RECORDING
OF THE MONTH A
Musical Journey - Norway
Featuring music of Edvard Grieg 
NAXOS 2.110274 
[55.57] [RJF]
A
winner for all lovers of Grieg’s music, and his captivating country,
alongside spectacular photography.
Musical
Journeys: Italy
- A
tour of Tuscany, Umbria and Rome with music by Felix
Bartholdy MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra/Kenneth Jean Reissue – originally released
in 1991.
NAXOS DVD 2.110276
[57:47] [IL]
Much
wasted opportunity.
Musica
Vaticana Vincenzo
UGOLINI (1570-1638) Missa Beata es Virgo Maria
Giuseppe Ottavio PITONI (1657-1743)
Dixit Dominus [9.40] Giovanni de MACQUE
(c.1550-1614) Ave Regina Caelorum (publ.1596) Orazio
BENEVOLI (1605-1672) Motets
Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal/Christopher Jackson rec.
2009
ATMA CLASSIQUE ACD2 2508 [57.05] [GH]
A
bit of a mixed bag but certainly worth exploring.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
A Musical Odyssey in St
Petersburg
Renée
Fleming (soprano) Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone) Ivari Ulja, Olga Kern
(piano) State Hermitage O/Constantine Orbelian rec. 2009
DECCA 074 3383
[91:00 + 23:00 (bonus)] [RJF]
A
must for every lover of fine singing in wonderful venues in a magnificent
city.
My
First Lullaby Album
NAXOS 8.578213 [71:52] [Byz]
All
the music is fairly slow and gentle, which may send young listeners
to sleep before intended!
My
First Violin Album Various
performers rec. no details given. DDD
NAXOS 8.578215 [76:44] [Byz]
This
programme is probably catchy enough to get the young listener off to
an enthusiastic start.
Orchestral
Excursions - Works
by Marga RICHTER (b. 1926) Howard
HARRIS (1945-1996)
Renata Knific (violin) Pamela Frame (cello) Robert Weirich (piano) Gilbert
Sabitzer (alto saxophone) Carinthian Saxophone Qt; Polish Radio Ntl
SO/Joel Suben rec. 2004
LEONARDA LE351 [73:21] [RB]
Harris
all synergy, conflict and slinky wonderment; Richter: grand, glittering,
flightily prim, imperiously urgent and serene in its oratory.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Orlando Furioso
Madrigals on the poem by Ludovico Ariosto
La Compagnia del Madrigale/Giuseppe Maletto rec. 2009/10
ARCANA A363 [69:49] [JV]
The
repertoire on this disc is of supreme quality, and so are the performances.
Otro
Mundo
WARNER CLASSICS & JAZZ 5186543652 [73:52 + 74:12] [EML]
“The best music from around the world” is a misnomer, to say the least.
Paris
1200: Pérotin and Léonin -
Chant and Polyphony from 12th Century France
Lionheart (Jeffrey Johnson, Lawrence Lipnik, Kurt-Owen Richards, John
Olund, Richard Porterfield, Stephen Rosser) rec. 1997. DDD
NIMBUS NI 5547 [73:54] [Byz]
Lionheart's
a fine a cappella ensemble … attentive articulation, clarity of tone,
and splendid team ethic.
Paysages
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Ariettes oubliées Olivier MESSIAEN
(1908-1992)
Poèmes pour Mi
Susanna
Philips (soprano) Myra Huang (piano) rec. 2010
BRIDGE 9356 [54:09] [WH]
A
big voice in French music, successfully managed by this young American
soprano.
Paz,
Salam and Shalom
Canticum Novum/Emmanuel Bardon rec. 2010
AMBRONAY AMY033 [75.31] [RH]
Thoughtful
and engaging.
Nilla
Pierrou & en Stradivarius
rec. 1974-93
OAK GROVE CD 2027 [3 CDs: 231:47] [JW]
I enjoyed this box, and its contents reflect well on an honest and broadminded
musician.
Precipitando
Alban
BERG (1885-1935) Piano sonata Leos
JANACEK (1854-1928) V mlhách (In the mists)
Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Piano
sonata
Dénes Várjon (piano) rec. 2011
ECM NEW SERIES 2247 [58:00] [DC]
Highly
intelligent, and with a sprinkling of lustre.
The
Renaissance of Italian Music
EMI CLASSICS 0887892 [77:30 + 76:28] [Byz]
A
nice little investment for loved ones with a growing interest in this
magnificent era.
Rise
Heart
Sir Edward ELGAR (1857-1934)
Light out of darkness, O salutaris hostia 1-3 The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Five Mystical Songs Sir Hubert PARRY
(1848-1918) Hear my words, ye people
Ben Cooper (baritone) George Castle (organ) Worcester Cathedral Chamber
Ch/Stephen Shellard rec. 2011
REGENT REGCD369 [78:27] [JQ]
An
enjoyable disc but it faces strong competition, especially in Five Mystical
Songs.
