Mario CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO
(1895-1968)
Piano
music: Le Danza del Re David (1925)
[16:12]; Questo fu il carro della Morte
(1913) [6:02]; Alt Wien (1923) [16:26];
I Naviganti (1919) [7:41]; Piedigrotta
(1924) [20:37]
Mark Bebbington (piano)rec. CBSO Centre,
Birmingham, 3-4 Jan 2003 DDD
SOMM SOMMCD 032 [66:56] [RB]
All
credit to Bebbington and Somm for opening
this stimulating door ... drifting suggestive
half-lights and exuberant impressionism. ...
see Full Review
Mario
CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO (1895-1968)
Naomi
and Ruth, Op. 27 Ana María
Martínez, soprano Academy and Chorus
of St. Martin-in-the-Fields/Sir Neville Marriner
Sacred Service for the Sabbath Eve,
Op. 122 Ted Christopher, baritone Jeremy Cohen,
tenor Rabbi Rodney Mariner, speaker Hugh Potton,
organ The London Chorus/Ronald Corp Prayers
My Grandfather Wrote (excerpts) Barbara
Harbach, organ Memorial Service for
the Departed (excerpts)
Cantor Simon Spiro, tenor McNeil Robinson,
organ New York Cantorial Choir/Neil Levin
Rec. no dates given. 2000s? DDD
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559404 [69:40]
[RB]
Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s
musical sincerity and integrity shines through
untarnished by Hollywood’s allure and materialism.
... see Full
Review
Emmanuel CHABRIER
(1841-1894) España;
Suite pastorale; Fête polonaise;
Overture to ‘Gwendoline’; Danse slave;
Joyeuse marche; Bourée fantasque.
Albert ROUSSEL
(1889-1937) Suite in F, Op.33
Detroit Symphony Orchestra/Paul Paray
Recorded in Ford Auditorium, 19 March 1957
(Bourée fantasque, Suite in F),
Old Orchestra Hall, Detroit, 5 April 1959
(Joyeuse marche), Cass Technical High
School, Detroit, 18 November 1959 (rest)
MERCURY LIVING PRESENCE 
475 6183 [67’22] [TH]
An
altogether outstanding disc. ... see Full
Review
Jacobus
CLEMENS NON PAPA (c.1510
– c.1555) Behold How Joyful Ecce
quam bonum; Missa Ecce quam bonum;
Acceserunt ad Jesum; Job tonso capite;
Veni electa mea; Pascha nostrum;
Carole, magnus eras
The Brabant Ensemble/Stephen Rice Recorded
in the Chapel of Merton College, Oxford, 5-7
April 2003
SIGNUM SIGCD045 [70:54][RH]
A
welcome addition to the catalogue; music by this neglected composer
in good straight performances. ... see Full
Review
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Suite
Bergamasque: Clair de lune La plus que lente Arabesque No.1 Le petit
nègre Children’s Corner Suite: The snow is dancing Children’s Corner
Suite: The little shepherd Children’s Corner Suite: Golliwog’s cakewalk
Trois Estampes: La soirée dans Grenade Trois Estampes: Jardins sous
la pluie Arabesque No.2 Valse romantique Danse (Tarantelle styrienne)
Pour le piano: Toccata Images: Reflets dans l’eau Images: Poissons d’or
Mazurka Rêverie Préludes, Book I: La fille aux cheveux de lin Préludes,
Book I: Minstrels Préludes, Book I: La cathédral engloutie
François-Joël Thiollier
(piano) Rec. 28 November - 1 December 1994, 13-15 March 1995, 16-18
January 1996, 25-27 September 1996, Temple Saint Marcel, Paris.
