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Francesca
CACCINI (1587 – c.1641) O viva rosa 
Shannon Mercer (sop.) Amanda Keesmaat (cello) Sylvain Bergeron (theorbo,
guitar) Luc Beauséjour (harpsichord, organ) rec. 2009
ANALEKTA AN 2 9966 [61:54] 
[JV]
Shannon
Mercer's performances of Francesca Caccini's music are excellent, but
some aspects of this recording are questionable and the production is
careless.
Ernest
CHAUSSON (1855-1899)
Poème de l’amour et de la mer, String Quartet, Chanson
Perpétuelle
Salomé Haller (soprano); Nicolas Kruger (piano) Quatuor Manfred
rec.
2009 ZIG-ZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT100402 [65:39]
[NB]
Well
recorded and produced, well thought out and in the main well performed.
Marc-Antoine
CHARPENTIER (1634-1704) Médée Suite see
RAMEAU
Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Late Masterpieces
Stephen Hough (piano) rec. 2009
HYPERION CDA67764 [73:08]
[JW]
Artful
and sympathetic, avoiding excess and celebrating measured lyricism.
Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Piano Concerto 2 see SCHUMANN
Domenico
CIMAROSA (1749-1801) Requiem
Adriana Kucerová (sop.) Terézia Kružliaková (alto) L’udovit Ludha (ten.)
Gustáv Belácek (bass) Trinity & Lúcnica Ch, Capella Istropolitana/Kirk
Trevor, rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572371 [51:45] 
[J-PJ]
A
rather flat affair ... instantly forgettable
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Aaron
COPLAND (1900-1990) Clarinet Concerto see
ALDRIDGE
François
COUPERIN (1668-1733) L’Apothéose
de Lully, Les Nations
English CO/Raymond Leppard Jacobean Ens/Thurston Dart rec. 1962/6
DECCA ELOQUENCE 4802372 [75:48]
[TB]
Well
played performances from the 1960s of music by one of the great baroque
masters still sound well today though supplanted by more recent recordings.
Carl
CZERNY
(1791-1857) Piano Sonatas - Volume 2
Martin Jones (piano) rec. 2008/9
NIMBUS NI 5863/64 [68:45 + 65:24] 
[JW]
Quite
simply exemplary and splendidly recorded as well
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Benjamin DALE
(1885-1943) Sonata William HURLSTONE
(1876-1906) Sonata
Mark Bebbington (piano) rec. 2006
SOMM SOMMCD 097 [79:30]
[JF]
Two
of the greatest twentieth century British piano sonatas stunningly played
and beautifully recorded.
Jean-Yves
DANIEL-LESUR (1908-2002) Suite Médiévale see
ROPARTZ
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Violin Sonata see FAURÉ
Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934) Violin Sonatas 2 & 3 John
IRELAND (1879-1962) Cello Sonata, Violin Sonata 2
Roger Chase (viola) Michiko Otaki (pno), rec. 2009
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX7250 [70:06]
[RB]
A
harvest of touchingly successful Tertis arrangements.
Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934) A Late Lark see
FINZI
Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1848) L’Elisir d’Amore
Mariella Devia, Roberto Alagna, Tallis Chamber Ch, English CO/Marcello
Viotti, rec. 1992
WARNER CLASSICS 2564 681478 [73:11 + 56:08] 
[JS]
Enjoyable
with the special appeal of two young and fresh-sounding principals.
Pascal
DUSAPIN (b. 1955) Seven Solos for Orchestra
Liège Wallonie Bruxelles PO/Pascal Rophé rec. 2008-09
NAÏVE MO782180 [48:09 + 42:23]
[HC]
Dusapin’s
large-scale orchestral cycle in committed, superbly recorded performances.
Antonin
DVORÁK
(1841-1904) String Quartets 9 & 14
Wihan Qt rec. 2010
NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6115 [67:30]
[GD]
Impeccable
refinement.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Symphony 6 Josef SUK (1874-1935)
Sokol March, Serenade
Czech PO/Václav Talich rec. 1938
NAXOS 8.112050 [78:35]
[JW]
Talich
is the fulcrum, the animating spirit that releases buoyant musicality.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841–1904)
Symphony 9 Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Symphony 4
Royal Albert Hall O/Sir Landon Ronald, rec. 1925 & 1927
HISTORIC RECORDINGS HRCD00040 [75:41]
[JW]
Historically
important recordings … very well worthy of investigation
Antonín
DVOŘÁK
(1841-1904)
Symphonies 8 & 9, The Noon-Day Witch, In Nature’s
Realm
Vienna PO/Seiji Ozawa rec. 1991/2
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802003 [49:50 + 59:40]
[BR]
Not
challenging the best, but nothing wrong here either.
