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Getting to Know … The Symphonies of Sergei Taneyev by William Kreindler
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Sir George Dyson: An Overview of Recordings by John
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LATEST REVIEWS
Wednesday
December 31st
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Richard
STRAUSS (1864-1949) String Quartet
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924)
Crisantemi, Minuets Giuseppe VERDI
(1813-1901) String Quartet - Enső Qt
rec. 2012 NAXOS 8.573108 [66:29]
[NB] All the music
here is easy on the ear and instantly appealing
... uniformly excellent performances ... playing
of this calibre is incredibly hard to achieve.
Joseph Calleja (tenor)
Amore - BBC Concert O/Steven
Mercurio rec. 2013 DECCA 4785340 [70.41]
[RJF] Overblown orchestrations
and populism do this normally elegant tenor
little justice.
Herbert von Karajan Choral Music
1972-76 Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809)
Die Jahreszeiten Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Missa Solemnis
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Ein Deutsches Requiem -
Berlin PO
rec. 1972-76
WARNER CLASSICS 2564 633628 [5 CDs: 313:01] [JQ] A master conductor at work.
Tuesday
December 30th
Carl Philipp Emmanuel BACH (1714-1788)
Die Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt Jesu,
Gott hat den Herrn auferwecket -
Rheinische Kantorei; Das Kleine Konzert/Hermann Max
rec. 1984/6
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 94818 [48:03 + 51:07] [JQ] Excellent performances of choral works by C.P.E. Bach restored to the catalogue.
Robert
STILL (1910-1971) String Quartets - Villiers Qt rec. 2013/14 NAXOS 8.571353 [76:24]
[NB] I was fully expecting
to be excited by this disc which is probably
why my feelings of disappointment are all the
more keenly felt.
Hilary
TANN (b.1947) Here,
The Cliffs - Debra Richtmeyer (alto saxophone)
František Novotný (violin) Slovak RSO/Kirk Trevor rec. 2005-09 NORTH/SOUTH
RECORDINGS NSR1056 [69:42] [GPJ]
An impressive and delightful collection of works
by this composer, whose music is at the same
time uncompromising yet wholly approachable.
Monday December 29th
Louis SPOHR (1784-1859) Violin Concerto 8 Heinrich Wilhelm ERNST (1814-1865) Concerto Allegro-Pathétique Nathan MILSTEIN (1904-1992) Paganiniana - Laura Bortolotto, Christian Joseph Saccon (violin) L’Orchestra Cittŕ di Ferrara/Maffeo Scarpis rec. 2013 AUDIOPHILE SOUND AUD135 [50:19] [JW] Interesting repertoire. You may want to track down this well-programmed disc.
Virgil THOMSON (1896-1989) The Mother of Us All - Noragh Devlin, Manhattan School of Music Opera Theater Ch & O/Steven Osgood rec. 2013 ALBANY TROY1486/7 [50:14 + 61:17] [JS] Well worth investigating if you enjoy Thomson's style or are simply intrigued by this unique work.
Mieczysław WEINBERG (1919-1996) Chamber Symphonies 3 & 4 - Helsingborg SO/Thord Svedlund rec. 2014 CHANDOS CHSA5146 SACD [65:55] [DJB] The valuable Chandos/Weinberg project continues, but these works perhaps need a little more bite and less refinement than they receive here.
Other reviews
The Golden Age of Light Music Contrasts
Vol. 2 rec. 1928-62 GUILD GLCD5223 [78:40]
[JW] More delights here from Guild.
Friday
December 26th
Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Symphonies 1 & 2,
Dreams -
Săo Paulo SO/Marin Alsop
rec. 2013/14
NAXOS 8.573353 [56:55]
A fine version of the Second Symphony [JWh] Fine performances of Prokofiev in stunning sound [LW].
Pyotr Il'yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Swan Lake - Vladimir Shishov, Olga Esina, Wiener Staatsballett, Wiener Staatsoper O/Alexander Ingram rec. 2014 C MAJOR 717608 DVD [132:00]
[RMay]
Even in a crowded marketplace this deserves a warm welcome.
No Exceptions, No Exemptions
Great War Songs -
Robin Tritschler (tenor) Malcolm Martineau (piano)
rec. 2014
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD401 [44:59 + 40:45] [ST]
An important release ... of interest far beyond the historical.
Thursday December 25th
Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Piano Concertos 1 & 2 Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) Préludes Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Jeux d’eau, Ondine - Julian von Károlyi (piano) Grosses Berliner Rundfunkorchester/Johannes Schüler, Heinzkarl
Weigel rec. 1943-44 MELOCLASSIC MC1012 [62:30] [JW] A frequently magnetic romantic stylist.
British String Concertos
rec. 1970s-90s
LYRITA SRCD2346 [4 CDs: 303:04]
[MC] What I find remarkable about everything here is the elevated level of playing and the satisfying recording quality.
Favourite Carols from King's
Ch King's College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
rec. 2014 KING'S COLLEGE KGS0007 [78:11]
Carols from King’s Ch King’s College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
rec. 2013 KING’S COLLEGE DVD KGS0008 [74:06] [MG] I prefer the DVD because it puts the carols in the context of a demonstrable act of worship.
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