Antonio CALDARA
(1671-1736) Cantatas Amante
recidivo (Che speravi),Non v’è pena
, Chiacona, Vedrò senz’onde il mare,
Da tuoi lumi , Sempre mi torna in mente
Max Emanuel Cencic (counter-tenor) Ornamente
99/Karsten Erik Ose Recorded in Sendesaal,
Cologne, October 2004
CAPRICCIO 67 124 [61.56] [JW]
Though
not all these works are consistently engrossing,
at their finest they make a marked impression
... wistful harmonies floated with perfect
judgement. ... see
Full Review
Christopher
CALIENDO Caliente!
- World Music for Flute and Guitar Sincerita
– Caliente! – Allegria – Amor Perdido – Impulsa
– Amanacer – Risorgimento – Coraggio – Lamento
– Rinascimento – Remembranza – Contigo - Meditazione
Christopher Caliendo (guitar) Laurel Zucker
(flute) rec. in 2004 at Skywalker Sound, Marin
County, California USA. DDD
CANTILENA RECORDS 66032-2 [62'39] [RNB]
Not
background music; the music, reinforced by
the passion of the playing, wants to be heard.
... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Joseph
CANTELOUBE (1879-1957)
Chants d'Auvergne: La pastoura
als camps; Bailero; Trois Bourrees; Pastourelle;
L'Antoueno; Deux Bourrees; La delaissado;
Passo pel prat; Lou boussu; Brezairola; Malurous
qu'o uno fenno; Jou l'pount d'o Mirabel; Oi
ayai; Lou coucut; Quand z'eyro petitoune;
La-haut sur le rocher; Uno jionto postouro;
Lo diziou be
Véronique Gens (sop) Orchestre Nationale
de Lille/Jean-Claude Casadesus Rec July 2004,
Lille, France
NAXOS 8.557491 [62:13] [RB]
A
very good economical version of the Auvergne
songs intelligently sung and acted and the
orchestral role is given the attention its
attractions clamantly demand. ... see Full
Review
Joseph CANTELOUBE
(1879-1957)
Chants
d'Auvergne: La pastoura als camps;
Bailero; Trois Bourrees; Pastourelle; L'Antoueno;
Deux Bourrees; La delaissado; Passo pel prat;
Lou boussu; Brezairola; Malurous qu'o uno
fenno; Jou l'pount d'o Mirabel; Oi ayai; Lou
coucut; Quand z'eyro petitoune; La-haut sur
le rocher; Uno jionto postouro; Lo diziou
be
Véronique Gens (sop) Orchestre Nationale
de Lille/Jean-Claude Casadesus Rec July 2004,
Lille, France
NAXOS 8.557491 [62:13] [AO]
This
recording is so distinctive that I've little
doubt it will be the definitive Chants d'Auvergne
for many years to come. ... see Full
Review
Antonio CARTELLIERI
(1772-1807)
Christmas Oratorio Libretto
by Luigi Prividali
Katerina Beronova (sop) - ‘L’Amor divino’;
Andreas Karasiak (ten) - John the Baptist;
Ray M Wade Jnr. (ten) - Angel of Glory); Alexander
Marco-Buhrmester (Bass) - Satan. Chorus Musicus-Koln
‘Das neue Orchester’/Christoph Spering Recorded
at German Radio, Frankfurt December 2003
CAPRICCIO SACD 71015 [71:05] [GH]
Something
of a rare work ... which has flashes of genius.
Performance excellent giving the work every
opportunity both vocally and instrumentally
to shine. ... see
Full Review
Marc-Antoine
CHARPENTIER (1636
- 1704) Marches
pour Les Trompettes H547 (1692) [4.18] Te Deum H146 (1692)
[20.42] Dixit Dominus H202 (c.1688) [11.12] In honorem Sancti
Ludovici Regis Galliae canticum H365 (1693) [15.14] Domine salvum
fac regem H291 (1692) Messe de Monseur de Mauroy H6 (c. 1691)
[65.51] Leçons de Ténèbres de la semaine sainte
de 1692 H135-137 (1692) [42.51] Cinq Méditations pour
le Carême H380-387 (1692) [15.35]
Michel Chapuis (grand orgue) Le Concert Spirituel/Hervé Niquet
Recorded Paris, Eglise Notre Dame du Liban, July 2000 (disc 1); Abbaye
de Saint-Michel en Thierache, Aisne, France, June 1999 (disc 2); Paris,
Eglise Notre Dame du Liban, March 2001 (disc 3)
GLOSSA GSP 980033 [3 CDs: 55.13 + 65.51 + 58.58] [RH]
Better
known pieces alongside works which deserve
to be better known. I can highly recommend
these recordings ... see Full
Review
Luigi CHERUBINI
(1760-1842)
Requiem
in D minor for Male Chorus and Orchestra
(1836) [41’21"] Missa Solenne Breve
in B Flat major for Chorus and Orchestra*
(1821) [19’21"] Hradec Králové
Male Chorus; *Boninfantes Boys Choir
Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra/Douglas
Bostock Recorded in usti n.O., Czech Republic,
6-7 September 2003. DDD
CLASSICO CLASSCD 457 [60’50"] [JQ]
The
performance of the Requiem seems to be a good
one and admirers of Cherubini’s music will
certainly want to investigate this CD. ...