NAXOS 8.555800 [78.10][JW]
It’s a pity that Thiollier
has been done down by the recording. He is an astute colourist and technically
fine but not quite the Debussy pianist that Kocsis and Gieseking are ... see Full
Review
Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797 – 1848) Lucia
di Lammermoor - drama tragico in two parts
Lord Enrico Ashton…Roberto Frontali
(baritone) Lucia…Stefania Bonfadelli (soprano) Sir Edgardo
di Ravenswood…Marcelo Álvarez (tenor) Lord
Arturo Bucklaw…Cristiano Olivieri (tenor) Raimondo Bidebent…Mirco
Palazzi (bass) Alisa…Maria Castelli
(mezzo soprano) Normanno…Giovanni Maini (tenor) Coro del Teatro Carlo Felice Orchestra
del Teatro Carlo Felice/Patrick
Fournillier
Recorded live at the Teatro Carlo Felice,
Genova, June 2003. DVD
TDK DV-OPLDIL [145 mins] [RMcK]
Bonfadelli
alone justifies the purchase of this DVD ... see Full
Review
Padre Jose Antonio
DONOSTIA (1886-1956)
Piano
Works: Twenty-One Basque Preludes (1912-16);
Andante for a Basque Sonata; Nostalgia;
Heartfelt prayer to our Lady of Socorri;
Basque Minuet; On the Banks of the
Ter; Tiento and Song; Hommage
to Juan Crisostomo de Arriaga
Jordi Maso (piano) Rec: July 2000, Théâtre
Ponent de Granollers, Barcelona, Spain. DDD
NAXOS 8.557228 [78.35] [GH]
Attractive
if undemanding music here given every chance
to shine. ... see Full
Review
Richard DRAKEFORD
(b.1936) Cello
Suite – for Rohan de Saram (1957-8) [9:22]John
R. WILLIAMSON (b.1929) Cello Sonata
No. 2 (2001) [22:46] Vagn
HOLMBOE (1909-1996) Solo Cello
Sonata (1969) [19:27]
Diane Porteous (cello); Kathryn Page (piano)
Recorded in The Whiteley Hall, Chetham’s School
of Music, Manchester 2004
DUNELM RECORDS DRD0229 [51:35] [DHJ]
This
recording is worth exploring for its little
known repertoire and committed performances.
The Williamson is something of a find and
should now gain more recognition. ... see
Full Review
Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Complete Solo Piano Music Recorded
5-8 October 1999, Studio 10, DeutschlandRadio Berlin, Germany
Stefan Veselka (piano) Dates and locations as above
NAXOS 8.505205 [5:05:03] [JW]
Fine
performances of seldom heard repertoire. Recording
quality generally excellent. ... spice up
your jaded repertoire. ... see Full
Review
Antonín DVOŘÁK
(1841-1904) Complete
Works For Piano Duet Slavonic
Dances Op.46 (1878) Slavonic Dances
Op.72 (1886) Legends Op.59 (1881)
From The Bohemian Forest Op.68 (1884)
Ingryd Thorson and Julian Thurber (pianos)
Recorded Ski Church Hall, Oslo, December 1989
and June 1990
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 92274 [69.17 + 63.25]
[JW]
Consistently
generous performances, idiomatically played
... music that moves irresistibly through
the bloodstream infusing the body with its
infectious brio. ... see Full
Review
Baldassare
GALUPPI (1706
– 1785) La Diavolessa
Dorina
– Kremena Dilcheva (alto) Giannino – Matthias
Vieweg (baritone) Falco – Tom Allen (tenor)
Count Nastri – Johnny Maldondo (alto) Countess
Nastri – Bettina Pahn (soprano) Don Poppone
– Egbert Junghanns (bass) Ghiandina – Doerthe
Maria Sandmann (soprano)
Lautten Compagney Berlin/Wolfgang Katschner
Recording: Jesus-Christus Kirche, Berlin Dahlem;
6-10 Jan 2003
CPO 999 947-2 [61.53 + 63.18] [RH]
A
welcome chance to hear one of Galuppi and
Goldoni’s collaborations which helped revolutionise
18th century opera buffa. ... see
Full Review
Jan
GARBAREK (b. 1947)
In Praise of Dreams As seen from above; In praise of dreams; One
goes there alone; Knot of place and time; If you go far enough; Scene
from afar; Cloud of unknowing; Without visible sign; Iceburn; Conversation
with a stone; A tale begun
Jan Garbarek, saxophones, keyboards, samplers, percussion Kim Kashkashian,
viola Manu Katché, drums, samplers Recorded at Blue Jay Studio,
MA, PC Studio, Paris, and Rainbow Studio, Oslo, during 2003.
