John
ADAMS (b. 1947) Phrygian Gates (1977-78)
[24:38]; American Berserk (2001) [6:04]; China Gates (1977);
Hallelujah Junction (1996) [16:05] 
Ralph van Raat (piano); Maarten van Veen (piano) rec. 7-8 January 2006,
Potton Hall, Suffolk. DDD
NAXOS 8.559285 [51:01][JWi]
It
is unusual for Adams' music to seem difficult, but this is one of those
rare occasions ... see Full Review
John
ADDISON (1920-1998)
The Film Music I was Monty's Double - March (1958) [2:58]
* Centennial Main Theme, (arr. Patrick Russ) (1979) [4:09]
* Swashbuckler Suite (1976) [5:46] A Bridge Too Far (1977)
[10:24] The Maggie - Song of the Maggie, (arr. Shaples) (1953)
[2:31] Reach for the Sky (1956) [4:07] Strange Invaders
(1983) [9:28] The Man Between 'Berlin Story' (1953) [2:10] Tom
Jones Overture (1963) [4:45] The Charge of the Light Brigade
Suite (1968) [7:19] Brandy for the Parson Opening Titles; End
Titles (1951) [3:03] * Torn Curtain Main Titles, (orch. Edward
B. Powell) [2:22] Touch and Go Mirror Waltz (1955) [2:41] * Sleuth
(1972) [3:08] Carlton-Browne of the F.O. March, (arr. Ronald
Hanmer) (1958) [1:49] * Murder, She Wrote Main Theme (1984)
[2:10] BBC Concert Orchestra/Rumon
Gamba rec. Watford Colosseum, 4-5 October 2006. DDD
CHANDOS CHAN10418 [70:50] [IL]
One
of the very best of Chandos’s British film music series with Gamba
and the BBC Concert Orchestra on top form ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Isaac
Manuel Francesco ALBENIZ (1860-1909) Iberia (Evocacion;
El corpus en Sevilla; Triana; El Puerto; El Albaicin) (orch.
Enrique Fernandez Arbos) (1907) see RAVEL
William
ALWYN (1905-1985)
Chamber Music and Songs Rhapsody for Piano Quartet
(1938) [9:20] Sonata impromptu for violin and viola (1939) [16:44] Ballade
for viola and piano (1939) [10:01] Two Songs for voice, violin and piano
(1931) [4:37] Three Songs to words by Trevor Blakemore (1940) [6:40]
Violin Sonatina (1933) [10:30] Three Winter Poems for string quartet
(1948) [9:00] Chaconne for Tom (1982) [3:24]
Andrew Ball (piano); Roger Chase (viola); Madeleine Mitchell (violin);
Lucy Wilding (cello); Iain Burnside (piano); Madeleine Mitchell (violin);
Jeremy Huw Williams (baritone); John Turner (recorder); Bridge String
Quartet rec. Potton Hall, Suffolk, March, August and October 2006
NAXOS 8.570340 [70:15] [EMc]
The
performances on this CD are - as usual from
Naxos - of a very high standard and the various
performers sound as if they have been playing
this music all of their lives ... see Full
Review
Richard
ARNELL
(b. 1917) Piano
Concerto op. 44 (1946) [32:31] Symphony No.
2 Rufus op. 33 (1955-57) [33:28] David
Owen Norris (piano) Royal Scottish 
National
Orchestra/Martin Yates rec. Henry Wood Hall,
Glasgow, 19-20 September 2006. DDD DUTTON EPOCH CDLX
7184 [66:29] RECORDING OF MONTH
Richard
ARNELL (b. 1917) Symphony No.
4 op. 52 (1948) [26:36] Symphony No. 5 op.
77 (1955-57) [36:48] Royal Scottish National
Orchestra/Martin Yates rec. Henry Wood Hall,
Glasgow, 19-20 May 2007. DDD DUTTON EPOCH CDLX
7194 [63:49] [RB]
Two
eloquent and exciting major works with tragic
grandeur in their sights. Finely documented,
full-throatedly performed and recorded ...
