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Hoffnung Music Festivals 1956,58,61
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This is a must for all Hoffnung enthusiasts.
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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.
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Review
Lyrita
Catalogue
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210
reviews completed for February
BOOK
REVIEWS
Myer
Fredman The
Drama of Opera. Exotic and Irrational Entertainment
2003
Sussex Academic Press ISBN 1-903900-50-6 146
pages £15.95 [RH]
A
useful little book introducing the bewildering
world of opera and full of good sense. … see
Full Review
UNEASY
LISTENING - A caricature guide to 20th
century composers
by John Minnion 109pp
Paperback ISBN 0-9544499 1 6 [RB]
This
is wonderfully well done as a book of illustrations.
It tells us something of the psychology of
the composer in each case and does so wittily
and not without taking a few dangerous corners.
... see Full Review
RECORDINGS OF
THE MONTH
Samuel BARBER
(1910-1981)
Vanessa.
An opera in three acts (Revised Version)
Vanessa: Ellen Chickering (soprano) Erika:
Andrea Matthews (soprano) The Old Baroness:
Marion Dry (contralto) Anatol: Ray Bauwens
(tenor) The Old Doctor: Richard Conrad (tenor)
Nicholas: Philip Lima (baritone)
Ukrainian National Capella "Dumka"
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine/Gil
Rose Rec. Concert Studio of Ukrainian Radio,
Kiev, Ukraine, 25 May – 8 June 2002 DDD
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.669140-41 [2
CDs 55’08" + 65’51"] [JQ]
Rejoice
that such a significant opera has been done
proud by this release. … a very fine achievement.
Urgently recommended. … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841
- 1904) Violin
Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53 (1884) Romance
in F Minor Op. 11 (1877) Joseph
SUK (1874 - 1935) Fantasia for
Violin and Orchestra, Op. 24 (1902)
Josef Suk (violin) Czech Philharmonic
Orchestra/Karel Ančerl Part of the
Karel Ančerl Gold Edition remastered
in 24 bit sound Rec. Rudolfinum Hall, Prague,
August 1961. ADD
SUPRAPHON SU 3668-2 [69:16] [JPh]
Drama
and delicacy balanced perfectly … the wonderful
acoustic of the Rudolfinum, enhances the
performances, making listening an absolute
joy. … see Full
Review
Jules
MASSENET (1842-1912)
Cendrillon (1896)
Frederica von Stade (mezzo) Cendrillon;
Nicolai Gedda (tenor) Prince Charmant; Jane
Berbié (soprano) Madame de la Haltière;
Jules Bastin (bass) Pandolfe; Ruth Welting
(soprano) La Fée; Teresa Cahill (soprano)
Noémie; Elizabeth Bainbridge (mezzo)
Dorothée; Claude Méloni (tenor)
Le Roi, La Voix du Héraut; Paul Crook
(tenor) Le Doyen de la Faculté; Christian
du Plessis (baritone) Le Surintendant des
Plaisirs; John Noble (baritone) Le Premier
Ministre
Ambrosian Opera Chorus; Philharmonia Orchestra
ADD /Julius Rudel Rec All Saints Church,
London, in 1978.
SONY CLASSICAL SM2K91178 [two
discs: 136’33: 71’18 + 65’15] [CC]
This
set positively sparkles with joy … this
is a Recording of the Month if ever there
was one. … see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
The Symphonies CD1
Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39 (1899)
Symphony No. 3 in C major, Op. 52 (1904–1907)
Finlandia Op. 26 (1899–1900) CD2
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43 (1901)
[44.10] Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63
(1911) [35.48] CD3 Symphony No. 5 in E flat
Op. 82 (1914) [31.14] Karelia Suite
Op. 11 (1893) [14.55] Pohjola’s Daughter
Op. 49 (1906) [11.51] The Bard Op.
