Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 1; Symphony 5 Adagietto
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Till
Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche 
Boston SO/Erich Leinsdorf rec. 1962
ICA CLASSICS ICAD 5051 
[78:00] [JLZ]
It
is good to have Mahler 1 and the other two performances from Leinsdorf’s
maturity available on DVD.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony 2, Music is the Language of the Heart and Soul: A
Portrait of Mariss Jansons
Ricarda Merbeth (soprano); Bernarda Fink (mezzo) Netherlands Radio Ch,
Royal Concertgebouw O/Mariss Jansons rec. 2009
UNITEL CLASSICA/C MAJOR 709804 
[142:00] {DMcC]
You
will be renewed and uplifted, and that is surely what Mahler intended.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 10 Melbourne SO/Mark Wigglesworth
rec. 2008 ABC CLASSICS/MSO LIVE ABC 476 4336 [77:54] [DM]
Good
- very good – in parts, but not the penetrating performance I’d hoped
for.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Lieder eines
Fahrenden Gesellen see BEETHOVEN
Kryštof
MARATKA (b.1972) Praharphona Sextet - Music from
Old and New Prague, for harp, string quartet & percussion,
Hypnózy, for woodwind quintet Ensemble Calliopée; Kryštof Mar(atka
rec. 2009-2010 DUX 0784 [52:34] [Byz]
This
oddest of odd homages to Chopin … plenty to surprise, impress and entertain.
Frank
MARTIN (1890-1974)
Ballade for flute and piano see Sounds
from Within
Bohuslav
MARTINU (1890-1959)
Sonata No.1 for flute and piano see Sounds
from Within
Paul
MEALOR (b. 1975) A Tender Light
Tenebrae; RPO/Nigel Short rec. 2011
DECCA 4764814 [73:54] [JQ]
Choral
pieces by Paul Mealor reveal some beautiful music but also a worrying
lack of variety.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Piano Trio No.1 in D minor Op.49 (1839) [29:25] Piano Trio No.2 in C
minor Op.66 (1845) [29:19] Robert SCHUMANN
(1810-1856) Clavierstücke in canonischer form Op.56 (1845) arr.
Theodor Kirchner 1880s [28:27]
Trio Shaham Erez Wallfisch (Hagai Shaham (violin); Arnon Erez (piano);
Raphael Wallfisch (cello)) rec. April 2011
NIMBUS NI 5875 [77:14] [JW]
Excellently
balanced, first class performances, sensitive and imaginative music-making.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Sacred Choral Works
Chamber Ch Europe, Wurttembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen/Nicol Matt
rec. 2002
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94263 [8 CDs: 570:49] [RH]
A
welcome overview of Mendelssohn’s sacred music in lively and engaging
performances.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847)
The Young Genius - Piano sextet, Clarinet sonata, Piano trio
Van
Swieten Society rec. 2009
QUINTONE Q09004 
[68:20] [JV]
An
eloquent and convincing plea for lesser-known fruits of Mendelssohn's
youth.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin Concerto see
Tchaikovsky
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908–1992) Quartet for the End of Time see
ZEMLINSKY
Arthur
MEULEMANS (1884-1966) Concertos
for orchestra 1 & 2
Jef MAES (1905-1996)
Overture Concertante
Royal Flemish PO/Martyn Brabbins rec. 2011
ROYAL FLEMISH PHILHARMONIC RFP002 [49:07] [RB]
Three
engaging Belgian concertos for orchestra and an effervescent overture.
Pity about short playing time and the fragmentary Rosseau.
Léon
MINKUS (1826-1917) Don Quixote Choreogr. Rudolf
Nureyev rec. 1972 KULTUR BLU-RAY DISC BD1175 [126:00] [RMay]
I
know I will watch this again and with some pleasure.
Eric
MOE (b. 1954) Superhero, Eight Point
Turn, Kick & Ride
Robert Schulz (drum set) Boston Modern Orchestra Project/Gil Rose rec.