[CDLX7184] Two fine symphonies embracing the
extremes of emotion; one devastatingly likeable
and radiantly strong. ... [CDLX7194]... see
Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Malcolm
ARNOLD (1921-2006)
String
Quartet No. 1, Op. 23 (1949) [18:37] String
Quartet No. 2, Op. 118 (1975) [27:32] Phantasy
for String Quartet, Vita Abundans (1941)
[10:50]
Maggini Quartet rec. 14-16 December 2006,
Potton Hall, Westleton, Suffolk, England.
DDD
NAXOS 8.557762 [56:59] [MC]
Excellently
performed with the benefit of first class
recorded sound. Arnold a popular and lightweight
composer? Certainly not with these scores!
... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685–1739) Concerto
in F minor for Oboe and Strings, after BWV 169/49 [18.15] Double
Concerto in C major for Oboe and Violin and Strings, after
BWV 1055 [13.32] Concerto in A minor for Oboe and Strings,
after BWV 1055 [14.23] Concerto for G major Oboe and Strings,
after BWV 1041 (BWV 1058) [13.29] Concerto movement in D major
for Oboe and Strings, after BWV 35 [5.53] Concerto in G major
for Oboe and Strings, after BWV 1065 [9.42] Burkhard
Glaetzner (oboe and direction) Andreas Hartmann (violin) Mitteldeutscher
Bach Konvent rec. 10-13 April, 19-21 June 2006, Orchestersaal
Augustusplatz Leipzig BERLIN
CLASSICS 0016092BC [75.19] [RH]
This
is probably not a library choice, but certainly should be a disc
that anyone with an interest in Bach’s concertos should explore
... see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 903 (c. 1720) [11:08] Aria
variata in A Minor, BWV 989 (c. 1714) [15:42] Fantasia and Fugue in
A Minor, BWV 904 [6:50] Prelude and Fugue in A Minor, BWV 894 [10:08]
Overture in French Style, BWV 831 [25:49]
Jenő Jandó (piano) rec. Phoenix Studio, Diósd, Hungary, 6-9 April
2004. DDD NAXOS 8.570291
[69:38] [TP]
Jandó's
firm fingers and clear voice-leading lay the music open for comprehension.
All up, this is an attractive proposition ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
Das wohltemperirte Clavier (The Well-tempered Clavier),
Book II, BWV870-893 (1739 or earlier – 1744) CD1 No.1
in C major [2:16+1:44] No.2 in c minor [2:47+2:36] No.3 in C# major
[1:36+1:33] No.4 in c# minor [3:47+2:18] No.5 in D major [5:13+3:00]
No.6 in d minor [1:37+1:47] No.7 in E flat major [2:44+1:38] No.8 in
d# minor [4:35+4:20] No.9 in E major [4:44+3:35] No.10 in e minor [3:26+2:42]
No.11 in F major [3:25+1:33] No.12 in f minor [2:47+1:56]CD2
No.13 in F# major [3:47+2:20] No.14 in f# minor [2:52+4:59] No.15 in
G major [2:47+1:12] No.16 in g minor [2:06+2:53] No.17 in A flat major
[4:10+2:19] No.18 in g# minor [5:03+4:27] No.19 in A major [1:48+1:39]
No.20 in a minor [3:43+1:49] No.21 in B flat major [4:47+1:59] No.22
in b flat minor [2:58+5:36] No.23 in B major [2:10+4:10] No.24 in b
minor [1:54+2:05] Bob van
Asperen (Christian Zell harpsichord, 1728) rec. September 1988 and March
1989, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg. DDD.
