Gregorio ALLEGRI (1582–1652)
Miserere Mei; Missa ‘Vidi turbam magnam’; De ore prudentis;
Repleti sunt omnes; Cantate Domino; Miserere Mei 
A Sei Voci/Berard Fabre-Garrus rec. 1993
NAIVE E8909 [61.37][RH]
As
a fine exploration of Allegri’s talents this disc is highly recommendable.
... see Full Review
Anton ARENSKY
(1861-1906)
Symphonies 1 & 2, Variations on a theme of Tchaikovsky
State Academic SO/Evgeny Svetlanov
SVET 001031
Suites 1 & 2, Egyptian Nights suite
State Academic SO/Evgeny Svetlanov
SVET 002032
Suite 3, Fantasia, overtures
State Academic SO/Evgeny Svetlanov
SVET 003033 [JW]
Arensky
and Svetlanov admirers will love these performances ... see Full
Review
Anton
ARENSKY (1861-1906) Piano Trio
see
RACHMANINOFF
Sir Malcom ARNOLD
(1921-2006) Beckus the Dandipratt, Fantasy
on a Theme of John Field, Concerto for Two Pianos, Concerto for
Piano Duet Phillip Dyson,
Kevin Sargent (pianos); Ulster O/Esa Heikkilä rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570531 [BW]
Two
mainstream Arnold works and two little-known
but worthwhile pieces. The Three-hand Concerto
comes close to rivalling the performance by
its dedicatees and the whole CD is very worthwhile
... see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH
(1685 - 1750) Brandenburg
Concertos
European Brandenburg Ensemble/Trevor Pinnock
rec. Sheffield City Hall / Henry Wood Hall,
London – December 2006 / September 2007
AVIE AV2119 [51:49 + 42:34] [JL]
A
delight if you like the Pinnock approach and
a distinct improvement over its predecessor.
... see Full
Review
Johann
Christoph Friedrich BACH (1732–1795) Trios & sonatas Camerata
Köln rec. 2004 CPO
7770872 [JV]
JCF
Bach - a slight reputation. He deserves better as this splendid chamber
music disc shows ... see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685–1750) The
Complete Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin: Vol. 2
Jacqueline Ross (violin) rec. 2006
GAUDEAMUS CD GAU 359 [78:39][JV]
Overall
an impressive interpretation of three of Bach's solos for the violin,
despite some shortcomings ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
Mass in B minor
Johannette Zomer, Dorothee Mields (soprano) Matthew White (counter-tenor)
Charles Daniels (tenor) Peter Harvey (bass) Netherlands Bach
Society/Jos van Veldhoven rec. 2006
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCSSA25007 
[JV]
Good
performance, but not top-notch due to some shortcomings and inconsistencies
… see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1785-1850) Mass in B minor
Bach Collegium Japan/Masaaki Suzuki rec. 2007
BIS
SACD 1701/02 [52.58
+ 54:33][JFL]
Among
the handful of best recordings made, regardless of style ... see Full
Review
Mily BALAKIREV (1837-1910)
Grand Fantasia on Russian Folksongs; Thirty Songs of the Russian
People Joseph Banowetz
(piano) Russian Philharmonic Orchestra/Konstantin Krimets rec. 2004-6
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0018
[79:28][RB]
Early
bel canto Balakirev and folk music sung and
played freshly with earthy resonance ... see
Full Review
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) cond.Vernon Handley
rec. 2005/2007 Three CDs for the price of
two
CHANDOS CHSA 5051(3) [3
CDs: 58:14 + 73:08 + 40:09] [JL]
A
most rewarding joy ... see Full
Review
Samuel BARBER
(1910-1981) Prayers of Kierkegaard Bela BARTOK (1881-1945) Cantata Profana
Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958)
Dona Nobis Pacem
Atlanta SO & Ch/Robert Shaw rec. 1997
TELARC CD80479 [RB]
Three
grand choral works - superb in the Barber and Bartok – a shade
less so in the RVW ... see Full
Review
Béla
BARTÓK
(1881-1945)
Duke Bluebeard’s Castle
Gustáv Beláček, Andrea Meláth, Bournemouth SO/Marin Alsop rec.
