What NEW discs/music are you adding to your collection?

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Aug 01, 2022 10:57 am

Steven Isserlis and Stephen Hough have here paired up to produce one of the finest cello recital discs it has ever been my pleasure to own. With perfect sonics supporting them, the two Steves play with a true sense of partnership, deep involvement and keen musicianship. The two Brahms Sonatas that make up the bulk of the program are set off by four lovely short pieces by Antonin Dvorak and Joseph Suk offered in contrast to Brahms's more serious and meaningful compositions. This CD will be in my stereo many times in the future both as a demonstration disc and as a fine example of contemporary commitment to the best in romantic expression. Five gold stars!

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Mon Aug 01, 2022 5:34 pm

30D2ACD5-0046-42F6-98AE-6903C8428D20 by jserraglio, on Flickr

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Thu Aug 04, 2022 9:12 am

Has anyone else noticed that our review thread is approaching 2,000,000 hits?

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 10:42 am

In his autumnal years Johannes Brahms composed one of his finest works, a double concerto for violin and cello, presented here by the now-renowned Capucon brothers, Renaud on violin and Gautier on cello, accompanied by the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester led by a seasoned veteran, Myung-Whun Chung. This interpretation features a rather sprawling introduction by the solo cello which took me some time to appreciate, and much passionate and energetic conducting from Maestro Chung, here ably and enthusiastically energizing his youth orchestra. The clear commitment to a very high musical standard is welcome from all concerned, and is carried over into an interpretation of much beauty and depth with Paul Meyer on clarinet with the Capucon Quartet in Brahms's Clarinet in B minor, another late masterwork written just before his final cycles of piano miniatures. Thus, a vastly rewarding album, handsomely recorded by Erato's engineers. Four and 1/2 stars.

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 11:22 am

maestrob wrote: ↑
Thu Aug 04, 2022 9:12 am
Has anyone else noticed that our review thread is approaching 2,000,000 hits?

I have. Duly noted.

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:16 pm

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Box-Set ... PJ9H&psc=1

Getting rid of my entire Mozart collection recently having been such a bummer, it was heartening news to find I could get a complete set for well under a hundred bucks. My complete Beethoven box recently being acquired as well was a real consolation, and I've got my eye (and budget) on a complete Chopin box. As long as my checking account can take care of two more months in addition to this month, I want to make hay before going on Medicaid for my care. My sister has power of attorney over me, and I anticipate not being able to have such budgetary freedom for long. This, and some other things (necessities this time), represent the last huzzah for me.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:14 am

neilnw wrote: ↑
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:16 pm
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Box-Set ... PJ9H&psc=1

Getting rid of my entire Mozart collection recently having been such a bummer, it was heartening news to find I could get a complete set for well under a hundred bucks. My complete Beethoven box recently being acquired as well was a real consolation, and I've got my eye (and budget) on a complete Chopin box. As long as my checking account can take care of two more months in addition to this month, I want to make hay before going on Medicaid for my care. My sister has power of attorney over me, and I anticipate not being able to have such budgetary freedom for long. This, and some other things (necessities this time), represent the last huzzah for me.

Food for the soul, Neil. Congratulations! That box is a great find, with Alfred Brendel among others.

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Fri Aug 12, 2022 2:52 pm

Continuing with my current last-hurrah in doing some "collector's catching up," I got for only 11 bucks on ebay an unopened copy of Martinon's complete Saint-Saens symphony set. It was of the BMG Music Service edition of the late 80s...there've since been umpty-other reissues.
https://www.discogs.com/release/1167985 ... Symphonies

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Fri Aug 12, 2022 2:57 pm

Now, if only I had back his chamber and choral works.

