RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav
MAHLER
(1869-1911) Symphony
No. 6 in A Minor Tragic (1903-1905)
[84:31] Carl NIELSEN
(1865-1931) Symphony No. 5, Op.50
(1921-1922) [34:27]* Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Semiramide
Overture (1822) [12:23]+
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonia
Orchestra*, BBC Symphony Orchestra+/Jascha
Horenstein rec. Winter Gardens, Bournemouth
10 January 1969; BBC Studios, London 26 February
1971*; 6 November 1957+. Also included is
a short interview with Horenstein by Deryck
Cooke recorded in 1971. ADD. (Mahler and Rossini
are mono)
BBC LEGENDS BBCL 4191-2 2 [64:19 + 74:00]
[TD]
A
major release … You will be involved, you
will be moved, you will be unnerved, you will
not be disappointed. ... see Full
Review
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony
No. 8 in E flat major (1906-7) [75:43] (Hymnus:
Veni, creator spiritus [22:30]; *Final
Scene from Faust [53:13]) Ileana Cotrubas
(soprano 1, *Magna Peccatrix) Heather Harper
(soprano 2, *Una Poenitentium) Hanneke van
Bork (*Mater Gloriosa, soprano) Birgit Finnila
(contralto 1, *Mulier Samaritana) Marianne
Dieleman (contralto 2, *Maria Aegyptiaca)
William Cochran (tenor, *Doctor Marianus)
Hermann Prey (baritone, *Pater Estaticus)
Hans Sotin (bass, *Pater Profundus) Toonkunstkoor,
Amsterdam; De Stem des Volks, Amsterdam; Collegium
Musicum Amstelodamense; Children’s Choirs
of the Churches of St. Willibrord and St.
Pius X, Amsterdam Jo Juda (violin solo); Kees
de Wijs (organ) Concertgebouw
Orchestra/Bernard Haitink rec. Concertgebouw,
Amsterdam September 1971. ADD PENTATONE
PTC 5186 166 [75:43] [MG]
Haitink’s
always finely considered, spiritually focussed
interpretation has been given an impressive
new lease of life in four channels … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony
No. 8 (1909) Martina
Arroyo (soprano), Erna Spoorenberg (soprano), Edith Mathis (mezzo),
Julia Hamari (contralto), Norma Procter (contralto), Donald Grobe
(tenor), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone), Franz Crass (bass),
Eberhard Kraus (organist) Choir of the Bavarian Radio Symphony,
Choir of the North German Radio Symphony, Choir of the West German
Radio Symphony, Regensberger Domspätzen, Women’s choir of the
Munich Motettenchor, Orchester des Bayerisches Rundfunks/Rafael
Kubelik rec. 24 June 1970, Munich, Kongreßal des Deutschen Museum AUDITE
92.551 SACD [73:37]
[AOz]
You
could do a lot worse than to learn Mahler from this undoubted master.
... see Full Review
Benedetto
MARCELLO (1687-1762)
Sonate per Flauto e Basso, Op. 2 (Sonate
1 - 6)
Il Rossignolo: Martino Noferi (recorder),
Raffaele Sorrentino (cello), Gian Luca Lastraioli
(archlute, guitar), Ottaviano Tenerani (harpsichord)
rec. October 2003, San Salvatore a Leccio
Castello, Florence, Italy. DDD
TACTUS TC 683802 [76:28] [JV]
An
enthralling interpretation of recorder sonatas
and keyboard pieces by Benedetto Marcello
... see Full
Review
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ
(1890-1959) Piano
Music Volume 1
Fantasie et Toccata (1940) [16:26] Trois Danses
Tcheques (1926) [8:15] Dumka (1941) [2:03]
Sonata No.1 (1954) [20:53] Fenêtre sur
le jardin (1938) [7:24] Trois Esquisses (1927)
[4:58]
Paul Kaspar (piano) rec. Bavarian Radio, Munich,
2002
TUDOR 7054 60:25]
Piano Music Volume 2
Etudes and Polkas (1945): Book I [10:30];
Book II [9:09]; Book III [9:44] Butterflies
and Birds of Paradise (1920) [15:21] Borová
(VII Czech Dances) (1930) [12:14]
Paul Kaspar (piano) rec. Bavarian Radio, Munich,
2002
TUDOR 7125 [57:13] [JW]
Assured
and musical, occasionally uneven… Kaspar has
a lot to say in this repertoire and says it
with force and conviction ... see Full
Review
Felix
MENDELSSOHN
(1809-1847) Violin
Concerto in E minor: Op. 64 (1844) [24:27]
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Violin Concerto in D major:
Op. 35 (1878) [32:54]
Zino Francescatti (violin) Cleveland Orchestra/George
Szell (Mendelssohn) New York Philharmonic
Orchestra/Thomas Schippers (Tchaikovsky) rec.
