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Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Symphonies, Piano and Violin Concertos 
Ulf Hoelscher (violin) Gabriel Tacchino (piano), Ntl O l’ORTF/Jean
Martinon, New PO/Pierre Dervaux, Radio O Luxembourg/Louis de Froment
rec. 1972-77
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 92777 [6 CDs: 449:45] 
[RB]
Much
pleasure is to be derived from these inexpensive discs.
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Introduction and Rondo
Capriccioso see LALO
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS Clarinet Sonata see
A
Touch of France
Philip
SAWYERS
(b. 1951) The
Gale of Life, Symphonic Music for Strings and Brass, Symphony 1
Grand
Rapids Symphony/David Lockington rec. 2002-8
NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6129 [63:38] 
[WH]
Something
out of the ordinary – brilliantly written and brilliantly performed.
Melchior
SCHILDT (1592-1667) & Peter
MORHARD (d. 1685) Complete Organ Works
Friedhelm Flamme (organ) rec. 2007
CPO 777 343-2 
[69:35] [JvV]
The
complete organ works by two masters from the North-German organ school
- the performances are good, but could do with a little more freedom.
Arnold
SCHOENBERG (1874-1951)
Suite for Klavier, Klavierstücken Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Fantasien, Variations and Fugue on a Theme
of Handel
Shai Wosner (piano) rec. 2010
ONYX 4055 [70:43]
[GD]
Wosner
has done both composers a service with this recording, but in the long
run Schoenberg is going to come off better for his attentions.
Arnold
SCHOENBERG
(1874-1951)
String Quartets 3 & 4, Phantasy
Fred Sherry String Qt, Rolf Schulte (violin) Christopher Oldfather (piano)
rec. 2005
NAXOS 8.557533 [74:51]
[GD]
A
worthy addition to the Schoenberg discography and another demonstration
of the extent to which American instrumentalists dominate the performance
of Schoenberg’s chamber music.
Arnold
SCHOENBERG Gurrelieder,
orchestral works see
Second Viennese School
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Impromptus
Andrea Lucchesini (piano) rec. 2009
AVIE RECORDS AV2179 [67:55]
[BR]
A
true keyboard poet returns from obscurity for this superb recital.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Dunkel oder Licht
Cornelius
Hauptmann (bass); Eric Schneider (piano) rec. 1996
CARUS-VERLAG 83.359 [59:34]
[WH]
Schubert
reflecting on mortality, in this sombre but highly satisfying recital.
Franz
SCHUBERT
(1797-1828)
Symphonies 5 & 8, Rosamunde
O Age of Enlightenment/Sir Charles Mackerras rec. 1992
VIRGIN CLASSICS 6286052 [74:01]
[BR]
Superb
performances, in a redundant reissue.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Trout Quintet, Wanderer
Fantasy
Sviatoslav Richter (pno), Borodin Qt, George Hörtnagel (double-bass),
rec. 1963/80
EMI CLASSICS 6318102 [64:57] 
[RMo]
A
classic performance to live with, combining elegance with profundity.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Impromptus & Dances
Vassily Primakov (piano) rec. 2009
BRIDGE 9327 [76:22]
[OL]
The
disc is good but not extraordinary.
Franz
SCHUBERT
(1797-1828) Fantasia, Variations, Rondo, Duo
Irena Kofman, André de Groote (piano) rec. 2008
TALENT DOM 2911 119 [64:43]
[OL]
Not
everything comes alive.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Arpeggione sonata see
Cello
Rhapsody
Clara
Wieck SCHUMANN (1819-1896) Concerto Movement see
Robert
SCHUMANN
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Robert SCHUMANN
(1810-1856)
Carnaval, Davidsbündlertänze
Alessandra Ammara (piano) rec. 2010
ARTS 47755-8
[69:22]
[DC]
Eternally
fascinating and really rather special.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano Concerto, Introduction &
Allegros Clara Wieck SCHUMANN (1819-1896)
Concerto Movement
Oleg Marshev (piano) S. Jutland SO/Vladimir Ziva rec. 2009
DANACORD DACOCD688 [73:41]
[JF]
Extremely
successful.
