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John
Alden CARPENTER Adventures
in a Perambulator see Hanson
Conducts
Elliott
CARTER The Minotaur, Ballet Suite see Howard
Hanson Conducts
Frederic
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Piano Sonata 3, Polonaise-Fantaisie,
Ballade 4, Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante 
Ingolf Wunder (piano) rec. 2011
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9634 [68.09]
[RBe]
A
fine pianist with a great future who needs to think carefully about
repertoire which suits his particular gifts.
Julius
CONUS (1869-1942)
Violin Concerto Mieczysław WEINBERG
(1919-1996) Violin Concertino Anton ARENSKY
(1861-1906) Violin Concerto
Sergey Ostrovsky (violin) Bournemouth SO/Thomas Sanderling rec. 2010
NAXOS
8.572631 [64:47]
[Byz]
By
turns appealing and mellifluous, dramatic and scintillating.
Aaron
COPLAND (1900-1990) Appalachian Spring Suite
see Pulitzer
Project
Louis
COUPERIN (c.1626-1661)
The Complete Harpsichord Works
Richard Egarr (harpsichord)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMU907511.14 [4 CDs: 4:55:58]
[KM]
Harpsichord
music by a unique composer, played with grace and subtlety, and with
beautiful sound.
Henry
COWELL Symphony No. 4 see Howard
Hanson Conducts
Jean
CRAS (1879-1932) Harp quintette, Duo, Deux Impromptus
Rachel Talitman (harp) Erez Ofer (violin) Marcos Fregnani-Martins (flute)
Pierre-Henry Xuereb (viola) Hee-Yong Lim (cello)
HARP & COMPANY CD-5050-24 [52:04] [RB]
Music-making
that smilingly beckons you in.
Jean
CRAS (1879-1932) FlÛte, harpe et cordes Trio
ŕ cordes, Deux Impromptus pour harpe, Suite en duo, Quintette
pour flÛte, harpe et cordes
Juliette Hurel (flute) Marie-Pierre Langlamet (harp) Philippe Graffin
(violin) Miguel da Silva (viola) Henri Demarquette (cello) rec. 2010
TIMPANI
1C1179 [69:30]
[RB]
Sumptuously
lyrical performances match music for which these artists might well
have been made.
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Petite Suite see Reiner
Rarities
Léo
DELIBES (1836-1891) Sylvia, Coppélia (complete)
London
SO/Anatole Fistoulari; Minneapolis SO/Antal Dorati rec. 1957/8
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802080 [3 CDs: 61:39 + 58:13 + 52:54] [JS]
I
would simply suggest that you stop reading and buy this set straightaway.
Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934)
Double Concerto, Violin Concerto, Cello Concerto
Tasmin Little (violin) Paul Watkins (cello) BBC SO/Sir Andrew Davis
rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHSA5094 
[68:59]
These
fresh new recordings have warmth and clarity through which the enchantment
emerges intact and very satisfying.
Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934)
The Complete Delius Songbook - Vol. 1
Mark Stone (baritone) Stephen Barlow (piano) rec. 2010
STONE RECORDS 5060192780062 [79:01]
[JF]
A
fine introduction to these songs and I look forward to the subsequent
volume.
André
DEVAERE
(1890-1914) Complete
Works
Hans Rycklynck (piano), Inge Spinette (piano), Ignace Michiels (organ),
Hilde Coppé (soprano), Werner van Mechelen (baritone) rec. 2009/2010/2011
ETCETERA
KTC 1425 [77:58] 
[DC]
A
unique venture … wholeheartedly deserves investigation and support.
Stephen
DODGSON (b. 1926) Ode to the Guitar, Legend, The
Midst of Life, Stemma, Partita 1, Fantasy-Divisions, Merlin
Roberto Morón Pérez (guitar) rec. 2010
CADENZA MUSIC CACD0211 [70:26]
[WH]
Outstanding
performances of modern guitar music by a composer who really knows and
understands the instrument.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Erno
DOHNÁNYI (1877-1960) Sextet Krzysztof
PENDERECKI (1933-) Sextet
Ensemble Kheops rec. 2010
FUGA LIBERA FUG585 [58:52]
[BR]
Great
sound, great under-exposed music, an obviously excellent and good-humored
ensemble: this one is a keeper.
