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Howard
SANDROFF (b.1949) Tephillah see American
Clarinet
Christoph
SCHAFFRATH
(1709 - 1763) Six Sonatas 
Epoca Barocca rec. 2003, 2005, 2007, DDD
CPO 777 440-2 [77:18]
[JV]
A
highly enjoyable disc with first-rate music in fine performances ...
see Full Review
Franz
SCHMIDT
(1874-1939)
String Quartet in A major (1925) [38:42] String Quartet in G major (1929)
[38:56]
Franz Schubert Quartett Wien rec. Concert Hall, Nimbus Foundation, 3-6
April 1995, Stereo. DDD
NIMBUS RECORDS NI5467 [77:53]
[GD]
Long,
substantial works by a composer who seems destined to always command
greater respect in his homeland than abroad ... see Full
Review
Arnold
SCHOENBERG
(1874-1951)
Die Prinzessin and Afrika – Children’s stories
- written and spoken by Arnold Schoenberg With spoken
memories of Schoenberg’s children: Nuria, Ronald and Lawrence. Music
by Arnold Schoenberg in historical and new recordings.
CYBELE SACD AB-005 
[61:58] [DC]
Another
reference library essential. ... see Full
Review
Paul
SCHOENFIELD
(b.1947) Camp
Songs, Ghetto Songs
Gerard
SCHWARZ (b.1947) Rudolf and Jeanette
Angela Niederloh (mezzo); Erich Parce (baritone); Morgan
Smith (baritone); Paul Schoenfield (piano); Music of
Remembrance/Gerard Schwarz rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.559641 [65:05]
[OL]
Good
music for a good cause ... 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] [RMo]
A
Berliner grappling with Viennese subtlety ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Songs see
Brahms
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Piano Sonata 21 see Perspectives
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Erwin SCHULHOFF (1894-1942) H.M.S.
Royal Oak see WEILL
Erwin
SCHULHOFF (1894-1942) 5 Pieces see Bohemian
Album
William
SCHUMAN
(1910-1992)
Symphony 8, Night Journey Charles IVES Variations
on ‘America’ (arr. W. Schuman)
Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz rec. 1991-2008
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559651 [65:04]
[NB]
Powerful
music presented in exemplary sound and compelling performances
... see Full Review
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) String
Quartets 1-3 Philharmonia
Qt Berlin
rec. 2008 THOROFON
CTH2554 [79:15] [MC]
These
are memorable performances …The unity of the playing is quite
outstanding and deserves praise. Excellent ... see Full
Review
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Symphonic Etudes see
In
Fun and Earnest
Thomas
SELLE (1599
- 1663) Die
Auferstehung Christi - Historia, Sacred Concertos and Motets
for Easter Weser-Renaissance
Bremen/Manfred Cordes
rec. live, 2008 CPO
777 396-2 [72:14] [JV]
This
disc bears witness to the quality of Selle's sacred music and the level
of music-making in 17th-century Hamburg ... see Full
Review
Ronald
SENATOR (b.1926) Spring
Changes Marni
Nixon (soprano); Isabelle Ganz (mezzo); Michael Philip Davis
(tenor); Stanley Drucker (clarinet); Michael Rudiakov (cello);
Miriam Brickman (piano) RONALD
SENATOR
RS1962 [73:22] [BBr]
Make
Senator your discovery for 2010 … see Full
Review
Gregory
SHORT
(1938 - 1999) Mount
Takhoma
see HOVHANESS
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) String
Quartets 5 & 15 Sorrel
Qt
rec. 2004 CHANDOS
CHAN10248 [68:49] [SV]
Attuned
to the overall aesthetic and producing a sound appropriate to the
very different style of each work … see Full
Review
Dimitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) String
Quartets 3 & 7,
Cello Sonata, Piano Trios 1 & 2
Piano Quintet Jerusalem & Atrium
Qts,
Heinrich Schiff (cello) Aci Bertoncelj (piano)
Chung & Eroica Trios, Nash Ens
rec. 1983-2003 EMI
CLASSICS
6876672 [71:30+72:34] [GD]
Not
a recipe for a coherent programme but the composer’s distinctively
acerbic lyricism is much in evidence here ... see Full
Review
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Seven Preludes from Op.34 (1933)
– transcribed by Vadim Borisovsky; Nos.10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 24 [10:26]
Viola
Sonata see PROKOFIEV
Jean
SIBELIUS
(1865-1957)