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:29 am

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Aug 15, 2022 11:00 am

Clarinetist Martin Frost's reputation as a Brahmsian was sealed by this 2014 recording. There is simply none better. His mellow, round tone is ideally suited to the Brahms idiom, not just in the Quintet, but in the cycle for clarinet and piano based on various songs that fills out this more than generous SACD. Pianist Roland Pontinen serves as a sensitive partner in the songs, while violinist Janine Jensen ably leads the deeply felt playing of the string quartet and trio which includes Boris Brovtsyn (violin), Maxim Rysanov (viola) and Torleif Thedeen (cello). This is a miraculously beautiful CD that should be heard through headphones to surround your ears with the beauty of Brahms. Five gold stars, with a recommendation to purchase the companion CD of Brahms's Clarinet Trio and Sonatas, also by Martin Frost from 2005.

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Sun Aug 21, 2022 10:41 am

https://www.discogs.com/release/1284660 ... lete-Works

I don't quite know if this contains ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING Chopin wrote--it seemed there were some other unpublished pieces in the old MHS series of which I had a few volumes (& a couple in the Ashkenazy series)...but at the price I had little choice.....

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 8:33 am

neilnw wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 21, 2022 10:41 am
https://www.discogs.com/release/1284660 ... lete-Works

I don't quite know if this contains ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING Chopin wrote--it seemed there were some other unpublished pieces in the old MHS series of which I had a few volumes (& a couple in the Ashkenazy series)...but at the price I had little choice.....

Had no idea that Ronald Smith had tackled Chopin's oeuvre for EMI. That's quite a bargain!

I treasure his Alkan.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 9:49 am

This is a release that should not languish in obscurity, as well it might, considering that the forces involved are hardly headline-grabbing musicians. Maestro Evan-Alexis Christ and his Georgian Chamber Orchestra Ingelstadt, with soloists Nina Karmon (violin) and Oliver Treindl (piano), have produced an album of fascinating and very original music by Hungarian composer and friend of Bela Bartok, Jeno Takacs. Takacs lived very much in the shadow of Bartok's fame, of course, yet his music explores the middle twentieth century idiom in ways that bring new light and accessibility to that framework, particularly in his Concerto for Piano, Strings and Percussion, an idea more familiar to audiences from Bartok's composition for identical forces. Other works on the program here presented include his Serenade after Ancient Contredanses from Graz, Op. 83b, a Rhapsody for Violin and String Orchestra, and a fascinating Passacaglia for Strings, Op. 73. This excellently recorded disc closes with three pieces for strings from 1993. Available to audition on Spotify, this CD will open your ears to some very interesting and appealing music. Five gold stars.

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:36 am

maestrob wrote: ↑
Mon Aug 22, 2022 8:33 am

neilnw wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 21, 2022 10:41 am
https://www.discogs.com/release/1284660 ... lete-Works

I don't quite know if this contains ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING Chopin wrote--it seemed there were some other unpublished pieces in the old MHS series of which I had a few volumes (& a couple in the Ashkenazy series)...but at the price I had little choice.....
Had no idea that Ronald Smith had tackled Chopin's oeuvre for EMI. That's quite a bargain!

I treasure his Alkan.

Not to brag, but actually I got it off e-bay for 40 bucks.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Tue Aug 23, 2022 10:17 am

I don't often post about disappointing releases, but since this is just such a rarity in Stephen Hough's extensive discography I feel I must in this case. Hough's approach to Brahms's final three opus numbers here seems shallow, caused by tempos that speed along and don't allow him to explore the sonorities and depths of these miniatures. Yes, all four sets (Opp. 116, 117, 118, 119) manage to fit nicely onto a single CD, but what's the point? After listening to this disc once and comparing it in my audio memory with favorite individual performances, I finished this CD feeling somehow cheated, as if I had been craving a conversation with Brahms but had only been able to hear 1/3 to 1/2 of what he had to say. It was as if a great actor had been reading Shakespeare like it was a laundry list. Be forewarned, this is an entirely personal reaction: YMMV, of course, as there have been positive reviews. I much prefer Hough's excellent recordings of the Brahms Concertos, or Nicholas Angelich's beautifully recorded CD of the same four sets of miniatures. Sadly, I can only reward this overly-hyped CD with two stars.

