Download
News 2012/22
Brian Wilson
The previous Download News, 2012/21 is here.
Previous roundups are indexed here.
Recording of the
Month
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Harpsichord Concertos
Concerto No.VI in F, BWV1057 [16:11]
Concerto in g minor, BWV1058 [13:09]
Concerto No.I in d minor, BWV1052 [21:09]
Concerto No.IV in A, BWV1055 [13:22]
Retrospect Ensemble/Matthew Halls rec. St Georges
Church, Chesterton, Cambridge,
27 29 September 2011. DSD
Pdf booklet included
LINN RECORDS CKD410 [64:24] from linnrecords.com
(SACD, mp3, 16 and 24-bit lossless)
Like
all recent Linn recordings, this one is available in hybrid
SACD form or as downloads from linnrecords.com in a variety
of formats mp3, CD-quality lossless and Studio Master
24/96 and 24/192 quality.
Several recent Linn releases Corelli Concerti Grossi,
Op.6 (CKD411: Avison Ensemble review),
Zelenka Sonatas (CKD415 review),
and music by Parsons, White and Byrd from Magnificat (CKD417)
vied with this for the Recording of the Month, as did
the latest Bach release from BIS and Suzuki: Volume 52 of their
Cantata series containing BWV140, 112 and 29 (below).
From the opening of BWV1057, Bachs own recycling of the
material from the Brandenburg Concerto No.4, I knew that this
was an instant winner but anything that Matthew Halls
and the Retrospect Ensemble touch seems to turn to gold. There
are other, larger-scale performances of these concertos and
I shall turn to them from time to time still, not least to the
vintage Trevor Pinnock set on DG and Angela Hewitt (piano) and
Richard Tognetti on Hyperion*. Despite my general aversion to
Bach on the piano, Angela Hewitt is the exception, but its
to this more intimate Linn recording that Im most likely
to revert. You just need to accept that Angela Hewitts
and Matthew Halls takes on the music are both excellent
but quite different. This is music-making on the same scale
as those original performances in the Leipzig coffee shop where
the works were first performed.
Scholarship concerning pitch (415Hz) and temperament (1/6 comma
meantone) meets sheer musical enjoyment here. The music goes
with a swing without sounding mechanical and the recording is
excellent I listened to the SACD and to the 24/96 flac
from the range on offer. The pdf booklet is first-class, too.
I seem to be criticising Linn covers this month the Corelli
is far too funereal for such wonderful music and performances
and I wasnt too keen on this Bach cover, but thats
the only reservation that I can muster.
I reviewed Matthew Halls recording of Bachs Goldberg
Variations some time ago (Linn CKD356: my only doubt
was whether most listeners would want the full 91 minutes with
all repeats taken see March 2010 Roundup),
so the high quality of this recording of the concertos comes
as no surprise, and Ive enjoyed the other recordings that
hes made with the Retrospect Ensemble and the Kings
Consort:
Purcell Ten Sonatas
in four parts (Linn CKD332 see May 2009 Download
Roundup
and June 2009 Download
Roundup) and Twelve Sonatas in three parts (Linn CKD374
see October 2011/2 Download Roundup)
Bach Easter and Ascension Oratorios (Linn CKD373
see May 2011/1 Download Roundup)
Handel Parnasso in festa (Hyperion CDA67701/2:
Recording of the Month review)
The CD layer of the recording is excellent
but the SACD layer and the 24-bit download both add that little
extra that makes them worth the cost, which is not exorbitant
with even the 24/96 and 24/192 versions costing only £18.
The SACD comes at £12 direct from linnrecords.com and
possibly for slightly less than that from some online suppliers.
Gawain Glentons notes in the booklet are not the least
of the virtues of this new recording.
Now may we have the other keyboard concertos including those
for two, three and four solo instruments from these performers?
Unless and until we do and for those who cant wait, theres
one other set of performances on much the same scale as those
of the Retrospect Ensemble that contains the solo keyboard concertos
BWV1052, 1055 and 1056 on a 6-CD set from Alpha with the concertos
for two three and four-keyboards, the Brandenburg
Concertos, Orchestral Suites and Violin Concertos (ALPHA811
see my April 2012/1 Download Roundup).
* Volume 1 on CDA30003 should
be your starter on mid-price CD or download (mp3 and lossless)
Discoveries
of the Month
Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Early and Late Works
Folk Songs of the Four Seasons Suite (1949) edited by Roy
DOUGLAS (1952) [14:06]
Bucolic Suite (1900/1) [19:28]
Dark Pastoral for cello and orchestra (1942/3, orch.
and completed David MATTHEWS
2009) [10:55]
Serenade in a minor (1898, ed Julian
RUSHTON, 2011) [26:25]
Guy Johnston (cello); Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Martin
Yates rec. May 2012. DDD.
Premiere recordings
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX7289 [71:09] from hmvdigital.com
(mp3 and m4a)
Dutton
have once again done what they and Chandos and Hyperion
are so good at, bringing us recordings of English music
thats out of the run of the mill. Only the Folk Songs
have been recorded before a 2009 premiere version of
the complete set on Albion ALB010 review;
this recording features the orchestral suite which Roy Douglas
made with VWs approval. There are no undiscovered masterpieces
here but all the music is well worth getting to know and performances
and recording do it justice. Its a treasure for lovers
of VW, not least because it includes a reconstruction of the
only extant parts of the Cello Concerto that was intended for
Casals but never completed, here given the appropriate title
Dark Pastoral.
Of the available sources for downloading this recording
iTunes, to which the Dutton web-site will direct you
amazon.co.uk and hmvdigital.com, now absorbed into 7-digital,
the last named provides the best compromise between price (£7.49)
and quality (320kb/s mp3 or m4a). As well as the opportunity
to download, you can now play your purchases via the 7-digital
library. Brief notes are available from the Dutton web-site
here.
The Australian Voices
William BARTON (b.1981) Kalkadunga
Yurdu [3.04]
Lisa YOUNG (b.1959) Other
Plans [3.57]
Gordon HAMILTON (b.1982)
To an Early-Flowering Almond [3.39]; Diana [9.19]; We Are Children
[3.36]
Sergey RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Bogoroditse Devo [2.43]
Franz BIEBL (1906-2001)
Ave Maria [5.23]
Nicholas NG (b.1979) Stellar
Mansions [3.34]
J A FREYLINGHAUSEN (1670-1739)
(arr. Gordon HAMILTON) Macht hoch die Thür,
die Thor macht weit [4.15]
Traditional (arr. Gordon HAMILTON) Maria durch
ein Dornwald ging [3.09]
Franz Xaver GRUBER (1787-1863)
(arr. Gordon HAMILTON) Silent Night [3.11]
Amber EVANS (b.1993) To
the Evening Star [2.51]
Robert DAVIDSON (b.1965) We
Apologise [6.44]
Peter CLARK (b.1991) Pessoa
Chorus I [2.52]
Gordon HAMILTON Toy Story
3 = Awesome! [4.21]
Australian Voices/Gordon Hamilton rec. 2011-2012. DDD.
WARNER CLASSICS 2564654860 [63:37] from amazon.co.uk
(mp3)
Im
indebted to the press pack for information about this recording
of music entirely written or arranged by Australian composers,
with one exception:
"It is with a distinctive, fresh sound and high artistic
energy that The Australian Voices commission, perform and record
the music of Australian composers. Since 1993 the ensemble has
championed an astonishing flourishing of new Australian vocal
music, having commissioned hundreds of new works. The ensemble
tours internationally each year and has been recognised by many
international awards, including multiple gold medals at the
World Choir Games (2006) and first prizes at the Llangollen
International Musical Eisteddfod (2001). In 2012 the ensemble
gave twenty performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and
a live in-studio broadcast on BBC3 in London. Recently they
have created new works specifically intended for "performance"
on YouTube. Gordon Hamiltons composition Toy Story 3 =
Awesome! has been viewed over 100,000 times. Other clips, such
as Tra$h Ma$h and We Apologise, have created controversy, forging
new directions in choral music. Hamilton has been Artistic Director
since 2009 and is considered one of Australias most exciting
young conductors and composers." Theres a good mix
of vigorous and quieter music.
Allowing for a degree of advertising hype, that describes the
package pretty well. My review access came with a booklet of
notes and texts but I havent been able to discover any
download site which offers the booklet; as some of the texts
and the raisons dêtre behind some of the
compositions are somewhat complex, you may well prefer on this
occasion to go for the physical CD.
