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RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Lionel SAINSBURY (b.1958) Violin
Concerto Haydn WOOD (1882-1959) Violin
Concerto, Adagio 
Lorraine
McAslan (violin) BBC Concert O/Barry Wordsworth, Gavin Sutherland
rec. 2009 DUTTON
EPOCH
CDLX7245 [71:47] [RB]
Two
strong works written in captivating romantic idioms that while not identical
have more in common than you might expect ... see Full
Review
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921) Danse Macabre see PROKOFIEV
Domenico
SCARLATTI
(1685-1757)
12 Sonatas for Guitar:
Luigi Attademo (guitar) rec. 1998,
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9125 [63:14]
[ZT]
Old
treasures in a refreshing new guise. … see Full
Review
Florent
SCHMITT (1870-1958) The
Tragedy of Salome see RESPIGHI
Franz
SCHREKER
(1878-1934) Franz Schreker und Ausdruckstanz
Luzerner Sinfonieorchester/John Axelrod rec. 2005. DDD
NIMBUS NI5753 [71:02]
[GD]
A
must-have for Schreker fans ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Messe in As-Dur, D678 (1822) [45:19]
Andrea Lauren Brown (soprano), Ruth Sandhoff (alto), Andreas Karasiak
(tenor), Tobis Berndt (bass) Stuttgarter Kantorei. Stiftsphilharmonie
Stuttgart/Kay Johannsen rec. 2009
CARUS 83.436 [45:19]
[DC]
Short
and sweet ... see Full Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphonies
8 & 9 Vienna
PO,
Berlin PO/Wilhelm Furtwängler
rec. 1950/1 NAXOS
HISTORICAL
8.111344 [79:07] [JW]
An
intensely structure-conscious approach ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphonies
8 & 9 Vienna
PO, Berlin PO/Wilhelm Furtwängler rec. 1950/1 NAXOS
HISTORICAL 8.111344 [79:07] [MC]
Furtwängler
does not disappoint - marvellous performances ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Piano Quintet, Variations
on Trockne Blumen, Notturno Martin
Helmchen (pno), Christian Tetzlaff (violin), Antoine Tamestit
(viola), Marie-Elisabeth Hecker (cello), Alois Posch (d. bass),
Aldo Baerten (wooden flute), rec. 2008 PENTATONE
PTC 5186334 [69:00] 
[JFL]
An
exceptional release. … see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) The
Song Cycles Die Schöne Müllerin, Schwanengesang, Winterreise, Stationen
eines Interpreten: A Documentary on Hermann Prey Hermann
Prey (baritone) Leonard Hokanson, Helmut Deutsch (piano) rec.
1984/6 UNITEL
CLASSICA
700208 
[252:00] [KM]
A
wonderful set of Schubert’s three great song cycles by a
lieder singer who deserves to be better known … see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797–1828) Schwanengesang Gustav
MAHLER (1860–1911) Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen Christoph
Sökler (baritone); Anne Le Bozec (piano) rec. 2005 AMESON
ASCP0517 [62:23] [GF]
A
disc that requires to be heard ... see Full
Review
Mátyás
SEIBER
(1905-1960)
String Quartets 1-3
Edinburgh Quartet rec. 2009
DELPHIAN DCD34082 [60:17]
[RB][AG]
Encompassing
folk-lyrical, feral, dissonance tempered by chilly lyricism ... see
Full Review
Mátyás
SEIBER (1905-1960) Chamber
Works and Songs Lesley-Jane
Rogers (soprano); Andrea Mélath (mezzo); David Frühwirth
(violin); Péter Szabó (cello); László Ernyei
(accordion);
Zsusza Kollár (piano)
rec. 2004 HUNGAROTON HCD32405 [78:23] [RB]
Ethnic
melodic tonality to dissonance with a lyrical core ... see Full
Review
Anatolijus
ŠENDEROVAS (b.1945)
Two Songs of Shulamith [11:41] Dmitri Borisovich
KABALEVSKY (1904 – 1987) Cello Sonata in B flat major Op.71
(1962) [28:54] Alberto Evaristo GINASTERA
(1916 – 1983) Cello Sonata Op.49 (1979) [21:55] Canción al Arbol
del Olvido Op.3 No.2 (transcription by Wolfgang Lehner) [3:15]
Jelena Očić (cello); Federico Lovato (piano) rec. 2009
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72358 [65:48]
[NB]
A
superb disc in every respect particularly the programme planning and
hyper-sensitive response to the music … see
Full Review
Ludwig
SENFL
(1486 - 1542)
Works for Martin Luther and the Reformation
ensemble officium/Wilfried Rombach rec. 1999
CHRISTOPHORUS CHE0147-2 [58:50]
[JV]
An
interesting programme of sacred music by Ludwig Senfl, but the performances
are a bit superficial ... see Full Review
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony 5 San
Francisco SO/Michael Tilson Thomas, rec. 2007 SFS
MEDIA 821936 00269 [109:08] [KS]
A
fascinating look into the secrets behind one of the twentieth century’s
most famous scores. Thomas is a born teacher, on a level with his famous
predecessor, Leonard Bernstein. … see Full
Review
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975)
CD 1 Sonata for Cello and Piano Op. 40 (1934) [27:12] Sonata for Cello
and Piano Op. 147 (arr. Daniel Shafran) (1975) [31:25] CD 2 Concerto
for Cello No. 1 Op. 107 (1959) [29:35] Concerto for Cello No. 2 Op.