64 (1913) [7.58] CD4 Symphony No. 6 (1923)
[27.01] Symphony No. 7 (1924) [21.19] Tapiola
(1926) [15.42]
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Sakari
Oramo rec. Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 7-12
Jan 2002 (CD1), 29 May - 1 June 2000 (CD2),
17-19 Apr 2001 (CD3), 6-8 Jan 2003 (CD4)
WARNER ERATO 2564 60294-2 [4 CDs:
75.15+80.00+66.35+64.22] [RB] [JPh]
If you like your
Sibelius served ablaze rather than cool
then Oramo is the man for you. Magnificent
in 2, 5, 6, 7 and Pohjola. Never less than
thoughtful and often provocative ... see
Full
Review
LEOPOLD
STOKOWSKI - Decca Recordings 1965-1972
DECCA ORIGINAL MASTERS
LIMITED EDITION 475 145-2 [5CDs:
78.14+69.48+75.33+65.13+80.38] [RB]
A
landmark set in a limited edition. Sybaritic
opulence at its zenith with an OTT recording
system to match. Gorgeous? ... I should
say! ... see Full
Review
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Iolanta
(1892) - opera in eight scenes,
an introduction and finale [92.24] Olga
Myktenko (sop) - Iolanta Benno Schollum
(bass) - King René of Provence Andrey
Grigoryev (bar) - Robert Piotr Beczala (ten)
- Count Vaudémont Vladimir Krassov
(bar) - Ibn-Hakia Roman Muravitsky - Alméric
Nikolai Didenko - Bertrand Nina Romanova
- Martha Bella Kabanova - Brigitte Moscow
Chamber Choir/Vladimir Minin
Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow
Radio/Vladimir Fedoseyev Alla Demidova reads
from Pushkin's Eugene Onegin interspersed
with scenes from Tchaikovsky's opera (sung
by Maria Gavrilova (sop), Irina Chistiakova
(mezzo), Sergej Murzayev (bar), Albert Shagidullin
(bar), Vitaly Tarashchenko (ten)). [48.00]
rec. live, 13 March 2002, Grand Hall, Moscow
Conservatory (Iolanta); live, 24
May 1999, Pushkin Concert, 24 May 1999,
Great Hall, Moscow Conservatory (readings).
RELIEF CR991074 [68.38+70.36] [RB]
Wonderful
- a most accomplished and life-imbued version
of Iolanta. A top recommendation ... see
Full Review
MY
LOVE Malena Ernman (mezzo-soprano) Gioacchino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Il Barbiere
di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Carmen: L’amour
est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera), Près
des remparts de Séville (Seguidilla)
Maurice RAVEL
(1875-1937) Vocalise-étude en
forme de Habanera Michel
LEGRAND (b. 1932) The summer
knows Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Le
Nozze di Figaro: Non sò più
cosa son, cosa faccio, Voi che sapete, Abendempfindung
an Laura Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Die Sterne,
D.939, Im Frühling, D.882, Heidenröslein,
D.257, Litanei, D.343 Duke
ELLINGTON (1899-1974) Heaven*,
Come Sunday*, Almighty God, My Love Nils
LINDBERG (b.1933) Shall I compare
thee to a summer’s day? Bo
NILSSON (b.1937) Vals i mejram,
Röda höst, Det finns ju faktiskt
telefon*
Malena Ernman (mezzo-soprano), Mats
Bergström (guitar), with *Magnus Lindgren
clarinet/flute) and Hans Backenroth (double
bass) All works arranged by Mats Bergström,
the first two Bo Nilsson pieces after arrangements
by Stefan Nilsson Recorded April and June
2002 at Länna Church, Sweden
BIS-NL-CD-5020 [67:45] [CH]
Malena
Ernman is second to none among today’s mezzos
and the originality of her programme planning
ensures that each disc is a special event.
… see Full
Review
CURIOSITY
OF THE MONTH Hornroh
Zirp
Das Alphorn danasch [1:15] Kaamor [4:56]
Purup [1:16] Dr’ Schlipfer [4:16] Rothko
Room [3:04] Flüchting [2:06] Serpent
tacere [4:39] Adieu O(h) W(eh) [2:17] Arb
[7:08] Ahjä [3:18] Flugs [3:27] Choral
[4:54] Zirp [4:42] Fun Facile [6:41]
All compositions written and arranged
by Hornroh Recorded in July 2002 at Saalbau
Aarau DDD
SUISA MGB CD 6195 [54:01] [PG]
If
you only buy one recording of new music
this year, you wouldn’t go wrong by choosing
this one; I cannot recommend it highly enough.
