Gustave SAMAZEUILH (1877-1967)
Le Chant de la Mer; Suite en Sol; Trois Petites Inventions; Naiades
au Soir; Esquisses; Evocation 
Stéphane Lemelin (piano) rec. 1999
ATMA CLASSIQUE ACD22210 [66:44][RB] 
Lemelin
negotiates this allusive subtle music with fluency and fibre ... see
Full Review
Erik SATIE (1866-1925)
Parade; Trois Gymnopédies; Mercure; Trois Gnossiennes; Relâche
New London Orchestra/Ronald Corp rec. 1989
HYPERION
HELIOS CDH55176 [65:36][SV] 
Gorgeous sound reproduction makes this an
essential acquisition, especially at bargain price ... see Full
Review
Alessandro
SCARLATTI (1660-1725)
Concertos pour flûte
Les Boréades/Francis Colpron rec. 2006
ATMA BAROQUE ACD22521 [61:10]
[CR]
Poise,
elegance and artistry from these fine performers ... see Full
Review
Andreas
SCHETT
Schubertlieder see KRALER
Alfred SCHNITTKE (1934-1998) Piano Quartet see MAHLER
Robert
SCHUMANN
(1810-1856)
Humoreske, Romance, Sonata 1
Alicja Fiderkiewicz rec. live 2007
DUNELM DRD0272 [58:00] 
[PB-W]
Involvement
and passionate intensity carry the day ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Franz
SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Symphony 9 see MENDELSSOHN
Johann Abraham Peter SCHULZ (1747–1800)
Six diverses pièces pour le Clavecin ou le Piano
Forte
see PALSCHAU
Robert
SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Piano Quintet Bohuslav MARTINŮ
(1890-1959) Piano Quintet 2
Michiko Otaki (piano) Graffe String Quartet rec. 2007
RADIOSERVIS CR0385-2 [62:18]
[RB]
A very
fine Martinů quintet and a mainstream
romantic version of the Schumann ... see Full
Review
Gerard SCHWARZ
(b.1947) In Memoriam for cello and string
orchestra see
From Jewish Life
Alexander SCRIABIN (1872-1915) Piano Concerto
see PABST
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975) Symphony
No. 8
London Symphony Orchestra/André Previn rec.
1973
EMI CLASSICS ENCORE 5090242 [61:14][LW] 
This
Previn version is one of the very best ...
see Full
Review
Adrien
Francois SERVAIS (1807-1866) and Joseph
GHYS (1801-1848) Variations brillantes
sur 'God save the King' Op.38 (c.1835)
... see
Cello Duos
Dmitri
SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Trio 2 see RACHMANINOV
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957) Finlandia, Symphonies
1 & 7, Pelléas and Mélisande Helsinki
City SO/Leopold Stokowski
rec. live 1953 GUILD GHCD2341 [78:55] [RB]
Invaluable
for Sibelians and Stokowskians – atmospheric historic recordings ...
see Full Review
Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Symphonies 1-4
London Symphony Orchestra/Anthony Collins rec. 1952-54 Mono.
ADD DECCA ELOQUENCE
442 9490 [75:29 + 56:43] Symphonies 5-7 CD 2 [62:47] Pohjola’s
Daughter, Op.49 [12:41] Nightride and Sunrise, Op.55 [14:19]
Pelléas et Mélisande, Op.46 [13:51] Karelia
Overture, Op.10 [6:56] Karelia Suite, Op.11 [14:29]
London Symphony Orchestra/Anthony Collins; Danish Radio Symphony
Orchestra/Thomas Jensen (Karelia Suite) rec. 1954/55 Mono.
ADD DECCA ELOQUENCE
442 9493 [78:09 + 62:47]
[RB]
Classic
Sibelius tellingly put across in pioneering mono for collectors and
enthusiasts. ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Jean SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
Incidental Music Pelléas et Mélisande suite; Karelia
Overture & Suite; King Christian II Suite
Philharmonia Orchestra/Enrique Batiz & London Symphony Orchestra/Loris
Tjeknavorian rec. 1982 & 1994
REGIS RRC1272 [78:14][RB]
An
atmospheric, generous and inexpensive helping of Sibelius's most instantly
engaging incidental music ... see Full
Review
Jean
SIBELIUS (1865-1957)
String
Quartet in D minor, Op. 56 'Voces Intimae' (1908) [33:07] Frederick
DELIUS (1862-1934) String Quartet (1916) [27:39] Sonata in
one movement for Cello and Piano (1916) [12:25]
Fitzwilliam String Quartet rec. 1971/1978 ADD.
