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Download
Jehan
ALAIN
(1911-1940) Complete Works for Organ Lars 
Notto Birkeland (organ) rec. 2010
SIMAX PSC1314 [DC]
Excellent
performances, but do we love the Goll organ?
Hugo
ALFVÉN (1872-1960) Swedish Rhapsody 1 see
Fritz Busch
Atso
ALMILA (b. 1953) Arctic Hysteria see
Arctic Hysteria
Enrique
Fernández ÁRBOS (1863-1939) Tres Piezas Originales en
Estilo Espańol see Estilo
Espańol
Thomas
ARNE (1710–1778) Artaxerxes
Elizabeth Watts, Rebecca Bottone (sop.) Caitlin Hulcup (mezzo) Christopher
Ainslie (c-ten.) Andrew Staples, Daniel Norman (ten.) Classical Opera
Co/Ian Page rec. 2009-10
LINN CKD358 [66.08 + 69.41] 
[RH]
A
remarkable discovery. Arne had a winning combination of dramatic flair,
virtuoso verve and a nicely gallant style. The opera isn’t perfect but
it repays repeated listening.
Malcolm
ARNOLD (1921-2006)
Fantasy for Harp see 20th
Century Harp Classics
Rafal
AUGUSTYN (b.1951)
String Quartets 1 & 2, Dedication, Grand jeté. Quartet No.
2˝ Silesian
String Qt, Agata Zubel (soprano) Jan Krzeszowiec (flute) rec. 2010
CD ACCORD ACD165-2 [64:37]
[DC]
Fascinating
music in award-deserving performances.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Carl
Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788) Hamburger Quartalsmusiken
Nun danket alle Gott, Herr lehr uns tun, Siehe! Ich
begehre deiner Befehle, Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe
Himlische Cantorey, Les Amis de Philippe/Ludger Rémy rec. 2009
CPO 777 594-2 [48:03 + 51:27]
[JV]
Compelling
performances of first-rate sacred cantatas by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) The Art of Fugue
Diana Boyle (piano) rec. 2007
DIVINE ART DDA25097 [46:47 + 44:00]
[JS]
At
the right time and in the right mood you may find this irresistible.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) St John Passion
La Chapelle
Rhénane/Benoît Haller rec. 2008
ZIGZAG TERRITOIRES ZZT 100301.2 [39:49 + 76:10]
[JV]
An
inconsistent and one-sided interpretation of Bach's St John Passion
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Chorale Preludes (transcr.
Busoni)
Mordecai Shehori (piano) rec. 2002-9
CEMBAL D’AMOUR CD 149 [JW]
There
is something intensely intriguing about Shehori’s undertaking that has
given me repeated occasion to appreciate his deeply held point of view
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Goldberg Variations
Nick van Bloss (piano) rec. 2008
NIMBUS NI6136 [64:32]
[DC]
One
to lift the spirits.
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Mass in B minor
Catherine Backhouse (soprano) Clint van der Linde (alto) Ben Johnson
(tenor) Colin Campbell (bass) Hĺkan Vramsmo (bass) The Rodolfus Ch;
Southern Sinfonia/Ralph Allwood rec. 2009
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD218 [52:48 + 54:20]
[JQ]
A
very enjoyable and highly commendable account of Bach’s great Missa.
Wilhelm
Friedemann BACH (1710 - 1784) Cantatas Vol. 1 &
2
Dorothee Mields (soprano) Gerhild Romberger (alto) Georg Poplutz (tenor)
Klaus Mertens (bass) Bachchor Mainz L’arpa festante/Ralf Otto,
Rastatter Hofkapelle/Jürgen Ochs rec. 2010
CARUS 83.362 [69:01] 83.429 [66:35]
[DC]
Stunning
masterpieces – dive in without hesitation.
Leonardo
BALADA (b.1933) Caprichos 2-4
Pittsburgh Sinf/Andrés Cárdenes; Lawrence Loh rec. 2008/9
NAXOS 8.572176 [64:18]
[Byz]
Very
accessible, with plenty of melody and sonorities.
