John ADAMS
(b.
1947) Road Movies Road
Movies (1995)* [15’14"} Hallelujah Junction
(1996)** [16’25"] China Gates (1977)***
[4’30"] American Berserk (2001)*** [6’00"]
Phrygian Gates (1977)**** [25’19"] 
* Leila Josefowicz (violin); John Novacek
(piano) ** Nicholas Hodges and Rolf Hind (pianos)
*** Nicholas Hodges (piano) ****Rolf Hind
(piano) Recordings: 28-29 July, 2003, at Lyndhurst
Hall, Air Studios, London; and *27 September
2002 at the American Academy of Arts and Letters,
New York City
NONESUCH 7559-79699-2 [68’05"] [JQ]
Fascinating
... one of the most interesting musical voices
around ... Recommended with enthusiasm. ...
see Full Review
Kalevi AHO
(b. 1949) Symphonic
Dances. Hommage à Uuno Klami
(2001) Symphony No. 11 for six percussionists
and orchestra (1997-98)
Kroumata Percussion Ensemble Lahti Symphony
Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä Recorded January
2002 (Symphonic Dances) February 2002 (Symphony)
at the Sibelius Hall, Lahti, Finland DDD
BIS BIS-CD-1336 [60:09] [CT]
Another
fine instalment in BIS’s Complete Aho series
... see Full Review
Charles AVISON
(1709-1770) Twelve
Concertos Op.6
The Avison Ensemble/Pavlo Beznosiuk Rec. Jubilee
Theatre, St Nicholas’s Hospital, Newcastle
upon Tyne, January 2003
NAXOS 8.557553-54 [49.16 + 57.37] [JW]
The
Avison do their namesake proud. Articulation
is full of clarity, rhythms are buoyant; stylistic
understanding and nuance. ... see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685
– 1750) Suite
No. 4 in D Major BWV 1069, (1725) Suite No.
1 in C Major BWV 1066, (1725) Suite No. 3
in D Major BWV 1068, (1725) Suite No. 2 in
B Minor BWV 1067, (1725)
Christopher Krueger (flute) in BWV1067 Boston
Baroque/Martin Pearlman (using period instruments)
recorded in Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts,
24-26 Sept 2003 DDD
TELARC CD-80619 [73’32"]
[SV]
We
can usually count on Pearlman for intelligent,
dynamic "period" performances but this set
is oddly variable. ... see Full
Review
Carl
Philip Emanuel BACH
(1714 - 1788)
Complete Keyboard Concertos Vol. 13 Sonatina
in F, H.463, W.104 (1764) [20.37] Concerto
in d, H. 425, W.22 (1747) [23.14] Sonatina
in C, H.457, W.103 (1764) [22.35]
Miklos Spányi, tangent piano and conducting
Concerto Armonico, leader Péter Szüts.
Recorded at Phoenix Studio, Budapest-Diósd,
Hungary, November 1999 Notes in English, Deutsch,
Français. Photos of the artists and
the instrument.
BIS CD-1307 [67.34] [PSh]
The
latest instalment, and one of the finest in
the whole magnificent series of Bach Keyboard
Concerti recordings ... see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685
– 1750) Suite
No. 4 in D Major BWV 1069, (1725) Suite No.
1 in C Major BWV 1066, (1725) Suite No. 3
in D Major BWV 1068, (1725) Suite No. 2 in
B Minor BWV 1067, (1725)Christopher Krueger
(flute) in BWV1067
Boston Baroque/Martin Pearlman (using
period instruments) recorded in Mechanics
Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts, 24-26 Sept
2003 DDD.
TELARC CD-80619 [73’32"] [JPh]
I
cannot recommend this disc too highly. It
is a superb issue both in terms of performance
and recording quality. ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)Goldberg
Variations (pub. 1741)
Andras Schiff (piano) A concert recording
on 30 October 2001 at the Stadtcasino, Basel,
Switzerland.