Advent,
Christmas and Epiphany
A Tudor Christmas
HENRY VIII (King of England)
Pastime with good company [1:50 ]
Traditional Coventry Carol [3:46]
William BYRD Rorate coeli
[4:30]
HENRY VIII Consort No. 3
[1:05]
John TAVERNER Christe
Jesu pastor bone [3:33]
HENRY VIIIConsort No. 3
[1:05]
Orlando GIBBONS This is
the record of John [4:11]
Robert PARSONS Ave Maria
[4:27]
Thomas RAVENSCROFT Remember,
O Thou Man [5:05]
HENRY VIII Consort No. 12
[1:25]
Christopher TYE While shepherds
watched [2:59]
William BYRD From Virgin
pure this day did spring [3:12 ]
HENRY VIII Consort No. 2
[1:33]
Christopher TYE Laudate
Nomen [2:09]
Thomas TALLIS O nata
lux de lumine [1:45]
John SHEPPARD Magnificat
a 4 [5:58]
Anonymous Sweet Was the Song the Virgin Sung [1:55]
Richard PYGOTT Quid petis
O fili [9:16]
HENRY VIII Consort No.
13 [1:41]
Thomas WEELKES Hosanna to
the Son of David [1:55]
Victoria Davies (harp)
Christ Church Oxford Cathedral Choir/Stephen Darlington
THE GIFT OF MUSIC CCLCDG1098 [63:20] from classicsonline.com
(mp3) or stream from Naxos Music Library
Late
medieval and renaissance English music for the Christmas season
is here interspersed with instrumental music by Henry VIII.
The concept of Christmas music for the Tudors is, however, a
little stretched by the last piece, a setting of words appropriate
to Palm Sunday by a composer who is mainly associated with the
Stuart period. Carping apart, however, the quality of the music
from a golden age of English composition and mostly not
staled by endless repetition singing and recording make
this a recommendable collection at an attractive price (£4.99
from classicsonline.com). The lack of texts is a minor problem.
Another Oxford Choir, that of Magdalen conducted by Bill Ives,
and others offer A Victorian Christmas on CCLCDG1004.
As the Victorians invented, or re-invented Christmas this, too,
is well worth considering.
Youll find a great deal more Christmas music on the Gift
of Music label. eclassical.com (mp3 and lossless) and classicsonline.com
(mp3) both have Christmas Impressions: Musical Footsteps
in the Snow (CCLCDG1174), also available for
streaming from Naxos Music Library and classicsonline.com and
Naxos Music Library have several other collections check
them out from the classicsonline.com Gift of Music index here.
The selection ranges from plainchant on Christmas Vespers
from the monks of St Frideswides (CCLCDG1042) to
the music of contemporary composer Bob Chilcott on Christmas
Impressions and The Christmas Story (CCLCDG1101).
Francesco DURANTE (1684-1755)
Neapolitan Christmas II
Cito pastores (arr. L. ODA) [18:57]
Laudate pueri (detto il Grottesco) in G (1732,
arr. L. ODA) [6:54 ]
Litanie a due voci con Violini: Kyrie eleison (arr. M.A.
WILLENS) [9:10]
Missa in afflictionis tempore in F (1749, arr. M.A.
WILLENS) [35:16]
Thilo Dahlmann; Alberto terDoest; Ursula Eittinger; Christina
Kuhne; Monica Piccinini; Kölner Akademie/Michael Alexander
Willens
CPO 777734-2 [60:15] from classicsonline.com
or stream from Naxos Music Library
Before
I encountered the CPO Volume I of the Christmas music of Durante
(777571-2 see December 2011/1 Roundup),
he was known to me only as the actual composer of a mass spuriously
attributed to Bach (BWVAnh.26 recorded on CPO 999834-2).
I enjoyed Volume I but must urge a degree of caution about Volume
II; unless the notes, to which I dont currently have access
the booklet that comes with the download
is just a cut-down 4-page affair make a Christmas connection
for the Missa in afflictionis tempore, I cant see
how a mass in time of affliction makes its way onto a Christmas-themed
programme.
Volume 1 is now available in mp3 and lossless sound from eclassical.com
an attractive proposition for lossless, but classicsonline.com
remains the less expensive download for mp3 only. Johann van
Veen has recently reviewed both volumes review.
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Cantatas Volume 52: Leipzig 1730s-40s ( I )
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140 [26:09]
Kantate zum 27. Sonntag nach Trinitatis (Sunday before Advent,
25 November, 1731)
Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt, BWV 112 [12:59]
Kantate zum Sonntag Misericordias Domini (2nd Sunday
after Easter, 8 April, 1731)
Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir, BWV 29 [23:27]
Kantate zum Ratswechsel, Leipzig 1731 (Council election, 27
August, 1731)
Hana Blaíková (soprano); Robin Blaze (counter-tenor);
Gerd Türk (tenor); Peter Kooij (bass); Masamitsu Sannomiya
(oboe and oboe damore); Natsumi Wakamatsu (violino piccolo
and violin); Masato Suzuki (organ)
Bach Collegium Japan/Masaaki Suzuki rec. September 2011.
DSD.
Pdf booklet with texts and translations included
BIS-SACD-1981 [63:29] from eclassical.com
(mp3, 16 and 24-bit lossless)
Strictly
speaking, this is out of place here only one of the three
cantatas has anything to anything to do with the season, BWV140,
and thats for the Sunday last before Advent rather than
for Advent itself when, as in Lent, there was no music in the
churches at Leipzig. That last Sunday after Trinity, however,
is traditionally associated with the season that was about to
start the collect for the day, beginning Stir up,
O Lord led to the association in England with preparing
the Christmas pudding at that time.
As for the performances, they are everything we have come to
expect from this combination I think weve all run
out of new superlatives to describe them and the recording
(24-bit for the same price as 16-bit and mp3 as a brief introductory
offer) and notes also maintain the high standards.
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
The Nutcracker (Casse-Noisette / Shchelkunchik)
Op.71 Complete Ballet [90:39]
From Swan Lake (Le Lac des Cygnes) Op. 20: Pas
de deux (Appendix)
Introduction (orch. Vissarion SHEBALIN) [4:37]
Variation 1 (orch. Vissarion SHEBALIN) [0:53]
Variation 2 (orch. by the composer) [0:52]
Coda (orch. Vissarion SHEBALIN) [2:24]
From Eugene Onegin Op. 24: Polonaise (Act 3) [5:00]
Childrens Choir of the Bolshoi Theatre
Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow/Alexander Vedernikov
rec. Moscow, February 2006. DSD.
PENTATONE PTC5186 091 [47:22 + 57:17] from eclassical.com
(mp3, 16 and 24-bit lossless)
We
dont seem to have reviewed this when it was released,
though Dan Morgan gave it a very favourable mention when reviewing
the most recent reissue of André Previns classic
recording here.
That Previn version remains one of my favourites as well
as the CfP download from classicsonline.com which I recommended
some time ago, its available in its newest garb, the version
which Dan reviewed, for just £2.99 from sainsburysentertainment.com,
which has to be a bargain in anyones book.
Nevertheless, Id back the PentaTone against all comers,
with details that I dont hear on other recordings
and Ive heard a few, with the classic Ernest Ansermet
recording among the best of them (Decca Eloquence 480 0557
or Brilliant Classics 94031, 6 CDs for around £16).
Like the performance, the recording is notable for bringing
out inner detail that I hadnt noticed before. The sound
trades a small degree of clarity for a full-spread stereo sound
picture; I think the trade-off is worthwhile. The mp3 and 16-bit
lossless version come at the same reasonable price, $18.78,
but the 24-bit is rather steep at almost twice the price, $34.43,
so I listened to the mp3 and 16-bit versions once youve
downloaded the lossless for home listening, you can return for
the mp3 to play on your mp3 player or in the car. With the mp3
there are a couple of awkward gaps between tracks, but they
arent a major problem; in most cases theres a pause
in the music between tracks. The lossless version, if played
via the right player from your PC or burned to CDR obviates
any inter-track gap problems. I compared the mp3 disc which
I burned with the 16-bit on the same system and was surprised
that the mp3 reproduced almost as well as the lossless.
