Adolphe
ADAM (1803-1856)
Giselle (highlights) 
Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields/Sir Neville Marriner rec. 1994
BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 94354 [66:45] [SV]
At
times the tempi are underanimated, rhythms square and the conductor's
interest minimal.
Adolphe
ADAM (1803-1856) Giselle see Les
Sylphides
John
ADAMS (b. 1947) The Chairman Dances see
TCHAIKOVSKY
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Malcolm ARNOLD (1921-2006) Clarinet
Concerto 2 see British
Clarinet Concertos
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
The Works for Organ - mp3 Edition
Kevin Bowyer (organ) Det Fynske Kammerkor/Alice Joensen (CD2, tracks
25-69) rec. 1991 to 2001. DDD.
NIMBUS NI 1721 [8x 320kbps MP3 CDs: 30:52:00][Byz]
This
grand tour of one of the greatest bodies of keyboard music in history
will rank alongside the best of those already available.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
Goldberg Variations, Sinfonias
Dmitry Sitkovetsky (violin); Yuri Zhislin (viola); Luigi Piovano (cello)
rec. 2010, DDD
NIMBUS NI6199 [73:52] [OL]
Glorious.
Gripping. Irresistible.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg Variations
Hristo
Kazakov (piano) rec. 2010
Self-published 885767108974 [45:02] [HP-R]
This
isn’t a bad recording - it just isn’t a particularly outstanding
one.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685
- 1750) Cantatas 35 & 170, Trio sonata 3, Fantasia and fugue
Maude
Gratton (organ) Le Banquet Céleste/Damien Guillon (alto) rec.
2011
ZIGZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT305 [73:07] Johann
Sebastian BACH Cantatas 35, 54 & 170
Maarten Engeltjes (alto) Concerto d'Amsterdam/Klaas Stok rec. 2008
QUINTONE Q08007 
[60:25] [JV]
Guillon's recording is a superb achievement, Engeltjes falls short
in expressive power.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg Variations
Daniel
Barenboim (piano) rec. 1992
EUROARTS 
2066778 [100:00] [JW]
Unalloyed
indulgence in the full range of the modern piano.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The Art of Fugue
Andrew
Rangell (piano) rec. 2011
STEINWAY & SONS 30012 [74:26] [HPR]
A
heart stopping performance, which is definitely worth a listen.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Christmas Oratorio
Chamber Choir of the Frauenkirche, Ensemble Frauenkirche/Matthias Grünert
rec. 2011
BERLIN CLASSICS 0300427BC [72:56 + 66:59] [JV]
The
contributions of the soloists are the most satisfying part of this live
recording.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1760) Partitas 2 & 3 see
PAR.TI.TA
Granville
BANTOCK (1868-1946) Hamabdil, Hebrew melody see
British Works for Cello
and Piano
Amy
BEACH (1867-1944)
Piano Music Vol. 4 – The Late Works see end of review for track-listing
Kirsten
Johnson (piano) rec. 2011,
GUILD GMCD 7387 [63:58] [DM]
Music
of striking character and charm, superbly played.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) String Trios
Erick Friedman (violin) Emanuel Vardi (viola) Jascha Silberstein (cello)
rec. 1977
CEMBAL D’AMOUR CD165 [71:06] [JW]
Three
tonally and expressively compatible musicians elicit the most from Beethoven’s
early string trios.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphonies 1 & 7
SWR SO Baden-Baden und Freiburg/Sylvain Cambreling rec. 2000/11
GLOR CLASSICS GC12471 [65:37] [BR]
A
very, very good First and an average Seventh, so this is for the serious
collector.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies 5 & 7
O Révolutionnaire
et Romantique/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. 2011
SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG 717 [72:21] [JQ]
Stimulating
and bracing Beethoven: an important appendix to Gardiner’s DG
cycle.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano sonata 8 see
MUSSORGSKY
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concerto 3 see
MOZART
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Rhapsodies see
MUSSORGSKY
Havergal
BRIAN (1876-1972) The Complete Songbook Vol. 1
Mark
Stone (baritone) Jonathan Stone (violin) Sholto Kynoch (piano) rec.
2011
STONE RECORDS 5060192780154 [68:40] [JW]
This
exploratory first disc in the Brian series is well worth a listen.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Benjamin BRITTEN
(1913-1976)
War Requiem
Erin Wall (soprano) Mark Padmore (tenor); Hanno Müller-Brachmann
(bass-baritone) City of Birmingham SO & Ch/Andris Nelsons rec. 2012
ARTHAUS
MUSIK 101659
[97:00] [JQ]
A
distinguished addition to the War Requiem discography. As a performance
deeply moving and a major achievement.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913
- 1976) A Ceremony of Carols, Saint Nicholas
Trinity College Cambridge Ch/Stephen Layton, rec. 2007/12
HYPERION CDA67946 [73:30] [MG]
Worcester
is agreeable but Trinity is outstanding.
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976)
A Ceremony of Carols, St. Nicolas Cantata,
Trinity College Cambridge Ch/Stephen Layton, rec. 2007/12
HYPERION CDA67946 [73:30] [JQ]
Fine
new Britten recordings set the bar high in advance of his centenary
year.
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1973)
A Charm of Lullabies see The
Legacy of Mahler
Max
BRUCH (1838-1920)
String Octet Johan SVENDSEN (1840-1911)
String Octet
Tharice Virtuosi rec. 2011
CLAVES 50-1207 [67:38] [CF]
These
two octets are well served by the Tharice Virtusoi; only that inexplicably
absent double bass in Bruch disappoints.
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for alphabetical listings by composer:
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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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