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American
Piano Trios
Amy BEACH (1867-1944) Trio Charles
IVES (1874-1954) Trio Ernest
BLOCH (1880-1959) Three Nocturnes Aaron
COPLAND (1900-1990) Vitebsk Henry
COWELL (1897-1965) Trio
Hartley Trio rec. 1992
DAL SEGNO DSPRCD057 [64:51]
[GD][RB]
Many
of these works deserve a much wider audience [GD] ... A subtle collection
satisfyingly avoiding the obvious [RB]
Les
Amours de Mai -
Love Songs in the Age of Ronsard
Julianne Baird (soprano), Robert Mealy (violin), Parthenia rec. 2008
MSR
CLASSICS MS1304 [70:15]
[GPu]
Attractively
programmed sequence of vocal and instrumental music from the French
Renaissance.
An
Anthology of English Song
Stuart Burrows (tenor); Valerie Masterson (soprano); Thomas Allen (baritone);
Sarah Walker (mezzo); Peter Jeffes (tenor); Raimund Herincx (baritone);
Patricia White (soprano); Jonathan Rees (violin) rec. 1989
DAL SEGNO DSPRCD055 [63:14]
[JS] [RB]
A
disc well worth having if you have any liking for this kind of repertoire
[JS] There is a perfunctory liner note. Some very engaging songs here
and because of the format it is nicely varied and makes for a satisfying
recital [RB]
Ave
Maria
Frieder Lang (tenor) Zürcher Sängerknaben/Alphons von Aarburg
rec. 1995
TUDOR 7029 [52:52]
[WH]
A
quiet, contemplative collection of Marian pieces, well sung and atmospheric.
In
the Beginning:
Adam Levin (guitar), William Knuth (violin)
ADAM LEVIN RECORDS ALR1001 [58:23]
[ZT]
A
refreshingly individual style, and an interesting, well-played programme
British
Music for Cello and Piano by
Wordsworth, Holbrooke & Busch
Raphael Wallfisch (cello); Raphael Terroni (piano) rec. 2008/10
BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY BMS436CD [75:33] [NB]
As
soon as you read the names of Wallfisch and Terroni you know you are
in safe musical hands for this journey through yet more unfamiliar British
music
Cantos
de la España Antiqua
Anna
Jagielska (soprano) Marek Toporowski (harpsichord) rec. 2000
ACTE PRÉALABLE AP0060 [76:41]
[BW]
With
no direct competition, a useful introduction to the Spanish renaissance
repertoire
Cantus
Mariales - Gregorian Chant
Ch Moines de l'Abbaye Bénédictine de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac rec. 1985
ANALEKTA AN 2 9769 [65:10]
[MS]
Not
a first choice for exemplary, definitive plainchant but a useful collection
of mediaeval Marian chant sung with conviction and style.
Choral
Evensong from Tewkesbury Abbey
Abbey School Ch Tewkesbury/Benjamin Nicholas, Carleton Etherington (organ),
rec. 2006
DELPHIAN DCD34019 [74.37]
[GH]
Beautifully
and affectingly performed
Classical
Legends In Their Own Words
EMI CLASSICS 6089722 [4 CDs: 318:15]
[JW]
If
there is a deal of self-promotion by EMI then that's the name of the
game.
Cohler
on Clarinet Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1894)
Clarinet Sonata Carl Maria von WEBER
(1786-1826) Grand Duo Concertant Heinrich
Joseph BÄRMANN (1784-1847) Quintet 3 Simon
A. SARGON (b.1938) Deep Ellum Nights
Johathan Cohler (clarinet) Judith Gordon (piano) rec. 1992
ONGAKU 024-101 [63:31]
[OL]
“Full-steam
ahead” clarinet playing, not very suitable for Brahms, though the rest
is fine
Placido
Domingo - My Greatest Roles Vol. 1 Giacomo
PUCCINI (1858-1924) Manon Lescaut; Tosca;
La fanciulla del West
rec. 1983-92
WARNER MUSIC 50-51865-5673-2-5
[3 DVDs: 130:00 + 110:00 + 140:00]
[RJF]
Focused
on Domingo, but also full of fine singing, this competitively priced
collection includes the return of the famous 1992 live Tosca
to the catalogue.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
Endechar
Lament for Spain - Sephardic Romances and Songs
Capilla Antigua de Chincilla/José Ferrero rec. 2009
NAXOS 8.572443 [57:31]
[GPu]
Captures
the sadness and affirmation at the heart of Sephardic song.