A Winters Light: A Christmas Collection
Bob CHILCOTT (b.1955) This
is the truth* [3:24]
Trad arr. Jonathan RATHBONE (b.1957)
Gabriels Message [1:45]
Jan SWEELINCK (1562-1621)
Hodie Christus natus est [3:46]
Michael PRÆTORIUS (c.1671-1621)
arr. Jan SANDSTRÖM Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
[4:03]
Herbert HOWELLS (1892-1983)
Sing Lullaby [3:31]
Pierre VILLETTE (1926-1998)
Hymne à la Vierge [3:58]
Bob CHILCOTTSweet was the
song* [4:15]
David WILLCOCKS (b.1919) Of
the Fathers heart begotten* [3:03]
Giovanni GABRIELI (c.1555-1621)
Hodie Christus natus est [4:17]
Bob CHILCOTT Rejoice and
be merry* [1:50]
Walford DAVIES (1869-1941)
O little town of Bethlehem* [5:30]
C Armstrong GIBBS (1889-1960)
The Stable Door [2:29]
Adophe ADAM (1803-1856)
arr. J.E. WEST O Holy Night* [5:40]
Harold DARKE (1888-1976)
In the bleak mid-winter* [4:43]
Gabriel JACKSON (b.1962)
The Christ-child [5:02]
John RUTTER (b.1945) Nativity
Carol* [4:26]
James Lord PIERPOINT (1822-1893)
arr. B. PARRY Jingle Bells [2:45]
Bob CHILCOTT Christmas-tide
[3:08]
Greg LAKE (b.1947) arr.
Jonathan RATHBONE I believe
in Father Christmas [3:17]
Jonathan RATHBONE (b.1947)
Carol Medley* [3:14]
Martin Ford (organ)*
Vasari Singers/Jeremy Backhouse
rec. Tonbridge School Chapel, Tonbridge, Kent, UK, 10-12 February,
2012. DDD
Pdf booklet with sung texts, which may also be accessed at www.naxos.com/libretti/573030.htm
NAXOS 8.573030 [73:48] from classicsonline.com
(mp3 and lossless) or stream from Naxos Music Library
As
with the Resonus Classics release from Worcester College Oxford
which I reviewed in the 2012/21 News, the emphasis here is on
music written or arranged by contemporary composers, though
none of it difficult and theres more traditional
fare too. Extracts from Bob Chilcotts On Christmas Night
have the lions share, attractive music, but for me the
highlight is a peaceful and ethereal arrangement by Jan Sandström
of the Prætorius setting of Es ist ein Ros entsprungen.
Even traditionalists cant complain about the arrangement
the music and words pre-date even Prætorius, who
himself was making an arrangement. Theres plenty of variety,
too, with the more solemn mood giving way to secular fun at
the end. Jonathan Rathbones piece is largely borrowed
from Prokofievs Lieutenant Kijé but none
the worse for that. With the Vasari Singers delivering it all
and Naxos providing a good recording this will be regularly
on my menu this Christmas.
Christmas with Mandolins
Turlogh OCAROLAN (1670-1738)
Planxty OCarolan Irish Suite for Flute,
Percussions and Mandolin Orchestra [9:50]
Francesco PICCONE (XVII Century)
Pastorale for Mandola and Continuo [2:52]
Giuseppe VALENTINI (1681-1753)
Sonata per il SS. Natale, anno 1716, for Mandola and
Lute [6:19]
G. Battista GERVASIO (?) (XVIII
Century) Pastorale for two Mandolins and Continuo [2:30]
Ignazio BITELLI (1890?-1956)
E arrivato il Messia (The Messiah has come)
Pastorale for Guitar [3:06]
LAlbero di Natale (The Christmas Tree) Pastorale
for Mandolin and Guitar [3:02]
Benvenuto TERZI (1892-1980)
Nevicata Pastorale for Guitar [5:22]
Giuseppe PETTINE (1876-1966)
Christmas Song for Mandolin [2:28]
G. Alberto GHIGNOTTI (XIX Century)
La Notte di Natale (Christmas Eve) Pastorale for
Mandolins and Guitar [3:35]
Simone SALVETTI (1870-1950)
La Notte di Betlemme (Bethlehems Night)
Pastorale and Preghiera for Mandolins and Guitars [4:06]
Giuseppe MILANESI (1851-1950)
Visioni Natalizie (Christmas Visions) Pastorale
for Mandolin Quintet [4:33]
Giacomo SARTORI (1878-1947)
Notte di Natale (Christmas Eve) Pastorale
for Mandolin Orchestra [5:36]
Amedeo AMADEI (1866-1935)
Impressioni di Natale (Christmas Impressions) for Mandolin
and Guitar [6:35]
Notte di Natale (Christmas Eve) Little Suite for Orchestra
[9:28]
Lorenzo BIANCHI (1958-1996)
Natale! Kleine Weihnacht Ouverture for Mandolin
Orchestra [5:29]
Ugo Orlandi, Marina Ferrari, Sergio Zigiotti, Maria Cleofe Miotti
(Mandolins and Mandolas), Alessandro Bono (Guitar)
Quintetto a Plettro R.Calace
Orchestra di Mandolini e Chitarre Città di Brescia/Claudio
Mandonico rec.1998. DDD.
Pdf booklet included
ARTS CROSSING 49005-2 [73:52] from classicsonline.com
(mp3) or stream from Naxos Music Library
This
is a fun recording which can be played with enjoyment at any
time of the year the opening Suite from an eighteenth-century
Irish composer is not specially linked to Christmas and only
those with a detailed knowledge of renaissance and baroque Italian
Christmas music are likely to pick out the seasonal hints in
the other compositions, mostly to be found in the Pastorale
sections, where its difficult not to hear the word pastores
(shepherds) in the background.
Capstone
collection from Ravello
In the previous Download News I mentioned some of the recordings
in this series; here are a couple more which may interest you.
Daniel ADAMS (b.1956) Shadow
on Mist
Isorhythmic Concerto for percussion solo and symphonic wind
ensemble (1998) [12:51]
Robert McCormick (soloist); New Music Tampa Wind Ensemble/Dr.
William Wiedrich rec. live, Tampa Bay Performing Arts
Center, 30 March, 1999
Three Movements of unaccompanied Marimba* (1979) [7:33]
Alloy for percussion trio** (1990) [7:26].
Ambience for percussion septet** (1988) [8:17]
Lignumvitae for percussion trio** (1995) [5:10]
Shadow on Mist for percussion quintet with flute**/***
(1999) [8:58]
Stratum** (1981) [5:25]
Two Antiphonal Portraits for twelve percussionists** (2000)
[4:14+7:24]
* Robert McCormick (soloist); ** The McCormick Percussion Ensemble;
*** Kim McCormick (flute)
2-page pdf booklet included
RAVELLO RECORDS RR7824 [67:18] from classicsonline.com
(mp3) or stream from Naxos Music Library
As
with some of the material that I reviewed last time, the opening
work and some of the other tracks here lie outside my admittedly
somewhat conservative comfort zone, but I enjoyed the soloists
gymnastics in the Three Movements for unaccompanied marimba,
the virtuosity of all concerned in the title track, and the
sheer urgency of the close of Antiphonal Portrait 2,
and not just for the agility of the playing. Those of a more
adventurous spirit are recommended to give the album a try.
Though a booklet is included, it contains no notes;
youll find some details on the composer here,
whence the following information is derived:
Third prize winner in the 2000 PAS Composition Contest, Isorhythmic
Concerto is scored for the three families of non-pitched
percussion; wood, metal and skins. Lignumvitae (tree
of life) uses only wooden percussion instruments. A serious,
highly effective, pointillistic work, Lignumvitae demands
tight ensemble playing and well-developed listening skills from
the players.
The work which gives its name to the album, Shadow on Mist,
was composed for flautist Kim McCormick and the University of
South Florida Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Robert
McCormick. It was inspired by the pictorial imagery of South
Florida. The flautist alternates between C-flute, alto, flute,
and piccolo.
Theres more percussion music by Daniel Adams and
other composers on Ravello Classics RR7804, from classicsonline.com
(mp3), eclassical.com (mp3 and lossless) or stream from Naxos
Music Library.
Even if you dont have access to Naxos Music Library where
you can preview all these recordings indeed, the whole
Ravello catalogue it will cost you only £4.99 ($7.99
in the USA, I believe) to try them for yourself from classicsonline.com.
***
Where late the sweet birds sang: Latin
Music from Tudor England
William BYRD (c.1540 1623)
Christe qui lux es et dies [5:05]
Robert WHITE (c.1538
1574) Lamentations a5 [22:48]
Robert PARSONS (c.1535
1572) Ave Maria [4:50]
William BYRDDomine, quis
habitabit [9:30]
Robert PARSONS Domine,
quis habitabit [4:37]
William BYRD Quomodo
cantabimus [8:35]
William BYRD De lamentatione
[12:26]
Robert WHITE Christe
qui lux es et dies (IV) [6:50]
Magnificat/Philip Cave
rec. St Georges, Chesterton, Cambridge, UK, 23 26
Jan 2012. DSD
Texts and translations included as pdf booklet with download
LINN RECORDS SACD CKD417 [75.31] SACD and mp3,
16 and 24-bit lossless downloads from linnrecords.com.
