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Giacomo
CARISSIMI (1605–1674) Adeste
Mortalis; Oleum effusum est; Sicut stella matutina; Domine, Deus meus
Robert Crowe
(counter-tenor); Michael Eberth (organ) rec. 2007
HÄNSSLER PROFIL PH07069 
[64.33][RH]
Crowe
gives strikingly committed performances ... see Full
Review
Elliott CARTER (b.
1908) Three Occasions for Orchestra; Violin
Concerto; Concerto for Orchestra
Ole Böhn (violin); London Sinfonietta/Oliver Knussen rec. 1991
EMI CLASSICS AMERICAN CLASSICS 2066292 [63:13][RB] 
Superbly recorded
and brilliantly performed Carter collection
... see Full
Review
Ruperto CHAPÍ
(1851-1909) Symphony in D; Overture - Roger
de Flor, Scherzo - Combate de Don Quijote contra las ovejas
Orquestra
de l'Academia del Gran Teatre del Liceu/Guerassim Voronkov rec. 2007
COLUMNA MUSICA 1CM0176
[63:04][RB]
Well
and truly whets the appetite to hear more of Chapí's concert works ...
see Full Review
Marc-Antoine
CHARPENTIER
(c.1643-1704) Leçons
de Ténèbres
Agnès Mellon (soprano); Gérard Lesne (counter-tenor);
Ian Honeyman (tenor); Jacques Bona (baritone) Il Seminario Musicale/Gérard
Lesne rec. 1993 and 1995 – no further details given. DDD.
VIRGIN VERITAS 5 22021 2 [66:12+70:55] [BW]
Few
will resist the beauty of the music and the
performances ... see Full
Review
Domenico
CIMAROSA (1749-1801)
Dixit Dominus
Cinzia Rissone (soprano), Sylvia Rottensteiner (mezzo), Gregory Bonfatti
(tenor), I Musici Cantori Choir, Trento; Voci Roveretane; Orchestra
Haydn di Bolzano e Trento/Fabio Pirona rec. 2003
CPO 999 988-2 [54:20] 
[GPu]
Engagingly
operatic, sung and played with intelligent enthusiasm ... see Full
Review
Muzio CLEMENTI
(1752-1832) Sonata Op.40, no.2
see SCHUBERT
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Aaron
COPLAND
(1900-1990) The
Tender Land Suite, Piano Concerto, Old
American Songs Vol. I, Old American Songs
Vol. II (arr. for chorus)
Benjamin Pasternack (piano) (Tender); St.
Charles Singers (Songs); * Nathaniel Stampley
(baritone); † Jeffrey Hunt (tenor) Elgin Symphony
Orchestra/Robert Hanson rec. 2007, Song texts
included
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559297 [63:42]
[DM]
Lesser-known
Copland superbly played and recorded. Indispensable.
... see Full
Review
Aaron
COPLAND (1900-1990)
Fanfare for the Common Man, Appalachian Spring, El Salon Mexico,
Old American Songs
various orchestras rec. 1985-89
EMI AMERICAN CLASSICS 2066342 [76:31] 
[RB]
A
capable, generous and engaging Copland collection
... see Full
Review
John
CORIGLIANO
(b. 1938)
The Red Violin Caprices, Sonata for Violin and Piano Virgil
THOMSON (1896-1989) Three Portraits, Five Ladies,
Eight Portraits
Philippe Quint (violin) William Wolfram (piano) rec. 2007/8
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559364 [64:46]
[DM]
Not
mould-breaking or profound but well worth hearing ... see Full
Review
François
COUPERIN
(1668-1733) Leçons
de Ténèbres pour le Mercredi
Saint (Tenebræ for Wednesday
in Holy Week) (1713-1717) [38:48] 4 Versets
du Motet: Tabescere me fecit [1:27]; Ignitum
eloquium [2:26]; Adolescentius sum
ego [2:51]; Justitia tua [2:01]
Sophie Daneman (soprano); Patricia Petibon
(soprano) Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
rec. 1996. DDD.
