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MusicWeb reviewers select their Recordings
of the Year
Reviewers were allowed a totally free choice. They were not
restricted to discs they had reviewed.
Click on cover to read a full review
CLASSICAL EDITOR Rob Barnett's CD of the YEAR | |
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Ernest
John MOERAN (1894-1950)
Symphony
in G minor (1937) [44.30] Sinfonietta (1940) [23.03] The Symphony: A performance bright with life. Lloyd-Jones is at a career peak here with things really catching fire. Just listen to the rushing attack of the baritonal strings at 4.39 in the first movement. Played with mordantly shivering attack. The Sinfonietta:Succulent and spry.Bull's-eye, split-second attack and dreamy yearning. The best of the modern recordings. A large orchestra in fullspate. A superb bargain. |
Colin Anderson | |
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Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano Sonatas – No. 13 in E flat, Op. 27 No. 1; No. 14
in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2, ‘Moonlight’; No. 30 in E, Op. 109. Pires's Beethoven is intimate and poetic, ideal for the 'quasi una fantasia' designations of the Op.27 sonatas, and equally appropriate to the great E major. For all her gentleness, sensibility to colour and dynamics, suggestion of improvisation, and beguiling legato, Pires has Beethoven's structures in full view. There's a compelling sense of direction; one is in the company of a musician who has the music's expression and construction in equilibrium. A superbly recorded CD, one with presence, rich tone and air around the piano's notes. CA |
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Per
NØRGÅRD (born
1932) Symphony
No.6 "At the End of the Day" (1998/9) Terrains Vagues (2000,
rev. 2001) Per Nørgård, born in 1932, stands as the senior Danish composer, one individual and influential. From an early style described as post-Sibelius, Nørgård has developed a personal language both emotional and vivid, one founded on a harmonic slow-burn of infinite possibilities. A busy, kaleidoscopic surface overlays a clear, long-term structure in Nørgård's masterly Sixth Symphony (1999). In 'three passages' (the composer's description) lasting over half-an-hour, the symphony makes an immediate impression and holds the attention. Unpredictability of melody and rhythm, the ever-changing aural landscape, and a sense of fantasy, suggest a musical freedom that is almost improvised; underlying the whole is Nørgård's debt to Sibelius - a rigorous structural shaft that provides the listener with map and compass. Terrains Vagues (2001) occupies perspectives primitive and sophisticated - waves (vagues) of sound are projected at the listener that alternate with rhythmic polarities; the effect is hypnotic. CA |
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Inghelbrecht
conducts Debussy on Testament
Prélude à laprès-midi dun faune, Preserved on these immensely valuable Testament CDs are important recordings that students of Debussy will find indispensable; also captured is the distinctive French instrumental timbres that Debussy would have known and that are today all but lost sadly. The fruity woodwind tones, the expressive vibrato of the brass, the ardent strings all wonderful sounds absolutely at one with the music. And what
marvellous performances these are. Inghelbrecht never gets in the way
of the music, but as every bar passes one is conscious of a guiding spirit
subtly blending sounds and shaping expression to the composers intentions
without pedantry. Review on ClassicalSource.com |
Terry Barfoot | |
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Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Symphony
No. 4 in E flat 'Romantic' (1876)Franz
SCHUBERT (1796-1828) Symphony No. 5 in B flat Günter Wand was one of the great Bruckner interpreters, whose death earlier this year (2002) marked the end of an era. This recording turned out to be his last, and it is therefore a special document. Wand is second to no-one in understanding this wonderful composer. TB |
Rob Barnett | |
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Nikolai
MIASKOVSKY
(1881-1950) The Complete Symphonic Works Volumes 6 - 9 on OLYMPIA Volume
9 Symphony No. 9 (1926-27) [41.38: I 13.55; II 6.53; III 9.56; IV
10.48] Symphony No. 20 (1940) [27.02: I 8.09; II 8.38; III 10.07] The Miaskovsky Symphony No. 20 - a superb work - for its commercial debut in any recorded carrier. The Twentieth is wholly Russian,haunting, exultant, nostalgic, plangent, sad and poignant with an exalted spirit lofted high by a blaze of strings and a supreme brass choir. |
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Alistair
HINTON (b.1950)
String
