Listing of Reviews for Last Five Days

Dummy for Friday October 31st

Click for alphabetical listings by composer: [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] August Reviews July Reviews June Reviews May Reviews April Reviews March Reviews February Reviews January Reviews Earlier reviews

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NEW and RECENT ARTICLES

Richard Beattie Davis - an obituary by Gillian Wimbourne

Vernon 'Tod' Handley 1930-2008 - an obituary by Garry Humphreys See also Richard Adams interviews Vernon Handley Links to all Vernon Handley reviews on MusicWeb

KING ARTHUR - Arthur Butterworth at 85 by Lynne Walker

Stanford and the Piano by Christopher Howell

Recently in the blogs by David Barker

Harmonia Mundi Gold Series: First Issue - an overview by Rob Barnett Give Early Music a Try: John Browne and the Eton Choirbook by Brian Wilson

Graham Peel: Ettrick –a song for baritone by John France and A Little More on Graham Peel by Christopher Howell

Have you seen?

Sharpen your baton - on-line conducting

Concert Programmes database

 

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Arkivmusic has over 4000 ArkivCDs which are digital remakes of out-of-print CDs available nowhere else. New issues now contain full booklet notes link

New from Arcodiva: Richard Strauss Don Juan, Korngold Violin Concerto, Mahler Rückert-LiederFrantišek Novotný - violin, Karla Bytnarová - mezzo Brno Philharmonic Orchestra Martin Turnovský - conductor

New from Avie: V BARKAUSKAS Sun for symphony orchestra,Viola Concerto,Symphony No. 5, Konzertstück für Orchester No. 2 BEETHOVEN Symphonies Nos. 4 and 7 Douglas Boyd Manchester Camerata

BOOK REVIEWS

Sir Arthur Sullivan’s Grand Opera ‘Ivanhoe’ and its Theatrical and Musical Precursors by Jeff S. Dailey Edwin Mellon Press ISBN 978 0 7734 5068 4 220 pp. £69.95 [RW]

A fascinating read, thoroughly researched and with a clear style. ... see Full Review

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LATEST CD REVIEWS

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FRIDAY October 31st

Erik CHISHOLM (1904-1965) Music for Piano - Volume 4 Murray McLachlan (piano) rec. 2006 DIVINE ART DIVERSIONS DDV24134 [76.09][DHJ]

Music that simply demands to be heard ... see Full Review

Franz CLEMENT (1780-1842) Violin Concerto Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin Concerto Rachel Barton Pine (violin); Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/José Serebrier rec. 2007 CEDILLE CDR 90000106 [40:49 + 44:21][JW]

A very fine archaeological reclamation and well worth your time ... see Full Review

Muzio CLEMENTI (1752-1832) The Complete Piano Sonatas – 2 Howard Shelley (piano) rec. 2008 HYPERION CDA67717 [66:26 + 71:27][MS]

Unjustly neglected works of beauty played with more than mere 'expertise' ... see Full Review

Tan DUN (b. 1957) The First Emperor The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Children’s Chorus/Tan Dun rec. 2007 EMI CLASSICS 215129 [176:30][ST]

Don’t be scared: I’m confident you’ll enjoy it ... see Full Review

Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Stabat Mater Prague Symphonic Choir; Prague Symphony Orchestra/Libor Pešek rec. 1993 ARTHAUS MUSIC 102143 [90:00][CC] 

A fragile masterpiece that can disintegrate in the wrong hands. Such is the case here ... see Full Review

Serge PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) The Symphonies Gürzenich-Orchestra Cologne/Dimitrij Kitajenko rec. 2005-7 PHOENIX EDITION 135 [5 CDs: 48:07 + 76:23 + 66:55 + 45:06 + 45:14][GPJ]

Takes up a distinguished position in the Prokofiev catalogue ... see Full Review

Alexander SCRIABIN (1872-1915) Complete Piano Sonatas Vladimir Stoupel (piano) rec. 2005 AUDITE 21.402 [3 CDs: 67.12 + 57.45 + 43.45][GH] 

There are moments in these performances which I shall treasure ... see Full Review

Richard WAGNER (1813-1883) Wesendock Lieder; Prelude to Tristan und Isolde Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Lieder; Metamorphosen Lisa Gasteen (soprano); West Australian Symphony Orchestra/Simone Young rec. 2007 ABC CLASSICS 4766811 [73:41][ST]

Done better elsewhere ... see Full Review

Richard WAGNER (1813-1883) Parsifal Radio Choruses Leipzig and Berlin, Thomaner Choir; Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra/Herbert Kegel rec. 1975 BERLIN CLASSICS (EDEL CLASSICS) 0184402BC [3 CDs: 79:06 + 75:29 + 65:58][JFL]

As likely to find ardent supporters as vociferous opponents ... see Full Review

Marko Rothmüller Music by Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791), Richard WAGNER (1813-83), Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901), Umberto GIORDANO (1867-1948), Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924), Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) and Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) Marko Rothmüller (baritone); Various accompanists rec. 1943-50 PREISER 89705 [77:30][JW]

Fine transfers complement an intelligent selection ... see Full Review

 

 

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Click for alphabetical listings by composer: [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]

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