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Alphabetical Listing

PART 6
Misc. A-L

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 week] [Recommended recordings]


Superbudget £5.99 or less Budget £6-7.99 Medium £8-10.99 Full price £11+ Download

The 18th Century American Overture Works by James HEWITT (1770-1827) Benjamin CARR (1768-1831) Alexander REINAGLE (1756-1809) Sinfonia Finlandia Jyväskylä/Patrick Gallois rec. 2009 NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559654 [68:25] [Byz]

Tuneful and innocuous.

The Ernest Ansermet Collection from Cascavelle Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) Les Illuminations, War Requiem Alban BERG (1885-1935) Sieben frühe Lieder Suzanne Danco (soprano) Chloé Owen (soprano) Heather Harper (soprano) Peter Pears (tenor) Thomas Hemsley (baritone) Chœurs de la Radio Suisse Romande/Orch de la Suisse Romande/Ernest Ansermet rec. 1953-1967 CASCAVELLE VEL 3125 [2 CDs 64:12 + 50:14] [JQ] Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924) Requiem Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) Vier letzte Lieder Teresa Stich-Randall (soprano) Gérard Souzay (baritone) Union Chorale de la Tour-de-Peilz/Orch de la Suisse Romande/Ernest Ansermet rec. 1957-1961 CASCAVELLE VEL 3135 [60:56] [JQ]

Valuable archive material showing the artistry of Ansermet, including a very fine War Requiem

Ave Virgo Sanctissima Choral works by de Ghersem, Guerrero, Cornet, Rogier & Philips Currende/Erik van Nevel rec. 2010 ACCENT ACC24235 [75:44] [BW]

Lovers of renaissance polyphony need not hesitate to acquire this recording.

Sir Thomas Beecham The Later Tradition: From Beethoven to Strauss Royal PO rec. 1950s EMI CLASSICS 9186112 [8 CDs] [DBe]

A rewarding selection played with bravado and technical sheen.

Sir Thomas Beecham The Great Communicator Works by Grieg, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Stravinsky, Mozart & others EMI CLASSICS 9 09964 2 [4 CDs: 75:05 + 79:36 + 79:39 + 79:36] [JW]

You will learn new things here about Beecham.

Berlin Opera Night 2003 Angelika Kirchschlager (mezzo) Adrianne Pieczonka (soprano) Deutschen Oper O, Berlin/Kent Nagano rec. live, 2003 EUROARTS 2053589 [73:00]  [RJF]

Something of a mixed bag, but with a few nuggets of vocal gold. Buy it and support a worthy cause.

Bonjour Paris Works by Debussy, Fauré, Françaix, Odermatt, Ravel, d'Indy, Satie & Hahn Albrecht Mayer (oboe, oboe d’amore, cor anglais) ASMF/Mathias Mönius rec. 2010 DECCA 4782564 [74:25] [ST]

Fans of the oboe will love this disc: aspects of it may be forgettable but it collects a sequence of beautiful music which should give pleasure to most. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Cantiones Sacrae 1575 Motet sequence by Tallis & Byrd Alamire/David Skinner rec. 2009/10 OBSIDIAN OBSID-CD706 [74:37 + 55:47] [JQ]

An exceptionally fine complete recording. 

Concerti Curiosi Works by Paradies, Reichenauer, Berlin, Pepusch, Hertel, Croft & Baldassari Charivari Agréable/Kah-Ming Ng rec. 2010 SIGNUM SIGCD249 [62:23] [JV]

A disc for adventurous music-lovers who like to extend their horizons.  

Continental Britons - The Émigré Composers Ensemble Modern, Frankfurt rec. live, 2002 NIMBUS NI 5730/1 [76:46 + 76:38] [JW]

Anyone with the slightest interest in these composers can hardly fail to be stirred by this release.

Alfred Cortot – The Late Recordings: Vol. 4 Works by Schubert, Schumann, Liszt & Chopin rec. 1951-54 APR 5574 [72:56] [JW]

Much to excite the poetic instinct.