see Full
Review
Frédéric
CHOPIN
(1810-1849) Scherzo
No.1 in B minor, Op.20 Scherzo No.2 in B flat
minor, Op.31 Scherzo No.3 in C sharp minor,
Op.39 Scherzo No.4 in E major, Op.54 Introduction
and Variations in E major, B14 Variations
in B flat major on Mozart’s ‘là
ci darem la mano’ from Don Giovanni,
Op.2
Nikolai Demidenko (piano) Recorded 5 -6 December
1989 and 29-30 May 1990 at Snape Maltings,
Suffolk DDD
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55181 [62’55] [TH]
There
is a very good case for getting Demidenko’s intelligently played account
... a real snip at the Helios budget price. ... see Full
Review
Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-49)
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35 (1839) [2516]. Berceuse
in D flat, Op. 57 (1844) [450]. Barcarolle in F sharp, Op. 60
(1846) [835]. Sergei RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943) Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36 (1931 version
with borrowings from the 1913 version) [2308].
Hélène Grimaud (piano). Rec. Siemens-Villa, Berlin in
December 2004. DDD
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 5325 [6207][CC]
Given
the hype that Grimaud has been enjoying, this disc is ultimately somewhat
disappointing, while remaining a rare occasion when the CD is preferable
to the frisson of her recent RFH recital. ... see Full
Review
Aaron COPLAND (19001990)
Fanfare for the Common Man [3:14] Rodeo: Buckaroo Holiday [7:15]; Corral
Nocturne [3:40]; Saturday Night Waltz [4:04]; Hoe-Down [3:12] Appalachian
Spring suite [22:19]
Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra/Louis Lane Recorded in Atlanta Symphony Hall on March
24th 1982
TELARC
CD-80078 [44:15][GPJ]
A
fine disc, with a first-class recording to match the high standards
of the performers. Short playing time doesn’t help though ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Aaron
COPLAND
(1900 - 1990) Chamber
Music of Aaron Copland Movement
for String Quartet (1923) [5.52] Prelude for
Piano Trio (1924) [4.39] Pieces (2) for Violin
and Piano (1926) [10.09] Vocalise for Flute
and Piano (1928) [4.53] Pieces (2) for String
Quartet (1928) [8.29] Vitebsk for Piano
Trio (1928) [11.55] Sextet for String Quartet,
Clarinet and Piano (1937 rev.) [14.25] Sonata
for Violin and Piano (1943) [19.14] Quartet
for Piano and Strings (1950) [21.08] Duo for
Flute and Piano (1971) [14.34] Threnodies
(2) for Flute and String Trio (1971) [7.39]
Derek
Bermel, clarinet; Michael Boriskin, piano;
Paul Lustig Dunkel, flute; Nicholas Kitchen,
violin; Wilhelmina Smith, cello. Borromeo
String Quartet: Nicolas Kitchen, Wil
Fedkenheuer, vv; Mai Motobuchi, vla; Yeesun
Kim, vc., assisted by Jennifer Frautchi, Curtis
Macomber, vv; Hsin-Yun Huang, Cynthia Phelps,
vla. Rec. Dec 2000 - Mar 2003, various locations
in New York and Boston, USA. Notes in English.
Photo of composer and artists. No timings.*
ARABESQUE Z6794-2 [60.18 + 62.33] [PSh]
Surprising,
ingenious, and beautiful music from a composer
you thought you knew. ... see Full
Review
Arcangelo
CORELLI
(1653-1713) Violin Sonatas
Op.5 Nos. 1-6
Lucy van Dael, violin; Bob van Asperen,
harpsichord and organ Recorded at Dutch Reformed
Church, Bennebroek, Netherlands, 7 November
2002 Notes in English and Deutsch.
NAXOS 8.557165 [67.47] [JW]
The
sonatas share rare imagination and a sense
of fluid lyricism predicated on the stoutest
of technical armouries. ... see Full
Review
Peter
Maxwell DAVIES (b.
