MusicWeb International: Classical Music Reviews & Resources

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Walter BRAUNFELS (1882-1954) Te Deum Leonie Rysanek (soprano), Helmut Melchert (tenor), Hermann Werner (organ), Gürzenich Ch, Cologne RSO/Günter Wand rec. 1952 ACANTA [WK] An overwhelming historical recording. A composer finally coming into his own. One of Wand’s finest performances.

Mary Ellen CHILDS (b. 1957) Wreck Pat O’Keefe (clarinets); Laura Harada (violin); Michelle Kinney (cello); Jacqueline Ultan (cello); Peter O’Gorman (percussion) rec. 2011 INNOVA [DC] Intriguing, but a bit of a patchwork.

Percy GRAINGER (1882-1961) Works for Large Chorus and Orchestra - Sydney Chamber Ch, Melbourne SO & Ch/Sir Andrew Davis rec. 2012 CHANDOS [MC] Highly enjoyable. Grainger enthusiasts will be in their element.

Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847) Violin Concerto Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Violin Concerto Pablo de SARASATE (1844-1908) Gipsy Airs/Zigeunerweisen Gerhard Taschner (violin) Michael Raucheisen (piano) Bamberg SO/Fritz Lehmann, Berlin PO/Arthur Rother rec. 1943-53 MDG [SG] A violinist worthy of attention.

Krzysztof PENDERECKI (b. 1933) Piano Concerto, Flute Concerto - Barry Douglas (piano) Łukasz Długosz (flute) Warsaw PO/Antoni Wit rec. 2010 NAXOS [LW] This latest volume in Naxos’ Penderecki series contains one misfire and one hit.

Stefano SCODANIBBIO (1956-2012) Reinventions - Quartetto Prometeo rec. 2011 ECM NEW SERIES [DC] You’ve never heard a string quartet sound quite like this.

Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) La Battaglia di Legnano - Leonardo López Linares (baritone) Dimitra Theodossiou (soprano) Enrico Giuseppe Iori (bass) Ch & O del Teatro Lirico “Giuseppe Verdi” di Trieste/Boris Brott rec. 2012 C MAJOR [ST] A bit of a damp squib but if you want a DVD then this is practically your only choice.

Richard WAGNER (1813-1883) Overtures and orchestral excerpts from the operas Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Don Juan, Tod und Verklärung, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Metamorphosen - Christa Ludwig (mezzo) Helga Dernesch (soprano) Philharmonia & New Philharmonia O/Otto Klemperer rec. 1960/70 EMI CLASSICS [PCG] A most enjoyable listening experience.

Montserrat Caballé sings Bellini and Verdi arias rec. 1971-74 EMI CLASSICS [RJF] A fitting, if limited, selection from EMI of the great Spanish soprano’s repertoire in this, her eightieth, year.

Miserere - A sequence for Lent, St. Joseph and the Annunciation - Peter Stevens (organ) Westminster Cathedral Ch/Martin Baker rec. 2012 HYPERION [GH] Cast in a mood of beauty and sobriety that is spiritually enhancing.

NEW & RECENT ARTICLES

The Technology of Fine Stereo - an interview with Colin Attwell of Claudio Records by Dave Billinge

The rebellious violinist Michael Cookson interviews Victoria Mullova

Download News 2013/8 Brian Wilson

Algernon Ashton - England's forgotten composer by Patrick Webb

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Other reviews - reviews that don't fit in the normal range of classical music (e.g. books, light music) will generally be published as a group on the second Monday of the month.

MusicWeb - The International Web Site Founder: Len Mullenger [UK], Classical Editor: Rob Barnett [UK], Regular Reviewers (as March 2013): Guy Aron [Australia], Tony Augarde [UK],Terry Barfoot [UK], David J. Barker [Australia], Rob Barnett [UK], Nick Barnard [UK], Robert Beattie [UK], Dave Billinge [UK], Philip Borg-Wheeler [UK],, Byzantion [UK], Colin Clarke [UK], Dominy Clements [Netherlands], Michael Cookson [UK], Hubert Culot [Belgium], Evan Dickerson [UK], Gavin Dixon [UK], Karim Elmahmoud [USA], Robert J. Farr [UK], Christopher Fifield [UK], Göran Forsling [Sweden], John France [UK], Patrick Gary [USA], Paul C Godfrey [UK], Stephen Greenbank [UK], Michael Greenhalgh [UK], David Harbin [UK], William Hedley [France], Gary Higginson [UK], , Christopher Howell [Italy], Robert Hugill [UK], , David Jennings [UK], William S Kreindler [USA], Ian Lace [UK], Oleg Ledeniov [USA], David A McConnell [USA], Em Marshall-Luck [UK], Rob Maynard [UK], Kirk McElhearn [France], Ralph Moore [RMo] [UK], Dan Morgan [UK], Andrew Morris [UK], Margarida Mota-Bull [UK], Hannah Parry-Ridout [UK] , Glyn Pursglove [UK], John Quinn [UK], Carla Rees [UK], Brian Reinhart [USA], Mark Sealey [USA], John Sheppard [UK], George Stacy [UK] Kevin Sutton [USA], Christopher Thomas [UK], Simon Thompson [UK], Zane Turner [Australia], Stephen Francis Vasta [USA], Johan van Veen [Netherlands], Raymond Walker [UK], Derek Warby [UK], Brian Wilson [UK], Jonathan Woolf [UK] Leslie Wright [USA] James L. Zychowicz [USA]. A complete list of contributors can be seen here