Yasushi
AKUTAGAWA (1925-1989)
Rapsodia
(1971) [15'04]; Ellora Symphony (1958) [17'24]; Trinita
sinfonica (1948) [21'41]. 
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Takuo Yuasa. rec. Lower Hutt Town Hall,
Wellington, New Zealand, 29-31 January 2002. DDD
NAXOS 8.555975 [54:09] [CC]
An
interesting and sometimes arresting disc of
music. ... see Full
Review
William
ALWYN (1905-1985)
Piano Concerto No.1 (1930) [14’38] Piano
Concerto No.2 (1960) [28’40] Derby Day
Overture (1960) [6’08] Sonata alla
toccata (1947) [10’09]
Peter Donohoe (piano) Bournemouth Symphony
Orchestra/James Judd Recorded at the Lighthouse
Concert Hall, Poole, UK, 24-25 May 2004, and
at Potton Hall, Suffolk, UK, 21 May 2004 (Sonata)
NAXOS 8.557590 [59’35] [TH]
Peter
Donohoe positively laps up the considerable
challenges thrown at him ... see Full
Review
Sir
Malcolm ARNOLD
(b. 1921) A
Grand, Grand Festival Overture, Op. 57*
(1956) [7’59] Peterloo, Overture for
Orchestra, Op. 97 (1967) [10’08"] The Smoke,
Overture for Orchestra, Op. 21 (1948) [7’57"]
Tam o’Shanter, Overture after the Poem
of Robert Burns, Op. 51 (1955) [8’17"] A
Flourish for Orchestra, Op. 112 (1973)
[3’25"] The Fair Field, Op. 110 (1972)
[7’17"] A Sussex Overture, Op. 31 (1951)
[9’18"] Anniversary Overture for orchestra,
Op. 99 (1968) [4’19"] Robert Kett Overture,
Op. 141** (1990) [7’52"] Beckus the Dandipratt,
Comedy Overture for Full Orchestra, Op. 5
(1943) [7’57"]
*Kathy Jones (principal vacuum cleaner);
Helena Miles (sub principal vacuum cleaner);
Chris Hoyle (section vacuum cleaner); Fiona
Macintosh (principal floor polisher) BBC Philharmonic
Orchestra/Rumon Gamba Recorded in Studio 7,
New Broadcasting House, Manchester, 20-22
January 2004. ** First recording DDD
CHANDOS CHAN 10293 [75:43] [PSe]
Although
occasionally a bit too brisk, these are brilliantly
effective readings, with the added intrigue
of the very first recording of the Robert
Kett Overture. ... see Full
Review
Johann
Christian BACH (1735-1782)
Six
Wind Symphonies, T285/3 (publ 1782): No. 1
in E flat [11'07]; No. 2 in B flat [8'40];
No. 3 in E flat [11'52]; No. 4 in B flat [7'18];
No. 5 in E flat [11'03]; No. 6 in B flat [9'18].
Consortium Classicum (Dieter Klöcker,
Waldemar Wandel, clarinets; Karl-Otto Hartmann,
Eberhard Bischmann, bassoons; Jan Schroeder,
Rolf-Jürgen Eisermann, horns; Jürgen
Normann, double-bass). Rec. Fürstliche
Reitbahn Bad Arolsen, Germany in 1991. DDD
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM GOLD
MDG301 0434-2 [60'03] [CC]
These
are little gems. Reissuing them has the effect
of once more highlighting these marvellous
pieces in marvellous performances. ... see
Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
The Keyboard Concertos – 2 Keyboard
Concertos: No. 2 in E BWV1053 [19:15], no.
3 in D BWV1054 [16:13], no. 4 in A BWV1055
[13:41], no. 5 in F minor BWV1056 [09:47],
no. 6 in F BWV1057 [16:33]*
Angela Hewitt (piano), Alison Mitchell, Emma
Sholl (flutes)* Australian Chamber Orchestra
directed from the violin by Richard Tognetti
Recorded 4th, 7th, 8th
& 10th February 2005 in Verbrugghen
Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australia
HYPERION CDA67308 [75:29] [CH]
A
Bach record to cherish. ... see Full
Review
Bela BARTÓK (1881-1945)
Concerto for Orchestra
(1944) [37’57”] Concerto for Two Pianos, and Percussion (1942) [25’33”] Roumanian Folkdances
(1917) [6’34”]
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Sakari
Oramo rec. Kulttuuritalo Hall of Culture, Helsinki, 9-15 September 2004
DDD
WARNER CLASSICS 2564 61947-2 [70.04][JPh]
If
you want this particularly rare coupling,
you may purchase without any hesitation.
