James
MACMILLAN (b.1959) The Confession
of Isobel Gowdie (1990) - Tuireadh for clarinet and strings
(1991) - The Exorcism of Rio Sumpul (1989) - Martin Fröst
(clarinet) 
BBC Scottish
Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä - Recorded at City Hall, Glasgow,
September 1999 (Confession), Studio 1, BBC Scotland, Glasgow,
January 2000 (Tuireadh), September 1999 (Exorcism)
BIS CD-1169 [71.17]
[TH]
Lovers of the approachable face of contemporary
music should snap this up. … see Full
Review
Gustav MAHLER
(1860-1911)
Symphony
No.10 (Reconstructed by Joe Wheeler) (1910-11)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra/Robert Olson - Recorded in
Grzegorz Fitelberg Concert Hall, Katowice, 29th May to 3rd
June 2000 NAXOS
8.554811 [78.59] [TD]
This
is a must for all Mahlerites and at Naxos price will be a first choice
for many investigating Mahler for the first time. … see Full
Review
Gustav
MAHLER Symphony
No.2 in C minor "The Resurrection" György
KURTAG Stele
op 33 for large orchestra Arnold SCHÖNBERG
Kol
Nidre op 39* for speaker, choir and orchestra
James Johnson (Speaker)* Juliane Banse (Soprano) Cornelia Kallisch
(Alto) EuropaChorAkademie SWR Radio-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und
Freiberg Conducted by Michael Gielen
Hänssler Classic CD 93.001 [107.28] [TD] 
a
DejaReView
Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Piano
Works: Three Caprices, Op. 33 (1833-35) [25'13]. Fantasies, Op.
16 (1829) [7'54] - No. 2 in E minor, Scherzo; No. 3 in E, Andante. Variations
in E flat, Op. 82 (1847) [8'29]. Piano Sonata in G minor, Op. 105 (1821)
[18'53] Pierre Laconte
(piano). Rec Eglise Notre-Dame du Liban, Paris in 1981.
PAVANE ADW7243 [61'28] [CC]
All
in all, this is a carefully-prepared recital and is an enjoyable way
to spend an hour. … see Full
Review
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Symphony
No. 33 in B flat major, K319 Symphony No. 35 in D major, K385 'Haffner'
Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields/Iona Brown
Rec April 1997, Henry Wood Hall, London
HÄNSSLER CLASSIC CD 94.003 [40.18] Budget [TB]
a
DejaReView
Frank MARTIN
(1890-1974) Petite
Symphonie Concertante for Harp, Harpsichord, Piano and Double
String Orchestra (1945) - 6 Monologues aus ‘Jedermann’
(1943) - Concerto for 7 Wind Instruments, Timpani, Percussion and
Strings (1949) - Eva Guibentif (harp), Christiane Jaccottet (harpsichord),
Ursula Ruttimann (piano), Jean-Claude Hermenjat (flute), Jerome Capeille
(oboe), Michel Westphal (clarinet), Roger Birnstingl (bassoon), Bruno
Schneider (horn), Yves Guigou (trombone), Stephen Jeandheur (trumpet),
Yves Brustaux (timpani), Gilles Cachemaille (baritone)
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/Armin Jordan - Recordings made between
December 1989 and June 1991 DDD
WARNER APEX 0927 48687 2 [62’42] [TH]
Lovers
of central European music in the war-torn years of the last century
should find much to stimulate and enjoy. … see Full
Review
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Sonata
No. 8 in A Minor K310 (300d) (1778) - Sonata No. 10 in C Major K330
(300h) (1781/3) - Sonata No. 11 in A Major K331 (300i) (1781-3) - Sonata
No. 14 in C Minor K457 (1784) - Sonata No. 16 in C Major K545 Sonata
facile (1788) Glenn
Gould, piano - Recorded CBS Studios New York 1967-74
SONY SMK87860 [69.38] [JW]
One
for Gould completists or anti-Mozartians. … see Full
Review
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Symphony
No. 31 in D major ‘Paris’ K297 (1778) [18:08] Symphony No. 40 in G minor
K550* (1788) [29:48] Symphony No. 41 in C major ‘Jupiter’ K551* (1788)
[29:51] London Philharmonic
Orchestra/Zdenek Macal/*Sir Charles Mackerras Recorded at Watford Town
Hall, 7 and 8 January 1980 and *Barking Town Hall, United Kingdom, 2
(K551) and 15 (K550) April 1975 ADD
EMI CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 7243 5 75800 2 1 [77:47]
Joyfully
majestic moods … fresh and stylish … see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano
Concerto No 23 in A Major K488 (1786) Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin Sonata No 7 in C Minor Op
30/2 (1801-02) Clara Haskil,
piano Arthur Grumiaux, violin Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana/Otmar
Nussio Recorded June 1953 (Mozart) and September 1959 (Beethoven)
AURA 188-2 [48.51] [JW]
A
remarkable consonance of aesthetic understanding … see
Full Review
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART
(1756 - 1791)
String Quartets Sonare
Quartet , Franz Schubert Quartet of Vienna
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 99718 [approx. 7 hours 28 min.]
