NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New]
The Symphonies of Anton
Bruckner Revisited by John Quinn and Patrick Waller
[New] More Obscure Favorites
by Andrew Hartman
[New]
Recalling John Addison’s Trumpet
Concerto by John France
Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana
- A survey by Ralph Moore
Celebrating Geoffrey Bush's 100th Birthday by John
France
Short Reviews & Second Thoughts: Spring 2020/3
by Brian Wilson
Piano Trio Discography: "T" Composers
Celebrating Peter Racine Fricker's 100th Birthday by John
France
Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci
- A survey by Ralph Moore
A MusicWeb Survey of Our Favorite Neglected Recordings edited by
Mike Parr
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Friday May 29th
Philip GLASS (b. 1937)
The Fall of the House of Usher -
Jonas Hacker (tenor) Madison Leonard (soprano)
Inscape Chamber O/Joseph Li rec. 2017 ORANGE MOUNTAIN MUSIC OMM0138 [49.19 + 33.29]
[PCG] Interesting, but not without problems.
Piers HELLAWELL (b. 1956)
Up By The Roots -
Huw Watkins, William Howard (piano)
Fidelio Trio,
Ulster O/Paul Watkins (cello) rec. 2018/19 DELPHIAN DCD34223 [77.14]
[GH] Some very fine music, though not everything is successful.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART
Le nozze di Figaro:
Overture & aria, Serenata Notturna Joaquin TURINA (1882-1949)
Canto a Sevilla - Victoria de los
Angeles (soprano) Residentie O den Haag/Antal Doráti
rec. 1951 ANTAL DORÁTI LIVE ADL278 [44:26]
[BRa] A unique but short-measure encounter with Antal Doráti and Victoria de los Angeles.
Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868)
Il barbiere di Siviglia -
Dmitry Korchak (tenor) Leo Nucci (baritone)
Nino Machaidze (mezzo) O & Ch Arena di Verona/Daniel Oren
rec. 2017 BELAIR CLASSIQUES DVD BAC169 [162 mins]
[CC] Worth seeing but it is not one I will return to with much regularity.
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Piano Sonata No. 20,
Impromptus -
Irina Chukovskaya (piano) rec. 2018 DUX 1618 [68:28] [DD] Forceful renditions of ever-inspired music.
Ronald STEVENSON (1928–2015) Piano Music Vol.
3 -
Christopher Guild (piano) rec. 2018 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0403 [70:22]
[SSi] A very pleasing disc.
Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741) L’Eleganza Capricciosa
-
Cappella dell’Ospedale della Pietŕ/Stefan Plewniak (violin) rec. 2017 ËVOE RECORDS EVOE007 [56:39] [CRo] Performances on a par with the best historically informed exponents of this repertoire.
Johann Wilhelm WILMS (1772-1847) Piano Quartets
- Valentin Klavier Qt rec. 2018 CPO 555 247-2 [60:21]
[SV] Beautiful quartets done full justice.
Sir John Barbirolli (conductor)
The Complete RCA and Columbia Album Collection - Benny Goodman (clarinet) Robert Casadesus (piano) Nathan Milstein (violin)
New York P-SO SONY 19075988382 [6 CDs: 414 mins] [JW]
A finely produced and concentrated focus on Barbirolli’s New York shellac years.
Véronique Gens (soprano) Nuits - I Giardini
rec. 2019 ALPHA CLASSICS 589 [61.41]
[MC]
A captivating prospect.
Thursday May 28th
Mikalojus ČIURLIONIS (1875-1911)
The Sea, In the Forest, Kęstutis - Lithuanian Ntl SO/Modestas Pitrėnas rec. 2019
ONDINE ODE1344-2 [59:15] [JW]
Valuable reconstructions in fine performances.
Violeta DINESCU (b. 1953)
The Feathered Serpent - Ion Bogdan Stefanescu (flutes, sona, tiuga, prepared piano) rec. 2015
SARGASSO SCD28078 [66:34] [DC]
Involving and intriguingly exotic sounds.
Dmitri KABALEVSKY (1904-1987) Complete Preludes
-
Michael Korstick (piano) rec. 2017/18 CPO 555 272-2 [76:21]
[RCh] An exciting collection, brilliantly played.
Henri POUSSEUR (1929-2009)
Works for flute -
Roberto Fabbriciani (flute)
Alvise Vidolin (electronics) rec. 2014 MODE 318 [72.06] [GH]
Fabbriciani is an extraordinarily devoted exponent and believer in these pieces.
Henry PURCELL (1659-1695)
King Arthur -
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin/René Jacobs
rec. 2017 NAXOS NBD0109V Blu-ray [170 mins] [PCG] I can find almost no redeeming features whatsoever.
