Camille
SAINT-SAËNS
(1835-1921) The
Carnival of the Animals. Poems inspired by Saint-Saëns’
music, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura. Poems read by Cicely Herbert
and Gerard Benson Music played by the Apollo Chamber Players directed
by David Chernaik. 
Walker
Books ISBN 1 84428 021 7 £10.99 Disc [55.04 of which music is 22.41]
[JW]
Children
will thus be introduced to sight and sound,
to the poems, the exuberant drawings that
illustrate them and some vivacious music ...
see Full
Review
Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835
– 1921) Oratorio
de Noël, Op. 12 (1863) [35:07] Ottorino
RESPIGHI (1879 – 1936) Lauda
per la Natività del Signore (1930)
[22:36]
Britt-Marie Aruhn (soprano); Anne Sofie von
Otter (mezzo); Ing-Mari Landin (contralto);
Erland Hagegård (tenor); Ulf Lundmark
(bass); Karin Langebo (harp); Bengt Forsberg
(organ); strings from the Orchestra of the
Royal Opera in Stockholm (Saint-Saëns)
Lars Hagström (flute); Patrik Wendel
(flute and piccolo); Solveig Fagéus
(oboe); Kerstin Hallin (English horn); Carl
Johan Nordin (bassoon); Jense Lemke (bassoon);
Torkel Borelius (triangle); Bengt Forsberg
(piano); Ingrid Lindgren (piano) (Respighi):
The Mikaeli Chamber Choir/Anders Eby rec.
10-11 Feb 1981, Oscar’s Church, Stockholm
(Respighi); 28-29 Aug, 24 Sept 1981, St. John’s
Church, Stockholm (Saint-Saëns)
PROPRIUS PRSACD 9057 [57:43] [GF]
Not
standard fare but well worth a listen ... performances of the highest
order, not least the Nordically cool-glowing choir. ... see Full
Review
Timothy
SALTER
(b.1942) After the Sun (1988) [20.01]:
(They are all gone into the world of light! [3.00]; Was aber
hindert uns zu glauben [3.44]; Traveller [5.31]; He that
hath found some fledg’d birds nest [1.56]; Freilich ist es seltsam
[4.26]) Matthew
Brook (baritone) Rebecca Kozam (oboe/cor anglais) Timothy Salter (piano)
Recorded June 2003, Potton Hall, Suffolk
USK 1225CDS [20.01][CT]
Timothy
Salter’s often intense settings of Vaughan, Rilke and Lowbury are well
worth exploring in twenty minute CD “single” format. ... see Full
Review
Giacinto
SCELSI (1905-1988)
Trilogia (1956-1965) [52:22] Frangis
ALI-SADE (b.
1947) Aşk Havasi (1998) [9:58]
Jessica Kuhn (cello) Recorded Leutkirch, 23-25 May 2005. DDD
THOROFON CTH 2480 [62:22] [GPu]
Profound
and moving music, powerfully performed ...
see Full Review
Harold
SCHIFFMAN (b.
1928) String
Quartet No.1 (1951) [24:05] String Quartet
No.2 (1981) [19:50] Capriccio (1959) [5:03]
The Auer Quartet rec. János Richter
Hall, Györ, Hungary, October 2004
NORTH/SOUTH RECORDINGS N/S R 1039 [49:20]
[HC]
Very
fine contemporary, if not modern, string quartets
that undoubtedly repay repeated hearing. ...
see Full
Review
Les
Pianos de la Nuit Franz
Peter SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Eight Variations on a French Song,
in E minor, D624 (1818) [15'01]; Rondo
in A, D951 (1828) [12'54]; Allegro
in A minor, D947, Lebensstürme
(1828) [12'18]; Fantasia in F minor,
D940 (1828) [20'07].
Christian Ivaldi; Jean-Claude Pennetier
(piano duet) Live performance, Le Roque d'Anthéron,
16 August 2004. DDD DVD9. Region Code 0. LPCM
Stereo 2.0. DTS 5.1. Dolby Digital 5.1. PAL
players only.
NAÏVE DR2116 AV103 [60'20] [CC]
Very
strongly recommended, despite the low playing time of just over an hour.
... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Robert
SCHUMANN (1810–1856)
Liederkreis Op. 24 (1840) [18:35]; Liederkreis Op. 39 (1840) [22:45];
Dichterliebe Op. 48 (1840) [25:55]
Peter Schreier (tenor), András Schiff (piano) rec. Lukaskirche, Dresden,
9-10 July 2002 ORFEO
C 658 051 B [67:33][GF]
A
disc that no lover of German lieder should
miss. ... see Full
Review
Robert SCHUMANN
(1810-1856) Papillons
Op. 2 (1830) [14’27] Fantasiestücke
Op. 12 (1838) [28’54] Carnaval Op.
9 (1834) [29’36]
Marc-André Hamelin (piano) rec. Henry
Wood Hall, London, 21 December 1999 (Carnaval)
and 29-30 August 2002 (rest)
HYPERION CDA 67120 [73’29] [TH]
The
programme is unique and no-one who loves Schumann
and acquires this disc will be disappointed.
... see Full
Review
Alexander
SCRIABIN
(1872-1915) Five
Preludes Op.15 [7’13] Sonata No.3 Op.23 in
F sharp minor [20’42] Nikolai
MEDTNER (1880-1951] Sonata-Reminiscenza
Op.38 No.1 [16’09] Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1951) Three Movements
from Petroushka [15’39]
Evgeny Kissin (piano) rec. SWR Studio, Freiburg,
Germany, 7-8 August 2004. DDD
BMG-RCA RED SEAL 82876 65390-2 [59’55]
[TH]
Despite
being short-ish measure by today’s standards,
this disc finds the young Russian on commanding
and imperious form ... see Full
Review
Jan
SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Violin
Concerto in D minor op.47 (1903) [31:50] Pyotr
Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Violin
Concerto in D major op.35* (1878) [38:00]
Vadim Brodsky (violin) Polish Radio National
Symphony Orchestra/Jerzy Salwarowski, Antoni
Wit* No recording dates or location but ©1986
SANCTUARY CLASSICS CD RSN 3056 [70:07]
[CH]
Abundant
poetry and musicianship ... see Full
Review
Dmitry SMIRNOV
(b.1952) Our
Lady’s Rejoicing in Sorrow (2001) [31.22]
Selections from Medieval Russian Vocal
Art:- Rejoices in Thee - Greek
Chant, female choir [1.47] Lo, Triple-Shining
Light To Inflame Thee - Znamenny chant
arranged for mixed choir [2.20] It Is Meet
– Byzantine chant, male choir [2.11] Angel
Crying – Bulgarian chant, male choir [3.28]
Miracle Great and Most Glorious - concerto
for 16 voice mixed choir [2.25]
Lyudmila Shkirtil (mezzo) Andrey Bolshiyanov
(saxophone) Chamber Choir Lege Artis/Boris
Abalian rec. live in concert, Chamber Music
Festival, St Peter and Paul’s Cathedral, St
Petersburg, October 2004
NORTHERN FLOWERS/PETERSBURG MUSICAL ARCHIVE
NF/PMA 9926 [43.52] [JW]
An
essentially traditionally minded composer
whose ear for colour and flourish adds palpable
depth to his settings. ... see Full
Review
Louis
SPOHR
(1784-1859) Clarinet
Concerto No. 1 in C minor, Op. 26 (1808) [19.59]
Potpourri in F major on themes from Winter's
Das unterbrochene Opferfest, Op. 80
(1811) [9.47] Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E
flat major, Op. 57 (1810) [24.36]
Variations in B flat major on Euer Liebreiz,
eure Schönheit from Spohr's Alrana,
WoO15 (1809) [7.41]
Michael Collins (clarinet) Swedish Chamber
Orchestra/Robin O'Neill
rec. Örebro Konserthuset, Örebro,
Sweden, 24-28 May 2004
HYPERION CDA 67509 [62.22] [SV]
Colorful,
appealing, relatively unhackneyed music that
demonstrates why posterity hasn't judged Spohr
a first-rank composer. ... see Full
Review
Louis
SPOHR
(1784-1859) Concerto
for Clarinet and Orchestra No. 1, in C minor,
Op. 26 (1808) [19:31] Concerto for Clarinet
and Orchestra No. 2, in E flat, Op. 57 (1810)
[23:11] Variations on a Theme from Alruna,