ECM NEW SERIES 1825; 472 185-2 [71'04"]
[JPo]
It
all depends on how you like your Goldbergs
- the yolk runny or more well done. ... see
Full Review
Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Cantatas 67,
108 and 127 Cantata
No. 67, Halt im Gedächtnis Jesum Christ,
(Hold in remembrance Jesus Christ) BWV
67, for alto, tenor, bass; 4-part chorus,
corno da tirassi, transverse flute, 2 oboes
d’amore, 2 violins, viola, organ and continuo
Cantata No. 108, Es ist euch gut, daß
ich hingehe, (For you it is best that
we be parted / It is for your good that I
go) BWV 108, for alto, tenor, bass; 4-part
chorus, 2 oboes d’amore, 2 violins, viola
and continuo Cantata No. 127, Herr Jesu
Christ, wahr'r Mensch und Gott, (Thou
who, a God, as man yet come / Lord Jesus Christ,
true man and God) BWV 127, for soprano, tenor,
bass; 4-part chorus, trumpet, oboe, 2 flutes,
2 violins, viola and continuo Antonia Fahberg
(soprano) Lilian Benningsen (contralto) Peter
Pears (tenor) Keith Engen (bass) Edgar Shann
(oboe d’amore on BWV 108 and 127) Fritz Sonnieithner
(violin on BWV 108) Georg Donderer (trumpet
on BWV 67 and 127) Hedwig Bilgram (organ)
Münchner Bach-Chor
Members of the Orchestra of Münchner
Staatsoper/Karl Richter Recorded in the Haus
des Sports, Munich, Germany, 1958
WARNER CLASSICS ELATUS 2564 613161-2 [61:07]
[MC]
This
Elatus release is worthy of inclusion in any
collection of Bach Cantatas. ... see
Full Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH
(1685-1750) The Conductors’
Transcriptions Toccata
and Fugue in D minor, BWV565 Orchestrated
by Stanislav Skrowaczewski (b. 1923) Jesu,
Joy of Man’s Desiring, from Cantata, BWV147
Orchestrated by Eugene Ormandy (1899-1985)
Herzlich tut mich verlangen: Chorale Prelude,
BWV727 Orchestrated by Erich Leinsdorf
(1912-1993) Suite No. 6 for full orchestra
Orchestrated by Sir Henry Wood (1869-1944)
Air, from Suite No. 3, BWV1068 Orchestrated
by Sir Malcolm Sargent (1895-1967) Sheep
May Safely Graze, from Cantata, BWV208 Orchestrated
by Sir John Barbirolli (1899-1970) Fantasia
and Fugue in G minor, BWV542 Orchestrated
by Dimitri Mitropoulos (1896-1960) Ich
ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ: Chorale Prelude,
BWV639 Orchestrated by Vittorio Gui (1885-1975)
Bist du bei mir:, BWV508, from Clavierbüchlein
Orchestrated by Otto Klemperer (1885-1973)
A Mighty Fortress is Our God: Chroale Prelude,
BWV720 Orchestrated by Walter Damrosch
(1862-1950)
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin Recorded
7-8 October 1003, All Saints’ Church, Tooting,
London Hybrid SACD
CHANDOS
CHSA 5030 [63.20] [TB]
These
wonderfully imaginative reincarnations of
Bach’s originals bring with them a great deal
of satisfaction ... see Full
Review
Bela BARTÓK
(1881-1945)
Solo Piano Works, Volumes 1-5 Volume
1: 7 Sketches (Sz 44); Sonata 1926 (Sz 80);
15 Hungarian Peasant Songs and Dances (Sz
71); 4 Dirges (Sz 45); Allegro Barbaro (Sz
49) Volume 2: Suite (Sz 62); For Children