With
two accomplished quartets, performing some of Mozart’s most intense
compositions, this bargain set is a must-have. … see Full
Review
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART
(1756-1791) Don
Giovanni (1787) Don Giovanni (baritone) Eberhard Wächter Donna
Anna (soprano) Joan Sutherland Leporello (bass) Giuseppe Taddei Il
Commendatore (bass) Gottlob Frick Donna Elvira (soprano) Elisabeth
Schwarzkopf Don Ottavio (tenor) Luigi Alva Masetto (bass) Piero Cappuccilli
Zerlina (soprano) Graziella Sciutti
Philharmonia Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra/Carlo Maria Giulini
Recorded 7th-15th October, and 23rd-24th
November 1959, No.1 Studio, Abbey Rd. London UK
EMI CLASSICS GREAT RECORDINGS OF THE CENTURY 7243 5 67869 2 9 [3
CDs: 61:39+64:52+35:49] [GPJ]
One
of the greatest musical and dramatic experiences available on disc,
then, and one that I personally will always treasure. … see Full
Review
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Le
Nozze di Figaro - Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte after Beaumarchais
- Rodney Gilfry (Count) - Eva Mei (Countess) - Carlos Chausson (Figaro)
- Isabel Rey (Susanna) - Liliana Nikiteanu (Cherubino) - Elisabeth von
Magnus (Marcellina) - Robert Holl (Dr Bartolo) - Volker Vogel (Basilio)
- Martin Zysset (Don Curzio) - Werner Groschel (Antonio) - Lisa Larsson
(Barbarina) - Chorus and Orchestra of the Zurich Opera/Nikolaus Harnoncourt
(conductor) Jurgen Flimm
(director) - Felix Breisach (film director) - Recorded 1996
TDK DV-OPNDF DVD [2 discs: 197"] [PQ]
One
knows with Nikolaus Harnoncourt to expect the unexpected … see Full
Review
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Lucio
Silla (1): Il tenero momento, Pupille amate, D’elisio in sen m’attendi,
Cecilio, a che t’arresti, Quest’improvviso tremito, Le nozze di
Figaro (2): Voi, che sapete, Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio,
Così fan tutte (3): Ah guarda, sorella, E’ amore un ladroncello,
Soave sia il vento, Prenderò quel brunettino, Il core vi dono,
Ah, scostati, Smanie implacabili
Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo-soprano), Edith Gruberova (soprano) (1),
Yvonne Kenny (soprano) (1), Lella Cuberli (soprano) (3), Ferruccio Furlanetto
(baritone) (3), John Tomlinson (bass) (3), Concentus Musicus Wien/Nikolaus
Harnoncourt (1), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Daniel Barenboim (2,
3) Locations: Konzerthaus, Vienna (live) (1), Jesus-Christus Kirche,
Berlin (2, 3) Dates: 4th-6th June 1989 (1), 6th-17th
May 1990 (2), 3rd-12th November 1989 (3)
WARNER CLASSICS 0630 14074-2 [53’56"] [CH]
A
cheap way for Cecilia Bartoli fans to pick up her contributions to three
opera sets they may not have, but judged as a recital disc it adds up
to an unsatisfactory whole. … see Full
Review
Carl
ORFF (1895-1982)
Carmina
Burana (1936/1956)
Sarah Macliver, soprano; Paul McMahon, tenor; Jonathan Summers, baritone;
Cantillation; Sydney Children’s Choir; Synergy Percussion; Australian
Virtuosi, conducted by Antony Walker. Recorded October 2001, Eugene
Goossens Hall, Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Ultimo Centre,
Sydney, Australia
ABC CLASSICS 472 481-2 [61.50] [WH]
Given
in the composer’s own reduced version with accompaniment of two pianos
