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reviews: Nat King Cole, Eartha Kitt, George Formby, Fred Astaire,
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BOOK
REVIEWS
The
Rest is Noise...Listening to the Twentieth Century, by Alex Ross.
Farrar Straus Giroux, New York, 2007. ISBN-10: 0-374-24939-3; ISBN-13:
978-0-374-24939-7. 543 pages plus preface, notes, acknowledgement, suggested
listening, index. 21 B/W photographs. 6-1/3 inches by 9-1/8 inches.
USD 30.00 CND 34.50. [PSh]
A candy bar for
musicologists ... see Full Review
Sibelius
by Andrew Barnett. Yale University Press, New Haven and London. 2007.
ISBN 978-0-300-11159-0. 445 pages including appendices, index, catalogue
of works, an appendix of musical examples mostly from relatively unknown
works, and 18 B&W photographs. RRP: USD40, GBP25. [PSh]
Exhaustively
complete, acutely perceptive, a real page turner ... see Full
Review
The
Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music 2009 by Ivan March,
Edward Greenfield, Robert Layton and Paul Czajkowski Paperback:
1602 pages Publisher: Penguin £30.00 (or less)
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WEDNESDAY
January 21st
Music of Tribute - Volume 5: J. S. BACH
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Preludes: E minor, BWV941 [0:53]; C, BWV939 [0:33]; Clavierbüchlein
(1722/23) – Fugue in C minor, BWV953 [1:08]; Prelude in F, BWV927 [0:30];
Little Preludes: C, BWV924 (1720) [1:10]; D, BWV925 [1:48]; Well-Tempered
Clavier, Book 2 (1738-1742): Prelude and Fugue in D, BWV874 [7:39];
Prelude in C minor, BWV999 (c1725) [0:58]; Italian Concerto, BWV971
(1735) [12:31] Henri DUTILLEUX
(b. 1916) Au gré des ondes (1946) - Hommage ŕ Bach [3:00] Arthur
HONEGGER (1892-1955) Prelude-Arioso-Fughetta
sur le nom de Bach (1932) [6:22] Leopold
GODOWSKY (1870-1938) Prelude and Fugue (B.A.C.H.)
(1929) [6:43] Francis POULENC (1899-1963) Valse-Improvisation sur
le nom de BACH (1932) [2:14] Heitor
VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959) Bachianas Brasilieras No.
4 (1941) [15:59] Bela BARTÓK
(1881-1945) Mikrokosmos III, Sz107 (1926-1939) – No. 79, Hommage
ŕ J.S.B. [1:15] György KURTÁG (b.
1926) Játékok III: Hommage ŕ J.S.B. [0:09] Terry
RILEY (b. 1935) G Song (1973/1985) [1:59] Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Prelude and Fugue in D minor, Op.
87/24 (1950/51) [11:33] 
Beatrice Berthold (piano) rec. Grosser Sendesaal,
Saarländischer Rundfunk, Saarbrücken, Germany, August 2005. DDD
LABOR RECORDS LAB 7079 [76:44] 
[CC]
A
well-planned disc superbly delivered ... see Full
Review
Russian
Settings of Robert Burns Georgy
SVIRIDOV (1915-1998) Songs to Verses by
Robert Burns (1955) [32:11] Edison DENISOV
(1929-1996) Two Songs to Verses by Robert Burns (1951) [3:51] Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Three songs from Six Romances for
Bass: excerpts (1942) [6:57] Yuri LEVITIN
(1912-1993) Song-Cycle to Verses by Robert Burns (1956) [11:03]
Tikhon KHRENNIKOV (1913-2007)
Three songs from Five Songs to Verses by Robert Burns (1944) [6:41]
Vassili Savenko (bass-baritone);
Alexander Blok (piano) rec. 2002/5.
