James
MacMILLAN (b.
1959) Who are these Angels? New Choral Music
by James MacMillan 
Cappella Nova/Alan Tavener; Canty/William Taylor (medieval harp); John
Kitchen (organ); Edinburgh Quartet rec.2010, Latin texts and English
translations and texts included
LINN RECORDS CKD383 [72:08] [JQ]
An
absorbing disc.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Lieder aus der Jugendzeit,
Rückert-Lieder, Der Abschied
Bo Skovhus (baritone) Stefan Vladar (piano)
PREISER RECORDS PR90807 [69:57] [RMo]
An
experienced singer with a certain gruffness and some distracting mannerisms.
Marco
MARAZZOLI (1602-1662)
Oratorio di Santa Caterina see Caro
sposo
Tomás
MARCO (b.1942) Symphonies 2, 8 & 9
Malaga Philh O/José Serebrier rec. 2010
NAXOS SPANISH CLASSICS 8.572684 [61.58] [PCG]
Effective
and sometimes good fun. The marvellous and always-responsive Serebrier
brings understanding and a sense of brilliance.
Bohuslav
MARTINU
(1890-1959) Concerto
for Harpsichord and Small Orchestra, H.246 (1935) [18:40] Chamber Music
No. 1 Les fêtes nocturnes, H.376 (1959) [20:04] Les rondes,
H.200 (1930) [15:35] La revue de cuisine: Ballet du Jazz,
H.161 (complete) (1927) [20:42]
Robert Hill (harpsichord) (Concerto); Klaus Simon (piano) (Les rondes)
Holst-Sinfonietta/Klaus Simon rec. 2009. DDD NAXOS
8.572485 [75:14][LW]
A
delectable survey of Martinu’s music for chamber ensemble.
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ
(1890-1959)
Harpsichord concerto, Chamber music 1, Les rondes, La revue
de cuisine
Robert Hill (harpsichord) Holst Sinfonietta/Klaus Simon (piano) rec.
2009
NAXOS 8.572485 [75.14] [PCG]
Well
worth exploration.
Pietro
MASCAGNI (1863-1945) Cavalleria rusticana
Ruggero LEONCAVALLO (1857-1919)
Pagliacci
Sherrill Milnes, Plácido Domingo, Teresa Stratas, Tatiana Troyanos,
Metropolitan Op O & Ch/James Levine rec. 1978
SONY CLASSICAL 88697 910089 
[152:00] [GF]
With
a well-nigh perfect Pagliacci and a slightly flawed Cavalleria rusticana
this is a good buy.
Jules
MASSENET (1842-1912)
Cendrillon
Joyce DiDonato (mezzo) Alice Coote (mezzo) Jean-Philippe Lafont (baritone)
Ewa Podles (alto) Royal Opera House Ch & O, Covent Garden/Bertrand
de Billy rec. 2011
VIRGIN CLASSICS 6025099
[2 DVDs: 148:00] [ST]
Gossamer-light
music creating a very distinctive world, sugary sweet with a glint in
its eye.
Jules
MASSENET (1842
- 1912) Werther
Rolando Villazon, Sophie Koch, Eri Nakamura, Audun Iversen, Ch &
O Royal Opera House/Antonio Pappano rec. 2011
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9340 [74:47 + 57:29] [GF]
If
stranded on a desert island and had time to bring only six sets of Werther
this would be one of them.
William
MATHIAS (1934-1992)
Church Choral Music
Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford/Stephen Darlington Simon Lawford
(organ) rec. 1990, Texts and English translations provided
NIMBUS RECORDS NI 5243 [76:09][MC]
A
fine job. Top-drawer singing.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann
Simon MAYR (1763-1845) Samuele
Andrea Lauren Brown (soprano) Susanne Bernhard (soprano) Rainer Trost
(tenor) Jens Hamann (bass) Simon Mayr Ch/Ingolstadt Georgian Chamber
O/Franz Hauk rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572721-22 [34:28 + 60:02] [RJW]
Lively,
engaging and holds the listener’s attention.