and percussion. … see Full Review
Arvo PÄRT (b.1935)
Orient
Occident - Wallfahrtslied [Pilgrim’s Song] for men’s
choir and strings (1984) - Orient Occident for strings (2000)
- Como cierva sedienta for women’s choir and orchestra (1998)
- Swedish Radio Choir
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Tönu Kaljuste - Recorded: Berwaldhallen,
Swedish Radio, Stockholm, 28 May - 1 June 2001 DDD
ECM NEW SERIES 472 080-2 [47.29] [TH]
Some
outstanding and thought-provoking works here … see Full
Review
Arvo
PÄRT (b.1935) Orchestral
music - Summa (1978) - Trisagion (1982?) - Symphony No. 3 (1971) - Fratres
(1977-82) - Silouans Song (1980s?) - Festina Lente (1980s?) - Cantus
in memoriam Benjamin Britten (1977)
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra/Paavo Järvi, conductor - Recorded
in the 'Estonia' Concert Hall, Tallinn, 9th- 17th
June 2000 VIRGIN
CLASSICS 7243 5 45501 2 6 [73.04] [NH]
An unmissable disc of Arvo Pärt's non-choral
offerings. … see Full
Review
Manuel
PONCE (1882
- 1948) Concerto
for Violin and Orchestra (1943) - Allegro non troppo - Andante espressivo
- Vivo, giocoso - Eric Wolfgang KORNGOLD
(1897 - 1957) Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D
major Op. 35 (1937-39) - Moderato nobile - Romance: Andante - Finale:
Allegro assai vivace - Miranda Cuckson (violin)
Czech National Symphony Orchestra/Paul Freeman - Recorded at ICN Polyart,
Prague, October 9 and 10, December 1 and 2, 1999
CENTAUR CRC 2513 [57. 52] [CF]
Korngold:
gets to the heart of the music from the start. Ponce: may well grow
on you … see Full Review
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) Sacred
Choral Music - Gloria (1959) - Salve Regina (1941)
- Ave verum corpus (1952) - Exultate Deo (1941) - Litanies
à la Vièrge Noire (1936) - Quatre motets pour un
temps de pénitence (1938-39) - Quatre motets pour le temps
de Noël (1951-52) - Donna Deam (soprano) - The Cambridge Singers
City of London Sinfonia/John
Rutter - Recorded in the Great Hall of University College School, London,
January 1988 COLLEGIUM
RECORDS CSCD506 [67.15] [TH]
All
in all, an excellent achievement. … see Full
Review
Francis
POULENC
(1899-1963) Suite
from ‘Les Animaux Modèles’ (1942) Suite from ‘Les Biches’
(1923) Two pieces from ‘Les Mariés de la Tour Eiffel’
(1921) Deux Marches et un Interlude (1937)
Südwestfunk Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden/Marcello Viotti Recorded
by SWF Baden-Baden in February and July 1990
CLAVES CD 50-9111 [48:39] [GPJ]
Unfortunately,
though they play with real feeling for the music, the Baden-Baden Orchestra
is far from a great one. … see Full Review
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Alexander
Nevsky, Cantata Op.78 (1939) Scythian Suite ‘Ala and Lolli’ Op.20
(1915) Carolyn Watkinson
(mezzo-soprano) Latvija Choir Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Kurt Masur
Recorded live at the Gewandhaus, Leipzig on 23 February and 13 May 1991
DDD WARNER APEX 0927
48747-2 [56.20] [TH]
If
you’re on a severe budget, you probably won’t be disappointed in Masur,
but pay the extra for Abbado – it’ll be worth it. … see Full
Review
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Piano
Concerto No. 1 in D flat major Op. 10 (1911-12) Prelude in C major Op.
