Meister der Renaissance see
review for details
CAPRICCIO
67 088/90
Offers
a miscellaneous panorama of sorts and that’s
no bad thing. ... see Full
Review
Yehudi Menuhin
– Great Violinists Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin
Sonata No.7 in C minor Op.30 No.2 Violin Sonata
No.9 in A Kreutzer Op.47 Rondo in G
WoO 41 Franz SCHUBERT
(1798-1828) Rondo in B minor
Yehudi Menuhin (violin) Hephzibah Menuhin
(piano) Recorded in London, 1934-38
NAXOS 8.110775 [78.14] [JW]
Point-by-point
comparison of the two Beethovens favours the
Naxos. ... see Full
Review
Music
for a Sunday Afternoon: American Chamber
Works for Flute, Clarinet, Piano and String
Orchestra Jeff MANOOKIAN
(b.1953) Trio
for Flute, Clarinet and Piano and String Orchestra
(2000) * Ramiro CORTES
(1933-1984) Elegy for Flute and Piano
(1959) Alec WILDER
(1907-1980) Suite for Flute, Clarinet
and Piano (1980) Leo
KRAFT (b.1922) Music for a Sunday
Afternoon for Flute and Clarinet (1999) Shulamit
RAN (b.1949) East Wind for Solo
Flute (1987) Robert
MUCZYNSKI (b.1929) Three Preludes
for Unaccompanied Flute Op.18 (1968) Duos
for Flute and Clarinet in B flat Op.24 (1991)
Carson P COOMAN
(b.1982) Invocation for Solo Flute and
String Orchestra Op.229 (2000)
Laurel Ann Maurer (flute) Russell Harlow (clarinet)
John Jensen (piano) Serenade Chamber Orchestra
of Armenia/Jeff Manookian * Recorded at Counterpoint
Studios, Salt Lake City, Utah, January 2003
4TAY CD4027 [67.16] [JW]
Makes
a strong case for these clever and attractive
and often evocative works. ... see Full
Review
Musical Renegades
Australian Chamber Orchestra Richard Tognetti
(violin, artistic director). Picture Format
16:9 PAL Disc format DVD-5. Dolby Digital
2.0.
ABC
CLASSICS 476 102-5 [52’00: extra
features 53’00] [CC]
Interesting,
for a one-off ... a sweet, heart-warming documentary
suitable for TV broadcast .. effectively promotional
material ... see Full
Review
Norwegian
Classical Favourites Volume 2Harald
SÆVERUD (1897-1992)
Peer Gynt Music Op.28: (i) Devil’s Five-Hop
(ii) Hymn against the Bøyg (iii) Mixed
Company Geirr
TVEITT (1908-1981)
A Hundred Hardanger Tunes Op.151: (i) Welcome
with Honour (ii) Langeleik Tune (iii) Hardanger
Ale Eyvind GROVEN
(1901-1977) At Evening Op.60 Hjalarljod
Overture Op.38 Edvard
Fliflet BRÆIN
(1924-1976) Out Towards the Sea
Gunnar GJERSTRØM
(1891-1951) Legend Øystein
SOMMERFELDT (1919-1994)
Little Overture Op.11 Ludvig
IRGENS-JENSEN (1894-1969)
Bol’s Song Harald
SÆVERUD (1897-1992)
The Ballad of the Revolt Op.22 Fartein
VALEN (1887-1952)
The Churchyard by the Sea Op.20 Johan
HALVORSEN (1864-1935)
Scenes from Norwegian Fairy Tales Op.37: II
– The Princess Riding on the Bear; III- Entry
of the Trolls into the Blue Mountain; IV-
Dance of the Trolls
Iceland Symphony Orchestra/Bjarte
Engeset Recorded at the Concert Hall of the
ISO Reykjavik, 18-21 and 24-28 June 2002
NAXOS 8.557018 [64.42] [JW]
Performances
warm and committed. Romance and turbulence
at modest financial outlay ... see Full
Review
The Obbligato
Clarinet Franz
LACHNER (1803-1890) Seit
ich ihn gesehen op.82 (1831) (1), Auf Flügeln
des Gesanges (1832 (2) Mariano
OBIOLS (1809-1888) I Laj (1845)
(1) Louis SPOHR
(1784-1859) Sechs Deutsches Lieder op.103
(1837) (1) Giacomo
MEYERBEER (1791-1864) Des Schäfers
Lied (1842) (2) Franz
SCHUBERT (1897-1828) Der Hirt auf
dem Felsen D.965 (1828) (1) Friedrich
KÜCKEN (1810-1882) Der Himmel
har eine Thräne geweint op.63 (1854)
(2) Johannes Wenceslaus
KALLIWODA (1801-1866) Der Sennin
Heimweh op.236 (1862) (1) Richard
Henry WALTHEW (1872-1951) A Song
of Love and Death (1898) (1) Andreas
SPAETH (1790-1876) Alpenlied op.167/7
(1839) (1)
Eirian James (mezzo-soprano) (1), Robert Murray
(tenor) (2), Colin Bradbury (clarinet), Oliver
Davies (piano) Recorded 4th-6th
July 2002, Wathen Hall, St. Paul’s School,
London
THE DIVINE ART 25025 [72:41] [CH]
An
attractive programme very well presented.
