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Music
for Shakespeare's Theatre 
Rebecca Hickey (soprano); Gerald Price (tenor); Dorothy
Linell (lute) rec. 2007
NAXOS 8.570708 [67.46][GH] 
The
very first settings of such famous poetry in pleasing performances ...
see Full Review
The Very Best of Anne-Sophie Mutter
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Violin
& Two Violin Concertos Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) The Four Seasons – ‘Autumn’ Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756-91) Violin Concerto 4 Jules
MASSENET (1842-1912) Méditation Pablo
SARASATE (1844-1908) Zigeunerweisen
rec. 1980-84 EMI CLASSICS
2076342 [52:47 + 50:11] 
[BW]
If
the programme appeals, the performances and recording are recommendable
... see Full Review
Akiko
Nakajima - Plaisir d’amour
Akiko Nakajima (soprano), Niels Muus (piano) rec. 2007
DYNAMIC CDS556 [58:29][GF] 
Constantly
well considered … of interest to even well-stocked lovers of songs ...
see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Anna
Netrebko - Opera Arias Bonus: The
Making of the Film: Anna Netrebko. The Woman – The Voice [14:44]
Anna Netrebko (soprano)
Wiener Philharmoniker/Gianandrea Noseda rec. 2003.
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 00289 477 7566 [62:59 + 40:38
]
One
of the classics ... see Full
Review
Nordic
Autumn – Orchestral
Songs Ture
RANGSTRÖM (1884-1947) Den utvalda Leevi
MADETOJA (1887-1947) Syksy Selim
PALMGREN (1878-1951) En sällsam fågel Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Luonnotar Camilla
Nylund (soprano) Munich Radio O/Ulf Schirmer
rec. 2006 CPO 777 262-2 [56:57] [RB]
Distilled
Nordic magic from Sweden and Finland ... see Full
Review
Oboesession Camille saint-saëns (1835-1921) Sonata
for oboe and piano Henri Dutilleux (b.1916) Oboe Sonata Francis POULENC (1899-1963) Oboe Sonata Marcel MIHALOVICI (1898-1985) Sonatina Makoto SHINOHARA (b. 1931) Obsession Pauline
Oostenrijk (oboe) Ivo Janssen (piano) rec. 1995 CHALLENGE
CLASSICS CC72062 [57:39] [BW]
Good
performances but will this disc have a very wide appeal? ... see Full
Review
Susan
Platts: Lieder by Robert
SCHUMANN (1810–1856), Clara SCHUMANN
(1819–1896) and Johannes
BRAHMS (1833–1897)
Susan Platts (mezzo); Rena Sharon (piano) rec. 2007
ATMA CLASSIQUE ACD22586 [63:59][GF]
Warmth
and sensitivity … agreeable though not ousting established favourites
... see Full Review
Play
this Passionate: Music for solo viol
Sarah Cunningham (bass viol) rec. 1990
VIRGIN VERITAS 3858012 [69:03 + 71:58][GPu]
Thoroughly
rewarding … illustrative of the bass viol’s beauty and expressiveness
… see Full Review
Player
Piano 6: Original Compositions in the Tradition
of Nancarrow
Bösendorfer Grand Piano with Ampico Player Piano Mechanism (1927); Fischer
Grand Piano with Ampico Player Piano Mechanism (1925) rec. 2005
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG64514062 [65:47][DC]
A
real showstopper ... see Full
Review
Rosa
Ponselle American Recordings 1939
and 1954 NAXOS
8.111142-44 [77:14 + 66:23 + 74:55] [GF]
The
art of Rosa Ponselle is just as apparent but her voice has aged
... see Full Review
Scenic
Grandeur – The Golden Age of Light Music
Victor Young and his Orchestra rec. no dates given
GUILD GLCD5145 [76:03][ST] 
If
you like this style of music then you’ll enjoy this disc ... see Full
Review
Andrés
Segovia 1950s American Recordings Vol. 5
Includes Mario CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO
(1895-1968) Capriccio diabolico, Quintet for Guitar and String
QuartetAlexandre TANSMAN
(1897-1986) Cavatina
Andrés Segovia (guitar) Quintetto Chigiano (quintet) rec. 1954-56
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111313 [76:30]
[JW]
Another
chamber of delights then for the Segovia lover
... see Full
Review
Knut Skram
- Concert Recordings arias Giuseppe
VERDI , Richard
