John Luther ADAMS
(b.1953) Earth and the Great Weather
(1990-93): The Place Where You Go To Listen [8:05] Drums of Winter
[6:51] Pointed Mountains Scattered All Around [7:25] The Circle of Suns
and Moons [8:00] The Circle of Winds [7:04] Deep and Distant Thunder
[13:05] River With No Willows [7:08] One That Stays All Winter [8:34]
Drums of Fire, Drums of Stone [7:25] Where the Waves Splash, Hitting
Again and Again [2:10] 
Robin Lorentz (violin, percussion); Ron Lawrence (viola); Michael Finkel
(cello, conductor); Robert Black (double bass, percussion); Amy Knoles
(percussion); John Luther Adams (percussion; conductor); James Negeak,
Doreen Simmonds, Lincoln Tritt, Adeline Peter Raboff, Dave Hunaker (speakers).
rec. 8-11 March 2004, Charles W. Davis Concert Hall, University of Alaska,
Fairbanks. NEW WORLD
RECORDS 80459-2 [75:47] [GPu]
A
fascinating and rewarding piece, demanding stamina from the listener
but rewarding that stamina with much that is striking and beautiful
... see Full Review
William
ALWYN
(1905-1985) Symphony
No. 1 (1949) [38:29] Symphony No. 3 (1956)
[30:21]
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/David
Lloyd-Jones rec. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool,
2-4 Aug 2004. DDD
NAXOS 8.557648 [68:50] [JQ]
Wholly
recommendable, irrespective of price but if
fall under the spell then you’ll certainly
want to investigate the composer’s own versions,
which have a unique distinction and authority.
... see Full
Review
William
ALWYN
(1905-1985) Symphony
No. 4 (1959) [32:13] Sinfonietta for Strings
(1970) [22:51]
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/David
Lloyd-Jones
rec. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 2-4 Aug
2004, 4 Jan 2005. DDD
NAXOS 8.557649 [55:04] [JQ]
A
fine disc and a worthy conclusion to the Naxos
Alwyn symphony cycle. ... see Full
Review
Enrique
Fernandez ARBOS
(1863-1939) Chamber
Works Tres piezas originales en
stilo espanol Op.1 (c.1886) [18.03] Tango
Op.2 (c.1890) [7.22] Seis rimas de Gustavo
Adolfo Becquer Op.3 (1882) [12.30] Cuatro
canciones para la marquesa de Bolanos Op.4
(1889) [12.34] Pieza de concurso (1920) [13.40]
Trio Bellas Artes (Tres piezas originales
en stilo espanol) Ara Malikain (violin) and
Serouj Kradijian (piano) (Tango) Emilio Sánchez
(tenor) and Fernando Turina (piano) (Seis
rimas and Cuatro canciones) Rafael Ramos (cello)
and Miguel Angel Ortega Chavaldas (piano)
(Pieza de concurso) rec. Estudios Cezanne,
Madrid, April and May 2004
VERSO VRS 2017 [64.15][JW]
I’m
well disposed toward Arbós’s uneven chamber and vocal works but stronger
performances are needed ... a very hit and miss affair ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard
ARNELL (b.
1917) Symphony
no.3 op.40 (1944-45) [62:07] The New Age
– Overture op.2 (1939) [9:38]
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Martin
Yates rec. Glasgow, 4-5 September 2005
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7161 [72:10] [RB]
The
Arnell Third Symphony: a most impressive work
of epic symphonic weight, circumstance and
moment. ... see Full
Review
Samuel
Arnold (1740-1802)
Overture
in B flat major Op.8 No.1 -6 (1771) Macbeth:
Incidental Music (1778) Polly (Opera)
– Overture (1777)
Toronto Camerata/Kevin Mallon rec. Grace
Church on the Hill, Toronto, Canada, 5-8 January
2004. DDD
NAXOS 8.557484 [76:27] [JF]
A
fine CD that introduces the listener to virtually
the entire corpus of surviving orchestral
music by Samuel Arnold. ... see Full
Review
Kurt
ATTERBERG (1887-1974)
A Värmland Rhapsody, Op. 36 (1933)
[9:05] Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 7 (1913)
[37:03]. Concert Overture in A minor,
Op. 4 (1910) [13:18].
Ulf Wallin (violin) Berlin Radio Symphony
Orchestra/Roger Epple rec. Jesus-Christus-Kirche,
Berlin, Germany, 11 Feb 2004-11 June 2004.
