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Robert
SAVAGE (1951–1993) Cowboy Nocturne;
Sudden Sunsets Florida Poems; An Eye-Sky Symphony; Aids Ward Scherzo;
Frost Tree 
Polish National Symphony Orchestra/Joel Eric Suben rec. 1986-96
CRI CD790 [61:22][BBr] 
This
music is very good. Very good indeed ... see Full
Review
Arnold
SCHOENBERG (1874-1951) Early
and Unknown String Works
Rangzen Quartet & Strings; Christina Fong rec. 2006
OGREOGRESS 634479454004 
[69:29][DC]
A
must for serious Schoenberg students ... see Full
Review
Phillip
SCHROEDER (b. 1960?) Move
in the Changing Light etc.
Phillip Schroeder (piano, synthesizer, electric bass, percussion, digital
delays); Amy McGinty (soprano); Robert Best (baritone); Daniel Cline
(cello) rec. 2005
INNOVA 655 [62:07][MSJ]
Tepid
broth ... see Full Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797–1827) Symphony
No.9 Maurice RAVEL (1875–1937) Piano Concerto
Boston Symphony Orchestra & Philharmonia Orchestra/Leonard Bernstein
(piano; conductor) rec. 1957 & 1946
INSTITUTO
DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS6538 [68:04][BBr]
Two
very special performances. Bernstein firing on all cylinders ... see
Full Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Piano Sonata
D960 Muzio CLEMENTI (1752-1832)
Sonata Op.40, no.2
Lazar Berman (piano) rec. 1972
INSTITUTO DISCOGRAFICO ITALIANO IDIS6539
[55:41][DC] 
Expressive
rather than excessive – recommendable at almost every level ... see
Full Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) String
Quartet D703, String
Quintet Artemis Quartet, Truls
Mørk rec. 2007 VIRGIN
CLASSICS 5021132 [62:50] [LW]
I
am thoroughly enjoying this dramatic new account ... see Full
Review
William
SCHUMAN (1910-1992)
Violin Concerto Leonard BERNSTEIN (1918-1990) Serenade
Robert McDuffie, Saint
Louis SO/Leonard Slatkin rec. 1989
EMI AMERICAN CLASSICS 2066112 [64:02]
[RB]
Tensile
lyrical concertos in a romantic tradition
yet without schmaltz ... see Full
Review
Gerard SCHWARZ
(b. 1945) In Memoriam
see HEGGIE
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Violin Concerto Magnus LINDBERG
(b. 1958) Violin Concerto
Lisa Batiashvili (violin) Finnish RSO/Sakari Oramo rec. live 2007
SONY/BMG CLASSICAL 88697 129362 [58:25]
[RB]
Two
Finnish concertos alluringly performed and
recorded ... see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
*Symphony
No. 5 in E flat, Op. 82 (1915/1919) [31:38]
Carl NIELSEN
(1865-1931) Pan and Syrinx (Pastorale
for Orchestra), Op. 49 (1917-8) [8:26] Symphony
No. 4, Op. 29 "The Inextinguishable"
(1915-6) [37:39]
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, *Philharmonia
Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle rec. September
1984, Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick;
*October 1981, Studio No. 1, Abbey Road, London
EMI CLASSICS 50999 5 03428 2 2 [76:59]
[SV] 
For
all his care over musical strands Rattle can
sound thick and shapeless ... see Full
Review
Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Nightride and Sunrise, Luonnotar, Lemminkäinen Suite, The
Maiden in the tower, Pelléas et Mélisande, Valse triste
Solveig Kringelborn
(soprano), Ellerhein Girls’ & Estonian National Male Ch, Estonian
National SO/Paavo Järvi rec. 1996/2001
VIRGIN CLASSICS 5220552 [73:32 + 67:38]
[RW]
Järvi
gets the best out of his players … agility and memorable emotional
flow ... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Jean
SIBELIUS (1865–1957) Symphonies
4 & 5 Berlin
PO/Herbert von Karajan rec. 1976 CLASSICS
FOR PLEASURE 5218722 [71:24] [BBr]
A
magnificent Fourth … an outstanding bargain ... see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) The Tempest
see
SULLIVAN
Louis
SPOHR (1784-1859) Grand
Concert Overture, Symphonies 1 & 2 Svizzera
Italiana O/Howard Shelley rec. 2006 HYPERION
CDA67616 [74:04] [SV]
Two
listenable and engaging symphonies ... see Full
Review
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
CD 1 [70:12] The Rite of Spring
(1913, rev. 1947) [34:54] Petrushka
(1911, rev. 1947) [35:05] CD 2 [77:46]
The Firebird (1910) [47:25] Apollo
(1927, rev. 1947) [30:07]
Peter Donohoe (piano) (Petrushka) City
of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon
Rattle rec. Arts Centre, University of Warwick,
December 1987 (Rite); 3-4 October 1986
(Petrushka); October 1987 (Firebird);.
