Isidor
ACHRON (1891-1948) Piano Concerto No.
1 in B flat minor (1937) [16:35] Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major (1940)
[24:09] Lazar SAMINSKY (1882-1959)
The Vow: Rhapsodic Variations on a Dual Theme for
piano and orchestra (1917-43) [11:32] Ernest
BLOCH (1880-1959) Helvetia - The Land of Mountains and
its People (1900-29) [20:55] 
Barry Goldsmith (piano) Royal Scottish National Orchestra/David Amos
rec. 14-16 August 2003, Glasgow Concert Hall. DDD
KLEOS CLASSICS KL5134 [50:31][RB]
An
extremely attractive disc for the adventurous
and all the more satisfying for the contrasts
at play amongst the varied writing of Bloch,
Saminsky and Achron. ... see Full
Review
Giovanni Francesco ANERIO (c.1567–1630)
Missa
Pro Defunctis (publ. 1614) [39.32] Felice
ANERIO (c.1560–1614) Vidi Speciosam
[4.21] Ad te levavi [5.11] Christe
redemptor omnium [8.12] Salve Regina
III [4.37] Christus Factus est [2.36]
Magnificat Quinti toni [7.15]
Westminster Cathedral Choir/James O’Donnell
rec. Westminster Cathedral, 13-16 February
1990
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55213 [72.23] [RH]
A
fascinating disc of music in fine performances.
In performances as passionate as this the
works of the Anerio brothers make riveting
listening. ... see Full
Review
Samuel ARNOLD
(1740-1802) Overture in B flat major, Op.8
No.1 (1771) [8:39] Overture in D major, Op.8 No.2 (1771) [6:37] Overture
in F major, Op.8 No.3 (1771) [9:44] Overture in D major, Op.8 No.4 (1771)
[7:25] Overture in G major, Op.8 No.5 (1771) [9:46] Overture in D major,
Op.8 No.6 (1771) [10:41] Incidental Music to Macbeth (1778) [18:15]
Overture: Polly (1777) [5:20]
Toronto Camerata/Kevin Mallon rec. 5-8 January 2004, Grace Church on-the-Hill,
Toronto. DDD NAXOS 8.557484
[76:27] [GPu]
This
should be snapped up by anyone interested in the music – or larger
cultural life – of eighteenth-century London, but it will delight
non-specialists too ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Kurt ATTERBERG (1887-1974) Värmlands
Rhapsody, Op. 36 (1951-52) [9:05] Violin Concerto, Op. 7 (1913) [37:03]
Overture in a minor, Op. 4 (1910-11) [13:18] Ulf
Wallin, violin Radio Symphony Orchestra of Berlin/Roger Epple rec.
2-4 November 2004 Jesus Christus Kirche, Berlin CPO
777 106-2 [59:26] [KS]
Any
listener who would not be pleased by this superb music should take
the next available appointment for a hearing examination. Not to
be missed. ... see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Works
for Solo Keyboard Partita No. 4 in D major, BWV 828 [32:10]
Partita No. 6 in E minor, BWV 830 [33:50] Freddy
Kempf (piano)
rec. Nybrokajen 11, Stockholm, July 2002 BIS-CD-1330 [66:03]
[DS]
Kempf's
new Bach recording adds little to the discography
of the Partitas ... see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750)
Sacred Cantatas for Alto Vergnügte
Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust, BWV 170 [20:22]
Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV
54 [11:23] Gott soll allein mein Herze
haben, BWV 169 [22:23] * Bekennen will
ich seinen Namen, BWV 200 [2:33] Schlage
doch gewünschte Stunde, BWV 53 [5:49]
Marianne Beate Kielland (alto) Cologne
Bach Choir * Cologne Chamber Orchestra/ Helmut
Müller-Bruhl rec. Deutschland Radio,
Sendesaal des Funkhauses Köln, Germany,
October/November 2004
NAXOS 8.557621 [62:40] [DS]
A
wonderful recording in all respects! Crisp
attacks, minimal vibrato, buoyant rhythms,
glowing warmth and beauty of form and tone
inform these performances at every turn ...