... see Full
Review
Opera
Stars Live In Barcelona see
review for details
aMelanie Holliday, eRenata
Scotto (sopranos); eGail Gilmore
(mezzo); cAlfredo Kraus, bRamón
Vargas (tenors); dPaolo Coni (baritone)
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra/Konrad Leitner.Dolby
Digital. Stereo. 4:3. NTSC, All regions. Live
concert from Barcelona.
IMMORTAL
DVD VIDEO IMM950009 [55’00]
A
very, very mixed bag. Interesting as a curiosity
but really, I would suggest, only for fervent
Gilmore or Kraus fans. ... see Full
Review
Parsifal:
the search for the grail A
Film Special directed by Tony Palmer Parsifal
- Placido Domingo Kundry - Violeta Urmana
Gurnemanz - Matti Salminen Klingsor - Nikolai
Putilin Amfortas - Feodor Mojhaev
The Kirov Orchestra and Choir/Valery Gergiev
Filmed 1998 on location in St Petersburg,
Ravello, Siena and Bayreuth
ARTHAUS MUSIK 100 610 [90:00] [JL]
At
best a muddled film about a complex masterpiece
ameliorated by superb performing extracts.
At worst, with its peddling of a racial purity
interpretation, a sensationalist disgrace.
... see Full Review
Philharmonic
Brass Rayner
BROWN (1912 – 1999) Five
Pieces (1963)a Fantasy-Fugue (1971)b
Fisher TULL
(1934 – 1994) Liturgical Symphony (1960)c
Variations on an Advent Hymn (1962)d
Robert HENDERSON
(b. 1948) Fanfare 1964 (1964)e
William SCHMIDT
(b. 1926) Sequential Fanfaresf
Various composers
Fanfares 1969g
Ladd Thomas (organ)a; Los Angeles
Brass Societyacg; Los Angeles Philharmonic
Brass Ensemblebdef; Lester Remsen,
Robert Hendersone Recorded: 1970-1972
CRYSTAL RECORDS CD 121 [60:38] [HC]
Splendidly
sounding performances, superbly recorded,
... the whole thing sounds remarkably well.
... see Full
Review
Romantic
Flute Concertos Ignaz
MOSCHELES (1794-1870)
Concertante
in F major (with Joris Van den Hauwe (oboe))
Gaetano DONIZETTI
(1797-1848) Concertino in D major Jules
MOUQUET (1867-1949) Pan et les
oiseaux Op.15 Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Tarantelle
Op.6 (with Guy Vanderborght (clarinet))