TOCCATA TOCC0039 [60:34] [RB]
Fine
rewarding songs … fascinating ... see Full
Review
John
Ernest GALLIARD
(c.1687-1749) Pan
and Syrinx: An Opera (1718, rev. 1726)* [57:47] Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Timon of Athens: The Masque
of Cupid and Bacchus (1695)** [19:21]
Musica ad Rhenum/Jed Wentz rec. 2004,
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93776 [77:08]
[BW]
Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Dioclesian (complete)
(1691)+ [92:47] Timon of Athens: Masque (1695)++
[19:29] Collegium Musicum
90/Richard Hickox
rec. 1993/4, CHANDOS
CHACONNE CHAN0569/70 [46:27+65:49]
[BW]
A
most enjoyable discovery or established Purcell? – preferably both ...
see Full Review
Roberto
GERHARD (1896-1970)
Symphony No. 4 New York (1967) [26:04] Violin
Concerto (1942-45) [34:03]* Yfrah Neaman (violin)
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Colin Davis rec. 1972,
LYRITA SRCD.274 [60.14]
[PBW]
An
introduction to two of Gerhard’s major works ... see Full
Review
Herbert
HOWELLS (1892-1983)
Concerto for String Orchestra (1938) [27:52] Three Dances for violin
and orchestra op.7 (1915) [14:08]* Piano Concerto no. 2 in C minor (1925)
[27:03]** Kathryn Stott
(piano)**; Michael Stewart (violin)* Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vernon
Handley rec. 19 February (Dances) and 30-31 March (Concertos) 1992,
Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, UK
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55205 [69:19]
[CH]
A
British piano concerto of some stature ... see Full
Review
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992)
Orchestral and Chamber Works and Song-Cycles CD
1: Turangalîla-symphonie (1948) CD
2: L’Ascension (1933); Cinq Rechants (1948); Et expecto
resurrectionem mortuorum (1964); La Transfiguration de Notre
Seigneur Jésus-Christ (1969) CD
3: La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ (cont.)
CD 4: Počmes pour mi (1937); Quartet
for the End of Time (1941) CD 5: Chants
de terre et de ciel (1938); Harawi (1945) CD
6: Počmes pour mi (1936); Rondeau (1943); Visions de
l’Amen (1943) rec
1968-92
DECCA 478 0352 [6 CDs: 75:57 + 76:01 + 75:28 + 73:03 + 77:01 + 80:57]
[AOz]
Shows
how adventurous recording companies could be ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Olivier MESSIAEN
(1908-1992) Complete
Edition CDs 1-7 Piano Music CDs 8-13 Organ MusicCDs 14-15:
La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ CDs 16-19 Opera:
Saint François d'Assise CDs 20-32 Other Music Limited
edition DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
4801333 [32 CDs: c.34:00:00]
[PW]
Far
from an exercise directed at completists only … a life enhancing experience
… see Full Review
Sir
John TAVENER (b. 1944) Piano Music: Zodiacs (1997) [1:55]; Ypakoë (1997)
[13:34]; Palin (1977) [08.42]; Mandoodles (1982) [4:55];
Pratirüpa (2003) [29:42]; In Memory of Two Cats (1986)
[02:11] Ralph
van Raat (piano) rec. Potton Hall, Westleton, Suffold, 7-8 March 2007.
DDD NAXOS 8.570442
[60:59]
[ABo]
Ethereal
and minimal ... see Full Review
Charles TOURNEMIRE
(1870-1939) L’orgue mystique Vol.1
Office Nr. 29 Office Nr.13 Office Nr.42 Office Nr.51
Sandro R. Müller (organ) Alexander Schuke-Orgel, Alte Reformierte Kirche,
Wuppertal-Elberfeld rec. 1994
CYBELE CD 050.101 [73:40] 
Charles TOURNEMIRE (1870-1939)
L’orgue mystique Vol.2 Office Nr. 8 Office Nr.22 Office
Nr.3 Sandro R. Müller
(organ) Alexander Schuke-Orgel, Alte Reformierte Kirche, Wuppertal-Elberfeld
rec. 1994 CYBELE
CD 050.102 [67:55]
[DC]
More
approachable than you might expect ... a major project ... see
Full Review
Neujahrskonzert:
New Year’s Concert, 2009
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Daniel Barenboim rec.
Golden Hall, Musikverein, Vienna, 1 January 2009. DDD.
