In Memoriam
Yehudi Menuhin - Hommage à Yehudi
Menuhin Johannes Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Partita
No.2 for solo violin in D, BWV1004 Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Violin
Concerto No.4 K218 (1775) 
Yehudi Menuhin (violin) RIAS Symphony
orchestra/Karl Böhm Recorded live in
Berne, October 1968 (Bach) and in the Jesus-Christus
Kirche, Berlin, April 1951 (Mozart)
TAHRA TAH 533 [50.38] [JW]
This
is one for Menuhin specialists ... see Full
Review
Inédits
Pierre Monteux Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano
Concerto No.1 Op.15 # Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) The Firebird
Suite Hector BERLIOZ
(1803-1869) Le carnaval romain
Symphonie fantastique
Wilhelm Backhaus (piano) # Concertgebouw Orchestra/Pierre
Monteux Recorded in Amsterdam, 19th
October 1950, except Symphonie Fantastique,
recorded in Vienna, 4th June 1962.
TAHRA TAH 541-542 [2 CDs 71.00 + 62.35]
[JW]
There
are valuable things here and some in relatively
poor sound. For Monteux admirers I think –
but valuable for them ... see Full
Review
L’Art de Charles
Munch Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin
Concerto Op.77 Ossy Renardy (violin)/Concertgebouw
Orchestra, recorded 1948 Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony
No.7 Op.92 Congratulation Minuet – Allegro
(1823) Boston Symphony Orchestra, recorded
1949 Hector BERLIOZ
(1803-1869) Symphonie fantastique
L’Orchestre de l’ORTF, recorded 1949 Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Violin
Concerto – first movement only, rehearsal
Michèle Auclair (violin)/Boston Symphony
Orchestra, live 1951 Charles Munch (conductor)
with orchestras above, as noted Recorded 1949-51
TAHRA TAH 528-29 [2 CDs 73.58 + 64.52]
[JW]
A
salutary couple of discs that introduce us
to a younger Munch than we are generally used
to. ... see Full
Review
Compilation:
Nationalistic Trends During The Romantic Era Mikhail GLINKA
(1804-1857)
Overture:
Ruslan and Ludmilla
(1837-42)
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Hungarian Dances Nos. 1, 5 and 6 (1873)
Fryderyk CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Piano
Concerto No. 2 in F minor (1829-30)
Bedřich SMETANA (1824-1884)
The Moldau from ‘Ma Vlast’
(1972-9) Jean SIBELIUS
(1865-1957) Finlandia (1899 rev. 1900)
Tamara Kerzerov (piano) Russian
Federal Orchestra/Vakhtang
Jordiana
no recording dates or
locations given ANGELOK 1 CD-7751 [68:07] [IL]
Stirring
performances of repertory favourites by a
crack Russian orchestra. ... see
Full Revie
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Anna
Netrebko
- Sempre libera
Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901)
La
traviata: E’ strano … Ah, fors’è
lui … sempre libera; Otello: Era più
calmo? … Mia madre aveva una povera ancella
… Piangea cantando nell’erma landa (Canzone
del Salice) …Ave Maria Vincenzo
BELLINI (1801-1835) La sonnambula:
Ah! Se una volta sola … Ah! Non credea
mirarti … Ah! Non giunge uman pensiero, I
puritani: O rendetemi la speme … Qui la
voce sua soave … Ah! Tu sorridi e asciughi
il pianto … Vien, diletto Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1848) Lucia di
Lammermoor: O giusto cielo! … Il dolce
suono … Ohimè" … sorge il tremendo
fantasma … Ardon gli incensi … Spargi d’amaro
pianto Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Gianni Schicchi:
O mio babbino caro Anna
Netrebko (soprano) Sara Mingardo (mezzo-soprano),
Saimir Pirgu (tenor), Nicola Ulivieri (bass-baritone),
Andrea Concetti (bass), Sascha Reckart (glass
harmonica) Coro Sinfonico di Milano Giuseppe
Verdi, Mahler Chamber Orchestra/Claudio Abbado
Recorded February-March 2004 at the Teatro
Municipale Valli of Reggio Emilia SACD Surround,
SACD Stereo, CD Audio
DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 00289 474 8812 [68:59] [CH]
Potentially
the best soprano news since Caballé.