WAGNER, Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART, Robert SCHUMANN
Knut Skram (baritone) Inga Nielsen (soprano)
SIMAX PSC 1804 [78:29] [GF]
A
worthy tribute to an eminent singer ... see
Full Review
Sweet
Desire: Prothimia suavissime sive
sonatarum selectissimarum Music by Johann
Heinrich SCHMELZER (c.1620-1680), Antonio
BERTALI (1605-1669) and David POHLE
(1624-1695)
Chatham Baroque DORIAN
DSL90706 [62:15][GPu]
An
engaging selection, well played and well recorded … see Full
Review
Time
of the Templars
Music for a Knight; Music of the Church; Music of
the Mediterranean NAXOS
8.503192 [3 CDs: 65:34 + 75:25 + 67:24]
[GH]
Performances
that are excellent, vibrant and well chosen ... see Full
Review
Traditions and Transformations
Sounds of Silk Road Chicago
Ernest BLOCH (1880-1959)
Schelomo Byambasuren SHARAV
(b.1952) Legend of Herlen Lou
Harrison (1917-2003) Pipa
Concerto Sergei PROKOFIEV
(1891-1953) Scythian Suite
Yo-Yo Ma (cello, morin khuur) Wu Man (pipa), Chicago SO, Silk Road Ensemble/Miguel
Harth-Bedova rec. 2007
CSO-RESOUND CSOR901801 [79:24]
[GPu]
Intriguing;
the Harrison and the Bloch are outstanding
… see Full
Review
Venetian
Composers in Guatemala and Bolivia Music
by Baldassare GALUPPI (1706-1785),
Giacomo FACCO (1670-1757) and Antonio
Gaetano PAMPANI (1705?-1775)
Albalonga/Aníbal E. Cetrangolo rec. 2007
ARTS 477228 
[76:00][GPu]
A
fascinating collection. Much lovely music in excellent performances
... see Full Review
Rolando Villazon - Cielo e
mar
Milano Giuseppe Verdi SO
& Ch/Daniele Callegari rec. 2007
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 7224 [56:41]
[GF]
Rare
repertoire, superb musicality … needs to be heard for its great
singing ... see Full Review
Weaver
of Fictions Genevieve
Lacey (recorder etc) rec. 2006/7 ABC
CLASSICS 476 6439 [69:44] [JW]
There
are good things everywhere we turn ... see Full
Review
Works for
String Duo Bohuslav
MARTINŮ (1890
– 1959) Three
Madrigals (1947) [15:29] Wolfgang
Amadeus MOZART (1756 – 1791) Duo
in B flat, K424 (1783) [20:14] Astor
PIAZZOLLA (1921 – 1992) Otoño
Porteño (arr. C E Langheim) (1962)
[5:37] Invierno Porteño (1962)
[6:42] Hagit Halaf (violin); Christoph Emmanuel
Langheim (viola) rec.2006, . DDD
ROMÉO RECORDS 7261 [48:02] [BBr]
Nothing
profound, but played with irresistible enjoyment
and style ... see Full
Review
Laurel Zucker Romanza Andaluza
for
Flute and Guitar Laurel
Zucker (flute); Mark Delpriora (guitar)
CANTILENA 66023-2 [65:39]
Master
Music for Flute and Piano w/Marc
Shapiro (piano) CANTILENA
66030-2 [70:47]
Sonata
da Camera for Flute and Harp w/Susan Jolles (harp) CANTILENA
66035-2 [58:22] [RB]
Gorgeous
tone, tasteful phrasing and breath control, pleasingly judged playing
... see Full Review
BOOK
REVIEWS
The
Treasures of Beethoven -
by John Suchet Hardcover: 64 pages (260 x
298mm) 160 colour/mono images Hardback in
slip-case Large format 31 x 27.8 x 4 cm Andre
Deutsch ISBN-10: 0233002162 ISBN-13: 978-0233002163
£35.00 [RB]
Unique
both at the price and generally. Will suit
any real Beethoven enthusiast ... see Full
Review
Scotland's Music
by
John Purser Mainstream
Publishing ISBN-10: 1845961609 ISBN-13: 978-1845961602
Hardback - Large format: 28.8 x 23.2 x 3.4
cm 430 pages [RB]
Deals
doughtily with a serious subject in a serious
but engaging way ... see Full
Review
Vaughan
Williams on Music by David Manning ISBN13:
9780195182392 ISBN10: 0195182391 hardback,
456 pages OUP £19.99 [RB]
Surprises,
shocks and delights from the doyen of British
composers ... see Full
Review
Click
for alphabetical listings by composer:
[Part
1 New] [Part
2 A-B] [Part
3 C-L]
[Part 4 M-R]
[Part 5 S-Z]
[Part 6 Misc A-L]
[Part 7 Misc M-Z]
[Recommended
recordings]
T using traditional instruments, and
practical application of his Zen Buddhist
beliefs.
His
detractors, the more radical of whom would
have preferred the "nothing" option,
