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John
ADAMS
(b. 1947) Nixon
in China - Opera in three acts.
Colorado Symphony Orchestra/Marin Alsop rec. live, 2008 Libretto enclosed
NAXOS
8.669022-24 [3 CDs: 66:22 + 51:04 + 36:27]
[GF]
A
new unexpected friend for life. ... see Full
Review
Miguel
del AGUILA (b.
1957) Charango
Capriccioso, Presto II, Salón Buenos Aires, Life
is dream, Clocks Ertan
Torgul; Karen Stiles (violins); Emily Watkins Freudigman (viola);
Kenneth Freudigman; David Mollenauer (cellos); Kristin Roach
(piano), Vivienne Spy (in piano four-hands); Tallon Sterling
Perkes (flute); Ilya Shterenberg (clarinet); Bryn Jameson (narrator)
rec. 2008 BRIDGE
9302 [64.49] [GH]
Played
with great enthusiasm ... see Full
Review
Franco
ALFANO (1875-1954) Cyrano
de Bergerac Plàcido
Domingo, Sondra Radvanovsky, Valenciana Community Ch & O/Patrick
Fournillier rec. 2007 NAXOS
2.110270 
[141:00] [RJF]
A
rare post-verismo Italian opera gets an excellent performance in convincing
sets and costumes ... see Full Review
Richard
ARNELL (b.1917) Prelude ‘Black Mountain’ see
BATE
Louis
AUBERT (1877-1968) Piano Works Cristina
Ariagno (piano) rec. 2005 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 9064 [56:13] [RB]
Fine
interpretations of deeply impressive music ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I,
BWV 846-869 Book II, BWV 870-893
Roger Woodward (piano) rec. 2008
CELESTIAL HARMONIES 19922-5 [5 CDs: 59:15 + 60:41 + 46:53 + 56:23
+ 56:44]
[DC]
Such
a fine release, you may feel the need to bequeath it as a separate item
in your will ... see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) J.S. Bach in the Italian
Style
James Tibbles (harpsichord) Jenny Thomas (harpsichord) (BWV 1061a) rec.
Music Theatre, School of Music, The University of Auckland, February,
July 2008. Stereo. DDD
ATOLL ACD 509 [75:25]
[GD]
James
Tibbles has a distinctive take on this repertoire ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Cantatas for Bass Ich
will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen (Gladly I bear the cross), Der
Friede sei mit dir (Peace be with you), Ich habe genug (I
have enough),
Thomas Quasthoff, bass-baritone Albrecht Meyer (oboe) Members of the
RIAS Kammerchor/Daniel Reuss Berliner Barock Solisten/Rainer Kussmaul
(violin) rec. 2004, DDD
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 00289 477 5326 
474
505-2 [50:05]
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Cantatas for Bass Ich habe genug (I have enough),
Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen (Gladly I bear the cross), Der
Friede sei mit dir (Peace be with you),
Peter Kooy (bass) La Chapelle Royale/Philippe Herreweghe.
