RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
Richard
ARNELL
(b. 1917) Piano
Concerto op. 44 (1946) [32:31] Symphony No.
2 Rufus op. 33 (1955-57) [33:28] 
David Owen Norris (piano) Royal Scottish 
National
Orchestra/Martin Yates rec. Henry Wood Hall,
Glasgow, 19-20 September 2006. DDD
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7184 [66:29]
RECORDING OF MONTH
Richard
ARNELL (b. 1917) Symphony No.
4 op. 52 (1948) [26:36] Symphony No. 5 op.
77 (1955-57) [36:48]
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Martin Yates
rec. Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow, 19-20 May 2007.
DDD
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7194 [63:49]
[RB]
Two
eloquent and exciting major works with tragic
grandeur in their sights. Finely documented,
full-throatedly performed and recorded ...
[CDLX7184] Two fine symphonies embracing the
extremes of emotion; one devastatingly likeable
and radiantly strong. ... [CDLX7194]... see
Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Malcolm
ARNOLD (1921-2006)
String
Quartet No. 1, Op. 23 (1949) [18:37] String
Quartet No. 2, Op. 118 (1975) [27:32] Phantasy
for String Quartet, Vita Abundans (1941)
[10:50]
Maggini Quartet rec. 14-16 December 2006,
Potton Hall, Westleton, Suffolk, England.
DDD
NAXOS 8.557762 [56:59] [MC]
Excellently
performed with the benefit of first class
recorded sound. Arnold a popular and lightweight
composer? Certainly not with these scores!
... see Full
Review
RECORDIONG
OF THE MONTH Sir
Granville BANTOCK
(1868–1946) Omar
Khayyám - The Ruba’iyat according
to Edward Fitzgerald set to Music for Three
Solo Voices, Chorus, and Orchestra in Three
Parts (1906-1909) Catherine Wyn-Rogers (mezzo)
(The Beloved) Toby Spence (tenor) (The Poet)
Roderick Williams (baritone) (The Philosopher)
Olivia Robinson (soprano) (First Pot) Siân
Menna (mezzo) (Second Pot) Edward Price (bass)
(Sixth Pot)
BBC Symphony Chorus/Stephen Jackson BBC Symphony
Orchestra/Vernon Handley rec. Watford Colosseum
(Town Hall), 1-2 October 2005, 17-18 February
2007 Three CDs for the price of two This is
a hybrid SACD and was played and reviewed
in standard CD format.
Full notes in English, German and French.
Sung words in English only.
CHANDOS CHSA 5051(3) [3 CDs: 58:14 + 73:08
+ 40:09] [RB]
A magnificent
project ... one of the living musical treasures
of the early twentieth century. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Martin BUTLER (b.
1960) American Rounds (1998) [13:20]
Siward’s River Song (2001)a [5:43]
Suzanne’s River Song (1999)b [4:46]
Nathaniel’s Mobile [9:07]c Funérailles (2005)c [16:03]
Two Scarlatti Sonatas (arr. Butler, 2005) Sequenza Notturna (2003) [11:37] Walden
Snow (2004)d [3:17] The
Schubert Ensemble (William
Howard (piano)bcd; Simon Blendis (violin)b; Douglas Paterson
(viola)d; Jane Salmon (cello)a; Peter Buckoke (double-bass))
rec. Champs Hill, Pulborough, West Sussex, June 2006. DDD NMC
D120 [72:03] [HC]
The
Schubert Ensemble obviously relish every moment of the music and
play with much commitment throughout. One of the loveliest discs
I have heard recently ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Luigi CHERUBINI (1760-1842) Coronation
Mass (1825) [50:47]
Marche réligieuse (1825) [5:11] Philharmonia
Chorus Philharmonia Orchestra/Riccardo Muti rec. 1985. DDD. Texts and Translations
included EMI CLASSICS 49302 
[56:00]
[GPu]
A
glorious performance of a choral masterpiece … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz
Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphony No. 88 in G (?1787)
[20:05] Symphony No. 89 in F (1787) [21:06] Symphony No. 90 in C (1788)
[26:27] Symphony No. 90 in C: finale (alternative version) [6:50] Symphony
No. 91 in E flat (1788) [23:00] Symphony No. 92 in G ‘Oxford’ (1789)
[24:47] Sinfonia concertante in B flat for violin, cello, oboe and bassoon
(1792)* [21:24]
Toru Yasunaga (violin); Georg Faust (cello); *Jonathan Kelly (oboe);
*Stefan Schweigert (bassoon) Berliner Philharmoniker/Sir Simon Rattle
rec. live, 8-10, 14-17 February 2007, Philharmonie, Berlin. DDD
EMI CLASSICS 0946 3 94237 2 9 [75:47 + 69:31][JQ]
A
set to lift the spirits. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gottfried August HOMILIUS
(1714-1785) Ein
Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld - Passion cantata
(HoWV 1.2) Monika Mauch
(soprano); Bogna Bartosz (contralto); Markus Brutscher (tenor); Hans
Christoph Begemann (bass) Basler Madrigalisten Neue Düsseldorfer
Hofmusik/Fritz Näf rec. March 2006, Reformierte Kirche, Arlesheim,
Switzerland. DDD 
CARUS
83.262 [59:30 + 34:17] [JV]
A
Passion oratorio of impressive quality - this
recording goes straight to the top of my list
of records of the year... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Hugo
KAUDER (1888-1972)
String
Quartet No. 1 (1921) [23:14] String Quartet
No. 2 (1924) [17:34] String Quartet No. 3
(1926) [15:09] String Quartet No. 4 (1927)
[15: 25]
The Euclid Quartet (Jameson Cooper and Jacob
Murphy (violins); Luis Vargas (viola); Amy
Joseph (cello)). rec. 12-14 August, 12-13
November 2005, St. Bridget’s Church, Solon,
Iowa.
