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Alphabetical Listing

PART 2
A-B

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]
[last 5 days] [Recommended recordings]

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Eyvind ALNĆS (1872-1932) Symphonies 1 & 2 Latvian Ntl SO/Terje Mikkelsen rec. 2008 STERLING CDS1084-2 [78:14] [RB]

Two full dress romantic-nationalist symphonies ... see Full Review

William ALWYN (1905-1985) Overture in the Form of a Serenade Micaela Haslam (soprano) and the London Chorus Prelude; Blackdown – A Tone Poem from the Surrey Hills; Peter Pan Suite (Peter Pan; Tinker Bell; The Lost Boys in Never-Never Land; Captain Hook); Ad Infinitum – A Satire for Orchestra see VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Volkmar ANDREAE (1879-1962) Flute quartet, String Quartets 1 & 2 Lochrian Ensemble of London; Anna Noakes (flute) rec. 2008/9 GUILD GMCD7328 [75.33] [GH]

Worth exploring and I hope for more to come … see Full Review 

Luke ANTHONY (b. 1973) Saxophone Concerto, Far Away, Miss Julie, A Waltz, Get Carter Tony Woods (alto and soprano saxophones) Sound Collective/Tom Hammond rec. 2007 HANDMEDOWNMUSIC HMDCD101 [56:00] [RB]

I am glad to have encountered Anthony’s music and want to hear more ... see Full Review 

Daniel-François-Esprit AUBER (1782-1871): Fra Diavolo see SAINT-SAENS

Grazyna BACEWICZ (1909-1969) Concerto for String Orchestra (1948) [14:54] Sinfonietta (1935) [11:01] Symphony (1946) [21:39] Music for Strings, Trumpets and Percussion (1958) [19:13] New London Orchestra/Ronald Corp rec. St. Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, 11-12 February 2009. DDD HYPERION CDA67783 [67:17] [CT]

Bacewicz’s centenary year is further celebrated with persuasive accounts of four major works for strings ... see Full Review

Flute Sonatas by the Bach Sons Barthold Kuijken (flute); Ewald Demeyere (harpsichord) rec. 2008 ACCENT ACC24216 [75:56] [CR]

Enjoyable … excellent playing … see Full Review 

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685 - 1750) Weihnachtsoratorium (BWV 248) Veronika Winter (soprano); Weibke Lehmkuhl (contralto); Jan Kobow (tenor); Markus Flaig (bass) Rheinische Kantorei, Das Kleine Konzert/Hermann Max rec. 1-3, 14-16 January 2009, Convent Knechtsteden, Germany. DDD CPO 777 459-2 [73:29 + 63:31] [JV]

The playing and singing is first-rate, but the interpretation is too restrained ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Brandenburg Concertos 1-6 Kati Debretzeni (violin, director) English Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. live 2009 SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG707 [41:32 + 50:32] [JQ]

Marvel afresh at the musical skill, imagination and invention ... see Full Review 

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Concerto for three keyboards see Pianistes Français

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Organs, Toccatas and Fantasias - A musical journey through Bach’s Baroque Europe Marie-Claire Alain (organs) Bruno Monsaingeon (director) rec. 1990 WARNER MUSIC VISION 5186552092 [55:00] [KM]

Fans of organ music will greatly appreciate this tour of great organs ... see Full Review 

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)/Leopold STOKOWSKI (1882 - 1977) Transcriptions - Volume 2 (1929 - 1950) Various orchestras/Leopold Stokowski rec. 1929-50 NAXOS 8.112019 [77:26] [BBr]

They don’t make them like Stokowski any more! … see Full Review 

Carles BAGUER (1768-1808) Symphonies 2, 15 & 16, Concerto for two bassoons attrib to Franz Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphony Josep Borras; Charles Cristobal (bassoons) Acadèmia 1750/Farran James rec. 2008 COLUMNA MÚSICA 1CM0210 [58:39] [JS]

This disc has given me great pleasure … see Full Review 

Leonardo BALADA (b. 1933) La Muerte de Colón Jon Garrison (tenor), Judith Jenkins (soprano) Carnegie Mellon Phil & Repertory Ch/Robert Page rec. 2005 NAXOS 8.660193-4 [50:10 + 44:15] [GF]

