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Britten 100 on NMC - Retrospect and Horizon
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Performing Mahler in Rotterdam
1954 - A letter from a reader
Being a collector
in the digital era by David Barker
A discography
of Dvorak's concertante works prepared by Mike Herman - a precursor
to a full national discography of Eastern European concertos
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LATEST REVIEWS
Wednesday 31st July
Mily BALAKIREV (1837-1910)
Complete Piano Works Vol. 1 - Nicholas Walker (piano) rec. 2012 GRAND
PIANO GP 636 [76:23] Variations on Themes from A Life for the
Tsar, Piano Sonata in B flat minor, L'Alouette, Islamey
- Etsuko Hirose (piano) rec. 2012 MIRARE MIR181 [61:04]
[Byz] Balakirev's delightful, outstanding
piano music.
In the Shadow of War Ernest
BLOCH (1880-1959) Schelomo FRANK BRIDGE (1879-1941)
The Loneliest Wilderness Stephen HOUGH (b. 1961) The
Loneliest Wilderness Steven Isserlis (cello) Deutsches SO Berlin/Hugo
Wolff; Tapiola Sinfonietta/Gabor Takacs-Nagy (piano) rec. 2009/12
BIS BIS-SACD-1992 
[67:40] [DJ] An outstanding disc of glorious
music, superbly played and recorded.
Albert LORTZING
(1801-1851) Der Waffenschmied Kurt Böhme (bass)
Lotte Schädle (soprano) Hermann Prey (baritone) Bavarian State
Opera Ch & O/Fritz Lehan rec. 1964 EMI CLASSICS 9123102
[45.20 + 61.07] [PCG] Be grateful for this
recording which, with the exception of a libretto and translation,
presents the score in an approachable manner.
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony 2 - Anja Harteros (soprano) Bernarda Fink
(mezzo) Bavarian RSO & Ch/Mariss Jansons rec. 2011 ARTHAUS
MUSIK 101 685 
[96:00] [MC] I couldn’t currently name
a finer orchestra. Bravo!
François André
Danican PHILIDOR (1726 - 1795) L'Art de la Modulation
Quartets I-VI - Camerata Köln rec. 2007 CPO 777 439-2 [56:56]
[JV] Almost an hour of pure delight.
Franz SCHUBERT (1797
- 1828) Winterreise - Alice Coote (mezzo) Julius Drake
(piano) rec. 2012 WIGMORE HALL LIVE WHLIVE0057 [78:47] [GF]
Coote will be added in this repertoire to
Fassbaender and Stutzmann in my affection.
Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901)
La Traviata - Svetla Vassileva, Massimo Giordano, Vladimir
StoCh & O of the Teatro Regio di Parma/Yuri Temirkanov rec. 2007
C MAJOR 723608
[DBi] An excellent performance of Verdi's
most popular opera with fine singers and a staging that Verdi would
have approved. But buy the Blu-Ray if you can.
Cuillin Sound
Lynda Coffin (flute) Sarah Watts (bass clarinet) Laurence Perkins
(bassoon) rec. 2011 CUILLIN SOUND CUILL1001
[77:42] [RB] A nicely calculated wind trio
confectionery selection.
Ossy Renardy (violin) The
Complete Columbia Recordings rec. 1938/39 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC 383
[73:53] [JW] A valuable and astutely selected
Renardy slice of real interest to violin collectors.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Waiting
for Benny A Tribute to Benny Goodman Works by Gould,
Bartok & Poulenc - Julien Hervé (clarinet) Maud Lovett
(violin) Jean-Hisanori Sugitani (piano) Ying Lai Green (double bass)
rec. 2011 NAXOS 8.573032 [67:17] [SA] It
is difficult to praise this disc highly enough.
Tuesday July 30th
The Bach Family
Organ Music - Sergio Militello (organ) rec. 2012 BRILLIANT CLASSICS
94483 [47:04] [JV] One of the less brilliant
products of Brilliant Classics.
Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976)
Sinfonia da Requiem, Peter Grimes: Four Sea Interludes and
Passacaglia, Young person's guide to the orchestra - Royal Liverpool
PO/Libor Pešek rec. 1989 VIRGIN CLASSICS REDLINE 7353012
[63:00] [RB] A sturdy entry in the Britten100
lists.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gustav MAHLER
(1860 - 1911) Symphony 1 - London PO/Vladimir Jurowski
rec. 2010 LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA LPO0070 [RMo]
A triumph.
