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BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony 8 
City of Birmingham SO/Sir Simon Rattle rec. live, 2004
EMI CLASSICS MASTERS 6317902 [77:36] 
[BW]
Vies
with Solti for the top recommendation.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony 10 Qigang CHEN (b.1951)
Wu Xing: Five Elements
Singapore SO/Lan Shui rec. 2009
AVIE 
AV2217
[107:00] 
[DC]
Nicely
produced DVD and a fascinating version of Mahler’s Tenth.
Gustav
MAHLER
(1860-1911) The Gustav Mahler Celebration
Thomas Hampson (baritone); Anne Sofie von Otter, Marita Solberg (sopranos)
Mahler Chamber Orchestra/Manfred Honeck rec. 2010
EUROARTS
2058148 [78:00] [KM]
A
ho-hum film of some Mahler music, with some high points when Hampson
sings.
Gustav
MAHLER
(1860-1911) Des Knaben Wunderhorn Symphony 10 Adagio
Magdalena
Kožená (mezzo) Christian Gerhaher (baritone) Cleveland O/Pierre Boulez
rec. February 2010
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9060
[MC]
Excellent
sound quality, warm with reasonable detail and well balanced too. Highly
satisfying and a worthy conclusion to Boulez’s complete Mahler cycle.
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ (1890-1959)
Chamber Music with Flute Flute sonatas, Sextet, Trio
Fenwick Smith (flute) Sally Pinkas (piano) John Ferrillo (oboe) Thomas
Martin (clarinet): Richard Ranti and Suzanne Nelson (bassoons) Haldan
Martinson (violin) Rhonda Ryder (cello) rec. 2002-7
NAXOS 8.572467 [68:50] 
[JW]
Highly
personable.
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ (1890-1959)
Variations on a theme of Rossini see Cello
Rhapsody
David
MASLANKA (b.1943) Concerto for Trombone and Wind Ensemble
see Wolf
Rounds
Jules
MASSENET (1842-1912) Manon
Angela Gheorghiu; Roberto Alagna; Ch & SO de la Monnaie/Antonio
Pappano rec. 1999
EMI CLASSICS 4563892 [3 CDs: 67:46 + 55:06 + 40:17]
[GF]
Pappano
is a serious contender … should be seriously contemplated by
everyone who loves this magical opera.
Johann
MATTHESON (1681-1764) Das größte Kind
Kölner Akademie/Michael Alexander Willens rec. 2008
CPO 777 455-2 [56:01] 
[JvV]
A
Christmas Oratorio of a different kind, well worth exploring despite
some shortcomings in performance.
Nikolai
MEDTNER (1880-1951) Piano Concerto 1, Piano Sonata, Two
Arabesques
Nikolai Medtner (piano) Philharmonia O/George Weldon rec. 1947
HISTORIC RECORDINGS HRCD0004 [56:06]
Elizabeth
Schwarzkopf sings Medtner
Elizabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano) Nicolai Medtner (piano) rec. 1950
HISTORIC RECORDINGS HRCD0007 [31:44]
[RB]
Although
the present discs have all the marks of a home-grown project the value
of what they have done is undoubted.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) String Quartets 2 & 5 Luigi
BOCCHERINI (1743-1805) String Quartets
New Music Qt rec. 1954-5
PRISTINE AUDIO XR PACM069 [61:34 + 51:40]
[JW]
We
can listen with enthusiasm and admiration to these highly accomplished
performances.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Concertos 1 & 2 for 2 Pianos
Aglika Genova, Liuben Dimitrov (pianos) Münchner RSO/Ulf Schirmer, rec.
2009
CPO 777 463-2 [74:29]
[GD]
This
is music to just enjoy rather than to ponder at length.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Symphonies 1-5, Overtures, Die Erste Walpurgisnacht
Vienna PO/Christoph von Dohnányi rec. 1976-79
DECCA 478 2366 [4 CDs: 256:55]
[JS]
Clean,
dramatic and well-considered performances and recordings.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Sechs Präludien und Fugen, Ouvertüre zum Sommernachtstraum, Andante
con Variazioni, Andante und Allegro assai vivace
Mi-Joo Lee, Klaus Hellwig (piano) rec. 2010
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 90416536 
[74:45] [DC]
Technically
flawless and very sensitively performed.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847)
String Quartet 6 see HAYDN
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Symphony
3 see Beecham
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin Concerto see
TCHAIKOVSKY
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin
concerto
see
Menuhin & Enescu
Gian
Carlo MENOTTI (1911
- 2007) The Consul, Amelia al ballo
Patricia
Neway (soprano) Margherita Carosio (soprano) Ch & O La Scala Milan/Nino
Sanzogno rec. 1950/4
NAXOS 8.112023-24 [69:01 + 75:18]
[GF]
Good
to have both recordings back in the catalogue and they should be attractive
to a lot of opera lovers.
