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RECORDINGS
OF THE MONTH
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Agustín
BARRIOS
(Mangore)
(1885-1944) Confesión
Alexander-Sergei Ramírez (guitar) rec. 2000
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 471 532-2 [75:19] [ZT]
A
treat for all aficionados of fine music - a must for Barrios devotees
… see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Manuel de FALLA
(1876-1946) El Sombrero de Tres Picos, Zarzuela
Arias
Victoria de los Angeles, Montserrat Caballé, Philharmonia O/Raphael
Frühbeck de Burgos rec. 1964/6
HIGH DEFINITION TAPE TRANSFERS HDCD193 [76:48]
[RB]
The
de Falla is from a great vintage and the Caballé consituency need to
hear the young diva in her grandest sunrise. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH George
Frideric HANDEL
(1685 - 1759) Brockes-Passion (HWV
48)
Soloists; Kölner Kammerchor, Collegium Cartusianum/Peter Neumann rec.2009
CARUS
83.428 [78:25 + 74:58]
[JV]
An
excellent performance with no weak links ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Barbara HARBACH
Vocal
Music
Stella Markou (soprano) with Paula Kasica (flute); Paul Garritson (clarinet
and bass clarinet); Donita Bauer (bassoon); Ayako Watanabe (harp); David
Gillham (violin); Joanna Mendoza (viola); Kurt Baldwin (cello); James
Richards (conductor) (Abigail!); Alla Voskoboynikova (piano) (Pleasure,
Emily! And Light); Paul Hecht (trumpet) (Emily!); Diana Haskell (clarinet);
Barbara Harbach (piano) (Pioneer Women); Thomas F George (piano) (21st
Century) rec. 2008,DDD
MSR RECORDS MS 1256 [69:49]
[BBr]
This
is something very special … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Hannibal
LOKUMBE (b.1948)
Dear Mrs Parks Taylor
Lee Gardner (child soprano); Janice Chandler-Eteme (soprano); Jenetta
Steele (alto);
Kevin Deas (baritone)
Brazeal Dennard Ch, Rackham Community Ch, Detroit SO/Thomas
Wilkins rec 2009 NAXOS 8.559668
[59:03]
[BBr]
An
important composer … see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Joachim QUANTZ (1697-1773) Flute
Sonatas Verena
Fischer (transverse flute); Klaus-Dieter Brandt (Baroque cello);
Léon Berben (harpsichord)
rec. 2006 NAXOS
8.557805 [63:28] [CR]
A
lovely disc … enjoyable and of real quality from beginning
to end ... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Lionel SAINSBURY (b.1958) Violin
Concerto Haydn WOOD (1882-1959) Violin
Concerto, Adagio Lorraine
McAslan (violin) BBC Concert O/Barry Wordsworth, Gavin Sutherland
rec. 2009 DUTTON
EPOCH
CDLX7245 [71:47] [RB]
Two
strong works written in captivating romantic idioms that while
not identical have more in common than you might expect ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) Vier letze Lieder,
12 Orchestral Songs Elizabeth
Schwarzkopf (sop.) Radio SO Berlin, London SO/George Szell, rec.
1965/8 EMI
CLASSICS MASTERS 9659412 [64:34] [BW]
The
pick of EMI’s latest reissue series ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681-1767) Die
Tageszeiten, Nun danket alle Gott Basler
Madrigalisten; L'arpa festante/Fritz Näf
rec. 2009 CARUS
83.439 [66:24] [MS]
Full
of surprises, depth and energy, this CD is a delight … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Donald TOVEY (1875-1940) The
Bride of Dionysus – excerpts Sally
Silver, Yvonne Fontane, Robert Johnston, Michael Bundy, Belfast
PCh, Ulster O/George Vass rec. 2009 DUTTON
EPOCH CDLX 7241 [77:49] [RB]
A
truly grand opera in which passion and Brahmsian nobility commingle
amid the most exalted lyrical writing. ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Tender
is the North Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Two
Pieces Niels W. GADE (1817-1890) Tre
Tonestykker Áskell MÁSSON (b.1953) Larghetto Knut
NYSTEDT (b.1915) Variasjoner Otto
OLSSON (1879-1964) Sonata Iain
Quinn (organ)
rec. 2009 CHANDOS
CHAN10581 [71:02] [DC]
Superlative
performance, interesting and inspired programming ... see Full
Review
BARGAINS
OF THE MONTH
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The Works for Organ
(MP3 Edition)
Kevin Bowyer (organ) rec. 1991-2001
NIMBUS NI1721 [8 CDs of MP3 files: 30:52:00] [Equivalent to the
17 volume CD series]
[BW] [KM]
All this wonderful music at such a low price;
you can’t go wrong [KM] Not only Bargain of the Month, but almost certainly
Bargain of the Year [BW] ... see Full
Review.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Georges BIZET
(1838-1875)
CD 1 Carmen Suite; L'Arlésienne Suite; Patrie! – Ouverture
dramatique; CD 2 Symphony in C; Jeux d'enfants (Petite
Suite); La jolie fille de Perth Suite Joaquin
TURINA (1882-1949)
Danzas fantásticas
L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/Ernest Ansermet rec. 1958-1960 ADD
DECCA
ELOQUENCE 480 0457 [74:56 + 66:07]
[DM]
Very
desirable indeed … a chance to make amends for earlier misjudgements.
... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Jean GILLES
(1668-1705) Messe des Morts - Requiem [43.58]
Michel CORRETTE (1709-1795) Carillon
des Morts [4.46]
Anne-Marie Rodde (soprano); Jean Nirouet (counter-tenor); Martyn Hill
(tenor); Ulrich Studer (baritone); Peter Kooy (bass) Collegium Vocale
Gent; Musica Antiqua Köln/Philippe Herreweghe rec. 1981. DDD
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93890 [48.45]
[GH]
At
bargain price this is a fine catch ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Zoltán KODÁLY (1882-1967) Orchestral
Works Philharmonia
Hungarica/Antal Doráti, London SO/István
Kertész
rec. 1968-73 DECCA
COLLECTORS
EDITION 478
2303 [4 CDs: 294:26] [RB]
Authentic
national flavours and vivacious golden age analogue Decca sound
- an irresistible acquisition ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH György LIGETI (1923-2006) String
Quartets 1 & 2,
Andante and Allegretto Parker
Qt
rec. 2007 NAXOS
8.570781 [55:46] [LW]
Superb
renditions of the Ligeti Quartets at bargain price … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Gustav
MAHLER
(1860-1911)
Complete Symphonies Collector's Edition
Conductor: Leonard Bernstein
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8668 [11 CDs: 746:00]
[ST]
A
hugely dynamic achievement that deserves to be appreciated, warts and
all. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Carl
NIELSEN
(1865-1931) Symphonies 3 & 6,
Ruth Güldbæk (soprano); Eric Sjøberg (baritone) Danish
State RSO/John Frandsen, Thomas Jensen rec. 1946-55
DUTTON CDBP9796 [62:12]
[RB]
Jensen:
sheer delight in intricacy and joyously precise; Frandsen: powerful
with mordant accentuation of rhythmic impact and idyllically understated
pastoral warmth ... see Full Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Gioachino
ROSSINI (1792
- 1868) La
Cenerentola Joyce
DiDonato (mezzo) Juan Diego Flórez (tenor) Gran Teatre del
Liceu Ch & SO/Patrick Summers
rec. 2008 DECCA/UNITEL
CLASSICA 074 3305 [2
DVDs: 179:00] [RMK]
Splendid
escapism … An enchanting romantic bubble of joy ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH John RUTTER (b.1945) Gloria Leonard
BERNSTEIN (1918 - 1990) Chichester Psalms Francis
POULENC (1899 - 1963) Quatre petites Prières
de Saint François d'Assise,
Litanies à la Vierge Noire Ch
Clare College Cambridge, Corydon Singers/Matthew Best
rec. 1995 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 9087 [60:04] [BBr]
Don’t
miss it on any account … see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Ballet
and Symphonies London
Sinf, Berliner PO, CBSO/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 1977-2007 EMI
CLASSICS 2427542 [4 CDs: 263:50] [CR]
A
strong overview in which Rattle’s flair and panache make for
an essential collection ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) Un
ballo in Maschera Carlo
Bergonzi, Leontyne Price, RCA Italiana Opera Ch & O/Erich Leinsdorf
rec. 1966 SONY
OPERA HOUSE 88697581322 [68.36 + 59.35] [RJF]
Verdi
singing does not come much better than this. This 1966 recording
and performance has stood the test of time ... see Full
Review
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1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part 3 C-L]
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5 S-Z]
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7 Misc M-Z]
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