The
title is a quotation from Shakespeares Sonnet 73 in which
he compares his winter mood to Bare ruind choirs
where late the sweet birds sang. Since Empsons Seven
Types of Ambiguity this has usually been taken to refer
to the remains of the abbeys which were dissolved under Henry
VIII and which had mostly fallen into ruin by his time, the
stone having been removed for building, and the singing of the
sweet birds to the plainer style, setting English not Latin
words, which had replaced the late (former) elaborate
polyphony of the earlier half of the sixteenth century.
The interpretation is not universally accepted some prefer
to regard the image as one of avenues of leafless trees in winter
and, indeed, given the richness of Shakespeares
imagery its possible that he wanted to evoke both images.
As a peg on which to hang a short selection of Latin-texted
music from the latter half of the century, however, it will
serve very nicely.
About William Byrds loyalty to the Roman church there
can be no doubt, though his beliefs appear to have been tolerated
at court, where he composed in English and Latin for Queen Elizabeths
Chapel Royal, but the tenor of the two texts which are included
here how shall we sing the Lords song in a strange
land? and part of the Lamentations of Jeremiah, bewailing
the fate that has overtaken Jerusalem shows how much
he regretted what had been lost. There is, indeed, a series
of settings by Byrd and his Catholic contemporaries that seem
to have been intended as a kind of dialogue, often on the theme
of loss: these collaborations with Palestrina, Victoria, Peter
Philips and Giovanni Gabrieli are included on a valuable and
inexpensive Classics for Pleasure recording from Kings
College Cambridge, directed by David Willcocks (5860482).
You can obtain that Kings recording on disc for around
£5 and as a download for around £3.50 and none of
the items overlap with the new Linn recording; its a different
manner of singing Byrd, but well worth having.
Nor are there any overlaps between the Byrd on the new recording
and another inexpensive recording which Id recommend as
the starting point for anyone looking to begin a collection
of his music: The Tallis Scholars sing William Byrd (Gimell
2-for-1 CDGIM208, containing the three masses, the Great
Service and a selection of shorter works in Latin and English
see The
Tallis Scholars at 30).
Theres another recording which contains quomodo cantabimus?
and places it specifically within the setting of Byrds
Catholicism. On a collection entitled The caged Byrd (Chandos
Chaconne CHAN0609 see October 2008 Download Roundup)
I Fagiolini pair the work with one by the continental composer
Philippe de Monte which sets the first part of that psalm (137):
Super flumina Babylon, by the waters of Babylon we sat
down and wept, to which Byrds setting of quomodo cantabimus?
how shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land? may
be seen as a response, the Lords song being the Latin
Mass and the strange land Elizabeths England.
Its a measure of the quality of Magnificat that I can
mention their singing of the four Byrd works on the new recordings
in the same terms as Kings and the Tallis Scholars. That
comes as no surprise in view of the number of fine recordings
that they have already made for Linn; Im running out of
superlatives to describe them:
The Golden Age
Volume 1: Europe CKD052 September 2009 Download
Roundup
Palestrina: Song of Songs CKD174
October 2009 Download Roundup
Rogier: Missa ego sum qui sum CKD109
January 2009 Download Roundup
Rogier: Music from the Missæ sex
CKD387 November 2011/2 Download Roundup
Rogier: Polychoral works CKD348
March 2011/1 Download Roundup
Tallis: Spem in alium CKD233
September 2009 Download Roundup
Victoria: Requiem Officium defunctorum
CKD060
If Byrds Latin-texted music was mostly
written for the recusant community to which he belonged, it
remains something of a mystery why other composers such as Parsons
and White also composed music with Latin texts. It may be that
it was intended for the Chapel Royal, where the queen favoured
a conservative order, or for collegiate churches where Latin
was permitted if it was understanded of the people,
as the Act of Uniformity puts it. There was, as the notes in
the booklet point out, a Latin version of the Book of Common
Prayer, intended for the universities the Eucharist from
that book is still celebrated at the start of full term in the
Oxford University church and for those parts of Wales
and Ireland where English was not spoken, so it may well be
that Parsons and White intended their music for Oxford and Cambridge,
or it may just be that old habits die hard.
One such habit, the performance of the Lamentations of Jeremiah
at Mattins for the latter part of Holy Week, is perpetuated
by the settings here of both White and Byrd. Though prescribed
in the 1549 book, the 1552 and 1559 Prayer Book had moved these
readings away from Holy Week; they werent restored until
1662 and then only at the beginning of the week, so its
unlikely that either setting was intended for a liturgical context,
though Whites setting could have been intended as an anthem
at the end of Mattins or Evensong. Indeed, White seems to have
made something of a speciality of settings of Lamentations;
there are several other recordings of this 5-part set but there
is also a 6-part setting (sung by Gallicantus, with other music
by White on Signum SIGCD134 review
and a setting of the lections from Lamentations for Good
Friday on a recording of similar settings by Gesualdo, Palestrina
and Victoria sung by Nordic Voices on Chandos Chaconne CHAN0763:
Recording of the Month review
and November 2009 Download Roundup).
Parsons setting of Ave Maria seems clearly not
to have been intended for use within the Roman rite, since he
sets only the biblical greeting and omits the traditional ending
in which Mary is asked to pray for sinners, reflecting the reformers
belief in Jesus as mans only mediator and advocate.
What all the music here has in common is a tendency to move
away from the more florid style of polyphony that characterised
earlier Tudor church music to a one note per syllable system.
Thats common not just to English music of the period;
the Council of Trent enjoined a similar principle on composers
for the Roman rite and paradoxically Byrds Great Service
of music for Anglican use contains some music more elaborate
than any of the works here. Emphatically, however, less florid
does not mean less interesting.
Magnificat, who have shown themselves to be ideal interpreters
of the more elaborate style, are just at home with this plainer
music; their performances are restrained and intimate without
in any way under-valuing what they sing.
This is one of three recent Linn releases which they have kindly
provided for me in both SACD and 24/96 download format
both the CD and SACD 2.0 layers and the download sound excellent.
An excellent release is made even more so by the first-rate
notes from Sally Dunkley, who was responsible for editing the
music here, and a further note from Philip Cave on pitch. Since
Ive criticised some of Linns recent cover shots,
let me add that the one for this recording is particularly eye-catching.
There are some minor niggles about the translations: you
speak to us of the heavenly Light is not quite
the same as lumen beatum prædicans giving us a
foretaste of the blessed light.
Those very minor grumbles apart, this is another triumph for
Magnificat and Linn.
Footnote: as I was converting this Download News to html
I noticed that Signum have just recorded Gallicantus in the
paired motets by de Monte and Byrd to which I have referred
(The word unspoken, SIGCD295: Recording of the
Month - review.)
Claudio MONTEVERDI (1567-1643)
Missa In illo tempore [26:26]
Vespro della Beata Vergine (Vespers, 1610) [82:05]
Magnificat (II) a 6 voci [16:02]
Midori Suzuki, Yukari Nonoshita, Yoshie Hida (sopranos), Mutsumi
Hatano (mezzo), Gerd Türk, Stephan Van Dyck, Yosuke Taniguchi
(tenors), Stephan MacLeod, Yoshitaka Ogasawara (basses)
Bach Collegium Japan and Chorus/Masaaki Suzuki
BIS-CD-1071/2 [124:33] from eclassical.com
(mp3 and lossless) or stream from Naxos Music Library
Just
when you think its safe to assert that there are two solid
recommendations for a particular work, something new appears
or you remind yourself that youve overlooked an earlier
recording. In the case of the Vespers of 1610 I thought
I had it all sewn up: the Kings Consort on Hyperion at
full price or Andrew Parrott on Virgin (without libretto) at
super-budget price and (with libretto) on EMI Great Recordings
at mid price. Then eclassical.com decided to make this available
as a reduced price bonus alongside the latest volume in their
Suzuki Bach cycle (see above); lo and behold, its another
very strong contender. Even at the regular price of $19.19 thats
less expensive than classicsonline.coms price for this
download in mp3 only; at the temporarily reduced price of $13.43
its a snip.
