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Alphabetical Listing

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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]
[last 5 days] [Recommended recordings]

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RECORDINGS OF THE MONTH

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg Variations, Chaconne (arr. Busoni) DongHyek Lim (piano) rec. 2008 EMI CLASSICS 2159782 [65:35] [DC]

A must for piano collectors ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen BWV51, Ich habe genug BWV82a, Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut BWV199 Natalie Dessay (soprano) Le Concert d’Astrée/Emmanuelle Haďm rec. 2008 (includes bonus DVD from recording sessions) VIRGIN CLASSICS 5193142 [63.55; DVD: 52:00] [MM-B]

A mature artist who patently comprehends the beauty and purity of the music ... see Full Review

HISTORICAL RECORDING OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony 3, Leonore Overtures 1 & 3 Philharmonia O/Otto Klemperer rec. 1954/5 NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111303 [71:33] [CC]

An interpretation of giant stature and nobility ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Vincenzo BELLINI (1801-1835) La Sonnambula Melodramma in two acts (2004 Critical Edition by Alessandro Roccataglia and Luca Zappelli) (1831) Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo);
Juan Diego Florez (tenor); Ildebrando D’Arcangelo (bass); Liliana Nikitenau (mezzo); Gemma Bertagnolli (soprano); Peter Kálman (bass) Chorus of Zurich Opera House; Orchestra La Scintilla/Alessandro De Marchi rec. June-July 2007, September 2008, Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirchemeinde Zurich-Oberstrass. DDD DECCA 478 1087 DH02 Limited Edition [59:10 + 75:01] [RJF]

Bellini’s lovely melodies into a new perspective. ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Sonatas and trios for viola Maxim Rysanov (viola); Katya Apekisheva (piano) Boris Brovtsyn (violin) Jacob Katsnelson (piano); Kristine Blaumane (cello) rec. 2007/8 ONYX 4033 [77:35 + 47:09] [PB-W]

Completely inspired music-making ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johannes BRAHMS (1833–1897) Eight Songs Robert SCHUMANN (1810–1856) Four Lieder from Goethe’s Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, Frauenliebe und –leben, Claude DEBUSSY (1862–1918) Fantoches George Frideric HANDEL (1685– 1759) Angels, ever bright and fair Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (mezzo) Julius Drake (piano) rec. live, 1999 WIGMORE HALL LIVE WHLIVE0024 [69:31] [JQ]

Demands to be heard by all who prize great singing ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Alto Rhapsody, Symphony 2 Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Gesang der Geister über den Wassern, Gruppe aus dem Tartarus, An Schwager Kronos Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto) Monteverdi Ch, O Révolutionnaire et Romantique/Sir John Eliot Gardiner rec. live, 2007 SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG703 [73:59] [JQ]

As provocative, perceptive and exciting as its predecessor ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH William Byrd (1539/40-1623) The Cardinall’s Musick Byrd Edition: Vols 10 & 11 - Laudibus in sanctis & Hodie Simon Petrus The Cardinall’s Musick/Andrew Carwood rec. 2006/7 HYPERION CDA67568 [68:20] CDA67653 [67:47] [BW]

If you already have Byrd’s Masses, these are the next priority purchases ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Josef HAYDN (1732-1809) Complete Piano Trios Haydn Trio Eisenstadt PHOENIX EDITION 161 [8 CDs: 9:40:00][ST]

Endless pleasure ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) La Forza del Destino (1869 version) Violetta Urmana, Marcello Giordani, Carlo Guelfi, Ch & O Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/Zubin Mehta rec. live, 2007 TDK DVWW-OPFORZA [189:00] [ST]

Now leads the field … one of the great Verdi DVDs ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Cello Diverse Igor STRAVINSKY (1882–1972) Suite Italienne Claude DEBUSSY (1862–1918) Cello Sonata Johannes BRAHMS (1833–1897) Cello Sonata 2 Ennio MORRICONE (b. 1928) Gabriel’s Oboe Suzanne Beer (cello); Garth Hancock (piano) DIVINE ART DDV25068 [61:09] [BBr]

Some of the finest, most purposeful, cello playing I’ve heard in a long time ... see Full Review

 

BARGAINS OF THE MONTH

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Complete Symphonies New Philharmonia Chorus, Helen Donath (soprano), Rotraud Hansmann (soprano), Waldemar Kmentt (tenor) New Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus,Wolfgang Sawallisch rec. 1967 Licensed from Decca Complete String Symphonies Amsterdam Sinfonietta/Lev Markiz rec. 1994-1996, Licensed from BIS BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93777 [7:32:00] [ST]

Unmissable. Invest with confidence. ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Henry Purcell (1659-1695) Complete Sacred Music – Anthems, Services and Devotional Songs Full contents at the end of the review Booklet with notes and texts. HYPERION CDS44141-51 [11 CDs: 738:56] [BW]

An essential purchase for Purcell year and well beyond ... 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]
[last 5 days] [Recommended recordings]


 



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