for clarinet and orchestra in B flat, WoO
15 (1810) [6:58]
Eduard Brunner (clarinet) Bamberger Symphoniker/Hans
Stadlmair rec. Konzerthalle, Bamberg; 25-27
January, 1997. DDD
TUDOR 7009 [49:59] [GPu]
Accomplished,
professional performances of music which is
not quite of the very highest order … see
Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann
STRAUSS
(II) (1825-1899) Valses,
Polkas, Ouvertures:
Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, RV 214 (1858)
[2.48] Ouvertüre, Die Fledermaus,
RV 503-1 (1874) [8.28] Csardas, Die Fledermaus,
RV 503-2 (1873) [4.42] Nordseebilder,
Walzer, RV 390 (1879) [9.25] Im Sturmschritt,
Polka schnell, RV 348 (1871) [2.17] Neue
Pizzikato Polka, RV 449 (1892) [2.56]
Perpetuum mobile, RV 257-2 (1881) [2.51]
Frühlingsstimmen, Walzer, RV 410
(1883) [6.42] Ouvertüre zu Der Zigeunerbaron,
RV 511-1 (1885) [8.07] An der schönen
blauen Donau, Walzer, RV 314 (1867) [10.53]
Egyptischer Marsch, RV 335 (1869) [5.11]
Éljen a Magyar, Polka, RV 332
(1869) [2.52] Furioso Polka, quasi
Galopp, RV 260 (1861) [2.34]
Orchestra Anima Eterna/Jos van Immerseel Recorded
in La Grande Salle de L’Arsenal à Metz,
April 2000
ZIG-ZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT 020601 [70:32]
[AB]
An
altogether remarkable CD which presents a
view of the music of Strauss that most would
find revelatory. ... see Full
Review
Richard
STRAUSS
(1864-1949) Daphne
– bucolic tragedy in one act (1937) Libretto
by Joseph Gregor Daphne (soprano) – Renee
Fleming Apollo (tenor) – Johan Botha Leukippos
(tenor) – Michael Schade Peneios (bass) –
Kwanchul Youn Gaea (mezzo) – Anna Larsson
Men of the WDR Radio Chorus
WDR Symphony Orchestra, Cologne/Semyon
Bychkov Recorded in the Cologne Philharmonie,
28 Feb-12 March 2005. DDD
DECCA 475 6926 [72’35 + 27’08] [TH]
Bychkov’s
conducting and Fleming’s intelligent portrayal,
are this new set’s chief assets. Are they
enough to carry the day against the classic
set from Böhm? You may well have to try
before you buy ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard
STRAUSS
(1864-1949) Elektra,
Tragedy in one act (1906) Gwyneth Jones (soprano)
- Elektra Leonie Rysanek (soprano) - Clytemnestra
Anne Evans (soprano) - Chrysothemis Ronald
Hamilton (tenor) - Aegisth Wolfgang Schöne
(baritone) - Orest Michael Pavlu (bass) -
Orest’s tutor Janeen Franz (mezzo) - the confidante
Antoinette Faes (soprano) - the train-bearer
Chœur du Grand Théâtre de Genève/Jean
Laforge Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/Jeffrey
Tate rec. live, Grand Théâtre,
Geneva, 10 March 1990. ADD.
CLAVES CD 50-2514/15 [53’51 + 47’57] [ED]
This
will be the Elektra that I will return to
most often ... to celebrate remarkable music-making
of a work that maintains as firm a grip as
ever. ... see Full
Review
Richard
STRAUSS
(1864-1949) Complete Welte
recordings of 1906: Salome
– fragments [3.37] Salome – Dance
of the Seven Veils [8.54] Ein Heldenleben
– Love Scene [3.51] Feuersnot –
Love Scene [5.37] Stimmungsbilder (Mood
Pictures) Op 9: No.1 [4.01]; No,2 [3.10];
No.3 [3.40]; No.4 [2.38] Cäcilie Op.27
No.2 Heimliche Aufforderung Op.27 No.3
[2.32]
Richard Strauss (piano) Recorded for Welte-Mignon
in 1906; played for CD recording in 2004.
TACET 137 [40.27] [ED]
An
important document to sit alongside his recordings
as a conductor. Most enthusiastically recommended.
... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Piet SWERTS (b.
