RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Macmillan
and his British Contemporaries: Twentieth
Century Masters Volume 2 Julian
ANDERSON (b.1967)
O Sing Unto The Lord (1999)[6:59] James
MACMILLAN (b.1959)
Christus Vincit (1994) [6:33] Jonathan
DOVE (b.1959)
Ecce Beatam Lucem (1997) [5:58] Ryan
WIGGLESWORTH (b.1979)
Libera Nos (2003)[3:42] James
MACMILLAN: On The Annunciation
of The Blessed Virgin (1997) [6:49] Jonathan
DOVE: Into Thy Hands (1996) [[5:31]
Judith WEIR
(b.1954) Love Bade Me Welcome (1994) [4:31]
Robin HOLLOWAY
(b.1943)
Since I Believe [4:39] Francis
GRIER (b.1955) A Prayer of St.
Augustine [4:08] Tarik
O'REGAN (b.1978)
Surrexit Christus (2002) [2:54] Peter
WISHART (1921-1984) Jesu, Dulcis
Memoria (1968) [5:19] John
JOUBERT (b.1927) Whitsun Carol,
Op.115b (1987) [2:29] Gabriel
JACKSON (b.1962)
Salve Regina (2000) [4:51] 
The Choir of New College Oxford/Edward Higginbottom
Robert Patterson; Nicholas Wearne (organ)
rec. Douai Abbey, Berkshire, England 13-15
July 2004. DDD
AVIE AV 2085 [64:08] [JQ]
This
is one of the finest choral discs to have
come my way for some time. I rejoice to find
clear evidence that so much high quality music
is being written for liturgical use by composers
of today. ... see Full
Review
Gustav
MAHLER
(1860-1911) Symphony
No 10 (original performing version by Deryck
Cooke)
Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy
rec. Town Hall, Philadelphia, November 1965;
remastered using DSD
SONY CLASSICAL 82876 78742-2 [70:15] [PCW]
Not
the last word on Mahler 10 but the first;
it can now be heard in vivid sound ... see
Full Review
Tigran
MANSURIAN (b.
1939) Ars
Poetica (1996-2000) - Concerto for mixed choir a cappella
(Poems by Yeghishe Charents): Part I: Three Night Songs; Part
II: Three Portraits of Women; Part III: Three Autumn Songs;
Part IV: And Silence Descends Armenian
Chamber Choir/Robert Mlkeyan rec. live, 6 June 2003, Saghmosavank
Monastery, Armenia ECM
1895 [46:45] [DC]
Lovers
of beautifully composed choral music should treat themselves to
this recording, and those seeking to discover a new name will not
be disappointed. ... see Full
Review
Marin
MARAIS (1656-1728) Suite
in D major (Troisième Livre de pièces de viole, 1711) [20:19]
Suite in A minor (Cinquième Livre de pièces de viole, 1725)
[15:32] Suite “Le Labyrinthe” (Quatrième Livre de pièces à une
et trois violes, 1717) [10:14]
Suite in E minor (Deuxième Livre de pièces de viole, 1701) [19:26] Juan
Manuel Quintana (viola da gamba), Dolores Costoyas (theorbo), Attilio Cremonesi
(harpsichord)
rec. Château du Touvet, Isère, November 1997. DDD HARMONIA
MUNDI MUSIQUE D’ABORD HMA 1955248 [65:45] [GPu]
Not
perhaps the most ‘poetic’ reading of Marais, but this is a thoroughly
enjoyable sampler of one of the great composers for the viola da
gamba ... see Full Review
Giuseppe MARTUCCI
(1856-1909) Sonata
in G minor, Op.22 (1874) [16:03]
Melodia (1890) [2:56] Three Pieces for violin
and piano, Op.67 (1886) [15:05] Giovanni
SGAMBATI (1841-1914) Two pieces
for violin and piano, Op.24 [9:21] Gondoliera,
Op.29 [5:31]
Luca Braga (violin), Lucia Pittau (piano)
rec. Sala Rodi, Cremona, Italy, 28-29 June,
2 July 2004. DDD
TACTUS TC 851301 [48:56] [GPu]
A
pleasant account of some minor pieces by two
of the most interesting (non-operatic) Italian
composers of their era … see Full
Review
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809–1847)
Sechs Spruche Op. 79 (1843-46) [9:44] Hear
my Prayer (1844) [10:38] Beati Mortui Op.