April 1988 (Apollo). DDD
EMI CLASSICS 20TH CENTURY CLASSICS
50999 2 06876 2 5 [70:12 + 77:46]
[ST]
Lovers
of rhythm and orchestral passion will not
be disappointed ... see Full
Review
Sir
Arthur SULLIVAN
(1842-1900) The
Tempest - incidental music (1. Introduction;
2. Act III Prelude; 3. Banquet Dance; 4. Act
IV Overture; 5. Dance of Nymphs and Reapers;
6. Act V Prelude; 7. Postlude) (1861) [28:12]
Jean SIBELIUS
(1865-1957) The Tempest - incidental
music (1924): Prelude [5:37]; Suite
No. 2 () [14:29]; Suite No. 1 () [20:06]
Kansas City Symphony/Michael Stern rec. 1-2
February 2008, Community of Christ Auditorium,
Independence, Missouri, USA
REFERENCE RECORDINGS RR-115CD [68:40]
[RB]
This
is a fine and thoughtfully put together collection
with a wonderful Sullivan contribution ...
see Full
Review
Tōru
TAKEMITSU (1930–1996) Nostalgia
(1987)b Three Film Scores
(1994/5) see Tan
Dun
Peter
Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Symphony
No. 3; Suite No. 3
London Philharmonic Orchestra; Paris Conservatoire Orchestra/Sir Adrian
Boult rec. 1955-6
BEULAH 4PD12 [79:54][EMc] 
Admirably
paced, musically done but lacking the last ounce of panache ... see
Full Review
Pyotr
Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Swan Lake
Maya Plisetskaya, Alexander Bogatirev, Bolshoi Ballet, Bolshoi Theatre
O/Algis Zhuraitis rec. live 1976
VAI 4446 
[141.00]
[MM-B]
If
you love ballet and admire Plisetskaya’s artistry then this is
for you ... see Full Review
Virgil
THOMSON (1896-1989) Three Portraits, Five Ladies,
Eight Portraits see CORIGLIANO
Veljo
TORMIS (b.1930) At the Crossroads, Tower Bell in
my Village see Contemporary
Sacred Music from Estonia
Andres
UIBO (b.1956) Antiphons see Contemporary
Sacred Music from Estonia
Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Symphonies Nos. 4-6 etc.
Various artists rec. 1967-1982
EMI CLASSICS BRITISH COMPOSERS 2161462 [74:54 + 76:01][RB]
Versions
of the symphonies that have something unique
to tell us and enthral ... see Full
Review
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
The Wasps - Overture; Serenade to Music; Fantasia
on 'Greensleeves'; Toward the Unknown Region; Symphony No. 5
Philharmonia/Sir
John Barbirolli; London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Malcolm Sargent. rec.
1957-1962 EMI CLASSICS
BRITISH COMPOSERS 2161512 [78:25][EMc/RB]
Sargent's
intriguing Vaughan Williams aired at last with Barbirolli for company
... see Full Review
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
The Essential Vaughan Williams rec.
1950s-1980s EMI CLASSICS
50999 2 07992 2 9 [78:12 + 77:28]
[ST]
Impossible
to imagine a better introduction to RVW’s
marvellous diversity ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Otello
Placido Domingo
(tenor); Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Sir
Georg Solti rec. 1992
OPUS ARTE OAR3102D
[146:00][TH]
You
may be advised to try and sample this one
first ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI
(1813-1901) Luisa Miller
Darina Takova, Giuseppe Sabbatini, Ch & O Teatro La Fenice, Venice/Maurizio
Benini rec. live 2006
NAXOS 2.110225-26
[2 DVDs: 108:20 + 49:20]
[ST]
Fine,
if not outstanding ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Rigoletto
Chorus and Orchestra
of the Rome Opera House/Jonel Perlea rec. 1956
NAXOS HISTORICAL GREAT OPERA RECORDINGS 8.111276-77 [54.07 + 80.39][RJF]
Not
an experience I will repeat very often ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) La
Traviata
Renata Scotto (soprano); Philharmonia Orchestra/Riccardo Muti
rec. 1980
EMI CLASSICS GREAT RECORDINGS OF THE CENTURY 5096942 [75:00
+ 54:06][NV]
Scotto
portrays the musical essence of the role ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Stiffelio José Carreras,
Catherine Malfitano, Ch & O Royal Opera, Covent Garden/Edward
Downes rec. 1993 OPUS
ARTE (ROYAL OPERA HOUSE COLLECTION) OAR3103D [122:00] [RJF]
Full
of mature and very dramatic music finely acted and sung in this
performance ... see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER
(1813-83)
Parsifal: Prelude to Act I & Finale to Act III Alban