... see Full Review
Pastyme With Good Company:
Music at the Court of Henry VIII HENRY
VIII (1491-1547) Whereto should
I expresse; Taunder naken; Withowt discord;
If love now reynyd; Pastyme with good companye;
Whoso that wyll for grace sew; Consorts IV;V;VIII;XII;XIII;XIV;XV
and XVI; Greensleeves (attrib) arr. Irmhild
Beutler HAYNE,
VAN GHIZEGHEM (1445-1497) De tous
biens plaine ; WILLIAM
CORNYSH (c.1465-1523) Adew, adew,
my heartis lust ; Blow thy horne hunter; A
robyn; My love sche morneth. PIERRE
ATTAIGNANT (1494-1552) Tourdion
arr. Rosin.
Anonymous, J'ay pryse amours; Dindiridin;
Si fortune; Consort IX arr. Ripper
Ensemble Dreiklung Berlin Irmhild Beutler,
Martin Ripper, Sylvia C. Rosin - recorders
with Michael Metzler, percussion Recorded
at the Hochmeister-Saal Dreiklung Berlin October
2002 and February 2003
CHANDOS CHACONNE 0709 [56.02]
I
could go on, but there is hardly ever a boring
moment on this CD. Much thought has gone into
varying the textures and colours of each piece.
... see Full Review
Itzhak
Perlman rediscovered Niccolo
PAGANINI (1782-1840) Caprices
Op.1 Nos 1, 16 and 24 Paul
BEN-HAIM (1897-1984) Berceuse Sfaradite
Pablo de SARASATE
(1844-1908) Navarra Op.33 George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Sonata
Op.1 No.15 in E Paul
HINDEMITH (1895-1963) Sonata Op.11
No.1 in E flat Jean-Marie
LECLAIR (1697 1764) Sonata Op.
9 No.3 in D Ernest
BLOCH (1880-1959) Nigun (Baal Shem
No.2) Manuel de FALLA
(1876-1946) Spanish Dance No.1
(from La Vide breve, arranged Fritz Kreisler)
Antonio BAZZINI (1818-1897)
Le Ronde des Lutins Op.25
Itzhak Perlman (violin) David Garvey
(piano – except the Paganini Caprices) Recorded
New York, 1965
BMG-RCA 82876 62517-2 [63.18] [JW]
Three
sonatas – all new to the Perlman discography
... a matter for rejoicing. ... see
Full Review
Alfred Piccaver Volume
II Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1868) Don
Sebastiano – Deserto in terra Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Rigoletto – Questa
o quella Rigoletto – Pardi veder le lagrime
Rigoletto – La donna è mobile Il Trovatore
– Ah si ben mio Un Ballo in Maschera – Ma
se m’è forza perditi Aida – Celeste
Aida Giacomo MEYERBEER
(1791-1864) L’Africana – O Paradiso! Charles
GOUNOD (1818-1893) Faust – Salut
demeure chaste et pure Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Carmen – La fleur
que tu m’avais jetée Amilcare
PONCHIELLI (1834-1886) La Gioconda
– Cielo e mar Pietro
MASCAGNI (1863-1945)
Cavalleria rusticana – O Lola Cavalleria rusticana
– Viva il ino Cavalleria rusticana – Mamma
quell vino è generoso Ruggiero
LEONCAVALLO (1857-1919) I Pagliacci
– Vesti la giubba
I Pagliacci – No, Pagliaccio non son La Bohème
– Testa adorata Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Manon Lescaut
– Donna non vidi mai La Bohème – Che
gelida manina Tosca – Recondita armonia Tosca
– E lucevan le stele Madama Butterfly – Addio
fiorito asil La Fanciulla del West – Ch’ella
mi creda Umberto
GIORDANO (1867-1948) Fedora – Amor
ti vieta
Alfred Piccaver (tenor) with unnamed accompaniments
Recorded 1923
PREISER 89601 [77.48] [JW]
Beauty
of tone .... very much part of Piccaver’s
vocal armoury ... a beautiful piece of singing.
... see Full Review
Punapaula
(Red Ribbon) – A musical journey around
the Baltic Sea
Talla Vocal Ensemble DDD Recorded at Riihimäki
Garrison Church August 2001 and Kulosaari
Church, January 2002.