126 (1966) [32:44]
Viviane Spanoghe (cello); Arthur de Groote (piano) Sofia Soloists Symphony
Orchestra/Emil Tabakov rec. Concert Hall of the Royal Conservatory of
Music, Ličge, July 1992 (Sonata No. 1); Concert Hall of the Royal Conservatory
of Music, Brussels, 2008 (Sonata No. 2); Sofia, Bulgaria, April 1984
(Concertos)
TALENT DOM3810 12-13 [58:37 + 62:19]
[WK]
All
the Shostakovich music for cello (and more) played with insight and
feeling. … see Full Review
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Piano Sonatas 1 & 2 see Shostakovich
and Comrades
Jean
SIBELIUS
(1865-1957)
Symphonies 2 & 5
London PO/Basil Cameron; Erich Leinsdorf rec. 1946/7 mono.
ADD
DUTTON CDBP 9788 [68:44]
[RB]
A
stimulating left-field compilation ... see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Songs Jorma
Hynninen (baritone) Kalevi Kiviniemi (organ) Laura Hynninen (harp)
Marko Ylönen (cello) rec. 2007 FUGA
9264 [52:12] [DM]
A
sweet, full-bodied ‘pudding wine’, a postprandial treat
best enjoyed in moderation ... see Full
Review
Yngve
SKÖLD (1899-1992) Cello
sonata, Poem,
Suite for horn and piano John
Ehde (cello) Carl-Axel Dominique (piano); Ib Lanzky-Otto (horn); Wilhelm Lanzky-Otto
(piano)
rec. 1975/99 STERLING CDA1665-2 [56:45] [RB]
You
could cut the roundedly lyrical melancholy with a knife ... see Full
Review
Bedrich
SMETANA
(1824-1884) Má vlast
Prague SO/Tomáš Netopil rec. 2008
FOK 0001–2 031 [72:30]
[BR]
A
fine performance which I am happy to have … see Full
Review
Bedrich
SMETANA (1824-1884) String
Quartet see Flonzaley
Louis
SPOHR (1784-1859) Symphonies
3 & 6, The Fall of Babylon Overture O
della Svizzera Italiana/Howard Shelley rec. 2009 HYPERION
CDA67788 [63:38] [J-PJ]
Spohr
again mining the same increasingly depleted seam of creativity
relegating him to the status of minor composer ... see Full
Review
Louis
SPOHR (1784-1859) Concertante 1 & 2, Violin
Duet Henning
Kraggerud, Řyvind Bjorĺ (violin), Oslo Camerata, Barratt Due
CO/Stephan Barratt-Due, rec. 2008 NAXOS
8.570840 [57:02] [J-PJ]
A
fine and satisfying recording of music which, if hardly outstanding,
has strong merits ... see Full
Review
Johann
STRAUSS II (1825-1899) Eine Nacht in Venedig Merte
L. Meyer, Anna Maria Krawe, Coro Notturno, Stockholm Strauss
O/Mika Eichenholz, rec. 2002, 2008 NAXOS
8.660268-69 [62:12 + 56:37] [ST]
The
singing has a lot to recommend it ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Vier letze Lieder,
12 Orchestral Songs Elizabeth
Schwarzkopf (sop.) Radio SO Berlin, London SO/George Szell, rec.
1965/8 EMI
CLASSICS MASTERS 9659412 [64:34] [BW]
The
pick of EMI’s latest reissue series ... see Full
Review
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Vier
letzte Lieder and other songs Charlotte
Margiono (soprano) Holland RPO/Edo de Waart rec. 1993 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 9065 [51:48]
Satisfying.