DECCA ELOQUENCE 442 9486 [73:27]
[RB]
Powerhouse
performances of three little known works. ... see Full
Review
Jean SIBELIUS; Richard STRAUSS
Songs
Tom Krause (baritone), Pentti Koskimies (piano), John Williams (guitar)
rec. 1967 (Sibelius songs 1-16) Decca Studios, 1963 ((Sibelius songs
17-25) ADD DECCA ELOQUENCE
442 9447 [76:27]
[RB]
The
young Tom Krause caught in golden and resoundingly ringing youth.
... see Full Review
Charles
Villiers STANFORD (1852-1924)
Symphonies 2 & 5 Bournemouth
SO/David Lloyd-Jones rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.570289 [74:33]
[KS]
A
winsome discovery. German thoughtfulness with a British coastal
breeze, well worth investigating ... see Full
Review
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Piano
Music Victor
Sangiorgio rec. 1991 NAXOS
8.570377 [71:20] [DM]
Won’t
suit all tastes, but warmth and clarity, intelligence and style
... see Full Review
Igor
STRAVINSKY (1882-1971) Le Chant du Rossignol, L’Oiseau
de feu: Suite see RAVEL
Sir Arthur SULLIVAN
(1842-1900) Pineapple
Poll (arr. Mackerras);
Symphony in E major
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/David Lloyd-Jones rec.
2006
NAXOS 8.570351 [78:26][SV]
Could
have been more crisply played ... see Full
Review
Giles SWAYNE (b. 1946)
Music for Cello and Piano
Robert Irvine (cello); Fali Pavri (piano)
rec. 2007
DELPHIAN DCD34073 [70:00][JWi]
A
really delightful disc - varied, humorous and enjoyable ... see Full
Review
Sergey
Ivanovich TANEYEV (1856-1915) Symphonies
Nos. 1 & 3
Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra/Thomas Sanderling rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.570336 [75:51][DM]
Worthy
if not particularly inspired ... see Full
Review
Ralph
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
(1872-1958) ‘O thou transcendent’ Tony
Palmer’s film of the life of Vaughan Williams
TONY PALMER FILMS TPDVD106 
[147:30]
[MG]
Stimulating,
irritating, but ultimately rewarding and memorable … see Full
Review
Giuseppe
VERDI
(1813-1901)
Messa de Requiem
Julia Varady (soprano); Felicity Palmer (mezzo); Keith Olsen (tenor);
Roberto Scandiuzzi (bass) Orfeón Donostiarra Ch, Toulouse Capitole O/Michel
Plasson rec. 1996 EMI
CLASSICS 
56459
[67.31 + 13.13]
[ED]
Despite
good intentions this does not deliver enough to secure a recommendation.
... see Full Review
Giuseppe VERDI (1813–1901)
Il Trovatore
Giuseppe Di Stefano, Maria Callas, Ch & O La Scala Milano/Herbert
von Karajan rec. 1956
NAXOS 8.111280-81 [68:02 + 61:59]
[GF]
Karajan
the hero but Callas in one of her best recorded performances is absolutely
superb ... see Full Review
Giuseppe
VERDI (1813-1901) Luisa
Miller Raffaele
Arié, Luciano Pavarotti, Gilda Cruz Roma, Sinfonica RAI di
Torino Ch & O/Peter Maag
rec. live 1974 ARTS ARCHIVES
43088-2 [57.07
+ 79.40] [GPu]
A
fine live-in-the-studio performance, with Pavarotti heard at his
winning best and much else to admire and enjoy … see Full
Review
Heitor
VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959) Bachianas
Brasileiras 2, 4 & 8 Cincinnati
SO/Jesus Lopez-Cobos
rec. 1995 TELARC CD-80393 [70:00] [DH]
The
engineering on this Telarc reissue is too upfront and artificial compared
with the latest Bachianas Brasileiras cycle from BIS ... see Full
Review
Jesús
VILLA-ROJO
(b.1940) Concierto plasteresco; Serenata; Concierto
2 Orquesta
de Cámera Reina Sofía/Nicolás Chumachenco rec. 2006
NAXOS 8.570443 [49:55][JW]
A
mosaically refined musical imagination using
string sonorities with highly effective, sonorous
eloquence ... see Full
Review
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Violin Concertos and String Symphonies - Vol.1
Israel Chamber Orchestra/Shlomo Mintz (violin;
conductor) rec. Metz, France at the Arsenal
Concert Hall. Original release 1992, 1993
MusicMasters Classics
NIMBUS NI 2500-4 [5 CDs : 55:27 +
60:39 + 57:45 + 59:26 + 62:08]
[DC]
Excellent
musicianship and production – a safe bet.
