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Ruperto
CHAPÍ (1851-1909) Fantasía
Morisca; Symphony in D minor
Orquesta de la Communidad de Madrid/José Ramón Encinar rec.
2007
NAXOS 8.572195 [56:49][JS]
Two
very worthwhile pieces … clearly ought to be better known ... see Full
Review
Nicolas
CHÉDEVILLE (1705-1792) Le
Printems ou Les Saisons Amusantes Les Eclairs de Musique
rec. 2001 ARTS 476698 [54:15] [JV]
Perfect
musical entertainment … instrumental colour and imaginative performances
... see Full Review
Erik
CHISHOLM
(1904-1965) Music
for Piano Volume 1,2,3,4
Murray McLachlan DIVERSIONS
DDV 24131-4 (only available separately)
[JF]
One
of the musical revelations of the century ... see Full
Review
Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849) Piano
Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Sa Chen (piano);
Gulbenkian Orchestra/Lawrence Foster rec. 2008 PENTATONE 5186341
[73:05][PPLL]
A
vintage recording - not to be missed! ... see Full
Review
Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849)
24 Preludes Op.28 (1837/8) [43:36] Piano Sonata No.3 in B minor,
Op.58 (1844) [43:41] Nikolai
Demidenko (piano) rec. July 2008, Fazioli Concert Hall, Sacile, Italy
ONYX 4036 [78:32]
[TH]
All
adds up to a rather unsatisfactory whole ... see Full
Review
Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Piano
Concertos 1 & 2 Vassily
Primakov (piano) Odense SO/Paul Mann rec. 2008 BRIDGE
9278 [75:04] [MM]
Extraordinary
power and beauty ... see Full
Review
Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Piano
Concertos 1 & 2 Arthur Rubinstein, Los Angeles PO/Alfred Wallenstein,
NBC SO/William Steinberg rec. 1946/53 NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111296 [66:58] [JW]
Poetic
finesse from the placid waters of the studio ... see Full
Review
Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849) 3 Waltzes, Ballade 4 see
Marshev
Carson
COOMAN (b.
1982) Songs Amanda Forsythe
(soprano), Jeffrey Grossman (piano) rec. 2008 ALBANY
TROY1053 [72:33] [BBr]
Nothing
to make me want to hear it ever again ... see Full
Review
Aaron
COPLAND (1900-1990) Symphony No.
1; Short Symphony; Dance Symphony
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Marin Alsop rec. 2007
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559359 [58:15][DM]
Much-needed
additions to the composer’s ever-fascinating canon ... see Full
Review
William CROFT
(1678-1727) Harpsichord Music
Colin Booth (harpsichord) rec. 1998
SOUNDBOARD SBCD991 [63:46][BW]
Attractive
works by a composer better known for his church music ... see Full
Review
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Complete Works for Piano Vol. 3 Includes Suite bergamasque, Children’s
Corner Jean-Efflam Bavouzet
(piano) rec. 2008 CHANDOS
CHAN 10467 [71:54] [CH]
The
best of Bavouzet’s three volumes so far ... see Full
Review
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Piano Music
- Volume 2
Noriko Ogawa (piano)
BIS BIS-CD-1205 [75:47][CH]
Performances
which leave an ultimate impression of translucent beauty and poise ...
see Full Review
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Piano Music
- Volume 4
Noriko Ogawa (piano) rec. 2007
BIS BIS-CD-1655 [81:42][CH]
Don’t
expect to hear these “Etudes” played more beautifully ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Claude DEBUSSY
(1862-1918) String Quartet Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) String Quartet
Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924) String Quartet
Quatuor Ebčne rec. 2008
VIRGIN CLASSICS 5190452 [80:27] [JFL]
One
of the most exciting recordings that I’ve ever heard ... see Full
Review
Christian DARNTON (1905-1981) Piano concerto see ROWLEY
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Prélude ŕ l'Aprés-midi
d'un faune, Iberia see RAVEL
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Children’s Corner Suite see BIZET
Louis-Antoine
DORNEL (c.1680–c.1757) Chamber Music for
Recorders, Flute and Continuo
Passacaglia rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.570986 [73:43][JV]
Passacaglia
plays with imagination and zest ... see Full
Review
John
DOWLAND (1563-1626) The Complete
Solo Lute Music
Jakob Lindberg (lute) rec. 1994 This single layer stereo SACD can
only be played back on an SACD player
BIS-SACD-1724
[4:15:44][DC]
A
joy and feast for the ears ... see Full
Review
Guillaume
Dufay
(1397-1474) The Court of Savoy
The Binchois Consort/Andrew Kirkman rec. 2008
HYPERION CDA67715 [72:03] [BW]
Confirms
my love of Dufay and the Consort’s performances of his music ...
