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RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER
(1860-1911) Symphony No. 4 
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra/Jonathan Nott rec. 2006
TUDOR 7151 
[55:29][TB]
Makes
a strong impression ... see Full Review
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Das Lied
Von Der Erde - A Chinese language version
Ning Liang (mezzo); Warren Mok (tenor); Singapore Symphony Orchestra/Lan
Shui rec. 2005 BIS-SACD-1547
[59:09][TD]
A
step over a precipice ... see Full
Review
Ljubica MARIĆ
(1909-2003) Byzantine Concerto; Threshold
of Dream; Ostinato super thema Octoïcha; Songs of Space
Radio-Television
Belgrade Chamber Orchestra/Oskar Danon rec. 1964-77
CHANDOS HISTORICAL CHAN10267H [69:12][RB]
Unfailingly
imaginative ... see Full Review
Yannis
MARKOPOULOS (b. 1939) The Liturgy
of Orpheus on ancient Orphic poems
Flanders Opera Chorus & Symphony Orchestra/Edwig Abrath rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.572235 [64:15][RB]
Reflection
and gentle discourse ... see Full
Review
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ (1890-1959) Sinfonietta
La Jolla; Toccata e due canzoni; Concerto Grosso
Josef Hála
(piano); Prague Chamber Orchestra/Ondřej Kukal rec. 1997
SUPRAPHON SU39582 [59:29][RB]
Glorious
Martinů ... see Full Review
Bohuslav MARTINŮ (1890-1959)
Complete Works for Violin and Piano
Bohuslav Matoušek (violin); Petr Adamec (piano) rec. 1996-98
SUPRAPHON SU3950-2 [4 CDs: 232:06] [RB]
An
often surprising but always agreeable collection ... see Full
Review
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ (1890-1959) Sonata No.3 for cello and piano
H340 see
Soirées Musicales
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Joseph MARX
(1882-1964) Orchestral Songs and Choral Works
Christine Brewer (soprano); BBC Symphony Chorus & Orchestra/Jiří
Bělohlávek rec. 2008
CHANDOS CHAN10505 [71:33][RB]
A
seething aureate blaze. Wonderful stuff ... see Full
Review
Pietro
MASCAGNI
(1863-1945) Cavalleria Rusticana
Ildiko Komlosi, Sung
Kyu Park, Ch & O Teatro San Carlo, Naples/Zhang Jiemin rec. live
2007 TDK DVWW-OPCAV
[78:00
+ 33:00 (bonus)] [RJF]
Despite
the atmospheric location and effective lighting this performance has
few other virtues ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Tilo MEDEK (1940-2006)
Organ
Works Wandlungs-Passacaglia (2001) [5:09] B-a-c-h,
Vier Töne für Orgel (1973) [7:44] Verschüttete Bauernflöte (1969)
[11:22] Quatemberfeste für Orgel (1989) [29:16] Gebrochene
Flügel
(1975) [7:42] Rückäufige Passacaglia (1979) [11:02]
Martin Schmeding (organ) rec. 25-27 March 2008, Evang. Aufstehungskirche,
Düsseldorf-Oberkassel.
CYBELE
SACD 060.801 [72:21]
[DC]
Some
of the most unearthly musical sounds I have ever heard ... see Full
Review
Gian
Carlo MENOTTI (1911-2007) Amahl and the Night Visitors, My
Christmas Ike
Hawkersmith, Kirsten Gunlogson,
Nashville SO & Ch/Alastair Willis
rec. 2006/7 NAXOS 8.669019 [61:36]
[ST]
A
fine seasonal treat ... see Full
Review
Olivier
MESSIAEN
(1908-1992) Éclairs
sur l'Au-Delá... (1988-92)
Wiener Philharmoniker/Ingo Metzmacher rec. 2008
KAIROS MUSIC 0012742KAI [67:00] [DM]
C’est
vraiment parfait! A deeply satisfying performance ... see Full
Review
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992)
Orchestral and Chamber Works and Song-Cycles CD
1: Turangalîla-symphonie (1948) CD
2: L’Ascension (1933); Cinq Rechants (1948); Et expecto
resurrectionem mortuorum (1964); La Transfiguration de Notre
Seigneur Jésus-Christ (1969) CD
3: La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ (cont.)