VIRGIN VERITAS 3 85795 2 [68:16 + 73:44] [BW]
At
their new super-bargain price van Asperen’s two 2-CD sets of the ‘48’ deserve
the strongest recommendation except for those preferring the piano,
who should go for the impending reissue of the Hewitt CDs … see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Das
Wohltemperirte Clavier (The Well-tempered Clavier), Book
1 24 Preludes and Fugues BWV 846-869 (collected 1722, some
pieces earlier) CD 1 No.1 in C major BWV 846 [2:49+2:21] No.2 in C minor
BWV 847 [1:27+1:30] No.3 in C# major BWV 848 [1:14+2:13] No.4 in C#
minor BWV 849 [2:43+5:18] No.5 in D major BWV 850 [1:18+1:48] No.6 in
D minor BWV 851 [1:32+1:38] No.7 in E flat major BWV 852 [5:46+1:41]
No. 8 in E flat minor BWV 853 [3:27+7:20] No.9 in E major BWV 854 [1:34
+1:20] No.10 in E minor BWV 855 [2:35+1:17] No.11 in F major BWV 856
[1:16+1:24] No.12 in F minor BWV 857 [2:11+5:25] CD 2
No.13 in F# major BWV 858 [1:31+2:06] No.14 in F# minor BWV
859 [1:15+4:02] No.15 in G major BWV 860 [0:54+2:38] No.16 in G minor
BWV 861 [2:59+2:23] No.17 in A flat major BWV 862 [1:17+3:25] No.18
in G# minor BWV 863 [1:21+2:26] No.19 in A major BWV 864 [1:20+2:14] No.20
in A minor BWV 865 [1:09+5:06] No.21 in B flat major BWV 866 [1:18+1:44]
No.22 in B flat minor BWV 867 [2:53+3:27] No.23 in B major BWV 868 [0:59+2:55]
No.24 in B minor BWV 869 [3:03+7:13]
Bob van Asperen (harpsichord, Christian Zell, Hamburg, 1728) rec. Museum
für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, February, April 1987. DDD.
VIRGIN VERITAS 3 49963 2 [61:22 + 59:51][BW]
At
their new super-bargain price van Asperen’s two 2-CD sets of the ‘48’
deserve the strongest recommendation except for those preferring the
piano, who should go for the reissue of the Hewitt CDs … see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Cantata
movements for organ four hands Concerto super: Was mein Gott will,das
g’scheh allzeit (BWV 111/1) [5:25] Suite: ( adagio - ouverture - (BWV
196/1) [1:55]; allegro (BWV 34/5) [2:23]; adagio assai BWV 12/1 [2:50];
allegro assai - gigue - (BWV 191/1) [2:01]) Aria 'Ich habe genug' (BWV
82/1) [11:03] Concerto Grosso (BWV 187/1) [5:49] Three Chorale trios:
(Trio super: Zudem ist Weisheit und Verstand (BWV 92/4) [3:24]; Gefigureerd
koraal super: Der leib zwar in der Erden (BWV 161/6) [1:35]; Trio
super: Ertöt uns durch dein Güte (BWV 22/5) [2:07]) Concerto
Grosso super: Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig (BWV 26/1) [2:54]
Aria 'Die Seele Ruht in Jesu Händen' (BWV 127/3) [8:08]
Prelude super: Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein (BWV 2/1) [6:49]
Euwe and Sybolt de Jong (organ duet) rec: Grote
of Jacobijnerkerk, Leeuwaarden, 2007
WESTRAMEDIA WM150707 [56:59][CB]
This
is different, very well done, and performed on a really first-rate instrument
... see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685–1739)
Singet dem Herrn BWV225 (1727) [14.41] (1) Der geist Hilft
BWV226 (1729) [8.01] (2) Jesu, meine Freude BWV227 (1723) [23.24]
(3) Fürchte dich nicht BWV228 (1726) [8.09] (4) Komm, Jesu,
Komm BWV229 [9.35] (5) Lobet den Herrn BWV230 (1723)
[6.41] (6) University of
Wisconsin-Madison Concert Choir/Robert Fountain rec. 30 March 1984 (1);
31 March 1990 (2); 22 March 1980 (3); 1 April 1989 (4); 15 March 1988
(5); 22 April 1979 (6), Mills Hall (1-4, 6); Central College, Pella,
Iowa (5) UNIVERSITY
OF WISCONSIN-MADISON, SCHOOL OF MUSIC (no CD number) [70.55] [RH]
If
you are looking for a good all-round disc
of the Bach motets, look elsewhere ... see
Full
Review
Sir