rec. 1991, DDD
HARMIONIA MUNDI MUSIQUE D’ABORD, HMA 1951365 [52:20]
[MC]
The
sacred music of Bach is extremely well served by this pair of outstanding
recordings ... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Cantatas
BWV22, 23, 127 & 159 Dorothee
Mields (soprano); Matthew White (alto); Jan Kobow (tenor); Peter
Kooy (bass) Collegium Vocale Gent/Philippe Herreweghe rec. 2007 HARMONIA
MUNDI
HMC901998 [63:47] [MC]
This
is an outstanding Bach release in all respects ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)/ Leopold
STOKOWSKI (1882 - 1977) Transcriptions
Vol. 2 Various
orchestras/Leopold Stokowski
rec. 1929-50 NAXOS
8.112019 [77:26] [JW]
Stokowskized
wizardry - and sometimes less than wizardry ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Preludes, Toccatas
and Fugues for Organ Lionel
Rogg (organ) rec. 1975/6 EMI
CLASSICS GEMINI 2642892 [73:49 + 78:04]
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Organ Masterpieces Marie-Claire
Alain (organ) rec. 1983-5. DDD. WARNER
CLASSICS MAESTRO 2564 68975-5 [73:31 + 67:33] [BW]
Both
are excellent bargains, with Marie-Claire Alain having a slight
edge ... see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Cantatas
- Vol. 45 BWV 39, 129 & 187 Robin
Blaze (counter-tenor); Yukari Nonoshita (soprano); Peter Kooij
(bass); Bach Collegium Japan/Masaaki Suzuki rec. 2009 BIS
BIS-SACD-1801 [65:42] [MC]
Suzuki
really is a master of his art directing impeccable vocal and instrumental
performances ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685
- 1739) Weihnachts
Oratorium Kurt
Equiluz (tenor) Barbara Schlick (soprano) Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne,
Lausanne CO/Michel Corboz rec. 1984 WARNER
APEX
2564 686217 [73.51 + 75.23] [RH]
This
intelligent modern instrument performance has much to recommend
it … see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Sacred Cantatas
for Soprano BWV 51, 52, 84 & 199 Siri
Thornhill (soprano); Cologne Bach Vocal Ens, Cologne CO/Helmut
Müller-Brühl rec. 2007 NAXOS
8.570453 [70:36] [GD]
Doesn’t
quite have what it takes ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Brandenburg
Concertos 1-6 Gewandhaus
O/Riccardo
Chailly
rec. 2007 DECCA
478
2191 [43:17 + 51:11] [DC]
Worth
the asking price, and then some ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) The Art of Fugue BWV 1080
Vladimir Feltsman (piano) rec. American Academy of Arts and Letters,
New York, 12-14 March 1996
NIMBUS NI 2549/50 [52:04 + 43:59]
[GD]
Intellect,
discipline and emotion true to the spirit of Bach’s often nebulous intentions.
... see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue,
Partitas 2 & 6 Roger
Woodward (piano) rec. 2007 CELESTIAL
HARMONIES 13280-2 [70:34] [DC]
Remarkably
powerful ... see Full Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
Cello suites 1-6, Viola da Gamba sonatas 1-3
Karine Georgian (cello); Gary Cooper (harpsichord) rec. 2007/8
SOMM SOMMCD090-2 [3 CDs: 76:41 + 79:14 + 40:45]
[JS]
Wise,
companionable and mature ... see Full
Review
Celebrating
Bach J.S.
BACH (1685-1750) Oboe Concerto in D minor BWV 1059;
Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Concerto
in E flat - Dumbarton Oaks; Tim GARLAND
(b.1951) Fantasia in Two Movements – The Stream, Concerto for
Soprano Saxophone – Homage to Father Bach; J.S.
BACH (1685-1750) Double Concerto in C minor BWV 1060
Tim Garland (soprano saxophone) Northern Sinfonia/Bradley Creswick (violin)
rec. 2008/9, DDD
AUDIO-B ABCD 5025 [68:47]
[CR]
Wilhelm
Friedemann BACH
(1710-1784)
12 Polonaises, Fantasia, Sonata
Siegbert Rampe (harpsichord, tangent piano) rec. 2009
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG3411592-2 [67:51]
[J-PJ]
Startlingly
complex and expressive ... see Full
Review
Richard
BARRETT (b.
1959) Negatives ELISION
rec. 1992-2007 NMC
D143 [79:24] [CR]
Barrett’s
music is imaginative and often challenging ... see Full
Review
Bela
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Contrasts for violin, clar. & pno,
Rhapsody 1 for violin & pno, Mikrokosmos (excerpts) Béla
Bartók (pno), Joseph Szigeti (violin), Benny Goodman (clar.)
rec. 1940 NAXOS
HISTORICAL 8.111343 [71:35] [DC]
We
now have our best cake, and can eat it at bargain price ... see Full
Review
Stanley
BATE
(1911-1959)
Symphony no.3 (1940) [28:26] Richard ARNELL
(b.1917) Prelude ‘Black Mountain’ op.46 (1946) [2:50] Robert
Flaherty – Impression op.87 (1958) [20:43] Erik
CHISHOLM (1904-1965) Pictures from Dante (after Doré)
(1948) [21:51]
Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Martin Yates rec.2009 World premiere
recordings
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7239 [74:15]
[RB]
Four
glorious revivals, superbly performed, recorded and documented. Unmissable.