1 December 1961 (Mendelssohn), Severance Hall,
Cleveland, Ohio, 2 February 1965 (Tchaikovsky),
Manhattan Center, New York
SONY CLASSICAL 82876 78760 2 [57:21] [TB]
Francescatti
was particularly associated with the great
concerto repertory, and this coupling of Mendelssohn
and Tchaikovsky finds him at the height of
his considerable powers. ... see Full
Review
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Piano
Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 (1839) [28:20]
Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66 (1845)
[30:12]
Julia Fischer (violin); Jonathan Gilad (piano);
Daniel Müller-Schott (cello)rec. 14-16
February 2006, Deutschlandfunk Sendesaal,
Cologne, Germany DDD, Direct Stream Digital,
Super Audio CD, Hybrid Multichannel. PENTATONE
CLASSICS SACD PTC 5186 085 [59:04] [MC]
Excellent
sonics with superb performances. What more
could one ask. This is certainly a disc to
dash out and purchase. ... see Full
Review
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-47)
Piano
Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 (1839) [27:27]
Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66 (1845)
[29:18]
Altenberg Trio, Vienna: (Claus-Christian Schuster
(piano); Amiram Ganz (violin); Martin Hornstein
(cello)) rec. Muziekcentrum, Den Bosch, The
Netherlands, June 2002. DDD
CHALLENGE CLASSICS SACD SACC72097
[56:48] [MC]
These
are sturdy and strongly characterised performances
that will aptly satisfy admirers of the Mendelssohn
Piano Trios ... see Full
Review
Felix MENDELSSOHN
(1809-1847)
A
Midsummer Night's Dream complete incidental
music to the comedy by William Shakespeare
for soloists, chorus and orchestra, Op. 61
(1843) Edition with German narratives for
male and female speakers by Renato Grüning
and Thomas Leutzbach. Various speakers Anke
Hoffmann (soprano) Mechthild Georg (mezzo-sop)
WDR Radio Orchestra and Choir, Cologne/Helmuth
Froschauer rec. 17-22 December 2001, 4-13
March 2002 at Studio 7, Funkhaus des WDR,
Cologne, Germany (text). 10-12 December 2001
at Klaus-von-Bismarck-Saal, Funkhaus Wallrafplatz,
Cologne, Germany (music). DDD
CAPRICCIO CAP 60 125 [72:33 + 59:20] [MC]
This
well performed version has to compete with
several fine recordings of complete music
... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Sinfonia
Concertante for winds in E flat, K.297b [28:21] Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Concerto for violin, oboe and
strings in C minor, after BWV 1060 [15:45] Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) Concerto in C ‘San Lorenzo’ [12:14]
Douglas Boyd (oboe); Richard Hosford (clarinet); Robine O’Neill (bassoon);
Jonathan Williams (horn) (Mozart); Marieke Blankestijn (violin); Douglas
Boyd (oboe) (Bach); Marieke Blankestijn, Iris Juda (violins); William
Conway (cello) (Vivaldi) Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Alexander Schneider
rec. no date or venue information given
CD COE 803 [56:56][GPJ]
On
balance, the many virtues of this CD overwhelm its niggling imperfections.
Some would say the disc was worth having for the Adagio of the Sinfonia
Concertante alone – and I’m inclined to concur. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Concerto
for oboe and orchestra in C, K314 (1777) [19:27] Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Concerto for oboe and orchestra in D,
AV144 (1945, rev.1948) [24:26]
Douglas Boyd (oboe) Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Paavo Berglund rec.
