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Alphabetical Listing

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S-Z

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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Kaija SAARIAHO (b. 1952) Notes on Light, Orion, Mirage  Karita Mattila (soprano) Anssi Karttunen (cello) O de Paris/Christoph Eschenbach rec. live, 2008  ONDINE ODE1130-2 [63:06] [HC]

Refined, subtle and often quite beautiful ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Complete Works for Cello and Orchestra Johannes Moser (cello); Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR/Fabrice Bollon rec. 2007 HÄNSSLER CLASSIC CD93.222 [69:16][MC]

A fruitful emotional encounter with Saint-Saëns ... see Full Review

Alessandro SCARLATTI (1660–1725) Messa per il Santissimo Natale see PERGOLESI

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Giacinto SCELSI (1905-1988) Preludi, Serie I-IV: Serie I [21:05]; Serie II [17:49]; Serie III [18:40]; Serie IV [13:46] Alessandra Ammara (piano) rec. 30 September – 1 October 2008, Chiesa di S. Apollinaire, Monticello de Lonigo, Vicenza, Italy ARTS 47721-8  [73 :10] [DC]

Enigmatic, fascinating, and a technically outstanding achievement all round. ... see Full Review

Franz SCHMIDT (1874-1939) Symphonies Nos. 1-4 Detroit Symphony Orchestra & Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Neeme Järvi rec. 1989-96 CHANDOS CHAN9568(4) [4 CDs: 44:51 + 46:55 + 42:19 + 42:12][RB]

Sumptuous, vernal energy and weightiness of tone ... see Full Review

Alfred SCHNITTKE (1934-1998) Five Aphorisms, Piano Sonata 3Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1 - Prelude and Fugue in C sharp minor, French Suite 5 Svetlana Ponomarëva (piano) rec. 2008  MV PRODUCTIONS [No number] [52:42] [JW]

Not an obvious conjunction but it works fruitfully ... see Full Review

Paul SCHOENFELD (b. 1947) Café Music see American Trios

Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphony 9 Berlin PO/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 2005  EMI CLASSICS 2285332 [57.43] [GH]

A journey after which life can never be quite the same again ... see Full Review

Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4; Overtures: Manfred; Hermann und Dorothea Swedish Chamber Orchestra/Thomas Dausgaard rec. 2006-7 BIS-SACD-1619 [76:30][DC]

An attractive prospect ... see Full Review

Robert SCHUMANN (1810–1856) Genoveva Juliane Banse, Shawn Mathey, Zurich Opera House Ch & O/Nikolaus Harnoncourt rec. live, 2008 ARTHAUS MUSIC 101327 [146:00] [GF]

Quirky production but excellent singing ... see Full Review

Gerard SCHWARZ (b. 1947) In Memoriam see HEGGIE

Alexander SCRIABIN (1872-1915) Mazurkas, 2 Poèmes, 5 Preludes, Vers la flamme see Marshev

Kazimierz SEROCKI (1922-1981) Romantic Concerto Tadeusz BAIRD (1928-1981) Piano Concerto Jan KRENZ (b. 1926) Piano concertino  Adam Wodnicki (piano) Polish Ntl RSO/Tadeusz Wojciechowski, Jerzy Swoboda rec. 1999-2001  DUX 0651 [64:27] [RB]  

Excitingly recorded … should appeal to the adventurous ... see Full Review

Rodion SHCHEDRIN (b. 1932) The Ancient Melodies of Russian folk-songs (2007) [17.53] Cello Sonata (1996) [34.24] In the style of Albeniz (1959) [4.36] Quadrille from the opera ‘Nicht nur liebe’ (Not love alone) (1961) arr. Grigory Singer [6.57] Raphael Wallfisch (cello); Rodion Shchedrin (piano) rec. Wyastone Leys, 25 May 2007. DDD NIMBUS NI 5831 [63.53] [GH]

The Cello Sonata - a stunning work ... see Full Review

Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Symphonies Nos. 1 & 7 etc. Helsinki City Symphony Orchestra/Leopold Stokowski rec. 1953 GUILD GHCD2341 [78:55][CH]

Poor sound and a Seventh that is sui generis ... see Full Review

Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Night Ride and Sunrise etc. New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Pietari Inkinen rec. 2007 NAXOS 8.570763 [64:34][RB]

The lesser known Sibelius nicely done with atmosphere and hushed tension ... see Full Review

Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Sibelius Edition Vol. 6: The Music for Violin and Piano Jaakko Kuusisto (violin); Nils-Erik Sparf (violin); Madoka Sato (violin); Bengt Forsberg (piano); Folke Gräsbeck (piano) BIS BISCD1915-17 [5 CDs: 363:22] [RB]

