NEW & RECENT ARTICLES

[New] Joubert’s Jane Eyre - Recording session report by Rob Barnett

Listening Studio Report by John Quinn

Kurt Sanderling: An appreciation of his recordings (Part 1) by Dieter Barkhoff

A Retrospective: Autumn 2016 by Brian Wilson

NOTICES

[New] Seen & Heard Internatinal are seeking a editor - see here for details

[New] MusicWeb International is now selling the Sterling catalogue at advantageous prices. There are more than 100 titles from £12 post-free world-wide. See here for details.

In order to persuade more of you to make a donation to MusicWeb International we are giving away CDs - click the Donate button top right for more details.

Publishing schedule
Monday: Other reviews (nostalgia, books, other music); Friday: Articles.
Live performance reviews posted daily at Seen and Heard
Jazz reviews posted weekly

Shopping on-line? Help us by doing it through the MusicWeb sales page.

---

LATEST REVIEWS

Monday October 31st

Frederick DELIUS (1862-1934) A Mass of Life - London PCh, Royal PO/Sir Thomas Beecham - rec. 1952/3 BEULAH 6PD4 [101:29] [BW] A convincing performance of a work which I have never before come to terms with in a very decent, though dated, transfer.

Hans GÁL (1890-1987) Cello Sonatas, Suite - Alfia Nakipbekova (cello), Jakob Fichert (piano) rec. 2010 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0043 [63:39] [SA] A fabulous disc of marvellous music intelligently and beautifully interpreted.

Enrique GRANADOS (1867–1916) Maria del Carmen - Diana Veronese (soprano) Jesús Suaste (baritone) Ntl PO Belarus/Max Bragado-Darman rec. 2003 NAXOS 8.660144-45 [43:33 + 59:48] [RB] Enjoy this rapturous and confidently performed opera.

Hans HUBER (1852-1921) Piano Concertos 1 & 3 - Dan Franklin Smith (piano), Stuttgart PO/Michail Jurowski rec. 2003 STERLING CDS1056-2 [62:21] [BSt] Excellent performances but, as is the case with Litolff, I fear there is not really enough composing talent displayed in these concertos to justify more than very occasional outings.

Moritz MOSZKOWSKI (1854-1925) From Foreign Lands - San Francisco Ballet O/Martin West rec. 2014 REFERENCE RECORDINGS RR-138 [74:18] [BR] A series of charming trifles which should appeal to fans of Viennese light music.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Arias - Pavol Breslik (tenor) José van Dam (bass-baritone) Munich RO/Patrick Lange rec. 2014/15 ORFEO C889161A [55:26] [RMo] Though it's expertly sung, I would like to have been more excited by this recital.

Ottorino RESPIGHI (1879-1936) Sinfonia drammatica, Belfagor - Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège/John Neschling rec. 2015 BIS BIS-2210 SACD [70:03] [JQ] A fine performance and vivid recording of Respighi’s Sinfonia drammatica.

Max Rostal (violin) Works by Bach, Beethoven, Biber, Brahms, Mozart, Paganini - Maria Bergmann, Heinz Schröter, Ilse von Alpenheim, Eugen Huber, Lothar Broddack (piano) rec. 1956-65 MELOCLASSIC MC2033 [74:11 + 79:39] [JW] Musicianly and adept playing.  

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Aksel Rykkvin (treble) Aksel! Arias by Bach, Handel & Mozart -  O of the Age of Enlightenment/Nigel Short rec. 2016 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD435 [58:19] [GF] If you are going to buy just one more CD this year, make sure that it is this one.

The Stanford Legacy Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924) Clarinet Sonata Rebecca CLARKE (1886-1979) Viola Sonata John IRELAND (1879-1962) Violin Sonata No.1 - Martin Outram (viola) Julian Rolton (piano) rec. 2015 NIMBUS NI6334 [68:15] [JW] An imaginatively conceived programme.

Friday October 28th

Carl Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788) Chamber Music for Clarinet - Luigi Magistrelli (clarinet) Italian Classical Consort rec. 2014 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 95307 [60:07] [BR] Light, forgettable chamber music presented in a truly odd, confusing manner.

Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Goldberg Variations, Partitas Nos 5 & 6 - Glenn Gould (piano) rec. 1954/7 PRISTINE AUDIO PAKM068 [75:44] [RMo] Devotees of Gould will probably want to own this, but the general listener who loves Gould might conclude that ownership of the two studio recordings is sufficient.

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Violin Concerto Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Havanaise - Henryk Szeryng (violin) Conservatoire O/Jacques Thibaud, O Ntl Radiodiffusion Française/Edouard Lindenberg rec. 1951/3 FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR1194 [63:39] [JW] These inscriptions still have plenty to tell the listener about Szeryng’s stylistic affinities and musical prowess.

Antonin DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) & Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Cello Concertos Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826) Sonatina - Enrico Mainardi (cello) Sergio Lorenzi (piano) Berlin RSO/Artur Rother, Phil Staats O Bremen/Hellmut Schnackenburg rec. 1942/9 MELOCLASSIC MC3013 [78:01] [SG] Fails to catch fire. Disappointing.

