Nostalgia
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BOOK
REVIEWS
The
Faber Pocket Guide to Haydn
by Richard Wigmore ISBN: 978-0-571-23412-7 Publication Year: 2009 in
paperback format Number of Pages: 388 Price: £8.99 Faber and Faber Ltd,
London, England [MMB]
A
worthy tribute in 200th anniversary year ... see Full
Review
Four
String Quartets by Dmitri Shostakovich by Sarah Reichardt [DC]
Can
only strengthen our appreciation of these incredible pieces. ... see
Full Review
Felix
Mendelssohn - His
Life and Music by Neil Wenborn (inc. 2 CDs) NAXOS
BOOKS ISBN
978-1-84379-232-1; £13 [RW]
An
ideal companion for a music student or audiophile ... see Full
Review
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FRIDAY
February 27th
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Concertos 1 & 2 
Idil
Biret (piano) Bilkent SO/Antoni Wit
rec. 2008 IDIL BIRET ARCHIVE
8.571253 [67:38]
[JS] 
Real
alternative insights ... see Full
Review
York
BOWEN (1884-1961) Piano
Works - Volume 3 Ballade 2, Three Songs without Words,
Three Preludes, Short Sonata, Three Miniatures, Three Serious
Dances, Toccata, Three Pieces Joop
Celis (piano) rec. 2008 CHANDOS
CHAN10506 [79:20] [JF] 
A
great CD ... see Full Review
Christoph
GRAUPNER (1683 -
1760) Partitas for Harpsichord Naoko
Akutagawa (harpsichord) rec. 2007 NAXOS
8.570459 [58:32] [JV]
Technically
brilliant and captivating - strongly recommended ... see Full
Review
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Turandot Maria
Callas, Eugenio Fernandi, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Ch & O
Teatro alla Scala di Milano/Tullio Serafin rec. 1957 NAXOS
8.111334-35 [77:26 + 41:16] [RMo]
First
choice remains with the Mehta ... see Full
Review
Arthur SULLIVAN (1842-1900) The
Gondoliers, Cello Concerto Sir
Geraint Evans, Owen Brannigan, Glyndebourne Festival Ch, Pro Arte
O/Sir Malcolm Sargent Julian Lloyd Webber, London SO/Sir Charles
Mackerras rec. 1957/86 CLASSICS
FOR PLEASURE 2134282 [57:56 + 56:17] [SV]
Plenty
of zip and rhythmic alertness ... see Full
Review
Thomas
WEELKES (c.1575-1623) Sacred
Choral Music Tewkesbury
Abbey Schola Cantorum/Benjamin Nicholas rec. 2008 DELPHIAN
DCD34070 [59.52] [GH]
Worth
exploring ... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Cello
Diverse Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882–1972) Suite
Italienne Claude DEBUSSY (1862–1918) Cello
Sonata Johannes BRAHMS (1833–1897) Cello
Sonata 2 Ennio MORRICONE (b.
1928) Gabriel’s Oboe Suzanne
Beer (cello); Garth Hancock (piano) DIVINE
ART DDV25068 [61:09] [BBr]
Some
of the finest, most purposeful, cello playing I’ve heard in a long
time ... see Full Review
Cherry
Ripe Vocal
treasures of the 18th and 19th centuries Deborah
Riedel (soprano) Arcadia Lane O/Richard Bonynge rec. 2007 MELBA
MR301118 [68:13] [JS]
Listening
to this disc has given me great pleasure ... see Full
Review
Russian
Spectacular Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Hamlet Mikhail GLINKA (1804-1857) Russlan and Ludmilla:
Overture Modest MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) (arr. Rimsky-Korsakov) A
Night on the Bare Mountain Nikolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908) Capriccio
espagnol, Russian Easter Festival Overture Alexander BORODIN (1833-1887) In the Steppes
of Central Asia, Prince Igor: Overture Hallé O,
London PO/Vernon Handley rec. 1974/88 CLASSICS
FOR PLEASURE 3822322 [81:26] [SV]
Hamlet’s
grave dignity, controlled intensity but the rest not quite as fetching
... see Full Review
Taverner & Tudor
Music II Robert
FAYRFAX (1464 – 1521) Magnificat ‘Regale’ John
TAVERNER (c.1490 – 1545) Missa Gloria Tibi Trinitas Robert
WHITE (c.1534 - 1578) Christe qui lux es et
dies William BYRD (1543 – 1623) Christe
qui lux es et dies Thomas TALLIS (c.1505 – 1585) Te
lucis ante terminum Ars
Nova Copenhagen/Paul Hillier rec. 2005/6 DACAPO
8.226056 [73.58] [RH]
Captures
the rhythmic vitality of this brilliant but tricky music ... see Full
Review
THURSDAY
February 26th
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685–1739) Erschallet,
ihr Lieder BWV172, Himmelskönig, sei willkommen,
BWV182, Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, BWV21 Emma
Kirkby, Michael Chance, Charles Daniels, Peter Harvey, Purcell
Qt
rec. 2007 CHANDOS CHAN0752(2) [49.04
+ 38.55] [RH]
There
is much to enjoy on this set ... see Full
Review
Sofia
GUBAÏDULINA (b.