Edward BAIRSTOW (1874-1946) Jesu,
the very thought of thee (1925) [2:37] Blessed city, heavenly
Salem* [8:11] Evening Service in D (1906)* [8:20]: Magnificat
[4:53] Nunc dimittis [3:22] Lord, thou hast been our refuge
(1916)* [7:59] If the Lord had not helped me (1910?)* [6:20]
Let all mortal flesh keep silence (1906) [3:15] Evening Service
in G (1940)* [5:54]: Magnificat [3:38] Nunc dimittis [2:11]
Five Poems of the Spirit (1944)** [14:02] Save us, O Lord (1900)*
[5:12] Paul
Provost (organ)*, Roderick Williams (baritone)** Britten Sinfonia**
Choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge/David Hill rec. 13-14
January 2007, St. John’s College Chapel, Cambridge. DDD English
texts included HYPERION
CDA67497 [62:47]
[JQ]
If
this is to be the last disc by David Hill and the St. John’s choir
then the partnership has ended on a high note and Bairstow has
been well served ... see Full
Review
RECORDIONG
OF THE MONTH Sir
Granville BANTOCK
(1868–1946) Omar
Khayyám - The Ruba’iyat according
to Edward Fitzgerald set to Music for Three
Solo Voices, Chorus, and Orchestra in Three
Parts (1906-1909) Catherine Wyn-Rogers (mezzo)
(The Beloved) Toby Spence (tenor) (The Poet)
Roderick Williams (baritone) (The Philosopher)
Olivia Robinson (soprano) (First Pot) Siân
Menna (mezzo) (Second Pot) Edward Price (bass)
(Sixth Pot)
BBC Symphony Chorus/Stephen Jackson BBC Symphony
Orchestra/Vernon Handley rec. Watford Colosseum
(Town Hall), 1-2 October 2005, 17-18 February
2007 Three CDs for the price of two This is
a hybrid SACD and was played and reviewed
in standard CD format.
Full notes in English, German and French.
Sung words in English only.
CHANDOS CHSA 5051(3) [3 CDs: 58:14 + 73:08
+ 40:09] [RB]
A magnificent
project ... one of the living musical treasures
of the early twentieth century. ... see Full
Review
Samuel
BARBER (1910-1981) Concerto
for violin and orchestra, Op.14 (1939-41): Allegro [10:12];
Andante [8:27]; Presto in modo perpetuo [3:55] Concerto for
piano and orchestra, Op.38 (1962): Allegro appassionato [12:47];
Canzone: Moderato [7:03]; Allegro molto [5:46]) Adagio for
Strings, Op.11 (1936)[7:43] Second Essay for Orchestra, Op.17
(1942) [10:43]
Overture to The School for Scandal, Op.5 (1933) [7:33] Isaac
Stern (violin)/New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Leonard Bernstein (op. 14); John
Browning (piano)/Cleveland Orchestra/George Szell (38) ; Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene
Ormandy (11); New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomas Schippers (5, 17) rec. 27
April 1964, Manhattan Center, New York (14); January 1964, Severance Hall, Cleveland,
Ohio (38); 14 April 1957, Broadwood Hotel, Philadelphia (11); 26 January 1965,
Manhattan Center, New York (5, 17). ADD SONY
ESSENTIAL CLASSICS SBK87948 [74:09] [BW]
Classic
performances, still highly recommendable,
but the over-close recording never allows
the lyricism of the Violin Concerto fully
to shine through … see Full
Review
Agustin
BARRIOS (1885-1944) Guitar Music – vol. 3 Caazapá-Aire
Popolar Paraguayo (arr. McFadden) [3:15]; Don Perez Freire [3:13]; Medallon
Antiguo [2:59]; Vals Tropical; [2:46]; Arabescos (Estudio No 4) [1:25];
Escala y Preludio [1:43]; Estudio Vals [1:34]; Estudio in A [2:00];
Estudio inconcluso [0:57]; Pais de Abanico [4:26]; Fabiniana [2:27];
Tango No 2 [3:21]; Tua imagem-Vals [3:35]; Leyenda de Espana [4:09];
Capricho Espanol [2:54]; Alegro Sinfonico {2:37]; Luz Mala [1:34];
Minuet en la [2:50]; Estilo Uruguayo [2:57]; Danza Guarani [1:34]; Tarantella
(arr. McFadden) [3:35].
