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Classical Editor: Rob
Barnett
Music Webmaster
Len Mullenger:
Len@musicweb-international.com
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Classical Editor: Rob
Barnett
Music Webmaster |
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Current
Reviews New entries are indicated by
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PART 2 [Part 1] [Part 2]
[Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5]
Edwin CARR Symphony No 4 (1993) 25.27 Promenade (1986) 18.41 Sinfonietta (1979) 14.30
Pacific Festival Overture (1986) 7.27New Zealand SO/Kenneth Young rec Tory St, Wellington, NZ
Rather a nice disc of genuine tonal music with a modest contrast running between the symphony and the other works.
AARON COPLAND Fanfare for the Common Man ,Lincoln Portrait * Canticle of Freedom, An Outdoor Overture ROY HARRIS American Creed, When Johnny Comes marching Home * James Earl Jones (speaker)
The impression of 'odds and ends' of Harris and Copland is accurate enough but many of these wartime shorter works have a contemporary visceral charge well worth experiencing.
COWELL piano music
This is an excellent recital, recorded live before appreciative audiences, and is a recommendable introduction to Cowell's piano music, which is still heard only sporadically in UK.
LYELL CRESSWELL A Modern Ecstasy for sop, bar and orchestra (1986) 43.57 Cello Concerto (1984) 26.57
CSR Symphony Orchestra/Richard Bernas rec Bratislava, 8-13 April 1991Two works of unimpeachable power and undeniably genuine feeling. Do not look for frivolity or relief from angst. This music stares into the Void and does not blink.
CZERNY (1791-1857) Complete Music for Horn and Fortepiano. Introduction et Variations concertante, Op. 248. Drei Brillante Fantasien, Op. 339. Andante e Polacca.
Andrew Clark is such a master of both natural and valved horn that this disc will give pleasure to all.
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Night in Granada (arr. Stokowski) Clair de Lune (Caplet) Pagodes (Percy Grainger) The Girl With the Flaxen Hair (Gleichmann) Nocturnes, Première Rhapsodie, Petite Suite (Büser)
Geoffrey Simon conducts The Philharmonia OrchestraMany musicians have felt compelled to transcribe many of Debussy's highly atmospheric and evocative piano pieces for orchestra. This album, together with its companion disc 'The Engulfed Cathedral', is a fascinating collection of some of these transcriptions.
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) The Engulfed Cathedral (arr. Stokowski) L'Isle Joyeuse (Molinari)
Deux Arabesques (Mouton) La Mer, Bruyères (Percy Grainger) Danse-Tarantelle Styrienne (Ravel) Children's Corner (Caplet)More superb transcriptions. Another invaluable addition to the Debussy discography.
DEBUSSY Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune Boston Symphony Orchestra Michael Tilson Thomas String Quartet in G minor op.10 Melos Quartett Syrinx for solo flute Doriot Anthony Dwyer
Estampes Sviatoslav Richter Piano La Mer Berlin Philharmonic Herbert von Karajan Preludes Book I
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Sonata for Cello and Piano Mstislav Rostropovich Cello Benjamin Britten Piano NocturnesBoston Symphony Orchestra Claudio AbbadoIt is quite unbelievable that DG have reissued such recordings at bargain basement prices and that is even more of an incentive to buy!
DELIUS (1862-1934) Florida Suite: Daybreak - Dance; By the River; Sunset - Near the Plantation; At Night North Country Sketches: Autumn; Winter Landscape; Dance; The March of Spring On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring* Air and Dance*
This is a reissue the recordings were made in 1984 and 1986. Vernon Handley proves he is a most sympathetic interpreter of Delius's music in this generously filled album. These are performances of considerable refinement.
DELIUS (1862-1934) Danish Masterworks: An Arabesque for Baritone, chorus and orchestra; Five Danish Songs; Seven Danish Songs; Two Danish Songs; Intermezzo from Fennimore and Gerda; Life's Dance
The Danish National Opera Chorus and Aarhus Chamber Choir Aarhus Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bo Holten.Here is an enterprising programme, beautifully and lovingly performed, that will be treasured by all Delius lovers.
