Gustav MAHLER
(1860-1911) Symphony
No. 5 in C minor (1901-3) 
Berliner Sinfonie-Orchester/Günter Herbig - East Berlin studio
recording from the early 1980s
BERLIN CLASSICS ETERNA 0030582BC [67:28] [TD]
Herbig’s
is an interesting and rewarding earlier recording from a fine Mahlerian,
but one that by the end doesn’t quite deliver what it promised earlier.
… see Full Review
Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911)
Das
Lied von der Erde, Symphony No 5 – Adagietto, Ruckert Lieder – Ich
bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Kerstin Thorburg, contralto Charles Kullmann, tenor Vienna Philharmonic
Orchestra/Bruno Walter Recorded 1936-38
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110850 [72’02] [JW]
Spiritual
engagement of the profoundest kind … see Full
Review
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) Symphony
No. 2 in C minor, ‘Resurrection’ Adagio from Symphony No.10
Barbara Bonney (soprano), Mary Phillips (mezzo) Atlanta Symphony Chorus
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra/Yoel Levi Recorded Atlanta, May 2000 and
January 2002. Two CDs priced as one.
TELARC 2CD-80548 [1 hour 49 minutes, 31 seconds] [MB]
If the ‘Resurrection’ can be ruled out this performance
of the Adagio demands to be heard. … see Full
Review
Gian Francesco MALIPIERO
(1882-1973) Quaranta
e più anni nella turris eburnea - La notte dei morti (da
poemi Asolani, 1916) - Barlumi (1917) - Tre preludi a una
fuga (1926) - Risonanze (1918) - Hortus conclusis
(1946) - Cinque studi per domani (1959)
Gina Gorini (piano) - Rec 2001?
RIVO ALTO CRR 9810 [50:02] [IL]
Excellent
album of imaginative piano music … see Full
Review
Bohuslav
MARTINU
(1890-1959) Symphony
No 5. H.310 [30’22"]* Memorial to Lidice. H.296 [8’36"]**
Les Fresques de Piero della Francesca. H.352 [17’45"]***
The Parables. H.367 [20.00"]****
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karel Ancerl - Recorded in
the Dvořák Hall of the House of Artists, Prague: *21-23 March 1955;
**20 March 1957; *** 14 and 14 February 1959; ****26 and 28 April 1961.
Items marked
*** and **** in stereo
SUPRAPHON 11 1931-2 001 [77’03"] [JQ]
Martinu
admirers are strongly advised to snap this up while it remains available
… see Full Review
Jules MASSENET
(1842-1912) Orchestral
Suites: Esclarmonde (1890) - Cendrillon (1899) - Suite No. 1 (1865)
Hong Kong Philharmonic
Orchestra/ Kenneth Jean - Recorded in the Tsuen Wan Town Hall, April
1989 NAXOS 8.555986
[57:59] [OW]
Unrecommendable
performances of suites that show Massenet in an unfavourable light…..See
full review
Alexander
MASON
Beyond the score - Organ
improvisations for Whit Sunday by Alexander Mason - Variations on Veni
Creator [14’05"] - Messe de la Pentecôte [21’57"] -
Machaut-fantaisie [13’02"] - Suite des Danses [18’51"]
Alexander Mason (organ) - Recorded in Gloucester Cathedral 30-31 May
2000 SIGNUM SIGCD028
[68’00"] [JQ]
Most
interesting and enterprising release, of great interest to organ devotees
… see Full Review
Nikolai
MEDTNER
(1880-1951) Piano
Concerto No.1 in C minor Op.33 (1918) Piano Quintet in C major Op. Posth.