Henry Wood Hall, London, November 1986
COE RECORDS CDCOE 808 [44:13][GPJ]
44
minutes may seem stingy, but this disc is packed with wonderful music-making,
and, for my money, that’s ample compensation! ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Three
Serenades CD 1 Serenade No. 10 for 13 instruments in B flat
major, K361 'Gran Partita' (1781-84) [51:52] Concert Rondo for French
horn and orchestra in E flat, K371 (1781) [04:44] CD 2 Serenade No.
11 for winds in E flat major, K375 (1781) [23:20] Serenade No. 12 for
winds in C minor, K388 (c. 1782/83) [23:71] Sinfonia Concertante in
E flat for oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon and orchestra, K297b (1778)*
[28:24] Douglas
Boyd (oboe)* Richard Hosford (clarinet)* Robin O’Neill (bassoon)* Jonathan
Williams (French horn)* Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Alexander Schneider
rec. no details provided.
COE RECORDS CD COS 242 [56:50 + 75:29][MC]
Unless
one requires exactly the same programme as provided here by the COE
the excellence of the strongest rival versions makes this set difficult
to recommend. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Serenade No.10 in
B flat major for 13 wind instruments, K.361 Gran Partita [52:09]
(1. Largo – Allegro molto [9:56]; 2. Menuetto [9:21]; 3. Adagio [5:15];
4. Menuetto: Allegretto [5:08]; 5. Romanze: Adagio [9:11]; 6. Tema con
variazione [9:39]; 7. Rondo [3:23])
Wind soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe (Douglas Boyd, Mark
Pledger (oboes); Richard Hosford, Nicholas Rodwell (clarinets); Nicholas
Bucknall, Martin Robertson (basset horns); Robin O’Neill, Christopher
Gunia (bassoons); Jonathan Williams, Christopher Boers, Stephen Stirling,
Peter Richard (horns); Enno Senft (double-bass))/Alexander Schneider
rec. 1985? COE RECORDS
CD COE 804 [52:09] [GPJ]
A
good performance with many fine virtues but not a great one. There
is strong competition ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Serenades:
No. 11 in E flat, K375 (1781) [22:23]; No. 12 in C minor, K388/K384a
(1782/3) [23:10]
Wind Soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Alexander Schneider.
rec. no date or location given DDD
COE RECORDS CD COE 802 [46:51][CC]
This
is a budget/mid-price release but even so I would have expected more
playing time than only just over ¾-of-an-hour. If the finale of K375
leaves a half-smile on the face, it is not really enough to justify
the outlay. ... see Full Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Works for Two Pianos: Vol. 2
Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, K448 (375a) (1781) [21:51] Allegro
and Andante (Sonata) in G major, K357 (497a; 500a) (1787/8+1791) [13:49]
Sonata in C major, K19d (1765?) [13:48] Larghetto and Allegro for Two
Pianos in E Flat major, K Deest (1781/83?) [8:07] Adagio, K: 546 and
Fugue in C Minor, K426 (adaptation for two pianos) (1782/1783?) [7:22]
Yara Tal and Andreas
Groethuysen (piano) rec: 10-12 July 2005, Konzerthaus Karlsruhe
SONY CLASSICAL 82876783632 [65:29] [DD]
Fine
playing and comprehensive notes but not for
everyone or every day. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Un
moto di gioia - Opera and Concert Arias Schon lacht
der holde Frühling, KV580 (1789) [7:47] Ch’io mi scordi
di te? KV 505 (1786)[10:01]¹ Nehmt meinen Dank, KV383
(1782) [3:44] Lungi sa te, mio bene Aria from Mitridate,
Rè di Ponto, KV87 (1770) [9:21]² Un moto di gioia, Arietta
KV579 (1789) from Le nozze di Figaro [1:33] Come scoglio Recitative
and aria from Così fan tutte, KV588 (1790) [5:28] Ruhe
sanft mein holdes Leben from Zaide, KV344 (1779) [5:44] Exultate,
jubilate, KV165 (1770) [13:30]³ Miah
Persson (soprano), Yevgeny Sudbin (piano obbligato)¹, Bengt Olerås
(solo horn)², Ulf Samuelsson (organ)³, Swedish Chamber Orchestra/Sebastian
Weigle rec. September 2005, Örebro Concert Hall, Sweden BIS
SACD-1529 [63:36]
[DC]
The
singing of one of the best young lyric sopranos of the day … a
valuable addition to any vocal collection. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Zaide,
