NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Composer and conductor Loris
Tjeknavorian talks to Rob Barnett
[New]
Otar Taktakishvili: The Major Vocal Works by Andrew Hartman
Forgotten Artists: Jonel Perlea by
Christopher Howell
Gef Lucena and Saydisc by Glyn
Pursglove
East-Central Europe & Balkan concertos discography - a major update
by Mike Herman
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LATEST REVIEWS
Tuesday January 31st
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Piano Concertos - Rudolf Buchbinder
(piano) Wiener Phil/Zubin Mehta rec. C
MAJOR Blu-ray 733604 [96 mins] [ST]
There are surprisingly few couplings of both
Brahms concertos on DVD/BD, and this one takes
its place towards the top.
Anton
BRUCKNER (1824-1896) Symphonies
Nos 1-3 - Philharmonia Festiva/Gerd Schaller
rec. 2011 PROFIL PH12022 [3
CDs: 192:19] [RMo] Even if you already own
other recordings of these symphonies, you will
surely derive great pleasure from hearing these
three original versions played so expertly and
in such spacious sound.
Paul HINDEMITH (1895-1963)
Kleine Kammermusik, Septet Boris BLACHER (1903-1975)
Concertino
Harald GENZMER (1909-2007) Quintet
Hanns EISLER (1898-1962) Divertimento - Hindemith Qnt,
Munich CO/Alexander Liebreich rec.
2012/13 COVIELLO CLASSICS COV91613
[64:04] [RK] A superbly played survey of
twentieth century German works for wind quintet.
Niccolň
JOMMELLI (1714-1774)
Cantatas
- Barbara Kusa (soprano) Lenka Torgersen, Cecilie
Valter (violins) Andreas Torgersen (viola) Ilze
Grudule (cello) Alena Hönigová (harpsichord/director)
rec. 2012 KORAMANT RECORDS KR14002
[66:06] [CRo] This disc helps to fill in
our knowledge of the development of Italianate
vocalism.
Aram
KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978) Suites:
Battle of Stalingrad, Othello
- Slovak Radio SO/Adriano rec. 1989-1992 NAXOS
8.573389 [63:36] [SV] If you are
interested in old-fashioned, "classical"
film music, you will definitely enjoy this.
Helmut
LACHENMANN (b. 1946) String Quartets
- Stadler Qt rec. 2008 NEOS 51001 DVD
[76:00] [DC] Serious stuff, but an unexpectedly
buoyant journey.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH
Ernst NAUMANN (1832-1910)
& Wilhelm BERGER (1861-1911)
String Trios
- Dresdner Streichtrio
rec. 2010 QUERSTAND VKJK1020
[52:34] [MC] These are exemplary, unaffected
performances by the Dresdner Streichtrio of
two rarely heard yet eminently attractive string
trios.
George
Frederick PINTO (1785-1806) Violin
Sonatas 1-3 - Kenji Fujimura (piano) Elizabeth
Sellars (violin) rec. 2016 TOCCATA CLASSICS
TOCC0366 [57:24] [PRB] An interesting
and unique compilation.
Joachim RAFF (1822-1882) La
fée d’amour, Suite, Violin
Concerto No. 1 - Tobias Ringborg (violin) SO
Norrlands Opera/Andrea Quinn rec. 2007 STERLING
CDS1075-2 [76:52] [JW] Fine performances
in excellent recorded sound, make the best case
possible for works that are on the lighter side
of the Romantic divide.
Better
Angels Works by Strauss, Barber,
Janacek & Blackford - Emily Pailthorpe (oboe)
BBC SO/Martyn Brabbins rec. 2015 CHAMPS
HILL RECORDS CHRCD116 [79:52] [CSe]
A welcome opportunity to enjoy rarely heard
works for oboe and ensemble played with assurance,
poise and innate musical intelligence.
