RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 8 
Los Angeles Philharmonic, Simón Bolivar SO of Venezuela/Gustavo
Dudamel rec. 2012
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 073 4890 
[90:00 + 18:00] [DM]
Taut,
superbly controlled Mahler, performed with great conviction and presented
in top-notch sound and pictures.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony 1
Gürzenich O Köln/Markus Stenz rec. 2011
OEHMS CLASSICS OC646 
[52:56] [JQ]
A
good addition to Markus Stenz’s Mahler cycle.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony 1
Baltimore SO/Marin Alsop rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.572207 [54:55] [JZ]
Fresh
and vibrant, this makes for an appealing and persuasive reading of this
familiar work.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Das Lied von der Erde;
Symphonies 9 & 10
Berlin SO/Kurt Sanderling rec. 1979/83
BERLIN CLASSICS 0300440BC [3 CDs: 216:22] [NB]
For
the Mahler devotee I would suggest the 10th and Schreier’s
in Das Lied as mandatory listening.
Bohuslav
MARTINU (1890-1959) Sonata No.1 see Czech
Flute Music
Peter
MAXWELL DAVIES (b.1934) Symphonies 4 & 5
Scottish CO/Philharmonia O/Peter Maxwell Davies rec. 1990/94
NAXOS 8.572351 [69:12] [Byz]
For
muscular vividness and multi-textured eloquence, this pair of symphonies
is hard to beat.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Lieder ohne Worte
Michael
Korstick (piano) rec. 2009/10
CPO 777 519-2 [73:08 + 52:34] [EM-L]
This
is a disc that I cannot fault at all - highly desirable.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Elijah
Simon Keenlyside, Robert Murray, Rosemary Joshua, Sarah Connolly, Wrocław
Philharmonic Ch, Gabrieli Consort & Players/Paul McCreesh rec. 2011
SIGNUM
RECORDS SIGCD300 [68:30 + 67:28] [MC]
A
set that I will reach for again and again.
Nikolai
MIASKOVSKY (1881-1950) Symphony 21 see
Russian Composers
around 1900
Robin
MILFORD (1903-1959) Mass for five voices see
DURUFLÉ
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Claudio MONTEVERDI
(1567-1643)
L’Incoronazione di Poppea
Philippe Jaroussky, Danielle de Niese, Anna Bonitatibus, Les Arts Florissants/William
Christie, Pier Luigi Pizzi (director) rec. 2010
VIRGIN CLASSICS 0709519 
[2 DVDs: 180:00] [BW]
A
life-enhancing experience which dramatically changed my view of this
opera.
Xavier
MONTSALVATGE (1912-2002) Piano Works Vol. 3 -
Music for two pianos
Jordi Masó, Miquel Villalba (piano/celesta) Pia Freund (soprano)
Ensemble Barcelona 216/Ernest Martínez Izquierdo rec. 2011
NAXOS SPANISH CLASSICS 8.572636 [63:14] [Byz]
Melody
is seldom far away in this music.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Don Giovanni
Eberhard
Wächter (baritone) Joan Sutherland (soprano) Giuseppe Taddei (bass)
Philharmonia Ch & O/Carlo Maria Giulini rec. 1959
PRISTINE AUDIO PACO078 [3 CDs: 161:02] [RMo]
Sprung,
flexible and subtle, with a superb cast … simply wonderful.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
The Magic Flute
Ying Huang, Matthew Polenzani, Nathan Gunn, René Pape, Erika
Miklósa, The Metropolitan Opera O & Ch/James Levine rec.
2006
SONY CLASSICAL 88697 910139
[112:00] [GF]
Formidable
shortcomings but I derived a lot of pleasure from this production.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concerto 20 Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concerto 3
Mindru Katz (piano) Jerusalem SO/Gary Bertini & Mendi Rodan rec.
1970-77
CEMBAL D’AMOUR CD 163 [69:24] [JW]
Katz’s
early death on stage was a grievous loss to the musical community.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos 9 &
21 Cleveland
O/Mitsuko Uchida (piano) rec.2012
DECCA CLASSICS 478 3539 [62:31] [RMo]
I
look forward to the continuation and eventual completion of a superb
series.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Idomeneo
John Mark Ainsley (tenor) Pavol Breslik (tenor) Juliane Banse (soprano)
Ch & O of the Bavarian St Op/Kent Nagano rec. 2008
EUROARTS
2072444 [176:00] [RJF]
Two
histrionic performances cannot entirely rescue Mozart’s early
masterpiece from this messy production.
Modest
MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881)
Pictures at an Exhibition Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano sonata 8 Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Rhapsodies
Stephen De Pledge (piano) rec. 2008
CHAMPS HILL RECORDS CHRCD 030 [69:12] [Byz]
You
will not be disappointed if you have seen De Pledge play or are a collectomanianc
or a supporter of Champs Hill.
Manuel
Blasco de NEBRA (1750-1784) Complete Piano Works
- Vol. 3
Pedro Piquero (piano) rec. 2010
COLUMNA MÚSICA 1CM0240 [62:43] [JW]
An
absorbing recital well recorded.
Carl
NIELSEN (1865-1931)
Songs
Jan Lund (tenor), Karen Kriver Zarganis (flute, piccolo, alto flute),
Michael Norman (guitar) rec. 2010
DANACORD DACOCD730 [55.09] [PCG]
A
charming, very well contrasted and altogether unexpected collection.
