NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Completions
and Reconstructions of Musical Works - Part 2 by Stephen Barber
Completions
and Reconstructions of Musical Works - Part 1 by Stephen Barber
The first performance of Adam
Pounds' Second Symphony by John France
Short Reviews & Second Thoughts:
Winter 2019-20/2 by Brian Wilson, Dan Morgan & Johan van Veen
Fred Lax - An English flautist in
America by Stuart Scott
National Discographies
- a major update by Mike Herman
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Live performance reviews posted daily at
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Friday January
31st
To mark 2020, the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth
How Complete Was My Beethoven? by Mark Zimmer
A comparative review of the three new "complete" boxsets (DG,
Naxos & Warner Classics).
Thursday January
30th
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
The Six Partitas - Angela Hewitt (piano) rec. 2018
HYPERION CDA678271/2
[72:52 + 77:04] [DC]
Angela Hewitt’s Bach Partitas, 20 years on.
Alexander BRINCKEN (b. 1952) Orchestral Music Vol. 1
-
Alexander Brincken (piano)
Royal Scottish Ntl O/Rainer Held rec. 2019 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0550 [75:45]
[MR] A Soviet-era composer who writes in a style akin to what was around long before the creation of the Soviet Union, but does so with great self-confidence.
Christoph Willibald GLUCK (1714-1787)
Orphée et Eurydice - Marianne Crebassa (mezzo-soprano), Hélène Guilmette (soprano), Ensemble Pygmalion/Raphaël Pichon rec. 2018
NAXOS Blu-ray NBD0100V
[99 mins] [MP]
A stunning central performance by Marianne Crebassa.
Frederick William HOLLOWAY (1873-1954)
Symphonic Organ Works -
Markus Eichenlaub (organ) rec. 2019 AEOLUS AE11181 SACD [79:11]
[SG]
World première recordings of a long-forgotten English composer.
Rodolphe KREUTZER (1766-1831) Violin Concertos Nos
1, 6 & 7 -
Laurent Albrecht Breuninger (violin) Südwestdeutsches CO Pforzheim/Timo Handschuh rec. 2014 CPO 555 206-2 [72:23]
[PRB] Makes an excellent case for affording Kreutzer the real credit he deserves in his own right as a composer and performer.
Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911)
Symphony No. 9 - Seoul PO/Myung-Whun Chung rec. 2013
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 481 110-9
[79:55] [SV]
This Ninth immediately goes on my short list.
Alexander SCRIABIN (1872-1915)
Complete Piano Sonatas - Vincenzo Maltempo (piano) rec. 2018/19
PIANO CLASSICS PCL10168
[60:16 + 73:50] [RWe]
A sonata survey of high calibre, well worth exploring.
Mieczysław WEINBERG (1919-1996)
Cello Sonatas -
Wojciech Fudala (cello)
Michał Rot (piano) rec. 2017 DUX 1545 [59:20] [SA]
Superlative playing.
Artur Rodziński (conductor) Complete Chicago Symphony Recordings
rec. 1947/52 PRISTINE AUDIO PASC569 [64:27 + 70:33]
[JW]
A valuable record of Rodziński’s brief time in Chicago.
Violin Plus One
Piet Koornhof (violin), Albie van Schalkwyk (piano) rec. 2016/18
DELOS DE3577
[67:01] [MZ]
Piet Koornhof offers up a delightful encore compilation of Romantic violin transcriptions.
Wednesday January
29th
Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685–1750) French Suites - Alexandra Papastefanou (piano) rec.
2019 FIRST HAND RECORDS FHR70 [66:20 + 75:09]
[DD] Captivating playing.
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
String Quartet No. 3, Piano Quintet -
Hagen Qt,
Kirill Gerstein (piano) rec. 2014 MYRIOS CLASSICS MYR021 [80:17]
[MC] Interpretations that breathe energy and satisfaction.
Anton BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Symphony No. 5
-
Yomiuri Nippon SO/Gennady Rozhdestvensky rec. 2017 ALTUS ALT411 [78:21]
[RMo] This is a “saggy-waggy elephant” among Bruckner Fifth Symphony interpretations – yet occasionally the Jumbo sprints, too…
Krzysztof MEYER (b. 1943)
Chansons d’un Rêveur Solitaire,
Symphony No. 8 -
Claudia Barainsky (soprano) Ch Karol Szymanowski PO/Teresa Majka-Pacanek,
Polish Ntl Radio SO/Łukasz Borowicz rec.
2015/18 DUX 1569 [66:08]
[RHa] Two contrasting recent scores which reinforce
Meyer's burgeoning profile.
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Winterreise - Thomas Oliemans (baritone),
Paolo Giacometti (piano) rec. 2018 CHANNEL CLASSICS CCS42119 [71:24]
[GF] A very touching, very involved reading with a warm heart.
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Symphonies 1 & 4, Concertos,
Overture to Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’ -
Pierre Fournier (cello), Henryk Szeryng (violin), Annie Fischer (piano),
Südwestfunk O Baden-Baden/Hans Rosbaud rec. 1957-61 SWR CLASSIC SWR19085CD [3CDs: 155:45]
[JW]
More of the art of this great conductor reclaimed.
Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Incidental Music
-
Turku PO/Leif Segerstam rec. 2014 NAXOS 8.506032 [6 CDs: 399:31]
[RB] All in all this is a refreshing experience that is often pleasingly surprising.
Ronald STEVENSON (1928–2015) Piano Music Vol.
3 -
Christopher Guild (piano) rec. 2018 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC 0403 [70:22]
[JF] I look forward to succeeding volumes of this project with considerable enthusiasm.