CD 4: Poèmes pour mi (1937); Quartet
for the End of Time (1941) CD 5: Chants
de terre et de ciel (1938); Harawi (1945) CD
6: Poèmes pour mi (1936); Rondeau (1943); Visions de
l’Amen (1943) rec
1968-92
DECCA 478 0352 [6 CDs: 75:57 + 76:01 + 75:28 + 73:03 + 77:01 + 80:57]
[AOz]
Shows
how adventurous recording companies could be ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Olivier MESSIAEN
(1908-1992) Complete
Edition CDs 1-7 Piano Music CDs 8-13 Organ MusicCDs 14-15:
La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ CDs 16-19 Opera:
Saint François d'Assise CDs 20-32 Other Music Limited
edition DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
4801333 [32 CDs: c.34:00:00]
[PCW]
Far
from an exercise directed at completists only … a life enhancing experience
… see Full Review
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992) Quatuor
pour la fin du temps, Thème et Variations Trio
Wanderer, Pascal Moraguès (clar) rec. 2007 HARMONIA
MUNDI HMC901987 [62:27]
Olivier MESSIAEN Quatuor pour la fin du temps, Thème
et Variations, Piece for Piano and String Quartet, Fantasie, Le
merle noir Hebrides Ensemble
rec. 2007 LINN CKD314 [73:41]
Olivier MESSIAEN Quatuor pour la fin du temps, Fantaisie,
Le merle noir, Pièce pour piano et quatuor à cordes, Morceau de lecture à vue Matthew
Schellhorn (piano); Soloists of the Philharmonia Orchestra, London rec. 2008 SIGNUM
SIGCD126 [66:38]
Olivier MESSIAEN Quatuor pour la fin du temps, Thème
et Variations, Les offrandes oubliées Gould
Piano Trio, Robert Plane (clarinet) rec. 2007 CHANDOS
CHAN10480 [67:11] [JFL]
Something
for every taste ... see Full Review
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992) Hommage À
Messiaen Pierre-Laurent
Aimard (piano) rec. 2008
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4777452 [59:48][CC]
A
very special disc indeed ... see Full
Review
Ernest
John MOERAN (1894-1950)
Serenade
in G, In the Mountain Country - Symphonic impression, Rhapsody
No. 1 in F major for orchestra, Rhapsody No. 2 in E major
for orchestra, Nocturne for baritone, chorus and orchestra *
Hugh Mackey baritone*;
Renaissance Singers Ulster Orchestra/Vernon Handley rec. 1988/89
CHANDOS CHAN 10235 X [69:22]
[RB]
A
unique collection performed with apposite sensitivity. Essential ...
see Full Review
Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de MONDONVILLE
(1711-1772) Grand
motet, “Dominus regnavit” see BACH
Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567–1643) Vespro
della Beata Vergine; Selva morale e Spirituale (excerpts)
Taverner Players/Andrew
Parrott rec. 1982-4
EMI CLASSICS 2126852 [67.55 + 74.27][RH]
Everyone
ought to have this brilliant performance in their library ... see Full
Review
Mozart for Kids
Leopold MOZART
(1719–1787) Toy Symphony Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756–1791) Various excerpts
Philharmonia O/Herbert von Karajan (Toy Symphony) rec. 1958-2005
VIRGIN CLASSICS 2361382 [70:21] [BBr]
Badly
thought out, poorly presented ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Piano Concertos 12 & 24
Vienna PO/Maurizio Pollini (piano) rec. live, 2007