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Sun Aug 28, 2022 11:33 am

https://www.discogs.com/release/1016462 ... te-Edition

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Tue Aug 30, 2022 9:19 am

For many decades, the Brahms String Sextets languished in obscurity, with only the First being available on record in a marvelous recording from Marlboro, if my memory serves me aright. Rescued from obscurity by an outstanding Columbia release in the early days of CDs, featuring Isaac Stern and a group of fine soloists, now they have finally come into their own with several recent releases featuring the new generation of string players. This release has risen to the top of my pile of new discs, and a winner it is, featuring members of the Belcea Quartet with guest artists Tabea Zimmermann and the starry presence of Jean-Guihen Queyras. This is surely one of the finest interpretations of these masterpieces. Tempos, intonation and finesse rank this as a five-star release, whose players are clearly immersed in Brahms's idiom. Recommended most highly.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Tue Sep 13, 2022 9:28 am

Conductor Lahav Shani was previously unknown to me, so I was pleasantly surprised at his command of the two excellent symphonies recorded here: Kurt Weill's rarely done Symphony No. 2 and the Shostakovich Fifth. First Prize winner of the Gustav Mahler conducting competition in 2013, he has been leading both the Israeli Philharmonic as guest conductor since 2013 and was appointed principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic after one spectacular guest appearance there in 2016, the youngest conductor to be so honored. Shani leads his Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in blazing interpretations of both works, including a stunning Shostakovich V that ranks with the best. In particular, the atmosphere of the third movement is appropriately chilling, while his take on the problematic final movement is on solid ground. Available on Spotify to preview, I found, as usual, that the CD sound is quite a bit more open and effective at conveying the drama of both works. Recommended with five stars!

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Fri Sep 16, 2022 4:02 pm

Ravel's Bolero & La valse
Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker suite
van Beinum/Concertgebouw

....this is a Philips disc that fits perfectly in my new 'good' copy of van Beinum's 8-record set. I may or may not request a refund on the disc, as there is one hard bump on each side which makes the needle stuck; still, for a buck ninety-eight I guess I don't have much right to protest.

The Bolero is an above-average performance that's at mid-tempo (little over 15 minutes), though I noticed for the first time the orchestra's brass not using vibrato.

Beinum's La valse verges on the erratic, with at least a couple dozen tempo sloowings- and speedings-up; the Nutcracker excerpts are as well-crafted as one could hope for.

The head trumpeter cracks that last high note on the famous difficult solo in La valse.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Sep 19, 2022 12:19 pm

Martin Frost's 2006 release of Johannes Brahms's clarinet sonatas and clarinet trio has just finally made its way into my ears. Frost's full, round and liquid tone suits this music perfectly, while Roland Pontinen's subtle pianism echoes the many expressive ideas introduced by Frost into the musical dialogue. Torlief Thedeen is the superb cellist in the Op. 114 trio. The recording is well-balanced with an appropriate slight balance tilted to the clarinet. This five-star release of these late masterpieces will be replayed often through both my speakers and headphones, as it replaces my previous go-to disc with Shifrin/Rosenberger.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Sep 26, 2022 11:03 am

Conductor John Wilson and his Sinfonia of London have had many successful recordings in recent years, and this one of music for strings by Richard Strauss, Franz Schreker and Eric Wolfgang Korngold sits proudly next to them on my shelves now. While Herbert von Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic strings hold a special place in my heart for their lush recording of Metamorphosen (Too bad Eugene Ormandy's Philadelphia strings never had a crack at this piece on record.), Wilson's forces stand strong in comparison, and his take on Schreker's early Intermezzo along with Korngold's post-war Symphonic Serenade Op. 39 truly sells this beautifully recorded Chandos CD, especially the energy level of the latter. Intonation in all parts is spot-on, while Wilson's remarkable strings glow with a burnished sepia that evokes the era of these accessible 20th century works. Highly recommended with a five star rating!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Oct 03, 2022 11:18 am