1934) Naxos
Quartet No. 1 (2002) [29:25] Naxos Quartet
No. 2 (2003) [43:05]
Maggini Quartet Recorded: Potton Hall, Suffolk,
September-October 2003
NAXOS 8.557396 [72:39] [HC]
Dedicated
performances from the Maggini who have been
and still are closely involved in this unique
undertaking. ... see Full
Review
Gaetano DONIZETTI
(1797-1848)
Lucia
di Lammermoor - opera seria in three
acts Libretto by Salvatore Cammerano based
on the novel ‘The Bride of Lammermoor’ by
Sir Walter Scott. First produced at the Teatro
San Carlo, Naples on 26th September
1835. Lucia, Maria Callas (sop); Edgardo,
Giuseppe Di Stefano (ten); Enrico, Tito Gobbi
(bar); Raimondo, Raffaele Arie (bass); Arturo,
Valiano Natali (ten); Alisa, Anna Maria Canali
(mez); Normanno, Gino Sam (ten)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale
Fiorentino/Tullio Serafin Recorded 29th and
30th January and 1st, 3rd, 4th and 6th February
1953 in the Teatro Comunale, Florence Appendices.
Highlights from Lucia di Lammermoor
performed by Legendary Singers.
Recorded 1910-1952 Cruda, funesta smania
..Il tuo dubbio e omai certezza ..La pietade
in suo favore. Robert Merrill, (bar);
Ezio Pinza, (bass); Luigi Vellucci, Tenor
Recorded 8th March 1952 Ah, talor del tuo
pensiero..Verranno a te sull'aure. Amelita
Galli-Curci, (sop); Tito Schipa, (ten) Recorded
7th September 1928 Chi mi frena in tal
momenta (sextet) Maria Barrientos, (sop);
Charles Hackett, (ten); Riccardo Stracciari,
(bar); Jose Mardones, (bass); George Meader,
(ten); Emma Noe, (sop); Recorded 18th March
1920 in New York Dalle stanze ove Lucia.
Ezio Pinza, Bass Recorded llth July 1923 in
Milan [Ardon gli incensi:] splendon
Ie sacrefaci Spargi d' amaro pianto. Toti
Dal Monte, Soprano
Recorded 28th October and *5th November 1926
Tombe degli avi miei…Fra poco a me ricovero..
Beniamino Gigli, (ten) Recorded 10th April
1925 (Take unpublished on 78 rpm). Tu che
a Dio spiegasti I'ali. John McCormack,
(ten) Recorded 23rd March 1910 in New York
Reissue Producer and Restoration Engineer:
Mark Obert-Thorn
NAXOS HISTORICAL - GREAT OPERA RECORDINGS
8.110131-32 [69.01 + 78.28] [RJF]
Callas’s
finest recording in terms of interpretation
allied to security of singing and this re-mastering
accords it full justice. ... see Full
Review
Marcel DUPRÉ
(1886-1971)
Organ Works - Volume 6 see
review for details
Ben van Oosten, organ Rec: Eglise St-Jean
Baptiste, Montréal, September, 2004
DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM AUDIOVISION MDG 316
1288-2 [59’21] [GMS]
Recommended
without reserve. Player, music and instrument
are perfectly matched. ... see Full
Review
Antonín
DVOŘÁK
(1841-1904) Symphonic
Poems and Overtures Czech
Suite op. 39 My Home Overture op. 62 Husitska
Overture op. 67 In Nature’s Realm Overture
op. 91 Otello op. 93 Symphonic Variations
op. 78 Carnival Overture op. 92 Water Goblin
op. 107 Noon-Day Witch op. 108 Golden Spinning
Wheel, op. 109 Wood Dove, op. 110 A Hero´s
Song, op. 111
Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra/Theodore
Kuchar Recorded 20-28 August 2004, Ostrava
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 92297 [3 CDs: 71'37
+ 63'12 + 66'14] [JW]
Kuchar
tends to be brisk; not businesslike, if that implies superficiality
and a lack of warmth and detail, but certainly fast-ish. ... see
Full Review
Antonin DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Cello
Concerto Op.104 William
WALTON (1902-1983) Cello Concerto
Gregor Piatigorsky (cello) Boston Symphony Orchestra/Charles Munch rec.