Robert
SCHUMANN
(1810-1856) Papillons, Waldszenen Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Klavierstücke
Dejan Lazic (piano) rec. 2007
CHANNEL CLASSICS
CCSSA27609 [67:32]
[JW]
This
is a paradoxical recital.
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Violin sonatas
Ensemble Villa Musica, rec. 2009
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 304 1647-2 [76:09]
[DC]
Superb
musicality, showing plenty of light and shade, a deep sense of commitment
and communication.
Heinrich
SCHÜTZ (1585
- 1672) Schütz Edition - Vol. 4 Anderer Theil kleiner
geistlichen Concerten, Musikalische Exequien, Musicalia
ad chorum sacrum, das ist Geistliche Chor-Music
Cappella Augustana/Matteo Messori rec. 2008
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93972 [5 CDs & CD-ROM: 260:17]
[RH]
At
Brilliant’s prices it is easy enough to buy the set and dip in.
The performances may sometimes be ordinary, but the music never fails
to astonish.
Rodion
SHCHEDRIN (b.1932) Concertos for Orch. 4 & 5, Kristallene
Gusli
Bournemouth SO/Kirill Karabits, rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572405 [58:51]
[OL]
You
will be glad that you took this endless Russian road.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975)
Symphony 10
Royal Liverpool PO/Vasily Petrenko rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572461 [52:11]
[JQ]
Another
fine instalment in what is shaping up to be a distinguished cycle of
the Shostakovich symphonies.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Lady Macbeth of
Mtsensk District
Maria Ewing (soprano) Aage Haugland (bass) Philip Langridge (tenor)
Ch & O de l’Opera Bastille/Myung-Whun Chung rec. 1992
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4779118 [79:13 + 76:19]
[GF]
Chung
with his more sober approach is convincing and misses nothing of the
raw power of this patchy but fascinating work.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Cello sonata see
Cello
Rhapsody
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Karelia Suite, Four Legends from the Kalevala,
The Bard, En Saga, The Tempest Overture, The Oceanides, Nightride
and Sunrise
Helsinki RSO/Okko Kamu, Bayerischen RSO/Eugen Jochum rec. 1955-75
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON ELOQUENCE 480 3297 [61:06 + 54:00]
[RB]
Will
appeal to LP era nostalgiacs and the wider constituency of Sibelius
fans.
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Violin Concerto, The Bard,
The Wood Nymph
Frank Peter Zimmermann (violin) Helsinki PO/John Storgårds rec. 2008/10
ONDINE
ODE1147-2 [62:57] [RB]
A
good mix and a very good recording of the concerto.
Jean
SIBELIUS
(1865-1957)
The Sibelius Edition - Vol. 11: Choral Music
YL Male Voice Ch, Orphei Drängar, Akademiska Sångföreningen, Jubilate
Ch, Dominante Ch, Florakören, Folke Gräsbeck, Ilmo Ranta (piano) rec.
1996-2009
BIS BISCD1930-32 [6 CDs: 437:34]
[RB]
A
full musical experience - some modest and some much more - but all the
music is aptly, and even fervently, communicated.
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Symphonies 4 & 6, Luonnotar
Helmi
Liukkonen, Finnish Ntl O/Georg Schneevoigt rec. 1934
HISTORIC RECORDINGS HRCD0006 [69:27] 
[RB]
Bullion
indeed from Schneevoigt, that fabled Sibelius champion of the 1930s
Emil
SJÖGREN (1853-1918) Songs
Katarina Pilotti (sop.) Kristina Balstedt Tyrenius (piano) rec. 2009-10
STERLING
CDA1669-2 [71:37] [RB]
A
professionally presented recital disc of unusual and engaging repertoire
which in years to come will be recognised as a classic.