Sir
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Violin Concerto William
WALTON (1902-1983) Violin Concerto
Salvatore Accardo (violin) London SO/Richard Hickox rec. 1991
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9173 [77:01]
[RB]
Inspiring
playing from Accardo and colleagues matched with a refined yet leonine
recording.
Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Violin Sonata 1 Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Violin Sonata Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Violin Sonata 1
Jascha Heifetz (violin) Emanuel Bay (pno), rec. 1936/50
IDIS 6591 [55:29]
[JW]
Shows
Heifetz at his mature peak.
Gerald
FINZI (1901-1956) Dies Natalis Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) Les Illuminations, 4 chansons françaises
Frederick DELIUS (1862-1934) A
Late Lark
Susan Gritton (sop.) BBC SO/Edward Gardner rec. 2009
CHANDOS CHAN 10590 [68:15]
[JQ]
Something
of a mixed bag
John
FOULDS (1880-1939)
Keltic Overture & Suite, Sicilian Aubade, Isles of Greece, Holiday
Sketches, An Arabian Night, Suite Fantastique
BBC Concert O/Ronald Corp rec. 2010
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX7252 [68:06]
[RB]
A
splendid and enjoyable addition to the light music catalogue.
Jean
FRANÇAIX (1912-1997) Quintet 1 for flute, harp & string
trio see ROPARTZ
Carlo
Giorgio GAROFALO (1886-1962) Violin Concerto; Romantic
Symphony
Sergei Stadler (violin), New Moscow Symphony/Joel Spiegelman rec. 1999
NAXOS
8.570877 [70:27]
[NB][RB]
So
with inadequate notes, acceptable engineering, uninspiring interpretations
(Sergei Stadler honourably excepted) and music of modest quality this
is not a must buy [NB]. - This disc is not to be overlooked though the
Symphony is not the reason for chasing this one down [RB]
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gershwin
by Grofé: Symphonic Jazz
Lincoln Mayorga (piano) Al Gallodoro (alto saxophone/ clarinet/bass
clarinet) Harmonie Ens New York/Steven Richman rec. 2007
HARMONIA MUNDI HMU 907492 [54:46]
[JQ]
A
hugely entertaining and historically informed CD that’s a mandatory
purchase for all Gershwin fans
Armstrong
GIBBS (1889-1960)
Oboe Concerto Cyril SCOTT (1879-1970)
Oboe Concerto Christopher WRIGHT (b.1954)
Oboe Concerto Elis PEHKONEN (b.1942)
Amor Vincit Omnia
Jonathan Small (oboe/oboe d’amore) Royal Liverpool PO/Martin Yates
rec. 2010
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX7249 [66:35]
[RB]
A
most affecting disc from Dutton.
Armstrong
GIBBS (1889-1960)
Complete
works for violin and piano
Robert Atchison (violin) Olga Dudnik (piano) rec. 2010. DDD
GUILD GMCD7353 [72:08]
[RB]
This
is a lovely disc which will appeal to anyone who has any feeling for
Delius or pastoral Finzi or Milford or RVW in Lark Ascending mode.
Alberto
GINASTERA (1916-1983)
Estancia, Suite de Danzas Criollas, Panambí, Ollantay, Popol
Vuh
London SO, Jerusalem SO, BBC Ntl O Wales/Gisèle Ben-Dor rec.
1997-2006
NAXOS 8.570999 [72:51]
[HC]
A
generously filled release with fine performances.
Philip
GLASS (b. 1937) String Quartets 1-4
Carducci String Qt rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.559636 [64:16]
[NB]
The
comfy-armchair school of contemporary music.
Philip
GLASS (b.1937)
Music in Similar Motion, How Now, Music in Fifths
Steffen Schleiermacher (organ, piano) rec. 2008
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG6131600-2 [67:22]
[DC]
One
of the best of its kind.
