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Gustav
MAHLER
(1860-1911)
Symphony no. 2 Resurrection (1894) [82:02] 
Miah Persson (soprano); Christianne Stotijn (mezzo) Chicago Symphony
Chorus; Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Bernard Haitink rec. live, November
2008, Symphony Hall, Chicago. DDD
CSO RESOUND CD CSOR 901914 [21:12 + 60:50] 
also available as SACD [JZ]
Points
to an affinity between Haitink and the CSO in interpreting Mahler ...
see Full Review
Gian
Francesco MALIPIERO (1883-1973) Symphonies
5, 6, 8 & 11 (Volume 3) Moscow
SO/Antonio de Almeida
rec. 1994 NAXOS 8.570880 [73:51] 
[JW]
The
journey from spring to winter. Laudably direct and animated ... see
Full Review
Bohuslav
MARTINU
(1890-1959)
Piano Quartet, Oboe Quartet, Duo 2, Piano Trio 3,
George Caird (oboe), Schubert Ensemble rec. 2009
CHANDOS CHAN10551 [67:10] 
[BBr]
A
very tempting buy … see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Bohuslav MARTINU
(1890-1959) Complete
Piano Music - Vol. 6 & 7
Giorgio Koukl (piano) Chiara Solari (piano, third hand) rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572024/5 [53:45 + 54:52]
[JW]
The
overarching reach of Koukl proves dominant and permanent ...
see Full Review
Bohuslav
MARTINU (1890-1959)
Cello sonata 1 see MESSIAEN
Giuseppe
MARTUCCI
(1856-1909)
La Canzone dei Ricordi (1886) [31:19] Notturno,
Op. 70 No. 1 (1888) [7:42] Ottorino RESPIGHI
(1879-1936) Il Tramonto (1918) [16:33]
Carol
Madalin (mezzo) English Chamber Orchestra/Alfredo Bonavera rec. 13-14
November 1987, Rosalyn Hill Chapel, Hampstead, London
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55049 [55:45] 
[TB]
Make
no mistake, these are fine performances of fine music that urgently
deserves to be heard. … see Full
Review
Nicola
MATTEIS (c.1650-d.
after 1714) False
Consonances of Melancholy - Ayres for the Violin Baldomero
Barcielo (viola da gamba, theorbo); Ronaldo Lopes (guitar, theorbo);
Francesco Romano (theorbo, guitar); Anna Fontana (clavecin) Gli
Incogniti/Amandine Beyer (violin) rec. 2009 ZIGZAG
TERRITOIRES
ZZT 090802 [72.49] [GH]
A
fascinating insight into the unusual early baroque, superbly played
but only sporadic moments of special brilliance… see Full
Review
Peter
MAXWELL DAVIES (b.1934)
Taverner
(1964-72) [115:52] Martyn Hill (tenor) - Taverner David Wilson-Johnson
(baritone) - Jester
London Sinfonietta Voices, New London Children’s Choir, Fretwork, His
Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts BBC Symphony Orchestra/Oliver Knussen
rec. 5-14 December 1997, Studios 1 & 2, BBC Maida Vale, London
NMC D157 [70:09 + 46:43] Two for the price of one
Stands
tall in a field filled with operatic giants. ... see Full
Review
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
String Quartet 2 see
Beloved of the Gods
Johann
Kaspar MERTZ (1806 - 1856) Sechs Schubert’sche
Lieder see SCHUMANN
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992) Thème et Variations,
Louange à l’Éternité de Jésus Bohuslav
MARTINU (1890-1959) Cello
sonata 1 Joe CUTLER (b. 1968) Music
for Parakeets Elliot CARTER (b.
1908) Cello sonata Lionel
Handy (cello); Nigel Clayton (piano) rec. 2009 CADENZA
MUSIC CACD0906 [65:02] [GD]
On
balance a rewarding listen for sheer discipline and interpretive integrity
... see Full Review
Krzysztof
MEYER (b.1943) String Quartets 5, 6 & 8
Wieniawski Qt rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.570776 [71:36]
[BBr]
Very
stimulating music … see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Carlo Ignazio MONZA (c.1696
- 1739) Harpsichord
Music Terence
Charlston (harpsichord)
rec. 2005 DEUX-ELLES
DXL1117 [67:14] [JV]
An
ideal combination of first-rate music and performance ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART Piano Concertos 12, 21 & 24 see
Pianistes
Français
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano
Concertos 24 & 25 Berlin
PO/Daniel Barenboim (piano)
rec. 1988 WARNER
MAESTRO
2564 691759 [62:57] [BBr]
Neither
performance scintillates … see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano
see Beloved of the Gods
Jacques
OFFENBACH (1819-1880): La Belle Hélène ; Orpheus
in the Underworld see SAINT-SAENS
Henryk
PACHULSKI
(1859-1921)
Piano Works Volume 1
Lubow Nawrocka (piano) rec. May 2008
ACTE PRÉALABLE APO 187 [61:09]
[JW]
Athletic,
strongly argued but ultimately lacking in true distinction. ... see
Full Review
Giovanni
PAISIELLO (1740-1816) Piano Concertos 1, 3 & 5
Francesco Nicolosi (piano) Campania CO/Luigi Piovano rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.572065 [49:51]
[J-PJ]
Very
listenable ... see Full Review
Sir
Hubert PARRY (1848-1918) Hypatia – Incidental Music
(Hypatia and Philammon; Ruth and Orestes; Orestes’
March) see VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Wilhelm
PETERSON-BERGER (1867-1942) Arnljot (excerpts) Erland
Hagegård (baritone) Stockholm PO & Ch/Okko Kamu rec.
