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Edward
MacDOWELL (1860-1908) Piano Sonatas 1-4 
Donna Amato (piano) rec. 2002
ALTARUS AIR-CD-9023 [81:24]
[RB]
The
intellect and humanity of an artist in the grand tradition.
Bruno
MADERNA (1920-1973) Piano Concertos, Quadrivium
Aldo
Orvieto, Fausto Bongelli (piano) Gruppo 40.6, Orch della Fondazione
Arena di Verona/Carlo Miotto rec. 2009/10
NAXOS 8.572642 [66:32]
[MS]
Expertly
played important and enjoyable music.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER
(1860-1911)
Symphony No. 2 in C minor Resurrection (1894) [95:42] Sarah Connolly
(mezzo); Christiane Oelze (soprano)
MDR Rundfunkchor; Berliner Rundfunkchor; Gewandhauschor Gewandhausorchester
Leipzig/Riccardo Chailly rec. 2011
ACCENTUS ACC 10238 BLU-RAY
[95:42] 
[DM]
Thoroughly
satisfying.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 6
Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia/Antonio Pappano
rec. 2011
EMI CLASSICS 0844132 [38:47 + 45:48]
[DM]
I
so wanted to welcome this new Sixth but given the quality of the competition
this release falls far, far short of what I expected.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Das Lied von der Erde
Sibylla Rubens (soprano) Renée Morloc (alto) Markus Schäfer
(tenor) Markus Eiche (baritone) Münchener Bach O/Hansjörg
Albrecht rec. 2011
OEHMS CLASSICS OC792 [62:15]
[KE]
Probably
best for the curious who wonder what a mixture between the original
and the reduction would sound like.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER
(1860-1911)
Das Lied von der Erde (1908-1909)
Jane Henschel (mezzo); Gregory Kunde (tenor) Houston Symphony Orchestra/Hans
Graf rec.2009 Song texts available here
NAXOS
8.572498 [62:46]
[DM]
The
talents of this newcomer are so prodigious and its faults so minor …
this comes pretty close to ideal.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
(for chamber orchestra, arr. Schoenberg) (Mahler’s original version,
for voice and piano, 1885) [17:01] Das Lied von der Erde (for
chamber orchestra, arr. Schoenberg-Riehn) (1908-1909) [62:00]
Brennen Guillory (tenor); Emma Curtis (contralto); David Stout (baritone)
Orchestra of the Swan/Kenneth Woods rec. 2010, Song texts and English
translations provided
SOMM CÉLESTE SOMMCD 0109 [79:27]
[DM]
A
fine Mahler disc, much prized for a radiant account of the Wayfarer
songs.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Adagietto from Symphony 5, Adagio
from Symphony 10 arr. for string orchestra, H. Stadlmair
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) String Quartet 11 arr. for
string orchestra, G. Mahler
Amsterdam Sinf/Candida Thompson rec. 2010
CHANNEL CLASSICS 
CCS
SA 31511 [59:55]
[DC]
A
fine release and a treat for non-purist string fans.
Gian
Francesco MALIPIERO
(1882 - 1973)
Impressioni dal vero I-III, Pause del silenzio I & II
Roma SO/Francesco La Vecchia rec. 2009/2010
NAXOS 8.572409 [79:53]
[CH]
Worth
buying for “Impressioni dal vero I” and then making up your mind about
the rest.
Bohuslav
MARTINŮ (1890-
1959) Sextet see REICHA
Marin
MARAIS (1656-1728) Pièces de viole oubliées et changées
Juliane
Laake (descant viol, bass viol) Art d'Echo rec. 2010
CRYSTAL N 67 065 [70:42] [JV]
A
disc not to be missed.
Victor
MASSÉ (1822-1884) Galathée, Les noces de
Jeannette
Albert Vauguet (tenor) Jane Morlet (soprano) Ninon Vallin
(soprano) Léon Ponzio (baritone) O & Ch of the Opéra-Comique, Paris/Émile
Archainbaud/Laurent Halet rec. 1912/1922
MARSTON 53010-2 [3 CDs: 76:43 + 75:56 + 77:10]
[JW]
Aimed
squarely at specialists in French opera on disc. Realised with outstanding
intelligence and application.
