BOOK
REVIEWS
The
Treasures of Beethoven -
by John Suchet Hardcover: 64 pages (260 x
298mm) 160 colour/mono images Hardback in
slip-case Large format 31 x 27.8 x 4 cm Andre
Deutsch ISBN-10: 0233002162 ISBN-13: 978-0233002163
Ł35.00 [RB]
Unique
both at the price and generally. Will suit
any real Beethoven enthusiast ... see Full
Review
Scotland's
Music by
John Purser Mainstream
Publishing ISBN-10: 1845961609 ISBN-13: 978-1845961602
Hardback - Large format: 28.8 x 23.2 x 3.4
cm 430 pages [RB]
Deals
doughtily with a serious subject in a serious
but engaging way ... see Full
Review
Vaughan
Williams on Music by David Manning ISBN13:
9780195182392 ISBN10: 0195182391 hardback,
456 pages OUP Ł19.99 [RB]
Surprises,
shocks and delights from the doyen of British
composers ... see Full
Review
LATEST
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FRIDAY
August 29th
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Early
Piano Works Volume 1 Sonata 2, Schumann Variationen, Ballades 
Hardy
Rittner (fortepiano) rec. 2007 MUSIKPRODUKTION
DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG904 1494-6 
[66:53] 
[DC]
Close
your eyes, and imagine yourself in 1854 ... see Full
Review
Laurence
CRANE (b.
1961) Solo Piano Pieces Includes
Three Preludes, Blue Blue Blue (1986) [7:03] Kierkegaards,
Derridas, James Duke son of John Duke, Three Pieces for James
Clapperton Michael
Finnissy rec. 2004/5 METIER
MSV28506 [80:00] [BBr]
Crane’s
art is too important and too beautiful to miss ... see Full
Review
Joseph
Martin KRAUS (1756-1792) Amphitryon Chantal
Santon (soprano) Georg Poplutz (tenor) Bonner Kammerchor,
l’arte del mondo/Werner Ehrhardt rec. live 2007 PHOENIX
EDITION PHCD111 [77:49] [DC]
A
grand Gustavian entertainment ... see Full
Review
Joseph
MARX (1882-1964) Piano
Works Tonya
Lemoh rec. 2006 CHANDOS
CHAN10479 [54:38] [KS]
Fascinating … a
real find for lovers of keyboard music ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Lucio
Silla Lothar
Odinius, Simone Nold, Vocal Group Ars Nova, Danish Radio
Sinfonietta/Adam Fischer rec. 2001-02 DACAPO
8.226069-71 [3 CDs: 68.18 + 70.42 + 31.00] 
[MM-B]
An
enjoyable, beautifully recorded interpretation ... see Full
Review
Astor
PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) The
Four Seasons of Buenos Aires Mikhail
BRONNER (b. 1952) The Seasons ARCO
CO/Levon Ambartsumian rec. live2006/7 PHOENIX
PHCD170 [74.58] [DC]
It’s
worth investigating ... see Full
Review
Sir
Arthur SULLIVAN (1842–1900) & Sir
William S. GILBERT (1836–1911) The
Mikado Owen
Brannigan, Richard Lewis, Sir Geraint Evans, Glyndebourne Festival
Ch, Pro Arte O/Sir Malcolm Sargent rec. 1956 CLASSICS
FOR PLEASURE 2134442 [54.26 + 36.22] [RH]
Strongly
operatic cast letting their hair down a little, superb diction,
high musical values ... see Full Review
Fugas
y Fandangos Works
by De Falla, Castelnuovo-Tesdesco and Granados for two guitars Susan
Mebes; Joaquim Freire (guitars) rec. 1994 LÉMAN
CLASSICS LC44401 [52:41]
Erwin
Schrott (bass-baritone) Arias
by Mozart, Berlioz, Verdi, Meyerbeer & Gounod Orquestra
de la Comunitat Valenciana/Riccardo Frizza rec. 2008 DECCA
478 0473 [52:39] [GF]
An
auspicious recording debut ... see Full Review
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) Songs Include Winter
Words, Four Burns Songs, Who are these Children? Daniel
Norman (tenor) Christopher Gould (piano)
rec. 2005 BIS BIS-CD-1510 [68:11] [JF]
The
Burns Songs are masterly and Ca’ the Yowes brings the house down
... see Full Review
