RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sir Malcolm ARNOLD (1921-2006) Wind
Chamber Music Wind Quintet, Op.2 (1943) [12:01]
Duo for 2 clarinets, Op. 135, Divertimento (1988) : (I. Allegro
energico [1:40] II. Allegretto [0:48] III. Vivace [0:53] IV.
Lento [1:51] V. Vivace [1:19] VI. Adagio [1:33])* Dream City
(1938) (arr. Paul Harris for wind quintet) [2:58] Hobson's Choice:
Overture (1953) (arr. Uwe Radok for wind octet) [3:30] Grand
Fantasia for flute, clarinet and piano (1940) [10:03] Overture
(1940) (arr. Uwe Radok for wind octet) [3:22] Suite Bourgeoise
for flute, clarinet and piano (c. 1939) [12:05] Scherzetto (arr.
for clarinet and piano from film score You Know What Sailors
Are) (1953) [2:44] Fantasy for solo clarinet,
Op. 87 (1966) [4:05] Fantasy for flute and clarinet (c.
1960s) [1:30] Divertimento for flute, oboe and clarinet, Op.
37 (c. 1952) [9:05] 3 Shanties for wind quintet, Op. 4 (1943)
[6:57] 
East Winds:
(Judith Treggor (flute); Joseph Sanders (oboe); Victoria Soames
Samek (clarinet); Jonathan Hassan (French horn); Lizbeth Elliott
(bassoon)) Paul Chilvers (piano); Veda Lin (second oboe); Allison
Rosser (second clarinet); Duncan Fuller (second French horn);
Lauren Barr (second bassoon) rec. 22-23 June 2006, Potton Hall,
Suffolk, England. DDD *op. 135 movements are separated and alternate
with successive works NAXOS
8.570294 [76:24] [MC]
On
this Naxos release Sir Malcolm is in his element with these excellently
performed wind chamber scores and I was with him all the way. ...
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Cello
Suites CD 1 No. 1 in G major
BWV 1007 [16:11] No. 2 in D minor BWV 1008 [17:27] No. 3 in C
major BWV 1009 [19:46] No. 4 in E flat major BWV 1010 [21:35] CD
2 No. 5 in C minor BWV 1011 [24:06] No. 6 in D major
BWV 1012 [27:26] The Song of the Birds (arr. Sally Beamish)
[2:44] Prelude from Cello Suite No.1 (Anna Magdalena manuscript)
[2:24] Prelude from Cello Suite No.1 (Johann Peter Kellner manuscript)
[2:21] Prelude from Cello Suite No.1 (Johann Christoph Westphal
collection) [2:29] Steven
Isserlis (cello) rec. Henry Wood Hall, London 4-8 December 2005
(CD1, CD2 Song, Preludes), and 17-19 July 2006 (CD2 Suites 5,
6) HYPERION
CDA67541/2 [75.10 + 61:58] [DC]
Something
like being presented with the St. Matthew Passion on a single instrument … the
best of the best in this most personal of all possible worlds ...
see Full Review
HISTORICAL
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Symphony
No.3 in E flat major Op.55 Eroica (1804)
[52:05] Alexander
GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) Stenka
Razin – symphonic poem in B minor Op.13
(1886) [18:52] Vienna
Philharmonic Orchestra/Wilhelm Furtwängler
– Beethoven [Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Leo
Borchard] – Glazunov; claimed to be Vienna
Philharmonic Orchestra/Wilhelm Furtwängler
rec.16 December 1944 (Beethoven) and (2 February
1945 - Glazunov)
MELODIYA MEL CD 10 01106 [70:57] [JW]
Furtwängler’s
Eroica - the most dramatic and the most intense.
... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony No. 8 in F major,
Op. 93 (1812) [23:13] König Stephan,
Op.117 (1811): Overture [6:24], Siegesmarch
[3:01], Geistlicher marsch [1:21]
Ruins of Athens, Op. 113 (1811): Overture
[4:17], Turkish March [1:52] Fidelio
Overture, Op. 72b (1814) [5:58] Tarpeja,
WoO2 (1813): Introduction to Act 2 [1:56],
Triumphal March [2:20] Namensfeier
Overture, Op. 115 (1814-15) [6:27] Wellington’s
Victory, Op. 91 (1813) [14:55]
Swedish Chamber Orchestra Örebro/Thomas Dausgaard
rec. Örebro Concert Hall, October 2002, September
2003, September 2004, September 2005. DDD
SIMAX PSC 1282 [71:44][MG]
An
enlightening CD of fresh performances and stimulating contrasts, through
which you discover an unexpected masterpiece. … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Claude DEBUSSY
(1862-1918) La Mer: trois esquisses symphoniques
(1903-05) [24:51] Claude DEBUSSY arranged
for orchestra by Colin MATTHEWS (b. 1946)
Préludes (1910-1912, arrs, 2001-06):- Brouillards (Book II No. 1)
[4:03] Ce qu’a vu le vent d’Ouest (Book I, No. 7) [3:10] Minstrels (Book
I No 12) [2:39] Canope (Book II No 10) [2:57] Les sons et les parfums
tournent dans l’air du soir (Book I No 4) [3:53] La Puerta del Vino
(Book II No 3) [3:38] Général Lavine – eccentric (Book II No. 6) [3:15]
Feuilles mortes (Book II No 2) [3:36] Les tierces alternées (Book II
No. 11) [3:12] La danse de Puck (Book I No 11) [3:03] Le vent dans
la
plaine (Book I No 3) [2:55] La fille aux cheveux de lin (Book I No
8)*[5:00] Hallé Orchestra/Mark
Elder rec. 14–16 July 2006; *2 August 2006, BBC Studio 7, New Broadcasting
House, Manchester. DDD HALLÉ CD
HLL 7513 [67:24][JQ]
This
release is an out-and-out winner. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Claudio
MONTEVERDI (1567-1643) Madrigali
guerrieri et amorosi: libro ottavo (1638) 1. Combattimento
di Tancredi e Clorinda [22:03] 2. Il Ballo delle ingrate [36:10]
3. Sinfonia a doi violini e una viola di brazzo [0:45] 4. Altri
canti d’amor, tenero arciero, a sei voci con quattro viole e
doi violini [9:52] 5. Lamento de la Ninfa [4:43] 6. Vago augelletto,
che cantando vai, a sei e sette voci con doi violini e un contrabasso
[5:42] 7. Perchč t’ en fuggi, o fillide? A
tre (alto, tenore e basso) [5:59] 8. Altri canti
di marte, a sei voci et doi violini [8:59] 9. Ogni amante č guerrier
[14:18] 10. Hor che ’l ciel e la terra e ’l vento tace, a sei
voci con doi violini [10:46] 11. Gira il nemico, insidioso amore
[5:43] 12. Dolcissimo uscignolo, a cinque voci, cantato a voce
piena, alla francese [3:42] 13. Ardo, ardo, avvampo, mi struggo,
a otto voci con doi violini [4:16] 14. Introduzione e ballo [9:40]
15. Se vittoria sě belle, a doi tenori [2:39] 16. Su, su, su,
pastorelli vezzosi, a tre, doi canti e alto [2:33] 17. Ardo e
scoprir, ahi lasso, io non ardisco, a doi tenori [3:30] 18. Chi
vol aver felice e lieto il core, a cinque voci, cantato a voce
piena, alla francese [2:06] 19. Armato il cor d’adamantina fede,
a doi tenore [2:20] 20. Non partir ritrosetta, a tre, doi alti
e basso [4:17] 21. O sia tranquillo il mare, a doi tenori [4:20]
22. Mentre vaga angiolwtta, a doi tenori [9:31] 23. Ninfa che,
scalza il piede [5:19] Concerto
Italiano/Rinasso Alessandrini rec. (1-3) January 1998, Centro
Giovanni XXIII, Frascati, Italy; (4-13) February 1997, Salone
della Musica, Villa Medici, Ora Giulini, Briosco, Italy; (14-23)
December 2005, Palazzo Farnese, Rome, Italy. OPUS
111 OP30435 [3 CDs: 58:24 + 75:11 +
46:22] [GPu]
A
glorious, theatrical recording of Monteverdi’s final collection
of madrigals, vivid, energetic, full of contrast and power, subtlety
and rhythmic vitality … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Francis George
SCOTT (1880-1958) Moonstruck
– The Songs of F G Scott 1. Milkwort and Bog-cotton [2.32]; 2.
Crowdiknowe [1.36]; 3. Moonstruck [2.37]; 4. The Eemis Stane [2.03];
5.