DDD
CPO 777106-2 [59:26][RB]
Yet
more irresistible Atterberg. My recommendation
is irrelevant if you have already caught the
bug. If the music is still unfamiliar to you
let me commend it. You will need this disc.
... see Full
Review
Georges
AURIC
(18991-1983) Phèdre
– ballet (1950) [41.19] Le Peintre
et son modèle (1949) [13.18]
Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra/Arturo
Tamayo rec. Conservatoire, Luxembourg, February
2005
TIMPANI 1C1090 [54.50] [JW]
Very
fine performances indeed and lovely, decadent cover art work – all diaphanous,
shimmering and decidedly coital ... see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
St
Matthew Passion BWV 244 (1727)
Nico van der Meel (tenor) – Evangelist; Raimund Nolte (bass-baritone)
– Jesus; Locky Chung (bass) – Petrus/Judas/Pilatus/Pontifex; Claudia
Couwenbergh (soprano); Marianna Beate Kielland (alto); Markus Schäfer
(tenor); Hanno Müller-Brachmann (bass) Dresden Chamber Choir; Cologne
Cathedral Boys’ Choir; Cologne Chamber Orchestra/Helmut Müller-Brühl
rec. DeutschlandRadio, Sendesaal des Funkhauses Köln, May 2005
NAXOS 8.557617-19 [67:45 + 49:47 + 43:35][GF]
Bottom
line: nobody acquiring this set will go
far wrong, whatever basic attitude to baroque
practice one will have. The impecunious
beginner will get a recording to live with
for many years. ... see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
Goldberg Variations BWV 988 (1741) [60.44] Italian Concerto
BWV 971 [13.42] Trevor
Pinnock (harpsichord) rec. Henry Wood Hall, May 1979 (Goldberg Variations)
and at the Paris Conservatoire, April 1980 (Italian Concerto)
ARCHIV 00289 477 5902 [74.34] [JW]
Pinnock’s
Bach recordings will always have an honoured
place in the Pantheon. ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685 - 1750) Partita
No. 4 in D, BWV 828 (1728) [32.10] Partita
No. 6 in e, BWV 830 (1725 - 1731) [33.50]
Freddy Kempf (Steinway D piano) Stefan Olsson,
technician rec. Nybrokajen 11 (former Academy
of Music) Stockholm, Sweden, July 2002.
Notes in English, Deutsch, Français.
Photos of artist.
BIS CD-1330 [66.03] [PSh]
Profoundly
emotional Bach, lyrical, richly felt and
sculptured. Purists may have a bit of a
problem at first. ... see Full
Review
Edgar
BAINTON
(1880-1956) String
Quartet in A major (1915 rev. 1920) [25:13]
Hubert CLIFFORD
(1904-1959) String Quartet in D (1935)
[28:35]
Locrian Ensemble: (Rita Manning (violin);
Patrick Kiernan (violin); Morgan Goff (viola);
Justin Pearson (cello)) rec. St Martin’s
Church, East Woodhay, Berkshire, 4-5 October
2005 First recording on CD (Bainton); World
premiere recording (Clifford)
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7163 [54:08] [RB]
Two
lyrical and light-filled English quartets
for enthusiasts of the chamber music of
Howells, Vaughan Williams, McEwen and Moeran
played with total engagement and enjoyment.
... see Full
Review
Leonardo BALADA
(b.1933)
Symphony No.5 American (2003) [23.39] Prague Sinfonietta
(2003) [10.56] Divertimentos (1991) [17.34] Quasi un
Pasodoble (1981) [11.20]
Seville Royal Symphony Orchestra/Eduardo Alonso-Crespo rec. Sala Apolo,
Seville, January-February 2005
NAXOS 8.557749 [63.29] [JW]
Teeming
with commitment and energy, approachable, indeed positively engagingly
... see Full Review
Sally
BEAMISH
(b. 1956) String
Quartet No. 1 (1999) [18:35] String Quartet
No. 2 Opus California (2000) [10:48]
Ludwig Van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) String Quartet in C Minor
Op. 18 No. 4 1798-1800) [23:19]
Emperor String Quartet rec. June 2004,
Weston Church, Hertfordshire. DDD
BIS CD-1511 [53:42] [CT]
BIS
further extend their dedication to the music
of Sally Beamish with fine recordings of
her two recent String Quartets. ... see
Full
Review
Great
Conductors: Bruno Walter Conducts Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony No. 6 in F Major,
Op. 68 Pastoral [38:59] Leonore Overture No. 3 in C, Op.