CENTAUR CRC 2840 [71:28] [KS]
A
composer with a great gift for melody ...
these are works of great richness and subtlety
finely executed by outstanding performers
... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Paul MORAVEC (b.
1957) Tempest Fantasy* (2002): I. Ariel
[4:16]; II. Prospero [5:35]; III. Caliban [7:05]; IV. Sweet Airs
[4:57]; V. Fantasia [7:31] Mood Swings (1999) [15:52] B.A.S.S.
Variations (1999) [11:32]
Scherzo (2002) [3:52] Trio Solisti
(Maria Bachmann (violin); Alexis Pia Gerlach (cello); Jon Klibonoff (piano));
David Krakauer (clarinet)* rec. January 2002, October 2003. Recital Hall, Performing
Arts Center, Purchase
College, State University of New York, USA NAXOS
AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559323 [60:40] [DM]
Captivating
music with consistent energy and focus … A lovely, natural recording
and playing of real stature make this a very special disc ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Symphony No. 41 in C major,
K551, Jupiter (1788) [40:48]
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/Kent Nagano rec. Philharmonic Hall,
Berlin, DDD. Writers: Reiner Schild and Rolf Rische Video Directors:
Oliver Becker (documentary), Ellen Fellmann (concert) Sound formats:
PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1. Picture format: NTSC 16:9. Disc format:
DVD 9. Region code: 0 (all regions). Subtitles: French, Italian, Japanese,
Spanish. ARTHAUS MUSIK
101 427 
[92:50][MG]
Cleanly
and clearly co-ordinated playing which combines vertical transparency
with horizontal cogency … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858–1924)
Turandot
(1926) Alessandra Marc
(soprano) – Turandot; Ignacio Encinas (tenor) – Calaf; Ainhoa Arteta
(soprano) – Liù; Erwin Schrott (bass) – Timur; Lluis Sintes (tenor)
– Ping; Eduardo Santamaria (baritone) – Pang; José Ruiz (baritone)
– Pong; Pedro Calderón (tenor) – Altoum; José Manuel Díaz
(baritone) – Mandarin Coro de Ópera de Bilbao; Escolanía
Ntra. Sra. de Begoña (Asociación ars viva) Orquesta Sinfónica
de Euskadi/José Collado rec. live, Palacio Euskaduna, Bilbao,
21, 24 September 2002. DDD
RTVE 65171 [79:13 + 41:02] [GF]
A
generally good cast, magnificent chorus and
orchestra, excellently recorded, and – first
and foremost – the best Turandot since Birgit
Nilsson. In some respects Alessandra Marc
even surpasses the Swedish diva. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Rhapsodie
Espagnole (1907) [15:41] Isaac
Manuel Francesco ALBENIZ (1860-1909) Iberia (Evocacion;
El corpus en Sevilla; Triana; El Puerto; El Albaicin) (orch.