Jeffrey McFadden (guitar) rec. 2-5 February 2006, St John Chrysostom
Church, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. DDD
NAXOS 8.557807
[55:54][ZT]
This
volume 3 is strong motivation to seek out Jeffrey McFadden’s earlier
two volumes of music by Barrios. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony
No.4 in B flat major, Op.60 [31:33] Symphony No.7 in A major, Op.92
[33:47] Overture to King Stephen,
Op.117 [7:31] Cleveland Orchestra/George
Szell rec. 1960, 1963, 1967. ADD SONY CLASSICAL SBK 48158
[73:32][TP]
As
a coupling of Beethoven 4 and 7, this disc is unbeatable. ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Concerto No.5 in E flat major Op. 73 Emperor (1810)
[36:14] Artur Schnabel
(piano) London Symphony Orchestra/Malcolm Sargent rec. 24 March 1932,
Abbey Road Studio No. 1
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC001 [36:14] [JW]
A
war with the original recording, putting things to rights, changing
perspectives, adjusting balances, and so on. If you can accommodate
such an approach this transfer offers a quite radical solution
... see Full Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 (1806) [45:31] Sonata for Piano
and Violin in A major, Op. 47 ('Kreutzer')*
Vadim Repin (violin) Wiener Philharmoniker/Riccardo Muti rec. Musikverein,
Grosser Saal, Vienna, February 2007. DDD
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 6596 [45:31] * sonata not included on this
promotional disc [LW]
If
the coupling is as good, this account of the Beethoven Violin Concerto
would be hard to beat ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano
Trio in B flat Archduke Op.97 (1811) [39:59] Lasse
THORESEN (b.
1949) The Descent of Luminous Waters (2002) [26:00]
Grieg Trio rec. May 2006, Ostsiden kirke, Fredrikstad. DDD
SIMAX CLASSICS PSC 1167 [65:59] [TP]
This
is the third volume in an enterprising cycle of Beethoven's piano trios
… quite an attractive disc ... see Full
Review
Herman BERLINSKI
(1910-2001) From the World of My Father
(1941, rev.1995) (I. Haztot - Prayer at Midnight [4:38]; II. Nocturnal
Procession [1:58]; III. Legend [5:08]; IV. Dance [7:43]) Shofar Service
(1964) (I. Malkhuyyot [2:33]; II. Zikhronot [2:10]; III. Shofarot
[3:39) The Burning Bush (1956) [9:36] Symphonic Visions for Orchestra
(1949) (Andante Molto Pesante [1:46]; Adagio Molto Espressivo [4:42];
Adagio Molto Sostenuto [11:18])
Seattle Symphony Orchestra/Gerard Schwarz (Father) Ted Christopher (baritone);
James Ghigi (trumpet); Stephen Keavy (trumpet); Tim Roseman (shofar);
Christopher Bowers-Broadbent (organ) BBC Singers/Avner Itai (Shofar)
Barbara Harbach (organ) (Bush) Barcelona Symphony/ National Orchestra
of Catalonia/Gerard Schwarz (Visions) rec. Benaroya Hall, Seattle, USA,
May 1999 (Father); St. Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge, London, UK, November
1999 (Shofar); Calvary Church, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, February
1993 (Bush); Centre Cultural de Sant Cugat, Barcelona, January 2000
(Visions) NAXOS 8.559446
[55:32] [SA]
The
recordings are bright, clear and well played by clearly committed
musicians who have taken to this wonderfully harmonious and melodic
music. ... see Full Review
Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Grande Messe
des Morts, Op. 5 (1837)
Keith Ikaia-Purdy (tenor) Chor der Sächsischen Staatsoper Dresden Sinfoniechor
Dresden/Hans-Dieter Pflüger Singakademie Dresden/Hans-Christoph Rademann
Staatskapelle Dresden/Sir Colin Davis rec. 14 February 1994, Kreuzkirche,
Dresden, Germany. DDD
PROFIL PH07014 [88:38] [39:12 + 49:26][DM]
While