DONIZETTI (1797-1848) L'elisir d'amore (Highlights).
Best avoided
DUFAY Missa Ecce ancilla Domini; Proprium De angelis & Le Banquet du Voeu (various composers)
Have no fears about the performances, which are impeccable, nor the recordings made in France & Switzerland. Le Banquet du Voeu would make a good contribution to the pauses between the courses of your next dinner party!
DUPARC Mélodies (complete)
A disappointment in a series which has given me great pleasure during the last year or two.
Marcel DUPRÉ Complete Organ Works Vol.10 Le Chemin de la Croix Op.29.
Impressive music by a composer surprisingly little known outside organ circles and I think this series may surprise and please some CD collectors who may have no organ CDs, or else none other than of Bach.
DVORÁK (1841 - 1904)Requiem Op.89 [92.34] Symhony No 9 in E Minor op95 "From the New World" [42.33]
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Westminster Symphonic Choir (Joseph Flummerfelt -Choral Director) Oskana Krovytska (sop); Wendy Hoffman (mezzo) John Aler (tenor); Gustav Belácek (bass)Zdenek Macal (Conductor)Recorded October 1999 New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark. N.J. DDD
A double disc that I liked a lot. There are minor reservations but any future buyer should be well satisfied with his purchase.
David FELDER Six Poems from Neruda´s `Alturas´.
4-channel tape a pressure triggering dreamsHaving listened to those three works over and over I am always astonished that, despite the wide-ranging changes in dynamics and colours, any so called `contemporary´ smack is missing entirely. It is music for the 21st century, true to itself, extremely powerful, honest and full of discovery.
FISCHER (c1670-1746) Musical Parnassus, Volume 2. Muscalischer Parnassus - Terpsichore (Suite No. 7); Polymnia (Suite No. 8); Uranie (Suite No. 9). Musicalisches Blumen-Büschlein, Op. 2: Suite No. 2 in F; Suite No. 8 in G.
C.P.E. Bach stated that Fischer was one of the few composers who had influenced his father's music. Praise indeed, although quotes like that can send one's expectations rocketing over and beyond the music's actual substance.
ANDREA GABRIELI Missa Pater peccavi: motets and instrumental music.
Another major discovery in the shape of the music of Andrea Gabrieli, a lesser known figure than the more illustrious Giovanni but certainly no less inventive and talented.
JOHN GARDNER Burns Sequence Kenneth Leighton Hymn to Matter John McEwen
Six Songs for Female Voices.
John Gardner's scoring is witty and economical and the melodies are memorable to the point of being hard to shake out of one's mind. The composer's good humoured personality is writ large throughout the cycle.
Steven R. GERBER Symphony No. 1, Dirge and Awakening, Viola Concerto * Triple Overture **
Sit up and take notice!
George GERSHWIN (1898-1937) Rhapsody in Blue Leonard Bernstein piano and conductor of Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra An American in Paris San Francisco Symphony Orchestra conducted by Seiji Ozawa Piano Concerto in F André Previn piano and conductor of the Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra Cuban Overture Porgy and Bess Suite James Levine conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Rhapsody No. 2 Variations on I Got Rhythm Werner Haas (piano) and the Orchestre national de l'Opera de Monte Carlo conducted by Edo De Waart Three Preludes Gil Shaham (violin) and André Previn (piano) Five Song Arrangements André Previn (piano) and David Finck (double bass)
It is unfortunate that DG and Philips have fared relatively poorly in comparison to the competition when it comes to the music of Gershwin for a glance at publications like Gramophone's Classical Good CD Guide shows that they recommend only a few of their releases.I recommend readers to visit our companion Film Music on the Web site. There they will find many reviews of attractive Gershwin collections in the months of 1998, the year of Gershwin's birth centenary.