"42 Hungarian Folk Songs" (Sz 42);
3 Burlesques (Sz 47) Volume 3: 6 Roumanian
Folk Dances (Sz 56); 10 Easy Piano Pieces
(Sz 39); 14 Bagatelles (Sz 38); 3 Rondos on
Folk Tunes (Sz 84); Sonatina (Sz 55); Roumanian
Dance No.1 (Sz 43) Volume 4: For Children
"43 Slovakian Folk Songs" (Sz 42);
Petite Suite (Sz 105) Volume 5: 2 Elegies
(Sz 41); 3 Hungarian Folk Songs (Sz 35); 9
Little Piano Pieces (Sz 82); Improvisations
(Sz 74); Out of Doors (Sz 81) June
de Toth (piano) No recording information:
DDD
EROICA JDT 3000 [50:19 + 60:56 + 69:15
+ 74:33 + 66:00] [RNB]
I
thoroughly recommend this set ... performances
well thought out and meticulously prepared
... see Full Review
Arnold
BAX (1883-1953)
Symphonic
Variations for piano and orchestra (1913-14)
[46.03]
Joyce Hatto (piano) Guildford Philharmonic
Orchestra/Vernon Handley rec. 1965, Guildford
CONCERT ARTIST CACD-9021-2 [46.03]
[WH]
Hatto
is the better guide by far through these red-blooded
pages and this Concert Artist recording is
highly recommended. ... see Full
Review
Arnold BAX (1883-1953)
Piano Music Vol.1 Piano Sonata No.1
Piano Sonata No.2; Dream in Exile; Burlesque;
Nereid; In a Vodka Shop
Ashley Wass(piano)
NAXOS CD 8.557439 [74:27] [GP]
I
was most impressed by this first instalment
in Ashley Wass’s cycle of Bax’s complete piano
works and look forward to the remaining volumes
with keen anticipation. ... see Full
Review
Amy BEACH (1867-1944)
Songs:
The Rainy Day (1880), Ariette op.1/4 (1886),
When far from her op.2/2 (1889), Empress of
Night op.2/3 (1891), Le Secret op.14/2 (1891),
Ecstasy op.19/2 (1892), Within thy Heart op.29/1
(1895), Sleep, Little Darling op.29/3 (1894),
Nacht op.35/1 (1895), Forgotten op.41/3 (1894),
Dearie op.43/1 (1899), Far Awa’ op.43/4 (1899),
The Year’s at the Spring op.44/1 (1900), Ah,
Love, but a day! op.44/2 (1900), I send my
heart up to thee! op.44/3 (1900), Come, ah
Come op.48/1 (1902), Canzonetta op.48/4 (1902),
Ich sagte nicht op.51/1 (1903), Wir drei op.51/2
(1903), Juni op.51/3 (1903), Je demande à
l’oiseau op.51/4 (1903), Go not too Far op.56/2
(1904), Shena Van op.56/4 (1904), Baby op.69/1
(1908), Hush, Baby Dear op.69/2 (1908), A
Prelude op.71/1 (1910), O Sweet Content op.71/2
(1910), Ein altes Gebet op.72/1 (1914), Der
Totenkranz op.73/2 (1914), The Candy Lion
op.75/1 (1914), A Thanksgiving Fable op.75/2
(1914), In the Twilight op.85 (1921), The
Host op.117/2 (1925), May Flowers op.137 (1932),
I sought the Lord op.142 (1937), Though I
take the wings of morning op.152 (1941)
Katherine Kelton (mezzo-soprano), Catherine
Bringerud (piano) Recorded 11th-12th June
1999 at The Lodge in Indianapolis, Indiana,
USA
NAXOS 8.559191 [77:39] [CH]
For
the revelation of some fine repertoire, warmly
sung, the disc is strongly recommended. ...
see Full Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony
No. 6 in F major, Opus 68 (1808) Overture:
Leonore No. 1, Opus 138 (1807) Overture: Leonore
No. 2, Opus 72 (1805) Overture: Leonore No.