FINLANDIA 2564-61484-2 [47:42] [BK]
Seventeen
tracks of folk (or pseudo-folk) songs don’t
seem the best selection to show off Talla’s
undoubted talents ... see Full
Review
Recorder Music
from Renaissance England: A Concorde of
Sweete Sound
Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet Recorded
at Abbey Road Studios, London, UK, 20-22 September
1991 DDD
DECCA 476 1972 [58:17] [PG]
Should
one wish to take a trip to Shakespearean England,
this album might be a fair locale from which
to start. ... see
Full Review
Red
Earth Colin BRIGHT
(b.1949) Red
Earth (1985) Peggy
GLANVILLE-HICKS (1912-1990) Concertino
da Camera (1948) Neil
CURRIE (b.1955) Ortigas Avenue
(1986) David LUMSDAINE
(b.1931) Bagatelles (1985) Ross
EDWARDS (b.1943) Shadow D-Zone
(1977) Vincent PLUSH
(b.1950) On Shooting Stars (1981)
Geoffrey Collins (Flute/piccolo) Cathy
McCorkill (clarinet) John Harding (violin)
Esther van Stralen (viola) David Pereira (cello)
Daryl Pratt (percussion) Roger Brooke (bassoon)
Ian Munro (piano) Tall Poppies Ensemble/David
Stanhope Rec. July 1998, Studio 200, ABC Sydney
DDD
TALL POPPIES TP133 [67:46] [PW]
Next
time I go to Australia I shall certainly be
taking this disc with me and it will be getting
some more airings before then. It’s a gem.
… see Full Review
Leonard
Rose (cello) Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Cello
Concerto No.1 in A minor Op.33 + Ernest
BLOCH (1880-1959) Schelomo + Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Variations
on a Rococo Theme Op.33 * Jules
MASENET (1842-1912) Elégie
# Edwin GREENE Sing
me to sleep #
Leonard Rose (cello) with
Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York/Dmitri
Mitropoulos + Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra
of New York/George Szell * Gladys Swarthout
(mezzo soprano) and Gibner King (piano) #
Recorded 1949-52
BIDDULPH 80209-2 [67.20] [JW]
Rose
emerges unhindered by relative audio-technical
limitations. It’s good to have these sides
back in business. ... see Full
Review
San Francisco
Opera Gems: Volume 2 Live
recordings from the War Memorial Opera House,
San Francisco in Seasons 1936, 1938, and 1945
GUILD
HISTORICAL IMMORTAL PERFORMANCES GHCD 2287-89
[3CDs: 66.38+59.27+73.21] [JW]
Guild’s
booklet is as ever very attractive and full
of background and there will, I am sure, be
a collector’s market for these discs. Generalists
will find it less satisfactory. ... see Full
Review
Shakespeare in Song
Matthew HARRIS
(b. 1956) From
'Shakespeare Songs' [14:15] Hark!
hark! the lark. Adagio (Book I No. 1)
[1:22] Tell me where is fancy bred.
Allegretto (Book II No. 2) [1:43] I shall
no more to sea. Largo (Book V No. 1)*
[1:19] When that I was and a little tiny
boy. Moderato (Book V No. 4)* [2:33] It
was a lover and his lass. Gently (Book
III No. 1) [2:17] O mistress mine! Adagietto
(Book III No. 4) [2:22] Robert Comeaux tenor
solo When daffodils begin to peer.
Lilting, with a beat (Book IV No. 3)* [2:16]
Caroline Markham alto solo Frank
MARTIN (1890-1974) Songs
of Ariel from Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'
[11:24] Come unto these yellow
sands (Ariel's Song). Molto tranquillo
[1:32] Carol Platt - Laura Inman - Cassandra
Ewer soprano solo Full fathom five.
Très calme [3:25] Jacob W. Herbert
baritone solo Before you can say, 'Come,'
and 'Go'. Allegro molto [0:56] You
are three men of sin. Allegro - Adagio
- Allegro [4:06] Janet Carlsen Campbell alto
solo Where the bee sucks, there suck I.
Allegretto grazioso [1:09] Steven
SAMETZ (b. 1954) premiere recording
When he shall die [4:03] Jaakko
MÄNTYJÄRVI (b. 1963) Four
Shakespeare Songs [11:19] Come
away, come away, death. Andante moderato
[3:25] Lullaby. Andante con moto [2:45]
Double, double toil and trouble. Allegro
non troppo ma feroce - Meno mosso [2:43] Full
fathom five. Grave [2:14] Nils
LINDBERG (b. 1933) Shall I compare
thee to a summer's day? [2:26] from O,
Mistress mine: A Garland of Elizabethan Poetry
Dominick ARGENTO
(b. 1927) Sonnet No. LXIV [3:20]
premiere recording - In memoriam 9/11/01 Alan
MURRAY (1890-1952) premiere recording
O mistress mine! [1:23] Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Three
Shakespeare Songs Full fathom five.
