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BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Morceau de concert see
Rare French works
Sven-David
SANDSTRÖM (b.1942)
Nordic Sounds 
Swedish Radio Ch/Peter Dijkstra rec. 2009
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCSSA29910 
[63:50]
[Byz]
An
excellent disc in every regard.
Arnold
SCHÖNBERG (1874-1951) Verklärte Nacht, see KORNGOLD
Franz
SCHREKER
(1878-1934)
The Birthday of the Infanta, Valse lente, Festwalzer and Walzerintermezzo,
The Wind, Ein Tanzspiel
Lucerne SO/John Axelrod rec. 2005
NIMBUS NI 5753 [71:02] 
[JW]
Needs
adventurous playing and full commitment. It gets both, and a fine recording
to boot
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz
SCHUBERT
(1797 – 1828) Schwanengesang
Thomas
Oliemans (baritone) Malcolm Martineau (piano) rec. 2010
ET’CETERA KTC 1420 [69:04] [GF]
One
of the most thrilling young baritones around.
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) String Quartet D810 see
BEETHOVEN
Franz
SCHUBERT (1798-1828) “Wanderer” Fantasie see
Primakov
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Die Zauberharfe Overture,
Rosamunde see MENDELSSOHN
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Symphony 1 see LOCKE
Alexander
SCRIABIN (1872-1915) The Symphonies 1-3,
Prometheus, Le Počme de l'Extase, Piano Concerto
Love Derwinger (piano) Roland Pöntinen (piano) Royal Stockholm PO/Leif
Segerstam rec. 1989-1991
BIS BIS-CD-1669/70 [3 CDs: 69:04 + 76:37 + 77:15]
[RB]
Cleanly
done, compact, maybe a little lacking in heady exaltation. The real
bonus is the concerto: a love poem in elegance, romantic fervour and
gallant endeavour.
Peter
SCULTHORPE (b.
1929) Sun Music I-IV, Irkanda IV, Piano Concerto, Small Town
Anthony Fogg (piano) Melbourne SO/John Hopkins, Myer Fredman
ABC CLASSICS 476 4235 [76:02]
[RB]
From
alluring avant-garde to irresistibly affectionate nostalgia.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) Symphony for Strings, Chamber Symphonies
Rotterdam CO/Conrad van Alphen
TALENT DOM 2929 72 [64:03]
[SV]
Committed
performances.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) Vocal Cycles for Bass Vol. 1
Fyodr
Kuznetsov (bass); Yuri Serov (piano) rec. 25 March, 7 April 1998 (Romances);
15 May 2000 (Monologues); 10 May, 18 June 2001 (Pushkin & Dolmatovsky);
St. Catherine’s Lutheran Church, St. Petersburg. DDD. English translations
of song texts included
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9910 [62:41]
[DM]
A
tad unremitting but very accomplished and will surely appeal to those
looking beyond the familiar, oft-recorded symphonies.
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Viola Sonata in C major Op.147 see Špelina
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Symphonies 4 & 5
New Zealand SO/Pietari Inkinen rec. 2008/9
NAXOS 8.572227 [69:44]
[LW]
Inkinen
offers inexpensive versions of these symphonies, but there are better
to be had elsewhere.
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Symphonies 4-7, Tapiola
Berlin PO/Herbert von Karajan, City of Birmingham SO/Sir Simon Rattle,
Helsinki PO/Paavo Berglund rec. 1976-87
EMI CLASSICS 9072462 [69:43 + 68:21]
[MC]
Good
as these performances are for just a few pounds more you could have
a fine complete set.
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Piano Pieces
Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano) rec. 2007
EXTON EXCL00017 [77:08]
[GD]
An
attractive proposition demonstrating that top quality audio has a great
deal to offer the piano repertoire.
Valentin
SILVESTROV
(b. 1937) Symphonies
4 & 5
Lahti SO/Jukka-Pekka Saraste rec. 2008
BIS BIS-CD-1703 [67:02] [RB]
Two astonishing symphonies. Diaphanously silky symphonic structures.
Remarkable and moving. Well worth your meditation and contemplation.