3, Opus 72a (1806)
Swedish Chamber Orchestra/Thomas Dausgaard
Rec 21-24 May 2001 (Symphony), 3-7 June 2002
(Overtures), Örebro Concert Hall
SIMAX CLASSICS PSC 1184 [73.47] [TB]
Dausgaard
and his orchestra bring freshness and commitment
to every bar ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770
- 1827) Symphony
No.6 in F major Op. 68 The Pastoral
Symphony No.8 in F major Op. 93 Symphony No.9
in D minor Op. 125 The Choral
New Philharmonia Orchestra, (No. 6) London
Symphony Orchestra (Nos. 8 and 9), Sheila
Armstrong (soprano), Anne Reynolds (contralto),
Robert Tear (tenor) and John Shirley-Quirk
(bass) and the London Symphony Chorus (No.
9), conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini.recorded
at the Abbey Road Studios, London, in January
and April 1968 (Pastoral), and Kingsway Hall,
London in November 1972 (Nos. 8 and 9). (ADD
– stereo).
EMI CLASSICS GEMINI 585490-2 [72.39
+ 72.32] [JPh]
Even
at its low price the set is not in the least
competitive and there are much better offerings
to be had elsewhere. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770
– 1827) Piano
Concerto No. 1 in C major Op. 15 (1801) Piano
Sonata No 22 in F major Op. 54 (1804) Piano
Sonata No 23 in F minor Op. 57 (1804)
Sviatoslav Richter (piano) Boston Symphony
Orchestra/Charles Munch recorded November
1960 ADD
RCA RED SEAL 82876 594212 [71’59"]
[JPh]
Recommended
with enthusiasm ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827): Concerto
for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in E flat major,
Op. 73 "Emperor"* [36’35"]
32 Variations on an Original Theme in C minor,
Wo080 [11’33"] Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828): Piano Sonata
in C minor, D958 [29’25"]
John Ogdon (piano) *BBC Northern Symphony
Orchestra/Jascha Horenstein Recorded: BBC
Studios, Maida Vale, London, 23 January, 1972;
*Festhalle Viersen, Germany, 21 January, 1969
BBC LEGENDS BBCL 4142-2 [77’55"]
[JQ]
A
fine souvenir of a much-missed artist ...
I’m happy to recommend this CD. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Oboe
Trio in C major, Op. 87 Variations in C major
on Là ci darem la mano from
Mozart's opera 'Don Giovanni', WoO 28 Anton
WRANITZKY (1761-1820) Oboe Trio
in C major
John Abberger / Marc Schachman, oboes; Lani
Spahr, cor anglais Recorded Connecticut, USA,
1999
NAXOS 8.554550 [59:20] [JL]
A
delightful disc of light, late 18th century
Viennese music, interestingly juxtaposing
a great composer with a little known contemporary.
Well played on authentic instruments. ...
see Full
Review
Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano
Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10, No. 1 (1797)
[16:45] Piano Sonata No. 6 in F major, Op.
10, No. 2 (1797) [14:37] Piano Sonata No.
7 in D major, Op. 10, No. 3 (1798) [20:26]
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique"
(1798) [17:33]
Maurizio Pollini, piano Recorded Herkulessaal,
Munich, September 2002. DDD
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 474 810-2 [69:35]
[DS]
Rather
short on warm-hearted music ... takes some
of the glow off the performances.. Pollini’s
reputation for being on the cool side has
some validity here ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Sonatas:
op.54 in F; op. 57 in f – "Appassionata";
op.78 in F sharp; op.79 in G; op.81a in E
flat – "Les Adieux".
Artur Schnabel (piano) Recorded 11th
April 1933 (opp. 54, 57), 21st
March 1932 (op.78), 15th November
1935 (op.79), 13th April 1933 (op.81a)
in EMI Abbey Road Studio no.3, London UK.
Transferred by Mark Obert-Thorn.
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110761 [66:04] [CH]
Recommended
with all possible enthusiasm to those who
are prepared to forgo modern sound in the
pursuit of musical truth. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Contemporary Arrangements for Chamber Ensemble.
Piano
Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, ‘Pathétique’
(1799, arr. publ.Haslinger). Symphonies: No.
1 in C, Op. 21 (1800, arr. publ. Simrock,
c1803); No. 8 in F, Op. 93 (1814, arr. publ.