... see Full Review
Mason
BATES
(b. 1977) Digital
Loom: Intro: BLUES7 [2:43]; Digital Loom (2005) [17:04]; Siren Music
[2:36]; From Amber Frozen (2004) [12:55]; Amber [3:22]; Red River (2007)
[19:35]; Outro: Rhombus [5:32]
Mason Bates (electronica); Isabelle Demers (organ); Chanticleer; Baiva
Quartet; Antares DDD
MSR CLASSICS MS1342 [63:55]
[CR]
Bates’s
music is well constructed and has a wide appeal - A considerable imagination.
... see Full Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1826) Symphony
6 NBC
SO/Arturo Toscanini
rec. 1944 PRISTINE
AUDIO
XR PASC178 [39:11] [JW]
The
sound is really first class ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Violin Concerto in D major, op. 61 (1806) Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) Violin Concerto, op. 15 (1939, rev. 1958)
Janine
Jansen (violin) Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, London Symphony
Orchestra/Paavo Järvi rec. 2009. DDD
DECCA 478 1530 [73:21]
[MG]
Two
really fine performances in quite different styles … see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin
Concerto Erich KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Violin
Concerto Renaud
Capuçon (violin) Rotterdam PO/Yannick Nézet-Séguin
rec. 2009 VIRGIN
CLASSICS 6945890 [70:45] [ST]
A
disc worth exploring, especially if you want the Korngold ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Concertos 1 & 2 Artur
Schnabel (piano) London SO,
London PO/Malcolm Sargent
rec. 1932/5 PRISTINE
AUDIOXR
PASC197 [66:12] [JW]
In
this version the music can be better appreciated ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 7 Johann Sebastian BACH
Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 (arr. Stokowski) Felix
MENDELSSOHN A
Midsummer Night's Dream: Scherzo Christoph
Willibald von GLUCK Armide:
Sicilienne (arr. Stokowski) Paul BEN-HAIM
From Israel - Suite for Orchestra Various Orchestras/Leopold
Stokowski
CALA CACD0551 [77:16]
[SV]
This
program affords much sheer musical enjoyment … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Triple
concerto Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Double
concerto Trio
Poseidon, Gothenburg SO/Neeme Järvi
rec. 2004/7 CHANDOS
CHAN10564 [69:41] [RB]
Artistic
insight, poignancy and exciting performance values ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Symphony 8 see HAYDN
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Quartet 3 see
CHOPIN
Luciano
BERIO (1925-
2003) Coro
Kölner
RSO & Ch /Luciano Berio
rec. 1979
BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 9018 [56:56]
[RB]
Will certainly appeal if you are sympathetic
to the headily dionysiac avant-garde ... see Full
Review
Hector
BERLIOZ (1803-1869)
The Ultimate Berlioz – The Essential Masterpieces: Choral
and Orchestral Music 
Hazel Holt (soprano), Sarah Walker (mezzo), Gillian Hull (contralto),
Ryland Davies, Kenneth Riegel (tenors), Nobuko Imai (viola); Peter Smith
(harmonium); Jeffrey Budin (trombone); John Alldis Choir; Montreal Chorus;
Cleveland Chorus; Heinrich Schütz Choir and Chorale/Roger Norrington;
New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Zubin Mehta: London Symphony Orchestra/Colin
Davis: Montreal Symphony Orchestra/Charles Dutoit: Cleveland Orchestra/Lorin
Maazel rec.1969-1997
DECCA 478 1746 [5 CDs: 329:14] 
[CF]
A
mixed bag of goodies making an ideal and economic start for anyone wanting
