RECORDING
OF THE MONTH 1612
Italian Vespers Music by Gabrieli, Monteverdi &
Viadana 
I Fagiolini/Robert Hollingworth rec. 2010
DECCA 478 3506 [78.40] [GH]
All
in all, a refined and significant disc.
American
Music for Mandolin and Guitar
Daniel
Ahlert (mandolin) Birgit Schwab (guitar) rec. 2010
NAXOS 8.559686 [63:23] [Byz]
An
hour's worth of listening that ought to fly by.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Amoretti
Arias by Mozart, Gluck & Gretry
Christiane
Karg (soprano) Arcangelo/Jonathan Cohen rec. 2012
BERLIN CLASSICS 0300389BC [72:52] [GF]
Don’t
miss this!
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Amour,
viens animer ma voix! - French bass cantatas by Dornel,
Campra, Clérambault & Courbois
Hugo Oliveira (baritone) Ludovice Ensemble/Fernando Miguel Jaloto rec.
2010
RAMÉE RAM 1107 [76:46] [JV]
Fully
idiomatic and strongly expressive performances.
ANONYMOUS
(thirteenth
century) Music and
poetry from thirteenth century France
Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor) Christopher O'Gorman (tenor) John
Potter (tenor) rec. 2011, DDD
HYPERION CDA67949 [60:39] [MS]
A
striking survey of an overlooked mediaeval vocal form with highly effective
performances from three expert tenors.
Nicola
Benedetti -
The
Silver Violin recital includes Erich
Wolfgang KORNGOLD Violin Concerto
Nicola Benedetti (violin) Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Kirill Karabits
rec. 2012,
DECCA CLASSICS 478 3529 [77:57] [DC]
Excellent
imaginative programme, beautifully performed and recorded.
British
Music for Piano Duo
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934)
Serenade for Strings Frank BURY
(1910-1944) Prelude and Fugue Edgar
BAINTON (1880-1956) Miniature Suite Gustav
HOLST (1874-1934) Elegy, The Planets
Anthony
Goldstone, Caroline Clemmow (pianos) rec. 1996
DIVINE ART DDV24154 [74:29] [JW]
An
excellent, enjoyably varied and revivifying disc.
Maria
Callas Sings “Casta diva”
rec. 1949-58
IDIS 6647/48 [69:48 + 78:01] [RMo]
A
quirky and rather daring issue that should appeal to the faithful.
Castello
& Co Venetian sonatas for winds and strings from the
17th century
Caecilia-Concert rec. 2011
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72547 [71:21] [JV]
An
exciting disc.
12
Cellisten der Berlin Philharmoniker
David FUNCK (1629-1690) Suite Julius
KLENGEL (1859-1933) Hymnus Boris
BLACHER (1903-1973) Blues, Espagnola, Rumba philharmonica
Jean FRANÇAIS (1912-1997)
Aubade
12 Cellists of the Berlin PO rec. 1975
ACANTA 233497 [48:02] [JS]
An
obvious appeal to cellists but it would be a great pity if others were
to ignore these discs.
Alexandra
Dariescu (piano) Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Abegg Variations Franz LISZT
(1811-1886) Ballade 2, Isoldens Liebestod Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Grande Polonaise Brillante, Ballade
4 rec.
2011
CHAMPS HILL CHRCD 035 [53:26] [Byz]
Luminescence
and wistful joy.
Diamonds
in a Haystack Arno BABAJANIAN
(1921-1983) Piano trio Jean FRANCAIX
(1912-1997) Piano trio Paul SCHOENFIELD
(b.1947) Café Music
Trio Solis rec. 2010/11
MSR CLASSICS MS 1418 [56:20] [BR]
The
three piano trios are gems, two of them brimming with wit and merriment,
and all well-played.
DIEM
25th Anniversary
DIEM
(The Danish Institute of Electronic Music) rec. 1987-2012
DACAPO 8.226559-60 [67:29 + 70:49] [DC]
Smokin’.
Division-Musick
John
JENKINS (1592-1678) William
LAWES (1602-1645) Christopher SIMPSON
(c.1605-1669) Thomas BALTZAR
(c.1631-1663) ?Salomon
ECCLES (1649-1710)
John BANISTER (c1624-1679)
Musicke
and Mirth (Jane Achtman, Irene Klein (viola da gamba)); Amandine Beyer
(violin), Johannes Strobl (virginals, organ) rec. 2011 DDD
RAMÉE RAM 1204 [64:50] [JV]
A
most interesting and musically engaging survey of the division repertoire
in 17th-century England.
Dohnányi
in London Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Piano Concerto 17 Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Hungarian Rhapsody 1
Ernst von DOHNÁNYI (1877-1960) Variations
on a Nursery Tune
Budapest PO, London SO/Ernst von Dohnányi, Lawrance Collingwood
rec. 1928-31
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 252 [79:37] [JQ]
A
good representation of Ernst von Dohnányi as a considerable,
all-round musician.
The
English Anthem Collection
Magdalen College Choir, Oxford/John Harper rec. Magdalen College Chapel,
1983-88 Full track-listing at end of review
ALTO ALC 4001 [4 CDs: 77:02 + 71:33 + 72:49 + 76:25] [EM-L]
Some
very fine performances – makes for fascinating listening.