72a [13:07] Fidelio Overture, Op. 72 [6:16] Coriolan Overture,
Op. 62 [7:26] The Creatures of Prometheus Overture Op.43 [4:46]
Vienna Philharmonic
Orchestra (6, Leonore 3); London Symphony Orchestra (Fidelio);
BBC Symphony Orchestra (Coriolan); British Symphony Orchestra (Prometheus)
Bruno Walter, conductor rec. 5 December 1936 Musikvereinsaal (6); 21
May 1936 Musikvereinsaal (Leonore 3); 12 September 1938, Abbey Road (Fidelio); 21 May 1938, Abbey Road (Coriolan);
16 May 1930, Central Hall Westminster (Prometheus). ADD
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111032 [70:35][DRD]
Great
performances of life affirming music under
a master conductor, very well restored ...
see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Symphony
No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 (1808) [33.01] Piano
Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58* (1806)
[30.28] Romance No. 2 in F major for Violin
and Orchestra, Op. 50+ (1798) [8.43]
* Josef Páleníček (piano) + David Oistrakh
(violin) Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Karel
Ančerl rec. Rudolfinum Studio, Prague,
February, *October 1953; +Domovina Studio,
Prague, April 1954
SUPRAPHON SU 3685-2 001 KAREL ANČERL
GOLD EDITION [72.30] [SV]
A
pleasing program, but none of the performances
quite stands out in its own right ... see
Full Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Violin concerto in D, op.61 (1806) [41:01];
Romance no.1 in G, op. 40 (1803) [6:20]; Romance
no.2 in F, op.50 (1805) [8:18]
Christian Tetzlaff (violin) Tonhalle Orchestra
Zurich/David Zinman. rec. Tonhalle Zurich,
30-31 May 2005. DDD
BMG ARTE NOVA 82876 76994 2 [55:46] [ED]
Edge
of the seat playing. Rhythmically alert, dramatic,
lithe and often joyful but it is to Furtwängler/Menuhin
that I will return most often. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) String Quartets (complete) (1798-1827)
The Borodin Quartet Volume
1: String Quartet Opp. 59 No. 1 (1806) [39.57]
and No. 3 (1806) [32.58] CHANDOS CHAN
10178 [72.59] Volume 2: String Quartet
Op. 59 No. 2 (1806) [44.50] and Op. 74 (1809)
[33.26] CHANDOS CHAN 10191 [78.30]
Volume 3: String Quartets Op. 95 (1810) [22.18],
Op. 131 (1826) [38.01] and Op. 133 (1826)
[16.52] CHANDOS CHAN 10268 [77.24]
Volume 4: String Quartets Op. 127 (1824) [37.22],
Op. 130 (1826) [42.11] CHANDOS CHAN
10292 [79.39] Volume 5: String Quartet
No. 15 Op. 132 (1825) [46.13], String Quartet
No. 16 Op. 135 (1826) [26.24] CHANDOS
CHAN 10304 [72.48] Volume 6: Quartets
1 - 6, Op. 18 (1798 - 1801) [31.44] No. 2
[24.01] No. 3 [26.12] No. 4 [24.41] No. 5
[32.14] No. 6 [28.03]
CHANDOS CHAN 10381(3) [55.58 +
51.06 + 60.30]
Borodin Quartet (2005): Ruben Aharonian
(violin); Andre Abramenkov (violin); Igor
Naidin (viola); Valentin Berlinsky (cello)
rec. Small Hall, and Great Hall, Conservatory,
Moscow, Russia, 2003 - 2006. Notes in English,
Deutsch, Français. [PSh]
For
my money the best set of Beethoven quartets
ever produced. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Missa
solemnis (1818-23) Bozena Harasimowicz
(soprano); Monica Groop (mezzo); Jerry Hadley
(tenor); Franz-Josef Selig (bass)
London Philharmonic Choir; Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra/Sir Gilbert Levine. rec. World Youth
Day, Cologne, Germany, 2005. Includes speech
by the Pope DVD 16:9 Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS
5.1. Picture format 16:9
ARTHAUS
MUSIK 102 061 [85:00] [CC]
A
performance that is merely good and after
all this is the Missa solemnis ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) McLachan Plays the
32 Beethoven Sonatas, Volume 2 Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49,
No. 1 [7:48] Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49, No. 2 [9:03] Sonata No.
