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Reviews for this month

Detailed listing (last two days)]
[Part 1 New]


Cumulative monthly list
(listed by composer)
  [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]

BANK HOLIDAY May 30th/31st


Click for Fuller details of Today's Reviews

These are not necessarily all reviews of new releases
187 completed for May

 

Full list of reviewers and contributors here

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Today's Reviews [Fuller details and yesterday's reviews are available here]

Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Surely an essential purchase for all those who love the music of that wayward, original, exciting genius, Hector Berlioz. Les francs-juges Overture [12’26"] Waverley Overture, Op. 1 [10’24"] Le roi Lear Overture, Op. 4 [15’57"] Le carnaval romain Overture, Op. 9 [9’29"] Béatrice et Bénédict Overture [8’06"] Le corsaire Overture, Op. 21 [8’44"] Benvenuto Cellini Overture, Op. 23 [10’07"] Staatskapelle Dresden/Sir Colin Davis [JQ]

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Much enjoyable listening here, complemented by fine singing which can be enjoyed by all lovers of this fertile and seminal period of operatic composition in Italy. I recommend it without reservation Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797-1848) Zoraida Di Granata [RJF]

 

Lukas FOSS (b. 1922) An important addition to the catalogue of 20th Century American piano music. Combines scholarship with fine playing. The Complete Works for Solo Piano Daniel Beliavsky [JF]

Michael HAYDN (1737-1806) Disorientating to have such widely dissimilar works on the same CD . Concerto in D Major for two Trombones and Orchestra Leopold MOZART (1719-1787) Serenade for Trumpet, Trombone and Orchestra [19:37] Michael HAYDN (1737-1806) Concerto in D Major for two Trombones and Orchestra [12:56] Jean FRANCAIX (1912-1997) Theme and Variations for Clarinet and Eleven Strings [8:55] Reinhard SÜSS (b. 1961) Fortuna Desperata Concerto for Piano and Chamber Ensemble [34:20] [PG]

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Franz KROMMER (1759-1831) This music is well worth getting to know and fine musicianship is on offer - quite a bargain. Oboe Quintets and Quartets [PCW]

 

Gian Francesco MALIPIERO (1882-1973) Musical pictures with an abstract mindset, when formality and structure is what truly keeps music alive. Fantasie di Ogni Giorno (1953) Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 (1948)Notturno di Canti e Balli (1957) [KS]

Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924) Obviously this cannot be a top recommendation. Certainly worth hearing, though, especially at the price. Il tabarro (1918) Giuseppe Baroni.
Rec. Turin in 1949. [CC]

Ottorino RESPIGHI (1879-1936) For Respighi admirers (and others) a reserved recommendation to be filed under ‘Respighi curios’. In case this caveat might deter I will assure, in conclusion, that these are sympathetic transcriptions performed with style and enthusiasm. Arrangements for brass instruments by Peter LAWRENCE (b.1965) Fountains of Rome, Pines of Rome, Roman Festivals. [IL]

Franz SCHUBERT (1797 – 1828) Most of the songs may be unknown. Despite some reservations concerning Moog much is good, the songs are worth hearing and I commend Lothar Odinius. He is a find! Schiller-Lieder, Vols. 3 and 4 (Deutsche Schubert-Lied-Edition 18) Maya Boog (soprano) Lothar Odinius (tenor)[GF]

Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906 - 1975) A fine, but not legendary, Leningrad in good surround sound. Symphony No. 7, Op. 60 Leningrad (1943) Roman Kofman [PSh]

Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Fascinating early works from Sibelius that will appeal mainly to specialist collectors String Quartets: 1885-1889 [MC]

RECORDING OF THE MONTH This is a major release by major artists, and it is a worthy opening to a major series of recordings Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) The Complete Songs, Volume 1 Christine Brewer (soprano)[TB]

 

Zeitgenössische Gitarrenmusik (Contemporary Guitar Music) This new release by Christopher Jaggin offers new, hitherto unrecorded material. and sonically is of a high standard. Christoph Jaggin (Guitar) [ZT]

Fonotipia – Symposium who have contributed a great deal to the discographic history of Fonotipia and while this is a specialist issue there are some epoch making performances and artists here .. A Centenary Celebration 1904-2004 [JW]

The Salley Gardens- A Treasury of English Song Given the recording problems, and some concerns with Yvonne Kenny’s voice in this recital, I’m afraid my welcome is mixed. Yvonne Kenny (soprano) [JW]

 

 

Carole Farley – singer and champion of repertoire. Interviewed by Anne Ozorio

View from the audience by Frank T. Manheim: THE RELEVANCE OF FUTURISM IN CLASSICAL MUSIC TODAY: WHY CONTEMPORARY COMPOSERS STILL HAVE TROUBLE EXCITING AUDIENCES

-------------------------------

Fuller details and yesterday's reviews are available here

 

Christopher Fifield - Ibbs and Tillett: The Rise and Fall of a Musical Empire. Just published by Ashgate. 692 pages, 78 b/w illustrations. Hardback for only £29.95 post-free in the UK [review]

 

Avie Special Offer The Complete Piano Works by Hans Gal played by Leon McCawley:- 3-CD set available September 2005
Pre-order your copy now and receive a 33% discount off the recommended retail price of £30.00 - ORDER NOW AND PAY ONLY £20.00.