Gabriel FAURÉ
(1845-1924) Berceuse Op.16 (orchestrated
Y. Talmi) Morceau de concours (orchestrated
Y. Talmi) Sicilienne Op.78 (orchestrated Y.
Talmi) Fantasie Op.79 (orchestrated Y. Talmi)
Maurice RAVEL
(1875-1937) Pièce en forme de Habanera
(orchestrated A. Hoeré)Eugène
DAMARÉ (1840-1919) La merle
blanc Op.161
Marc Grauwels (flute and piccolo) Orchestre
symphoniques de la Radio et Télévision
Belge/André Vandernoot Recorded in
the Grand Auditorium de la Radio de Bruxelles,
January 1990
NAXOS 8.555977 [59.15] [JW]
Virgilian
waters, languorous and deep, suffused in sunlight
... excellent performances add to the very
real charm of this disc. ... see Full
Review
Romantic and
Virtuoso works for Organ: Vol. 1 Jane
Parker-Smith at the Goll Organ of St. Martin
Memmingen Marcel LANQUETUIT
(1894-1985) Toccata
[5.40] Joseph BOULNOIS
(1884-1918) Choral in F sharp minor
[6.31] Henri MULET
(1878-1967)
Rosace (Esquisses Byzantines) [4.49] Joseph
JONGEN (1873-1953)
Sonata Eroica, Op.94 [15.31] Percy
WHITLOCK (1903-1946)
Fantasie Choral No.1 [13.17] Jeanne
DEMESSIEUX (1921-1968) Répons
pour le Temps de Pâques [7.10] York
BOWEN (1884-1961) Melody in G minor
[5.09] Wilhelm MIDDELSCHULTE
(1863-1943) Passacaglia in D minor
[13.05]
Jane Parker-Smith (Organ) Organ of St. Martin
Memmingen (Goll, 1998) Recorded at St. Martin
Memmingen, 6-8 August 2003
AVIE AV0034 [71.35] [CAnt]
Not
enough words to describe it. Just listen to
it ... see Full
Review
SAFFIRE
Gareth KOCH Rumba
Flamenca Peter Maxwell
DAVIES (b. 1934) Farewell to Stromness
(1980, arr. Eriksson) Maximo
Diego PUJOL (b. 1957) Grises y
Soles Enrique GRANADOS
(1867 – 1916) Danzas Españolas
No. 11, No.4 and No.6 (1893, arr. Eriksson)
Phillip HOUGHTON
(b. 1954) Opals Stanley
MYERS (1930 – 1993) Cavatina from
The Deer Hunter (1970, arr. Field)
Richard CHARLTON
(b. 1955) Stoneworks (2002)
Saffire (Gareth Koch, Antony Field, Karin
Schaupp, Slava Grigoryan) Recorded: Ghostgum
Audio, brisbane, January-February 2003
ABC CLASSICS 476 701-2 [64:06] [HC]
This
delightful and attractive programme, superlatively
played, is a feast from first to last, that
I thoroughly enjoyed. Do give it a try, you
will not be disappointed. ... see Full
Review
Hermann Scherchen
Edvard GRIEG
(1843-1907) Holberg
Suite Op.40 (Studio-Orchester Beromünster
- 22.IV.1946) Peer Gynt Op. 23 (Suites 1 and
2) (Vienna State Opera Orchestra (XII.1950)
Licence Supraphon) Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) L'Arlésienne
Op. 23 – Recited by Albin Skoda (Vienna Symphony
Orchestra - 23.VI.1950) L'Arlésienne,
Op. 23 (Suites 1 et 2) (Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie
- VI.1960)
TAHRA TAH 510-511 [2 CDs 54.51 + 70.28]
[JW]
This
is Volume II in Tahra’s Archives Hermann Scherchen
series and will make a good addition to collectors’
shelves. ... see Full
Review
Short Stories
- A collection of
romantic violin pieces. George
GERSHWIN (1898-1937) Short
Story (transcribed Dushkin) Jenö
HUBAY (1858-1937) Bolero Op.51
No.3 Maurice RAVEL
(1875-1937) Pièce en forme de Habanera
Kurt WEILL
(1900-1950) Tango Habanera "Youkali"
(transcribed Garlej) Efrem
ZIMBALIST (1889-1985) Sarasateana
Suite – Tango Alexander
GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) Valse Op.42
No.3 (transcribed Barinovoi) Henryk
WIENIAWSKI (1835-1880) Fantasie
Orientale Joseph
ACHRON (1886-1943) Liebeswidmung
Op.51 Ovide MUSIN
(1854-1929) Mazurka de Concert
Hans SITT (1850-1922)
Bolero Op.95 No.12 Fryderyk
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Mazurka in A
Minor (transcribed Kreisler) Valse in A minor
Op.34 No.2 (transcribed Sarasate) Isaac
ALBÉNIZ (1860-1909) Tango
Op.165 No.2 (transcribed Kreisler) Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1872-1943) Danses
Tziganes Op.6 (transcribed Dushkin) Henri
VIEUXTEMPS (1820-1881) Trois Morceaux
Op.40
David Frühwirth (violin)
Henri Sigfridsson (piano) Recorded in July
2000, Vienna Symphony Studio, Konzerthaus,
Vienna
AVIE AV0042 [70.03] [JW]
Some
intriguing nuggets ... two musicians willing
to explore fruitful byways ... Their erudite
inquisitiveness is much appreciated. ... see
Full Review
Slavonic Fantasy
Carl
HÖHNE (1871-1934) Slavonic
Rhapsody* (1899) Frédéric
CHOPIN (1810-1849) Nocturne op.9/2**,
Etude op.25/9**, Prelude op.28/24 (arr. Dokshitser)
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Romance op.5 Alexander