For out and out Sibelius fanatics - superbly done though ... see Full Review

Christophe SIRODEAU (b.1970) Musique Vespérale pur Elsa - Sumphônia, Obscur chemin des étoiles, Artificial Horizon, Cénotaphe, Jeux d'Ombres, Arlequins en rouge et blanc, Esquisse pour Adramandoni Pia Segerstam (cello) Montpellier Ntl O/Leif Segerstam; Jonathan Powell, Christophe Sirodeau (piano) rec. 2006 ALTARUS AIR-CD-9035 [79:59] [RB]

Welcomes the adventurous traveller ... see Full Review

Nikos SKALKOTTAS (1904-1949) Concerto for Two Violins, Concertino for Two Pianos, Nocturnal Amusement Thessaloniki State SO/Vassilis Christopoulos rec. 2005 BIS BISCD1554 [55:02] [RB]

Contrasts: a sensationally dissonant Concerto and a zany populist Nocturne ... see Full Review

BARGAIN OF THE MONTH Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Vier letzte Lieder etc. Heather Harper (soprano); London Symphony Orchestra/Richard Hickox rec. 1986-7 EMI CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2283742 [63:11][DM] 

A thrilling Straussfest. Not to be missed ... see Full Review

Karol SZYMANOWSKI (1882-1937) String Quartets 1 & 2 Ludomir ROZYCKI (1884-1953) String Quartet Royal String Quartet rec.  2008 HYPERION CDA67684 [70:20] [RB]

Red-blooded playing and recording ... see Full Review

Otar TAKTAKISHVILI (1924-1989) Megrelian Songs see The Georgian Composers Collection

Sergei TANEYEV (1856-1915) CD1 Concert Suite for Violin and Orchestra Op.28 (1909) [44:43] ¹ CD2 Symphony No.4 in C minor Op.12 (1898) [41:37] Apollo’s Temple in Delphi [5:56] CD3 Cantata No.2 ‘At the Reading of a psalm’ Op.36 (1915) [63:37] ² CD4 Alexander KASTALSKY (1856-1926) Brotherly Prayer for the Dead (1915) [69:21] Andrei Korsakov (violin) ¹ Ludmila Belobragina (soprano), Lyubov Aleshchenkova (mezzo soprano), Evgeni Vladimirov (bass) ² USSR TV and Radio Large Chorus and Symphony Orchestra/Evgeny Svetlanov rec. Moscow 1977-90 SVET 93-96/4 [4 CDs: 44:43 + 47:16 + 63:37 + 59:21] [JW]

This impressive box ... see Full Review

Sergey Ivanovich TANEYEV (1856–1915) Suite de Concert see RIMSKY-KORSAKOV

Sir John TAVENER (b. 1944) Piano Music: Zodiacs (1997) [1:55]; Ypakoë (1997) [13:34]; Palin (1977) [08.42]; Mandoodles (1982) [4:55]; Pratirüpa (2003) [29:42]; In Memory of Two Cats (1986) [02:11] Ralph van Raat (piano) rec. Potton Hall, Westleton, Suffold, 7-8 March 2007. DDD NAXOS 8.570442 [60:59] [ABo]

Ethereal and minimal ... see Full Review

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Boris TCHAIKOVSKY (1925-1996) Complete String Quartets Ilya Ioff (violin); Elena Raskova (violin); Lydia Kovalenko (viola); Alexey Massarsky (cello) rec. 2008 NORTHERN FLOWERS NF9964-65 [42:12 + 67:28] [RB]

Translucent singing melody - a treasury ... see Full Review

Boris TCHAIKOVSKY (1925-1996) Piano Quintet, The Last Spring, Boris Tchaikovsky (piano); Prokofiev Quartet; Natalia Burnasheva (mezzo); Sergey Bubnov (flute); Alexander Ivanov (clarinet) rec. 1978/85 REGIS FORUM FRC9111 [66:36] [RB]

Iconic works in historic, brooding, expressive pioneering versions ... see Full Review

Pyotr Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano Concerto No. 1 see BRAHMS

Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Piano Concerto No. 3; Symphony No. 6 etc. Philip Fowke (piano); Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Andrew Litton rec. 1980 CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2283752 [69:43][IL]

Tchaikovsky’s Third Piano Concerto is more than just a curio ... see Full Review

Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Violin Concerto, Souvenir d’un lieu cher Janine Jansen (violin) Mahler CO/Daniel Harding rec. 2008 DECCA 478 0651 [52:34] [DC]

A breath of fresh air ... see Full Review

Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) Twelve Fantasias for Flute Jed Wentz (baroque flute) No recording dates or locations are given on the disc. BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93440 [53:44] [KS]

Bold and daring, delightful music. A most winsome outing indeed. ... see Full Review