Claude-Bénigne
BALBASTRE (1727-1799) Pičces de clavecin
Sophie Yates (harpsichord) rec. 2005,
CHANDOS CHAN0777 [76:29]
[DC]
Top
of the pile for these Pičces.
Granville
BANTOCK (1868-1946) Fifine at the Fair see
Beecham
Arnold
BAX (1883-1953) The Garden of Fand see
Beecham
David
BEDNALL (b.1979)
Hail, gladdening Light and other choral works
Wells Cathedral Ch/Matthew Owens David Bednall (organ) rec. 2006
REGENT REGCD247 [75:16]
[JQ]
Another
fine CD of music by a young British composer who seems likely to have
a very considerable career as a composer of liturgical music.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Violin Concerto, Violin Romances 1 & 2
Liza Ferschtman (violin) Netherlands SO/Jan Willem de Vriend rec. 2010
CHALLENGE
CLASSICS CC72384
[58:27] [DC]
Highly
desirable.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Concerto 4, Piano Sonatas
14 & 31
Dejan Lazic (piano) Australian CO/Richard Tognetti rec. 2009/10
CHANNEL CLASSICS CCSSA30511
[69:38]
[GD]
Immediacy
and sweetness of tone.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) Beethoven by Arrangement Vol. I Horn Sonata,
Notturno, Septet
Paul Silverthorne (viola) David Owen Norris (piano) rec. 2009
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0108 [79:58]
[RB]
Lively
and touching Beethoven voiced for the piano and viola.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Missa Solemnis
Krassimira
Stoyanova (soprano) Elina Garanca (mezzo) Michael Schade (tenor) Franz-Josef
Selig (bass) Sächischer Staatsopernchor, Dresden Staatskapelle/Christian
Thielemann rec. 2010
UNITEL CLASSICA 705408 
[90:00]
[ST]
An
undeniably big-boned approach. A performance of real stature.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Egmont overture see
Fritz Busch
Lord
BERNERS (1883-1950) The Triumph of Neptune see
Beecham
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Leonard BERNSTEIN
(1918–1990) Mass
Jubilant Sykes (tenor) Morgan State U Ch, Peabody Children’s Ch,
Baltimore SO/Marin Alsop rec. 2008
NAXOS 8.559622-23 [64:53 + 38:35]
[BR]
An
artistic, sonic, historical and musicological milestone.
BARGAIN OF THE MONTH
Franz BERWALD (1796-1868)
Grand Septet see
MENDELSSOHN
Georges
BIZET (1838-1875) Complete Music for Solo Piano
Julia Severus (piano) rec. 2008-9
NAXOS 8.570831-32 [71:14 + 67:27]
[Byz]
These
piano works might not be Bizet's finest legacy, but his musicality and
that of Severus illuminate these two discs.
Evaristo
Fernández BLANCO (1902-1983) The Complete Orchestral
Works
Malaga PO/Jose Luis Temes rec. 2008
VERSO VRS2094 [53:37 + 60:00]
[RB]
Music
of virtue - modest yet pleasant and agreeably imaginative. In the case
of the Obertura dramática we have something of grand ambition tackling
the eternal verities.
Arthur
BLISS (1891-1975)
A Colour Symphony, Metamorphic Variations
BBC Welsh SO/Barry Wordsworth rec. 1991
NIMBUS NI 5294 [70.32]
[RB]
A
very good Bliss disc though the Symphony is somewhat out-pointed by
Handley and Groves.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Arthur BLISS
(1891-1975)
Sonata for Piano and Violin* [11:00] Henry
WALFORD DAVIES (1869-1941) Sonata in A Major for Violin and
Piano* (1893 rev 1895) [21:56] York BOWEN (1884-1961)
Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 112 [20:10]
Rupert Luck (violin); Matthew Rickard (piano) rec. 2010 *world premičre
recordings
EM RECORDS EMR CD001 [53:06] 
[RB]
This
is magnificent impassioned music-making in works of real and dazzling
substance. We must hope to hear much more of Luck and Rickard.
