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Charles
AVISON
(1709-1770)
CD1 [47:21] Six Sonatas for two violins and a bass,CD2 [49:48]
Six Sonatas for harpsichord, with accompaniments for two violins
and a violoncello, 
The Avison Ensemble rec. 2005. DDD. 2 CDs for price of one
Divine Art dda21214 [47:21 + 49:48] 
[BW]
Unfailingly
enjoyable music, performance and recording ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Violin Concertos
Julia Fischer (violin); Academy of St Martin in the Fields rec. 2008
DECCA 4780650 [58.51][DC]
This
is now the one to beat ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Inventions and Sinfonias
Christiano Holtz (clavichord) rec. 2008. DDD.
EDITIONS HORTUS 052 [68:11]
[BW]
Rather
too laboured for enjoyment ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) French
Suites Arnold SCHOENBERG
(1874-1951) Suite for Piano
Andrew Rangell (piano) rec. 2007
BRIDGE 9281A/B [59:08 + 47:40][PPLL]
Fresh
insights into the Bach and Schoenberg suites ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Cantatas
Natalie Dessay (soprano);
Le Concert d’Astrée/Emmanuelle Haïm rec. 2008
VIRGIN CLASSICS 5193142 [63:35][JW]
Sometimes
individual singing … excellent ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Complete
Organ Works Gerhard
Weinberger (organ)
rec. 1997-2008 CPO 777 363-2 [22
CDs:
1414:25] [DC] 
Big,
chunky, satisfying, but not necessarily everyone’s favourite ...
see Full Review
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685–1750)
Non sa che sia dolore see HANDEL
Sir
Arnold BAX (1883-1953) Orchestral
Works Vol. 9 The Truth About the Russian Dancers, From
Dusk till Dawn London
PO/Bryden Thomson rec. 1990 CHANDOS
CLASSICS CHAN10457X [67.12] [EM] 
Of
great interest to those familiar with Bax’s work ... see Full
Review
Amy
Cheney BEACH
(1867-1944)
Piano Quintet Alan Louis SMITH
(b.1955) Vignettes: Covered Wagon Woman
Anne-Marie McDermott (piano); Escher Quartet; Stephanie Blythe (mezzo);
Warren Jones (piano); rec. 2008
CMS STUDIO RECORDINGS 8252427 [67:28][TH]
Very
heartfelt and superbly played ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphony No.
7 George GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
An American in Paris
Boston Symphony Orchestra & RCA Victor Orchestra/Leonard Bernstein
rec. live, Boston 1947-57
IDIS 6556 [51.04][GH]
If
you’re a Bernstein fan you know what to do ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies
Nos. 7 & 8 etc.
RIAS Symphony Orchestra, Berlin/Ferenc Fricsay rec. 1952-4
AUDITE 95.593 [75:22][CC]
The
Fricsay collector should not hesitate ... see Full
Review
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony 9, Leonore III Overture
Kerstin Lindberg-Torlind (soprano); Else Jena (mezzo); Eric Sjöberg
(tenor); Holger Byrding (bass); Danish RSO & Ch/Fritz Busch rec.
1949/50 GUILD HISTORICAL
GHCD2343 [77:15] [CC]
Stands
magnificently on its own merits despite occasional caveats ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Complete Piano
Concertos
Evgeny Kissin (piano); London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Colin Davis rec.
2007 EMI CLASSICS 2063112
[3 CDs: 62:44 + 74:20 + 41:48][PPLL]
Do
try this highly rewarding set ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Concertos Nos 1-5 etc.
Cor de Groot (piano); Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Hague Philharmonic
Orchestra/Willem von Otterloo rec. 1950-4
DOREMI DHR79379 [3 CDs: 70:52 + 72:21 + 67:45][CC]
Of
vital interest to pianophiles ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770–1827) Piano
Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Idil Biret (piano); Bilkent Symphony Orchestra/Antoni
Wit rec. 2008
IBA/BMP 8.571253 [67:38][BBr]
You
won’t be disappointed with Biret’s pianism ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concerto
No. 5 George GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
Piano Concerto in F
Shura Cherkassky (piano); BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Ronald Zollman;
BBC Symphony Orchestra/Vernon Handley rec. 1985-92
BBC LEGENDS BBCL42312 [74:53][CC]
If
it is Cherkassky’s Gershwin you are after, this is a rewarding choice
... see Full Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) String Quartets
Op. 18, No. 4 & Op. 59, No. 2
Artemis Quartet rec. 2008
VIRGIN 3802682 [59:43][MSJ]
Well-sprung
accounts go awry in the finales ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Sonatas Nos. 1, 2, 19 & 20 Idil Biret
(piano) rec. 2002
IBA 8.571251 [69:06]
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Sonatas Nos. 3, 5 & 18 Idil Biret (piano) rec.
2001
IBA 8.571254 [69:06][JS]
The
beginning of an important addition to the catalogue ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770–1827) Fidelio
- opera in two acts (1804-5) Leonore - Gabriele Schnaut (soprano);
Florestan - Josef Protschka (tenor);Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor
Wiener Philharmoniker/Christoph
von Dohnányi rec. 1991, Konzerthaus, Vienna. DDD
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93921 [70.20 + 47.06]
[RMk]
A
strong recording that sometimes loses focus. ... see Full
Review
Vincenzo
BELLINI (1801-1835) La Sonnambula
Maria Callas (soprano);
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano/Antonino Votto rec.
1957 NAXOS HISTORICAL
8.111284-85 [77:40 + 65:17][RMo]
Worth
buying: economically, artistically and historically ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Vincenzo BELLINI
(1801-1835) I Capuleti e I Montecchi
Elina Garanca (mezzo); Anna Netrebko (soprano); Wiener Symphoniker/Fabio
Luisi rec.
