BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Kurt
ATTERBERG (1887-1974)
The Nine Symphonies CD1
Symphony No. 1 in B minor op. 3 (1912) [40:47]
Symphony No. 4 in G minor Sinfonia piccola
op. 14 (1918) [21:03] CD2 Symphony No.
2 in F major op. 6 (1913) [41:00] Symphony
No. 5 in D minor Sinfonia funebre op.
20 (1922) [34:23] CD3 Symphony No. 3 op.
10 in D minor Västkustbilder - West
Coast Pictures (1914-16) [37:05] Symphony
No. 6 op. 31 in C major (1928) [31:06] CD4
Symphony No. 7 Sinfonia Romantica,
op. 45 (1941/2) [28:56] Symphony No. 8,
in E minor op. 48 (1944/45) [31:31] CD5
Symphony No. 9 Sinfonia Visionaria op.
54 (1956) [40:45] Älven – The
River - Symphonic Poem op. 33 (1929)
[19:50]
Satu Vihavainen (mezzo) (9) Gabriel Suovanen
(baritone) (9) NDR Chor; Prager Kammerchor
(9) Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt/Ari
Rasilainen (1, 4, 2, 5) NDR Radio Philharmonic
Orchestra, Stuttgart/Ari Rasilainen (3,
6, 7, 8) NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra,
Hannover/Ari Rasilainen (9) Rec. 1998-2003,
Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Germany. DDD Coproduction:
CPO, Hessischer Rundfunk, Norddeutscher
Rundfunk, Südwestrundfunk
CPO 777 118-2 [5 CDs: 61:55 + 75:34
+ 68:18 + 62:43 + 60:35] [RB]
Sympathetically
recorded, magnificently conducted ... To
Atterberg enthusiasts current and future
this box represents riches unimaginable.
... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphony
No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 (1876) [50.25]
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73 (1877)
[42.55] A Portrait of Semyon Bychkov [57.19]
WDR Sinfonie-Orchester Köln/Semyon
Bychkov rec. August 2002 (No. 1), April
2004 (No. 2), Kölner Philharmonie.
DDD
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101 243 [92:01] [TB]
The
sound is rich and warm and individual brilliance
is not lacking ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphony
No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 (1876) [44.07]
Symphony No. 1, initial version of second
movement (before 1876) [8.35] Academic
Festival Overture, Op. 80 (1880) [9.40]
Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Sir Charles
Mackerras rec. January 1997, Usher Hall,
Edinburgh
TELARC CD-80463 [63.51] [TB]
The
violin sound lacks warmth and body. A pity,
since Mackerras brings plenty of attack
and drama with sensitive attention to details
of dynamic and some really distinguished
playing. ... see Full
Review
Saburo MOROI
(1903-1977) Sinfonietta
in B flat op.24 ‘For Children’ (1943)
[15:46] (1.Allegro grazioso [5:25]; 2. Andantino
quasi Allegretto [3:16]; 3.Lento affabile
[7:05]) Two Symphonic Movements,
op.22 (1942) [19:09] (Andante grandioso
[12:05]; Allegro con spirito [7:04]) Symphony
no.3, op.25 (1944) [33:20] (A Tranquil
Overture: Andante molto tranquillo e grandioso
– Birth of Spirit and its Growth: Allegro
vivace [15:09]; About Humour and Wit: Allegretto
scherzando [4:31]; Aspects of Death: Adagio
tranquillo [13:40])
National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland/Takuo
Yuasa rec. National Concert Hall, Dublin,
Ireland, 9–11 Sept 2002. DDD
NAXOS 8.557162 [68:15] [GPJ]
I
started listening to this CD feeling slightly
sceptical, but have been thoroughly won
over ... see Full
Review
Steve
REICH
(b.1936) Triple
Quartet (1999) [14’45] Duet (1994)
[5’14] Different Trains (1988) [27’14]
The Smith Quartet Recorded at TCM Studios,
London, Jan.-Feb. 2005 (Different Trains)
and Konk Studios, London, June 4-7 2005
(rest)
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD064 [46’59] [TH]
The
near-ideal representation of Reich’s considerable
contribution to the string quartet genre.