ECM NEW SERIES 1880 [53.25] [NH]
Garbarek's
jazz/folk inspirations gain an extra dimension
in the presence of Kashkashian's celebrated
viola ... see Full
Review
Philip GLASS
(b.
1937) The Concerto Project
Vol. I Concerto
for Cello and Orchestra (2001) [30:47] Concerto
Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra
(2000) [24:27]
Julian Lloyd-Webber, cello Evelyn Glennie
and Jonathan Haas, timpanists Royal Liverpool
Philharmonic Orchestra/Gerard SchwarzRecorded
at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, recording
dates undisclosed. DDD
ORANGE MOUNTAIN MUSIC 0014 [55:14] [PG]
I
am struck by how powerful Glass’s music has
become and how innovative he truly is ...
see Full Review
Philip GLASS (b. 1937)
Music From The Hours;The Poet Acts [3:40]
Morning Passages [5:30] Something She Has to Do [3:09]
“For Your Own Benefit” [2:00] Vanessa and the
Changelings [1:45] “I’m Going to Make a Cake”
[4:01] An Unwelcome Friend [4:08] Dead Things [4:21]
The Kiss [3:54] “Why Does Someone Have To Die?”
[3:53] Tearing Herself Away [5:00] Escape! [3:48]
Choosing Life [3:58] The Hours [7:44]
Michael Riesman, piano; Arranged for Piano by Michael Riesman and
Nico Muhly; Recorded at Baldwin, New York, NY, on 7-9 October, 2003
DDD
ORANGE MOUNTAIN MUSIC 0012 [57:25][PG]
A good, if unremarkable, collection of Glass’s
music. ... see Full Review
Christoph
GLUCK (1714-1787)
Orfeo
ed Euridice - Opera in three acts Orfeo - Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano)
Euridice - Elisabeth Speiser (soprano) Amore - Elizabeth Gale (soprano)
Glyndebourne Festival Chorus
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Raymond Leppard Produced by Peter Hall
Filmed at Glyndebourne in 1982. DVD
NVC ARTS 5050467-3921-2-0 [124mins] [RMK]
A
great DVD. Great performances. Great theatre.
... see Full
Review
Christoph
Willibald von GLUCK
(1678-1741) Orfeo
ed Euridice Kerstin
Thorburg (mezzo soprano) – Orfeo Jarmila Novotna
(soprano) – Euridice Marita Farell (soprano)
– Amore
Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra/Erich
Leinsdorf Recorded live, New York, 20 January
1940 Orfeo ed Euridice – extracts
Kerstin Thorburg – Orfeo Metropolitan
Opera Chorus and Orchestra/Artur Bodanzky
Recorded New York, 26 November 1938
WALHALL WLCD 008 [72.18 + 77.57] [JW]
A
cautious welcome to this set. ... see Full
Review
Eugene GOOSSENS
(1893-1962)
Four
Sketches, for Flute (or Violin), Violin
and Piano (Legend; Serenade; Romance; Humoreske)
Op. 5 (1913) [15:04] Three Pictures
for Flute and Piano, (From the Belfry
of Bruges (For my friend, Ary van Leeuwen);
From Bredon in the Cotswolds; From a Balcony
in Montparnasse) Op. 55 (1935) [18:28] Five
Impressions of a Holiday (Cinq Impressions
d'un séjour à la campagne) for
Flute or Violin, Cello and Piano, (In the
Hills (Parmi les collines); By the Rivers
(Le Long des rivières); The Water Wheel
(Le Petit Moulin à eau); The Village
Church (L'Église du village); At the
Fair (À la vogue)) Op. 7 (1914) [15:56]
Suite, for Flute (or Violin),
Violin and Harp (or Piano) (Impromptu; Serenade;
Divertissement) Op. 6 (1914) [10:32] To Miss
(Miriam) Timothy Pastorale et Arlequinade,
for Flute (or Violin), Oboe (or Violin), and
Piano Op. 41 (1924) [7:48] À Léon
Goossens
London Chamber Music Group: Susan Milan,
flute; David Theodore, oboe; Jan Peter Schmolck,
violin; John Heley, cello; Christina Rhys,
harp; Ian Brown, piano Recorded in: St Michael's
Church, Highgate, London, 16-18 June 2003.
