NEW & RECENT ARTICLES
[New] Introducing the music of Ian King
by John Quinn
[New] Conductor Carlo Goldstein in conversation with Ona Jarmalavičiūtė
[New]
Talking about Books - what I did during lockdown - by Len Mullenger
Exploring Searle's Piano Sonata by John France
Vladas Bagdonas, Leader of the
Vilnius State Choir in conversation with Ona Jarmalavičiūtė
Between what opera is and how
it is portrayed Composer Matthew Peterson in conversation with Ona
Jarmalavičiūtė
Exploring Salzedo's
Capriccio for brass quintet by John France
Mahler's Symphony 4 - an
update to Tony Duggan's survey by Brian Wilson
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NEW from
Acte Prealable
AP0463 Ignacy
Krzyzanowski - Piano Works 2
AP0476 Raul Koczalski - Chamber Works 2
AP0478 René de Boisdeffre - Works for Violin, Cello and Piano
AP0484-85 Fernand de la Tombelle - Organ Works 1
AP0487 Henryk
Pachulski - Piano Works (and Chamber) 3
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Friday October
30th
Paul DESSAU (1894-1979)
Chamber Music - Ensemble Avantgarde rec. 2019 MDG 613 2158-2 [78:38]
[SSi] All the music on this disc is engaging and interesting, being an excellent introduction to the small-scale music of Paul Dessau.
Gordon GETTY (b.1933)
Usher House -
Christian Elsner (tenor) Etienne Dupuis (baritone)
Orchestra Gulbenkian/Lawrence Foster rec. 2011 PENTATONE PTC5186451 SACD [67.00]
[MP]
Excellent performances all around and a splendid recording do justice to an atmospheric but dramatically flawed opera.
Marcel MIHALOVICI (1898-1985) Piano Music
-
Matthew Rubenstein (piano)
rec. 2018 TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0376 [73:52] [JW] Not easy music, but well worth the effort.
Lynne PLOWMAN (b.1969)
The Beachcomber - Michael Bennett (tenor)
Sandrine Charon, Lucy Wakeford (harp)
Jinny Shaw (oboe d’amore)
Joanna Lam (piano)
O Duo (percussion)
rec. 2002-19 PRIMA FACIE PFCD135 [46.30] [PCG]
Evocative and attractive music.
Mieczysław WEINBERG (1919-1995) Complete Sonatas for Violin
& Piano -
Milan Pala (violin)
Ladislav Fanzowitz (piano)
rec. 2019 PAVLIK RECORDS PA 0183-2131 [76:02 + 67:19] [SG]
These potently imaginative scores constitute an ideal starting point for newcomers to Weinberg’s music.
Heaven full of Stars Martin Ford (organ)
Vasari Singers/Jeremy Backhouse
rec. 2019 NAXOS 8.574179 [81:33] [JQ]
A fine celebration of the Vasari Singers’ first forty years.
Ich bin die Auferstehung
Buxtehude &
his Copenhagen Connections - Jakob Bloch Jespersen (bass-baritone)
Concerto Copenhagen/Lars Ulrik Mortensen rec. 2018 DACAPO RECORDS SACD 6.220651 [66:44]
[DC]
An unusual but appealing collection.
Lamento
Works by Bach, Biber, Froberger, Schmelzer &
Bernhard -
Damien Guillon (alto)
Café Zimmermann rec. 2019 ALPHA 626 [96:06] [JV] The performances have the intensity this repertoire requires to have its full impact.
Thursday
October 29th
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Variations -
Angela Hewitt (piano)
rec. 2020 HYPERION CDA68346 [79:43] [DC]
A delight from start to finish.
Luigi CHERUBINI (1760-1842)
Sacred Works -
Kammerchor der Frauenkirche Dresden, Ensemble Frauenkirche
Dresden/Matthias Grünnert
rec. 2019 RONDEAU ROP6179 [68:21] [GPu]
Some newly discovered works by Cherubini are part of a well-performed and well-recorded disc.
