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Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Symphony
3 
Michael Murray
(organ) Philadelphia O/Eugene Ormandy
rec. 1980 TELARC CD-80051 [34:50] 
[SV]
Musically
sensible and clear-eyed but also hard-edged and relentlessly serious
... see Full Review
Simon
A SARGON (b.
1938) Homage
to Hafiz, Haas Trio for oboe, bassoon
and piano see From
Hafiz to Firewing (and Beyond)
Ahmet
Adnan SAYGUN (1907-1991) From
Anatolia, Inci’s Book, Preludes & Sketches on Aksak Rhythms,
Sonatina Zeynep Űçbaşaran
(piano)
rec. 2007 NAXOS 8.570746 [71:05] 
[CH]
Most
worthwhile. Particularly attractive and in convincing performances.
... see Full Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Piano
Sonatas D.850, D.958, D.959 & D.960
Leif Ove Andsnes (piano) rec. 2001-6
EMI CLASSICS 5164482 [68:28 + 79:37][CH] 
Everything
seems so right and in its place ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT
(1797-1828) Mass in E flat, Stabat Mater
Immortal Bach Ensemble
Leipziger Kammerorchester/Morten Schuldt-Jensen rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.570381 [51:59]
[TH]
Represents
decent all-round value ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797–1828) Die schöne
Müllerin Andreas Post (tenor)
Tatjana Dravenau (piano) rec. 2007 GENUIN
GEN88117 [58:11] 
[GF]
Not
a top contender but still a version that has its merits ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797–1828)
Die schöne Müllerin
Christoph Prégardien (tenor) Michael Gees (piano) rec. 2007
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72292 
[61:39]
[GF]
A
deeply satisfying reading made special by decoration of the song-line
... see Full Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797–1828) Romantic
Poets, Volume 3 (Deutsche Schubert-Lied-Edition 26) Sibylla
Rubens (soprano); Ulrich Eisenlohr (piano); Nikolaus Friedrich
(clarinet) rec. 2006 NAXOS
8.557832 [68:00] [GF]
Worth
seeking out for the singing and for some really attractive unknown
songs ... see Full Review
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Rosamunde – incidental
music see Furtwängler
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz SCHUBERT
(1797-1828) Sakontala reconstructed by Karl
Aage RASMUSSEN
Durwasas Kammerchor Stuttgart, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie
Bremen/Frieder Bernius rec. 2006
CARUS 83218 [55:52 + 30:27][MM-B]
A
historic and wonderful recording of Schubert’s best work for the stage
... see Full Review
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810–1856)
Kerner-Lieder
- Lieder Edition 4
Hans Jörg Mammel (tenor), Uta Hielscher (piano) rec. Theodor-Egel-Saal
Freiburg, Germany, 21-24 November 2006 Sung texts and translations can
be found at www.naxos.com/libretti/557077.htm
NAXOS 8.557077 [61:19]
[GF]
There
are some good things here but as a whole this
disc cannot be recommended. ... see Full
Review
Roger
SESSIONS (1896-1985) Symphonies
Nos. 6, 7 & 9
American Composers Orchestra/Dennis Russell Davies rec. 1994
PHOENIX PHCD172 [67:12][RB]
Symphonies
from the high summer of dodecaphony ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906–1975)
Piano Concertos 1 & 2, Violin Concertos 1 & 2, Cello Concertos
1 & 2, Piano Quintet
EMI CLASSICS 5094282 [3 CDs: 74:35 + 65:22 + 66:09]
[BBr]
An
invaluable set for the generalist or the ardent fan ... see Full
Review
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906–1975) Violin Sonata see FRANCK
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Kullervo
Soile Isokoski (soprano); Tommi Hakala (baritone); YL Male Voice
Choir, Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam rec. 2007
ONDINE ODE1122-5
[77:56]
[RB]
A
fine and epic Kullervo commanding its own place in a crowded field
... see Full Review
Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Symphony 4 see VAUGHAN
WILLIAMS
Bedrich
SMETANA (1824-1884) Ma Vlast – Vltava
see Scherchen
William
STALNAKER (b.
