RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1973)
CD 1 String Quartet No. 1 in D Major,
Op. 25 (1941) [26:13] String Quartet No.
2 in C Major, Op 36 (1945) [31:47] CD 2 String
Quartet No. 3, Op. 94 (1975) [25:44] Three
Divertimenti for String Quartet (1936)
[10:31]
Belcea Quartet Recorded: String Quartet No.
3, July 2003 and remaining works 28 June to
3 July 2004 at Potton Hall, Suffolk, U.K.
EMI CLASSICS 5 57968 2 [58:10 + 36:24][MC]
I
feel truly privileged to have this spectacular
release from the Belceas in my collection.
My advice is to obtain it immediately. A stunning
set! ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Eric
COATES (1886-1957)
Concert waltz: Footlights (1939) The
Three Men Suite (1935) The Selfish
Giant (1925) London Again Suite for
Orchestra (1936) Cinderella – A
Phantasy (1929) Summer Days Suite (1919)
Television March (1946)
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/John
Wilson rec. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool,
England, 7-8 October 2003. DDD
AVIE AV2070 [79:14] [IL]
Sweet
tuneful nostalgic delight – a must for Eric
Coates admirers. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797-1848)
Zoraida
Di Granata - Melodramma eroico in
two acts. Libretto by Bartolomeo Merelli.
First performed at the Teatro Argentina, Rome,
on the 28th January 1822. Revised
edition presented at the same theatre on the
7th January 1824 Given in new performing
editions prepared by Chris Moss and Robert
Roberts Cast for the 1822 edition
(CD 1, CD 2. CD 3 trs 1-9) Almuzir, King of
Granada. Bruce Ford (ten); Zoraida, in love
with, and loved by, Abenamet, Majella Cullagh
(sop); Abenamet, General of the Moors, Paul
Austin Kelly (ten); Ali, Almuzir's confidant,
Matthew Hargreaves (bass); Almanzor, friend
of Abenamet, Dominic Natoli (bass); Ines,
a Spanish slave and friend of Zoraida, Cristina
Pastorello (sop) Changes in cast for
the 1824 revisions (CD 3 trs.10-14
and CD 4)
Abenamet, Diana Montague (mezzo) The Geoffrey
Mitchell Choir. The Academy of St Martin in
the Fields/David Parry Recorded at St. Clements
Church, London. October and December 1998
OPERA RARA ORC17 [4CDs: 74.22 + 71.40
+ 54.54 + 64.19] [RJF]
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 ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Pascal
DUSAPIN (b. 1955) Perelà,
Uomo di fumo (2003)
John Graham-Hall (tenor, Perelà); Isabelle
Philippe (soprano, the Queen); Chantal
Perraud (coloratura, Alloro’s daughter);
Martine Mahé (contralto, the Old Woman);
Nora Gubisch (mezzo-soprano, Oliva di Bellonda);
Friedemann Röhlig (bass, Master of Ceremonies,
Minister); Scott Wilde (bass, Servant,
Alloro, President of the Court of Justice);
Niels van Doesum (bass, First Guard, Pilone
the Philosopher); Nicolas Courjal (bass-baritone,
Second Guard, Rodella the Banker);
Daniel Gundlach (falsetto, Archbishop);
Gilles Yanetti (the Parrot); Chorus
of the National Opera, Montpellier Montpellier
National Orchestra/Alain Altinoglu Recorded:
(live) Opera Berlioz-Le Corum, Montpellier,
May 2003
NAIVE MO 782168 [65:45 + 55:34][HC]
A
major release of a major work of our time
... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Edward
ELGAR (1857
– 1934) Enigma
Variations, Op. 36
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Sir Andrew Davis. Recorded
live in Worcester Cathedral, 30 June 2004.
DVD. (DTS Stereo, LPCM Stereo).