The Sauchs in the Reuch Heuch Hauch [1.12]; 6.
Ay Waukin, O [3.52]; 7. Amang
the Trees [1.26]; 8. The Discreet Hint
[1.36]; 9. Je descendis dans mon jardin
[2.22]; 10. Florine [1.46]; 11. Lourd
on my hert [1.22]; 12. The Watergaw [2.26]; 13. Country
Life [1.14]; 14. Wheesht, Wheest [1.31]; 15. O, wha
my babie-clouts will buy? [2.04]; 16. My wife's a wanton we thing
[1.33]; 17. The Inumerable Christ [3.06]; 18. I wha
aince in Heavens' Heicht [1.24]; 19. An Apprentice Angel [2.08];
20. Hungry Waters
[1.49]; 21. Te Deil o'Bogie
[2.48]; 22. To a Lady
[2.32]; 23. Cupid and Venus
[2.33]; 24. The Old Fisherman [2.24];
25. Im Tiroler Wirsthaus [1.02]; 26. In Time
of Tumult [2.05]; 27. The Man in the Moon [2.07];
28. First Love
[1.46]; 29. Empty Vessel [1.13];
30. The Wren's Nest [1.09];
31. Love of Alba
[1.53]; 32. The Wee Man [1.10];
Total running time: [62.26]
Lisa Milne (soprano) Roderick Williams (baritone) Iain Burnside
(piano) rec. The Warehouse, London 13-14 March, 15-16 July 2006. DDD
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD
096 [62:26][CSS]
This
is a Must! ... see Full Review
HISTORICAL
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Jean
SIBELIUS
(1865-1957) Violin
Concerto Op. 47 (1903 rev. 1905) [30:37] En
Saga, Op.9 (1892/1902) [20:08] Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Coriolan
Overture Op.62 (1807) [9:00]
Georg Kulenkampff (violin) Berlin Philharmonic
Orchestra/Wilhelm Furtwängler rec. Berlin
7 February 1942; 27 June 1943 (Coriolan)
MELODIYA MEL CD 10 01109 [59:49] [JW]
Adherents
of the concerto should have this Kulenkampff,
along with the Ignatius, Wicks, Neveu and
Heifetz. Others should get it anyway in whichever
incarnation they may find it. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard STRAUSS (1864–1949) Salome,
Op. 54 (1905) Final Scene 1. Ah! Du wolltest mich nicht
deinen Mund küssen lassen, Jochanaan! [15:56] Capriccio,
Op. 85 (1942) Final Scene 2. Interlude: Mondscheinmusik [3:14]
3. Morgen mittag um elf! [15:51]Vier letzte Lieder Op.
posth. (1948) 4. Frühling [3:10] 5. September [4:42]
6. Beim Schlafengehen [5:11] 7. Im Abendrot [7:35] Nina
Stemme (soprano) Gerhard Siegel (tenor) (1), Liora Grodnikaite
(mezzo) (1), Jeremy White (bass) (2), Richard Clews (horn solo)
(5), Peter Manning (violin solo) (6) Orchestra of the Royal Opera
House, Covent Garden/Antonio Pappano rec. Studio No. 1, Abbey
Road, London, on 1-2, 4-5, 11 September 2006 EMI
CLASSICS 3787972 [56:22] [GF]
This
is a disc that should find a place in every Strauss lover’s collection
... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH British
Horn Concertos Gordon
JACOB (1895-1984)
Concerto
for Horn and Strings (1950s) [20:35]
Malcolm ARNOLD
(1921-2006) Concerto
No. 2 for Horn and Strings, Op. 58 (1956)
[14:03] York
BOWEN (1884-1961)
Concerto for Horn, string orchestra and
timpani (1956) [16:27]
Ruth GIPPS
(1921-1999) Horn
Concerto, Op. 58 (1968) [17:11] Gilbert
VINTER (1909-1969)
Hunter’s Moon (1943) [6:22]
David Pyatt (horn) London Philharmonic Orchestra/Nicholas
Braithwaite rec. Watford Town Hall, 10-21
Jan 1994 (Jacob, Bowen, Arnold); Henry Wood
Hall, London, 8-9 Feb 1994 (Gipps, Vinter).
