John
CAGE (1912-1992) Piano Music Vol. 4 
Giancarlo Simonacci (piano) rec. 2011
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9263 [3 CDs: 201:47] [MS]
An
excellent, persuasive and technically brilliant set of performances
of some of Cage's most important piano works.
John
CAGE (1912-1992) Sonatas & Interludes for
prepared piano
Cédric Pescia (prepared piano) rec. 2011
AEON AECD 1227 [64:00] [DC]
Cage-lite:
beauty in abundance but, in the end, no cigar.
Francesco
CAVALLI (1602 - 1676) Il Giasone
Christophe Dumaux, Katarina Bradic, Robin Johannsen, Vlaamse Opera/Federico
Maria Sardelli rec. 2010
DYNAMIC CDS 663/1-3 [3 CDs: 191:10] [RH]
A
dramatic and engaging live event.
Luigi
CHERUBINI (1760-1842)
Piano Sonatas 1-6
Francesco Giammarco (piano) rec.1990
NEWTON CLASSICS 8802120 [67:25] [GPu]
Pleasant,
if largely unchallenging music, of some considerable historical interest.
Luigi
CHERUBINI (1760-1842) Koukourgi
Stefan Cerny, Çiğdem Soyarslam, Leonardo Galeazzi, Daniel
Prohaska, Kärntner Sinfonieorchester/Peter Marschik rec. 2010
ARTHAUS MUSIK 101 638 
[115:00] [JS]
A
very enjoyable piece that adds to our understanding of Cherubini.
Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849)
Nineteen Nocturnes
Ivan Moravec (piano)
rec. 1965
SUPRAPHON SU 4097-2 [53:22 + 52:07] [BR]
The
only reason this new re-mastering doesn’t say ‘Recording of the Month’
is that everyone already agrees it was a ‘Recording of the Century’.
Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Etudes
Hardy Rittner rec. 2011
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM 904 1747-2 [62:43] [DC]
Crushingly
depressing at crucial moments.
Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Polonaises, Ballade 1 see
Gilels
Rebecca
CLARKE (1886-1979)
Trio for violin, cello and piano see British
Piano Trios
Rebecca
CLARKE (1886-1979)
Viola Sonata see British
Piano Trios
Aaron
COPLAND (1900-1990) Ballet Suite: Billy the Kid
see San
Francisco Symphony at 100
Ronald
CORP (b.1951) And All The Trumpets Sounded
Michael HURD (1928-2006) The Shepherd’s
Calendar
Mark Stone & Roderick Williams (baritones) The London Chorus, New
London Children’s Ch, Bournemouth SO/Ronald Corp rec. 2011
DUTTON
EPOCH CDLX 7280 [69:01] [JW]
Warlike
and pastoral works heard in premiere recordings and making for abrupt
but affecting programming.
Ronald
CORP (b. 1951) Things I didn’t say
Aspara/Ronald
Corp Edward Batting (organ) rec. 2010/11
STONE RECORDS 5060192780185 [77.41] [PCG]
Those
who are unfamiliar with the music of Ronald Corp as a composer should
certainly investigate this disc.
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) La mer, Prélude
à l'après-midi d'un faune, Nocturnes
Flemish Radio Ch, Brussels PO/Michel Tabachnik rec. 2010
BRUSSELS PHILHARMONIC RECORDINGS BPR001 [58:00] [SV]
Will
undoubtedly find its parochial following but I can't imagine it'll transfer
successfully to the international market.
Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934)
A Mass of Life, Prelude and Idyll
Janice Watson (soprano) Catherine Wyn-Rogers (mezzo) Andrew Kennedy
(tenor) Alan Opie (baritone) Bach Ch, Bournemouth SO/David Hill rec.
2011
NAXOS 8.572861-62 [47:31 + 70:48] [ST]
This
has done more than any other to win me over to the Mass of Life.
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Chansons de Bilitis
Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Sonnetti
di Petrarca Henri DUPARC (1848-1933)
Songs
Marion van den Akker (mezzo) Rian de Waal/Paul Komen (piano) rec. 2004-2012
WWW.VALTHERMONDRECORDINGS.COM
no number [72:27] [DC]
Exquisitely
refined and deeply moving.
David
DEL TREDICI (b. 1937) Gotham Glory - Piano
Works Vol. 1
Marc Peloquin (piano) rec. 2009
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559680 [79:35] [DM]
Mellow
and mischievous; an unexpected treat.