2007 NAXOS OPERA CLASSICS
8.660928 [DM]
This
outwardly restrained performance burns with a slow, steady flame
that is impossible to ignore ... see Full
Review
Bela BARTOK (1881-1945)
Cantata Profana see
BARBER
Arnold BAX
(1883-1953)
Violin Sonata 2, Ballad, Legend, Sonata movements
Laurence Jackson (violin) Ashley Wass (piano) rec. 2004
NAXOS 8.570094 [IL]
Committed
and thoughtful performances of some of Bax’s
most deeply-felt music ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin
Concerto Johannes BRAHMS (1833–1897) Violin Concerto
Jascha Heifetz (violin); New York Philharmonic-Symphony
Orchestra/Dmitri Mitropoulos & New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Arturo
Toscanini rec. 1936-56
IDIS 6528 [75:04][BBr]
This
might not be the Beethoven and Brahms we are used to, but it is the
fiddling we desire ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin
Sonatas Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 & 8
Arthur Grumiaux (violin); Claudio Arrau (piano) rec. 1975-6
PHILIPS ELOQUENCE 4428302 [60:21 + 66:45][JW]
Not
a meeting of musical minds ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Piano Sonatas op. 2 Maurizio
Pollini rec. 2006 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 4776594 [CH]
Vital
and explosive but too one-sided to offer real competition ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Piano Sonatas Volume III
John O’Conor rec. 1988
TELARC CD80185 [BW]
Straightforward
performances, very slightly understated in places ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770–1827) Fidelio
- highlights
Chorus of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin; Berliner Philharmoniker/Herbert
von Karajan rec. 1970
CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 3933672 [58:55][GF]
Karajan’s
dynamic extremes may be a little too much for some but the singing is
first class ... see Full Review
Vincenzo
BELLINI (1801-1835) La Sonnambula
Orchestra
and Chorus of the Lyon Opera/Evelino Pido rec. 2006
VIRGIN CLASSICS 3951382 [77.53 + 52.33][RJF]
A
rare chance to hear contemporary opera singers
in a well-balanced studio recording of the
new critical edition ... see Full
Review
Georges
BIZET (1838–1875) Les Pêcheurs
de Perles
Annick Massis (soprano); Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro La Fenice di
Venezia/Marcello Viotti rec. 2004
DYNAMIC 33459 
[122:00][RM]
An
Annick Massis gem ... see Full
Review
Sir Arthur BLISS (1891-1975)
Morning Heroes Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) War Requiem
Royal Liverpool PO & Ch/Sir Charles Groves (Bliss), CBSO
& Ch/Sir Simon Rattle (Britten) rec. 1974/83
EMI CLASSICS BRITISH COMPOSERS 5059092 [EMc]
Bliss:
inspired, deeply-felt, memorable. Britten:
a fascinating and fresh performance ... see
Full Review
Sir Arthur BLISS
(1891-1975)
Music
for Strings (1935) [26:36] Meditations
on a Theme by John Blow (1955) [33:39]
A Prayer to the Infant Jesus for unaccompanied
women’s voices* (1968) [5:38]
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Hugo
Rignold Ambrosian Singers/Philip Ledger* rec.
January 1966, Kingsway Hall, London (except
A Prayer to the Infant Jesus)
LYRITA SRCD.254 [65:59] [MC]
A
dark and serious score with dense textures
that are superbly brought out ... see Full
Review
William
BOLCOM (b.1938) Complete Works
for Cello Capriccio; Cello Suite No.1; Décalage; Dark Music; Cello
Sonata Norman Fischer
(cello); Jeanne Kierman (piano); Andrea Moore (timpani) rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.559348 [67:22][DC]
A
straight and uncomplicated recommendation for fans of both Bolcom and
the cello. ... see Full Review
Johannes BRAHMS (1833–1897) Violin Concerto see
BEETHOVEN
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Double Concerto for
Violin, Cello and Orchestra; Clarinet
Quintet
Renaud
Capuçon (violin); Gautier Capuçon (cello); Gustav
Mahler Jugendorchester/Myung-Whun Chung
rec. 2007
VIRGIN CLASSICS 3951472 [72:21][KS]
There is but one word
to describe this kind of music-making: perfect ... see
Full Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Variations on a Theme of Haydn see
SCHUMANN
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Works for Piano Duo
Sonata for Two Pianos, op.34b Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano Quintet Begoña
Uriarte; Karl-Hermann Mrongovius (pianos) rec.