1973 STERLING
CDO10822 [53:14] [JW]
A
tempting 50+ minutes from an epic opera in good sound, and with
fine notes ... see Full
Review
Giacomo PUCCINI
(1858-1924) La Bohème (1896)
Teresa Stratas, José Carreras, Renata Scotto, Metropolitan Opera Ch
& O/James Levine rec. 1982
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 0734539 
[125:00 + 30:00] 
[BW]
A
strong contender in a competitive market ... see Full
Review
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Edgar José Cura,
Amarilli Nizza,
Ch & O Teatro Regio Torino/Yoram David ARTHAUS
MUSIK
101377 [157:00] [RMK]
The
original version ... an interesting failure ... see Full
Review
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) La Rondine Ainhoa
Arteta (soprano) Marcus Haddock (tenor) Washington Ntl Opera
O & Ch/Emmanuel Villaume rec. live, 1998 DECCA
074 3335 [110:00] 
[NB]
An
excellent way of discovering the hidden jewel that is La Rondine ...
see Full Review
Henry
PURCELL
(1659-1695)
The Complete Ayres for the Theatre Crispian Steele-Perkins
(trumpet) ¹ Crispian Steele-Perkins (trumpet), Stephen Keavy (trumpet)
² The
Parley of Instruments/Roy Goodman rec. October 1994, St Jude-on-the-Hill,
Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, United Kingdom Full tracklist at end
of review
HYPERION CDS44381-383 [3 CDs: 74:13 + 65:41 + 68:42]
[JW]
No
caveats - it’s to be enjoyed ... see Full
Review
Robin
de RAAFF (b. 1968) Raaff Marcel
Rejians, Danielle de Niese, Nieuw Ens/Lawrence Rees rec. 2004 ETCETERA
KTC 1370 [74.05] [RH]
Should
be of interest to anyone who loves opera and wants to know where
it might be going in the 21st century ... see Full
Review
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) 24
Preludes Steven
Osborne (piano)
rec. 2008 HYPERION
CDA67700 [78:15] [BR]
A
deeply intelligent pianist unifies this cycle … see Full
Review
Songs
by Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
& Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Yoram Chaiter (bass), Irena Zelikson-Litchen (piano) rec. 2008/9
ROMEO RECORDS 7277 [75:36]
[GF]
Lieder
interpretation of the highest order ... see Full
Review
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Piano Concerto 2 see
Géza
Anda
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Einojuhani RAUTAVAARA (b.
1928) Twelve Concertos rec.
1991-2005 ONDINE
ODE
1156-2Q [4 CDs: 268:27] [RB]
Powerful,
often directly accessible, nuanced and patently sincere ... see Full
Review
Max
REGER (1873-1916) Clarinet
Sonatas Florent
Héau (clarinet) Patrick Zygmanowski (piano) rec. 2002 ZIGZAG
TERRITOIRES ZZT090303 [39:36] [GD]
A
confident approach that excels in logic and coherence ... see Full
Review
Joseph
RHEINBERGER
(1839-1901) Sacred
and Secular Choral Music
Regensburger Domspatzen/Georg Ratzinger Eberhard Kraus (organ) rec.
12-15 July 1993, St. Emmeran, Regensburg and at the Tonhalle der Regensburger
Domspatzen.
ARS MUSICI 232154 [67:09]
[KS]
This
is a delightful collection of music, sure to please casual and serious
listeners alike... see Full Review
Christopher
ROUSE
(b. 1949)
String Quartets 1 & 2, Compline
Calder Qt, Alicia Lee (clarinet) Sivan Magen (harp) Daniel Alexander
(flute) rec. 2007
E1 MUSIC KIC-CD-7752 [56:22]
[RB]
Rouse
continues to carve out his own distinctive world ... see Full
Review
Miklós
RÓZSA (1907-1995) Violin
concerto Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Violin
concerto Matthew
Trusler (violin)
Düsseldorfer Symphoniker/Yasuo Shinozaki rec. 2008 ORCHID
CLASSICS
ORC100005 [68:06] [NB]
A
very good disc of some really beautiful violin playing ... see Full
Review
Jakub Jan RYBA
(1765-1815)Czech Christmas Mass Three
pastorellas [10:30] Czech Christmas Mass [39:31]
Magdalena Kožená (mezzo) Gabriela Eibenová (soprano) Jaroslav Brezina
(tenor) Michael Pospíšil (bass) Capella Regia Musicalis/Robert Hugo
rec. September 1998, Church of Our Lady of the Convent, Kladruby (Czech
Republic)
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON ARCHIV 477 8365 [50:01]
[PB]
A
wonderful antidote to the usual Christmas fayre – very warmly recommended.
... see Full Review
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