12/7 Tales of the Old Grandmother Op. 31 Nos. 1-3 (1918) Aram
KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978) Piano Concerto in D flat (1936)
Toccata (1932) Mindru Katz,
piano London Philharmonic Orchestra/Adrian Boult Recorded London, December
1958 CEMBAL D’AMOUR
CD 109 [66.19] [JW]
A
welcome reminder of Katz’s conspicuously superior talent. … see Full
Review
Giacomo PUCCINI
(1858-1924)
Excerpts
from five of his popular operas: Bohème (1896); Madama
Butterfly (1904); Tosca (1900); Turandot (1926); Manon
Lescaut (1893) Bargain price
EMI CLASSICS 5 75576 2 [5CDs: 289.40] [RJF]
Not
generously timed but has its moments of tenderness and visceral excitement
… see Full Reviews
Jean-Philippe
RAMEAU (1683-1764) Pièces
de Clavecin: Allemande in A Minor - Allemande in E Minor - La Dauphine
- La Livri - Les Tourbillons - La Triomphante - Gavotte Variée
- L’Enharmonique - La Joyeuse - Tambourin - Les Soupirs - L’Egyptienne
- Les Tendres plaints - La Poule - Le Lardon - Les Cyclopes - L’Entretien
des Muses - Les Sauvages - Le Rappel des Oiseaux
Mordecai Shehori, piano - Recorded New York 1998
CEMBAL D’AMOUR CD 104 [57.52] [JW]
A
most enjoyable disc; crisp, playful, rhythmically sure, above all communicative
… see Full Review
Maurice
RAVEL (1875
- 1937) Pavane
pour une Infante Défunte (1899/orch. 1910) - Cleveland Orchestra/George
Szell - Ma Mère L’Oye (Suite) (1911) - London Symphony
Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas - Valses Nobles et Sentimentales
(1911/orch. 1912) - Philadelphia Orchestra/Charles Munch - Rapsodie
Espagnole (1908) - Boléro (1928) - La Valse
(1920) - Alborada del Gracioso (1905/orch 1918) - Concerto
in g (1931) - Philippe Entremont, piano - Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene
Ormandy - Gaspard de la Nuit (1980) - Tombeau de Couperin
(1917) - Sonatine (1905) - Jeux d’eau (1901)
Philippe Entremont, piano - String Quartet in F (1903) - Tokyo
String Quartet - No recording information supplied but were recorded
various location 30-40 years ago [ADD]
SONY SBK 509556 2 [3 CDs: 205.27] [PS]
Ravel’s
Greatest Hits in fine performances with good sound, but serious collectors
and audio buffs will want to look elsewhere. … see Full
Review
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Violin
Sonata (1927) Tzigane - Rapsodie de Concert (1924) Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) Violin Sonata (1943) Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Violin Sonata (1917)
Tasmin Little, violin Piers Lane, piano Recorded in St. George’s,
Brandon Hill, Bristol, 8-10 May, 1995 and St. Michael’s Highgate, 31
July, 1991 (Tzigane) [DDD]
EMI CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 7243 5 758042 [60:43] [KS]
A
worthy addition to any collection, and one that is sure to give hours
of repeated listening enjoyment. … see Full
Review
Ottorino
RESPIGHI
(1879-1936) Chamber Works: Piano
Quintet in F minor (1992) Adagio con Variazioni for cello and piano
(1903-10) Sonata in D minor for violin and piano (1897) Melodia in E
major for violin and piano (1902) Piano Sonata in F minor (1897)
Marco Vincenzi (piano) Ensemble Filarmonico Italiano Recorded at Dynamic
Studio, Genoa, Italy 9-11 April 2001
DYNAMIC CDS 404 [70:31] [IL]
A
valuable addition to the Respighi catalogue: accessible, melodic, sympathetically
performed … see Full Review
Ottorino RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
Compositions for violin and piano: Sonata
in D minor for Violin and Piano (1897) Six Pieces for Violin and Piano
(1902-1905) Sonata in B minor for Violin and Piano (1917)
Ingolf Turban (Violin) and Katia Nemirovitch-Dantchenko (piano) Recorded
at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart,
in May, July and September, 2001
CLAVES CD 50-2109 [70:34] [IL]
Another
important addition to the Respighi discography. Melodic romantic works
played with refinement and sensitivity. … see Full
Review
Josef Gabriel RHEINBERGER
(1839-1901) Complete Organ
Works Vol.7: Sonata in E flat major, No.13, Op.161: Phantasie; Maestoso,
Adagio-Canzone; Allegretto-Intermezzo; Largo-Fuge; Allabreve - Charakterstücke
für Orgel, op.156: Präludium; Con moto-Romanze; Andante-Canzonetta;
Andantino-Intermezzo; Allegretto-Vision; Adagio molto-Duett; Andantino
