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RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann
Ludwig BACH (1667-1731) Trauermusik 
Anna Prohaska (soprano) Ivonne Fuchs (alto) Maximilian Schmitt (tenor)
Andreas Wolf (bass) RIAS Kammerchor, Akademie für Alte Musik/Hans-Christoph
Rademann rec. 2010
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC 902080 [77:27]
[JQ]
A
revelation. Johann Ludwig Bach’s masterpiece has been splendidly served
in this superb performance.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) St. John Passion
Katharine Fuge, Joanne Lunn (soprano) Bernarda Fink (alto) Mark Padmore
(tenor) Hanno Müller-Brachmann, Peter Harvey (bass) Monteverdi Ch, English
Baroque Soloists/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. 2003
SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG712 [35:25 + 79:24]
[JQ]
A
splendid new account of the St. John Passion, which all devotees
of Bach’s vocal music should try to hear.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Easter Oratorio, Ascension
Oratorio
Carolyn Sampson (soprano) Iestyn Davies (counter-tenor) James Gilchrist
(tenor) Peter Harvey (bass) Retrospect Ens/Matthew Halls rec. 2010
LINN CKD373 
[70:26]
[JQ]
An
effervescent disc of Bach’s vocal music, containing distinguished and
stylish performances.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Symphonies 7-9
Wiener Singverein, Annette Dasch (soprano) Mihoko Fujimura (contralto)
Piotr Beczala (tenor) Georg Zeppenfeld (bass) Vienna PO/Christian Thielemann;
Discovering Beethoven commentary rec. 2008-2010
UNITEL/CMAJOR 705204 
[306:56] [RC]
Among
the best Beethoven cycles available today …In fact, this would
probably be my top choice … an historic musical event.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) Cello symphony, Symphonic
Suite from Gloriana, Four Sea Interludes from Peter
Grimes
Robert Murray (tenor) Paul Watkins (cello) BBC Philharmonic/Edward Gardner
rec. 2010
CHANDOS CHAN10658 [76:22]
[LW]
Gardner
and the BBC Philharmonic do Britten proud.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Anton BRUCKNER
(1824-1896)
Symphony 2
Aachen SO/Marcus Bosch rec. live, 2010
COVIELLO COV31015 [66:21]
[GD]
It
all comes together in a way that few manage with this work.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jacobus
CLEMENS non Papa (1510/1515-1555/6)
Missa Pro Defunctis, Motets
Brabant Ens/Stephen Rice rec. 2010
HYPERION CDA67848 [72.52]
[GH]
Jacobus
Clemens can be considered up there with the very best.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Edvard
GRIEG (1843
- 1907) Violin Sonata 1 Béla BARTÓK
(1881 - 1945) Sonata for solo violin Richard
STRAUSS (1864 - 1949) Violin Sonata
Vilde Frang (violin) Michail Lifits (piano) rec. 2010
EMI CLASSICS 9476392 [78:49]
[GF]
Give
us more of Vilde Frang, please, EMI!
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Charles
IVES (1874-1954) A Concord Symphony, orch. Henry
Brant Aaron COPLAND (1900-1990) Organ
Symphony
Paul Jacobs (organ) San Francisco SO/Michael Tilson Thomas rec. 2010
SFS
MEDIA 82193600382
[77:07] [KM]
A
must for any fan of Ives. The Concord Symphony is a magnificent realization,
and the performance here is top-notch.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER
(1860-1911) Symphony 4; Rückert-Lieder
Magdalena Kožená (mezzo) Lucerne FO/Claudio Abbado rec. 2009
EUROARTS 2057988 
[79:24]
[DM]
A
must-have for all Mahlerians.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giovanni
Benedetto PLATTI (1697 - 1763) Oboe sonatas, Cello
sonatas, Trios
Ensemble Cordia rec. 2005
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94007 [65:36]
[JV]
The
best possible recording of Platti's music.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Max REGER
(1873-1916)
Piano Concerto Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949)
Burleske
Marc-Andre Hamelin (Piano) Berlin RSO/Ilan Volkov rec. 2010
HYPERION CDA67635 [56.53]
[RBe]
Absolutely
outstanding.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Pétrouchka, Le Sacre
du Printemps
Bergen PO/Andrew Litton rec. 2008/9
BIS BISSACD1474
[69:00] [DC]
Stop
press: crusty old cynic declares recording as ‘near definitive’.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony 5; 1812
Overture Alexander GLAZUNOV (1865-1936)
Sten'ka Razin
Berlin State Opera O, Berlin PO/Alexander Kitschin rec. 1928-29
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 268 [72:21]
[JW]
A
rather amazing disc.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
- orchestral excerpts César FRANCK (1822-1890)
Symphony Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924)
Pelléas et Mélisande – concert suite
Boston SO/Charles Munch rec. 1959-1961
ICA CLASSICS
ICAD 5015 [70:28]
[RM]
A
very significant musical record.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Jan
Dismas ZELENKA (1679-1745) Officium defunctorium,
Requiem
Collegium 1704 & Vocale/Václav Luks rec. 2010
ACCENT ACC 24244 [61:26 + 40:04] [DC]
Drop
dead gorgeousness.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH La Chasse Royale - Keyboard Manuscript of
Antoine Selosse Music by John
BULL (1562?-1628) John ROBERTS?
(fl 1650-1670)
Terence Charlston (clavichord, harpsichord, organ) rec. 2009
DEUX-ELLES DXL1143 [59:19 + 33:30]
[JV]
Terence
Charlston has done it again: another fine recording of unknown but high-quality
repertoire.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH English
Spring Arnold
BAX (1883-1953) Spring Fire (1913) [32:33] Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934) Idylle de Printemps (1889)
[10:45]; North Country Sketches: The March of Spring (1914)
[10:08] Frank BRIDGE (1879-1941)
Enter Spring (1927) [20:50]
The Halle/Sir Mark Elder rec. 2010
HALLE CD HLL 7528 [74:30] 
[RB]
A
winner on all counts.
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH William
BYRD (1539?/43?-1623) Masses: For 3, 4 and 5 Voices
Christ Church Cath Choir, Oxford/Stephen Darlington rec. 1989/1991
REGIS RRC1336 [72:11]
[BW]
Despite
the strong competition, this is a superb bargain.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Till Eulenspiegels lustige
Streiche, Ein Heldenleben
Chicago SO/Daniel Barenboim rec. 1990
WARNER APEX 2564 67716-3 [62:39] [BW]
A
Heldenleben to rival the best – and Till is not far behind.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH William
WALTON (1902-1983) Violin Concerto
Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Havanaise Christian SINDING (1856-1941)
Suite im alten Stil Mario CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO
(1895-1968) Violin Concerto 2 ‘The Prophets’
Jascha Heifetz (violin) Philharmonia O/William Walton, RCA Victor SO/William
Steinberg, Los Angeles PO/Alfred Wallenstein rec. 1950-4
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111367 [77:25] [BW]
One
of the greatest historical bargains that I’ve heard for a long time.
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for alphabetical listings by composer:
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1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
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5 S-Z]
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