Monday January 30th
Gustaf BENGTSSON (1886-1965) Violin and Cello Concertos - Tobias Ringborg (violin) Mats Rondin (cello) Malmö Opera O/Mats Rondin, Tobias Ringborg rec. 2004 STERLING CDS-1063-2 [59:42] [JW] Bengtsson displays only limited originality, but the music here is decidedly
pleasant.
Bellerofonte CASTALDI (c.1580-1649) Le Musiche di Bellerofonte Castaldi
-
Le Pohme Harmonique rec. 1998
ALPHA 320 [64:42] [CS]
Charming, capricious and colourful, Castaldi's music fully deserves the care and commitment bestowed here.
Pietro GNOCCHI (1689-1775) Concertos, Sonata a tre -
Main-Barockorchester Frankfurt/Martin Jopp rec. 2015
AEOLUS AE-10077 [62:55] [JV]
These concertos are well written and excellently played but are bit short on variety.
Franz Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Keyboard Sonatas Nos. 31, 33, 47 and
59 - Enrique Bagaría (piano)
rec. 2015 EUDORA RECORDS EUD-DR-1601
[81:17]
[DM]
Very likeable performances, superbly recorded; the vocal intrusions may
be a drawback, though.
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Ladies Only - Love and Lament
-
Nienke Oostenrijk (soprano) Marianne Boer (piano) rec. 2015
COBRA RECORDS COBRA0052 [74:35] [GF]
Excellent concept but the singing is not up to the mark.
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti Arnold SCHOENBERG (1874-1951) Kol Nidre - Ildar Abdrazakov (bass) Alberto Mizrahi (narrator) Chicago S0 & Ch/Riccardo Muti rec. 2012 CSO RESOUND CSOR9011602 [56:50] [LW]
An unusual coupling of Schoenberg and Shostakovich in remarkable performances.
Joseph WOELFL (1773-1812) Piano Music Vol. 1 - Adalberto Maria Rive (piano) rec. 2016 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0383 [73:05] [PRB] Hopefully it will not be too long before the next Woelfl CD leaves the
presses.
Frühling in Wien
Vienna SO/Manfred Honeck rec. 2016
WIENER SYMPHONIKER WS011 [59.45] [MC]
Full of delightful and vivacious Viennese dance-themed music, this rewarding album is sheer delight.
Wolfgang Schneiderhan (violin) Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
& Hans Werner HENZE (1926-2012) Violin Concertos Frank MARTIN (1890-1974) Magnificat
-
Swiss Festival O rec. 1952-68
AUDITE 95.644 [65:07] [SG]
Audite are to be commended for restoring these archival treasures.
Sandor Végh (conductor) Symphonies by Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart & Schubert - Camerata Salzburg rec. 1993/95 BUDAPEST MUSIC CENTER RECORDS BMCCD194 [62:26 + 51:52]
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphonies 1-4 - Camerata Salzburg rec. 1996 BUDAPEST MUSIC CENTER RECORDS BMCCD201 [58:27 + 62:25] [JW] Fine and distinctive performances make for two valuable twofers.
Friday January 27th
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
String Quartet No. 3, Lieder Arnold SCHOENBERG (1874-1951)
String Quartet No. 2 -
Mojca Erdmann (soprano)
Kuss Qt
rec. 2015 ONYX 4166 [73:29] [SG] An attractive programme.
Gaetano
DONIZETTI (1854-1921) Roberto
Devereux - Marielle Devia (soprano) Stefan
Pop (tenor) Teatro Carlo Fenice Ch & O/Francesco
Lanzillotta rec. 2016 DYNAMIC 37755
DVD [136 mins] [RW] A worthy DVD
of a well-sung performance, though the director’s
use of the stage leaves something to be desired.
Antonin DVORÁK (1841-1904) Complete Symphonies,
Tone Poems, Overtures, Requiem -
London SO/István Kertész
rec. 1963-70 DECCA 483 0744 [9CDs & BD-A: 662:27] [DHu]
For newcomers, I couldn’t recommend this new set more highly – for others,
consider carefully.
Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Piano Concertos Nos 17 & 18,
Divertimento - Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano) Manchester Camerata/Gábor
Takács-Nagy rec. 2016 CHANDOS CHAN10929 [74:42] [MG]
Bavouzet's élan, sometimes devil-may-care, is matched by vivacity.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Violin Concertos Nos 2 & 5, Sinfonia Concertante -
Frank Peter Zimmermann (violin) Bavarian RSCO/Radoslaw
Szulc
rec. 2015 HÄNSSLER CLASSIC HC15042 [74.54] [MC] These are superb performances,
which I consider the equal of the much admired and evergreen Grumiaux
accounts.
Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Mélodies - Tassis Christoyannis (baritone)
Jeff Cohen (piano) rec. 2016 APARTE AP132 [70:59] [ST] A welcome chance to hear Saint-Saens’ songs, even if there are
problems with both the singer’s voice and the recorded balance.
Bernard
ZWEERS (1854-1924) Symphony No.
1 Daniël de LANGE (1841-1918)
Symphony No. 1 Netherlands RCO/Ed Spanjaard,
Anthony Halstead rec. 1994/2001 STERLING
CDS1068-2 [57:11] [JW] The performances
serve both composers very well.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Dream
with Me Katarzyna Dondalska
(soprano, violin) Timur Enikeev (piano) Michelle
Perry (horn) rec. 2016 ACTE PRÉALABLE
AP0370 [77:19] [GF] You will love
this: beautiful melodies performed by wonderful
artists.
Historia
Sancti Olavi
Consortium Vocale Oslo/Alexander M. Schweitzer;
Graces & Voices/Adrija Čepaité, Antanina
Kalechtys rec. 2015 LAWO CLASSICS LWC1106
[60:20 + 44:40] [JV] If you are interested
in liturgical music and especially in plainchant
this is a production not to be missed.
Musica
Sacra Of The Wawel Cathedral
Andrzej Białko (organ) Królewscy Rorantyści/Stanisław
Gałoński rec. 1981/2016 DUX
1334 [59.32] [MW] An interesting
and valuable addition to our understanding of
Polish church music.
Thursday January 26th
Kurt ATTERBERG (1887-1974) Piano
concerto, Violin concerto - Don Franklin Smith (piano) Christian Bergkvist (violin) Gävle SO/B Tommy Andersson rec 1999 STERLING CDS1034-2 [71.28] [JW] Out of the way repertoire, but there’s a great deal
to admire in these splendidly realised performances.
Béla BARTÓK (1882-1945) Piano Music Vol. 2 - Cédric Tiberghien (piano) rec. 2015 HYPERION CDA68133 [73.39] [SB] A another fine issue in this developing series.
Antonín DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Symphonies
3 & 4 -
Deutsche Radio Philharmonie/Karel Mark Chichon - rec. 2015
SWR MUSIC SWR19009CD
[74:23]
[BW]
Another very fine instalment in what promises to be one of the best
cycles of Dvořák symphonies.
Charles GOUNOD (1818-1893)
Roméo et Juliette - Roberto Alagna (tenor) Angela Gheorghiu
(soprano) Czech Philharmonic CO/Anton Guadagno ARTHAUS MUSIK DVD 109261 [73:00]
[PSt] I cannot believe that anyone who is likely to read reviews on this website will want this.
Ernst KRENEK (1900-1991)
Orpheus und Eurydike -
Ronald Hamilton (tenor) Dunja Vejzovic (soprano)
Bo Skovhus (baritone)
ORF Ch & RSO Wien/Pinchas Steinberg
rec. 1990 ORFEO C923162I [71:46 + 33:44] [SSi] A wholehearted and enjoyable performance of a relatively early Krenek work.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Max REGER
(1873-1916) Complete Organ Works - Martin Schmeding (organ)
rec. 2014/16 CYBELE RECORDS 051500 [17 SACDs: 19:24:00]
[SG] An impressive achievement.
