The
McCormack Edition 2 John
William CHERRY Dear Little Shamrock (5) Giuseppe
VERDI (1813 - 1901) Bella figlia dell’amore from Rigoletto (1,2,3,7) Charles
GOUNOD (1818 - 1893) All’erta, All’erta from Faust
(1,3,7) George A BARKER
The Irish Emigrant (5) Frederick
Nichols CROUCH Kathleen Mavourneen (5)
Charles MARSHALL I hear you calling me (5) Traditional Believe me if all those endearing charms (5) Liza LEHMANN (1862 - 1918) Oh Moon of my delight
(5) Traditional Molly Bawn (5) Ernest
R. BALL/Chauncey OLCOTT Mother Machree (5) Victor HERBERT (1859 - 1924) I’m Falling in Love with Someone from Naughty Marietta (5) Dermot
MACMURROUGH Macushla (5) Jacob
BLUMENTHAL An Evening Song (5) Traditional
She is far from the Land (5) Attilio
PARELLI The Happy Morning Waits (L’Alba
Nascente) (5) Georges
BIZET (1838 - 1875) Del tempio al limitar (Au
fond du temple saint) from Les Pecheurs de Perles (3, 5) Gioacchino
ROSSINI (1792 - 1868) Li Marinari (No 11 from Les
Soirées Musicales); Mira la bianca luna (No 12 from Les
Soirées Musicales); O meglio mi scordavo from Il Barbiere
di Siviglia (3, 4, 5, 6) Amilcare
PONCHIELLI (1834 - 1886) Badoer questa notte from
La Gioconda (3, 6) 
John McCormack (tenor) Nellie Melba (soprano) (1) Emmy Destinn (soprano)
(4) Edna Thornton (contralto) (2) Mario Sammarco (baritone) (3) Victor
Orchestra (5) symphony orchestra/Percy Pitt (6) New Symphony Orchestra
/ Landon Ronald (7) The Acoustic Recordings: vol. 2 - recorded 1910
-1911 NAXOS
HISTORICAL 8.110329 [76:13][RH]
Well
worth acquiring as a record of one of the
loveliest tenor voices of the early 20th
century. ... see Full
Review
Mondrian
Ensemble Iannis
XENAKIS (1922-2001) Ikhoora
(1978) [9’28]. Michel
ROTH (b. 1976) Verinnerungb
(2001/2) [16’15]. Martin
JAGGI (b. 1978) Schebkac
(2001) [7’29]. Giacinto
SCELSI (1905-1988) String Triod
(1958) [13’58]. Dieter
AMMANN (b. 1962) Gehörte
Form – Hommagese (1998) [18’46].
cMondrian Ensemble (abdeDaniela
Müller, violin; adeChristian
Zgraggen, viola; abdeMartin Jaggi,
cello; bWalter Zoller, piano) with
cDaniel Sailer (double-bass). Rec.
Radio Studio, Zürich on abNovember
28th-29th, cdDecember
21st-22nd, 2002, eDecember
14th, 1999. DDD
MIGROS-GENOSSENSCHAFTS-BUND MGB CTS-M 88
[66’06] [CC]
A
most interesting disc. It is good to see the
names of Xenakis and Scelsi on newly-issued
discs ... see Full
Review
Now the Green Blade Riseth: A
new way to sing hymns and religious songs (arr.
Bengt BERG) 1. Det finns djup
i Herrens godhet (There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy) 2.
När han kommer (When He Comes) 3. Det finns en väg till himmelen (There
Is a Road to Heaven) 4. Prisad högt av herders skara (Thou Whom Shepherds
Worshipped) 5. Kornet har sin vila (Love Is
Come Again) 6. När vi delar det bröd (When we Share the Bread) 7.
Gud är en av oss vid detta bord (God and Man at Table are Sat Down)
8. Guds kärlek är som stranden och som gräset (The Love of God is Broad
Like the Beach and Meadow) 9. ”Maria”, sa Judas
(Said Judas to Mary) 10. Gud, när du andas över vår jord (God, When
You Breathe over our Earth) 11. Si, Jesus är ett tröstrikt namn (Your
Name, o, Jesus, is a Comfort) 12. Sorgen och glädjen
(Sorrow and Joy) 13. En dunkel örtagård (I
Know of a Dark and Gloomy Garden) 14. Gå varsamt,
min Kristen (Walk Carefully, o, Christian) 15. O Jesus kär, vad har
väl du förbrutit (O, Jesus Mine, whom have you wronged) 16. Blott en
dag, ett ögonblick i sänder (Just One Day, One Moment at a Time) 17.
