Sir
John Blackwood McEWEN (1868-1948)
Viola Sonata, Improvisations Provençales see
Idylls and Bacchanals
Dame
Elizabeth MACONCHY (1907-1994) Viola Sonata see
Idylls and Bacchanals
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Das klagende Lied Leoš
JANÁČEK (1854-1928) The Fiddler’s Child
Teresa
Cahill, Dame Janet Baker, Robert Tear, Gwynne Howell, BBC SO & Ch/Gennadi
Rozhdestvensky rec. 1979/81
ICA CLASSICS ICAC5080 [77:20] [JQ]
Two
excellent, well-recorded performances of interesting repertoire which
is slightly off the beaten track.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony 3, Symphony 10 Adagio and Purgatorio
Hildegard Rössl-Majdan (alto) Wiener Sängerknaben Vienna SO/F.
Charles Adler rec. 1952/3
MUSIC & ARTS CD-1249 [66:00 + 67:05] [JQ]
Adler’s recording of the Third symphony is an important document
and should be heard by all Mahler enthusiasts.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Totenfeier, Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Sarah Connolly (mezzo) O Age of Enlightenment/Vladimir Jurowski rec.
2011
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD 259 [38:18] [LW]
A
Mahler oddity on period instruments with desperately short playing time.
Gustav
MAHLER (1860 - 1911) Five Rückert Songs
see Von
ewiger Liebe
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony 4 see
Karel
Šejna
Rolf
MARTINSSON (b.1956) Soprano Saxophone
Concerto 1 Sven-David SANDSTRÖM
(b.1942) Four Pieces Anders ELIASSON
(b.1947) Concerto for Soprano Saxophone
Anders Paulsson (saxophone) rec. 2011/12
PHONO SUECIA PSCD 188 [69:00] [RB]
A
parabola from lyrical warmth through the Ligetian blare and blurt to
Bergian intensity.
Jules
Émile Frédéric MASSENET (1842-1912)
Songs
Sally Silver (soprano) Richard Bonynge (piano) rec. 2012
GUILD GMCD 7393 [63:51] [RW]
Graceful
and charming songs. Sally Silver is excellent: well focused, soaring
effortlessly, perfect breath control, sparkling lightness of touch and
admirable clarity of diction.
Sir
Peter MAXWELL DAVIES (b. 1934) Piano Concerto,
Worldes Blis
Kathryn Stott (piano) Royal Phil O/Peter Maxwell Davies rec. 1993-1997
NAXOS
8.572357 [78:25] [RB]
Thirty
years separate two toughly rewarding works. Dissonance is once again
shown not to be at odds with Romanticism.
Nikolai
MEDTNER (1880-1951)
Complete Piano Sonatas - Vol. 1
Paul Stewart (piano) rec. 011
GRAND PIANO GP617 [58:22] [Byz]
Deeply
imaginative, poignantly beautiful.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847)
Arrangements for Wind Quintet: A Midsummer Night’s Dream”,
String Quartet, Nocturne
Ma’a lot Quintet rec. 2012
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM 345 1766-2 [66:05] [JS]
Can
be commended to any enthusiast for the composer’s music who is
not allergic to transcriptions as well as to devotees of fine wind playing.
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin Concerto see
TCHAIKOVSKY
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Die Heimkehr aus dem Fremde
Overture see PFITZNER
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Symphony 4 see BEETHOVEN
Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Symphony for strings 12 see
Romantische Sinfonien
Robin
MILFORD (1903-1959) Four Pieces see
Idylls and Bacchanals
Federico
MOMPOU (1893-1987)
Piano music - Volume Two
Martin Jones (piano) rec. 2011
NIMBUS NI 5877/9 [3 CDs: 2:46:00] [JW]
Another
winner.
Xavier
MONTSALVATGE (1912-2002) Partita 1958, Cinco Canciones
Negras, Calidoscopi Simfònic, Simfonia de Rèquiem
Ruby Hughes (soprano) Clara Mouriz (mezzo soprano) BBC PO/Juanjo Mena
rec. 2011
CHANDOS CHAN 10735 [68:00] [JW]
His
most celebrated music and some of his best too.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Flute Concerto 1 Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809) Trumpet Concerto
Kathinka Pasveer (flute) Markus Stockhausen (trumpet) Radio-Symphonie-Orchester
Berlin/Karlheinz Stockhausen
ACANTA 233595 [48:39] [JS]
Very
enjoyable listening.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Accommodato - Flute chamber transcriptions
Ensemble ŕ l'Antica rec. 2011
SHEVA COLLECTION SH063 [62:56] [Byz]
Arrangements
of Mozart – mellifluous and sensitive.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Don Giovanni
Ildebrando
D’Arcangelo, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Masetto- KonVocalensemble
Rastatt, Mahler CO/Yannick Nézet-Séguin rec. 2011
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9878 [3 CDs: 173:13] [RMo]
All
in all, a mixed bag: admirable soloists but otherwise too low-key to
stir the blood.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Violin Concerto 3 see
Warsaw Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Symphony 38 see
Karel
Šejna
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Carl NIELSEN
(1865-1931)
Symphonies 2 & 3
Erin Morley (soprano), Joshua Hopkins (baritone) New York Philharmonic/Alan
Gilbert rec. 2011/12
DACAPO 6.220623 
[72:23][DC]
With
this CD I thee wed.
Leo
ORNSTEIN (1893–2002)
Piano Music - Volume 1
Arsentiy Kharitonov (piano) rec. 2011, DDD
TOCCATA TOCC0141 [71:40] [RB]
A
dash of awkward cuss dissonance but this disc presents Ornstein as a
master of Russian romance both grand and gentle.