2008/9
BMOP SOUND 1021 [56:19] [PCG]
Music
which even when at its most rhythmically unrelenting is always enjoyable
and listenable.
Xavier
MONTSALVATGE (1912-2002) Piano Trio see GERHARD
Piotr
MOSS (b.1949) Symphonie Concertante, for flute,
piano and orchestra, Adagio III, for orchestra, Portraits
- Concerto for piano and orchestra Elz.bieta Gajewska (flute) Barbara
Halska (piano) Emilian Madey (piano) Polish Radio/TV Orch(Kraków), Polish
Natl RSO(Katowice)/Zbigniew Graca Polish RSO/Tomasz Bugaj rec. 1994-2007
DUX 0839 [74:46] [Byz]
Masterful,
deeply expressive, and compellingly exciting.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Clarinet Quintet in A see BRAHMS
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concerto 20 see
Europa Konzert
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Complete Symphonies
Mozart
Akademie Amsterdam/Jaap ter Linden
rec. 2001-2002
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94295 [11 CDs: 67:20 + 64:45 + 63:44 +61:42 +
62:54 + 78:05 + 66:12 + 63:59 + 77:43 + 65:13 + 63:41][BW]
A
superb bargain for all lovers of Mozart, not just for period-instrument
devotees… see Full Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756 - 1791) Symphonies 39 &
40 O
Mozart/Claudio Abbado rec. 2008/09
ARCHIV PRODUKTION 477 9792 [66:11] [MG]
Abbado’s
urbane, refined approach is more convincing for Symphony 39.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Coronation
Mass; Missa Brevis; Exsultate, jubilate
St John’s College Ch, Cambridge; St John’s Sinfonia/Andrew Nethsingha
rec. 2011
CHANDOS CHACONNE CHAN0786 [70:35] [JS]
In so many ways an excellent set of performances.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphonies 36 &
38 George
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1789)
Water Music Suite
Boston SO/Charles Munch rec. 1958-60
ICA CLASSICS ICAD5057
[62:00] [JW]
Precious,
unrecorded symphonies served up in vital, energising readings.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos 11-13
Andrea
Bacchetti (piano) O di Padova e del Veneto/Carlo Goldstein rec. 2011
DYNAMIC
CDS 713 [76:24] [DC]
Natural
feeling and genuinely enjoyable.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Exsultate jubilate see
Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra
Charles
Wilfred ORR (1893-1976) The Complete Songbook
- Volume 1
Mark Stone (baritone) Simon Lepper (piano) rec. 2010
STONE RECORDS 5060192780123 [62:07] [JF]
Will appeal to all lovers of English Song ... an important release that
will encourage more performances and further study of these beautiful
songs.
Arvo
PÄRT (b. 1935) Nekrolog, Stabat Mater,
Statuit Ei Dominus, Missa Syllabica, Magnificat Antiphons
Royal Stockholm PO, Estonian Ntl SO/ Paavo Järvi; Taverner Consort and
Fretwork/Andrew Parrott; Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Ch/Tonu Kaljuste;
rec. 1996
EMI CLASSICS 2376112 [61.07 + 61.00] [EM-L]
On
the whole a desirable set.
Odeon
PARTOS (1907-1977) Yizkor see
Vardi
Paul
PELLAY (b. 1965) Thesaurus of violinistic
fiendishness
Peter Sheppard Skærved (violin) rec. 2010
MÉTIER MSV28527 [67.40 + 43.28] [PCG]
A
very great deal more approachable than the title would suggest.
Peter
PHILIPS (1560/61
- 1628) Motets
The Sarum Consort/Andrew Mackay; Nigel Gardner (organ) rec. 2000
NAXOS 8.572832 [65.08] [RH]
Despite
my moans, there is much to admire and perhaps even love in this disc.