1960) Clarinet
Quintet (2001)a [32:30] String Quartet No.2 (1998)b
[30:06] Roeland
Hendrikx (clarinet)a; Tempera String Quarteta;
Spiegel String Quartetb
rec. Casino, Beringen, February 2003 (Clarinet Quintet) and Academiezaal,
Sint Truiden, May 2005 (String Quartet No.2)
PHAEDRA 92045 [62:36] [HC]
Polished
and dedicated performances. ... see Full
Review
Pyotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Symphony
No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36 (1877) [42:36] Symphony
No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 (1888) [46:04] Symphony
No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 ‘Pathétique’
(1893) [44:00]
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Valery Gergiev
Recorded: Grosser Saal, Musikverein, Vienna,
Austria, 17-21 October 2002 (Sym. 4), 2-4
September 2004 (Sym. 6); Grosses Festspielhaus,
Salzburg, Austria, July 1998 (Sym. 5) DDD
PHILIPS 475 6315 0 PX3 [3 CDs: 42:36 +
46:04 + 44:00] [MC]
Opulent,
dramatic and powerful performances. This well
recorded Philips set would be a welcome addition
to any collection. ... see Full
Review
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840
– 1893) The
Nutcracker, Op. 71 (complete ballet) (1892) [78:56]; Serenade
for Strings in C Major, Op. 48 (1880) [30:05] London Symphony Orchestra
Chorus (Nutcracker) London Symphony Orchestra/Antal Dorati Philharmonia
Hungarica Orchestra (Serenade)/Antal Dorati Recorded in Watford
Town Hall, 11 – 13 July 1962 (Nutcracker); Grosser Saal, Wiener Konzerthaus,
Vienna, 5 June 1958 (Serenade)
MERCURY
LIVING PRESENCE 475 6623 (SACD) [41:01 + 78:00] [GF]
Dorati’s
has a preference for fastish tempos but he
can also relax and give those gorgeous yearning
melodies their full due. Never a dull moment
... see Full
Review
Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681
- 1767) Göttlichs Kind - Music for Advent
and Christmas In
deinem Wort und Sakrament, cantata for
the 1st Sunday of Advent (TWV 1,931) [14"20]
Lauter Wonne, lauter Freude, cantata
for the 4th Sunday of Advent (TWV 1,1040)
[10:14] Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn (German
Magnificat) (TWV 9,18) [15"40] Göttlichs
Kind, laß mit Entzücken, cantata
for the 1st Christmas Day (TWV 1,1020a) [08:32]
Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr,
cantata for the 1st Christmas Day (TWV 1,58)
[14:47]
Susanne Rydén, soprano Britta Schwarz,
contralto Andreas Karasiak, tenor Sebastian
Noack, bass solistenensemble stimmkunst; Ensemble
94 (on period instruments)/Kay Johannsen Recorded
in March 2005 at the studios of the SWR, Stuttgart,
Germany DDD
CARUS 83.180 [64:33] [JV]
A
welcome addition to the growing list of recordings
of Telemann's sacred oeuvre, and a recommendable
alternative to the usual repertoire performed
during the Advent and Christmas period ...
see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
(1872-1958) Songs
of Travel (1904) [24:09] The House
of Life (1903) [30:29] Linden Lea (1908)
[2:44] Four poems by Fredegond Shove (1924)
[14:03]
Roderick Williams (baritone) Ian Burnside
(piano) rec. Potton Hall, Suffolk 27-29 August
2004. DDD
NAXOS 8.557643 [67:07] [AO]
Perhaps
the finest recording of Vaughan Williams'
early songs – superlative performances of
songs like Silent Noon and The New Ghost.