Far
from the Madding Crowd - A Fantasia of British Classical &
Film Music
Lucie Švehlová (violin); City of Prague PO/Miriam Nemcová rec. 2008
TADLOW
006 [73:17 + 78:16]
[IL]
A
rewarding double album.
The
Feast of Saint Peter the Apostle at Westminster Abbey
Robert Quinney (organ) Westminster Abbey Ch/James O’Donnell rec.
2009
HYPERION CDA67770 [70:17]
[RH]
Not
showy; instead you really feel that you are eavesdropping on a genuine
liturgical event.
French
Song Cycles
Songs by de menasce, Chabrier, Honegger, Roussel, Poulenc & Satie
Hugues Cuénod (tenor) Geoffrey Parsons (piano) pub. 1985
NIMBUS NI5027 [68:40]
[GF]
Hard
to imagine more idiomatic singing of these songs
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Elina Garanca
- Habanera
Elina Garanca (mezzo) Roberto Alagna, José Maria Gallardo (guitar) SO
Nazionale della Rai/Karel Mark Chichon rec. 2010
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 8776 [68:22]
[GF]
There
are a few records every year where everything is right. This is one
of them.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
Nicolai Gedda - Lyric
Poet of the Tenor Voice rec. 1952-77
EMI CLASSICS ICON 4560952 [11 CDs: 831:59]
[GF]
A
must for every lover of refined and ardent singing … will give
endless pleasure for years to come.
Glint
Timothy
McAllister (saxophone); Lucia Unrau (piano); Robert Spring (clarinet)
rec. 2006-7
INNOVA 764 [68:03]
[RB]
For
the broad-minded sax repertoire enthusiast.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
Tito Gobbi - Complete
Solo Recordings
rec. 1942-1964
EMI CLASSICS ICON 4553782 [5 CDs: 390:20]
[GF]
Indispensable
… and at budget price.
The
Golden Age of Light Music Strings
in Rhythm rec. 1953-59
GUILD GLCD5167 [77:59]
[JW]
A
good cross-section of entertaining tunes, adeptly arranged, and played
by first class orchestras.
(In)
Habitation –
Musical Settings of Margaret Atwood’s Poetry by American Women Composers
Eileen Strempel (soprano) Sylvie Beaudette (piano) rec. 2007
CENTAUR CRC 3002 [63:29]
[BBr]
I
couldn’t sit through the whole CD
Alfred
Hertz - Complete Recordings Vol. 3
Daniel-François AUBER
(1782-1871)
Fra Diavolo - overture Jules MASSENET
(1842-1912) Le Cid - ballet music Phèdre
- overture Léo DELIBES
(1836-1891)
Coppélia - Dance of the Automatons and Waltz, Sylvia
excerpts Charles GOUNOD
(1818-1893)
Funeral March of a Marionette
San Francisco SO/Alfred Hertz rec. 1925-28
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC216 [57:27]
[JW]
Excellently
realised, good fun and musically satisfying.
La
Dolce Musica
Original Prima Carezza Salon-Ensemble rec. 1988
TUDOR 7058 [63:34]
[JW]
A
fun ensemble who communicate that through elevated musical playing.
Late
Night Sessions live at the Edinburgh International Festival
Concerto
Caledonia rec. 2009
DELPHIAN DCD34093 [62:51]
[JS]
A
fine reminder of the fascinating and invigorating mixture of influences
on music north of the border, well played and clearly if closely recorded.
Josef
Lhévinne - The Welte Mignon Mystery Vol. XVI
Josef Lhévinne (piano) rec. 1906/11
TACET 180 [49:19 + 57:56]
[JW]
Welte
Mignon piano rolls finely reproduced.
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]
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