Symphony Hall, Boston, February 1960 (Dvořák) and January 1957
(Walton) RCA
RED SEAL LIVING STEREO SUPER AUDIO CD
82876 66375 2 [71.22][JW]
A
classic coupling that has withstood the scrutiny of history. Piatigorsky
had long been associated with the Dvořák and was the dedicatee
of the Walton ... see Full Review
Antonín
DVOŘÁK
(1841-1904) Mazurka
for violin and orchestra Op.49 B90 (1879)
Rondo for cello and orchestra Op.94 B181 (1893
arranged piano1881) Silent Woods (Klid) for
cello and orchestra Op.68 No.5 B182 (1884)
Seven Interludes for small orchestra B15 (1867)
Polonaise in E flat major B100 (1879) Nocturne
in B major Op.40 B48 (1875) Suite in A major
American (1894 arranged orchestra 1895)
Five Prague Waltzes B99 (1879) Polka in B
flat major Op.53A/1 B114
Dmitry Yablonsky (cello) Alexander Trostianski
(violin) Russian Philharmonic Orchestra/Dmitry
Yablonsky Recorded in Studio 5, Radio House,
Moscow, October 2003
NAXOS 8.557352 [78.42] [JW]
These
essentially undemanding works played with
buoyancy to animate them and not too much
weight to submerge their real, if slight,
charms ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sir
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934)
Piano Concerto (sketches, drafts and
recordings of his Piano Concerto realised
for performance by Robert
Walker) [36:40] (I. (Andante
piacevole) – Nobilmente e semplice
[18:15]; II. Poco Andante con rubato
[6:23]; III. (Solenne quasi recitativo)
– Allegro ma non troppo – Vivace
[12:02]) Suite of Four Edward Elgar
Songs (transcribed for orchestra
by Haydn Wood)
[10:37] I. Rondel [1:28]; II. Queen
Mary’s Song [3:00]; III. The Shepherd’s
Song [2:48]; IV. Like to the Damask
Rose [3:21] Adieu (orch:
Henry Geehl)
[2:38] So Many True Princesses
(orch: Anthony Payne)
‡ [6:13] Spanish Serenade, op.
23 ‡ [4:22] The Immortal Legions
(from ‘Pageant of Empire’) ‡ [4:00] Anthony
COLLINS (1893-1963) Elegy
in Memory of Edward Elgar [10:00]
David Owen Norris (piano) † BBC Singers ‡
BBC Concert Orchestra/David Lloyd-Jones world
premiere recordings (except Suite of Four
Songs, premiere stereo recordings; Collins).
In association with BBC Radio 3, BBC Concert
Orchestra, Elgar Society Recorded: Studio
1, Abbey Road, London, 18 and 19 October 2004.
DDD
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7148 [74:40] [RB]
Concerto:
majestic, extremely impressive ... captured
with craggy mastery. Enthusiastically recommended
to Elgarians everywhere. ... see Full
Review
Gabriel FAURÉ
(1845-1924) Nocturnes:
E-flat, Op. 33. no. 1 [8:25]; B, Op. 33, no
2 [6:50]; D-flat, Op. 63 [10:11]; C-sharp
minor, Op. 74 [9:47]; E minor, Op. 107 [7;29];
B minor Op. 119 [9:40] Sonata No. 1 for Violin
and Piano in A, Op. 13 [26:32]
Jean-Marc Luisada, piano Laurent Korcia, violin
Recorded July 30 and August 2 1997 in the
Grand Salle de L’Arsenal De Mets, France (Nocturnes)
and April 19-23,2001, at The Snape Maltings
Concert Hall, England.
BMG-RCA 82876 62312 2 [79:20] [KS]
A
winner ... it combines the better of two previous
releases into a very satisfying recital. ...
Highly recommendable ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gabriel
FAURÉ
(1845-1924) The Complete Songs – Volume 1 Les
Matelots; Seule!; Chanson du pêcheur; Barcarolle;
Tarantelle; Au bord de l’eau Les berceaux; Au cimetière;
Larmes; Cinq melodies "de venise"; Pleurs d’or;
Accompagnement; La fleur qui va sur l’eau; Mirages;
C’est la paix; L’horizon chimérique.
Felicity Lott (soprano); Jennifer Smith (soprano); Geraldine McGreevy
(soprano); Stella Doufexis (soprano); John Mark Ainsley (tenor); Christopher
Maltman (baritone); Stephen Varcoe (baritone); Graham Johnson (piano)
Recorded 2002-2004 HYPERION
CDA67333 [68:47] [IL]
An
excellent beginning to what promises to be another memorable Hyperion
French Song collection. 26 Fauré songs to enchant the ear. ...
see Full Review
Lukas FOSS (b.
1922) Works for Solo Piano
(complete) Scherzo
Ricercato (1954) [06:16] Passacaglia
(1940) [06:22] Grotesque Dance
(1938) [04:29] Prelude in D major (1951)
[03:22] Fantasy Rondo (1944) [09:24]
Four Two-Part Inventions (1938) [09:02]For
Lenny: Variation on "New York, New York" (1987)
[02:31] Solo (1981) [13:17]
Scott Dunn, piano rec. American Academy of
Arts and Letters, New York, 22-23 March 2003.
