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1st – 3rd 2002
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NEW and RECENT ARTICLES
THE
RISE AND FALL OF POPULAR MUSIC by Donald Clarke
Complete book now
on-line
COME
ALONG NORMAN – YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS!
Adrian Smith rebuffs
Norman Lebrecht's assertion that Walton killed his own talent.
LUDWIG
THUILLE by Eric Schissel
GERALD
FINZI a major new site by John France
FARTEIN
VALEN By David C F Wright
LUIGI
NONO by David C F Wright
VILÉM
TAUSKÝ C.B.E. F.G.S.M. (b. 1910) +
List of compositions
PATRICK
HADLEY by John France
WILL
THE AUDIENCE MIND STANDING UP? ........ Arthur Butterworth
EXCLUSIVE Interview
with Adriano by Rob Barnett
BEETHOVEN by
Davis C F Wright
HAYDN by David C
F Wright
Richard Wetz (1875-1935) as Composer
By Eric Schissel
Peter Racine Fricker:
Personal Thoughts and Memories by David Wright
DIATRIBES
AND DIGRESSIONS New Formats and the Real World by David Dyer
The
MusicWeb Listening Studio
On-Line
help sites: How do I do this, Where do I find this. Some free, some
not
Did
you know you could help sponsor a
new recording for as little as £10 - a symphony for £25? Read
on such as this one now reviewed here:
GRAHAM
WHETTAM
Sinfonia Intrepida
BBCSO/Sir Charles Mackerras.
Redcliffe Recordings RR016 (44' 11'') [PC]
MusicWeb is the Official Home of Gerard Hoffnung
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The
Hoffnung little books
The
Maestro, Symphony Orchestra, Music Festival,Companion to Music,
Musical Chairs, Acoustics
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SIX for the price of FIVE
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CDs
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Music Festival 1958,The Hoffnung Astronautical Music Festival 1961
A Last Encore
cassette
BBC recordings of Speech Day, Oxford Union, December 1958 "Life
begins at 38" with the famous Bricklayer story and the hotelier
offering French widows in every bedroom.
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LATEST
CD REVIEWS (last two days)
This
is the weekend when MusicWeb officially becomes part of the ClassicAll
network with a launch at Midem in Cannes. I was to have been there but
am held terrestrial in the UK by a deep vein thrombosis cause by too
many hours sitting at this keyboard! Depending when you have visited
this page you may have already been directed, courtesy of Queen of the
Night, via our new portal page.
Our partner site within the ClassicAll network is www.ludwigvanWeb.com
Whilst
MusicWeb and much of LudwigvanWeb will remain free, the ClassicAll network
will also offer you a great-value subscription service. You will be
offered a package of a dozen CDs a year plus downloading facilities
at a special rate for MusicWeb visitors. The offer will become available
through the portal site and combines the best features of a high quality
classical music magazine and all the convenience of your local record
shop with the many real advantages of the Internet.
Through
this service MusicWeb will no longer have to bombard you with advertisements
as we did all last year but it does depend upon our subscription package
being attractive enough that visitors will actually desire to take out
a subscription. Once the details of the package become available please
e-mail any comments and I will pass them on to those at ClassicAll.
Len
Mullenger
We completed
230 full-length CD reviews for February.
Find them in composer alphabetical order here
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[Part 3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R]
[Part 5 S-Y]
[Part 6 Misc]
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BOOK REVIEWS
ARNOLD
BAX IDEALA: The Love Letters and Poems of
Arnold BAX
edited by Colin Scott-Sutherland Fand Music Press The
Barony, 16 Sandringham Road, Petersfield GU32 2AA. Tel/Fax: 01730 267341.