Andante misterioso [3:09] The cloud-capp'd
towers. Lento [2:31] Over hill, over
dale. Allegro vivace [0:54]
Phoenix Bach Choir/Charles Bruffy Rec: Camelback
Bible Church, Paradise Valley, Arizona, USA
23, 26 May 2003 premiere recordings*
SACD, DSD
CHANDOS CHSA 5031 [55:52] [AO]
A
bracing freshness ... quite charming. That
bouncy chorus "a hey and a ho and a hey
nonny no" spins around your head for
days ... see Full
Review
SIMPLE
GIFTS: 34 Shaker
Chants and Spirituals Come life,
Shaker life [0.44], In yonder valley [1.42],
Virgins clothed in a clean white garment [1.22],
Mother [4.30], Father James’ Song [1.37],
Followers of the Lamb [1.30], Mother Ann’s
Song [2.20 ], I have a soul to be saved or
lost [1.50], Heavenly comfort [2.28], A companion
to stiff [1.00], Pinch’d up, nip’d
up [0.36], I will fight and never slack [1.34
], Celestial choir [2.14], Holy Angel [3.23],
The lark [0.59], Nightingale’s song
[1.23], Holy Order Song [1.26 ], Learned of
Angel [1.36], Laughing John’s Interrogatory
[0.53], I’ll beat my drum as I march
along [1.14 ], Mother’s Warning [0.46],
The Solemn Bell [1.33], Mother’s Cup
of Tribulation [3.24], Sad Days [2.15], Encouragement
[2.36], Verdant valley [1.12], In yonder valley
(reprise) [1.30], Solemn Song [1.29], Turn
to the right [0.46], O will you sing another
song [1.26], The Spiritual sailor [3.24],
Mother has come [0.42], Holy Mother’s
protecting chain [3.11], Simple gifts [1.04]
The Boston Camerata, The Schola Cantorum of
Boston, Shaker Community of Sabbathday Lake,
Maine/Joel Cohen.Recorded in 1995 in the USA. Originally
released on the Erato label. Notes including
full texts in English, Français, and
Deutsch.
WARNER CLASSICS APEX 2564 60367-2
[59.57] [PSh]
A
document of early American religious music,
of interest mostly to specialists ... see
Full Review
Spanish And Portuguese
Keyboard Music - Volume 1 Antonio
SOLER (1729-83) Sonata in C# minor;
Sonata in D major. Rafael
ANGLES (1730-1816) Aria in D minor.
Mateo Perez de
ALBENIZ (1755-1831)
Sonata in D major. CANTALLOS
(born.c.1760) Sonata in C minor. Carlos
SEIXAS (1704-1742) Sonata in A
minor; Toccata in E minor; Sonata in Bb major;
JACINTO (dates
unknown) Toccata in D minor; Joao
de Sousa CARVALHO (1745-1798) Toccata
in G minor
Felicja Blumental - piano Recording dates
and venues not given
BRANA RECORDS BR 0021 [45.40] Volume
2 ANGLES
Adagietto and Fugato in Bb major; SOLER
Sonata in G minor; Mateo
FERRER (1788-1864) Sonata in D
major; Joseph
FREXANET (dates
unknown) Sonata in A major; Anon Toccata
in C major; SEIXAS
Fuga in A minor; Sonata in C; Minuet in A
minor; Toccata in D minor; Sonata in F minor;
Sonata in C minor; Sonata in D minor
Felicja Blumental: piano Recording dates and
venues not given
BRANA RECORDS BR 0022 [53.45] [GH]
These
CDs are arguably period pieces but the repertoire
is of interest from a rarity value and the
performances are true to the music and to
the time in which they were recorded. Worth
exploring. ... see Full
Review
Songs of the Spanish
Jews in the Mediterranean
and the Ottoman Empire The
Balkans and the Ottoman Empire Una ramika
de rud – Wedding Song/Bulgaria: Polvdiv Una
Matika de Ruda – Wedding Song/Turkey: Istanbul
Una Matika de Ruda/Wedding Song/Bosnia: Sarajevo
A kasar el Rey – Romance/Bulgaria: Bosnia
Anderleto – Lullaby/Bosnia Morikos – Lullaby/
Bosnia: Sarajevo Nani nani – Lullaby/Turkey:
Greece Mediterranean Quien hubiesse
tal ventura – Romance/composer Diego PISADOR
(1552) Gerineldo – Romance/Morocco, lgeria:
Oran Abenamar – Romance/Greece: Saloniki Tetuan;
Alcazarquivir La rosa enflorese – Romance/Bulgaria:
Sofia, Istanbul, Greece: Saloniki Libya, Jerusalem
Ensemble Sarband/Vladimir Ivanoff Recorded
in Beirut, Istanbul and Munich, 1994
DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 74321 935642 [50.44]
[JW]
Something
of a voyage, musically and geographically
... see Full Review
Stokowski
conducts Baroque Masterworks in Phase 4 Stereo
Antonio VIVALDI
(1678-1741) The Four Seasons Hugh
Bean (violin) New Philharmonia Orchestra/Leopold
Stokowski Georg Frideric
HANDEL (1685-1759) Messiah
– Highlights
Sheila Armstrong (soprano) Norma Procter (contralto)
Kenneth Bowen (tenor) John Cameron (bass)
LSO and Chorus/Leopold Stokowski Recorded
London, June (Vivaldi) and September (Handel)
1966
CALA CACD 0538 [45.50 + 58.05] [JW]
Recordings
warm, deep, rich. Admirers of Stokowski won’t
hesitate; even detractors might like to lend
an ear. ... see Full
Review
VĖL
– Lithuanian Chamber Music 1991-2001
Bronius
KUTAVIČIUS (b.