Min själ, du måste nu glömma (My Soul, You Must Now Forget) 18.
O Kriste, du som ljuset är (O Christ, who art the Light and Day) 19.
I hoppet sig min frälsta själ förnöjer (Hope Gives rest to my Redeemed
Soul) 20. Bred dina vida vingar (Spread Your
Wings Over Me) 21. Lågorna är många (Many are the Lightbeams) 22. O
store Gud (How Great Thou Art) 23. I tro under himmelens skyar (In faith
‘neath the Sky) 24. Dina händer är fulla av blommor (Your Arms are Full
of Flowers) Sung in Swedish. Recorded 18th, 20th
& 21st March, 1981, in Österhaninge Church, Stockholm
(tr 1 – 20) and 1983 and 1987 in Johannes Church, Stockholm (tr 21 –
24) Stockholm Cathedral
Choir/Gustaf Sjökvist (tr 1 – 20); Johannes Youth Choir/Anders Eby (tr
21 – 24) both choirs with unnamed instrumentalists
PROPRIUS PRSACD 9093 
[64:51][GF]
Should
not be played straight through at one sitting.
Taken five or six at a time these always melodic
and sometimes catchy hymns are enlightening
and stimulating ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Petits
Fours:
Cello Quartets by Offenbach,
Klengel, Fitzenhagen Wilhelm
FITZENHAGEN (1848 – 1890) Konzertwaltzer,
Ave Maria Op.41; Die Spinnerin Op.59 No.2
Jacques OFFENBACH
(1819 – 1880) Adagio; Scherzo Georg
GOLTERMAN (1824 – 1898) Deux Morceaux
de Salon Op.53: No.2 Nocturne; No.1 Religioso
Julius KLENGEL
(1859 – 1933) Four Pieces Op.3: Lied Ohne
Worte; Gavotte; Wiegenlied; Marsch
Two Pieces Op.5: Serenade; Humoreske Friedrich
GRÜTZMACHER (1832 – 1903) Consecration
Hymn Op.65 Guillaume
PAQUE (1825 – 1876) Souvenir de
Curis
The Cellists of The London Mozart Players:
1 Sebastian Comberti; 2 Julia Desbruslais;
3 Ben Chappell; 4 Sarah Butcher Recorded:
23rd to 25th January
2002 at St Silas, London NW5
CELLO CLASSICS CC 1007 [66.32] [LB]
A
palpable joy - the connoisseur and music lover
have in this CD a benchmark recording of some
of the classics of the repertoire. ... see
Full Review
The Red Red
Rose:
18th Century
Scottish Music Robert
BURNS and
Stephen CLARKE
‘The Slaves lament; Ae fond kiss; Anon;
Four reels from ‘The Caledonian Muse’; Puerto
URBANI ‘Cauld Kail in Aberdeen;
The Red Red Rose; Now westling winds; Francesco
GEMINIANI; The Broom of Cowdenknows;
Bonny Christy Burk
THUMOTH ‘Chiling o guiry’; Robert
BREMNER ‘The Broom of Cowdenknows’;
‘Old Sir Symon the King’; Auld Robin Gray;
James OSWALD
‘The Mutual Kiss’; John
ABELL ‘Reading ends in melancholy;
Robert MACKINTOSH
‘Gavott’; Miss Carnegie’s Minuet; Three
Airs; Miss Burnett of Monboddo’s Reel; Mr.
Richard Walpole’s reel; Adam
CRAIG ‘John Hay’s Bonny Lassie’.