DDD
CHANDOS CHAN 10259 [68:09] [RB]
A
consummately successful collection. Goossens with a marked French accent
and with currents flowing from the English countryside and the streets
of Madrid and the Russian steppes. A very welcome and highly enjoyable
disc ... see Full Review
Georges
Ivanovitch GURDJIEFF (1877-1949) Chants,
Hymns and Dances Original piano transcriptions of
Gurdjieff by Thomas de Hartmann, arranged for this edition by Anja Lechner
and Vassilis Tsabropoulos: Chant from a Holy Book; Bayaty; Prayer; Duduki;
Interludes I and II; Assyrian Women Mourners; Armenian Song; No. 11;
Woman's Prayer; Chant from a Holy Book, Var.1 Vassilis
TSABROPOULOS (b.1966) Trois morceaux après des
hymnes byzantins; Dance; Chant
Anja Lechner, cello Vassilis Tsabropoulos, piano Recorded at the Festburgkirche,
Frankfurt, December 2003.
ECM NEW SERIES 9819613 [72.19] [NH]
Another excellent
ECM release devoted to the musical history of the Caucasus...a little
epiphany...see Full Review
Ivor GURNEY (1890-1937)
Despair;
Sehnsucht (Longing); Song
of the Summer Woods; The Sea [11:37];
Nocturne in B; Nocturne in A flat [12:47];
Nine Preludes (No. 9 recorded here in two
versions) [18:44] Howard
FERGUSON (1908-1999) Piano
Sonata in F minor (1938-40) [22:54] Five
Bagatelles (1944) [8:00]
Mark Bebbington (piano) rec. St Paul's
Church, Birmingham, 15-16 Apr 2004. DDD
SOMM SOMMCD 038 [74:03] [RB]
Bebbington's
touch is velvety smooth; drawing the percussive
sting from the piano. Lovely playing indeed.