1931) Complete Works for Solo Piano Marcela
Roggeri (piano) rec. 2007 TRANSART
TR161 [52:52] [MS]
Insistence,
caustic emotion and tidiness ... see Full
Review
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) A
Tribute to Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy 9 Songs
without Words, Rondo Capriccioso, Variations
Sérieuses, Piano Concerto in A minor Liebrecht
Vanbeckevoort (piano) Camerata Con Cor(d)e String O/Alain
Roelant rec. 2008 PHAEDRA
CLASSICS 292019 [70:27] [MC]
Splendid
playing promises much for a future that looks exceedingly rosy
... see Full Review
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) La
Bohème Giuseppe
Di Stefano, Maria Callas, Ch & O Teatro alla Scala di
Milano/Antonino Votto rec. 1956 NAXOS
8.111332-33 [79.02 + 76.23] [RMo]
A
lot of great music on offer here ... see Full
Review
Nikolai
RIMSKY–KORSAKOV (1844 – 1908) Russian
Easter Festival Overture Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873 – 1943) Symphony 1 Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891 – 1953) Ode to the End of the
War BBC SO/Gennadi
Rozhdestvensky rec. 1978/79 BBC
LEGENDS BBCL42332 [68:46] [BBr]
He
brought out the very best in his players ... see Full
Review
Edwin
ROXBURGH (b.
1937) Oboe Music Study
1, Aulodie, Images, Eclissi, Antares,
Elegy, Cantilena Christopher
Redgate (oboe, oboe d’amore); Stephen Robbings (piano) Ensemble
Exposé/Roger Redgate rec. 2008 METIER
MSV28508 [66:08] [HC]
The
Double Life of Franz Schubert -
A dramatization of Schubert’s Last Years Simon
Russell Beale, Jason Fleming, Peter Webber (Director) NVC
ARTS 50-51865-0798-2 
[50:00]
[JS] 
Seems
much longer than its fifty minute duration ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) La
Forza del Destino (1869 version) Violetta
Urmana, Marcello Giordani, Carlo Guelfi, Ch & O Maggio
Musicale Fiorentino/Zubin Mehta rec. live, 2007 TDK
DVWW-OPFORZA [189:00]
[ST]
Now
leads the field … one of the great Verdi DVDs ... see Full
Review
John
McCormack (tenor) - Vol. 7: 1916-18
Acoustic Recordings Fritz
Kreisler (violin) unknown orchestra/Joseph Pasternack, Victor
Herbert NAXOS
8.112018 [79:52] [GF]
You
can hardly find this music better performed ... see Full
Review
La
Nilsson Birgit
Nilsson (soprano) Åke Levén (organ) Royal
Opera House O/Sir Edward Downes rec. 1963 DECCA
ELOQUENCE 480 0901 [72:21] [ST]
Highly
recommendable bargain price compilation of the great soprano’s
work ... see Full Review
WEDNESDAY
February 25th
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Six Suites for solo cello
(1717-1723) Wolfgang
Boettcher (cello) rec. Wyastone, Monmouth, October 2001
NIMBUS NI 5834/5 [59.58 + 79.48] 
[GH]
Little
in the way of ‘wow’ factor ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Bach on the Italian Lute (Gottfried) Heinrich STÖLZEL (1690-1749)
Bist du bei mir from Clavier-Büchlein für Anna Magdalena Bach
(arranged for solo lute by Peter Croton) [3:18]
Peter Croton (lute) rec. Basel City Studios, Switzerland, 23-26 January
2008. DDD. GUILD GMCD7321
[61:57 ]
[BW]
Good
performances but outshone by very strong competition ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Vincenzo BELLINI
(1801-1835) La
Sonnambula Melodramma in two acts (2004 Critical Edition by
Alessandro Roccataglia and Luca Zappelli) (1831) Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo);
Juan Diego Florez (tenor); Ildebrando D’Arcangelo (bass); Liliana Nikitenau
(mezzo); Gemma Bertagnolli (soprano); Peter Kálman (bass)
Chorus of Zurich Opera House; Orchestra La Scintilla/Alessandro De Marchi
rec. June-July 2007, September 2008, Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirchemeinde
Zurich-Oberstrass. DDD
DECCA 478 1087 DH02 Limited Edition [59:10 + 75:01]
[RJF]
Bellini’s
lovely melodies into a new perspective. ... see Full
Review
Aaron
COPLAND (1900 – 1990) Music
for the Theater (1925) [22:13] Quiet City (1940)
[10:02] Music for Movies (1942) [16:57]
Clarinet Concerto (1947/1948) [16:36]
William Blount (clarinet), Stephen Taylor (cor anglais), Chris Gekker
(trumpet), Orchestra of St Luke’s/Dennis Russell Davies rec.
