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Monday June 1st
	Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin Wolfgang Marschner (violin) rec. 1972 DOREMI DHR8104/5 [72:09 + 74:21] [SG] Beauty of tone, refinement and artful musicianship rolled into one.
	Leonard BERNSTEIN (1918-1990) Songfest George GERSHWIN (1898-1937) An American in Paris Aaron COPLAND (1900-1990) An Outdoor Overture Wolf Trap Opera, National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic/James Judd rec. 2018 NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559859 [69:37] [JQ] A fine performance of Songfest, a work very well worth getting to know.
	Amadio FREDDI (c1580-1643) Vespers The Gonzaga Band/Jamie Savan rec. 2019 RESONUS CLASSICS RES10245 [58:10] [JV] Jamie Savan has done a lot of research about the composer and his music, and it has been well worth the effort.
	Hans GÁL (1890-1987) Music for Viola Vol. 1 Hanna Pakkola (viola), Reijo Tunkari (violin), Irina Zabharenkova (piano), Takuya Takashima (oboe), Ostrobothnian CO/Sakari Oramo rec. 2018/2019 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0535 [81:27] [RHa] Another truly worthwhile instalment of the burgeoning Gál discography.
	Pieter HELLENDAAL (1721-1799) "Cambridge" Sonatas Johannes Pramsohler (violin) Gulrim Choď (cello) Philippe Grisvard (harpsichord) rec. 2018/19 AUDAX ADX13720 [68:40] [GH] A luxurious presentation, in impressive performances and in an ideal recording.
	Leoš JANÁČEK (1854-1928) From the House of the Dead Peter Rose (bass) Evgeniya Sotnikova (soprano) Bavarian State O & Ch/Simone Young rec. 2018 BELAIR CLASSIQUES BAC173 DVD [97 mins] [LW] This new production of Janáček’s From the House of the Dead is superb musically, but with controversial staging.
	Arvo PÄRT (b. 1935) Stabat Mater, L’abbé Agathon, Salve Regina, Magnificat, Nunc dimittis Gloriæ Dei Cantores/Richard K Pugsley rec. 2018/19 PARACLETE RECORDINGS GDCD065 SACD [69:02] [JQ] An admirable set of performances of choral music by Arvo Pärt.
	Alessandro STRADELLA (1643-1682) San Giovanni Battista Paul-Antoine Benos-Djian (countertenor) Alicia Amo (soprano) Le Banquet Céleste/Damien Guillon rec. 2019 ALPHA CLASSICS 579 [80:40] [DC] High-octane and with tremendous expressive range, this performance reveals why this work was so popular in its day.
	Richard WAGNER (1813-1883) Die Walküre Stuart Skelton, Eva Maria Westbroek, Bavarian Radio SO/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 2019 BR KLASSIK 900177 [4 CDs: 217:50] [PCG] I look forward to later instalments with eager anticipation.
	Michael Rabin (violin) A Genius on the Violin rec. 1954-62 PROFIL PH20003 [4 CDs: 309 mins] [JW] No surprises here.
	Arturo Toscanini (conductor) Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York: Complete Recordings Vol. 2 rec. 1929-36 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC588 [67:06 + 77:13] [DD] An invaluable sequel to Volume One for lovers of fine conducting and with miraculous re-mastering.
	How Shostakovich Changed My Mind by Stephen Johnson publ. 2018 Notting Hill Editions [ST] Despite its deeply personal nature, this remains a music book and a very fine one.
	The Symphonies of Anton Bruckner Revisited by John Quinn and Patrick Waller More Obscure Favorites by Andrew Hartman Recalling John Addison’s Trumpet Concerto by John France

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