Get this! ... see Full
Review
Francesco
Maria VERACINI (1690-1768)
XII Sonate a violino solo e basso - Op. 1 Sonata
I in g, op. 1,1 [13:13] Sonata II in a minor, op. 1,2 [10:58] Sonata
III in b minor, op. 1,3 [10:15] Sonata IV in c minor, op. 1,4 [09:50]
Sonata V in d minor, op. 1,5 [09:54] Sonata VI in e minor, op. 1,6 [13:37]
Enrico Casazza,
violin; Francesco Ferrarini, cello; Roberto Loreggian, harpsichord Recorded
July 2002 at the Chiesa della SS Trinità, Padua, Italy DDD
TACTUS 692201 [67:36] [JV]
Fine
performances of six sonatas from Veracini's
opus 1 ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813
– 1901) Don
Carlo (1867) Ileana Cotrubas (soprano)
– Elizabetta di Valois; Patricia Parker (mezzo)
– Tebaldo; Romayne Grigorova (actress) – Countess
of Aremburg; Luis Lima (tenor) – Don Carlo;
John Dobson (tenor) – Count Lerma; Matthem
Best (bass) – A Monk; Giorgio Zancanaro (baritone)
– Rodrigo; Robert Lloyd (bass) – Philip II;
Bruna Baglioni (mezzo) – Princess Eboli; Alan
Jones (bass) – A Royal Herald; Ian Comboy,
Stephen Rhys-Williams, Henry Herford, Martin
McEvoy, Julian Moyle, Brian Donlan – Flemish
Deputies; Lola Biagioni (soprano) – A Voice
from Heaven; Joseph Rouleau (bass) – Grand
Inquisitor
The Royal Opera Chorus and the Orchestra of
the Royal Opera House/Bernard Haitink Design
and Original Production: Luchino Visconti;
Staged by Christopher Renshaw; Directed for
Video by Brian Large Filmed at the Royal Opera
House Covent Garden in April 1985
NVC ARTS 510110242-2 [approx. 204:00]
[GF]
I
felt at once transported back to the Royal
Opera House twenty years ago ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901)
Ernani (1844) [129.11] Ernani – Luciano
Pavarotti (tenor) Elvira – Joan Sutherland (soprano) Carlo – Leo Nucci
(baritone) Silva – Paata Burchuladze (bass) Giovanna – Linda McLeod
(soprano) Riccardo – Richard Morton – (tenor) Jago – Alastair Miles
– (bass) Orchestra
and Chorus of Welsh National Opera/Richard Bonynge. Recorded in Walthamstow
Town Hall, London, May 1987. DDD
DECCA 475 7008 [64.34 + 64.37][JPh]
I
would rate this performance above all of its rivals and supplied now
at mid-price, with complete libretto it is unbeatable in the marketplace.
... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901)
Un
ballo in maschera (1859) Gustavo III
... Placido Domingo (tenor) Anckarström
... Leo Nucci (baritone) Amelia ... Josephine
Barstow (soprano) Ulrica ... Florence Quivar
(mezzo) Oscar ... Sumi Jo (soprano) Cristiano
... Jean-Luc Chaignaud (bass) Horn ... ...
Kurt Rydl (bass) Ribbing ... Goran Simic (bass)
A Judge ... Wolfganag Witte (tenor) Amelia’s
servant ... ... Adolf Tomaschek (tenor)
Vienna State Opera Chorus Vienna Philharmonic
Orchestra/Sir Georg Solti Directed by John
Schlesinger Recorded 28 July 1990, Großes
Festpielhaus, Salzburg. TDK
DVD-CLOPUBIM [137.54] [TB]
A
traditional Salzburg production ... The three
leading roles, sung brilliantly by Placido
Domingo, Josephine Barstow and Leo Nucci,
are not only fine vocally, but wholly convincing
dramatically too ... see
Full Review
Giuseppe
VERDI
(1813-1901) Falstaff
– lyric comedy in two acts (1889-90) Libretto by Arrigo Boito
after Shakespeare Sir John Falstaff – Gabriel Bacquier (baritone) Ford
– Richard Stilwell (baritone) Fenton – Max-René Cosotti (tenor)
Dr. Cajus – John Lanigan (tenor) Bardolfo – Peter Maus (tenor) Pistola
– Ulrik Cold (bass) Mrs. Alice Ford – Karan Armstrong (soprano) Nannetta
– Juta-Renate Ihloff (soprano) Mrs. Quickly – Marta Szirmay (mezzo)
Mrs. Meg Page – Sylvia Lindenstrand (mezzo)
Chorus of the Vienna State Opera
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Georg Solti
Directed by Götz Friedrich Filmed at
BUFA Studios, Berlin, February-March 1979
DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON UNITEL 073 4080 [125:00] [TH]
The
chief draw is Bacquier who was in exceptionally
good voice. His voice has an ideally rich,
dark timbre, virtually bass-baritone. He clearly
enjoys the acting as well ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813
– 1901) La
Traviata (1853) [122:20] Violetta Valery – Maria Callas (soprano)
Flora Bervoix – Ede Marietti Gandolfo (mezzo) Annina – Ines Marietti
(mezzo) Alfredo Germont – Francesco Albanese (tenor) Giorgio Germont
– Ugo Savarese (baritone) Gastone – Mariano Caruso (tenor) Il Barone
Douphol – Alberto Albertini (baritone) Il Marchese D’Obigny – Mario
Zorgniotti (baritone) Il Dottor Grenvil – Mario Zorgniotti (bass) Giuseppe
– Tommaso Soley (tenor) Coro Cetra
Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della RAI/Gabriele Santini Recorded
September 1953, Turin
WARNER FONIT 5050467-3377-5-6 [67.69 + 54.21] [RH]
Callas:
glimpses of something magical but sound quality
and the rest of the cast only adequate ...