ERATO 0630 17067 2 [47:32] [BW]
Attractive,
often arresting music excellently performed
and recorded ... see Full
Review
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Orchestral
works Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Orchestral
works City of
Birmingham SO, Berlin PO/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 1989-2004 EMI
CLASSICS 5145652 [5 CDs: 360:11] [IL]
As
far as individual works are concerned there are often better alternatives
... see Full Review
Claude
DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Children’s Corner (arr.
André Caplet) see BIZET
Carlo
DOMENICONI (b. 1947) Koyunbaba see 20th
Century Guitar
Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1797–1848)
La Fille du Régiment
Natalie Dessay, Juan Diego Florez, Felicity Palmer, Royal Opera Ch &
O/Bruno Campanella rec. live 2007
VIRGIN CLASSICS 5190029 
[132:00]
[RW]
Dessay
wins hearts: stunning voice, excellent timbre and stage presence
... see Full Review
Gaetano DONIZETTI
(1797–1848)
Messa da Requiem
Tiziana K. Sojat (soprano) Jaroslava Horsk-Maxova (mezzo) Vittorio Giammarrusco
(tenor) Zdenek Hlavka (baritone) Marcel Rosca (bass) Prague Chamber
Ch, Virtuosi di Praga/Alexander Rahbari rec. 1997
HÄNSSLER PROFIL PH08026 [63.04]
[RH]
A
largely creditable performance played confidently and with not
a little style. ... see Full
Review
Andrew
DOWNES (b.1950)
Sonata
for violin, horn and piano Op.93 (2007) Heinrich
von HERZOGENBERG (1843-1900) Trio
in D minor Op.61 (1889) Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Trio in E flat
Op.40 (1865)
Brahms Trio Prague rec. 2007
ARTESMON AS726-2 [68.11]
[CF]
A
disc of contrasts though the span of style
between Brahms and Downes need hold no fears.
... see Full Review
TAN Dun (b.
1957) Concerto
for String Orchestra and Pipa (1999)a
[20:21] Tōru
TAKEMITSU (1930–1996) Nostalgia
(1987)b [16:13] Three Film
Scores (1994/5) [11:07] Hikaru
HAYASHI (b. 1931) Concerto "Elegia"
(1995)c [30:18]
Wu Nan (pipa)a; Yuri Bashmet (violinb,
violac) Moscow Soloists/Roman Balashovbc
rec. Schloss Neuhardenberg, Berlin, Germany,
26-28 September 2007. DDD
ONYX 4027 [77:59] [HC]
Much
splendid music-making to be enjoyed in this
very fine release ... see Full
Review
Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934) In the South;
Sea Pictures; Enigma Variations Gladys
Ripley (contralto) London Symphony Orchestra & Philharmonia
Orchestra/George Weldon rec. 1953-4
SOMM SOMMCD073 [78:11][EMc] 
Three
fine, mainstream performances including a special Enigma ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sir Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Symphony
2, In the South, Sospiri BBC
SO/Sir Adrian Boult rec. 1937-44 BEULAH
5PD15 [76:37] [EMc]
Wonderful … consistent
inspiration … unforgettable ... see Full
Review
Gerald FINZI (1901-1956)
Dies natalis, Prelude for String Orchestra, The Fall
of the Leaf, Two Sonnets for Tenor and Orchestra, Nocturne
Farewell to Arms
James Gilchrist (tenor) Bournemouth SO/David Hill rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570417 [66:40]
[RH]
Beautifully
expressive and fluid … entirely admirable ... see Full
Review
César
FRANCK (1822-1890) Symphony,
Symphonic Variations Jean-Philippe
Collard (piano) O du Capitole de Toulouse/Michel Plasson rec.