Enrique SORO (1884-1954) Orchestral Works
- Chile SO/José Luis Domínguez
rec. 2015 NAXOS 8.573505 [56:17] [RB] Entertaining, colourful, attractive and in a familiar idiom.
Insane Harmony
Works by Purcell, Lawes, Tomkins, Locke & Williams - Musica Alta Ripa
rec. 2016 MDG 309 1961-2 [67:34] [JV] Musica Alta Ripa is a very good ensemble but here they seem to have missed the
mark a little.
Nineteenth Century Italian Tenors Leopoldo Signoretti, Giovanni Battista De Negri, Alfonso Garulli, Francesco Signorini, Edoardo Garbin, Fiorello Giraud & Fernando Valero MARSTON 53018-2 [3 CDs:
232:24] [JW] A scholarly set that reflects the best standards one has come to expect from this label.
Saint Louis: Chroniques et musiques du XIII siècle Ens Vocal Notre-Dame de Paris, Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris, Instrumental ensemble/Sylvain Dieudonné rec. 2014 MAÎTRISE NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS 006 [72.37] [GH] Communicative, clear, expressive and consistently delightful.
Wednesday January 25th
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Sir Malcolm ARNOLD (1921-2006)
The Magic of Malcolm Arnold Vol. 1 - The Wallace Collection, Ntl Youth Brass Band of Scotland/Richard Evans,
Russell Gray,
Bede Williams rec. 2016 THE WALLACE COLLECTION TWC-FR2016-001 [62.28 + 31.06] [MW] An inspired collection of some of Arnold’s most inspired writing.
Dieterich BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707) Membra Jesu nostri - Vox Scaniensis/Peter
Wallin rec. 2013 LAWO CLASSICS LWM010 [59:09] [JV] If you look for a really good recording of this
masterpiece, you won't be disappointed if you go for this disc.
Alexander
GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) Symphonies Nos 4 &
5, The Seasons - Leningrad PO/Yevgeny
Mravinsky rec. 1948/68 PRAGA DIGITALS
PRD/DSD350129 SACD [79:23] [MW] A
valuable and well-produced addition to the Mravinsky
discography—exciting and enjoyable music.
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Piano Quintet, Märchenbilder, Fünf Stücke im Volkston - Benvenue Fortepiano Trio, Jodi Levitz (viola) Carla Moore (violin) rec. 2016 AVIE AV2365 [59:48] [SSi] A most desirable disc bringing new life and light to this music.
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Tristan
und Isolde - Ramón Vinay (tenor)
Birgit Nilsson (soprano) Metropolitan Opera
Ch & O/Karl Böhm rec. 1960 PRISTINE
AUDIO PACO135 [3 CDs: 202:32] [ST] This performance, flawed
as it is, hasn’t sounded better than since
the afternoon it was first sung.
Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Clarinet Concerto No. 2 Boris
TCHAIKOVSKY (1925-1996) Clarinet
Concerto Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Premičre rhapsodie - Matthias Müller (clarinet)
Tchaikovsky SO/Mischa Damev rec. 1998 NEOS
20905 [48:13] [SV] Recommended for
the performances and the repertoire.
Gramophone 1899: The First Gramophone Records in Sweden STERLING CDB1700-1-2 [75:55 + 76:51] [JW] A curio of a decidedly specialist nature.
Grey Clouds Works by Debussy, Liszt, Ravel & Stravinsky - Pål Eide (piano) rec. 2014 CDKLASSISK CDK1143 [77:48] [PRB] There does not really appear to be a great commercial niche and future for this particular collection.
Otto
Klemperer Long Journey through His
Times/The Last Concert rec. 1971 ARTHAUS MUSIK
109289 [2 DVDs: 209 mins & 2 CDs:
88:00] [JW] Splendidly realised.
Sanctum
Desiderium Works by Buxtehude,
Fortsch, Kerll, Krieger & Schmelzer - Musae
Jovis rec. 2015 SONAMUSICA SONA1609
[52:26] [JV] The music is attractive and
the programme has been put together intelligently.