Otto
NICOLAI (1810-1849)
Psalms
Kammerchor Stuttgart/Frieder Bernius rec. 2009-11
CARUS 83.299 [50:35] [JW]
An
invaluable revaluation of Nicolai’s place in German choral music.
Buxton
ORR (1924-1997)
Chamber Music for Strings String Quartet No. 1 ,Duo for Baroque
Violin and String Bass, String Trio, String Quartet No. 2
Beethoven String Trio of London rec. 2000/2001,
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC 0103 [68.12] [GH]
Not
fashionable, does not come out to meet you half way but is approachable
and emotional and has its own strong rewards. Well done Toccata.
Charles
Wilfred ORR (1893-1976) The Complete Songbook
Vol. 2
Mark Stone (baritone) Simon Lepper (piano) rec. 2011
STONE RECORDS 5060192780192 [59:52] [JF]
Much
here to listen to, to think about and ultimately to enjoy.
Selim
PALMGREN (1878 - 1951) Sonata, Preludes
Henri Sigfridsson (piano) rec. 2011
ONDINE ODE 1192-2 [56:38] [HC]
A
very fine release well worth investigating by all those with a liking
for warmly Romantic music.
Charles
Hubert Hastings PARRY (1848-1918) Choral works
Amanda
Roocroft (soprano) BBC Natl Ch & O of Wales/Neeme Järvi rec.
2012
CHANDOS CHAN10740 [75:15] [NB]
An
interesting but not obligatory purchase.
Charles
Hubert H. PARRY (1848-1918)
Cello sonata see British
Works for Cello and Piano
Hans
PFITZNER (1869-1949)
Cello Concerto John MAYER (1929-2004)
Prabhanda, Six Ragamalas
Rohan de Saram (cello) Druvi de Saram (piano) John Mayer (tanpura) Netherlands
Radio O/Bohumil Gregor rec. 1980/3
FIRST HAND RECORDS FHR14 [59:51] [WK]
Performances
that are passionate but extremely well thought out.
Peter
PHILIPS (1560/61-1628)
Cantiones Sacrae Quinis et Octonibus Vocis
The Sarum Consort/Andrew Mackay; Nigel Gardner (organ) rec. 2000
NAXOS 8.572832 [65:08] [JV]
Another
failed attempt to do Philips' music justice.
Nicola
PORPORA (1686 - 1768) Vespro per la Festività
dell'Assunta
Marilia Vargas, Michiko Takahashi (soprano) Delphine Galou (contralto)
La Maîtrise de Bretagne, Le Parlement de Musique/Martin Gester
rec. 2011
ÉDITIONS AMBRONAY AMY030 [64:03] [JV]
I
have nothing but admiration for the performances of the three singers.
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Turandot
Luana De Vol, Barbara Frittoli, Franco Farina, Gran Teatre del Liceu
SO & Ch/Giuliano Carella rec. 2004
ARTHAUS 107 305
[132:00] [JZ]
Frittoli
brings elegance, grace, and authority to an estimable staging of the
opera.
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) La fanciulla del West
Lucio
Gallo, Deborah Voigt, Marcello Giordani; Metropolitan Opera O &
Ch/Nicola Luisotti rec. 2011
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
0734808 [143:00 + 21:00 (extras)] [JLZ]
An
opportunity to hear Voigt in one of her finest roles in the Met’s
outstanding staging.
Henry
PURCELL (1659-1695) Love’s Madness
Dorothee Mields (soprano) Lautten Compagney Berlin/Wolfgang Katschner
rec. 2011
CARUS 83.371 [75:46] [JW]
A
weirdly constructed, baffling disc.
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18 [34:21]
Sviatoslav Richter (piano) Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra/Stanislaw Wislocki
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op.40 [24:27]
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano) Philharmonia Orchestra/Ettore
Gracis DG and EMI, stereo, 1960
ALTO ALC 1175 [59:00] [RB]
These
two classics need to be heard and are grateful to mind and heart.
Nikolai
RAKOV (1908-1990) Violin Sonatas 1 & 2, Violin
Sonatinas 2 & 3, Three Pieces for violin and piano
David Frühwirth (violin) Milana Chernyavska (piano) rec. 2009
CRYSTAL
CLASSICS N67075 [60:16] [JW]
Engaging
performances … a very personal approach to the folkloric heritage.
Jean-Philippe
RAMEAU (1683-1764) Les Fêtes d’Hébé
Sophie
Daneman, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, Luc Coadou; Les Arts Florissants/William
Christie rec. 1997
ERATO 2564 65887-3 [74.47 + 74:57] [DC]
A
French baroque delight from start to finish.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Anthony RITCHIE
(b.1960)
A Bugle Will Do, Symphony 3, French Overture, Revelations
New
Zealand SO/Tecwyn Evans rec. 2010
ATOLL ACD741 [62:54] [NB]
A
hugely enjoyable and rewarding disc of a composer well worth exploring
further.
Johan
Helmich ROMAN (1694-1758) The
12 Keyboard Suites
Oskar Ekberg (piano) rec. 2011
DAPHNE 1041 [72:42 + 54:06] [GF]
Ekberg’s
lightness of touch illuminates these little gems.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gioachino ROSSINI
(1792-1868)
Il Carnevale - Works for chorus and ensemble
Südfunk-Chor/Rupert Huber, Eric Ericson, Helmut Wolf rec.
1979-92
CARUS 83.324 [65:42] [JS]
There
have been other discs of Rossini’s shorter vocal works but none
that I have heard has given as much pleasure as this one.
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]
EXPLORE
MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL 
