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RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Kalevi
AHO
(b. 1949)
Kysymysten kirja (The Book of Questions) Suite for mezzo-soprano
and chamber orchestra (2006-2007)* [24:27] Concerto for Viola and
Chamber Orchestra (2006)** [24:13] Symphony No.14 'Rituaaleja'
('Rituals') for chamber orchestra, darabuka, djembe and gongs
(2007]† [30:06] 
*Monica Groop (mezzo-soprano) **Anna Kreetta Gribajcevic (viola) †Herman
Rechberger (darabuka & djembe), Jukka Koski (gongs & tam-tams)
rec. November 2007, Rovaniemi Church, Finland Chamber Orchestra of
Lapland/John
Storgårds
BIS CD1686 [79:34] 
[DM]
A
very special disc indeed ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Tomaso ALBINONI (1671-1751) Sinfonie
a cinque, Opera seconda Ensemble
415/Chiara Banchini
rec. 2008 ZIGZAG TERRITOIRES
ZZT090202 [54:11] [JV]
Original
and expressive music in superior performances ... see Full
Review
Charles-Valentin
ALKAN (1813-1888) Chamber
and piano works Includes Grand duo concertant, Piano
trio, Douze etudes dans tous les tons majeurs Sonate
de concert James
Clark (violin); Moray Welsh (cello); Ronald Smith (piano) rec.
1992/4 APR
7032 [57:21 + 65:12] 
[RB]
Romantic
poise and a piano scattering smithereens of notes in all directions
... see Full Review
Anton
Stepanovich ARENSKY (1861-1906) Piano
Concerto,
Fantasia on Russian Folksongs,Pamyati Suvorova, Symphonic Scherzo Konstantin
Scherbakov (piano) Russian PO/Dmitry Yablonsky
rec. 2008 NAXOS 8.570526 [49:06] 
[DM]
Excellent
concerto; otherwise a hit-and-miss affair ... see Full
Review
Attilio
ARIOSTI
(1666-1729)
The Stockholm Sonatas Vols I-III
Thomas Georgi (viola d'amore) Joëlle Morton (viola da gamba, great
bass viol) Lucas Harris (archlute, guitar) Mime Yamahiro Brinkmann (cello)
rec. 2005-7 BIS CD-1535/1555/1675
[69:14 + 56:33 + 63:57]
[JV]
Interesting … sheds
light on an uncommon instrument - exemplary ... see Full
Review
Carl
Philippe Emmanuel BACH (1714-1788)
Keyboard Concertos and Solo Keyboard Music - Volume 15 Miklós Spányi
(clavichord); Ensemble Opus X/Petri Tapio Mattson rec. 2003-4 BIS CD1422 [67:22
+ 73.38][GH] 
I
cannot speak too highly of this double album … see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Inventionen;
Sinfonien; Französische
Suite V Till Fellner
(piano) rec. 2007
ECM NEW SERIES 2043 4766355 [68:11][DC]
Bach
without doubt, and Fellner every time for me ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Musikalisches
Opfer
Members of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra/Ton Koopman rec. 2008
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72309 [57:03][MS]
Unostentatious
and highly competent ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Actus Tragicus
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir/Ton Koopman rec. 1994 CHALLENGE
CLASSICS CC72289 [61:01]
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Whitsun Cantatas
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir/Ton Koopman rec. 1995 CHALLENGE CLASSICS
CC72290 [68:42]
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685–1750) Weimar Cantatas II
Emma Kirkby (soprano); The Purcell Quartet rec. 2007
CHANDOS CHAN0752(2) [49.04 + 38.55][JFL]
Koopman
takes top honors … see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Excerpts
from the Well Tempered Clavier: Book I; Chorales by Bach (transc.