1985 CLASSICS
FOR PLEASURE 5218542 [55:45] [DM]
As
an entrée to symphonic Franck this is well
worth considering ... see Full
Review
Melchior
FRANCK (c.1580-1639)
Bußpsalmen des Königlichen Propheten
Davids (1615)
Weser-Renaissance (Monika Mauch; Manja Stephan
(soprano); Marnix De Cat (alto); Hans Jörg
Mammel; Jan Van Elsacker (tenor); Job Boswinkel
(bass); William Dongois (cornetto muto); Frauke
Hess; Barbara Hofmann; Juliane Laake; Julia
Vetö (viola da gamba); Birgit Bahr (dulcian);
Margit Schultheiß (harp))/Manfred Cordes
rec. February 2006, Bassum, Germany. DDD
CPO 777 181-2 [58:07] [JV]
First
recordings of the seven Penitential Psalms
- splendid performances ... see Full
Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Girolamo
FRESCOBALDI (1583-1643) Keyboard
Music from Manuscript Sources
Martha Folts (harpsichord) rec. 2007
NAXOS
8.570717 [73:03][JV]
A
spectacular combination of music, instrument and performer - not to
be missed ... see Full Review
Steven
R GERBER
(b. 1948) Violin Concerto, Cello Concerto, Serenade
for String Orchestra Kurt
Nikkanen (violin); Carter Brey (cello) National CO/Piotr Gajewski rec.
1999/2000 KOCH INTERNATIONAL
CLASSICS 3-75091-2 [63:14]
[RB]
I
will be very happy to encounter Gerber’s music again ... see Full
Review
George GERSHWIN
(1898-1937) An American in Paris; Rhapsody
in Blue; Catfish Row; Lullaby; Cuban Overture
Various artists rec. 1980-7
EMI CLASSICS 2066282 [77:52][BW]
Minor
reservations apart, an idiomatic and enjoyable Gershwin collection ...
see Full Review
George
GERSHWIN (1898–1937)
Porgy
and Bess (1935) William Warfield (bass-baritone) – Porgy; Leontyne
Price (soprano) – Bess; Cab Calloway (vocals) – Sporting Life; John
McCurry (baritone) – Crown; Joseph James (bass) – Jake; Helen Colbert
(soprano) – Clara; Howard Roberts (baritone) – Robbins; Helen Thigpen
(soprano) – Serena and several others; Eva Jessye Choir; RIAS
Unterhaltungsorchester/Alexander Smallens rec. live, Titania Palast,
Berlin, 21 September 1952
GUILD GHCD 2313/14 [62:08 + 77:09] [GF]
Technical
shortcomings and noisy production but definitely
highly interesting. ... see
Full Review
Umberto
GIORDANO (1867–1948) Marcella Serena
Daolio (soprano) Danilo Formaggia (tenor) Bratislava Chamber
Ch,
Internazionale d’Italia O/Manlio Benzi rec. live 2007 DYNAMIC
CDS573 [64.18] [RH]
A
creditable account of an interesting rarity attractively and idiomatically
performed ... see Full Review
Philip GLASS
(b. 1937) Complete String Quartets
The Smith Quartet rec. 2007
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD117 [47:49 + 40:50]
[RB]
The
players have lived and breathed this music – the results are stunning
... see Full Review
Philip
GLASS (b.1937) Façades; Company
see REICH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Alexander GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) Orchestral
works (including symphonies 1-8 & violin concerto) Russian
State SO/Valeri Polyansky
rec. 1997-2002 BRILLIANT CLASSICS
93565 [7
CDs: 455.08] [RB]
An
often joyous set and an astonishing bargain ... see Full
Review
Vinko
GLOBOKAR (b.