(1949) Dmitri Alexeev (piano)
New Budapest Quartet BBC Symphony Orchestra/Alexander Lazarev Recorded
on 18 March (Quintet), 23 March (Concerto) 1994
HYPERION CDA 66744 [58.59] [TH]
Recommended,
particularly to those with an interest in the ‘other’ 20th
Century. … see Full Review
Felix
MENDELSSOHN
(1809-1845) Concerto
in A flat major for two pianos (1824) Concerto in E major for two pianos
(1823) Stephen Coombes,
Ian Munro (pianos) BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Jerzy Maksymiuk Recorded
in City Hall, Glasgow, on 31 August and 1 September 1991
HYPERION CDA 66567 [72.27] [TH]
The
charm and sheer ‘likeability’ of these two pieces make them very hard
to resist. ...see Full Review
Darius
MILHAUD (1892-1974)
String
Quartets 1-18 (1912; 1914 ; 1916; 1918 (26); 1919 (27); 1920; 1922 ;
1925 ; 1932 ; 1935 ; 1940 ; 1942 ; 1945 ; 1946; 1949 ; 1949; 1950-1972)
Quatuor Parisii - recorded
1996–2001 DDD ASTREÉ
NAÏVE V4900 [5CDs:5hrs 17mins] [PGW]
This
intégrale cycle of 18 quartets displays to the full Milhaud's
melodic gifts and sheer ingenuity in his command of polytonality. A
bargain to be snapped up gratefully. … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ernest John MOERAN (1894-1950)
Symphony
in G minor (1937) [44.30] Sinfonietta (1940) [23.03]
Bournemouth SO/David Lloyd-Jones rec: 4-5 June 2001, Wessex Hall, Poole
Arts Centre, Poole, Dorset, DDD
NAXOS 8.555837 [67.33] [RB]
I
came to this disc with exalted expectations which have been met. A superb
bargain. ... see Full Review
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Quintet for clarinet and string quartet in A major, KV581 - Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Quintet for clarinet and string quartet
in b minor, op.115 Berlin
Soloists: Karl Leister, clarinet, Bernd Gellerman, Berhard Hartog, violins,
Wolfram Christ, viola, Jörg Baumann, ’cello - Recorded in the Max-Joseph-Saal
der Münchener Residenz, August 1988
APEX 0927 44350 [70:59] [GPJ]
A
very worthwhile issue, coupling two major masterpieces of the chamber
music repertoire in intelligent and immaculately prepared readings.
… see Full Review
Michael NYMAN (b
1948) String
Quartets Nos 1-3 Balanescu
Quartet - Recorded Church Studios, Crouch End, London November 1990
DECCA BRITISH MUSIC
COLLECTION 473 091-2 [63’24] [JW]
A
thought-provoking and enjoyably moving disc. … see Full
Review
DVD
REVIEW - DAVID OISTRAKH: Artist of the People?
A
film by Bruno Monsaingeon made in 1995
WARNER MUSIC VISION/NVC ARTS DVD 3984-23030-2 [75mins][JL]
A
moving film about a very great Soviet musician. … see Full
Review
Leo ORNSTEIN (1892?-2002)
- Piano Works: A Morning in the Woods, Danse Sauvage (Wild Men’s
Dance), Piano Sonata Number 4, Impressions of the Thames, Tarantelle,
Piano Sonata Number 7, A Long Remembered Sorrow, Suicide in an Airplane.
Janice Weber, Piano -
Recorded June 2-5, 2001, Toronto, Canada, [DDD]
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559104 [67:00] [KS]
A
program beautiful in its contrasts … see Full
Review
RECORD
OF THE MONTH
Ignaz
PLEYEL
(1757-1831); Symphony opus 3, number one in D (B. 126)
; Symphonie Concertante number 2 in F for piano and violin (B. 115)
; Sixth Symphonie Periodique in F (B. 140) ;
Jakub Dzialak, violin ; Riccardo Bovino, piano ; Zurich Chamber Orchestra/Howard
Griffiths ; Recorded in the Kirche Neumünster, Zurich, July 27-30,
2000. DDD ; CPO
9997592 [55:09] [KB]
A winner through and through … see Full
Review
RECORD OF THE MONTH Francis
POULENC (1899-1963)
Les
Animaux Modèles (1941) - Sinfonietta (1948)
Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg/Jonathan Darlington - Recorded
Luxembourg Conservatoire, 15th – 19th September
1997 TIMPANI 1C1041
[70:42] [GPJ]
lovingly
shaped, sharply characterised, tight yet flexible. The Luxembourg Philharmonic
play superbly … see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Michael PRAETORIUS (1571-1621)
Seven Dances from Terpsichore (1612) -
Anthony HOLBORNE (1547-1603) Dances from ‘Short
Airs Both Grave and Light’ (1599)- Christoph
DEMANTIUS (1567-1643) German and Polish Dances (1601)-
Thoinot ARBEAU Dances from
Orchesographie (1589)
Praetorius Consort directed by Christopher Ball - No other recording
details given REGIS
RRC 1076 [77.09] [GH]
Highly
recommended, with lively and colourful performances especially as it
is at bargain price. … see Full Review
Jaan RÄÄTS (b.1932)
Sonata
for Two Pianos Op. 82 (1990) [16.02] Piano Trio No. 6 Op. 81 (1989)
[10.47] Piano Quintet No. 3 Op.38 (1970) [13.00] Violin Concerto No.
