Johann Sebastian
BACH
(1685-1750)
Mass in B Minor BWV 232 (1733-38)
Ruth Holton (soprano) Matthias Rexroth (alto)
Christoph Genz (tenor) Klaus Mertens (baritone)
Thomanerchor, Gewandhausorchester, Leipzig/Georg
Christoph Biller rec. 28 July 2000, Thomaskirche,
Leipzig, Germany. DDD
EUROARTS INVITATION DVD 2050356 
[113.00] [JL]
If
like me you put considerable weight on the
refreshing sound of a boys’ choir that is
descended from Bach’s own, then you will want
to own this performance conducted by one of
Bach’s successors. ... see Full
Review
The Bach Cantata
Pilgrimage
- Volume 26 Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Cantatas for Whit
Sunday Erschallet,
ihr Lieder, erklinget, ihr Saiten! BWV 172
Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten
I, BWV 59 Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort
halten II, BWV 74 O ewiges Feuer, o Ursprung
der Liebe, BWV 34 Lisa Larsson (soprano);
Nathalie Stutzmann; Derek Lee Ragin (altos);
Christoph Genz (tenor); Panajotis Iconomou
(bass)
The Monteverdi Choir/English Baroque Soloists/Sir
John Eliot Gardiner. Cantatas for Whit
Monday Erhöhtes Fleisch und Blut,
BWV 173 Also hat Gott die Welt geliebet, BWV
68 Ich liebe den Höchsten von ganzem
Gemüte, BWV 174
Lisa Larsson (soprano); Nathalie Stutzmann
(alto); Christoph Genz (tenor); Panajotis
Iconomou (bass) The Monteverdi Choir/English
Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec.
Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford, Suffolk,
11-12 June 2000
SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG 121 [69:42 + 47:58]
[JQ]
Another
highly successful artistic enterprise. Enormous
pleasure. Very high standards of performance,
presentation and recorded sound - a very important
and distinguished cycle. ... see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH
(1685-1750) The
Well Tempered Clavier BWV 846-893 (1722,
1744)
Samuil Feinberg (piano) Recorded Moscow 1958-61
CLASSICAL RECORDS CR 065 [3 CDs: 74.34
+ 75.12 + 72.20] [JW]
For
Feinberg admirers no collection is complete without this recording ...
see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The Two and
Three Part Inventions (complete) [50:00] Sinfonia
No. 8 in F, BWV 794 [0:53] Sinfonia No. 15 in
B minor BWV 801 [0:55] Sinfonia No. 9 in F minor
BWV 795 [5:01] Unedited studio session takes
from June 1955 Sinfonia No. 8 [2:15] Sinfonia
No. 15 [5:38] Sinfonia No. 9 [5:10]
Glenn Gould, piano rec. Columbia 30th
Street Studio, New York, 1964 (tracks 1-30); 1955 (remainder).
SONY
CLASSICAL 82876 78766 2 [70:02][KS]
There
are just too many annoyances to make this performance enjoyable, and
so I must commend it only to the most die-hard of Gould fans ... see
Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Béla BARTÓK (1881-1945) Piano
Sonata, Sz80a (1926). Improvisations on Hungarian
Peasant Songs, Sz74/Op. 20b (1920). Suite, Sz62/Op.
14c (1916). Out of Doors, Sz81d (1926).
Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, Sz110e (1937) Murray
Perahia, eGeorg Solti (pianos); eDavid
Corkhill and eEvelyn Glennie (percussion) rec. CBS
30th Studio, New York City, 3 December 1973a,
8 Augustb, 19 Novemberc 1980, 29 March
1976d, Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Suffolk 7, 9 July
1987e. ADD/DDD SONY
CLASSICAL GREAT PERFORMANCES 82876 78750 2 [73’42] [CC]
It
is difficult to imagine a better introduction
to the piano music of Bartók than this splendid
disc. Perahia has a clear vision of what he
wants to say and how he says it ... see Full
Review
Frank
BRIDGE
(1879-1941) The Piano Music:
Volume 1 Capriccio
No.1 (1905) [2:36] Three Sketches:
April, Rosemary, Valse Capricieuse (1906,
published 1915) [8:19] Capriccio No.2
(1905) [4:47] The Hour Glass: Dusk, The
Dew Fairy, Midnight Tide (1919/1920) [13:39]
Vignettes de Marseille: Carmelita, Nicolette,
Zoraida, En fête (1925) [12:27]
Sonata for Piano (1921-1924) [34:57]
Mark Bebbington (piano) rec. Number 8
Arts centre, Pershore, Worcestershire [dates
not cited], 23-24 October 2005. DDD
SOMMCD 056 [77:24] [JF]
On
the basis of this present CD I am seriously
looking forward to having the next two Bridge
releases from Mark Bebbington. Let’s hope
I do not have to wait too long! ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony No. 9 in D minor,
op.125 Choral (1824) [72:51]
Gabriela Beňačková (soprano), Marjana Lipovšek (contralto),
Gösta Winbergh (tenor), Hermann Prey (baritone) Vienna State Opera Chorus
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Claudio Abbado rec. live, May 1986, Musikverein,
Grosser Saal, Vienna
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 5005 [72:51][CH]
One
of the great Ninths on record ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Complete
Music for Cello and Piano CD 1 Cello
Sonata No.1 in F major, Op.5 No.1 (1796) [25.55]
Cello Sonata No.4 in C major, Op.102 No.1
(1815) [15.44] Twelve Variations on ‘See
the conquering hero comes’ from Judas
Maccabaeus, WoO45 (1796) [11.01] Twelve
Variations on ‘Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen’
from Die Zauberflöte, Op. 66 (1796)
[9.44] Seven Variations on ‘Bei Männern,
welche Liebe fühlen’ from Die
Zauberflöte, WoO46 (1801) [9.30]
CD 2 Cello Sonata No.2 in G minor,
Op.5 No.2 (1796)[25.57] Cello Sonata No.3
in A major, Op.69 (1808) [27.34] Cello Sonata
No.5 in D major, Op.102 No.2 (1815)[20.51]
Emanuel Gruber (cello); Arnon Erez (piano)
rec. Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Recanati Auditorium,
July 2001, Aug 2002. DDD
EROICA JDT 3227 [73.34 + 75.02] [DD]
I
was really unsure about this release before
I played it … I needn’t have worried. ...
see Full
Review
Hector
BERLIOZ
(1803-1869) La
Damnation de Faust (1846) Marguerite
- Marie-Ange Todorovitch (mezzo) Faust - Michael
Myers (tenor) Méphistophélès
- Alain Vernhes (baritone) Brander - Rene
Schirrer (bass) Philippe Gérard (cor
anglais) Slovak
Philharmonic Choir Lille National Orchestra/Jean-Claude Casadesus rec.
live, L’Auditorium du Nouveau
Siècle, Lille, November 2003
NAXOS 8.660116/17 [58.22 + 65.23] [JW]
Casadesus’s
a scrupulous, decent Berlioz conductor but
falls prey to a certain lassitude … only partially
convincing. ... see Full
Review
Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Arias Du
peuple et des soldats (Les Troyens) O blonde Cères (Les Troyens)
Inutiles Regrets (Les Troyens) Les pelerins étants venus (L’Enfance
du Christ) Mab, la messagère (Roméo et Juliette) Merci, doux
Crépuscule (La Damnation de Faust) Sérénade de Mephistophélès
(Huit Scènes de Faust) (2) Ange Adore (La Damnation de Faust)
(1) Nature Immense (La Damnation de Faust) Ah! Je vais aimer
(Béatrice et Benedict) L’onde frémit, l’onde s’agite (Lélio)
(2) O mon bonheur, ma vie (Lélio) Une heure encore (Benvenuto
Cellini) Seul pour lutter (Benvenuto Cellini) Claude-Joseph
ROUGET DE LISLE (1760-1836) arr. BERLIOZ La
Marseillaise Roberto
Alagna (tenor) Angela Georghiu (soprano) (1) Gérard Depardieu
(speaker) (2) Les Eléments; French Army Chorus; Maîtrise de