115, No. 1 (1833) [2:54]Die deutsche Liturgie
(1846) [6:26] Ave Maria Op. 23, No. 2 (1830)
[6:40] 100th Psalm (1842) [4:02]
Laudate
Pueri Op. 39, No. 2 (1830) [5:37]Magnificat
Op. 69, No. 3 (1847) [8.37]
Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge/Richard
Marlow rec. 14-17 January 2000, Chapel of
Trinity College, Cambridge
CHANDOS CHAN 10363 [74:03] [RH]
This
highly recommendable disc brings his sacred
music to the fore in fine, flexible performances
from Richard Marlow and choir. ... see full
review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Symphony
No. 40 in G minor K550 (1788) [24.35] Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin
Concerto in D major Op.61 (1806) [45.12]+
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Yehudi
Menuhin (violin)/Lucerne Festival Orchestra+
Wilhelm Furtwängler rec. Kunsthaus, Lucerne,
1947 (Beethoven); Musikverein, Vienna, 1949
(Mozart)
NAXOS 8.110996 [69.47] [JW]
Furtwängler’s
commercial legacy wasn’t huge so collectors will welcome this latest
instalment with alacrity. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Operatic Overtures: Die
Zauberflöte (1791) K620 [8:09] * Le Nozze di Figaro (1786)
K492 [4:11] * Idomeneo, Rè di Creta (1781) K366
[4:46] * Don Giovanni (1787) K527 [6:31] *
La Clemenza di Tito (1791) K621 [4:48] * Die
Entführung aus dem Serail (1782) K384 [5:42] * Der
Schauspieldirektor (1786) K486 [3:55] * Così fan
tutte (1790) K588 [4:39] * Three German Dances (1791) K605 [6:09]
** Leopold MOZART (1719-1787)
Cassation in G, ‘Toy Symphony’ [10:29] **
Orchestra of St. John’s/John Lubbock rec. Walthamstow Assembly Hall,
London, published 1982 *; St. John’s Smith Square, London, published
1979 ** ADD SANCTUARY
CLASSICS CD RSN 3072 [60:09][GPu]
Sympathetic
and well-judged modern instrument performances that, while offering
nothing revelatory, will give pleasure to most listeners… see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Piano
Concerto No. 21 in C major K467 (1784) [29.07] Concerto for Three Pianos
in F major K242 (1776) [22.32] Concerto for Two Pianos in E flat major
K365 (1779) [24.46]
Jon Kimura Parker (piano) (performs his own cadenzas) James Parker (piano)
(K242 and K365) Ian Parker (piano) (K242) CBC Radio Orchestra/Mario
Bernardi rec. live, Chan Centre Vancouver, 8 January 2006. DDD
CBC SMCD 5240 [76.26] [DD]
The
Mozart Anniversary year will bring many reissues
and new releases but this will surely be regarded
as a highlight. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Piano
Trio in B flat major, K502 (1786) [21.44]
Piano Trio in E major, K542 (1788) [18.41]
Piano Trio in G major, K564 (1788) [18.18]
The Florestan Trio (Anthony Marwood,
violin; Richard Lester, cello; Susan Tomes,
piano) rec. 15-17 May 2005, Henry Wood Hall,
London, England DDD
HYPERION CDA67556 [59:01] [MC]
These
superb performances can live with the very
best. Highly recommended. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Così fan tutte (1790)
Margaret Marshall (soprano) Fiordiligi; Ann
Murray (mezzo) Dorabella; James Morris (bass)
Guglielmo; Francisco Araiza (tenor) Ferrando;
Kathleen Battle (soprano) Despina; Sesto Bruscantini
(bass) Don Alfonso; Konzertvereinigung Wiener
Staatsopernchor; Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Riccardo
Muti rec. live, Kleines Festspielhaus, Salzburg,
August, 1983. 4:3. NTSC. LPCM Stereo. Region
Code 0
TDK DVWW-OPCFTSF 
[two DVDs: 188'00] [CC]
If
you want Muti, go for this Muti in Salzburg
if you can afford the extra as opposed to
his Scala performance. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Die
Zauberflöte K 620 - Opera in
two acts (1791) Pamina, Dorothea Röschmann