Arts in Residence Programme 2004-5

Visit the HOFFNUNG EXHIBITION at the Frome Festival - July 1-10 2005

ADVANCE NOTICE MALCOLM ARNOLD FESTIVAL 2006 to coincide with Sir Malcolm's 85th Birthday

BOOK REVIEWS
Recent book reviews may be seen at the head of the list here

IBBS AND TILLETT: The Rise and Fall of a Musical Empire by Christopher Fifield April 2005 244 x 172 mm Includes 78 b&w illustrations 724 pages Hardback Ashgate Publishing Limited 1 84014 290 1 £29.95 post free through MusicWeb

This is great big palatial book; that's the first impression and the impression stays. Its splendour is its detail and its finish and it is very readable - packed with good stories but with a fascinating narrative sweep across the decades. ... see Full Review

London - A Musical Gazetteer by Lewis Foreman and Susan Foreman Illustrations: 100 illustrations Number of Pages: 352 Paperback ISBN 0 300 10402 2 PRICE: £15.99 PUB DATE: 31 Mar 2005 [RB]

Indispensable to a world of lovers and addicts of London as well as to those researching classical musical subjects of one sort or another. ... see Full Review

 

Eric Charles Blake I recommend this volume without hesitation to anyone wanting to get a wider picture of the times. There is much to interest and indeed entertainment Wars, Dictators and the Gramophone 1898-1945 pp320; illustrated; laminated cover.published by Sessions of York, Huntingdon Rd, York YO31 9HS, England Buy from MusicWeb £10 plus postage - immediate delivery

LONDON – a Musical Gazetteer By Lewis and Susan Foreman .....must find itself a place on music-lovers’ shelves beside the British Music Yearbook and is excellent value for the quite modest price. Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2005 ISBN 0-300-10402-2 (chalk.paper) 384 pp 107 b/w illus large format paperback ISBN 0 300 10402 2 £15:99.

The Singer's Ego This is a book that should sit well used on the shelves of all singers, aspiring singers and teachers. It won’t take you long to read it, and it is well worth an annual re-read. Recommended highly Finding Balance between Music and Life By: Lynn Eustis

THE MAHLER SYMPHONIES - An Owner's Manual All in all, this is the ideal book for a would-be Mahlerite, or for evangelical Mahlerites to give to others who they would like to convert by David Hurwitz

Specialist Music Books for sale

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New ARTICLES for this month

Carole Farley – singer and champion of repertoire. Interviewed by Anne Ozorio

View from the audience by Frank T. Manheim: THE RELEVANCE OF FUTURISM IN CLASSICAL MUSIC TODAY: WHY CONTEMPORARY COMPOSERS STILL HAVE TROUBLE EXCITING AUDIENCES

George ENESCU: a fiftieth anniversary commemoration through recordings
Part I: Enescu the composer - Evan Dickerson

MusicWeb Reviewer’s Log: May 2005 Reviewer: Patrick C Waller

CLASSICAL MUSIC - TOO ÉLITIST ? Arthur Butterworth
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies recently commented that there was a real danger that Classical Music might soon die out altogether. Arthur Butterworth responds

Three emigrés: Gál, Gerhard and Goldschmidt by Guy Rickards 2005 Update

Marc Bridle reports on the forthcoming Proms Festival

Vernon Handley records BAX tone poems and Sinfonietta Lewis Foreman

Elsewhere on MusicWeb
There is more to MusicWeb than just CD reviews - see site map

KENNETH V. JONES by Helen Davis

Murray McLachlan reflects on the fruits of a private pilgrimage in the life and music of JOHN WILLIAMSON

'Its trickery is to seduce the eyes rather than the ears; in that sense, 1984 fails lamentably as opera.' Marc Bridle reviews the world premiere of Lorin Maazel's new opera at Covent Garden.

MusicWeb Reviewer's Log: March 2005 Reviewer: Patrick C Waller

Cyril Scott as Composer-Pianist and Author, with some Recent Perspectives by Leslie De'Ath (Word file)

Naxos at 18!

What They Say about MusicWeb

On the Humanity of Music and Musicians: the new unacknowledged legislators by Marc Bridle

'Crisis' in Contemporary Music? What Crisis? THE HEART OF THE MATTER by David F Golightly

SACD, DSD, DTS, AC3, DVD-Audio, SuperAudio confused? Let Paul Shoemaker put you right

Books on Music for sale - a continually growing list

Have you seen?

Ballet.co

Whose music is it anyway? Norman Lebrecht
This might spell the end to cheap historical re-issues.

Kirkville Musings, Opinion and Miscellanea
by our own Kirk McElhearn

Only a Website by Peter Grahame Woolf - reflections on prejudice and discrimination against websites

Opera Glass Detailed opera information

I thought MusicWeb was a labour of love but look at this one: a listing of available web-broadcasts by Eric Nagamine

Recovering ancient recordings - BBC

Pronouncing dictionary of music and musicians

World Wide Words - did you ever wonder what Big Girl's Blouse meant?

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