Tomaso
ALBINONI (1671-1751)
Twelve
Concertos, Op. 10 (1736)
Giuliano Carmignola, Piero Toso (violins)
I Solisti Veneti/Claudio Scimone Rec. September
1979, Villa Simes, Piazzola sul Brenta, Italy.
DDD
WARNER APEX 61136-2 (Nos.
1-6) [52.16] WARNER APEX 61296-2 (Nos.
7-12) [55.5 0] [TB]
The strengths
of these performances can be found in their
rich and pleasing string tone, and their abundant
rhythmic vitality. ... see Full
Review
Robert ALLWORTH
(b.
1943)
(A)
Prelude for the Most Holy Name of St. George
and The Dragon (1990). Meditations
of Early English Saints (1990). Saint
Giles and Saint Chad, Saint Richard of Chichester
and Saint Thomas of Hereford, Saint Dunston
and Saint Cuthbert, Saint Charles of Glastonbury
and Saint Alban, Saint Joseph of Arimathaea
and Saint William of Norwich, Saint Robert
of Newminster and Saint Peter of Salisbury
Carson P. COOMAN
(contemporary)
(A) Tenebrae Canticle (2001)
Dawning (2002) Thomas
Luis de VICTORIA (1548 – 1611)
(B) Kyrie Eleison and Gloria
in Excelsis Deo from Missa O Magnum Mysterium
GOOD FRIDAY HYMN
– "The Royal Banners Forward Go"
(C) Lawrence
BARTLETT (contemporary) (D) Ceremonial
Te Deum (1988) Eric
GROSS (contemporary) Rondino
Pastorale, Op. 33 (1962) (E)
Prefatory Sonnet Op. 139/1 (1984) –
poem by Henry Kendall (F) Derek
STRAHAN (contemporary) Atlantis
Variations for solo piano Part 2 (1992)
(G) Female Magic
Patriarchy Ann
CARR-BOYD Fandango (1982)
(H) Maladies of Love (1992) (I)
(A) played by Carson Cooman on the Organ at
Harvard University Memorial Church U.S.A.
17/05/2002 (B) Diana Sapsford / Lynn Moffat
/ Charles Dale / Neil McEwan with the Choir
of Christ Church Saint Laurence, Sydney, conducted
by Colin Sapsford.(1979) (C) Christ Church
Saint Laurence Choir and Congregation, Sydney
conducted by Colin Sapsford. (1962)
(D) Bransby Byrne (organ) with the Choir of
Saint Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney conducted
by Michael Deasey. (1988) (E) Adrian and Paul
Hooper (mandolins), Joyce Bootsma (mandola),
Barbara Hooper (guitar), Michael Hooper (bass
guitar) and Michael Scott (flute) 2/9/95 (F)
Anthony Walker (tenor), Ingrid Pearson (clarinet)
and Peter Maddox (piano) 8/8/91 (G) Derek
Strahan (piano) 8/6/2002 (H) Sydney Mandolins
Large Ensemble conducted by Adrian Hooper
(1982) (I) Ann Carr-Boyd, (piano) 10/02/93
DDD
JADE RECORDS JADCD-1095 [64.09] [JPh]
This
disc will do much less for Australia than
their football, rugby or cricket teams are
capable of doing. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH 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
Johann Sebastian
BACH
(1685-1750) Brandenburg
Concerto No. 1 in F major, No. 2 in F Major,
No. 3 in G major, Concerto for Flute in E
minor
Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute) Orchestre de
Chambre Jean-François Paillard, Jean-François
Paillard (conductor) Recorded 1972, 1985 Erato
Disques ADD/DDD
WARNER CLASSICS APEX 2564 61363-2 [59.22]
[EM]
If
gentility and clarity are what you are after,
this reissue provides them at a bargain price.
... see Full
Review
J.
S. BACH (1685-1750)
Six
Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord BWV 1014-1019
Christine Busch, violin with Kay Johannsen
harpsichord Rec. Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart,
March 2002
CARUS VERLAG 93.164 [45.27 + 53.28] [GH]
I
have my reservations about Busch and Johannsen
but on the whole I shall be listening again
to their recordings and hopefully enjoying
much about them ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Cantatas: Volume 24 Cantatas
from Leipzig, 1724: Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben, BWV8ab [17’06];
Allein zu dir, Herr, Jesu Christ, BWV33b [19’11]; Herr Jesu Christ,
du höchstes Gott,BWV113
(ab) Appendix: Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich
sterben, BWV8 - Chorus, Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben (second
version, 1746/7?) [5’35].