Mhairi Lawson, soprano Jamie MacDougall, tenor
Concerti Caledonia/David McGuiness rec. Crichton
Collegiate Church, Pathhead, Scotland, October
2002; January 2003
DELPHIAN DCD 34014 [70.15] [GH]
Sung
with lovely phrasing and grace. Everything
is nicely presented. I would be happy to recommend
this CD to anyone with an interest in slightly
off-beat music. ... see Full
Review
Romantic
Melody – Bolshoi Theatre Violin Ensemble
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Romance
[2.42] Christoph
Willibald von GLUCK (1714-1787) Melody
from Orfeo [4.00] Nikolai
RIMSKY KORSAKOV (1844-1908) Flight
of the Bumble Bee [1.07] Georg
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Passacaglia
from Harpsichord Suite No.7 – arranged Halvorsen
[8.24] Pyotr Ilyich
TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Valse Sentimentale
[2.33] Elegy [5.09] Manuel
PONCE (1882-1948) Estrellita [3.19]
Enrique GRANADOS
(1867-1916) Spanish Dance [4.40] Jules
MASSENET (1842-1912) Meditation
from Thais [4.27] Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Traumerei
from Kinderszenen [3.08] Anton
RUBINSTEIN (1829-1894) Melody [3.30]
Antonín DVOŘÁK
(1841-1904) Songs My Mother Taught Me
[3.44] Fritz KREISLER
(1875-1962) Tartini – Variations on a
Theme of Corelli [3.46] Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) -
Georges GOUNOD
(1818-1893) Ave Maria [6.17] Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Vocalise
[7.12] Jean SIBELIUS
(1865-1957) Valse Triste [4.43]
Bolshoi Theatre Violin Ensemble (all arrangements
by G Zaborov) Recorded 1958-66
AULOS MUSIC AMC2-044 [68.44] [JW]
A
veritable slice of nostalgia, Melodiya-style,
given the kiss of life from Aulos. ... see
Full
Review
The Salley
Gardens- A Treasury of English Song TRADITIONAL
Phyllis TATE
(1911-1985) arranged The Lark in the Clear
Air [1.40] Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) arranged The
Salley Gardens [2.11] Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) arranged How
Sweet the Answer [1.59] Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) arranged O
Waly, Waly [3.49] Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) arranged I
Will Give My Love An Apple [1.16] Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) arranged The
Ash Grove [2.19] Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) arranged The
Minstrel Boy [1.49] Roger
QUILTER (1877-1953) arranged Believe
Me if all those Endearing Young Charms [2.02]
Roger QUILTER
(1877-1953) arranged Barbara Allen [3.20]
Herbert HUGHES
(1882-1937) arranged She Moved thro’ the
Fair [3.00] Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) Linden
Lea [2.05] Silent Noon [4.10] Alicia
SPOTTISWOODE (1810-1900) I know
Where I’m Goin’ [1.57] Ivor
GURNEY (1890-1937) Sleep [2.33]
Edward ELGAR
(1857-1934) Like to the Damask Rose [3.08]
Roger QUILTER
(1877-1953) Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal
[1.54] Love’s Philosophy [1.23] Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934) Twilight Fancies
[3.24] Young Venevil [1.48] Peter
WARLOCK (1894-1930) Sleep [1.59]
Gustav HOLST
(1974-1934) The Heart Worships [3.34]
Frank BRIDGE
(1879-1941) Love went a-Riding [1.33]
Come to me in my Dreams [3.19] Arnold
BAX (1883-1953) Rann of Exile [3.09]
Yvonne Kenny (soprano) Caroline Almonte (piano)
Recorded in the Iwaki Auditorium of ABC, Melbourne,
April 2003
ABC CLASSICS 4761581 [62.19] [JW]
Given
the recording problems, and some concerns
with Yvonne Kenny’s voice in this recital,
I’m afraid my welcome is mixed. ... see Full
Review
Ernest
Tilkin Servais: Arias and Songs Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1848) La
Favorite – Leonore viens [3:31] Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792-1868) Guillaume
Tell – Reste immobile [4:29] Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Rigoletto
– Tous deux egaux [4:13]; Au temple
ou ma priere [4:23] (a); Vengeance
eclatante [2:13] (a) Le Trouvère
– Tout est desert, et l’hymne accoutumée...