Alexander
GLAZUNOV (1865-1936)
Violin Concerto Dimitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) Violin Concerto 1
Sasha Rozhdestvensky (violin) State Symphony Capella of Russia/Gennady
Rozhdestvensky rec. 2007
NIMBUS NI6123 [60:22]
[WH]
One
fine performance and one great one from a father and son team
Christoph
Willibald GLUCK (1714-1787) Blessed Spirit:
A Gluck Retrospective
Sophie Bevan, Ailish Tynan (sop.), Anna Stéphany (mezzo), Classical
Opera Co./Ian Page rec. 2010
WIGMORE HALL LIVE WHLIVE0037 [79:44]
[GD]
A
document of a performance to make you wish you'd been there.
André
GRÉTRY (1741-1813) Ballet Music
see RAMEAU
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Tommie HAGLUND
(b.1959)
Hymns to the Night, Daughter of the Voice,To the Sunset Breeze
Elizabeth Pitcairn (violin); Helsingborg SO/Hannu Koivula, John Mills
(guitar); Stephen Fitzpatrick (harp); Lysell Qt rec. 2009/10
PHONO SUECIA PSCD184 [79:48]
[NB]
What
a restoration of faith in the power of new music this disc gives me
– contemporary music that is complex, rewarding, moving and above all
human. My disc of the year without a doubt.
Naji
HAKIM (b.
1955) Påskeblomst, Organ concertos 1 & 3, Esquisses
Grégoriennes
Jan Lehtola (organ) St. Michel Strings/Petri Komulainen rec. 2008
ALBA ABCD285 
[76:43] [HC]
An
excellent introduction to Hakim’s attractive and accessible music.
George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Utrecht Te Deum, Utrecht Jubilate
see Music
for St Paul’s
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809)
Harpsichord Concerto, Violin Concerto, Double Concerto
Stefano Montanari (violin); Ottavo Dantone (harpsichord/dir) Accademia
Bizantina rec. 2009
L’OISEAU-LYRE 478 2243 [59:20]
[J-PJ]
The
two musicians are clearly as one in their appreciation of this music.
Franz
Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphonies 6-8
ASMF/Sir Neville Marriner rec. 1980
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802006 [59:21]
[JS]
Lively
and well considered
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809)
Piano Trios 18, 23, 28 & 39
Jean Fournier (violin); Antonio Janigro (cello); Paul Badura-Skoda (piano)
rec. c.1957
PRISTINE AUDIO XR PACM070 [53:56]
[JW]
This
welcome retrieval brings back to the catalogue an unjustly overlooked
trio whose collaborations merit admiration.
Hans
Werner HENZE (b. 1926) Apassionatamente plus
Alban BERG (1885-1935) Lulu-Suite
Julia
Bauer (soprano) Essener Philharmoniker/Stefan Soltesz rec. 2009/10
CYBELE 860.801
[54:54] [DC]
A
fine disc, though a cooler Berg than some
Recomposed
by Matthew
HERBERT (b.1972) Mahler Symphony X
with Michael Trabesinger (solo viola) Using: Philharmonia Orchestra/Giuseppe
Sinopoli
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 2734438 [37:30]
[DC]
Interesting,
but well flawed innit.
Alun
HODDINOTT (1929–2008)
Landscapes
Claire Booth (soprano) Nicky Spence (tenor) Jeremy Huw Williams (baritone)
Andrew Matthews-Owen (piano) Michael Pollock (piano) rec. 2010
BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY BMS437CD [60:07]
[HC]
A
most welcome addition to Hoddinott’s discography with a number of very
fine, often overlooked song-cycles
Vagn
HOLMBOE
(1909-1996) The
Complete String Quartets
Kontra Qt rec. 1992-2000
DACAPO 8.207001 [7 CDs: 472:00]
[RB]
Holmboe’s
quartets are one of the great treasures of the last century and one
that should endure for as long as audiences have even the slightest
of grip on an attention span.
Gustav
HOLST (1874–1934)
The Planets Nikolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
(1844–1908) Mlada – Suite
Philharmonia O/Yevgeny Svetlanov rec. 1991
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94044 [74:22]
[RB]
An
iconoclastically expansive Planets which allows for analytical clarity
and invites careful study.