Mieczysław WEINBERG
(1919-1996) Flute Concertos, Pieces -
Claudia Stein (flute)
Elizaveta Blumina (piano)
Szczecin PO/David Robert Coleman rec. 2017/18 NAXOS 8.573931 [68:32]
[SA]
It includes some of the most gorgeous tunes any composer has given this most songlike instrument.
Roberto Alagna (tenor) Caruso 1873
- Yvan Cassar (piano), O National D’ Île-De-France/Yvan Cassar rec. 2019 SONY CLASSICAL 19075950482 [72:12]
[MP] A unique and very worthy labour of love, best for listening to in short periods rather than in its entirety.
Tuesday January
28th
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphonies Nos 4 & 6 - London SO/Bernard Haitink
rec. 2005 ALTO ALC1388 [74:22]
[DD]
Very special live recordings, reissued at bargain price.
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Complete Intermezzi
-
Evgeni Koroliov (piano) rec. 2018/19 TACET 256 [2 CDs: 81:30]
[RC] Highly individual, eminently worth hearing performances.
Ronald CENTER (1913-1963)
Instrumental & Chamber Music Vol. 1 - Christopher Guild (piano) rec. 2013
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0179 [69.48]
[JF] Considerable substance and variety.
Roger Sacheverell COKE (1912-1972) Cello Sonatas
- Raphael Wallfisch (cello) Simon Callaghan (piano)
rec. 2019 LYRITA SRCD384 [72:14]
[RMas] Beautiful playing, but the music is no more than pleasant.
Peter EÖTVÖS (b. 1944) hallelujah, alle vittime senza nome
- WDR SO & Rundfunkchor/Peter Eötvös; O dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Roma/Antonio Pappano rec. 2017 WERGO WER73862 [74:38] [MS] Excellent performances of stimulating and important music.
Herman D. KOPPEL (1908-1998) Piano Concerto No.3,
Pastorale,
Ten Piano Pieces Benjamin KOPPEL (b.1974)
Nine Dialogical Responses
- Rikke Sandberg (piano) Benjamin Koppel (saxophone) South Jutland SO/Bo Holten rec. 2019
DANACORD DACOCD856 [64:12] [JW] The Concerto is very successful, but the companion pieces seem an awkward fit.
Franco MARGOLA (1908-1992)
Music for Mandolin & Other Chamber Music - Raffaele La Ragione (mandolin)
Gabriele Zanetti (guitar)
Daniele Richiedei (violin) Giacomo Ferrari (piano) rec. 2018 BRILLIANT CLASSICS 96037 [50:12]
[GPu]
Margola was a belated ‘little master of the 18th century’, and his music is a source of constant and quiet delight.
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony
No. 4
- London SO/Gianandrea Noseda
rec.
2018 LSO LIVE LSO0832 SACD [64:38] [WK] A powerful and very competitive performance.
New England Choirworks
Yale Schola Cantorum/David Hill
rec. 2016-18 HYPERION CDA68314 [75:16] [JQ] A most interesting and varied programme of contemporary choral music sung with great accomplishment.
Voix du Ciel
Medieval
Polyphony & Sacred Chants - Ens Gilles Binchois/Dominique Vellard EVIDENCE CLASSICS EVCD065 [62:04 + 68.18]
[GH]
An opportunity to discover the best of this outstanding ensemble.
Monday January 27th
Anton ARENSKY (1861-1906) Piano Trios
-
Münchner Klaviertrio
rec. 1992 PROFIL PH19072 [58:11] [MC] The Münchner Klaviertrio is captured in fine form.
Bela BARTOK (1881-1945)
& Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD (1897-1957) Piano Quintets -
Piers Lane (piano)
Goldner String Qt rec. 2018 HYPERION CDA68290 [73:00] [EJW]
Thoroughly enjoyable, with playing that is beyond reproach.
Anna BON (1738/1740-1767) Flute Sonatas - Vladimir Soares (recorders), Fabian Grosch (harpsichord) rec. 2018
DRAMA MUSICA DRAMA007
[74:02] [GPu]
Bon’s enjoyably fluent sonatas – especially when played so well – raise questions which can’t yet be answered.
Anton BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Symphony No. 7 - NDR Elbphilharmonie O/Alan Gilbert rec. 2019
SONY CLASSICAL 19075979532
[66:26] [RMo]
No prospective purchaser is likely to be disappointed by this.
Carl ORFF (1895-1982)
Carmina Burana Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Late Choral Music George GERSHWIN (1898-1937)
An American in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue - Cleveland O, New York
PO/Michael Tilson Thomas rec. 1974-76
DUTTON EPOCH 2CDLX7369 SACD
[76:52 + 68:13] [NB]
A set of disparate delights.
Alwynne PRITCHARD (b. 1968) Rockaby rec. 2004-18 KAIROS 0015047KAI [76:00] [RHa] Unusual music that provokes, exhausts, enchants, frustrates, hypnotises, challenges, exasperates, fascinates and perhaps unexpectedly, moves.
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony No. 10
-
Bavarian RSO/Mariss Jansons
rec. 2010 BR KLASSIK 900185 [53.48] [WH] A magnificent Shostakovich 10 from the late and much lamented Jansons.
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Grande Sonate, Meditation Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943) Moments Musicaux - Barry Douglas (piano) rec. 2019
CHANDOS CHAN20121
[68:08] [DD]
Excellent performances of works that deserve greater recognition, and in splendid sound.
Maria Grinberg (piano)
The Art of rec. 1946-76 SCRIBENDUM SC814 [34 CDs]
[SG] One of the finest piano collections I've ever had the pleasure of reviewing.
Magnificat
Glen Dempsey (organ) Ch of St John’s College Cambridge/Andrew Nethsingha
rec. 2018 SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD588 [58:44] [JQ]
Choice examples of settings of the evening canticles, sung flawlessly and with great commitment.