1921) Preludes
and Postludes for Small Orchestra, Books I & II, First & Second
String
Quartets, Re Lear: Scenes and Songs for Clarinet and Strings, String Symphony Seattle
SO/Gerard Schwarz; Providence String Quartet; Richard Stoltzman (clarinet); Sara
Stalnaker (cello), Noah Brody (actor); Czech RSO/Vladimir Valek
rec. 1999-2007 MMC RECORDINGS
MMC2166 [62:28] [GPu]
A
fine introduction to the sophisticated, accessible music of an
American composer who deserves to find listeners … see Full
Review
Zygmunt
STOJOWSKI (1870-1946) Suite
for Orchestra, Le Printemps, Prayer for Poland Podlasie
Opera & Philharmonic Ch & O, Bialystok/Marcin Nalecz-Niesiolowski
rec. 2007 DUX
0625 [53:56] [RB]
Track
this one down for some truly inventive and fervent late-romanticism
... see Full Review
Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
Suite from L’Histoire du Soldat Ken
BENSHOOF (b.1933) A Whimsical Solution Craig
COREY (b.1948) Sanctuary Bela
BARTÒK (1881-1945) Contrasts
Alaska Pro Musica rec. 2007
MSR CLASSICS MS1230 [62:33]
[DC]
Interesting
programme, and some cracking chamber-musicianship ... see Full
Review
Yevgeny
SVETLANOV (1928-2002) Compositions
for a Symphonic Orchestra
Various Orchestras/Yevgeny Svetlanov rec. 1954-1978
SVCO 001/4-004/4 [4 CDs: 66:59 + 63:40 + 61:51 + 33:54][DW]
Never
less than craftsmanlike, occasionally inspired … colourful and imaginative
… see Full review
Giles
SWAYNE (b.1946) Convocation
National Youth Choir
of Great Britain/Mike Brewer rec. 2004-5
DELPHIAN DCD34033 [78:40][JWi]
Challenging,
questioning, international, vibrant and contemporary … surely "music
for our times" ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe TARTINI
(1692-1770) Violin Concertos
Gordan Nikolitch (violin); Orchestre d’Auvergne/Arie van Beek &
Sergei Krylov (violin); Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra/Saulius Sondeckis
rec. 1996 REGIS RRC1283
[75:09][JW]
Resilient,
thoughtful, intelligent music making, attractively recorded ... see
Full Review
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Concerto
for Violin and Orchestra Jules CONUS
(1869-1942) Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
David Garrett (violin);
Russian National Orchestra/Mikhail Pletnev rec. 1997
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4714282
[58:46][DC]
Not
an absolute first choice, but certainly an intriguing programme ...
see Full Review
Pyotr
Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893)
Complete Songs - Volume 5
Ljuba Kazarnovskaya (soprano) Ljuba Orfenova (piano) rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.570438 [69:24]
[DM]
Perplexing.
Frustrating. One to avoid at all costs ...
see Full
Review
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony 4 see
Scherchen
Virgil
THOMSON (1896-1989)
The
Plow the Broke the Plains, Autumn - Concertino for harp,
strings and percussion, The
River - suite Howard
HANSON (1896-1981) Symphony 2
Los Angeles CO/Neville Marriner
(Thomson) St Louis SO/Leonard
Slatkin (Hanson) rec. 1975/86
EMI CLASSICS - AMERICAN CLASSICS
206612-2 [76:09] [RB]
Lovingly
done classic Thomson and an expansive, handsomely
recorded Romantic ... see Full
Review
Edgard
VARÈSE (1883-1965) Orchestral
Works - Volume 2 Includes Amériques, Ecuatorial, Nocturnal,
Ionisation Polish
National RSO/Christopher Lyndon-Gee rec. 2005 NAXOS
8.557882 [67:14] [DM]
This
just isn’t competitive ... see Full
Review
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872–1958)
Choral
Works Various
artists/Matthew Best rec. 1990-3
HYPERION CDS44321/4 [4 CDs: 68:16 + 76:26 + 64:00 + 72:57][RB]
Laurels
of the nineties granted freshly irresistible life ... see Full
Review
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Symphony 4 Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Symphony 4 BBC SO/Sir
Malcolm Sargent rec. 1963/5
BBC LEGENDS BBCL42372 [67:43]
All
the dangerous intensity of a live event ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) La Traviata
Renato Scotto
(soprano); Ambrosian Opera Chorus; Philharmonia Orchestra/Riccardo Muti
rec. 1980 EMI CLASSICS
GREAT RECORDINGS OF THE CENTURY 5096942 [75.00 + 54.06][RJF]
Despite
vocal imperfections one of the most heartfelt Violettas ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI
(1813-1901) Un ballo in maschera
Jon Vickers, Ettore Bastianini,
Amy Shuard, Covent Garden Opera Ch & O/Edward Downes rec. live 1962
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE ROHS009
[48:07 + 73:32]
[EMc]
A
fine memento of a historic performance ...
