Leroy
ANDERSON (1908-1975) Orchestral
Music - Volume 2 
Alistair
Young (piano), David McCallum (trumpet) BBC Concert O/Leonard
Slatkin rec. 2007 NAXOS
8.559356 [54:51] 
[IL]
Full
of vitality …a must for all Leroy Anderson fans ... see Full
Review
The
Birth of the Cello Gianbattista degli Antonii (c.1640-after
1696?) Ricercate sopra il Violoncello Domenico Gabrielli (1651
or 1659-1690) Ricercari Julius
Berger
rec. 2007 SOLO MUSICA SM112 [74:45] 
Mainly
of academic interest – the earliest solo cello pieces on the oldest
cello – but also enjoyable for the general listener ... see Full
Review
Georges
APERGHIS (b. 1945) Récitations
Donatienne Michel-Dansac (voice) rec. 2001
COL LEGNO CONTEMPORARY WWE1CD20270 [43:12][CC]
Required
listening for all those interested in music which pushes the boundaries
of the possible yet justifies itself as music ... see Full
Review
Richard
ARNELL (b. 1917) Symphonies
4 & 5 MusicaNova
O/Warren Cohen rec. 2005 CON BRIO CBR27452 [64:50] 
[RB]
Cohen
conveys the natural pulse in syncopated exertion, benign sanguine
reflection and the uproar of conflict and celebration ... see Full
Review
BARGAIN
OF THE MONTH Malcolm ARNOLD (1931-2006)
Guitar Concerto see RODRIGO
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Goldberg
Variations, BWV 988 [79.32]
Vladimir Feltsman (piano) rec. 1991, Moscow
Conservatory
NIMBUS NI 2507
[79.32] [JL]
I
know that I will listen to it repeatedly –
and gladly ... see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Violin
Sonata No.2 Béla
Bartók
(1881-1945) Violin Sonata No.1
Midori (violin); Robert McDonald (piano) rec.
1999-2005
BMG SONY CLASSICAL 82796977452 [58:59][BW]
A
good performance of the Bartók, but Midori’s
Bach is too detached to be recommended ...
see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Sonatas
for 2 flutes and continuo: Sonata in D
major BWV 1028 [14:42]; Sonata in G major
BWV 1039 [12:41]; Sonata in D minor BWV 1036
[11:08]; Sonata in G minor BWV 1029 [14:21];
Sonata in G major BWV 1038 [7:52]
Hansgeorg Schneister; Jan Ostry (flutes);
Ingomar Rainer (harpsichord); Othmar Muller
(cello) rec. September 2006, Nimbus Records,
Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, UK. DDD
NIMBUS NI 5817 [60:53] [CR]
Unmissable
... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) Goldberg
Variations
Burkard Schliessmann (piano) rec. 2007
BAYER RECORDS BR100326 
[38:06 + 45:00][MSJ]
For
those adventurous enough to enjoy hearing an old favourite transformed
into something new ... see Full
Review
Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) The Italian
Connection: Harpsichord Transcriptions
Vital Julian Frey (harpsichord) rec. 2006
DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 88697147182
[69:14][JV]
Frey's
qualities are impressive but his tempi are not - a considerable amount
of caution is required ... see Full Review
Johann Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750) The
Art of the Fugue
Bradley Brookshire (harpsichord)
BACH HARPSICHORD INC BHI1080 [73.50][KM]
A
wonderfully unique approach to this Everest
of counterpoint … see
Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685–1750)
Harpsichord Transcriptions Sonata
in a minor (BWV 965) [21:58] Prelude in C
(BWV 966) [01:45] Concerto in F (BWV 978)
[07:08] Sonata in d minor (BWV 964) [21:47]
Benjamin Alard (harpsichord)
rec. December 2006, Église de Saint-Martin d'Arrossa,
France. DDD
HORTUS 050 [52:44]
[JV]
A
variable choice from Bach's arrangements,
well played and recorded … see Full
Review
Johann
Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Dialogue Cantatas BWV49, 57
& 152
Thomas Quasthoff (bass-baritone), Dorothea
Röschmann (soprano) RIAS Kammerchor, Berliner
Barock Solisten/Rainer Kussmaul rec. 2007
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 477 6591 [61:00]
[TP]
Even
if you have been collecting any of the other excellent cycles this
disc is well worth having ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750) Matthew
Passion Dunedin
Consort & Players/John Butt
rec. 2007 LINN RECORDS CKD313 [3
CDs: 67:41 + 50:24 + 43:11] [PB]
A
deeply satisfying and superbly recorded one-to-a-part
recording of Bach’s ‘Great Passion’ ... see
Full Review
The
Bach Dynasty
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Concerto for harpsichord, BWV1059 Carl Philipp Emanuel BACH (1714-1788) Cello concerto
Wq172, Symphony Wq182/3 Wilhelm Friedemann BACH (1710-1784) Flute concerto
Jocelyn Sakaď (transverse
flute), Atsushi Sakaď (cello), Christophe Rousset (harpsichord) Les
Talens Lyriques/Christophe Rousset rec. 2007
AMBROISIE AM125 [61:26]
[JV]
Three
of the four works on this disc are available in better performances
... see Full Review
Nicolas
BACRI (b.