Leo
SMIT (1900-1943) & Alexander
TANSMAN (1897-1986) Chamber music
Rachel Talitman (harp) Marcos Fregnani-Martins (flute) Jean-Luc Votano
(clarinet) Trio Abocalips, Qt Ardente rec. 2010
HARP & COMPANY CD-5050-21 [72:42]
[JW]
These
near contemporaries share a gravitational pull toward Paris.
John
Philip SOUSA
(1854-1932) Works for Wind Band - Vol. 8
Royal Artillery Band/Keith Brion rec. 2005
NAXOS 8.559248 [58:48]
[RW]
Good
performance and excellent sound to match the colour of these sturdy
pieces
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Paul STANHOPE
(b.
1969) Songs for the Shadowland - Vocal Music
Southern Cross Soloists; Cantillation, Sydney Chamber Ch/Paul Stanhope;
Gondwana Voices/Lyn Williams rec. 2005-9
ABC CLASSICS 476 3870 [66:27]
[WH]
Real
music, brilliantly written for voices, beautiful and moving; not to
be missed.
The
best of Josef
STRAUSS
Slovak State PO/Alfred Walter, Michael Dittrich, Christian Pollack
NAXOS
8.556846 [78:09]
[JS]
Naxos
have done both composers a real service by issuing these discs.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Ariadne on Naxos, Suite from Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
Christine
Brewer (soprano) Scottish CO/Sir Richard Armstrong rec. 2010
CHANDOS OPERA IN ENGLISH CHAN3168(2) [75:11 + 77:43]
[ST]
Unless
you’re entirely allergic to opera in English this set will give
you a great deal of pleasure.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864
- 1949) Great Strauss Scenes (from Salome,
Elekta, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Capriccio)
Christine Brewer (soprano); Eric Owens (bass-baritone) Atlanta SO/Donald
Runnicles rec. 2009
TELARC 31755-02 [59:10]
[DH]
Brewer’s
main success here is to evoke Elektra’s brief transition from
mental anguish to hope. This she does with total security and tonal
beauty, even as she digs into the darkest colours.
Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Also sprach Zarathustra; Don
Juan; Till Eulenspiegel; Metamorphosen; Tod und Verklärung
Staatskapelle Dresden/Herbert Blomstedt rec. 1987/89
DAL SEGNO DSPRCD050 [51:19 + 68.16]
[TB]
This
set contains much of Strauss’s finest orchestral music, and these reissues
from the 1980s find the Dresden orchestra and Herbert Blomstedt at the
peak of their form.
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) The Fairy's Kiss, Scènes de
ballet
BBC Scottish SO/Ilan Volkov, rec. 2008
HYPERION CDA67697 [58:35]
[SV]
A
strong Scènes de ballet, with Craft's Naxos album of The Fairy's Kiss
as a low-cost supplement.
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882
- 1971) The Rake’s Progress
Robert Lloyd (bass) Dawn Upshaw (soprano) Jerry Hadley (tenor) Samuel
Ramey (baritone) Grace Bumbry (mezzo) Ch & O l’Opera National
de Lyon/Kent Nagano rec. 1995/6
WARNER CLASSICS 2564 681380 [69:40 + 67:45]
[GF]
A
highly recommendable recording and now that it has been issued in the
super-budget price range it would be close to criminal not to purchase
it.
Igor
STRAVINSKY Le sacre du
printemps see
York2
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Josef SUK (1874-1935) Meditation
on the Old Czech Hymn St. Wenceslas see
HAYDN
Alexander
TANSMAN (1897-1986) Chamber music see SMIT
Piotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Violin Concerto Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Violin Concerto
Georg Kulenkampff (violin) Berlin Deutsches Opernhaus O/Artur Rother
Berlin PO/Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt rec. 1935/9
DUTTON CDBP9800 [67:53]
[JW]
An
eminently reliable artist who seldom had an off-day in the studio.