Cziffra in Prague 1955 Domenico SCARLATTI (1685-1757) Sonatas Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Rhapsodie espagnole, Hungarian Rhapsody 2, Prelude and Fugue on the name of Bach, Funérailles György Cziffra (piano) rec.1955/9 ICA CLASSICS ICAC5008 [64:32] [JW]

Still inherently and inevitably unbalanced in repertoire, and best sought by Cziffra collectors. 

Hugues Cuénod - Le Maître de la Mélodie Hugues Cuénod (tenor)
Geoffrey Parsons (piano) rec. 1978, No texts. NIMBUS NI 5337 [74:28] [JW]

A voice made up for what it lacked in burnish with intelligent phrasing, excellent diction and a sure sense of style.

The Placido Domingo Story DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 9333 [3 CDs: 202:43 & book] [GF]

This is a wide-ranging portrait of this multi-talented musician. It should be an ideal gift to someone who has just started to get an interest in opera, but in fact to anyone with an interest in strong, beautiful and well-focused singing.

Echoes of Nightingales Encores as sung by Kirsten Flagstad, Eileen Farrell, Helen Traubel and Eleanor Steber Christine Brewer (soprano) Roger Vignoles (piano) rec. 2009 HYPERION CDA67813 [65:52] [GF]

Buy the disc, lock the door, shut the blinds, pour a glass of Medoc, light a candle, slump in your favourite chair, read John Steane’s essay and start listening. You won’t regret the purchase.

EMI Classics British Composers boxes – A Feature Review
BRITTEN 5099909539556 EMI Classics
LIGHTER ELGAR 5099909542228 EMI Classics
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS 5099909543355 EMI Classics
DELIUS 5099909540552 EMI Classics
British Composers - A Celebration 5099909548053 EMI Classics
Full content-listing at end of review [RB]

EMI Classics’ leadership in the field of British music is affirmed yet again with these generously stocked and attractively priced sets.

English Harpsichord Music John BLOW (1648/49-1708) William CROFT (1678-1727) Henry PURCELL (1659-1695) Thomas CHILCOT (1707-1766) Ruth Dyson (harpsichord) rec. 1990, DDD HERITAGE HTGCD 215 [52:36] [JV]

Testimony to the late Ruth Dyson's activities in the field of historical performance practice.

Wilhelm Furtwängler: The Legend Works by MOZART, HAYDN, SCHUBERT & SCHUMANN Vienna PO/Wilhelm Furtwängler rec. 1948-1954 EMI CLASSICS 50999 9 08119 2 0 [3 CDs: 71:06 + 76:25 + 71:35] [RM]

Furtwängler was a musical legend, but I’m not sure that you’d necessarily deduce as much by listening to these newly-reissued recordings.

The Glory of Ely Cathedral Jeremy Filsell, Paul Trepte (organ) The Choir of Ely Cathedral/Paul Trepte rec. Ely Cathedral, 1991-2 HERITAGE HTGCD 219 [73:31] [JS]

There is so much to enjoy here.

English Choral Music Cambridge University Chamber Choir/Timothy Brown
rec. June 1991, St George’s Church, Cambridge, U.K. No texts provided. HERITAGE HTGCD213 [67:29] [WH]

A superb and inexpensive disc rather compromised by the failure to provide the sung texts.

Glass Heart Violin sonatas by Glass, Schubert & Ravel Maria Bachmann (violin) Jon Klibonoff (piano) rec. 2009 ORANGE MOUNTAIN MUSIC OMM7006 [65:33] [AM]

The Glass heart might be weak, but there are pleasures to be had in this attractive recital.

The Golden Age of Light Music The Composer Conducts - Vol. 1 GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD 5177 [79:06] [JW]

An enjoyable selection. Purchase with confidence.