KV 336b/344 (1779-80)
Diana Damrau (soprano) – Zaide; Michael Schade (tenor) – Gomatz; Rudolf
Schasching (tenor) – Soliman; Florian Boesch (baritone) – Allazim; Anton
Scharinger (bass) – Osmin; Tobias Moretti (narrator) Concentus
Musicus Wien/Nicolaus Harnoncourt rec. live 9–13 March 2006, Grosser
Saal Musikverein, Vienna, Austria
DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 82876 84996 2 [55:07 + 51:56][GF]
Splendid
playing on period instruments, lively, un-eccentric readings and five
highly accomplished singers. The music itself is certainly worth a place
on anyone’s shelves. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) La Clemenza di Tito
- opera in two acts K. 621 (1791)
Tito, Emperor of Rome, Charles Castronovo (ten); Sesto, a Roman patrician,
friend of Tito, in love with Vitellia, Vesselina Kasarova (mezzo); Vitellia,
daughter of the emperor Vitellius, Véronique Gens (sop); Servillia,
sister of Sesto, in love with Annio, Alexia Voulgaridou (sop); Annio,
a Roman patrician, friend of Sesto, in love with Servillia, Michelle
Breedt (mezzo); Publio, Paolo Battaglia (bass) Chor des Bayerischen
Rundfunks Münchner Rundfunkorkester/Pinchas Steinberg rec. live 26 February
2006, Philharmonie im Gasteig, Munich. DDD
BMG RCA 82876 839902 [53.15 + 60.29] [ED]
Steinberg’s
pacing is a touch prosaic and the recitatives
can fall into routine just a bit too often
for my liking - does not displace Mackerras
or Kertész ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Così
fan tutte (1790) Ann Christine Biel
(soprano) – Fiordiligi; Maria Höglind
(mezzo) – Dorabella; Lars Tibell (tenor) –
Ferrando; Magnus Lindén (baritone)
– Guglielmo; Ulla Severin (soprano) – Despina;
Enzo Florimo (bass-baritone) – Don Alfonso
Orchestra and Chorus of the Drottningholm
Court Theatre/Arnold Östman Directed
for the Stage by Willy Decker; Design by Tobias
Hoheisel; Directed and Produced for TV by
Thomas Olofsson rec. Drottningholm Court Theatre,
Stockholm, 1984 Sound Format PCM Stereo; Picture
Format 4:3; Region Code 0
ARTHAUS 102 005 [139:00] [GPu]
A
less than perfect, but still enjoyable, production, in which ensemble
playing largely makes up for singing which isn’t of the very highest
international standard … see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano
Concerto No. 21 in C major, K467 (1785) [27:41] Piano Concerto
No. 25 in C major, K503 (1786) [31:23] Stephen
Kovacevich (piano) London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Colin Davis
rec. London, June 1972. ADD PHILIPS
ROSETTE COLLECTION
4765316 [60:04] [DRD]
There
have been many superlatives in this review but they’re all deserved.
Enough - I’m going to listen to the music again! ... see Full
Review
Jacques
OFFENBACH
(1819-1880) Piano
Works Vol. 1: Decameron dramatique - Album du Theatre Francais;
Les Roses du Bengale - Six valses sentimentales; Dernier Souvenir, Valse
de Zimmer; Bella Notte, Barcarola
Marco Sollini (piano) rec. 2-3 August 2003, Teatro Sperimentale
of Ancona DDD CPO 777
079-2 [70:03] [AB]
An
interesting collection of little known tuneful
dances that illustrate Offenbach at work when
not writing operas. ... see Full
Review
Giovanni
Pierluigi da PALESTRINA (1525–1594)
Canticum Canticorum (1584)
Pietro Prosser (lute/archlute); Vittorio Zanon (positive organ); Capella
Ducale Venetia/Livio Picotti rec. Abbey Sant’Antimo, Mantalcino, Sienna,
March 2003 cpo 777 142-2
[68.59] [RH]
The
definitive recording of has yet to be made. Whilst this one has
attractive qualities, it is not really a recording that I would
want to live with. ... see Full
Review
Sir
Hubert PARRY (1848-1918)
Overture
to an Unwritten Tragedya (1893)
[10:25]; An English Suite in Ga
(c1921) [20:57]; The Birds (1883) –
Bridal Marchb [5:21]; Lady
Radnor’s Suite in Fa (1894)
[13:25]; Symphonic Variationsa
(1897) [12:53];
aLondon Symphony Orchestra, bLondon
Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult. No
rec. info. ADD All works except for the Bridal
March recorded in association with The
RVW Trust.
