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Alphabetical Listing

PART 4
M-R

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]
[last 5 days] [Recommended recordings]



Elizabeth MACONCHY (1907 - 1994) The Land, Piano Concertino, Music for Woodwind and Brass, Symphony Clelia Iruzun (piano) BBC Scottish SO/Odaline de la Martinez rec. 2009 LORELT LNT 133 [64:05] [HC]

A most welcome addition to Maconchy's growing discography. 

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Das Lied von der Erde Jane Henschel (mezzo) Gregory Kunde (tenor) Houston SO/Hans Graf rec. 2009 NAXOS 8.572498 [62:46] [WH]

There are many fine things in this performance, but the magnificent mezzo is miscast.

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen; Rückert-Lieder; Kindertotenlieder Hermine Haselböck (mezzo) Russell Ryan (piano) rec. 2008/9 BRIDGE RECORDS 9341 [60:25] [MC]

Very different voices and each bringing individual qualities to the table.

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 3 Waltraud Meier (mezzo) Eton College Boys Ch, London PO & Ch/Klaus Tennstedt rec. 1986 ICA CLASSICS ICAC 5033 [59:58 + 42:21] [JQ]

Once again, hearing Klaus Tennstedt live in Mahler is a rich and rewarding experience.

Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 8 Gewandhaus Ch & O Leipzig/Riccardo Chailly rec. 2011 ACCENTUS ACC10222 [92:19] [DM]

Adrift in the doldrums; not a patch on Chailly's fine 'Resurrection'.

Kryštof MAŘATKA (b.1972) Praharphona Sextet, Hypnózy Sandrine Chatron (harp) Ens Calliopée/Kryštof Mařatka rec. 2009/10 DUX 0784 [52:34] [JW]

Music for academics and other musicians; not for audiences.

Czeslaw MAREK (1891-1985) Suite, Quatre Meditations, Serenade, Sinfonia, Capriccio, Sinfonietta Ingolf Turban (violin) Philharmonia O/Gary Brain rec. 1995/96 GUILD GMCD 7360/61 [74:31 + 66:52] [NB]

Plenty of interesting music here for the adventurous collector although my ultimate impression is of a fine craftsman lacking the glamour of genius.

Czeslaw MAREK (1891-1985) Songs and Choral Music Elzbieta Szmytka (soprano) Jean Rigby (mezzo) William Dazeley (baritone) Krysztof Smietana (violin) Iain Burnside (piano) Philharmonia Ch & O/Gary Brain rec. 1997/98 GUILD GMCD 7366/67 [71:39 + 59:04] [JW]

Late-Romantic-cum-folkloric music in excellent performances.

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Piano Trios Argenta Trio rec. 2010 BRIDGE 9338 [60:57] [SV]

Pleasing, especially for the superb pianism. 

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) String Quartets 2 & 6 Minguet Qt rec. 2009 CPO 777 503-2 [53:39]  [GD]

Dreamlike reveries and turbulent climaxes yet we have detail and pinpoint accuracy. 

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Christus, O haupt voll blut und wunden, Von himmel hoch Sandrine Piau (soprano) Accentus; Ensemble Orchestral de Paris/Laurence Equilbey rec. 2011 NAÏVE V5265 [48:15] [JS]

Ignore the very short measure and concentrate on the quality of what is on offer. 

Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847) Lieder ohne Worte see Vassily Primakov

Krzysztof MEYER (b.1943) String Quartets - volume 2 String Quartet no.9, op.74 (1990) [24:35] String Quartet no.11, op.95 (2001) [15:21] String Quartet no.12, op.103 (2005) [36:27] Wieniawski String Quartet rec. 2010; DDD NAXOS 8.572656 [76:24][Byz]

Intelligent and emotive with a distinctive eastern European voice … melancholy and hope, restlessness and emptiness, darkness with glimpses of light.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH E.J. MOERAN (1894-1950) Sketches for Symphony 2, Overture for a Festival John IRELAND (1879-1962) Sarnia Royal Scottish Ntl O/Martin Yates rec. 2011 DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7281 [59:14] [RB]

Sensational … radiance, colour and drive.

Federico MOMPOU (1893-1987) Piano music - Vol 2: Discoveries Martin Jones (piano) rec. 2011 NIMBUS NI 5877/9 [3 CDs: 2:46:00] [PCG]

Most enjoyable from beginning to end.

Paul MORAVEC (b. 1957) Vita brevis, Characteristics, Useful Knowledge: A Franklin Fantasy Amy Burton (soprano) Randall Scarlata (baritone) Simon Mulligan (piano) Trio Solisti, La Fenice, Cecilia Brauer (glass harmonica) rec. 2007-09 NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559698 [56:19] [PCG]

Those who enjoy the music of Moravec will welcome the chance to make acquaintance with more of his music but proceed with a degree of caution.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Le Nozze Di Figaro Reri Grist (soprano) Walter Berry (bass-baritone) Edith Mathis (soprano) Ch of the Vienna St Op/Vienna PO/Karl Böhm rec. 1966 ARTHAUS MUSIK 107 057 [2 DVDs: 180:00] [RJF]

This classy and classic performance from another era well deserves to be seen despite its technical limitations.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos 22 & 25 Paul Badura-Skoda (piano) Vienna PO/Horst Stein, Concertgebouw O/George Szell rec. 1959 MUSIC & ARTS CD-1254 [65:59] [JQ]

Two very fine performances that show how life-enhancing Mozart’s music can be when it’s done well.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) The Prussian string quartets Emerson Qt rec. 2011 SONY CLASSICAL 88697 935982 [74:00] [KM]

A fine recording of Mozart’s last string quartets, and one that offers excellent sound, by one of the finest string quartets playing today.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony 40 see Toscanini

Nikolai MYASKOVSKY (1881-1950) String Quartet 13 see SHOSTAKOVICH

George ONSLOW (1784-1853) Complete Piano Trios Vols 3 & 4 Trio Cascades rec. 2004/5 CPO 777 232-2 [74:24 + 75:25] [SV]

These excellent performances merit a strong recommendation.