Fresh, rhythmically incisive and suggestive ... see Full Review 

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Béla BARTÓK (1881-1945) Boulez conducts Bartók Chicago SO, Berlin PO/Pierre Boulez rec. 1991-2008 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8125 [8 CDs: 9:05:10]  [GH]

A good addition to your Bartók collection … some performances will be difficult to improve on ... see Full Review

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concerto 3 see Pianistes Français

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) String Quartets Live:
DVD 1: F, Op. 18 No. 1 (1798-1800); F, Op. 14 No. 1 (arr. of piano sonata Op. 14 No. 1, 1798-99); F, Op. 59 No. 1, “Razumovsky” (1806); G, Op. 18 No. 2 (1798-1800); E flat, Op. 74, “Harp” (1809); C sharp minor, Op. 131 (1826). DVD 2: B flat, Op. 18 No. 6 (1798-1800); Op. 130 in B flat, Op. 130 (1825-26, includes Grosse Fuge, Op. 133) Wihan String Quartet (Leoš Cepický, Jan Schulmeister (violins); Jirí Žigmund (viola); Aleš Kasprík (cello)). rec. live, Convent of St Agnes, Prague, October 2007 – March 2008. Includes bonus short documentary about the Wihan Quartet [30:00]. NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6107 [2 DVDs: 179:58 + 104:31] [CC]

A wonderful document of a significant segment of the core quartet repertoire ... see Full Review

This DVD is FREE if you purchase the complete Beethoven Quartets on CD - see special offer

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) String Quartets: No. 7-11 Wihan Qt rec. 2007/8 NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6109 [3 CDs: 54:04 + 65:26 + 51:47] [CC]

Accounts that are ever stimulating and searching. Enthusiasm and a questing, fresh approach that should not be undervalued. Most rewarding. ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Complete String Quartets Borodin Qt rec. 2003-6 CHANDOS CHAN10553(8) [8 CDs: 551:10] [DC]

Excellence and depth: real transcendent Beethoven, almost all of the time. ... see Full Review 

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Septet in E flat major, Op. 20 (1800) [40:34] Serenade in D major, Op. 25 (1801) [24:32] Ensemble 360 rec. 28-31 May 2007, Potton Hall, Suffolk NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6112 [65:06] [TB]

Playing a high order and splendidly clear and detailed recording … see Full Review

Ivan BELLOCQ Obsession Ivan Bellocq (flute) Jean-Marc Fessard (clarinet) rec.2008 DUX 0693 [76:19] [CR]

Bellocq’s music is worthy of exploration … see Full Review 

Charles-Auguste de BÉRIOT (1802-1870) Solo Violin Music - Volume 1 Twelve Scènes, Nine Studies, Prélude ou Improvisation Bella Hristova (violin) rec. 2009 NAXOS 8.572267 [68:02] [JW]

A welcome entrant ... see Full Review 

Irving BERLIN (1888-1989) Annie Get Your Gun (1946) Ambrosian Chorus & London Sinfoniertta/John McGlinn rec. 30 June & 1-3 July 1990, No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London. Song texts not included EMI AMERICAN CLASSICS 6 95226 2 [79:00] [DM]

Seventy-nine minutes of pure, unadulterated pleasure. Not to be missed. ... see Full Review

Hector BERLIOZ (1803 – 1869) Les Nuits d’été, L’Enfance du Christ (excerpt): L’adieu des bergers, The Shepherds’ Farewell to the Holy Family Leontyne Price (soprano) Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner (Op. 7) Elsie Morison (soprano); John Cameron (baritone) St. Anthony Singers; Goldsbrough Orchestra/Sir Colin Davis (Op. 25) rec. 1960/4 HDTT HDCD180 [54:40] [RMo]

A glamorous issue for lovers of Berlioz, Price, Reiner and the Romantic sensibility ... see Full Review

Leonard BERNSTEIN (1918-1990) Mass – A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers (1971) [104:01] Text from the liturgy of the Roman Mass. Additional texts by Stephen Schwartz and Leonard Bernstein Jubilant Sykes (baritone), Celebrant; Asher Edward Wulfman (boy soprano) Morgan State University Choir/Dr. Eric Conway Peabody Children’s Chorus/Doreen Falby Baltimore Symphony Orchestra/Marin Alsop rec. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Baltimore, Maryland, 21-22 October 2008. DDD NAXOS 8.559622-23 [65:11 + 38:50] [LW]