Son regard, son doux sourire [4:37]; C’est
l’ordre! Que le fils soit puni [4:32]
(b); Sauvé! Sauvé! Bonheur
divin [2:41] (b) La Traviata – Lorsqu’a
des folles amours [4:19] La Bal masqué
– Et c’est toi qui déchire mo name
[3:52] Ruggero LEONCAVALLO
(1857-1919) Paillasse – Prologue: Bonjour,
c’est moi [4:31]; Prologue: Pardon,
pardon [4:14] Giuseppe
GIORDANI (1744-1798) Chère
beauté (Caro mio ben) [3:35] Edouardo
di CAPUA (1865-1917) Maria Mari
[2:24] Richard BARTHELEMY
(?-?) Chi se ne scorda [o]cchiu [2:36]
Giacomo MEYERBEER
(1791-1864) L’Africaine – Adamastor,
roi des vagues profondes [3:42]; L’avoir
tant adorée [4:02]Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869) La Damnation
de Faust – Chanson de la puce [2:55];
Esprit des flammes [2:22]; Devant
la maison [2:07] Georges
BIZET (1838-1975) Carmen – Je
suis Escamillo, torero [3:24] (c) Leo
DELIBES (1836-1891) Lakmé
– Lakmé, ton doux regard se voile [4:02]
Ambroise THOMAS
(1811-1896) Hamlet – O vin, dissipé
la tristesse [3:58] Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Dichterliebe
– J’ai pardonné (no. 7) [2:29]
Piotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
(1840-1893) Pourquoi, Six romances,
op 6, no 5 [2:37] Charles
BOHM (1844-1920) Comme la nuit
[2:20] H J WOOD
(?-?) Resignation [4:08] Gaston
KNOSP (1874-1953) La Kahena
– L’Emir d’amour [3:05] Fernand
GOEYENS (1892-1965) Maitresse
aimée [2:59]; Pecheur napolitain
[2:25] Daniel-Francois-Esprit
AUBER (1782-1871) La muette
de Portici – Amour sacré de la patrie
[3:24] (c, d) Robert
PLANQUETTE (1848-1903) La Régiment
de Sambre et Meuse [2:32] Francois-Auguste
GEVAERT (1828-1908) Vers l’Avenir
[2:40]
Ernest Tilkin Servais (baritone) with anonymous
orchestras and
Yvonne Brothier (soprano); Marguerite Roger
(soprano); Fernand Ansseau (tenor); Piero
Coppola (conductor) Original recordings made
1920-1931. DDD
MUSIQUE EN WALLONIE MEW 0419-20 [56:59
+ 56:12] [ED]
Servais
emerges the equal of Gobbi ... a seminal release
to be urgently acquired by anyone with a passion
for the best singing from any age. ... see
Full Review
The Art
of Yulian Sitkovetsky. Volume 1 Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Violin
Concerto in D minor Op.47 (1903 revised 1905)
[27.26] Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Sonata
for piano and violin No. 26 in B flat major
K378 (1779) [20.56] Pablo
de SARASATE (1844-1908) Spanish
Dances; Malagueña Op.21 No.1 (1878-82)
[4.48] Spanish Dances; Habanera Op.21 No.2
(1878-82) [4.01] Nicolò
PAGANINI (1782-1840) La Campanella
(1826) – arranged Fritz
KREISLER [5.57] La Campanella from
Violin Concerto No.2 in B minor Op.7 (1826)
[7.48]
Yulian Sitkovetsky (violin) Bella Davidovich
(piano) – Mozart, Sarasate Vladimir Yampolsky
(piano) – Paganini-Kreisler Czech Philharmonic
Orchestra/Nicolai Anasov (Sibelius) USSR State
Radio Symphony Orchestra/Mark Pavermann (Paganini)
Recorded1950 and 1953
AULOS MUSIC AMC2-054 [70.56] [JW]
A
warm, generous welcome to these well engineered
and transferred discs. More please – and soon.
... see Full
Review
Sounds
Spontaneous:
Improvisations through the Church's Year Advent
(Veni Emmanuel) [5'30] (Archer) Advent
(Creator alme siderum) [1'26] (Bednall)
Christmas (Noel Nouvelet) [4'47] (Archer)
Epiphany (O Magi venient) [3'01] (Archer)
Candlemas (Ave Maris Stella) [3'28]
(Bednall) Lent [2'50] (Bednall) Passiontide
(Pange Lingua) [1'29] (Archer) Palm
Sunday [3'12] (Archer) Maundy Thursday
(Ubi Caritas) [3'10] (Bednall) Good
Friday (Passion Chorale) [3'53] (Archer)
Easter (Victimae Paschali) [13'45]
(Bednall) Ascension (Llanfair) [8'01]
(Archer) Pentecost (Veni Creator Spiritus)
[6'11] (Archer) Trinity (O Lux Beata)
[2'17] (Archer) Corpus Christi (Vexilla
Regis) [1'56] (Archer) All Saints (Mount
Ephraim) [1'27] (Archer) All Souls
(Requiem aeternum and In paridisum) [4'51]
Christ the King (Te Deum) [5'57]
David Bednall and Malcolm Archer, organ Rec
Blackburn Cathedral, 2-3 August 2004 DDD
LAMMAS LAMM 176D [77'21] [CB]
While
I'm delighted that organists are taking improvisation
seriously, I would look elsewhere if I were
wanting to buy recordings of really first
rate improvisation ... see Full
Review
The
Spirit Of The Lord Charles
Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)
Three
Motets - 4-8vv. a capella, Op.38 (pub. 1905)
(1. Justorum animae [3"30']; 2. Coelos ascendit
hodie [2"01']; 3. Beati quorum via [3"25'])
Six Bible Songs - 1v. and Organ, Op.113 (1909):
4. A Song of Peace [4"29'] Six Hymns, Op.118
(pub.1910): 5. Pray that Jerusalem may have
peace [2"04'] Service in A, Op.12. - Chorus
and Organ (1880): 6. Magnificat [5"58']; 7.