... see Full
Review
Béla
BARTÓK
(1881-1945) The
Miraculous Mandarin (Complete Ballet) Sz73 (op.19): Pantomime
in One Act (1923) [32:52] Dance Suite, Sz77 (1923) [17:33]
Hungarian Pictures, Sz97 (1931) [11:47]
Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and Orchestra/Marin Alsop Recorded
on 19-20 July 2004 at The Concert Hall, Lighthouse, Poole, England
NAXOS 8.557433 [62:12]
also available as SACD 6.110088 and DVD-Audio 5.110088 [GPJ]
A
valuable and enjoyable disc, well worth
a fiver of anyone’s money. ... see Full
Review
Bela
BARTÓK
(1881-1945) String
Quartet No.1, Op.7 (1908-9) [29’24] String Quartet No.2, Op.17 (1915-17)
[26’08] String Quartet No.3 (1927) [15’17] String Quartet No.4 (1928)
[23’08] String Quartet No.5 (1934) [31’09] String Quartet No.6 (1939)
[29’07] Vermeer Quartet
Recorded at St. John Chrysostom Church, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada,
May 2001, February 2003 and February 2004
NAXOS 8.557543-44 [75’49 + 78’23] [TH]
As
I write and the Vermeers wing their way
through the Sixth Quartet, I begin to admire
their playing more and more ... ... see
Full Review
Arnold BAX
(1883-1953)
Piano
Works, Volume 2: Piano Sonatas: No.
3 in G sharp minor (1926) [33'56]; No. 4
in G (1932) [20'57]; Water Music (1920)
[6'28]; Winter Waters (1915) [6'46];
Country-Tune (1920?) [2'19]; O
Dame Get Up and Bake Your Pies (1945)
[2'49].
Ashley Wass (piano) rec. Potton Hall,
Suffolk, 22-24 May 2004. DDD
NAXOS 8.557592 [73:16] [CC]
A
worthy successor to Volume One. ... see
Full Review
HISTORICAL
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony
no.3 in E flat major op.55 – "Eroica"
(1), Symphony no.5 in C minor op.67 (2)
NBC Symphony Orchestra/Arturo Toscanini
Recorded in the NBC Studio 8-H, New York,
October 28th 1939 (1), February
27th, March 1st and
29th 1939 (2)
LIVING ERA AJC 8551 [77:08] [CH]
Riveting,
there’s no other word for it. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Mass
in C (1807) [42'42]; Meeresstille
und Glückliche Fahrt, Op. 112 (1807)
[6'38].
Audrey Michael (soprano); Lila Bizimeche-Eisinger
(mezzo); Markus Schaeffer (tenor); Michel
Brodard (bass) Gulbenkian Choir and Orchestra/Michel
Corboz. Rec. Egreria de Jesus, Lisbon, July
1988. DDD Texts included.
WARNER APEX 2564 62081-2 [49'34] [CC]
If
you know these works, you won't need these
recordings. And if you do not know them,
there are better ways of making their acquaintance.
... see Full
Review
Lennox
BERKELEY (1903
– 1989) Ruth
Op.50 (1955-56) Jean Rigby (mezzo,
Ruth); Mark Tucker (tenor, Boaz); Yvonne
Kenny (soprano, Naomi); Claire Rutter (soprano,
Oprah); Roderick Williams (baritone, Head
Reaper)
Joyful Company of Singers City of London
Sinfonia/Richard Hickox Recorded: Blackheath
Halls, London, September 2003
CHANDOS CHAN 10301 [78:54] [HC]
An
important release, and definitely not to
be missed. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Leonard
BERNSTEIN
(1918-1990)
Wonderful
Town (1953) Excerpts from the Musical
Comedy in Two Acts Ruth Sherwood/Violet
... Kim Criswell Eileen Sherwood ... Audra
McDonald Robert Baker ... Thomas Hampson
Wreck/Guide/First Editor/Frank Lippincott
... Brent Barrett European Voices/Simon
Halsey)
Berlin Philharmoniker/Sir Simon Rattle rec.
live, Philharmonie, Berlin, 30-31 December
2002
EUROARTS DVD 2052299 [76:00] [IL]
Three
cheers for Lenny and Simon Rattle. Wonderful
light entertainment for a summer’s evening.