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 7167 [57:15] [JFL]
Enjoyment
is paramount ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Donna: Opera and concert
arias Diana Damrau
(soprano) Le Cercle de l’Harmonie/Jérémie Rhorer rec. 2008
VIRGIN CLASSICS 2120232 [73.21] [RMo]
A
bridge too far, too soon ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano
Concertos 21 & 22 Jonathan
Biss (piano)
Orpheus CO
rec. live, 2008 EMI CLASSICS
2172702 [61:07] [LW]
A
fresh and individual approach ... see Full
Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Early
Piano Sonatas
Zeynep Ucbasaran (piano) rec. 2008
EROICA JDT3403 [61:27 + 56:19][CH]
Mozart
speaking without interference … you should be well pleased ... see Full
Review
Nikolai
MYASKOVSKY (1881-1950) Links;
Slav Rhapsody; Serenade No. 1 Sinfonietta
Russian Federation Academic SO/Evgeny Svetlanov rec. 1991-93
ALTO ALC1041 (Olympia OCD745) [75:49][RB]
The
non-symphonic Myaskovsky proves well worth hearing ... see Full
Review
Carl NIELSEN (1857-1931)
Symphonies 3 & 5 Ruth
Güldbæk (soprano); Erik Sjoberg (baritone) Danish State RSO/John Frandsen,
Erik Tuxen rec. 1950/5
GUILD GHCD2340 [69:15] [RB]
Historic
Nielsen luminously done ... see Full
Review
Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931) Aladdin Mette Ejsing (contralto); Guido Paevatalu
(baritone) Danish Ntl Chamber Ch, Danish Ntl SO/Gennady Rozhdestvensky
rec. 1992 CHANDOS CHAN10498X [79:36] [RB]
Packed
deep with characteristic touches - no Nielsen enthusiast can be without
it ... see Full Review
Ferdinando
PAËR (1771-1839) Missa piena
Dresdner
Kreuzchor; Staatskapelle Dresden/Roderich Krelle rec. 2008
CARUS 83.246 [61:37][JW]
Will
appeal to apostles of the Italo-German muse ... see Full
Review
Giovanni
Pierluigi da PALESTRINA (c.1525-1594) Masses
and Motets Choir
of King’s College Cambridge/Sir Philip Ledger, Sir David Willcocks
rec. 1970-79 EMI
CLASSICS GEMINI 2176552 [75:25
+ 75:11] [BW]
Recommendable,
but the competition is extremely fierce ... see Full
Review
Arvo
PÄRT (b.
1935) Fratres, Summa, Cantus
- In Memoriam Benjamin Britten, Cantate Domine Canticum
Novum, Berliner Messe, De Profundis, The
Beatitudes, Magnificat, Passio Hungarian
State Opera O/Tamas Benedik, Elora Festival Singers & O/Noel
Edison, Tonus Peregrinus/Antony Pitts rec. 1995-2003 NAXOS
8.503199 [3 CDs: 79:00 + 52:03 + 61:48] [KMc]
If
you like Arvo Pärt’s music, this set just might be for you ...
see Full Review
Giovanni
Battista PERGOLESI (1710-1736) Messa
di San Emidio Alessandro SCARLATTI
(1660–1725) Messa per il Santissimo Natale
Concerto Italiano/Rinaldo Alessandrini rec. 2008
NAÏVE OP30461 [58.00][RH]
Charming
and inventive … vibrant and involving ... see Full
Review
Stephen PLEWS (b.1961)
Extracts from Infinity
Stephen Plews, Stewart Death, David Jones, Stephen Pruslin (piano);
Roberto Bellatalla, Jeff Clyne, Steve Berry (bass); Bill Eyden, Trevor
Tomkins, Peter Fairclough, Phil Clark (drums); Andrew Long (violin);
Roger Heaton (clarinet); Iain Dixon (bass clarinet); Duncan MacKay (trumpet);
Mike Walker (guitar); Ed Jones (saxophone). rec. 2003.
