The
Golden Age of Light Music – Marching and
Waltzing 
Various Orchestras
rec. 1936-1956
GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD 5136 [77:55] [JS]
A
cautious welcome should be given ... see Full
Review
Masters and
Commanders –
music from seafaring film classics
Alfred
NEWMAN (1901-1970) 1. Conquest
from Captain from Castile [3:35]; Miklos
ROZSA (1907-1995)
2. The Mayflower from Plymouth
Adventure [3:56]; Klaus
BADELT (b.1968) 3. The Medallion
Calls [1:13]; 4. The Black Pearl [2:19]; 5.
He’s a Pirate [1:16]; from Pirates of the
Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl;
Hans ZIMMER (b.1957)
6. Jack Sparrow [4:06]; 7. Hornpipe
[1:22]; from Pirates of the Caribbean:
Dead Man's Chest; Erich
Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957)
8. Overture to Captain Blood
[3:22]; Luigi
BOCCHERINI (1743-1805)
9. Los Manolos (from La Musica
Notturna delle Strade di Madrid) from
Master and Commander: The Far Side
of the World [3:27]; Elmer
BERNSTEIN (1922-2004)
10.
Prelude [3:17]; 11. Out to Sea [3:21]; from
The Buccaneer; Franz
WAXMAN (1906-1967)
12. Overture to Anne of the
Indies [4:19]; Henry
MANCINI (1924-1994)
13. Arctic Whale Hunt from The
White Dawn [3:42]; KORNGOLD
14. Suite from The Sea Hawk
[5:31]; Bronislau
KAPER (1902-1983) 15. Main Title
from Mutiny on the Bounty [2:07]; WAXMAN
16. Suite from Captains Courageous
[5:37]; Morton GOULD
(1913-1996) 17.
Main Title ("The Ship") from Windjammer
[3:04]; John
DEBNEY (b.1956) 18. End Title from
Cutthroat Island [5:08]
The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra/Erich Kunzel
TELARC CD-80682 [61:42] [SA]
The
music is well selected and beautifully played
by a committed orchestra under a conductor
who is equally enthusiastic about the film
music genre. ... see Full
Review
Zinka
Milanov (1906-1989)
sings Verdi Arias
RCA Victor Orchestra, Renato Cellini, conductor
NIMBUS PRIMA VOCE NI 7941 [79:40] [JW]
A
recital brimming over with high points ...
see Full Review
Mozart
and Well Beyond Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756–1791) Bassoon
Concerto Marjan MOZETICH (b.1948) Concerto
for bassoon and strings with Marimba Rodney
SHARMAN (b.1958) At Dusk for bassoon, strings
and harp Michael
WELSH (b.1954) Serenade for solo bassoon, strings and harp Michael
Sweeney (bassoon), Graham Hargrove (marimba), Erica Goodman (harp) Seiler Strings/Mayumi
Seiler rec. 2003 AFICONDO A034401 [LB]
A
must for all bassoon enthusiasts. Superb playing throughout and
a fine rendition of the Mozart concerto ... see Full
Review
Rosa Ponselle - American
Recordings 1923-1929: Volume 4
Rosa Ponselle (soprano) rec. 1928-9
NAXOS 8.111141 [69:48][GF]
These
were the last recordings Rosa Ponselle did for more than a decade and
they are glorious documents of her singing during her heyday ... see
Full Review
Premieres and Encores
Henry
Hugo PIERSON (1815-1873) Macbeth, Symphonic Poem Op.
54 (1859) [20:34] Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Barry Wordsworth Alan
RAWSTHORNE (1905-1971) Fantasy Overture. Cortèges
(1945) [14:34] Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Barry Wordsworth David
MORGAN (b.1933) Contrasts (1974) [21:47] Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra/Vernon Handley Francis CHAGRIN
(1905-1972) Concert Overture: Helter Skelter (1949) [6:46]
London Philharmonic Orchestra/John Pritchard Peter
WARLOCK (1894-1930) Serenade for Strings (1922) [7:44]
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Nicholas Braithwaite Malcolm
ARNOLD (1921-2006) Comedy Overture: Beckus the Dandipratt
(1943) [7:52] London
Symphony Orchestra/Nicholas Braithwaite rec. April 1976, Kingsway Hall
(Morgan); Jan 1976, Kingsway Hall (Chagrin); Aug 1978, Kingsway Hall
(Warlock); Sept 1978, Watford Town Hall (Harty)
LYRITA SRCD.318 [79.22] [RB]
The
welcome bouquet of this motley crew of premieres
and encores from the Lyrita stable ... see
Full Review
Protégé
Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Piano
Sonata in B minor (1852-53) [31:10] Julius
REUBKE (1834-1858) Piano Sonata
in B flat minor (1857) [29:00]
Anthony Hewitt (piano) rec. Potton Hall, Suffolk,
23-24 January 2006. DDD
DIVINE ART DDA 25064 [60:10] [RC]
Particularly
valuable for the Reubke; its importance is
not fully appreciated and such a recording
as this will win it many new converts. ...