DDD
LYRITA SRCD.316 [74:42] [JQ]
For
sheer listening pleasure this is one of the best discs to have come
my way for a long time. ... see Full
Review
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) The Complete Purcell Realizations
CD 1: Songs from Orpheus Britannicus
The knotting song (1939, publ. 1994) [2:04] JB Seven
songs (1947): Fairest Isle [2:20] FL; If music be the food of love
[4:10] JMA; Turn then thine eyes [1:34] JMA; Music for a while [3:14]
SW; Pious Celinda [1:25] IB; I:ll sail upon the Dog-star [1:23] RJ;
On the brow of Richmond Hill [1:50] ARJ Six songs (1948): Mad
Bess [5:23] SW; If music be the food of love [2:08] FL; There:s not
a swain of the plain [0:52] IB; Not all my torments [2:41] JB; Man is
for the Woman made [1:07] ARJ; Sweeter than roses [3:42] FL O Solitude
(1955) [6:28] JMA Five songs (1960): I attempt from Love:s sickness
to fly [2:12] SG; I take no pleasure [1:44] IB; Hark the ech:ing air!
[2:28] FL; Take not a woman:s anger ill [1:28] JMA; How blest are Shepherds
[3:29] JMA Celemene (1946, publ. 1994) [3:52] SG, IB Six duets
(1961): Sound the Trumpet [2:24] ARJ, JMA; I spy Celia [4:05] IB, RJ;
Lost is my quiet [3:18] SG, SW; What can we poor females do? [1:12]
SG, SW; No, Resistance is but vain [5:35] SW, RJ; Shepherd, leave decoying
[1:17] SG, SW CD 2: Songs from Harmonia
Sacra The Queen's Epicedium (1946) [7:24] IB The Blessed
Virgin:s Expostulation (1947) [7:25] FL Saul and the witch at
Endor (1947) [11:46] SW, JMA, SK Three divine hymns (1947):
Lord, what is man? [6:09] FL; We sing to him [1:54] JB; Evening hymn
[4:35] FL Job's Curse (1950) [5:08] SK Two divine hymns and
Alleluia (1960) [9:41] ARJ Dulcibella
(1971, publ. 1994) [2:09] IB, RJ When Myra sings (1971,
publ. 1994) [2:45] IB, RJ Let the dreadful engines of eternal will
(1971) [7:57] SK
Felicity Lott, Susan Gritton (sopranos); Sarah Walker (mezzo); James
Bowman (counter-tenor); John Mark Ainsley, Ian Bostridge, Anthony Rolfe
Johnson (tenors); Richard Jackson, Simon Keenlyside (baritone); Graham
Johnson (piano) rec. Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, London, 5–10 January
1995. DDD.
HYPERION DYAD CDD22058 [70:17 + 73:20][ED]
I
have been listening to these two generously filled discs, searching
for reasons not to buy them. I have not thought of a single one. ...
see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART (1756-1791)
Concertos
for Horn and Orchestraa – No. 1 in D, K386b (1791?) [8:16];
No. 2 in E flat, K417 (1783) [13:44]; No. 3 in E flat, K447 (1784-87)
[15:53]; No. 4 in E flat, K495 (1786) [16:05]. Quintet for Piano and
wind Instruments, K452b (1784) [21:30].
aDennis Brain (horn); bWalter Gieseking (piano); aPhilharmonia
Orchestra/Herbert von Karajan; bPhilharmonia Wind Ensemble
(Sidney Sutcliffe (oboe); Bernard Walton (clarinet); Dennis Brain (horn);
Cecil James, (bassoon)) rec. aKingsway Hall, London, 12-13,
23 November 1953; bEMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London, 15
April 1955. ADD NAXOS
HISTORICAL 8.111070 [75:16][CC]
This
disc is pure joy. At the price, it is almost a crime not to snap it
up. This is as near to flawless horn playing as we can expect this side
of the veil. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Complete
Songs Joan
Rodgers (soprano), Maria Popescu (mezzo-soprano), Alexandre
Naoumenko (tenor), Sergei Leiferkus (bass) Howard Shelley
(piano) rec. St. Michael’s Church, Highgate, London 1994-95 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 8531 [3 CDs: 76:01 + 71:54 + 68:00] [JW]
These
decade-old recordings have stood the test of time. The set is something
of a steal. ... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Karol SZYMANOWSKI
(1882-1937) Violin Concerto No.1 Op.35 (1916) [26:09] Violin Concerto
No.2 Op.61 (1932-33) [22:13] Nocturne and Tarantella Op.28 (1915)
orch. Grzegorz Fitelberg [11:51]
Ilya Kaler (violin) Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra/Antoni Wit rec. Philharmonic
Hall, Warsaw, September 2006
NAXOS 8.557981 [60:12][JW]
Excellent
sound, intelligently argued performances and instrumental finesse -
a handsome bargain at whatever price bracket. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH American Choral
Music Vincent PERSICHETTI
(1915-1987) Flower Songs, Op. 157 (1983) [19:25] Charles
IVES (1874-1954) Psalm 90 (1923-24) [11:06] John
CORIGLIANO (b. 1938) Fern Hill* (1960) [15:33] Lukas
FOSS (b. 1922) Behold, I build an House (1950) [10:05] Aaron
COPLAND (1900-1990) In the Beginning* (1947) [16:02]
Suzanne Mentzer (mezzo)* The University of Texas
Chamber Singers and Chamber Orchestra/James Morrow rec. 21-22 January
2006, Bates Recital Hall, School of Music, University of Texas, Austin.