2008 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 4778031 [76.10 + 51.26][RJF]
It
will be a long time before this recording is bettered ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Hector BERLIOZ
(1803-1869) Les nuits d’été see MASSENET
Hector BERLIOZ
(1803-1869)
Grande Messe des Morts
Paul Groves, EuropaChorAkademie, SWR SO Baden-Baden und Freiburg/Sylvain
Cambreling rec. 2004
GLOR CLASSICS GC08034 [47:34 + 35:02] [DM]
A
pallid performance that disappoints at every turn ... see Full
Review
Judith
BINGHAM (b.1952) Remoter Worlds
- Choral Music
BBC Singers/David Hill rec. 2008
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD144 [71:21][JWi]
A
talented and interesting composer who writes successfully for the voice
... see Full Review
Ernest BLOCH (1894-1959)
Music for Viola
Karen Elaine (viola); London Symphony Orchestra/David Amos rec.
1990 LAUREL RECORDS
LR864 [63:52][JWi]
A
little quaint but has its own distinctive charm ... see Full
Review
Seóirse
BODLEY (b. 1933) A small white
cloud drifts over Ireland; Chamber Symphony No. 1; Symphony
No. 2 RTÉ National
Symphony Orchestra/Robert Houlihan rec. 2001-3
RTÉ LYRIC FM CD121 [78:51][HC]
Far
too good to be ignored ... see Full Review
Pietro
Gaetano BONI
(c.1686-after 1741) Sonatas for Cello and basso
continuo Andrea Fossá (solo
cello) Anna Fontana (harpsichord) Francisco Gato (archlute) Andrea de
Carlo (viola da gamba) Renato Criscuolo (cello) rec. 2006
DYNAMIC CDS584 [62.33]
[GH]
Full
of attractive and often very beautiful music ... see Full
Review
Alexander
BORODIN
(1833-1887)
Symphony No. 2 in B minor, Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Prince Igor
: I. Overture ; II. Polovtsian Dances ,In the Steppes of Central
Asia L’Orchestre
de la Suisse Romande/Ernest Ansermet rec. October 1954,60,61 ADD
DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 0048 [73:24]
[DM]
Vintage
Decca and vintage Ansermet. A must for your collection ... see Full
Review
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897)
Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 [40:11] Piano Quartet No. 3 in
C minor, Op. 60 [33:33]
Xiayin Wang (piano);
Amity Players rec.2007
MARQUIS 81377 [73:47]
The Nash Ensemble rec.
2007 ONYX 4029
[74:03]
No
rave but the Nash gets an ever so slightly stronger recommendation ...
see Full Review
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833 - 1897) CD
1 Sonata in F minor for clarinet/viola and piano, op. 120 no. 1,
Violin Sonata no. 1 in G Major op. 78, Trio in E flat major for horn/viola,
violin and piano op. 40, Maxim Rysanov (viola); Katya Apekisheva (piano);
Boris Brovstyn (violin) CD 2 Sonata in E flat major for clarinet/viola
and piano, op. 120 no. 2 ,Trio in A minor for clarinet/viola, cello
and piano op. 114 Maxim
Rysanov (viola); Jacob Katnelson (piano); Kristine Blaumane (cello)
rec. 2007/2008 ONYX
CLASSICS ONYX 4033 [77:35 + 47:09]
[JWi]
Has
whetted my appetite for other Rysanov recordings ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833–1897) Volkslieder (arr.
Kraler/Schett) Franui rec.
2008 COL
LEGNO WWE1CD20302 [70:41] [GF]
Something
for practically every taste ... see Full
Review
Tomás
BRETÓN (1850-1923) Escenas
andaluzas; Opera Preludes; En la Alhambra
Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid/Miguel Roa rec.
2004-5
NAXOS 8.572076 [64:14][JS]
Full
of colour and textures that non-Spaniards associate with Spain ... see
Full Review
Frank
Bridge
(1879-1941) Piano
Trios Phantasie Trio in C minor, Piano Trio No.2, Nine Miniatures
for Piano Trio Jack
Liebeck (violin); Alexander Chaushian (cello); Ashley Wass (piano) rec.
2008 NAXOS 8.570792
[72:57]
[JF]
Sparkles
from first to last ... see Full Review
Frank BRIDGE (1879-1941)
The
Piano Music: Volume 2
Mark Bebbington (piano) rec. 4-5 January 2007, CBSO Centre, Birmingham.
DDD SOMM SOMMCD 082
[77:38] [JF]
An
excellent investment! ... see Full Review
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony
No. 7 Richard WAGNER
(1813-1883) Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg - Act
I Prelude
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks & Sinfonica di Torino
della RAI/Otto Klemperer rec. 1956
MEDICI ARTS MM0302 [70:09][EM]
Interesting
and certainly worth a listen ... see Full
Review
A
History of the Requiem, Part III Anton
BRUCKNER (1824–1896) Requiem Maurice
DURUFLÉ (1902–1986) Requiem
Laudantes Consort/Guy Janssens rec. 2006-7
CYPRES CYP1654 [72.59][RH]
Creditable
even if not ideal ... see Full
Review
Antoine
BUSNOIS (c.1430-1492) Missa
L’homme armé; Anima mea liquefacta est Petrus
de Domarto (fl.1450-1450)
Missa Spiritus almus Antoine
Busnois
Gaude celestis domina Jean Pullois
(?-1478) Flos de spina
The Binchois Consort/Andrew Kirkman rec. June 2001
HYPERION HELIOS CDH55288 [77:38][BW]
Ferruccio
BUSONI (1866-1924) Busoni Piano
Music: Volume 4
Wolf Harden (piano) rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570543 [64:17][CC]
The
Naxos Busoni series continues in enduringly fascinating fashion ...
see Full Review
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