2006
ARTS MUSIC 47597-2 [70:35][JFL]
A
recording that was "dead on arrival" ... see Full
Review
Havergal
BRIAN (1876-1972) Symphony No. 2;
Festival Fanfare
Moscow Symphony Orchestra/Tony Rowe rec. 1996
NAXOS 8.570506 [55:12][DW]
Brian
was a unique force in British music … connoisseurs
of off-the-beaten-track music will find much
to enthral them here … see Full
Review
Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) Suite
for solo cello No. 3 see TAVENER
Leo
BROUWER (b.
1939) La
ciudad de las columnas, Viaje a la semilla, Nuevos estudios
sencillos, Antigua Manuel SAUMELL (1817-1870) 8
Contradanzas (arr. Leo
Brouwer) Joaquin CLERCH (b.
1965) Yemaya Graham
Anthony Devine (guitar) rec. 2006 NAXOS
8.570251 [BBr]
The
Brouwer works are what matter on this disk – well worth investigating
... see Full Review
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony
5 Munich PO/Sergiu
Celibidache rec. live 1993 EMI
CLASSICS 5566912 
[CH]
A
timeless monument to two great musicians – Bruckner and Celibidache
... see Full Review
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony
9 (w/rehearsal extracts) Munich
PO/Sergiu Celibidache
rec. live 1995 EMI CLASSICS
5566992 [CH]
A
unique but extreme example of Celibidache’s art in his final years
... see Full Review
Julius
BURGER
(1897-1995) Stille
der Nacht for baritone and orchestra (c.1919) [10:55] ¹ Scherzo
for strings (1939) [5:02] Cello Concerto (1938) [32:14] ² Variations
on a Theme of Karl [Carl] Philipp Emanuel Bach (c.1945) [19:03]
Legende for baritone and orchestra (c.1919) [12:43] ¹ Michael
Krauss (baritone) ¹ Maya
Beiser (cello) ² Radio Symphonie Orchester, Berlin/Simone Young rec.
Jesus-Christus Kirche, Berlin, September 1994
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC 0001 [78:23] [JW]
A
composer well worth getting to know, especially
in performances as expert as these ... see
Full Review
George
BUTTERWORTH
(1885-1916) Two
English Idylls, The Banks of Green Willow,
A ‘Shropshire Lad’ Rhapsody Peter
WARLOCK (1894-1930) An Old Song
for small orchestra Patrick
HADLEY (1899-1973) One Morning
in Spring - Rhapsody for small orchestra
Herbert HOWELLS
(1892-1983) Procession, Merry-eye,
Elegy for viola, string quartet
and string orchestra, Music for a Prince
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult
* Herbert Downes (viola); Desmond Bradley,
Gillian Eastwood (violins); Albert Cayzer
(viola); Norman Jones (cello) New Philharmonia
Orchestra/Sir Adrian Boult rec. 1975-1985
ADD
LYRITA SRCD.245 [68.46] [EM]
Lush
and passionate performances of the most wonderful
English miniature masterpieces! ... see Full
Review
Dieterich
BUXTEHUDE (c.1637-1707) Die Choralfantasien
Volume 1
Pier Damiano Peretti, organ, rec. 2006
IFO ORG7224.2 [46:05] Dieterich
BUXTEHUDE (c.1637-1707) Die Choralfantasien
Volume 2
Pier Damiano Peretti, organ, rec. 2006
IFO ORG7224.3 [46:54][ME]
Among
the most interesting, intelligent and beautiful recordings of the choral
fantasies by Buxtehude available ... see Full
Review
William
BYRD (c.1540-1623) My Ladye
Nevells Booke Elizabeth
Farr (harpsichord) rec. August 2006
NAXOS 8.570139-41 [3 CDs: 78:01 + 76:04 + 70:46][GH]
Wonderful
performances by Elizabeth Farr but she arpeggiates chords too often
and to such an extent that this can on occasion compromise the pulse.
... see Full Review
William BYRD
(1539/40-1623)
The Tallis Scholars sing William Byrd
Includes: Masses for 3, 4 & 5 voices,
Tristitia et anxietas, The Great Service
The Tallis Scholars/Peter Phillips rec. 1983-2002
GIMELL CDGIM208 [MG]
Beautifully
sung, cleanly phrased, finely balanced, revealing
spirituality and poignancy … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH William BYRD (1539/40-1623)
Second Service & Consort Anthems
The Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford/Bill Ives. rec. 2006
HARMONIA MUNDI USA HMU907440 [71:05][MG]
This
CD excels in many ways; most of all in the revelation that this is music
of feeling ... see Full Review
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