(sop); Tamino, Christoph Strehl (ten); Papageno,
Hanno Müller- Brachmann (bar); Sarastro,
René Pape (bass); Queen of the night,
Erika Miklósa (sop); Papagena, Julia
Kleiter (sop); Speaker, Georg Zeppenfeld (bar);
Monostatos, Kurt Azesberger (ten)
Arnold Schoenberg Choir Mahler Chamber
Orchestra/Claudio Abbado rec. live, Teatro
Communale, Modena, Italy, September 2005
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 00289 477 5789 GH2 [77.25
+ 71.25] [RF]
Good
to hear Abbado back conducting opera but not
enough for me to rank this performance at
the top of a very competitive list. ... see
Full Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756–1791)
Arie e Duetti Die
Zauberflöte: Overture;: Der Vogelfänger
bin ich ja♂; Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen♂;
Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön☼;
Bei Männern ♀♂; Don Giovanni:
Il mio tesoro☼¸Finch’han dal vino♂;
La ci darem la mano♀♂; Ah, fuggi
il traditor♀; Così fan tutte:
Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo♂; Fra gli
amplessi♀; Un aura amorosa☼; Die
Entführung aus dem Serail: O wie ängstlich,
o wie feurig☼; Le nozze di Figaro: Vedrò
mentr’io sospiro♂; Deh vieni, non tardar;
Non piu andrai♂
Isabel Bayrakdarian (soprano)♀, Michael
Schade (tenor)☼, Russell Braun (baritone)♂,
Canadian Opera Company Orchestra/Richard Bradshaw
rec. George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre
for the Arts, Toronto, Canada, 8-9 June 2005
CBC SMCD 5239 [67:21]
Three
leading Canadian opera singers in a disc of
favourite Mozart arias and duets, The opportunity
to hear this sensational new soprano and two
very good male colleagues ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Serenata Notturna, K239 (1776) [15.00] Eine
kleine Nachtmusik, K525 (1787)
[19.45] Notturno in D major, K286 (1777)
[17.12] Ein Musikalischer Spaß, K522
(1787) [20.39]
Le Concert des Nations/Jordi Savall rec. 5-8
September 2005, Château de Cardona
ALIA VOX AVSA 9846 SACD 
[72.28]
[TB]
Savall’s
performance stands up well ... expertly phrased
balancing and a real freshness in what can
too easily seem hackneyed music. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano
Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K 491 (1786) [28:34] Piano Concerto
No. 20 in D minor, K 466 (1785) [28:04] Martin
Stadtfeld (piano) NDR Sinfonieorchester/Bruno Weil rec. Rolf
Liebermann Studio NDR Hamburg, 28-30 June 2005. DDD SONY
CLASSICAL 82876 737142 [58:58] [MG]
This
is scrubbed up Mozart, very clean, crisp and admirably fluent,
but the effect can at times be over dispassionate in its objectivity … see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Requiem K626
(completed Süssmayr) (1791) [53.08] Angela
Maria Blasi (soprano) Marjana Lipovšek (mezzo) Uwe Heilmann
(tenor) Jan-Hendrik Rootering (bass) Symphony Orchestra and
Choir of Bavarian Radio/Colin Davis Te Deum Laudamus K141
[6.53] Venite populi K260 [4.56] Regina coeli K276 (1779) [6.25] Ave verum corpus K618
(1790) [3.08] Tölzer Knabechor European Baroque Soloists/Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden
rec. Herkulessaal der Residenz, Munich, March 1991 (Requiem); Stadtpfarrkirche,
Bad Tölz, July 1990 (remainder) RCA
RED SEAL CLASSIC LIBRARY 82876 762362 [75.12] [JW]
A
broadly traditional Requiem, with speeds that are never marmoreal,
a performance that is dramatic without exaggeration … a pleasure
to hear. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) A
Mozart Celebration from Stephansdom - A Celebration
of the Wiener Sangerknaben (Vienna Boys' Choir) Church Sonata
in C major, K.278, Mass in C minor, K.427: Credo.