ww.fandmusic.com published September 2001 ISBN 0-9535125-3-3 320pp hardback
[SL]
Jeffrey
Richards: Imperialism
and music. Britain 1876-1953
Manchester University Press 2001ISBN H/B 0719045061 £55 Amazon
UK £49.99ISBN P/B 0719061431 £19.99 Amazon
UK £17.99 [JW]
When
Richards treats less complex issues he does so with tact but at the
Imperial heart of his book, at its centre, he has wielded a machete
and cut off his own arm. ... see Full Review
DONALD
FRANCIS TOVEY: The Classics of Music - Talks, Essays, and Other
Writings Previously Uncollected
edited by Michael Tilmouth and editing completed by David Kimbell and
Roger Savage. Oxford University Press Price: £60.00 (Hardback)
ISBN0-19-816214-6. Published 2001, 864 pages, numerous music examples,
10 halftones, 1 table, 234mm x 156mm. [PS]
At
864 pages long and with a price tag of £60 this book is certainly not
for the occasional reader. But for all those who know and love Tovey’s
writing this is a long awaited and very welcome addition. … see
Full Reviews
SCORE REVIEWS
RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
GREGORIAN
CHANT
Abbé Damien Poisblaud Recordings made in The Abbey of Thoronet
(date of recording unspecified)
PAVANE ADW 7239 [64.53] [PW]
This
reviewer would never have expected to find himself in a position of
saying that one of the most remarkable recordings heard in years was
a disc of one man singing unaccompanied chant for over an hour. But,
so it is. … see Full Review
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Piano
Sonatas in F, K.332, in B flat, K. 333, in C minor, K.457, Adagio in
B minor, K.540 Alfred
Brendel (pianoforte) Recorded 7-8.7.2000, Snape Maltings Concert Hall
(K.457), 21-25.1.2000, Glyndebourne Opera House (others)
PHILIPS 468 048-2 [74.36] [CH]
Much
here will surely be listened to by future generations as a locus classicus
both of how to perform these sonatas and of Brendel’s own playing. …
see Full Review
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART LE
NOZZE DI FIGARO Figaro
- Ezio Pinza (bass-baritone) Susanna - Bidú Sayão (soprano)
Cherubino - Jarmila Novotna (mezzo soprano)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera, New York Paul Breisach
(conductor) Recorded live in April 1943 PLUS STANDARD HOUR CONCERT
Recorded live on 28 September 1951
GUILD HISTORICAL 2203/5 [196’ 12"] [CF]
Wonderful
performance of Figaro taken live from the Met during the Second World
War, the cast as good as anyone could surely wish for. An initial release
with some mouth-watering offerings to come from Guild. ...see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER Siegfried
Sung in German First performance August 1876, Bayreuth, Germany
Siegfried -Lauritz Melchior
(tenor) Wotan - Friedrich Schorr (bass-baritone) Brünnhilde - Kirsten
Flagstad (soprano) Mime - Karl Laufkoetter (tenor) Eduard - Habisch
Alberich (bass-baritone) Erda - Kerstin Thorborg (contralto) Fafner
- Emanuel List (bass) Woodbird - Stella Andreyeva (soprano) Orchestra
of the Metropolitan Opera, New York Adolf Bodanzky (conductor) Recorded
live on 30 January 1937
GUILD HISTORICAL 2207/9 [210.01]
John
Steane once wrote, ‘to learn how Wagner could be sung, the public in
general had to wait for the great days of Melchior, Schorr and Flagstad’.
Well, here is the chance to experience such an occasion - seize it.