The
English Nightingale -
Virtuoso Recorder Music from Renaissance to Romantic Jacob
van EYCK (c.1590-1657) Giovanni
BASSANO (c.1550-1617) William
CROFT (1678-1727) Arcangelo
CORELLI (1653-1713) Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) Ernst
KAEHMER (1795-1837) Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Dario
CASTELLO (fl. 1625)
Piers Adams (recorder) Howard Beach (harpsichord, organ and fortepiano)
David Watkin (cello) rec. 1989,
RED PRIEST RP009 [63:45] [JW]
Warmly
communicative … drama and legato charm.
Fellini!
E più
Die Österreichischen Salonisten rec. 2012
GRAMOLA 98958 [70:14] [IL]
A
delight for film music fans.
Sergio
Fiorentino The Berlin Recordings rec. 1994-97
PIANO CLASSICS PCLM0033 [10 CDs: 11:30:00] [JW]
There
are good reasons to add this hugely impressive set to your collection.
Flute
Concertos at Sanssouci Works by Frederick II, Quantz, Benda
& CPE Bach
Emmanuel Pahud (flute) Kammerakademie Potsdam/Trevor Pinnock (harpsichord)
rec. 2010
UNITEL 711404 
[78:00] [KM]
A
pleasant evening’s entertainment of baroque flute concertos.
A
Musical Journey – France -
A Musical
Visit to Paris, Versailles and the Pays de la Loire With music by
Beethoven No recording dates or venues given
NAXOS 
DVD
2.110299 [52.54] [RF]
One
of the best of this series so far. Will be welcomed by every Francophile
as well as enthusiasts for Beethoven’s greatest piano concerto.
The
French Album
Stephen Hough (piano) rec. 2009/11
HYPERION CDA67890 [78:26] [DM]
Fine
playing and excellent sonics; an album to treasure.
French
Classics Charles
Francois GOUNOD (1818-1893)
Faust Ballet Music [18:43]; Camille
SAINT-SAENS (1835-1921) Le Rouet d’Omphale
[9:54]; Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Prélude à l’Après Midi d’un Faun [10:44]; George
BIZET (1838-1875) Jeux d’Enfants [11:48];
Gabriel FAURE
(1845-1924) Pelléas et Mélisande Suite [18:44];
Maurice RAVEL Rigaudon
(Le Tombeau de Couperin) [2:46]; Gabriel
FAURE (1845-1924)
Pavane [7:08]
London Symphony Orchestra/Yondani Butt rec. Henry Wood Hall, London,
2-3 November 2011.
NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6188 [72:42] [JW]
Another
winner from Nimbus.
A
French Soirée Works
by Lully, Couperin, Marais, Rebel, Rameua & Leclair
Trio Settecento rec. 2010
CEDILLE CDR 90000 129 [78:55] [JV]
This
music needs a more relaxed and more imaginative approach.
The
Godowsky Edition Vol. 7
Carlo Grante (piano) rec. 2011
MUSIC & ARTS CD-1259 [65:37] [JW]
Collectors
of this unfurling series will find very much to their liking here.
Glenn
Gould:
The Complete Bach Collection
Limited deluxe edition including full colour book with complete original
liner notes, partly written by Glenn Gould himself plus new introduction
by Michael Stegemann.
SONY CLASSICS 88691961142 [38 CDs + 6 DVDs] [KM]
Love
him or hate him, when Gould played Bach, he was channelling something
transcendent.
Harpsichord
music from
England, Spain and Portugal
Zuzana Ružicková (harpsichord) rec. 1966/1983
SUPRAPHON SU 4118-2 [47:43 + 52:14] [JW]
Much to interest, intrigue and celebrate.
Insomnia
A Nocturnal Voyage in Song
William Berger (baritone) Iain Burnside (piano) rec. 2012
DELPHIAN DCD34116 [55:42] [ST]
Just
not to my taste.
O
Jesu Mi Dulcissime Works by Monteverdi, Schütz,
Giovanni & Andrea Gabrieli
Coro, Camerata Antica/Mark Griffiths rec. 2011
DAL SEGNO DSPRCD602 [62:37] [JV]
This
disc fails to convey the full glory of the chosen repertoire.
Julius
Klengel - a Celebration
Raphael
Wallfisch, Sebastian Comberti, Sarah Butcher, Julius Klengel (cellos)
rec. 1920s?-2011
CELLO CLASSICS CC1024 [72:43] [JS]
An
obvious appeal to cellists but it would be a great pity if others were
to ignore these discs.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ladies
Sing Baroque
Natalie Stutzmann, Sandrine Piau, Magdalena Kozena, Patricia Petibon,
Karina Gauvin, Marie-Nicole Lemieux
NAÏVE V5294 [57:48 + 58:24] [GF]
Spine-chilling
and heart-rending listening experiences that may change your lives.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Love and Longing
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Biblical Songs Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Shéhérazade Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Rückert-Lieder
Magdalena Kožená (mezzo) Berliner PO/Sir Simon Rattle rec.
2012
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 479 0065 [64:11] [MC]
Kožená
and Rattle in awesome form.
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]
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