September
2009
RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphonies Nos. 1-4
Berliner Philharmoniker/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 2008
EMI CLASSICS 2672542 [3 CDs: 44:55 + 79:16 + 42:19][JQ]
An
important set of the Brahms symphonies ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Piano Quintets Nos.
1 & 2
Cristina Ortiz (piano); Fine Arts Quartet rec.
2007
NAXOS 8.570938 [63:24][IL]
Magical,
enchanting works in alluring performances ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Piano
Sonatas - Volume 2 Sonatas 34, 41, 46, 48, 52, 56, 58
& 59 Marc-André
Hamelin, (piano) rec. 2008
HYPERION CDA67710 [74:03 + 78:54]
[MC]
Some
of the finest performances I have heard ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann KRIEGER
(1651-1735)
Geistliche Arien und weltliche Lieder aus Neue musicalische
Ergätzlichkeit Philipp Friedrich
BUCHNER (1614 - 1669) Sonaten
Jan Kobow (tenor), Julia von Landsberg (soprano) United Continuo
Ensemble rec. 2006
CPO 777 433-2 [71:01]
[GF]
My
baroque discovery of the year… see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
The Complete Symphonies with
sound samples
New York PO/Leonard Bernstein (1-7; 9-10) London SO/Leonard Bernstein
(8) Israel PO/Leonard Bernstein (DLVDE) rec.1960-68
SONY CLASSICAL 88697 45369-2 [12 CDs]
[TD]
Truly
something special ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Nino ROTA
(1911-1979)
Symphonies 1 & 2
Filarmonica ’900 del Teatro Regio di Torino/Marzio Conti
rec. 2005/6
CHANDOS CHAN10546 [61:57]
[DJB]
The
best non-mainstream works I have heard in a long while ... see
Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
The Nose
Vladislav Sulimsky (baritone) Alexei Tanovitski (bass) Tatiana
Kravtsova (soprano) Mariinsky Theatre Ch & O/Valery Gergiev
rec. 2008
MARIINSKY MAR0501 [50:41 + 50:56]
[DM]
Gergiev
sets new standards for this work ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Erkki-Sven
TÜÜR
(b. 1959)
Wallenberg
Jesper Taube, Priit Volmer, Estonian Ntl Opera Ch & SO/Arvo
Volmer rec. live a 2007
ESTONIAN RECORD PRODUCTIONS ERP1808
[1:58:05]
[GF]
Should
be seen by as many as possible … see Full
Review
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Alberto
GINASTERA (1916 - 1983) String
Quartets 1-3
Ensõ Qt; Lucy Shelton (soprano) rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570780 [73:31]
[NB]
Jaw-dropping
prowess revealing masterpieces of the quartet literature ... see
Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
The Very Best of
Broadway
Excerpts from musicals
by Gershwin, Kern, Bernstein, Berlin, Porter, Rodgers, Loewe,
Weill & Youmans
John McGlinn (conductor) rec. 1987-93
EMI CLASSICS 6952402 [75:43 + 79:25]
[GF]
There
isn’t a weak number or weak reading … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Song
of the Stars
Voices of Ascension/Dennis Keene rec.
2007
NAXOS 8.570533 [62:44][GPu]
An
outstanding recording, rare repertoire of real quality, good sound
and excellent performances .... see Full
Review
OCTOBER
2009
RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Complete String Quartets
Alexander String Qt rec. 2008
FOGHORN CLASSICS CD2005 [9 CDs: 522:11]
[MC]
One
of the very finest sets available ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Leonard
BERNSTEIN
(1918-1990)
Mass
Jubilant Sykes, Morgan State University Ch, Peabody Children’s
Ch, Baltimore SO/Marin Alsop rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.559622-23 [65:11 + 38:50]
[ST]
Do
not hesitate ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Percy
GRAINGER (1882-1961) Lincolnshire
Posy
Dallas Wind Symphony/Jerry Junkin rec.