this may not offer any new insights it is still a uniquely moving experience;
that alone makes it deserving of a place on your shelves. ... see Full
Review
Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Te
Deum Op. 22 (1847-49) [51:30] Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Kyrie in D minor K341
(?1780/81) [8:10] Neill
Stuart (tenor), Hans-Dieter
Schöne (organ) Dresden State Opera Chorus, Dresden Symphony Chorus, Dresden Singakademie/Dresden
Philharmonic Children’s Chorus, Dresden State Opera Children’s Chorus Staatskapelle
Dresden/Sir Colin Davis
rec. 3-4 October 1998, Kreuzkirche, Dresden DDD HÄNNSLER
PROFIL PH06039 [59:40]
[JQ]
Sir
Colin’s performance of the Te Deum is a hugely impressive account
of a great pièce d’occasion ... see Full
Review
Heinrich
Ignaz Franz BIBER
(1644-1704) Die Rosenkranz-sonaten –
The Mystery Sonatas (1670-75?) CD1 The Annunciation
[6:03] The Visitation [4:55] The Nativity [6:49] The Presentation in
the Temple [7:47] The Finding in the Temple [7:40] The Agony in the
Garden [7:47] The Scourging of Jesus [9:30] The Crowning with Thorns
[6:24] CD2 The Carrying of the Cross [7:40] The Crucifixion
[10:00] The Resurrection [7:40] The Ascension [7:13] The Descent of
the Holy Spirit [7:30] The Assumption of the Virgin [8:51] The Coronation
of the Virgin [11:49] The Guardian Angel : Passacaglia [9:20]
Camerata Kilkenny/Maya Homburger (baroque violin) rec. Propstei St Gerold,
Austria, 16-23 July 2006. DDD
MAYA RECORDINGS MCD0603 [57:07 + 70:23] [BW]
Good
performances, well recorded but the competition at all price levels
is simply too strong for a whole-hearted recommendation … see Full
Review
Judith
BINGHAM (b.
1952) Salt in the Blood (1995)
[20:40]The Darkness Is No Darkness-Segue-S.S. Wesley
(1810-76) Thou Wilt Keep
Him (1993) [8:05] First Light (2001) [10:22] The Snows Descend (1997)
[6:45] The Secret Garden (2004) [21:58] Fine
Arts Brass
BBC Symphony Chorus/Stephen Jackson, Thomas Trotter (organ) rec.
BBC Maida Vale Studios, London, 7-8 May 2005 (Salt in the Blood; The Darkness
Is No Darkness; First Light; The Snows Descend); live, BBC Proms, 21 August 2004
(The Secret Garden). DDD
English texts included NAXOS
8.570346 [67:50]
[JQ]
This
is a real ear-opener of a disc, featuring some tremendously inventive
and imaginative music ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano Concerto
No.2 in B flat Major, Op.83 (1881) [51:01]
Stephen Hough (piano) BBC Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Davis rec. no information
given. 1990. DDD VIRGIN
CLASSICS 00946 391366 2 9 [51:01][TP]
Admirers
of Stephen Hough may want this disc for its incidental pleasures, but
the performance as a whole does not match the great ones in the catalogue
... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Ein
deutsches Requiem, Op. 45 (1868)
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano) Hans Hotter (baritone) Singverein des
Gesellschaft des Musikfreundes, Wien Wiener Philharmoniker/Herbert von
Karajan. rec. Musikvereinsaal, Vienna, Austria,
20-22, 27-29 October 1947. ADD from Columbia
LX 105/1064. NAXOS 8.111038
[76:13][CC]
This
performance is forever recommended. That Naxos
has provided a transfer at such price and
quality zooms the
recommendation in on this issue. ... see
Full Review
Nikolaus BRASS
(b.1949)
erinnern
und vergessen – String Quartet No.3 (2004)
[28:07] String Quartet No.2 (1999-2000/2002)
[35:33] ohne titel – Music for String Quartet
(1996) [6:45]
Auritus Quartet rec. 8-9 June 2005, 27-28
May 2006, Bavaria Music Studios, Munich
COL LEGNO WWE 20238 [70:46] [DC]
Rare
music which occupies your subconscious ...