BBC OPUS ARTE OA 0917 D [85’00"][JPH]
Recommended
without reservation. I am sure that this release
will be one of my DVDs of the Year. ... see
Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH In The Shade of Forests
George
ENESCU
(1881-1955) Impressions d’enfance Op.28 (1940)
[22.01] Maurice RAVEL
(1875-1937) Tzigane – Rapsodie de concert
for violin and luthéal (original version)
(1924) [10.41] Sonata Op. posthumous (1897)
[12.37] Claude DEBUSSY
(1862-1918) Violin Sonata (1916-17) [13.14]
Nocturne et Scherzo (1882) – re-adaptation
by Phillipe Graffin [4.11] Il pleure dans
mon Coeur – transcribed Arthur Hartmann in
1908 and 1943 [3.04] La fille aux cheveux
de lin - transcribed Arthur Hartmann in 1910
[2.27] Minstrels - transcribed by Claude Debussy
in 1914 [2.22] Beau Soir - transcribed Arthur
Hartmann in 1941 [2.14]
Phillipe Graffin (violin) Claire Désert
(piano and luthéal) Recorded at Doopsegezinde
Kerk, Deventer and Musical Instrument Museum
(Tzigane) September 2004
AVIE AV2059 [73.11] [JW][KS]
A
fascinating disc. Not one I shall easily forget.
Maybe the sniffing will cause problems on
repeated listening. A disc brimming with dedication
and admirable engagement. ...[JW]
Takes us to a realm
of wonder ... pure joy ... Buy it soon, and
prepare to be transported, transmuted, transfixed
and transfigured![KS] ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Leopold
GODOWSKY
(1870-1938)The
Complete Studies on Chopin’s Etudes
Joyce Hatto (piano) Rec. The Concert Artist
Studios, Cambridge, 4th September
and 10th October 2004
CONCERT ARTIST/FIDELIO RECORDINGS CACD 9147-2
[79.00] Rec. The Concert Artist Studios, Cambridge,
1st September and 10th and 11th
October 2004
CONCERT ARTIST/FIDELIO RECORDINGS CACD 9148-2
[77.58] [JW]
Formidable
and compelling, these performances by Joyce
Hatto represent a remarkable distinction.
... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Franz
LISZT (1811-1886)
Années de pèlerinage – Deuxième
année: Italie S.161 [55:30], Supplement:
Venezia e Napoli S.162 [17:33]
Joyce Hatto (piano) Recorded 11th-12th
March 1996, 1st October 1999, The
Concert Artist Studios, Cambridge
CONCERT ARTISTS/FIDELIO RECORDINGS CACD 9150-2
[71:13] [CH]
The
"Dante Sonata" is a Liszt performance
to set alongside the greatest I know – a major
addition to the Liszt discography. ... see
Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sergei
RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
The
Twenty-Four Preludes Opp. 23 and 32 (1901-1910)
Joyce Hatto (piano) rec. Concert Artist Studios,
Cambridge, UK, March 1999 and December 2001
CONCERT ARTIST CACD-9127-2 [77.12]
[WH]
Beauty
of sound, even in fortissimos, mastery of
the Rachmaninov style through playing which
seems totally at the service of the composer.
Deeply satisfying performances. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Philip
SAINTON (1891-1967)
The
Island - Symphonic Poem for Full Orchestra
[16:58] (Dedicated to my very good friend,
Ernest Hall) Patrick
HADLEY (1899-1973) The Trees
so High* - Symphonic Ballad for large
orchestra with baritone solo and chorus [34:33]
Philip SAINTON
(1891-1967) Nadir - Symphonic
Elegy for Orchestra [13:40] The Dream
of the Marionette (The Sadness of
the Marionette; The Sleep of the Marionette;
The Dream of the Marionette; March; Epilogue
Patrick HADLEY
(1899-1973) La Belle Dame sans merci†
[10:00] One Morning in Spring -
Sketch for Orchestra [4:15] Lenten Meditations‡
18:57
Leslie Pearson organ Neill Archer tenor†‡
David Wilson-Johnson baritone* Stephen Richardson
bass‡ Philharmonia Chorus *†‡ Philharmonia
Orchestra/Matthias Bamert rec. All Saints'
Church, Tooting, London; 3-4 August 1992 (The
Island, The Trees So High) and
18-19 March 1996 (Nadir, La Belle
Dame sans merci, One Morning in Spring,
Lenten editations); Blackheath Halls,
London, 20 September 1996 (The Dream of
the Marionette) DDD
CHANDOS CHAN 241-22 [51:43 + 65:49] [RB]
Do
not miss this. Recording of the Month. ...