Busoni) and Brahms
Edna Stern (piano) rec. 2008
ZIG-ZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT090104 [65:40][JFL]
Great
music intelligently and terrifically played ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
Six Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin, BWV 1001-1006 (c. 1720)
Viktoria Mullova (baroque
violin) rec. 2007, 2008, DDD
ONYX CLASSICS 4040 [64:50 + 67:32]
[MC]
A
very special recording - one to treasure ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Mass
in B Minor
Chorus and Orchestra of Collegium Vocale, Ghent/Philippe Herreweghe
rec. 1988 VIRGIN
VERITAS 6931972 [54:30 + 52:09][MS]
An
adequate, if not inspiring, performance ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg
Variations Martin
Schmeding (organ)
rec. 2009 CYBELE 
030.802 [74:44] [DC]
A
real treat - even for purists ... see Full
Review
Agustin
BARRIOS (1885-1944) Intimate
Barrios Berta
Rojas (guitar)
rec. 1998 ON MUSIC RECORDINGS
7488 [69:09] [ZT]
Not
to be missed ... see Full Review
Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Violin
Concerto No. 2 Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Violin Concerto No.1
Yossif Ivanov (violin);
Royal Flemish Philharmonic/Pinchas
Steinberg rec. 2008
AMBROISIE
NAĎVE AM175 [78:10][LW]
The
competition need not fear this newcomer ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 3 in E flat major Op. 55 Eroica (1803) [45:03] Symphony
No. 8 in F minor Op. 93 (1812) [24:08]
German Chamber Philharmonic Bremen/Paavo Järvi rec. August 2005,
Bremen BMG-RCA
713066 (88697006552) [79:11]
[JL]
Järvi
takes a motorcycle ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Early
String Quartets Opus 18 1-6 (1798-1800) Wihan
Quartet rec. live, Convent of St Agnes, Prague, 18 October, 8 November,
6 December, 2007, 17 January, 7 February, 13 March 2008. DDD NIMBUS
ALLIANCE NI6105 [77:43 + 76:44]
[BW]
Good
performances, well recorded, but the competition is very strong ...
see Full Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano
Jascha Heifetz (violin); Emanuel Bay, Benno Moisewitsch (pianos) rec.
1947-52 ISTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO
ITALIANO IDIS6560/2 [3 CDs: 68:28 + 63:14 + 71:41][CC]
An
important document ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Piano Concertos 3-5 Artur
Pizarro (piano) Scottish CO/Sir Charles Mackerras rec. 2008
LINN CKD336
[67:34 + 35:48]
[J-PJ]
For
more excitement and daring turn elsewhere ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Sonatas 16, 28 & 32 David
Korevaar (piano)
rec. 2006 IVORY CLASSICS 77004 [76:47] [CC]
Mixed
reactions ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano Quartets
New Zealand Piano Qt rec. 2005
NAXOS 8.5709988 [64:13]
[CC]
Interesting
repertoire. Well worth exploring ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Lieder
und Gesänge John
Mark Ainsley (tenor) Iain Burnside (piano)
rec. 2008 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD145 [77:43] [JQ]
Committed,
sensitive performances ... see Full
Review
Sir
Julius BENEDICT (1804-1885) Piano
Concertos in C minor and E flat Walter
MACFARREN (1826-1905) Concertstück Howard
Shelley (piano); Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra/Howard Shelley
rec. 2008; The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 48 HYPERION
CDA67720 [70:50][RB]
The
energy behind this series shows no sign of flagging ... see Full
Review
Alban
BERG
(1885-1935)
Orchestral Works
Geraldine McGreevy (soprano); Robert Murray (tenor); Isabelle van Keulen
(violin) Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra/Mario Venzago rec. 2004/6/7
CHANDOS CHSA 5074(2) [79:35
+ 77:45]
[TH][RB]
A
new slant on important repertoire in good performances and great sound.