DECCA 478 1133 [56:33 + 48:47]
A
very worthwhile souvenir of an enjoyable occasion ... see Full
Review
TUESDAY January 20th
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony
No. 3 Richard WAGNER
(1813-1883) Siegfried’s Rhine Journey;
Prelude to Act I and Death of Isolde from Tristan und Isolde
Birgit Nilsson; London Symphony Orchestra/Sir
Georg Solti rec. 1963-8
BBC LEGENDS BBCL42392 [79:18][PPLL]
Two
superstars of the past century – outstanding performances ... see Full
Review
William CROFT
(1678-1727) Harpsichord Music
Colin Booth (harpsichord) rec. 1998
SOUNDBOARD SBCD991 [63:46][BW]
Attractive
works by a composer better known for his church music ... see Full
Review
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Piano Music
- Volume 2
Noriko Ogawa (piano)
BIS BIS-CD-1205 [75:47][CH]
Performances
which leave an ultimate impression of translucent beauty and poise ...
see Full Review
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Piano Music
- Volume 4
Noriko Ogawa (piano) rec. 2007
BIS BIS-CD-1655 [81:42][CH]
Don’t
expect to hear these “Etudes” played more beautifully ... see Full
Review
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924)
Vissi d’arte: The Puccini Love Songs
Maria Callas (soprano); Various accompanists rec. 1953-9
EMI CLASSICS 2161022 [76:25 + 75:50][ST]
A
fitting tribute to a great artist … see Full
Review
Franz
SCHMIDT (1874-1939) Symphonies
Nos. 1-4 Detroit
Symphony Orchestra & Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Neeme Järvi rec.
1989-96 CHANDOS CHAN9568(4)
[4 CDs: 44:51 + 46:55 + 42:19 + 42:12][RB]
Sumptuous,
vernal energy and weightiness of tone ... see Full Review
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano
Concerto No. 3; Symphony No. 6 etc.
Philip Fowke (piano); Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Litton rec.
1980 CLASSICS FOR
PLEASURE 2283752 [69:43][IL]
Tchaikovsky’s
Third Piano Concerto is more than just a curio ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) La Traviata
Bavarian State Opera
Orchestra and Chorus/Zubin Mehta 2006
FARAO CLASSICS S108070 
[71.01 + 50.14][RJF]
A
rather ordinary effort ... see Full
Review
Alison
Balsom: Trumpet Concertos by Johann
Nepomuk HUMMEL (1778-1837), Franz
Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809), Giuseppe
TORELLI (1658-1709) and Jan
Křtitel Jiři NERUDA (1711-1776)
Alison Balsom (trumpet); Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen rec.
2008 EMI CLASSICS
2162130 [52:50][DJB]
Glorious
tone – top of the class … see Full Review
Music
from Estonia by Rudolf
TOBIAS (1873-1918), Artur LEMBA
(1885-1963), Heino ELLER (1887-1970),
Kaljo RAID (1922-2005), Veljo
TORMIS (b. 1930) and Arvo
PART (b. 1935)
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Neeme Järvi rec. 1986-8
CHANDOS CHAN241-26 [78:37 + 71:18][RB]
Enterprising
repertoire gloriously recorded and performed ... see Full
Review
MONDAY January 19th
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Sonatas: Vol.VII (Nos. 27-29)
András Schiff (piano) rec. 2006
ECM NEW SERIES 1948 4766189 [76:36][DC]
Has
to be considered a top recommendation – ultimate clarity and drama ...
see Full Review
Luis
de FREITAS BRANCO (1890-1955) Orchestral
Works - Vol. 2
RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra/Álvaro Cassuto rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572059 [67:49][RB]
It
would be a mistake to pass over de Freitas Branco ... see Full
Review
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934) In the South;
Sea Pictures; Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma)
Gladys Ripley
(contralto); London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra/George
Weldon rec. 1953-4
SOMM SOMMCD073 [78:11][CH]
A
conductor possibly on course to become a major Elgar interpreter ...
see Full Review
Gustav
HOLST (1874-1934) Orchestral Works
- Vol. 1 Joyful
Company of Singers/Peter Broadbent; BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Richard
Hickox rec. 2008 CHANDOS
CHSA5069
[67:42][RB]
The
finest Holst disc in years ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Magnus LINDBERG
(b.1958) Complete Piano Music
Ralph van Raat (piano) rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570542 [72:30][HC]
No
Lindberg admirer should miss this ... see Full
Review
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Piano Concertos
Nos. 1 & 2; Totentanz; Paraphrase on the ‘Dies irae’
Eldar Nebolsin
(piano); Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko rec.