1961) String
Quartet No. 3-6
Psophos Quartet rec. 2007, DDD
AR-RE-SE 2007-1 [70:15]
[DB]
Challenging
and absorbing. A wonderful release. … see
Full Review
Judith BAILEY
(b. 1941) Instrumental music
Davey Chamber Ensemble rec. 2007
METIER MSVCD92101 [77:24][RB]
Music
succinct of expression and of grave beauty ... see Full
Review
Edgar
BAINTON (1880-1956) Three
Pieces for Orchestra, Pavane, Idyll and Bacchanal, The Golden
River, Concerto
fantasia Margaret Fingerhut
(piano) Richard Davis (flute) BBC Philharmonic/Paul Daniel
rec. 2007 CHANDOS CHAN10460 [68:35] [RB]
Fasincating
music brought back from the groves of oblivion ... see Full
Review
Edward BAIRSTOW (1874-1946) Organ Voluntary see WOOD
Thomas
BALTZAR (c.1630-1663) Complete works for
unaccompanied violin
Patrick Wood (violin) rec. 2006
MSR CLASSICS MS1224 [33:56][GPu]
A
fascinating document in the history of ‘English’ music in the
seventeenth century, though Baltzar’s music deserves to be the
subject of more than mere historical curiosity … see Full
Review
Don
BANKS (1923-1980) Violin
concerto
see FRICKER
Don
BANKS (1923-1980) Horn Concerto
(1965) see
HODDINOTT
Sir
Granville BANTOCK (1868-1946) Orchestral
Music Susan
Bickley (mezzo) Julian Lloyd Webber (cello) Elizabeth Connell
(soprano) Kim Begley (tenor) Royal PO/Vernon Handley
rec. 1992-2003 HYPERION CDS44281-6 [6
CDs: 448:09] 
[RB]
Essential
for the admirer of late-romantic lyrical-dramatic music ... see Full
Review
Béla
BARTÓK (1881-1945) The
Wooden Prince Bournemouth
SO/Marin Alsop
rec. 2007 NAXOS 8.570534 [53:38] [DM]
Warm
and affectionate, more like a conventional fairy tale than a stark,
modernist fable ... see Full
Review
Bela
BARTÓK (1881-1945) Violin Sonatas
Nos. 1 & 2; Sonata for Solo Violin
Christian Tetzlaff (violin); Leif Ove Andsnes (piano) rec. 2003
EMI CLASSICS 5181772 [78:43][TH]
Very
desirable indeed ... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Béla BARTÓK
(1881-1945) Duke Bluebeard’s Castle
Kolos Kováts (bass); Sylvia Sass (soprano); London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir
Georg Solti rec. 1981
DECCA 0743254 
[56:00][DM]
This
Bluebeard is as gripping as it gets ... see Full
Review
Sir
Arnold BAX
(1883-1953) Symphonies 2 & 5
London PO/Myer Fredman, Raymond Leppard rec. 1970/1
LYRITA SRCD.233 [78.28]
[IL]
A
very warm welcome back to these important Bax recordings that can
compare very favourably with the best ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Arnold BAX (1883-1953) Tone
Poems - Vol. 2 Northern Ballads 1 & 2,
Prelude for a Solemn Occasion, Nympholept, Red Autumn, The Happy
Forest, Into the Twilight BBC
PO/Vernon Handley rec. 2006/7 CHANDOS
CHAN10446 [76:44] [RB]
Into
the Twilight reflects Bax's almost life-long love affair with the
poetry of W.B. Yeats ... see Full
Review
Sir
Arnold BAX (1883-1953) Orchestral
Works - Volume 3 November Woods, The Happy Forest,
The Garden of Fand, Summer Music, Tintagel Ulster
O/Bryden Thomson
rec. 1982/3 CHANDOS DOWNLOAD 
(CHAN10156X) [72:49] [BW]
A
first-class introduction to Bax’s music on CD or as a download
... see Full Review
Sir
Arnold BAX (1883-1953) Orchestral
Works Vol. 9 The Truth About The Russian Dancers,
From Dusk Till Dawn London
PO/Bryden Thomson rec. 1990 CHANDOS
DOWNLOAD (CHAN10457X) [67:12] [BW]
In
CD or download version, a recommendable issue of minor but worthwhile