Roger QUILTER (1877-1953)
Songs Vol. 2 - Nathan Vale (tenor), Adrian Farmer (piano) rec. 2017
NIMBUS NI5969 [77:34] [DRD]
Top rate performances of crafted works by one of England’s finest twentieth century songwriters.
British Violin Sonatas Clare Howick
(violin) Simon Callaghan (piano) rec. 2019 SOMM SOMMCD0610
[72:00] [MC] Artistry melded with unwavering focus and unfailing rapport.
Max Fiedler (conductor)
German Radio Recordings Vol. 2 - Carl Steiner (violin), Adolf Steiner (cello), Alfred Hoehn (piano), O Reichsenders Berlin rec. 1936
PRISTINE AUDIO PASC582 [63:10 + 64:59] [PSt]
Indispensable for anyone with any interest in the performing styles of the past.
Intermedi della Pellegrina: Firenze 1589 Coro Ricercare Ens, Compagnia Dramatoděa, Modo Antiquo/Federico Maria Sardelli rec. 2019 DYNAMIC CDS7856 [65:58]
[CSe] The splendour of the Renaissance Florentine court with singing that is both wonderful and an embodiment of the wondrous.
Marina Rebeka (soprano)
Elle - St Gallen SO/Michael Balke rec. 2019
PRIMA CLASSIC PRIMA004 [72:35] [BRa]
A soprano album that is actually memorable and distinctive.
Wednesday May 27th
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Sonatas for Violin & Piano Vol. 2 - Ulf Wallin (violin)
Roland Pöntinen (piano) rec. 2017 BIS BIS-2419 SACD [67:12]
[DD] Very fine performances.
Giuseppe Clemente DALL’ABACO (1710-1805) Cello Sonatas
-
Elinor Frey,
Mauro Valli (cello) Federica Bianchi (harpsichord) Giangiacomo Pinardi (archlute)
rec. 2019 PASSACAILLE 1069 [62:25]
[DC]
Unknown but excellent music – Dall’Abaco has much more to offer than just the 11 Capricci.
Thomas FORTMANN (b. 1951)
Gimme Twelve - Ettore Candela (organ)
Grazyna Jursza (flute)
Camerata Impuls/Malgorzata Kaniowska
rec. 2015-19 MÉTIER MSV28598 [73:18] [JF]
A composer who works in the traditions of the Second Viennese School and is not afraid to admit it.
Gustav HOLST (1874-1934)
The Cloud Messenger,
Partsongs -
Caitlin Goreing (alto) Ch King’s College, London, Strand Ens/Joseph Fort rec.
2019 DELPHIAN DCD34241 [58:06]
[JQ]
An enterprising and significant addition to the Holst discography
Jacques OFFENBACH (1819-1880) Les
Contes d’Hoffmann - John Osborn (tenor) Nina
Minasyan (soprano) Ch Dutch Ntl Opera,
Rotterdam PO/Carlo Rizzi
rec. 2018 C MAJOR 752808 DVD [2 discs: 165 mins] [BRa]
Musically interesting but fussy staging muddies the Sagas of Hoffmann further.
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937)
Valses nobles et sentimentales, Miroirs, Pavane pour une enfante défunte, Sonatine
-
Elile Naoumoff (piano) rec. 2017 MELISM MLSCD010 [74:00] [TB]
A fine Ravel programme.
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Violin Concertos
-
Ivan Pochekin (violin)
Russian Ntl O/Valentin Uryupin rec. 2019 PROFIL PH19073 [70:50]
[NB] Technically skilled but not especially insightful performances.
Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901)
Rigoletto - Riccardo Stracciari (baritone) Mercedes Capsir (soprano)
Ch & O La Scala, Milan/Lorenzo Molajoli rec.
1927/1930 PRISTINE CLASSICAL PACO169 [52:12 + 57:05]
[PSt] One of the finest of all the pre-war complete sets of Italian opera in an exemplary transfer.
Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Der Freischütz - Michael Kraus (bass) Julia Kleiter (soprano)
Ch & O La Scala/Myung-Whun Chung rec. 2017
NAXOS DVD 2.110597 [135 mins]
[CC] Much to enjoy here.
Moura Lympany (piano) The Decca Legacy rec. 1941-52
ELOQUENCE 482 9404 [7 CDs: 467 mins]
[JW] A very welcome boxset.
Tuesday May 26th
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Sonatas for viola da gamba
-
Hille Perl (viola da gamba)
Michael Behringer (harpsichord) rec. 1998 HÄNSSLER CLASSIC HC19004 [37:49]
[DC] A great recording, but a skimpy release.
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Violin &
Clarinet Sonatas (arr. cello) -
Raphael Wallfisch (cello)
John York (piano) rec. 2017/18 NIMBUS NI5974 [72:34] [DD] Slightly controversial but utterly convincing transcriptions.
Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849) More Preludes to Chopin
- Kenneth Hamilton (piano) rec. 2018/19 PRIMA FACIE PFCD134 [67:10]
[JF] An interesting conceit which demands our attention.
Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Künstlerfestzug;
Tasso;
Dante Symphony - Weimar Staatskapelle Weimar/Kirill Karabits rec. 2018/19 AUDITE 97.760 [79:02]
[JWe] A first recording makes this very tempting.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART
(1756-1791) Die Zauberflöte
- Christiane Karg (soprano) Mauro
Peter (tenor) Vienna PO & State Opera Ch/Constantinos Carydis
rec. 2018 C MAJOR 749804 [148 mins]
[CC] Not really a success then.
Domenico SCARLATTI
(1685-1757) Sonatas Vol. 2 - Federico Colli (piano)
rec. 2019 CHANDOS CHAN20134 [62:42]
[RHa] Yet more riveting Scarlatti from Colli – truly a disc in which to lose oneself.
Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Complete Works for Pedal Piano or Organ
-
Daniel Beckmann (organ) rec. 2020 AEOLUS AE11201 SACD [71:51] [SG] A valuable survey of Schumann’s less known organ music.
Kerry TURNER (b. 1960)
Works for Horn Vol. 1 -
Kristina Mascher-Turner, Kerry Turner, Frank Lloyd (horn)
Lauretta Bloomer (piano)
rec. 2019 NAXOS 8.579050 [63:48] [NB]
Of particular interest to horn specialists but worthy of wider appeal.
Erling Blöndal Bengtsson (cello) A European Tribute rec. 1978-85 DANACORD DACOCD871 [73:28 + 73:05]
[JW] This is a series that continues to reward the listener.
Jeung-Beum Sohn (piano)
Works by Beethoven, Ravel & Schubert rec. 2019 GENUIN GEN20688 [68:02]
[TB] A major talent with a bright future.
Monday May 25th
Carl Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788)
Symphony, Cello Concerto Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Keyboard Concerto - Elin Gabrielsson (violin), Johannes Rostamo (cello), Luca Guglielmi (harpsichord), Orfeus Barock Stockholm rec. 2018
ALBA ABCD448 [61:31] [JV]
The cadenzas in the solo concertos prevent me from unequivocally recommending this disc.
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5 -
Stewart Goodyear (piano),
BBC Ntl O Wales/Andrew Constantine rec. 2018 ORCHID CLASSICS ORC100127
[3 CDs: 172:44]
[DM]
Glorious, life-embracing performances, very well recorded; surely a
high point of these
sestercentennial
celebrations.
Johannes BRAHMS (1833-1897) Piano Concerto No. 2,
Handel Variations -
Royal Northern Sinfonia/Lars Vogt (piano) rec. 2019 ONDINE ODE1346-2 [74:45]
[RC] Fine performances of both works.
Francesco Maria CATTANEO (c. 1697-1758)
Violin Concerti - L’arpa festante/Anton Sterck (violin) rec. 2019
ACCENT ACC24364 [73:23] [DC]
‘Violin egodocuments’ these may be, but they are very good ones indeed.
Franz CLEMENT (1780-1842) Violin Concertos Nos
1 & 2 -
Mirijam Contzen (violin)
WDR SO/Reinhard Goebel rec. 2018/19 SONY 19075929632 [71:22] [DJB] Essential listening for those wishing to appreciate the context of Beethoven’s great concerto.
Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Complete Works for Piano Four Hands - Jan Vermeulen & Veerle Peeters (fortepiano) rec. 2014-2019
ETCETERA KTC1511 [7 CDs: 525:59] [SSi]
Up there with the best recordings of this wonderful music.
Dimitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
Symphony No. 11 - BBC PO/John Storgårds rec. 2019
CHANDOS CHSA5278 SACD [66:45] [TB]
A fine addition to the growing discography of this masterpiece.
Amor De Lonh
The Distant Love of the Troubadours - Martin Best Consort
rec. 1997 NIMBUS NI5544 [65.11] [GH] An enjoyable mix of gentle songs and lively dances.
Beethoven Suites Julien Martineau (mandolin)
Vanessa Benelli Mosell (piano) rec. 2019 NAĎVE V7083 [58:18]
[GPu]
This anniversary tribute to Beethoven is somewhat eccentric, but decidedly enjoyable for lovers of the mandolin.
Cristina Bianchi (harp)
Scarlatti and More rec. 2019
OEHMS OC1715 [68:42] [DD]
An unusual programme, very well played and recorded.
Other reviews
Music in Their Time: The Memoirs and Letters of Dora and Hubert Foss by Stephen Lloyd, Diana Sparkes and Brian Sparkes
(eds) publ. 2019 Boydell Press [JW] A fitting and laudable tribute.