Quintet (1969-1977) Sarah Leonard (soprano) The Hinton Quintet - A major work that impresses by its obdurate refusal to embrace the obvious and the threadbare and by itssincerity, its subtlety and its lyricism. |
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Edward
ELGAR (1865-1934)
Symphony
No. 1 (1908) [48.43] Symphony No. 2 (1911) [51.35] Introduction and
Allegro (1905) [14.16] Serenade (1892) [12.04] The Elgar set has been chosen principally for the Second Symphony. Solti rips up the old assumptions and found excitement, snap, passion and splendour. No-one has built the crushing, slashing, silvery emotional landslide at the peak of the Larghetto as well as Solti. My top recommended version of the Symphony. |
Marc Bridle | |
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Wilhelm
Furtwängler
(1886-1954) Symphony No. 2 Quite by some distance the finest (and I think most important) recording I've heard this year is Barenboim's incandescent performance of Furtwangler's Second Symphony. Wonderfully played, and passionately conducted, it stands head-and-shoulders above any other recording of this work (with the exception of the composer's own Vienna performance). MB |
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DVD/CD
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901)
Messa
da Requiem (1874) One of the most moving and powerful performances I have reviewed of Verdis masterpiece, not least because of the conductors failing health at the time. Seeing Abbado, clearly in pain, conduct this work gives added pathos to the performance. This DVD alone should defeat the argument that the medium is only successful for opera. MB |
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Tchaikovsky/Schumann
Piano concertos There is
no shortage of performances of Tchaikovsky's B flat piano concerto |
Michael Cookson | |
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Ernest
John MOERAN (1894-1950)
Symphony
in G minor (1937) [44.30] Sinfonietta (1940) [23.03] David Lloyd-Jones
can do no wrong at the moment and displays his impeccable |
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Arthur
BLISS (1891
– 1975) String
Quartet no.1 in B flat Major (1941) Conversations (1923) String
Quartet in A Major c.1915 The Maggini
string quartet go from strength to strength with their |
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Gustav
HOLST
(1874 – 1934) The Planets (with Colin Matthews’ Pluto, The
Renewer) The Mystic Trumpeter * (ed. Colin Matthews and
Imogen Holst) I have heard
so many recordings of the Planets suite over the years but none |
Hubert Culot | |
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Gian
Francesco MALIPIERO
(1882 – 1973) I
Capricci di Callot (1942) Martina Winter (soprano), Giacinta; Markus
Müller (tenor), Giglio; Gro Bente Kjellevold (mezzo-soprano), la
Vecchia Beatrice; Bernd Valentin (baritone), il Principe; Burkhard Ulrich
(tenor), il Poeta; Jörg Sabrowski (baritone), una Maschera; Thomas
Schmid-Kapfenburg (piano); Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra; A fine performance of one of Malipiero's most attractive works. The music is richly melodic, colourful and appealing throughout. A wonderful example of Malipiero's sunniest lyricism. Excellent live recording. The sort of release that serves this much underrated composer well.HC |
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Edith
CANAT DE CHIZY (born
1950) Exultet
(1995)a Siloël (1992) Moïra (1998)b
Three strikingly beautiful works by a most distinguished composer whose music is of great intellectual rigour as well as of great beauty. A name new to me, but one that I will look for in the future.HC |
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Kenneth
LEIGHTON (1929
– 1988) String
Quartet No.1 Op.32 (1956) String Quartet No.2 Op.33 (1957) Seven Variations
for String Quartet Op.43 (1964) That Leighton was a most distinguished composer should never have been in doubt. This superb release should however definitely settle the issue. Three substantial works confirming Leighton's stature. Dedicated performances in excellent recording. A most welcome addition to Leighton's discography. HC |
Tony Duggan | |
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Gustav
MAHLER
(1864-1911) Symphony No.6 in A Minor (1903-05) Gustav
MAHLER
(1860-1911) Symphony
No. 6 in A minor "Tragic" (1903-4) I review a lot of Mahler so I listen to a lot also. This year has seen two remarkable recordings of the Sixth Symphony which I choose for two different reasons. The first is the recording by Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony on Avie. This recording is a perfect illustration of my firm belief that the performance of music is a public act which gains when placed in a specific time and place. This was recorded at "live" performances in the days following September 11th 2001 and must have been influenced by the events of that day. The second recording is by Gunther Herbig and the Saarbrucken Radio Orchestra. I choose this because of its superb quality and for the fact that it doesn't come from a high profile conductor or orchestra and should remind us to always look behind the hype and spin of the big name performers and record companies. TD |
