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Camille
SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Hélène
- Poème lyrique in one act (1903) [61.18] Nuit Persane
for tenor, contralto, narrator, chorus and orchestra (text by Armand
Renaud) Op.26b (1897) [31.40] 
Soloists Belle Époque Chorus Orchestra Victoria/Guillaume Tourniaire
rec. South Melbourne Town Hall, 8-11 October 2007
MELBA
MR 301114-2 [61.18 + 31.40] 
[CF]
A
most impressive performance ... see Full
Review
Matilde SALVADOR
(1918-2007)
Includes Cinc cançons de Bres, Voces de otra orilla,
Els asfòdels Isabel
Monar (soprano), Mac McClure (piano) rec. 2007
COLUMNA MÚSICA 1CM0166 [52:49]
[GPu]
Unalloyed
pleasure in a fine song recital by a neglected figure in Spanish
music … see Full Review
Domenico
SCARLATTI (1685–1757) Sacred Vocal
Music
The Immortal Bach Ensemble/Morten Schuldt-Jensen rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.570382 [64.06][RH] 
Attractive
and highly recommendable to anyone wanting to find out what Domenico
Scarlatti did before he wrote harpsichord sonatas ... see Full
Review
Homage a Scelsi Giacinto
SCELSI (1905-1988) Sonata for
Violin and Piano; Divertimento No. 4; Duo; Xnoybis Bruno
MANTOVANI (b.1974) D’une Seule Voix
Diego Tosi (violin);
Timothé Tosi (cello); Jay Gottlieb (piano) rec. 2007
SOLSTICE SOCD242 [70:43][CR]
Scelsi’s
unique voice ... see Full
Review
Arnold SCHOENBERG
(1874-1951) Verklärte Nacht; Chamber
Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; Five Orchestral Pieces; Erwartung;
Variations for Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 1988-93
EMI CLASSICS 20TH
CENTURY CLASSICS 2067852 [71:23 + 71:58][ST]
The
perfect place to begin an exploration of Schoenberg’s work ... see Full
Review
Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Overtüre Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Streichquartette
op. 135 (transcr. string orchestra) Karl
Amadeus HARTMANN (1905-1963) Concerto funèbre Ulrike-Anima
Mathé (violin) Streicherakademie Bozen/Frieder Bernius rec.
2003 CARUS
83.230 [51:35] [DC]
Marvellous
playing – only two mild caveats ... see Full
Review
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Symphony
No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 38 (Spring) (1841) [31:29] Overture:
Braut von Messina, Op. 100 (1851) [8:34] Overture: Genoveva,
Op. 81 (1850) [8:18] "Zwickau Symphony" in G minor
(1832-3) [10:44] Overture, Scherzo and Finale, Op. 52 (1841-5)
[17:09] Swedish Chamber
Orchestra/Thomas Dausgaard rec. 2005-7
BIS-SACD-1569
[77:36]
[PBW]
Virile
performances but with some reservations...
see Full
Review
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810–1856)
Lieder :Lieder
und Gesänge aus Wilhelm Meister,
Liederkreis, Gedichte
der Königin Maria Stuart, 3
Duette
Christian Hilz (baritone)¹, Marianne Beate
Kielland (mezzo)², Katia Bouscarrut (piano)
rec. 2007 German texts and English translations
enclosed
AVIE AV 2134 [63:16]
[GF]
Hazy
sound but some very good singing here ...
see Full
Review
Heinrich
SCHÜTZ (1585–1672) Geistliche
Chor-Music 1648
Dresdner Kammerchor Cappella Sagittariana Dresden/Hans-Christoph Rademann
rec. 2006-7
CARUS 83.232 [53:30 + 48:39][JV]
A
worthy tribute to Schütz's mastery of polyphony ... see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Symphonies
Nos. 5 & 7; En Saga
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Colin Davis rec.
1975-80
PENTATONE CLASSICS PTC5186177 [71:40][BBr]
Well
worth having for the superb performances offered
and Davis’s insights ... see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865–1957) YL – The
voice of Sibelius YL
Male Voice Choir/Matti Hyökki Lahti SO/Osmo Vänskä rec. 2000-06 BIS
BISCD1433 [79:46] [GF]
In
all respects an important issue and not only in choral spheres
... see Full Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) The Tempest see SULLIVAN
Thomas
SIMAKU (b.1958) String Quartets Nos. 2 & 3 etc. Kreutzer
Quartet rec. 2006 NAXOS
8.570428 [74:34][BBr]
Sound
for its own sake with nothing to back it up
... see Full
Review
Bedřich
SMETANA
(1824-1884) Piano
Trio in G minor (1855) [28:05] Antonín
DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Piano Trio
No. 4 in E minor "Dumky" (1891)
[30:40]
Ad Trio Prague rec. Lichtenstein Palace, Prague,
26-28 October 2007
NOVERA UP 0105-2 131 [58:53]
[IL]
An
intelligent pairing and most persuasive performances.
... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Padre
Antonio SOLER
(1729-1783)
Complete Harpsichord Sonatas – Volume 1
Pieter-Jan Belder (harpsichord) rec. 11-13
February 2008, Oud-Katholieke Kerk, Delft
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93758 [56:39 + 76:01]
[GPu]
An
auspicious opening to a complete Soler sonatas,
vivacious and perceptive … see Full
Review
Fernando
SOR (1778-1839) Seguidillas Boleras
Nilo MENÉNDEZ (1902-1987) Aquellos
ojos verdes
Laberintos Ingeniosos rec. 2007
ZIG-ZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT080201
[64:32][GPu]
Pleasant
and colourful music. Sor was not just a composer for the solo
guitar
… see Full Review
Johann
STRAUSS II (1825-1899) Der
Zigeunerbaron Siegfried
Jerusalem, Ellen Shade,
Südfunkchor Stuttgart RSO & Ch/Kurt Eichhorn rec. 1975 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON
0734437 
[97:00] 
[IL]
A
lifetime's treasury of musical experience at a breathtakingly low
price ... see Full Review
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Symphony
in Three Movements; Symphony
of Psalms; Symphony in C Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle rec.
2007 EMI
CLASSICS 2076300 [75:39][KS]
Committed
and engaging performances of three Stravinsky masterworks
... see Full Review
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Le Sacre du printemps see CRUMB
Sir
Arthur SULLIVAN (1842-1900) The
Tempest Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) The
Tempest Kansas
City Symphony/Michael Stern
rec. 2008 REFERENCE RECORDINGS RR-115CD [68:40] [RW]
Excellent
pacing and due attention to dynamics ... see Full
Review
Sir
Arthur SULLIVAN (1842–1900) and Sir
William S. GILBERT (1836–1911) The Yeomen
of the Guard Denis
Dowling, Richard Lewis, Sir Geraint Evans, Glyndebourne Festival
Ch, Pro Arte O/Sir Malcolm Sargent rec. 1957 CLASSICS
FOR PLEASURE 2134652 [55.49 + 37.39] 
[RH]
Superb
diction and high musical values ... see Full
Review
Sir
Arthur SULLIVAN (1842–1900) & Sir
William S. GILBERT (1836–1911) The
Mikado Owen
Brannigan, Richard Lewis, Sir Geraint Evans, Glyndebourne Festival
Ch, Pro Arte O/Sir Malcolm Sargent
rec. 1956 CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE
2134442 [54.26 + 36.22] [RH]
Strongly
operatic cast letting their hair down a little, superb diction,
high musical values ... see Full Review
Karol SZYMANOWSKI
(1882-1937)
Violin
Concerto No. 1 Op. 35 (1916) [26:36] Violin
Concerto No. 2 Op. 61 (1933) [22:57]
Alena Baeva (violin) Opole Philharmonic Symphony
Orchestra/Bogusław Dawidow rec. Opole
Philharmonic Concert Hall, March 2007
DUX 0575 [49:32]
[JW]
Confidence
and throaty tone from Baeva ... see Full
Review
Éric
TANGUY
(b.1968) Cello Concerto Nos. 1 & 2
Anne Gastinel
(cello); Orchestre National de France/Alain Altinoglu rec. 2006-7 NAÏVE
V5078 [57:41][JW]
Rewarding
the attentive listener with moments of real beauty ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
TARTINI (1692-1770) The Violin
Concertos - Vol. 14 L’Arte
dell’Arco/Giovanni Guglielmo rec. 2007 DYNAMIC
CDS548/1-2 [75:29 + 65:49][MC]
Enjoyable
playing but overall I was left rather disappointed ... see Full
Review
Sir
John TAVENER (b. 1944) Piano
Music
Ralph van Raat (piano) rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570442 [61:00][ST]
Highly
committed performances … a welcome step in plugging a gap ... see Full
Review
Pyotr
Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Swan
Lake (highlights) Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester
Berlin/Heinz Rögner rec. c.1981 BERLIN
CLASSICS 0184372BC [44:21][RM]
A
great sense of genuine theatricality and excitement ... see Full
Review
Oboe
d’Amore Concertos by Georg
Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) and Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Thomas
Stacy (oboe d’amore); Toronto Chamber Orchestra/Kevin Mallon
rec. 2007 NAXOS 8.570735
[74:05][ST]
Very
attractive music, expertly and lovingly played
... see Full Review
Georg Philipp
Telemann
(1681-1767) Twelve
Fantasias, TWV40/2-13 (1732/3) Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Partita
in c minor, BWV1013 (1718)* [15:13]
Erik Bosgraaf (* alto recorder; **voice
flute; *** soprano recorder) (all tuned to
a’=415Hz) rec.2008. DDD.