... see Full
Review
Antonio VIVALDI (1678–1741)
Griselda
Giles Tomkins, Marion Newman, Opera in Concert, Aradia Ensemble/Kevin
Mallon rec. 2006 NAXOS
8.660211-13 [3 CDs]
[GF]
Vital
playing on period instruments and there is some accomplished singing
too ... see Full Review
Antonio
VIVALDI (1678-1741) La Verità
in Cimento (Highlights)
Ensemble Matheus/Jean-Christophe Spinosi rec. 2000
NAÏVE OP30452 [66:36][GPu]
A
ravishing set of extracts from one of the finest of the excellent series
of Vivaldi operas on Naïve … see Full
Review
Richard WAGNER
(1813-1883)
The Ring - an orchestral adventure (arr. Henk de
Vlieger), Siegfried Idyll
Royal Scottish Ntl O/Neeme Järvi rec. 2007
CHANDOS CHSA5060 
[75:42]
[DM]
While
I’m delighted Järvi is back with the RSNO I really can’t celebrate
their new disc ... see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Tristan und Isolde
– Prelude to Act 1; Siegfried Idyll see BRAHMS
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Der Fliegende
Holländer - Overture; Lohengrin - Prelude to Act I; Parsifal – Prelude
to Act I & Good Friday Spell; Siegfried Idyll Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Academic Festival Overture
Boston Symphony
Orchestra/Serge Koussevitzky rec. 1946-9
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.111283 [74:09][RM]
Of
immense interest in highlighting Koussevitsky’s distinctive characteristics
as a musician and an under-appreciated conductor ... see Full
Review
Richard
WAGNER (1813-1883) Die Meistersinger
von Nürnberg Bavarian
State Opera Orchestra/Wolfgang Sawallisch rec. 1993
EMI CLASSICS 5091952 [4 CDs: 69:18 + 71:16 + 66:31 + 49:36][EMc]
Sawallisch
- the hero of the hour, supported by forces which have this music in
their blood ... see Full
Review
Gwyneth
WALKER (b.
1947) Now
Let Us Sing – Choral Selections for Women’s Voices Bella
Voce Women’s Chorus of Vermont/Dawn O. Willis
rec. 2007 Private Recording [62:21] [GMH]
Particular
enthusiasm and freshness but hardly the stuff to set the world
of choral music on fire ... see Full
Review
Sir William WALTON (1902-1983)
Façade,
Henry V, Orb and Sceptre
Dame Edith Sitwell, Peter Pears (reciters), English Opera Group Ensemble/Anthony
Collins; Sir Laurence Olivier, Philharmonia O/Sir William Walton rec.
1944-54 ALTO ALC1026 [73:12]
[JS]
An
undoubted success as a whole in preserving these particularly stylish
performances of the two main works ... see Full
Review
Judith
WEIR (b.
1954) Three
Operas The Consolations of Scholarship, Missa del
Cid, King Harald's Saga Jane
Manning (soprano), Lontano/Odaline de la Martinez, Combattimento/David
Mason rec. 1989 CALA
CACD88040 [55.01] [JWi]
A
welcome and entertaining disc ... see Full
Review
Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) Organ
Symphonies 7 & 9 Frédéric
Ledroit
rec. 2007 SKARBO DSK1076 [65:34] [WK]
Uneven
but generally exciting playing by an organist we have come to expect
good things from ... see Full Review
Regina
WITTEMEIER (b. 1956) Ich lebe mein Leben in wachsenden
Ringen – acht Lieder nach Rainer Maria Rilke see
HINDEMITH
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