see Full
Review
Leonardo
BALADA
(b. 1933) Symphony No.5 American (2003)
[23:39] Prague Sinfonietta (2003) [10:56] Divertimentos (1991)
[17:34] Quasi un Pasodoble (1981) [11:20]
Seville Royal Symphony Orchestra/Eduardo Alonson-Crespo Rec. Sala Apolo,
Seville, Spain, January-February 2005
NAXOS 8.557749 [63:29][HC]
Disparate
elements clash to create tension and unease. This personal and idiosyncratic
approach results from his earlier collaboration with Dalí and his liking
for surreal art. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Symphony no.5 in C minor, op.67 (1805) [31:40] Symphony no.6 in F, op.68
Pastoral (1809) [36:51]
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Charles Munch rec. 2 May 1955 (no.5), 16 August
1955 (no.6), Boston Symphony Hall
RCA RED SEAL LIVING STEREO (SACD) 8287667898 2 
[68:45] [CH]
A
grand Fifth and a warm-hearted Sixth suggest that Munch’s Beethoven
has been underestimated. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Symphony no.9 in D minor, Choral op. 125 (1825) [70:44]
Annette Dasch (soprano); Daniela Sindram (mezzo); Christian Elsner (tenor);
Georg Zeppenfeld (bass) Bavarian Radio Chorus Saarbrücken Radio Symphony
Orchestra/Stanislaw Skrowazcewski rec. 23-26 May 2006, Kongreßhalle,
Saarbrücken OEHMS CLASSICS
OC 525 [70:44] [CH]
Here
is the proof that Beethoven’s 9th
is so multi-faceted that it can assume the
sweet reasonableness of Jane Austen just as
it can rise to the grandeur of Goethe or Tolstoy
... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Triple
Concerto in C major, Op. 56 (1803-04) [34:35]*;
Septet in E flat major, Op. 20 (1799-1800)
[39:23]†
*Yefim Bronfman (piano); Gil Shaham (violin);
Truls Mørk (cello); Tonhalle Orchestra
Zurich/ David Zinman †Michael Reid (clarinet);
Florenz Jenny (bassoon); Jakob Hefti (horn);
Gil Shaham (violin); Michel Rouilly (viola);
Truls Mørk (cello); Ronald Dangel (double-bass)
rec. Zurich Tonhalle, *20-21, †30-31 October
2004. DDD
ARTE NOVA CLASSICS 82876 64015 2 [74:21]
[AOr]
Gracious
melody, gracious playing, gracious recording
... at one with the composer’s vision ...
see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano
Sonata in G major, Op. 31, No 1 (1801-2) [24:39]
Piano Sonata in d minor, Op. 31, No. 2 Tempest
(1801-2) [24:31] Piano Sonata in E-flat major,
Op. 31, No. 3 (1802) [24:24] Paul
Lewis (piano) rec. April 2005, Teldex Studio,
Berlin
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC901902 [73:55] [DD]
A
perfect record; a wonderful beginning to a
Beethoven sonata cycle ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Sonatas: No. 30 in E, Op. 109 (1820) [19:52], No. 31 in A flat,
Op. 110 (1821-2) [20:46], No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111 (1822)
[27:56] Mitsuko
Uchida (piano) rec. Snape Maltings Concert Hall, 12-20 May
2005 PHILIPS
475 6935 [66:50] [CC]
Despite
many moments of beauty, I still question Uchida's affinity with
late-Beethoven. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) McLachlan
plays the 32 Beethoven Sonatas: Vol. 2 Sonata No. 19 in
g minor Op. 49 No. 1 (1796) [7:48] Sonata No. 20 in G Op. 49
No 2 (1796) [9:03]
Sonata No. 21 in C Op. 53 Waldstein (1803) [24:57] Sonata No. 22 in F
Op. 54 (1804) [12:16]
Sonata No. 23 in f minor Op. 57 Appassionata (1806) [24:01] Murray
McClachlan (piano) rec. summer 2003, Whitely Hall, Chetham’s School of Music,
Manchester DUNELM DRD0202 [78:05]
[DB]
The
performances are solid, sensitive, and assured ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) The Piano Sonatas
Vol. 2 Piano Sonata No.5 in C minor Op.10 No.1 (1795-7) [17:56]
Piano Sonata No.6 in F major Op.10 No.2 (1796-7) [16:43] Piano Sonata
No.7 in D major Op.10 No.3 (1797-8) [21:30] Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor
Op.13 Pathétique (1797-8) [19:48]
András Schiff (piano) rec. live, Tonhalle Zürich, 28 Nov 2004
ECM NEW SERIES 1942 476 3100 [76:52][TH]
Schiff
is too good an artist to ignore, but I would strongly advise buyers
to try and sample here; there’s loads of budget and mid-price rivals.