ARUTIUNIAN (b.1920) Concert Scherzo*,
Air and Scherzo (1983)* Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Slavonic
Dances in E minor op.72/2 (not op.10/2 as
stated on cover) and G minor op.46/8 (not
op.10/5 as stated on cover) Oskar
BÖHME (1870-1938) Pisen*,
Russian Dance op.32* Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Spring
Waters op.14/11** Alexander
GOEDICKE (1877-1957) Concert Study
op.49* Willy (Vasili)
BRANDT (1869-1923) Lullaby op.14*
Ilia Emmanuilovich
SHAKHOV Scherzo* Sergei
PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) For the Love
of Three Oranges: March Alexander
SCRIABIN (1872-1915) Etudes op.8/11-12**
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) Three Fantastic Dances op.5
(1922)
Jouko Harjanne (trumpet), Kari Hänninen
(piano) Items marked* are original for trumpet
(or cornet) and piano Items marked ** are
arranged by Harjanne and Hänninen Where
not specified, the arranger is not named Recorded
2003 at the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE),
Studio M2
FINLANDIA RECORDS 2564-60762-2 [73:09]
[CH]
There
is a lot of enjoyment to be had from this
disc, and not only for brass enthusiasts.
... see Full
Review
Vladimir
Sofronitsky (piano) Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Impromptu
in C minor D899 No.1, Impromptu in A flat
major D935 No.2, Impromptu in G flat major
D899 No.3, Moments musicaux D780:- No.1 in
C major, No.2 in A flat major No.3 in F minor,
No 4 in C sharp minor, No.6 in A flat major
Franz SCHUBERT
(1797-1828) – Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Der Müller
und der Bach, Erlkönig, Litanie, Frühlingsglaube,
Der Doppelgänger, Aufenthalt
Vladimir Sofronitsky (piano) Recorded
Moscow, 1960 except Impromptu in C minor D899
No.1 (1953) and the Moments musicaux D780
(1959)
VISTA VERA VVCD-00031 [73.27] [JW]
Full
of drama and extravagant rubati ... contours
etched with exaggerated intensity ... see
Full Review
Sounds French
Pierre
COCHEREAU (1924 – 1984)
Entrée Grand Orgue (1974) Scherzo Symphonique
(1968) César
FRANCK (1822 – 1891)
Choral No.1 (1890) David
BRIGGS (b. 1962) Symphonie
en Improvisation (2003) Jean
LANGLAIS (1907 – 1991)
Messe Alme Pater (1985) Incantation pour un
jour Saint (1949) Jeanne
DEMESSIEUX (1921 – 1968)
Attende Domine (published 1950) Marcel
DUPRE (1886 – 1971)
Allegro Deciso (1941)
David Briggs at the organ of Blackburn Cathedral
Recorded: Blackburn Cathedral, June 2003
LAMMAS LAMM 164 D [67:47] [HC]
a
most welcome release, magnificently played
and well recorded, well worth having, were
it only for Briggs' Symphonie ... see Full
Review
Stokowski’s Classic
1947-49 Columbias Vol. 3 and live broadcasts
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Symphony No. 6
[29:16] Piotr Ilyich
TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet
[19:07] Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART Symphony No. 35
Haffner [15:17] Thomas
Jefferson SCOTT From the Sacred
Harp [7:46] Jaroslav
WEINBERGER Polka and Fugue from
Schwanda the Bagpiper [7:30]
New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Leopold
Stokowski Rec. Carnegie Hall, 1949, RVW/Tchaikovsky
licensed from Sony. Other tracks live concert
performances Produced in association with
the Leopold Stokowski Society www.stokowskisociety.net
CALA CACD0537 [78:58] [JW]
A
strong entry in the Stokowski stakes ... will
leave dedicated Stokowskians (and/or Vaughan
Williams adherents) with a dilemma. The use
of the lacquers has made this a necessary
purchase even if you have the Sony. ... see
Full Review
L’Art de Vaclav Talich
- Volume II Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Orchestral
Suite No.3 Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) The
Marriage of Figaro – Overture Symphony No.33
in B flat K319 (1779) Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841 –1904) Symphony
No.9 From The New World (1893) *
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Suite No.4 Op.61 Mozartiana
(1887)
Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra/Vaclav Talich
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/Vaclav Talich
* Recorded in June, 1950 except Dvořák
No.9, recorded in September 1941
TAHRA TAH 518-519 [2 CDs: 42.44 + 62.07]
[JW]
A
real gap filler from Tahra and warmly welcomed.