Paul
DUKAS (1865-1935)
Ariane Et Barbe-Bleue
Deborah Polaski (soprano) Kwangchul Youn (bass) Slovak PCh, VIenna RSO/Bertrand
De Billy rec. live, 2006
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94254 [69:42 + 46:33]
[KE]
Sombre
but with moments of great orchestral and vocal virtuosity.
Antonín
DVORÁK (1841-1904) Symphony 9 Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-93) Overture Fantasy Romeo and
Juliet
Philharmonia O/Alceo Galliera rec. 1953/1955
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR463 [57:47]
[PBW]
Simply
very good performances without achieving anything special or distinctive.
Auguste
FAUCHARD
(1881-1957) Symphonie
Eucharistique (1944) [56:10] Presentation of the Légion d’Honneur
to Fauchard on 5 June 1953 by Marcel Dupré and Fauchard’s acceptance
speech [20:30]
Emmanuel Hocdé (organ) rec. 2010, world premiere recording
EDITIONS HORTUS 078 [76:55]
[RB]
A
pummelling tumult of impacts rises to a most glorious peroration. Sovereign
and piled-high majesty. Glorious!
Gabriel
FAURÉ
(1845-1924) Requiem
Francis POULENC (1899-1963) Quatre
Motets pour un temps de Pénitence
Sunhae Im (soprano) Konrad Jarnot (baritone); Max Hanft (organ); Daniel
Giglberger (violin); Bavarian Radio Ch; Munich CO/Peter Dijkstra rec.
2011
SONY CLASSICAL 88697911082 [50:49]
[MC]
Stunningly
performed - is a marvellous mix of the familiar and the not so familiar.
Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Complete chamber music for strings
Renaud
Capuçon (violin) Gautier Capuçon (cello) Gérard Caussé (viola) Nicholas
Angelich (piano) Quatuor Ébčne
VIRGIN CLASSICS 0708752 [5 CDs: 312:00]
[KM]
The
sound of this set, with the exception of the string quartet, is so bad
that it is best to look elsewhere for this music.
César
FRANCK
(1822-1890) Les
Béatitudes
Chorale Elisabeth Brasseur, Petites Chanteurs de Chaillot/Roger Thirot;
L'Académie Symphonique de Paris/Jean Allain rec. 1972?
EDITIONS CHARLIN CL340 [54:56 + 45:02] [RB]
This
groundbreaking and astonishingly passionate Béatitudes returns from
LP gehenna.
César
FRANCK (1822-1890)
Violin Sonata Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924)
Violin Sonata 1
Joseph Fuchs (violin) Artur Balsam (piano) rec. 1953
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR 426 [51:46]
[JW]
Expert
transfers show raffiné performances in the best light.
Baldassare
GALUPPI (1706-1785) Keyboard Sonatas - Vol. 2
Matteo Napoli (piano) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572490 [68:12] [Byz]
Those
who are not adherents of the harpsichord or fortepiano should find themselves
enthusiastic.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH George
GERSHWIN (1898-1937) Songs
Sarah Vaughan (vocalist) Los Angeles PO/Michael Tilson Thomas rec. live,
1982
SONY CBS MASTERWORKS MK 37277 [61:11]
[IL]
A
concert of Gershwin songs not to be missed.
Walter
GIESEKING
(1895-1956)
Music for Flute and piano
Karen Haid (piano, piano II, flute) rec. 2000. DDD
NIMBUS NI 5696 [68:36]
[Byz]
More
attractive than compelling … worth anyone's consideration as a curiosity.
Giovanni
GIORGI (d. 1762) Ave Maria a 4, Missa a due Cori tutti
piena a 8 & Offertorio In omnem terram a 4
Cappella Mediterranea, Choeur de Chambre de Namur, Ens Clematis/Leonardo
García-Alarcón rec. 2010
RICERCAR RIC 313 [55:00]
[JV]
Giorgi's
music is a major discovery, and the artists have done him a great favour
with these fine performances.