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Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906 - 1975) The
Symphonies (Complete) My other choice is Shostakovich. The complete set of his symphonies conducted by Rudolf Barshai and the WDR Symphony on Brilliant Classics is an astounding bargain and it represents a lifetime's statement by a master conductor on a composer at the centre of his musical life. This is a set that will last you a lifetime also. As a companion to it don't overlook the recording of the Eleventh Symphony by Mstislav Rostropovich and the London Symphony Orchestra on LSO Live. The sound of the alarm bells left reverberating at the end is an unforgettable conclusion to a fabulous performance of a work that must now be regarded as one of the composer's most profound. This recording proves it.TD |
Christopher Fifield | |
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Sir John
Barbirolli
The British National Anthem* [1’12"] Alan
RAWSTHORNE (1905-1971): Street Corner Overture** [5’06"]
Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958):
Symphony No 8 in D minor*** [28’57"] Arnold
BAX (1883-1953): Oboe Quintet (arr. Barbirolli)**** [17’54"]
Frederick DELIUS (1862-1934):
On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring***** [6’57"] William
WALTON (1902-1983): Crown Imperial: A Coronation March* [7’00"]
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934): Land
of Hope and Glory****** [4’19"] *The Trumpeters and Band of
the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall ****Evelyn Rothwell
(oboe) ******Kathleen Ferrier (contralto); The Hallé Choir
This disc includes my favourite Vaughan Williams symphony, and in the hands of 'Glorious John' it could not have a more authentic interpreter, but the highlight of this varied fare is Kathleen Ferrier and her radiantly sublime singing of an over-familiar tune. CF |
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Peacock
Pie Gordon JACOB (1895 – 1984)
Concertino for Piano and Strings (1954) Cecil
Armstrong GIBBS (1889 – 1960) Concertino Op.103 (1942) Peacock
Pie (1933) Cyril ROOTHAM (1875 – 1938)
Miniature Suite (1921) Robin MILFORD
(1903 – 1959) Concertino in E major (1955) Madeleine
DRING (1923 – 1977) Festival Scherzo (1951)
|
Lewis Foreman | |
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York
BOWEN
(1884-1961)Symphony
No. 2 in E minor (1909-11) [32.47] Frederic AUSTIN
(1872-1952) Symphonic Rhapsody: Spring (1902-07) [14.55] Edgar
BAINTON (1880-1956) Symphonic Movement Genesis (1920)
[19.56] For me the highpoints of the year are all explorations of forgotten repertoire. Perhaps my favourite has been the Royal Northern College of Music Symphony Orchestra's premiere recording of York Bowen's gloriously romantic Second Symphony - unplayed since 1912 - with a supporting programme of romantic British orchestral music by Frederic Austin and Edgar Bainton. LF |
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Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
The Early Chamber Music Piano
Quintet in C minor for piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass
(1903) [30'30] Nocturne and Scherzo for string quintet (1906) [10'18]
Suite de Ballet for flute and piano (edited Roy Douglas) (1913-1924?)
[5'50] Romance and Pastorale - for violin and piano (c1914) [8'59]
Romance for viola and piano (c1914) String Quartet in C
minor (1898) [25'27] Quintet in D major for clarinet, horn, violin,
cello and piano (1898) [24'50] Scherzo for string quintet (1904)
[5'57] Three Preludes on Welsh Hymn Tunes (Household Music)
for string quartet (1940/41) But on the assumption that one should not vote for a recording one has worked on, let me quickly move on to highlight the Nash Ensemble's wide-ranging survey of early chamber music by Vaughan Williams, music which until recently was barred from performance. Yet there is nothing here to damage RVW's reputation. It is remarkable to be able to hear we can hear the composer searching for his mature voice. But even though the substantial Piano Quintet of 1903 and the memorable Quintet for horn, clarinet, piano and strings of 1898 do not sound like Vaughan Williams, it is still eminently worthwhile music, with some memorable writing beautifully realised by a top line group. By allowing the discoveries also to be from Vaughan Williams' maturity Hyperion have programmed treasurable performances of the Romance and Pastorale for violin and piano and the Romance for viola and piano, both of 1914, and lovely discoveries. With Hyperion's customary superb production values and good notes, this is how revivals should be done. LF |
