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Hoffnung Music Festivals 1956,58,61
$31 £19 World
$33 £21 post free
This is a must for all Hoffnung enthusiasts.
Purchase
here see
review
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Hoffnung - A Last Encore
On 2 CDs lasting 1 hour 45min, this contains
all the recordings of Hoffnung preserved in the BBC archives. They
include the famous and hilariously funny Bricklayer story.
$22 £14
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BOOK
REVIEWS
Britten, Voice and Piano Lectures
on the Vocal Music of Benjamin Britten by Graham
Johnson, senior professor of accompaniment, GSAMD Guildhall School
of Music and Drama Research Studies 2
ISBN 0-7546-3872-3 Paperback with 2CDs 254pp plus 15pp index; ix pp
foreword Co-published by The Guildhall School of Music & Drama and
Ashgate Publishing Limited. [RB]
Does
Graham Johnson ever sleep, I wonder? An invaluable further addition
to the Britten library. ... see Full Review
Belonging - A memoir by Renée
Goossens
ABC Books 272 pages Paperback ISBN 0-7333-1244-6 [RB]
Much
of ‘Belonging’ is about pain but also about joy ... joy as an eluate
out of the experience of pain. ... see Full
Review
Piano
Notes,
The Hidden World of the Pianist
By Charles Rosen
Extremely
interesting commentary on all aspects of music by an unusually reflective,
intelligent, and eloquent pianist … see Full
Review
The Zarzuela Companion by
Christopher Webber Scarecrow Press Inc ISBN 0-8108-4447-8 hardback,
341pp, Ł34.00 [RB]
Its
value is as a reliable and apparently thorough reference ... the key
to an enclosed garden that promises pleasures and a lifetime's pursuit.
Very happily recommended ... see Full
Review
RECORDINGS
OF
THE MONTH
Isaac ALBÉNIZ
(1860-1909) Henry
Clifford - opera in three acts (1893-95)
Aquiles Machado (Henry Clifford); Alessandra Marc (Lady Clifford); Carlos
Álvarez (Sir John Saint John); Jane Henschel (Lady Saint John);
Ana Maria Martínez (Annie Saint John); Christian Immler (Colin);
Ángel Rodríguez (Messenger) - Escolanía de la Santa
Cruz del Valle de los Caídos - Madrid Symphony Chorus and Orchestra/José
de Eusebio - Rec. Madrid, 2003. DDD
DECCA 473 937-2 [2CDs: 67: 08+72:29=139:37] [LF]
Recommended
for explorers, for dipping, and for good conservatoire opera courses
looking for a vivid unfamiliar score to get their teeth into. … see
Full Review
Mewton-Wood
plays Twentieth Century Piano Concertos
Arthur BLISS (1891-1975) Piano
Concerto (1938-39) [37.36] Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
Concerto for piano and wind instruments (1924) [20.06] Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Concerto for piano, trumpet and
strings Op. 35 (1933) [21.08]
Noel Mewton-Wood (piano) Harry Sevenstern (trumpet) (Shostakovich) Utrecht
Symphony Orchestra (Bliss); Residentie Orchestra, The Hague (Stravinsky);
Concert Hall Symphony Orchestra Walter Goehr (conductor) rec. 1952 (Bliss,
Stravinsky); 1953 (Shostakovich). mono. ADD Transferred by Bryan Crimp
from LPs drawn from the collection of Robert Milnes Financial assistance
from the Bliss Trust Originally issued as Concert Hall LPs: CHS1167
(Bliss); CHS1160 (Stravinsky); CHSH4 (Shostakovich)
BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY HISTORIC BMS101CDH [79.00] [JQ]
I
strongly recommend this disc and hope that through it many more people
will get an opportunity to sample the phenomenon that was Noel Mewton-Wood.