Alexander
GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) String Quartet 6, Five Novelettes
Utrecht
Str Qt rec. 2009-2010
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 603 1239-2 [69:59]
[JW]
Once
again I’m taken by the Utrecht approach.
Alexander
GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) Oriental Rhapsody see
Oriental Rhapsody
Percy
GRAINGER (1882-1961) Rambles and Reflections - Piano
Transcriptions
Piers Lane (piano) rec. 2001
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55454 [75:19]
[JW]
Lane’s
excellent, acutely perceptive recording emerges quite as recommendable
as in its first incarnation.
Charles
Tomlinson GRIFFES (1884-1920) Three Tone Pictures, Fantasy
pieces, A Winter Landscape, Piano Sonata Samuel
BARBER (1910-1981) Ballade, Piano Sonata
Lodewijk Crommelin (piano) rec. 2010
FUTURE CLASSICS 112 [72:40]
[SA]
Considerable
power, panache and obvious reverence.
Sofia
GUBAIDULINA (b.1931) Fachwerk, Silenzio
Geir Draugsvoll (bayan) Anders Loguin (percussion) Geir Inge Lotsberg
(violin) Řyvind Gimse (cello) Trondheim SO Strings/Řyvind Gimse rec.
2011
NAXOS 8.572772 [55:55]
[MS]
Exciting,
pleasing and intriguing.
Georg
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Suites for Solo Harpsichord
1-8
Laurence Cummings (harpsichord) rec. 2008
SOMM CÉLESTE SOMMCD095-2 [57:42 + 55:00]
Suites for harpsichord: Volume 1
Gilbert Rowland (harpsichord) rec. 2010
DIVINE ART DDA21219 [74:54 + 71:34]
[BW]
Two
very satisfying new sets of the Handel Keyboard Suites, but Hyperion’s
2-for-1 alternative offers strong competition.
George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Streams of Pleasure
**Karina Gauvin (soprano)/*Marie-Nicole Lemieux (contralto)/Il Complesso
Barocco/Alan Curtis rec. 2011, English texts and French translations
included
NAĎVE V 5261 [75:08]
[JQ]
I
derived nothing but pleasure from listening to this disc. It’s a delight
from start to finish.
George
Frederic HANDEL (1685-1759) Complete Violin Sonatas
Ens Vintage Köln rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572245 [67:23]
[MS]
Clean,
imaginative, generous and pleasing playing of all the accepted and questioned
Handel violin sonatas.
Howard
HANSON (1896-1981) Symphonies 1 & 2, The Lament
for Beowulf, Lux Aeterna, Mosaics
Susan Gulkis Assadi (viola) Seattle Symphony and Chorale/Gerard Schwarz
rec. 1988-94
NAXOS 8.559700/1 [48:34 + 57:06]
[RB]
The
re-launch of a really impressive modern Hanson symphonic cycle.
Howard
HANSON Symphony No. 4,
Songs from 'Drum Taps' see Howard
Hanson Conducts
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809)
Orfeo ed Euridice
Herbert Handt (tenor) Judith Hellwig (soprano) Vienna State Opera
O/Hans Swarowsky rec. 1950
MUSIC & ARTS CD-1250 [70:58 + 54:28]
[JW]
A
most worthy undertaking.
Franz
Joseph HAYDN
(1732-1809) Piano
Trios Vol. 1
Kungsbacka Piano Trio rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572040 [52:35] [OL]
Noble
and natural.
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Andante con Variazioni, Fantasia,
Sonata 52 see BRAHMS
Louis-Ferdinand
HÉROLD (1791-1833)
Piano Concertos 1-4
Angéline Pondepeyre (piano) WDR Rundfunkorchester/Conrad Van Alphen
rec. 2010 DDD
TALENT DOM 3811 20-21 [49:50 + 39:03]
[RB]
Undemandingly
ingratiating 19th century piano concertos. Lissom listening.