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Symphonies
7-9, American Suite Royal
Liverpool PO/Libor Pešek rec. 1987 VIRGIN
CLASSICS 5220392 [75:12 + 67:12] 
[JW]
Pleasant
but variably convincing, not optimally recorded ... see Full
Review
Sir
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) The
Songs Catherine
Wyn-Rogers (mezzo); Neil Mackie (tenor); Cristopher Maltman
(baritone); Malcolm Martineau (piano) rec. 1999 SOMM
SOMMCD220 [65:07] [EM]
A
good selection of some charming Elgar songs ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Charles IVES (1874-1954) Orchestral
Sets 1-3 Malmö Chamber
Ch & SO/James B Sinclair rec. 2006-07 NAXOS
AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559353 [63:36] [SH]
A
great moment in the history of recorded music ... see Full
Review
Vítěslava
KAPRÁLOVÁ (1915-1940) Chamber
Music Virginia
Eskin (piano); Stephanie Chase (violin) rec. 2007 KOCH
INTERNATIONAL KICCD7742 [64:42] [JW]
The
performances of this too-little known music are terrifically engaging
... see Full Review
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Complete
Piano Music Vol. 29: Transcriptions for two pianos Les
Préludes, Orpheus, Mazeppa, Die Ideale Tami
Kanazawa and Yuval Admony (pianos) rec. 2007 NAXOS
8.570736 [65:49] [RM]
Mainly
of interest to those completing their Naxos/Liszt collection ...
see Full Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Violin
Concertos 1-5, Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola Giuliano
Carmignola (violin) Danusha Waskiewicz (viola) Orchestra Mozart/Claudio
Abbado rec. 2007 ARCHIV
PRODUKTION 477 7371 [57:36 + 71:45] 
[MC]
The
Mozart violin concertos lovingly performed ... see Full
Review
Nicolai
MYASKOVSKY (1881-1950) String
Quartets 12 & 13 Taneyev
Quartet rec.1981/2 NORTHERN
FLOWERS NF/PMA9954 [54:40] [JW]
What
Svetlanov is to the symphonies, Taneyev is to the quartets ...
see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) Il
Viaggio a Reims Katia
Ricciarelli, Samuel Ramey, Ruggero Raimondi, CO Europe/Claudio
Abbado rec. live 1984 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON GRAND PRIX 477 7435 [67.07 + 68.35] [RJF]
One
of the best recordings of a Rossini opera ever set down ... see Full
Review
Sir
Arthur SULLIVAN (1842-1900) The
Tempest Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) The
Tempest Kansas
City Symphony/Michael Stern rec. 2008 REFERENCE RECORDINGS RR-115CD [68:40] [RW]
Excellent
pacing and due attention to dynamics ... see Full
Review
WEDNESDAY
August 27th
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Sonatas and
Partitas for solo violin (ca. 1720)
Christian Tetzlaff (violin) rec. St. George’s,
Brandon Hill, Bristol, March, November 1993
VIRGIN CLASSICS 5 22034 2 [62:04 + 66:33]
[DC]
Like
having a fine painting on your wall to inspire
and refresh your soul. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Garth
Knox – Amore Garth
KNOX (b.1956) Malor
me bat (2004) [9:16] Marin
MARAIS (1656-1685) Les Folies d’Espagne
(1685) (arr. Garth
KNOX, Agnès
VESTERMAN) [10:35] Roland
MOSER (b.1943) Manners of Speaking
(2006): Poem [3:49] Anecdote [2:45] Tobias
HUME (c.1569-1645) A Pavin (1605)
(arr. Garth Knox)
[6:45] Attilio ARIOSTI
(1666-1729) Prima Lezione (1720):
Allegro [4:16] Largo [4:12] Andante [2:09]
Anonymous Celtic
Dance (arr. Garth
Knox) [1:36] I Once Loved a Lass/
Jig (arr Garth
Knox)
[2:35] Klaus HUBER
(b.1924) ... Plainte ... pour Luigi Nono
(1990) [5:15]
Garth Knox (viola d’amore), Agnès Vesterman
(cello) rec. September 2006, Propstei St.
