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Alphabetical Listing

PART 3
C-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 5 days] [Recommended recordings]


John CARBON (b.1951) Piano Music Steven Graff (piano) rec. 2011 ZIMBEL RECORDS ZR121 [79:22] [Byz]

Quality music addressing universal themes … lingering modal timelessness.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Alfredo CASELLA (1883-1947) Orchestral Works Vol. 2 Concerto for Orchestra, A notte alta, Symphonic Fragments from ‘La donna serpente’ Martin Roscoe (piano) BBC Philharmonic/Gianandrea Noseda rec. 2011 CHANDOS CHAN10712 [73:26] [IL]

The adventurous listener will be very well rewarded by this very imaginative and colourful music. 

Ernest CHAUSSON (1855-1899) Concerto, Poème Bruno Monteiro (violin) João Paolo Santos (piano); Lopes-Graça Qt rec. 2010 CENTAUR CRC 3120 [54:14] [Byz]

Chausson's marvellous score takes flight, like beautiful butterflies on a summer zephyr. 

Luigi CHERUBINI (1760-1842) Symphony see Guido Cantelli

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Frédéric CHOPIN (1801-1849) Piano Music Vol. 2 Louis Lortie (piano) rec. 2011 CHANDOS CHAN10714 [75:16] [DMcC]

Thoughtful, engaging, and gorgeous.

Fryderyk CHOPIN (1810-1849) Polonaises Marcel Ciampi (piano) rec. 1952 FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR281/2 [45:15 + 39:11] [JW]

Vitality and energy … communicative drive. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Francisco CILEA (1866-1950) Adriana Lecouvreur Angela Gheorghiu, Jonas Kaufmann, Ch & O Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Mark Elder rec. 2010 DECCA 074 3459 [2 DVDs: 150:00] [ST]

Two and a half hours of unalloyed operatic pleasure. 

René CLAUSEN (b.1953) Life & Breath - Choral Works Kansas City Chorale/Charles Bruffy rec. 2011 CHANDOS CHSA5105 [62:25] [NB]

At the end of a long frustrating day this would be a disc to offer balm and great beauty in equal measure.

Carson COOMAN (b.1982) Canzona Erik Simmons (organ) Artist self-production [49:06] [Byz]

In short, this disc has to be one of the bargains of the year. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Images, Jeux, Nocturnes, La Mer, Prélude à l’après-midi d’une faune, Marche écossaise sur un thème populaire, Printemps, L’Enfant prodigue Royal Scottish Ntl O/Stéphane Denève rec. 2011/12 CHANDOS CHSA 5102(2) [78:04 + 68:22] [DC]

Sumptuous sonic bathing: thrillingly superb. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Songs Vol. 2 Lorna Anderson (soprano), Lisa Milne (soprano), Malcolm Martineau (piano) rec. 2011 HYPERION CDA67883 [66:47] [SA]

Thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding in every way.

Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, Rapsodie, La mer Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) La valse, Boléro New York PO/Kurt Masur rec. 1993/6 WARNER APEX 2564 677174 [75:54] [SV]

This will please New Yorkers and fellow-travellers who collect Masur era recordings. 

Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) String quartet, Deux Danses, Piano Trio, Reverie Chris Laurence (double-bass) Sioned Williams (harp) Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano) Brodsky Qt rec. 2011 CHANDOS CHAN10717 [65:29] [DC]

Superlative quartet - excellent programme.

Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Violin sonata see GRIEG

Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) En blanc et noir see MESSIAEN

Frederick DELIUS (1862-1934) Orchestral music arranged for two pianos – Vol. 1 Simon Callaghan, Hiroaki Takenouchi (pianos) rec. 2011 SOMM SOMMCD0112 [68:04] [NB]

Ultimately a disc for the Delius aficionado.

Erno DOHNÁNYI (1877-1960) String Quartets 1 & 3 Aviv Quartet rec. 2010 NAXOS 8.572569 [57:29] [Byz]

Attractive phrasing and a reasonable if not compelling case for these engagingly conservative works.

Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797-1848) L’Elisir d’amore Angela Gheorghiu (soprano) Roberto Alagna (tenor) Ch & O Ntl Opera Lyon/Evelino Pido rec. 1997 DECCA 4783416 [67.24 + 55.31] [RJF]

Even at bargain price this loses out to the earlier Erato set with the same tenor.

Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797-1848) Messa da Requiem Leyla Gencer (soprano) Mirna Pecile (mezzo) Armando Moretti (tenor) Alessandro Cassis (bass) Ch & SO RAI Milan/Gianandrea Gavazzeni rec. 1961 ARCHIPEL ARPCD0475 [69:19] [JS]

This has been a disc from which I have obtained much pleasure. 

Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797-1848) Lucrezia Borgia Edita Gruberova (soprano) Pavol Breslik (tenor) Franco Vassallo (bass) Alice Coote (mezzo) Ch/O of Bavarian St Op/Bertrand de Billy rec. 2009 EUROARTS 2072454 [133:00 + 54:00 (bonus)] [RJF]

Gruberova left her assumption of Lucrezia much too late in her career.

Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797-1848) L’elisir d’amore Bidu Sayão (soprano) Bruno Landi (tenor) Metropolitan Opera Ch & O /Ettore Panizza rec. 1942 PRISTINE AUDIO PACO 072 [68:40 + 51:42] [GF]

A flawed performance saved by the tenor and the soprano.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Jonathan DOVE (b. 1959) The Passing of the Year Convivium Singers/Neil Ferris, Christopher Cromar (piano) rec. 2011 NAXOS 8.572733 [69:23] [DMcC]

Gorgeous and poignant, performed with wholehearted fervor.

Ludovico EINAUDI (b. 1955) The Calm of Einaudi Christine Rayner (piano) rec. 2011 ATTUNED HEART RECORDS AHR001 [63.14] [MM-B]

Lifts the spirits of those in need … an hour of serenity and peaceful harmony.

Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Cello Concerto, The Dream of Gerontius Jian Wang (cello) Sydney Philharmonia & TSO Ch, Sydney SO/Vladimir Ashkenazy rec. 2008 ABC CLASSICS 476 4297 [63:39 + 58:53] [NB]

Ultimately a rather disappointing set. Fitfully engaging.

Edward ELGAR (1857-1934) Cello Concerto, Introduction and Allegro, Military Marches, Pomp and Circumstance Paul Watkins (cello) BBC Philh/Sir Andrew Davis rec. 2011 CHANDOS CHAN10709[74:44] [DC]

A stunning and steamy hip-bath of refined Elgar-Elgar.

Manuel de FALLA (1876-1946) El Sombrero de tres picos; Noches en los jardines de España; Homenajes Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano) Raquel Lojendio (soprano) BBC Philharmonic/Juanjo Mena rec. 2011 CHANDOS CHAN10694 [76.40] [RBe]

Outstanding playing.

Julian FONTANA (1810-1869) Deux Romances, op.18 (1855) [8:05] Feuilles d'Album - Deux Mazureks, op.15 [5:54] 12 Morceaux Caractéristiques en Forme d'Etudes, op.9, nos.7-12 (Livre II) (1905) [14:51] Deuxième Grande Valse Brillante, op.13 [5:10] Fantaisie Brillante sur les Motifs du 'Freyschütz', op.6 (1843) [8:32] Philippe Devaux (piano) rec. 2011. DDD ACTE PREALABLE AP0259 [42:32] [Byz]

A characteristic poetic expressiveness through irrepressible figuration, Polish folk rhythms and lyrical harmony.

César FRANCK (1822-1890) Piano Quintet, Violin Sonata The Schubert Ens rec. 2003 CHAMPS HILL CHRCD 004 [65.19] [Byz]

For all-round, no-nonsense quality there is no good reason not to favour this disc.

Robert FUCHS (1847-1927) Gesänge für Frauenchor see SCHREKER

Andrea GABRIELI (c.1533-1585) Missa Dominicalis Pierpaolo Turetta (organ) Ivan Florjanc (voice) rec. 2008 NEWTON CLASSICS 8802100 [63:27] [MS]

Major recording and editing errors make it impossible to recommend this disc.

George GERSHWIN (1898-1937) Piano Concerto, Rhapsody 2, I Got Rhythm Variations Orion Weiss (piano) Buffalo PO/JoAnn Falletta rec. 2010 NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS 8.559705 [58:40] [DM]

A decent concerto, but the fillers steal the show.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Carlo GESUALDO (1566-1613) Madrigals Book 4 Delitiæ Musicæ/Marco Longhini rec. 2009 NAXOS 8.572137 [68:57] [MS]

Stylish, convincing, profound and lovely performances. Buy it! 

Umberto GIORDANO (1867-1948) Andrea Chénier José Cura, Maria Guleghina, Ch & O Teatro Comunale di Bologna/Carlo Rizzi rec. 2006 ARTHAUS MUSIK 107287 [123:00] [RMay]

José Cura is the real thing and undeniably one of today’s most exciting operatic tenors. 

Giovanni Francesco GIULIANI (c.1760-1818) Harp Sonatas Lisetta Rossi (harp) rec. 2010 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94305 [78:54] [Byz]

Played with poise and style, light but sure of touch and with an ear for fine, lyrical phrasing. 