2008
REFERENCE RECORDINGS RR-117 [73:43][BM]
A
beautiful, exceptional recording, full of joy … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) String
Quartets, Op. 17
London Haydn Qt rec. 2008
HYPERION CDA67722 [74:32 + 73:35]
[MG]
Superb
performances which set the standard for Haydn interpretation …
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz Joseph HAYDN
(1732
- 1809)
String Quartet in G, op.54/1 (1788) [19:09] String Quartet in
C, op.54/2 (1788) [20:19] String Quartet in E, op.54/3 (1788)
[23:40] Sacconi
Quartet (Ben Hancox, Hannah Dawson (violins); Robin Ashwell (viola);
Cara Berridge (cello)) rec. 21 - 22 July and 4 August 2008, The
Music Room, Champs Hill, Sussex, DDD
SACCONI RECORDS no serial number [63:13]
[BBr]
A
most exciting issue…see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Carl August
NIELSEN
(1865-1931) Music
for Wind and Piano
New London Chamber Ensemble rec. 2005/8
MERIDIAN CDE84580 [64:58]
[JL]
One
of the best Nielsen discs ever made … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) Gloria
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Daphnis et Chloé
Jessica Rivera (soprano) Chicago SCh & O/Bernard Haitink rec.
2007
CSO RESOUND CSOR901 906 [77:09]
[BR]
Marvellous
playing, glowing sound, inspired coupling … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Maurice
RAVEL
(1875-1937)
Songs
Gerald Finley (baritone) Julius Drake (piano) rec. 2008
HYPERION CDA67728 [73:28]
[TB]
Supreme
collaborative insights … wonderful music too ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH William RUSSELL
(1777-1813)
Complete Organ Voluntaries
John Kitchen (organ) rec. 2008
DELPHIAN DCD34062 [3 CDs: 65:27 + 68:01 + 53:14]
[JV]
An
exemplary production: repertoire, performance, instrument and
booklet ... see Full Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767)
Kapitänsmusik 1724
Telemannisches Collegium Michaelstein/
Ludger Rémy rec. 2005
CPO 777176-2
[78:52]
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767)
Kapitänsmusik 1744 Weser-Renaissance
Bremen/Manfred Cordes rec. 2008
CPO 777390-2 [71:20 + 75:19][JV]
Telemann
at his very best and most inspired, and so are the ensembles performing
his music ... see Full Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH James
Ehnes in Recital Music by
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937), Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918), Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921), Henryk
WIENIAWSKI (1835-1880) and Pablo
de SARASATE (1844-1908)
James Ehnes (violin); Wendy Chen, Eduard
Laurel (piano) rec. 1999 & 2003
CBC RECORDS MVCD1177-2 [68:17 + 65:34][KS]
Peerless
playing … will please and astound ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Italian
music in the Low Countries by ANONYMOUS
(early 18th-Century) and Francesco
MANCINI (1672-1737)
Currende/Erik van Nevel rec. 2009
ET’CETERA KTC4031 [79:42][BW]
A
delight from beginning to end: more, please ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Lamentations
Tomás Luis de VICTORIA
(c. 1548-1611) Lectio Don
Carlos GESUALDO (c. 1561-1613) Responsorium
Robert WHITE (c. 1538-1574)
Lectio Giovanni Pierluigi da PALESTRINA
(1525/26-1594) Lectio
Nordic Voices rec. 2009
CHANDOS CHACONNE CHAN0763 [68:30]
[DC]
Transcends
category and criticism ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Dance of the Three Legged
Elephants
Matthew
Barley (cello); Julian Joseph (piano) SIGNUM
CLASSICS SIGCD171 [72:24]
[BW]
Beguiles
and overwhelms - don’t miss it ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Unaccompanied
Niccolò PAGANINI
(1782-1840) Nel cor più non mi sento, God Save The
King Béla BARTÓK (1881-1945)
Sonata for Solo Violin Nikos SKALKOTTAS
(1904-49) Sonata for violin solo Eugène
YSAE (1858-1931) Sonatas for Solo Violin 6
George Zacharias (violin) rec. 2008
DIVINE ART DDA25074 [69:18]
[JW]
An
encounter with excellence ... see Full
Review
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
No discs were selected
NOVEMBER
2009
RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ramón
CARNICER (1789 - 1855) Elena
e Costantino
Ruth Rosique (soprano), Robert McPherson (tenor) Ch & O titular
del Teatro Real/Jesús López Cobos rec. live, 2005
DYNAMIC CDS 619/1-2 [75:46 + 75:14]
A
more or less sensational treasure trove of an opera ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Claude
DEBUSSY
(1862-1918)
En blanc et noir, Jeux, Lindaraja Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Rapsodie espagnole, La
Valse
Vladimir and Vovka Ashkenazy (pianos) rec. 2008
DECCA 478 1090 [66:01]
[BBr]
This
is outstanding…see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz Joseph
HAYDN
(1732-1809)
The Complete Masses and Stabat Mater
Trinity Ch, Rebel Baroque O/J Owen Burdick, Jane Glover rec. 2001-8
NAXOS 8.508009 [8 CDs: 489:21]
[JS]
The
highlight of my anniversary year listening ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER
(1860-1911)
Symphony No.1 in D (1888) [56:51]
London Symphony Orchestra/Jascha Horenstein rec. Barking Assembly
Hall, London, 29-30 September 1969. ADD Transferred from a Unicorn
four-track tape.
