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Alphabetical Listing

PART 5
S-Z

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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Eric SAWYER (b. 1962) Our American Cousin Janna Baty, Alan Schneider, Donald Wilkinson, Tom O’Toole, Boston Modern Orchestra Project/Gil Rose rec. 2007 BOSTON MODERN ORCHESTRA PROJECT BMOP1006 [67:00 + 65:20] [MSJ]

Bittersweet food for thought ... see Full Review

Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757) 12 Concerti Grossi see AVISON

Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Quintet for Piano and Strings "Trout"; Adagio and Rondo Concertante Karl Suske (violin); Dietmar Hallmann (viola); Jürnjakob Timm (cello); Rainer Hucke (double bass); Peter Rösel (piano) rec. 1987 BERLIN CLASSICS EDEL 0014392BC [48:33] [RB]

Very satisfying, centred and gracious ... see Full Review

Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphony 9, Mass 6 Peter Schreier, Walter Berry, Wiener Sängerknaben Vienna PO/Karl Böhm rec. live, 1973/6 EUROARTS 2072108 [112:00] [CH]

This DVD makes a strong case for rediscovering Böhm ... see Full Review

The Double Life of Franz Schubert - A dramatization of Schubert’s Last Years  Simon Russell Beale, Jason Fleming, Peter Webber (Director) NVC ARTS 50-51865-0798-2 [50:00] [JS]

Seems much longer than its fifty minute duration ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Gesang der Geister über den Wassern, Gruppe aus dem Tartarus, An Schwager Kronos see BRAHMS

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Robert SCHUMANN (1810–1856) Four Lieder from Goethe’s Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, Frauenliebe und –leben see BRAHMS


Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Arabesque, Piano Sonata, Widmung Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Transcendental Etude 11, St Francis of Assisi preaching to the Birds, Ballade 2 Mordecai Shehori (piano) CEMBAL D’AMOUR CD135 [68:37] [JW]

Why isn’t this man an internationally known soloist? ... see Full Review

Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano Quintet see MENDELSSOHN

Alexander SCRIABIN (1872-1915) Mazurkas, Poems, Preludes, Vers la flamme see Marshev

Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Cello Concerto No.2 Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) Symphony for Cello and Orchestra Jamie Walton (cello); Philharmonia Orchestra/Alexander Briger rec. 2008 SIGNUM SIGCD137 [69:33] [BBr]

Flawed, perhaps, but much to commend ... see Full Review

Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphonies 1 & 5 Philharmonia O/Efrem Kurtz, Chicago SO/Andre Previn rec. 1957/77 CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2282832 [76:04] [CR]

A reissue of two early Shostakovich recordings ... see Full Review

Jean SIBELIUS (1865 – 1957) Nightride and Sunrise, op.55 (1908) [16:38] Pan and Echo (Tanz–Intermezzo No.3), op.53a (1906) [4:51] Suite from Belshazzar’s Feast, op.51 (1906) [14:31] The Dryad, op.45/1 (1910) [5:46] Tanz–Intermezzo, op.45/2 (1904 rev 1907) [2:51] Kuolema (Death), op.44 and 62 (1903 and 1911) [19:57] New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Pietari Inkinen rec. 29 July-1 August 2007, Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, New Zealand. DDD NAXOS 8.570763 [64:34] [BBr]

Should not be missed at any cost ... see Full Review

Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) THE SIBELIUS EDITION Detailed Contents and Tracklist at end of review Vol.1 – Tone Poems BIS-CD-1900/02 [388:56] Vol.2 – Chamber Music I BIS-CD-1903/05 [437:47] Vol.3 – Voice and Orchestra BIS-CD-1906/08 [447:36] Vol.4 – Piano Music I BIS-CD-1909/11 [392:45] Vol.5 – Orchestral Music for the Theatre BIS-CD-1912/14 [465:27] [RB] 

The start of the fulfilment of a dream ... see Full Review

Louis SPOHR (1784-1859) Symphonies Nos. 2 & 8 etc. North German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra/Howard Griffiths rec. 2006-7 CPO 7771782 [68:46][TB] 

A composer more written about than actually heard ... see Full Review

Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924) Symphonies Nos. 3 & 6 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/David Lloyd-Jones rec. July 2006-7 NAXOS 8.570355 [80:18][CH]

Lloyd-Jones emerges with increased stature. The Sixth benefits in particular ... see Full Review 

Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Quixote Josef HAYDN (1732-1809) Cello Concerto No. 2 Mstislav Rostropovich (cello); BBC Symphony Orchestra/Malcolm Sargent & London Symphony Orchestra/Mstislav Rostropovich rec. 1964-5 BBC LEGENDS BBCL42402 [65:33][JW]

Genial, broadly beamed and strong on rich, rounded cantabile ... see Full Review

Max STEINER (1888-1971)She (1935) complete film score Moscow Symphony Orchestra/William Stromberg Rec. Mosfilm Studio, Moscow; November 2007 TRIBUTE FILM CLASSICS TFC-1003 [71:07][IL]

A must for all Max Steiner enthusiasts. ... see Full Review

Arthur SULLIVAN (1842-1900) The Gondoliers, Cello Concerto Sir Geraint Evans, Owen Brannigan, Glyndebourne Festival Ch, Pro Arte O/Sir Malcolm Sargent Julian Lloyd Webber, London SO/Sir Charles Mackerras rec. 1957/86 CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2134282 [57:56 + 56:17] [SV]

Plenty of zip and rhythmic alertness ... see Full Review

Boris TCHAIKOVSKY (1925-1996) Complete String Quartets Ilya Ioff (violin); Elena Raskova (violin); Lydia Kovalenko (viola); Alexey Massarsky (cello) rec. 2008 NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9964-65 [42:12 + 67:28][HC]