NAXOS 8.559179 [54.43] [JF]
One
could not wish for a better recording of this rare but strangely essential
repertoire. ... see Full Review
Lukas FOSS (b. 1922) Griffelkin
(1955) Marion Day (contralto)
Grandmother; Kendra Colton (soprano) Griffelkin; Elizabeth Keutsch (soprano)
Statue; Yeghishe Manucharyan (tenor) Letterbox; Drew Poling (baritone)
First Lion; David M. Cushing (bass) Second Lion, Oldest Devil; Emily
Bowder (soprano) A Boy; Misa Ann Iwama (mezzo) A Girl; Janna Bety (soprano)
Their Mother; Aaron Engebreth (baritone) Policeman; Lynn Torgrove (mezzo)
Shopkeeper; Anne Harley (soprano) First Housewife; Anne Carolyn Bird
(soprano) Second Housewife; Glorivy Arroyo (mezzo) Third Housewife Nack
Bay Chorale; Members of Boston Children's Opera (and guests); Boston
Modern Orchestra Project/Gil Rose. Rec. Mechanics Hall, Worcester. Massachusetts,
on April 1st-2nd, 2002. Notes and text included.
CHANDOS CHAN10067 [61'45 + 40'50][CC]
It
is evident that real care has gone into the casting, while the recording
is simply superb. A life-enhancing project. ... see Full
Review
Tommaso Bernardo GAFFI
(1667-1744)
La
forza del divino amore - oratorio
in 2 parts
Marivì Blasco (S. Teresa), Leona
Peleskova (Amor Divino), soprano; Sergio Foresti
(Rodrigo), bass Ensemble 'Pian e Forte': Gabriele
Cassone, natural trumpet; Enrico Onofri, Laura
Mirrim violin; Claudio Frigerio, cello; Paolo
Rizzi, double bass; Marta Graziolino, harp;
Antonio Frigé, harpsichord; Gianluca
Capuano, organ Dir: Antonio Frigé Recorded
27 October, 2 November 2003 at the Chiesa
S. Francesco di Paola, Milan, Italy. DDD
CHANDOS CHAN0710 [63:05]
[JV]
One
of the many oratorios written around 1700
in Italy - the quality of music and performance
is rather uneven ... see Full
Review
Seiji Ozawa conducts
a Gershwin Night – with the Marcus Roberts
Trio George GERSHWIN
(1898-1937) An
American in Paris Rhapsody in Blue arranged
Marcus ROBERTS
(b.1963) Concerto in F arranged Marcus
ROBERTS (b.1963) Strike Up The
Band arranged Don
ROSE I Got Rhythm Marcus
ROBERTS (b.1963) Cole After
Midnight Paul
LINCKE (1866-1946) Berliner
Luft
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Seiji Ozawa
Marcus Roberts Trio with Roland Guerin (bass)
Jason Marsalis (drums) Bonus Documentary;
They Got Rhythm Recorded at the Waldbühne,
Berlin, 29 June 2003 Directed by Andreas Morrell
Produced by Paul Smaczny Region Code 0, Sound
Formats PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 DTS
5.1, Languages English, German, French, Picture
Format NTSC 16:9, Disc Format DVD9 DVD
EUROARTS 2053098 [209 minutes] [JW]
The
Berlin Philharmonic let down their collective
hair in holiday mood under a canopy that resembled
one of Jean-Paul Gautier’s Madonna bras ...
see Full Review
Edvard
GRIEG (1843
– 1907) Symfoniska
danser, Op 64 (1896 – 1897); Six Songs for
voice and orchestra (Orch. 1894 – 1895): Solveig’s
Song – Solveig’s Cradle Song – From Monte
Pincio – A Swan – Springtide – Henrik Wergeland;
Sigurd Jorsalfar – suite from incidental music,
Op 56 (1872 rev. 1892): Prelude – Intermezzo
– Homage March
Solveig Kringelborn (soprano) Royal Stockholm
Philharmonic Orchestra/Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Recorded at Stockholm Concert Hall 12 – 14
May 1992
CHANDOS CHAN 10287 X [72:50] [GF]
It
can be unhesitatingly recommended, in spite
of some disappointment about the singing,
both for the music and for the playing. ...
see Full
Review
Gabriella GULLIN
(b.
1961) Requiem
per il uomo innocente
Jesper Taube, (baritone)
Markus Leoson (percussion) Per Thunarf
(organ) Sancta Clara Motet Choir/Michael Waldenby
Recorded in the Sancta Clara Church, Stockholm,
Sweden, 11 April 2002. DDD
NOSAG CD 2078 [49:35 + 54:00] [MC]
A
rather unusual work, imaginatively scored
and extremely accessible. Fine performances
too. ... see Full Review
August
HALM (1869-1929)
Symphony
in A major (1911-1924) [53:40]
Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen/Peter Borin Rec. 2-3 June
2004, Reutlingen, Germany. Südwestrundfunk. DDD
STERLING CDS-1064-2 [53:40] [KS]
A
gem-let worthy of occasional hearing. Alas,
does not quite meet the standards of greatness.