En Saga, Pohjola's Daughter, The Oceanides, Tapiola
Hugo ALFVÉN (1872-1960) Swedish
Rhapsody 1
Philadelphia O/Eugene Ormandy rec. 1953-5
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 205 [65:58]
[SV]
The
Sibelius performances provide more musical satisfaction than most newer
accounts … see Full Review
Jean
SIBELIUS
(1865-1957)
Popular Sibelius Finlandia, Karelia
Suite, Swan of Tuonela, En Saga, Romance, Tapiola
Royal
PO/Anthony Collins Concertgebouw O/Eduard van Beinum rec. 1952/7
BEULAH 6PD8 [75:42] [JW]
Contrasting
moods and reflections … elemental and brooding .. wistful and
light - top drawer ... see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Violin concerto, Humoresques
1, 2 & 5 Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Violin
concerto 1 Vilde
Frang (violin), WDR SO Köln/Thomas Søndergård, rec. 2009 EMI
CLASSICS 6844132 [63:56] [WH]
An
outstanding debut disc from a superb young violinist … see Full
Review
Johann
STRAUSS II (1825 – 1899) Eine Nacht in
Venedig Coro
Notturno, Stockholm Strauss Orch./Mika Eichenholz, rec. 2002/8 NAXOS
8.660268-69 [62:12 + 56:37] [GF]
With
young, fresh voices throughout the present version can be an attractive
proposition ... see Full
Review
HISTORICAL
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Richard
STRAUSS (1864 – 1949) Der
Rosenkavalier Lotte
Lehmann (soprano) Richard Mayr (bass) Elisabeth Schumann (soprano)
Vienna State Opera Ch, Vienna PO/Robert Heger rec. 1933 PRISTINE
AUDIO PACO036 [59:46 + 38:40] [GF]
No
one who loves this music can afford to be without this recording ...
see Full Review
Boleslaw
SZABELSKI (1896 – 1979) Toccata, Concerto Grosso Henryk
Mikolaj GÓRECKI (b.1933) Three Dances Eugeniusz
KNAPIK (b.1951) La flûte de jade Bozena
Harasimowicz (sop.), Zbigniew Raubo, Andrzej Staciwa (pno)
Silesian PSO/Miroslaw Jacek Blaszczyk, rec. 2009 DUX
0732 [64:21] [BBr]
Worth
investigating … see Full Review
John
TAVERNER
(c.1490 – 1545) Missa
Mater Christi; Antiphon: O Wilhelme, pastor bone; Antiphon: Mater Christi
sanctissima Plainchant Celebrant - Andrew Carwood (tenor); Deacon
– Paul Martin (bass); Sub-deacon – Matthew Vine (tenor)
Christ Church Cathedral Choir/Stephen Darlington rec. Dorchester Abbey,
Oxfordshire, 15-16 May 1989. DDD
NIMBUS NI 5218 [59.50]
[RH]
Excellent
performance of Taverner's likeable mass … a disc that everyone should
try ... see Full Review
Boris
TCHAIKOVSKY (1925–1996) Four Preludes for Chamber
Orchestra, Suite: The Swineherd, Suite: Andersen Fairy
Tales, Suite: The Galoshes of Fortune
Musica Viva Chamber Orchestra/Kirill Ershov rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572400 [56:51]
[HC]
A
very enjoyable release showing the lighter side of Boris Tchaikovsky’s
output… see Full Review
Pyotr
Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893)
Symphony No.5 in e minor op.64 [50:35] Slavonic March op.31 [9:23]
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/Yutaka Sado rec. Jesus-Christus-Kirche
Berlin, 13-15 May 2008. Multi-ch DDD DSD
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72356
[59:58] [GD]
All
things considered, I would struggle to recommend this recording. ...
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano Concertos
1-3,
Concert Fantasia Stephen
Hough
(piano)
Minnesota O/Osmo Vänskä rec. live, 2009 HYPERION
CDA67711/2 [65:39
+ 75:31] [IL]
A
triumph ... see Full Review
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano
Concertos 1-3 Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907) Piano
Concerto Peter
Jablonski (piano) Philharmonia Orchestra/Peter Maag, Charles
Dutoit
rec. 1993/4 DECCA
ELOQUENCE
480 0482 [67:58 + 76:56] [SV]
Jablonski’s
temperament, at least here, is mismatched to the blockbuster technique … see Full
Review
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Variations on a Rococo
Theme see
PROKOFIEV
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano Trio see
FRANCK
Alexander
TCHEREPNIN (1899-1977) Suite for cello solo see
PROKOFIEV
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) Overture (Suites) Wolfgang
Dey (oboe), L’Orfeo Barockorchester/Carin van Heerden, rec.
