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Classical Editor: Rob
Barnett
Music Webmaster
Len Mullenger:
Len@musicweb-international.com
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Classical Editor: Rob
Barnett
Music Webmaster |
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Classical Editor: Rob Barnett, Reviewers: Rob Barnett, Ian Lace, Len Mullenger, and: Richard Adams, Colin Anderson, Terry Barfoot, Marc Bridle, Arthur Butterworth, Colin Clarke, Paul Conway, Gary Dalkin, Andy Daly, Tony Duggan, Harry Downey, Gerald Fenech, Lewis Foreman, David Frieze, Malcolm Galloway, Ian Marchant, John Phillips, Ailís Ní Ríain, Humphrey Smith, Philip Scowcroft, Colin Scott Sutherland, Andrew Seivewright, Richard Whitehouse, Reg Williamson, Peter Grahame Woolf, David Wright. A complete list of contributors can be seen here
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Reviews for SEPTEMBER 2000 |
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PART 1 [Part 1] [Part 2]
[Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5]
GUEST REVIEW FROM INTERNATIONAL RECORD REVIEW
ENGLUND Cello Concertoa. Symphony No. 6, 'Aphorisms'b.
aJan-Erik Gustafsson (cello); Tampere Philharmonic bChoir and Orchestra/Eri Klas. Recorded with support from the Performing Music Promotion Centre (ESEK). Producer Seppo Siirala. Engineer Enno Mäemets. Date September 1999.
Guest review from International Record Review
RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH
GRANVILLE BANTOCK 1868-1948 Rare historic recordings commercial and off-air all mono rec 1923-1948 Shulamite's Monologue from The Song of Songs, Glory of the Sun, Macbeth Overture ,
Circus Life Overture, Four Chinese Landscapes, Polka - Russian Scenes, King Solomon: Processional, Choral Hymn, Announcement of King Solomon broadcast , Songs of Egypt: Invocation to the Nile; Lament of Isis, Pilgrim's Progress: Pilgrim Now Hath Found His Lord; In praise of Famous Men , King's Monologue (Act III Song of Songs) Bantock talking about SibeliusMost exciting. This a disc of discs.
Sir Arthur BLISS (1891-1975) Piano Concerto, T58.
An addition to the catalogue. This piece, I'm sure, will come as something of a discovery for many people. Despite the low playing time, this CD comes wholeheartedly recommended.
DVORÁK (1841-1904) Symphonies - No. 1 in C minor, B9, 'The Bells of Zlonice'; No. 2 in B flat, B12; No. 3 in E flat, B34
This set is not merely recommended. It is indispensable
Jonathan HARVEY (b. 1939) Madonna of Winter and Spring. Percussion Concerto. Song Offerings.
A thrilling, involving disc that should be in the CD collection of anyone interested in British music of today.
Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809 - 1847) Symphony No 3 in A Minor. Op 56 "Scottish" [38.12] Midsummer Night's Dream, Overture Op 21 and Incidental Music. Op 61* [39.45]
This record is something special and should be snapped up before it goes into the black hole where CDs seem to disappear to so quickly these days. Surely a strong candidate for a Record of the Month.
CZECH PHILHARMONIC HORNS Andrew Downes Sonata for eight horns. Beethoven Egmont Overture arranged for eight horns and tuba by Alan Civil Christer Danielson Concertante Suite for tuba and four horns Jindrich Feld Cassation for four horns
The sweetness of some of the horn playing is simply exquisite. The performance is unequalled. All who have heard this recording has praised it highly and rightly so....This is a must. It deserves to be a great success!
BARGAIN OF THE MONTHDVORÁK (1841-1904) Symphonies - No. 1 in C minor, B9, 'The Bells of Zlonice'; No. 2 in B flat, B12; No. 3 in E flat, B34
This set is not merely recommended. It is indispensable
STRAUSS Choral Works Feierlicher Einzug; Wanderers Sturmlied Op 14; Festliches Präludium Op 61; Olympic Hymn; Taillefer Op 52
This is the third recording of Taillefer, Richard Strauss's most unlikely vocal work, an enormous setting for soloists, chorus and orchestra, dating from 1903, telling the story of the Battle of Hastings and the heroic deeds of William the Conqueror's minstrel Taillefer. Owing to its overblown forces and a battle scene that out-Heldenlebens Ein Heldenleben, critical reception has not been as positive as I feel it deserves.