Roland (Orlando) de LASSUS (1532-1594) Canticum Canticorum - Ens Clematis; Ch Chambre de Namur/Leonardo Garcia Alarcón rec. 2015/16 RICERCAR RIC370 [64.53] [GH] Despite a few caveats this is a fine disc and worth searching out with high quality music throughout.

Nino ROTA (1911-1979) Piano Works - Christian Seibert (piano) rec. 2012 CPO 555 019-2 [70:21] [DHu] Even as strongly advocated as this, Rota’s colourful and inventive piano music provides little more than ephemeral entertainment.

Francis SHAW (b.1942) Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 - Martin Jones (piano); Slovak National SO/Francis Shaw - rec. 2014 LYRITA SRCD.356 [53:41] [BW] Lyrita’s enterprise in recording this greatly undervalued composer deserves strong support.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Symphonies Nos 3, 6 & 7 - Minnesota O/Osmo Vänskä rec. 2015 BIS BIS2006 SACD [82:00] [JQ] Outstanding Sibelius performances, outstandingly recorded.

Galina USTVOLSKAYA (1919-2006) Piano Concerto Valentin SILVESTROV (b.1937) Postludes, Hymn 2001 Giya KANCHELI (b.1935) Sio - Elisaveta Blumina (piano) Jürgen Spitschka (percussion) Stuttgart CO/Thomas Sanderling rec. 2015 GRAND PIANO GP678 [58:03] [RB] Russia's 'new spiritualism' in a unique coupling.

Open Your Heart Laura Claycomb (soprano) Marc Teicholz (guitar) rec. 2006 DELOS DE3483 [52:20] [GF] An enticing programme that should open the hearts of many potential listeners.

Thursday October 27th

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Coriolan Overture, Symphony No. 3 - NBC SO/Arturo Toscanini rec. 1949 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC472 [52:00] [RWM] An outstanding Toscanini concert made enticing by Pristine’s warm restoration.

Walter BRAUNFELS (1882-1954) Orchestral Songs Vol. 2 - Camilla Nylund, Genia Kühmeier, Ricarda Merbeth (sopranos) Konzerthaus O Berlin/Hansjörg Albrecht rec. 2015 OEHMS CLASSICS OC1847 [68:21] [MC] There are delightful new discoveries from Braunfels in this desirable second volume.

Philip GATES (b. 1963) Heartsease - Matthew Jones (viola) Philip Gates (piano) rec. 2015 MELODIST CD0108 [48:59] [RB] An aspiring unaffected melodic idiom without intellectual subterfuge.

Franz Joseph HAYDN (1732–1809) Symphonies Nos. 4, 42 and 64 - Francesca Aspromonte (soprano); Il Giardino Armonico/Giovanni Antonini rec. 2015 ALPHA 672 [68:57] [BW] Collectors of this series will be well served; others will find attractive performances, well recorded.

John IRELAND (1879-1962) & E.J. MOERAN (1892-1950) Part-songs - Carice Singers/George Parris, David Owen Norris (piano) rec. 2015 NAXOS 8.573584 [77:48] [NB] A very fine disc of music that is richly rewarding for both listener and choir.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) String Quintets - Chilingirian Qt, Yuko Inoue (viola) rec. 2006 CRD 3523 [61:12] [RMo] I cannot fault the playing or imagine it being done better.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Richard WAGNER (1813-1883) Parsifal - Andreas Schager (tenor) Anja Kampe (soprano) Wolfgang Koch, René Pape (bass-baritones) Staatskapelle Berlin, Staatsopern Ch/Daniel Barenboim rec. 2015 BEL AIR CLASSIQUES Blu-ray BAC428 [252:00] [ST] A fresh take on the opera that will challenge and provoke you.

À la Mémoire d’un Grand Artiste Piano trios by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov & Goldenweiser - Michael Schäfer (piano) Ilona Then-Burgh (violin) Wen-Sinn Yang (cello) Kang-Un Kim (harmonium) rec. 2015 GENUIN GEN16437 [50:08 + 82:28] [DJB] A very intelligently planned recording.

The Pleasures of the Imagination Sophie Yates (harpsichord) rec. 2012 CHANDOS CHAN0814 [75:20] [JW] A splendid recital in every way.

Remembrance Ch of Clare College, Cambridge/Graham Ross rec. 2015 HARMONIA MUNDI HMU907654 [72:44] [JQ] A thoughtfully conceived and expertly performed programme of music for Remembrance.

Wednesday October 26th

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Complete String Quartets - Belcea Qt rec. 2011/12 ALPHA 262 [8 CDs: 610:12] [MS] One of the better complete cycles of the Beethoven quartets conceived and played with maturity, depth and freshness by an ensemble more than up to the task.

Émile GOUÉ (1904-1946) Chamber Music Vol. 2 - Quatuor Joachim, Olivier Chauzu (piano) rec. 2011/12 AZUR CLASSICAL AZC100 [62:16] [SG] These chamber works certainly demand wider circulation.