REINHOLD GLIERE (1875-1956) Taras Bulba ballet suite (1952) YEVHEN STANKOVICH (b.1942) Rasputin ballet suite (1990)
Two items of Ukrainian tonal esoterica, devastatingly recorded. Old-fashioned but pleasing in the case of Gliere. Luminous and memorable in the Stankovich.
Percy GRAINGER (1882-1961)The Chandos Grainger Edition Volume 15 Orchestral Works 3
Richard Hickox and the BBC Philharmonic deliver sparkling and committed performances of all these tuneful delights.
Alexander GRECHANINOV (1864-1956) Cycle of symphonies on CHANDOS (one long file)
Alexander GRECHANINOV (1864-1956) Symphony No. 1 (1894) 34.16 Snowflakes (1910) 15.47 Missa Sancti Spiritus (1940) 20.28Admirers of Glazunov's orchestral music, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker or Fauré's choral music will need no second bidding.
Alexander GRECHANINOV (1864-1956) Symphony No. 2 Pastoral (1908) 38.11 Mass Et in terra pax (1942) 20.31
Two contrasting works: a Tchaikovskian symphony and a serious choral work of predominantly WASP Cathedral tradition.
Alexander GRECHANINOV (1864-1956) Symphony No. 3 36.05 Cantata: Kvalite Boga 30.14
Fine coupling. The strongest of the Grechaninov CDs from Chandos. The Cantata is a work of the greatest virtue and one which I recommend to you with every confidence.
Alexander GRECHANINOV (1864-1956) Symphony No. 4 (1927) 34.54 Cello Concerto (1895) 16.53 Missa festiva (1937) 20.28
Good recordings of works of comfortably workmanlike inspiration striving out of the smoother contours in the case of the symphony
Alexander GRECHANINOV (1864-1956) Symphony No. 5 (1936) 37.12 Missa Oecumenica (1936) 42.02
The cycle is brought to culmination with every Chandos virtue thumpingly asserted.
GRIEG Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 & 2, Sigurd Jorsalfar: 3 Pieces, Holberg Suite, Piano Concerto, Lyric Pieces, Norwegian Dances.
Recommended to all those who wish to begin exploring Grieg's unique brand of poetic imagery.
HANDEL. Water Music (Suite in F HWV 348 and Suite in D and G major) HWV 349/350 ; Music for the Royal Fireworks HWV 351 ; Concerto for two horns in F HWV 334 ; Harp Concerto in B flat Op 4 no6 ; Concerti grossi Op. 6 nos. 5 in D, 6 in G minor and 12 in B minor.
Worth having for the Concerti Grossi alone.
The Glories of Handel Opera HANDEL Alcina: Tornami a vagheggiar (amA); Dream Music (nE); Sta nell'Ircana pietrosa tana (doy); Atalanta: Care selve (arr. Gamley) (jry); Berenice: Si, tra i ceppi e le ritorte (ktx); Ezio: Se un bell'ardire(lnB); Giulio Cesare: Piangerò la sorte mia (dsz); Da tempeste il legno infranto (bqy); Orlando: Ah Stigie larve! Già latra Cerbero; Vaghe pupille, non piangete (imA); Riccardo Primo: Atterrato il muro cada (huF); Rinaldo: Armida disperata! … Lascia ch'io pianga (enC); Rodelinda: Io t'abbraccio (bgwy); Dove sei, amato bene? (fvD); Semele: Hence, Iris, hence away (fqy); Serse: Frondi tenere … Ombra mai fu (cpy).
Decca, thanks to the L'Oiseau-Lyre label, probably has a more distinguished back-catalogue of Handel opera than any other company, but instead of drawing on those excellent pioneering sets led by Sir Anthony Lewis they have preferred to go for the big names.
HANDEL Israel in Egypt (1739 version).
It is impossible to assess this recording. It is good in parts but there are far too many disappointments. Having loved Handel oratorio since I was a boy and having taken part in many of them in excellent performances I cannot recommend this performance.
