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James
MacMILLAN (b. 1959) Sun-Dogs, Visitatio Sepulchri
Netherlands Radio Ch & Chamber Phil, Celso Antunes/James MacMillan
rec 2008/9
BIS BISSACD1719 [67:02] 
[JQ]
Two
highly contrasting choral works by an outstanding contemporary composer
in superb performances.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Elizabeth MACONCHY (1907-1994)
Three Preludes see British
Women Composers
Gustav MAHLER
(1860-1911) Symphony 3, Symphony 10 Adagio
Hildegard Rössl-Majdan (alto) Wiener Sängerknaben, Vienna SO/Charles
Adler rec. 1952/53
MUSIC & ARTS CD-1249 [66:00 + 67:05]
[JW]
Makes
big claims on the historically minded collector.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Bohuslav MARTINU
(1890-1959)
Le
Jour de Bonté (The Day of Charity)
Prague Chamber Ch, Pilsen PO/Milan Kanák rec. 2009
ARCO DIVA UP 6121-2 131 [73:16] 
[ST][RB]
A
delight. Charming and interesting and leaves you hungry for more. [ST]
One of the highlights and discoveries of the Martinu celebrations. [RB]
Bohuslav
MARTINU
(1890-1959) Sextet see KORNGOLD
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ (1890-1959)
Sinfonietta La Jolla in A for piano and chamber orchestra see
BEETHOVEN
Pietro
MASCAGNI (1863 – 1945) Cavalleria rusticana Ruggero
LEONCAVALLO (1857 – 1919) Pagliacci
Maria Callas (soprano) Giuseppe Di Stefano (tenor) Tito Gobbi (baritone)
Ch & O Teatro alla Scala/Tullio Serafin rec. 1953-4
EMI CLASSICS 6407222 [78:08 + 72:37]
[GF]
A
recording of Pagliacci to challenge even Cellini’s.
William
MATHIAS (1934–1992) Violin Sonatas
Sara Trickey (violin) Iwan Llewelyn-Jones (piano) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572292 [53:05]
[RB]
Recording
premieres of all three Mathias sonatas in performances that match sympathy
and passion with resourcefully imaginative writing.
Nicholas
MAW (b.1935)
Sonata
Notturna, Life Studies
Raphael Wallfisch (cello) English String O/William Boughton rec. 1995
NIMBUS
NI5471 [65:07] [RB]
Essential
recordings of Maw’s music for string orchestra.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Symphony 4, Overtures Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Die Zauberharfe Overture,
Rosamunde
Suisse Romande O/Ernest Ansermet rec. 1960/4
DECCA ELOQUENCE 4800382 [57:31 + 62:33]
[SV]
That
the recordings carry historic, documentary value is unquestionable;
that they might constitute essential consumer acquisitions is another
matter entirely, despite their incidental felicities.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Viola Sonata see Špelina
Gian
Carlo MENOTTI (1911-2007)
Amahl and the Night Visitors, Sebastian
Chet Allen (boy soprano) Rosemary Kuhlmann (soprano) unnamed O/Thomas
Schippers, Robin Hood Dell O Philadelphia/Dimitri Mitropoulos rec. 1946/51
NAXOS
8.111364 [63:06]
[WH]
A
delightful Christmas opera with the original 1951 television cast.
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992) Catalogue d’oiseaux
Momo Kodama (piano) rec. 2009
TRITON/OCTAVIA RECORDS OVCT-0060 [3 CDs: 158:37]
[DC]
Awe-inspiring
audiophile sonics, and only just short of being Messiaen nirvana.
Darius
MILHAUD (1892-1974) Milhaud conducts Milhaud
Les Quatre Saisons, Saudades do Brasil
Szymon Goldberg (violin) Ernst Wallfisch (viola) Geneviève Joy, Jacqueline
Bonneau (pianos) Maurice Suzan (trombone) Solistes des Concerts Lamoureux/Concert
Arts Orch/Darius Milhaud rec. 1956-58
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 272 [67:17]
[RB]
Delightful
tonal wares on display … lissom yet tangy character.
Ernest
John MOERAN
(1894-1950)
Complete Solo Folksong Arrangements
Adrian Thompson (tenor); Marcus Farnsworth (baritone); John Talbot (piano)
Members of the Weybridge Male Voice Choir/Christine Best
rec. 2010. DDD Full contents list at end review
BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY BMS438CD [65:38]
[NB]
A
success in every respect.
Bernhard
MOLIQUE (1802-1869) String Quartets 1 & 2
Mannheim String Qt rec. 2007
CPO 777 336-2 [75:14]
[Byz]
With
justifiably considerable enthusiasm the players perform both works beautifully,
with splendid intonation and perception.
Michel
Pignolet de MONTÉCLAIR (1667 - 1737) A la guerre!
- Concertos for transverse flute
Gabriele Cassone (natural trumpet) Antonio Frigé (harpsichord) Ens Pian
e Forte rec. 1998
DYNAMIC DM8004 [79:07]
[JV]
Arranging
Montéclair's flute music for the trumpet was not a good idea.
