Superbudget £5.99 or less 
Budget £6-7.99 
Medium £8-10.99 
Full price £11+
Download
The Music of Kalevi Aho (b
1949) By Dan Morgan
Full article
(with multiple sound samples)
Symphony
No. 1
(1969)* [27:53] Hiljaisuus (Silence)
(1982) [4:56] Violin Concerto (1981-82)**
[27:38] *Sakari Tepponen – violin solo (fourth
movement) **Manfred Gräsbeck – violin
Lahti Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä
rec. 29 May & 1 June 1989, Ristinkirkko
(Church of the Cross), Lahti, Finland
BIS CD 396 [61:45] 
[DM]
Symphony
No. 2
(1970/1995) [21:14] Symphony No. 7 ‘Hyönteissinfonia’
(Insect Symphony) (1988) [46:03] I. The
Tramp, the Parasitic Hymenopter and its Larva
[7:04] II. The Butterflies (The Foxtrot and
Tango of the Butterflies) [4:33] III. The
Dung Beetles (Grief over the Stolen Ball of
Dung) [3:52] IV. The Grasshoppers [6:11] V.
The Ants (The Working Music of the Ants and
War Marches I and II) [11:13] VI. The Dayflies
and Lullaby for the Dead Dayflies [12:45]
Lahti Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä
rec. January 1998, Ristinkirkko, Lahti, Finland
BIS CD 936 [68:17]
[DM]
Symphony
No. 3 (Sinfonia Concertante) (1971/1973)*
[38:23] Songs and Dances of Death (Modest
Mussorgsky, arr. and orch. Aho) (1984)** [19:58]
*Jaakko Kuusisto (violin)**Matti Salminen
(bass) Lahti Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä
rec. 17 & 19 February 2001 (symphony),
12 May 2000 (Mussorgsky), Sibelius Hall, Lahti,
Finland
BIS CD 1186 [59:41]
[DM]
Kiinalaisia
lauluja (Chinese Songs)
(1997)* [18:07] I. Punainen aurinko (The
Red Sun) (Text: Li Yü) [2:20] II. Miten
taipuisa (How Pliant) (Text: Cho Wen-chün)
[2:21] III. Kultainen lintuhiusneula (The
Golden Bird Hairpin) (Text: Li Yü) [2:22]
IV. Yöllä, aivan päihdyksissä
(At Night, Very Drunk) (Text: Li Ch´ing-chao)
[3:37] V. Syksyn tuuli (The Wind of Autumn)
(Text: Li Yü) [4:20] VI. Lumen keskellä
kevään viesti (Amid the Snow, the
Message of Spring) (Text: Li Ch´ing-chao)
[3:02] Symphony No. 4 (1972-73) [44:20]
*Tiina Vahevaara (soprano) Lahti Symphony
Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä rec. June
1999, Ristinkirkko, Lahti, Finland
BIS CD 1066 [63:19]
[DM]
Symphony
No. 8 for organ and orchestra (1993)*
[50:07] Pergamon, for four orchestral groups,
four narrators and organ (1990)** [10:29]
*Hans-Ola Ericsson (organ)**Lilli Paasikivi,
Eeva-Liisa Saarinen, Tom Nyman and Matti Lehtinen
(narrators); Pauli Pietiläinen (organ)
Lahti Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä
rec. 23-25 May 1994, Ristinkirkko, Lahti,
Finland
BIS CD 646 [61:54]
[DM]
Symphony
No. 9 for trombone and orchestra
(1993-94)*
[31:19] Concerto for cello and orchestra
(1983-84)** [29:39]
*Christian Lindberg (trombone)**Gary Hoffman
(cello) Lahti Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä
rec. 9-10 January 1995 (symphony), 7-8 September
1993 (concerto), Ristinkirkko, Lahti, Finland
BIS CD 706 [61:59]
[DM]
Syvien
vesien juhla, fantasia orkesterille (Rejoicing
of the Deep Waters, fantasy for orchestra)
(1995)
[11:03] Symphony No. 10 (1996) [46:54]
Lahti Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä
rec. March 1996 (fantasy), February 1997 (symphony),
Ristinkirkko, Lahti, Finland
BIS CD 856 [58:44]
[DM]
Symphonic
Dances (Hommage à Uuno Klami)
(2001) [27:39] I. Prelude [3:13]
II. Return of the Flames and Dance [4:53]
III. Grotesque Dance [5:15] IV.
Dance of the Winds and Fires [13:56] Symphony
No.11 for six percussionists and orchestra
(1997-98)* [31:42]
*With the Kroumata Percussion Ensemble Lahti
Symphony Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä rec.