HAMILTON HARTY Violin Concerto, Piano Concerto, The Children of Lir, Variations on a Dublin Air, The London Air, Ode to a Nightingale, A Comedy Overture, An Irish Symphony, In Ireland, With the Wild Geese
Loosely speaking an Irish Tchaikovskian whose music does nothing by halves. The Nightingale Ode is one of the neglected jewels of the scena repertory. The music of an Irish late romantic. Recommended with every confidence.
HAYDN (1732 -1809) The Seven Last Words on the Cross. [58.40]Instrumental version.
Summary. This is deeply felt music, superbly played but is limited by its lack of variety.
Nigel HESS Winds of Power.
Nigel Hess, born in 1953, is best known for his music for television, feature films and the theatre, especially the RSC. His gift for approachable, attractive melody is peculiarly suited to those media, but it has been applied to concert music also, much of it wind band, which this disc explores enjoyably.
HOLBORNE (c.1545? -1602) "The teares of the Muses" 1599 - Elizabethan Consort Music Vol II Pavans, Galliards, & Almains
It is always a pleasure to hear the refined yet exuberant playing of Jordi Savall's ensemble. This new album of music by Anthony Holborne does not disappoint.
JACQUES IBERT (1890-1962) Bacchanale (1956) [8.20] Divertissement (1928) [16.47] Ouverture de Fete (1940) [15.57] Symphonie Marine (1931) [14.25] Escales (1922) [15.45]
If the playing does not have the total impact and discipline of the Dutoit, Martinon, Bernstein versions the recording and performances are much better than good and no one will feel cheated by such artistry, generosity and economy.
KALSONS Violin Concertoa. Cello Concertob. Symphonic Variationsc.
Guest review from International Record Review
Sigfrid KARG-ELERT (1877-1933) Works for Harmonium, Volume 4. Renaissance, Op. 57. Sicilienne, W10. 33 Portraits, Op. 101. Graduale, W7a. Einsames Vogelein. Zwei Miniaturen. Zwei Sensibilismen. Zwei Expressionismen.
Johannes Matthias Michel (harmonium d'art).
An interesting couple of hours' listening, but not to be taken in one go. Michel is a committed interpreter.
Paul von KLENAU Symphony No. 1 in F minor Symphony No. 3 (Triptikon) Paulo und Francesca
Paul von Klenau born in 1883 - 1946, is a relatively unknown Danish composer....you can probably imagine what these works sound like before even hearing them - Bruckner like sonorities with a firm grasp of orchestration although with a restricted ability for writing distinctive melodies.
MYKOLA KOLESSA (b 1903) Symphony No. 1 (1950) 33 mins MYROSLAV SKORYK b.1938) Hutsul Triptych (1965) Carpathian Concerto (1972)
rec Odessa, 7-10 July 1994ASV's series of Ukrainian orchestral music seems now to have run out of steam. Hear this disc to encounter the best of the line. Kolessa's irresistible symphony would please any audience as would the salty Skoryk scores.
Joseph KOSMA Chansons
Here is an interesting collection of chansons by the composer of Les Feuilles Morts.... His colourful life story is recounted in the full notes for this Entartete Musik release and we are provided with full texts and translations, which are invaluable.
[Part 1] [Part 2]
[Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5]
Classical Editor: Rob Barnett, Reviewers: Rob Barnett, Ian Lace, Len Mullenger, and: Richard Adams, Colin Anderson, Terry Barfoot, Marc Bridle, Arthur Butterworth, Colin Clarke, Paul Conway, Gary Dalkin, Andy Daly, Tony Duggan, Harry Downey, Gerald Fenech, Lewis Foreman, David Frieze, Malcolm Galloway, Ian Marchant, John Phillips, Ailís Ní Ríain, Humphrey Smith, Philip Scowcroft, Colin Scott Sutherland, Andrew Seivewright, Richard Whitehouse, Reg Williamson, Peter Grahame Woolf, David Wright. A complete list of contributors can be seen here
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