It really is a Wonderful Town. It goes straight
to the top of my list of favourite recordings
for 2005. ... see Full
Review
Georges
BIZET (1838-1875)
Symphony
in c [29’15"] Jeux d’enfants Op, 22
– Petite suite [10’57"] Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Symphony
No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 ‘Organ Symphony’*
[34’51"]
Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam/Bernard
Haitink *Jean Guillou (organ) San Francicso
Symphony Orchestra/Edo de Waart Recorded
in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, September
1977 ADD; *Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco,
April 1984 DDD
PHILIPS AUSTRALIAN ELOQUENCE 476 7417 [75’18"]
[JQ]
This
de Waart account of the Organ Symphony will
give much pleasure and the Bizet couplings
are a delight. ... see Full
Review
Georges
BIZET (1838-1875)
Carmen
[163:00] Grace Bumbry (Carmen – mezzo), Jon Vickers (Don José
– tenor), Mirella Freni (Micaëla – soprano), Justino Diaz (Escamillo
– baritone), Olivera Miljakovic (Frasquita – soprano), Julia Hamari
(Mercédès – mezzo), Robert Kerns (Moralès – baritone),
Anton Diakov (Zuniga – bass), Kurt Equiluz (Dancaïre – baritone),
Milen Paunov (Remendado - tenor), Mariemma and Ballet de España,
Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Herbert von
Karajan Film direction by Herbert von Karajan. Sound recording: Sofiensaal,
Vienna, 6/1967. Filmed in Munich, Bavaria Studios, 8/1967 Subtitles
in French, English, German, Spanish, Chinese UNITEL
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 00440 073 4032 [163:00] [CH]
A
great evening at the opera, crowned by Grace Bumbry’s great performance
of Carmen. ... see Full Review
Ernest
BLOCH
(1880-1959) America (An Epic Rhapsody
for Orchestra) (1926-27) [50:03] Suite hébraïque (1951/53)
[12:40] Lučnica
Chorus Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra/Dalia Atlas (Epic) Hagai
Shaham (violin) Atlas Camerata Orchestra/Dalia Atlas (Suite)
rec. Concert Hall, Slovak Radio, Bratislava, 26-31 March 2001 (Epic);
Haifa, Israel, 11 July 2001 (Suite)
NAXOS 8.557151 [62:43][JF]
America
is fantastic, gorgeous, exciting and brilliant,
fun, tuneful and moving - all rolled into
one. Buy it! ... see Full
Review
Luigi
BOCCHERINI (1745-1805)
String Quintets - Volume 1 Quintets
for two violins, viola, and two cellos Op.
10 (1771) G 265-270 CD 1: Quintet in A major;
Quintet in E flat major; Quintet in C minor
CD 2: Quintet in C major; Quintet in E flat
major; Quintet in D major
La Magnifica Comunita Recorded at the
Abbazia di Carceri d’Este Padova – Italy,
February 2004
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 92503 [65.01 + 57.25]
[GH]
Six
String Quintets from "The wife of Haydn"
... see Full
Review
William
BOLCOM (b.
1938) Songs
of Innocence and of Experience [137’11"]
Christine Brewer, Measha Brueggergosman, Ilana Davidson, Linda Hohenfeld,
Carmen Pelton (sopranos); Joan Morris (mezzo soprano); Marietta Simpson
(contralto); Thomas Young (tenor); Nmon Ford (baritone); Nathan Lee
Graham (speaker/vocals); Tommy Morgan (harmonica); Peter "Madcat"
Ruth (Harmonica and vocals); Jeremy Kittel (fiddle); Contemporary Directions
Ensemble; University of Michigan Musical Society Choral Union; University
of Michigan Chamber Choir; University of Michigan University Choir;
University of Michigan Orpheus Singers; Michigan State University Children’s
Choir; University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin Recorded
live 8 April 2004 at Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan DDD
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559216-18 [3 CDs: 51’29" + 43’00"