(a)Yukari Nonoshita (soprano); (b
)Robin Blaze (counter-tenor); (b)Gerd Türk
(tenor); (b)Peter Kooij (bass); Bach Collegium
Japan/Masaaki Suzuki Rec. Kobe Shoin Women’s University Chapel,
Japan, 6, 10 Oct 2002. DDD Texts and translations included. Sponsored
by NEC BIS CD-1351
[67’37]
In
short, this is a very special disc .. There
is much to delight. ... see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH
(1685-1750)
St
Matthew Passion (abridged) Evangelist
- Karl Erb (tenor) Jesus – Willem Ravelli
(bass) Jo Vincent (soprano) Ilona Durigo (alto)
Louis van Tulder (tenor) Herman Schey (bass)
Piet van Egmond (organ) Johannes den Hertog
(harpsichord) Louis Zimmermann (violin) G.
Blanchard (oboe d’amore) W. Peddemors (oboe
da caccia) Hubert Barwahser (flute) Amsterdam
Toonkunst Choir "Zanglust" Boys’
Choir Concertgebouw Orchestra/Willem Mengelberg
Recorded on Psalm Sunday, 2nd April
1939 in the Concertgebouw Suite No.2 in
B minor BWV 1067 Concerto in D minor
for Two Violins BWV 1010 Louis Zimmermann
and Ferdinand Helman (violins) Air from
Suite No.3 in D major BWV 1068 (arr.
Telico) Concertgebouw Orchestra Air
from Suite No.3 in D major BWV
1068 (arr. Mahler)
Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York
Willem Mengelberg Recorded 1929-38
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110880-82 [71.42 +
62.46 + 72.58] [LF]
An
astonishing survival of a cherishable tradition,
bringing unique insights and the lifetime’s
experience of a great conductor, played and
sung by some of the leading performers of
their day. Wonderful. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano
Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15 Piano
Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 19
chamber versions: world premiere recording
of arrangements by Uli
Schneider
Fumiko Shiraga, piano Bremer Streichersolisten
(The Bremen String Soloists): Florian Donclerer,
violin I; Konstanze Lerbs, violin II; Anja
Manthey, viola; Marc Froncoux, cello; Matthias
Beltinger, double bass Recorded Germany 2000
BIS-CD-1177 [66:04] [JL]
Two
repertory concertos in very fine performances
that in these unfamiliar chamber arrangements
may be given a new lease of life for some
listeners ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano
Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37a
(1800) [32’59]. Triple Concerto, Op. 56b
(1903) [35’36].
aMarguerite Long, bAngelica
Morales (pianos); bRicardo Odnoposoff
(violin); bStefan Auber (cello);
aParis Conservatoire Orchestra,
bVienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Felix
Weingartner. From Columbia aLX581/4,
bLX671/5. Rec. aThéâtre
Pigalle, Paris, on June 10th, 1939,
bMittlerer Konzerthaussaal, Vienna,
on October 20th-21st,
1937. ADD
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110878 [68’35] [CC]
Long
seems more super-sensitive than ever, Weingartner
the attentive accompanist .. (Triple Concerto)
... this Weingartner .. remains essential
listening. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano
Trios: Trio in D major Op. 70 No. 1; Trio
in E flat major Op.70 No. 2
The Peabody Trio Recorded at the American
Academy of Arts and Letters, New York City,
March 2003
ARTEK AR 0018-2 [65.44] [JW]
Pleasing
tonal blend ... neither reverence nor casualness.
... well calibrated accents and sprung rhythm.
... fine, even playing – flexible and light.
... see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1828)
Piano Trios Piano Trio No. 1 in E flat
Major, op. 1 no. 1 [25.89] Piano Trio No.