Like Hyperion, BIS offer all the music contained in the 1610
publication. Its a shame that the booklet is not offered
with the download classicsonline.com and Naxos Music
Library dont have it either but the texts of the
Mass and Vespers are not hard to find online; Hyperion offer
the de luxe booklet that comes with their Kings Consort
recording free to all comers. Like King on Hyperion, the BIS
recording comes in very good lossless flac at the same competitive
price as the mp3.
Arcangelo CORELLI (1653-1713)
Concerti Grossi, Opus 6
CD1
Concerto Grosso in D, No.1 [11:17]
Concerto Grosso in F, No.2 [10:40]
Concerto Grosso in c minor, No.3 [10:52]
Concerto Grosso in D, No.4 [9:23]
Concerto Grosso in B-flat, No.5 [10:25]
Concerto Grosso in F, No.6 [11:56]
CD2
Concerto Grosso in D, No.7 [9:02]
Concerto Grosso in g minor, No.8 [14:18]
Concerto Grosso in F, No.9 [7:53]
Concerto Grosso in C, No.10 [12:30]
Concerto Grosso in B-flat, No.11 [9:30]
Concerto Grosso in F, No.12 [9:53]
The Avison Ensemble/Pavlo Beznosiuk rec. July 2011. DSD
Pdf booklet of notes included.
LINN SACD CKD411 [2 SACDs: 65:10 + 64:27] SACD,
mp3, 16 and 24-bit lossless from linnrecords.com
[This review has already appeared on the main pages of MusicWeb
International]
Corellis
Op.6 Concerti grossi were effectively the model for Vivaldi
and his other successors. My introduction to these concerti,
some fifty years ago from a Supraphon LP of five or six of them
played (as I recall) by Ars Rediviva, a group who, despite their
impressive Latinate title, were much less in tune with the music
of this period than the Avison Ensemble, nevertheless came as
much of an epiphany moment, like Keats looking into Chapmans
Homer, as my earlier introduction to Bachs Brandenburg
Concertos. Its no reflection on that Czech ensemble to
describe their performances as heavy at the time we were
listening to meaty performances of Bach and Vivaldi from the
Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and Karl Münchinger and thinking
how clever we were to be enjoying such rare early
music as the Brandenburg Concertos and Four Seasons.
Autre temps
Since then theres been a revolution in playing the music
of this period and we have had some fine performances of these
concerti grossi, notably on period instruments:
The English Concert and
Trevor Pinnock, currently on a 2-CD DG set at mid price,
474 9072
Nicholas McGegan with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra
(Harmonia Mundi HCX3957014/5 see review,
now available as download only)
Roy Goodman and the Brandenburg Consort on a 2-for-1
Hyperion Dyad set (CDD22011).
Nos.4, 8, 11 and 12 with Sonata a Quattro in g
minor and Fuga a Quattro voci: Chamber Orchestra of the
New Dutch Academy/Simon Murphy (PentaTone PTC5186031)
No.4 on London calling: Music by Handel and his contemporaries
(BIS-SACD-1997: Barokksolistene/Bjarke Eike see
review
and May 2012/1 Download Roundup)
Europa Galante/Fabio Biondi (currently unavailable in
the UK: Nos.1-6 only available for download on Opus 111 OP30147
from classicsonline.com).
Even if period instruments dont appeal,
Neville Marriner adopts a light touch with the Academy of St
Martin in the Fields on Double Decca 443 8622, two CDs available
for around £9. Also in the budget category and light-ish
in touch are performances on Naxos from Capella Istropolitana
and Jaroslav Kr(e)cek (Nos. 1-6 on 8.550402 and 7-12
on 8.550403. No.8 is also available on a CD of Christmas Concerti,
Naxos 8.550567).
Now along comes the latest release from the Avison Ensemble
whose performances of the music of their namesake on the Divine
Art label and subsequent appearances in Handel and Vivaldi on
Linn have also received high praise, not least from me:
CKD362: Handel Concerti
Grossi, Op.6/1-12 Download of the Month: July 2010 Download
Roundup
CKD365: Vivaldi Concerti, Op.8/1-12 see
October 2011/2 Download Roundup
On opening my latest parcel of review discs,
then, I had the highest expectations on seeing the set of Corellis
Op.6, housed in a gatefold triptych and, as I see, offered at
an attractive price effectively 2-for-1 or even less
from some online suppliers. In brief, if you dont yet
have a set of these ground-breaking works, or even if you have,
perhaps, No.8, the Christmas Concerto, in a collection
of similar works, you wont regret buying any of the versions
which Ive named; the new recording from the Avisons, who
have a strong claim to offer the lightest and airiest accounts
that Ive heard is not least among them. If you want SACD
into the bargain, then you can forget about choice and plump
for the new Linn set.
We have grown used to some very fast tempi for music of this
period, especially from Italian ensembles. While Pavlo Beznosiuk
is no slouch, hes certainly no speed merchant either;
the adagio sections of the first movement of No.7, for
example, seem to be taken more slowly than is normal nowadays
yet, at 2:27 the time for this movement overall is equal to
that on the Marriner recording and surprisingly faster than
Pinnock who takes 2:38. For some really airy playing try the
finale of this concerto at 1:11, exactly the same time as on
the Pinnock recording.
No.8, fatto per una note di Natale, the beautiful Christmas
concerto, is the best known of the set. In the adagio-allegro-adagio
movement of No.8 Beznosiuk adopts a faster overall tempo than
Pinnock, Krcek or Marriner, though I never felt any sense of
undue haste and the opening adagio is given due weight.
Again in the pastorale: largo where the shepherds of
the Nativity are evoked, the new recording doesnt hang
around but the mood is well evoked without heavy underlining.
You will, I think be disappointed with that tempo only if youre
inseparably wedded to the ponderous way that these movements
used to be treated, most notoriously by Herbert von Karajan
(DG E419 4132 or 419 0462, with different Christmas
music couplings). Karajan takes 5:04 for the pastorale,
Marriner and McGegan are a shade too fast perhaps at 2:22 and
2:45 respectively; Beznosiuk happily splits the difference at
3:42, with Goodman in close agreement at 3:43 and Pinnock is
a shade slower at 4:06. Compromise isnt always the right
answer but Im with Beznosiuk, Goodman and Pinnock here.
The PentaTone recording from the New Dutch Academy is the most
difficult to classify: in some ways the sound is weightier than
we are used to from period performances and tempi sometimes
seem a little on the slow side without being heavy, but in the
pastorale of No.8 they really let fly with a combined
time for the allegro and largo (on one track)
of 4:41. That means that they take less time for the two combined
than Karajan for the largo alone and more than a minute
less than Beznosiuk or Goodman. The allegro section is
fair enough at their tempo but the largo is surely too
fast, though it came as less of a surprise the second time that
I heard it. Nevertheless the PentaTone set is well worth exploring,
especially as the Op.6 concerti were first published in Holland;
try it from the Naxos Music Library if you can.
Youll also find there a complete recording of Op.6 from
Cantilena (Chandos CHAN6663 (2)); it has some interesting
qualities and comes inexpensively in their Collect series at
around £10.50, but its better to spend a little
more on the new Linn recording or the Hyperion twofer. The separate
movements are not tracked but Cantilenas time for the
largo of No.8 is around five minutes, almost as slow
as Karajan, though far less heavy.
The Linn recording is good truthful without trying to
be spectacular and the booklet of notes does justice
to Corellis music. The SACD stereo layer adds greater
depth to the sound picture without adding heaviness. Linn have
recently kindly supplied me with both SACD and 24/96 download
versions of three of their recent recording and, though this
Corelli set was not among them, and Ive heard only the
SACD, I have no doubt that the downloads, especially the 24-bit
versions, are equally recommendable.
The best news of all is that this is apparently the harbinger
of a complete series of Corellis chamber music from the
Avison Ensemble. I look forward with anticipation to what is
to follow.
I have just one small grumble about the presentation: after
the attractive cover pictures on the Handel and Vivaldi recordings,
the graveyard angel surely sets the wrong tone for these life-giving
works. Dont let it put you off.
Hitherto Pinnock and McGegan have been my prime recommendations
for these concertos and if price is a consideration Goodman
is also very good; without wishing to desert them, The new set
stands as a strong alternative for those looking for SACD.