Ignaz
PLEYEL (1757-1831)
Symphonies, Flute Concerto
Patrick Gallois (flute and conductor) Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväsyklä rec.
2010
NAXOS 8.572550 [79:15] [PCG]
The
music is fascinating in its own right.
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963)
Dialogue des Carmélites (1953-56) Soloists
ORF Radio-Symphonieorkester Wien/Bertrand de Billy rec. 2008, 2011,
OEHMS
CLASSICS OC931 [68.46 + 76.23] [DC]
Very
close to first-choice status.
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) The Complete Songs Vol 2
Lorna Anderson, Felicity Lott, Lisa Milne (soprano) Jonathan Lemalu
(bass-baritone) Christopher Maltman (baritone) (soprano) Robert Murray
(tenor) Malcolm Martineau (piano) rec. 2010
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD 263 [72:17] [PB-W]
Guaranteed
to bring hours of pleasure - a must-have for Poulenc fans.
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) Organ Concerto Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Symphony 3
Thomas Trotter (organ) Auckland PO/Arvo Volmer rec. 2010
ATOLL ACD116 [58:15] [KE]
Lacking
in verve … somewhat reserved.
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Complete Violin Sonatas
Benjamin
Beilman (violin) Yekwon Sunwoo (piano) rec. 2011
ANALEKTA AN 2 8763 [65:05] [WK]
Vivid
and technically assured performances of major Prokofiev chamber works
by a young man to watch out
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858 – 1924) Puccini-Passion
Cheryl
Barker (soprano) State Orchestra of Victoria/Richard Bonynge rec. 2002
MELBA
MR301110 [63:29] [GF]
A
very attractive disc. Admirers of Cheryl Barker need not hesitate.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Symphony 2 
Melbourne SO/Tadaaki Otaka rec. 2010
MSO LIVE ABC CLASSICS 476 4842 [66.13] [RMo]
An
also-ran.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Piano Concertos 1 &
2 Leif
Ove Andsnes (piano) Berlin PO/Antonio Pappano rec. 2005
EMI CLASSICS 5181842 [58:30] [SV]
Musical
and persuasive.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Caprice bohémien,
Vocalise, Symphony 3
Royal Liverpool PO/Vasily Petrenko rec. 2009/10
EMI CLASSICS 6790192 [62:51] [JQ]
More
Rachmaninov from Petrenko in Liverpool.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Romances
Dmitri
Hvorostovsky (baritone) Ivari Ilja (piano) rec. 2011
ONDINE ODE 1207-2 [65:21] [RMo]
Hvorostovsky’s
voice is perfectly weighted and his artistry honed by long experience
sufficient to give these songs his finest interpretation.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
see SAINT-SAËNS
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Violin Sonata see
French Impressions
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Le Tombeau de Couperin see Europa
Konzert
Ottorino
RESPIGHI (1879-1936) Fountains of Rome, Pines
of Rome see Fellini,
Jazz & Co
Nikolai
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908)
The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh
Tatiana Monogarova, Vitaly Panfilov, Mikhail Kazakov, Ch & O Lyric
Theatre Cagliari/Alexander Vedernikov rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.660288-90 [3 CDs: 180:36] [PCG]
Quite
simply a neglected masterpiece.
Joseph-Guy
ROPARTZ (1864-1955) Violin Sonata, Prélude,
Marine, Chanson
Devy Erlih (violin) Maurice Bureau (piano) Quintette Pierre Jamet rec.
1956
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR460 [42:05] [JW]
Another
winner from this fascinating label.
Nino
ROTA (1911-1979) La Strada see
Fellini, Jazz & Co
Albert
ROUSSEL (1869-1937) Le festin de l’araignée,
Padmâvatî Suites Nos. 1 and 2
Royal Scottish Ntl O/Stéphane Denève rec. 2010. DDD
NAXOS 8.572243 [54:53] [LW]
Denève’s
accounts of Roussel ballet music maintain the high standard he set earlier.
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