… see Full Review
John
CASKEN (b.1949) Darting
the Skiff (1993) [18’19] - Maharal Dreaming (1991) [12’33]
- Cello Concerto (1991) [20’13] - Vaganza (1985) [27’06]
Heinrich Schiff (cello/director)
- Northern Sinfonia/John Casken (conductor) - Recorded at St. Nicholas
Hospital, Gosforth, Newcastle-on-Tyne, August 1992 (concerto) and 3-6
September 1994 NMC
ANCORA D086 [78’11] [TH]
Truly
inventive and stimulating music … should be snapped up by anyone who
cares about the modern British music scene. … see Full
Review
Celtic
Magic - Chamber music and songs by Peter
Crossley-Holland and his circle Peter CROSSLEY-HOLLAND
(1916-2001) The
Nightingales (1945) - Ode to Mananan (1999) - The Weather the Cuckoo
Likes; The Piper (1945) - Two Songs (1996) - Lullaby (1943/2001) - Trio
(1940) - Twilight it is (1944) - John
MANDUELL (b. 1928) "C-H" Recitative and Aria (2002) - Edmund
RUBBRA (1901-1986) Oboe Sonata in C, Op. 100 (1958) - Julius
HARRISON (1885-1963) Philomel (1938); I Know a Bank (1928)
- John IRELAND (1879-1962) The Holy
Boy (1919) - David COX (1916-1997) The
Magical Island (1996) - Benjamin BRITTEN
(1913-1976) Six Metamorphoses after Ovid, Op. 49 (1951)
Lesley-Jane Richards, soprano John Turner, recorder - Richard Simpson,
oboe - Keith Swallow, piano - Richard Howarth, violin - Tom Dunn, viola
- Recorded at Manchester University Department of Music,
28th and 29th August 2002
CAMPION CAMEO 2026 [79.26] [NH]
John
Turner's musical Midas touch pays further dividends with a disc full
of superb British "byways" … see Full Review
Pascal
DUSAPIN (b.1955)
Watt
(1994)a - Galim (1998)b - Celo (1996)c
- Sonia Wieder-Atherton (cello)c; Juliette Hurel (flute)b;
Alain Trudel (trombone)a
Orchestre National de Montpellier/Pascal Rophé - Recorded: Corum
Hall, Montpellier, September 2002
MONTAIGNE MO 782153 [49:51] [HC]
Major
works by a most distinguished composer whose often gripping music will
never leave you unmoved or indifferent. … see Full
Review
John Blackwood MCEWEN
(1868-1948) String Quartets Volume 2 String
Quartet No. 3 (1901) String Quartet No. 6 Biscay (1913) String
Quartet No. 13 (1928)
Chilingirian Quartet Recorded Snape Maltings Concert Hall, 9-11
November 2001 CHANDOS
CHAN 10084 [58.30] [JW]
...the
Chilingirians really do bring life and joyous affirmation to this......
a most enthusiastic welcome...see Full Review
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924)
Tosca:
Opera in 3 acts: libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica: Floria
Tosca - Angela Gheorghiu,
Mario Cavaradossi - Roberto Alagna, Baron Scarpia - Ruggero Raimondi,
Cesare Angelotti - Maurizio Muraro, Sacristan - Enrico Fissore, Spoletta
- David Cangelosi, Sciarrone - Sorin Coliban, Il carceriere - Gwynne
Howell, Un pastore - James Savage-Hanford
Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Terry Edwards Tiffin
Boys’ Choir/Simon Toyne Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Antonio
Pappano A film by Benoît Jacquot, premiered at the Venice Film
Festival 2001 English Subtitles Extras: interviews with Angela Gheorgiu,
Benoît Jacquot and Antonio Pappano Picture Format: PAL Regional
Codes 2 and 4; 16:9 Anamorphic; Sound Formats: PCM Stereo; DTS5.1 Notes:
synopsis of libretto, soloist biographies and a good short essay on
the opera by Roger Parker, Professor of Music, Cambridge University.
Reviewed in both Stereo and in DTS5.1, see below.