... see Full Review
Howard
HANSON (1896-1981)
Symphony
No. 1 in E minor Op. 21 Nordic (1923)
[26:42] Symphony No. 2 Op. 30 Romantic
(1930) [27:54] The Song of Democracy
(1957) [12:04]
Eastman School of Music Chorus/Dr Herman H
Genhart Eastman-Rochester Symphony Orchestra/Howard
Hanson rec. Eastman Theatre Rochester,
New York, 6 May 1957 (Song); 4 May 1958 (2);
16 Dec 1958 (1). ADD Notes in English. Photos
of composer/conductor. Hybrid
SACD playable on SACD players and CD players
MERCURY LIVING PRESENCE 475 6181
[66:40]
The
classic performance of the classic American
Symphony in stunning high resolution sound,
the cornerstone of any collection of American
music...See Full
Review
Hans Leo HASSLER
(1564-1612) Lateinische
Messen und Deutsche Madrigale (Latin Masses
and German madrigals) Missa
octo vocum (Mass for eight voices)
[20’34"] (pub.1599) Deutsche Madrigale:
Ihr Musici, frisch auf (6vv) [2’52"];
Ich bring meim Bruder (8vv) [1’52"];
Das Herz tut mir aufspringen (4vv) [1’11"];
Nun fanget an ein guts Liedlein zu singen
(4vv) [1’12"]; Ach Lieb, hier ist das
Herze (4 lower voices) [2’03"]; Frisch
auf! Lasst uns ein guts Glas (6vv) [2’11"];
Ach weh des Leiden (5vv) [2’23"] (pub.1601);
Feinslieb du hast mich g’fangen (4vv) [1’36"];
Tanzen und Springen (5vv) [1’19"]; Mit
Tanzen, Jubilieren (6vv) [1’34"]; Im
kühlen Maien (8vv) [1’44"] Missa
Ecce quam bonum (5vv) [15’41"]
Kammerchor der Augsburger Domsingknaben/ Reinhard
Kammler
Recorded 28-31 July 2003 at the Aula der Grundschule
Biberach
ARS MUSICI AM 1366-2 [57’19"] [JPo]
A
useful disc to acquaint oneself with this
composer, accompanied by acceptable singing
from a youthful choir. ... see Full
Review
Joseph HAYDN
(1732-1809)
Complete Piano Trios Vol. 6 Piano
Trio in C major (No. 43) Hob.XV:27 (c.1795-97)
Piano Trio in E major (No. 44) Hob.XV:28 (c.1795-97)
Piano Trio in E flat major (No. 45) Hob.XV:29
(c.1795-97) Piano Trio in E flat major (No.
42) Hob.XV:30 (1797)
Trio 1790 Annette Wehnert (violin) Mercedes
Ruiz (cello) Harald Hoeren (fortepiano) Recording
March 10-12, 2000 (Hob.XV:27, 28, 29), March
13-16, 2001 (Hob. XV:30) Sendesaal des DR
Kohn DDD
CPO 999 829-2 [76:26] [MC]
A
strong release of wonderful music from a talented
period instrument ensemble. A stimulating
alternative to but never a threat to the genius
of the Beaux Arts ... see Full
Review
Vagn HOLMBOE
(1909
– 1996) Sinfonias
I-IV Op.73 (1957/62) (+ bonus CD: Chairos)
Danish Radio Sinfonietta/Hannu Koivula
recorded: Danmarks Radio, Studio 2, 1997
DACAPO 8.226017/8 [56:52 + 57:00] [HC]
Crucial
milestones in Holmboe’s symphonic output ...
important steps in his development of metamorphosis
technique ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH André
JOLIVET (1905
– 1974) The Erato Recordings Cello Concerto
No.1 (1962)a Cello Concerto No.2
(1967)b Suite en concert (1965)a
Harp Concerto (1952)c Trumpet Concerto
No.1 (1948)d Trumpet Concerto No.2
(1954)d Ondes Martenot Concerto
(1947)e Heptade (1970)d
Arioso barocco (1968)d Flute Concerto
No.1 (1949)f Suite en concert (1965/6)f
Chant de Linos (1944)g Six Incantations
(1936/7)f Sérénade
avec hautbois principal (1944)g
Cinq Danses rituelles (1939, orchestrated
1940/1) Bassoon Concerto (1954)h
Suite liturgique (1942)i Poèmes
intimes (1944)j
Lily Laskine (harp)c; Jeanne Loriod
(ondes Martenot)e; Colette Herzog
(soprano)i; André Navarra
(cello)a; Mstislav Rostropovich
(cello)b; Maurice André
(trumpet)d; Jean-Pierre Rampal
(flute)f; Maurice Allard (bassoon)h;
Maîtrise de l’ORTF, Jacques Jouineaui;
Quintette Marie-Claire Jametg;
Orchestre de l’association des Concerts Lamoureux;
Orchestre National de l’ORTF; Orchestre Philharmonique
de l’ORTF; Orchestre Jean-François
Paillard; Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourgj;
André Jolivet, Alain Lombardj
Recorded: ORTF Studios, Paris, December 1968-January
1969 (Cello Concerto No.1, Cinq Danses),
November 1967 (Harp Concerto, Ondes Martenot
Concerto); and Eglise du Liban, Paris,
May 1966 and April 1967 (flute works), and
September 1967 (Bassoon Concerto).