Paris, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House/Bertrand de Billy DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 00289 477 6277 [69.32] [RH]
Berlioz
sung by a singer of great musicality but this recital is a little
too bitty for comfort. ... see Full
Review
Leonard
BERNSTEIN (1918-1990) Candide – Comic
Operetta in two acts (1956) [128:15] Libretto: Lilian Hellman
and Richard Wilbur based on the novel by Voltaire Candide:
Jerry Hadley (tenor); Cunegonde: Sylvia Koke (soprano); Pangloss/Martin:
Thomas Gazheli (baritone); Old Lady: Marjana Lipovsek (mezzo-soprano);
Governor/ Vanderdendur/Ragotzky: Robert Chafin (tenor); Paguette:
Robin Johannsen (soprano); Maximilian/Captain: Raimund Nolte
(baritone); Barenfuhrer/ Inquisitor/Tsar Ivan: Stefan Sevenich
(bass); Kosmetikhandler/Inquisitor/Prince Edward: Jorg Schorner
(baritone); Doctor/King Stanislaus: Carsten Sabrowski (baritone);
Trodler/Inquisitor/ Hermann Augustus/Croupier: Stefan Stoll
(baritone); Alchemist/Chief Inquisitor/Sultan Ahmed/Crook:
Thomas Scheier (tenor) Complete recording in English with additional
spoken texts in German by Loriot, Ernst Senff Choir, Berlin/Sigurd
Brauns
German Symphony Orchestra/David Stahl rec. live, Berlin Philharmonic Hall 20
March 2005. DDD CAPRICCIO
SACD 71 056 
[70:13 + 58:02]
[SA]
The
soloists are all excellent and the orchestra and chorus give their
all in what is a very satisfying performance. However, there is
one overriding flaw that spoiled the whole experience ... see Full
Review
Sebastian
BODINUS (c1700-c1760) Divertissements [Musicalische
Divertissements, Part V] Sonata I for violin, transverse flute,
horn and bc in D [09:59] Sonata II for violin, 2 transverse
flutes and bc in A [08:20] Sonata III for violin, transverse
flute, viola and bc in e minor [08:41] [Musicalische Divertissements,
Part VI] Sonata I for violin, 2 transverse flutes [recorder,
transverse flute] and bc in D [09:12] Sonata II for violin,
transverse flute, viola and bc in G [10:01] Sonata III for
violin, transverse flute, horn and bc in D [10:36] Camerata
Köln: Karl Kaiser, transverse flute; Michael Schneider, recorder,
transverse flute; Ulrich Hübner, natural horn; Sabine Lier,
violin; Ingeborg Scheerer, viola; Julie Borsodi, cello; Christian
Zincke, violone; Yasunori Imamura, theorbo, guitar; Sabine
Bauer, claviorganum rec. January 2003 at the Studio of Deutschlandfunk,
Cologne, Germany. DDD CPO
999 945-2 [59:22] [JV]
Uncommon
music by an unknown German baroque master - excellent music, which
is given first-rate interpretations by Camerata Köln ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH York
BOWEN (1884-1961)
Violin Concerto in E minor, Op 33 (1913)
[37.42] Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat, Op
11 (1903) [26.07]
Lorraine McAslan (violin) Michael Dussek (piano)
BBC Concert Orchestra/Vernon Handley rec.
5-6 December 2005, The Colosseum, Town Hall,
Watford, England. DDD
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7169 [64.09][RB]
Such
lavish extravagance of melody and sentiment.
... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Orchestral Works CD
1 [46:02] Symphony no.1 in C minor op.68
(1855-76) [46:02] CD 2 [58:01] Symphony
no.2 in D op.73 (1877) [44:19] Tragic Overture
op.81 (1880-81) [13:02] CD 3 [53:12]
Symphony no.3 in F op.90 (1883) [35:36] Variations
on a Theme by Haydn op.56a (1873) [17:16]
CD 4 [51:44] Symphony no.4 in E minor
op.98 (1884-85) [41:37] Academic Festival
Overture op.80 (1880) [09:58]
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Marek
Janowski rec. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool,
no dates but pub. 1984 (disc 1), 1985 (discs
2 & 4), 1986 (disc 3)
SANCTUARY CLASSICS CD RSB 405 [4 CDs:
46:02 + 58:01 + 53:12 + 51:44] [CH]
A
quandary: 1 and 3 are among the finest available,
no. 2 is very good, no. 4 is not recommendable
at all. ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Sonata
No. 1 in f for clarinet and piano, Op. 120 No. 1 (1894) [21.52]
Sonata No. 2 in Eb for clarinet and piano, Op. 120 No.