Jan Dismas ZELENKA (1679-1745)
Sonatas (c.1722/3)
Sonata V in F, ZWV181/5 [16:14]
Sonata III in B-flat, ZWV181/3 [15:11]
Sonata VI in c minor ZWV181/6 [14:52]
Andante from Simphonie à 8 Concertanti in a minor, ZWV189
[2:58]
Ensemble Marsyas (Josep Domènech Lafont, Molly Marsh
(oboe); Peter Whelan (bassoon); Thomas Dunford (theorbo); Philippe
Grisvard (harpsichord/organ); Christine Sticher (violone)) with
Monica Huggett (violin) rec. August 2011. DSD
Pdf booklet included
LINN RECORDS CKD415 [49:43] from
linnrecords.com (mp3, 16 and 24-bit lossless)
Dominy
Clements has already reviewed this recording here
and its also received high praise in other quarters,
so I can be quite brief.
The only instrumental music by Zelenka that Id encountered
previously to this recording comes on an elderly Teldec CD from
the Concentus Musicus Wien and Nikolaus Harnoncourt, now on
2564697648. The best known music on that CD is the oddly
named Hipondrie yes, it does mean hypochondria,
but no-one seems to know why its so called and
its the name that has probably maintained that work in
the repertoire, together, perhaps, with the fact that apart
from Zemlinsky the composer is just about the last in alphabetical
order.
That doesnt mean that the music is not worth hearing
far from it; though its good second-rate rather than first-rate
The Harnoncourt recording contains an account of the Sonata
in g minor, ZWV181/2 for two oboes, bassoon and continuo, so
its complementary to the new Linn which contains three
other sonatas from that series. These works are witty, enjoyable,
enterprising and challenging and they receive performances here
at least as good as from Concentus Musicus, with the same blend
of scholarship (pitch = 415Hz and Silbermann II temperament)
and musicality that the older recording displays, together with
the fruits of more modern scholarship.
Indeed, having been recorded at the York Early Music Festival,
they seem to have captured some of the magic which surrounds
that event. I hadnt encountered Ensemble Marsyas before.
Their namesake challenged Apollo to a musical contest, which
is pretty apt as an indication of the high calibre of their
playing, but I hope that they dont share his fate of being
flayed alive for his impertinence not for nothing does
Apollos name derive from the Greek verb to destroy.
With excellent recording Ive listened to both the
SACD and 24/96 download and a booklet of notes that wouldnt
shame even Hyperion, I have only one grumble. I refrained from
complaining about the short playing time on the second CD when
I reviewed the Accent recording of Zelenkas funeral music
(see below) on the grounds that any fill-up would have seemed
irrelevant, but that doesnt prevent my pointing out that
50 minutes on the new Linn recording is very short value when
we could have been given more of the sonatas from ZWV181.
For those seeking more Zelenka, Hyperion have two very worthwhile
recordings of his sacred music:
Lamentations (CDH55106)
see March 2010 Roundup
Litaniæ de venerabili altaris sacramento,
etc. (CDH55424) see January 2012/1 Roundup
and theres the Offficium defunctorum
and Requiem on Accent (ACC24244) also January
2012/1 Roundup.
Dominy Clements compared the new Linn recordings with those
on a complete set on Accent ACC30048 and preferred the
Marsyas Ensemble. I havent yet heard the Accent recordings
but I hope to visit them for a future Download News you
can try them for yourself if you have access to the Naxos Music
Library but I doubt if they offer much if any improvement
over the performances and recording on the Linn release
good second-rate music made to sound almost first-rate by these
performances except for that short playing time, and
even the Accent set is not over-generous, with 111 minutes spread
over two discs.
Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809)
Symphony No. 85 in B flat, La Reine [25:48]
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-91)
Exsultate, jubilate, K165 [15:40]
Mass in C, K317, Coronation [25:51]
Teresa Wakim (soprano)
Paula Murrihy (mezzo)
Thomas Cooley (tenor)
Sumner Thompson (baritone)
Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra/Harry Christophers
rec. April 2012. DDD
Pdf booklet included
CORO COR16104 [67:27] from thesixteendigital.com
(mp3, aac and 24-bit lossless) or stream from Naxos Music Library.
Weve
had to wait slightly longer for this recent Coro release to
appear as a download: weve already had Handels Saul
(COR16103) and Volume 2 of The Sixteens Palestrina
(COR16105) and Ive welcomed both. Harry Christophers
has already recorded that mighty skeleton Mozarts Mass
in c minor (COR16084 download in mp3 from classicsonline.com)
and his Requiem (COR16093 see October 2011/2
Roundup),
so I had high expectations of this new Coronation Mass.
The Handel and Haydn Society are the USAs oldest early-music
specialists so its hardly surprising that their performance
of the best-known of Haydns Paris symphonies, which opens
the programme, should challenge existing recommendations. With
the first-movement repeats included and generally quite leisurely
tempi, it challenges the fairly recent DHM set from Nikolaus
Harnoncourt except, of course, that Haydn specialists
are likely to want to have that or another complete set of these
wonderful symphonies.
Thats just the starter, however, and its followed
by another appetiser in the form of Exsultate jubilate.
It would take a superb off-planet performance to oust Emma Kirbys
performance for me (Decca Oiseau Lyre 411 8332 or Eloquence
476 7460) and this is not quite that. Reviewing the Kirkby
recording alongside Carolyn Sampson in the November 2010 Roundup,
I thought that the latter sounded a little plummy by comparison;
here the problem is reversed I thought Tessa Wakim, though
sweet-voiced, just a little too small in tone and slightly subdued
by comparison, though by no means was I put off by that from
moving on to the main course.
If Wakims singing in Exsultate is a little lacking
in power, the Kyrie of the Coronation Mass opens
forcefully from all concerned; here again I thought Wakims
tone a little too soft and sweet shes slightly
outsung by her fellow soloists but its not something
that I want to over-emphasise. In the Coronation Mass
its Emma Kirkby and her fellow performers again who hold
the field for me (Decca 436 5852 January 2010
Roundup),
but you may well prefer the couplings on the new Coro recording
to the Vesperæ solemnes de confessore on that Hogwood-directed
recording.
Others may well be more impressed than I was by Ms Wakims
voice and she shines brightly in the Agnus Dei of the
Mass, a piece so redolent for me of the Countesss remembrance
of better times in Figaro, than she does elsewhere. Though
I cant imagine that anyone wouldnt go overboard
for Ms Kirkby, this movement alone, with all concerned capturing
the sheer exuberance of its final section, would sell the new
Coro recording at least as a very fine runner-up.
The Coro recording is good, especially as heard in 24-bit lossless
flac the acoustic is just a little thick in places but
not to any serious extent. The quality of the Coro booklet is
an added advantage; I dont know of any download site that
provides a booklet with either of the Kirkby recordings.
For the recent Chandos recording of the Coronation Mass,
Exsultate jubilate, Missa Brevis, Ave verum
corpus and two Epistle sonatas, from St Johns, Cambridge
(CHAN0786), see March 2012/1 Roundup.
Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Wind Concertos
Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in f minor, Op. 73, J.114 [20:24]
Bassoon Concerto in F, Op. 75, J.127 [18:13]
Horn Concertino in e minor, Op. 45, J.188 [16:09]
Concertino for Clarinet and Orchestra in c minor/E-flat, Op.
26, J.109 [9:14]
Maximiliano Martín (clarinet)
Peter Whelan (bassoon)
Alec Frank-Gemmill (horn)
Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Alexander Janiczek
rec. Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 5-9 September 2011. DSD.
Pdf booklet included with download
LINN RECORDS CKD409 [64:31] SACD, mp3, 16
and 24-bit lossless downloads from linnrecords.com.
The
Scottish Chamber Orchestra are going from strength to strength
in their recordings for Linn; some have come very close for
me to being definitive, and this is as successful as any to
date. I liked the SCO with Robin Ticciati in Berlioz Symphonie
Fantastique others were even more enthusiastic, with
Dan Morgan and Simon Thompson both making it Recording
of the Month review
and review.
Their Mozart symphony recordings with Sir Charles Mackerras
were an all-round success: Nos.38-41, CKD308: Recording
of the Month review
and February 2009 Download Roundup;
Nos.29, 31-2, 35-6, CKD350 review
and April 2010 Download Roundup
Recording of the Month. With Alexander
Janiczek at the helm I greatly enjoyed their performance of
Mozarts Colloredo Serenade and Divertimento K521 on my
first encounter with them (CKD320 January 2009
Download Roundup),
so its hardly surprising that the new recording is such
a delight.
Another reason for my lack of surprise at placing this new Linn
recording at the top of the tree is that Im by no means
the first to sing its praises its already received
top rating or something very close from at least three reviewers
in music magazines and one radio CD review.