see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901)
Il
Trovatore (1853) Giorgio Zancanaro
(Conte di Luna, baritone), Rosalind Plowright
(Leonora, soprano), Fiorenza Cossotto (Azucena,
mezzo-soprano), Franco Bonisolli (Manrico,
tenor), Paolo Washington (Ferrando, bass),
Giuliana Matteini (Inez, soprano), Giampaolo
Corradi (Ruiz, tenor), Bruno Grella (Old Gypsy,
bass), Bruno Balbo (Messenger, tenor) Orchestra
and Chorus of the Arena di Verona/Reynald
Giovaninetti Producer: Giuseppe Patroni Griffi,
Scenery: Mario Ceroli, Costumes: Gabriella
Pescucci, directed for video by Brian Large,
produced for video by Robin Scott. Recorded
at the Arena di Verona on a date not given,
© 1985 WARNER
MUSIC DIVISION DVD 4509-99215-2 [approx.
144:00] [CH]
This
recording will provide future generations with a memento of a typical
mid-nineties production with some singers who were noted for these roles
at the time. ... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Heitor
VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959)
Bachianas
Brasileiras - complete CD1 [73:10]: Bachianas Brasileiras
No. 1 for an orchestra of cellos (1930) [19:50] Bachianas
Brasileiras No. 2 for chamber orchestra (1930) [22:16] Bachianas
Brasileiras No. 3 for piano and orchestra (1938) [31:04]
CD2 [40:42]: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 4 for orchestra
(1930, 1941) [20:27] Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 for voice
and eight cellos (1938/1945) [10:59] Bachianas Brasileiras No.
6 for flute and bassoon (1938) [9:07] CD3 [62:22]: Bachianas
Brasileiras No. 7 for orchestra (1942) [27:26] Bachianas
Brasileiras No. 8 for orchestra (1944) [24:48] Bachianas Brasileiras
No. 9 for string orchestra (1944) [10:08]
Rosana Lamosa (sop); Jose Feghali (piano); Anthony La Marchina (cello);
Eric Gratton (flute); Cynthia Estill (bassoon) Nashville Symphony Orchestra/Kenneth
Schermerhorn; Andrew Mogrelia rec. 14 May 2005, 7, 21, 23 Mar 2004.
Ingram Hall, Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University, Nashville,
Tennessee, USA. DDD
NAXOS 8.557460-62 [3 CDs: 73:10 + 40:42 + 62:22][PCW]
The
market was just crying out for this release ... highly recommended,
a considerable bargain and a fine memorial to Kenneth Schermerhorn ...
see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Five
Violin Concertos: Concerto in D major
for violin, strings and basso continuo Il
Grosso Mogul, RV208 [13:01] Concerto in
B minor for four violins and cello, RV580a
[08:55]Concerto in C major for violin, strings
and basso continuo, RV187 [11:45] Concerto
in D major for violin, strings and basso continuo,
L'Inquietudine, RV234 [06:18] Concert
in E minor for violin, strings and basso continuo,
Il Favorito, RV277 [12:58]
Viktoria Mullova (violin) Il Giardino
Armonico/Giovanni Antonini Stefano Barneschi
(violin)a Marco Bianchi (violin)a
Riccardo Masahide Minasi (violin)a
Marco Testori (cello)a rec. Pieve
di Palazzo Pignano, Cremona, Italy, 6-9 June
2004. DDD
ONYX 4001 [53:06] [MC]
Vivaldi,
Mullova and Onyx are a winning combination.
... see Full Review
Jan Václav
VOŘÍŠEK
(1791-1825) Six
Impromptus, op.7 (c.1820): no.1 in C (Allegro)
[4.36], no.2 in C (Allegro moderato) [4.25],
no.3 in D (Allegretto) [4.41], no.4 in A (Allegretto)
[6.36], no.5 in E (Allegretto) [9.01], no.6
in B (Allegretto) [8.02] Fantasie,
op.12 (Andante – allegro con brio) [11.06]
Variations in B flat, op.19 (1824-5)
[9.11] Piano sonata in B flat minor,
op.20 (1820) [14.05]
Radoslav Kvapil (piano) rec. Unicorn-Kanchana
at the Rudolfinum Studio, 19 June 1993. DDD.
