RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH

 

Kalevi AHO (b. 1949) Symphony No. 3 Sinfonia Concertante for violin and orchestra (1971/73) - Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) Songs and Dances of Death for bass and orchestra (1875-77/1984) arranged and orchestrated by Kalevi AHO - Matti Salminen (bass) - Jaakko Kuusisto (violin) Lahti Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä - Recorded February 2001 (Symphony) and May 2000 (Songs and Dances) Sibelius Hall, Lahti, Finland DDD BIS BIS-CD-1186 [CT]

Not to be missed for a compelling performance of Aho’s imposing Third Symphony for violin and orchestra. … see Full Review

Alban BERG (1885-1935) Wozzeck (1925): Opera in three acts (fifteen scenes), Op.7, libretto by Alban Berg, after Georg Büchner’s play Woyzeck Wozzeck (baritone) – Andrew Shore ;Marie (soprano) – Josephine Barstow ; Drum Major (tenor) – Alan Woodrow ; Andres (tenor) – Peter Bronder ; Captain (tenor) – Stuart Kale ; Doctor (bass) – Clive Bayley ; Idiot (tenor) – John Graham-Hall ; Margret (mezzo) – Jean Rigby - Geoffrey Mitchell Choir - Philharmonia Orchestra/Paul Daniel - Recorded at Watford Colosseum, 14-18 July, 2002 DDD - Opera in English series CHANDOS CHAN 3094(2) [2CDs: 34’00+57’43] [TH]

This English language version is an almost unqualified success … a fresh and illuminating perspective a harrowing and original masterpiece … see Full Review

George DYSON (1883-1964) Quo Vadis - a cycle of poems (1936-45) Cheryl Barker (sop) Jean Rigby (mezzo) Philip Langridge (ten) Roderick Williams (bar) Chamber Choir of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama/Adrian Partington BBC National Chorus of Wales/Adrian Partington BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Richard Hickox rec. 11-14 Dec 2002, Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. DDD Recorded with financial support from The Sir George Dyson Trust World Premiere Recording CHANDOS CHAN 10061(2) [54.37+46.39] [RB]

No volcanic Ragnarok … Dyson's preternaturally sustained radiant sunset … peculiarly English. ... see Full Review

Louis Moreau GOTTSCHALK (1829-1869) Piano Music Cecile Licad (piano) Recorded at Auditorium de la Banque de Luxembourg, October 1-3, 2001 Recorded Live at Auditorium de la Banque de Luxembourg, October 4, 2001* NAXOS 8.559145 [75:08] [DS]

Licad: now my standard for Gottschalk. Her exuberance and rhythmic vitality places her in an exalted position. A good mix of excitement and poignancy … see Full Review

Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) The Adventures of a Wunderkind - A Portrait and Concert - Portrait commentary by Samuel West with Hugh Wolff, Brendan G. Carroll (President of the International Korngold Society), Annette Kaufmann, Brend O. Rachold and members of the Korngold family - Concert: Concerto in C major for Cello and Orchestra (1946) - Don Quixote 6 Character Pieces for Piano solo (1907/08) - 7 Fairytale Pictures Op. 3 for Piano solo (1910) - Concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra (1947) Leonidas Kavakos (violin)§ ; Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo- soprano) - Bengt Forsberg (piano) - Ljell Lysell (violin) - Ulf Forsberg (violin) - Nils-Erik Sparf (viola) - Mats Lindstrőm (cello) - Quirine Viersen (cello) - Alexander Frey (piano) - Radio Symphony Orchestra of Frankfurt conducted by Hugo Wolff - Picture Format: 16:9 - Sound Format: Portrait – Dolby Digital 2.0. Concert – PCM Stereo ARTHAUS MUSIK 100 362 [144 mins] [IL]

In all, this is a splendid record of the life and music of Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Unhesitatingly recommended to all his admirers. … see Full Review