Bedrich
SMETANA (1824-1884)
Festive Symphony Op.6 — Scherzo only see BEETHOVEN
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Ethel SMYTH (1858-1944) Violin Sonata see
British
Women Composers
Karel
Špelina (viola)
Felix MENDELSSOHN
(1809-1847)
Viola Sonata (1824) [28:43] Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) Viola Sonata in C major Op.147 (1975)
[32:36] Alexander GLAZUNOV
(1865-1936) Elegy in G minor Op.44 (1893) [6:12]
Karel Špelina (viola) Karel Friesl (piano – Mendelssohn) Lydie
Majlingová (piano – Shostakovich) Josef Halá (piano – Glazunov) rec.
Czech Radio 1972-82;
ARCO DIVA UP 0127-2 131 [67:44]
[JW]
Špelina
is an outstanding player.
Louis
SPOHR
(1784-1859) The
Last Judgement
Miriam Meyer (soprano) Ursula Eittinger (mezzo) Marcus Ullmann (tenor)
Josef Wagner (bass) Kantorei Maulbronn, Russian Chamber Philharmonic
St Petersburg/Jürgen Budday rec. 2010
K&K 22 [80:55] [JW]
A
powerful utterance, finely put together and orchestrated adeptly. Choral
entries are often arresting and sufficiently flexible to convince on
their own terms. At its best the work impresses.
Gerhard
STÄBLER
(b.1949) Zeichen
Moravian PO/Vit Micka rec. 2009
NAVONA RECORDS NV5839 [21:09] [Byz]
For
those in search of an aural challenge, this release is worth contemplating.
Carl
STAMITZ (1745-1801) Symphonies
L’arte del mondo/Werner Ehrhardt
CPO 777 526-2 [59:04]
[DC]
Shows
Carl Stamitz the symphonist in a strong light.
Carl
STAMITZ (1745-1801)
Viola Concerto 1 Franz Anton HOFFMEISTER
(1754-1812) Viola Concertos
Victoria Chiang (viola) Baltimore CO/Markand Thakar rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572162 [63:53]
[BR]
If
you like classical-era viola concertos, I’ve got good news for
you.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Elektra
Iréne Theorin (soprano) Eva-Maria Westbroek (soprano) Waltraud Meier
(soprano) René Pape (bass) Vienna PO/Daniele Gatti rec. 2010
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101 559 
[109:00]
[ST]
It
is as good a staged Elektra as you are likely to find.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Burleske see Great
Pianists
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882
- 1971) Suite after themes, fragments and pieces by Giambattista
Pergolesi, Divertimento, Duo Concertante
Ray Chen (violin) Timothy Young (piano) rec. 2010
MELBA CD MR 301128 [63:16]
[DB]
An
outstandingly well played and well recorded recital of enjoyable Stravinsky
pieces. Another winner from Melba.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Alessandro STRIGGIO
(c.1536/7-1592)
Missa Ecco sì beato giorno Thomas
TALLIS (c.1505-1585) Spem in alium. Documentary: The
Making of Striggio
I Fagiolini/Robert Hollingworth rec. 2010
DECCA 478 2734 [CD: 68:53 + DVD: 57:55]
[DC]
Truly
magnificent.
Karol
SZYMANOWSKI (1882-1937)
Symphonies
3 & 4
Rafal Bartminski (tenor) Jan Krzysztof Broja (piano) Warsaw PO &
Ch/Antoni Wit rec. 2009
ICA CLASSICS
ICAD5017 [55:00] [RB]
Two
great works of Szymanowski’s high water maturity; one exotic in the
manner of King Roger; the other more in touch with Polish folk voices.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Thomas TALLIS (c.1505-1585) Spem in alium see
STRIGGIO
Sergey TANEYEV (1856-1915) String Quartets 2
& 4
Carpe Diem Str Qt rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.572421 [73:10]
[Byz]
Impassioned,
intimate and lyrical … there is little to fault in musical taste or
general musicianship on this disc.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Phyllis TATE (1911-1987)
Triptych
see British
Women Composers
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphonies 1-6 and other
orchestral works
Göteborgs Symfoniker/Neeme Järvi rec. 2002-2005
BIS-CD-1897/98 [6 CDs: 452:43]
[NB]
Too
often here Järvi seems off-form.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Hamlet, The Tempest,
Romeo and Juliet
Simón Bolívar Youth O of Venezuela/Gustavo Dudamel rec. 2010
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9355 [65:35] [RMo]
A real mixed bag hopelessly compromised by the best-known item but still
desirable for the accounts of the lesser-known music.