LYRITA RECORDED EDITION SRCD220 [64:09]
[DD]
Parry’s
orchestral music may not be startlingly original
or challenging but it is very melodic. This
disc makes for a good listen. ... see Full
Review
Wilhelm
PETERSON-BERGER (1867-1942)
The Complete Symphonies and Orchestral Works:
Suite
I Somras for orchestra (1903), Romance
for violin and orchestra (1915) Orientalisk
Dans (1890) Prelude Sveagaldrar (1897)
,Earina suite for orchestra (1917)
Chorale and Fugue from Domedagsprofeterna
(The Doomsday Prophets) (1912-17) Törnrossagan,
Orchestral Suite (The Story of the Sleeping
Beauty) (1903; 1934) Frösöblomster,
Suite No. 1 (The Flowers of Frösö)
(1896; 1934) Violin Concerto in F sharp minor
(1928) [34:12]
Ulf Wallin (violin) Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester
Saarbrücken/Michail Jurowski (CD 1) Norrköping
Symphony Orchestra/Michail Jurowski (CDs 2-5)
rec. 1997-2003
CPO 777 160-2 [5 CDs: 69:44 + 69:43 +
70:55 + 65:55 + 62:48] [RB]
CPO's
resoundingly successful complete Peterson-Berger
project ... see Full
Review
William
PRIMROSE (1904-1982) - Viola Transcriptions
Alexander
BORODIN (1833-1887) Nocturne Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Litany for All Soul’s Day Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Notturno Op.42 (arr. from
Serenade, Op.8) Richard WAGNER (1813-1883)
Träume (Wesendonck Lieder, No.5) Julian
AGUIRRE (1868-1924)/Jascha Heifetz (1900-1987)
Huella Edgar Daniele del VALLE
(1861-1920)/Jascha Heifetz (1900-1987)
Ao Pé da Fogueira Nicolò
PAGANINI (1782-1840) La Campanella (from Violin concerto
No.2) Heitor VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959)
Bachianas Brasileiras No.5 Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Adagietto from L’Arlésienne
Suite No.1 Efrem ZIMBALIST (1889-1985)
Sarasateana Pyotr TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
None but the lonely heart Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Wie Melodien zieht es mir, Op.105
No.1 Roberto Díaz
(viola) Robert Koenig (piano) rec. Glenn Gould Studio, CBC Toronto,
Canada, 8-10 November 2004
NAXOS 8.557391 [65.30] [JW]
An
adroit, rather gentlemanly tribute from one
violist to another but interested parties
should certainly seek out Primrose’s own recordings
... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Romeo and Juliet (1935-36): excerpts
from Suites No.1 (Op. 64a), No. 2 (Op. 64b)
and No. 3 (Op.101): (Montagues and Capulets
(Op.64b, No. 1) [5:31]; Juliet the Young Girl
(Op. 64b, No. 2) [3:52]; Folk Dance (Op. 64a,
No 1) [4:16]; Scene (Op. 64a, No. 2) [1:31];
Madrigal (Op. 64a, No. 3) [3:35]; Minuet (Op.