Edward GREGSON (b. 1945)
Complete Music for Solo Piano - Murray McLachlan, Rose McLachlan, Edward Gregson (piano) rec. 2020
NAXOS 8.574222 [71:59] [PRB]
So much to enjoy here.
Leoš JANÁČEK (1854-1928)
The Cunning Little Vixen, Sinfonietta - Lucy Crowe (soprano), Gerald Finley (bass-baritone), London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle rec. 2019
LSO LIVE LSO0850 SACD [63:09 + 56:28] [JQ]
A very fine account.
Max RICHTER (b. 1966)
Voices - KiKi Layne (narrator), Grace Davidson (soprano), Mari Samuelsen (violin), Max Richter (keyboards), Camilla Pay (harp), Joby Burgess (percussion), Robert Ziegler
(conductor)
DECCA 0898651 [54:09 + 53:01] [CC]
Performance and recording are beyond criticism.
Contemporary Piano Soundbites Composers in Lockdown 2020
- Duncan Honeybourne (piano) PRIMA FACIE PFCD140 [80:00] [JF]
A varied soundscape of contemporary music.
Ervin Nyiregyházi (piano)
Live Vol. 2
rec. 1973/84 SONNETO CLASSICS SONCLA005 [72:44 + 39:02] [JW]
A dedicated and utterly professional undertaking, but not for the faint of pianistic heart.
One Hundred Years of British Song Vol. 1 James Gilchrist (tenor)
Nathan Williamson (piano)
rec. 2020 SOMM SOMMCD0621 [63:37] [NB] Insightful performances of some of the finest British songs from the early 20th Century.
Wednesday October 28th
Tālivaldis ĶENIŅŠ (1919–2008)
Concertos,
Symphony No.1 -
Agnese Egliņa (piano)
Latvian Ntl SO/Guntis Kuzma, Andris Poga rec. 2020 ONDINE ODE1350-2 [57:49]
[HC] Superbly committed readings might hopefully trigger some renewed interest in this composer's music.
KOMITAS (1869-1935) Divine Liturgy -
Armen Badalyan (tenor) Hovhannes Badalyan (bass)
Latvian Radio Ch/Sigvards Klava rec. 2019 DELOS DE3590 [79.47]
[SB] The Armenian composer's masterpiece in a dedicated performance.
Franz LISZT (1811-1886)
Between Light and Darkness - Vincent Larderet (piano) rec.
2019 PIANO CLASSICS PCL10201 [45:03 + 41:12]
[SG]
Liszt’s ambit of vision intelligently explored.
Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Les Harmonies de l’Esprit
- Ingrid Carbone (piano) rec.
2018 DA VINCI CLASSICS DVC00144 [54:26]
[GPu]
Intelligent, sensitive playing of a fascinating programme.
Jean-Baptiste LULLY (1632-1687)
La Grotte de Versailles; George Dandin - Ensemble Marguerite Louise/Gaétan Jarry
rec. 2020 CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES SPECTACLES CVS027
[78:43]
[BW]
A recording to savour, but there’s so much more by Lully to choose
first.
Timothy McCORMACK (b. 1984)
KARST - Christopher Otto (violin) Kevin McFarland (cello)
Klangforum Wien,
Ens kollektiv Berlin rec. 2018 KAIROS 0018003KAI [78:52]
[RHa]
Hardly easy listening but meriting serious attention.
Joan MANÉN (1883-1971) Violin Concerto No. 3,
Symphony No. 2 -
Ana María Valderrama (violin)
Barcelona SO/Darrell Ang rec. 2018 NAXOS 8.574274-75 [2 CDs: 98:48]
[JW]
Extends our knowledge of Manen’s music in fine performances.
Józef WIENIAWSKI
(1837-1912) Piano Works Vol. 5 - Agnieszka Schulz-Brzyska (piano)
rec. 2020 ACTE PRÉALABLE AP0474 [62:42]
[JWe] Some extremely evocative and interesting music.
Tuesday
October 27th
Michael CSÁNYI-WILLS (b. 1975) Symphony No. 1
- Cardiff University Symphony Orchestra/Mark Eager rec. 2020 PRIMA FACIE PFCD136 [35.23]
[PCG] An enterprising and overwhelmingly welcome issue.