see Full Review
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934) In the South;
Sea Pictures; Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma)
Gladys Ripley (contralto);
London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra/George Weldon rec.
1953-4 SOMM SOMMCD073
[78:11][CH]
A
conductor possibly on course to become a major Elgar interpreter ...
see Full Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934) Violin
Concerto
Gil Shaham (violin); Chicago Symphony Orchestra/David
Zinman rec. 2007
CANARY CLASSICS CC06
[48:28][TP]
Vulnerability
and ebullience … do not miss this ... see Full
Review
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934) Part Songs
Cambridge University Chamber Choir/Christopher Robinson rec.
2007
NAXOS 8.570541 [75:42][JW]
Youthful,
vivid listening ... see Full Review
Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924)
Requiem, Cantique de Jean Racine
Sandrine Piau (soprano); Stéphane Degout (baritone) Accentus; Members
Ntl O France/Laurence Equilbey rec. 2008
NAĎVE V5137 [41:21] [KS]
Disappointingly
uninspired and too brief a running time kill this one ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) String Quartet see DEBUSSY
Howard FERGUSON (1908-1999) Piano concerto see ROWLEY
Jacqueline
FONTYN (b.
19 30) On
a Landscape by Turner, Au fil des sičcles, L'Anneau de Jade,
Quatre Sites Janácek
PO/David Porcelijn rec. 2006 CYBELE
860.601 [59:19] [HC]
Does
justice to Fontyn's complex but rewarding music ... see Full
Review
Richard FRANCK (1858-1938)
Symphonische Fantasie, Serenades, Suite, Liebesidyll,
Wellen des Meeres und der Liebe Fabian
Wettstein (violin); Tim Strüble (cello) Württembergische Philharmonie
Reutlingen/Christopher Fifield rec. 2008
STERLING CDS1078-2 [69:09] [RB]
Serenely
shaped Germanic romance ... see Full Review
John
Ernest GALLIARD
(c.1687-1749) Pan
and Syrinx: An Opera (1718, rev. 1726)* [57:47] Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Timon of Athens: The Masque
of Cupid and Bacchus (1695)** [19:21]
Musica ad Rhenum/Jed Wentz rec. 2004,
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93776 [77:08]
[BW]
Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Dioclesian (complete)
(1691)+ [92:47] Timon of Athens: Masque (1695)++
[19:29] Collegium Musicum
90/Richard Hickox
rec. 1993/4, CHANDOS
CHACONNE CHAN0569/70 [46:27+65:49][BW]
A
most enjoyable discovery or established Purcell? – preferably both ...