64a, No. 4) [3:04]; Masks (Op. 64a, No. 5)
[1:55]; Romeo and Juliet (Op. 64a, No. 6)
[7:41]; Tybalt’s Death (Op. 64a, No. 7) [4:35];
Friar Laurence (Op. 64b, No. 3) [2:40]; Dance
(Op. 64b, No. 4) [1:57]; Romeo and Juliet
before Parting (Op. 64b, No. 5) [9:14]; Dance
of the Girls from The Antilles (The Girls
with Lilies) (Op. 64b, No. 6) [2:12]; Romeo
at Juliet’s Tomb (Op. 64b, No. 7) [7:01];
Death of Juliet (Op. 101, No.6) [4:18])
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Myung-Whun Chung
rec. Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, January, February
1993. DDD
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON ENTRÉE 00289 477
5011 [63:22] [JQ]
Superlative
playing, sympathetic conducting, fine engineering,
marvellous music and a bargain price; what
more can one ask? ... see Full
Review
Giacomo
PUCCINI
(1858-1924) La
Bohème - Opera in Four Acts
- (1894-95) Rodolpho – Rolando Villazon (tenor)Mimi
– Alexia Voulgaridou (soprano)
Vienna Symphony Orchestra/Ulf Schirmer rec.
Bregenz Festival, 2002.
CAPRICCIO 93 515 [100:00]
This
is a highly enjoyable DVD of a quirky stage
production that I will revisit for the contributions
of the major cast members above all else.
... see Full
Review
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Piano Concerto
No. 2 in C minor Op.18 (1901) [34:18] Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Op. 43 (1935) [24:09]
Elena Caldine (piano) Russian Philharmonic Orchestra/ Dmitry Yablonsky
rec. Moscow Radio Studio 5, January 2006. DDD
BEL AIR BAM2040 [58:19][OEW]
A
sometimes illuminating coupling that is unfortunately lacking in temperament
and rock-solid technical command. ... see Full
Review
Sergey
RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943) Opera Highlights: Aleko
(1892-3) [39:51]
Zemfira - Mariana Zvetkova (soprano) Old Woman - Andreana Nikolova
(mezzo) Young Gypsy - Boiko Zvetanov (tenor) Aleko - Alexander Tekeliev
(bass-baritone) Old Gypsy - Peter Naydenov (bass) The Miserly
Knight (1905) [13:51] Albert - Boiko Zvetanov (tenor) Duke -
Niko Isakov (baritone) Baron - Plamen Beykov (bass) Francesca
da Rimini (1905) [22:14] Francesca - Mariana Zvetkova (soprano)
Paolo - Boiko Zvetanov (tenor) Lanceotto - Peter
Naydenov (bass) Sofia National Opera Chorus and Orchestra/Nayden Todorov
rec. National Palace of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria, 16–27 May 2005. DDD
NAXOS 8.557817 [75:56]
[IL]
Another
Naxos opera triumph. An intelligent and valuable
concept. All performed with passion and commitment.
... see Full
Review
HISTORICAL
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Jean-Philippe
RAMEAU
(1683-1764) Six
Concerts en Sextuor (1741) [59:10] Les Indes
Galantes, Ballet Héroïques (1735)
[48:41]
Irène Joachim (soprano) Camille Maurane
(baritone) Raymond Malvasio (tenor) La Chorale
Yvonne Gouverné L’Ensemble Orchestral
Hewitt/Maurice Hewitt Rec. in Paris in 1952
(Six Concerts) and 1942 (Les Indes Galantes)
CASCAVELLE VEL 3092 [59:10 + 48:41] [JW]
Vigorous
and enthusiastic, long on sympathy and romantic
trajectory … Hewitt was a talented and dedicated
musician and this release does his memory
honourable service ... see Full
Review
The
Welte-Mignon Mystery -Volume 5 Max
REGER (1873-1916) Variations
and Fugue on a theme by Telemann Op.134 (1914)
[22:38] ¹ Silhouettes No.2 [3:01] No.3
[3:19] Aus meinem Tagebuch Op.72 (1912)
Book 1 No.3 [4:15] No.5 [3:59] No.6 [3:35]
No.10 [3:14] No.11 [4:40] Five Humoresques
Op.20 (1898) No.5 [2:30] Six Intermezzi