Peter MAXWELL DAVIES
(b.1934) Piano Concerto, Worldes Blis - Kathryn Stott (piano)
Royal PO/Peter Maxwell Davies rec. 1993-1997 NAXOS 8.572357
[78:25] [Byz] Tremendously impassioned accounts
of these extraordinarily demanding works.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Serenades 10 & 12 - Harmonie
O Champs-Èlysées/Philippe Herreweghe rec. 1995
HARMONIA
MUNDI HMG501570 [70:26] [RMo]
Sensitive,
civilised music-making of the highest order.
Arnold SCHÖNBERG
(1874-1951) Pelléas and Mélisande Alban
BERG (1885-1935) Three Pieces for Orchestra - Dortmund PO/Jac
van Steen rec. 2009-2013 MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM
901 1807-6
[61:18] [GPJ] Superb performances from van
Steen and the Dortmunders in these two searing early twentieth century
masterpieces.
Erwin SCHULHOFF (1894-1942)
Concertino, Flute Sonata Leo SMIT (1900-1943) Flute & harp
quintet, Flute Sonata - Virginie Reibel-Escoffier (flute) rec. 2011
SAPHIR LVC 1128 [75:14] [JW] With
sympathetic and sensitive performances, and a well-judged church acoustic,
this disc presents both composers’ works in highly recommendable
fashion.
Fancy that! Alan
Vivian (clarinet), Susanne Powell (piano) rec. 1988 REVOLVE AJM
1314 [64.50] [PCG] If the programme appeals,
this is well worth a listen.
Mirella Freni-
The Opera Album Excerpts from Puccini, Verdi &
Bizet operas rec. 1959-74 ACANTA 233707 [3 CDs: 142:59] [MC]
I greatly enjoyed this fine collection.
Mengelberg in New
York New York P-SO rec. 1928-30 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC
378 [72:54] [RMay] Of interest primarily
to Mengelberg devotees.
Monday July 29th
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Adolphe
ADAM (1803-1856) Giselle (excerpts) Paris Conservatoire
O/Jean Martinon rec. 1958 HIGH DEFINITION TAPE TRANSFERS HDCD204
[47:30] [DM] Spell-binding from start to finish.
Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) St Matthew Passion - Guy de Mey, Christoph Prégardie
(tenors) Peter Kooy, Klaus Mertens (basses) Barbara Schlick (soprano)
Kai Wessel (counter-tenor) Cappella Breda; Netherlands Bach Boys' Ch,
Amsterdam Baroque O/Ton Koopman rec. 1992 WARNER APEX 2564
646751 [3 CDs: 164:43] [MS] The reissue
of a respectable and well-conceived and performed Matthew Passion.
Jules MASSENET (1842-1912)
Thérèse - Nora Gubisch (mezzo) Charles Castronovo
(tenor) Étienne Dupuis (bass) François Lis (baritone)
Ch & O Opéra National, Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon/Alain
Altinoglu rec.2012 EDICIONES SINGULARES ES1011 [69:46
& book] [IL] Dedication, commitment and
enthusiasm show this short opera to its best advantage. An enterprising
issue.
Felix MENDELSSOHN
(1809-1847) Violin Concerto Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Violin Concerto Pablo de SARASATE (1844-1908) Zigeunerweisen
Gerhard Taschner (violin) Michael Raucheisen (piano) Bamberg SO/Fritz
Lehmann, Berlin PO/Artur Rother rec. August 1943-53 MUSIKPRODUKTION
DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM 642 1797-2 [67:30] [JW] Though
he became the leading German violinist after the deaths of Kulenkampff
and Busch his career didn’t last long.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Piano Concertos 20, 23, 24 & 27 - Walter Klien (piano) NHK SO/Horst
Stein, Hiroshi Wakasugi rec. 1977/89 KING INTERNATIONAL KKC 2047/8
[63:11 + 58:20] [SG] With one reservation these
are inspired readings by a pianist whose Mozart stands there with the
best.