Gerold, Austria
ECM 1925 - 4766369 [54:06]
[GPu]
Outstanding
… high musicality and ravishing sounds … see
Full Review
Nikolai
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
(1844-1908) Symphony
No.1, Antar, Symphony No.3, Overture "Bojarynja
Vera Sheloga", Overture, Intermezzo act1
,act2, In the Woods, Tsar’s Hunting, Storm,
musical picture from "The Maid of Pskov",
"Scheherazade",Capriccio Espagnol,
Fantasia on Serbian Themes, Suite from "Pan
Voyevoda", Suite from "Snow Maiden"
Four musical pictures from"Golden Cockerel",
"Sadko", musical picture, Suite
from "The Tale of Tsar Saltan",
Procession of the Nobles from "Mlada"
Introduction to "Golden Cockerel",
Act 1, Procession from "Golden Cockerel",
Act 3 , Introduction and symphonic picture
from the 3rd Act of "The Legend of the
Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya"
- Praise to the desert and Battle in Kerzhenets,
Introduction to "Sadko",Introduction
to "May Night",Introduction to "The
Tsar’s Bride", Russian Overture on Three
Russian Themes, Easter Festival Overture,
"From Homer", "On the Tomb",
"Dubinushka", Sinfonietta on Russian
Themes
The State Academic Symphony Orchestra/Evgeny
Svetlanov rec. c. 1969-1993
SVET 57-009-1/3 [6 CDs: 67:03 + 63:19
+ 70:03 + 76:16 + 58:51 + 72:37]
[JW]
The
essential Rimsky box: colourful, intense,
incisive, grave, effervescent ... see Full
Review
Edmund
RUBBRA (1901-1986)
Symphony
No. 6, Op. 80 (1953/4) [32:40] Symphony No.
8, Op. 132, ‘Hommage à Teilhard
de Chardin’ (1966-68) [24:55] Soliloquy
for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 57 (1947)
[15:02]
Philharmonia Orchestra/Norman Del Mar (symphonies)
Rohan de Saram (cello); London Symphony Orchestra/Vernon
Handley (Soliloquy).© 1992. No
further details available. ADD.
LYRITA RECORDED EDITION SRCD.234 [72:38]
[BW]
Neglected
music in excellent performances and recordings
... see Full
Review
Bedřich
SMETANA
(1824-1884) Piano
Trio in G minor (1855) [28:05] Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Piano Trio
No. 4 in E minor "Dumky" (1891)
[30:40]
Ad Trio Prague rec. Lichtenstein Palace, Prague,
26-28 October 2007
NOVERA UP 0105-2 131 [58:53]
[IL]
An
intelligent pairing and most persuasive performances.
... see Full
Review
Apostle
of Ireland:
A Medieval Office for St. Patrick First
Vespers, Matins, Lauds, Second Vespers
Canty/Rebecca Tavener; William Taylor (wire-strung
clarsach) rec. 2007. DDD. Booklet with texts
and translations.
DIVINE ART DDA25065 [78:03]
[BW]
Spiritual
nourishment … an excellent successor to Canty’s
earlier recordings ... see
Full Review
The
English Clarinet Edward
GERMAN (1862-1936)
Romance
for clarinet and piano (1889) [4:35] Arnold
BAX (1883-1953) Sonata for clarinet
and piano (1934) [13:51] Edwin
ROXBURGH (b. 1937) Wordsworth
Miniatures for solo clarinet (1998) [8:05]
Gerald FINZI (1901-1956)
Five Bagatelles for clarinet and piano
(1938-43) [15:19] William
Yeates HURLSTONE (1876-1906) Four
Characteristic Pieces for clarinet and
piano (1899) [16:57] Paul
PATTERSON (b. 1947) Soliloquy
for solo clarinet (c.1995) [5:52] William
LLOYD WEBBER (1914-1982) Frensham
Pond for clarinet and piano (1960) [2:44]
Air and Variations for clarinet
and piano (1952) [6:38] Arthur
BLISS (1891-1975) Pastoral for
clarinet and piano (1916) [4:25]
John Bradbury (clarinet) James Cryer (piano)
rec. 2-3 June 2006, Wathen Hall, Barnes, London,
England. DDD
NAXOS 8.570539 [78:26] [MC]
A
splendid achievement. A strong case for English
clarinet music. ... see Full
Review
Nicolai Gedda in
Opera
NIMBUS PRIMA VOCE NI 7943/44
[75:16
+ 70:13]
[GF]
Essential
listening … an individual and instantly recognisable
voice ... see Full
Review
Music
for Cardinal Wolsey Richard
Pygott (c.1485-1549)
Missa Veni sancte spiritus Gloria
[10:07] Credo [10:53] Sanctus
[10:29] Agnus Dei [9:10] John
Mason (b.?-1548)
O rex gloriose [11:34]
Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford/Stephen
Darlington. rec. Dorchester Abbey, Oxfordshire,
21-22 March 1994. DDD.