Et incarnatus est Graduale "Sancta Maria, mater Dei",
K.273 Vesperae solennes de Confessore, K.339: Laudate
Dominum Coronation Mass in C major, K.317: Kyrie. Gloria.
Credo.Sanctus. Benedictus. Agnus Dei Ave verum corpus, K.618;
Litaniae Lauretanae, K.195: Agnus Dei Church Sonata
in C major, K.329 Sandrine
Piau (sop); Dietmar Kerschbaum (ten); Wolfgang Bankl (bass)
Unnamed soprano and alto soloists from the Wiener Sangerknaben
(Vienna Boys' Choir) Chorus Viennensis and Wiener Sangerknaben,
Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra/Bertrand de Billy. rec. live,
Domkirche St. Stephen, Vienna, 27 January 2006
Picture Format 16:9. Sound; PCM Stereo. DD 5.1. DTS 5.1. Subtitles in Latin,
English, German and French Bonus: Mozart in Vienna. A film by Marieke
Schroeder with the participation of Daniel Barenboim, Angelika Kirchlanger, Thomas
Quasthoff, Peter Sellars and others EUROARTS
DVD 2055168 [68:00 + 59:00 bonus]
[RJF]
The
concert component of this DVD would have been a lot better with
a quality soprano and better rehearsal for the choir. However,
musically it does present a diverse range of Mozart’s religious
music and can be recommended as such. ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Rare
Choral Works CD 1 Veni Sancte Spiritus, K.
47 (1768) [3.44]
Two excerpts from the Oratorio: La Betulia liberata (The Liberation
of Bethulia), K. 118 (1771): Del pari infeconda [6.36]; Terribile ’aspetto [4.05]
Offertory in D minor, Misericordias Domini, K. 222 (1775) [5.22] Church
Sonata in C major No. 14 ‘pro festis pallii’ for orchestra and organ,
K. 278 (1777) [3.45] Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento in E flat,
K. 243 (1776) [31.50]
Offertory in D, Venite populi, K. 260 (1776) [4.26] CD 2 Regina
coeli in C major, K. 108 (1771) [13.32] Litaniae Lauretanae BVM in
B flat, K. 109 (1771) [10.37] Church Sonata No. 16 in C major for orchestra and
organ, K. 329 (c. 1779) [4.16] Oratorio: Davide penitente, K. 469 (1785)
[42.36] Gloriae Dei Cantores/Elizabeth
C. Patterson; Vox Caeli Sinfonia/ Richard K. Pugsley; David Chalmers (organ)
rec. November 2005, Church of the Transfiguration, nr. Cape Cod Bay, Orleans,
Massachusetts, USA. DDD GLORIAE
DEI CANTORES GDCD 039 [59.08 + 71.01] [MC]
It
is good to hear some of Mozart’s lesser performed sacred choral
works in this his anniversary year. ... see Full
Review
George
ONSLOW (1784-1853) String
Quintets Vol. 3 Quintet for two violins, viola, cello and
double bass in C minor, Op. 38 ‘The
Bullet’ (1829) [28.57] Quintet for two violins, viola, cello and double bass
in C minor, Op. 67 (1843)
[33.17] Quintett Momento Musicale:
(Dorothée
Stromberg, violin; Andreas Tränkner, violin; Michael Clauß, viola; Hans-Jörg
Pohl, cello; Steffen Slowik, double-bass) rec. 12-15 July 2005, Rathaussaal,
Markkleberg, Germany. DDD MUSIKPRODUKTION
DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 603 1390-2 [62.29] [MC]
Onslow’s
music is well worth exploring and in performances
such as these will provide considerable rewards.