2007 NAXOS 8.570517
[54:18][MC]
Nebolsin
greatly impresses but the list is headed by Zimerman on DG ... see Full
Review
Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567–1643) Vespro
della Beata Vergine; Selva morale e Spirituale (excerpts)
Taverner Players/Andrew
Parrott rec. 1982-4
EMI CLASSICS 2126852 [67.55 + 74.27][RH]
Everyone
ought to have this brilliant performance in their library ... see Full
Review
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Symphony
No. 3; Symphonic Dances
Moscow State Symphony Orchestra/Pavel Kogan rec. 1990
ALTO ALC1030 [77:12][RB]
Generous,
inexpensive, big-hearted, broodingly coloured and impassioned ... see
Full Review
Flagstad
sings Brahms and Mahler Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Vier ernste Gesänge
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)
Kindertotenlieder; Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Kirsten Flagstad (soprano); Edwin McArthur (piano); Vienna Philharmonic
Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult rec. 1956-7
BEULAH 1PD28 [61:52][CH]
Not
a first choice but Mahlerians can hardly leave it out of the reckoning
... see Full Review
Wood's
Eroica Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony No. 3
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Brandenburg Concerto No.
6 etc.
Various orchestras/Sir Henry Wood rec. 1926-35
BEULAH
2PD3 [71:54][JS]
Increasing
enjoyment and respect for Wood – a very desirable disc ... see Full
Review
FRIDAY
January 16th
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Complete Works for Piano Vol. 3 Includes Suite bergamasque, Children’s
Corner Jean-Efflam Bavouzet
(piano) rec. 2008
CHANDOS CHAN 10467 [71:54] [CH]
The
best of Bavouzet’s three volumes so far ... see Full
Review
Bohuslav MARTINŮ (1890-1959)
Complete Works for Violin and Piano
Bohuslav Matoušek (violin); Petr Adamec (piano) rec. 1996-98
SUPRAPHON SU3950-2 [4 CDs: 232:06] [RB]
An
often surprising but always agreeable collection ... see Full
Review
Carl NIELSEN (1857-1931)
Symphonies 3 & 5
Ruth Güldbćk (soprano); Erik Sjoberg (baritone) Danish State RSO/John
Frandsen, Erik Tuxen rec. 1950/5
GUILD GHCD2340 [69:15] [RB]
Historic
Nielsen luminously done ... see Full
Review
Jean-Philippe
Rameau
(1683-1764)
Castor et Pollux
Finnur Bjarnason (tenor) Henk Neven (baritone) Les Talens Lyriques/Christophe
Rousset rec. live, 2008
OPUS ARTE OA0999D 
[62:03+72:17] [WK]
Creditable
if not always inspired ... see Full
Review
Christophe
SIRODEAU (b.1970)
Musique Vespérale pur Elsa - Sumphônia, Obscur chemin
des étoiles, Artificial Horizon, Cénotaphe, Jeux
d'Ombres, Arlequins en rouge et blanc, Esquisse pour Adramandoni
Pia Segerstam (cello)
Montpellier Ntl O/Leif Segerstam; Jonathan Powell, Christophe Sirodeau
(piano) rec. 2006
ALTARUS AIR-CD-9035 [79:59] [RB]
Welcomes
the adventurous traveller ... see Full
Review
Boris TCHAIKOVSKY
(1925-1996) Piano Quintet, The Last Spring,
Boris Tchaikovsky (piano);
Prokofiev Quartet; Natalia Burnasheva (mezzo); Sergey Bubnov (flute);
Alexander Ivanov (clarinet) rec. 1978/85
REGIS FORUM FRC9111 [66:36] [RB]
Iconic
works in historic, brooding, expressive pioneering versions ...