CAMEO CAMPION CAMEO 2029 [64:25]
[DC]
Intriguing
jazz-flavoured stuff. ... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) The
Complete Symphonies Scottish
Ntl O/Neeme
Järvi
rec. 1984/5 CHANDOS 10500X [4CDs:
261:28] [JFL]
Marvelous,
charming, sweeping ... see Full
Review
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858–1924)
La Bohème (1896)
Anna Netrebko,
Rolando Villazon, Nicole Cabell, Bayerischen RSO
& Ch/Bertrand de Billy rec. live 2007
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 7949 [54:44 + 52:52] [GF]
Compares
favorably with the best of all previous Bohèmes ... see Full
Review
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924)
Vissi d’arte: The Puccini Love Songs
Maria Callas (soprano); Various accompanists rec. 1953-9
EMI CLASSICS 2161022 [76:25 + 75:50][ST]
A
fitting tribute to a great artist … see Full
Review
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Angela
Gheorghiu - My Puccini Opera arias, audio
interview rec. 1995-2004 EMI CLASSICS CD & 2174412 [CD:
75:26; DVD: 59:00] [IL]
A
splendid collection of Puccini heroines illuminated by Gheorghiu
... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924) Maria
Callas - The Complete Puccini Studio Recordings rec. 1953-65 EMI
CLASSICS 2158942 [15 CDs] [RJF]
Her
unique Puccini interpretations are gathered here with an unexpected
bonus ... see Full Review
Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Dioclesian (complete) (1691)+
[92:47] Timon of Athens: see Galliard
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Symphony
No. 3; Symphonic Dances
Moscow State Symphony Orchestra/Pavel Kogan rec. 1990
ALTO ALC1030 [77:12][RB]
Generous,
inexpensive, big-hearted, broodingly coloured and impassioned ... see
Full Review
Sergey
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Piano Concerto 2, Moments Musicaux
Dejan Lazić (piano) London PO/Kirill Petrenko rec. 2008
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCSSA26308
[64.15] [MM-B]
Not
one of the best ... see Full
Review
Jean-Philippe
Rameau
(1683-1764)
Castor et Pollux
Finnur Bjarnason (tenor) Henk Neven (baritone) Les Talens Lyriques/Christophe
Rousset rec. live, 2008
OPUS ARTE OA0999D
[62:03+72:17] [WK]
Creditable
if not always inspired ... see Full
Review
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Alborada
del gracioso, Rhapsodie espagnole, Bolero Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Prélude à l'Aprés-midi
d'un faune, Iberia Munich PO/Sergiu Celibidache rec. live 1994 IDEALE AUDIENCE 3077968 [101:00] [CH]
Very
late Celibidache - approach with caution ... see Full
Review
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) String Quartet see BARTÓK
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) String Quartet see DEBUSSY
Camden
REEVES (b.1974) Lucifer’s
Dynamo and other works for solo piano Das Hexenklavier (2006)
Noturno dale fiamme dell’inferno (2005)Inventions & Fantasies (2002)
Diablo Canyon (2006) Lucifer’s Dynamo (2005)
Richard Casey (piano) rec. 2005/ 2006.
CAMPION CAMEO 2070 [58:02]
[DC]
Striking
and significant work. ... see Full Review
Max
REGER (1873-1916) String
Trio,
Piano Quartet Aperto Piano Quartet
rec. 2003/7 NAXOS 8.570785 [72:22]
[JW]
Josef
Gabriel RHEINBERGER (1839–1901) Requiem see BRUCKNER
Nikolay Andreyevich
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908)
Fantasy on Russian Themes for violin and
orchestra Sergey Ivanovich TANEYEV (1856–1915)
Suite de Concert
Lydia Mordkovitch (violin); Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Neeme
Järvi rec. 2008 CHANDOS
CHAN10491 [64:53][MC]
An
attractive disc of lesser known works ... see Full
Review
Cyril ROOTHAM (1875-1938) Violin
Sonata see HOLBROOKE
Alec
ROWLEY (1892-1958) Piano
concerto Christian DARNTON (1905-1981) Piano concerto Roberto GERHARD (1896-1970) Piano concerto Howard FERGUSON (1908-1999) Piano concerto Peter
Donohoe (piano, conductor) Northern Sinfonia rec. 2003 NAXOS
8.557290 [78:12]
The
Gerhard is a masterpiece but the disc gives us plenty to think
about ... see Full Review
Edwin
Roxburgh
(b.1937)
Oboe Music
Paul Goodey (oboe); Sally Mays (piano); Xiaodi Liu (oboe); Philip Haworth
(cor anglais) RNCM ensemble/Edwin Roxburgh rec. 2006/8
OBOE CLASSICS CC2019 [59:51] [JF]
Sounds
that are often fascinating and impressive ... see Full
Review
Ludomir
ROZYCKI (1884-1953) String Quartet see SZYMANOWSKI
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