Nunc dimittis [5"12'] Anthem - Chorus and
Organ, Op.145 (1914): 8. For lo, I raise up
[7"52'] Edward ELGAR
(1857-1934) The Light of Life - Oratorio,
Op.29 (1896) (9. Light of the World - Choir
and Organ [3"59']; 10. Seek him that maketh
the seven stars - Male voices and Organ [8"06'];
1. Doubt not thy Father's care - Trebles and
Organ [2"27'] The Apostles - Oratorio, Op.49
(1902-03): 12. The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me - Choir and Organ [6"38'] Anthem - Choir
and Organ, Op.74 (1914): 13. Give unto the
Lord [8"18']
Manchester Cathedral Choir/Christopher Stokes.
Organ: Jeffrey Makinson. Recorded in Manchester
Cathedral, 23-25 June 2003.
LAMMAS LAMM 163D [64"06'] [JPo]
Uneven,
the Stanford coming off much better than the
Elgar ... see Full
Review
Leopold
STOKOWSKI conducts scenes
from Samson and Dalila and Eugene
Onegin
Camille SAINT-SAËNS
(1835-1921) Samson
et Dalila, (Dalila, Risé Stevens,
(Mezzo); Samson, Jan Peerce, (ten); High Priest,
Robert Merrill, (bar) The Robert Shaw Chorale.
The NBC Symphony Orchestra/Leopold Stokowski
Recorded September 1954. New York Piotr
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Eugene
Onegin, Tatiana, Licia Albanese, (sop)
Act 1 scene 2. Tatiana’a Letter Scene
Leopold Stokowski Symphony Orchestra/ Leopold
Stokowski Recorded February 1951. New York
Reissued with the sponsorship of The Leopold
Stokowski Society
CALA CACD0540 [76.35] [RJF]
Stokowski
enthusiasts will welcome this perspective
and rare examples of his conducting in this
repertoire. Others more interested in the
contents should look elsewhere. ... see Full
Review
In
Sunlight - Pieces for Madeleine Mitchell
Michael
NYMAN (b.1944) On
The Fiddle (1993) [13.26] James
MacMILLAN (b.1959) Kiss
on Wood (1994) [7.31] A Different World (1995)
[7.50] Brian
ELIAS (b.1948) Fantasia
(1986) [10.57] Nigel
OSBORNE (b.1948) Taw-Raw
[7.04] Stephen
MONTAGUE (b.1943) Folk
Dances (2002) [9.34] John
WOOLRICH (b.1954) …that
is Night (1995) [5.57] Anthony
POWERS (b.1953) In
Sunlight (1993) [8.30] Stuart
JONES Kothektche
[4.07]
Madeleine Mitchell (violin) Andrew Ball (piano)
Recorded at Wathen Hall, St Pauls School,
Barnes, May 2004 except Taw-Raw and Kothektche,
recorded at the Church of St Edward the Confessor,
Mottingham, London, Decembers 2004
NMC D098 [76.15][JW]
Here
are some significant British composers in
invigorating form; excellent performances
and well recorded. ... see Full
Review
Great
Violinists: Szigeti Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685 - 1750) Concerto
for Two Violins and Orchestra, BWV 1043*
(arr. Rust from BWV 1062) (1720) [15.39] Carl
Flesch, second violin Orchestra/Walter Goehr
Recorded: Abbey Road Studios, London, England,
30 August 1937. Concerto for Violin and
Orchestra in d, BWV 1052R* (arr. Reitz)
(1721) [23.06] Friends of Music Orchestra/Fritz
Stiedry Recorded: New York City, NY, USA,
24 April 1940. "Arioso" [Concerto
in g BWV 1056R: Largo] (arr. Szigeti) (1721)
[3.41] Orchestra/Walter Goehr Recorded: EMI
Abbey Road Studios, London, England, 6 December
1937 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
in g, BWV 1056R (arr. Schrek/Szigeti)
(1721) [11.48] Cleveland Orchestra/George
Szell Recorded Severance Hall, Cleveland,
Ohio, USA, 13 January 1954 Giuseppe
TARTINI (1692 - 1770) Concerto for
Violin and Orchestra in d, D.45 (c.1735)
[13.04]
Recorded: EMI Abbey Road Studios, London,
England, 6 December 1937 ADD Joseph Szigeti,
violin Restored from first edition 12"
78 and 33 rpm American pressings my Mark Obert-Thorn.