Pietro Domenico PARADISI (1707 - 1791) Harpsichord Sonatas Filippo Emanuele Ravizza (harpsichord) CONCERTO CD 2008 [62:11 + 77:17] [JV]

A rewarding set which lovers of harpsichord music will certainly enjoy.  

Giacomo Antonio PERTI (1661 – 1756) Messa a 12 (1687) see COLONNA

Laurent PETITGIRARD (b. 1950) Guru Hubert Claessens, Sonia Petrovna, Philippe Do, Karen Wierzba, Hungarian SO Budapest/Laurent Petitgirard rec. 2010 NAXOS 8.660300-01 [71:05 + 49:24] [GF]

An engrossing experience.

Kimmo POHJONEN (b. 1964)/Samuli KOSMINEN Uniko Kronos Qt, Kimmo Pohjonen (accordion) Samuli Kosminen rec. 2004 C MAJOR 707108 [82:00] [KM]

Hard to describe, this fusion of electronic music, middle-eastern sounds, and minimalism is entrancing and odd and ultimately provides a unique musical experience.

In The Heart Of Things Francis POTT (b. 1957) Mass & other choral works Grace Davidson (soprano) Commotio/Matthew Berry rec. 2011 NAXOS 8.572739 [66:58] [JQ]

An excellent collection of choral music by Francis Pott in consistently fine performances.

Sergey PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Romeo and Juliet (arr. for viola and piano) Matthew Jones, Rivka Golani (viola) Michael Hampton (piano) rec. 2009 NAXOS 8.572318 [58:08] [OL]

Unexpectedly rich, faithful and touching.

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Scythian Suite see Music from the Machine Age

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Symphony 1; Piano Concerto 1 see A Piano Evening with Martha Argerich

Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Piano Concerto 3, Piano Sonata 6 see Evgeni Kissin

Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Piano Concerto 2, Piano Sonata 2, Études-Tableaux Op.33 Hélène Grimaud (piano) Royal PO/Jésus Lopez-Cobos rec. 1985-1992 DAL-SEGNO DSPRCD063 [77:52] [JW]

The concerto is beset by too many faults but the other works are first-class in every way.

John RAMSAY (b.1931) String Quartets No.1 -4 The Fitzwilliam String Quartet
rec. 2010/11 METIER MSV 28528 [38:32 + 48:29] [JF]

Ramsay’s approachable String Quartets undoubtedly deserve a place in the repertoire. An impressive cycle.

Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Daphnis et Chloé John Alldis Ch, London PO/Bernard Haitink rec. 1979 LPO 0059 [57:48] [KE]

Held back by a degree of reserve.

Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Pavane pour une infante défunte see Julian Bream

Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) La Valse see Music from the Machine Age

Max REGER (1873-1916) Violin Concerto, Romances 1 & 2 Tanja Becker-Bender (violin) Konzerthausorchester Berlin/Lothar Zagrosek rec. 2011 HYPERION CDA67892 [74:39] [MC]

Profoundly expressive performances and a most attractive sound.

Max REGER (1873-1916) Romances 1 & 2, Violin Concerto, Aria Kolja Lessing (violin) Göttingen SO/Christoph-Mathias Mueller rec. 2009/10 TELOS MUSIC TLS097 [78:56] [GD]

Richly melodic and perfectly formed. 

Franz Xaver RICHTER (1709 - 1789) Sonatas for Flute, Harpsichord and Cello 2. Sonatas 4-6 Pauliina Fred (transverse flute) Aapo Häkkinen (harpsichord) Heidi Peltoniemi (cello) rec. 2009 NAXOS 8.572030 [61:50] [JV]

The second disc of this project is a worthy successor to the first.

Marga RICHTER (b.1926) Snow Mountain: A Spiritual Trilogy David Wells (cello) Marga Richter (piano) Daniel Heifetz (violin) Michael Skelly (piano) rec. 1984 LEONARDA LE337 [71:50] [RB]

These three works are kindred in their concentration and in their exploration of remote realms of thought.

Nikolay RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908) Sadko Musical Picture; Suites from The snow maiden, Mlada, Le coq d’or Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz rec. 2011 NAXOS 8.572787 [70:04] [RMay]

Exoticism, swagger and aplomb … add this disc to your collection.

Martin ROMBERG (b.1978) Valaquenta; Tableaux Fantastiques Aimo Pagin (piano) rec. 2010 LAWO LWC 1022 [79:44] [Byz]

Deliciously atmospheric and suggestive.

Albert ROUSSEL (1869-1937) Segovia for guitar see Julian Bream

Jeffrey RYAN (b.1962) The Linearity of Light, Equilateral Concerto, for piano trio amd orchestra, Symphony 1 Fugitive Colours Gryphon Trio Annalee Patipatanakoon (violin) Roman Borys (cello) Jamie Parker (piano) Vancouver SO/Bramwell Tovey rec. 2008-2010 NAXOS CANADIAN CLASSICS 8.572765 [69:13] [Byz]

Angular and sometimes brash, but never out-and-out modernistic.


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]
[last 5 days] [Recommended recordings]


 

 

 

 



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