... see Full Review
In Memoriam Jacques
Thibaud (1880-1953)
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Violin
Concerto Op.61 Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne/Victor
Desarzens, recorded live in 1950 Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Violin
Concerto No.4 K218 Concertgebouw/Eduard van
Beinum, recorded live in 1948 Edouard
LALO (1823-1892) Symphonie espagnole
Op.21 (1873) (omitting Intermezzo) Sinfonie
Orchestre das Hessischen Rundfunks/Winfried
Zillig, recorded in the radio studio, 1951
César FRANCK
(1822-1890) Violin Sonata (1886) Jean
Laforge (piano) recorded in a studio broadcast,
1952 Jacques Thibaud (violin) with accompaniments
as above
TAHRA TAH 499-500 [2 CDs 67.43 +53.54]
[JW]
A
real experience to hear Thibaud in a work
so closely identified with him. A set of high
significance and Tahra are to be congratulated
... see Full Review
The Wagon of Life
- Songs of Nature, Life
and Love in Time and Place Thomas
PITFIELD (1903-1999) The Wagon
of Life; By the Dee at Night; September Lovers
Stuart SCOTT (b.
1949) Alderley; Gawsworth; Fall, Leaves,
Fall. Geoffrey KIMPTON
(b. 1927) Noah; Faintheart in a
Railway Station; The Poor Man’s Pig. Joanna
TREASURE (b. 1961) Tango (do you
remember?); I saw the girl. John
R. WILLIAMSON (b. 1929) The Recruit;
White in the Moon; Think no more, lad. Stephen
WILKINSON (b. 1919) The Sunlight
on the Garden; The Garden. Philip
WOOD (b. 1972) Now sleeps the Crimson
Petal. Sasha
Johnson MANNING (b. 1963) My Song
shall be of Mercy and Judgement; The Lord
is King. Kevin George
BROWN (b. 1959) Dying Day; Description
of Spring. David
GOLIGHTLY (b. 1948) Songs of the
Clifftop: Seabird; After the Kill; Puffin.
David FORSHAW (b.
1938) The Owl; Whale Song; Horse.
Mark Rowlinson (baritone) Peter Lawson (piano)
Recorded at Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester,
21 and 24 July 2003
DUNELM RECORDS DRD-0220 [79.24] [DHJ]
This
is a particularly enjoyable CD especially
for lovers of English Song. ... see
Full Review
Welte-Mignon Piano Rolls,
Volume 2 see
review for details Recorded August 2000 in
Simi Valley, California, on a Restored Steinway-Welte
Reproducing Piano
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110678 [69:42] [DS]
My
position is that any qualms I have about a
‘true picture’ are more than offset when I
can listen to past masters as if they were
in my home. I strongly recommend acquisition
of Volume 2 ... see Full
Review
Welte-Mignon Piano Rolls
Volume 3 Piano
Rolls 1905-26 recorded on a restored Steinway-Welte
Reproducing Piano in August 2000 see review
for details NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110679
[67.07] [JW]
Caution
as to the authenticity of the rolls as accurate
artefacts but an informed welcome to the series
... see Full Review
BOOK
REVIEW
Voices in
the Wilderness:
Six American Neo-Romantic Composers
By Walter Simmons [RB]
Do
not be surprised if you come away from reading
this book with questions seriously disturbing
to the concert and recording status quo. ...
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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