NIMBUS
NI5578 [52:20]
Thomas Ashwell
(c.1482-after
1513, perhaps 1527) Missa Jesu Christe
(6 parts) (before 1513?) Gloria [12:59]
Credo [11:16] Sanctus [10:19]
Agnus Dei [8:59] Hugh
Aston (c.1485-1558)
Missa Videte manus meas (6 parts)
Gloria [13:25] Credo [12:39]
Sanctus [12:34] Agnus Dei [10:31]
Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford/Stephen
Darlington.
METRONOME
MET1030/1031 [43:33+49:49]
[BW]
Attractive
minor music, well performed and recorded ...
see Full
Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
The
Rise of the North Italian Violin Concerto:
1690-1740 Volume Three - The Golden Age
Antonio Vivaldi
(1678-1741)
Concerto for violin, 2 oboes, bassoon, 2 horns,
strings and continuo Pietro
Locatelli (1695-1764) Concerto
da Chiesa in C, Concerto for 4 Violins, strings
and continuo Giovanni
Battista Sammartini (c.1700-1775)
Concerto à più Stromenti in
E-Flat, Giuseppe
Tartini (1692-1770)
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo
Antonio Vivaldi
Concerto for violin, 2 oboes, bassoon, 2 horns,
timpani, strings and continuo
La Serenissima/Adrian Chandler (violin) rec.
2008. DDD.
AVIE AV2154 [79:25]
[BW]
Buy
the CD or the download, but get this recording
somehow ... see
Full Review
TUESDAY August 26th
Wilhelm Friedemann BACH (1710-1784)
Keyboard
Works - 2
Julia Brown (harpsichord) rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570530 [74:07][JV]
WF
Bach's unmistakable qualities are to the fore in these fine interpretations
... see Full Review
Judith
BAILEY (b.
1941) Instrumental music
Davey Chamber
Ensemble rec. 2007
METIER MSVCD92101 [77:24][DC]
A
well-performed programme of some highly intriguing music ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
The Piano Sonatas: Vol.VI Piano Sonatas Nos. 22-26
András Schiff (piano) rec. 2006
ECM NEW SERIES 1947 [76:46][DC]
The
best for a long time to come ... see Full
Review
Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Twelve Études,
Op. 10; Four Ballades Hugues DUFOURT
(b. 1943) La ligne gravissant la chute -
Hommage ŕ Chopin
Nima Sarkechik (piano) rec.