Not likely to be superseded for the foreseeable future … see Full Review

Luigi BOCCHERINI (1743-1805) Symphony, Cello Concertos, Octet Stuttgart CO/Johannes Goritzki (cello) rec. 2005 CPO 777 113-2 [63:24] [J-PJ]

Delightful … packed with immediately appealing music by a sadly neglected composer ... see Full Review 

York BOWEN (1884-1961) Orchestral Poem: Eventide see VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Johannes BRAHMS (1833 – 1897) Symphony No.2 in D, op.73 (1877) [37:21] Boston Symphony Orchestra/Charles Münch rec. 1956, Symphony Hall, Boston Mass, ADD HIGH DEFINITION TAPE TRANSFERS HDCD 113 [37:21] [BBr]

So alive, so full of electricity and there’s a passionate verve in evidence in almost every bar … see Full Review

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Clarinet sonatas Daniel KESSNER (b.1946) Dances for Clarinet and Guitar Richard Lesser, Mitchell Lurie (clarinet) Leona Lurie (piano) Jordan Charnofsky (piano) rec. 1972/2000 CRYSTAL RECORDS CD301 [56:14] [OL]

Glorious Brahms, attractive Kessner ... see Full Review

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Clarinet sonatas & trio Hideaki Aomori (clarinet) Joshua Pierce (piano) Daniel Barrett (cello) rec. 2008 MSR CLASSICS MS1322 [63:40] [OL]

This could be a fine album but I just can't get over this clarinet sound ... See Full Review 

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin Sonatas 1-3 Simon Fischer (violin) Raymond Fischer (piano) rec. 2006 BIDDULPH 80228-2 [79:57] [JW]

Thought through but fresh and unforced … to be respected and admired ... see Full Review

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Songs see RACHMANINOV

Johannes BRAHMS (1833 – 1897) Piano Trio No.2 in C major see SHOSTAKOVICH

Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano Concerto 2 see Géza Anda

Frank BRIDGE (1879-1941) Adagio see DUPRÉ

Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) Saint Nicolas, Hymn to Saint Cecilia Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor) Corydon Singers, English CO/Matthew Best rec. 1988 HYPERION HELIOS CDH55378 [60:14]  [WH]

Two Saints in fine performances, but Cecilia is to be preferred … see Full Review 

Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Sinfonia da requiem, Peter Grimes: Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia Kansas City Symphony/Michael Stern rec. 2009 REFERENCE RECORDINGS RR-120 [71:13] [RB]

A generous classic Britten collection recorded in stunning sound ... see Full Review

Benjamin BRITTEN (1913 -1976) Sinfonia da Requiem see SCHUBERT

Max BRUCH (1838-1920) Arminius Op.43 (1875) [89.15] Hans Christoph Begemann (bass) - Arminius Michael Smallwood (tenor) - Siegmund Ursula Ettlinger (contralto) - Priestess Rheinische Kantorei Göttingen Symphony Orchestra/Hermann Max rec. 2009, CPO 777 453-2 [57:04 + 32:11] [CF]

This recording is very welcome. ... see Full Review

Ignaz BRŰLL (1846-1907) Symphony, Serenade 1 Belarussian State SO/Marius Stravinsky rec. 2007 CAMEO CLASSICS CC9027CD [67:06]
Salomon JADASSOHN
(1831-1902)
Piano Concerto 1, Symphony 1 Ignaz BRŰLL Macbeth Overture, Movements from Violin Concerto & Serenade 1, Valentina Seferinova (piano); Ilya Hoffman (violin) Belarussian State SO/Marius Stravinsky, Karelia State PO/Denis Vlasenko rec. 2007/8 CAMEO CLASSICS CC9026CD [68:40] [RB]

Deeply unfamiliar music liberated with great passion ... see Full Review 

Buxtehude/Bach: Organ Music for Christmas Time Dietrich BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707) Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Siegbert Rampe (organ) rec. 2007 MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG3411551-2 [62:54] [JV]

As a portrait of the organ this disc turns out well but these readings are not uniformly convincing ... see Full Review


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]
[last 5 days] [Recommended recordings]


 

 



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