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Symphony
5
Staatskapelle Dresden/Siegfried Kurz rec. 1978
BERLIN CLASSICS 0014072BC [44:11] [SV]
I
enjoyed this unlikely performance far more than many higher-profiled
editions.
Pyotr
Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Romeo and Juliet see
BARTOK
Pyotr
TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Album pour enfants see
Primakov
Alexander
TCHEREPNIN (1899-1977) & Nikolai
TCHEREPNIN (1873-1945) Chamber Music, Piano Music and Songs
Alexander
Tcherepnin (piano) Yan Pascal Tortelier (violin) Paul Tortelier (cello)
Nicolai Gedda (tenor) Groupe Instrumental de Paris rec. 1967-73
EMI CLASSICS 9072562 [53:11 + 70:49]
[JW][RB]
Fruity
sec; definitely not voluptuously sticky.
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) TELEMANNia
REBaroque/Maria
Lindal rec. 2010
PROPRIUS PRCD 2059 [64:51]
[JV]
A
compelling disc with some lesser-known pieces by Telemann. You won't
be bored, that's for sure.
Eduard
TOLDRŔ
(1895-1962)
Vistes al mar, Quartet Pau (Pablo) CASALS
(1876-1973) Sant Martí del Canigó Xavier
MONTSALVATGE (1911-2002) Concertino 1 + 13, Tres postals
Cambra
d’Andorra Ntl O/Gerard Claret (concertino-director) rec. 1991
NIMBUS NI 5482 [64:08]
[JW]
Unusual
repertoire, in the main, and well worth getting to know.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Manfred TROJAHN
(b.
1949) String
Quartets 3 & 4, Fragments for Antigone, Song to Insomnia III
Henschel Qt rec. 2009
NEOS RECORDS 11017 [66:04]
[MC]
A
cast-iron certainty to be one of my ‘Recordings of the Year’ for 2011.
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Symphonies and other orchestral works
London SO/Richard Hickox rec. 1997-2006
CHANDOS CHUSB0008 
[contents of 6CDs: 448:29]
An Introduction to Vaughan Williams The Wasps Overture,
The Lark Ascending, A London Symphony
Michael Davis (violin) London SO/Bryden Thomson; London PO/Vernon Handley
CHANDOS
CHAN2028 [78:06]
Sinfonia Antartica, Toward the Unknown
Region
London SO & Ch/Bryden Thomson rec. 1989
CHANDOS CHAN8796 [54:24]
Symphony 9, Piano Concerto
Howard Shelley (piano) London SO/Bryden Thomson rec. 1990
CHANDOS CHAN8941 [56:38]
[BW]
Impressive
readings from Hickox.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Il Trovatore
Maria Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Rolando Panerai, Fedora Barbieri,
La Scala/Herbert von Karajan rec. 1956
EMI CLASSICS 6407732 [67:45 + 61:33 + CD-ROM]
[WH]
A
classic of the gramophone: Callas, Karajan et al. at their finest.
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813–1901) Falstaff
Virginia Tola (soprano) Cinzia De Mola (mezzo) Tiberius Simu (tenor)
Ruggero Raimondi (baritone) Luciano Montanaro (bass) O & Ch Opéra
Royal de Wallonie/Paolo Arrivabeni rec. 2009
DYNAMIC 33649
[129:00]
[RMK]
A
production for aficionados who know Falstaff well.
