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Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony 8 
Wiener Singakademie, Slovak PCh, Wiener Sängerknaben, ORF RSO Vienna/Bertrand
de Billy rec. 2010
OEHMS OC768 [78:00] 
[JZ]
An
impressive interpretation of this extroverted work in a festival-quality
performance.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER
(1860
– 1911)
Kindertotenlieder (1901-1904) Lieder eines fahrenden
Gesellen (1883 – 1885) Rückert-Lieder (1901 –
1904)
Katarina Karnéus (mezzo) Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra/Susanna Mälkki
rec. 2007,2010 sung texts with English translations enclosed
BIS-SACD-1600
[64:11]
[GF]
Don’t
miss this issue, dear reader.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen,
Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Lieder nach Gedichten von Friedrich Rückert
Frederica
von Stade (mezzo) London PO/Andrew Davis rec. 1978
SONY CLASSICS 
78517 [42:13] [GF] 
Artfulness
disguised as simplicity – achingly beautiful.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Songs & duets – Vol. 5
Katherine Broderick, Hannah Morrison (sopranos) Anna Grevelius (mezzo)
Finnur Bjarnason (tenor) Stephan Loges, James Rutherford (baritones)
Eugene Asti (piano) rec. 2008
HYPERION CDA67753 [46:12 + 50:57] 
[EM]
A
superb set – beautiful songs, exquisitely sung and well-communicated.
Vita
Works by Claudio MONTEVERDI
(1567-1643) & Giacinto SCELSI (1905-1988)
Sonia
Wieder-Atherton, Sarah Iancu and Matthieu Lejeune (cellos) rec. 2010
NAÏVE
V5257 [68:00]
[BW]
Beautifully
emotive playing, but with far too much emphasis on melancholy.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) The Complete Fortepiano Concertos
Viviana Sofronitsky (fortepiano and harpsichord) Musica Antiqua Collegium
Varsoviense/Tadeusz Karolak rec. 2004-6
ETCETERA KTC1424 [11 CDs]
Sunny
and superb, a very fine set indeed.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Complete
Horn Concertos and Fragments
Barry Tuckwell (horn) Philharmonia Orchestra/Barry Tuckwell rec. July
1990, Abbey Road, London
ALTO ALC-1107 [71:20]
[JW]
Regal
playing and a forwardly placed soloist.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Concerto for flute & harp
Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767)
Concerto for flute, strings and basso continuo, Suite for flute, strings
and basso continuo
Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute) Lily Laskine (harp) Orch Chambre/Jean-François
Paillard/Karl Ristenpart rec. 1956-58
ISTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS6605 [65:02]
[BW]
Useful
as a reminder of Rampal’s early recordings, but something of mixed blessing.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756
- 1791) Die Zauberflöte (1791)
Reinhard Hagen, Willard White (bass) Hans Peter Blochwitz (tenor) (bass)
Natalie Dessay, Rosa Mannion (soprano) Anton Scharinger (baritone) Les
Arts Florissants/William Christie rec. 1995
ERATO 2564 67742-6 [76:08 + 74:19]
[GF]
At
Warner’s super-budget price no one will be seriously disappointed
by this fresh account.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756–1791) Opera Arias
Pierrette Alarie (soprano) Leopold Simoneau (tenor) Théâtre des
Champs-Elysées O/André Jouve rec. 1955
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR 360 [72:26]
[GF]
All
lovers of elegant stylish Mozart singing should lend an ear to this
disc.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concerto 12 see
HAYDN
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) String Quartet
16 see BEETHOVEN
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Serenata notturna
see BRAHMS
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Thea MUSGRAVE
(b.
1928) An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Green, Wild
Winter I
London Sinf/Thea Musgrave, Scottish Ens, Red Byrd, Fretwork rec. 1981-2008
NMC
D167 [64:54]
[WH]
Three
magnificent works, superbly performed and recorded by the BBC.
Onut
ė NARBUTAITĖ (b.
1956) Tres Dei Matris Symphoniae
Kaunas State Ch, Aidija Chamber Ch, Lithuanian Ntl SO/Robertas Šervenikas
rec. live, 2008
NAXOS 8.572295 [61:32]
[HC]
A
substantial and accessible work by one of Lithuania’s foremost
composers.