see Full Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813–1883)
Der Ring des Nibelungen (Highlights)
Bavarian RSO/Bernard
Haitink rec. 1988-91
CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2283772 [72:39] [ST]
THURSDAY
January 15th
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Violin Sonatas Vol. 3 Nos 8-10 Joseph
Fuchs (violin) Artur Balsam (piano)
rec. 1952 NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111253 [70:18]
[JW]
Robust,
fluid and trenchant if occasionally rather impersonal ... see Full
Review
Imogen
HOLST (1907-1984) Phantasy
Quartet, Duo for viola and piano, String Trio 1, The Fall
of the Leaf, Sonata for violin and cello, String Quintet Court
Lane Music rec. 2007 COURT LANE MUSIC CLM37601 [74:51]
[RB]
Lyrical
music but with dissonance and succinct economy of expression ...
see Full Review
Adrian
JOHNSTON (b. 1961) Brideshead
Revisited BBC
Philharmonic/Terry Davies rec. 2008 CHANDOS
CHAN10499 [47:20] [IL]
Amiable
and pleasing but not really memorable ... see Full
Review
Giovanni
Pierluigi da PALESTRINA (c.1525-1594) Masses
and Motets Choir
of King’s College Cambridge/Sir Philip Ledger, Sir David Willcocks
rec. 1970-79 EMI
CLASSICS GEMINI 2176552 [75:25 + 75:11] [BW]
Recommendable,
but the competition is extremely fierce ... see Full
Review
Edwin Roxburgh (b.1937) Oboe
Music Paul
Goodey (oboe); Sally Mays (piano); Xiaodi Liu (oboe); Philip Haworth
(cor anglais) RNCM ensemble/Edwin Roxburgh rec. 2006/8 OBOE
CLASSICS CC2019 [59:51] [JF]
Sounds
that are often fascinating and impressive ... see Full
Review
Alfred
SCHNITTKE (1934-1998) Five
Aphorisms, Piano Sonata 3 Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Well-Tempered Clavier
Book 1 - Prelude and Fugue in C sharp minor, French Suite 5 Svetlana
Ponomarëva (piano) rec. 2008 MV
PRODUCTIONS [No number] [52:42] [JW]
Red-blooded
playing and recording ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Boris TCHAIKOVSKY (1925-1996) Complete
String Quartets Ilya
Ioff (violin); Elena Raskova (violin); Lydia Kovalenko (viola);
Alexey Massarsky (cello) rec. 2008 NORTHERN FLOWERS
NF9964-65 [42:12 + 67:28] [RB]
Translucent
singing melody - a treasury ... see Full
Review
The
Georgian Composers Collection Sulkan
TSINTSADZE (1925-1992) Four Miniatures Otar
TAKTAKISHVILI (1924-1989) Megrelian Songs Redjeb
JORDANIA Concerto Classico Zurab
Sotkilava (tenor), Kharkov PO, Russian Federal O, Leningrad CO/Vakhtang
Jordania rec. 1976/8 ANGELOK1
CD-7770 [61:51] [RB]
A
brave cross-section: two hits and a miss ... see Full
Review
The
Art of Dmitri Mitropoulos Broadcast Performances
1945-55 - Vol. 2 Gustav
MAHLER (1864-1911) Symphony 6 Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Brandenburg Concerto 5 Serge
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Piano Concerto 3 Edouard
LALO (1823-1892) Symphonie Espagnole Serge
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Piano Concerto 2 Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Symphony 4 Arnold
SCHOENBERG (1874-1951) String Quartet 2 (orch. Schoenberg) Erwartung Dorothy
Dow (soprano) Astrid Varnay (soprano) Pietro Scarpini (piano)
Zino Francescatti (violin) Mischa Mischakoff (violin); Carmine
Coppola (flute) New York P-SO, NBC SO/Dmitri Mitropoulos MUSIC
AND ARTS CD1214 [4 CDs: 74:07 + 76:46 + 64:35 + 57:34] [JW]
Reflects
Mitropoulos’s greatest strengths with considerable assurance ... see
Full Review
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