If you’re into Reich, don’t hesitate. ...
see Full
Review
Ruth CRAWFORD
SEEGER
(1901-1953) Suite
for five wind instruments and piano (1927
revised 1929) [9.45] Sonata for violin and
piano (1925-26) [14.21] Two Ricercari (Poems
of H T Tsiang) (1932) [8.16] Prelude No.1
– Andante (1924) [1.14] Prelude No.9 – Tranquillo
(1928) [2.54] Study in Mixed Accents (1930)
[1.31] Diaphonic Suite No.1 for flute (1930)
[5.06] Diaphonic Suite No.2 for bassoon
and cello (1930) [4.17] Three Songs (Poems
of Carl Sandburg) (1930, 1932) [9.05]
Continuum Cheryl Seltzer and Joel Sachs,
directors
Recorded American Academy and Institute
of Arts and Letters, NYC, 1991 and 1992
NAXOS 8.559197 [56.30] [JW]
This
woman packs a modernist punch and you’ve
been duly warned. ... see Full
Review
Gaspare
SPONTINI
(1774-1850) La
Vestale (1807)
Maria Callas (soprano) – Giulia Franco
Corelli (tenor) – Licinio Enzo Sordello
(baritone) – Cinna Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (bass)
– Il Sommo Sacerdote Ebe Stignani (mezzo)
- La Gran Vestale Vittorio Tatozzi (bass)
- Un Console Nicola Zaccaria (bass) – Aruspice
Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala ilan/Antonino
Votto Recorded live in La Scala, December
1954
ANDROMEDA ANDRCD 5016 [59.54 + 70.39]
[JW]
This
live 1954 La Scala performance has long
been admired by Callas’s delirious worshippers.
And quite rightly too .... but sound is
pretty awful ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Peter
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)
The
Sleeping Beauty complete ballet
(1890) Nina Semizorova – Princess Aurora
Aleksei Fadeyechev – Prince Desire Nina
Speranskaya – Lilac Fairy Yuri Vetrov -
Carabosse Aleksandr Vetrov - Bluebird Maria
Bilova – Princess Florine Andrei Sitnikov
– King Florenstin Irina Nesterova – Queen
The Bolshoi Ballet Orchestra of the Bolshoi
Theatre/Aleksandr Kopilov. Recorded live
at the Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow in 1989 DVD
(PCM Stereo). ARTHAUS
MUSIK 101 113 [145:00] [JPh]
As
far as ballet DVDs are concerned, I have
not enjoyed one so much for so long. If
traditional productions are for you, then
try this one – you will not be disappointed.
... see Full
Revie
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Six Violin Concertos for Anna Maria Concerto
in B minor, RV 387 [9:54] Concerto in A
major, RV 343 ‘Con violini d’accordatura
diversa’ [9:52] Concerto in D major, RV
229 [10:08] Concerto in A major, RV 349
[10:44] Concerto in D minor, RV 248 [11:34]
Concerto in B flat major, RV 366 [9:24]
L'Arte dell'Arco/Federico Guglielmo (baroque
violin) Recorded: Chiesa di S. Maria, Sovizzo,
Vicenza, Italy, November 26-28, 2002 DDD
CPO 777 078-2 [62:01] [MC]
Lovers
of the late-baroque music of Vivaldi might
want to explore this CPO release but overall
the result is disappointing. ... see Full
Review
A Tribute
to Nadia Boulanger Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567-1643) Madrigals
Hor che’l Ciel e la Terra (1638) [5.56]
Lasciatemi morire (1614) [2.55] Zefiro torna
(1634) [8.04] Ardo (1638) [4.18] Ohime,
dov’e il mio ben? (1619) [1.43] Chiomo d’oro
(1619) [2.32] Iol ballo dell’ingrate (1618)
[9.06] Amoir (lamente della ninfa) [4.13]
Ecco mormorar l’onde (1590) [3.15] Petit
Concert Consilium [1.01] ANONYMOUS
A pri ai qu’en chantant plour
[1.29] Le lay des amants [1.12] S’on me
regarde [0.58] Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Madrigal
Op.35 (1883) [3.44] Guillaume
COSTELEY Las je n’irais plus