Bax ... see Full Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827) The Nine Symphonies
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra/Sir Charles Mackerras
rec. 2006 HYPERION
CDS44301/5 [5 CDs: 59:28 + 78:40 + 71:33 + 64:40 + 61:34][OW]
A
Beethoven cycle for our times ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies
Nos. 6 & 8
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Klaus Tennstedt rec. 1985-6
EMI CLASSICS 5089932 [69:19][CH]
Hardly
an urgent recommendation ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Piano
Trios - Volume 2 Trios 1, 2 & 9
Xyrion Trio rec. 2005
NAXOS 8.557724 [64:26]
[TP]
A
very attractive issue indeed ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Symphony 3 Orchestra of
the 18th Century/Frans Brüggen rec. live 1987
PHILIPS 
422052 [49:16]
[TP]
Serious
Beethovenians will jump at the chance to hear this Eroica ... see Full
Review
Ludwig
van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Symphonies
1 & 6 Minnesota
O/Osmo
Vänskä rec. 2007 BIS BISSACD1716 [68:22] [MG]
Emphasis
on the polished and urbane aspects works better in the first symphony
than the Pastoral … see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) Missa
Solemnis, Violin Concerto Jussi
Björling, Zinka Milanov, Alexander Kipnis, Jascha Heifetz, Westminster
Ch, NBC SO/Arturo Toscanini rec. 1940 GUILD
GHCD2248/9 [66:04
+ 55:24] [JW]
One
of the greatest, if not the greatest accounts of the Miss Solmenis
ever committed to disc ... see Full
Review
RECORDING
OF THE MONTH Vincenzo
BELLINI (1801-1835) I
Puritani Valerian
Ruminski, Anna Netrebko, Eric Cutler, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra,
Chorus and Ballet/Patrick Summers rec. live 2007 DEUTSCHE
GRAMMOPHON 0734421 [2
DVDs: 149:00 + 22:00] [RJF]
Anna
Netrebko’s acted and sung interpretation of one of bel canto’s
most demanding roles in a traditional production is a must for
all lovers of the genre ... see Full
Review
Lennox
BERKELEY (1903–1989) Sonatina
for violin and piano, Sextet for clarinet, horn and string
quartet, Alan BUSH (1900-1995) Three
Concert Studies for piano trio, Four piano pieces Alan
RAWSTHORNE (1905-1971) Quartet for clarinet, violin,
viola and cello The
Music Group of London, Jack Brymer, Thea King (clarinet), Alan
Civil (horn), Alan Bush (piano) Aeolian Quartet rec. c.1970-74 LYRITA
SRCD.256 [73:08] [MC]
A
superbly performed disc of chamber music that provides considerable
rewards. ... see Full
Review
Luigi BOCCHERINI (1743-1805)
Flute Quintets Op. 19
Auser Musici rec. 2007
HYPERION CDA67646 [69:09]
[JV]
Divertimento-like
pieces with more to offer than just entertainment ... see Full
Review
Luigi BOCCHERINI (1743-1805)
Madrid Quintet for guitar, 2 violins, viola and cello,
Concertos for cello and orchestra, Se d'un amor tiranno, aria accademica
for soprano, cello and orchestra
Ophélie Gaillard (cello), Sandrine Piau (soprano), Rolf Lislevand (guitar),
Pulcinella rec. 2007 Bonus DVD
AMBROISIE AM126 [CD: 66:55; DVD: 47:00]
[JV]
An
interesting project which falls short of the
expectations ... see Full
Review
Sylvie
BODOROVÁ
(b.1954) Concerto
dei fiori for violin and strings (1996)
[15:06] Bern Concerto 'Silberwolke' for
violin, viola and strings (2005) [17:58] Otmar
MÁCHA (1922-2006) The
Pure Virgin - Variations on a Czech Mediaeval