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Granville
BANTOCK
(1868-1946) King Lear Overture Kubla Khan Prometheus Unbound
Symphonic Prelude The Land-Of-The-Ever-Young The Frogs (Of Aristophanes)
Overture Orion Dramatic Overture Festival March Finally the specialist brass band label Doyen, one not often seen in mainstream shops, but with a fine catalogue well worth investigating. Their survey of seven band works by Sir Granville Bantock resurrects several scores thought lost, but now rediscovered mouldering in band libraries and strongly justifying their airing in scrip performances by the Salford University Brass Band under their energetic conductor Roy Newsome. If you are a follower of Hyperion's Bantock orchestral series, this band music is an essential footnote. Bantock must have been the most productive of all established composers in writing for band, and the music here includes three extended overtures, atmospheric quasi-orchestral music such as the Hebridean poem The Land-of-the Ever-Young, and the Festival March. The latter, written for a labour party gathering in 1914, is perhaps the only surprise, for despite its arresting celebratory opening and catchy quick-march sections, it is actually more a short tone poem encompassing varied moods, than a concert march in the Elgarian mould. LF |
Tony Haywood | |
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Iannis
XENAKIS
(1922-2001) Works for large orchestra
Volume 1
Aïs for baritone, solo percussion and orchestra (1980) [17.29]
Tracées (1987) [5.11] Empreintes (1975) [10.27] Noomena
(1974) [12.33] Roáï (1991) [12.35] This is the first in an outstanding, and luckily ongoing, series from Timpani that plugs a serious gap in the output of a major 20th Century figure. Exemplary performances and recording. TH |
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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) A superb digital collection at super budget price. Martin's music is in a tough neo-classical mode, highly individual yet very listenable. TH |
Neil Horner | |
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Douglas
LILBURN
(1915-2001) The Three Symphonies Symphony
No. 1 (1949) Superb advocacy for wonderfully lyrical but concentrated nature music from NZ that ought to be far wider known - fans of Sibelius, Moeran, Harris etc. will love it. Essential. NH |
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Bagad
de Lann-Bihoué 'Fromveur'
Azerty
Suite de Loudeac (a) Circus b) Servane c) Tan-Dezhi) Big Deal Dans Keff
(featuring Solo Ensemble of Bombardes) Fest Ar Bragou Bihan Hanter Dro
Evit Maelan Fromveur (featuring Ensemble Batterie) Suite Ecossaise Marie
A'r M'enez (Gavotte des Montagnes) Souben Al Laez Features various combinations
of cornemuses (bagpipes), bombardes, batteries (drums), percussions and
accordeon. Recorded live at the Centre Culturel Oceanis de Ploemeur, Morbihan,
Brittany on 15th May 2002. Not strictly (or even unstrictly!) classical but a brilliant listening experience. A white hot live performance by the celebrated Breton pipe band (bagad) of the French Navy. Totally addictive "martial folk" (?) music. NH |
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Geirr
TVEITT (1908-1981)
Variations
on a Folksong from Hardanger for two pianos and orchestra (1949) (30.54)
Piano Concerto No. 4 "Aurora Borealis", Op. 130 (1947)
(29.57) Håvard Gimse (piano); Gunilla Süssmann (piano) The finest yet of the Naxos Tveitt series. Norwegian folk music filteredthrough Bartok and Messiaen - the variations in particular are awesome intheir evocation of man's place in primal nature. Brilliant. NH |
Christopher Howell | |
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Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Songs: Illalle,
op. 17/6, Den judiska flickans sång, from Belshazzar’s Feast,
op. 51, 6 Songs, op. 36, Jag är etz träd, op. 57/5, Necken,
op. 57/8, 5 Songs, op. 37, Vem styrde hit din väg? Op. 90/6, Norden,
op. 90/1, 6 Songs, op. 50, Våren flyktar hastigt, op. 13/4, Under
strandens granar, op. 13/1 Karnéus singing Sibelius songs; a glorious young voice in its first splendour interpreting some wonderful music with total involvement CH |
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Cécile
CHAMINADE (1857-1944)
Mélodies (1): Ronde d’amour, La Lune paresseuse, Sombrero,
Mignonne, L’Anneau d’argent, Ma première lettre, L’Amour captif,
Attente (Au pays de Provence), Voisinage, Bonne humeur, Alleluia, Malgré
nous, Nice-la-belle, Menuet (1, 2), Te souviens-tu?, Auprés de