January 2002 (Symphonic Dances), February
2002 (Symphony No. 11), Sibelius Hall,
Lahti, Finland
BIS CD 1336 [60:09]
[DM]
Symphony
No. 12 ‘Luosto’
(2002-03)
[48:56] I. The Shamans [13:16] II.
Winter Darkness and Midsummer [14:00]
III. Song in the Fells [9:36] IV. Storm
in the Fells [11:06]
Taina Piira (soprano) Aki Alamikkotervo (tenor)
Lahti Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra
of Lapland/John Storgårds rec. March
2007, Sibelius Hall, Lahti, Finland
BIS SACD 1676 [48:56]
[DM]
Concerto
for tuba and orchestra
(2000-01)*
[28:30] Concerto for contrabassoon and
orchestra (2004-0)** [34:22]
* Øystein Baadsvik (tuba) * Norrköping
Symphony Orchestra/Mats Rondin **Lewis Lipnick
(contrabassoon) **Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra/Andrew
Litton rec. 23 & 24 February 2006, Grieg
Hall, Bergen, Norway (contrabassoon concerto);
November 2006, Louis de Geer Concert Hall,
Norrköping, Sweden (tuba concerto)
BIS CD 1574 [63:42]
[DM]
Quintet
for Oboe and String Quartet (1973)*
[29:13] Seitsemän inventiota ja postludi
(Seven Inventions and Postlude) (1986/1998)**
[15:34] Quintet for Flute, Oboe, Violin,
Viola and Cello (1977)† [18:56]
Sinfonia Lahti Chamber Ensemble *Jukka Hirvikangas
(oboe), Jyrki Lasonpalo (violin I), Esa Heikkilä
(violin II), Anu Airas (viola), Ilkka Pälli
(cello) ** Jukka Hirvikangas (oboe), Ilkkä
Palli (cello)
†Outi Viitaniemi (flute), Lasse Junttila (oboe),
Jaakko Kuusisto (violin), Anu Airas (viola),
Ilkka Uurtimo (cello) rec. March 1999, Kuusankoski
talo, Kuusankoski, Finland; May 1999, Ristinkirkko,
Lahti, Finland
BIS CD 1036 [64:51]
[DM]
Quintet
for Bassoon and String Quartet
(1977)*
[37:02] Quintet for Alto Saxophone, Bassoon,
Viola, Cello and Double Bass (1994)**
[32:36] Sinfonia Lahti Chamber Ensemble
*Harri Ahmas (bassoon), Jyrki Lasonpalo (violin
I), Ulla-Maija Hallantie (violin II), Anu
Airas (viola), Ilkka Pälli (cello) **
Hannu Lehtonen (alto saxophone), Harri Ahmas
(bassoon), Anu Airas (viola), Ilkka Pälli
(cello), Eero Munter (double bass) rec. December
1997 (*) and December 1996 (**), Ristinkirkko,
Lahti, Finland
BIS CD 866 [70:42]
[DM]
Isaac
ALBÉNIZ (1860-1909)
Iberia Suite; Piano Concerto
No. 1; Navarra Catalonia
Aldo Ciccolini (piano); Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra & Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra/Enrique
Bátiz rec. 1984
REGIS RRC1298 [64:24][IL] 
A
colourful and vibrant programme ... see Full
Review
William
ALWYN (1906-1985)
Mirages; Six Nocturnes; Slum Song; Seascapes;
Invocations
Elin Manahan Thomas (soprano); Jeremy Huw
Williams (baritone); John Turner (treble recorder);
Iain Burnside (piano) rec. 2006-7
NAXOS 8.570201 [72:06][JW]
Some
real discoveries here ... see Full
Review
Leroy
ANDERSON (1908-1975)
Orchestral Music - Volume 4
BBC Concert Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin
rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.559381 [60:26][IL]
This
latest collection is irresistible ... see
Full Review
George
ANTHEIL (b.
1900–1959) String
Quartet No.3 see Four
American Quartets
Charles
AVISON
(1709-1770) 12 Concerti Grossi (1744)
after Domenico
Scarlatti
(1685-1757)
The Avison Ensemble/Pavlo Beznosiuk rec.
Jubilee Theatre, St Nicholas’ Hospital, Newcastle
upon Tyne, England, 26-30 November 2007. DDD.