Josquin
DES PREZ (c.1450/55-1521) Miserere mei, Deus see
RICHAFORT
Jonathan
DOVE (b. 1959) There Was a Child
Joan Rodgers (soprano) Toby Spence (tenor) City of Birmingham SO &
Ch/Simon Halsey rec. 2011
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD285 [50:47] [JQ]
A
fine recording of an impressive new work by one of Britain’s leading
composers.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Masterworks
Ivan
Zenaty (violin) Igor Ardašev (piano) Mischa Maisky (cello) Prague
SO/Jiří Bělohlávek, Petr Altrichter, Libor Pešek
rec. 1993
ARTHAUS MUSIK
107 513 [3 DVDs: 277:00] [RMay]
Enjoyment
offered in generous abundance.
Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Symphony 8; Piano Concerto
see Kubelík
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934) Pomp and Circumstance
Marches 3 & 5; Nimrod; Sonata; Sospiri; Severn
Suite; For the Fallen
Robert Quinney (organ)
SIGNUM SIGCD266 [74.36] [EML]
I
could not fault this excellent disc.
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934)
Sir John Barbirolli conducts Elgar Variations on an Original
Theme, Enigma, Op. 36 Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85 Elegy,
Op. 58
André Navarra (cello) Hallé Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli rec. 1956-57,
IDIS
6624 [59:08] [RMo]
Will
give great pleasure to the connoisseur of the partnership between Elgar
and Barbirolli.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sir Edward ELGAR
The
Apostles, Op. 49 [114:29] Soloists, Hallé Choir; Hallé Youth Choir;
Hallé Orchestra/Sir Mark Elder rec.2012 English text included
HALLÉ CD HLD 7534 [65:08 + 49:21] [MC]
Performed
beautifully. Everyone is on quite spectacular form.
Morton
FELDMAN (1926-1987)
Spring of Chosroes, Extensions, Vertical Thoughts,
Piece for Four Pianos, For John Cage
Andreas Seidel (violin) Steffen Schleiermacher (piano) rec. 2009
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS AND GRIMM MDG 613 1524-2 [68:19
+ 76:21] [KM]
A
collection of Feldman’s works for these two instruments, with
especially the 76-minute For John Cage, a great late work.
Gerald
FINZI (1901-1956)
Eclogue Charles Hubert PARRY
(1848-1918) An English Suite Frank BRIDGE
(1879-1941) An Irish melody, There is a willow grows aslant
a brook
Martin Jones (piano) English String O/William Boughton rec. 1992
NIMBUS NI 5366 [70.31] [PCG]
In
terms of performances Boughton’s readings are fine.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Arthur
FOOTE (1853-1937) Two Pieces see
American
Flute Quintets
António
FRAGOSO (1897-1918) Allegro, Suite Romantique,
Piano trio
Carlos Damas (violin) Jian Hong (cello) Jill Lawson (piano) rec. 2011
BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 94158 [52:27] [Byz]
One
of the finest piano trios ever to have come out of Portugal.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Jacob FROBERGER
(1616
- 1667) Suites and Toccatas
Alina Rotaru (harpsichord) rec. no date given. DDD
CARPE DIEM CD-16290 [63:54] [JV]
This
disc has to be ranked among the best recordings of Froberger's
music.
Joseph
GEHOT (1756 - c.1795) Trios
Bacchanalia Baroque Ensemble rec. 2009
EROICA JDT3466 [58:39] [JV]
Nice
music to listen to on a quiet afternoon.
George
GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
Porgy & Bess (1935) Suite - arr. Carl Davis (Summertime
[3:14]; A Woman is a Sometime Thing [2:36]; Bess, You is
My Woman Now [5:35]; It Ain't Necessarily So [2:38])
Jerome KERN (1885-1945) six
songs George GERSHWIN
Lullaby
for String Quartet (1919) [7:11]
Joan Enric Lluna (clarinet) Alexander String Quartet rec. 2011
FOGHORN CLASSICS CD2008 [48:15] [DM]
A
very disappointing issue.
Morton
GOULD (1913-1966)
Concerto Grosso, World War I, Holocaust, Formations
Suite
Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz. rec. 1994/95
NAXOS 8.559715 [60:55] [GPu]
An
enjoyable reissue offering glimpses of some of the many sides of an
underrated composer.