BBC OPUS ARTE DVD OA 0883 D
[Film 120 minutes, extras 21 minutes] [DB]
Despite
some odd directorial decisions this is so well sung, so well played,
so well directed, so well acted, so well conducted, and looks so sumptuous
that it has to be seen, and seen repeatedly. … see Full
Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Ronald STEVENSON
(b.1928)
A'e Gowden Lyric: Songs by Ronald Stevenson
Susan Hamilton (soprano) John
Cameron (piano) world
premiere recordings rec.
21-22 Nov 2001, St Mary's Collegiate Church, Haddington, East Lothian.
DDD DELPHIAN DCD 34006
[66.59] [JW]
Capture
the wideness of Stevenson’s imagination and its charm and punch; depth
and thoughtfulness, amplifying, refracting and complementing the poets’
lines in a way that enriches and moves. … see Full
Review
Mother and Child
- Jonathan DOVE (b.1959): Seek
him that maketh the seven stars (1995) [6’28"] - Francis
POTT (b.1957): The souls of the righteous (2000)* [9’34"]
- Giles SWAYNE (b.1946): Magnificat
(1982) [4’05"] - John TAVENER (b.1944):
Mother and child (2003)* [12’44] - Alexander
L’ESTRANGE (b.1974): Lute-book lullaby* [4’17"] - Jeremy
FILSELL (b.1964): O be joyful in the lord* [2’16"] -
Richard Rodney BENNETT (b.1936):
The seasons of his mercies [6’23"] - Francis
POTT: My song is love unknown (2002)* [17’31"] - William
Kendall (tenor) - Andrew Busher (tenor) - Carys Lane (soprano) - Jeremy
Filsell (organ) Tenebrae
directed by Nigel Short - Recorded in the Temple Church, London 4-7
March 2003 * first recording
SIGNUM SIGCD501 [63’22"]
Even
now, only half way through 2003 I feel certain that this most distinguished
CD will be one of my Recordings of the Year - indeed, quite possibly
the recording of the year.
see Full
Review
Franz Peter SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Lieder
with Orchestra: Rosamunde – Romanze, D797 No. 3a (1823)
[3’17] - Die Forelle, D550a (orch. Britten) [2’21]
- Ellens Zweiter Gesang, D838a (orch. Brahms) [3’07]
- Gretchen am Spinnrade, D118a (arr. Reger) [3’26]
- An Silvia, D891a (orch. anon) [2’59] - Im Abendrot,
D799a [3’45] - Nacht und Träume, D827a
[3’44] - Gruppe aus Tartarus, D583a [3’04] (all arr.
Reger) - Erlkönig, D328a (arr. Berlioz) [4’02]
- Die junge Nonne, D828a [4’45] (arr. Liszt) - Die
schöne Müllerin, D795 – No. 10, Tränenregenb.
Die Winterreise, D911 – No. 20, Der Wegweiserb. Du bist
die Ruh’, D776b. Schwanengesang, D957 – No. 9,
Ihr Bildb (all arr. Webern) - Prometheus, D674b
(arr. Reger) - Memnon, D541b. An Schwager Kronos,
D369b (both arr. Brahms) - An die Musik, D547b.