see Full Review
Frank
BRIDGE
(1879-1941) Oration
- Concerto elegiaco for cello and orchestra (1930) [31:07]
Phantasm - Rhapsody for piano and orchestra (1931) [27:19]
Julian Lloyd Webber (cello)
Peter Wallfisch (piano) London Philharmonic Orchestra/Nicholas Braithwaite
rec. October 1976, Southwark (Oration); November 1975, Kingsway
Hall (Phantasm). ADD
LYRITA SRCD.244 [58:32] [IL]
Lloyd
Webber and Braithwaite powerfully express
Oration’s anti-war sentiments and the haunted
pages of Phantasm. Rewarding for the adventurous
music-lover. ... see Full
Review
Brenton
BROADSTOCK (b.
1952) Good Angel's Tears
- Journeys through light and dark CD
1 Symphony No. 1 Toward the Shining Light
(1988) [23:03] Symphony No. 2 Stars
in a Dark Night (1989) [23:50] Symphony
No. 3 Voices from the Fire (1992) [26:19]
CD 2 Symphony No. 4 Born from the Good
Angel's Tears (1995) [20:18] Symphony
No. 5 Dark Side (1999) [38:37]
Krasnoyarsk Academic SO/Andrew Wheeler rec.
Krasnoyarsk Philharmonic Hall, 2-11 June 1999.
DDD world premiere recordings
ETCETERA KTC 2026 [73:28 + 59:02]
[RB]
This
set represents a magnificent vividly living
and very emotional achievement which I urge
you to hear ... see Full
Review
Anton BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major (1875-7) [75:41]
Munich Philharmonic Orchestra/Günter Wand rec. 29 November-1 December
1995, Munich PROFIL
HÄNSSLER PH06012 [75:41] [TB]
At
the conclusion the orchestra blazes forth with the chorale, above
the rhythmic background of the motto, and the principal theme of
the first movement returns to bring the symphony to its conclusion.
In Wand’s performance the effect is simply galvanising ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Martin BUTLER (b.
1960) American Rounds (1998) [13:20]
Siward’s River Song (2001)a [5:43]
Suzanne’s River Song (1999)b [4:46]
Nathaniel’s Mobile [9:07]c Funérailles (2005)c [16:03]
Two Scarlatti Sonatas (arr. Butler, 2005) Sequenza Notturna (2003) [11:37] Walden
Snow (2004)d [3:17] The
Schubert Ensemble (William
Howard (piano)bcd; Simon Blendis (violin)b; Douglas Paterson
(viola)d; Jane Salmon (cello)a; Peter Buckoke (double-bass))
rec. Champs Hill, Pulborough, West Sussex, June 2006. DDD NMC
D120 [72:03] [HC]
The
Schubert Ensemble obviously relish every moment of the music and
play with much commitment throughout. One of the loveliest discs
I have heard recently ... see Full
Review
Diet(e)rich
BUXTEHUDE (c.1637-1707)
Befiehl
dem Engel, dass er komm BuxWV 10 [4:41]
Dein edles Herz, der Liebe Thron BuxWV
14 [9:42] Eins bitte ich vom Herrn
BuxWV 24 [17:45] Erhalt uns, Herr, bei
deinem Wort BuxWV 27 [4:52] Jesu, Meine
Freude BuxWV 60 [9:48] Nun danket alle
Gott BuxWV 79 [10:14] Wo soll ich fliehen
hin? BuxWV 112 [17:05]
Capella Angelica Lautten Compagney/ Wolfgang
Katschner rec. Franckesche Stiftungen, Freylinghausensaal,
Halle/Saale, 15-18 January 2007 Booklet with
German texts and English translations; notes
in German with abridged English and French
translations
CARUS 83.193 [75:01] [BW]
Excellent
performances and recording of mostly little-known but very attractive
music … see Full Review
Dietrich
BUXTEHUDE (1637–1707) Das
jüngste Gericht - oratorio in three acts (excerpts) Ulrike
Hofbauer, Monika Mauch, Margret Hunter (soprano), Henning Voss
(alto), Hans Jörg Mammel (tenor), Jörg Jacobi, Harry van der
Kamp, Olaf Tetampel (bass) Weser-Renaissance Bremen/Manfred
Cordes rec. November 2005, the Stiftskirche of Bassum, Germany.