1932) Aštuonios
Stasio miniatiūros (2000) Onuté
NARBUTAITÉ (b. 1956) Winterserenade
(1997) Mozartsommer (1991)a Remigijus
MERKELYS (b. 1964) FlaVio (2001)
Osvaldas BALAKAUSKAS
(b. 1937) Rex Re (2000)a Mindaugas
URBAITIS (b. 1952) Der Fall Wagner
(1999)
Carsten Hustedt (flute); Ingrida Armonaité
(violin); Audroné Pšibilskiené
(viola); Ute Stoecklin (piano)a
Rec. SWR, Hans-Rosbaud-Studio, Baden-Baden,
June 2001
GUILD GMCD 7283 [67:12] [HC]
Recommended
wholeheartedly for the quality and variety
of the works, excellent performances and global
quality of the production. Well worth investigating.
... see Full Review
Charles Williams
and the Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra Recordings
from the Chappell Recorded Music Library Eric
COATES (1886-1957) London Calling,
Mirage Charles SHADWELL
(1898-1979) Morning at Bilbury, Lulworth
Cove John HOLLIDAY
Frontier March, May Day at Helston
Charles WILLIAMS
(1893-1978) The Future, Seaford Head,
Marianne, Witches’ Ride, Rhythm on Rails,
Tom Tom the Piper’s Son, Summer Garden Percy
FLETCHER (1879-1932) Dancing on
the Green, At the Court of Cleopatra Billy
REID (1902-1974) Moon in the Sky
Sinclair LOGAN Minuet
in F Denis WRIGHT
(1895-1967) Empire Jubilee March Frank
TAPP (1883-1953) Beachy Head Overture
Haydn WOOD
(1882-1959) Virginia – A Southern Rhapsody,
Manx Rhapsody John
ANSELL (1874-1948) Overture to
an Irish Comedy Montague
PHILLIPS (1885-1969) Forest Melody,
Hillside Melody Clive
RICHARDSON (1909-1998) Naval Splendour
Kenneth LESLIE-SMITH
(?-1993) Always,Mulberry Clifton
PARKER (1905-1989) The Glass Slipper
– Overture
The Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra/Charles
Williams Recorded London, c.1942-45
GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD 5107 [76.30] [JW]
Unpretentious
and lively. And that goes for most of the
items on this well filled and entertaining
disc. I enjoyed it immensely. ... see Full
Review
BOOK
REVIEWS
David
Fanning Shostakovich: String Quartet No.
8 Ashgate, ISBN 0 7546 0699 6
MUSICWEB
price £35.00 reduced
to £32.50 post free in the UK
The
general achievement of this book is positive,
and does justice to one of the greatest works
in the chamber music literature of the 20th
century. ... see Full
Review
THE CAMBRIDGE
COMPANION TO SIBELIUS Edited
by Daniel M. Grimley Published February 2004
294 pages 2 line diagrams 1 half-tone 57 music
examples Paperback ISBN: 0521894603 £18.99
[RB]
A
pleasingly mixed bag drawn from contemporary
Sibelian scholarship. Plenty to inform, enthuse
and stimulate. Well structured and user-friendly.
... see Full
Review
György
KURTÁG:
The Sayings of Péter Bornemisza Op.
7 A
"concerto" for soprano and piano Rachel
Beckles Willson 2004 188 pp. CD recording
included MusicWeb price
£35.00 reduced to £32.50
post free in the UK
Willson's
sensitivity and understanding is a model of
musical analysis and depth. She has certainly
made me feel close to this work and develop
my feelings. ... see
Full Review
Paul
Maloney Scotland
and the Music Hall 1850-1914
Manchester University Press 0 7190 6147 4
Paperback £14.99 2003
Examines
ideas and the social and cultural history
of the Scottish Music Hall; in doing so it
is compared and contrasted against the English
model ... 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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