2008
ZIG ZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT080401 [74:10][MC]
Displaying
considerable potential Sarkechik impresses in this programme ... see
Full Review
Erno
von DohnÁnyi (1877-1960)
Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Michael Ludwig (violin); Royal Scottish National
Orchestra/JoAnn Falletta rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570833 [71:24][WK]
Outstanding
music … hits all the required emotional stops ... see Full
Review
Umberto
GIORDANO (1867–1948) Marcella
Bratislava Chamber Choir; Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia,/Manlio
Benzi rec. 2007 DYNAMIC
CDS573 [64:18][GF]
Highly
attractive music unperformed for far too long ... see Full
Review
Bernhard
LANG (b. 1957) I hate Mozart
Klangforum Wien
Vokalensemble NOVA/Johannes Kalitzke rec. 2006
COL LEGNO WWE20277 [64:15
+ 62:00] plus 
[126:15][RH]
A
lively and rather off-the-wall little gem ... see Full
Review
Handel-Inspired
Paul
Ayres (organ) rec. 2007
PRIORY PRCD894 [72:25][GPu]
Beautifully
assembled; playing, instrument, repertoire, recording all top notch
… see Full Review
Freddy
Kempf (piano) Modest
MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) Pictures at an Exhibition
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Gaspard de la nuit Mily BALAKIREV
(1837-1910) Islamey
Freddy Kempf (piano) rec. 2006
BIS BISSACD1580
[63:43][DM]
Uneven
Pictures but fine Gaspard and stunning Islamey ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Rostropovich
plays Cello Works
Mstislav Rostropovich (cello); Various accompanists rec. 1969-1995
WARNER ERATO 2564696817 [9 CDs: 9:55:00][RB]
A
zanily variegated, enterprising selection … glorious playing ... see
Full Review
MONDAY August 25th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The
Bach Cantata Pilgrimage Volume 25: Cantatas for the Fifth Sunday after
Easter (Rogate); Cantatas for the Sunday after Ascension Day (Exaudi)
Johann Christoph BACH (1642-1703)
Fürchte dich nicht
The Monteverdi Choir; English Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
rec. 2000 SOLI DEO
GLORIA SDG144 [55:10 + 52:40][JQ]
Another
impressive issue in this important series ... see Full
Review
Eve
CASTOR (b. 1969) Pleins et Delices:
Oeuvres de musiques de chambre
Various artists rec. 1996
QUANTUM QM6981 [60:21][CR]
An
individual style which fuses modernism with melody ... see Full
Review
Jonathan
COLE (b. 1970)
Testament Ben
FOSKETT (b. 1977) Violin Concerto
Luke BEDFORD (b. 1978)
Or Voit Tout En Aventure
London Sinfonietta/Oliver Knussen rec. 2004-6
LONDON SINFONIETTA LABEL SINF CD1-2007 66036-2 [51:46][CR]
The
perfect place to start for exploring new repertoire ... see Full
Review
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Les
sept derničres paroles de notre Rédempteur sur la Croix -
Die Sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuze (“The Seven Last
Words”) (String Quartet version)
Klenke Quartett rec. 2006
BERLIN CLASSICS 0016312BC [74.17][JFL]
A
broader flow with flexible tone ... see Full
Review
André LAPORTE (b. 1931)
Symphonic and Vocal Works
Various artists rec. 1968-2001
FUGA LIBERA FUG523 [4 CDs: 64:53 + 60:03 + 62:11 + 54:00][HC]
The
best possible Laporte survey ... see Full
Review
Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Lieder
Ruth Ziesak (soprano); Gerold Huber (piano) rec. 2007
BERLIN CLASSICS 0016282BC [74:02][MC]
I
was highly delighted with these assured performances ... see Full
Review
Poul
RUDERS (b. 1949) Light Overture;
Cembal d’Amore: First Book; Credo; Air with Changes; The Second
Nightshade
Various artists rec. 2005-6
BRIDGE 9237 [61:10][HC]
Ruders’ orchestral
mastery and flair for arresting textures ... see Full
Review
Richard
STRAUSS (1864–1949) 14 Lieder
Sophie Koch (mezzo);
Philippe Entremont (piano) rec. 2006
CASCAVELLE VEL3117 [40:19][GF]
Strong,
vibrant, confident singing ... see Full
Review
Art
of the Symphonic Organist - Music by Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883), Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921), Sigfrid KARG-ELERT
(1877-1933), Anton RUBINSTEIN (1829-1894),
Moritz MOSZKOWSKI (1854-1925),
Francis POULENC (1899-1963), Guy
BOVET (b.1942) and Marcel
DUPRÉ (1886-1971)
Ken Cowan (organ) rec. 2006
JAV RECORDINGS JAV169 [67:52][DC]
Some
creative arrangements add interest to a substantial programme
... see Full Review
Trumpet Masque
Jonathan Freeman-Attwood
(trumpet); Daniel Ben-Pienaar (piano) rec. 2007
LINN RECORDS CKD310
[72:57][BW]
Thoroughly
enjoyable … only die-hard period-performance advocates will object
... see Full Review
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