Franz Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) Sinfonias con “Violoncello Obbligato”
-
Orquesta Barroca de Sevilla/Christophe Coin (cello) rec. 2010 OBS PROMOTEO OBS005 [75:08] [DJB] A beautifully performed and cleverly programmed disc.
Charles KOECHLIN (1867-1950)
Les chants de Nectaire -
Nicola Woodward (flute) rec. 2019 HOXA HS190205 [60:50]
[DC]
Remarkable and under-appreciated repertoire, beautifully performed and recorded.
Otto OLSSON (1879-1964) Symphony
-
Gävleborg SO/Mats Liljefors rec. 1996 STERLING CDS1020-2 [57:20]
[SG]
What a find!
Geoffrey Molyneux PALMER (1882-1957) James Joyce’s Favourite Songs
- Martyn Hill (tenor),
Meriel Dickinson (mezzo soprano),
Peter Dickinson (piano) rec. 1981-86 HERITAGE HTGCD175 [71:28]
[JF] An impeccable balance of the styles of the two works.
Sergei RACHMANINOV (1873-1943)
Preludes, Études-Tableaux, Moments musicaux
- Sergei Babayan (piano) rec. 2019
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 483 9181 [61:14]
[CC]
An unalloyed success.
John Philip SOUSA (1854-1932) Music For Wind Band Vol. 16
- Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy/Keith Brion rec. 2013 NAXOS 8.559746 [51:27] [BMC] A fine continuation of this series.
The Launy Grřndahl Legacy
Vol. 1 - Works by Nielsen, Beethoven & Haydn - Danish Radio SO
rec. 1931-56 DANACORD DACOCD881 [70:48 + 76:31] [JW] Novelty plus excellence equals success.
Monday October 26th
Carl Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788) Cello Concertos
-
O Barroca Sevilla/Christophe Coin (cello) rec. 2014 PASSACAILLE PAS1043 CD/DVD [68:40]
[DJB] A stately, rather staid take on Emanuel Bach’s concertos, and one that didn’t work for me.
Vicente BASET (1719-1764)
Symphonies - Forma Antiqva/Aarón Zapico rec. 2020
WINTER & WINTER 910 266-2 [71:30] [DC]
1750s musical Madrid brought to life through lively new discoveries.
Theodor LESCHETIZKY (1830-1915)
Piano pieces - Tobias Bigger (piano) rec. 2019
BIS BIS-2518 SACD [58:52] [JW]
Stylistic variety that proves eminently listenable on repeated hearings.
Francis POULENC (1899-1963)
Et vogue la galère - Matthias Veit (baritone, piano) rec. 2018
TYXART TXA19143 [73:25] [MR]
A choice selection of Poulenc vocal miniatures shows off the extensive talents of German pianist/baritone Matthias Veit.
Niklas SIVELÖV (b. 1968)
Concerto Classico, Concerti Nos 2 & 5 - Niklas Sivelöv (piano), Malmö SO/Victor Aviat, Livgardets Dragonmusikkår/David Björkman rec. 2016/19
NAXOS 8.573181 [64:47] [SA]
A revelatory introduction to a composer of considerable interest.
Richard WAGNER (1813-1883)
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Georg Zeppenfeld (bass) Adrian Eröd
(baritone) Staatsoper & Staatskapelle Dresden/Christian Thielemann
rec. 2019 PROFIL EDITION PH20059 [4 CDs: 274:20] [MC] Overflows with generosity of spirit and is a real credit to all concerned.
The Big Picture
Works by McDowall, Chilcott & Weir -
Music Makers of London,
Bristol Youth Ch,
Bristol Choral Society/Hilary Campbell rec. 2020 DELPHIAN DCD34242 [53:56]
[JQ]
Three excellent recent British choral works in fine performances.
Igor Levit (piano) Encounter
rec. 2020 SONY 19439786572 [49:17 + 50:01] [SG]
A programme which fully encapsulates the mood of the world at this present time, offering comfort and solace.