So here is a recorded treasure that has finally, after nearly 60 years, made its way to CD. This latest release in Martha Argerich's discography is her winning performance of the Chopin Concerto No. 1 from the Chopin Competition in 1965 (actually the second one he wrote, but the first to be published), coupled with a fine performance of the Concerto No. 2 played by Arthur Moreira Lima, with the Orkiestra Filharmonii Narodowej (Loosly translated as the "Peoples' Philharmonic Orchestra."). Sound quality is quite good stereo with an occasional reminder that this is live. Witold Rowicki conducts wonderfully shaped performances in just-right tempos, with a tricky return to the tempo primo after the horn calls in the last movement of the Second Concerto that I had not heard managed quite this way before. Totally uplifting musical experience, especially with the magic of a very young Martha Argerich. Sparkles abound! Five heartwarming stars!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Oct 10, 2022 9:49 am

There's something about traveling to Tokyo that brings out the very best in America's great orchestras. When Leonard Bernstein brought the N. Y. Philharmonic to the Japanese capital in 1979, Sony produced its first digital recording of a stunning performance of Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony from a televised concert that also included a dynamic Schumann First, first released on CD (Shostakovich only) and then on DVD. Now, Sony has released a concert by George Szell's inimitable Cleveland Orchestra from Tokyo in 1970 that includes Sibelius's great Second Symphony in an electrifying reading that will make your hair stand on end, as well as Weber's Oberon Overture and Mozart's great 40th Symphony, with a popular Berlioz work as a fitting encore. No one should miss this release: the Sibelius tingles with excitement and raw energy, each phrase in this hard-to-manage score shaped to perfection. Szell was supreme at motivating his Clevelanders to play with utter commitment on every note, and the live audience responds with many heartfelt "Bravos!" Here, I think, Szell has equaled Koussevitsky and perhaps surpassed Bernstein's recorded legacy in this inspired performance. Don't miss this! Five gold stars, along with much gratitude to Sony for this outstanding release!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Oct 17, 2022 9:08 am

The prolific British maestro John Wilson has done it again with this excellent release of short works by composer John Nicholson Ireland (1879-1962). This SACD includes the Satyricon Overture (1946), A Downland Suite (1937), Mai-Dun, a symphonic rhapsody for orchestra (1920-21), The Forgotten Rite (1913), A London Overture (1936), Epic March (1941-42), and, of course, The Holy Boy with a prelude for piano (1913). Each work reveals Ireland at his most inventive, replete with Chandos's warm and resonant SACD sound. John Ireland was a prolific and popular composer during his lifetime, and these works are many of his best efforts, ably paced by Wilson and his Sinfonia of London. Not just for lovers of the British Isles, these works stand on their own as inventive and compelling picture-painting by an outstanding English composer.

Belle · Post by **Belle** » Mon Oct 17, 2022 2:45 pm

I am a huge admirer of John Wilson and I like his Sinfonia of London. Some pundits have criticized this as merely a 'pick-orchestra' but they have performed at the Proms and elsewhere and have been going for quite a while. This may not be the go-to for traditional repertoire but Wilson will find treasures and bring them to life, just as he has the music of American film and musical theatre.

John Wilson is an ardent enthusiast for the great MGM Freed Unit orchestrator Conrad Salinger and, in fact, he has transcribed a great deal of the music used for those musicals by listening to recordings. The original artifacts, many of them, were destroyed in the late 60s/early 70s when consigned to Los Angeles landfill in plastic bags!! Wilson has recovered that body of work, as originally orchestrated, by making it available in printed scores. A huge undertaking. And he has performed them, not only at the Proms but outside the UK (including Australia). The John Wilson Orchestra is a very fine one - though most of them belong to larger symphony orchestras. For him, this is a labour of love. One of my greatest regrets is that I didn't get to this understanding myself until my 50s, when it was much too late to complete a PhD on Salinger's work. If ever there was a subject waiting to be explored...