DIVINE ART DDA21213 [78:14 + 76:38]
[BW]
Almost
nothing to fault and everything to enjoy here
... see Full
Review
Grażyna
BACEWICZ
(1909-1969) Polish
Caprice for violin solo see CWOJDZIŇSKI
Johann
Christian BACH
(1735-1782) Keyboard
concertos Johann
Christoph Friedrich BACH (1732-1795)
Keyboard concertos
The Music Collection/Susan Alexander-Max (fortepiano/director)
rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570474 [71:38][TP]
A
delightful disc ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Goldberg
Variations
Beth Levin (piano) rec. 2007
CENTAUR CRC2927 [62:28]
Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg Variations;
Chaconne from Partita in D
Dong-Hyek Lim (piano) rec. Henry Wood Hall,
London, April 2008
EMI CLASSICS 2159782 [65:35][JW]
One
a product of youth the other of mature reflection
... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685–1750)
George Frideric
HANDEL (1685–1759) Music for
Two Trumpets and Organ
Barbara Butler (trumpet); Charles Geyer (trumpet);
Barbara Harbach (organ) rec. 1987
GASPARO SILVER SERIES GSS2002 [46.28][RH]
Superb
trumpet playing but unsatisfactory accompaniment
... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Magnificat
Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) Gloria,
RV589
Barbara Hendricks, Ann Murray, Jean Rigby,
Jorma Hynninen, ASMF & Ch/Sir Neville
Marriner rec. 1990
EMI CLASSICS 2081252 [55:19] [GP-J] 
Non-period
versions in wonderful performances superbly
captured by the engineers ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Funeral Cantatas BWV 198 & 131
Amsterdam Baroque Choir and Orchestra/Ton
Koopman rec. 1994-6
CHALLENGE CLASSICS CC72286 [60:38][BW] 
Not
first choice for either cantata but a recommendable
coupling ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Sonatas and Partitas for unaccompanied violin
Michael Vaiman (violin) rec. 2006
DUX 0610/11 [76:20 + 77:36][JW]
The
fervour of Vaiman ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Transcriptions by Leopold
Stokowski (1882-1977)
The Philadelphia Orchestra/Leopold Stokowski
rec. 1927-39
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111297 [75:33][RM]
These
recordings transcend 1920s-1930s recording
limitations ... see Full
Review
Mily
BALAKIREV (1837-1910)
Symphony
no.1 in C major (1866) [39:56] Symphonic poem
Russia (1884) [13:38] Overture on
three Russian songs (undated) [8:18] Symphony
no.2 in D minor (1908) [35:21] Symphonic poem
In Bohemia (1905) [11:57] Overture
on the theme of a Spanish March (1857)
[13:21] Incidental music to Shakespeare’s
King Lear (1905) [35:54] Symphonic
poem Tamara (1882) [21:07] Suite in
B minor (1908) [16:15] Preambule [2:15] Quasi
valse [8:16] Tarantella [5:44] Suite in D
minor of four pieces by F. Chopin (?) [22:28]
Preambule (etude) [5:09] Mazurka [3:51] Intermezzo
(nocturne) [6:45] Finale (scherzo) [6:43]
Oriental fantasia Islamey (orch. Lyapunov,
1916) [8:04] Symphonic poem Zelazowa Wola
, op.37 (?) [14:44] Sergei
LYAPUNOV (1859-1924) Symphony no.1
in B minor, op.12 (1887) [39:01] Oriental
symphonic poem Hashish (1912) [24:27]
Symphony no.2 in B flat minor, op.66 (1917)
[49:15] Solemn overture on Russian themes,
op.7 (1886) [15:34]
The State Academic Symphony Orchestra/Evgeny
Svetlanov rec. venue not specified, 1971-1993
THE ANTHOLOGY OF RUSSIAN SYMPHONY MUSIC SVET
04-006-1/6 [6 CDs]
[RM]
This
very useful set of discs could well be right
up your street ... see
Full Review
Samuel
BARBER (1910-1981)
Adagio for Strings; Violin Concerto; Essay
no.1; Cello Concerto; Agnus Dei
Various artsits rec. 1977-98
CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2282752 [79:31][JW]
An
excellent conspectus well worth investigating
... see Full
Review
Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945)
Concerto for 2 Pianos, Percussion and Orchestra;
Violin Concerto; Viola Concerto
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Tamara Stefanovich
(pianos); Nigel Thomas, Neil Percy (percussion);
Gidon Kremer (violin); Yuri Bashmet (viola);
Berliner Philharmoniker/Pierre Boulez rec.