Enrique Fernandez Arbos) (1907) [30:51] Manuel
de FALLA (1876-1946) El sombrero de tres picos (1919)
[32:32] Dresdner
Philharmonie/Jörg-Peter Weigle rec. April 1989, Lukaskirche,
Dresden. ADD BERLIN
CLASSICS REFERENCE 0013902 [69:03]
[RB]
Superb
Iberian music-making and a tonic for jaded palates ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Kullervo,
symphonic poem for soloists, chorus and orchestra Op.7 (1892)
[78:29] (I. Introduction: Allegro moderato [14:00] II. Kullervo’s
Youth: Grave [15:56] III. Kullervo and his sister: Allegro vivace
[24:19] IV. Kullervo goes to war:
Alla Marcia [9:38]V. Kullervo’s death: Andante [14:32]) Randi
Stene (mezzo); Peter Mattei (baritone) National Male Chorus of Estonia Royal
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra/Paavo Järvi
rec. Stockholm, 14-19 March 1997 VIRGIN
CLASSICS 3913632 [78:29]
[SH]
Everyone
involved in this recording brings the sensitivity needed to articulate
what is ‘Baltic’ music as distinct from Scandinavian. It is done
to perfection ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Antonio VIVALDI
(1678-1741) The
Rise of the North Italian Violin Concerto:
1690-1740, Volume 2. Concerto for violin,
strings and continuo in B flat, RV 370 (?1716)
[12:22] Arias, for soprano, strings and continuo,
from La costanza trionfante degl’amori
e de gl’odii, RV 706 (1716) [10:34]
Concerto for violin, two violoncellos, strings
and continuo in C, RV 561 (1728?) [9:33] Concerto/Sinfonia
for strings and continue in E, RV 134 [6:19]
Concerto senza cantin, for violin,
strings and continuo in D, RV 243 [10:33]
Arias for soprano, strings and continuo, from
La fida ninfa, RV 714 (1732) [12:08]
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo
in E flat, RV 254 [14:48]
Adrian Chandler (violin, director), Mhairi
Lawson (soprano), Sarah McMahon, Gareth Deats
(cello), La Serenissima. rec. 4-7 March 2007,
Studio 1, The Warehouse, London. All texts
and translations included.
AVIE AV 2128 [76:38] [GPu]
An
outstanding collection, vividly characterised
and full of energy, of fine - but not over-familiar
- music … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gitta-Maria
Sjöberg -Verdi
and Puccini Arias see review for details Gitta-Maria Sjöberg
(soprano) Odense Symphony Orchestra/Matthias Aeschbacher rec.
Carl Nielsen Hall, Odense, Denmark, 24-26
November 2003, 14-19 June 2004 Italian texts
included.
DANACORD DACOCD 665 [77:05] [GF]
There
have been more overtly thrilling recitals
with more or less the same repertoire; few
have so consistently delved below the surface
and found the soul of the characters, presenting
them as weak, vulnerable human creatures.
... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Song of Songs
William
WALTON (1902-1983)
Set me as a seal upon thine heart (1938)
[3:32] Guillaume
BOUZIGNAC (1592-1641) Surge, amica
mea [2:00] Howard
SKEMPTON (b. 1947) Rise up, my
love (2002) [10:38] Gabriel
JACKSON (b. 1962) I am the Rose
of Sharon (2001) [6:13]Francis
GRIER (b. 1955) Dilectus meus mihi
(1987) [7:20] John
DUNSTAPLE (c 1390-1453) Quam Pulchra
es (ca 1430) [1:49] Giovanni
Pierluigi da PALESTRINA (1525-1594)
Descendi in hortum meum (1584) [2:42]
Tomás Luis
de VICTORIA (1548-1611) Vadem et
circuibo civitatem (1572)[9:58] Jean
Yves DANIEL-LESUR (1908-2002) La
cantique des cantiques (1952) [21:35]
Laudibus/Michael Brewer rec. 14-15 January
2006, St. Giles the Martyr, Kentish Town,
London. DDD Texts and English translations
included
DELPHIAN DCD34042 [65:50] [JQ]
I’ve
found this a most enjoyable and highly stimulating
CD and I hope many other collectors will derive
similar pleasure from it. ... see Full
Review
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Das
wohltemperirte Clavier (The Well-tempered Clavier), Book
II, BWV870-893 (1739 or earlier – 1744) CD1 No.1
in C major [2:16+1:44] No.2 in c minor [2:47+2:36] No.3 in C#
major [1:36+1:33] No.4 in c# minor [3:47+2:18] No.5 in D major
[5:13+3:00] No.6 in d minor [1:37+1:47] No.7 in E flat major
[2:44+1:38] No.8 in d# minor [4:35+4:20] No.9 in E major [4:44+3:35]
No.10 in e minor [3:26+2:42] No.11 in F major [3:25+1:33] No.12
in f minor [2:47+1:56]CD2 No.13 in F# major
[3:47+2:20] No.14 in f# minor [2:52+4:59] No.15 in G major [2:47+1:12]
No.16 in g minor [2:06+2:53] No.17 in A flat major [4:10+2:19]
No.18 in g# minor [5:03+4:27] No.19 in A major [1:48+1:39] No.20
in a minor [3:43+1:49] No.21 in B flat major [4:47+1:59] No.22
in b flat minor [2:58+5:36] No.23 in B major [2:10+4:10] No.24
in b minor [1:54+2:05] Bob
van Asperen (Christian Zell harpsichord, 1728) rec. September
