Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Well Tempered Clavier: Book I, BWV 846-869 Till Fellner, piano Rec. Jugendstiltheater, Vienna, September 2002 ECM NEW SERIES 1853/54 B0002285-02 [54’05 + 60’41] [DS]

The set will receive serious consideration as one of my Records of the Year 2004, and I strongly urge readers to consider its acquisition. ... see Full Review

Max BRUCH (1838 - 1920) Violin Concerto No.1 in G Minor, Op. 26 (1868) Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46 (1880)Akiko Suwanai (violin) The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields/Sir Neville Marriner.recorded in St. John’s Smith Square, London in July 1996. DDD PHILIPS 454 180-2 [52’59"]. [JPh]

Akiko Suwanai has a glorious-toned instrument and she knows how to play it to its maximum effect. The accompaniment is superb and there is a recording quality to match. ... see Full Review

Antonín DVORÁK (1841-1904) Piano Quintet for two violins, viola and cello, op. 81 A major (1887) [40:16] String Quintet for two violins, two violas and cello, op. 97 E flat-major (1893) [32:46] Christian Zacharias (piano) op.81 Hartmut Rohde (viola) op. 97 Leipzig String Quartet Recording: April 23-24, 2003 at Markkleeberg; July 8-9, 2003 at Furstliche Reitbahn, Bad Arolsen. DDD MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG GOLD 307 1249-2 [73:14] [MC]Deserves the highest praise ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Works and transcriptions of his own works for violin and piano: Much Ado About Nothing Suite for Violin and Piano (1918 arr 1920) Sonata for Violin and Piano (1912) ‘Ich ging zu ihm’ from Das Wunder der Heliane (1923-27) Serenade from Der Schneemann (1910) ‘Tanzlied des Pierrot’ and ‘Marietta’s Lied’ from Die tote Stadt (1916-20) Caprice Fantastique (1932) Joseph Lin (violin) and Benjamin Loeb (piano) Rec. Performing Arts Centre, County Day School, King City, Ontario, Canada, 26-29 August, 2002 NAXOS 8.557067 [72:06] [IL]

Excellent virtuosic and expressive performances of some of Korngold’s most enchanting music. ... see Full Review

Requiem Æternam Herbert HOWELLS (1892-1983) Requiem (1935) [20’31”]; Motet: Take him, earth, for cherishing (1964) [9’05”] Frank MARTIN (1890-1974) Mass (1922/6) [26’00“] Sally Barber (sop); Julia Field (alto); Mark Johnstone (tenor); Andrew Angus (bar) Vasari Singers/Jeremy Backhouse Recording: All Hallows, Gospel Oak 18-20 February 1994 DDD SIGNUM TWO SIGCD 503 [56’30”] [JQ]

A most attractive proposition that I recommend with the highest possible enthusiasm. ... seeFull Review

 

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH

 

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) London Symphonies, Volume 1 Symphonies No. 93 -98Rec. 1957-8, Salle Wagram Paris; No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London EMI CLASSICS GEMINI 5 85770 2
London Symphonies, Volume 2 Symphonies No. 99 -104 Rec. 1957-8, Salle Wagram, Paris; No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Thomas Beecham EMI CLASSICS GEMINI 5 85513 2 [77.08 + 78.23] [TB]

Beecham remains what he has been for nearly fifty years: a special case. ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Le Nozze di Figaro (Two discarded arias for Susanna, Un moto di gioia and Al desio di chi t’adora are added as an appendix) Bo Skovhus (Count Almaviva), Marina Mescheriakova (Countess Almaviva), Judith Halász (Susanna), Renato Girolami (Figaro), Michelle Breedt (Cherubino), Gabriele Sima (Marcellina), Janusz Monarcha (Bartolo), Michael Roider (Basilio), Alexander Klinger (Don Curzio), Orsolya Sáfár (Barbarina), Peter Köves (Antonio), Hungarian National Chorus, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, David Aronson (continuo)/Michael Halász Recorded 26th October to 4th novembre 2002 at the Phoenix Studio, Budapest, Hungary NAXOS 8.660102-04 [3CDs: 71:54 + 61:58 + 52:48] [CH]

This is an unassailable bargain, and I wonder how many of the more expensive alternatives are really worth the extra money. ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Franz Peter SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Deutsche Schubert-Lied Edition 15 - Schubert’s Friends, Vol.2 see review for titles Brigitte Geller (mezzo) Ulrich Eisenlohr (piano) Recorded at Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, 10-13 December 2002 NAXOS 8.557171 [70:10] [SA]

A truly enjoyable disc. ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) Bassoon Concertos - Volume 1: Concertos in: C major RV 476; F major RV487; C major RV 471; A minor RV 498; C minor RV480; B flat major RV 503; G major RV 493 Tamas Benkocs (bassoon) Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia/Bela Drahos Recorded at the Phoenix Studios, Budapest March 2002 NAXOS 8.555937 [61.32] [GH]

Benkocs whose virtuosity, lyrical tone and dexterity of finger-work is utterly superb lifts the music and the recording out of the ordinary into something approaching the sublime. ... see Full Review

 

MusicWeb is now part of the ClassicAll network. Our partner site within the ClassicAll network is www.ludwigvanWeb.com You will now be able to hear extract from reviews of any of our partner labels which you can identify from the special samplebutton.