Intimate thoughts without histrionics ... see Full Review

Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony 5, The Storm, The Tempest NBC SO/Leopold Stokowski rec. live, 1942/3 GUILD GHCD2334 [73.41] [RMo]

Wonderful though this is the sound cannot compete with a modern recording ... see Full Review

Donald Francis TOVEY (1875-1940) Chamber Music - Volume 1 Piano Trio in B minor op.1 (1900) [37:40] Piano Trio in C minor op.8 Style Tragique (1908) [27:26] London Piano Trio rec. 27-29 August 2007, Potton Hall Studio, Westleton, Suffolk. DDD first recordings TOCCATA TOCC 0068 [65:06] [JW]

Self-recommending for the new generation of Tovey admirers ... see Full Review

Geirr TVEITT (1908–1981) Tonen (Songs) Birgitte Grimstad (vocals and guitar) rec. 1966–94 MUDI MUD2097 [68:43 + 57:40] [GF]

A wholly engrossing experience ... see Full Review

Pēteris VASKS (b. 1946) Viatore, Cantus ad pacem, Canto di forza, Musica seria, Te Deum Tālivaldis Deksnis (organ) rec. 2006/7 WERGO WER67122 [77:45] [HC]

A magnificent release ... see Full Review

Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) Simon Boccanegra Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro San Carlo, Naples/Mario Rossi rec. 1958 ISTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS 6552/53 [74.02 + 60.30][RJF]

A welcome legitimate addition to Gencer’s live recordings ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) La Forza del Destino (1869 version) Violetta Urmana, Marcello Giordani, Carlo Guelfi, Ch & O Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/Zubin Mehta rec. live, 2007 TDK DVWW-OPFORZA [189:00] [ST]

Now leads the field … one of the great Verdi DVDs ... see Full Review

Tomas Luis de VICTORIA (1548-1611) Requiem see Lôbo

Heitor VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959) Bachianas Brasileiras (excerpts) etc. Various artists rec. 1957-92 CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2283762 [71:52][BW] 

An attractive sampler but go for the parent EMI collections ... see Full Review

Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) The Four Seasons Francesco GEMINIANI (1687-1762) Concerti Grossi Christina Day Martinson (violin); Boston Baroque/Martin Pearlman rec. 2008 TELARC SACD60698 [59:26][MSJ]  

Very piquant ... see Full Review

Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) Violin Concertos - Vol. 2 Shlomo Mintz (violin; conductor) Israel Chamber Orchestra rec. Eglise Du Liban, Paris, August 1992, March 1993 Original release 1992, 1993 MusicMasters Classics NIMBUS RECORDS NI 2523-7 [5 CDs: 59:15 + 61:45 + 55:52 + 59:03 + 62:17] [DC]

Superbly played and recorded, but a ‘safe’ option nonetheless. ... see Full Review

Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) Cello Concertos Han-Na Chang (cello); London Chamber Orchestra/Christopher Warren-Green  rec. 2008 EMI CLASSICS 2347910 [67:41][PPLL]

Richly entertaining ... see Full Review

Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) Les Saisons Amusantes see CHÉDEVILLE

Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) Arie ritrovate - Alternate arias for the operas Sonia Prina (contralto) Stefano Montanari (violin) Academia Bizantina/Ottavio Dantone rec. 2007 NAIVE OP30443 [70:26] [IB]

Worth reviving but not every one is a hidden masterpiece ... see Full Review

Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826) Overtures Euryanthe, Peter Schmoll und seine Nachbarn, Oberon, Der Beherrscher der Geister, Turandot, Preciosa, Silvana, Jubel-Ouverture, Abu Hassan, Der Freischütz New Zealand SO/Antoni Wit rec. 2006 NAXOS 8.570296 [76:24] [RW]

Delicate contrasts of mood and bright clear recording ... see Full Review

Thomas WEELKES (c.1575-1623) Sacred Choral Music Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum/Benjamin Nicholas rec. 2008 DELPHIAN DCD34070 [59.52] [GH]

Worth exploring ... see Full Review

Giaches de WERT (1535-1596) Vox in Rama - Il secondo libro de motetti Collegium Regale/Stephen Cleobury rec. 2007 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD131 [71:16][JV] 

First-rate performances … a beautiful and transparent sound ... see Full Review

Hugh WOOD (b.1932) String Quartet nos.1& 2, The Horses, The Rider Victory Priaulx RAINIER (1903-1986) Quanta,String Trio Lennox BERKELEY (1903-1989) Duo for Cello and Piano, Peter Racine FRICKER (1920-1990) Sonata for Cello and Piano, Martin DALBY (b.1942) Variations for Cello and Piano John MCCABE (b.1939) Partita for Solo Cello Dartington String Quartet; London Oboe Quartet; Julian Lloyd Webber (cello); John McCabe (piano) rec. 1970/73/76 LYRITA SRCD.304 [40:38 + 74:10] [MS] [RB]

Stimulating and beautiful - otherwise unavailable - so doubly worth getting. ... See Full Review [MS]
Dissonance dominant but reigning alongside the lyric voice  ... see Full Review [RB]

Gerd ZACHER (b. 1929) Organ Works Text, Szamty, Vocalise, Diferencias, Realisation über Cage’s variations I, Ré Gerd Zacher (organ) rec. 2004 CYBELE 060.501 [67:20] [DC]

Not the easiest nut to crack, but an instant organ classic nonetheless ... see Full Review

Bernd Alois ZIMMERMANN (1918-1970) Requiem für einen jungen Dichter Eric Vloiemans Quintet (jazz quintet) Holland Symfonia/Bernhard Kontarsky rec. 2005 CYBELE 860.501 [63:10] [DC]

Stunned, you’ll rise from this a sadder and a wiser person ... 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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