Cesare
NEGRI
(1535-1604) Le
Gratie d'Amore
Ens La Follia rec. 1995
DYNAMIC DM8006 [52:23] [JV]
If
you are interested in early dance this disc is not to be missed.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Carl
NIELSEN
(1865-1931) The
Six Symphonies
BBC Scottish SO, Lahti SO/Osmo Vänskä rec. 1999-2006
BIS BISCD1839/40 [3 CDs: 241:23]
[JQ]
A
compelling box, offering a Nielsen cycle of uncommon distinction and
authority in superb sound.
Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931)
Wind Quintet see HINDEMITH
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Symphonies 5 & 7, Symphony
Concerto, Cinderella (selections)
Han-Na Chang (cello) CBSO/Simon Rattle, LSO/André Previn/Antonio Pappano,
RPO/Robert Irving rec. 1957-1992
EMI CLASSICS 9072312 [76:29 + 71.10]
[AM]
A
superb collection, the highlights being Rattle’s Fifth and cellist Han-Na
Chang in the invigorating Symphony Concerto.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sergei PROKOFIEV
(1891-1953) The Gambler
Misha Didyk (tenor) Kristine Opolais (soprano) Vladimir Ognovenko (bass)
Stefania Toczyska (mezzo) Staatskapelle Berlin and Staatsopernchor/Daniel
Barenboim rec. 2008
UNITEL CLASSICA/KULTUR 701708 
[136:15]
[RC]
This
is a major triumph.
Sergei
PROKOFIEV
(1891-1953)
Piano sonatas 1-5
Alexandra Silocea (piano) rec. 2010. DDD
AVIE AV2183 [65:16]
[Byz]
This
is an excellent debut disc.
Sergei
PROKOFIEV
(1891-1953)
Four Pieces (from Ten Pieces from 'Cinderella', op.97) (1943) [7:30]
Piano Sonata no.6, op.82 (1940) [29:27] Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Piano Sonata no.2, op.36 (1913/1931)
[21:00] Leopold GODOWSKY
(1870-1938) Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes from
'Die Fledermaus' by Johann Strauss II (1907) [9:46]
Vivian Choi (piano) rec.2009. DDD
NORTHERN FLOWERS NF/PMA 9985 [67:46] 
[Byz]
A
fine disc.
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Romeo and Juliet Suite 2
Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphony 102
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphony 8, Rosamunde overture
Boston
SO/Serge Koussevitzky rec. 1936/45
ST-LAURENT STUDIO YSL78-012 [63:28] [JW]
Even
amidst the raft of competing versions this Boston account still sounds
well.
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Romeo and Juliet Suite
see Stokowski
Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Dido and Aeneas; The Masque
of Cupid and Bacchus Johann Ernst GALLIARD
(1687-1749) Pan and Syrinx
Nicola Wemyss (mezzo) Matthew Baker (baritone) Johannette Zomer (soprano)
Marc Pantus (baritone) Musica ad Rhenum/Jed Wentz rec. 2004
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94178 [55:14 + 77:09]
[JS]
This
Dido has just the kind of merits and raises the kind of questions that
make it ideal as a supplement to one of the more obvious first choices.
Serge
RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943) Symphony 2
Anatol LYADOV (1855-1914) The Enchanted Lake
O dell’Accademia
Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Roma/Antonio Pappano rec. 2009
EMI CLASSICS 9494622 [66:43] [IL]
Not
in the top league of Rachmaninoff Seconds. Try Previn or Rozhdestvensky.
RACHMANINOV
Piano Sonata no.2, see Prokofiev
Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes from 'Die Fledermaus' by Johann Strauss
II see Prokofiev
Sergey
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) All-Night Vigil (Vespers)
Maureen
Forrester (alto) Gene Tucker (tenor) Choral Arts Society of Washington/Mstislav
Rostropovich rec. 1985/86
WARNER APEX 2564 676585 [57:27]
[WH]
Rostropovich
in Rachmaninov… but there are more satisfying performances available.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Cello sonata Alexander
BORODIN (1833-1887) Cello sonata
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Cello sonata
Alexander Chaushian (cello) Yevgeny Sudbin (piano) rec. 2010
BIS BISSACD1858
[82:29] [GA]
Fans
of the Russian cello repertoire will enjoy an expansive performance
of the Rachmaninov Cello Sonata and a cracking account of the Shostakovich
Cello Sonata.