jouer au bois [2.21] Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Dieu qu’il
la fait bon regarder (1898) [2.09] Lili
BOULANGER (1893-1918) Pie Jesu
(1918) [4.28] Leo
PREGER Cantique de St Jean de
la Croix [3.04] François
COUPERIN Epitaphe du paresseux
[1.38] Musette [1.12] Marcelle
de MANZIARLY L’Ouseau blessé
[2.02] Claudin
de SERMISY Amours partez [0.50]
Jean-Baptiste LULLY
Trio d’Amadis [0.48] Nicolas
de la GROTTE Quand ce beau Printemps
(1572) [1.02] Jean
FRANÇAIX (1912-1997) Trios
épigrammes (1938) [5.35] Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Liebesliederswalzer
Op.52 [21.46] Der Gang zum Liebchen Op.31/3
[2.54] Die Schwestern Op 60/1 [1.20] Klänge
Op.66/2 [2.02] Die Meere Op.22/3 [2.17]
Valses Op.39 – Nos 6, 15. 2, 1/14,10, 5,
6 in that order [8.24] Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Mondenschein
D875 [6,13] Jean
FRANÇAIX (1912-1997) Concerto
for piano and orchestra (1936) [16.28] Lili
BOULANGER (1893-1918) Introduction
et Cortège (1914) [3.02] Nocturne
(1911) [3.26]
Vocal and Instrumental Ensemble (Monteverdi)
recorded 1937 Vocal Quartet (Petit Concert)
recorded 1949 Vocal Quartet, Nadia Boulanger
and Dinu Lipatti (pianos) (Liebesliederswalzer
Op.52) recorded 1937-38 Nadia Boulanger
and Dinu Lipatti (pianos) (Brahms Valses)
recorded 1937 Quartet/vocal ensemble (Brahms
vocal) recorded 1938 Jean Françaix
(piano) Paris Philharmonic Orchestra/Nadia
Boulanger, recorded 1930 Yvonne Astruc (violin)
Nadia Boulanger (piano) (Lili Boulanger)
recorded 1930 Nadia Boulanger (director
and pianist) as noted above
CASCAVELLE VEL 3081 [75.39 + 67.56]
[JW]
The
warmth, energy, commitment and zeal are
still audible to this day. ... see Full
Review
Thursday
Carl
Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788)
Herrn Professor Gellerts Geistliche Oden
und Lieder CD
1 Trost der Erlösung [00:55] Am
Neuen Jahr [01:52] Bußlied [03:42]
Morgengesang [01:15] Der Weg des Frommen
[02:33] Trost eines schwermütigen Christen
[05:04] Der Schutz der Kirche [02:46] Das
Glück eines guten Gewissens [02:09]
Vom Worte Gottes [02:14] Die Liebe des Nächsten
[03:18] Die Liebe der Feinde [02:26] Geduld
[01:53] Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur [02:48]
Abendlied [01:05] Prüfung am Abend
[06:14] CD 2 Weihnachtslied [02:27]
Passionslied [07:55] Osterlied [02:25] Lied
am Geburtstage [02:59] Preis des Schöpfers
[02:37] Bitten [03:04] Der 100. Psalm [01:36]
Das Gebet [05:07] Morgengesang [01:48] Wider
den Übermut [03:00] In Krankheit [04:13]
Der 88. Psalm [03:02] Vom Tode [03:47] Abendlied
[03:17] Das natürliche Verderben des
Menschen [03:21]
Dorothee Mields, soprano; Ludger Rémy,
fortepiano rec. Feb, April 2003, Studio
of Radio Bremen, Germany. DDD
CPO 777 061-2 [40:21 + 50:47] [JV]
A selection from the collection of sacred
songs on texts of the German poet Gellert,
interpreted with great sensitivity by Mields
and Rémy ... see Full
Review
Frédéric
CHOPIN
(1810-1849) Piano
Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 (1830)
[40.44] Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor,
Op. 21 (1829-30) [31.07]
Christian Zacharias (piano/conductor) Lausanne
Chamber Orchestra rec. Metropol Lausanne,
21-22 March 2003 (Op. 21), 10-11 October
2004 (Op. 11)
MD+G Gold MDG 340 1267-2 [72.05] [SV]
May
well make you revise your estimate of these
concerti upwards. Do make sure you have
a higher-powered version as well ... see
Full
Review
Alexander
Constantinovich GLAZUNOV
(1865-1936)
Complete Songs and Romances
1888–1890Victoria Evtodieva, soprano Lyudmila
Shkirtil, mezzo Mikhail Lukonin, baritone