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) 12 Fantasias; Suite
Heinz Holliger (oboe) Klaus Thunemann (bassoon) Christiane Jaccottet
(harpsichord)
REGIS RRC1343 [70:00]
[GD]
A
masterly Telemann programme.
Stevan
Kovacs TICKMAYER (b.1963)
Eight Hymns in memoriam Andrei Tarkovsky see
Hymns
and Prayers
Calliope
TSOUPAKI (b.
1963) St Luke Passion (2008)
Egidius Kwartet; Ioannis Arvanitis Byzantine Choir; Nieuw Ens/Ed Spanjaard
rec. live, 2008
ET’CETERA KTC1402 [76:40]
[HC]
A
deeply felt and sincere work that deserves to be heard.
Joaquin
TURINA (1882-1949) Piano Music - Vol. 6
Jordi Masó (piano) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572141 [71.01]
[GH]
Especially
revealing, enjoyable and interesting.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
(1872-1958) The Collector’s Edition
Various artists rec. 1965-95
EMI CLASSICS 2066362 [30 CDs: 34 hrs]
[RB]
There
is nothing like this anywhere and hardly a single dud in the collection.
Any serious explorer who has not amassed many of these works already
should get this and begin a journey of discovery.
Ian
VENABLES
(b.1955)
Songs
Andrew Kennedy (tenor)
Iain Burnside (piano) Richard Hosford (clarinet) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572514 [66:04]
[JF]
An
ideal presentation of Ian Venables’ music that is essential to all enthusiasts
of English music in general and English lieder in particular.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giuseppe VERDI
(1813-1901) Falstaff
Christopher Purves, Glyndebourne Ch, London PO/Vladimir Jurowski rec.
2009
OPUS ARTE OA1021D 
[136.00]
[MM-B]
An
exceptionally fine cast and truly great performance.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901)
Arias
Sondra Radvanovsky (soprano) Academy of Vocal Arts, Moscow; Philharmonia
of Russia/Orbelian rec. 2008
DELOS DE3404 [61:38]
[RMo]
This
incredible voice recalls the glory days of Verdi sopranos of the 1950s.
Tomás
Luis de VICTORIA (1548 - 1611) 18 Tenebrae Responsoria
Musica
Ficta/Raúl Mallavibarrena rec. 2009
ENCHIRIADIS EN2029 [58:00]
[JV]
Emotional
and sometimes dramatic reading of Victoria's Tenebrae Responsories.
Tomas
Luis de VICTORIA
(1548–1611) Salve
Regina and other sacred music
Pro Cantione Antiqua, London Cornett and Sackbut Ens/Bruno Turner rec.
1978
DAS ALTE WERK 2564 68361-7 [65.12]
[RH]
Do
try this. I don’t think you will be disappointed.
Henri
VIEUXTEMPS (1820-1881) Violin Concerto 5 see
LALO
Antonio
VIVALDI
(1678-1741)
Mandolin
and Lute Concertos
L’Arte dell’ Arco/Federico Guglielmo rec. 2009, DDD.
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93810 [68:46]
[MG]
Fresh,
direct, closely recorded virtuoso interpretations.
Anton
WEBERN Orchestral Pieces see
Second Viennese School
Charles-Marie
WIDOR (1844-1937)
Chansons de mer and other songs
Michael Bundy (baritone) Jeremy Filsell (piano) rec. 2003/5
NAXOS 8.572345 [62:53]
[WK]
Interesting,
if not fascinating music, from an obscure corner of the composer’s
workshop. Very sensitively performed overall.
The
best of
Carl Michael ZIEHER
Slovak State PO/Alfred Walter, Michael Dittrich, Christian Pollack
NAXOS
8.5556848 [80:13]
[JS]
Naxos
have done both composers a real service by issuing these discs.
Click
for alphabetical listings by composer:
[Part
1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R] [Part
5 S-Z]
[Part 6 Misc A-L] [Part
7 Misc M-Z]
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