see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Humoreske
Op. 20 (1838) [28:39] Toccata Op. 7 (1829-32)
[7:22] Gesänge der Frühe Op. 133 (1853) [11:59]
Kinderszenen Op. 15 (1838) [19:44] Album für
die Jugend Op. 68 (1848) [74:35] Kreisleriana
Op. 16 - Eight Fantasies for Pianoforte (1838)
[34:19] Theme with Variations in E flat major
WoO 24 ('Geistervariationen') (1854) [9:44]
Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op. 26 (1839-40)
[21:35]
Michael Endres (piano) Recorded Cologne, 2000/2001
OEHMS CLASSICS
OC366 [3 CDs:
68:07 + 74:35 + 65:54][JL]
This
superbly played triple disc set represents
a considerable body of Schumann’s piano composition
and is a major recording achievement. ...
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
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH 19th
Century Guitar Favourites Fernando
SOR (1778-1839) 1.
Minuet, Op.11. No.6 [2:19] Eight
Studies: 2 Op.35, No 22 in B Minor [2:52];
3 Op.31, No.19in A Major [1:36]; 4 Op.35,
No.17 in D Major 1:21]; 5 Op. 6, No.9 in D
Major [2:59]; 6 Op.6, No.6 in A Major [2:38];
7 Op. 6, No.11 in E Minor [3:24]; 8 Op.35,
No 13 in C Major [0:42; 9 Op 6, No. 12 in
A major [4:58]; 10 Minuetto, Op. 22 [3:16]
Dionisio AGUADO
(1784-1849) 11 Minuett [2:27] 12 Andante
[3:46]Six Etudes: 13 Leccion 15 [1:21];
14 Leccion 29 [1:25]; 15 Leccion 19 [0:37];
16 Leccion 26 [1:39]; 17 Estudio 17 [1:15];
18 Leccion 24 [1:07] Francisco
TÁRREGA (1852-1909) 19 Rosita-polka
[1:30]; 20 Marita- mazurka [2:18]; 21 Sueno-mazurka
[2:02]; 22 Adelita-mazurka [1:19]; 23 Mazurka
en sol [2:44]; 24 Estudio brillante [2:01];
25 Gran Vals [3:14]; 26 Endecha [1:21]; 27
Lágrima [2:03]; 28 Aborada-capriccio
[2:22]; 29 Recuerdos de la Alhambra [4:18];
30 Maria-gavota [1:34]; 31 Preludio No I [1:34];
32 Preludio No. II [1:04]
Norbert Kraft (Guitar) rec. St. John Chrysostom
Church, Newmarket, Canada, August 1993. DDD
NAXOS 8.553007 [69:06] [ZT]
In
decades to come this will remain a testament
to superb guitar playing, refined interpretations
and good taste. Definitely my desert island
"allowed one only" choice ... see
Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Franz
Joseph HAYDN (1732
– 1809) Die Schöpfung (The Creation)
Sunhae
Im (soprano) – Gabriel, Eva); Jan Kobow (tenor)
– Uriel; Hanno Müller-Brachmann (bass)
– Raphael, Adam; Christine Wehler (alto)
VokalEnsemble Köln/Max Ciolek; Capella
Augustina/Andreas Spering Recorded by Deutschlandfunk,
Sendesaal, Köln, July 2003. DDD SACD
NAXOS
6.110073-74 [55:09 + 49:13] also available
as CD 8.557380-81 [GF]
Wonderful
set: premium quality at super-budged price!