Mauro GIULIANI (1781-1829) Scottish and Irish Songs, Etudes, Rossiniana Tullia Cartoni, Elena Càsoli, Massimo Scattoli (guitars) rec. 1990-2011 NEWTON CLASSICS 8802101 [3 CDs: 172:20] [Byz]

Brief, inventive, endlessly tuneful, unbeatable listening for a lazy sunny weekend afternoon.

Eugene GOOSSENS (1893-1962) Complete Music for Violin and Piano Robert Gibbs (violin) Gustáv Fenyö (piano) rec. 2011 NAXOS 8.572860 [71:34] [NB]

An excellent collection - passionate interpretations - a winner.

Henryk GÓRECKI (1933-2010) Little Requiem, Concerto-Cantata, Harpsichord Concerto, Three Dances Anna Górecka (piano) Carol Wincenc (flute)
Warsaw PO/Antoni Wit rec. 2011 NAXOS 8.572872 [69:33] [PCG]

After the commercially successful Symphony of Sorrowful Songs what was Górecki to do next?

Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907) String quartets arranged for string orchestra Arne NORDHEIM (1931-2010) Rendezvous Oslo Camerata/Stephan Barratt-Due rec. 2009 NAXOS 8.572441 [76:45] Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907) From Holberg’s Time, Lyric Suite, Melodies Malmö SO/Bjarte Engeset rec. 2006/09 NAXOS 8.572403 [72:13 [RMo]

Music that falls pleasantly in the ear.

Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907) Violin Sonatas 1 & 3 Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Violin sonata Joseph Fuchs (violin) Frank Sheridan, Artur Balsam (piano) rec. 1951/55 FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR635 [54:29] [JW]

Collectors who admire Fuchs will welcome the restoration of this material.

Edvard GRIEG (1843-1907) An Old Norwegian Folksong see Byways of Beecham

Johan HALVORSEN (1864-1935) Orchestral Works - Vol. 4 Rhapsodies norvégienne 1 & 2, Passacaglia, Norwegian Festival Overture, Norwegian Fairy Tale Pictures Bergen PO/Neeme Järvi rec. 2010/11 CHANDOS CHAN10710 [72:53] [JW]

Folk-based, evocative compositions sporting brevity and wit. 

RECORDING OF THE MONTH George Frideric HANDEL (1685 - 1759) Concerti grossi Concerto Copenhagen/Lars Ulrik Mortensen rec. 2009 CPO 777 488-2 [58:35] George Frideric HANDEL Concerti grossi Les Musiciens du Louvre/Marc Minkowski rec. 1992 WARNER APEX 2564 68162-3 [56:15] [MG]

Minkowski offers virtuosity and excitement, but Mortensen gives us state of the art. 

Georg Friedrich HANDEL (1685-1759) Theodora Lorraine Hunt, Dawn Upshaw, David Daniels, Glyndebourne Ch, O Age of Enlightenment/William Christie rec. 1996 GLYNDEBOURNE GFOCD 014-96 [3 CDs: 200:39] [RMo]

Consistently inventive and arresting. 

Georg Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Complete Cantatas Vol. 4 Stefanie True & Klaartje van Veldhoven (sopranos) Contrasto Armonico/Marco Vitale rec. 2010 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94257 [50:29] [JV]

The performers have managed to display Handel's mastery in the depiction of human emotions.

George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Violin Sonatas Riccardo Minasi (violin) Musica Antiqua Roma rec. 2009 DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 88697 705312 [78:36] [JV]

Virtuosity at the cost of expression and emotion.

George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759) Alceste Lucy Crowe, Benjamin Hulett, Andrew Foster-Williams, Early Opera Company Ch & O/Christian Curnyn rec. 2011 CHANDOS CHACONNE CHAN0788 [63:16] [RMo]

Not quite a masterpiece but charming nonetheless. 

Howard HANSON (1896-1981) Symphonies 4 & 5, Elegy in Memory of Serge Koussevitzky, Dies Natalis Seattle SO/Gerard Schwarz rec. 1988-92 NAXOS 8.559703 [69:44] [WK]

Another Naxos re-release of Gerard Schwarz’s persuasive Hanson series.

Johann Wilhelm HÄSSLER (1747-1822) Harpsichord Music Michele Benuzzi (harpsichord) rec. 2011 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94293 [67:43] [JV]

An excellent introduction to Hässler's music.

Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross Petra Labitzke (soprano) Gabriele Wunderer (contralto) Daniel Sans (tenor) Christof Fischesser (bass) Chamber Ch of Europe, Mannheim Kurpfälzisches CO/Nicol Matt rec. 2002 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94290 [55.29] [PCG]

All in all this is a very good performance.

Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Symphony 55 Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies 7 & 8 Boston SO/William Steinberg rec.1962-1970 ICA CLASSICS ICAD5067 [86:00] [CH]

Useful documentation of a conductor whose time with the orchestra was short.