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992) Livre du Saint-Sacrement
Paul
Jacobs (organ) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572436-37 [48:48 + 52:37]
[DC]
Must-have
Messiaen and a fine recording and performance.
John
METCALF (b. 1947) Paths of Song
Eleanor Turner (harp) Nicola Thomas (cello) David Campbell (clarinet)
Philippa Davies (flute) Solstice Qt, Sacconi Qt, rec. 2009
SIGNUM SIGCD203 [56:51]
[MS]
A
collection of quietly and unassumingly substantial chamber works by
Welsh composer John Metcalf not otherwise available; well interpreted
by soloists and string quartets.
Darius
MILHAUD (1892-1974) Sonatina, Duo Concertant see
French
Clarinet Rhapsody
Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567-1643) Vespro della Beata Vergine
Nicholas Mulroy, Thomas Hobbs (ten.) Ch. of New College Oxford, Charivari
Agréable/Edward Higginbottom rec. 2009
NOVUM NCR 1382 [57:30 + 33:02]
[MG]
A
distinctive Vespers with some winning features.
Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567-1643)
Vespro della Beata Vergine, Magnificat a 6
Seraphic Fire and Western Michigan University Chorale/Patrich Dupré
Quigley rec. 2009
SERAPHIC FIRE MEDIA SFM107 [77:55]
[DC]
A
remarkably fine supplementary version.
Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567-1643)
Orfeo Giovanni GABRIELI
(c.1554/7–1612) 3 pieces
Gino Sinemberghi (tenor) Uta Graf (soprano) Wiener Singakedemie, Vienna
SO/Paul Hindemith rec.1954
MUSIC AND ARTS CD-1237 [56:20 + 52:39]
[JW]
Bears
the whiff of something new, and exploratory.
Peter
MORHARD (d. 1685) Complete Organ Works see
SCHILDT
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART (1756-1791)
Piano Concertos - Volume 1 Concertos 24-27
Vassily Primakov (piano) Odense SO/Scott Yoo rec. 2008/9
BRIDGE 9328A/B [63:54 + 62:46]
[OL]
Primakov’s
uniquely lyrical approach - brilliant yet emotional, light yet profound.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791)
Opera and Concert Arias
Véronique Gens (soprano) O Age of Enlightenment/Ivor Bolton rec.
1998
VIRGIN CLASSICS 6286332 [59:29]
[WH]
A
splendid recital of Mozart arias from a magnificent French soprano and
a superb English orchestra and conductor.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Die Zauberflöte
Edith
Mathis; Karin Ott; Janet Perry; Anna Tomowa-Sintow; Agnes Baltsa; Deutschen
Oper Ch Berlin, Berlin PO/Herbert von Karajan rec. 1980
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9115 [69:54 + 81:24]
[MC]
I
remain greatly impressed with this reissued set.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Idomeneo
re di Creta
Christian Elsner, Danish Ntl Ch, Danish Radio Sinf/Adam Fischer rec.2005
DACAPO
6.220586-89
[4 CDs: 57:50 + 42:41 + 73:05 + 13:37]
[GD]
Historically
astute, sensitive and absorbing … recorded to the highest of modern
standards and beautifully presented.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Così fan Tutte
Stuart Burrows (tenor) Thomas Allen (baritone) Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano)
Ch & O Royal Opera House/Colin Davis rec. 1981
OPUS ARTE OACD9005D [3 CDs: 45:55 + 68:09 + 58:56]
[RMo]
An
attractive set, not in the very best sound but nonetheless a really
satisfying souvenir of a great night at the opera.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Violin Concerto 5 see
BEETHOVEN
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Georg MUFFAT
(1653-1704)
Toccatas for organ see A
Virtuoso Faceoff
Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931) Flute concerto see LIEBERMANN
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Arne NORDHEIM (1931-2010) String Quartet see BEETHOVEN
Per
NØRGÅRD (b.