+ 43’42"] [JQ]
I
have reservations about this ambitious eclectic
and uneven work. It has much that is entertaining
and rewarding. However it is well served here
so admirers of Bolcom should step forward
... see Full
Review
Alexander
BORODIN (1834
– 1887) Prince Igor (1890)
Andrey Ivanov (baritone) – Igor Svyatoslavich,
Prince of Seversk Evgeniya Smolenskaya (soprano)
– Yaroslavna, his wife Sergey Lemeshev (tenor)
– Vladimir Igorevich, Igor’s son Alexander
Pirogov (bass) – Vladimir Yaroslavich, Prince
Galitsky, Yaroslavna’s brother Mark Reizen
(bass) – Konchak, Polovtsian Khan Vera Borisenko
(mezzo) – Konchakovna Alexey Serov (tenor)
– Ovlur, baptized Polovtsian Ivan Skobtsov
(tenor) – Skula, buffoon Feodor Godovkin (baritone)
– Yeroshka, buffoon Elena Korneueva (mezzo)
– Yaroslavna’s nurse Antonina Ivanova (soprano)
– Polovtsian girl
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bolshoy Theatre,
Moscow/Alexander Melik-Pashayev Recorded in
Moscow in 1951 Appendix: Selected arias
from Prince Igor Recitative and song of
Galitsky Sung by Feodor Chaliapin Rec
16 March 1927 Yaroslavna’s Arioso Sung
by Nina Koshetz Rec 12 April 1928 Konchakovna’s
Aria
Sung by Nadezhda Oboukhova Rec 1941 Vladimer’s
Cavatina Sung in French by Charles Friant
Rec 1928 Prince Igor’s Aria Sung by
George Baklanoff Rec 1929 Konchak’s Aria
Sung by Boris Christoff Rec 5 May 1950 Reissue
Producer and Restoration Engineer: Ward Marston
NAXOS 8.111071-73 [75:41 + 58:18 + 67:11]
[GF]
A
fine achievement and well worth the modest
cost. ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833
- 1897) Symphony No.
1 in C minor Op. 68 (1876) [44’55"] Variations
on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56a (1873) [18’25"]
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Kurt Masur. rec.
Leipzig, Germany, 1977, presumably at the
Gewandhaus (no details given) ADD
ELOQUENCE 476 2814 [63.07] [JPh]
I
recommend this disc unreservedly, both from
performance and recording quality points of
view. I am pleased to plug this label and
its imaginative director for making such repertoire
available ... see
Full Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833
- 1897) Symphony No.
2 in D major, Op. 73 (1877) [38’48"]
Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90 (1883)
[37’08"]
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Kurt Masur
rec. 1977 Leipzig, (presumably the Gewandhaus
– no details provided). DDD
ELOQUENCE 476 2815 [76.40] [JPh]
Constantly
frustrated by the re-appearance of the same
old recordings on the re-issue merry-go-round?
Take note of what is happening in Australia.
Well done Mr. Meher-Homji. ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833
- 1897) Symphony No.
4 in E minor Op. 98 (1884) [40’47"] Academic
Festival Overture, Op. 80 (1880) [9’26"]
Tragic Overture, Op. 81 (1881) [12’11"]
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Kurt Masur rec.
Leipzig, Germany in 1977, presumably Gewandhaus
(no details given) ADD
ELOQUENCE 476 2816 [63.07] [JPh]
The
playing of the Overtures, like that of the
symphony, is exemplary, and at Australian
Eloquence prices this makes superb value.
... see Full
Review
Havergal
Brian
(1876-1972) Comedy
Overture – The Jolly Miller (1962) [4:42] Violin Concerto in
C major (1934-35) [35:37] Symphony No. 18 (1961) [14:26]
Marat Bisengaliev, violin BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Lionel Friend
Recorded in Studio 1, BBC Broadcasting House, Glasgow, 12-15 January
1993 NAXOS 8.557775
[54:45] [JF]
The
violin concerto is a great work and deserves
the recognition that it has so long been denied.