Joachim RAFF (1822-1882) Works for Violin and Piano, Volume 1. First Grand Sonata, Op. 73 (1853/4) [27’53]. Duo, Op. 59 (1848, rev. 1852) [14’04]. Two Fantasy Pieces, Op. 58 (1850, 1852) [18’08: 8’48 + 9’16]. Duo on Motifs from Wagner’s Tannhäuser, Op. 63 No. 2 (1853) [11’31]. Ingolf Turban (violin); Jascha Nemtsov (piano)Rec. Chamber Music Studio of South West German Radio, Stuttgart, on June 20^th, 21^st and 23^rd, 2000. DDD CPO 999 767-2 [71’53] [CC]

Wholeheartedly recommended. This disc is a box of life-affirming delights waiting to be opened. … see Full Review

Peter SCULTHORPE (b. 1929) Sonata for Cello Alone (1959) Requiem, for cello alone (1979) ¹ Djilile, for cello and piano (1986) * ¹ Tailitnama Song, for cello and piano (1989) * ¹ Threnody, for solo cello (1991) Into the Dreaming, for cello alone (1993) Parting, for cello and piano (1995) * ¹ Tailitnama Song, for cello solo (1997) From Saibai, for cello and piano (1997) * ¹ David Pereira, cello Ian Munro, piano * Recorded in January 1998, Llewellyn Hall, Canberra School of Music and January 1999, Concert Hall, Newcastle Conservatorium of Music ¹. TALL POPPIES TP136 [68.50] [NH]

If you don't know Sculthorpe you should and this disc or any of the string quartets would provide an ideal introduction. A superb achievement … see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Aallottaret (The Oceanides) (Yale version) (1914) [7.25] - Fragments from a suite for orchestra (The predecessor of The Oceanides) (1) - Tempo moderato - attacca - (2) Allegro (1914) [7.19] - The Oceanides (Aallottaret) (final version) (1914) [10.03] - Cassazione (first version) (1904) [12.14] - Musik zu Einer Scène (1904) [5.32] - Coronation March (1904) [2.10] - Morceau Romantique (1925) [1.58] - Porilaisten Marssi (arr. Sibelius) (1900) [2.14] - Cortège (1905) [5.41] - Spring Song (1904) [9.18] Lahti SO/Osmo Vänskä - rec. Sibelius Hall, Lahti, 2-3 Jan 2003, 29 May 2002, 22 Aug 2000, 4, 10-11 Jan 2002. DDD - The Complete Sibelius vol. 51 BIS-CD-1445 [66.01] [RB]

Exalted performance values and rare vintage Sibelius. A mix of barrel scrapings and substantial discoveries - mostly discoveries ... see Full Review

 

 

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827): Overture: Prometheus Op. 43 [5’32"] Recorded 25 November 1957 Overture: Coriolan Op. 62 [7’58"] Recorded 21 October 1957 Incidental Music: Egmont Op. 84: Overture [9’09"]; ‘Die Trommel gerühet’* [3’09"]; ‘Freudvoll und leidvoll’* [1’59"]; ‘Klärchens Tod bezeichnend’ [3’08"] Recorded 21 and 25 October and 25 November 1957 Symphony No 6 in F major Op. 68 ‘Pastoral’ [45’57"] Recorded 7-8 October 1957 All recordings made in the Kingsway Hall, London * Birgit Nilsson (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra/Otto Klemperer Great Recordings of the Century EMI CLASSICS 5 67965 2 [77’20"] [JQ]

Beethoven recordings of the highest distinction which have the power both to humble and exalt the listener. … see Full Review

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony No 1 in C major, Op. 21 * [26’19"] Symphony No 4 in B flat major, Op.60 ** [30’34"] ‘Leonora’ Overture No 1 ** [8’03"] BBC Symphony Orchestra/Arturo Toscanini Recording in Queen’s Hall, London: * 25 October, 1937; ** 1 June, 1939 NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110854 [64’55"] [JQ]

To be asked to pay £5 such vital, engaging examples of re-creative musicmaking is as absurd as it is generous. Bravo Toscanini, bravo BBC SO, bravo Naxos! Strongly recommended. … see Full Review