HDTT HDCD128 [56:51]
[TD]
You
will be as thrilled as I was. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Nicoló
PAGANINI (1782
- 1840)
24 Caprices Op.1
James Ehnes (violin) rec. 2009
ONYX 4044 [78:04]
[NB]
Marvellous,
amazing, stunning, spectacular ... see
Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Julius RÖNTGEN
(1855-1932) Symphonies 8 & 15, Variations
on a Norwegian Folksong
Carmen Fuggiss (soprano) NDR Radiophilharmonie/David Porcelijn
rec. 2006
CPO 777 307-2 [69:29]
[RB]
Deeply
romantic yet not extravagant ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Alessandro
SCARLATTI
(1660-1725)
Davidis pugna et victoria (The Fight of David and his Victory)
Roberta Invernizzi (soprano) Academia Montis Regalis/Alessandro
De Marchi rec. 2009
HYPERION CDA67714 [64:50]
[BW]
As
dramatic as any early opera and a performance to do it full justice
... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Winterreise
D911
Mark Padmore (tenor); Paul Lewis (piano) rec. 2008
HARMONIA MUNDI HMU907484 [74:18]
[JQ]
This
deserves to be ranked alongside the very best ... see Full
Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Christmas
Preludes - Preludes for Holy Christmastide
Johannes Strobl (organ) rec. 2008, The Abbey Church of Muri, Canton
Aargau, Switzerland
AUDITE 92.573 [73:04]
[DM]
The
perfect complement to a festive feast ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Es
ist ein Ros entsprungen
Vocal Concert Dresden/Peter Kopp; Sebastian Knebel (organ) rec.
3 - 6 October 2008, Hauptkirche St Marien in Kamenz, Germany.
DDD
BERLIN CLASSICS 0016442BC [64:33]
[JV]
An
outstanding disc with choral music for Advent and Christmas ...
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Georg
Philipp TELEMANN
(1681 - 1767) Christmas
Cantatas Christoph BERNHARD (1629-1692)
Fürchtet euch nicht*
Mária Zádori (soprano), Judit Németh (mezzo),
Gábor Kállay (tenor), Klaus Mertens (baritone);
Capella Savaria/Pál Németh rec. 1983-91
HUNGAROTON HCD 32611 [66:45]
[JV]
First-rate
music in excellent performances - a perfect disc ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Lakeuden Risti urut
Includes Franz LISZT
(1811-1886) Concert-etude 3 César
FRANCK (1822-1890) Choral III Pierre
COCHEREAU (1924-1984) Scherzo Symphonique Kalevi
KIVINIEMI (b. 1958) Fantasia Oskar
MERIKANTO (1868-1924) Passacaglia
Kalevi Kiviniemi (organ) rec. 2009
FUGA 9285 [62:39]
[DM]
Sensational
- a high-water mark in the history of organ recording ... see
Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Missa Gotica
(anon. 14th cent.)
Ensemble Organum rec. 2009
ZIGZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT090601 [51:30]
[MS]
An
outstanding and immensely enjoyable CD of glorious fourteenth
century polyphonic liturgical music … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Sacrificium
Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo) Il Giardino Armonico/Giovanni Antonini
rec. 2009 Italian texts and German, English and French translations
enclosed
DECCA 478 1521 Limited Edition [77:55 + 21:15]
[GF]
This
is certainly an indispensable issue! ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Scotland At Night
Choral settings of Scottish poetry from
Robert Burns to Alexander McCall Smith
Laudibus/Mike Brewer rec. 2009
DELPHIAN DCD34060 [64:17]
[CSS]
Encompasses
Scotland in the nostalgia that is its characteristic voice ...
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Songs
of Northumbria Traditional
songs: The Cullercoats Fish Lass;, The Cliffs of Old Tynemouth;
Trimden Grange Explosion; Water of Tyne; Blow the Wind I-Ho; Cushie
Butterfield; The Keel Row; Rap Her to Bank; It Was One Summer
Morn; The Oak and the Ash; The Hexhamshire Lass; Lavender’s
Blue; Cat Gut Jim; The Sandgate Lass’s Lament; Ee Aye, Aa
Cud Hew; The Proacher’s Call,; Died of Love; Jowl, Jowl;
The Row Between the Cages; The Coal Owner and the Pitman’s
Wife; The Lambton Worm; The Newcastle Overture; Wor Geordie; Blaydon
Races.
