RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Christmas
Oratorio BWV 248 (1734) 
Malin
Hartelius (soprano)/Kristina Hammarström
(alto)/Jörg Dürmüller (tenor)/Detlef
Roth (bass)/Capella Amsterdam/Combattimento
Consort Amsterdam/Jan Willem de Vriend rec.
24-30 September, 15 October 2006, Waalse Kerk,
Amsterdam CHALLENGE
CLASSICS 
CC76607 [JQ]
Displays
understanding and affection for the music
… a consistently satisfying and invigorating
account of this wonderful music. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) 2 & 3-part
Inventions,
Partita 2 Janine Jansen (violin);
Maxim
Rysanov (viola); Torleif Thedeén (cello) rec. 2007 DECCA
4759081 [DC]
Gorgeous,
through and through ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ernest BLOCH (1880-1959) Violin
Concerto, Baal Shem, Suite Hébraïque Zina
Schiff,
Royal Scottish Ntl O/José Serebrier rec. 2006 NAXOS
8.557757 [TH]
Bloch’s
major works for violin and orchestra in thrilling performances
and demonstration sound ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Michael TIPPETT (1905-1998) Piano
Concerto,
Fantasia on a theme of Handel,
Piano Sonatas 1-4 Steven Osborne,
BBC Scottish SO/Martyn Brabbins rec. 2006/7 HYPERION
CDA67461/2 [DC]
If
this were a desert island choice, it would be Osborne I would want
to have. ... 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 [CB]
Full
marks for innovative programming, wonderful
playing, a superb recording and excellent
presentation. ... 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
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin Concerto;
Academic Festival Orchestra; Tragic Overture; Rhapsody for alto
Arthur Grumiaux
(violin); Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam/Eduard van Beinum rec.
1958 PHILIPS ELOQUENCE
4429788 [TP]
With
an hour and a quarter of excellent music-making, intelligently coupled
and priced at the bottom of the market, how can you possibly pass this
up? ... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Joseph CANTELOUBE (1879–1957) Chants
d’Auvergne, Triptyque, Chants de France Véronique
Gens (soprano) Lille-Région Nord Ntl O/Serge Baudo rec. 2007 NAXOS
8.570338 [HC]
Véronique
Gens sings beautifully throughout and shows a fine understanding … perfectly
at ease ... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Gabriel’s
Greeting - Medieval English Christmas
Music Sinfonye
rec. 1993 HYPERION
HELIOS CDH55151 [BW]
Another
excellent Helios reissue – a Christmas recording with a difference
which won’t break the bank, so it should also inspire you to purchase
Sinfonye’s other CDs ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Richard STRAUSS (1864–1949) Songs
of Love and Death Hedwig
Fassbender (mezzo), Hilko Dumno (piano) rec. 2006 NAXOS
8.570297 [GF]
The
best Strauss recital I have heard for many a moon ... see Full
Review
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