Simon
MAYR (1763-1845) Concerto Bergamasco, Keyboard
Concerto, Trio Concertante
Bavarian Classical Players/Franz Hauk (harpsichord & conductor)
rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570927 [53:36] [JS]
The
charms of the Concerto Bergamasco are considerable.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Felix MENDELSSOHN
(1809-1847)
Psalms Cyrillus KREEK (1889-1962)
Psalms, Five Sacred Folk Songs
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir/Daniel Reuss rec. 2009
ONDINE ODE1201-2 [64:18] [WH]
Gorgeous
music, ravishing singing. An exceptional disc. Not to be missed.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin Concerto
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Grand Duo Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Violin Concerto 3, Havanaise
Louis
Kaufman (violin) Pina Pozzi (piano) Netherlands PO/Otto Ackermann, Maurits
van der Berg rec. 1950s
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR406 [75:52] [JW]
The
list of newly-available Kaufman discs extends still further with this
faithful transfer.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Cello Sonatas 1 &
2; Variations Concertantes; Romance sans paroles
Colin Carr (cello) Thomas Sauer (piano) rec. 2010
CELLO CLASSICS CC1029 [64:16] [JW]
A
most successful and accomplished disc.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Elijah
Klaus Mertens, Christine Wolff, Britta Schwarz, Markus Schäfer,
Kantorei der Schlosskirche Weilburg, Capella Weilburgensis/Doris Hagel
rec. 2011
PROFIL EDITION PH12034 [65:40 + 64:57] [MC]
A highly desirable account.
Giuseppe
Saverio MERCADANTE (1795-1870) Don
Chisciotte
Ugo Guagliardo (bass) Domenico Colaianni (buffo) San Pietro a Majella
Ch, Naples; Czech Chamber Soloists, Brno/Antonio Fogliano rec. 2007
NAXOS
8.660312-13 [62:42 + 39:19] [RMo]
Will
not pass as much more than a mild curiosity.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992) Turangalîla-Symphonie
Steven
Osborne (piano) Cynthia Millar (ondes martenot) Bergen PO/Juanjo Mena
rec. 2011
HYPERION CDA67816 [77:07] [JQ]
A
splendid representation of Messiaen’s ambitious, tumultuous, superb
score.
Scott
MILLER/Carla REES Devices and Desires
Carla Rees (quartertone C flute) Scott Miller (electronics) rec. 2011
RARESCALE
RECORDS RR004 [55:41] [DC]
Remarkable
and stimulating: go on, now you make some effort.
Josep
MIR I LLUSSÀ (c.1700-1764) Mass, Stabat
Mater, Quomodo Obscurantum est, Lauda Jerusalem
La Xantria/Pere Lluís Biosca, Vespres d'Arnadí/Dani Espasa
rec. 2010/11
MUSIÈPOCA MEPCD-004 [58:46] [Byz]
Unforgivable
to leave Mir i Llussà to moulder in the cobwebby annals of 18th
century masters of Iberia.
Craig
Madden MORRIS
(b.1945) Dreams
Christine
Kwak (violin), Nan-Cheng Chen (cello), Eduard Laurel (piano), Martha
Locker (piano) rec. 2009/10,
RAVELLO RR7813 [79:36] [OL]
Biodegradable
music.
Jean
MOUTON (c.1458-1522) Missa Tu es Petrus
Brabant Ens/Stephen Rice rec. 2011
HYPERION CDA 67933 [66.07] [GH]
I
see no reason why anyone with an interest in Renaissance choral music
shouldn’t get this straightaway.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART (1756-1791) Works for solo piano
Michail Lifits (piano) rec. 2011
DECCA 476 4857 [79.00] [JB]
No
lover of Mozart’s piano music will want to be without this extraordinary
Decca debut CD of Michail Lifits.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony 36, Piano
Concerto 24, Minuets
Louis Kentner (piano) London Mozart Players, Philharmonia O/Harry Blech
rec. 1954-59
FIRST HAND RECORDS FHR15 [81:10] [CH]
It
is the 12 Minuets that show what Harry Blech and the LMP were all about.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Baby Needs More
Mozart
Carol Rosenberger (piano) David Shifrin (clarinet) Shanghai Qt, New
York Chamber Symphony/Gerard Schwarz
DELOS DE1614 [60:17] [Byz]
A
clear winner.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) The Complete Piano
Concertos Vol. 3
Vassily Primakov (piano) Odense SO/Scott Yoo rec. 2010
BRIDGE RECORDS 9351 [65:49] [GA]
There
is more to these Mozart recordings than one might at first think.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756 - 1791) Complete chamber
music for strings
rec. 1989-2006
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94370 [12 CDs: 450:20] [RMo]
An
outstanding bargain for anyone wanting the complete quartets and quintets.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Songs see
SPOHR
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Violin Concerto 3 see BRAHMS
Modest
MUSSORGSKY (1839 - 1881) Khovanshchina
Irina
Arkhipova, Vladislav Piavko, Aleksandr Ognivtsev, Bolshoi Theatre/Boris
Khaikin rec. 1974
MELODIYA MELCD1001867 [3 CDs: 159:19] [GF]
This
Bolshoi recording has a great deal to offer.