details not given but c. 1988 DDD Re–issue
of MusicMasters MMD 60162L
NIMBUS NI 2522 [66:56]
[BBr]
Fine
music-making ... see Full Review
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934) The
Dream of Gerontius, Op. 38 (1900) [94:21] CD 1 Part I [37:20]
CD 2 Part II [57:01]
Alice Coote (mezzo) - The Angel; Paul Groves (tenor) – Gerontius; Bryn
Terfel (bass-baritone) - The Priest and The Angel of The Agony Hallé
Choir; Hallé Youth Choir Hallé Orchestra/Sir Mark Elder rec. Bridgewater
Hall, Manchester, 15-19 July 2008 English text included
HALLÉ CD HLD 7520 [37:20 + 57:01]
[JW]
Lays
bare the orchestral writing, choral strands and architectural spine
... see Full Review
Antonio
FERRADINI
(1718-1779)
Six Sonatas for Harpsichord (c.1760) [78:39]
Silvia Rambaldi (harpsichord) rec. Studio Monari, July 2007
TACTUS TC 713101 [78:29]
[JW]
Charming
and highly effective ... see Full Review
Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Mr Henry Purcell’s Most Admirable Composures
James Bowman (counter-tenor) The King’s Consort/Robert King rec. Radley
College, Oxfordshire, England, 9-10 April, 1988. DDD. Texts included.
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55303
[57:55]
[BW]
Hard
to imagine this music better interpreted ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Henry
Purcell
(1659-1695) Complete
Sacred Music – Anthems, Services and Devotional Songs Full contents
at the end of the review Booklet with notes and texts.
HYPERION CDS44141-51 [11CDs: 72:34 + 65:31 + 65:13 + 70:52 + 71:00
+ 67:56 + 69:43 + 65:07 + 64:57 + 61:01 + 65:02]
[BW]
An
essential purchase for Purcell year and well beyond ... see Full
Review
Max STEINER (1888-1971)She
(1935) complete film score
Moscow Symphony Orchestra/William Stromberg Rec. Mosfilm Studio, Moscow;
November 2007 TRIBUTE
FILM CLASSICS TFC-1003 [71:07][IL]
A
must for all Max Steiner enthusiasts. ... see
Full Review
Regionals
2009 Gilbert VINTER (1909-1969) Salute To Youth (1961) [11:47]; Graham COLE Pentacle [13:39]; Dan PRICE New World Sketches
[10:47]; Andrew BAKER The Once and Future King [12:11]; Frank HUGHES The Talisman
[10:00]
Williams Fairey Engineering Band/Major Peter Parkes (Vinter); Foden’s
Richardson Band/Michael Fowles (Cole); Black Dyke Band/Nicholas J. Childs
(Price); Cory Band/Robert Childs (Baker and Hughes) rec.
Morley Town Hall and St. Teilo’s Church School, July and August 2008.
DDD
DOYEN DOY CD246 [58:29]
Five
quality performances of test-piece works ... see Full
Review
TUESDAY February 24th
Georges
BIZET (1838–1875) The Pearl Fishers
(Highlights: sung in English)
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Brad
Cohen rec. 2007
CHANDOS CHAN3156 [79.00][AS]
One
of the most enjoyable highlights CDs I have heard for a long while ...
see Full Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Ein deutsches
Requiem Edinburgh
Festival Chorus; London Philharmonic Orchestra/Carlo Maria Giulini rec.
1978 BBC LEGENDS BBCL42462
[74:21][JQ]
A
performance of stature ... see Full
Review
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony No.
4 (Original Version)
Philharmoniker Hamburg/Simone Young rec. 2007
OEHMS CLASSICS OC629 
[70:01][JQ]
A
splendid performance of a fascinatingly different version ... see Full
Review
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Nocturnes
etc.