No further information concerning the other
works
WARNER ERATO 2564 61320-2 [78:04 + 71:32
+ 76:48 + 71:58] [HC]
May
be safely recommended to those who want to
investigate Jolivet, in excellent performances
and at quite approachable expense. ... see
Full Review
Aram KHACHATURIAN
(1903-1978) Violin
Sonata (1932) [16:08] Elegy (1925)
(transc. V. Mikhailovsky) [3:46] Dance
(1926) [4:10] Song-Poem (1929) [5:28]
Dance No. 1 (1925) [2:27] Lullaby
from Gayaneh (1942) (transc. V.
Mikhailovsky) [3:46] Nuneh Variation from
Gayaneh (1942) (transc. L. Feigin)
[1:29] Nocturne from Masquerade
(1940) (transc. composer) [3:35] Ayesha's
Dance from Gayaneh (1942) (transc.
J. Heifetz) [3:17] Dance Egyna from
Spartacus (1954) (transc. K. Mostras)
[3:46] Grande Adagio from Spartacus
(1954) (transc. V. Mikhailovsky) [7:42]
Sabre Dance from Gayaneh (1942)
(transc. J. Heifetz) [3:46] world premiere
recordings
Hideko Udagawa (violin) Boris Berezovsky
(piano) rec. 5-6 July 2000, Recital Hall,
Performing Arts Center, Purchase College,
USA. DDD
KOCH INTERNATIONAL CLASSICS 3-7571-2 HI [58:21]
[RB]
Too
many arrangements of orchestral favourites
for my liking ... The original works are well
worth hearing ... see Full
Review
Tikhon Nikolayevich
KHRENNIKOV
(b. 1915) Symphony
No. 1 Op. 4 (1936) [22:05] Symphony No. 2
Op. 9 (1942 rev. 1944) [34:45] Symphony No.
3 Op. 22 [17:11]
USSR State Symphony Orchestra/Evgeny Svetlanov
rec. 1973, 1978, Moscow. ADD
SCRIBENDUM SC029 [74:07] [RB]
Khrennikov's
music, drubbed in many quarters, has its bright-eyed
virtues. Some of it is sub-Shostakovich but
much of it has a noble bearing and is impressively
laid out. ... see Full
Review
Giselher KLEBE (b.
1925) Poèma
drammatico Op.130 (1999)a Soggetto
cavato primo Op.122 (1996)b Soggetto
cavato secondo Op.129 (1998)b Widmungen
Op.115 (1970/88)c Zornige Lieder
ohne Worte Op.118 (1994)d Meine
Enkelkinder und ich Op.140 (2002)e
Thema und 39 Variationen Op.142 (2003)f
Silke-Thora Matthies (piano)abd;
Christian Köhn (piano)abcef;
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburga/Peter
Ruzickaa Recorded: Konzerthaus
Freiburg, April 2002 (Poèma)
and Rudolf-Oetker-Halle, Bielefeld, September
2003
MARCO POLO 8.225290 [75:00] [HC]
Recommended
... sheds interesting light on a little-known
composer whose best music deserves to be heard
... some of these works are really fine. I
hope that someone will record his orchestral
music soon. ... see Full
Review
Alexander
KNAIFEL (b.