21 in C major, Op. 53, ‘Waldstein’ [24:57] Sonata No. 22 in F major,
Op. 54 [12:16] Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57, ‘Appassionata’ [24:01]
Murray McLachan (piano)
rec. Whiteley Hall, Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester, Summer 2003
DUNELM DRD0202 [78:05]
[GPu]
No
admirer of Beethoven is likely to regret finding room for it
on his or her shelves, But, in a field so competitive,
it isn’t a CD one could put quite at the top of the list. ...
see Full Review
Alban
BERG
(1885-1935) Violin
Concerto, To the Memory of an Angel
(1935) [25:22] Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Violin Concerto
(1931) [22:44]
Christian Ferras (violin) Orchestre de
la Suisse Romande/Ernest Ansermet rec. live,
Victoria Hall, Geneva, 3 April 1957 (Berg),
5 October 1966 (Stravinsky). DDD
CLAVES 50-2516 [48:24] [DC]
Despite
sonic drawbacks and brevity this represents
two historical documents of a renowned artist
at the top of his form ... see Full
Review
Hector
BERLIOZ (1803
– 1869) Roméo
et Juliette, Op. 17 (1839) Hanna Schwarz
(alto) Philip Langridge (tenor) Peter Meven
(bass) Bavarian
Radio Orchestra and Chorus/Sir Colin Davis.
rec. live, Kulturzentrum Gasteig, Munich,
1985 Sound format PCM Stereo ARTHAUS
MUSIK 102 017 DVD [102:00] [JPh]
This
live concert performance DVD is highly recommended,
particularly for Berlioz and Davis fans. Judging
by the reception from a capacity audience
they were also in agreement. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869)
Grande
Messe des Morts (Requiem) op.
5 (1837) [102:00]
Keith Lewis (tenor) Bavarian Radio Symphony
Chorus/Herwig Saffert Bavarian Radio Symphony
Orchestra/Sir Colin Davis Rec.: live, Regensburg
Cathedral, Germany, 1989 Directed for TV by
Klaus Lindemann Produced in association with
Bavarian Radio and Digital Classics Distribution
ARTHAUS MUSIK 102 027 [102:00] [IB]
No,
you can’t go back ... but then again ... you
can get pretty close ... ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH William BOLCOM
(b. 1938) Complete
Violin Sonatas First Sonata (1956, revised version) [21:54] Second
Sonata (1978) [17:59] Third Sonata (Sonata Stramba) (1993) [21:46]
Fourth Sonata (1994) [15:13]
Solomia Soroka (violin); Arthur Greene (piano) rec. Britton Recital
Hall, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, January 2005. DDD
NAXOS 8.559150 [76:52][PCW]
An
imaginatively varied and powerful series
... see Full
Review
Pierre
BOULEZ (b.
1926) Eclat, A
Lesson with Pierre Boulez, Sur Incises
Ensemble Intercontemporain, Nieuw Ensemble,
Ed Spanjaard (conductor) Directed by Frank
Scheffer and Andy Sommer). Recorded 1994,
2000. DVD-all regions IDEAL-AUDIENCE
DVD9DS15 [142:00] [AO]
An
essential and illuminating work for anyone
who wants to understand Boulez and New Music.
Wonderful. ... see Full
Review
York
BOWEN
(1884-1961) Viola
Concerto in C minor (1907) [35:55] Cecil
FORSYTH (1870-1941) Viola Concerto
in G minor (1903) [26:25]
Lawrence Power (viola) BBC Scottish Symphony
Orchestra/Martyn Brabbins rec. Caird Hall,
Dundee, Scotland, 11-12 Dec 2004. DDD
HYPERION CDA 67546 [62:28] [RB]
Two
painfully neglected viola concertos brought
out into the sunlight by Hyperion. If you
enjoy your Dvořák, Coleridge-Taylor
and Tchaikovsky you should snap up this
disc without delay. ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Piano
Concerto No.1 in D minor Op.15 (1854-58) [51.21]
Krystian Zimerman (piano) Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Simon Rattle
rec. Berlin, September 2003 and December 2004
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 00289 477 6021 [51.21] [JW]
A
strong, personalised reading but one that
will divide opinion. The orchestral accompaniment
lacks a true sense of inevitability and tension.
... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Variations
and Fugue on a Theme of Handel, Op. 24 (1861)
[26:30]; Variations [Studies] on a Theme of
Paganini, Op. 35, Books I, II (1862-1863)
[11:52 + 9:37] Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Études
symphoniques, Op. 13 (1834-1837) [24:15]*
Julius Katchen (piano) rec. London, March
1958; *May 1953 ADD Mono
DECCA AUSTRALIA ELOQUENCE 476 8484 [72:22]
[AOr]
Katchen’s
mono Brahms and Schumann for the first time
on CD ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Four Hand Piano
Music: Vol. 15 Symphony
No 3 in F Op.90 (arr. two pianos) [34:43]
Symphony No 4 in E minor Op.98 (arr. two pianos)
[40:33]
Silke-Thora Matthies, Christian Köhn
(pianos) rec. Clara Wieck Auditorium, Sandhausen,
Germany, October, November 2000. DDD
NAXOS 8.557685 [75:17] [PCW]
Performances
of stature which time and again will leave
you marvelling afresh at the music ... see
Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Piano Music Opp. 116-119 Seven
Fantasies for piano (Sieben Fantasien) Sets 1 and 2, Op. 116 (1891-92)
[24.49] Three Intermezzi for piano (Drei Intermezzi) Op. 117 (c. 1892)
[16.25] Six Pieces for piano (Sechs Klavierstücke) Op. 118 (1892-93)
[24.28] Four Pieces for piano (Vier Klavierstücke) Op. 119 (c. 1893)
[15.31] Elisabeth Leonskaja,
piano rec. 2-4 December 2004, Furstliche Reitbahn Bad Arolsen, Germany.
DDD MUSIKPRODUKTION
DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM SACD MDG 943 1349-6 
[81:22][MC]
Outstanding
playing from Elisabeth Leonskaja. ... see Full
Review
Margaret BROUWER
(b. 1940) Aurolucent
Circles1 (2002) [27:07] Mandala2 (2001)
[11:55] Pulse: a 50th Anniversary Fanfare (2003) [6:05] Remembrances
(1996) [15:00] SIZZLE (2000) [4:58]
Evelyn Glennie (percussion)1; Kevin Price (trombone)2;
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Gerard Schwarz rec. 12-14 July
2004, Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. DDD
NAXOS 8.559250 [65:05] [GPu]
A
vividly recorded collection of very rewarding
music, in an idioms which is readily accessible
to any open-minded listener but which is simultaneously
distinctive and personal. ... see Full
Review
Max
BRUCH
(1838-1920) Violin
Concerto No.1 in G minor Op.26 (1868) [22.11] Scottish Fantasy Op.
46 (1880) [25.55] Henri VIEUXTEMPS
(1820-1881) Violin Concerto No.5 in A minor Op.37 (1858) [17.27]
Jascha Heifetz (violin)
New Symphony Orchestra of London/ Malcolm Sargent rec. Walthamstow Town
Hall, 1961 and 1962
BMG-RCA RED SEAL SACD 82876 716 222
[65.20] [JW]
By
1962 the trademark Heifetz devices were firmly in place and little
that he does will surprise admirers ... glamorous and succulent
playing all the same ... see Full
Review
Anton
BRUCKNER
(1824-1896) Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major (Romantic),
WAB 104 (original version, 1874) [67.19]
Bruckner Orchestra, Linz/Dennis Russell Davies rec. live concert, Brucknerhaus
Linz, Austria, September 2003
BMG ARTE NOVA 82876-60488-2 [67.19][SV]
This
original version holds listener interest as a satisfying symphonic construction
in its own right. ... see Full
Review
Anton BRUCKNER
(1824-1896) Symphony
No. 8 in C minor (Haas Edition) (1884-90) [80:00]
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Pierre Boulez rec. live, Stiftskirche
St. Florian, Linz, 21-22 September 1996 International Brucknerfest 1996,
DDD Directed for video by Brian Large
EUROARTS INVITATION 2012756
[80:00][TH]
Hard
to recommend over the CD, especially with
that higher price tag. It will probably
be of most interest to real Bruckner aficionados
... see Full
Review
Arthur
BUTTERWORTH (b.
1923) Piano
Trio No.1 Op.73 (1983) [21:06] Viola Sonata
Op.78 (1986)a [18:26] Piano Trio
No.2 Op.121 (2004) [16:13]
The Terroni Piano Trio (John Trusler, violin;
Fiona Murphy, cello; Raphael Terroni, piano);
Morgan Goff (viola)a rec. All
Saints Church, Durham Road, East Finchley,
June 2005
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7164 [56:06] [HC]
Three
fine pieces played with conviction and commitment.
... see Full
Review
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