Jean-Philippe
RAMEAU (1683-1764) Pièces de clavecin en concerts
Aapo Häkkinen (harpsichord) Petri Tapio Mattson (violin) Mikko
Perkola (viola da gamba) rec. 2010
ALBA ABCD318
[66:25] [DC]
Fine
energy and expression, but only one in a fairly rich field.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Einojuhani RAUTAVAARA
(b.
1928) Kaivos
Hannu Niemelä, Johanna Rusanen-Kartano, Jorma Hynninen, Kaivos
Ch, Tampere PO/Hannu Lintu rec. 2010
ONDINE ODE1174-2 [75:52]
[HC]
A
magnificent performance of Rautavaara’s first and finest opera.
Maurice
RAVEL
(1875-1937)
The Complete Solo Piano Music
Steven Osborne (piano) rec. 2010 DDD
HYPERION CDA67731/2 [75:52+67:05]
[WK]
A
set of stunning virtuosity, but with delicate colors at the same time.
Steven Osborne demonstrates again his great feel for French piano music.
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Piano Trio see BEETHOVEN
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Boléro; Alborada del gracioso
see Invitation
to the Dance
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Violin Sonata see Glass
Heart
Steve
REICH
(b.1936) Kuniko
Plays Reich Electric & Vermont Counterpoints
Kuniko Kato (percussion) rec. 2010.
LINN CKD385 [41:18]
[KM]
Interesting
percussion arrangements of three works by minimalist Steve Reich.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ottorino RESPIGHI
(1879-1936) Violin Concerto, Suite, Aria, Rossiniana
Laura
Marzadori (violin) Respighi CO New York/Salvatore Di Vittorio rec. 2010
NAXOS
8.572332 [77:32]
[IL]
A
notable release for Respighi enthusiasts.
Emil
Nikolaus von REZNIČEK
(1860-1945) String Quartet No.1 in C sharp minor (1921) [29:10]
Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD
(1897-1957) String Quartet No.1 in A major Op.16 (1922-23)
[33:33]
Franz Schubert Quartet of Vienna rec. 1996,
NIMBUS NI 5506 [62:58]
[JW]
More
heated tonal response, deeper and more consistently expressive vibrato.
Strong and powerful unisons.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Nikolay
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908) Sheherazade, The
Tale of Tsar Saltan Suite, Flight of the Bumblebee
Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz rec. 2010
NAXOS 8.572694 [66:36] [OL]
The
best Sheherazade I’ve heard.
Kurt
ROGER (1895-1966) Clarinet quintet, Piano sonata, Piano
trio, Variations on an Irish Air
Robert Plane (clarinet) Mia Cooper, Lucy Gould (violin) David
Adams (viola) Alice Neary (cello) Benjamin Frith (piano) Emily Beynon
(flute) rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572238 [75:28] [GPu]
Intriguing,
if unfamiliar, music well-played and recorded.
Lauro
ROSSI (1812 – 1885) Cleopatra
Dimitra Theodossiou (soprano) Alessandro Liberatore (tenor) Paolo Pecchioli
(bass) Marchigiana PO/David Crescenzi rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.660291-92 [47:56 + 57:14]
[GF]
130
years in total oblivion and on its resurrection turns out to be eminently
listenable and also works well as drama.
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Sonata a quattro 3 see
Toscanini
Nino
ROTA (1911-1979)
Symphony 3, Concerto soirée, Divertimento concertante
Davide
Botto (double-bass) Barry Douglas (piano) Filarmonica ’900 del
Teatro Regio, Turin/Gianandrea Noseda rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHAN10669 [61:50]
[IL]
Quirkily
entertaining, here is Rota the clown on display with effervescent lampooning
music.
John
RUTTER (b.
1945) Gloria, Magnificat, Te Deum
Elizabeth Cragg (soprano); Tom Winpenny (organ) St Albans Cathedral
Ch, Ensemble DeChorum/Andrew Lucas rec. 2010
NAXOS 8.572653 [64:40]
[JQ]
An
excellent disc of Rutter choral works that more than holds its own in
a competitive field.
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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