... see Full
Review
Jan Ignacy PADEREWSKI (1860-1941)
Piano
Music: Mélodie Op. 8 no. 3 (1882)
[3.00]; Chant d’Amour Op. 19 no. 2 (1884)
[3.03]; Menuet Op. 14 No. 1; [4.04] Cracovienne
fantastique Op. 14 no. 6 (1885) [3.19]; Legend
Op. 16 no. 1 [5.28]; Mélodie Op. 16
no. 2; [5.31] Thème Varié Op.
16 no. 3 [8.28]; Nocturne Op. 16 no. 4 [4.22]
(1886-1891]
Sang Mi Chung (piano) rec. Town Hall,
New York City, 29 September, 10 October 2004.
DDD
CENTAUR CRC 2758 [68.10] [GH]
I
hope that this disc attracts attention. This
is mostly unpretentious music but it has considerable
charm. In the Sonata we have quite a powerful
work which would be well worth the effort
of any performer looking for an unusual challenge.
... see Full
Review
Vincent
PERSICHETTI (1915-1987) Music for
Wind Band Divertimento
op. 42 (1950) [11:22]
Psalm op.
53 (1952) [8:48] O
God Unseen - Chorale
Prelude op. 160 (1984) [9:04] Pageant
op. 59 (1953) [7:42]
Masquerade op.
102 (1965) [13:14] O
Cool is the Valley op. 118 (1971) [6:08] Parable
- Poem op. 121 (1972)
[18:13]
Winds of the London Symphony Orchestra/David
Amos rec. Abbey Road
Studio 1, London, 13-14 April 1993
Originally released on Harmonia
Mundi in 1994 Naxos
Wind Band Classics edition 2006
NAXOS WIND BAND CLASSICS 8.570123
[74:31][WK]
For
an all-round anthology of Persichetti band
works, this re-release by Naxos is to be preferred.
... see Full
Review
Astor
PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) Estaciones
Porteñas (1965-70) [24:28]
Tango Ballet (1956) [10:58] Histoire Du Tango (1986)
[21:00] Four for Tango (1987) [6:38] Ma’alot
Quintet: Stephanie Winker (flute), Christian Wetzel (oboe), Uif-Guido
Schäfer (clarinet), Volker Grewel (horn), Volker Tessmann (bassoon)
rec. 17-19 May 2006, Paul Gerhard Kirche, Leipzig MUSIKPRODUKTION
DABRINGHAUS
UND GRIMM MDG 345 1392-2 [63:35] [DC]
Just
a tad more daring in the arrangements and I’d be dancing to this
down many a supermarket aisle. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Francis POTT (b.
1957) Meditations and
Remembrances
The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin/Judy
Martin, Tristan Russcher
(organ) rec. Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin,
21-23 October 2005. DDD
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD080 [70:52] [JQ]
I
hope this recording will win a still wider
audience for Francis Pott. This is likely
to be one of my Recordings of 2006 and I recommend
it with the greatest possible enthusiasm.