2 (1894) [19.45] Trio in a for clarinet, piano and cello, Op
114 (1891) [24.33] Martin
Fröst (clarinet); Roland Pöntinen (piano); Torlief Thedéen
(cello) rec. June 2004, Nybrokajen 11, former Academy of Music,
Stockholm, Sweden. Notes in English, Deutsch, Français. Photos
of artists. CD tracks, 2.0 stereo. SACD tracks 2.0 stereo and
5.0 surround. Hybrid SACD BIS
SACD 1353 [67.14]
[PSh]
A
fine performance, on the brazen and heavy
side, of Brahms’ core clarinet repertoire
in state-of-the-art sound. ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano
Concerto No.1 in D minor Op.15 (1854-58) [53.21] Leonard Bernstein’s
pre-concert comments [4.12] Excerpt of New York Philharmonic
Intermission Radio Interview with Glenn Gould [3.45] Glenn
Gould (piano) New York Philharmonic/Leonard Bernstein rec.
live, Carnegie Hall, 6 April 1962 SONY
CLASSICAL 82876 787532 [61.23] [JW]
I’ll
be keeping it on the shelves – but only for Bernstein’s gorgeous
introductory talk.... see Full
Review
Benjamin
BRITTEN
(1913-1976) Phaedra,
Lachrymae, Sinfonietta for flute,
oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, 2 violins,
viola, cello and bass, The Sword in the
Stone, Movement for Wind Sextet, Night Mail:
end sequence
Jean Rigby (mezzo); Roger Chase (viola); Nigel
Hawthorne (narrator) The Nash Ensemble/Lionel
Friend rec. 20-22 November 1995, 2 February
1996, Henry Wood Hall, London DDD
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55225 [65:21] [EM]
Slightly
unusual but all the more welcome for that,
and the sensitive, characterful performances
are of a consistently high standard. Cannot
be faulted. ... see Full
Review
Max
BRUCH (1838–1920) Violin
Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26 (1868) [25:21] Konzertstück,
Op. 84 (1910) [17:53] Romance, Op. 42 (1874) [10:13] Maxim
Fedotov (violin), Russian Philharmonic Orchestra/Dmitry Yablonsky
rec. Studio 5, Kultura TV and Radio Company, Moscow, 28 Nov-3
Dec 2004. DDD NAXOS
8.557689 [53:27]
Neither
of these two works are barn-storming “finds” but they are agreeable
and attractive. I derived a lot of pleasure from the whole disc.
... see Full Review
Anton
BRUCKNER
(1824-1896) Symphony
No 4 in E flat Romantic (Version of
1880, revised 1886 ed. Nowak) [66:34]
Staatskapelle Dresden/Giuseppe Sinopoli rec.
Dresden Lukaskirche, September 1987
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 423 677-2 [66:58]
[PCW]
A
rather classical and dispassionate interpretation
in very fine sound ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony
No.7 in E major (1883) [62:34] Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Concerto No.3 in C minor, Op.37 (1800) [38:35] Alfred
Brendel (piano) Lucerne Festival Orchestra/ Claudio Abbado rec.
live, Concert Hall of the Culture and Convention Centre Lucerne,
10-12 August 2005 Picture: PAL 16:9 Anamorphic Sound: PCM Stereo,
DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 Region: 0 (Worldwide) EUROARTS
DVD 2054649 [106:00]
[DC]
Isn’t
that what we’re all after – that feeling of renewal and joyous
discovery? It is here, in spades. ... see Full
Review
Anton BRUCKNER
(1824-1896)
Symphony No. 4 in E flat, Romantic (original 1888/80 version,
ed Haas) [68’42] Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Overture, Leonore III, Op. 72a (1805)
[15’12] NDR Symphony Orchestra/Günter
Wand rec. live, Lübeck Cathedral, 24 June 1990, Schleswig-Holstein Musik
Festival Director: Hugo Käch Producer: Klaus Reinke
TDK DVWW-COWAND5
[87’00] [CC]
This
is a hugely valuable document as well as a fitting memorial to a truly
great conductor. Wand is sorely missed. ... see Full
Review
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony No. 4
in E flat Romantic (1880 version ed. Haas) [64:11]
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Herbert von Karajan rec. April 1975, Philharmonie,