... see Full Review
Niels Viggo BENTZON
(1919-2000) Piano Sonatas: Volume 2
Piano Sonatas: No. 2 Op. 42 (1946) [20:16]; No. 4 Op. 57 (1949) [27:35];
No. 7 Op. 121 (1959) [1959]
Christina Bjørkøe (piano) rec. Carl Nielsen Academy of Music, Odense,
5-6 July 2004, 21-22 March 2005. DDD
DACAPO 8.226030 [60:09] [RB]
From
Rachmaninovian grandeur through to increasing experimentation ...
see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Hector BERLIOZ
(1803-1869) Symphonie
fantastique, Op. 14 (1830) [46:42] Roméo et Juliette, Op. 17 (1839) – Part II: Love Scene [13:20].
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Charles Munch rec. Symphony Hall, Boston,
14-15 November 1954 (Op. 14); 23-24 April 1961 (Op. 17). ADD
RCA LIVING STEREO SACD 82876 67899 2
[60:11][CC]
A
deluxe issue. The low playing time hardly
matters – this is Berliozian gold. ... see
Full
Review
Leonard
BERNSTEIN
(1918-1990) Serenade (after Plato's
'Symposium') for violin and orchestra (1954) [29.37] Philip
GLASS (b.1937) Violin Concerto (1987) [24.54] Ned
ROREM (b.1984) Violin Concerto (1984) [23.38]
Gidon Kremer (violin) Wiener Philharmoniker/Christoph Von Dohnanyi (Glass)
New York Philharmonic Orchestra/ Leonard Bernstein, Israel Philharmonic
Orchestra/Leonard Bernstein rec. Feb 1992, Großersaal, Musikverein,
Vienna (Glass); Nov 1988, Avery Fisher Hall, New York (Rorem); Frederic
R Mann Auditorium, Tel Aviv, Oct 1979 (Bernstein). DDD apart from Bernstein
ADD DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
445 185-2 [78.30] [RB]
Nothing
here that is avant-garde, atonal or serial. All represent the melodic
stream with the Rorem being the more dissonant of the three. As
for the Glass it will naggingly enter your whistling repertoire.
... see Full Review
Franz BERWALD
(1796-1869) Disc One
Quartet in E flat major for piano and wind
(1819) [23:07] Piano Trio No 2 in F minor (1851)
[21:50] Grand Septet in B flat major (1828)
[21:38] Disc
Two Piano Quintet No 1 in C minor (1853)
[22:33] Duo in D major for pianoforte and
violin (c1858) [19:16] Piano Trio No
4 in C major (1853) [17:14] Susan Tomes
(piano)
The Gaudier Ensemble: Marieke Blankestijn
(violin); Fiona McApra (violin); Iris Juda
(viola); Christoph Marks (cello); Stephen
Williams (double bass); Richard Hosford (clarinet);
Robin O’Neill (bassoon); Jonathan Williams
(horn) rec. All Saints Church, East Finchley,
London, October, March 1995, December 1996
HYPERION DYAD CDD22053 [67:09 + 59:23]
[TH]
Delightful,
urbane music that any lover of 19th
Century chamber music will revel in. ... see
Full Review
Ernest
BLOCH
(1880-1959) Helvetia
[23.43] Suite for viola and orchestra [33.23] Suite Hébraïque
for viola and orchestra [14.47]
Gérard Caussée (viola) Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/Lior Shambadal
rec. Victoria Hall, Geneva, 1-2 Sept 2002. DDD
CASCAVELLE RSR 6170 [61.53][RB]
A
highly attractive release, well designed and documented. Enthusiasts
of Bloch, the viola and the mountain heights must not miss this. ...
see Full Review
Theodor
BLUMER (1882-1964)
Sextet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano op. 45
(1921) [17:44] Sextet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano
Kammersinfonie (1941) [37:05]
Aura Ensemble: Kathrin Troester (fl); Barbara Bode (ob); Udo Grimm (cl);
Uwe Tessmann (hn); Sergio Giordano (bn); Christof Keymer (piano) rec.