In a Webinar two years ago Wilson joined Michael Feinstein and other recognizable US music arrangers (Conrad Pope, Jack Campey, Larry Blank et al) to discuss Conrad Salinger and his work. Wilson had a huge library of art music scores sitting behind him and it was then that I realized the extent of his musical intelligence. I'm thankful that Wilson has championed Salinger - largely neglected in his lifetime, even until quite recently - as that orchestrator had studied at the Paris Conservatoire and worked with Richard Rodney Bennett on Broadway. Just one small sample of Salinger's work for "Meet Me in St. Louis". He would have worked on this from a quickly-composed song over, possibly, only two staves. Note there is barely a trace of the song's melodic line in this magnificent orchestration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCKg8GrLD5g

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Fri Oct 21, 2022 8:32 am

https://www.discogs.com/release/1168952 ... -Etc-2-Son
https://www.discogs.com/release/6124466 ... -Concertos
https://www.discogs.com/release/2302229 ... assermusik
https://www.discogs.com/release/2201833 ... Oranges-Su
https://www.discogs.com/release/8616671 ... aite-Paris
https://www.discogs.com/release/1228437 ... elebration
https://www.discogs.com/release/1637441 ... rate-Fools
https://www.discogs.com/release/46020ht ... hn-Recital

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Oct 24, 2022 10:16 am

Young conductor Nicholas Collon is just getting started, which is a good thing for classical music lovers. Mentored by Colin Davis and Assistant to Mark Elder, Collon has already founded the Aurora Orchestra, where he is the Artistic Director. He was also Assistant Conductor for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Here, he conducts the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in an adventurous program of Sibelius, featuring his Seventh Symphony and suites from King Christian and Pelleas and Melisande. Collon's approach does remind one of Colin Davis: straightforward with keen attention to details without ever being fussy. The Finns play very well for him, with enthusiasm and respect, lovingly recorded by Ondine's engineers. Every track is exemplary Sibelius, but I was most impressed with the architecture of the Seventh Symphony. A must-hear! Five stars!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Tue Nov 01, 2022 9:40 am

Alexander Ullman first came to international attention in 2011 after winning the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition in Budapest. Born in London, in 1991, he studied at the Purcell School, the Curtis Institute and the Royal College of Music, completing his Artist Diploma as the “Benjamin Britten Piano Fellow” in 2017 (awarded by the Philip Loubser Foundation). His teachers have included Leon Fleisher, Robert McDonald, Dmitri Alexeev, and Elisso Virsaladze. This, his latest album, reflects his intuitive understanding of the music of Franz Liszt and includes both piano concerti and the Sonata in B minor, all eloquently played to perfection. Ullman's instincts allow his formidable technique to impart an elegance to Liszt's most popular masterpieces, ably conducted by Andrew Litton, a conductor I trust who should be far better known. The BBC Orchestra plays with finesse and depth, not easy to do in the warhorse concertos. Sound is exemplary in this Rubicon release. Five stars!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Tue Nov 08, 2022 10:57 am

Saskia Giorgini is not new to CD. There is a previous disc of works by Enescu, and there are two CDs of recitals where she accompanies Ian Bostridge in music by Respighi and Schubert. This generous disc (84 minutes) of the complete 1853 version of Liszt's Harmonies poetiques et religieuses is a true revelation of the depth her talent. These works showcase Liszt at his most contemplative, although there are certainly barnstorming moments. Giorgini is equally at home in both realms, stretching fermatas a bit here and there, but always with an inevitable musical sensibility. Curiously, this is a stereo only CD from Pentatone, but the sound is intimate and close-up, with much depth and a wide field, as if you were sitting in a salon, rather than a concert hall. Five stars! Her bio on her website can be found here: http://saskiagiorgini.com/biography