1988 and March 1989, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg. DDD. VIRGIN
VERITAS 3 85795 2 [68:16 + 73:44] [bw]
At
their new super-bargain price van Asperen’s two 2-CD sets of the ‘48’ deserve
the strongest recommendation except for those preferring the piano,
who should go for the impending reissue of the Hewitt CDs … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Ein
deutsches Requiem, Op. 45 (1868)
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano) Hans Hotter (baritone) Singverein des
Gesellschaft des Musikfreundes, Wien Wiener Philharmoniker/Herbert von
Karajan. rec. Musikvereinsaal, Vienna, Austria,
20-22, 27-29 October 1947. ADD from Columbia
LX 105/1064. NAXOS
8.111038 [76:13][CC]
This
performance is forever recommended. That Naxos has provided a transfer
at such price and quality zooms the recommendation
in on this issue. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH George Frideric
HANDEL (1685-1759) Opera
Arias CD1: Arias and Overtures, 1704-26 CD2:
Arias and Duets from the era of ‘The Rival Queens’ 1726-28 CD3:
Arias and Overtures 1729-41 see end of review for details Emma
Kirkby (soprano) Catherine Bott (soprano, CD2) The Brandenburg
Consort/Roy Goodman rec. St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden
Suburb, London, 25-27 September1995 (CD1); 2-4 January 1997 (CD2);
14-16 June 1999 (CD3). DDD. Detailed notes in English, French
and German. Texts in Italian with English translation HYPERION
CDS44271/3 [3CDs: 75:39 + 76:06 + 70:40] [BW]
Delightful
music, delightfully sung, well accompanied and recorded. At bargain
price, irresistible … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Richard WAGNER (1813-1883)
CD1 Rienzi: Overture (1842) [12:00] Lohengrin:
Prelude to Act I (1850) [8:58] Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III
(1850) [2:58] Parsifal: Prelude to Act I (1882) [13:27] Tristan
und Isolde: Prelude to Act I (1865) [10:42] Eine Faust-Overtüre (1840) [11:52] Die Feen: Overture (1833) [10:56] Kinderkatechismus
(1873) [2:24] CD2 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg:
Prelude to Act I (1868) [9:11] Tannhäuser: Overture and Venusberg
Music [21:56] Der fliegende Höllander: Overture (1841) [10:32]
Symphony in C Major (1832) [41:55] Los
Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra/Zubin Mehta (Rienzi); Wiener Philharmoniker/Zubin
Mehta (Lohengrin, Parsifal, Meistersinger); Wiener Philharmoniker/Sir
Georg Solti (Tristan); San Francisco Symphony Orchestra/Edo de Waart
(Faust, Symphony); Concertgebouw Orchestra/Edo de Waart (Tannhäuser,
Feen, Holländer); Wiener Sängerknaben with members of the Wiener Philharmoniker
(Kinderkatechismus). rec. 1961-82 ADD/DDD
DECCA ELOQUENCE 442 8283 [78:56 + 78:39] [TP]
If
you are serious about your Wagner, this double CD set is an essential
purchase ... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Violin
Concerto in D minor (1903) [28:07]Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Violin Concerto
in D (1878) [31:37]Alexander
GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) Violin Concerto in A minor (1904)
[20:10] Jascha
Heifetz (violin) London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Thomas Beecham
(Sibelius); Sir John Barbirolli (Tchaikovsky, Glazunov) rec.
November 1935 (Sibelius); March 1937 (Tchaikovsky); March 1934,
Abbey Road,
London (Glazunov); digitally re-mastered, 2006 EMI
CLASSICS GREAT RECORDINGS
OF THE CENTURY 3 61590 2 [80:13] [IL]
Three
classic readings by virtuoso Heifetz at the height of his powers.
A bargain not to be missed ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Sir
Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)
Sonata in F major for Clarinet and Piano, op. 129 (1911) [18:44] (1)
Fantasy no.1 for Clarinet and String Quartet (1921) [11:39] (2) Fantasy
no.2 for Clarinet and String Quartet (1922) [14:37] (2) Three Intermezzi
for Clarinet and Piano, op. 13 (1879) [08:06] (3) Piano Trio no.3 in
A minor, op. 158 – Per aspera ad astra (1918) [20:59] (4)
Robert Plane (clarinet) (1, 2, 4), Gould Piano Trio (Lucy Gould (violin)
(2, 4), Alice Neary (cello) (2, 4), Benjamin Frith (1, 3, 4)); Mia Cooper
(violin) (2), David Adams (viola) (2) rec. 17-19 December 2006, Potton
Hall, Westleton, Suffolk, UK
NAXOS 8.570416 [74:05][CH]
A
Stanford CD première and a convenient grouping of the three chamber
works with solo clarinet, in excellent performances. ... see Full
Review
Detailed
listing (last
five 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]
[Recommended
recordings]