1934) CD
1 [59:32] Der Engel der Geschichte
(2000-2004) Teil 1, Zerfall [29:45]
Teil 2, Mars [29:45] CD 2 [62:13]
Teil 3, Hoffnung [31:58] Les
Otages (2003) [30:15]
SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg/Fabrice
Bollon; Martyn Brabbins ExperimentalStudio
des SWR, Freiburg (Engel) Symphonieorchester
des Bayerischen Rundfunks/Arturo Tamayo (Otages)
rec. Hall of Tennis Club T.C.S., Strasbourg,
16-17 September 2004 (Engel); Herkulessaal
der Residenz München, 1 December 2006
(Otages)
COL LEGNO WWE 2SACD 20609
[59:32 + 62:13]
[DC]
Not
easy, but who else has tackled such subjects
– on such a scale? ... see
Full Review
Christoph
Willibald GLUCK (1714–1787) Alceste
The Royal Opera
Chorus Orchestra of the Royal Opera House/Charles Mackerras rec. 1981
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE ROHS010
[71.21 + 75.26][RH]
Essential;
no home should be without one ... see Full
Review
Alexander GOEHR (b.
1932) Little
Symphony op. 15 (1963) [28:04] String
Quartet No. 2 op. 23 (1967) [23:01] Piano
Trio op. 20 (1966) [19:49]
London Symphony Orchestra/Norman Del Mar;
Allegri Quartet; Orion Trio. rec. 15 August
1964 (Little Symphony); no details
for other items. ADD First issued on LP: Philips
SAL 3497 (Little Symphony); Argo ZRG 748.
original recordings made in association with
British Council.
LYRITA SRCD.264 [71:03] [EMc]
Valuable
revivals of 1960s recordings ... see Full
Review
George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Suite in d minor see
NARES
George
Frideric HANDEL (1685–1759) Alcina
Bayerisches Staatsorchester/Ivor Bolton rec. 2005
FARAO CLASSICS S108080
[3 CDs: 57:56 + 66:47 + 69:20][GF]
Lively
and stylish with really excellent singing – Kasarova is fantastic! ...
see Full Review
George
Frideric HANDEL (1685–1759) Hercules
Junge Kantorei; Frankfurt
Baroque Orchestra/Joachim Carlos Martini rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.557960-62 [3CDs: 60.29 + 73.22 + 46.58][RH]
Better
to save up and try and get one of the others ... see Full
Review
George
Frideric HANDEL
(1685-1759) Rodelinda
Dorothea Röschmann, Felicity Palmer, Michael Chance, Bavarian State
Opera Ch & O/Ivor Bolton rec. 2004
FARAO CLASSICS D108060
[2 DVDS: 203:00]
[BW]
Ignore
the tomfoolery; singing, orchestral support, recording are excellent
... see Full Review
Georg
Friedrich HÄNDEL (c.1685-1759)
Xerxes
Julie Kaufmann, Yvonne Kenny, Ann Murray, Bavarian State Opera Ch &
O/Ivor Bolton rec. live 1997
FARAO CLASSICS B108010 [3 CDs: 69:00 + 63:30 + 40:23]
[MS]
A
communicative and sensitive account ... see Full
Review
Barbara
HARBACH Chamber
Music Vol. 1 Ensemble
Istropolis/Kirk Trevor; Moyzes String Quartet; rec. 2006 MSR
CLASSICS MS1253 [65:32] [BBr]
Fine
stuff, well deserving of a hearing ... see
Full Review
Roy
HARRIS (1889-1979) Piano
Quintet, Violin Sonata, String Quartet 3 Third
Angle New Music Ensemble rec. 2001 KOCH
INTERNATIONAL CLASSICS KIC-CD-3-7515-2 [64:51] [RB]
Fine
pioneering Whitmanesque Harris in compact chamber form ... see Full
Review
Hikaru
HAYASHI (b. 1931) Concerto "Elegia"
(1995) see
Tan Dun
Joseph
HAYDN (1732–1809) Die
Schöpfung Malin
Hartelius; Lothar Odinius; Anton Scharinger; Saarbrücken RSO/Enoch
zu Guttenberg rec. 1998 FARAO
CLASSICS B108025 [38:00
+ 65:06] [GF]
Spirited
and extremely well sung ... see Full
Review
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1797) Piano Sonata
No.39 see MOZART
Jake HEGGIE
(b. 1961)
For a Look or a Touch Gerard
SCHWARZ (b. 1945) In Memoriam Lori
LAITMAN (b. 1955) The Seed of Dream
rec. 2006/7 NAXOS 8.559379
[60.50]
[RH]
Fine
performances, much of interest but not the composers’ best works
... see Full Review
Victor
HELY-HUTCHINSON (1901-1947) The Young Idea
see PHILLIPS
Bernard
HERRMANN (1911-1975) Score
reconstructions by John MORGAN The Snows
of Kilimanjaro; Five Fingers
Moscow Symphony Orchestra/William Stromberg rec.