The Golden Age of Light Music: The Composer Conducts - Vol. 2 GUILD LIGHT MUSIC GLCD 5178 [78:12] [JW]

Something for everyone, really.

Percy Grainger - The complete 78rpm solo recordings Percy Grainger (piano) rec. 1908-45 APR 7501 [5 CDs: 390:05] [JW]

Something a little bit special to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Percy Grainger.

Great Artists Collection: Pianists BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9200 [10 CDs: c.11:45:00] [DM]

As a one-box introduction to these pieces I suppose it will have some appeal, but even at this super-budget level it’s much too variable.

Great Artists Collection: Violinists BRILLIANT CLASSICS 9201 [10 CDs] [WH][RB]

A very mixed bag. Many fine performances, a few less so, and does the choice of works appeal? [WH] An inexpensive outing with ten violinists of the twentieth century and their repertoire both contemporary and nineteenth century. [RB]

Great British Anthems by Parry, Stanford, Stainer, Naylor, Walton, Holst & Finzi Vasari Singers/Jeremy Backhouse, Jeremy Filsell (organ) rec. 2009 NAXOS 8.572504 [70:15]

Some of the finest examples of the English church music tradition in excellent performances.

If I were a rich man The Life of Jan Peerce Hosted by Isaac Stern EUROARTS CLASSIC ARCHIVE 2058328 [59:00] [RMay]

A reminder of a fine singer whose career was unique and remarkable.

Ingen Blomst i Verdens Lande Songs by Heise, Kuhlau, Barnekow & Bechgaard Erik Bekker Hansen (tenor) Camilla Toldi Bugge (soprano) Ellen Refstrup (piano) rec. 2010 DANACORD DACOCD705 [65:51] [GF]

Worth hearing for some fine songs.

Invitation to the Dance Alexander GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) The Seasons Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Hungarian Rhapsody 2 Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Boléro; Alborada del gracioso Adolphe Charles ADAM (1803-1856) Giselle Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826) Invitation to the Dance Manuel de FALLA (1876-1946) El sombrero del tres picos Paris Conservatoire O/Albert Wolff rec. 1954-8 DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 2388 [71:36 + 71:57] [DM]

The hidden pleasure of the Eloquence reissues is their ability to renew and revitalise, rare commodities in an age of musical saturation and uniformity.

Inward Richard Craig (flute) Karin Hellqvist (violin) Pontus Langendorf (percussion) rec. 2009/10 METIER MSV28517 [63:24] [CR]

Craig is a master of contemporary techniques and approaches the avant-garde with obvious technical control and clear musical understanding. This disc has much to offer.

Italian Recorder Music Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Qt, Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood rec. 1989-92 NEWTON CLASSICS 8802044 [4 CDs] [GPu]

A thoroughly enjoyable sampler of the early years of a pioneering recorder quartet.

Jazz Nocturne - Concertos of the Jazz Age James P. JOHNSON (1894-1955) Yamekraw, A Negro Rhapsody Harry RESER (1896-1965) Suite for Banjo and Orchestra George GERSHWIN (1898-1937) Rhapsody in Blue Dana SUESSE (1909-1987) Concerto in Three Rhythms Gary Hammond, Tatiana Roitman, Peter Minton, Michael Gurt (pianos) Don Vappie (banjo) Hot Springs Music Festival SO/Richard Rosenberg rec. 2005-2009 NAXOS 8.559647 [70.41] [TA]

Naxos has done us a service in putting together two different musical genres without demeaning either

Carlos Kleiber: Traces to Nowhere A film by Eric Schulz ARTHAUS MUSIK 101 553 [72:00] [ST]

If ever there was a legend among modern conductors then surely it is Carlos Kleiber.

Lysøen - Hommage à Ole Bull Nils Økland (violin, hardanger fiddle), Sigbjørn Apeland (piano, harmonium) rec. 2009/10 ECM 2179 (2740246) [62:04] [DC]

Melancholy, but quite magical


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 week] [Recommended recordings]


 



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