I can only hope that this present recording
does much to remedy this oversight. ... see
Full
Review
Frank BRIDGE (1879-1941)
Blow
out; you bugles H.132 (1918) [05:38] (1);
Adoration H.57 (1905/1918) [02:58] (1); Where
she lies asleep H.114 (1914) [03:03] (1);
Love went a-riding H.115 (1914) [01:41]; Thy
hand in mine H.124 (1917/1923) [02:12] (1);
Berceuse H.9 (1901) [05:09] (2); Mantle of
Blue H.131 (1918/1934) [02:49] (2); Day after
day H.164(i) (1922) [04:55]; (2); Speak to
me; my love! H.164(ii) (1924) [06:00] (2);
Berceuse H.8 (1901/1902/1928) [03:26]; Chant
d’espérance H.18(ii) (1902) [03:45];
Serenade H.23 (1903) [02:53]; The Pageant
of London; Suite for Wind Orchestra H.98 (1911)
[15:11]; A Royal Night of Variety H.184 (1934)
[01:27]
Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano) (2), Philip
Langridge (tenor) (1) BBC National Orchestra
of Wales/Richard Hickox Recorded 23rd
and 24th October 2004, Brangwyn
Hall, Swansea, Wales
CHANDOS CHAN 10310 [61:13] [CH]
This
final issue in the Chandos cycle contains
mainly smaller pieces but the songs, in particular,
have much to offer. ... see
Full Review
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Complete Symphonies CD1:
Symphony in F minor (No. 00) (1863); Overture
in G minor (1863) [47.59] Recorded March 2001
CD2: Symphony in D minor (No. 0) (1869); Adagio
from String Quintet [60.56] Recorded March
1999 CD3: Symphony No. 1 in C minor (Linz
version 1866) [46.01] Recorded June 1995 CD4:
Symphony No. 2 in C minor (1872, revised 1877)
[59.02] Recorded October 1999 CD5: Symphony
No. 3 in D minor (1889 version) [55.20] Recorded
October 1996 CD6: Symphony No. 4 in E flat
major Romantic (1881 version) [70.32]
Recorded October 1998 CD7: Symphony No. 5
in B flat major (1876) [73.23] Recorded October
1996 CD8: Symphony No. 6 in A major (1880)
[56.53] Recorded March 1997 CD9: Symphony
No. 7 in E major (1883) [68.45] Recorded September
1991 CDs10 and 11: Symphony No. 8 in C minor
(1890 version) [60.03 + 22.19] Recorded October
1993 CD12: Symphony No. 9 in D minor (1896)
[61.21]
Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra/Stanislaw
Skrowaczewski Recorded January 2001 All recordings
made in the Kongresshalle, Saarbrücken
DDD
OEHMS CLASSICS OC 207 [12 CDs: [47.59
+ 60.56 + 46.01 + 59.02 + 55.20 + 70.32 +
73.23 + 56.53 + 68.45 + 60.03 + 22.19 + 61.21.
total time 682:34] [PCW]
My
advice to potential buyers is to wait and
see. Hopefully Oehms will see the light and
reissue the set - and perhaps even the single
discs - in a more attractive way. ... see
Full
Review
Anton
BRUCKNER
(1824-1896) Symphony
No 3 in D minor (1877 version, arr. Mahler and Krzyzanowski) ((i) Moderato,
con moto [22:45] (ii) Adagio. Bewegt quasi Andante [17:05] (iii) Scherzo.
Ziemlich schnell [5:49] (iv) Finale. Allegro (nicht schnell) [12:49])
Sontraud Speidel,
Evelinde Trenkner (piano duet) rec. Fürstliche Reitbahn Arolsen in June
1994 MDG GOLD 330
0591-2 [58:45][PCW]
A
“must hear” for any Brucknerian ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Anton BRUCKNER
(1824-1896)
Symphony No. 7 in E major, arranged (1921) for small ensemble
by Hanns Eisler,
Erwin Stein and Karl Rankl Thomas Christian Ensemble (Alois Brandhofer,
clarinet; Andrew Joy, horn; Thomas Christian and Melina Mandozzi, violins;
Ferdinand Erblich, viola; Bernard Naoki Hedenborg, cello; Hans Winking,
double bass; Richard Hyung-Ki Joo and Fujiko Oshima, piano; Roberto
Zarpellon, harmonium) recorded in the Haydn-Saal Schloß Esterhazy,
Eisenstadt, 25-27 May 2004
MDG 603 1313-2 [59:55] [PL]
It
deserves note as a thoroughly worthwhile venture
for the ever-enterprising MDG label. ... see
Full
Review
Ferruccio BUSONI
(1866-1924)
Bach/Busoni
Partita No 2 in D minor, BWV1004 – Chaconne
Turandots Frauengemach (Intermezzo), K249
No 4. Sonatina No 6, ‘Fantasia da camera sur
Carmen’, K284 Fantasia Contrappuntistica,
K255 No 6.
Murray McLachlan (piano) rec. "live",
capacity audience, Fourth Chetham’s International
Summer School and Festival for Pianists, The
Whiteley Hall, Chetham’s School of Music,
Long Millgate, Manchester, 2 August 2004,
Seiler 208 Grand Piano DDD
DUNELM RECORDS DRD0232 [58:36] [PSc]
All
told, the recital represents a valuable introduction
to Busoni’s output for his own instrument
and I am pleased to recommend it as such.
... see Full
Review
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