Ernest
BLOCH (1880-1959) Schelomo; Voice in the Wilderness
Robert OBOUSSIER (1900-1957) Antigone
Walther GEISER (1897-1993) Symphony
Elsa
Cavelti (alto) Zara Nelsova (cello) Suisse Romande O, London PO/Ernest
Ansermet rec. 1954/55
DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 0814 [80:01]
[RB]
A
fascinating generously timed collection including some very out of the
way music.
Thomas
BLOCH (b.1962) Missa Cantate; Sancta Maria; Cold Song;
Christ Hall Blues and Postlude
Jörg Waschinski (male soprano) Thomas Bloch (keyboards) Paderewski PO/Fernand
Quattrocchi rec. 2002-09
NAXOS 8.572489 [66:13]
[Byz]
Not
destined to be one of Naxos's great successes… uninspired and uninspiring.
Joseph
BODIN DE BOISMORTIER (1689-1755)
Concertos for five transverse flutes
Stephen Schultz (transverse flute)
DORIAN DSL90803 [48:21]
Sonatas for harpsichord and transverse flute
Ursula Dütschler (harpsichord) Douglas Worthen (transverse flute)
rec. 2006
MUSICA OMNIA MO0307 [61:33]
[JV]
Two
fine collections of flute music by Boismortier in strongly contrasting
performances.
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH
Alexander BORODIN (1833-1887)
Piano Quintet see
MENDELSSOHN
York
BOWEN (1884-1961) Sonata for Violin and Piano,see BLISS
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Symphony 2, Academic Festival Overture Frederick
DELIUS (1862 -1934) North Country Sketches
Royal
PO/Thomas Beecham rec. 1949-58
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC263 [73:00]
[JW]
Whilst
it offers no surprises other than promoting unlikely disc bedfellows
it offers thoroughly sound traversals in good sound.
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano Sonata 3 Franz
LISZT (1811-1886) Piano Sonata, Mephisto Waltz 1
Jitka Cechová (piano) rec. 2001/8
SUPRAPHON SU40212 [79:22]
[CC]
A
fascinating disc form a pianist whose career is most definitely worth
following.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Walter BRAUNFELS
(1882-1954)
Die Vögel
Désirée Rancatore (soprano) Brandon Jovanovich (tenor) Los Angeles Opera
Ch & O/James Conlon rec. 2009,
ARTHAUS MUSIK 
101530
101529 [138:54]
[RC]
A
superb recording that merits the highest praise!
Benjamin
BRITTEN
(1913-1976) Les
Illuminations, Serenade, Nocturne
Jerry Hadley (tenor) Anthony Halstead (horn) English String O/William
Boughton rec. 1989
NIMBUS NI 5234 [74:13]
[RB]
I
enjoyed this collection much more that I had thought and much of this
is down to the very qualities in Hadley’s voice that others may find
a problem. It’s a marmite moment.
Benjamin
BRITTEN (1913 - 1976)
Suite for Harp see 20th
Century Harp Classics
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphony 5
Berlin PO/Wilhelm Furtwängler rec. live, 1942
PRISTINE AUDIO XR PASC 255 [69:33]
[MC]
Spacious
and eminently noble … quite splendid playing.
George
BUTTERWORTH (1885-1916) A Shropshire Lad see
English Songs
Dietrich
BUXTEHUDE (c.1637-1707) Membra Jesu nostri, Laudate,
pueri, Dominum Matthias WECKMANN (c.1616-1674)
Kommet her zu mir alle
Elin Manahan Thomas, Emma Kirkby (soprano) Michael Chance (alto) Charles
Daniels (tenor) Peter Harvey (bass) Purcell Qt, Fretwork rec. 2009
CHANDOS CHAN0775 [78:56]
[JV]
A
performance which fails to explore the expressive depth of Buxtehude's
masterpiece.
Dieterich
BUXTEHUDE (c.1637-1707) Complete Organ Works - Volume 3
Christopher
Herrick (organ) rec. 2010
HYPERION CDA67855 [75:21]
[Byz]
Bold
and rollicking music and Herrick puts in performances that are light
and fleet of finger and foot, instinctive and brilliant.
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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