Erlkönig, D328b (both arr. Reger) - Geheimes,
D719a (arr. Brahms) - Schwanengesang, D957 – No. 4,
Stänchenb (arr. Offenbach)
aAnne Sofie von Otter (mezzo) - bThomas Quasthoff (bass-baritone)
- Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Claudio Abbado - Rec. live, Grand Salle,
Cité de la musique, Paris, in May 2002. DDD
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 471 586-2 [72’44] [CC]
This
is a fascinating endeavour … A disc to return to many, many times. …
see Full Review
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
Georges BIZET
(1838-1875) Chants
du Rhin Nocturne (médit) Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op.11
(piano and string quintet version) * Grande Valse Brillante in E flat
major, Op.18 Mazurka in A flat major, Op.17, no.3 Mazurka in A minor,
Op.17, no.4 Mazurka in C major, Op.24, no.2 Fantaisie in F minor, Op.49
Nocturne in D flat major, Op.27, no.2 Scherzo No.2 in B minor, Op.31
Prélude No.17 in A flat major, Op.28 Prélude No.22 in
G minor, Op.28 Ballade No.3 in E flat major, Op.47 Nocturne in B major,
Op.62, no.1 Étude in C minor, Op.10, no.12 Prélude No.7
in A major, Op.28 Jean-Marc
Luisada, piano Benjamin Berlioz, double-bass * Talich Quartet * recording
dates and locations not specified Artistes + Répertoires series
BMG FRANCE/RCA 74321
886782 [2CDs: 144:32] [DS]
Highly
individualized performances … essential … intimacy, exploration, improvisation
and articulation … one of the great Chopin recordings … see Full
Review
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ
(1890-1959) Music for solo piano (CD1) Les
Ritournelles (1932) Fantaisie et Toccata (1954) Sonata No.
1 (1954) Julietta (1939) Etudes et Polkas (1945) Piano
Concertos (CD2) Piano Concerto No. 2 (1934) Piano Concerto No. 3
(1948) Piano Concerto No. 4 (1956) Rudolf Firkušný (1912-1994)
(piano) Czech
Philharmonic Orchestra/Libor Pešek Rec. 1988 (solo piano), 1993 (concertos)
RCA RED SEAL ARTISTES
ET REPERTOIRES 74321 886 822 [2CDs: 58.37+68.47] [RB]
Anyone
with any interest in Martinů should snap up this outstanding bargain.
Radiant performances of music nurtured in sunlight, dewy with nostalgic
nationalism. ... see Full Review
Pietro
MASCAGNI (1863-1945)
Il
Piccolo Marat - Opera in 3 Acts (1921) Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (The
President of the Committee – "The Ogre"), Virginia Zeani (Mariella),
Giuseppe Gismondo (Prince Fleury – "Il piccolo Marat"), Afro
Poli ("The Carpenter"), Anna Lia Bazzani (Princess Fleury
– "la madre"), Giulio Fioravanti (The Soldier), Alfonso Marchica
("The Spy"), Giulio Montano (The Thief"), Bruno Cioni
("The Tiger"), Piero Francia (The Captain of the "Marats"),
Armando Benzi (The Carrier of Orders)
Chorus of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo/Ottavio
Ziino Recorded live (mono) 20th January 1962, Teatro del Casinò
di Sanremo WARNER
FONIT "CETRA OPERA COLLECTION" 50466-3246-2-7 [2 CDs:
60:52+70:22] [CH]
A
neglected and powerful opera in a very fine performance, acceptably
recorded. Also a welcome reminder of the art of Virginia Zeani. … see
Full Review
Felix MENDELSSOHN
(1809-1847) Symphony
No.2 in B flat major, Op.52 Hymn of Praise (1840)
Barbara Bonney, Edith Wiens (sopranos), Peter Schreier (tenor) - Michael
Schoenheit (organ) - Leipzig Radio Choir - Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Kurt
Masur - Recorded in the Gewandhaus, Leipzig, September 1988 DDD
WARNER APEX 2564 60156 2 [58’32]
[TH]
Competition
is strong, but this is a highly desirable version of a rewarding piece.
… see Full Review
Giacomo
PUCCINI
(1858-1924) La
Bohème (1894-95) - Opera in Four Acts Libretto by Giuseppe
Giacosa and Luigi Illica Mimi…….Renata Tebaldi (soprano) Rodolfo….Giacinto
Prandelli (tenor) Musetta….Hilde Gueden (soprano) Marcello .Giovanni
Inghilleri (baritone) Schaunard.Fernando Corena (baritone) Colline…
Raphaël Arie (bass) Parpignol Piero de Palma (tenor) Benoit/Alcindoro.
