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[Click here for the most recent reviews (last five days)]
Click for alphabetical listings by composer:
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RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Sonatas - Volume 4 Sonatas 28-32 Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Piano Sonata D960 David Allen Wehr (piano) rec. 2002/4 CONNOISSEUR SOCIETY CD4264(2) [79.22 + 78.12] [PSh]

Towering, magnificent, definitive Beethoven; very fine Schubert ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Daniel BÖRTZ (b. 1943) Hans namn var Orestes (His name was Orestes); En gycklares berättelser (A Joker’s Tales) Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra/Alan Gilbert rec. 2002-4 BIS-CD-1653/54 [47:49 + 61:54][GF]

I can’t remember when a contemporary composition made such a deep impression – and the performance is absolutely superb. ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Havergal BRIAN (1876-1972) Symphony No. 6 Sinfonia Tragica (1948) [19:43] Symphony No. 16 (1960) [17:41] Arnold COOKE (1906-2005) Symphony No. 3 in D (1967) [22:59] London PO/Myer Fredman (Brian); Nicholas Braithwaite (Cooke) rec. Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London, 10 April 1973 (Brian); 7 January 1974 (Cooke). ADD originally issued on LP as SRCS67 (Brian); SRCS78 (Cooke) LYRITA RECORDED EDITION SRCD.295 [60:26] [RB]

The cool Cooke contrasts with the epic-heroic business of the Brian symphonies. ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Georgy L'vovich CATOIRE (1861-1926) Violin Sonata No. 1 in B minor op. 15 (1900) [28:43] Violin Sonata No. 2 in D major Poème op. 20 (1906) [20:50] Elegy for violin and piano (1916) [4:13] Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Pièce en forme de habañera (1907) [3:10] Tzigane - rapsodie de concert (1924) [10:31] Herwig Zack (violin) Bernd Zack (piano) rec. 2007, Munich. co-production with Bayerischer Rundfunk AVIE AV2143 [67:49] [RB]

Another Milstein in the making ... music that is dramatic, fantastic, poetic ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797-1848) Don Pasquale Claudio Desderi, Francisco Gatell, Laura Giordano, Ch & O Teatro Municipale Piacenza/Riccardo Muti rec. live 2006 ARTHAUS MUSIK 101303 [RJF]

Muti’s sympathetic and idiomatic baton combines with superb stage direction and period sets and costumes, to do full justice to Donizetti’s creation ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH César FRANCK (1822-1890) Complete Organ Works - Volume I Hans-Eberhard Ross rec. 2004/5 AUDITE 91.518 [2 CDs] [DM]

One hesitates to use the word ‘great’ but in this case nothing else will do ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Elizabeth MACONCHY (1907–1994) Music for Voices BBC Singers/Odaline de la Martinez rec. 2007 LORELT LNT127 [79:57][HC]

Dedication and immaculate singing of these fine, demanding and rewarding works ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER (1860–1911) Symphony No.6 Melbourne Symphony Orchestra/Mark Wigglesworth rec. 2006 ABC CLASSICS 4766220 [2 CDs: 82:14][BBr]

A great conductor. Power, insight and intelligence show in this performance ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Die Zauberflöte Piotr Beczala, Dorothea Röschmann, Detlef Roth, Gaël Le Roi, L’Opéra National de Paris Ch & O/Iván Fischer rec. live 2001 TDK DVWW-OPMFP [158:00] [TH]

This enchanting production is as good as any I’ve come across in recent times ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Richard WAGNER (1813–1883) Tristan und Isolde The Glyndebourne Chorus and London Philharmonic Orchestra/Jiří Bĕlohlávek rec. 2007 OPUS ARTE OA0988D (3 DVDs) [86:29 + 71:24 + 80:38][GF]

This is no doubt the most beautiful Tristan und Isolde I have seen ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Concerti Brillanti Cello Concertos by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-88) Friedrich Hartmann Graf (1727-95) Johann Adolf Hasse (1699-1783) & Johann Michael Haydn (1737-1806) Jan Vogler, Münchener Kammerorchester/Reinhard Goebel BMG SONY CLASSICAL 88697 119972 [77:19] [BW]

A well-established concerto and three discoveries, one a minor masterpiece, in excellent performances ... see Full Review

 


BARGAINS OF THE MONTH

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The Well-Tempered Clavier Books I & II Angela Hewitt (piano) rec. 1997-99 HYPERION CDS44291/4 [4 CDs] [PB]

Highly sympathetic and rewarding performances of these magnificent creations ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Lennox BERKELEY (1903–1989) String Quartets Nos. 1-3 Maggini Quartet rec. 2006 NAXOS 8.570415 [63:02][HC]

Superb readings of these beautiful and hugely rewarding works ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Sir Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Froissart; Cello Concerto; Enigma Variations The Wand of Youth – Suites Nos. 1 & 2; The Starlight Express: Songs; Dream Children Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Welsh National Opera Orchestra/Sir Charles Mackerras rec. 1990-2 DECCA ELOQUENCE 4428280 [76:38 + 74:26][CH]

Some very fine Elgar interpretation, especially if you like to home in on the nostalgic side ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757) Keyboard Sonatas Mikhail Pletnev (piano) rec. 1994 VIRGIN CLASSICS 5181862 [71:81 + 68:45] [JFL]

The kind of performance that makes me sing its praises to anyone who will listen ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Symphony 7, Tapiola, The Oceanides, Pelleas and Melisande Suite Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Thomas Beecham rec. 1955, EMI CLASSICS GREAT RECORDINGS OF THE CENTURY 5096922 [EM]

A Great Recording of the Century, beyond a doubt ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Later Ballets: Jeu de cartes;Danses concertantes; Scènes de Ballet; Variations; Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra Philharmonia Orchestra/Robert Craft rec. 1991-9 NAXOS 8.557506 [79:07][LW]

Excellent versions relishing both the lyricism and rhythmic verve ... see Full Review



[Click here for the most recent reviews (last five days)]
Click for alphabetical listings by composer:
[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]


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