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93757 [69:36]
[BW]
Good
playing and recording but the music is too
unvaried ... see Full
Review
Virgil
THOMSON (1896-1989) The Plow
the Broke the Plains; Autumn; The River Howard
HANSON (1896-1981) Symphony No. 2
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra/Neville Marriner & St Louis Symphony
Orchestra/Leonard Slatkin rec. April 1975 & 1986
EMI CLASSICS AMERICAN CLASSICS 2066122 [76:09][GH]
A
disc of fascinating repertoire well worth seeking out ... see Full
Review
Charles
TOURNEMIRE (1870-1939) Organ
Music - Improvisations Andreas
Sieling (organ) rec. 2008 MUSIKPRODUKTION
DABRINGHAUS
UND GRIMM MDG94615146 [79:05] [DC]
Both
an education and a delight in all aspects ... see Full
Review
Christopher
Tye
(c.1505-1573) Peccavimus cum patribus
nostris see PARSONS
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
a
cappella choral works
Laudibus/Mike Brewer rec. 2008, DDD Texts
and English translations included
DELPHIAN DCD34074 [64:00]
JQ
An
outstanding celebration of RVW in this anniversary
year ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI
(1813-1901)
Falstaff
Giuseppe Taddei, Raina Kabaivanska, Christa
Ludwig, Vienna State Opera Ch, Vienna PO/Herbert
Von Karajan rec. live 1982
SONY
88697 296009 [176:00]
[RJF]
Despite
Taddei’s portrayal there is too much quality competition already
available ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Richard
WAGNER
(1813-83) Das
Rheingold (1869) [145:47]
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Georg Solti
rec. 1958. ADD. 24-bit remastering. Booklet
with German text and English translation.
Decca Originals 478 0382 [70:34 + 75:13]
[BW]
Fifty
years on, this is still the recording
of Rheingold ... see Full
Review
Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Symphonies Nos. 4-6 etc.
Various artists rec. 1967-82
EMI CLASSICS BRITISH COMPOSERS 2161462 [74:54 + 76:01][EMc]
Berglund’s
Fourth, Silvestri’s Tallis on the highest level, worthwhile overall
... see Full Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813–1901) Rigoletto
Rome Opera Orchestra and Chorus/Jonel Perlea rec.
1956 NAXOS HISTORICAL
8.111276 [54:07 + 80:38][GF]
Not
one of the top contenders but still of some interest ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Aida
Chorus and Orchestra of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Edward
Downes rec. 1994 OPUS
ARTE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE COLLECTION OAR3104D
[151:00][RJF]
The
least convincing of the recent Verdi Royal
Opera Collection DVDs ... see Full
Review
Giuseppe VERDI
(1813-1901)
Don Carlo
Ferruccio Furlanetto, José Carreras, Berlin PO/Herbert Von Karajan rec.
live 1986 SONY
88697 296019 [176:00]
[RJF]
Magnificent
visually but lacks the dramatic singing of an earlier recording
... see Full Review
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) Orlando
Furioso Coro de
Camera Italiano; Modo Antiquo/Federico Maria Sardelli rec. 2002
CPO 7770952 [3 CDs: 62:41 + 60:58 + 43:14][BW]
Strongly
recommended, but not in preference to the Naïve/Opus 111 set ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard WAGNER (1813–1883)
Der Ring des Nibelungen
Royal Danish Opera Chorus (Götterdämmerung) and Orchestra/Michael
Schønwandt rec. live, Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen, May 2006
DECCA
074 3264 [7 DVDs: 920:00 + Bonus: 36:00]
[GF]
Wholly
engrossing, fresh and deeply involving ...
see Full
Review
Robert White (c.1538-1574) Lamentations
a 5 see PARSONS
Eugène
YSAŸE
(1858-1931) Six
Sonatas for Solo Violin, Op. 27 (1924)
Henning Kraggerud (violin)
rec. 24-27 August 2007, Hof kirke, Østre Toten, Norway.
SIMAX PSC 1293 [67:38]
[DC]
The
white heat of inspiration, reflected in playing
of equal stature. ... see Full
Review
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