Johann
Simon MAYR (1763-1845) Medea in Corinto
Alastair Miles (bass) Alek Schrader (tenor) Nadja Michael (soprano)
Ramón Vargas (tenor) Bavarian State O & Ch/Ivor Bolton rec. 2010
ARTHAUS
MUSIK
108 030 [151:00 + 48:00] [RJF]
Arresting
music for the bel canto enthusiast.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Erkki MELARTIN
(1875-1937) The Solo Piano Works
Maria Lettberg (piano) rec. 2008
CRYSTAL CLASSICS N67048 [69:05 + 66:49]
[RB]
Quite
glorious.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Complete music for cello and
piano
Emanuel Gruber (cello) Arnon Erez (piano) rec. 2009
DELOS DE 3415 [65:58]
[GA]
Fluent
and polished performances that don’t dig deeply enough below the surface.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Cello sonatas 1 & 2, Variations
concertante
Paul Watkins (cello) Huw Watkins (piano) rec. 2011
CHANDOS CHAN 10701 [62:59] [JS]
The
rapt quality of the music and music-making is so impressive.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Coronation Mass, Vesperae solennes de Confessore
Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum, Charivari Agréable/Benjamin
Nicholas rec. 2011
DELPHIAN DCD34102 [54:59]
[JQ]
A
good deal to enjoy here, especially the remarkable treble voice of Laurence
Kilsby.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Le Nozze Di Figaro
Diana Damrau (soprano) Ildebrando D'arcangelo (bass-baritone) Pietro
Spagnoli (baritone)Ch & O Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Gérard Korsten
rec. 2006
ARTHAUS MUSIK 
101589
[2 DVDs: 187:00] [RJF]
This
Susanna and Figaro are among the very best, but overall the performance
lacks zip.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
& Michael HAYDN (1737-1806)
Duos for violin and viola
Rachel Podger (violin) Jane Rogers (viola) rec. 2011
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCSSA32411
[72:37]
[DC]
A superbly musical and well-proportioned recording.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Piano
Concertos 22 & 25
Paul Badura-Skoda (piano) Vienna PO/Horst Stein; Concertgebouw O/George
Szell rec. 1959/78
MUSIC & ARTS CD-1254 [65:59] [JW]
Contrasting
performances. Admirers need not hesitate for a moment.
Modest
MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881) Khovanshchina
Dimiter Petkov, Todor Kostov, Nicola Ghiuselev, Alexandra Milcheva,
Sofia National Opera Orchestra/Atanas Margaritov rec. 1978
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94255 [3 CDs: 39:10 + 61:27 + 62:21]
[GD]
Not
an ideal Khovanshchina by any standards.
Arvo
PÄRT
(b.1935) Piano
Music
Ralph van Raat (piano) Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic/JoAnn
Falletta 010; DDD
NAXOS 8.572525 [65:53]
[Byz]
Expressive,
dexterous and highly polished.
Arvo
PÄRT (b.1935) Partita see 20th
Century Russian Piano Music
Phoenix
Paul
PATTERSON (b. 1947) Phoenix Concerto Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Oboe Concerto Herbert
HOWELLS (1892-1983) Oboe Sonata
Emily Pailthorpe (oboe) English CO/Benjamin Wallfisch rec. 2010
CHAMPS HILL CHRCD025 [67:26]
[RB]
Pailthorpe’s
warmly sinuous yet well defined oboe sound … its golden yield
and glow can be heard in two rarities and one classic.
Krzysztof
PENDERECKI (b.1933) Viola Concerto, Cello Concerto
Grigori Zhislin (viola) Tatjana Vassiljeva (cello) Warsaw PO/Antoni
Wit rec. September 2008
NAXOS 8.572211 [57:33]
[Byz]
Surely
award-winning accounts of these demanding scores.
Willem
PIJPER (1894-1947) Violin sonatas Rudolf
ESCHER (1912-1980) Violin
sonata Alexander VOORMOLEN (1895-1980)
Pastorale Ton
de LEEUW (1926-1996) Violin
sonatina
Philippe Graffin (violin) Jelger Blanken (piano) rec. 2010
ONYX 4080 [78:45] [HC]
A
generously filled recital of little known though worthwhile Dutch violin
sonatas.
Giovanni
Benedetto PLATTI
(1697-1763)
Concerto for cello, strings and bc in C see Italian
Concertos and Sonatas
Ignaz
Joseph PLEYEL (1757-1831) Piano Trios Trio
in C (Ben 441), Trio in e minor (Ben 435), Trio in A (Ben 448), Trio
in f minor (Ben 442)
Trio 1790 rec. 2007-2008
CPO 777 544-2 [71:38]
[JV]
The
playing of the Trio 1790 is of the highest order.
Nicola
Antonio PORPORA (1686-1768) Concerto for cello, strings
and bc in a minor see Italian Concertos
and Sonatas
Francis
POTT
(b. 1957) Christus
- Passion Symphony for Solo Organ (1986-1990)
Jeremy Filsell (organ) rec. 1997
SIGNUM SIGCD062 [70:43 + 55:09]
[JQ]
A
highly significant piece of modern organ music in a definitive performance.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Francis POULENC
(1899 – 1963) Hommage
Felicity Lott (soprano) Graham Johnson (piano) rec. 1994
FORLANE FOR16730 [64:26]
[GF]
It
is hard to imagine more beautiful singing. Well-nigh criminal not
to buy this disc.