Bernard
HERRMANN (1911-1975)
Moby Dick, Sinfonietta for Strings
Danish National SO & Ch/Michael Schønwandt rec. 2011
CHANDOS CHSA5095
[63:10]
[RB]
This
is the version of Moby Dick to have - quite special, in superbly growling
and purring sound and well documented.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann
Wilhelm HERTEL (1727 - 1789) Bassoon concertos, Sinfonia
Sergio
Azzolini, Miho Fukui (bassoons) Capriccio Barockorchester/Dominik Kiefer
rec. 2010
TUDOR 7182 [82:11]
[JV]
If
there is any way to demonstrate that a little-known composer deserves
more attention, this is the way to do it.
Heinrich
von HERZOGENBERG (1843–1900) Choral works
I Ensemble cantissimo/Markus Utz rec. 2010/11
CARUS 83.451 [51.42]
[RH]
Nothing
here remotely approaches the vividness or intensity which Herzogenberg’s
great contemporaries could achieve in this repertoire.
Hildegard
von Bingen (1098 – 1179) O Orzchis Ecclesia: Notturno
del Mattutino del Commune delle Vergine
Barbara Zanichelli (soprano) Ensemble San Felice/Federico Bardazzi rec.
2007
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94273 [58.15]
[RH]
This
disc makes a good introduction to Hildegard’s music.
Gustav
HOLST
(1874-1934) Two
Psalms, Nunc Dimittis; I love my love; The Coming of
Christ 
Robert Hardy (narrator) Chamber Choir of St Paul’s Girls’ School/Heidi
Pegler City of London Choir; Holst Orchestra/Hilary Davan Wetton rec.
2011. world premiere recording
EM RECORDS CD004 [58:54]
[JQ]
A
dedicated recording of a great Holst rarity, which is very well worth
hearing
Gustav
HOLST (1874-1934)
The Hymn of Jesus, The Perfect Fool, Egdon Heath
BBC
Ch, London PO, BBC SO/Sir Adrian Boult rec. 1961
HIGH DEFINITION TAPE TRANSFER HDCD215 [45:00]
[RB]
Sturdy,
well measured, well judged performances where a sense of rooted and
dedicated rightness allows the music to emerge naturally.
Toshio
HOSOKAWA (b.1955) Landscape V, Ceremonial Dance, Sakura
für Otto Tomek, Cloud and Light
Mayumi Miyata (sho) Münchener Kammerorch/Alexander Liebreich rec. 2009
ECM
NEW SERIES 2095 [55:52]
[DC]
Leave
all your expectations at the door, with your shoes.
Alan
HOVHANESS (1911-2000) Symphony 1, Armenian Rhapsodies
1-3, Song of the Sea, Saxophone concerto
John McDonald (piano) Kenneth Radnofsky (soprano saxophone) Boston Modern
Orchestra Project/Gil Rose rec. 2007/8
BMOP/SOUND 1020 [67:39] [RB]
Idyllic,
sun-languorous, confiding, lotus-eating, regally hymnal and dynamic-propulsive.
Hubert
S. HOWE (b.
1942) Clusters
RAVELLO RR7817 [53:43]
[RB]
For
those who like their electronic music and like it mysteriously evolutionary.
John
IRELAND (1879-1962) Piano Concerto, Legend for
piano and orchestra, First Rhapsody, A Sea Idyll, Three Dances
John
Lenehan (piano) Royal Liverpool PO/John Wilson rec. 2007-2011
NAXOS 8.572598 [77:00]
[JF]
I
enjoyed this CD very much indeed.
Maki
ISHII (1936-2003) Saidoki, Concertante,
Percussion Concerto
Ryan Scott (solo percussion); Bill Brennan, Mark Duggan, Paul Houle,
Blair Mackay, Andrew Morris, Trevor Tureski (percussion); Esprit O/Alex
Pauk rec. 2000-9
INNOVA 809 [51:57] [Byz]
Ishii
means business: turbulent, compelling, insistent, startling, exospheric.
