Concert
in honour of Pope Benedict XVI
Giovanni Pierluigi da PALESTRINA
(c. 1525-1594) Motet ‘Tu es Petrus’ Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony 9 
Bayerischen Rundfunks SO/Mariss Jansons rec. 2007
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101457 
[146:00] 
[DM]
As
a record of a major Vatican event this has its appeal but as a
musical one I’m afraid it’s a non-starter ... see Full
Review
Alban
Berg Quartet: 20th Century Masterpieces
rec. 1983-2003 EMI CLASSICS
5139742 [3 CDs] 
[LW]
The
pleasures are rather mixed. Primarily for
devotees of the Alban Berg Quartet ... seeFull
Review
American
Fantasies:
Arnold Schoenberg and American
Music Arnold
Schoenberg
(1874-1951) Phantasy for Violin
with Piano accompaniment, Op.47 (1949) [9:51]
John
Cage
(1912-1992) Six Melodies for
Violin and Keyboard (1950) [12:20] Gunther
Schuller
(b.1925) Recitative and Rondo
(1954) [14:59] Donald
Harris
(b.1931) Fantasy for Violin
and Piano (1955) [8:18] Leon
Kirchner
(b. 1919) For Solo Violin (World
Premiere Recording) (1985) [9:20] Duo No.2
for Violin and Piano (2001) [15:56] Jean
Coulthard
(1908-2000) Day-Dream (World
Premiere Recording) (1970) [1:33]
Hasse Borup (violin); Mary Kathleen Ernst
(piano) rec. 2006/7 DDD
CENTAUR CRC 2918 [72:19]
[JF]
An
exciting and instructive … exploring music
normally a closed book to many music lovers
... see Full
Review
Matheu
Bosch Organ - Sencelles, Mallorca KERLL
(1627-1693), CABANILLES (1644-1712),
CABEZÓN (1510-1566), BRUNA
(1611-1679),
Codex LAS HUELGAS, SCHEIDT (1587-1654),
Roland Dopfer (organ)
rec. 2005. DDD
ORGANUM CLASSICS OGM 271011 [68:51]
[ME]
Playing
that is both clear and vigorous, bringing
to mind the best of the modern German organ
tradition ... see Full
Review
Measha
Brueggergosman - Surprise
William
BOLCOM (b. 1938) Cabaret
Songs Arnold
SCHÖNBERG (1874–1951) Brettl-Lieder
(Cabaret Songs) Erik
SATIE (1866–1925) Songs Orchestration:
Robert Caby (19), William Bolcom (20)
Measha Brueggergosman (soprano) William Bolcom
(piano) BBC SO/David Robertson rec. 2007
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 6589 [60:22]
[GF]
An
unorthodox and thrilling programme and a new soprano with all the hallmarks
of a great artist. Certainly a singer to watch. ... see Full
Review
Daphne: The
Flute’s Garden of Delights Works
by Jacob
Van EYCK (c.1589-1657), John
DOWLAND (1563-1622), Giulio
CACCINI (1563-1640) & Jan
Pieterszoon SWEELINCK (1562-1621) Anthonello
rec. 2003 ENCHIRIADIS
EN2020 [67:12] [MS]
If
you’re stimulated or satisfied by arrangements for recorder and
harp then this CD might be for you ... see Full
Review
Die
Vögel unter dem Himmel Music by Heinrich
SCHÜTZ (1585-1672), Samuel SCHEIDT
(1587-1654), Heinrich SCHEIDEMANN
(1595-1663) and Jan Pieterszoon
SWEELINCK (1562-1621)
The National Youth Choir of Great Britain/Mike Brewer rec. 2006-7
DELPHIAN DCD34043 [74:16][MS]
Cannot
fail to delight … should win more admirers for the unostentatious profundity
of Schütz and his contemporaries ... see Full
Review
The
English Cathedral Series Vol. XIV – Southwell
Minster John
COOK (1918-1984) Fanfare Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Orpheus François
COUPERIN (1668-1773) Messe pour les Couvents Sigfrid
KARG-ELERT (1877-1933) Homage to Handel Paul
Hale (organ)
rec. 2006/7 REGENT
REGCD248 [79:34] [JS]
Substantial
pieces … enjoyable and worth acquiring in these performances simply
as music ... see Full Review
Euro-Ottomania:
19th Century European and Ottoman Orchestral Music
Luigi
ARDITI (1822-1903) Callisto GUATELLI (1818-1900)
August Ritter von ADELBURG
(1830-1873)
Bartolomeo PISANI (1811-1876)Angelo
MARIANI (1821-1873) 
Soloists; Prague Symphony Orchestra; Prague Symphony Chamber Orchestra;
Prague Philharmonic Choir/Emre Aracı rec. August 2003/ 2005 No
texts or translations.
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93613 [76:53] 
[GPu]
Attractive
music which provides a striking aural picture of a fascinating musico-historical
phenomenon … see Full Review
An
Evening with Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti Excerpts
from Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901)
La traviata Gaetano DONIZETTI
(1797-1848) Lucia di Lammermoor Giuseppe
VERDI Rigoletto
Joan Sutherland (soprano); Luciano Pavarotti (tenor); The Metropolitan
Opera Orchestra and Chorus/Richard Bonynge rec. 1987
DECCA 0743229
[115:00][GF]
Highly
valuable document of Sutherland and Pavarotti in excerpts from some
of their best roles ... see Full
Review
Evensong
for the Feast of the Dedication from Exeter Cathedral
Choir of Exeter Cathedral/Lucian Nethsingha rec.