... see Full
Review
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Alexander
Nevsky Op. 78 (1938) [38:35] Lieutenant
Kije Suite, Op. 60 (1933-4) [19:45] Eva
Podleś (mezzo) Latvian State Choir
Orchestre National de Lille-Région
Nord/Pas-de-Calais/Jean-Claude Casadesus rec.
live, Auditorium du Nouveau Siècle,
Lille, France, 1 June 1994. DDD
NAXOS 8.557725 [58:20] [DB]
These
are fine performances. For the price the disc
is worth purchasing for the wonderful six-and-a-half
minutes of Podleś’s performance of “The
Field of Death". ... see Full
Review
Sergei
PROKOVIEV
(1891-1953) The
Stone Flower, ballet in three acts,
Op. 119 (1953) [120.00] Danila - Nikolai
Dorokhov Katerina - Lyudmilla Semenyaka
Mistress of the Copper Mountain - Nina
Semizorova Sereyan - Yuri Vetrov
The Bolshoi Ballet The Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra/Aleksandr
Kopilov Scenario: Mira Mendelson-Prokofieva
and Leonid Lavrovsky, after The Malachite
Box by Pavel Bazhov. Revised scenario
and Choreography: Yuri Grigorovich Scenery
and Costumes: Simon Virsaladze; Video Direction:
Motoko Sakaguchi
rec. 1990, Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Russia.
DVD 9, NTSC 4:3, 2.0 Stereo 48 KHz 16Bit PCM,
dts 5.1, Dolby surround 5.1. Region
0: Worldwide Menu languages: Deutsch, Français,
English, Castellano Notes in English, Français,
Deutsch.
ARTHAUS
MUSIC EUROARTS 101 121 [120.00] [PSh]
Prokofiev’s
last great ballet work available to us at
last in a brilliantly staged dance performance.
... see Full
Review
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924)
Edgar
- dramma lirico in three acts (1889) Edgar,
Placido Domingo (ten); Fidelia, Adriana Damato
(sop); Tigrana, Marianne Cornetti (mezzo);
Frank, Juan Pons (bar); Gualtiero, Rafael
Siwek (bass)
Chorus and Orchestra of Academia Nazionale
di Santa Cecilia/Alberto Veronesi rec. Auditorium
della Musica, Sala Santa Cecilia, 22 June
2005
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 00289 477 6102 GH2 [45.41
+ 37.47] [RF]
Puccini
completists and Domingo fans need not hesitate.
... see Full
Review
Henry PURCELL (1659-1695)
Dido and Aeneas - opera in three acts (1689)
Dido: Lynne Dawson (soprano) Belinda: Rosemary Joshua (soprano) Aeneas:
Gerald Finley (baritone) Second Woman: Maria Cristina Kiehr (soprano)
Sorceress: Susan Bickley (soprano) First Witch: Dominique Visse (counter-tenor)
Second Witch: Stephen Wallace (counter-tenor) Spirit: Robin Blaze (counter-tenor)
First Sailor: John Bowen (tenor) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/René
Jacobs rec. Henry Wood Hall, London, October 1998. DDD
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX 2991683 [59:33] [MG]
Overall
Jacobs’ performance offers the finest value today in state-of-the-art
singing and playing, but there is one even more outstanding Dido. … see Full
Review
Jean-Philippe
RAMEAU
(1683-1764)
A Basket of Wild Strawberries - A Selection
of Keyboard Jewels From Premier Livre
(1706) Prélude [4:15] Allemande [4:33]
Sarabandes I and II [5:14] Gavotte [2:12]
From Pièces de clavecin (1724), Suite
in E Gigue en rondeau I [2:28] Gigue
en rondeau II [1:54] Le Rappel des Oiseaux
[1:23] Rigadouns I and II and Double du II
[1:15] Musette en rondeau [3:21] Tambourin
[1:30] br> La Villageoise [3:29] From
Pièces de clavecin (1724), Suite in D Les
Tendres Plaintes [4:07] Les Nais de Sologne
and Deux Doubles [4:48] Les Soupirs [7:15]
La Joyeuse [0:59] From Nouvelles Suites
(1728), Suite in A Allemande [8:13] Les
Trois Mains [2:57] Sarabande [2:48] Fanfarinette
[2:57] La Triomphante [1:36] Gavotte and Six
Doubles [8:29]
Tzimon Barto (piano) rec. Järvenpää
Hall, Finland, February 2005
ONDINE ODE 1067-2 [75:57] [DC]
Early
music buffs will probably run miles to avoid
such a disc, but as a fan of quality music
in all its wondrous variety I must say that
such Calvinists will be missing a treat. ...
see Full
Review
Iiro RANTALA
(b.