see Full Review
Restored to Glory -
The Organ of Birmingham Town Hall
Thomas Trotter rec. 2007
REGENT RECORDS REGCD265 [MC]
One
of the finest organ recitals that I have heard ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Romantic
and Virtuoso Works for Organ Volume 2
Garth EDMUNSON
(1900-1971), John IRELAND
(1879-1962),
Joseph KROMOLICKI
(1882-1961), Oreste
RAVANELLO (1871-1938),Guy
ROPARTZ (1864-1955), Louis
VIERNE (1870-1937), Guy
WEITZ (1883-1970)
Jane Parker-Smith (organ) rec. 2007. DDD
AVIE AV2144 [73:45] [CB]
Full
marks for innovative programming, wonderful
playing, a superb recording and excellent
presentation. ... see Full
Review
Amanda Roocroft
- None but the Lonely
Heart songs
by Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840–1893) Claude
DEBUSSY (1862–1918) Richard
STRAUSS (1864–1949)
Amanda Roocroft (soprano) Malcolm Martineau
(piano) rec. Champs Hill, Pulborough, England,
14 April, 18-19 July 2007 Texts and English
translations included.
ONYX 4022 [67:02] [GF]
I
derived a lot of pleasure from this but while that obvious wobble is there
I will not be completely won over. Readers who feel cautious about vibrato
are advised to listen before buying. ... see Full
Review
Gennadi Rozhdestvensky
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
The Nutcracker, Act 2a Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) The Bolt - Suite Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Scènes de ballet
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Gennadi Rozhdestvensky rec. 1981-7
BBC LEGENDS BBCL42042 [77:34][CC]
A
most stimulating disc ... fairy-tale magic in the second act of Nutcracker.
What shines through most, though, is the conductor's insatiable appetite
for moments that delight or amuse ... see Full
Review
Artur
Rubinstein Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concerto No. 4 Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Piano Concerto No. 2 Heitor
VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959) Prole do bebê Book 1 Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Etude in E minor Op.25 No.5; Scherzo in
B flat minor Op.31
Artur Rubinstein (piano) rec. 1957-1968
BBC LEGENDS BBCL 4216-2 [76:38][JW]
Rubinstein
mavens will find this an invaluable addition
to their burgeoning discography. ... see Full
Review
Andrés
Segovia
- 1950s American Recordings: Volume 2
rec. 1952-55 NAXOS 8.111090
[76:18] [GF]
When
the guru plays his followers should sit at
his feet with ears wide open. Go get the disc
and listen! The sound is stunning for a 50+
years old recording ... see Full
Review
STOKOWSKI - The
Heart of the Ballet Adolphe
ADAM
(1803-1865) Giselle
(1841) - Variation of Giselle; Mad Scene;
Memory of the Love Scene; Despair of Löys;
Finale Act 1 [4:16] Carl
Maria von WEBER (1786-1826) Le
Spectre de la Rose (Invitation to the
Dance, orch. Berlioz) [9:10] Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Les Sylphides
(orch. Leroy Anderson* and Peter Bodge) Prelude
in A major, Op.28 No.7*; Valse in G-flat major,
Op.70 No.1; Mazurka in C major, Op.67 No.3
[5:00]: Grand Valse Brillante in E-flat major
Op.18 No.1 [4:42] Léo
DELIBES (1836-1891) Sylvia (1882)
- Valse lente; Pizzicato [3:53] Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Swan
Lake Op.20 (1877) – Dance of the Swan Queen
[4:58]: Dance of the Little Swans [4:57] Nutcracker
Suite Op.71 (1891-92) [22:30] Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) L'après-midi
d'un faune (1894)[10:19] Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Ballet
des Sylphes - from The Damnation of Faust
(1848) [2:54]
Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra
rec. Manhattan Centre, New York, 1949-51
CALA CACD 0547 [72:44] also
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Nutcracker Suite Op.71 (1891-92)
[22:30] Sleeping Beauty (1890) as "Aurora’s
Wedding" – one act ballet selected by
Serge Diaghilev from Sleeping Beauty [42:03]
Humoresque Op.10 No.2 transcribed Stokowski
[2:03] Again, as before, alone (song) as "Solitude"
Op.73 No.6 transcribed Stokowski [3:37]
Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra
rec. Manhattan Centre, New York, 1950-53
CAMEO CLASSICS CC9022CD [65:12] [JW]
Cameo:
rawly transferred with pops and ticks but
the Cala lacks immediacy and definition. ...
see Full Review
Supremacy
Stephen
BULLA Concertante
for Cornets and Band – First Movement (1996)
[3:53] Traditional
arr. Olaf RITMAN
When I Survey [5:13] Brian
BOWEN City of God [3:05]
Eric BALL Songs
in Exile [7:52] Rodney
NEWTON The Pilgrim's Progress
(2003) [13:49] Dean
JONES Él Es El Señor
[2:37] Supremacy [8:57] Dudley
BRIGHT Life's Command [13:10]*
Darren BARTLETT
arr. Olaf RITMAN
The Lord is Gracious [2:39] Keith
GETTY & Stuart
TOWNEND arr. Richard
PHILLIPS In Christ Alone
[3:33]^
Dudley Bright (trombone)*, Derick Kane (euphonium)^
The International Staff Band of the Salvation
Army/Dr Stephen Cobb. rec. All Saints Church,
East Finchley, 9-10 March 2007. DDD SALVATIONIST
PUBLISHING & SUPPLIES SPS
228 CD [65:34] [TP]
There
is plenty of challenging writing for band in the works by Jones, Ball,
Bulla, Newton and Bright, but the ISB rises to the challenge each time.