... see Full Review
Georg Frideric
HANDEL
(1685-1759) Admetus,
King of Thessaly – Opera in three
acts; English translation by Geoffrey Dunn
Maureen Lehane (mezzo soprano) – Admetus Sheila
Armstrong (soprano) – Antigona Janet Baker
(mezzo soprano) – Alcestis John Kitchener
– Hercules Margaret Lenski – Thrasymedes Jean
Temperley (mezzo soprano) – Orindo Norman
Welsby (baritone) – Meraspes and The Oracle
of Apollo
The Baroque Opera Orchestra/Sir Anthony Lewis
Recorded May 1968 Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Geist
und seele; cantata BWV 35
Janet Baker (mezzo soprano) English Chamber
Orchestra/Benjamin Britten Recorded at Blythburgh
Church, June 12th 1969
PONTO PO 1029 [3 CDs: 63.55 + 71.32 +
77.09] [JW]
For
Baker’s admirers this is a welcome example
of her art, albeit not in the main role; there
may be less of her than you’d ideally like.
... see Full
Review
George
Frideric HANDEL (1685
- 1759) Organ
Concertos - see review for full details
Christian Schmitt (organ) Charlotte Balzereit
(harp) Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/Nicol Matt
Recorded Summer/Autumn 2004, Evangelische
Schlosskapelle Solitude
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 99296 [5 CDs: 52.40
+ 62.19 + 53.46 + 61.05 + 35.09] [RH]
A
cautious welcome; the advantage of completeness and uses the most recent
edition of the concertos. But I find myself returning to earlier sets,
such as the one by Ton Koopman, with a great deal of pleasure. ... see
Full Review
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809)
Andreas Staier Edition: Haydn Sonatas and Variations CD 1 Late
Sonatas Sonata in C Major H.XVI:48 Sonata in E Flat Major H.XVI:49 Sonata
in C major H.XVI:50 Sonata in D Major H.XVI:51 Sonata in E Flat Major
H.XVI:52 CD 2 Opera XXX Sonata in C Major H.XVI:35 Sonata in C Sharp
Minor H.XVI:36 Sonata in D major H.XVI:37 Sonata in E Flat Major H.XVI:38
Sonata in G Major H.XVI:39 Sonata in C Minor H.XVI:20 CD 3 Variations
and Sonatas for Fortepiano Arietta con 12 Variazioni in E Flat major
H.XVII:3 Sonata in E Minor H.XVI:34 Andante con 12 Variazioni in F minor
H.XVII:6 Sonata in D major H.XVI:33 Variation on the hymn Gott
erhalte H.III/77(?) Andreas
Staier, fortepiano Recorded at Schulzentrum, Lindlar, German Republic.
27-30 November 1989 (CD 1), 9-12 October 1992 (CD 2) and 8-11 June 1992
(CD 3). DDD
DHM DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 82876 67376 2 [3 CDs: 71:50 + 77:49
+ 72:14][MC]
Haydn’s
piano sonatas offer many delights and certainly deserve to be better
known. These accounts performed on the fortepiano are rather an acquired
taste. If possible I would recommend a listen before purchase. ... see
Full Review
[Johann]
Michael HAYDN
(1737 - 1806) Symphony
P.4 (1764) [15.26] Symphony P.9 (1766) [13.29]
Symphony P.44 (1771) [23.04] Symphony P.15
(1782) [23.08]
Bournemouth Sinfonietta/Harold Farberman Recorded
at Christchurch Priory, Dorset, UK, June 1885
Notes in English. Key signatures of the works
not given.