see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Il
Trovatore Maria
Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Rolando Panerai, Ch & O La
Scala, Milan/Herbert von Karajan
rec. 1956 ALTO ALC2004 [66:44
+ 60:53] [ST]
Avoid
this issue ... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) Il
Trovatore Leontyne
Price, Franco Corelli, Vienna State Opera Ch, Vienna PO/Herbert
von Karajan rec. live 1962 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 4476592 [67:22 + 61:26] [ST]
The
sheer theatrical magic produced by the best in the world in live
performance ... see Full
Review
Harri VUORI
(b. 1957) Symphony
No. 1 (2003) [37:33] Symphony No. 2 (2007)
[38:24] Hyvinkää Orchestra/Tuomas Pirilä
rec. 7, 10, 14, 19 March 2006 (1); 28-30 November,
2 December 2007 (2), Hyvinkääsali
Hyvinkää, Finland. DDD first recordings
- made in presence of the composer TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC 0087 [76:11]
[RB]
Not
the easiest of music - ritualistic, unafraid
of dissonance, vividly spangled ... see Full
Review
Johan WAGENAAR (1862-1941)
Levenszomer; Sinfonietta; Ouverture
De Philosophisches Prinses; Elverhoi; Aveux de Phèdre; Larghetto
for oboe and orchestra
Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra/Eri Klas rec. 2000-2
ETCETERA KTC1326 [73:35][RB]
Warming
songful music with a redolence of Bantock and early Delius ... see Full
Review
Richard WAGNER
(1813-1883) Der Fliegende Holländer
- Overture; Lohengrin - Prelude to Act
I; Parsifal – Prelude to Act I & Good Friday Spell; Siegfried
Idyll Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Academic Festival Overture
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Serge
Koussevitzky rec. 1947-9
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111283 [74:09][MSJ]
Theatrical
acumen and sheer panache ... see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (1868)
Sir John Tomlinson, Gwynne Howell, Ch & O Royal Opera House, Covent
Garden/Bernard Haitink rec. live 1997
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE ROHS008 [4 CDs]
[EMc]
Overall
a superb performance ... see Full
Review
Siegfried
WAGNER (1869-1932) Complete
Orchestral Works Philharmonisches
Staatsorchester Hamburg, Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz/Werner
Andreas Albert
rec. 1993-97 CPO 999655-2 [7
CDs: 416:04] [RB]
No
staggering talent but a passionate late-romantic who should not
be forgotten ... see Full Review
Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Clarinet concerto No. 1 see
BEETHOVEN
Silvius Leopold WEISS
(1687-1750)
Lute Sonatas - Volume 9 Sonatas 32, 52 &
94 Robert Barto (baroque
lute) rec. 2007 NAXOS
8.570551 [65:29]
[JW]
Barto
is the most eloquent of them all ... see Full
Review
Dan
WELCHER (b. 1948) Firewing - The Flame and the Moth for
oboe and two percussionists see From
Hafiz to Firewing (and Beyond)
Egon WELLESZ (1885-1974)
String
Quartet No. 3 op. 25 (1918) [29:30] String Quartet No. 4 op. 28 (1920)
[18:23] String Quartet No. 6 op. 64 (1947) [14:35]
Artis Quartett Wien rec. Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, UK, 11-13 December
2005. DDD NIMBUS NI
5821 [62:35] [RB]
Utterly
convincing performances in resinous sound
... see Full
Review
Johann
Wilhelm WILMS (1772-1847) Symphony No. 4 see
BEETHOVEN
Isang
YUN (1917-1995) Chamber Symphony I see HAYDN
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2 A-B] [Part
3 C-L]
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