REGIS RRC 1224 [71.56] [ED]
Kvapil
is an able guide to this modest yet not unrewarding
composer whose music falls easily on the ear.
... see Full
Review
Richard WAGNER
(1813-1883)
Götterdämmerung
(end of Act 1, Act 2) (1874) [101.37] (1);
(Immolation Scene) (1874) [19.08] (2) Die
Walküre (excerpts) (1854-1856)
[7.33] (3) Siegfried (excerpts)
(1856 – 1874) [12.55] (4) Brünnhilde
- Frida Leider (soprano) Siegfried – Lauritz
Melchior (tenor) (1) Siegfried – Rudolf Laubenthal
(tenor) (4) Gunther - Herbert Janssen (baritone)
(1) Waltraute - Kerstin Thorborg (mezzo) (1)
Hagen – Ludwig Weber/Emanuel List (bass) (1)
Alberich – Eduard Habich (bass) (1) Gutrune
– Maria Nezadal(soprano) (1) Gutrune – Elfriede
Maherr-Wagner (soprano) (2) Wotan – Friedrich
Schorr (bass) (3)
Orchestra and Chorus of Royal Opera House
Covent Garden/Sir Thomas Beecham (1) Berlin
State Opera Orchestra/Leo Blech (2,3,4) rec.
Royal Opera House Covent Garden, 14, 29 May
1936, (1); Berlin, 1928 (2); Berlin, 1927
(3, 4). ADD
GUILD GHCD 2311/12 [67.26 + 73.47] [GH]
Beecham’s
Götterdämmerung is superbly
dramatic and propelled along with a wonderful
impetus. Glorious ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Richard
WAGNER (1813
– 1883)
Tristan und Isolde (1857–59)
Peter Hofmann (tenor) – Tristan; Hans Sotin
(bass) – König Marke; Hildegard Behrens
(soprano) – Isolde; Bernd Weikl (baritone)
– Kurwenal; Heribert Steinbach (tenor) – Melot;
Yvonne Minton (mezzo) – Brangäne; Heinz
Zednik (tenor) – En Hirt; Raimund Grumbach
(baritone) – Ein Steuermann; Thomas Moser
(tenor) – Ein junger Seemann
Chor und Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen
Rundfunks/Leonard Bernstein No recording dates
and venue given.
PHILIPS 475 7020 [4 CDs: 62:23 + 66:05
+ 73:50 + 64:06] [GF]
Bernstein
wrings every drop of emotion from the music
... an unforgettable experience ... see Full
Review
Henryk
WIENIAWSKI
(1835-1880) Violin
Concerto in D minor Op.22 (1870) [22.42] Grażyna
BACEWICZ (1909-1969) Concerto for
String Orchestra (1948) [14.16] Krzysztof
PENDERECKI (b.1933) Agnus Dei (1980-84)
arranged for string orchestra by Boris Pergamenschikow
(1994) [6.36]
Wojciech Pławner (violin) Beethoven
Academy Orchestra/Paweł Przytocki Recorded
in the Concert Hall of the Silesian Philharmonic
in Katowice, May 2005
DUX 0524 [43.36] [JW]
Very
much to be sampled before purchase, as this
is more a souvenir of an event than a cohesively
designed sequence in its own right ... see
Full
Review
Ellen
Taaffe ZWILICH (b.
1939) Violin
Concerto (1998)a [26:03] Rituals
(2002)b [25:59]
Pamela Frank (violin)a; Nexusb;
Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestraa;
IRIS Chamber Orchestrab; Michael
Stern rec. (live) Kongresshalle, Saarbrücken,
October 1998 (Violin Concerto) and Germantown
Performing Arts Centre, Tennessee, USA, March
2004 (Rituals)
NAXOS 8.559268 [52:04] [HC]
The
best introduction possible to her warmly expressive
and communicative music. ... see Full
Review
Book Reviews
The
Cambridge Companion to Grand Opera
David Charlton (editor)
Published
2003 Cambridge University Press, 496 pages
ISBN 0-521064683-9
Beethoven:
The Universal Composer by
Edmund Morris. [In the series
Eminent Lives] Harper Collins
Publishers, New York. 2005. 5-1/2" x
7-3/8." 243 pages, including glossary
of musical terms. No index. 1 B&W illustration.
US$21.95.ISBN 13978-0-06-075974-2 and ISBN
10 0-06-07594-7.
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