Jake HEGGIE (b. 1961) Dead Man Walking Joyce DiDonato, Philip Cutlip, Frederica von Stade, Measha Brueggergosman, Houston Grand Opera/Patrick Summers rec. 2011 VIRGIN CLASSICS 6024632 [77.27 + 64.25]  [PCG]

One of the great operatic success stories of this century. 

Gustav HOLST (1874-1934) The Collector`s Edition rec. 1956-1993. ADD/DDD full contents and track list at end of review EMI CLASSICS 50999 4 40471 2 2 [6 CDs: 449:00] [RB]

This set should sell like a house of fire and further fuel a revival in the fortunes of Holst’s music.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Christian Frederik Emil HORNEMAN (1840-1906) Gurre Suite, Suite from ‘The Contest with the Muses’, Ouverture Héroique, Suite from Kalanus Danish Ntl SO/Johannes Gustavsson rec. 2010-11 DACAPO 6.220564 [image] [66:07] [DC]

A wealth of discovery, and with performances to match.

Alan HOVHANESS (1911-2000) Symphony 1; Armenian Rhapsodies 1-3; Concerto for soprano saxophone; Song of the sea Kenneth Radnofsky (saxophone) John McDonald (piano) Boston Modern Orchestra Project/Gil Rose rec. 2011 BMOP SOUND 1020 [67:39] [PCG]

A superb performance of the Exile Symphony, three gloriously contrasted Armenian Rhapsodies and a valuable glimpse into Hovhaness’s earliest style.

Herbert HOWELLS (1892-1983) Clarinet Sonata see British Clarinet Sonatas

Engelbert HUMPERDINCK (1854–1921) String Quartets; Piano Quintet Diogenes Qt, Andreas Kirpal (piano), Lydia Dubrovskaya (violin) rec. 2007 CPO 7775472 [79:24] [MC]

Agreeable geniality: benign, attractive melodically with gloriously yearning themes.

Marcus HUXLEY (b. 1949) A Song of the Light Birmingham Cathedral Ch/Marcus Huxley (director) Timothy Hooper (organ) rec. 2010 REGENT REGCD361 [68:42] [JQ]

Well-crafted music but insufficiently distinctive for domestic listening. 

Vincent d’INDY (1851-1931) La Forêt Enchantée see Byways of Beecham

John IRELAND (1879-1962) Fantasy-Sonata see British Clarinet Sonatas

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Leos JANÁCEK (1854-1928) Taras Bulba, Lachian Dances, Moravian Dances Warsaw PO/Antoni Wit rec. 2010-11 NAXOS 8.572695 [54:27] [BR]

This is the best Taras Bulba I’ve heard, full of original gestures and sumptuously played.

John JENKINS (1592-1678) The Pleasing Slumber Sophie Gent (violin) Romina Lischka (bass viol, lyra viol) Francois Guerrier (harpsichord, organ) Philippe Pierlot (lyra viol, bass viol) rec. 2008 FLORA 1809 [68.51] [RH]

A lovely disc. Relax and listen to some finely intelligent music-making.

Karl JENKINS (b.1944) The Peacemakers Lucy Crowe, Chloë Hanslip, City Birmingham SCh, London SO/Karl Jenkins rec. 2011 EMI CLASSICS 0843782 [72.42] [PCG]

The many excellent elements do not cohere, and the climactic moments are at once too easy and too overblown.

Friedrich KALKBRENNER (1785-1849) Piano Concerto No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 85 (1826) [32:58] Piano Concerto No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 107 (1829) [24:11] Adagio ed Allegro di bravura, Op. 102 (1830) [11:03] Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Howard Shelley (piano/conductor) rec. 2010, HYPERION CDA67843 [68:41] [DJ]

Another superb reissue from Hyperion, excellently engineered

Fritz KREISLER (1875-1962) Liebesfreud, Liebesleid Béla Bánfalvi (violin) Budapest Strings/Karoly Botvai rec. 1995 CAPRICCIO C5120 [64:16] [IL]

A delight.

Fritz KREISLER (1875-1962) String Quartet Efrem ZIMBALIST (1890-1985) String Quartet Eugène YSAŸE (1858-1931) Harmonies du soir Fine Arts Quartet Philh O of Europe/Otis Klöber rec. 2010 NAXOS 8.572559 [71:36] [NB]

No lost masterpieces here but a disc of real interest.

Fred LERDAHL (b.1943) String Quartets 1-3 Daedalus Qt rec. 2010/1 BRIDGE 9352 [67:53] [Byz]

Frankly atonal, yet not mercilessly so, melody, if not necessarily hummable, and the dissonance is neither relentless nor particularly harsh. 

György LIGETI (1923-2006) Horn Trio see BRAHMS


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 5 days] [Recommended recordings]


 



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