ALPHABETICAL LISTING
Hugh AITKEN Aspen Concerto*, Rameau Remembered**, In Praise of Ockeghem Elmar Oliveira (violin)*, Scott Goff (flute)**/Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz ARTEK AR-0004-2 [57'55"] [DW]
I'm delighted to have heard this selection of Aitken's music - it's likeable, well crafted and asks to be heard again. Perhaps Artek will now record Aitken's First Violin Concerto and his new Symphony.
BACH BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS No 3 & 5 BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY No 3, 'EROICA'
The Beethoven performance is, I think, essential listening - and not just for Furtwängler devotees. The Bach will either compel you or repulse you ; there really is no middle ground with these performances. In summary, a quite remarkable pair of discs.
BACH Organ Works volume 6. Prelude and Fugue in C BWV 545, chorale Preludes BWV 720, 721,727, 741. Fantasia BWV 735, Prelude and Fugue in D BWV 532,Partita BWV 768, Prelude and Fugue in B minor, BWV 543.
This is another splendid recording from Weinberger on a superb and faultless instrument and the recording engineers have greatly contributed to volume six of the organ works of Bach.
GRANVILLE BANTOCK 1868-1948 Rare historic recordings commercial and off-air all mono rec 1923-1948 Shulamite's Monologue from The Song of Songs, Glory of the Sun, Macbeth Overture ,
Circus Life Overture, Four Chinese Landscapes, Polka - Russian Scenes, King Solomon: Processional, Choral Hymn, Announcement of King Solomon broadcast , Songs of Egypt: Invocation to the Nile; Lament of Isis, Pilgrim's Progress: Pilgrim Now Hath Found His Lord; In praise of Famous Men , King's Monologue (Act III Song of Songs) Bantock talking about SibeliusMost exciting. This a disc of discs.
BEETHOVEN (1770 - 1827) The Sonatas for cello and piano. Horn Sonata in F Major. Op 17* [12.10]
Recorded St. Barnabas Church, London Sept 1984 (Cello Sonatas), Kingsway Hall, London. December 1974 (Horn Sonata)DDD / ADD*A superb example of Beethoven duets that are worth serious consideration. Highly recommended.
BEETHOVEN (1770 - 1827) The Sonatas for Piano and Violin
Intimate Beethoven played by two top musicians of the nineteen-fifties. If you don't have to have all the latest, high powered recordings this could be for you.
BERIO Sequenzas I - XIII & IXb
Recorded in 1994-97 and released in 1998, this complete collection of Luciano Berio's famous works for solo instruments has won universal accolades, fully deserved.
BERLIOZ Romeo et Juliette
An LSO Live recording sounding better on disc than from the reviewer's position in the hall
Sir Arthur BLISS (1891-1975) Piano Concerto, T58.
An addition to the catalogue. This piece, I'm sure, will come as something of a discovery for many people. Despite the low playing time, this CD comes wholeheartedly recommended.
Ernest BLOCH Schelomo (1915-16) Israel Symphony (1912-16)
Schelomo receives its mead of barbarous splendour at the hands of Nelsova and Abravanel. ... (Israel symphony) but there is no mistaking the concise excitement and generalised splendour (almost Mahlerian) of the Allegro agitato. The Symphony is not otherwise available.
BRAHMS (1833-1897) 21 Hungarian Dances (arr. Joachim).
...It should really be a joy to listen to ...Waldman and Russo in equal measure ensure that this is not the case....this a disc to be avoided at all costs
BRAHMS (1833-97) Clarinet Sonatas - F minor, Op. 120 No. 1; E flat, Op. 120 No. 2. Paul HINDEMITH (1895-1960) Clarinet Sonata (1939).
This is inspired programme planning. The emotional world of the Hindemith is not a million miles away from that of the Brahms, but its spiky harmonic vocabulary remains far enough away to carry sufficient contrast to the Romantic weight of the two heftier Sonatas.
BRUCKNER Symphony No.8 in C minor (1890 version/Haas)
This is one of those performances where nothing spectacular happens, no real revelations are heard, and yet one is gripped by the sheer rightness of it all. In many ways this is great conducting, Kempe displaying wise and economical leadership.
BUSONI Busoni the Visionary Red Indian Diary (Book One): Seven Elegies: Chaconne
This disc augurs well for future interpretations of this by no means easy music.
[Part 1] [Part 2]
[Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5]
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