to get to know Berlioz’s music. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869) L'Enfance
du Christ Jean
Rigby (mezzo) Gerald Finley (baritone) St. Paul's Cathedral Choristers,
Corydon Singers & O/Matthew Best rec. 1994 HYPERION
DYAD
CDD22067 [44:04
+ 56:48] [SV]
One
to love and to cherish … see Full
Review
François-Adrien
BOIELDIEU (1775-1834) La Dame Blanche Rockwell
Blake (tenor) Annick Massis (soprano) Ensemble Orchestral de
Paris/Marc Minkowski rec. 1996 EMI
CLASSICS 3951182 [68:16 + 68:29] [JS]
Charming,
well-crafted and memorable … see Full
Review
Alexander
BORODIN (1833
- 1887) Complete
Piano Music Marco
Rapetti (piano) rec. 2008 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 93894 [79:12] [NB]
Worth
buying at the price for the rarities as long as the paraphrases
are cordoned off with a health warning … see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS
(1833 – 1897) arr. Joseph JOACHIM (1831
– 1907) 21 Hungarian Dances
Oscar Shumsky (violin); Frank Maus (piano) rec. no recording dates or
venues given; MusicMasters Inc. 1998
NIMBUS NI 2552 [51:24]
[NB]
For
anyone who loves this composer a compulsory purchase and for connoisseurs
of the art of playing the violin. ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano Quartets 1 & 2 Trio
Santoliquido, Bruno Giuranna (viola) rec. 1958 PRISTINE
AUDIO PACM067 [79:53] [JW]
An
eminently worthwhile undertaking ... see Full
Review
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Ein
Deutsches Requiem Dietrich
Fischer-Dieskau (baritone); Elisabeth Grümmer (soprano)
Ch St Hedwig’s Cathedral Berlin, Berlin PO/Rudolf Kempe
rec. 1955 NAXOS
8.111342 [76:53] [JW]
The
grandest and noblest of perspectives ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Double concerto see BEETHOVEN
RECORIDNG
OF THE MONTH Anton BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphonies
1-9,
Te Deum Vienna
SO/Volkmar Andreae
rec. 1953 MUSIC & ARTS
CD-1227(9) [9
CDs: 527:02] [JW]
Among
historic cycles this one now ranks high indeed. ... see Full
Review
Frank
BRIDGE (1879-1941)
Oration,
Concerto elegiaco (1930) [32:02] Edward
ELGAR (1857-1934)
Cello Concerto in E minor op.85 (1919) [26:34] Gustav
HOLST (1874-1934) Invocation (1911) [10.32]
Raphael Wallfisch (cello) Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Richard
Dickins rec. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, 29-30 March 2005.
NIMBUS NI 5763 [69.11]
[NB][RB]
The
star is the recording as much as the inspired playing and the repertoire
… see Full Review
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913-1976) Violin Concerto see BEETHOVEN
Dirk
BROSSÉ
(b. 1960) The Circle of Nature (2004):
Summer [17:35]a; Autumn [10:54]b; Winter [13:15]c;
Spring [11:50]d
Viviane Spanoghe (cello)acd; Eddy Vanoosthuyse (clarinet)abc
Brussels Philharmonic/Dirk Brossé
TALENT DOM 2910 905 SP [54:19]
Superbly
crafted music of great charm and warm melodic appeal … see Full
Review
Dieterich
BUXTEHUDE
(1637-1707)
Opera Omnia XI - Vocal Works 4
Bettina Pahn, Miriam Meyer, Siri Thornhill, Johannette Zomer (soprano);
Patrick van Goethem, Bogna Bartosz (alto); Jörg Dürmüller, Andreas Karasiak
(tenor); Klaus Mertens (bass); Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and
Choir; Ton Koopman rec. 2006-8 DDD
CHALLENGE CC72250 [67:00 + 64:03]
[MS]
Outstanding
… full of rich, sonorous and decidedly beautiful choral music. … see
Full Review
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