amabile-In memoriam; Con moto-Pastorale; Andantino-Klage; Lrgo-Abdefriede;
Lento-Passacaglia; Lento maestoso-Trauermarsch; Alla marcia
Rudolf Innig, Organist - Organ by: Kuhn, 1879, St Johann at Schaffhausen,
Germany - Recorded:8-9/05/2002, Schaffhausen
MDG 317 0897-2 [71’39] [CA]
Innig has a very good sense of expressiveness
and his use of rubato is well handled … see Full
Review
Joaquín
RODRIGO (1901
– 1999) Concierto
de Aranjuez (1939)a Fantasía para un gentilhombre
(1954)a Concierto Andaluz (1967)b
Ricardo Gallén (guitar)a EntreQuatre Guitar Quartetb
Asturias Symphony Orchestra/Maximiano Valdés Recorded: Auditoria
Felipe, Oviedo, Asturias, June 2001
NAXOS 8.555841 [68:14] [HC]
If
this particular coupling appeals to you, you need not worry about this
very fine and rewarding release; it may be safely recommended. … see
Full Review
Joaquín RODRIGO (1901
– 1999) Complete
piano works Sara Marianovich
(piano) Recorded: Joaquín Rodrigo Auditorium, Las Rozas (Madrid),
February 2001 SONY
S2K 89828 [76:32 + 78.17] [HC]
"Aranjuez,
well, yes, but what else?" Here is part of the answer. … see Full
Review
Gioacchino Rossini
(1792 – 1868) Concerto
for Bassoon and Orchestra (1845) Variations in C for Clarinet and Orchestra
(1810) Introduction, Theme and Variations for Clarinet and Orchestra
(1810) Variations in C (Version for Oboe and Orchestra) (1810) Une Larme
for Cello and Strings (arr. Giovanni Sollima)
Sergio Azzolini (Bassoon) Lorenzo Guzzanti (Clarinet) Diethelm Jonas
(Oboe) Wen-Sinn Yang (Cello) Streicher-Akademie Bozen - Accademia d’Archi
di Bolzano Georg Egger, Leader and Conductor Recorded August/ December
2000, Auditorium Collalbo
ARTS 47634-2 [56.28] [RH]
Not
top rank Rossini, but an interesting side-light on his career. Worth
hearing for the first recording of the Bassoon Concerto … see Full
Review
Gioacchino ROSSINI (1792-1868)
Tancredi
(1813): O Patria! – dolce e ingrata patria!; Di tanti palpiti; Dove
sono io? …; Ah Che scordar non so; Oh Dio … lasciarti io deggio
Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) Nabucco
(1842)*: Ben io t’invenni… Anch’io dischiuso un giorno … Salgo già
del trono aurato, Il Corsaro (1848): Egli non riede ancora …
Non so le tetre immagini, Don Carlo (1867): O don fatale, Ernani
(1844): Surta è la notte … Ernani, Ernani involami, Un
ballo in maschera (1859): Ecco l’orrido campo … Ma dall’arido stelo;
Morrò, ma prima in grazia
Fiorenza Cossotto (mezzo-soprano), Cappella Coloniensis/Gabriele Ferro
(Rossini), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Nello Santi (Verdi), with *Ivo
Vinco (bass), Ambrosian Singers Locations: Schulzentrum Lindlov, Cologne
(Rossini), All Saints’ Church, London (Verdi) Dates: 6th-18th
October 1978 (Rossini), July 1978 (Verdi)
WARNER FONIT 0927
43350-2 [57’ 50"] [CH]
An
extraordinarily interesting record in which the mezzo Cossotto comes
to terms first with original instruments and then with some true soprano
roles. … see Full Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Edmund RUBBRA
(1901-1986)
String
Quartet No. 1 Op. 35 (1933/1946) - String Quartet No. 3 Op. 112 (1964)
- Improvisation for Unaccompanied cello Op. 124 (1967) - Sonata for
Cello and Piano Op. 60 (1946)
Dante Quartet - Pierre Doumerge (cello) and Michael Dussek, (piano)
- Recorded at the Henry Wood Hall, London, April 2002
DUTTON LABS CDLX 7123 [71.41] [GH]
These
performances rank at a very high level and the disc, especially at medium
price is a must for lovers of twentieth century British music. … see
Full Review
Anton
RUBINSTEIN (1829-94)
Piano
Concerto No. 4 in D minor, Op. 70 (1864) [32'30] - Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1942) Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,
Op. 43 (1934) [23'50] - Natasha Paremski (piano)
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra/Dmitry Yablonsky - Recorded in Moscow
Radio Studio 5 in May 2002. [DDD]
BEL AIR MUSIC BAM2030 [56'20] [CC]
Rubinstein:
demanding to listen to it certainly is not. The playing of the Rhapsody
lacks character. Disappointing despite the promising programming. …
see Full Review
[Detailed listing (last two
days)]
[Part 1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R] [Part
5 S-Z]
[Part 6 Misc A-L] [Part
7 Misc M-Z]
Revolving
notes from clipart.com
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