Gustav
HOLST (1874-1934) The Planets, A Choral Fantasia etc.
EMI
CLASSICS 6278982 [75:22 + 70:55]
[BBr]
An
important re-issue which serves to show us just how fine a composer
Holst was.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH William HURLSTONE
(1876-1906) Sonata see DALE
John
IRELAND
(1879-1962) Piano Music Vol. 3
Mark Bebbington (piano) rec. 2008
SOMM SOMMCD099 [75:48]
[JF]
Bebbington
is essential listening
John
IRELAND (1879-1962) Violin Sonatas 1 & 2, Cello Sonata
Lucy
Gould (violin) Alice Neary (cello) Benjamin Frith (piano) rec. 2009
NAXOS
8.572497 [79:05]
[JF]
A
strong sense of place.
John
IRELAND (1879-1962) Cello Sonata, Violin Sonata 2 see
DELIUS
John
JEFFREYS (1927-2010)
The Far Country: 26 English Songs James Gilchrist (tenor); Anna
Tilbrook (piano) rec. 2005 DIVINE ART DDA25049 [69:28]
[JQ]
English
songs in the best traditions of the genre, excellently performed.
Joseph
JONGEN (1873–1953) Concertino for viola and piano, Introduction
et danse, Andante espressivo; Allegro appassionato see
KOECHLIN
Viktor
KALABIS (1923-2006)
Orchestral
and chamber works
Zuzana Ružicková (piano, harpsichord) Josef Suk (violin) Prague Chamber
Soloists; Vlach Qt; Suk Trio; Czech PO/Jirí Belohlávek; Zdenek Košler;
Václav Neumann; Karel Šejna rec. 1957-84
MSR CLASSICS MS1350 [3 CDs: 71:47 + 69:33 + 58:59]
[RB]
This
set of rare recordings of rewarding music is marked as a limited authorised
edition so do run it to ground before it disappears.
Charles
KOECHLIN (1857–1950) Viola Sonata, Quatres Petites Pièces
Joseph JONGEN (1873–1953) Concertino
for viola and piano, Introduction et danse, Andante espressivo; Allegro
appassionato
Roger Benedict (viola) Ben Jacks (horn) Timothy Young (piano) rec. 2009
MELBA
MR 301126
[68:36] [BBr]
A
very desirable issue.
Jaroslav
KRCEK (b. 1939) Symphony
5 see BRAHMS
Rued
LANGGAARD (1893-1952) Selected Organ Works
see NIELSEN
Jean
LANGLAIS (1907-1991)
Musique Vocale
Maîtrise des Bouches-du-Rhône/Samuel Coquard Marie-Louise
Langlais (organ) rec. 2007
SOLSTICE SOCD241 [56:40]
[JQ]
Lovers
of French choral music should investigate this enterprising issue.
Kenneth
LEIGHTON (1929-1988) Symphony 1, Piano Concerto 3
Howard Shelley (piano) (Concerto) BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Martyn
Brabbins rec. 2009
CHANDOS CHAN10608 [73:03]
[JF]
Well
done Chandos - I waited for 36 years and you have not disappointed me!
Peter
LIEBERSON
(b. 1946) Piano Concerto 2, Rilke Songs, Bagatelles,
Piano Quintet
Peter Serkin (piano) Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (mezzo) New York Phil/
James Conlon, Orion String Qt rec. 1985-2007
BRIDGE 9317 [68:20]
[LW]
Recommended
for the Piano Concerto and Rilke Songs
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886)
A Faust Symphony
Alexander Young (tenor) Beecham Ch Soc, Royal PO/Thomas Beecham rec.
1956
SOMM SOMMBEECHAM 25 [70:06]
[JW]
The
frisson of a live performance with tension set high.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886)
Complete Piano Works - Vol. 31: Bellini Operas
William
Wolfram (piano) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572241 [70:06]
[JS]
Well
filled, well arranged and good notes. If you are collecting the Naxos
Liszt series there is every reason to add this too.
Sergei
LYAPUNOV (1859-1924)
Violin Concerto, Symphony 1
Maxim Fedotov (violin) Russian PO/Dmitry Yablonsky rec. 2007
NAXOS DIGITAL 8.570462 
[64:06]
[BR]
A
very Russian symphony, but the concerto is the star.
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