ma mie, Viens! Mon bien-aimé, Si j’étais jardinier, Villanelle,
Mots d’amour, Ecrin, Espoir, Chanson triste, Je voudrais …, L’Eté
Pièces pour violon et piano (2) Sérénade espagnole,
op. 150 (arr. Kreisler), Rondeau, op. 97, Capriccio, op. 18 Pièces
pour deux pianos (3) Valse carnavalesque, op. 73, Pas de cymbales,
op. 36/2, Danse païenne, op. 158 Von Otter singing Chaminade; a revelation from one of the major singers of our times CF |
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GREAT
CONDUCTORS OF THE 20th CENTURY 16: SIR ADRIAN BOULT
Some important recordings brought back to the catalogue after a long absence and a reminder that Boult was far more than an interpreter of British music. CF |
Robert Hugill | |
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Georg
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Giulio
Cesare Cesare - Jennifer Larmore Cleopatra – Barbara Schlick Cornelia
– Bernarda Fink Sesto – Marianne Rorholm Tolomeo – Derek Lee Ragin Achilla
– Furio Zanasi Nireno – Dominique Visse Curio – Olivier Lallouette A first choice recording for Giulio Cesare, and high up the list of all time great Handel opera recordings. A must for all Handel lovers. RH |
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Jules
MASSENET (1842-1912)
Piano
Concerto in E flat (1903) - Massenet Andante moderato - Allegro non troppo
Largo Airs slovaques: Allegro Reynaldo HAHN
(1875-1947) Piano Concerto in E (1931) Improvisation : modéré
très librement Danse: Vif Reverie, Toccata et Finale: Lent - Gai,
fortement rythme (pas trop vite) - Allegro Two charming french piano concertos in stylish performances. Hahn's masterly one deserves to have more outings. RH |
Gwyn Parry-Jones | |
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Tarantella
– Music
for double-bass and piano Giovanni BOTTESINI (1821-1889)
Fantasie
on ‘La Sonnambula’ [8:59] Gioacchino ROSSINI
(1792-1868) Une Larme pour Basse [3:01] Fritz
KREISLER (1875-1972) Liebeslied Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Après un Rêve [3:29]
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Pièce
en Forme de Habañera [3:23] Giovanni
BOTTESINI Rêverie [3:41] Frank
BRIDGE (1879-1941) Spring Song [2:25] Giovanni
BOTTESINI Romanza Patetica [7:31] Serge
KOUSSEVITSKY (1874-1951) Valse Miniature [2:50] Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Vocalise [6:25] Reinhold
GLIÈRE (1875-1956) Präludium op.32, no.1 [3:26]
Scherzo op.32, no.2 [4:44] Intermezzo op.9, no.1 [3:18] Tarantella op.9,
no.2 [4:42] Fantastic bass playing, and an exceptional partnership between McTier and Sturrock. GP-J |
Ian Lace | |
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Sir
Arnold BAX (1883-1953)
Symphony
No. 4 Overture to a Picaresque Comedy, Nympholept Bax’s highly evocative and colourful Fourth Symphony was influenced by the natural grandeur of Scotland’s west coast and islands, specifically the views in all weathers out from Morar (near Malaig at the end of the Road to the Isles from Fort William). David Lloyd-Jones’s reading is a triumphant continuation of his highly acclaimed and best-selling Bax symphonies series for Naxos. IL |
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Peacock
Pie Gordon JACOB (1895 – 1984)
Concertino for Piano and Strings (1954) Cecil
Armstrong GIBBS (1889 – 1960) Concertino Op.103 (1942) Peacock
Pie (1933) Cyril ROOTHAM (1875 – 1938)
Miniature Suite (1921) Robin MILFORD
(1903 – 1959) Concertino in E major (1955) Madeleine
DRING (1923 – 1977) Festival Scherzo (1951) This is a delightful, genial compilation of shamefully neglected early-to-mid-20th century light music for strings and piano. Armstrong Gibbs is centre stage with two enchanting works: the title work based on verses by Walter de la Mare and the lovely elegiac Concertino written in the English Lake District during the turmoil of World War II. The other works are equally charming. IL |
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Erich
Wolfgang KORNGOLD
(1897-1957) Lieder This harmonia mundi release reveals another golden seam in Korngold’s oeuvre, closing another important gap in our knowledge. Here are 36 of the composer’s songs (he composed around 40) ranging from the early, heavily-influenced, 12 Lieder of 1911 (when the composer was barely into his teens), to the radical, advanced harmonic language of the Drei Lieder Op. 18 of 1924. This collection contains many first recordings including songs transcribed from the manuscripts and performed here for the very first time. Baritone Dietrich Henschel rises to the challenges of these often demanding songs, sensitively colouring his voice according to their mood and atmosphere. He is splendidly partnered by pianist Helmut Deutsch who reveals all the striking beauty of Korngold’s piano writing. IL |
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