Charles TOURNEMIRE (1870-1939) L’orgue mystique Vol.1 Office Nr. 29 Office Nr.13 Office Nr.42 Office Nr.51 Sandro R. Müller (organ) Alexander Schuke-Orgel, Alte Reformierte Kirche, Wuppertal-Elberfeld rec. 1994 CYBELE CD 050.101 [73:40]
Charles TOURNEMIRE (1870-1939) L’orgue mystique Vol.2 Office Nr. 8 Office Nr.22 Office Nr.3 Sandro R. Müller (organ) Alexander Schuke-Orgel, Alte Reformierte Kirche, Wuppertal-Elberfeld rec. 1994 CYBELE CD 050.102 [67:55] [DC]

More approachable than you might expect ... a major project ... see Full Review

Donald Francis TOVEY (1875-1940) Chamber Music - Volume 1 Piano Trio in B minor op.1 (1900) Piano Trio in C minor op.8 Style Tragique (1908) London Piano Trio rec. 2007, TOCCATA TOCC 0068 [65:06] [RB]

  A mature originality of ideas nestling in a Brahmsian manner... see Full Review

Sulkan TSINTSADZE (1925-1992) Four Miniatures see The Georgian Composers Collection

Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) Nabucco Tokyo Opera Singers; Tokyo Symphony Orchestra/Daniel Oren rec. 1998 NAÏVE V5158 [70:05 + 53:15][JS] 

I had expected to enjoy this greatly but was disappointed ... see Full Review

Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) La Traviata Bavarian State Opera Orchestra and Chorus/Zubin Mehta 2006 FARAO CLASSICS S108070 [71.01 + 50.14][RJF]

A rather ordinary effort ... see Full Review

Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) Concerti per violoncello II Christophe Coin (cello); Il Giardino Armonico/Giovanni Antonini rec. 2007 NAÏVE OP30457 [60:18][BW] 

A fine successor to the first volume ... see Full Review

Antonio VIVALDI (1678–1741) Violin Concertos Daniel Hope (violin); Chamber Orchestra of Europe rec. 2008 DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4777463 [57.44][RH]

An interesting dialogue between modern ways and period practice … see Full Review

Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) Gloria, RV 589 see BACH

Georg Christoph WAGENSEIL (1715-1777) Concerts choisis Echo du Danube/Alexander Weimann rec. 2008 ACCENT ACC24186 [69:01][TB] 

A disc that will give pleasure but is unlikely to become a firm favourite ... see Full Review

Richard WAGNER (1813–1883) Tristan und Isolde Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau/Golo Berg rec. 2007 ARTHAUS MUSIC 101325 [2 DVDs: 224:00][GF]

A very likeable performance ... see Full Review

Richard WAGNER (1813–1883) Götterdämmerung Wolfgang Windgassen, Hans Hotter, Gustav Neidlinger, Martha Mödl, Ch & O Bayreuther Festspiele/Joseph Keilberth rec. live 1955 TESTAMENT SBT4 1433 [4 CDs: 261:58] [DH]

Mödl is the key reason for investing in this set ... see Full Review

Richard WAGNER (1813–1883) Der Ring des Nibelungen (Highlights) Bavarian RSO/Bernard Haitink rec. 1988-91 CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE 2283772 [72:39] [ST]

Successful enough ... see Full Review

Richard WAGNER (1813-1883) Siegfried’s Rhine Journey; Prelude to Act I and Death of Isolde from Tristan und Isolde see BEETHOVEN

Sir Henry WALFORD DAVIES (1869-1941) Violin Sonata No. 2 see HOLBROOKE

Gareth WALTERS (b. 1928) Song-Cycles and Chamber Music: Cân y galon (Song of the Heart) for soprano and string quartet (1970) Little Suite for Flute and Harp (1960s) Violin Sonata (1989-96) Berceuse for harp (1965) Poésies du soir for mezzo and chamber orchestra (1961) Carolyn Foulkes (soprano) Wendy Dawn Thompson (mezzo) Adam Summerhayes (violin) Nicola Elmer (piano) Adam Walker (flute) London Concertante/Gregory Rose rec. 2006. TOCCATA TOCC0090 [68:40] [RB]

Sensuous Gallic warmth …. lyrical countryside indulgence  ... see Full Review

William WALTON (1902-1983) Viola Concerto see BRITTEN

Mieczyslaw WEINBERG (Moise VAINBERG) (1919-1996) Symphonies - Vol. 3 Symphonies 14 & 16 National Polish RSO Katowice/Gabriel Chmura rec. 2006 CHANDOS CHAN10334 [63.42] [RB]

Two gaunt and chilly symphonies ... see Full Review

Hugo WOLF (1860-1930) Edition Fischer-Dieskau - Volume II Spanisches Liederbuch (Weltlich & Geistlich) Gesänge Des Harfners, Cophtische Lieder Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone); Hertha Klust, Walther Welsch, Rudolf Wille (piano) rec. 1948-53 AUDITE 95.600 [53:37] [KMc]

Excellent - more impetuous than in his peak years ... see Full Review

Ellen Taaffe ZWI LLICH (b. 1939) Piano Trio see American Trios

 


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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