1943) Agnus
Dei (1985)
Louison Renault (percussion, electronics);
Jean-Philippe Collard (keyboards, percussion,
electronics); Serge Bertocchi (saxophones,
keyboards, percussion, electronics); Jean-Paul
Dessy (double bass, percussion, keyboards,
electronics) Recorded: Igloo Studio, Brussels,
February 2002
MEGADISC MDC 7808/07 [49:12 + 71:08] [HC]
A
major release by any reckoning .... by no
means easy stuff to come to terms with. Excellent
performance and superb recorded sound ...
see Full Review
Meyer KUPFERMAN
(1926-2003) Orchestral Music
Volume XVII Invisible
Borders (2003) When the Air Moves ...
(2003) And Five Quartets (Symphony
for Strings) (1986)
Czech National Symphony Orchestra/Paul Freeman
No Recording details given (2003)
SOUNDSPELLS CD136 [62.27] [JW]
Not
always an easy listen and there’s little of
his jazz-ward looking side here. Kupferman
had integrity. ... see Full
Review
Lori LAITMAN (b.1955)
Mystery – the Songs of Lori Laitman
The
Metropolitan Tower and Other Songs – selections
(1991-92) Lauren Wagner (soprano) Frederick
Weldy (piano) Mystery (1997-98) William
Sharp (baritone) Lori Laitman (piano) The
Love Poems of Marichiko (1993 revised
1994) Phyllis Bryn-Julson (soprano) Thomas
Kraines (cello) Echo The Ballad Singer
William Sharp (baritone) Lori Laitman
(piano) I Never Saw Another Butterfly Lauren
Wagner (soprano) Gary Louie (saxophone) Days
and Nights Phyllis Bryn-Julson (soprano)
Seth Knopp (piano) Recorded 1992-99
ALBANY TROY 393 [63.16] [JW]
A
vein of melancholy and quicksilver that catches
the spirit of these poems in a way that is
both involving and provocative. ... see Full
Review
Lori LAITMAN
(b.1955)
Dreaming,
Four Dickinson Songs (1996) Jennifer Check
(soprano) Warren Jones (piano) Men with
Small Heads (2000) Randall Scarlata (baritone)
Lori Laitman (piano) Sunflowers (1999)
Sari Gruber (soprano) Lori Laitman (piano)
Holocaust 1944 (1996 revised 1998)
William Sharp (baritone) Gary Karr (double
bass) The Years (2001) Patricia Green
(mezzo soprano) Warren Jones (piano) Plums
(1996) Jennifer Check (soprano) Warren Jones
(piano) Between the Bliss and Me (1997)
Jennifer Check (soprano) Warren Jones (piano)
Little Elegy (2002) Sari Gruber (soprano)
Lori Laitman (piano) Dreaming (1991)
Jennifer Check (soprano) Randall Scarlata
(baritone) Warren Jones (piano and additional
vocals) Recorded at the Performing Arts Centre,
Purchase College, State University of New
York, 2002
ALBANY RECORDS TROY 570 [79.21] [JW]
Laitman
is gaining ground in American art song performance.
... she understands the hermetic as much as
the wild in Dickinson. And she sets her with
vivid imagination. ... see Full
Review
Jean LANGLAIS (1907
– 1991) Suite
Brève (1947) Incantation pour un jour
Saint (1949) Evocation (1964) Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908 – 1992) Offrande
au Saint Sacrement (1930s) Gaston
LITAIZE (1909 – 1991) Scherzo (1932)
Lied (1934) Epiphanie Guy
ROPARTZ (1864 – 1955) Prélude
Funèbre (1896) Louis
VIERNE (1870 – 1937) Trois Improvisations
(1928) Marcel DUPRE
(1886 – 1971) Evocation Op.37 (1941)
Colin Walsh at the organ of Lincoln Cathedral
Recorded: Lincoln Cathedral, September 2003
GUILD GMCD 7278 [77:22] [HC]
A
most desirable disc. One of the finest organ
recitals that I have heard recently. ... see
Full Review
Patrick LARLEY (b.