BERG (1885-1935) Three Pieces for Orchestra Gustav
MAHLER (1860-1911) Das klagende Lied
David Christopher Ragusa (boy soprano) Marisol Montalvo (soprano) Hedwig
Fassbender (mezzo) Michael Hendrick (tenor) Anthony Michaels-Moore (baritone)
London PO & Ch/Vladimir Jurowski rec. 2007
MEDICI ARTS 3056808
[154:00 + 104:00]
[DM]
A
concert – and conductor – well worth watching
... see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813–1883)
Der Ring des Nibelungen:
Soloists etc & Orchester des Bayerischen
Rundfunks/Bernard Haitink
EMI CLASSICS 50999 5 19479 2 7 [14 CDs]
[GF]
In
spite of a flawed Brünnhilde this is
one of the Ring frontrunners ... see
Full Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813–1883)
Tristan
und Isolde (1865)
Siegfried Jerusalem (tenor) – Tristan; Matthias
Hölle (bass) – König Marke; Waltraud
Meier (mezzo) – Isolde;
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bayreuther Festspiele/Daniel
Barenboim rec. 1995
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 00440 073 4439 [2
DVDs: 235:00]
[GF]
Intriguing
and dreamlike, evocatively realised and musically
on a high level ... see Full
Review
Ulrich
WEDLICH (b. 1954) Guitar Sonata see 20th
Century Guitar
Mieczyslaw
WEINBERG (1919-1996)
Fantasia for Cello and Orchestra, Flute Concertos 1 & 2,
Clarinet Concerto Claes
Gunnarsson (cello); Anders Jonhall (flute); Urban Claesson (clarinet)
Gothenburg SO/Thord Svedlund rec. 2005
CHANDOS CHSA5064 
[79:25]
[RB]
Concise,
full of song and atmosphere yet shot through with chilly light
... see Full Review
Mieczyslaw
WEINBERG (1919-1996) On
the threshold of hope Clarinet Sonata, Jewish
Songs after Shmuel Halkin,
Piano Quintet ARC Ensemble
rec. 2006 RCA/BMG RED SEAL
828768 77692 [74:43] [RB]
The
Piano Quintet has the confidence of a tragic masterwork ... see Full
Review
Egon
WELLESZ
(1885-1974) String
Quartets: No. 3 Op.25 (1918) revised by Hannes
Heher [29:30]; No. 4 Op 28 (1920) [18:23];
No. 6 Op.65 (1947) [14:35]
Artis Quartett Wien (Peter Schuhmayer (violin
I); Johannes Meissl (violin II); Herbert Kefer
(viola); Othmar Müller (cello) rec. 11-13
December 2005, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, UK
NIMBUS NI 5821 [62.35]
[JF]
As
a total package this is an excellent release
... see Full
Review
Charles
WUORINEN (b. 1938) The
Dante Trilogy (Chamber Version): The Mission of Virgil,
The Great Procession, The River of Light The
Group for Contemporary Music
rec. 1996/9 NAXOS 8.559345 [72:10] [GPu]
Fascinating
chamber ensemble Dante. I long to hear the orchestral version … see Full
Review
David WYNNE
(1900-1983) Piano
Sonata No. 2 (1957) [14:26] String Quartet
No. 3 (1966) [19:33] Ian
PARROTT (b.1916) String Quartet
No. 4 (1963) [15:35] David
HARRIES (1933-2003) Piano Quintet
Op. 20 (1964) [12:55]
Eric Harrison (piano); Alfredo Wang (violin);
James Barton (violin); Frederick Riddle (viola);
George Isaac (cello) rec. March 1971, Decca
Studio No. 3, West Hampstead, London. ADD
recorded under auspices of Welsh Arts Council
LYRITA SRCD.284 [58:19] [RB]
A challenging
but not unappetising collection of Welsh music
from the 1960s . ... see Full
Review
Alexander
von Zemlinsky
(1871-1942)
Three Pieces for Cello
and Piano; Cello Sonata;
Trio in D minor for Clarinet,
Cello and Piano
Othmar Müller (cello); Ernst Ottensamer (clarinet);
Christopher Hinterhuber (piano) rec.
2007
NAXOS 8.570540
[64:21][WK]
Two
recently rediscovered early works in sturdy if not superlative performances
... see Full Review
Click
for alphabetical listings by composer:
[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]
Over a period of three
years from December 2003, I have spent a lot
of time in the company of
Harry Partch – not literally, of course,
as he died in 1974, but working my way though
an article and some eight reviews that can
all be found on MusicWeb. Then, at the MusicWeb
annual lunch (January 2007), the name of John
Cage caught my ear. For reasons that my subconscious
was not prepared to divulge, my curiosity
was tickled. Partch and
EXPLORE
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