3 in C minor, Op. 1 No. 3 [23.95]Piano Trio
No. 4 in B flat major, op. 11 "Gassenhauertrio"
[20.24]
Haydn-Trio, Wien: Heinz Medjimorec (piano),
Michael Schnitzler (violin), Walter Shulz
(cello) rec. 1985, 1986 Teldec Classics, International
GmbH DDD
WARNER CLASSICS APEX 2564 61366-2 [72’12"]
[EM]
At
bargain price, the version by the Haydn-trio,
Wien will certainly not disappoint and is
an excellent all-round recording, so comes
highly recommended! ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
The
Piano Sonatas, Volume 1 Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique"
(1798) Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14, No. 1 (1799) Sonata No. 10 in
G major, Op. 14, No. 2 (1799) Sonata No. 24 in F sharp minor, Op. 78
(1809) Sonata No. 26 in E flat major, Op. 81a "Les adieux"
(1809-10) Bagatelle WoO 56 (1804)
Murray McLachlan, piano Recorded at Whiteley Hall, Chetham’s School
of Music, Manchester, Summer 2003
DUNELM RECORDS DRD0201 [78:33] [DS]
Nothing
astounding or revelatory but highly idiomatic
performances without any of the perfume often
possessed by other pianists in this repertoire
... see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Symphonies
– No. 2 in D, Op. 36a (1802) [33’01];
No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67b (1808)
[35’02]
Manchester Camerata/Douglas Boyd. Rec. live,
Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, aFebruary
14th; bOctober 19th,
2002. DDD
AVIE AV0040 [68’12] [CC] SPECIAL
OFFER £4.99 post-free world-wide
Nice
to see the Manchester Camerata on disc. This
orchestra has long seemed undervalued to me
.. This bodes very well indeed, if there are
to be more discs from this orchestra on this
label. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN String
Quartets Opus 18
The Sharon Quartet: Gil Sharon, Rodica
Ciocoiu (violins), Georg Haag (viola), Alexander
Hülshoff (’cello)
rec 1998, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 92083 [54.17 + 50.53
+ 55.04] [PW]
For
a complete set of the Opus 18 quartets at
a very reasonable price it becomes hard to
justify not getting a set such as this. Highly
recommendable. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770 - 1827) Missa Solemnis in D,
Op. 123 (1823) [84.32]
Tina Kiberg, sop; Waltraud Meier, mezzo; John Aler, ten; Robert Holl,
bass. Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Daniel BarenboimRecorded
Orchestra Hall, Chicago, Illinois, USA, May 1993 Notes in English, Français,
Deutsch. Latin text, no translations. [No SPARS code, but presumed DDD]
Previously released on Erato 4509 91731
WARNER ELATUS [2CDs: 84.32]
As
fine a performance of Missa Solemnis as you’ll
ever hear ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Fidelio
(1814) Leonore - Kirsten Flagstad (soprano)
Florestan – René Maison (tenor) Rocco
– Alexander Kipnis (bass) Pizzaro – Julius
Huehn (bass) Marzelline – Marita Farell (soprano)
Jacquino – Karl Laufkötter (tenor) Don
Fernando – Herbert Janssen (baritone) Prisoners
– Emery Darcy and John Gurney
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera/Bruno
Walter Recorded from a broadcast on 22 February
1941
GUILD GHCD 2269/70 [2 CDs: 72.19 + 78.20]
[JW]
You
should lose no opportunity to acquaint yourself
with Walter’s fast-moving humanity and his
intense identification a work that bore more
than usual weight and resonance at the time.
... see Full
Review
Luigi
BOCCHERINI (1743-1805)
Cello concerto in G major (No.7), G. 480 Sinfonia in B flat major, G.
497 Cello concerto in D major (No.10), G. 483 Sinfonia in D minor, ’La
casa del diavolo’ G. 506
Tafelmusik/Jean Lamon (director and baroque violin) Anner Bylsma (baroque
cello) Recorded 25-27 November 1988 at Kirche der Karlshohe, Ludwigsburg,
Germany. DDD
DHM DEUTSCHE HARMONIA
MUNDI 82876601502 [67:21] [MC]
Boccherini’s
undoubted gift for lyricism can be heard to great advantage ... see
Full Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-97)
Cello Sonata No.1 in E minor, Op.38 (1862-65)
Cello Sonata No.2 in F major, Op.99 (1886)
Yo-Yo Ma (cello) Emanuel Ax (piano) Recorded c. 1985 (no other details)
DDD RCA RED SEAL
CLASSIC LIBRARY 82 876 59415 2 [56’52] [TH]
Consider
this budget disc alongside other, more fleet-of-foot
readings ... there’s no doubting the
star quality on offer here ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897) The
Complete Piano Works: Volume 3 Piano Sonata
No.3 in F minor Op.5 (1853) Variations and
Fugue on a Theme by Handel Op.24 (1861)
Joyce Hatto (piano) Recorded at the Concert
Artist Studios, Cambridge 2002 and 2003
CONCERT ARTIST/FIDELIO RECORDINGS CACD 9029-2
[68.29] [JW]
Another
splendid contribution to the literature from
Joyce Hatto ... see
Full Review
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833
– 1897) Ein
Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45 (London version)
(1869)
Sandrine Piau (soprano), Stephane Degaut
(baritone) Brigitte Engerer and Boris Berezovsky
(pianos) Accentus/Laurence Equilbey.recorded
in the Cite de la musique in Paris in June
and July 2003. DDD.