Charles
IVES Symphony No. 3 Camp Meeting see Hanson
Conducts
Leoš
JANÁČEK (1854-1928) String Quartets 1 &
2 Hugo WOLF (1860-1903) Italian
Serenade
Hagen Qt rec. 1988
NEWTON 88028072 [52:13]
[WH]
Very
hard-driven, virtuoso performances of Janáček’s two sublime Quartets,
but more satisfying performances are available.
Josquin
des PRÉS
(c1440-1521)
Missa De beata virgine [38:03] Credo quarti toni (Cambrai Credo) [9:23]
Plainchant Ave maris stella, verse I [0:36] Missa Ave maris stella [27:56]
The
Tallis Scholars/Peter Phillips Latin texts and English, French and German
translations included
GIMELL CDGIM 044 [75:58]
[JQ]
Vital
performances that bring Josquin’s music vividly to life.
Paul
JUON
(1872-1940) Works
for piano four hands
Agnčs Dubois-Chauvet and Igor Kračvsky (piano) rec. 2010
MINSTREL MLCD1001 [65:18] [RB]
Juon's
piano duets newly revived and in style. Will appeal to all who admire
Rachmaninov.
Nigel
KENNEDY (b.1956) The Four Elements
Nigel Kennedy (violin) Members of the O of Life rec. 2011
SONY CLASSICAL 88697 927152 [59:41] [DC]
Four
Elephants.
Zoltán
KODÁLY
(1882-1967)
Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7 (1914) [24:03] Capriccio for Solo Cello
(1915) [5:21] Sonata for Solo Cello, Op. 8 (1915) [32:37]
Karine Georgian (cello); Marco Rizzi (violin) rec. The Warehouse, London,
2000. DDD
ALTO ALC 1138 [62:04]
[LW]
Georgian
and Rizzi do complete justice to Kodály.
Charles
KOECHLIN (1867-1950)
Organ music
Christian Schmitt (organ) rec. 2009
CPO 777 512-2
[67:40]
[DC]
One
of the nicest organ recordings I’ve heard.
Paul
LE FLEM (1881-1984) Aucassin et Nicolette
Delphine Haidan, Stanislas de Barbeyrac, Mélanie Boisvert, Armand Arapian,
Katia Velletaz, Les Solistes de Lyon/Bernard Tétu, O des Pays de Savoie/Nicolas
Chalvin rec. 2011
TIMPANI 1C1188 [41:40]
[RB]
Superbly
weighted, timed and emotionally well judged. A passionate legend.
Franz
LISZT
(1811-1886)
Piano Concertos
1 & 2, Les Préludes, Hungaria
Andor Földes (piano) Berlin PO/Leopold Ludwig; Bamberg SO/Ferdinand
Leitner rec. 1951-3
GUILD HISTORICAL GHCD 2381 [66:20] [MC]
A
valuable reissue from Guild Historical that should form part of any
serious Liszt collection.
Liszt:
The Pilgrimage Years
Commentary: Evgeny Kissin, Charles Rosen, Leslie Howard, and Antonio
Pappano. David Haughton (Liszt). Director: Angelo Bozzolini Made 2011
EUROARTS
2058868
[62:00] [MB]
Enjoyable
fare, especially for Liszt fans, and an entertaining commemoration of
the bicentennial of Liszt’s birth.
Franz
LISZT
(1811-1886) Piano music
Alexander Krichel (piano) rec. 2011
TELOS MUSIC TLS129 [72.03]
[DBe]
Real
insight and maturity.
Charles
Martin LOEFFLER Memories of my Childhood see Howard
Hanson Conducts
Charles
Martin LOEFFLER Poem for Orchestra ("La Bonne Chanson")
see Howard
Hanson Conducts
Achille
LONGO (1900-1954) Piano Quintet see PILATI
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Witold
LUTOSLAWSKI (1913-1994) Silesian Triptych, Paroles Tissées,
Les Espaces du Sommeil, Chantefleurs et Chantefables
Lucy Crowe (soprano) Toby Spence (tenor) Christopher Purves (baritone)
BBC SO/Edward Gardner rec. 2011
CHANDOS CHAN10688 [67:40]
[WH]
Magnificent
music, superbly performed by an all-British team, and with outstanding
Chandos sound and presentation to match.
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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