Edvard
GRIEG (1843-1907) An Old Norwegian Romance with
Variations see SAINT-SAËNS
Georg
Friederich HÄNDEL (1685-1759), Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) & Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Sonatas and Trio Sonatas
Concordi
Musici rec. 2011
AUDIOGUY RECORDS AGCD 0032 [55:53] [DC]
Intriguing
timbres, nice recording and presentation.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) The Creation
Amanda Forsythe (soprano) Keith Jameson (tenor) Kevin Deas (bass-baritone)
Boston Baroque/Martin Pearlman rec. 2011
LINN CKD401 
[69:22 + 27:21]
[ST]
Another
feather in the cap of Pearlman and Boston Baroque.
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphonies 93, 94 & 103
Dresdner
Philharmonie/Günther Herbig rec. 1974/75
BERLIN CLASSICS 0300354BC [73:02] [MC]
Mightily
impressive playing.
Michael
HEAD (1900-1976) Songs
Ailish Tynan (soprano) Catherine Wyn-Rogers (mezzo) Roderick Williams
(baritone) Christopher Glynn (piano) rec. 2009/10
HYPERION CDA 67899 [76.30] [EM-L]
A
good mixture of songs evoking different moods; they deserve to be better
known and here are persuasively advocated.
Steve
HEITZIG (b.1959) Wild Songs, Three Graces for
Hildur Lori LAITMAN (b. 1955) Four
Emily Dickinson Songs
Polly Butler Cornelius (soprano) Heather Barringer, Patti Cudd (percussion)
Victoria Fischer Faw (piano) rec. 2011
INNOVA 825 [35:02] [DC]
A
recital with real substance and depth.
Paul
HINDEMITH (1895-1963) String Quartets 2 &
3 Amar
Qt rec. 2009/10
NAXOS 8.572163 [64:39] [Byz]
The
first disc in what is likely to be a must-have cycle for all lovers
of 20th century music.
Imogen
HOLST (1907-1984)
Choral works Benjamin BRITTEN
(1913-1976) orch. I HOLST
Rejoice in the Lamb: A Festival Cantata (1943, orch 1952)** [15:46]
*Tanya
Houghton (harp); ** Cressida Sharp (soprano); *Robert Cross (counter-tenor);
** Stefan Kennedy (tenor); **Dominic Sedgwick (bass) Choir of Clare
College, Cambridge The Dmitri Ensemble/Graham Ross rec. 2011, Original
texts, English (Mass in A minor), French, German translations
HARMONIA MUNDI HMU907576 [72:35] [JQ]
Imogen
Holst’s fastidiously crafted and enjoyable choral music in excellent
performances
Arthur
HONEGGER (1892-1955) Jeanne d’Arc au
Bûcher
Vera Zorina, Raymond Gerome (speakers) Frances Yeend (soprano) Martha
Lipton (contralto) David Lloyd (tenor) Temple Univ Ch, St. Peter’s
Boys Ch Philadelphia O/Eugene Ormandy rec. 1952
PRISTINE AUDIO PACO073 [72:12] [JQ]
Ormandy’s
recording of Jeanne d’Arc au Bûcher is an important part
of the performance history of the work and has much to commend it.
Alan HOVHANESS (1911-2000) Symphonies 1 & 50,
Fantasy on Japanese Woodprints
Seattle Symphony/Gerard Schwarz rec. 1990/92
NAXOS 8.559717 [65:40] [SA]
A
wonderful introduction to this amazing composer’s music.
Herbert
HOWELLS (1892-1983) Clarinet sonata see
British Clarinet Sonatas
Vol. 1
Michael
HURD (1928-2006) The Shepherd’s Calendar see
CORP
Vincent
d’INDY (1851-1931) La Forêt Enchantée
see SAINT-SAËNS
John
IRELAND (1879-1962)
Phantasie in A minor see British
Piano Trios
John
IRELAND (1879-1962) Fantasy Sonata see
British Clarinet Sonatas
Vol. 1
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gabriel JACKSON
(b.
1962) Beyond The Stars - Sacred Choral Works Vol. II
Ch St. Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh/Duncan Ferguson, Nicolas Wearne
(organ) rec. 2011
DELPHIAN DCD 34106 [68:38] [DMcC]
Gabriel
Jackson surely has no finer advocates.