NAIVE V 4956 [64’54"] [JPh]
It
gives me much pleasure to be able to thoroughly
recommend this disc ... see Full
Review
Havergal BRIAN
(1876-1972) Symphony
No. 1 The Gothic (1919-1927) Eva
Jenisová (sop), Dagmar Pecková
(alto), Vladimir Dolezal (ten), Peter Mikulás
(bass) Slovak Philharmonic Choir, Slovak National
Opera Chorus, Slovak Folk Ensemble Chorus,
Bratislava City Choir, Lucnica Choir, Bratislava
Children’s Choir, Youth 'Echo' Choir
CSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), Slovak
Philharmonic Orchestra/Ondrej Lenard rec.
Concert Hall, Czechoslovak Radio, Bratislava,
29-31 March, 16-22 Oct 1989. DDD
NAXOS 8.557418-419 [59.11+54.56] [RB]
[JF]
A
work of staggering scale and substance superbly
recorded [RB]
A great work. A triumph for the composer,
the performers and all concerned. This is
one of the great works in the repertoire,
in spite of its massiveness and eclecticism.[JF]
... see Full Review
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976)
Cello
Symphony, Op. 68a (1963) [32’33].
Second Suite for solo cello, Op. 80 (1967)
[20’01] Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) Cello Concerto No. 1 in E
flat, Op. 107b (1959) [25’54]
Mstislav Rostropovich (cello); Moscow
Philharmonic Orchestra/aBenjamin
Britten, bGennadi Rozhdestvensky
Live performances in the Great Hall of the
Moscow Conservatoire on aMarch
12th, 1964 (world premiere) and
February 10th, 1961. mono ADD
EMI CLASSICS GREAT ARTISTS OF THE CENTURY
5 62827-2 [79.33] [CC]
There
is no doubt, of course, that Rostropovich
occupies a place as a great artist of the
last century. These recordings are proof,
if proof be needed. ... see
Full Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH 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
Anton BRUCKNER
(1824-1896) Symphony
No. 4 in E flat Romantic (1878-1880
ed. Nowak) Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Siegfried
Idyll
Philharmonia Orchestra/Otto Klemperer Rec.
Kingsway Hall, London 1963 (Bruckner), 1961
(Wagner) ADD
EMI CLASSICS 562 815 2 [79:01] [PCW]
An
interesting disc but not a general recommendation
for Bruckner’s 4th Symphony ...
see Full
Review
Ferruccio
BUSONI
(1866-1924) Violin
Sonatas: No. 0 in C major (1876) [12:36];
No. 1 in E minor Op. 29 (1890) [22:51]; No.
2 in E minor Op. 36a (1898) [30:12]
Lara Lev (violin); Matti Raekallio (piano)
rec. Kuusaa Hall, Kuusankoski, Finland, 28-30
July 2003
FINLANDIA 2564 61078 2 [65:39] [RB]
Singing
classicism ... ringingly performed ... see
Full Review
William
BYRD
(1543-1623)
Consort Songs Rejoice
unto the Lord; Ah silly Soul; An aged dame; O dear life, when may it
be; Cone to me grief forever; Who likes to love; O that most rare breast;
All as a sea; Ye sacred muses; Constant Penelope; O God that guides
the cheerful sun; Lullaby: My sweet little baby; How vain the toils.
Robin Blaze (counter-tenor)
Concordia Recorded at All Saint's Church East Finchley, London, May
2003 HYPERION
CDA 67397 [67.21][GH]
The
whole disc is absolutely delightful. ... 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]