… see Full Review
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
Dave
BRUBECK (b.
1920) Chromatic
Fantasy Sonata [29:05] Five Pieces from ‘Two-Part
Adventures’ [5:50] Tritonis [13:04] The Salmon
Strikes [3:06] Rising Sun [3:44]
John Salmon, PianoRecorded at the School
of Music, University of North Carolina at
Greensboro, USA on 22 September and 13-14
October, 2002 DDD
NAXOS 8.559212 [54:48] [PG]
Performances
of highest caliber. truly excellent. The music
is a joy. The performance is exquisite. Very
highly recommended. … see Full
Review
Joseph
HAYDN
(1732-1809) Piano
Sonata in G minor, Hob.XVI: 44 Piano Sonata
in G major, Hob.XVI: 40 Piano Sonata in E
minor, Hob.XVI: 34 Piano Sonata in C major,
Hob.XVI: 48 Piano Sonata in C minor, Hob.XVI:
20
András Schiff (piano) Recorded in Teldec
Studio, Berlin, January, 1997 DDD
WARNER ELATUS 2564 60677-2 [73’45]
Even
in a crowded field, this is almost self-recommending.
… see Full
Review
Gustav
MAHLER
(1860-1911) Symphony
No. 3 in D minor (1895-6)
Marjorie Thomas (Contralto) Tolzer Knabenchor
Symphonie-Orchester und Frauenchor des Bayerischen
Rundfunks/Rafael Kubelik Recorded "live"
in Herkules-Saal in der Residenz, Munich,
20 April 1967
AUDITE 23.403 [2 CDs: 94.36] [TD]
This
is a firm recommendation for Mahler’s Third
and another gem in Audite’s Kubelik releases.
… see Full
Review
Nicolay
MYASKOVSKY (1881-1950)
Concerto
for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Op. 44
(1938) [38:06] Mieczyław
VAINBERG (1919-1996) Concerto for
Violin and Orchestra in G minor, Op. 67 (1961)
[28:43]
Ilya Grubert, violin Russian Philharmonic
Orchestra, Dmitry Yablonsky, conductor Recorded
in Studio 5 of the Moscow State Broadcasting
and Recording House from 27 February to 5
March 2003. DDD
NAXOS 8.557194 [66:49] [KS]
Bold,
lyrical, rhythmic, charming, dramatic and
thought-provoking … some unusual yet highly
accessible delights. Go buy and enjoy. … see
Full Review
Giacomo
PUCCINI
(1858-1924) Tosca
(1900) Maria Callas (Tosca), Giuseppe
Di Stefano (Cavaradossi), Tito Gobbi (Scarpia),
Franco Calabrese (Angelotti), Angelo Mercuriali
(Spoletta), Melchiorre Luise (Sacristan),
Dario Caselli (Sciarrone/Gaoler), Alvaro Cordova
(Shepherd),
Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala,
Milan/Victor De Sabata Recorded 10th-14th,
16th and 18th-21st August 1953 in the Teatro
alla Scala, Milan
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110256-57 [2 CDs: 42:35,
65:56] [CH]
This
mythical set lives up to its reputation and
sounds fine in this transfer. … see Full
Review
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
Petrushka
(1911, rev. 1947) [34’11]. Le sacre
du printemps (1913, rev. 1947) [32’42].
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Karel Ančerl.
Rec. Dvořák Hall of Rudolfinum, Prague,
in March 1962 (Petrushka) and March
1963 (Le sacre). ADD
SUPRAPHON KAREL ANČERL GOLD EDITION SU3665-2
[67’05] [CC]
A
remarkable document that should be heard without
delay. … 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]
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