Russian
Adagios - excerpts by TCHAIKOVSKY, RIMSKY-KORSAKOV,
GLAZUNOV, KHACHATURIAN, PROKOFIEV, KHRENNIKOV and MIASKOVSKY
Russian State SO/Yevgeny Svetlanov
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9238 [72:46] [Byz]
Luxurious, almost outrageous tempi … spine-tingling stuff.
The
Scottish Viola –
A Tribute to Watson Forbes
Martin Outram (viola)
Julian Rolton (piano) rec. 2011,
NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6180 [68:13] [JW]
A
really worthwhile salute to a splendid musician.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Songs
of the Baltic Sea
National Youth Choir of Great Britain/Mike Brewer rec. 2010
DELPHIAN DCD34052 [76:59] [JQ]
A disc that confirms and enhances the National Youth Choir’s reputation
for excellence and enterprise.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH A
Song of Farewell Music
of Mourning and Consolation
Gabrieli Consort/Paul McCreesh 2009
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD281 [75:56] [JQ]
A
disc of great distinction.
Songbook
Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum/Benjamin Nicholas; Helen Porter (piano)
Carleton Etherington (organ) rec. 2010
DELPHIAN DCD34097 [66:42] [EM]
On
the whole something of a missed opportunity.
Sounds
of Defiance -
Works by Alfred
SCHNITTKE (1934-1998) Joseph ACHRON
(1886-1943) Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) Arvo PÄRT (b.1935)
Yevgeni
Kutik (violin) Timothy Bozarth (piano) rec. 2011
MARQUIS
MAR 81429 [68:18] [SA]
A
disc of lasting value that sheds light on works that are heard far too
infrequently.
Leopold
Stokowski: Symphonic Transcriptions
Vol 2 Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
plus PALESTRINA, BYRD,
CLARKE, BOCCHERINI,
MATTHESON, HAYDN
Bournemouth Symphony
Orchestra/José Serebrier rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572050 [64:59]
[SV]
Reproducing
all the liquid and sensuous colors of Stokowski's brilliant palette
… excellent value.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sublime
Discourses The Complete Instrumental Music of John Milton
and Martin Peerson
Fretwork; Michael Chance (alto) Sophie Yates (virginals) rec. 2009/10
REGENT
RECORDS REGCD341 [61:34] [JV]
This
disc should receive the full attention of all who are interested in
the music of the English renaissance.
Michal
Szymanowski
- piano recital
Ignacy Jan PADEREWSKI,
Fryderyk
CHOPIN, Karol SZYMANOWSKI
Michal
Szymanowski (piano) rec. May 2011,
CD ACCORD ACD 170-2 [66:50] [JW]
An
attractive first disc.
The
Flute King - Works by Carl Philipp
Emanuel BACH (1714-1788) Franz BENDA
(1709-1786) FREDERICK II of Prussia
(1712-1786) Johann Joachim QUANTZ
(1697-1773) Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) ANNA AMALIA of Prussia
(1723-1787) Johann Friedrich AGRICOLA
(1720-1774)
Emmanuel Pahud (flute) Kammerakademie Potsdam, Trevor Pinnock (harpsichord)
Jonathan Manson (cello) Matthew Truscott (violin) rec. 2011
EMI CLASSICS 50999 0 84220 2 6 [67:56 + 78:29] [JW]
I
have nothing but praise for selection, performances and concept.
The
Olympic Experience - 19 tracks of Winning Music
Various
orchestras, choirs and soloists
WARNER CLASSICS 2564 66702-4 [72:20] [Byz]
More
Falirakian than Olympian.
Tragédiennes
3 Les Héroïnes Romantiques
Véronique Gens (soprano) Les Talens Lyriques/Christophe Rousset rec.
2011
VIRGIN CLASSICS 0709272 [67:49] [CH]
A
major project from a major artist.
A
Treasury of German Baroque Music Works by Quantz, Telemann
& Pachelbel The Hanoverian Ensemble rec. 2009 MSR CLASSICS MS
1380 [64:32] [JV]
Makes
for pleasurable listening, but is not exactly engrossing.
Works
for Flute by 20th Century Wrocław Composers
Grzegorz
Olkiewicz (flute) Mirosław Gąsieniec, Teresa Worońko,
Maria Szwajger-Kułakowska, Andrzej Jungiewicz (piano) rec. 1992-93
DUX
0826 [59:19] [Byz]
An
ultimately rewarding programme.
A
Year at York
York
Minster Ch/Robert Sharpe David Pipe (organ) rec. 2011
REGENT REGCD368 [76:54] [JQ]
A
very interesting programme, splendidly executed, tracing the Church’s
year in music.
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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