notes in English, including detailed recording
information and track list.
NAXOS 8.110979 [67.19] [PSh]
Ranking
with the Casals Cello Suites, this is one
of the great Bach recordings of all time ...
a vital, exciting, depiction of a towering
musical force—a must-have for any serious
collection. ... see Full
Review
The
Tend’rest Breast: Settings
of women’s poetry. Roger
QUILTER (1877-1953) June; A song
at parting; Wild cherry.
Frank BRIDGE (1879-1941) Thy hand
in mine; Where she lies asleep; Love went
a-riding. Ivor GURNEY
(1890-1937) Seven Sappho songs. Lennox
BERKELEY (1903-1989) Epitaph of
Timas (Three Greek songs); John
IRELAND (1879-1962) The advent
& Hymn for a child (Two songs sacred and
profane) and Love and friendship; Alastair
KING (dates not known) Nocturne;
The moment; Spell to bring lost creatures
home. Madeleine DRING
(1923-1977) Don’t play your sonata
tonight, Mr. Humphries. Montague
PHILLIPS (1885-1969) When April
laughs; Hush’d is my lute; Sing, joyous bird.
Georgina Colwell (soprano), Nigel Foster
(piano)
DUNELM RECORDS DRD0237 [58:48] [PS]
This
attractive release is built around the theme
of English songs with lyrics by women writers
- a very pleasant release indeed. Strongly
recommended. ... see Full
Review
Ukraine Composers' series - Set One
Ilya POLSKY (b. 1924)
Overture
[11:06] Volodomir PODGORNY (b.
1928) Domra Concerto [12:00] Alexandre
MAMONTOV Concert Polonaise [4:10] Dmitro
KLEBANOV (b. 1907) Suite No. 2 for string orchestra
[12:10] Four Prelude and Fugues for orchestra [22:50] Grigory
TSITSALUK (b. 1923) Elegie for French horn and string
orchestra [4:40] Nicholai STETSUN (b.
1942) Youth Overture [3:35] Anatoly GAYDENKO
(b. 1934) Kursk Karagody [11:26] Vitaly
GUBARENKO (b. 1934) Kupalo [6:35] Chamber Symphony
No. 2 for violin and orchestra [20:40] Choreographic Scenes from
Zaporozhtsy [33:10]
Boris Michaev (domra); Mikkola Ostrovsky (horn); Bogodar Kotorovich
(violin) Kharkov PO/Vakhtang Jordania rec. no details given but presumably
2004? ANGELOK1 CD-7710-11
[71:09 + 71:26] [RB]
Music
in a traditional nationalistic vein - no major
revelations but the Gubarenko Chamber Symphony
comes darn close ... see Full
Review
Eva
Urbanova: Italian Operatic Arias Vincenzo
BELLINI (1801-1835) Norma – Casta Diva
[6:39] Francesco CILEA (1866-1950)
Adriana Lecouvreur – Ecco: respiro appena [3:41] (a); Poveri
fiori [3:00] Jules MASSENET (1842-1912)
Thais – Intermezzo [5:28]* (a) Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Edgar – Addio, addio, mio dolce amor!