Strongly recommended. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Franz
KROMMER
(1759-1831)
Oboe Quintets and Quartets Oboe
Quintet* in C, VII:12 (i) Allegro Moderato
[8:17] Adagio [6:53] Menuetto and trio: Allegretto
[3:48] Allegro [5:26] Oboe Quartet in F, IX:22
(i) Allegro [4:49] (ii) Menuetto and trio
[3:29] (iii) Rondo [3:39] Oboe Quartet in
C, IX:21 (i) Allegro aperto [5:46] (ii) Adagio
[4:50] (iii) Rondo [3:15] Oboe Quintet* in
E flat, VII:13 (i) Allegro Moderato [8:33]
Andante moderato [5:50] Menuetto and trio:
Allegretto [4:07] Andante poco allegretto
[5:56]
Sarah Francis (oboe), Tagore String Trio
(Frances Mason, Brian Schiele, James Halsey),
with Jonathan Barritt* (viola) Rec. St. Michael’s
Church, Highgate, London in August 2004 DDD
REGIS RRC1201 [75:29] [PCW]
This
music is well worth getting to know and fine
musicianship is on offer - quite a bargain.
... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Richard
STRAUSS
(1864-1949)
Don Juan, op 20 (1888) [18’27”] Die Heiligen drei Königen,
op 56, no.6 [6’10”] Waldseligkeit, op 49, no 1 [3’06”] Wiegenlied,
op 41, no 1 [4’46”] Morgen!, op 27, no 4 [4’03”] Das Rosenband,
op 36, no 1 [3’07”] Meinem Kinde, op 37, no 3 [2’40”] Befreit,
op 39, no 4 [5’20”] Macbeth, op 23 (1887) [19’48”]
Anne Schwanewilms (soprano) (Lieder) Hallé/Mark Elder Rec. BBC Studio
7, New Broadcasting House, Manchester: 12-13 July 2004 (Macbeth), 22-23
September 2004 (Don Juan and lieder). Texts and translations included.
DDD. HALLE CD HLL
7508 [67’31”][ED]
This
issue covers all in glory and leaves the sense of discovering something
new, even in well known works. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Boris
Christoff: The Great Russian Bass Roles.
Alexander
BORODIN (1833-1887)Prince Igora
(1887, orch. Rimsky-Korsakov) – I hate
a dreary life (Galitsky’s Aria)
[3’49]; How are you Prince (Kontchak’s
Aria) [7’27]. Nikolai
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908) Sadko
(1898) – Song of the Viking Guesta
[3’42]. Peter Ilyich
TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Eugene
Onegin (1879) – Prince Gremin’s Ariab
(‘Everyone knows love on earth’) [4’54].
Modest MUSSORGSKY
(1839-1881) Boris Godunov (1874,
arr. Rimsky-Korsakov) – Varlaam’s Songc
(‘In the town of Kazan’); Boris’s
Monologuec (‘I have attained
the highest power’) [5’51]; Farewell
and Death of Borisd [11’51].
Songs and Dances of Death (1875-7)
– Field-Marshal Deathe [4’56].
Giuseppe VERDI
(1813-1901) Ernani (1844) – Che
mai veggio! … Infelice … Infin che un brando
vindicef [6’52]. Don Carlo
(1867) – Ella giammai m’amog
[10’28]. Arrigo BOITO
(1842-1918) Mefistofele (1868)
– Ave Signor!h [3’55]; Son
lo spirito che negai [3’50].
Charles GOUNOD
(1818-1893) Faust (1859) – Sérénade:
Vous qui faites l’endormiej
[2’50]. TRADITIONALSong of the Volga
Boatmena [4’20].
Boris Christoff (bass); eGerald
Moore (piano); dChorus of the Royal
Opera House, Covent Garden; abdfhiPhilharmonia
Orchestra/adhIssay Dobrowen, bWilhelm
Schüchter, fAnatole Fistoulari,
iNicolai Malko; cFrench
National Radio Orchestra/ Issay Dobrowen;
gRome Opera Orchestra/Gabriele
Santini; jChorus & Orchestra
of the Théâtre National de l’Opéra/André
Cluytens. Rec. a1950, bcdj1952,
ef1951, g1954, hi1949.
ADD
REGIS RRC1196 [78’35] [CC]
Magnificent.
If anyone needs an introduction to the great
Boris Christoff, this should be it. ... see
Full Review