... see Full Review
Alban
BERG (1885-1935) Three
Orchestral Pieces,
Violin Concerto, Lulu-Suite, Sieben frühe Lieder, Piano Sonata,
Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano,
Lyric Suite Frank Peter Zimmermann,
Peter Donohoe, Arleen Augér, CBSO/Simon Rattle, Alban Berg Qt EMI
CLASSICS GEMINI 3817712 [79:46
+ 66:51] [CC]
Worth
investigating ... see Full Review
Alban
BERG (1885-1935) Wozzeck
Leipzig Radio
Symphony Orchestra/Herbert Kegel rec. 1973
BERLIN CLASSICS 0184422BC [37:25 + 47:37][PBW]
Should
not be missed ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Alban
BERG (1885-1935) Lyric
Suite,
String Quartet see SCHOENBERG
Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Symphonie
fantastique, Romeo et Juliette, Harold en Italie, Rêverie
et caprice Yvonne
Minton (mezzo); Francisco Araiza (tenor); Jules Bastin (bass)
Paris O & Ch/Daniel Barenboim; Berlin PO/Lorin Maazel; Orpheus
CO/Guillermo Figueroa
rec. 1979-91 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
ELOQUENCE
480 0714 [3 CDs: 71:45 + 76:00 + 50:18] [RMo]
Leaves
much to be desired ... see Full Review
Maurice BLOWER
(1894-1982) Symphony see HOWELL
Luigi
BOCCHERINI (1743-1805) String
Quintet 91, String Sextet 4, String Quartet 56,
String Trio 22 Europa Galante
rec. 2008 VIRGIN CLASSICS 2121492 [74:08] [BW]
Dispels
the image of Boccherini’s music as a fragile echo of Haydn
... see Full Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Symphony
1 Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano
Concerto Jorge
Bolet (piano) London PO/Klaus Tennstedt
rec. 1984/90 BBC LEGENDS BBCL4251-2 [79:58] [JQ]
This
enjoyable disc can be recommended with confidence ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin
and Viola sonatas 
Oscar Shumsky (violin and viola) Leonid Hambro (piano) rec. details
not given (c1991) DDD reissued from the MusicMasters catalogue
NIMBUS NI 2513/4 [64:47 + 39:07] 
[JW]
Not
without faults but displays rapt wisdom and assurance ... see
Full Review
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Alto Rhapsody see MAHLER
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Klavierstücke see SCHUMANN
Luis
de Freitas BRANCO
(1890-1955) Symphony 2, After a reading
of Guerra Junqueiro, Artificial Paradises
RTÉ Ntl SO/Álvaro Cassuto rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572059 [67.49]
[GH]
Astonishingly
individual and wonderfully orchestrated ... see Full
Review
Frank
BRIDGE (1879-1941)
Piano Quintet etc.
Bridge Quartet; Michael Dussek (piano) rec. 2008
SOMM SOMMCD087 [77:56][JF/RB]
All
Bridge enthusiasts will insist on having this in their collections [JF]
Faithful to Bridge's mercurial muse [RB] ... see Full
Review
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) War Requiem,
The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Serenade, Nocturne, Les Illuminations,
Sinfonia da Requiem, Suite on English Folk Tunes, Diversions, Overtures,
Ballads
Berliner Philharmoniker, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon
Rattle EMI CLASSICS
2427432 [5 CDs: 337:00][ST]
Performances
outstanding … Not to be missed ... see Full
Review
Benjamin
BRITTEN
(1913-1976) Double Concerto for
Violin and Viola, Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Les Illuminations
Pieter Schoeman (violin);
Alexander Zemtsov (viola); Sally Matthews (soprano); London PO/Vladimir
Jurowski rec. live, 2006/8
LPO LIVE LPO0037 [70:00]
[WH]
Very
rich and sonorous ... see Full
Review
Benjamin
BRITTEN
(1913-1976) Folksong
Arrangements Steve
Davislim (tenor); Simone Young (piano) rec. Friedrich-Ebert-Halle Hamburg,
19-22 August 2006
MELBA RECORDINGS MR 301120 [65:49]
[JF]
By
and large, beautifully performed ... see Full
Review
Leo
BROUWER (b.1939) Concerto
Elegiaco; Tres Danzas Concertante; Quintet for guitar and
string quartet Denis
Sung-Hô (guitar); Chapelle Musicale de Tournai/Philippe Gérard; Quatuor
Alfama rec. 2006 FUGA LIBERA
FUG524 [51:14][RB]
A
refreshing take on the Latin-American classical guitar ... see Full
Review
Anton BRUCKNER
(1824-1896)
Symphony 2 Netherlands
RPO/Jaap van Zweden rec. 2007
EXTON EXCL-00014
[62:01]
[TB]
The
pacing and phrasing is ever sensitive to the music’s special
qualities ... see Full Review
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony
5 Philharmonia
O/Benjamin
Zander
+ bonus CD: Benjamin Zander discusses Bruckner’s Symphony No. 5
rec. 2008 TELARC 2CD-80706 [68:58
+ 79:56] [TB]
A
sensitive flexibility that brings an ebb and flow to the symphonic
journey ... see Full Review
Dietrich
BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707) Sonatas
Op.1 L’Estravagante
rec. 2006/7 ARTS
47731-8 [60:30] [GPu]
Exhilarating
performances of some remarkable music … see Full
Review
William
BYRD (1539/40-1623) Hodie Simon
Petrus: The Byrd Edition Volume 11
The Cardinall’s Musick/Andrew Carwood rec. 2007
HYPERION CDA67653 [67:54][MG]
Innate
elemental toughness, rigour of articulation and sheer resonance … see
Full
Review
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