REGIS RRC 1188 [75.28] [PSh]
More
delightful music from the enigmatic, adventuresome,
Michael Haydn. ... see Full
Review
Vagn HOLMBOE
(1909-1996)
Concerto
No. 1 for piano and orchestra, Op.17 (1939)
(I. Molto moderato [18'04]; II. Molto allegro
[6'52]) Concerto No. 3 for clarinet and
orchestra, Op.21 (1940) (I. Allegro non
troppo [11'00]; II. Allegro giocoso [5'41])
Concerto No. 7 for oboe and orchestra,
Op.37 (1944-45) (I. Molto moderato - Allegro
non troppo [12'31]; II. Allegretto con moto
[5'13] Beatus Parvo for choir and
orchestra, Op.117 (1973) text: Psalm 32)
[I. Beati quorum [4'25]; II. Quoniam tacui
[3'25]; III. Delictum meum [4'54]; IV. Multa
flagella [4'31] Gordon Hunt, oboe Martin Fröst,
clarinet Noriko Ogawa, piano Danish National
Opera Choir Aalborg Symphony Orchestra/Owain
Arwel Hughes rec. Jan 1998 (3; Beatus);
May-June 1999 (7); May 2002 (1). Aalborghallen,
Aalborg, Denmark. DDD BIS-CD-1176 [78:06]
[RB]
A
well-packed disc with a nice balance struck
between the concertos and a rarely encountered
choral-orchestral work. ... see Full
Review
Gottfried August HOMILIUS (1714-1785)
Sehet, welch eine Liebe - Motets Da
es nun Abend ward a 8 [03:11] Die mit Tränen
säen a 4 [05:50] Wast hast du, Mensch
a 8 [01:58] Herr, wenn Trübsal da ist
a 4 [02:00] Die richtig für sich gewandelt
haben a 4 [05:06] Ihr sollt nicht sorgen und
sagen a 4 [02:10] Machet die Tore weit a 8
[02:45] Wünschet Jerusalem Glück
a 8 [02:10] So gehst du nun, mein Jesu, hin
a 4 [03:00] Siehe, das ist Gottes Lamm a 8
[03:53] Herr, lehre uns bedenken a 4 [04:24]
Unser Leben währet siebenzig Jahr a 4
[03:50] Selig sind die Toten a 4 [05:39] Sehet,
welch eine Liebe a 4 [03:05] Ob jemand sündiget
a 4 [02:10] Seid fröhlich in Hoffnung
a 8 [03:09] Unser Vater in dem Himmel a 4
[04:23]
Kammerchor Stuttgart/Frieder Bernius Recorded
in February 2004 at the Evangelische Kirche
in Reutlingen-Gönningen, Germany. DDD
CARUS 83.210 [58:53] [JV]
Very
expressive motets by a pupil of Bach in an
outstanding performance - strongly recommended
... see Full
Review
Joaquim
HOMS (1906 – 2003) Three
Sardanes (1951)a [9:15] Andante (1940)a [3:46]
Piano Sonata No.2 (1955) [11:12] Nine Sketches (1925/6) [6:51] Toccata
(1948) [6:36] Diptych II (1994) [6:36] Record del mar (1995) [1:04]
Vals de suburbi (1931) [0:56] Presčncies (1967) [21:34]
Jordi Masó (piano); Miquel Villalba (piano)a Recorded: Auditorium,
Jafre, Spain, July-August 2003
MARCO POLO 8.225294 [68:29][HC]
Masó
plays as beautifully as ever; and his dedicated advocacy and impeccable
technique pay high dividends ... see Full Review
Arthur HONEGGER (1892-1955)
Les Misérables - complete film score (1934) [59:00]
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra/Adriano rec. Concert Hall of the Slovak
Radio, Bratislava, 2-5 July 1989. DDD
NAXOS 8.557486 [59:00][PG]
It
is dramatic, lyrical, utterly tonal and familiar,
without straying to the pedantic or hackneyed.
... see Full
Review
Johann
Nepomuk HUMMEL (1778-1837)
String
Quartet in C major, Op. 30 No. 1 (1804) [25.19] String Quartet No. 2
in G major, Op. 30 No. 2 (1804) [25.24) String Quartet in E flat major,
Op. 30 No. 3 (1804) [26.54]
Delmé String Quartet Rec 9-11 September 1991
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55166 [78.01] [TB]
An
enthusiastic recommendation for some fine
performances of worthwhile music. ... see
Full Review
Johann
Nepomuk HUMMEL
(1778-1837) Piano Trios - Volume 1 Piano
Trio No.2 Op.22 Piano Trio No.5 Op.83 Piano Trio No.6 Op.93
Voces Intimae - Riccardo Cecchetti (fortepiano), Luigi De Filippi (violin),
Sandro Meo (cello) Recorded at Teldex Studio, Berlin, March 2004
THOROFON CTH 2510 [60.52] [JW]
These
original instrument traversals they have the
merits of tangy sonorities and a keen ear
for colour. ... see Full
Review
Johann Nepomuk
HUMMEL
(1778-1837) Complete
Piano Trios Disc
1:
Trio in E flat major, Op. 93 [19:27] Trio
in G major, Op. 65 [14:47] Trio in E major,
Op. 83 [26:28] Disc 2: Trio in E flat major,
Op. 12 [17:42] Trio in E flat major, Op. 22
[12:46] Trio in G major, Op. 35 [13:19] Trio
in E flat major, Op. 96 [16:29]
Trio Parnassus: Friedemann Rieger, piano;
Wolf-Dieter Streicher, violin; Michael GroB,
cello Recorded 1980s, location not provided
MDG 303 0307-2 [60:59 + 60:40] [DS]
A
splendid set covering some of Hummel's most
rewarding music in performances that cannot
be improved upon. ... see Full
Review
Joseph
JOACHIM (1831-1907)
Violin
Concerto No. 2 in D minor Op. 11 In the Hungarian Style (1860)
[47:15] Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Violin Concerto in D major Op. 77 (1879) [43:20]
Rachel Barton (violin) Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Carlos Kalmar rec.