2006 CPO
777 218-2 [68:50] [BW]
Not
the ideal version of the well-known a-minor Suite but all the music
is attractive and well performed ... see Full
Review
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN
(1681-1767)
Concerto in D major, Quatuor in A minor, Sonata in A major, Quatuor
in E minor
John Holloway (violin), Linde Brunmayr (transverse flute), Lorenz Duftschmid
(viola da gamba), Ulrike Becker (cello), Lars-Ulrik Mortensen (harpsichord)
rec. 2006,
CPO 777 375-2 [58:35]
[GPu]
Some
of Telemann’s finest chamber music, in fine performances … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ernst
TOCH (1887-1964) Egon
und Emilie see WEILL
Peter-Anthony
TOGNI (b.
1959) Lamentatio
Jeremiae Prophetae Jeff
Reilly (bass clarinet) Elmer Iseler Singers/Lydia Adams rec.
2008 ECM
NEW SERIES
2129 [55:52] [DC]
Sumptuous
and moving, but big’n baggy ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Dona
Nobis Pacem, Sancta Civitas Matthew
Brook (baritone) The Bach Ch, Bournemouth SO/David Hill
rec. 2009 NAXOS
8.572424 [64:39] [JQ]
Two
English choral works of great stature in fine new recordings ...
see Full Review
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Mass & other
choral works James
McVinnie, Ashok Gupta (organ), Choir of Clare Coll., Cambridge/Timothy
Brown, rec. 2009 NAXOS
8.572465 [63:11] [WH]
A
fine Mass in G minor coupled with a programme of rarities from
one of the UK’s finest choirs … see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) La
Traviata Tiziana
Fabriccini (soprano) Roberto Alagna (tenor)
Ch & O La Scala, Milan/Riccardo Muti rec. live, 1992 SONY
OPERA
HOUSE 88697 581422 [61.37 + 74.08] [RJF]
Distinctly
variable singing from the heroine, intrusions of applause and an unnatural
acoustic detract from this performance ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Attila Samuel
Ramey, Cheryl Studer, Ch & O La Scala, Milan/Riccardo Muti
rec. 1989 EMI
CLASSICS
3091062 [76.01 + 39.50 + CD-ROM] [RJF]
A
qualified welcome to this re-issue of Muti’s dramatic reading
of Verdi’s opera ... see Full
Review
Tomás
Luis de VICTORIA
(1548-1611) Te
Deum laudamus [8:13] Giovanni Pierluigi
da PALESTRINA (1525/6-1594) Missa Te Deum laudamus [32:47]
Tu es Petrus a 6 [7:01] Missa Tu es Petrus [29:33]
The Choir of Westminster Cathedral/Martin Baker (Master of Music) rec.
Westminster Cathedral, 2, 3, 9, 10 March 2009. DDD
HYPERION CDA67785 [77:49]
[GD]
A
disappointment. It is strictly for those who prefer old-fashioned Palestrina
... see Full Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813–1883)
Siegfried (1876) [256:00] Siegfried – Lance Ryan (tenor)
Brünnhilde – Jennifer Wilson (soprano)
Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana/Zubin Mehta rec. 2008-2009
Bonus Film - The Making of Siegfried [27:00]
UNITEL CLASSICA 700908 [283:00]
[ST]
You
can invest in this with confidence ... see
Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883)
Götterdämmerung
Katarina Dalayman (soprano) – Brünnhilde Lars Cleveman (tenor) – SiegfriedHallé
Choir; BBC Symphony Chorus; London Symphony Chorus; The Royal Opera
Chorus The Hallé Orchestra/Sir Mark Elder rec. live 2009
HALLÉ CDHLD7525 [5 CDs] or CDHLM7530 (CDmp3 edition, 320kbps)
[BW]
Strongly
competitive in a hotly contested field ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard WAGNER
(1813-1883)
Götterdämmerung
Jennifer Wilson, Lance Ryan, Franz-Josef
Kapellmann, O de la Comunitat Valenciana/Zubin Mehta
rec. live, 2008
UNITEL CLASSICA 701108 
[287:00]
[ST]
A
Ring on DVD to live with and to return to again
and again. ... see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER
(1813-1883) Wagner
Arias
Simon O’Neill; Susan Bullock (Sieglinde and Kundry); Sir John Tomlinson
(Hagen); Thomas Grace (Gunther) NBR New Zealand Opera Chapman Tripp
Chorus; New Zealand SO/Pietari Inkinen rec. 2009
EMI CLASSICS 4 57817 2 [79:42]
[JP]
To
a crowded catalogue of Wagner excerpts comes this important testament
to the continuing development of this important new artist… see
Full Review
Bruno
WALTER (1876-1962)
Symphony
NDR SO/Leon Botstein rec. 2007
CPO 7771632 [59:30]
[VT]
Listen
to it a few times and soon you will be hooked into Walter’s world
- those horn fanfares in the first movement! - and will want to come
back to it often. … see Full Review
William
WALTON (1902-1983)
Violin Concerto (1938-39) [32:40] Symphony No. 1 in B flat minor (1932-35)
[46:46]
Kurt Nikkanen (violin) New Haven Symphony Orchestra/William Boughton
rec. 2009 . DDD
NIMBUS NI 6119 [79:28]
[RB]
Very
fine Walton readings in up to date sound. ... see Full
Review
William
WALTON (1902-1983) Symphony
1, Belshazzar’s Feast Dennis
Noble (baritone)
London PO & Ch/Adrian Boult
rec. 1953/6 SOMM
SOMMCD094 [78:24] [JW]
Despite
less than stellar orchestral playing and recording, the powerful
Boult grip is always evident, and admirable ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Kurt WEILL (1900-1950) Kleine
Dreigroschenmusik Ernst TOCH (1887-1964) Egon
und Emilie Erwin SCHULHOFF (1894-1942) H.M.S.