5-8 Apr 2004, Funkhaus Berlin, Studio 4. DDD
ANTES EDITION BM 31.9215 [54:49][RB]
Blumer:
a pleasing craftsman rather than anything
more. ... see Full
Review
York BOWEN (1884-1961)
Viola
Concerto in C minor Op. 25 (1907) [35.33]
Viola Sonata No. 2 in F major (1911) [26.07]
Melody for the C string op. 51 No. 2 [4.48]
Doris Lederer (viola) Czech Philharmonic
Chamber Orchestra/Paul Polivnick Bruce Murray
(piano) rec. 19-20 Nov 2004, Prague Radio
Studio 1; 7 June 2004, LSU Recital Hall,
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. DDD
CENTAUR CRC 2786 [68.22] [RB]
Gritty
immediacy - even ferocity - in the Concerto
given the performance of its life. A salon-light
sonata and a soulful Melody in C complete
the picture ... see
Full Review
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Clarinet
Quintet in B minor (1891), op. 115 [36:02]
Ernst von DOHNANYI
( 1877-1960) Sextet in C major (1934),
op. 37 for string trio, clarinet, horn and
piano [31:09]
Gary Gray (clarinet); Richard Todd (horn);
Robert Thies (piano); New Hollywood String
Quartet rec. 4-5 March 2004, House of the
Book, Brandeis-Bardin Institute, Brandeis,
California. DDD
CENTAUR CRC 2745 [67:12] [JuW]
Mainly
of interest to those with specialised interests
and collections rather than the general classical
music listener. ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Die Boten der Liebe George Frideric HANDEL
(1685-1759) arr.
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Tanti
strali al sen mi scocchi [09:13] BRAHMS Wir
Schwestern zwei, op.61/1 [02:11], Die Meere, op.20/3 [02:36], Guter
Rat [02:13], Phänomen, op.61/3 [01:53] HANDEL/BRAHMS
Langue [05:49] BRAHMS Volkslieder:
All mein Gedanken (soprano) [02:55], Da unten im Tale (contralto)
[02:01], Hüt du dich, op.66/4 [02:50], Am Strande, op.66/3 [02:22] HANDEL/BRAHMS
Se tu non lasci amore [06:19] BRAHMS
Volkslieder: Dort in den Weiden steht ein Haus (soprano)
[01:16], Soll sich der Mond nicht heller scheinen (contralto)
[02:52], Klosterfräulein, op.61/2 [01:52], Die Boten der Liebe, op.61/4
[02:45] HANDEL/BRAHMS Beato in
ver chi può [08:09] BRAHMS Volkslieder:
So will ich frisch und fröhlich sein (contralto) [01:38], In
stiller Nacht (soprano) [02:27], Jägerlied, op.66/4 [01:28], Klänge
I, op.66/1 [01:41], Klänge II, op.66/2 [02:11] HANDEL/BRAHMS
Fronda leggiera e mobile [07:03]
Doerthe Maria Sandmann (soprano), Lydia Vierlinger (contralto), Russell
Ryan (piano) Recorded February 2005
AMADEO CD 4763089 [74:46][CH]
Some
interesting material, very well performed.
... see Full
Review
Margaret
BROUWER (b.1940) Aurolucent
Circles (2002)a [27:07] Mandala (2001)
[11:55] Pulse (2003) [6:03] Remembrances (1996)
[15:00] SIZZLE (2000) [4:58] Evelyn
Glennie (percussion)a Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Orchestra/ Gerard Schwarz rec. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool,
July 2004 NAXOS
8.559250 [65:05]
[DB]
Excellently
recorded, very well performed, I side with the other reviewers
of this disc in recommending it highly. ... see Full
Review
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