George Frederic HANDEL (1685-1750) Il pastor fido overture, Apollo e Dafne - Mhairi Lawson (soprano) Callum Thorpe (bass) Ens Marsyas/Peter Whelan rec. 2015 LINN CKD543 [69.09] [GH] Typical early Handel: full of imagination and colour.

Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) String Quartets Vol. 2 - Doric String Qt rec. 2015 CHANDOS CHAN10886(2) [76:44 + 70:16] [RWe] The Doric Quartet continues its Haydn series with a splendid account of the composer’s last great set of six.

Sergei LYAPUNOV (1859-1924) Works for Piano Vol. 2 - Florian Noack (piano) rec. 2015 ARS PRODUCTION ARS38209 SACD [79:25] [JWe] Tremendous stuff:. Noack is fully in tune with this composer's mindset.

Felix MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) A Midsummer Night's Dream - BBC SO & Women's Ch/Sir Malcolm Sargent rec. 1954 PRISTINE AUDIO PACO133 [70:10 + 74:13] [RB] A virtuoso rendition of words and music from the 1950s.

Steve REICH (b. 1936) Double Sextet, Radio Rewrite - Ens Signal/Brad Lubman rec. 2011/16 HARMONIA MUNDI HMU907671 [39:44] [DC] Highly recommendable, but is Mr Reich getting sentimental in his old age?

Sir Charles Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924) Stabat Mater, Song to the Soul, The Resurrection - The Bach Ch/Bournemouth SO/David Hill rec. 2015 NAXOS 8.573512 [70:17] [JQ] A very fine collection of Stanford’s choral-orchestral music.

Georgy SVIRIDOV (1915-1998) Hymns & Prayers - Ivanna Bondaruk (soprano) Yuliya Zuveya (mezzo-soprano) Credo Chamber Ch/Bogdan Plish rec. 2014 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0123 [78:45] [SA] Magical ... this music must be heard rather than read about!

Stokowski: 20th Century Americana Works by Shilkret, Creston & Gould - Tommy Dorsey (trombone) James Abato (saxophone) New York City SO, Radio Italiana O, Hollywood Bowl SO/Leopold Stokowski rec. 1945/55 GUILD HISTORICAL GHCD2424 [64:57] [JW] This vivid, vivacious, and exciting disc can be warmly recommended to Stokowski collectors.

Tuesday October 25th 

François AUBER (1782-1871) Ouvertures et ballets rares - Gothenburg Opera O/B. Tommy Andersson rec. 2000 STERLING CDS1039-2 [64:25] [RMay] An enjoyable romp through some unfamiliar but tuneful works.

Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869) Romeo et Juliette - Olga Borodina (mezzo-soprano) Kenneth Tarver (tenor) Evgeny Nikitin (bass-baritone) Guildhall School Singers, London SO & Ch/Valery Gergiev rec. 2013 LSO LIVE LSO0762 [57:06 + 33:19] [RK] More energy than grace in a recording unlikely to dislodge old favourites.

Hermann GOETZ (1840-1876) Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2, Spring Overture - Davide Cabassi (piano) Magdeburg PO/Kimbo Ishii rec. 2014 NAXOS 8.573327 [69:57] [BSt] Given the price, I think this Naxos disc is now the front runner for this music.

JOSQUIN des Prés (c.1440–1521) Missa Di dadi, Missa Une mousse de Biscaye - The Tallis Scholars/Peter Phillips GIMELL CDGIM048 [71:14] [JQ] Another fine success in The Tallis Scholars’ wonderful Josquin series.

Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921) & Ernest CHAUSSON (1855-1899) Piano Quartets - Schubert Ens rec. 2016 CHANDOS CHAN10914 [67.36] [IL] Very rewarding in every sense.

Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Piano Sonatas Vol. 3 - Vladimir Feltsman (piano) rec. 2015 NIMBUS ALLIANCE NI6333 [66:58] [RMo] The latest instalment in Feltsman’s Schubert cycle lives up to the high standard of its predecessors and is warmly recommended.

RECORDING OF THE MONTH Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Cello Concerto, Piano Trio No. 1 - Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello) Isabelle Faust (violin) Alexander Melnikov (fortepiano) Freiburger Barock O/Pablo Heras-Casado rec. 2014 HARMONIA MUNDI HMC902197 [54:53] [ST] Among the most important of recent recordings of the composer's music.

Cyril SCOTT (1879-1970) Dawn and Twilightt: The First & Last Violin Sonatas: The First & Last Violin Sonatas - Andrew Kirkman (violin) Clipper Erickson (piano) rec. 2013 AFFETTO RECORDS AF1504 [56:05] [RB] Style-apt playing and warm, up-close sound in these examples of constant efflorescence and tropically curvaceous writing.

Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) Cello Sonatas - Marco Ceccato (cello); Accademia Ottoboni rec. 2013 ALPHA COLLECTION 325 [69:53] [BW] Alpha now have two very worthwhile selections of these sonatas in their inexpensive Collection series.

Ramon Llull L'ultim Pelegrinatge - Capella de Ministrers, Musica Reservata Barcelona/Carles Magraner rec. 2015 CAPELLA DE MINISTRERS CDM1640 [3 CDs: 206:15] [EML] Exhilarating and uplifting.