1932) A Light Hour
Percurama Percussion Ens/Gert Mortensen rec. 2009
DACAPO 8.226100 [59:34]
[DM]
Ease
and elegance … I daresay you’ll be coming back for more.
Johannes
OCKEGHEM (1400/1421–1497) Missa de plus en plus; Chansons
Orlando
Consort rec. 1996
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94073 [72.42]
[RH]
A
superb recording of the mass and if you can live with the chansons,
then I would go for it.
Niccolò
PAGANINI (1782-1840)
Kreisler Arrangements
Philippe Quint (violin); Dmitry Cogan (piano) rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.570703 [60:15]
[BR]
Familiar
repertoire heard in a new light, but mainly for connoisseurs.
Bartłomiej
PĘKIEL (d.1670)
Missa Brevis, Missa Pulcherrima, Motets
Il Canto/Michał Straszewski rec. 1996-2009
DUX 0726 [61.43]
[GH]
Some
fine music here - an interesting disc but probably one for the specialists.
Krzysztof
PENDERECKI
(b.1933)
Credo, Cantata in honorem
Warsaw PO & Ch/Antoni Wit rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572032 [56:27]
[BBr]
Bold
choral writing.
Astor
PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) Astor Piazzolla’s Best Tangos
Aquiles
Delle-Vigne (piano), rec. 1989
NAXOS 8.572331 [63:46]
[DM]
Major
disappointments are rare, but this is one of them.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Astor PIAZZOLLA
(1921
- 1992) Sinfonia Buenos Aires, Aconcagua, Las Cuatro Estanciones
Porteñas
Daniel Binelli (bandoneón), Tianwa Yang (violin) Nashville SO/Giancarlo
Guerrero rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572271 [79:38]
[BBr]
A
very exciting issue.
Enno
POPPE (b. 1969) Interzone
Omar Ebrahim (voice) Neue Vocasolisten ensemble mosaik/Jonathan Stockhammer,
rec. 2004
KAIROS 0012552KAI [76:42]
[SV]
I
would have trouble sitting through it.
David
POPPER (1843-1913)
Hungarian
Rhapsody see Portrait
Francis
POULENC
(1899-1963)
Flute sonata, Oboe sonata, Clarinet sonata, Trio, Sextet
Ensemble 360 rec. 2008
NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6121 [70:19]
[OL]
Ideal
performances for this wonderfully buoyant music.
Francis
POULENC Clarinet Sonata see A
Touch of France
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) Flute Sonata (orch. L. Berkeley) see
LIEBERMANN
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) Clarinet Sonata see
French
Clarinet Rhapsody
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Concertino see
reVISIONS
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Sonata for Two Violins see
Nadien
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giacomo PUCCINI (1858–1924)
La Rondine
Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, Metropolitan Opera Ch & O/Marco
Armiliato rec. 2009
EMI CLASSICS
6316189 [114:00 + 8:00 bonus]
[GF][IL]
Absolutely
enchanting. [GF] Sheer joy - this is a wonderful, practically peerless
production of Puccini’s long-neglected La Rondine. [IL]
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858 – 1924) Tosca
Carmen Melis, Piero Pauli, Apollo Granforte, Ch & O La Scala, Milan/Carlo
Sabajno rec. 1929-30
PRISTINE AUDIO PACO047 [43:46 + 63:19]
[GF]
A
version well worth owning.
Giacomo
PUCCINI
(1858–1924) La
Bohème
Katia Ricciarelli (soprano) José Carreras (tenor) Ch & O Royal Opera
House, Covent Garden/Sir Colin Davis rec. 1979
DECCA 478 2494 [52:34 + 53:16]
[GF]
Not
a top contender but well worth hearing, especially for the lovely Mimi
of Ricciarelli and Carreras’s ardent singing has its thrill.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV
(1873-1943) Vocalise see Portrait
L'Egyptienne
Jean-Philippe
RAMEAU (1683-1764) L'Entretien des Muses; Suites
Jean-Henry d'ANGLEBERT (1635-1691) Chaconne
de Phaeton
Assi Karttunen (harpsichord) rec. 2008-2009
ALBA ABCD 290 [69:53]
[JV]
An
enjoyable and captivating survey of Rameau's development as a composer
for the keyboard.