Song for violin and string orchestra (1997)
[10:27] Zdeňek
LUKÁŠ (1928-2007) Concerto Grosso
op. 36 (1964) [9:31] Dies Natalis for
violin and strings op. 348 (2005) [8:36] Luboš
FISER (1935-1999) Amoroso
[1:55]
Quattro Orchestra/Marek Štilek rec. 2007/
2008 ARCODIVA
0100-2 131 [64:02]
[RB]
Opens
the door on a largely unfamiliar Czech lyric
movement. It will not disappoint ... see Full
Review
Mel BONIS
(1858-1937) Quatuor Nos.1 & 2; Soir,
matin
Mozart Piano Quartet rec. 2006
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG64314242 [56:36][DC]
High
romance from a neglected voice ... see Full
Review
Johannes BRAHMS
(1833-1897) Symphony No.4 in E minor Op.98
(1884-85) [35:48] see
Stokowski
Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Sonatas for Clarinet or Viola Op. 120 CD 1
Sonata
in F-minor Op.120/1 for Clarinet and Piano
(1894) [21:58] Sonata in E-flat major Op.120/2
for Clarinet and Piano (1894) [19:58] CD
2 Sonata in F-minor Op.120/1 for Viola
and Piano (1894) [21:32] Sonata in E-flat
major Op.120/2 for Viola and Piano (1894)
[19:45]
Wolfgang Meyer (clarinet); Pierre-Henri Xuereb
(viola); André de Groote (piano) rec.
2004/5 Text included
TALENT RECORDS DOM 3810 02-03 [40:56 +
41:17] [WK]
The
contrasting versions of Brahms Op.120 in one
set in noteworthy performances ... see Full
Review
RECORDING OF THE MONTH Johannes
BRAHMS (1833-1897) Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-3 moderntimes_1800
rec. 2006 CHALLENGE
CLASSICS CC72194 [64:08][TP]
Korol
and Grigorieva give us the best that HIP can bring to Brahms’ violin
sonatas ... see Full Review
Nicolae
BRETAN
(1887-1968) Golem,
Opera in one act (1924)
Alexandru Apache (baritone) Tamás Daróczy
(tenor) Sandra Sandru (soprano) Dan Zancu
(bass) Arald, Opera in one act
(1939) Dan Zancu (bass) Alexandru Agache (baritone)
Jonel Voineag (tenor) Sandra Sandru (soprano)
Philharmonic Orchestra Moldova, Iasi/Cristian
Mandeal rec. September 1987 Full texts in
Romanian and translations into English, German
and French enclosed
NIMBUS NI 5424 [73:28]
[GF]
Curious
about melodious opera off-the-beaten-track
then try this pair of short operas. You will
be richly rewarded. ... see Full
Review
Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) Four Sea Interludes
see DEBUSSY
Benjamin
Britten (1913-1976)
Anatomy of a Masterpiece: Six Metamorphoses after Ovid
George Caird (oboe); Joy Boughton (oboe); Nicholas Daniel (oboe) rec.
1952-2007 OBOE CLASSICS
CC2017 [59:39][JF]
An
important contribution to Britten studies ... see Full
Review
Max
BRUCH (1838-1920) Violin
Concerto 1 Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828) Rondo Felix
MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Violin Concerto Nigel
Kennedy
(violin) English CO/Jeffrey Tate
rec. 1987 EMI CLASSICS 5181732 [70:35] [DC]
Rich
in technical marvels, but an all-time first choice? ... see Full
Review
Bjarne
BRUSTAD (1895-1978) Violin Concerto 4 see
WALTON
Alan
BUSH (1900-1995) Three Concert Studies for piano trio, Four
piano pieces see
BERKELEY
Dietrich
BUXTEHUDE (1637-1707) Organ Works
Kei Koto (organ) rec 2006-7
CLAVES CD 50-2704/06 [3 CDs: 74:07 + 72:59 + 69:05][BW]
Another attractive product of the Buxtehude
tercentenary; well worth considering ... see Full
Review
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