2-3 July 2002, Orchestra Hall, Chicago. DDD
CEDILLE CDR 90000 068 [47:15 + 43:20] [RB]
An
utterly satisfying and imaginative coupling,
agreeably priced introducing a novelty that
is far from being a piece of fluff ... also
a weightily estimable performance of the Brahms.
... see Full
Review
Emmerich
KÁLMÁN
(1882-1953) Die
Csárdásfürstin (The Gypsy Princess)
- Operetta in Three Acts (1913-1915) Libretto by Leo Stein and Bela
Jenbach (German Libretto may be accessed via the Internet) [Plus bonus
tracks of orchestral selections from some of Kálmán’s
other operettas: Der Zigeunerprimás; Die Faschingsfee;
Das Hollandweibschen and Der Teufelsreiter] Sylva Varescu
... Yvonne Kenny () Edwin Ronald...Michael Roider () Countess Stasi
... Mojca Erdmann () Count Boni ... Marko Kathol () Feri von Kerekes/The
Notary ... Karl-Michael Ebner () General Rohnsdorff ... Hellmuth Klumpp
() The Prince ... Heinz Holecek () The Princess ... Yvonne Kálmán
() Slovak Radio
Symphony Orchestra and Slovak Philharmonic Chorus/Richard Bonynge rec.
Slovak Radio Concert Hall, Bratislava, 9–17 December 2002. 5.1 Surround
Sound SACD/CD Hybrid Disc Plays on all CD and SACD players
NAXOS 6.110075-76
[56:20 + 57:17] [IL]
A
sparkling production of Kálmán’s
tune-filled operetta. Hugely enjoyable ...
see Full Review
Giya
KANCHELI
(b. 1935) Symphony
No. 1 (1967) (1. Allegro con fuoco; 2. Largo)
[20:33] Symphony No. 4 (1975) [18:39] Symphony
No. 5 (1976) [19:49]
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra/James DePreist
rec. Finlandia Hall, Helsinki, June 1994
ONDINE ODE 8290 [59:21] [RB]
The
extremes in which Kancheli is such an adept
are here in full splendour.... see Full
Review
Leopold Antonín
KOŽELUCH (1747-1818)
Symphony
in A major [19:33] Piano Concerto in D major
[28:03] * Symphony in G minor [19:09]
Karl-Andreas Kolly, piano * Zurich Chamber
Orchestra/Paul Goodwin Recorded at Radio Studio,
Zurich, April 2000
NOVALIS 150 160-2 [67:16] [DS]
The
best I can give this Koželuch disc is a mild recommendation ... see
Full
Review
Jean
LANGLAIS (1907-1991)
Esquisse gothique No. 3 pour 2 orgues [8'41] Esquisse
gothique No. 2 pour 2 orgues [3'26] Esquisse romane No. 3 pour
2 orgues [6'47] Oh qui viens, Seigneur Jésus [6'32] La
Cinquieme trompette [12'49] Il était, Le est, et Il vient
[10'25] Double Fantaisie pour 2 organistes [9'22] 2čme Fantaisie
pour 2 organistes [6'14] 3čme Fantaisie pour 2 organistes
[5'32] Marie-Louise Langlais
and Sylvie Mallet, organ Rec: Hofkirche, Luzern 2003 DDD
FESTIVO 6961.962 [69'48][CB]
Langlais's
late music remain elusive for me, but there is much to admire here,
not least the excellent playing and the programme notes which are full
of fascinating insight. ... see Full
Review
Antonio
LOCATELLI (1695-1764) L’arte
del violino Op.13 Concertos Nos.1-12 Nos.
1-3 ARTS 47307-2
[64.26] Nos. 4-6 ARTS 47308-2
[65.03] Nos 7-9 ARTS 47309-2
[55.30] Nos. 10-12 ARTS 47310-2
[58.40] Rudolfo Bonucci
(violin) Orchestra da Camera di Santa Cecilia Recorded in Rome, 1990
ARTS
4772-2 [4 CDs in slipcase, individual details
as above][JW]
Bonucci
remains elegant and generally unruffled by the exorbitant demands placed
on him. ... see Full Review
Detailed listing (last two
days)]
[Part 1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part 3
C-L]
[Part 4 M-R]
[Part 5 S-Z]
[Part 6 Misc A-L]
[Part 7 Misc M-Z]