Leoš
JANÁČEK (1854-1928) Otčenáš
see Music
for Choir and Harp
Mauricio
KAGEL (1931-2008) Das Konzert, Phantasiestück,
Pan
Michael Faust (flute, piccolo) Paulo Alvares (piano) Ens Contrasts/Robert
HP Platz; Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä/Patrick Gallois rec.
2010
NAXOS 8.572635 [65.44] [PCG]
If
you appreciate the music of Kagel this will definitely be one for you.
Heinrich
KAMINSKI (1888-1946)
A survey: Works for String Orchestra String Quintet in F sharp
minor (1914/16 rev. 1927) arranged for string orchestra by Reinhard
Schwarz-Schilling [53:22]
CPO 777 578-2 [52:22]
Sacred A-Cappella Works: Texts with English translations included
OEHMS
CLASSICS (SACD) OC 608 [79:22]
Music is Confession: Erwin SCHULHOFF
(1894-1942) Viktor ULLMAN
(1898-1944) Adolf BUSCH (1891-1952)
Heinrich KAMINSKI (1888-1946)
String Quartet in F major (c. 1917)
TELOS MUSIC
RECORDS TLS 111 [63:06] Chamber Music for Strings:Prelude
and Fugue on A-B-E-G-G for String Quartet (1931) [8:25] String Quintet
in F sharp minor (1914/16 rev. 1927) [53:03]
CHRISTOPHORUS CHR 77148 [61:39] [MC]
An
accomplished composer with a lot to say. Kaminski’s current neglect
is unmerited.
Sigfrid
KARG-ELERT (1877-1933) The Complete Organ Works
Vol. 6
Stefan Engels (organ) rec. 2011
PRIORY PRCD 1059 [76:16] [Byz]
Karg-Elert
represented by works that are generally of a slower, softer, more reflective
nature.
Aram
KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978)
Spartacus
RIAS-Kammerchor, Deutsches SO Berlin/Michail Jurowski rec. 1996/7
CAPRICCIO C5112 [75:47 + 61:03] [OL]
An
ideal socialist realist work.
Aram
KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978) Violin Concerto
Samuel BARBER (1910-1981) Violin Concerto, Adagio for Strings
Mikhail
Simonyan (violin) London SO/Kristjan Järvi rec. 2011
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9827 [70:33] [OL]
Passionate
and memorable.
Aram
KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978) Gayane see
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Aram
KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978) Concerto-Rhapsody see
Armenian Rhapsody
Leon
KLEPPER (1900-1991) Concertino for Flute, Viola and
String Orchestra see Concertos
Joseph
Martin KRAUS (1756-1792)
Viola Concertos, Concerto for Viola & Cello
David Aaron Carpenter (viola) Riitta Pesola (cello) Tapiola Sinfonietta/Janne
Nisonen rec. 2011
ONDINE ODE 1193-2 [61:51] [JW]
The
performances and recording are fine but no major rediscoveries.
Edouard
LALO (1823-1892) Concerto Russe, Romance-Sérénade,
Fantaisie-Ballet, Guitare, Piano Concerto
Jean-Jacques Kantorow (violin) Pierre-Alain Volondat (piano) Tapiola
Sinfonietta/Kees Bakels rec. 2011
BIS-SACD-1890
[71:36] [Byz]
An
appealing, if sometimes strait-laced account of Lalo's music.
Siobhan
LAMB (b. 1963) The Nightingale and the Rose
Gerard
Presencer (trumpet) Danish National Vocal Ensemble, Danish Radio Big
Band/Siobhan Lamb
PROPRIUS PRCD 2068 [55.40] [PCG]
This
setting is by and large a gem.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH William LAWES
(1602-1645) Consorts to the Organ
Phantasm rec. 2011
LINN CKD399
[77:44] [DC]
A
world of musical naughtiness - Fifty Shades of modal mayhem.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Piano works - Vol. 1
Cyprien Katsaris (piano) German SO Berlin/Arild Remmereit rec. 1973
-2011
PIANO 21 P21 041N [74:17 + 63:34] [JW]
Flamboyant,
passionate, declamatory and exciting.
Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Fantasia on themes from Mozart’s
Le nozze di Figaro, Grandes études de Paganini, Hungarian
Rhapsodies see Gilels
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