Margiono and de Waart merit attention for the finesse they bring
to this music … see Full Review
Richard
STRAUSS (1864–1949) Don Juan see PROKOFIEV
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
Works
for Violin and Piano
Anthony Marwood (violin); Thomas Adčs (piano) rec. 2008
HYPERION CDA 67723 [41:43 + 45:56] (2for1)
[DC]
The
current place to be for this repertoire. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Ballet
and Symphonies London
Sinf, Berliner PO, CBSO/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 1977-2007 EMI
CLASSICS 2427542 [4 CDs: 263:50] [CR]
A
strong overview in which Rattle’s flair and panache make for
an essential collection ... see Full
Review
Sergei
TANEYEV
(1856-1915)
Cantata John of Damascus, Suite de Concert
Gnesin Academy Ch; Ilya Kaler (violin) Russian PO/Thomas Sanderling.
rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570527 [72:15]
[CC]
An
interesting introduction, perhaps, to Taneyev, but both pieces
are better served elsewhere ... see Full
Review
Pyotr
Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) The Nutcracker,
The Sleeping Beauty: Aurora’s Wedding Chœurs
d’enfants de l’école FACE, Montréal SO/Charles Dutoit, rec.
1992 DECCA
LONDON 440 477-2 [66:15 + 68:49] [DM]
If
you like big band Tchaikovsky then this could be for you. First-class
recording, thrilling amplitude and plenty of spectacle ... see Full
Review
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN
(1681-1767)
Overture and concertos for flutes, oboes, bassoon, violins and strings
Alexis
Kossenko (flute, recorder); Georges Barthel (flute); Jane Gower (bassoon);
Alfredo Bernardini (oboe); Lidewij van der Voort (violin); Judith Maria
Olofsson (cello); Holland Baroque Society rec. Waalse Kerk, Amsterdam,
11-13 February 2009. DDD
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCS SA 28409 [77:13]
[JPJ]
Unbounded
enthusiasm and joy in music-making lie at the heart of this disc. ...
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) Die
Tageszeiten, Nun danket alle Gott Basler
Madrigalisten; L'arpa festante/Fritz Näf
rec. 2009 CARUS
83.439 [66:24] [MS]
Full
of surprises, depth and energy, this CD is a delight … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Donald TOVEY (1875-1940) The
Bride of Dionysus – excerpts Sally
Silver, Yvonne Fontane, Robert Johnston, Michael Bundy, Belfast
PCh, Ulster O/George Vass rec. 2009 DUTTON
EPOCH CDLX 7241 [77:49] [RB]
A
truly grand opera in which passion and Brahmsian nobility commingle
amid the most exalted lyrical writing. ... see Full
Review
Joaquin
TURINA (1882-1949)
Danzas fantásticas see BIZET
Fartein
VALEN
(1887-1952) Four Pieces for Piano, Op.22 see Norwegian
Imperatives
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
(1872-1958) From Vaughan Williams’ Attic - Ralph Vaughan Williams’
personal collection The Wasps – overture; Old
King Cole – a ballet; A Flourish for the Coronation;
Serenade to Music ;Thanksgiving for Victory; Scott
of the Antarctic rec 1925-1948 DUTTON CDBP9790 [73:02]
[RB]
These
recordings are documents of three decades of audio-technical history.