Benedetto PALLAVICINO
(1551-1601) Madrigali su testi del Guarini Felice
che vi mira [2:03] Dario Tabbia, Ugo Nastrucci (lute) Daltrocanto
rec. 2005 PAN CLASSICS PC 10280 [56:20] [JV] Even
without fully understanding the text one can enjoy these madrigals.
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924)
Manon Lescaut - Montserrat Caballé (soprano) Plácido
Domingo (tenor) Robert Tear (tenor) Ambrosian Opera Ch, New PO/Bruno
Bartoletti rec. 1971 EMI CLASSICS 7359822 [57:28 + 58:38] [GF]
Bartoletti at white heat and Caballé
and Domingo in superb shape - a set worth anyone’s money.
Richard STRAUSS (1864-1945)
Also sprach Zarathustra Béla BARTÓK (1881-1945)
The Wonderful Mandarin suite - RSO Stuttgart des SWR/Rudolf Kempe
rec. 1961 HÄNSSLER CLASSIC CD 94.220 [50.27] [IL] A
quite frightening Mandarin and a Zarathustra to treasure.
Between The Bliss And Me
Songs to poems of Emily Dickinson - Julia Faulkner (soprano)
Martha Fischer, Lee Hoiby (piano) rec. 2007/12 NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS
8.559731 [58.37] [PCG] Throws a valuable
sidelight onto the approach of composers to the poetry of Emily Dickinson.
Hommage à Debussy
Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Images Books I & II, Estampes &
works by Dukas, Casella, Grante & Piania - Carlo Grante
(piano) rec. 2012 MUSIC & ARTS CD-1267 [67:02] [JW] Grante
plays with richly engaged intelligence and variegated tonal response.
Other reviews
Adventures in the Scream Trade
- Scenes from an operatic life by Charles Long Mountain Lake
Press, 2012 [RJF] Can be gainfully read by
opera-lovers and would-be singers alike. It is well written and contains
much wisdom alongside anecdotes and stories.
William Alwyn: A Research
and Information Guide John C. Dressler Routledge Musical Bibliographies
[JF] Required reading for all enthusiasts of
William Alwyn.
Friday July 26th
Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Complete Flute Sonatas and Partita - Jennifer
Stinton (flute) Guy Johnston (cello) David Wright (harpsichord)
rec. 2012 ALTO ALC 2022 [51:42 + 57:56] [DC] Excellent
set, well up with the best.
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano Sonatas 30-32 - Beth Levin
(piano) rec. 2012 NAVONA RECORDS NV5908 [65:59] [BR] One
of those albums that need not have been made.
Georges BIZET
(1838 - 1875) Carmen (sung in German) - Christa Ludwig,
Rudolf Schock, Hermann Prey, Berlin SO/Horst Stein rec. 1961 EMI
CLASSICS 9123002 [71:44 + 75:02] [GF] Hardly
a first choice except for the German-speaking world but an enjoyable
set and admirers of Christa Ludwig should certainly seek it out.
Ferruccio
BUSONI (1866-1924) Arlecchino Kurt Gester, Elaine
Malbin, Ian Wallace, Geraint Evans, Glyndebourne Festival O/John
Pritchard rec. 1954 ANDROMEDA ANDRCD 5152 [53.35] [PCG] Pritchard
is really rather too fast but this performance has plenty of spark
and dramatic life.
Søren
Nils EICHBERG (b.1973) Symphonies 1 & 2 - Danish NSO/Christoph
Poppen rec. 2011/2012 DACAPO 8.226109 [57:40] [Byz] A
compelling disc for every bold-leaning lover of big-sounding symphonies.
Iwan MÜLLER
(1786-1854) Clarinet Quartets 1 & 2 and works for clarinet
& piano - Friederike Roth, Wenzel Fuchs (clarinet) Erika le
Roux (piano) Berolina Ens rec. 2010 NAXOS 8.572885 [73:00]
[Byz] Relatively low-key but appealing
and Roth’s playing is silkily expressive, exuding confidence
and warmth.
Georg Philipp
TELEMANN (1681 - 1767) Cantatas and chamber music with recorder
- Gemma Bertagnolli (soprano) Collegium Pro Musica rec. 2012 BRILLIANT
CLASSICS 94334 [56:37] [JV] The poor
diction and pronunciation of the singer are unacceptable.