The only reason that I can think why this wouldnt feature
as a top choice for anyone in search of Webers concertos
for wind instruments would be a preference for the Chandos album
which features the second clarinet concerto in place of the
bassoon concerto, with Michael Collins playing the clarinet
and conducting and Stephen Stirling as horn soloist, which Michael
Cookson thought a fine release (CHAN10702 see
review).
Weber completists may like to note that Chandos have just squared
the circle as it were by offering the bassoon concerto, with
Karen Geoghegan as soloist, on a release which offers the two
Symphonies and Berlioz orchestration of the Invitation
to the Dance. (CHAN10748: BBCPO/Juan Menja).
I began with the expectation of comparing the new recordings
of the two clarinet works with Collins on Chandos and with what
have come to be generally regarded as the two benchmarks for
these works, offering both clarinet concertos, the concertino
and the orchestrated version of the Clarinet Quintet: Sabine
Meyer (EMI Great Recordings 5679882 review
and review
or Sabine Meyer spielt Weber, identically coupled
on EMI Electrola Collection 6020962, both mid-price)
and Martin Fröst (BIS BIS-SACD-1523 review).
These remain the top choices for anyone requiring Webers
complete output for the clarinet concertante and I hope
to get round to reviewing them in a future Download News: the
Meyer is especially good value as a download in 320kb/s mp3
from sainsburysentertainment.co.uk
at just £4.99 for the Electrola reissue, while the Fröst
comes in mp3, 16 and 24-bit sound from eclassical.com
as well as on SACD.
Maximiliano Martíns performances, however, of the
first clarinet concerto and the concertino are so good and hes
so well supported by the SCO and Alexander Janiczek as to stand
their ground against all comers. They capture both the sheer
fun of the music theres plenty of that and
the more reflective moods; I hope that Martín will also
give us the second clarinet concerto and the quintet or its
orchestrated version soon.
Much as Id have liked to have had those other two clarinet
works, I certainly cant complain about the performances
of the bassoon and horn works which separate the clarinet concerto
and concertino here. Not even Richard Strauss comes closer than
Weber to rivalling the Mozart horn concertos and Alec Frank-Gemmill
makes a very strong case for Weber, showing us what Flanders
and Swann might have made into another success, while Peter
Whelan makes an equally strong case for the bassoon concerto
as a rival to Mozarts. (A good question for a quiz night:
name any composer other than Vivaldi, Mozart and Weber who wrote
a solo bassoon concerto.) I cant think of the word bassoon
without thinking buffoon and theres plenty
of buffoonery here, especially in the perky finale, but Whelan
also brings out the reflective, rather plangent mood of the
slow movement, too.
The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Alexander Janiczek offer
ideal accompaniment throughout and the recording is equally
recommendable.
Both those Chandos recordings come in CD form and as a download
in mp3, 16-bit and 24/96, giving the Linn recording the edge
in that the physical disc is available as an SACD and as up
to 24/192 Studio Master download format. As I dont yet
have a DAC that can cope with 24/192, I listened to the recording
in better-than-CD 24/96 format. That should give a fair indication
of what to expect from the SACD stereo layer of the equivalent
disc Ive been able to compare some recent Linn
releases, though not this one, in both formats and its
very good indeed.
David Kettles notes in the booklet, which comes as a pdf
document for downloaders, are very valuable. They round off
an excellent release, strongly recommended to all but those
seeking all the clarinet concertante works on one disc;
they will need to turn to Meyer or Fröst, with Meyer clearly
replacing as bargain of choice the worthy performances of the
two clarinet concertos and concertino on Naxos 8.550378.
Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
LOiseau de feu (The Firebird) 1910 Ballet Score
(Fairy-tale ballet in two tableaux for orchestra)
[47:03]
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-93)
arr. Igor STRAVINSKY
Pas-de-Deux (LOiseau bleu Bluebird;
from the ballet The Sleeping Beauty) [5:09]
Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) arr.
Igor STRAVINSKY Canzonetta, Op. 62a for two clarinets,
four horns, harp, and double bass [3:24]
Fryderyk CHOPIN (1810-49)
orch. Igor STRAVINSKY
Nocturne in A flat, Op. 32 No. 1 [7:31]
Grande Valse Brillante, Op. 18 [6:07]
Igor STRAVINSKY Greeting
Prelude for the 80th birthday of Pierre Monteux [0:51]
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra/Andrew Litton rec. October
2009, June 2010. DSD
Pdf booklet included
BIS-SACD-1874 [71:40] from eclassical.com
(mp3, 16 and 24-bit lossless) or stream from Naxos
Music Library
[If you want a stunning treat and a Firebird which will
last you for the next decade or so, this is the place.
See review
by Dominy Clements.]
Theres very strong competition for any new version of
the Firebird; to name just those that I own, have owned
or reviewed:
Stravinsky�s own recording
on a mid-price release with the Rite of Spring (Sony
SMK89875) or as part of the multi-disc set
Yakov Kreizberg in Monte Carlo with Petrushka,
the Rite of Spring and Pulcinella (OPMC001,
3 budget-price CDs � Recording of the Month: review)
Simon Rattle on a budget twofer with the Rite
of Spring, Petrushka and Apollo (EMI 9677112
� review)
Ernest Ansermet (Decca Eloquence 480 3780
with NPO or 1955 recording with OSR from classicsonline.com
for just �1.99)
Antal Dor�ti (Mercury � download from hmvdigital.com.
Id
hate to plump for any one of these at the expense of the others
but the new BIS recording can hold its own against them and
in one important respect it wins by being available in SACD
or in 24-bit lossless sound; only Iván Fischers
recording of the Firebird Suite, with the Rite of
Spring and Scherzo à la Russe on Channel CCSSA32112
can beat that, with mp3, 24/44.1, 24/96, 24/192 and even DSD
on offer SACD review
and March 2012/1 Roundup.
The Litton performance brings out the more reflective side of
the music than most but theres plenty of energy at the
climaxes. Rattle and Stravinsky himself offer tremendous bargains;
their couplings are more to the point than the bitty additions
to the new BIS this is really a one-work recording for
me and I wouldnt want to be with the composers
own recording in particular, but Litton makes a strongly recommended
alternative or addition.
I played this recording first late at night with the volume
low to avoid disturbing the neighbours and it seemed lacking
in energy; at normal listening levels its a very different
picture.
Naxos have just reissued Gerard Schwarzs Seattle recording
from 1986, formerly on Delos, where its still available
with commentary by Natalia Makarova (DE6005). A first
hearing via the Naxos Music Library establishes this, too, as
a strong contender, especially as a download from classicsonline.com,
but the attractive price is somewhat offset by the short value
just The Firebird and Fireworks, a total
playing time of 52 minutes. (Naxos 8.571221).
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in D flat, Op.10* (1912) [16:05]
Piano Concerto No. 4 in B flat, Op. 53* (left hand, 1931) [23:13]
Piano Concerto No. 5 in G, Op.55* (1932) [24:07]
Piano Concerto No. 2 in g minor, Op.16 (1913)** [31:03]
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C, Op.26 (1921)** [27:17]
Boris Berman (piano)*; Horacio Gutierrez (piano)**; Royal Concertgebouw
Orchestra/Neeme Jarvi rec. 8-12 May 1989 and 7, 8, 11-12
May 1990. DDD.
Pdf booklet included
CHANDOS CHAN8938 [2CDs: 121:14] from theclassicalshop.net
(mp3 and lossless) or stream from Naxos Music Library
[Nos. 1, 4 and 5 also available separately on CHAN8791
[63:13] ]
Piano Concerto No. 2 in g minor, Op. 16 (1913) [31:45]
Piano Sonata No. 2 in d minor, Op. 14 (1912) [18:26]
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C, Op. 26 (1921) [29:16]
Freddy Kempf (piano); Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra/Andrew Litton
rec. Bergen and Stockholm, July-August, 2008. DDD.
Pdf booklet included
BIS-SACD-1820 [80:48] from eclassical.com
(mp3 16 and 24-bit lossless) or stream from Naxos Music
Library
I
recently recommended the Chandos complete set of the Prokofiev
Symphonies, so their complete Piano Concertos set makes for
a logical next step, especially as its available as a
2-for-1 offer. (Dont choose the more recent 2009 reissue
on CHAN10522 which, though less expensive on CD than
its separate components, is more expensive as a download than
CHAN8398. Sort out the logic of that if you can! If,
however, you only want mp3, hmvdigital.com offer CHAN10522
for just £7.49.) Ive listed the separate catalogue
number for Nos. 1, 4 and 5 for those who already have the Freddy
Kempf recording of Nos. 2 and 3 and dont wish to have
two versions of those works, though the single disc costs as
much as the 2-CD set.