1970) Concerto
for Piano and Orchestra in G sharp major and
A flat (2002) [38:15] Astorale for Piano Solo
[7:59] Tangonator for Violin and Piano [5:01]
Final Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra [5:25]
Iiro Rantala (piano) Tapiola Sinfonietta/Jaakko
Kuusisto rec. Tapiola Hall, Espoo, May 2005.
DDD
ONDINE ODE 1071-2 [57:00] [DC]
If
you are unpacking your Donaueschinger Musiktage
courtesy rider bag you will probably need
cheering up more than somewhat. This CD may
well be just the ticket. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Maurice
RAVEL
(1875-1937) Gaspard
de la nuit [22:36] Pavane pour une infante
défunte [6:03] Valses nobles et sentimentales
[14:23] Jeux d’eau [5:19] Miroirs [28:45]
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano) (Gaspard de
la nuit, Pavane pour une infante défunte;
Valses nobles et sentimentales) Nadia Cole
(piano) (Jeux d’eau, Miroirs) rec. Kingsway
Hall, London, April 1982 (Gaspard), June 1983
(Pavane, Valses), Ford Centre for the Performing
Arts, Toronto, Canada, July 1999 (Jeux d’eau),
Toronto Centre for the Arts Recital Hall,
Toronto, Canada, May 2002 (Miroirs)
DECCA ELOQUENCE 4768499 [76:33] [GPJ]
Nearly
77 minutes of stunning piano playing; this
is a disc to treasure, no two ways about it.
... see Full
Review
Paul READE
(1943-1997) Hobson’s
Choice – ballet (1989) Henry Hobson
- Desmond Kelly; Maggie Hobson - Karen Donovan;
Vickey Hobson - Sandra Madgwick; Alice Hobson
- Chenca Williams; Mrs Hepworth - Anita
Landa; Will Mossop - Michael O’Hare; The Suitors
- Joseph Cipolla, Stephen Wicks
Birmingham Royal Ballet and Orchestra/Barry
Wordsworth David Bintley (choreographer)
Rec. 1992 (Studio recording) Sound: PCM Stereo;
Picture: 4:3; Region: 2,5; DVD9/PAL
ARTHAUS-MUSIC
100 442 [101:00] [DC]
Guaranteed
to bring cheer to any rainy afternoon – only
one of many reasons for having this DVD in
your home. ... see Full
Review
Ottorino
RESPIGHI (1879-1936) Violin Sonata
in D minor, P15 (1897) [19.58] Six pieces for violin and piano, P31
(1905) [24.44] Violin Sonata in B minor, P110 (1917) [27.44]
Ingolf Turban (violin); Katia Nemirovitch-Dantchenko (piano) rec. Stuttgart
Germany, May-September 2001 Notes in English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano.
Photos of composer and artists.
CLAVES CD 50-2109 [70.34][PSh]
Premier
recordings of two violin works by Respighi
coupled with the great sonata in b all exquisitely
played. ... see Full
Review
Nikolai
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908)
Overture:
The Tsar’s Bride (1898) [6.32] Suite:
Pan Voyevode (1904) [23.11] Suite:
Christmas Eve (1895) [27.11] Overture
on Russian Themes (1866; rev. 1880) [11.53]
Suite: The Snow Maiden (1881) [13.08]
Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra/Kees
Bakels rec. November 2004, Dewan Philharmonik
Petronas Hall, Kuala Lumpur
BIS-CD-1577 [82.27] [TB]
An
appealing and highly recommendable issue.