2004-8
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4777440 [70:35][DC]
Top
notch line-up, artists and programme alike
... see Full
Review
Sir Arnold BAX
(1883-1953)
Symphony
No. 2 (1924-6) [37:39] Symphony No. 5 in
C sharp minor (1931-2)* [40:46]
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Myer Fredman
(2); Raymond Leppard* (5) rec. Walthamstow
Town Hall, London, Oct 1970 (2), Feb 1971
(5). ADD
LYRITA SRCD.233 [78.28]
[JQ]
Should
have a place of honour in any Bax collection
... see Full Review
Antonio
BAZZINI (1818-1897)
Virtuoso works for Violin and Piano
Chloë Hanslip (violin); Caspar Frantz (piano)
rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570800 [70:47][JW]
Pleasure
and real success of this well recorded recital
... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony No.9 in D Minor Op.125 Choral
(1824) [63:17] Overture - Leonore III
in C major Op.72a [13:38] Danish Radio Symphony
Orchestra and Danish Radio Chorus/Fritz
Busch
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Busch
rec. 1950
GUILD GHCD 2343 [77:15]
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Symphony No.9 in
D Minor Op.125 Choral (1824) [62:37]Overture
- Leonore III in C major Op.72a [13:52]
Teatro Colón Orchestra and Choir/Arturo
Toscanini rec. 1941
GUILD GHCD 2344 [77:43]
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) CD 1 [73:15]Symphony
No.9 in D Minor Op.125 Choral (1824)
[72:57]
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Bruno
Kittel Choir rec. 1942 CD 2 [69:20]
Overture - Leonore III in C major Op.72a
– rehearsal [10:59] Overture - Leonore III
in C major Op.72a [14:36] Overture - Egmont
[8:24] Overture - Coriolan [8:57] Georg
Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Concerto
Grosso in A Op.6 No.10 [14:57] Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Rosamunde
I and Rosamunde II – incidental music [10:54]
Wilhelm Furtwängler
GUILD GHCD 2345/46 [73:15 + 69:20]
[JW]
Three
important documents worthily presented ...
see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 9
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Franz Konwitschny
rec. 1960
BERLIN CLASSICS 0014242BC [70:47][TB]
A
great symphony brought to life by one if its
greatest interpreters ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5
Mikhail Pletnev (piano); Russian National
Orchestra/Christian Gansch rec. 2006
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON
4777475 [3 CDs:
67:52 + 63:42 + 37:45][JFL]
Among
the finds of the year ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5
Evgeny Kissin (piano); London Symphony Orchestra/Sir
Colin Davis rec. 2007
EMI CLASSICS 2063112 [3 CDs: 62:44 + 74:20
+ 41:48][DC]
I
have to admit, I fell in love with these recordings
... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
String Quartet 10 Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
String Quartet 5
Atrium Quartet rec. 2008
ZIG-ZAG TÉRRITOIRES ZZT080702 [60:09]
[LW]
Competition
is fierce, but the Atrium need not fear comparison
with the best ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-4 Joseph Fuchs (violin);
Artur Balsam (piano) rec. 1952
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111251 [64:34]
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Violin Sonatas Nos. 5-7
Joseph Fuchs (violin); Artur Balsam (piano)
rec. 1952
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111252 [66:09][JW]
From
the first complete LP cycle of the Beethoven
Violin Sonatas ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Missa Solemnis; Mass in C major
London Philharmonic Orchestra & New Philharmonia
Orchestra/Carlo Maria Giulini rec. 1970-5
EMI CLASSICS GEMINI 5176642 [71:15 + 65:19][JQ]
These
performances are still worthy of collectors’
attention ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Missa Solemnis
Chorakademie der Tiroler
Festspiele (choir); Erl
Haydn-Orchester von Bozen und Trient/Gustav
Kühn rec.
2007
COL LEGNO WWE1CD60011 [79:58][AS]
Good,
not revelatory … severely compromised by the
choral singing ... see Full
Review
Berkeley
and Benjamin piano music played Colin
Horsley and Lamar Crowson CD 1 Lennox
BERKELEY (1903-1989)
Colin Horsley (piano) CD 2 Arthur
BENJAMIN (1893-1960)
Lamar Crowson (piano) rec.1958/1960 ADD
LYRITA REAM.2109 [49:24 + 35:58]
[JF]
A
fantastic set – for three reasons ... see
Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Victoria
BORISOVA–OLLAS (b.1969)
Wings
of the Wind; Symphony
No.1; Roosters
in Love; Im
Klosterhofe; Silent
Island
Norrköping Symphony
Orchestra/Mats Rondin rec.