Yuri Serov, piano [RB]
If
you have any thought for the Russian romance
be sure to get this disc. Glazunov aims
for the very best and proves that it is
within his grasp. ... see Full
Review
Antonio JOSE
(Antonio
José Martinez Palacios)
(1902-1936) Sinfonia
castellana (Castilian Symphony)
(1924) [28:33] El mozo de mulas (The
Muleteer) (Suite) (1936) [8:44] Evocaciones
(Cuadros de danza campesinos)
(1926, 1928) [6:48] Marcha para soldados
de plomo (March of the Lead Soldiers)
(orch. Alejandro Yagüe) (1931)
[3:13] Suite ingenua for piano and
strings (1931) [10:13]
Alberto Rosado (piano) Castile and
León Symphony Orchestra/Alejandro
Posada rec. Teatro Lope de Vega, Valladolid,
Spain 16-19 July 2003
NAXOS 8.557634 [57:30] [RB]
Up
for engaging nationalist-impressionist music
with sympathies paralleling those of Frederico
de Freitas, Canteloube, de Falla and Ravel
then look no further. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Piano
Concertos: No. 9 in E flat, K271a
(1777). No. 12 in A, K414b (1783).
No. 26 in D, K537, 'Coronation'c
(1790).
aMitsuko Uchida, cHomero
Francesch (pianos); aMozarteum
Orchestra Salzburg/Jeffrey Tate; bRoyal
Philharmonic Orchestra/Vladimir Ashkenazy
(piano/director); cDeutsche Kammerphilharmonie/Gerd
Albrecht. Rec. aSalzburg Festival,
1989; bHampton Court Palace,
1990; cWiesbaden, 1990. NTSC.
4:3. PCM Stereo. Dolby digital 5.1. DTS
5.1. Region Code: 0 (Worldwide). Great Piano
Concertos, Volume 1
EUROARTS
2010218 [95'00] [CC]
This
product exudes the air of ongoing interpretative
decrescendo. ... see Full
Review
Alfred
SCHNITTKE (1934-1998)
Film Music Volume One The
Commissar - suite (1967) [47:31] Story
of an Unknown Actor - suite (1976) [18:38]
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra/Frank Strobel
rec. Deutschlandradios Berlin, 5-7 Dec 2002,
26-28 May 2003. DDD
CAPRICCIO hybrid CD/SACD–CC71041 [66:09.]
[MM]
My
first exposure to Schnittke’s work ... an
incredibly poignant romantic voice and a
flair for experimental manipulation of orchestral
acoustics. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Peter
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840 - 1894) Symphony
No. 5 in e, Op. 64 (1888) [48.51] St. Petersburg
Philharmonic Orchestra/Yuri Temirkanov Recorded
Philharmonic Hall, St Petersburg, Russia,
11 April 1992. Capriccio Italien
in A, Op. 45 (1880) [14.34]
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Yuri Temirkanov
Recorded EMI Studio 1, Abbey Road, London,
UK, 11 March 1990. Notes in English, Deutsch,
Français.
RCA BMG 82876 65831-2 [63.44] [PSh]
An
exceptional version of this often played
symphony, IF you like the Stokowski approach,
and IF you are in the right mood. Whatever
mood you’re in, this is the best Italien
you can get. ... see Full
Review
Josef Herrmann
(1903-1955) Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Fidelio
(1814) - Ha, welch ein Augenblicka
[3'00]. Carl Maria
von WEBER (1786-1826) Euryanthe
(1823) – Kein Schlaf gibt Ruhe meinem
wildenb [8'39]. Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Die Meistersinger
von Nürnbergc (1868)
- Was duftet doch der Flieder [6'10];
Wahn! Wahn! Überall Wahn! [7'00];
Verachtet mir die Meister nicht [6'49].
Die Walküred (1850)
- Leb' wohl, du kühnes, herrliches
Kind [11'59]. Hugo
WOLF (1860-1903) Der Corregidor
(1896) - Nicht geschlossen?d
[9'37]. Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Die Frau
ohne Schatten (1919) - Sie haben
es mir gesagte [7'32]. Salome
(1905) - Wo ist er, dessen Sündenbecher
jetzt voll ist?f [4'10].