... see Full
Review
Ned ROREM
(b. 1923) The
Auden Songs (1989) [33:49] (The
Shield of Achilles; Lady, weeping at
the crossroads; Epitaph on a Tyrant;
Lay your sleeping head, my love; But
I can't; Yes, we are going to suffer;
Nocturne) The Santa Fe Songs
– complete collection (1979-80) [28:58] (Santa
Fe; Opus 101; Any other time;
Sonnet; Coming down the stairs;
He never knew; El Musico; The
Wintry-Mind; Water Hyacinths; Moving
Leaves; Yes I hear them; The
Sowers)
Christopher Lemmings (tenor); Sara Fulgoni
(soprano); Chamber Domaine rec. Potton Hall,
Suffolk, January, April 2005. DDD world première
recordings
BLACK BOX BBM1104 [63:17] [AOz]
The
only reason for getting this is to have the
Auden and Santa Fe cycles as a whole ... see
Full Review
Gioacchino
ROSSINI
(1792-1868) Péchés
de Vieillesse, Volume 6: Italian Reminiscences
(1857-1868) Prélude
Italien [5:53]; L’innocence italienne/
La candeur française [7:27; La
Venitienne-Canzonetta [5:56]; Une pensée
à Florence [8:29]; Saltarello
à l’italienne [4:13]; Barcarole
[4:57]; Impromptu tarantellisé
[5:29]; La Savoi aimante [6:09]; Marche
[6:02]; Une bagatelle-In nomine patris
[1:05]; Échantillon du chant de
Noël à l’italienne [6:11];
Première Communion [4:48]; Tarantelle
pur sang (avec traversée de la procession)
[10:47]
Stefan Irmer (piano [Steinway D, 1901, nr.
100398]) rec. 22-23 October 2005, Fürstliche
Reitbahn, Bad Arolsen. DDD
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG
618 1386-2 [78:33] [JO]
All
in all, this recording is bound to give the
listener sustained enjoyment and the opportunity
to get a better-rounded picture of Rossini
and his music. ... see Full
Review
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) La Cenerentola
- Opera Buffa in Two Acts (1817)
Angiolina (La Cenerentola), Bianca Maria Casoni (mezzo); Don Ramiro,
Prince of Salerno, Ugo Benelli (ten); Dandini, Ramiro’s valet, Sesto
Bruscantini (bar); Don Magnifico, Baron, Alfredo Mariotti (buffa-bass);
Alidoro, tutor to Ramiro, Federico Davia (bass bar); Clorinda, Giovanna
Di Rocco (sop); Tisbe, Teresa Rocchino (sop) Chorus of the Berlin State
Opera, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra/Pierro Bellugi Recorded 1975.
No venue given. ADD
ARTS MUSIC ARTS ARCHIVES 43053-2 [56.11 + 60.11][RJF]
On
the podium Bellugi conducts
briskly but without conveying much sense of fun. The same can be said
of the singing ... see Full
Review
Edmund
RUBBRA (1901-1986) Improvisation
for violin and orchestra op. 89 (1956) [12:25] Improvisations
on Virginal Pieces by Giles Farnaby op. 50 (Farnaby's Conceit;
His Dreame; His Humour; Loth to Depart; Tell
me, Daphne) (1939) [13:11] Violin Concerto op. 103 (1960) [30:19]
Krysia Osostowicz
(violin) Ulster Orchestra/Takuo Yuasa rec. 25-26 May 2004, Ulster
Hall, Belfast. DDD NAXOS
8.557591 [57:04][DDa]
Rubbra’s
music isn’t like anyone else’s and influences aren’t at all obvious.
This is a new, rare and highly individual voice. I urge you to listen
to it as soon as you are able ... 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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