Haslinger 1816)
Locrian Ensemble/Rolf Wilson, Rita Ma.
Rec. St. Martin’s Church, East Woodhay, Berkshire
on May 27th, 2002 (Op. 13); St.
Silas Church, Chalk Farm, London, on January
13th-14th, 2002 (rest).
GUILD GMCD7274 [DDD] [69’54] [CC]
Well
worth investigation. The Locrian Ensemble
excels itself. Do try and hear this disc.
... see
Full Review
Ludwig
Van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Missa
Solemnis in D, op.123 (1824) Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Mass
in C minor, K.427 Great (1782?) Sylvia
McNair, soprano, Janice Taylor, mezzo-soprano,
John Aler, tenor, Tom Krause, baritone (Beethoven),
Edith Wiens, Delores Ziegler, mezzo-soprano,
John Aler, tenor, William Stone, baritone
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Robert
Shaw Recorded in Symphony Hall, Atlanta on
Feb.22nd-25th and November
7th, 9th, 10th
1987
TELARC CD-80150 [64:50 + 74:09] [GPJ]
Two
towering choral masterpieces in loving, inspired
readings – a very special issue. ... see Full
Review
Heinrich
Ignaz Franz von BIBER
(1644-1704) The Rosary Sonatas
CD
1 Readings and sonatas 1-9 [79:47] CD 2 Readings
and sonatas 10-15; Passacaglia [77:18]
Pavlo Beznosiuk (violins) David Roblou (harpsichord,
chamber organ) Paula Chateauneuf (theorbo,
archlute) Richard Tunnicliffe (viola da gamba;
violone) Timothy West (reader) Rec. 30 Nov
– 4 Dec 2003 at St Andrew’s Church, Toddington,
UK. DDD
AVIE AV0038 [77:18 + 79:47 = 2:37:05]
[PB]
If
you are unfamiliar with Biber’s music, this
is the ideal place to start. Hardcore Biber
fans should not hesitate. A fabulous offering.
... see Full Review
Heinrich Ignaz
von BIBER
(1644-1704) The
Rosary Sonatas (Die Rosenkranz-Sonaten) Volume
1: Sonatas 1-9
Sonnerie Monica Huggett (violin) Emilia Benjamin
(viola da gamba/lirone) Elizabeth Kenny (archlute/theorbo/baroque
guitar) Francis Kelly (harp) Matthew Halls
(organ/harpsichord) Rec St Silas’s Kentish
Town, London, May, December 2003, January
2004
GAUDEAMUS CD GAU 350 [60.27] [JW]
Huggett
is not quite as susceptible to intense rapture
however she finds warmth and a joyful dancing
momentum ... see Full
Review
Heinrich Ignaz
Franz von BIBER (1644-1704)
Requiem
à 15 in A Agostino
STEFFANI (1654-1728) Stabat
Mater
Marta Almajano, Mieke van der Sluis – sopranos
John Elwes, Mark Padmore – tenors Frans Huits
– baritone; Harry van der Kamp - bass Koor
and Barockorkest van de Nederlandse Bachvereniging/Gustav
Leonhardt rec 22-24 October 1994, Pieterskerk,
Utrecht, The Netherlands
DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 05472 77344 2 [63.38]
[PW]
Controlled
grandeur of expression shown at its best.
... see Full
Review
Manuel BLANCAFORT (1897-1987)
Complete
piano music vol.2: 6 Short Pieces; Country
Games and Dances; Intimate Songs I; 8 Piano
Pieces
Miquel Villaba (piano) rec. 4-5 January 2003,
L’Auditorium, Jafre, Spain DDD
NAXOS 8.557333 [61'29] [RNB]
What
I hear all the time in Blancafort is his "incomprehensible
sadness" ... see Full
Review
Ernest BLOCH
(1880-1959) String Quartets
1-4 CD 1 String
Quartets No. 1 (1916) [58:23] String Quartet
No. 3 (movements I-III) (1952) [15:30] CD
2 String Quartet No. 3 (movement IV) (1952)
[8:17] String Quartets 2 (1945) [34:21] and
4 (1953) [29:40]
Griller String Quartet (Sidney Griller
(violin 1); Jack O’Brien (violin 2); Philip
Burton (viola); Colin Hampton (cello)). Rec.
Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London, 28-30
June; 2, 5-6, 9, 19-20 July 1954 1: Decca
LXT 5071; 2: Decca LXT 5072; 3 and 4: Decca
LXT 5073; ADD MONO
DECCA 475 607-1 5 DC2 [74:12 + 72:49]
[RB]
Gutsy
performances and recordings. Music of opulent
complexity ranging from impressionist-romantic
to the spare and mesmerisingly tense. Works
of the eminence of the Bartók, Foulds,
Ravel and Debussy. ... see Full
Review
Joseph BOULOGNE
(c.1745 – 1799) also
known as the Chevalier
de SAINT-GEORGES Violin Concertos 2
Concerto in D major Op. posth. No.2 Concerto
No.10 in G major Concerto in D major Op.3
No.1 Qian Zhou (violin)
Toronto Camerata/Kevin Mallon
Recorded in Grace Church on the Hill, Toronto,
April 2003
NAXOS 8.557322 [65.30] [JW]
Fully
committed in the constituency for the disc
is Violin School of Mozart ... see Full
Review
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
Symphonies:
1 in C minor op.68; 2 in D op.73; 3 in F op.90;
4 in E minor op.98 Academic Festival Overture
op.80; Tragic Overture op.81; Variations on
a Theme of Haydn op.56a Piano Concertos(1):
1 in D minor op.15; 2 in B flat op.83 Violin
Concerto in D op.77(2) Gerhard Oppitz (1),
Kyoko Takezawa (2)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/Sir
Colin Davis First pub. 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993,
1998, no other information given
BMG CLASSICS/RCA RED SEAL 82876 60388 2 [5
CDs: 71:22 + 75:10 + 66:08 + 75:22 + 68:38]
[CH]
An
extremely fine and consistent cycle of the
symphonies but the concertos do not add as
much as they might. ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphony
No. 1 in C minor, Op 68 [44:45] Symphony No.
2 in D major, Op. 73 [39:33]
Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie/Edouard Lindenberg
Recorded at St.-Martin Kirche, Minden, Germany
in 1969. ADD
WARNER APEX 0927 49879 2 [84:16] [KS]
Skip
this one for a set that is trustworthier.
... see Full
Review
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
String
Quintet in G major, op.111 (1890) String Quintet
in F major, op. 88 (1882)
Leipzig String Quartet Hartmut Rohde (viola)
Rec: 16-17 Feb; 23-24 Apr 2003, Lindensaal
Markkleberg, Germany. DDD
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG
307 1251-2 [54:56] [MC]
This
is a really high class recording. Recommended!
... see Full
Review
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Gesang
der Parzen, op.89 Rhapsody, op.53 Rinaldo,
op.50
Anna Larsen, contralto, Stig Andersen, tenor
Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Gerd Albrecht
Recorded at Danish Radio Concert Hall, Copenhagen,
November 8-9th 2001 (Gesang
der Parzen), May 10th-13th
2002(Rinaldo) and August 26th
2003 (Rhapsody)
CHANDOS CHAN 10215 [63:21] [GPJ]
A
creditable disc, then, rather than an outstanding
one, and if you are after these particular
pieces, you could certainly do worse. ...
see Full
Review
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
Die
schöne Magelone op.33 (including a narration
of Tieck’s novella from which the poems are
drawn)
Inge Borkh (reciter), Konrad Jarnot (Baritone),
Carl-Heinz März (piano) Recorded 4th-6th
April and 28th August 2002 in Studios
2 and 6 of the Bavarian Radio
ORFEO C 050 041 A [77:12] [CH]
Jarnot
and März remind us that this cycle was
the work of a still youthful Brahms, intent
on recapturing the spirit of a romantic fairy
story he had loved since his childhood. ...
