Serenades -
Berliner Barock Solisten/Reinhard Goebel rec. 2021 HÄNSSLER CLASSIC HC21013 [51:29]
[PBW]
As Goebel's way with Mozart is very individual, its appeal undoubtedly will be a matter of personal taste.
Florence PRICE (1887-1953)
Ethiopia’s Shadow in America, Piano
Concerto Valerie COLEMAN (b. 1970)
Umoja: Anthem of Unity Jessie MONTGOMERY (b. 1981)
Soul Force -
Michelle Cann (piano)
New York Youth Symphony/Michael Repper rec. 2020 AVIE AV2503 [52:51]
[LW]
A celebration of Black American women composers.
Gioachino ROSSINI (1792–1868)
Il barbiere di Siviglia -
Maria Callas (soprano) Luigi Alva (tenor) Tito Gobbi (baritone)
Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus/Alceo Galliera
rec. 1957 PRISTINE AUDIO PACO191 [59:44 + 70:04] [RMo]
Anyone new to this timeless and perennial favourite is urged to go for
the Pristine option - it is as good as it gets.
Thursday
May 26th
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony No. 6 Steven STUCKY (1949-2016)
Silent Spring -
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/Manfred Honeck
rec. 2017/18 REFERENCE RECORDINGS FR-747 SACD [58:02]
[LD] Probably for Honeck’s admirers only – and even they should proceed with some
caution.
Sir Edward ELGAR (1857-1934)
Elgar from America Vol. 3 - rec. 1953-59
SOMM ARIADNE 5015-2 [69:50+ 58:03] [PCG]
Barbirolli’s live New York Dream of Gerontius is something of a revelation.
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Complete Symphonies & Fragments - L’Orfeo Barockorchester/Michi Gaigg rec. 2018
CPO 555228-2 [4 CDs: 277:25] [JLW]
Schubert’s symphonies in the moment of creation.
Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767)
Chamber Music - Rainer Seidl (bassoon), Daniel Valentin Marx (guitar) rec. 2021
NAXOS 8.551433 [51:15] [GPJ]
An enjoyable disc of music for this unusual but highly successful combination of instruments.
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Earth’s
Wide Bounds - Leah Jackson (soprano) Joshua Ryan (organ) Chapel
Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea/William Vann rec. 2020/21 ALBION
RECORDS ALBCD051 [78:05] [JQ]
A marvellous disc in every respect.
Frederick Stock (conductor)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Vol. 1
rec. 1916-26 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC657 [74:53 + 75:43] [GT]
Historic recordings reveal the glory of Stock’s Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Wednesday May 25th
Havergal BRIAN (1876–1972)
Faust
- Peter Hoare (tenor), David Soar (bass-baritone), Chorus and Orchestra of English National Opera/Martyn Brabbins rec. 2019/21 DUTTON EPOCH SACD 2CDLX7385 [76:55 + 58:25]
[JQ]
All admirers of Havergal Brian’s music should add this important release to their collection.
Frédéric CHOPIN (1810–1849)
Piano Concertos (chamber arrangements) - Emmanuel Despax (piano), Chineke! Chamber Ensemble rec. 2021 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD700 [75:09]
[RMay]
Attractive new accounts of the Chopin concertos in chamber versions.
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony No.4
-
Chen Reiss (soprano)
Czech PO/Semyon Bychkov rec. 2020 PENTATONE PTC5186972 [56:49]
[DMD]
Deserves to be added to the list of recent outstanding versions of this much recorded symphony.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos Nos
22 & 23 -
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano)
Manchester Camerata/Gábor Takács-Nagy rec. 2021 CHANDOS CHAN20166 [64:34]
[MG] Bavouzet and Takács-Nagy provide fresh insights in their ongoing exploration of Mozart.
Germaine TAILLEFERRE (1892–1983)
Her Piano Works, Revived Vol. 1 - Nicolas Horvath (piano) rec. 2021 GRAND PIANO GP891 [83:21]
[GPJ]
A fine disc which displays the enormous breadth of Tailleferre’s achievement, and celebrates her outstanding musical gifts.
Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
(1872-1958)
A Sea Symphony
-
Isobel Baillie (soprano) John Cameron (baritone) London Philharmonic Ch & O/Sir Adrian Boult
rec. 1953-1954 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC658 [67.20]
[PCG]
The remastering of a historic recording, nearly seventy years old, which still justifies its place in the catalogue.