Sir Thomas Allen (baritone); Sheila Armstrong (soprano) Eric Robson
(narrator and interviewer) Northumbria Concert Orchestra and Chorus/David
Haslam
rec. 8-10 August 1993, All Saints Church, Newcastle and at Durham
Cathedral. Reissued in DVD format 2008.
MAWSON AND WAREHAM (MUSIC) LTD MWMVD
88 [c.90:00]
[IL]
A
rare treat, a joy to treasure … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Weihnachtslieder
(Christmas Carols)
Thomanerchor
Leipzig/Georg Christoph Biller; Ulrich Böhme (organ) rec.
2007, 2008
CARUS 83.440 [68:12]
[JV]
A
most attractive and tasteful programme for Advent and Christmas
... see Full Review 
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) The Complete Piano Sonatas
Alfred Brendel (piano) rec. 1992-5
DECCA 478 1821 [10 CDs: 646:55]
[DC]
Still
one of the best at any price ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Edward
GERMAN (1862-1936) Tom Jones
National Festival Ch & O/David Russell Hulme rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.660270-71 [75:49 + 34:20] [RJW] [IL]
A
fresh and spirited reading … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Leoš
JANÁČEK
(1854-1928) Das Schlaue Füchslein
(The Cunning Little Vixen)
Irmgard Arnold, Manfred Hopp, Ch & O Komische Oper Berlin/Václav
Neumann rec. 1965
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101297
[121:00 ]
[DC]
Rather
special ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Flemish
Masters Heinrich ISAAC (c.1450
- 1517) Missa de Apostolis Johannes
OCKEGHEM (c.1425 - 1497) Missa Au travail suis
Orlandus LASSUS (1532 - 1594)
Missa Osculetur me Cipriano de RORE
(c.1515 - 1565) Missa Praeter rerum seriem Antoine
BRUMEL (c.1460 - 1520) Missa Et ecce terrae motus
Tallis Scholars/Peter Phillips rec. 1989-97
GIMELL CDGIM211 [72.22 + 77.02]
[RH]
Fabulous
music, beautifully and intelligently sung ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH The
Golden Age of English Polyphony
The Sixteen/Harry Christophers Christopher Royall, countertenor
and Paul Nicholson, organ; Fretwork rec. 1982-1992. DDD. Texts
and translations included.
HYPERION CDS44401/10 [10 CDs]
[BW]
No
need to hesitate - buy this set ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH In
Terra Pax: A
Christmas Anthology Gustav
HOLST, John JOUBERT, William MATHIAS, Herbert HOWELLS, Gerald
FINZI, Peter WARLOCK, Kenneth LEIGHTON, John RUTTER, John GARDNER,
William MATHIAS, Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Julia Doyle (soprano); Roderick Williams (baritone); Mark Williams
(organ, celesta, piano) City of London Choir; Bournemouth Symphony
Orchestra/Hilary Davan Wetton rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572102 [57:37]
[ST]
As
good a Christmas recital as you’re likely to find ... see Full
Review
DECEMBER
2009
RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
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
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Charles
GOUNOD
(1818 - 1893)
Roméo et Juliette
Bidú Sayão, Jussi Björling, Metropolitan
Opera Ch & O/Emil Cooper rec. live, 1947
IMMORTAL PERFORMANCES IPCD1003-2 [74:06 + 79:30]
[GF]
One
of the truly great moments at the Met … indispensable ...