Op.45 (1900) No.3 [3:36] No.5 [3:21]
Max Reger (piano) Frieda Kwast-Hodapp (piano)
¹ Piano rolls recorded 1905 (Reger) and 1920
(Frieda Kwast-Hodapp)
TACET 152 [59:21] [JW]
The
reproduction and the excellent piano are welcome
aspects of a series that has done its utmost
to present these rolls in their best musical
light. ... see Full
Review
Carl
REINECKE (1824-1910) Harp
Concerto in E minor, Op. 182 (1884) [24:09] Flute Concerto
in D major, Op. 283 (1908) [21:19] Ballade, Op. 288
(c.1908)
[9:58] Patrick Gallois (flute,
also conducting in Harp Concerto); Fabrice Pierre (harp, also conducting in Flute
Concerto, Ballade)
Swedish Symphony Orchestra
rec. 25-28 October 2004, Örebro Concert Hall, Sweden. DDD NAXOS
8.557404 [55:27]
[RW]
This
is an interesting rarity that deserves some attention. ... see Full
Review
Ottorino RESPIGHI
(1879-1936)
Il Tramonto (The Sunset) (1918) [15:52] String Quartet
in D minor (1909) [30:21] Quartetto Dorico (1924) [20:47]
Stella Doufexis (mezzo); New Hellenic Quartet: Georgios Demertzis (violin);
Dinitrios Vhandrakis (violin); Chara Sira (viola); Apostolos Chandrakis
(cello) rec. Länna Church, Sweden, December 2003. DDD
BIS CD-1454 [68:04] [GPu]
Three
small-scale works by Respighi in beautiful, committed performances …
see Full Review
Joseph-Guy ROPARTZ (1864-1955)
String Quartet No. 3 (1925) [27:03] String Quartet No. 2 (1911-12)
[31:14] Quatuor
Stanislas rec. Opera House, Nancy, 6-9 July 2004.
TIMPANI 1C1099 [58:17][JW]
Songful
lyricism, ethereal … and genuinely mysterious … with an insouciant Monsieur
Hulot swing of the rhythm ... see Full
Review
Gioachino
ROSSINI
(1792-1868) La
Gazzetta (1816) Cinzia Forte (soprano) -
Lisetta; Bruno Praticò(bass baritone) - Don Pomponio; Pietro
Spagnoli (baritone) - Filippo; Charles Workman (tenor) - Alberto; Agata
Bienkowska (mezzo) - Madame La Rosa; Marisa Martins (mezzo) - Doralice;
Simón Orfila (baritone) - Monsù Traversen; Marc Canturri
(baritone) – Anselmo Intermezzo
Choir Orchestra Academy of the Gran Teatre del Liceu/Maurizio Barbacini
Lighting designer: Franco Marri Set designer, Costume designer, Director:
Dario Fo rec. live, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, 1 and 3 July 2005
LPCM Stereo. DTS 16:9 anamorphic. Region Code 0 (Worldwide). DVD9/DVD
5 dual layer. OPUS ARTE
OA 0953 D [163:00] [GPu]
A
joyous version of one of Rossini’s lesser
known operas, well sung and acted, beautiful
to look at and characterised by a riot of
comic invention … see Full
Review
Poul
RUDERS
(b.1949) Kafka’s
Trial Opera in one act
with a prelude (2005)
Libretto by Paul Bentley after Kafka’s novel
Kafka/Josef K. – Johnny van Hal (tenor) Miss
Bürstner/Felice Bauer – Gisela Stille
(soprano) Miss Montag/Greta Bloch – Marianne
Rørholm (alto) The Inspector/Court
Recorder – Gert Henning-Jensen (tenor) Deputy
Manager/Businessman Block – Michael Kristensen
(tenor) Interrogator/Uncle Albert – Johan
Reuter (baritone) Jailer Franz – Hans Lawaetz
(bass) Jailer William – Anders Jacobsson (bass)
Bank Manager/Lawyer Huld – Bo Anker Hansen
(baritone) Washerwoman/Hunchback – Hanne Fischer
(mezzo) Flogger/Chaplain – Ole Hedegaard (tenor)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Danish Opera/Thomas
Søndergård rec. ‘live’, Copenhagen
Opera House, 31 March, 4, 9 April 2005
DACAPO 8.226042-43 [64:21 + 60:56] [TH]
The
musical side of things leaves the strongest
impression with this opera ... see Full
Review
Detailed listing (last five 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]
[Recommended
recordings]