Francis
POULENC
(1899-1963) The Complete Songs - Vol. 1
Lorna Anderson (soprano) ; Jonathan Lemalu (bass-baritone) ; Felicity
Lott (soprano) ; Christopher Maltman ; Lisa Milne (soprano) ; Robert
Murray (tenor); Malcolm Martineau (piano) rec. 2010
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD 247 [69:38]
[PBW]
A
fine disc containing so many gems from one of the most loveable of composers.
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) Concerto for Two Pianos, Suite Française,
Concert Champêtre
Jos van Immerseel, Claire Chevallier (piano) Katerina Chroboková (harpsichord)
Anima Eterna Brugge/Jos van Immerseel rec. 2008
ZIG-ZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT110403 [57:20] [OL]
An
unusual but welcome contribution to the Poulenc discography.
Francis
POULENC (1899–1963) The Story of Babar see
PROKOFIEV
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Alexander Nevsky, Zdravitsa
L. Andreyeva
(mezzo) Yurlov State Academic Ch, Capella of Russia, USSR State Academy
SO/Evgeny Svetlanov rec. 1966/80
MELODIYA MEL CD10 01831 [52:50] [DM]
This
promises much, but fails to deliver.
Sergey
PROKOFIEV (1891–1953) Peter and the Wolf Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921) Carnival of the Animals
Francis POULENC (1899–1963) The Story of Babar
Richard Briers (narrator) David Coram (organ) David Owen Norris (piano)
rec. 2011
CATHEDRAL CLASSICS CCCD101 [79:39]
[PK]
If
you have children on your gift list, this album will be gratefully received
and enjoyed.
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Symphony 1 see
DVORÁK
Sergey
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Piano sonata 2 see
JANÁČEK
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giacomo PUCCINI
(1858-1924) Tosca
Fiorenza Cedolins (soprano) Marcelo Alvarez (tenor) Ruggero Raimondi
(bass-baritone) Ch & O Arena di Verona/Daniel Oren; rec. live, 2006
ARTHAUS
MUSIC 108 031
[119:00]
[RJF]
One
of the best produced and sung video versions of this ever-popular Puccini
melodrama.
Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695)
arr. Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1973)
Chacony in G minor [6:44] see BLISS
Sergey
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Symphony 2 see
Europa
Konzert from Madrid 2011
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Piano Trio in D minor Op.9 (1893) [48:26] see Vienna
Schubert trio
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Valses nobles et sentimentales
see JANÁČEK
Steve
REICH (b.1936) Triple Quartet, Piano Counterpoint
(arranged by Vincent Corver from Reich’s Six Pianos), Different
Trains Vincent Corver (piano) London Steve Reich Ens/Kevin Griffiths
rec. 2011
EMI CLASSICS 5099908731920 [54:43]
[RB]
Kineticism
with a scalpel-stabbing poignancy.
Anton
REICHA (1770-1836) Quintet; Three Pieces Bohuslav
MARTINŮ (1890-
1959) Sextet Leoš JANÁČEK
(1854-1928) Pochod modráčků, Mládí suite
Berlin Philharmonic Wind Qnt rec. 2005/09
BIS-CD-1802 [78:50]
[LW]
An
outstanding selection of Czech works for winds.
Carl
REINECKE (1824-1910)
Complete Cello Sonatas
Manuel Fischer-Dieskau (cello), Connie Shih (piano) rec. 2010
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 6031661-2 [62:44]
[CH]
Well
worth investigating. The name of Reinecke is beginning to come alive
for me.
Ottorino
RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
Works for Piano and Orchestra Toccata for Piano and Orchestra,
Concerto in modo misolidio
Sandro Ivo Bartoli (piano) Staatsorchester der Sächsische Landesbühnen/Michele
Carulli
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94055 [68:42]
[RB]
Heroic
and of a Rachmaninovian caste matched with zesty bombast.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Pierre
RODE (1774-1830)
Violin Concertos 3, 4 & 6
Friedemann Eichhorn (violin) Jena PO/Nicolás Pasquet rec. 2009
NAXOS
8.570767 [73:56]
[Byz]
Hugely
entertaining and satisfying.
Joaquín
RODRIGO (1901-1999) Concierto de Aranjuez
see Europa
Konzert from Madrid 2011
Nino
ROTA (1911-79) Clarinet Sonata, Clarinet trio see
BRAHMS
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