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Simon HOLT
(b. 1958)
Tauromaquia, a book of colours, Black Lanterns, Klop’s Last
Bite, Nigredo
Rolf Hind (piano) rec. 2008
NMC D128 [69:17]
[HC]
One
of the most endearing composers of his generation ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Carlo Ignazio MONZA
(c.1696 - 1739)
Harpsichord Music
Terence Charlston (harpsichord) rec. 2005
DEUX-ELLES DXL1117 [67:14]
[JV]
An
ideal combination of first-rate music and performance ... see
Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
(1872-1958)
Heroic Elegy & Triumphal Epilogue Roderick Elms
(organ) 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
Sir Hubert PARRY (1848-1918)
Hypatia – Incidental Music (Hypatia and Philammon;
Ruth and Orestes; Orestes’ March) York
BOWEN (1884-1961) Orchestral Poem: Eventide
Roderick Elms (organ) BBC Concert Orchestra/John Wilson rec. The
Colosseum, Town Hall, Watford, England, 12-14 July 2009 World
premiere recordings
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7237 [72:52]
[IL]
One
of the best compilations of British music I have heard for a very
long time. ... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard
WAGNER
(1813–1883)
Das Rheingold (1869) [194:00] Wotan
- Juha Uusitalo, Fricka - Anna Larsson, Alberich - Franz-Josef
Kapelmann, Loge - John Daszak, Fasolt - Matti Salminen, Fafner
- Stephen Milling
Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana/Zubin Mehta rec. live,
Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia, April/May 2007 Bonus
Track - The Making of Rheingold [27:00]
UNITEL CLASSICA 700604
[221:00]
[BK]
A
must have disc for any serious Wagnerian, I’d say. Easily on a
par with The Copenhagen Ring ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH John WARD
(c.1589-1638)
Consort Music for five and six viols
Phantasm rec. 2009
LINN CKD339 [77:57]
[JW]
Something
of a revelatory disc … first class ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Greatest Hits of All
Time Contemporary Music for Oboe and Ensemble
Roger REDGATE (b.1958)
Oboe quintet, Eperons Michael FINNISSY
(b.1946) Greatest Hits of All Time, Ceci n’est pas
une forme Christopher FOX (b.
1955) Oboe Quintet Howard SKEMPTON
(b. 1947) Garland Michael FINNISSY
[5:34] James CLARKE (b. 1957)
Oboe Quintet
Christopher Redgate (oboe, cor anglais) Kreutzer Qt, Ensemble
Exposé rec. 2002-6
METIER MSV28513 [56:15]
[CR]
An
excellent disc of well written and imaginative repertoire …
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jonas
Kaufmann – Sehnsucht
Richard WAGNER, MOZART, SCHUBERT,
BEETHOVEN, WAGNER
Jonas Kaufmann (tenor) Coro del Teatro Regio di Parma
Mahler Chamber Orchestra/Claudio Abbado rec. Auditorium Nicolo
Paganini, Parma, December 2008
DECCA 478 1463 [69:25]
[ST]
One
of the finest vocal recitals to have come my way this year ...
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Stille
Nacht (Silent
Night)
Bettina Pahn (soprano); Joachim Held (lute) rec. 29-31 January
2009, Erlöserkirche in Vahrendorf, Germany. DDD
HÄNSSLER CLASSIC CD 98.525 [59:30]
[JV]
A
splendid Christmas disc with a number of little-known songs, performed
with great refinement and subtlety ... see Full
Review
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
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
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
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934) The Complete Violin Sonatas
Tasmin Little (violin) Piers Lane (piano) rec. 1997
SONY CLASSICAL 88697 532142 [76:40]
[RB]
Magical
Delius performances ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Franz Joseph
HAYDN
(1732-1810)
Great Piano Sonatas Sonatas 20, 23, 28 & 48
Ronan O'Hora (piano) rec. 1997
REGIS RRC1311 [71:37]
[OL]
Life
and love in every note ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Bohuslav
MARTINU
(1890-1959) Complete
Piano Music - Vol. 6 & 7
Giorgio Koukl (piano) Chiara Solari (piano, third hand) rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572024/5 [53:45 + 54:52]
[JW]
The
overarching reach of Koukl proves dominant and permanent ... see
Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Einojuhani
RAUTAVAARA (b.
1928) Twelve Concertos
rec. 1991-2005
ONDINE ODE 1156-2Q [4 CDs: 268:27]
[RB]
Powerful,
often directly accessible, nuanced and patently sincere ... see
Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Dietrich
Fischer-Dieskau sings Lieder by Schubert, Schumann & Brahms
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone); Günther Weissenborn, Gerald
Moore, Jörg Demus (piano) rec. 1951-58
REGIS RRC1313 [73:22]
[GF]
There
is no better Lieder singing to be found anywhere on records ...
see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Carol
Ann DUFFY and
Sasha JOHNSON MANNING
The
Manchester Carols (2007)
The Manchester Carollers Northern Chamber Orchestra/Richard Tanner
rec. St. Thomas’ Church, Stockport, England, 22 October 2007.
DDD
NAXOS 8.572469 [63:43]
[JQ]
Hugely
successful and atmospherically beautiful [ST] Fresh, lively and
enjoyable [JQ]... see Full
Review