[3:38] Turandot – In questa reggia [6:06] Manon Lescaut –
Intermezzo [5:13]*; Sola, perduta, abbandonata [4:59] Alfredo
CATALANI (1854-1893) La Wally – Ebben? Ne andro lontana…
[4:18] Pietro MASCAGNI (1863-1945)
Cavalleria rusticana – Intermezzo [3:33]*; Inneggiamo,
il Signor non e morto [4:15]; Voi lo sapete [4:03] Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) La forza del destino – La Vergine degli
angeli [3:15] Don Carlo – O don fatale [5:13]
Eva Urbanova (soprano) all tracks except *(a) Lucie Svehlova (violin)
Prague Philharmonic Choir and Prague National Theatre Orchestra/Ondrej
Lenard Rec. live Smetana Hall, Prague, 30 May 2003. DDD
SUPRAPHON SU 3763-2 631 [63:48][ED]
Those
after more convincing interpretations, more involved and cleanly sung,
performances should look elsewhere for a first recommendation ... see
Full Review
The
Viennese School: Teachers and Followers
- Volume 1: Anton Webern Anton WEBERN (1883-1945)
Variations, Op. 27 (1936) [7’52]. Stefan
WOLPE (1902-1972) Zemach-Suite (1939) [15’38].
Philipp HERSCOVICI (1906-1989) Frühlingsblumen
(1947) [0’50]. Drei Klavierstücke (c 1960) [4’24].
Leopold SPINNER (1903-1980) Piano
Sonata, Op. 3 (1942/5) [7’16]. Fré
FOCKE (1910-1989) Tombeau de Vincent van Gogh (1951)
[13’50]. Arnold ELSTON (1907-1971)
Rondo (1937) [4’13]. Roland LEICH
(1911-1995) Pastorale (1938) [2’21]. Humphrey
SEARLE (1915-1982) Threnos and Toccata, Op. 14 (1948)
[8’48]. Steffan Schleiermacher (piano). Rec. Fürstliche Reitbahn
Bad Arolsen on December 6th-8th, 2002. DDD MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS
UND GRIMM SCENE MDG 613 1282-2 [67’13][CC]
A
typically stimulating mix of probing intellect
and an enthusiasm that shines through his
polished playing ... a disc of great value.
... see Full
Review
Rolando Villazón:
Arias Jules MASSENET
(1842-1912) Le
Cid (1885) – Ah! tout est bien fini
… O Souverain [4’53]. Manon (1884)
– Enfin, Manon … Enfremant des yeuxa
[4’45]; Je suis seul! … Ah! fuyez, douce
image [4’45]. Werther (1892) –
Oui, ce qu’elle m’ordonne … Lorsque l’enfant
revient [4’09]; Traduire … Ah! bien
souvent mon rêve s’envole … Pourquoi
me réveiller [3’38]. Le Roi
de Lahore (1877) – Voix qui me remplissez
d’une ineffable ivresse [4’10]. Griséldis
(1901) – Je suis l’oiseau [2’51].
Roma (1912) – Je vais la voir! Tout
mon être frémitb
[4’33]. Le Mage – Ah! parais! Parais,
astre de mon cielb [3’40].
Charles GOUNOD
(1818-1893) Roméo et Juliette
(1867) - L’amour! L’amour! … Ah! lève-toi,
soleil [4’20]; C’est là … Salut,
tombeau spombre et silencieux [6’02].
Polyeucte (1878) – Source déliceuse
[4’36]. La Reine de Saba (1862)
– Faiblesse de la race humaine! … Inspirez-moi,
race divine [5’11]. Mireille (1864)
– Mon coeur est plein d’un noir souci!
… Anges du paradis [3’33]. Faust (1859)
Quel trouble inconnu me pénètre
[6’04].
Rolando Villazón (tenor); aNatalie
Dessay (soprano); bChoeur et Orchestre
Philarmonique de Radio France/Evelino Pidò.
Rec. Studio 103, Maison de Radio France, Paris,
on March 8th-15th, 2004.
DDD Notes, texts and translations included.
VIRGIN CLASSICS 5 45719 2 [67’10] [CC]
Villazón
is a real talent. To hear these snippets of
Le Mage, Roma, La Reine de Saba and Mireille
makes one itch to hear the operas complete,
recorded to this standard. Well, I can dream,
can’t I? ... see Full
Review
Violin
Magic Zdeněk FIBICH
(1850-1900) Poem
from Idyll At Twilight, Op. 39 (1893) [02:36] Václav
VAČKÁŘ (1881-1954) Vzpomínka na Zbiroh.
Serenade [3.27] Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Pavane pour une infante défunte (1899) [5.56] Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Beau soir (c.1880) [5.04] Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Air from Orchestral Suite No.