see Full Review
Roberto
GERHARD (1896-1970)
Symphony No. 4 New York (1967) [26:04] Violin
Concerto (1942-45) [34:03]* Yfrah Neaman (violin)
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Colin Davis rec. 1972,
LYRITA SRCD.274 [60.14]
[PBW]
An
introduction to two of Gerhard’s major works ... see Full
Review
Roberto GERHARD (1896-1970) Piano concerto see ROWLEY
Howard
GOODALL (b. 1958) Eternal
Light - A Requiem etc. Choir
of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford London Musici/Stephen Darlington
rec. 2008 EMI
CLASSICS 2150472 [56:47][JQ]
Some
fine moments and some that are genuinely moving ... see Full
Review
Philip
GRANGE (b. 1956)
Zeitgeist: Music by Philip Grange The
Kingdom of Bones for mezzo and large ensemble (1983) Lowry Dreamscape
for brass band (1992) Diptych: (i) Sky-Maze with Song Shards
for oboe and harp ; ii) Daedalus’s Lament for cor anglais
and harp) Concerto for Solo Clarinet Radical and Symphonic Wind Band
- Shēng Shēng Bł Shí
Northern Music Theatre/Graham Treacher; Sun Life Band/Roy Newsome; Okeanos:
(Jinny Shaw (oboe/cor anglais); Lucy Wakeford (harp)); National Youth
Wind Ensemble/Phillip Scott; Linda Hirst (mezzo); Sarah Williamson (clarinet)
rec. 1984/1995/2002/2005
CAMPION CAMEO BRITISH COMPOSERS SERIES 2061 [69:45]
[DC]
Serious
but rewarding stuff. ... see Full Review
Ferde
GROFÉ
(1892-1972) Grand Canyon Suite, Mississippi
Suite, Death Valley Suite
Hollywood Bowl SO/Felix Slatkin, Capitol SO/Ferde Grofé rec. 1954/6
EMI AMERICAN CLASSICS
2344512 [70:31] [BW]
Colourful
music in idiomatic performances, but dated recording ... see Full
Review
Mozart
Camargo GUARNIERI (1907-1993) Sonata No.1 for cello and piano
see Soirees Musicales
Joseph
HAYDN
(1732-1808) Concertos for 2 lire organizzate
(arr. wind & orchestra)
Daniel Rothert, Philip Spätling (recorders); Benoît Fromanger, Ingo
Nelken (flutes); Christian Hommel (oboe) Cologne CO/Helmut Müller-Brühl
rec. 2007 NAXOS 8.570481
[73:31] [BW]
Attractive
but far from essential ... see Full
Review
Jake
HEGGIE
(b. 1961)
For a Look or a Touch Gerard SCHWARZ (b. 1947) In Memoriam Lori LAITMAN (b. 1955) The Seed of Dream
Music of Remembrance rec. 2006/7 NAXOS
8.559379 [60:50] [BBr]
Simply
not strong enough for the purpose ... see Full
Review
Paul HINDEMITH
(1895-1963) Das
Marienleben Op.27 (1948 version) [71:05]
Elisabeth Meyer-Topsře (soprano) Per Salo (piano) rec. 2006 Includes
texts DANACORD DACOCD
670 [71:05]
[JW]
A
powerfully expressive performance ... see Full
Review
Joseph
HOLBROOKE (1878-1958) Violin Sonata No.
3 Sir Henry WALFORD DAVIES (1869-1941)
Violin Sonata No. 2 Cyril ROOTHAM
(1875-1938) Violin Sonata Arthur BENJAMIN
(1893-1960) Sonatina for cello and piano
Jacqueline Roche (violin); Robert Stevenson (piano) rec. 2008
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX7219 [63:00][RB]
A
fine conspectus of neglected British violin sonatas ... see Full
Review
Gustav
HOLST (1874-1934) Orchestral Works
- Vol. 1 Joyful
Company of Singers/Peter Broadbent; BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Richard
Hickox rec. 2008 CHANDOS
CHSA5069
[67:42][RB]
The
finest Holst disc in years ... see Full
Review
Imogen
HOLST (1907-1984)
Phantasy Quartet, Duo for viola and piano, String Trio 1, The Fall
of the Leaf, Sonata for violin and cello, String Quintet
Court Lane Music rec. 2007
COURT LANE MUSIC CLM37601 [74:51] [RB]
Lyrical
music but with dissonance and succinct economy of expression ... see
Full Review
Herbert
HOWELLS (1892-1983)
Concerto for String Orchestra (1938) [27:52] Three Dances for violin
and orchestra op.7 (1915) [14:08]* Piano Concerto no. 2 in C minor (1925)