Xavier
MONTSALVATGE (1911-2002) Concertino 1 + 13, Tres postals;
il luminades see TOLDRA
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Complete works for violin
and orchestra
Julia Fischer (violin) Gordan Nikolic (violin, viola) Netherlands CO/Yakov
Kreizberg rec. 2005-7
PENTATONE PTC 5186 453
[3 CDs: 194:06 + DVD]
[JFL]
Near
the top of my Mozart heap — amid Mintz, Mutter, Kavakos and Zehetmair.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Die Entführung aus dem
Serail
Anneliese Rothenberger, Nicolai Gedda, Lucia Popp, Gerhard Unger, Gottlob
Frick, Wiener PO/Josef Krips rec. 1966
EMI CLASSICS 6407342 [36.58 + 77.19]
[DBe]
A
starry cast, with a classic performance from Gottlob Frick, achieving
not quite the sum of its parts.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concerto
23 see Great
Pianists
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Astor
PIAZZOLLA
(1921-1992) Tiempo
del Angel
Astoria
FUGA LIBERA FUG603 [51:30]
[DJB]
Unless
you have a complete aversion to the accordion and/or the tango, this
is wonderful.
Paolo
PEREZZANI (b 1955) Primavera dell’anima see DALLAPICCOLA
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Piano Concerto 3 Gustav
MAHLER (1850-1911) Symphony 1
Yuja Wang (piano) Lucerne Festival O/Claudio Abbado rec. 2009
EUROARTS 2057964 
[93:00]
[BW]
High-quality
performances very well presented – deserves to sell as well as its DVD
equivalent already has.
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Violin Concerto 2 Sergei
RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943) Symphonic Dances
Geneviève Laurenceau (violin) Capitole de Toulouse Ntl O/Tugan Sokhiev
rec. 2010
NAÏVE V5256[63:38] [RC]
This
disc offers perhaps the two most important Russian composers of the
20th century in equally compelling performances of major
works.
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Valery Gergiev – In Rehearsal
and In Concert Scythian Suite
Rotterdam PO/Valery Gergiev rec. 1997
KULTUR VIDEO D4570 
[1
DVD – Suite: 23:43; Documentary: 34:11]
[RC]
Fans
of Prokofiev and of this work as well as Gergiev mavens should find
this DVD of considerable interest.
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924)
Manon Lescaut
Maria Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Ch & O Teatro alla Scala/Tullio
Serafin rec. 1957
EMI CLASSICS 6407542 [76.23 + 44.12 + CD-ROM]
[DBe]
A
dramatic and engaging performance of an exciting opera. A few ‘raw’
patches notwithstanding this is a classic set.
Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695)
Dido and Aeneas, Z626
Solenn’ Lavanant Linke (mezzo) Yeree Suh (soprano) Alejandro Meerapfel
(baritone) Capella Mediterranea, Nouvelle Ménestrandie/Leonardo Garcia
Alarcón rec. 2009
AMBRONAY AMY022 [52:55] 
[MG]
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Vocalise, Symphony
3 National
PO/Leopold Stokowski rec. 1975
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802024 [46:19]
[RB]
Stokowski
wild-eyed with white hair flying amid the brilliant glitter and thunderous
attack.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,
Piano Concerto 2
Yuja Wang (piano) Mahler Ch Orch/Claudio Abbado rec. 2010
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9308 [56:17]
[WH]
Sergei
RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943) Symphonic Dances see
PROKOFIEV
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Sonata 2 see Primakov
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Ma mère l’oye see BARTOK
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Violin Sonata see FRANCK
Max
REGER (1873-1916) Violin Sonata 7, Viola Suites 1-3
Luigi Alberto Bianchi (violin, viola) rec. 1977/92
DYNAMIC DM8008 [56:02]
[GD]
A
satisfying disc of Reger chamber music.
Graham
REYNOLDS (b.1971) The Difference Engine
Leah Zeger (violin) Jonathan Dexter (cello) Graham Reynolds (piano)
rec. 2010
INNOVA 790 [41:51]
[DC]
Nothing
but good things to report.
Neil
ROLNICK (b.1947) Extended Family, Faith, MONO
Prelude
ETHEL Quartet, Bob Gluck (piano) Neil Rolnick (voice, laptop computer)
rec. 2010
INNOVA 782 [58:06]
[Byz]
You
may find this kind of new technology experimentation interesting, if
not overly musical.
Nikolay
Andreyevich ROSLAVETS
(1880-1944) Cello
Sonatas 1 & 2, Razdum’ye, Tantsï belïkh dev, Viola Sonata
Lachezar Kostov (cello) Viktor Valkov (piano) rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.570996 [52:44] [SA]
The
compositions on this disc will be further assistance in putting Roslavets’
music in the spotlight.
Edmund
RUBBRA (1901–1986)
Sonatina for treble recorder, Passacaglia sopra see
Songs of Yesterday
Roberto
SIERRA
(b.1953) Piano Trios 1-3, Fanfarria, Aria y Movimiento Perpetuo, for
violin and piano
Trío Arbós: Miguel Borrego (violin) José Miguel
Gómez (cello) Juan Carlos Garvayo (piano) rec. 2009.
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559611 [53.05]
[Byz]
This
must be the most immediately attractive 'serial' music ever written!
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