2000
NAXOS 8.570186 [66:27][BBr]
Two
fine examples of music for film, by a master of the genre ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Alan
HOVHANESS (1911-2000) Fanfare for the
New Atlantis;
Concerto No. 2 for guitar; Symphony No. 63
Javier Calderón (guitar); Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Stewart
Robertson rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.559336 [59:29] [RB]
Perhaps
the best Hovhaness instalment so far from
Naxos ... see Full
Review
Karen
Geoghegan plays Bassoon Concertos
Etc.Johan
Nepomuk HUMMEL
(1778-1837) Grand Concerto
W23 for Bassoon and Orchestra in F major [23:45];
Carl Maria von WEBER
(1786-1826) Andante e Rondo
ungarese Op 35 in C minor [9:08]; Franz
BERWALD (1796-1868) Concert Piece
in F major [11:10]; Carl
Heinrich JACOBI (1791-1852)
Introduction and Polonaise Op 9 [9:00];
Sir Edward ELGAR
(1857-1934) Romance Op 62 [5:13];
George GERSHWIN
(1898-1937) Summertime [4:36]
Karen Geoghegan (bassoon) Orchestra of Opera
North/Benjamin Wallfisch rec. 9-10 January
2008, St George’s Hall, Bradford. DDD
CHANDOS CHAN 10477 [51:46]
[JQ]
This
should find the wide audience that this excellent
young musician deserves ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Charles IVES (1874-1954)
Songs, Orchestral and Ensemble pieces
Marni Nixon (soprano); John McCabe (piano); Henry Herford (baritone);
Ensemble Modern/Ingo Metzmacher rec. 1967 & 1991
EMI CLASSICS AMERICAN CLASSICS 2066312 [79:24][RB]
A
master of dissonance ... the magic of mood, evocation, suggestion ...
see Full Review
Aram
KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978)
Suites and Dances
Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra/Loris Tjeknavorian rec. 1991-5
ALTO ALC1019 [70:40][RB]
The
brazen, brassy roar of a soviet orchestra at full pelt ... see Full
Review
Graeme KOEHNE (b. 1956)
Tivoli Dances; Shaker Dances; Palm Court Suite;
To His Servant Bach, God Grants a Final Glimpse: The Morning Star
Tasmanian Symphony
Orchestra/Richard Mills rec. 2004-5
ABC CLASSICS 4766502 [70:24][RB]
Lighter
melodic music, nostalgic, sentimental and sincere ... see Full
Review
Lori
LAITMAN (b. 1955) The Seed of Dream see
HEGGIE
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Edouard LALO (1823-1892) Symphonie
Espagnole, Fantasie Norvégienne,
(both works arr. violin and guitar by Lars Hannibal) Kim
Sjøgren, (violin); Lars Hannibal, (guitar) rec. 1992 OUR
RECORDINGS 8.226903 [48:33] [KS]
Delightful
arrangements of well known works, a lovely little musical diversion
... see Full Review
Benjamin LEES (b. 1924) Violin
Concerto see BLOCH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Kenneth LEIGHTON
(1929-1988)
Sequence for All Saints; Chorale Prelude: Rockingham; O God,
enfold me in the sun; Morning Canticles; The World’s
Desire Wells Cathedral
& School Chapel Ch/Matthew Owens rec. 2007
HYPERION CDA67641 [76:23]
[JQ]
Superb:
Hyperion and the musicians have done Leighton proud ... see Full
Review
Magnus
LINDBERG (b. 1958) Violin Concerto see
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