Royal Oak Capella
Amsterdam; Ebony Band/Werner Herbers
rec. 1998-2006 CHANNEL
CLASSICS
CCS25109 [69:24] [DC]
Astounding,
remarkable, wunderbahr! … see Full
Review
Mieczyslaw
WEINBERG (1919-1966) Symphonies
1 & 7 Gothenburg
SO/Thord Svedlund
rec. 2008/9 CHANDOS CHSA5078 [69:23] [RB]
Chandos
do it again and in princely style ... see Full
Review
Silvius
Leopold WEISS
(1687-1750) Lute
Sonatas: Volume 10 Sonata No. 28 in F Le fameux Corsaire
[24:06] Sonata No. 40 in C [38:13] Tombeau sur la mort de M. Comte
de Logy [11:51]
Robert Barto (lute) rec. 2008,
NAXOS 8.572219 [74:09]
[BR]
Barto’s
playing in this Weiss series has justifiably solidified his reputation
as one of the greatest lutenists alive. … see Full
Review
Silvius
Leopold WEISS (1687-1750)
Lute Sonatas - Vol. 10 Sonatas
28 & 42,Tombeau sur la mort de M. Comte de Logy Robert
Barto (baroque lute) rec. 2008 NAXOS
8.572219 [74:18] [BW]
Another
fine volume in an excellent series ... see Full
Review
Egon
WELLESZ (1885-1974)
Choral
Music: Mass in F, Op. 51 (1934) [33:04]; I Sing of a Maiden (words:
15th Century) (1945) [2:22]; Offertorium in Ascensione Domini (1965)
[2:32]; Missa Brevis, Op. 89 (1963) [11:37]; To Sleep, Op. 94 (words:
John Keats) (1965) [6:39]
Clive Driskill-Smith (organ) Christ Church Cathedral Choir/Stephen Darlington
rec. Merton College Chapel, Oxford, 16-17 March 2006. DDD
NIMBUS NI5852 [56:21]
[RB]
These
works fit within the compass of the English choral tradition and will
appeal on the broadest front. ... see Full
Review
Herman
Hans WETZLER (1870-1943) Visions, Assisi Robert
Schumann Philharmonic/Frank Beermann rec. 2008 CPO
777412-2 [54:32] [VT]
A
splendid discovery for those with a keen ear for the byways …
see Full Review
Stefan
WOLPE
(1902-1972) The
Music of Stefan Wolpe - Volume 5 Lazy Andy Ant; Suite for Marthe
Krueger; The Angel ; Two Songs for Baritone; Songs of the Jewish
Pioneers; To a Theatre New
Matt Boehler (bass-baritone); Ursula Oppens (piano) rec. 2007/8,
BRIDGE 9308 [58:07]
[JW]
Sorry
to be negative. ... see Full Review
Michael
YOUNG (b. 1939) Secrets see HOVHANESS
Jan
Dismas ZELENKA
(1679 - 1745)
Miserere Johann Sebastian BACH (1685
- 1750) Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen Antonio
LOTTI (1667 - 1740) Missa a tre cori
Balthasar-Neumann Ch & Ens/Thomas Hengelbrock rec. 2008
DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 88697 526842 [76:02]
[JV]
Three
compositions with various stylistic similarities - the Lotti and Zelenka
receive expressive performances ... see Full
Review
Alexander
ZEMLINSKY
(1871-1942) String Quartet No. 3 Op. 19 (1923)
[21:50] String Quartet No. 4, Op. 25 (1936) [23:31] Johanna
MÜLLER-HERMANN (1868-1941)
String Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 6 (1908) [22:10]
Artis Quartett Wien rec. Concert Hall, Nimbus Foundation, 23-26 March
1998. Stereo. DDD
NIMBUS NI 5604 [67:50]
[GD]
Anyone
with an interest in slightly tangential string quartet repertoire should
find much of interest here ... see Full
Review
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2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
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