… see Full Review
ARIAS
FOR SOPRANO, TRUMPET AND ORGAN Pater
Damian STACHOWICZ (1658-1699) Veni,
veni Consolator Alessandro
MELANI (1639-1703) All’armi, pensieri
Alessandro SCARLATTI (1660-1725)
Vaga Cintia adorata (from "Endimione
e Cintia") 7 Arias: Si suoni la tromba, In terra la guerra, Con
voce festiva, Rompe sprezza, Si riscaldi il Tebro, Mio tesoro per te
moro, Farò la vendetta Henry
PURCELL (1658-1695) Sound the trumpet,
Sound Fame thy brazen trumpet (from "Dioclesian") DROVANDINI
(1673-1708) De torrente
Marie-Noëlle de Callataÿ (soprano), Alain Roelant (trumpet),
Jan van Landeghem (organ) Rec. Aug. 1990, St. Joseph’s Church, Saint-Niklaas
PAVANE ADW 7223 [48.03]
[CH]
If
you are looking for a soprano, trumpet and organ disc to add to your
collection, I don’t think you could do better than this. … see
Full Review
BERJ
ZAMKOCHIAN Organ
Recital. REUBKE Sonata on the 94th
Psalm MENDELSSOHNSonata no. 1 in
F minor REGER Weihnachten
Berj Zamkochian (organ)(ADD)
CONSORTIUM ZC 040794 [DW]
A
super disc .... very exciting! And that’s an understatement! ... see
Full Review
BARGAIN OF THE
MONTH
Olivier
MESSIAEN (1908-1992)
Turangalila
Symphony Toronto Symphony Orchestra/Seiji Ozawa, Yvonne Loriod,
piano Recorded in 1967 Albert ROUSSEL
(1869-1937) Symphony No. 3 Symphony No. 4
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France/Marek Janowski Recorded
in 1994 Bacchus et Ariane, Suite no.2 Boston Symphony/Charles
Munch Recorded in 1952
RCA RED SEAL 74321 846012 LC 00316 2 CD set; CD1 [77:24] CD2 [61:56]
bargain price [GPJ]
RCA
knock you out of your seat with sheer pizzazz. No denying the brilliance
of the sound in Turangalila. Janowski's French Radio Philharmonic give
outstanding performances - energetic, stylish and intense. ... see Full
Review
A
SHROPSHIRE LAD The
complete Shropshire Lad in poem and song-settings
Samuel BARBER (1910-81): With rue
my heart is laden Lennox BERKELEY (1903-89):
I liked you better. He would not stay. George
BUTTERWORTH (1885-1916): Bredon Hill. When the lad for longing
sighs. On the idle hill of summer; A Shropshire Lad complete Mervyn
HORDER (b 1910): White in the moon. John
IRELAND (1879-1962): Hawthorn time. The hearts desire. The
lent lily. Goal and wicket. The vain desire. The encounter. Epilogue.
E. J. MOERAN (1894-1950): Far in
a western brookland. O fair enough are sky and plain. C.
W. ORR (1893-1976): When I watch the living meet. Hughley
steeple. Into my heart. O see how thick the goldcup flowers. The Isle
of Portland. This time of year.
Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor); Graham Johnson (piano); Alan Bates (reader).
Rec 1980s HYPERION DYAD
CDD22044 2CD [123.39] Bargain price [JQ]
A
most distinguished and enterprising release which is recommended without
reservation to all lovers of English song. see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Complete Symphonies and Selected Miscellaneous
Works
Conducted by Paavo BERGLUND Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestras (HPO),
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO), choirs and soloists as listed
Rec. Dec. 1970 (5), Jan. 1972 (2, 4), May 1978 (3), Guildhall, Southampton,
no date given for (1)
EMI 5 74485 2 (8 CDs, timings as above) Superbudget [CH]
One
of the greatest symphonic cycles, plus many shorter pieces, under a
conductor who shows a deep understanding and profound identification
with it. In the end I felt I was listening, not to Berglund, but to
Sibelius. see Full Review
SPANISH
GUITAR RECITAL Isaac
ALBÉNIZ (1860-1909) allorca,
Opus 202 Suite Española Opus 47 Cordoba, Opus 323 No. 4 Enrique
GRANADOS (1867-1916) Dedicatoria La Maja de Goya Nadza Española
No. 4 Valses Poèticos Danza Española No. 5 Joaquin
MALAIS (1872-1912) Serenata Emilio
PUJOL (1886-1980) Tango Espannol Guajira
Julian Bream (guitar) Rec 1982-3, Wardour Chapel, Wiltshire
BMG 74321 68016 2 [74.58] [TB]
One
of the finest guitar recitals of recent times. … see Full
Review
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Toward
the Unknown Region (1), Dona nobis pacem (2), Fantasia (quasi variazione)
on the Old 104th Psalm Tune (3), Magnificat (4), Partita
(5), Concerto Grosso (6), Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis (7),
Romance in D flat (8), The Lark Ascending (9)
Sheila Armstrong (soprano) (2), Helen Watts (contralto) (4), John
Carol Case (baritone) (2), Peter Katin (pianoforte) (3), Jean Pougnet
(9), Christopher Hyde-Smith (flute) (4), Larry Adler (harmonica) (8),
Ambrosian Singers (4), London Philharmonic Choir (1, 2), BBC Symphony
Orchestra (8), London Philharmonic Orchestra (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9), Orchestra
Nova of London (4), Philharmonia Orchestra (7)/Sir Adrian Boult (1,
2, 3, 5, 6, 9), Meredith Davies (4), Sir Malcolm Sargent (7, 8)Recording
dates: 20 Oct. 1952 (8), 21 Oct. 1952 (9), 5 June 1959 (7), 12 Feb.