Jacques
OFFENBACH (1819-1880) Un mari à la porte,
Les fables de la Fontaine
Gabrielle Philiponet (soprano) Anaïk Morel (mezzo) Stéphane
Malbec-Garcia (tenor) Royal Liverpool PO/Vasily Petrenko; Nicolai Krügel
(piano) rec. 2008
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC LPOFFCD00211 [69:13] [NB]
This
highly competent but rarely inspired disc fills a gap in the repertoire
but little more.
Bernardo
PASQUINI (1637-1710) Caino e Abele, oratorio:
Lamento di Caino see Caro sposo
Krzystof
PENDERECKI (b. 1933) Fonogrammi; The
awakening of Jacob; Anaklasis; De natura sonoris I;
Partita; Horn Concerto Winterreise
Jennifer Montone (horn) Warsaw PO/Antoni Wit rec. 2008-10
NAXOS 8.572482 [68.52] [PCG]
It
is good that Wit is extending to works that have already been recorded
by the composer. He need fear nothing from the competition.
Giovanni
Battista PERGOLESI (1710-1736) Stabat Mater,
Laudate pueri
Valer Barna-Sabadus/Terry Wey (counter-tenors) Ens Barock Vokal, Mainz,
Neumayer Consort/Michael Hofstetter rec. 2011
OEHMS CLASSICS OC 831 [56:07] [DC]
Unusual
but highly rewarding.
Nick
PEROS (b. 1963) Songs
Heidi Klann (soprano) Alayne Hall (piano) rec. 2000
PHOENIX CLASSICAL PHX 1439-2 [55:05] [Byz]
Any
fan of the grand Lieder tradition should find much here to enjoy.
Ignaz
PLEYEL (1757-1831) Prussian Quartets 4-6
Pleyel Quartett Köln rec. 2010
CPO 777 551-2 [58:44] [Byz]
Attractive
confidence, technical mastery and telepathic ensemble playing.
Amilcare
PONCHIELLI (1834-1886) Concertos
Giuliano Sommerhalder (trumpet) Roland Fröscher (euphonium) Simone
Sommerhalder (oboe) Mecklenburg State O Schwerin/Matthias Foremny rec.
2010
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 901 1642-6 
[60:58] [SV]
An
almost extravagant level of melodic fecundity.
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) The Year 1941, Symphony
5 São
Paulo SO/Marin Alsop rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.573029 [59:48] [LW]
Compelling
for the rarely recorded The Year 1941, but not for the main work.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Sergei PROKOFIEV
(1891-1953) Alexander Nevsky see RACHMANINOV
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) String Quartet 2 see
SHOSTAKOVICH
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Tosca
Daniella Dessi, Fabio Armiliato, Claudio Sgura, Ch & O Teatro Carlo
Felice, Genoa/Marco Boemi rec. 2010
ARTHAUS MUSIK 
108038 [140:00] [DBi]
A
traditional but intelligent production, with an excellent cast and a
splendid orchestra and chorus.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) The Bells
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Alexander Nevsky
Elena Prokina (soprano) Daniil Shtoda (tenor) Sergei Leiferkus (baritone)
Alfreda Hodgson (mezzo) BBC SO & Ch, Philharmonia Ch & O/Evgeny
Svetlanov rec 1988/2002
ICA CLASSICS ICAC5069 [78:30] [JQ]
This
is a phenomenal disc! It shows Evgeny Svetlanov at his incandescent,
inspirational best.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Etudes-Tableaux see
SCHUMANN
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937)
Piano Trio Dimitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Piano Trio 2
Trio Mondrian rec. 2011
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72535 [53:43] [IL]
Heartfelt
Shostakovich plumbing the work’s tragic depths and an expressive
Ravel played with precision and polish.
Nikolay
Andreyevich RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908)
Suite from The Snow Maiden, Mlada & Le Coq d'or,
Sadko
Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.572787 [70.04] [EM-L]
These
are extremely fine performances indeed.
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792 - 1868) Il barbiere di Siviglia
Joyce
DiDonato, Roberto Saccà, Carlos Chausson, Dalibor Jenis, Ch &
O Ntl Opéra de Paris/Bruno Campanella rec. 2002
ARTHAUS 107281
[152:00] [GF]
All
in all these were two-and-a-half-hours very well spent.
Gioacchino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Armida
Cecilia Gasdia (soprano) Chris Merritt (tenor) William Matteuzzi (tenor)
I Solisti Veneti/Claudio Scimone rec. 1991
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94222 [76.10 + 76.45] [RH]
Highly
desirable … contains some fine things.
Federico
RUIZ (b.
1933) Piano pieces
Clara Rodríguez (piano) rec. no date given
NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI 6179 [64:06][JW]
Performances
alive with vitality in well defined recordings.
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