... see Full Review
Symphonic Organ Naji
HAKIM (b. 1955) Ouverture Libanaise Robert
Maximilian HELMSCHROTT (b. 1938) Furioso Infernal – Symphonische
Fantasie Olivier MESSIAEN (1908-1992)
L’Ascension – Quatre Méditations Symphoniques Robert
Maximilian HELMSCHROTT Dans la lumière Naji
HAKIM Pange lingua
Franz Hauk (organ) rec. 1997-2001
GUILD
GMCD7309 [73:49][CB]
Well
conceived, sometimes thrilling and worth buying ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Terezín/Theresienstadt Songs
and chamber works Anne
Sofie von Otter, Bengt Forsberg DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 4776546 [SA]
An
absolute must for anyone interested in sampling
music by those whose lives were cruelly
cut short by a monstrous ideology ... see
Full Review
That
Yongë Child -
Christmas Music for Voices
and Brass
Fine Arts Brass, Worcester Cathedral Choir/Adrian
Lucas Christopher Allsop (organ) rec. 2007.
DDD
GRIFFIN GCCD 4062 [66:08]
Recorded
in the beautiful acoustic of Worcester Cathedral,
a disc that effectively merges the familiar
and the new, reflecting both the intimacy
and joy of Christmas. ... see Full
Review
The Venetian Brass Album
Andrea
GABRIELI (1510-1586)
Ricercar del duodecimo tuono Gioseppi
GUAMI (1540-1611) Canzon 6 Claudio
MERULO (1533-1604) Canzon vigesima terza à 5 A.
GABRIELI Ricercar del sesto tuono
Constanzo ANTEGNATI
(1549-1624) Canzon vigesima Antegnati Canzon à 9
Giralomo FRESCOBALDI
(1583-1643) Canzon vigesima prima à 5 Giovanni
GABRIELI (1557-1612) Canzon seconda à 4 GUAMI
Canzon vigesimaquarta à 8 Bastian
CHILESE Canzon trigesimaseconda Orindio
BARTOLINI Canzon trigesima à 8 Pietro
LAPPI Canzon 26, G.
GABRIELI Canzon vigesimaottava
FRESCOBALDI
Canzon vigesimanona à 8 Peter Sacco (1928-2000) Three
Psalms for Brass Quintet and Tenor
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra & San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
brass sections/Lester Remsen rec. 1978
CRYSTAL
RECORDS CD122 [40:02][WK]
Tremendous
performances from a golden age of American
brass-playing ... see Full
Review
Viva
Villazón! – The
Best of Rolando Villazón VIRGIN
CLASSICS 3952452 [GF]
This
collection should be snapped up by all lovers of great singing
... see Full Review
Leonard Warren
VERDI and
popular song.RCA
Victor Orchestra/Frank Black rec. 1950 Leonard
Warren (baritone) with accompaniments NIMBUS
PRIMA VOCE NI7939/40 [76:22 + 76:31] [JW]
A
powerful presence, the voice impressively
though occasionally immovably big. ... see
Full Review
Weihnachten
im Bremer Dom
(Christmas at Bremen Cathedral)
Dorothee Mields (soprano); Waltraud Hoffmann-Mucher
(alto); Matthias Gerchen (bass); Beate Röllecke
(organ continuo); Tim Fischer (guitar); Wolfgang
Baumgratz (Sauer-organ); Bremer Domchor (Bremen
Cathedral Choir); Mädchenchor der Bremer
Domsingschule (Girls’ Choir of Bremen Cathedral
Music School); Kammer Sinfonie Bremen/Wolfgang
Helbic rec. 2006. Notes in German, English
and French. Texts in Latin and German with
English translations.
CPO 777 238-2 [59:13] [BW]
Aimed
at a German- rather than an English-speaking
audience and pensive rather than exuberant
... see Full
Review
Wien
bleibt Wien Waltzes & polkas
by Lanner, Schrammel and the Strausses Thomas
Christian Ensemble rec. 2007 MUSIKPRODUKTION
DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG603 1466-2 [GF]
An
utterly delightful programme, played with charm and elegance ...
see Full Review
BOOK
REVIEWS
Malcolm Williamson
- A Mischievous Muse Authors: Paul Harris;
Anthony Meredith Publisher:
Omnibus Press ISBN: 9781847721020
An
indulgent and provocatively Rabelaisian
read at any time of year. ... see Full
Review
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