Giuseppe VERDI
(1813-1901) Otello (1887) - Ich
glaube an einen Gotte [5'29].
Josef Herrmann (baritone); fChristel
Goltz (soprano); fRudolf Dittrich
(tenor) Staatskapelle Dresden aChorus
and abOrchestra/afJoseph
Keilberth, bdKarl Elmendorff,
eKurt Streigler; cBavarian
Radio Chorus; cMunich Philharmonic
Orchestra/Ferdinand Leitner. Rec. afMitteldeutcher
Rundfunk, ac1945, f1948,
bdeReichsender Dresden, be1943,
d1944; c1954. mono
ADD; from cDGG 19047
PREISER 93445 [76'56] [CC]
Issued
in 1995 in commemoration of the fiftieth
anniversary of Herrmann's death, this acts
as a timely reminder of the stature of a
wonderful, and occasionally great, artist.
... see Full
Review
Bay
Mir Bistu Sheyn. Great Songs of the
Yiddish Stage - Volume 2 Sholom
SECUNDA (1894-1974) Bay
Mir Bistu Sheyn [2.49] Dos yidische lid
[9.53] Mayn yidishe meydle [2.51] Skrip
klezmerl, skripe [4.03] Alexander
OLSHANETSKY (1892-1946) Ikh hob
dikh tsufil lib [5.12] Eyn kuk af dir [3.51]
Glik [2.35] A gute heym [3.41] Nu, zog mir
shoyn ven [4.11] Unter beymer [3.09] Ikh
bin farlibt [4.13] Louis
GILROD (1879-1930) A malke af
peysekh [2.50] Arnold
PERLMUTTER (1859-1953) and Herman
WOHL (1877-1936) Lebn zol kolumbus
[1.56] Ilia TRILLING
(1895-1947) Mit dir in eynem [3.25]
Herman WOHL
(1877-1936) Slutsk [3.36] Samet un zayd
[6.37] UNKNOWN
Hundl mitn shtrudl [2.55]
Simon Spiro (tenor) Amy Goldstein (soprano)
Bruce Adler (tenor) Robert Abelson (baritone)
Joanne Borts (mezzo) Robert Bloch (tenor)
Benzion Miller (tenor) David Krakauer (clarinet)
Vienna Chamber Orchestra/Elli Jaffe Barcelona
Symphony/National Orchestra of Catalonia
Recorded 2000-01
NAXOS MILKEN ARCHIVE 8.559432 [68.45]
Whether
exuberant and yearning, uplifting or mournful
these songs captivated their listeners –
and reach out beyond the confines of Jewish
theatre. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Kingám
- New
Swedish Flute Music. 1.
Stellan SAGVIK
(b. 1952) Kingám (flute
and percussion) [9:06]; 2. Tommie
HAGLUND (b. 1959) Fragile (flute
and percussion) [3:06]; 3. Stellan
SAGVIK Vampire State Building
(flute and piano) [8:17]; 4. Martin
LARSON (b. 1967) Boughs (flute
and marimba) [11:13]; 5. Stellan
SAGVIK Flute Concerto #1 (flute
and strings) [14:20]; 6. B
Tommy ANDERSSON (b. 1964) Impromptu
(flute and vibes) [4:27]; 7 – 17 Stellan
SAGVIK Solar Plexus (flute solo)
[24:16]; 18. Nocturne (flute and vibes)
[4:51]
Kinga Práda (flute), Markus Leoson
(percussion) (1, 2, 4, 6, 18), Ilona Jánky
Práda (piano) (3), Filarmonica de
Cluj Strings/Stellan Sagvik Recorded June
9th 1997 in Filarmonica Concert
Hall, Cluj-Napocan, Transylvania (5), July
20th 1999 in Bygdeå Church,
Sweden (7 – 17), November 25th
2002 in Gäddviken, Stockholm, Sweden
(1, 2, 4, 6, 18), March 9th 2003
in Studio 2, Swedish Radio, Stockholm (3)
NOSAG CD 029 [79:38] [GF]
The
musical sceneries are full of surprises,
beauty, rhythms, changes, meditation – always
alive, always thrilling, like life itself!
Recommended to anyone except the tone-deaf.
... see Full
Review
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