1970 (3), 16 June 1970 (4), 16-18 April 1973 (1, 2), 10 & 15 Oct.
1975 (5, 6)Locations: Kingsway Hall, London (1, 2), No. 1 Studio Abbey
Road, London (3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9), St. Augustine’s, Kilburn (7)
EMI CLASSICS CZS 5 74782 2 [2 CDs: 76.16 + 72.34] Superbudget
"Dona
nobis pacem" is essential and alone worth the price of the set.
But there is much else, too. … see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER
(187-1883) Tristan
und Isolde (1865) Kirsten Flagstad (Isolde), Lauritz Melchior
(Tristan), Sabine Kalter (Brangane), Herbert Janssen (Kurwenal), Emmanuel
List (King Marke), Frank Sale (Melot), Roy Devereux (Sailor), Octave
Dua (Shepherd), Leslie Horseman (Steersman).
Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden London Philharmonic Orchestra/Fritz
Reiner Recorded at Covent Garden during performances on 18th
May and 2nd June 1936. Archivist and restoration producer
Ward Marston NAXOS HISTORICAL
8.110068-70 [3 CDs 209.29] [TD]
A
remarkable document of recorded history and a performance of rare and
compelling power that, in spite of historic sound, is one of the greatest
recordings of this opera ever made. … see Full
Review
VIRTUOSO
VIOLIN Fritz
KREISLER (1883-1951) Praeludium
and Allegro "in the style of Pugnani" Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) arr. Joseph JOACHIM
Hungarian Dance no. 1 Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) The Gadfly: Romance Riccardo
DRIGO (1846-1930) arr. Leopold AUER
Valse Bluette Zdenek FIBICH (1850-1900)
arr. Jan KUBELIK Moods, Impressions and Reminiscences,
op. 41: Poème Manuel de FALLA (1876-1946)
arr. KREISLER La Vida Breve: Danse espagnole Henryk
WIENIAWSKI (1835-1880) arr. August WILHELMJ
Légende, op. 17 Pablo
de SARASATE (1844-1908) Introduction and Tarantella, op.
43 Johannes BRAHMS arr. JOACHIM Hungarian
Dance no. 5 Ernest BLOCH (1880-1959)
Baal Shem: Nigun Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
arr Jascha. HEIFETZ Beau Soir KREISLER
Caprice viennois, op. 2 Nicolai
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908) arr. Heifetz
The Tale of Tsar Saltan: The Flight of the Bumble Bee Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934) arr. Lionel TERTIS
Hassan: Serenade Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
arr. WILHELMJ Ave Maria, D. 839 William
KROLL (1901-1980) Banjo and Fiddle Maurice
RAVEL (1875-1937) Tzigane Rapsodie de concert
Tasmin Little (violin), Piers Lane (pianoforte) Recorded at St. Michaels,
Highgate, 30-31 July 1991
EMI CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 574 9492 [71.34] Superbudget [CH]
This
is a disc that can be confidently bought by anyone looking for the best
kind of easy-listening for violin and piano. see Full
Review
[Part 1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R] [Part
5 S-Y] [Part 6 Misc]
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author and do not necessarily represent the views of the
site owner, Len Mullenger or the Editors. Reviewers and
authors retain copyright in their work unless it has been paid
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