Melchiorre Luise
Sergeant….Ildebrando Santafé
Chorus and Orchestra of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rome/Alberto
Erede recorded in Rome, July 1951 Highlights of La Bohème
Mimi .Licia Albanese (soprano) Rodolfo…Giuseppe di Stefano (tenor)
Musetta…Patrice Munsel (soprano) Marcello… Leonard Warren (baritone)
Schaunard…George Cehanovsky (baritone) CollineNicola Moscona (bass)
RCA Victor Orchestra/Renato Celllini and Victor Trucco Rec. 31st
March 1949 - 24th March 1951, Manhattan Center, New York
City NAXOS HISTORICAL
8.110252-53 [2 CDs: 143:08] [IL]
Truly
golden voices in glorious productions of La Bohème … see Full
Review
Nicolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908)
-
Russian Easter Festival Overture Op. 36 (1888) [15.00] - Antar
- Third Version - Symphonic Suite Op. 9 (1868, 1876, 1903) [33.23]
Philharmonia/Yevgeny
Svetlanov - rec. 15-16 Dec 1999. DDD
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55137 [48.48] [RB]
Svetlanov
in resounding and resplendent form with the best Russian sounding orchestra
outside Russia. ... see Full Review
Franz SCHUBERT
(1797-1828) Quintet
in A major for piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass D667 (1819)
Jan Panenka, piano and members of the Smetana Quartet: Jiří Novák,
violin; Milan Škampa, viola; Antonín Kohout, cello with František Pošta,
double bass; String Quartet No 12 in C minor, ‘Quartettsatz’ D 703 (1820)
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) String
Quartet no. 1 in F major, Op. 18 No.1 (1798-1800)
Smetana Quartet: Jiří Novák, violin; Lubomír Kostecky, violin;
Milan Škampa, viola; Antonín Kohout, cello Stereo: Digital Remastering.
Schubert items recorded Domovina Studio, Prague, June 1960. Beethoven
recorded Domovina Studio, Prague, May 1962
SUPRAPHON ARCHIV SU 3738-2 [75:01] [DB]
An
unalloyed pleasure. The Smetanas renowned in their day as amongst the
finest quartets in the world. An essential purchase … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Robert SCHUMANN
(1810-1856)
Kinderszenen
(Scenes from Childhood), Op. 15 (1838)
Maria-João Pires, piano Recorded at Chartreuse de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon,
August 1984 WARNER
APEX 2564 60363 [51:48] [DS]
Superb
pianism and a complete immersion in Schumann’s most extreme psychology.…
see Full Review
Eduard TUBIN (1905-1982)
Complete
symphonies, Toccata, Suite from the ballet ‘Kratt’ (‘The Goblin’)
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra,
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Conducted
by Neeme Järvi
BIS CD 1402/1404 [63’20"+64’01"+62’46"+65’24"+75’49"]
{5for3}
This
set, offered by BIS as five CDs for the price of three, represents an
outstanding bargain and I recommend it wholeheartedly. … see Full
Review
CARMINA
BURANA:
Medieval Poems and Songs
Ensemble Unicorn, Michael Posch, director; Ensemble Oni Wytars, Marco
Ambrosini, director; Bernhard Landauer, countertenor; Eric Mentzel,
tenor; Peter Rabanser, tradioual style tenor, bagpipes, mandola; Marco
Ambrosini, fiddle, chorus; Thomas Wimmer, fiddle, lute, chorus; Riccardo
Delfino, harp, hurdy-gurdy, chorus; Michael Posch, recorder, chorus;
Katharina Dustmann. Framedrums, Landknechtstrommel, tambourine, chours;
Wolfgang Reithofer, Landknechttrommel, tamourine, xylophone, bells.
Recorded at the Karthaus Mauerbach, 18-21 May 1997 DDD
NAXOS 8.554837 [59:08] [KS]
Everything
is played with a life and energy that left me dancing around the room
by disc’s end. … see Full Review
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