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

MusicWeb - The International Web Site Founder: Len Mullenger [UK], Classical Editor: Rob Barnett [UK],  Regular Reviewers:   Steve Arloff [UK], Guy Aron [Australia], Tony Augarde [UK], Terry Barfoot [UK], Melinda Bargreen [USA], David J. Barker [Australia], Rob Barnett [UK], Nick Barnard [UK], Robert Beattie [UK], Dave Billinge [UK], Peter Bright [UK], Byzantion [UK], Colin Clarke [UK], Dominy Clements [Netherlands], Michael Cookson [UK], Hubert Culot [Belgium], Evan Dickerson [UK], Gavin Dixon [UK], Robert J. Farr [UK], Christopher Fifield [UK], Göran Forsling [Sweden], John France [UK], Patrick Gary [USA], Pierre Giroux [CAN], Paul C. Godfrey [UK], Michael Greenhalgh [UK], William Hedley [France], Gary Higginson [UK], Neil Horner [UK], Robert Hugill UK], David Jennings [UK], Bill Kenny [UK], William S Kreindler [USA], Ian Lace [UK], Em Marshall-Luck [UK], Oleg Ledeniov [USA]Rob Maynard [UK], David A McConnell [USA], Kirk McElhearn [France], Robert McKechnie [UK], Ralph Moore [RMo] [UK], Dan Morgan [UK], Margarida Mota-Bull [UK], Glyn Pursglove [UK], John Quinn [UK], Carla Rees [UK], Brian Reinhart [USA], Donald Satz [USA], Mark Sealey [USA], John Sheppard [UK], George Stacy, Kevin Sutton [USA], Bert Thompson [USA], Simon Thompson [UK], Zane Turner [Australia], Steve Vasta [UK], Johan van Veen [Netherlands], Raymond Walker [UK], Derek Warby [UK], Brian Wilson [UK], Jonathan Woolf [UK] Leslie Wright [USA]. A complete list of contributors can be seen here

---

EXPLORE MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL

Making a Donation to MusicWeb Writing CD reviews for MWI About MWI Who we are, where we have come from and how we do it. Site Map How to find a review How to find articles on MusicWeb Listed in date order Review Indexes    By Label       Select a label and all reviews are listed in Catalogue order    By Masterwork             Links from composer names (eg Sibelius) are to resource pages with links to the review indexes for the individual works as well as other resources. Themed Review pages Jazz reviews

Discographies    Composer       Composer surveys    National       Unique to MusicWeb - a comprehensive listing of all LP and CD recordings of given works. Prepared by Michael Herman Book Reviews Complete Books We have a number of out of print complete books on-line Interviews With Composers, Conductors, Singers, Instumentalists and others Includes those on the Seen and Heard site Nostalgia Nostalgia CD reviews

Records Of The Year Each reviewer is given the opportunity to select the best of the releases Monthly Best Buys Recordings of the Month and Bargains of the Month Comment Arthur Butterworth Writes An occasional column Phil Scowcroft's Garlands British Light Music articles Classical blogs A listing of Classical Music Blogs external to MusicWeb International Reviewers Logs What they have been listening to for pleasure Announcements

Community Bulletin Board Give your opinions or seek answers Reviewers Past and present Helpers invited! Resources How Did I Miss That? Currently suspended but there are a lot there with sound clips Composer Resources British Composers British Light Music Composers Other composers Film Music (Archive) Film Music on the Web (Closed in December 2006) Programme Notes For concert organizers

External sites British Music Society The BBC Proms Orchestra Sites Recording Companies & Retailers Online Music Agents & Marketing Publishers Other links Newsgroups Web News sites etc PotPourri A pot-pourri of articles MW Listening Room MW Office Advice to Windows Vista users   Questionnaire     Site History   What they say about us What we say about us! Where to get help on the Internet CD orders By Special Request Graphics archive Currency Converter Dictionary Magazines Newsfeed   Web Ring Translation Service Rules for potential reviewers :-) Do Not Go Here! April Fools

MusicWeb International thank Naxos for the no-strings use of their server to mount the website.

We are grateful to clipart.com for some of the special graphics used on these pages

Return to Front page