1951) On a Fine Morning:
songs for solo voice and piano Song
cycle: On a Fine Morning (Thomas Hardy): (A
Church Romance; On a Fine Morning; If it’s
ever Spring again; The Darkling Thrush; Great
Things) Sonnet 116 (William Shakespeare) The
Good-morrow (John Donne) My True Love hath
my Heart (Sir Philip Sydney) Now is the time
at hand - a lute song Some there are - a madrigal
Oh be thou blest (Alexander Pope) Five British
Folksongs (She moves through the Fair; Jock
O’Hazeldene; The Nightingale; Barbara Allen;
Sally Gardens) Two Christina Rossetti songs:
(A Birthday; Song)
Sue Tyson soprano Richard Roddis tenor Patrick
Larley piano Rec. 14 July 2001. DDD
PLCD 003 [48:31]
Patrick LARLEY (b.
1951) The Rose of Peace: a capella
choral music A Girl for the Blue Three
poems by W.B.Yeats: (The Lake Isle of Innisfree;
The Rose of Peace; He wishes for the cloths
of heaven) On the Edge of Glory. Two Divine
poems by John Donne Two Medieval Carols The
Lark in the clear air Linden Lea Vespers
Chudleigh’s Companie/composer Rec. Ellesmere
College Chapel, 7 March 1999. DDD
PLCD 001 [49:46] [RB]
Two
fine CDs representing Patrick Larley - a considerable
and distinctive voice in the English vocal
tradition. ... see Full
Review
Nicola LEFANU (b.
1947) String
Quartet No.2 (1996) Concertino for Clarinet
and Strings (1986, rev. 1997)a
Canción de la luna (1994)b
Catena (1999)
Fiona Cross
(clarinet)a; Nicholas Clapton (counter-tenor)b
Goldberg Ensemble/Malcolm Layfield Recorded:
Sir John Lyons Concert Hall, University of
York; July 2003
NAXOS 8.557389 [62:03] [HC]
Fine
works in excellent performances, warmly recorded
and all at Naxos’s bargain price. One could
hardly want a better introduction to LeFanu’s
music. ... see Full Review
György
LIGETI
(b.1923) The Ligeti Project, Vol.5 Aventures,
Nouvelles Aventures (1962-65) Artikulation for tape (1958)
Eight Pieces from ‘Musica ricercata’ (1950-53) Sonata for
Solo Cello (1948-53) The Big Turtle Fanfare from the South China
Sea (1949) Ballad and Dance (1950) Old Hungarian Ballroom
Dances (1949) Sarah
Leonard (soprano), Linda Hirst (mezzo), Omar Ebrahim (baritone) Max
Bonnay (accordion), David Geringas (cello), Peter Masseurs (trumpet)
Asko Ensemble Schoenberg Ensemble/Reinbert de Leeuw Recorded at Studio
for Electronic Music, WDR, Cologne, Feb.1958 (Artikulation),
Sendesaal Deutschland Radio, Cologne, March 1995 (Musica ricercata),
Stichting Muziekcentrum, Hilversum, Sept. 2000 (Fanfare), Muziekcentrum
Vredenburg, Utrecht, Sept. 2001 (Ballroom Dances, Ballad and Dance),
Teldex Studio, Berlin, May 2002 (Cello Sonata) and live at the
Theater Felix Merites, Amsterdam, May 2002 (Aventures, Nouvelles
Aventures) TELDEC
CLASSICS 8573-88262-2 [67’12] [TH]
This
disc may not tell you anything terribly new
about Ligeti, but once again high standards
of production, performance and presentation
are in evidence and make this a very fitting
end to an invaluable series. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Franz
LISZT
(1811-1886) Beethoven’s
Symphony No 9 (Piano Transcription) S464/R128
(1863-5)
Konstantin Scherbakov (piano) Rec. Potton
Hall, Suffolk in June 2003 DDD
NAXOS 8.557366 [63:05] [PCW]
Each
time I have listened to it I have marvelled
at Beethoven’s music, Liszt’s conception for
the piano, and Scherbakov’s musicianship and
virtuosity. ... 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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