see Full Review
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Ein
deutsches Requiem, Op. 45
Kathleen Battle, soprano Håkan Hagegård,
baritone Chicago Symphony Chorus/Margaret
Hillis Chicago Symphony Orchestra/James Levine
Recorded 5-6 July, 1983 in Orchestra Hall,
Chicago [DDD]
BMG-RCA 82876 60861 2 [71:03] [KS]
Not
the very best recording of the German Requiem
but certainly amongst my top ten. ... see
Full Review
Frank BRIDGE
(1879-1941)
Enter
Spring (1927), Summer (1914), Two Poems (1915),
The Sea (1911)
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/James Judd
Recorded at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington,
New Zealand, 11th-15th
November 2002
NAXOS 8.557167 [62:17] [CH]
Well
prepared, sympathetic performances, but Groves
in the three principal works is something
of a classic. ... see Full
Review
Benjamin
BRITTEN
(1913-1976) War
Requiem, op.66
Lorna Haywood, soprano, Anthony Rolfe Johnson,
tenor, Benjamin Luxon, baritone Atlanta Symphony
Chorus, Atlanta Boy Choir Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra/Robert Shaw Recorded in Symphony
Hall, Atlanta on 5, 7-8 Nov 1988
TELARC-80157 [2CDs: 83:18] [GPJ]
This
current re-issue from the not-so-very-recent
past deserves a warm and enthusiastic welcome
back to the catalogue. ... see
Full Review
Benjamin BRITTEN
(1913-1976)
The
Turn of the Screw (1954) A Chamber
Opera in Two Acts with Prologue Libretto by
Myfanwy Piper, based on the novel by Henry
James Governess: Helen Field, soprano Mrs.
Grose: Menai Davies, mezzo-soprano Peter Quint/Prologue:
Richard Greager, tenor Miss Jessel: Phyllis
Cannan, mezzo-soprano Flora: Machiko Obata,
soprano Miles: Samuel Linay, treble Stage
direction: Michael Hampe Set design: John
Gunter Directed for Video and Television:
Claus Viller
The Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra/Steuart
Bedford A joint production of the Royal Opera
House, Covent Garden and the Cologne Opera
for the 1990 Schwetzinger Festspiele. Special
features include a six-minute introduction
to the opera and an eight-minute promotional
trailer. Subtitled in English, French and
Spanish.
ARTHAUS
DVD 100 199 [108:00] [KS]
No
lover of opera will want to be without this
... the work of a master composer at the top
of his game. ... see Full
Review
Dietrich BUXTEHUDE
(c.
1637-1707) Complete
Organ Works, Volume 1: Praeludium in G minor,
BuxWV 149 Nun Komm , der Heiden Heiland, BuxWV
211 Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BuxWV 189
Puer Natus in Bethlehem, BuxWV 217 Der Tag
der ist so freudenreich, BuxWV 182 In dulci
jubilo, BuxWV 197 Lobt Gott, ihr Christen
allzu gleich, BuxWV 202 Ciacona in C minor,
BuxWV 159 Passacaglia in D minor, BuxWV 161
Ciacona in E minor, BuxWV 160 Praeludium in
G minor, BuxWV 148 Jesus Christus, unser Heiland,
BuxWV 198 Komm, Heilger Geist, Herre Gott,
BuxWV 199 Nun bitten wir den Heilgen Geist,
BuxWV 209 Nun bitten wir den Heilgen Geist,
BuxWV 208 Komm, Heilger Geist, Herre Gott,
BuxWV 200 Gott der Vater wohn uns bei, BuxWV
190 Praeludium in C, BuxWV 137
Bine Bryndorf, organ Recorded on Buxtehude
Organ at St. Mary’s Church, Elsinore, Denmark,
June 2002
DACAPO 8.226002 [65’36] [DS]
Much
to enjoy ... exuberance, sharpness of phrasing,
and ceremonial elements. Bine Bryndorf takes
a clear stand on this 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-Z]
[Part 6 Misc A-L]
[Part 7 Misc M-Z]
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