In
the June 2010 Roundup
I briefly endorsed Dominy Clements enthusiastic review
of the Freddy Kempf/Andrew Litton recording on BIS. Im
still of the opinion that it deserves high praise and Ive
included it here as a reminder of its merits and to point out
that its no longer available from passionato.com, who
no longer do downloads, but in mp3 and 16-bit lossless from
eclassical.com and, for a little more, in 24-bit sound.
The classic Sviatoslav Richter version of No.5 seems to have
reverted to full price on CD but the less expensive DG Originals
release, coupled with Piano Sonata No.8, remains available as
a download from hmvdigital.com.
The Martha Argerich/Charles Dutoit recording of Nos. 1 and 3
is available from a number of sources; the best match of 320kb/s
sound and price (£4.99) is to be found at sainsburysnetertainment.com.
The only reason against buying these two recordings would be
that while there is no overlap between them, it leaves you without
Nos. 2 and 4.
Sergei PROKOFIEV
Romeo and Juliet: Suite No. 1, Op. 64bis (1936);
Suite No. 2, Op. 64ter (1936)
Suite No. 3, Op. 101 (1946) (performed in the order the music
appears in the ballet score)
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra/Andrew Litton rec. June
2005. DSD.
Pdf booklet included
BIS-SACD-1301 [72:14] from eclassical.com
(mp3, 16-and 24-bit lossless) or stream from Naxos Music Library
Ideally,
I recommend the complete ballet from Previn (EMI, coupled
with Raymonda in its latest reissue, 9677012)
or Ashkenazy (Decca, reissued last year, 478 3100), both
available inexpensively, but if you think the complete score
is a bit too much, this recording represents an ideal compromise
the music from all three suites played in the order that
it appears in the ballet. It covers more ground than the Supraphon
recording conducted by Karel Ančerl from which I got to
know this work now coupled with Peter and the Wolf
on SU36762 but it lacks just a little of the sheer
energy that Ančerl conveys. The only download of the Ančerl
that Ive been able to find, from hmvdigital.com, will
save you one penny over the price of the CD from MDT.
This recording needs to be played at a higher than usual volume
level to make its full impact at normal levels it sounds
surprisingly tame.
Steve REICH (b.1936)
Triple Quartet (1999) [14:45]
Duet (1994) [5:14]
Different Trains (1988) [27:14]
The Smith Quartet rec. 2005. DDD
Pdf booklet included
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD064 [46:59] download from
theclassicalshop.net
(mp3 and lossless, with booklet) or stream from Naxos Music
Library (no booklet)
[One could make the case for this disc as the near-ideal
representation of Reichs considerable contribution to
the string quartet genre. If youre into Reich, dont
hesitate. See review
by Tony Haywood.]
To Tony Haywoods review I need only add my own appreciation
of the music Im a great fan of all the so-called
minimalists and performances and to add that the download
is in good quality, even in mp3 format.
In lighter
mood
English Country Dances
The Lord Zouches Maske
Pavan
The Long Dance
Branle des Sabots
Pinagay
Branle de lOfficial
Branle des Lavandieres
Nowels Galliard
The Earl of Essex Measures
Gathering Peascods
Millisons Jegge
The Ould Almaine
Quadran Pavin
Can She Excuse (The Earl of Essex Galliard)
Branle de la Guerre
Branle des Chevaulx
Branle[s] dEscosse
The Queens Almaine
Coranto
Il Canario
Bassa Pompilia
Jenny Pluck Pears
Drive the Cold Winter Away
Graies Inne Maske
The Broadside Band/Jeremy Barlow rec. 2003. DDD.
Pdf booklet from classicsonline.com or Naxos Music Library
THE GIFT OF MUSIC CCLCDG1246 [69:20] from eclassical.com
(mp3 and lossless) or classicsonline.com
(mp3) or stream from Naxos Music Library
Let
me quote the blurb: Cheery English dances from the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in vibrant arrangements
from The Broadside Band. From the Long Dance to the Country
Dance, the bands shawms and sackbuts, recorders and hurdy-gurdies
present a series of tuneful, rhythmic pavanes and galliards,
branles and canarios.
I need only to apply one corrective English
is a bit misleading here, as can be seen from the music with
French titles, actually taken from Thoinot Arbeaus Orchésographie,
a 1589 collection of late-medieval and renaissance French
court dances. (Facsimile online here.)
Only a small percentage of the music comes from Playfords
English collection, but that doesnt make the Arbeau pieces
any less enjoyable; theres even a tenuous Christmas connection
in that the branle de lofficial (tr.6) provides
the tune of the well-known carol Ding dong merrily on high,
though before it came to have any such association.
Theres a trade-off between the downloads: eclassical.com
offer lossless sound as well as mp3 at but classicsonline.com,
in decent mp3 only, also offer the booklet and charge only £4.99.
If you want lossless, the eclassical.com price of $12.48 is
certainly not exorbitant its a little less than
buying the CD direct from The Gift of Music and if you
have access to the Naxos Music Library its possible to
download the booklet there. One way or the other, the booklet
is worth having for its brief descriptions of the various dances.
Thoinot Arbeaus real name was Jehan Tabourot he
simply rearranged the order of the letters, probably because
he was a priest and didnt wish his identity to be known,
even though the title page claims respectability for lhonneste
exercise des dances. Youll find reviews of more of
his music on Alto ALC1076 (June 2011/1 Roundup)
and Musica Rediviva MRCD001 and MRCD005 (May 2012/2
Roundup)
and more from Playfords Dancing Master on Chandos
CHAN9446 (March 2011/2 Roundup).
Yet
more mainly light music from this period can be found on Elizabethan
and Jacobean Consort Music excellent performances
from Catherine Bott and Michael George with the New London Consort
and Philip Pickett (CKD011 [56 minutes] from linnrecords.com
(mp3 and lossless)). There are inevitably overlaps with similar
collections, but none, so far as I can see from a quick check,
with the Gift of Music recording. Delightful, though not very
Christmas-y: the programme opens with Now is the month of
Maying, though you may wish to down a jar or two of Mother
Watkins Ale, the penultimate track, perhaps seasoned
with Nutmeg and Ginger, the final track, during the festive
season.
Dont overlook the companion recording of earlier Music
from the time of Columbus on Linn CKD007 which I
mentioned in the January 2009 Roundup
and the September 2012/1 Roundup.
Mozart on
DVD
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Die Zauberflöte, K620
Kathleen Battle (soprano) Pamina
Francisco Araiza (tenor) Tamino
Manfred Hemm (baritone) Papageno
Luciana Serra (soprano) Queen of the Night
Heinz Zednik (tenor) Monostatos
Kurt Moll (bass) Sarastro
Andreas Schmidt (Speaker)
Barbara Kilduff (soprano) Papagena
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus/James Levine
rec. 1991. DSD.
Direction: Brian Large
Design: David Hockney
NTSC. All regions. Picture 4:3. PCM stereo.
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON DVD 0730039 [169:00]
Ive
already declared my preferences for Die Zauberflöte
without dialogue on CD hence my allegiance to Otto Klemperer
(EMI 9667932) and the 1950 Herbert von Karajan (EMI Historical
3367692, a bargain for around £8) and the Past
Classics download of the Ferenc Fricsay* but on DVD its
a different matter: what seems merely tedious when heard makes
sense in the context of the pictures. Spectacle, too, is important,
which is where my choice of this NY Met production** with designs
by David Hockney scores, even though its recorded in narrow
4:3 format rather than 16:9. Your television probably has a
setting which will convert 4:3 to 16:9 without distortion but
with loss of a little of the picture top and bottom. This is
less expensive than the other James Levine DVD set on TDK; even
though there are some grounds for preferring the performance
there, it, too, comes in 4:3 format.
Some casting weaknesses there are, but they concern the minor
parts; the Three Ladies could hardly be expected to match Klemperers
star line-up but they also fall short of Fricsays team.
Slightly more seriously, Francisco Araiza is a little less than
heroic as Tamino in vocal and acting terms, but not so as to
spoil my enjoyment; its only by comparison with the likes
of Anton Dermota (Karajan, 1950), Nicolai Gedda (Klemperer)
or Ernst Haefliger (Fricsay) that hes a little wanting.
* June 2012/1 Roundup.
For those who prefer Fricsay with dialogue, theres a Naxos
Classical Archive download (9.80720/1
September 2012/1 Roundup).
** not to be confused with Levines abridged English-language
performances at the Met or his German version for children from
Salzburg.