Leipzig Orchestre National de Lyon/Jun Märkl
rec. 2007-8
NAXOS 8.570993 [74:09][KS]
A
worthwhile collection of what is and what might have been ... see Full
Review
Guillaume
DUFAY (1397-1474) The Court of Savoy
The Binchois Consort/Andrew
Kirkman rec. 2008
HYPERION CDA67715 [71:58][MS]
Superb
and convincing ... see Full Review
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) String Quartets
(Complete)
Kodály Quartet rec. 1989-2000
NAXOS 8.502400 [25:42:24][GPJ]
Companionable
… deeply enjoyable … brilliantly inventive ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756–1791) Le nozze
di Figaro
Glyndebourne Festival Orchestra/Vittorio Gui rec. 1953
EMI CLASSICS GREAT RECORDINGS OF THE CENTURY 2126812 [3 CDs: 70:43
+ 73:08 + 76:14][GF]
A
classic set that is worth anyone’s money ... see Full
Review
Sergei
RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943) Piano
Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Leif Ove Andsnes (piano); Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Antonio Pappano
rec. 2005 EMI CLASSICS
5181842 [58:30][JW]
Powerfully
shaped readings – rewarding and enticing ... see Full
Review
Alma
Nova: Debut
Alma Nova: Jessica Pearce (flute); Almer Imamovic (guitar) rec. 2006
ALMA NOVA 5631
[50:19][CR]
Enjoyable
… adds an interesting dimension to the flute and guitar repertoire ...
see Full Review
Josef
Hofmann: Acoustic Recordings 1916-1923
Josef Hofmann (piano) rec. 1916-23
NAXOS 8.111326 [75:05][JW]
Serves
purist and generalist well ... see Full
Review
MONDAY February 23rd
Charles AVISON
(1709-1770) 12 Concerti Grossi (1744) after Domenico
SCARLATTI (1685-1757)
The Avison Ensemble/Pavlo Beznosiuk rec. 2007
DIVINE ART DDA21213 [78:14 + 76:38][JW]
Technically
first class and thoroughly enjoyable ... see Full
Review
Elliott
CARTER (b.1908) Complete Piano
Music Ursula
Oppens (piano) rec. 2008
CEDILLE RECORDS 90000108 [70:53][JW]
Very
strong claims on Carter adherents ... see Full
Review
Reinhard
KEISER (1674–1739) Fredegunda
Munich Neue Hofkapelle/Christoph Hammer rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.660231-32 [77:35 + 64:34][BW]
A
performance good enough to enjoy this little-known opera ... see Full
Review
Frank
MARTIN (1890-1974) Polyptyque
– Six Images de la Passion du Christ; Maria-Triptychon;
Passacaille
German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra/Christoph Poppen rec.
2006 ECM NEW SERIES
ECM2015 1733930 [57:57][BW]
Frank
Martin would be justly proud ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Simon Boccanegra
Orchestra and Chorus
of Teatro San Carlo, Naples/Mario Rossi rec. 1958
ISTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS 6552/53 [74.02 + 60.30][RJF]
A
welcome legitimate addition to Gencer’s live recordings ... see Full
Review
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) The Four
Seasons Francesco GEMINIANI (1687-1762)
Concerti Grossi
Christina Day Martinson (violin); Boston Baroque/Martin
Pearlman rec. 2008
TELARC SACD60698
[59:26][MSJ]
Very
piquant ... see Full
Review
American
Piano Sonatas Vol. 2 by Charles
Tomlinson GRIFFES (1884-1920), Roger
SESSIONS (1896-1985) and Charles IVES
(1874-1954)
Peter Lawson (piano) rec. 1991
EMI AMERICAN CLASSICS 2344692 [72:16][DM]
A
decent disc, but EMI could learn a thing or two from Naxos here ...
see Full Review
Classical
Beatles The Songs of Lennon &
McCartney & George Harrison
Various artists rec. 1966–2007
EMI CLASSICS 2167842 [73:14 + 73:58][GF]
Something
for everyone here – except those with long ears ... see Full
Review
The
King’s Singers Live at the BBC Proms
The King’s Singers rec. 2008
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD150 [64:09][JS]
An
essential purchase for confirmed fans ... see Full
Review
Resonanser
Swedish Choral Music – New Perspectives
Allmänna Sången/Cecilia
Rydinger Alin rec. 2008
BIS-CD-1714 [56:54][GF]
New
wine in old bottles – and already matured ... see Full
Review
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