Giuseppe VERDI
(1813-1901) I Vespri Siciliani Leo Nucci, Andrea Mastroni,
Fabio Armiliato, Daniela Dessì, Teatro Regio Di Parma/Massimo
Zanetti rec. 2010 C MAJOR 723808
[170:00] [RW] Singing and musicianship
here is of a high standard and Zanetti conducts with verve. Sadly
there are some miscalculation in the production.
Hymnus an
das Leben - Transcriptions by Clytus Gottwald of songs by
Schumann, Franz, Liszt, Brahms and others - KammerChor Saarbrücken/Georg
Grün rec. 2012 CARUS 83.458 [61:58] [JW] Reminds
me of a pleasant afternoon nap.
Laugh With Classical
Music DELOS DE 1627 [33.20] [IL] A
tonic.
Thursday July 25th
Vincenzo BELLINI (1801-1835)
Norma Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo) Sumi Jo (soprano) John Osborn (tenor)
Michele Pertusi (bass) International Chamber Vocalista, O La Scintilla/Giovanni
Antonini rec. 2011/13 DECCA 4783517 [81:34 + 61:37] [ST] The
climactic duet brings out the best in both main characters, their antipathy
finally turning to love and a recognition of what they have lost in
one another. Qual cor tradisti is fantastic.
Havergal BRIAN (1876-1972)
Symphonies 10, 21 & 22, Psalm 23, English Suite 5 - Paul Taylor
(tenor) Brighton Festival Ch, Leicestershire Schools SO/James Loughran,
Laszlo Heltay, Eric Pinkett rec. 1972-1974 HERITAGE HTGCD 256/7
[47:15 + 47:25] [JWh] An ideal introduction
to Havergal Brian’s art.
Giovanni GABRIELI (c.1554/57-1612)
Sacred Symphonies - Ex Cathedra, His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts,
Concerto Palatino/Jeffrey Skidmore rec. 2012 HYPERION CDA67957
[66:16] [JV] A good survey of Gabrieli's sacred
music.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Symphonies, Overtures, Serenades - Philharmonia O,
New PO/Otto Klemperer rec. 1956-71 EMI CLASSICS 4043612 [8 CDs:
9:55:41] [CH] Klemperer’s finest Mozart
performances are a match for any, and actually stand up better today
than some that were more fêted in their own time.
Modest MUSSORGSKY
(1839-1881) Pictures at an Exhibition (transcribed for organ
by Calvin Hampton) Calvin Hampton (organ) rec. 1982 HIGH DEFINITION
TAPE TRANSFERS HDCD281 [33:00] [DM] Technically
superb but musically much less interesting.
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Piano Trio Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Cello Sonata, Violin Sonata
Gabriel FAURÉ (1845-1924) Piano Trio - Hagai Shaham (vioin);
Raphael Wallfisch (cello); Amon Erez (piano) rec. 2013 NIMBUS NI5905
[72:38] [TB] Consummate skill and splendidly
balanced textures.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Gioachino ROSSINI
(1792-1868) Le Siège de Corinthe - Lorenzo Regazzo
(bass) Marc Sala (tenor) Majella Cullagh (soprano) Camerata Bach Ch,
Poznan, Virtuosi Brunensis/Jean-Luc Tingaud rec. 2010 NAXOS 8.660329-30
[75.41 + 75.38] [RJF] This excellent performance
fills a significant gap. At bargain price no enthusiast should hesitate.
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH
(1906-1975) Symphony 10 - Royal Concertgebouw O, Amsterdam/Mariss
Jansons rec. 2009 RCO LIVE RCO13001
[53:17] [JQ] A very fine performance of one
of Shostakovich’s greatest symphonic achievements.
Royal Lullabies
- Soothing Music for a Royal Baby - MEMORY LANE
GLM/Y-69 [73:52] [JE] A reminder of
2013 and the Royal birth.
Alain Vanzo - Airs français
rec. 1954/62 MALIBRAN CDRG 201 [80:20] [RMo] Everything
Vanzo sings is worth hearing for the intrinsic charm and beauty of his
very Gallic lyric tenor.
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