Giovanni
Battista VIOTTI (1755-1824) Quatuors Concertants 1-3
I Solisti
di Perugia rec. 2008
CAMERATA CM28170 [70:44]
[Byz]
No
great abundance of enthusiasm or excitement, nor are there any great
lapses of discrimination either.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Antonio VIVALDI
(1678-1741)
Vivaldi Edition Jaap ter Linden (harpsichord); La Magnifica Comunitŕ/Enrico
Casazza; Concerto Italiano/Rinaldo Alessandrini; Musica Ad Rhenum; English
CO/Philip Ledger; L’Arte dell’Arco/Federico Guglielmo; Modo Antiquo
Federico Maria Sardelli rec. 1975-2009
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94056 [40 CDs]
[BW]
A
genuine bargain for beginners and experienced Vivaldians alike
Nigel
WADDINGTON Bigger
Pictures
rec. 2003-9
CALA
RECORDS CACD77011 [61:06]
[NB]
There
are a lot of similar albums out there that are more inspired.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard WAGNER
(1813-1883) Das Rheingold
Terje Stensvold, Dietrich Volle, Frankfurter Opern- & Museumsorchester/Sebastian
Weigle rec. 2010
OEHMS CLASSICS OC935 [77:46 + 76:48]
[GD]
The
closest to the almost mythical ideal of a Wagner recording in which
both performance and engineering are of the highest quality.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Opera Preludes & Overtures
Holland RPO/Edo de Waart rec. 2003
EXTON OVCL-00153 [77:44]
[BR]
Only
a hitch in Exton’s sound can detract from these lavish performances.
Richard
WAGNER
(1818-1883) Orchestral Adventures
Netherlands
Radio PO/Edo de Waart rec. 1992-5
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72338 [3 CDs: 185:27] [DBe]
An
enjoyable set - could be a good introduction for listeners intimidated
by The Ring, Parsifal and Tristan und Isolde.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Götterdämmerung
Lauritz Melchior (tenor) Helen Traubel (soprano) Herbert Janssen (baritone)
Regina Resnik (soprano) Ch & O Metropolitan Opera/Fritz Stiedry
rec. 1948
IMMORTAL PERFORMANCES IPCD 1010-4 [4 CDs: 241:41]
[RMo]
Clearly
a labour of love and we should be grateful.
William
WALTON (1902-1983)
String Quartets
Doric String Quartet rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHAN10661 [62:17]
[GD]
The
Chandos track record in British music is as good as anybody's, so it
is no surprise that a recording of this quality should come from them.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Irène Regina WIENIAWSKA
(1879-1932) Violin Sonata see
British
Women Composers
Mieczyslaw
WEINBERG (1919-1996) Piano Trio
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Piano Trios 1 &
2 Trio
Voce rec. 2010
CON BRIO RECORDINGS CBR 21045 [73:43] 
[MC]
An
important addition to any serious collection of twentieth-century chamber
music.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Mieczysław WEINBERG
(1919-1996) Children’s Notebooks 1-3, Piano Sonata 1
Elisaveta Blumina (piano) rec. 2008
CPO 777 517-2 [60:54]
[SA]
Blumina
approaches this music with great understanding and appreciation and
it makes for a wonderfully illuminating experience.
James
WHITBOURN (b. 1963) Luminosity
& other choral works
Christopher Gillett (tenor) Archbishop Desmond Tutu (speaker) Commotio/Matthew
Berry rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572103 [68:43] [JQ]
Good
performances of a collection of recent pieces by a composer with a fine
ear for vocal writing.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Earl WILD
(1915-2010) Grand Fantasy, Virtuoso Études, Someone to Watch
over Me, Piano Sonata
Xiayin Wang (piano) rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHAN10626 [79:01]
[NB]
A
tribute to the much-missed art of Earl Wild and a herald of things to
come from the remarkable Xiayin Wang.
John
WILLIAMS (b. 1932) Tuba concerto see Songs
of ascent
Charles
WUORINEN (b. 1938) Chamber Music
Peter Serkin (piano) Curtis Macomber, Jesse Mills (violin) Lois Martin
(viola) Fred Sherry (cello) Brentano String Quartet rec. 2004/9
NAXOS 8.559694 [72:39]
[MS]
A
timely and extremely well-executed collection of one earlier and three
recent compositions from American Charles Wuorinen; three are world
premičre recordings. All are expertly performed.
Iannis
XENAKIS (1922-2001) Keqrops for piano and orchestra see DALLAPICCOLA
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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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