2 Op. 63 (1979) [16.43]
Nata-Ly Sakkos; Toivo Peäske (pianos) rec 1992 (Sonata) Mari Tampere
(vn); Peeter Paemurru (vc); Vladimir Igoschew (pf) rec 1989 (Trio) Mati
Kärmas (vn); Alexander Sagorulko (vn); Paul Purga (va); Toomas
Tummeleht (vc); Rein Rannap (pf) rec 1975 (Quintet) Jewgeni Schuk (vn);
Soloists' Ensemble of the Moscow State Philharmonic/Valentin Schuk,
rec 1987 (Concerto) recordings from Estonian Radio - Analogue original
material ANTES EDITION
BM-CD 31.9065 [56.33] Jaan RÄÄTS
(b.1932) Twenty-Four Marginalia for Two Pianos Op. 68 (1982)
[32.10] Twenty-Four Estonian Preludes for Piano Op. 80 (1988)
[38.42] Nora Novik and Raffi Charadjanjan (pianos), Marginalia
Peep Lassmann (piano), Preludes recordings from Estonian
Radio - 1985 (Marginalia); 1993 (Preludes)
ANTES EDITION BM-CD 31.9064 [70.52]
There is enough ‘true North’ in this music to draw you in. Rääts
the Bachian Estonian minimalist with overtones of Schnittke, Nyman and
Kapustin. ... see Full Review
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
- Sonata
for Cello and Piano - Vocalise (transcription by A. Brandukov)
- César FRANCK (1822-1890) Sonata
for Cello and Piano (transcription from the Violin Sonata) - Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Après un rêve (transcription
by P. Casals) Sonia Wieder-Atherton
(cello) and Imogen Cooper (piano) - Recorded at the Tibor Varga Foundation
– Sion – 17-20 August 2001 DDD
RCA RED SEAL 74321 911552 [79:00][IL]
Disappointing
performances of well-loved works. Look elsewhere. … see Full
Review
Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Symphony
No.3 in A minor Op.44 (1936) Symphonic Movement in D minor (‘Youth Symphony’)
(1891) Vocalise Op.34 No.14 (arrangement for orchestra, 1912)
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Owain Arwel Hughes - Recorded at the
Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow, Scotland on 10 and 11 September 2001
BIS-CD-1299 [68. 25] [CF]
Owain
Arwel Hughes clearly loves the music of Rachmaninov. … see Full
Review
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873
- 1943) Vespers
(All-Night Vigil), Op.37 (1915) - Mass for Unaccompanied Choir [61’50"]
Olga Borusene (Soprano); Yuri Korinnyk (Tenor); Mykhaylo Tyshchenko
(Tenor) The National Academic Choir of Ukraine "Dumka"/Yevchen
Savchuk Recorded in Kiev Cathedral, December 2000 Liturgy of St.