[27:03]** Kathryn Stott
(piano)**; Michael Stewart (violin)* Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vernon
Handley rec. 19 February (Dances) and 30-31 March (Concertos) 1992,
Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, UK
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55205 [69:19]
[CH]
A
British piano concerto of some stature ... see Full
Review
Adrian
JOHNSTON (b. 1961) Brideshead
Revisited BBC
Philharmonic/Terry Davies
rec. 2008 CHANDOS CHAN10499 [47:20]
[IL]
Amiable
and pleasing but not really memorable ... see Full
Review
Scott
JOPLIN (1868-1917) Rags and
Waltzes
Joshua Rifkin (piano); Ralph Grierson (piano); The Southland Stingers/George
Sponhaltz rec. 1974-9
EMI CLASSICS AMERICAN CLASSICS 2344772 [62:48][BW]
Rifkin’s
contributions are classics ... see Full
Review
Redjeb
JORDANIA Concerto Classico see The
Georgian Composers Collection
Dimitri
KABALEVSKY (1904-1987) Symphonies
1-4 NDR & Hungarian
Radio Ch, NDR Radiophilharmonie/Eiji Oue rec. 2001/2 CPO
999 833-2 [45:12 + 60:19] [RB]
Captures
with fervent fidelity the flaming intensity of vintage Soviet performances
... see Full Review
Alexander
KASTALSKY (1856-1926) Brotherly Prayer for the Dead
see
TANEYEV
Elena
KATS-CHERNIN (b.1957) Slow Food
Elena Kats-Chernin (piano) rec. 2006
TALL POPPIES TP196 [66:41][JW]
A
feast – delightful music, sensitively played ... see Full
Review
Leon KIRCHNER (b. 1919) Piano Trio, Piano Trio II see American
Trios
Jan
KRENZ (b. 1926) Piano concertino see SEROCKI
Lori LAITMAN (b. 1955) The Seed of Dream see
HEGGIE
Rued
LANGGAARD
(1893-1952)
Symphony No. 1 (1998-11) [61:30]
Danish National Symphony Orchestra DR/Thomas Dausgaard rec. Danish Radio
Concert Hall, 12-18 May 2007
DACAPO 6.220525 [61:30]
[JL]
Bold,
audacious, uninhibited, unabashedly pleasant ... see Full
Review
Kenneth
LEIGHTON (1929–1988) Orchestral
Works – Vol. 2
BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Richard Hickox rec. 2007
CHANDOS CHAN10495 [57:28][RB]
Sincere
and undemonstrative music not lacking grandeur ... see Full
Review
Kenneth
LEIGHTON (1929-1988) Orchestral
Works Volume 1 Symphony for Strings, Organ Concerto,
Concerto for String Orchestra John Scott (organ) BBC
Ntl O Wales/Richard Hickox rec. 2006 CHANDOS CHAN10461 [74:34]
[RB]
This
is an attractive disc and extremely well recorded and presented ... see Full
Review
Ruggiero
LEONCAVALLO (1857-1919) Complete
Chamber Songs Barbara Meszáros (soprano),
Hector Sandoval (tenor), Luis Ledesma (baritone) Umberto Finazzi
(piano) rec. 2007 DYNAMIC CDS570/1-2 [68:47
+ 72:32] [CH]
The
repertoire is worth conserving, but a mixed bunch of singers ... see Full
Review
Magnus
LINDBERG (b.1958) Sculpture; Campana
in aria; Concerto for Orchestra
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Sakari Oramo rec. 2006-8
ONDINE ODE11242 [64:10][HC]
I
enjoyed this very fine release enormously ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Magnus LINDBERG
(b.1958) Complete Piano Music
Ralph van Raat (piano) rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570542 [72:30][HC]
No
Lindberg admirer should miss this ... see Full
Review
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Piano Concertos
Nos. 1 & 2; Totentanz; Paraphrase on the ‘Dies irae’
Eldar Nebolsin (piano);
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570517 [54:18][MC]
Nebolsin
greatly impresses but the list is headed by Zimerman on DG ... see Full
Review
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Funérailles, Rhapsodie espagnole, Étude
transcendante 10 see
Marshev
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