DDD CPO 777
197-2 [78:09] [JV]
Excerpts
from the only extant oratorio by Buxtehude - well performed, but
difficult to recommend because of the cuts and the reasoning behind
those cuts ... see Full Review
William
BYRD (c. 1540-1623) My Lady Nevells
Booke (1591) CD 1 My Ladye Nevels Grownde [6.40] Qui
Passe, "For My Ladye Nevell" [4.27] The Marche Before The
Battell [4.36] I. The Souldiers Sommons [1.25] II. The Marche Of Footemen
[12.56] III. The Marche Of Horsemen [1.17] IV. The Trumpetts [1.10]
V. The Irishe Marche [1.31] VI. The Bagpipe And The Drone [1.14] VII.
The Flute And The Droome [2.03] VIII. The Marche To The Fighte [2.28]
IX. The Retreat [12.56] The Galliarde For The Victorie [2.14] The Barelye
Breake [9.34] A Galliards Gygge [2.19] The Huntes Upp [7.57] Ut, Re,
Mi, Fa, Sol, La [8.39] The Firste Pavian [4.40] The Galliarde To The
Firste Pavian [1.59] The Seconde Pavian [2.46] The Galliarde To The
Seconde Pavian [2.09] The Third Pavian [4.51] The Galliarde To The Third
Pavian [1.54] CD 2 The Fourth Pavian [2.37] The Galliarde To
The Fourth Pavian [1.59] The Fifte Pavian [4.42] The Galliarde To The
Fifte Pavian [1.59] Pavana The Sixte, "Kinbrugh Goodd" [5.01]
The Galliarde To The Sixte Pavian [2.01] The Seventh Pavian [4.39] The
Eighte Pavian [4.50] The Passinge Mesures, "The Nynthe Pavian"
[7.19] The Galliarde To The Nynthe Pavian [5.34] A Voluntarie, "For
My Ladye Nevell" [5.39] Will Yow Walke The Woods Soe Wylde [4.37]
The Maydens Song [5.49] A Lesson Of Voluntarie [9.20] The Second Grownde
[9.49] CD 3 Have With Yow To Walsingame [9.23] All In A Garden Grine
[4.50] Lord Willobies Welcome Home [3.02] The Carmans Whistle [5.09]
Hughe Ashtons Grownde [8.39] A Fancie [6.24] Sellingers Rownde [7.35]
Munsers Alman [8.31] The Tennthe Pavian, "Mr. W. Peter" [5.06]
The Galliarde To The Tennthe Pavian [2.21] A Fancie [6.08] A Voluntarie
[3.31 Elizabeth Farr
(harpsichord) rec. August
2006, Ploger Hall, Manchester, Michigan. DDD
NAXOS 8.570139-41 [3 CDs: 78.01 + 76.04 + 70.46][KM]
A
beautiful set of the great William Byrd’s harpsichord music, well-played
on four excellent instruments … 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]