John Chrysostom, Op.31 (1910) - Chorus a capella [91’02"]
(recorded 1990) O Mother of God, vigilantly praying (1893) -
4vv Sacred Concerto [9’29"] Chorus of Spirits for "Don
Juan" (?1894) - Chorus a capella [1’25"] Panteley the
Healer (1900) - Chorus a capella [4’11"]
The Russian State Symphony Cappella/Valery Polyansky recorded 1987 Licensed
from Claves, Switzerland
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 6215 [3 CDs: 2.48’27"] [JPo]
I
urge you to make its acquaintance; an hour and a half flew by, the performance
in no small way adding to my enjoyment. … see Full
Review
Jean RACINE Phèdre
- in French - Olivier
Werner - Hippolyte, Denis Manuel - Théramène, Geneviève
Esménard - Śnone, Natacha Amal - Phèdre, Dominique Marcas
- Panope, Karine Fellous - Aricie, Agnès Proust - Ismène,
Marc Zammit - Thésée
mise-en-scène - Jean-Marie Villégier, Théâtre
Nationale de Strasbourg, prise de son - Raymond Burger, rec 24-25 Oct
1991, Théâtre Nationale de Strasbourg, L'Illustre-Théâtre
DDD K617 022/023 [CD1
77.30; CD2 59.20] [RB]
A
stylistic cleansing for any serious student of French. Eases study and
enjoyment of the play for both students and a more general audience
... see Full Review
Alfred
REYNOLDS (1884-1969)
Festival
March - Suite; Alice through the Looking-Glass - Suite; The Toy Cart
- Overture; The Taming of the Shrew - Suite; 1066 and All That - Suite
of five dances from The Duenna - Overture for a Comedy - The Sirens
of Southend - Swiss Lullaby and Ballet from Swiss Family Robinson -
Suite; Marriage a la Mode - Three Pieces for Theatre; - (i) Overture
to Much Ado about Nothing - (ii) Entr’acte from The Critic - (iii) Mascarade
from The Merchant of Venice - Royal Ballet Sinfonietta
Gavin Sutherland - Recorded Whitfield Street Studios, London December
2000
MARCO POLO BRITISH LIGHT
MUSIC 8.225184 [77’26] [JW] How
good to hear the until-now neglected Alfred Reynolds receive his due
at last in this spirited and blemish free production. … see Full
Review
Nicolai
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908) Scheherazade Russian Festival
Overture Capriccio espagnol Anshel
Brusilow, violin Philadelphia Orchestra Eugene Ormandy Recorded 1959
(Russian Festival Overture), 1962 (Scheherazade), 1965 (Capriccio espagnol)
SONY SBK 46537
[74’57] [JW]
Brimful of vivacity and engulfing generosity. … see Full
Review
Gioacchino
ROSSINI (1792-1868); ; La Petite Messe Solennelle ;
Original version for four soloists, choir, harmonium and two pianos.
; Danielle Borst (soprano), Lucile Vignon (mezzo soprano),
Charles Workman (tenor), Armand Arapian (baritone). ;
Choir, Ensemble Vocal Michel Piquemal. Musical Director, Michel Piquemal.
; In collaboration with the Rossini Foundation and the Pesaro Festival.
(Musicological consultant, Philip Gossett). Performed with the support
of Jacobs Holdings Plc, London. ; Recorded live at the Théâtre
Impérial Compiègne 10 October 1998 ; CD enquiries to:
le Conseil Général de l'Oise, la Ville de Compiègne.
70 -7 France ; CHANT DU MONDE (Un-numbered) [64.00?] [RJF]
Warm and pleasant on the ear. Given the paucity of recordings this
performance is worth pursuing … see Full Review
Gioacchino ROSSINI
(1792-1868) Piano
Works Vol.3 Pêches de Vieillesse (Selection)
Stefan Irmer, piano Recorded August 23-25, 2001, Furstliche Reitban
Bad Arolsen MUSIKPRODUKTION
DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 618 1108-2 [59:21] [OW]
A
charming disc of unusual piano repertoire from a major operatic talent,
performed to perfection….See Full Review.
Anton
RUBINSTEIN (1829-1894)
Symphony
No 4 Op 95 Dramatic
Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Košice - Robert Stankovsky - Recorded
House of Arts, Košice March 1990
NAXOS 8.555979 [65’44] [JW]
Never
reaches the heights of a genuine Romantic crisis symphony but contains
intriguing material … see Full Review
William RUSSO
(b.1928) Street
Music, op.65 - Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra,
op.50 - George GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
An American in Paris - Siegel-Schwall Band: Corky Siegel,
harmonica and electric piano, Jim Schwall, guitar, Al Radford, bass,
Shelly Plotkin, drums
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra/Seiji Ozawa - Gershwin and Russo Street
Music recorded May 1976, Cupertino Flint Center at DeAnza College
USA - Russo Three Pieces recorded June 1972 ibid
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON ‘The Originals’, DG 463 665-2 [73:38] [GPJ]
A
pity that the Gershwin is tucked away amongst this otherwise unremarkable
music. … see Full Review
[Detailed listing (last two
days)]
[Part 1 New] [Part 2 A-B] [Part
3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R] [Part
5 S-Y] [Part 6 Misc] [Part
7 Misc]
Revolving
notes from clipart.com
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