Berlin DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
477 5006 [64:11][CH]
A
phenomenal conception ... see Full
Review
John BULL (c.1562-1628)
Organ and Keyboard Works Præludium
in a [0.41] Walsingham in a [15.16] Christe Redemptor in a [4.13] Præludium
in C [1.20] My Juell in C [1.56] Pavana of my L[ord] Lumley [6.10] and
Galliarda to my L[ord] Lumley’s [1.48] In Nomine in d [1.45] Præludium
in G [2.08] St. Thomas Wake in C [3.02] My Griefe in G [1.30] The Duke
of Brunswicks Alman in a [1.56] Fantasia in d [4.22] Dr. Bulles Pavin
chromatik [6.19] and Galliard in d [2.44] [Fantasia on] Ut, re, mi,
fa, sol, la in G [5.06] A Gigge. Doctor Bulls my selfe in G [0.49] The
Duchesse of Brunswicks Toye in a [0.45] Fantasia op de fuge van m[agister]
Jan Pieterss[on Sweelinck] (15 XII 1621) in a [3.34] God save the Kinge
in C [5.08] Een Kindeken is ons geboren [4.09] In Nomine [5.36]
Siegbert Rampe (harpsichord by Andreas Ruckers, 1637; virginal by Artus
Gheerdinck, 1605) Tuned by Georg Ott. rec. Germanisches National Museum,
Nuremberg, Germany, 29 April 2004. clavichord by Jörg Gobeli, 2000,
copy of South German instrument 1670. rec. 2004. organ at St. Stephanskirche,
Tagermünde, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany. Tuned by Dietrich Kollmannsperger.
rec. 30 August 2004. organ at St. Andreaskirche Soest-Ostönnen,
Germany. rec. 6 April 2004. All with unequal temperament at various
pitches. Notes in English, Français, Deutsch. Photos of artist
and instruments, picture of composer, organ specifications.
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG GOLD 341 1258-2 [81.10]
[PSh]
A
magnificent recording, the best Bull CD I’ve ever heard, at times
sublime. One of the very best clavichord recordings. If Rampe has
here and there
bitten off just a tiny bit more than he can chew, he is the more to
be praised for his courage. ... see
Full Review
Dietrich
BUXTEHUDE (c.1637-1707) Organ
Music Vol. 5 Toccata
in F major BuxWV 157 [6’02] Von Gott will ich nicht lassen
BuxWV 220 [2’17] Praeludium in A BuxWV 151 [6’19] Nun freut
euch, (Fantasia) BuxWV 210 [16’17] Canzonetta in G BuxWV 172
[2’47] Kommt her zu mir, spricht Gottes Sohn BuxWV 201 [3’36]
Fugue in G BuxWV 175 [4’02] Mensch, willst du leben seliglich
BuxWV 206 [2’43] Praeludium in g BuxWV 148 [9’06] Ich ruf zu
dir, Herr Jesu Christ BuxWV 196 [4’14] Fugue in B-flat BuxWV
176 [5’17] Vater unser im Himmelreich BuxWV 219 [3’50] Toccata
in F BuxWV 156 [9’37] Julia
Brown (organ) rec. Saint Cecilia Cathedral, Omaha, Nebraska,
USA, 8-9 October 2005.
DDD NAXOS 8.557555 [76’07]
[CB]
The
playing is for me a little too quirky to be unreservedly recommendable,
but Brown is a real musician, and this organ is stunning beyond
belief. Given the price, and the impending anniversary, don’t miss
this! ... see Full Review
William
BYRD (c. 1540–1623) My mind to me
a kingdom is; Fanatasi a 6 (III); O Lord, how vain;
Content is rich; Constant Penelope; Pavan a 6;
Galliard a 6; My mistress had a little dog; O that most
rare breast; The noble famous Queen; Fantasi a 4 (III);
Out of the orient crystal skies; O lord, bow down thine heavn’ly
eyes; Fantasia a 6; Truth at the first; O you that
hear this voice; He that all earthly pleasure scorns Emma
Kirkby (soprano) Fretwork: Richard Boothby, Richard Campbell, Wendy
Gillespie, Julia Hodgson William Hunt, Susanna Pell (viols) rec. 12-15
January 2004, St. Bartholomew’s Church, Orford, Suffolk. DDD
HARMONIA MUNDI HMU 907383 [74.37][RH]
A
varied well-chosen programme, beautifully sung and played. Lovers of
this repertoire will want to buy Robin Blaze’s fine Hyperion disc as
well, but if you just choose one then you won’t go far wrong with this.
... see Full Review
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