1985
PRIORY
PRAB112 [53:45][BBr] 
Praise
to Priory for making Harry Mudd’s fine recording available once again
... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH The
Feast of the Ascension at Westminster Abbey Choir
of Westminster Abbey/James O’Donnell
rec. 2007 HYPERION CDA67680 [66:18] [JQ]
Everything
about this disc is first class ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Fiesta
REVUELTAS Sensemayá
CARREÑO
Margariteña ESTÉVEZ
Mediodia en el Llano MÁRQUEZ
Danzón No.2 ROMERO
Fuga con Pajarillo
GINASTERA
Estancia
CASTELLANOS Santa Cruz de Pacairigua
BERNSTEIN West Side Story --
Mambo
Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra
of Venezuela/Gustavo Dudamel rec.2008,
DG 477 7457 [75:57]
[DM]
An
utterly irresistible programme ... see Full
Review
Flower
of Cities All - Music
in London 1580-1620
The English
Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble rec. 2006
DEUX-ELLES DXL1118 [74:16]
[DC]
Recordings
and performances of impeccable pedigree ... see Full
Review
Flute
Music by Performing Artists of the 20th Century Includes Philippe GAUBERT (1879-1941) Romance,
Sonate pour Flûte et Piano Lowell
LIEBERMANN (b.1961) Sonata Walter
GIESEKING (1895-1956) Sonatine Maurice
Heugen (flute); Marianne Boer (piano) rec. 2006 QUANTUM
QM7044 [62:34] [CR]
Admirable … satisfying
variety. Performers consistently excellent and their passion for
the music communicates well ... see Full
Review
The
Great Cello Concertos Music by Antonín DVOŘÁK
(1841–1904), Edward ELGAR (1857–1934), Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741), Franz
Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809), Matthias
Georg MONN (1717-1750), Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856), Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) and Max BRUCH (1838-1920)
Various artists rec. 1968-99
EMI CLASSICS 5094422 [3 CDs: 69:05 + 75:20 + 78:35][BBr]
A
satisfactory collection for a general, non-specialist, collection ...
see Full Review
Heaven and Earth are full of
thy Glory
- Music for Holy Communion
Basil HARWOOD (1859-1949) Communion Service John IRELAND (1879-1962) Communion Service Charles WOOD (1866-1926) Short Communion Service
Harold DARKE (1888-1976) Communion Service George OLDROYD (1893-1958) Mass of the Quiet
Hour Kenneth LEIGHTON (1929-1988) Missa Brevis
Wakefield Cathedral Choir/Jonathan
Bielby, Keith Wright (organ) rec. 1990
PRIORY RECORDS PRCD5030 [69:53]
[MC]
Bielby
and his splendid Wakefield Cathedral Choir may never make a better
recording ... see Full
Review
Mieczyslaw Horszowski (piano)
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano Concerto No. 1 Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Piano Concerto in A minor
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Sonata No.7 (Menuetto) Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Klavierstücke Op.119
No.1 Mieczyslaw
Horszowski (piano); Omroep Kamerorkest/Mauritz van der Berg rec. 1949-62
ARBITER 154 [78:02][JW]
An
essential purchase for Horszowski’s legion of admirers ... see Full
Review
In A State of Jazz
Music by Friedrich GULDA
(1930-2000), Nikolai KAPUSTIN (b.1937),
Alexis WEISSENBERG (b.1929) and
George ANTHEIL (1900-1959)
Marc-André Hamelin (piano) rec. 2007
HYPERION CDA67656 [69:07][JW]
The
gift is to bring these pieces to the kind of life that Hamelin
displays throughout ... see Full
Review
It's Not Unusual
Compositions and arrangements for brass band by Phillip
LAWRENCE The
Fairey Band/Frank Renton. rec. 2007
DOYEN DOYCD237 [76:20]
[TP]
Would
be better if it contained less music and had
been more thoroughly rehearsed ... see Full
Review
Alexander
Kipnis (1891–1978)
Russian Arias
Alexander Kipnis (bass); Anna Leskaya (soprano)(8,
10), Ilya Tamarin (8, 10), Orchestra and Chorus/Nicolai
Berezowsky rec. 1945-46
NIMBUS NI 7950 [68:17]
[GF]
Should
be compulsory listening for every lover of
the bass voice ... see Full
Review
Lamentatio Jeremiæ Prophetæ
Includes
Alexander AGRICOLA (1446-1506) Lamentatio
Jeremiae Jacob ARCADELT
(1505?-1567?) Lamentatio Jeremiae Orlando
di LASSO (1532?-1594) Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae, Lamentatio
Secunda Primi Diei, Lamentatio Tertia Primi Diei
Egidius Kwartet, Gregoriana rec. 2007
ETCETERA KTC1343 [78:30]
[MS]
Will
move and stimulate and should not be overlooked ... see Full
Review
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