Charles
Wilfred ORR (1893-1976) The Complete Songbook
- Vol. 2
Mark Stone (baritone) Simon Lepper (piano) rec. 2011
STONE RECORDS 5060192780192 [59:52] [GH]
No
lover of English song should omit the purchasing of at least one of
these two discs.
Nicolò
PAGANINI (1782-1840) String Quartet see
BOCCHERINI
Krzysztof
PENDERECKI (b.1933)
The Symphonies and other Orchestral Works
National Polish RSO (Katowice), Warsaw Ntl PO & Ch /Antoni Wit rec.
1998-2006
NAXOS 8.505231 [5 CDs: 344:17] [NB]
An
artistic statement of impressive intent and compelling execution.
Allan
PETTERSSON (1911-1980) Symphony 6
Norrköping SO/Christian Lindberg rec. 2012
BIS BISSACD1980
[59:50] [RB]
Not
quite up there with the Seventh Symphony but very close. Precious music.
Hans
PFITZNER (1869-1949)
Symphony Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Konzertstück, Symphonic Studies Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Die Heimkehr aus dem Fremde
Overture Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Hungarian Dances Anton WEBERN
(1883-1945) Langsamer Satz
Seattle SO/Gerard Schwarz rec. 1988-96
NAXOS 8.572770 [77.47] [PCG]
Truly
excellent readings of the Pfitzner, Webern and Schumann.
Hans
PFITZNER (1869-1949) Cello Sonata see
WEILL
Seppo
POHJOLA (b.1965)
Symphonies 1 & 2
Finnish RSO/Sakari Oramo rec. 2010/11
ALBA ABCD339 [60:49]
[DC]
Superb
noises, but why?
Francis
POULENC (1899-1963) Elégie for horn and piano see
Come Blow Your Horn
Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Piano Sonata 3 see
BRAHMS
Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858 - 1924) La bohème
Ji-Min
Park, Meshé Kizart, José Carbó, Taryn Fiebig, Australian
Opera O/Shao-Chia Lü rec.
OPERA AUSTRALIA OPOZ56017DVD 
[117:00] [GF]
Magnificent
sets, extraordinarily good acting … a sense of watching true feelings,
not just theatre.
Henri
RABAUD (1873-1949)
Symphony 2, La Procession nocturne, Églogue
Sofia PO/Nicolas Couton rec. 2012
TIMPANI 1C1197 [64:36] [RB]
Rewarding
and revelatory
Jean-Philippe
RAMEAU (1683-1764) The Complete Keyboard Music
- Volume 2
Stephen Gutman (piano) rec. 2006/11
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0051 [71:82] [BW]
A
fine successor to the earlier volume … Rameau on the piano to please
even a confirmed enthusiast for the harpsichord.
Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Piano Trio see
BRAHMS
Alan
RAWSTHORNE (1905-1971) Viola Sonata see
Idylls and Bacchanals
Ottorino
RESPIGHI (1879-1936) Violin Sonatas, Five Pieces,
Tanja
Becker-Bender (violin) Péter Nagy (piano) rec. 2011
HYPERION CDA67930 [72:16] Ottorino RESPIGHI
(1879-1936) Violin Sonata, Six Pieces Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Violin Sonata
Tasmin Little (violin) Piers Lane (piano) rec. 2012
CHANDOS CHAN10749 [65:50] [JW]
Choice
will depend a lot on programming considerations.
Ferdinand
RIES (1784-1838)
Piano Concertos 1 & 8, Introduction et Rondeau Brillant
Christopher Hinterhuber (piano) New Zealand SO/Uwe Grodd rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.572742 [78:06] [Byz]
Dramatic,
expressive and very elegantly done, imbued with melodic creativity and
splendid flourishes of orchestral colour.
Alessandro
ROLLA (1757-1841) Violin Concertos
Orch da Camera del Conservatorio di Mantova/Paolo Ghidoni (violin &
conductor) rec. 2011
DYNAMIC CDS 714 [60:30] [JW]
These
concertos fare well here but will appeal largely to Rolla adherents.
Salamone
de' ROSSI (c.1570-c.1630)
Songs of Solomon
Pro Cantione Antiqua/Sydney Fixman rec. 1996
MUSICAL CONCEPTS MC 117 [71:35] [JV]
A
most welcome reissue. The character of the music is well expressed.
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Complete Overtures Vol. 1
Prague
SO/Christian Benda rec. 2011
NAXOS 8.570933 [60:04] [JS]
An
admirable start to what looks like being a very desirable series.
Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Mosè in Egitto
Riccardo
Zanellato (bass) Sonia Ganassi (soprano) Ch & O Teatro Communale
of Bologna/Roberto Abbado rec. 2011
OPUS ARTE
OA1093D [150:00 + 20:00] [RJF]
The
first issue of Mosè in Egitto on DVD and Blu Ray but this updated
modernist production will not appeal to everybody.
Miklós
RÓZSA (1907 - 1995) Variations on a Hungarian
Peasant Song; The Vintner's Daughter; Notturno Ungherese; Cello Concerto
Jennifer
Pike (violin); Paul Watkins (cello) BBC Philharmonic/Rumon Gamba rec.
2009/10
CHANDOS CHAN 10674 [65:40] [HC]
Immaculate
playing and committed musicality.
Miklós
RÓZSA (1907
- 1995) Violin Concerto, Concerto for String Orchestra, Theme, Variations
and Finale
Jennifer Pike (violin) BBC Philharmonic/Rumon Gamba rec. 2011/12
CHANDOS CHAN 10738 [75:08] [HC]
Volume 3 in Chandos' Rózsa series on a par with the preceding
ones and a superb reading of the Violin Concerto.
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for alphabetical listings by composer:
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