Georges BIZET (1838-1875) Carmen - opéra-comique in four acts (1875) Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy after the story by Prosper Mérimée Carmen - Solange Michel (sop) Don José - Raoul Jobin (tenor) Escamillo - Michel Dens (baritone) Micaëla - Martha Angelici (sop) Frasquita - Germaine Chellet (sop) Mercédès - Raymonde Notti (sop) Zuniga - Xavier Smati (bass) Moralès - Julian Thirache (baritone) El Dancairo - Jean Vieuille (baritone) El Remendado - Frédéric Leprin (tenor) Lillas Pastia - Arschodt Henri Janin, Chorus Master Chorus and Orchestra of the Opéra-Comique, Paris/André Cluytens Recorded 6-9 September, 1950 at the Champs-Élysée Theatre, Paris. mono ADD First issued on Columbia 33 FCX 101-103 Naxos Great Opera Recordings NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110238-39 [2CDs: 78.17+51.46] [JV]

The feeling of having spent an exhilarating evening in a first class opera house. Overwhelming. Purchase without hesitation. … see Full Review

 

Gustav MAHLER (1860 – 1911) Symphony No. 1 in D Titan (1898) [54.39] - Symphony No. 2 in C Minor Resurrection (1896) [33.54+51.05] - Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (1906) [32.31+65.32] - Symphony No. 4 in G (1910) [56.35] - Symphony No. 5 in C# Minor (1902) [72.22] - Symphony No. 6 in A Minor (1904) [39.10+44.36] - Symphony No. 7 in E Minor (1906) [77.39] - Symphony No. 8 in D Symphony of a Thousand (1906) [77.55] - Symphony No. 9 in D (1909) [44.48+36.11] - Symphony No. 10 in F# Minor (Adagio) (1910) [22.56] - Symphony No. 10 in F# Minor completed by Deryck Cooke (1976) [70.49] - Das Lied von der Erde (1909) [61.20] Helen Donath (soprano) Doris Soffel (alto), Chorus of NDR Hamburg and the Dale Warland Singers, (No. 2) - Doris Soffel (alto) Limburger Domsingknaben and Women’s Chorus of the Frankfurter Kantorei, (No. 3) - Helen Donath (No. 4) - Faye Robinson, Teresa Cahill, Hildegarde Heichele (sopranos), Livia Budai, Jane Henschel (alto), Kenneth Riegel, Herman Prey, Harald Stamm (bass), with the Choir of Bavarian Radio, NDR Choir, WDR Choir, RIAS Kammerchor Berlin, Limburger Domsingknaben and Children’s Chorus of Hess Radio, plus Fritz Walter-Lindqvist, (organ) (No. 8) - Jaard van Ness (alto), Peter Schreier (tenor), Das Lied von der Erde. Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Eliahu Inbal Recorded as follows, all at Alte Oper Frankfurt: No. 1 – 28^th February – 1^st March 1985, No.2 28^th –29^th March 1985, No.3 18^th – 19^th March 1985, No.4 – 10^th - 11^th April 1985 No.5 – 23^rd – 25^th January 1986, No.6 – 24^th – 26^th April 1986, No. 7 – 14^th – 17^th May 1986 No.8 – 14^th 18^th October 1986 No.9 – 24^th – 27^th September 1986 No.10 (Cooke) 15^th – 17^th January 1992, Das Lied 24^th – 25^th March 1988. DDD BRILLIANT CLASSICS 92005 [15CDs: 54.39+33.54+51.05+32.31+65.32+56.35 +72.22+39.10+44.36+77.39+77.55+44.48+36.11+22.56+70.49+61.20] [JP]

A highly recommendable issue for impecunious Mahler fans. … see Full Review

Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) 24 Preludes and Fugues for Piano, Op.87 (1950/51) Tatiana Nikolayeva, piano Recorded 1987, location not specified Budget price: in UK retail £14-15 REGIS RECORDINGS RRC 3005 [3 CDs: 168:23] [DS]

Nikolayeva: the perfect champion to guide us through Shostakovich’s unique musical labyrinth … see Full Review

 

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