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Deux mélodies
hébraïques see reVISIONS
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Rapsodie espagnole
see York2
Maurice
RAVEL (1875–1937) String Quartet see Rhythm
and Texture
Konstanty REGAMEY (1907-1982) Quintet
see KOFFLER
Marty
REGAN (b.1958?) Forest Whispers - Selected Works
for Japanese Instruments, Vol. 1)
Asako Hisatake (cello) Reiko Kimura, Sahoko Nozawa (koto) Yasuko Furuse
(piano) Seizan Sakata (shakuhachi) Tetsuya Nozawa (shamisen) Kaho Tosha
(tsuzumi) Kioko Miki (violin) rec. 2008
NAVONA NV5831 [61:45]
[RB]
A
very pleasurable meditative yet vitality-renewing experience warmly
put across.
Rolf
RIEHM
(b.
1937)
Die Tränen des Gletschers, Nuages immortels, Berceuse
SWR SO Baden-Baden und Freiburg/Hans Zender, Michael Gielen, Carmen-Maria
Cârneci, Tobias Wahren rec. 1989-2007
TELOS MUSIC TLS128 [62:42]
[HC]
Riehm’s
idiosyncratic orchestral music in fine performances and a very nice
recording.
Nikolai
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908)
May Night
Vitaly Taraschenko (tenor) Natalia Erasova (mezzo) Marina Lapina (soprano)
Sveshnikov Academic Ch, Bolshoi Theatre O/Andrey Chistiakov rec. 1995
BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 94036 [65:10 + 58:30]
[DM]
I
can’t remember an opera recording that fails so miserably – and on so
many levels – as this one.
Johan
Helmich ROMAN
(1694 - 1758) Drottningholmsmusiken - Music for a
Royal Wedding
Ensemble 1700 Lund/Göran Karlsson rec. 2010
CPO 7775892 [62:12]
[JV]
This
recording could be pretty close to the way the Drottningholmsmusiken
were played under the direction of the composer himself.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gioachino ROSSINI
(1792-1868)
Ermione
Carmen Giannattasio (soprano) Patricia Bardon (mezzo) Colin Lee (tenor)
Paul Nillon (tenor) Geoffrey Mitchell Ch, London PO/David Parry rec.
2009
OPERA RARA ORC42 [64.47+69.35]
[RJF]
A
quality performance of one of the rarest and most distinctive of Rossini’s
opera seria composed for Naples.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gioacchino ROSSINI
(1792-1868)
Stabat Mater
Anna Netrebko, Joyce DiDonato, Lawrence Brownlee, Ildebrando d’Arcangelo,
Ch & O Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia/Antonio Pappano rec.
2010
EMI CLASSICS 6405292 [57:57]
[ST]
Magnificent.
The Stabat Mater projected as a work of red-blooded Italian passion,
a natural successor to Rossini’s operas.
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868)
Otello
Michael Spyres (tenor) Jessica Pratt (soprano) Virtuosi Brunensis/Antonio
Fogliani rec. live 2008
NAXOS OPERA CLASSICS 8.660275-76 [68.56 + 79.34]
[RJF]
Another
worthy addition to the Naxos recordings of rare Rossini operas from
Bad Wildbad.
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) L’Italiana in Algeri
Marianna Pizzolato, Lawrence Brownlee, Lorenzo Regazzo, Transylvania
State PCh, Virtuoso Brunensis/Alberto Zedda rec. 2008
NAXOS OPERA CLASSICS 8.660284-85 [68.57 + 67.17]
[RJF]
Perhaps
the best of the many Naxos recordings of Rossini operas from Bad Wildbad
Christopher
ROUSE (b.1949) Wolf Rounds see Wolf
Rounds
Anton
RUBINSTEIN
(1829 – 1894) Piano Trios 1-5
Edlian Piano Trio rec. 2007
METRONOME METCD1081 [79:55 + 78:41]
[NB]
Such
conviction and skill. If you have any interest in Romantic Piano Trios
this set is well worth investigating.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jesús RUEDA
(b.
1961) Symphony 3, Imaginary Journey
Asturias SO/Maximiano Valdés rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572417 [51:26]
[ST]
Dazzling,
cathartic music in an exultant performance.
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for alphabetical listings by composer:
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1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R] [Part
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