DDD NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS
8.559299 [72:11][JQ]
A
very stimulating collection of fine performances of mainly unfamiliar
repertoire ... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH The
British Light Music Collection 1 CD1 Sir
Malcolm ARNOLD (1921-2006) The Roots Of Heaven – Overture
(1958) [5:03] William ALWYN (1905-1985) Suite
of Scottish Dances (The Indian Queen; A Trip to Italy;
Colonel Thornton's Strathspey; The Perthshire Hunt – Reel;
Loch Earn – Reel; Carleton House; Miss Ann Carnegie's Hornpipe)
(1946) [6:37] Sir Malcolm SARGENT (1895-1967) An
Impression on a Windy Day (1927) [7:14] Clifton
PARKER (1905-1989) The Glass Slipper – Overture
[3:37] James LANGLEY (1927-1994) The
Coloured Counties [5:52] Gordon
JACOB (1895-1984) The Barber of Seville Goes
to the Devil Overture [4:29] Maurice
JOHNSTONE (1900-1976) Tarn Hows - A Cumbrian
Rhapsody (1949) [13:56] Alan
LANGFORD (b.1928) Two Worlds - Overture
[5:11] Sir Richard Rodney BENNETT (b.1936) Little
Suite (The Bird's Lament; The Widow Bird; The Ladybird;
Glow-worms; The Lark) (1965) [9:49] David
LYON (b.1938) Joie De Vivre - Overture (1972)
[6:50] CD2 Malcolm ARNOLD (1921-2006) Little
Suite No.4, Op.80a (orch. Lane) (Prelude; Siciliano; Rondo)
(1963) [7:30] William BLEZARD (b.
1921) The River (1969) [6:11]Adrian
CRUFT (1921-1987) Traditional Hornpipe Suite (Newcastle
and Navvie; Irish; Del Caro's; Oak Hill; Fisher's; Billy Bones)
[7:04] Eric FENBY (1906-1997) Rossini
On Ilkla Moor - Overture (1938) [6:35] Raymond
WARREN (b.1928) Wexford Bells - Suite on Old
Irish Tunes (1970) (Shepherds' Dance'; Lute Book Lullaby;
Christmas Jig; Wexford Bells) [10:30] Arthur
BUTTERWORTH (b.1923) The Path Across The Moors (1958)
[6:39] Anthony HEDGES (b.
1931) An Ayrshire Serenade, Op.42 (1971) (Allegro
moderato; Andantino; Molto vivace) [10:08] Paul
LEWIS (b.1943) An English Overture (1971)
[5:25] Philip LANE (b.1950) Suite
of Cotswold Folk Dances (1978) (Wheatly Processional; Constant
Billy; Brighton Camp; Jockie to the Fair; Ladies of Pleasure;
Princess Royal) [11:40] Royal
Ballet Sinfonia/Kenneth Alwyn; Gavin Sutherland rec. Whitfield
Street Studios, London, 1-2 April 1998; 24 June, 15 September
1999. DDD RESONANCE
CDRSB205 [70:11 + 74:08] [RB]
Light
music of euphoria and contentment ... see Full
Review
Detailed
listing (last
five 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]
[Recommended
recordings]