1999-2008
PHONO SUECIA PSCD171 [62:19][BBr]
Music
of the very highest order – an exciting composer
... see Full
Review
Composers
at the Piano - Bowen and Reizenstein York
BOWEN
(1884-1961)
York Bowen (piano) Franz
REIZENSTEIN (1911-1968)
Franz Reizenstein (piano)
rec. mono, May 1960 (Bowen); October 1958
(Reizenstein). ADD
LYRITA REAM.2105 [42:13 + 51:37]
[JW][JF]
We
should be more than thankful for this ...
see Full Review
Discovering Masterpieces
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Violin Concerto;
Documentary
Gil Shaham (violin); Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra/Claudio Abbado
rec. 2002
EUROARTS 2056078 
[69:00][TP]
A
cherishable introduction to Brahms’ violin
concerto ... see Full
Review
Tomás BRETÓN
(1850-1923) Piano
Trio in E major (1887) [34:42] Cuatro piezas
españolas (1913) [18:44]
LOM Piano Trio (Joan Orpella (violin); José
Mor (cello); Daniel Ligorio (piano)) rec.
Auditorium Paper de Música, Capellades,
Barcelona, November 2006 (Cuatro piezas) and
April 2007 (Trio)
NAXOS 8.570713 [53:26]
[JW]
Not
quite infallible but energetic, generous sensitively
shaped ... see Full
Review
Frank
BRIDGE (1879-1941) Oration
see BRITTEN
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976)
Cello Symphony Frank
BRIDGE (1879-1941) Oration
Steven Isserlis (cello); City London Sinfonia/Richard
Hickox rec. 1987
EMI CLASSICS BRITISH COMPOSERS 5059162 [68:18][DW]
An
ideal but uncommon though obvious coupling
… see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976)
Billy Budd (1951) Ian Bostridge
- Nathan Gunn
London Symphony Orchestra/Daniel Harding rec.
2007. DDD
VIRGIN CLASSICS 5 190392 [3 CDs: 23:00
+ 63:01 + 79:41]
[AOz]
Has
changed the whole way I listen to Billy Budd
... see Full
Review
Julius
BÜRGER (1887-1995) Legende
(orchestral song) (1919) [12:43] Stille der
Nacht (orchestral song) (1919) see SHREKER
Ferruccio
BUSONI (1866-1924)
Fantasia Contrappuntistica etc.
Hamish Milne (piano) rec. 2007
HYPERION CDA67677 [71:27][DC]
A
genuine pianofest, and a real treat for ears
and mind alike ... see Full
Review
Dietrich
BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707)
Harpsichord Music: 3
Lars Ulrik Mortensen (harpsichord) rec. 1998
NAXOS 8.570581 [54:28][BW]
Another
excellent Naxos contribution to Buxtehude’s
tercentenary ... see Full
Review
Dietrich
BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707)
Sacred Works
Göteborg Baroque/Magnus Kjellson rec.
2006
FOOTPRINT RECORDS FRCD033
[58:28][JW]
Makes
up in quality of performance what it lacks
in originality of programming ... see Full
Review
Havergal
BRIAN (1876-1972)
Symphony
No. 6 Sinfonia Tragica (1948) [19:43]
Symphony No. 16 (1960) [17:41] Arnold
COOKE (1906-2005) Symphony No.
3 in D (1967) [22:59]
London PO/Myer Fredman (Brian); Nicholas Braithwaite
(Cooke) rec. Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London,
10 April 1973 (Brian); 7 January 1974 (Cooke).
ADD originally issued on LP as SRCS67 (Brian);
SRCS78 (Cooke)
LYRITA SRCD.295 [60:26]
[JQ]
Add
this splendid CD to your collection without
delay ... see Full
Review
Fritz BRUN
(1878-1959) Symphony
No. 5 (1929) [38:03] Symphony No. 10
(1935) [30:27]
Moscow Symphony Orchestra/Adriano rec. Mosfilms
Studios, Moscow, December 2006
GUILD GMCD 7320 [68:30]
[IL]
Intense
and emotional music – challenging listening
for the adventurous ... see Full
Review
EXPLORE
MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL 