Not without real fascination ... see Full
Review
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Heroic Elegy & Triumphal
Epilogue see ALWYN
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) Un
ballo in Maschera Carlo
Bergonzi, Leontyne Price, RCA Italiana Opera Ch & O/Erich Leinsdorf
rec. 1966 SONY
OPERA HOUSE 88697581322 [68.36 + 59.35] [RJF]
Verdi
singing does not come much better than this. This 1966 recording
and performance has stood the test of time ... see Full
Review
Tomás
Luis de VICTORIA (1548-1611) Lamentations
of Jeremiah Juan Gutięrrez
de PADILLA (c.1590-1664) Lamentations for
Maundy Thursday Tallis
Scholars/Peter Phillips rec. 2010 GIMELL
GIMCD043 [64:08] [GD]
The
effect is reverential without ever being sullen ... see Full
Review
Bart
VISMAN
(b. 1962)
Septet, New Heaven!, Sables, Oxygène Barbara Hannigan (soprano)
The
Gents/Peter Dijkstra; Schnberg Kwartet, Het Trio Limburgs SO/Ed Spanjaard
rec. 2003/8
ETCETERA KTC1378 [61:08]
[CR]
Visman’s
music is a delight ... see Full Review
Rolf
WALLIN (b.1957)
Seven Imperatives see Norwegian
Imperatives
Carl
Maria von WEBER (1786-1826) Symphonies
1 & 2, Andante e Rondo Ungarese,
Bassoon concerto Jaakko
Luoma (bassoon) Tapiola Sinfonietta/Jean-Jacques Kantorow
rec. 2006/8 BIS
BIS-SACD-1620 [67:42] [CF]
Finely
honed performances of charming music played with relish ... see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813
- 1883) Das
Rheingold, Die Walküre & Siegfried Bayreuth
Festival Ch & O/Clemens Krauss
rec. live, 1953 PRISTINE
AUDIO
PACO039-41 [145:15 + 210:55 + 242:11] [RMo]
Will
not replace Solti or Karajan for beauty of sound but is now the
front-runner as a supplement ... see Full
Review
Elinor
Remick WARREN
(1900-1991) The Crystal Lake, The Legend of King
Arthur, Along the Western Shore, Symphony in One Movement,
Suite for Orchestra
Royal Scottish Ntl O/Ronald Corp BBC Concert O/Martin Yates rec. 2009
DUTTON
EPOCH CDLX7235 [75:41]
[RB]
Irresistible:
lavishly driven by a neo-romantic lyrical impulse ... see Full
Review
Silvius
Leopold WEISS (1687-1750) Lute Sonatas - Vol. 10 Robert
Barto (Baroque lute) rec. 2008 NAXOS
8.572219 [74:18] [JW]
Marvellously
vivid and beautifully recorded ... see Full
Review
Robert
WHITE (d. 1574) Christe qui lux es et dies, Ad te levavi
oculos meos, Exaudiat te Dominus, Miserere mei Dei, Christe qui lux
es et dies, Domine quis habitabit, Manus tuae fecerunt me, Lamentations
a 6
Gallicantus/Gabriel Crouch rec. 2008
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD134 [73.19]
[RH]
Gallicantus
make a strong case for performance by a vocal ensemble, with nice balance
and well modulated tone. … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Haydn WOOD (1882-1959) Violin
Concerto, Adagio see SAINSBURY
Christopher
WRIGHT (b.
1954) Evocation
- string & orchestral music John
Turner (treble recorder) Royal Ballet Sinf/Barry Wordsworth,
Gavin Sutherland, Manchester Sinf/Christopher Wright rec. 2007/9 DUTTON
CDLX 7240 [64:11] [HC]
Well-crafted
and honest music-making ... see Full Review
Alexander
ZEMLINSKY
(1871-1942)
String Quartet No. 1 in A major, Op. 4 [26:20] String Quartet No. 2,
Op. 15 [38:18]
Artis Quartett Wien rec. Concert Hall of the Nimbus Foundation, 15-18
December 1997, Stereo. DDD
NIMBUS NI 5563 [64:48]
[GD]
An
impressive release, with both the composer and the performers striving
to create something both approachable and artistically substantial.
... see Full Review
Alexander
ZEMLINSKY
(1871-1942) Der Traumgörge
David Kuebler, Patricia Racette, Opernchor der Musikhochschule Köln,
Gürzenich O/James Conlon rec 1999
EMI CLASSICS 6876792 [72.55 + 74.32]
[JF]
A
great recording of music that is at one and the same time inspiring,
beautiful and moving ... see Full
Review
Alexander
ZEMLINSKY
(1871-1942) Drei Stucke fur Violoncello und Klavier
(1891) [7:10] Cello Sonata in A minor (1894) [29:25] Carl
GOLDMARK (1830-1915)
Cello Sonata Op.39 (1890) [20:37] Erich Wolfgang
KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Tanzlied des Pierrot from Die Tote
Stadt (1920) [4:02] Four Pieces from Viel Lärmen un Nichts
Op.11 (1920) [14:25] Romance-Impromptu from the film Deception (1946)
[3:11]
Raphael Wallfisch (cello) John York (piano) rec. 2006
NIMBUS NI 5806 [78:53]
[JW]
Admirers
of the Viennese ethos should make the acquaintance of this disc ...
see Full Review
Bernard
ZWEERS (1854-1924) Symphony
3 Het
Residentie O, Den Haag/Hans Vonk
rec. 1977 STERLING
CDS-1088-2 [63.04]
Concert Overture Saskia, Symphony 2,
Suite Gijsbrech van Aemstel Holland
RPO/Lukas Vis, Jean Fournet, Netherlands RSO/Antoni Wit
rec. 1973-2001 STERLING
CDS-1061-2 [57.26] [RB]
Sterling
draw on analogue sources to complete its cycle of Zweers symphonies
and do so in fine style ... see Full
Review
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