3 in D major (Ouvertüre III.), BWV 1068 [5.24] Georg
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Rinaldo - Lascia ch’io pianga
[3.02] Siegfried OCHS (1858-1929) Dank
sei dir, Herr from the Cantata con Stromenti Gabriel
FAURÉ (1845-1924) Pavane Op.50 (1887) [5.42] Apres
un rêve Op.7 (1878) [2.50] Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)Když mne stará matka – Songs My Mother
Taught Me (Gypsy songs. On text by Adolf Heyduk, Op. 55) (1880) [2.24]
Rudolf FRIML (1879-1972) Indian
Love Call (from Rose Marie. Operetta in 3 Acts) (1924) [2.44] Ó
Rose Marie, ó báje - Act 1: Indian Love Song (from Rose
Marie. Operetta in 3 Acts) (1924) [1.54] Johann
STRAUSS Jr (1825-1899) Geschichten vom Weiner Wald - Tales
from the Vienna Woods Op. 325 (1868) [5.14] Josef
SUK (1874-1935)
Pisen Lasky - Love Song, Op. 7, No. 1 (1891-93) [5.08] All arrangements
by Otmar Mácha
Gabriela Demeterová
(violin) Jana Boušková (harp) Tereza Mátlová (soprano
– Debussy, Fauré) Czech Philharmonic Collegium/Jan Chalupecký
Recorded at the Domovina Studio, Prague, April 1999
SUPRAPHON SU 3792-2 [54.39] [JW]
The
main audience here will be for the charismatic
violinist – albeit in rather so-so arrangements.
... see Full
Review
Alexia Voulgaridou: A
Portrait Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797-1848)
Don Pasquale – Quel guardo… So anch’io [5:48] Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) La Boheme – Donde lieta usci… [3:04];
Si, mi chiamano Mimi…[5:04] La Rondine – Chi il bel sogno
di Doretta [3:11] Turandot – Signore ascolta…[2:23]; Tu
che di gel sei cinta…[2:22] Gianni Schicchi – O mio babbino caro…[2:21]
Vincenzo BELLINI (1801-1835) I
Capuleti e i Montecchi - Eccomi in lieta vesta…Oh quante volte
[9:11] Jules MASSENET (1842-1912)
Manon – Adieu notre petite table… [3:48] Charles
GOUNOD (1818-1893) Romeo et Juliette – Je veux vivre…
[3:38] Faust – Je voudrais bien savoir…Il etait un roi…Ah, je
ris…[11:40] Alexia
Voulgaridou (soprano) Munchner Rundfunkorchester/Nicola Luisotti Rec.
24-29 May 2004, Munich. DDD.
ARTE NOVA VOICES 82876 57832 2 [60:15][ED]
A
voice on the light side but it has conviction
and is used tellingly to capture emotion ...
Voulgaridou is unafraid to go to her limits:
pushing the tone almost to the edge of a note
or employ the merest thread of voice ... see
Full
Review
Water
Colours -
A Swedish Song Recital by Anne Sofie Von Otter
Anne Sofie Von Otter (mezzo) Bengt Forsberg
(piano) Stockholm, Sveriges Radio Berwaldhallen,
May 2002. DDD
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 474 700 2 [72'56]
[RB]
These
are magical songs magically communicated by
both artists. It is a privilege to have access
to such a well chosen and artfully yet naturally
interpreted anthology ... see Full
Review
Winter’s
Tale Richard Rodney BENNETT
Concerto
for Trumpet and Wind Orchestra (1993) [19:50] RCNM Wind Orchestra/Timothy
Reynish Nigel CLARKE Premonitions
(1990) [5:29] Ernest TOMLINSON Concerto
for Cornet and Brass Band (1974) [16:42] Fairey Band/Allan Withington
Gary PETERSON March for Solo Trumpet
(1988) [1:15] WOLF and LANDESMAN arr.
Winter Spring can really hang you up most † [7:30] With Craig
Farr (vibraphone) Dizzy GILLESPIE arr.
Reid Gilje Tanga* (1943) [3:43] Thad
JONES arr. C. Booker A child is born* [5:00]
Martin Winter (trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn†) *Eikanger-Bjørsvik
Musikklag/Reid Gilje Rec. Manchester September 2002 (Bennett, Clarke
& Tomlinson), Bergen March 2003 DDD
DOYEN DOY CD 154 [60:04] [PCW]
A
worthwhile disc, one to put on at that time
in the evening when you have a little mental
energy left … see Full
Review
Book
Reviews
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
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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