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:00 am

Isata Kanneh-Mason's new album of music by Clara Schumann is quite a success. It opens with a sensitive and compelling performance of Clara Schumann's Op. 7 Piano Concerto played by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra led by Holly Mathieson, and goes on from there to explore both her 3 Romances for Violin and Piano (with the persuasive Elena Urioste on violin), plus 3 Romances for solo piano, a Scherzo (Op 14) and her G minor Piano Sonata. Each work is played with commitment and depth, persuading this listener of the high quality of both the performers and the repertoire. Jonathan Aasgaard is the excellent cello soloist in the concerto. Five stars.

Ricordanza · Post by **Ricordanza** » Thu Nov 17, 2022 6:24 am

maestrob wrote: ↑
Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:00 am
Isata Kanneh-Mason's new album of music by Clara Schumann is quite a success. It opens with a sensitive and compelling performance of Clara Schumann's Op. 7 Piano Concerto played by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra led by Holly Mathieson, and goes on from there to explore both her 3 Romances for Violin and Piano (with the persuasive Elena Urioste on violin), plus 3 Romances for solo piano, a Scherzo (Op 14) and her G minor Piano Sonata. Each work is played with commitment and depth, persuading this listener of the high quality of both the performers and the repertoire. Jonathan Aasgaard is the excellent cello soloist in the concerto. Five stars.

Based on your recommendation (and my recent concert experience with her piano concerto), i purchased this album for my iPhone. Thanks, Brian!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Tue Nov 22, 2022 11:14 am

While yet a teenager, Franz Schubert wrote three rarely performed "Sonatinas" for Violin and Piano, featured here on disc 1 of this lovingly played two CD set from Russian born (She has lived in England since age 10.) Alina Ibragimova in partnership again with pianist Cedric Tiberghien. These works point toward the four later masterpieces that make up disc 2, which includes the Violin Sonata in A major (D574) as well as the Rondo in B minor, and Schubert's masterful Fantasy in C major (D934), composed during his last year of life. The disc closes with a transcription for violin and piano of Sei mir gegrusst! (D741). Ibragimova's concentration never flags, all while Tiberghien's ideal partnership in this 2013 release adds immeasurably to the depth and finesse of the great music-making here. Five stars!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Tue Nov 29, 2022 11:03 am

What an absolutely delightful album this is! Massenet's operas are performed the world over, but his songs with orchestra have been woefully neglected, so this star-studded CD is more than welcome to these ears. Featured singers include Jodie Devos, Cyrille Dubois, Veronique Gens, Etienne Dupuis, Nicole Car & Chantal Santon Jeffrey, all with the wonderfully recorded Orchestre de chambre de Paris under the direction of a conductor I admire, Herve Niquet. Each selection in this labor of love outclasses the next. Not for Francophiles only, this disc reveals Massenet's mastery of form and text in these stunning miniatures, artistry to rival more popular composers such as Debussy, Duparc and Chausson. Warmly recommended with five gold stars!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Wed Dec 28, 2022 9:59 am

Daniel Barenboim's third try at Schumann's Symphonies and his second with his Staatskapelle Berlin is clearly a labor of love for all concerned. Barenboim's admiration for Furtwangler and Celibidache comes across in his occasional stretching of tempo here and there in all four symphonies, but there's nothing here to really take issue with, except in the Fourth, where the tempo primo seems to lag a bit here and there. Yes, there are flaws (the opening chord of the Rhenish could have been redone, and the balance favors the strings a bit too much for my taste), but these recordings clearly present an orchestra and conductor immersed in Schumann's musical world. Violins are split, so the question and answer between firsts and seconds resonates clearly in the ears, while the brass, unlike Chicago's, take their parts seriously without overwhelming the music. The winds are spectacular. So, while Solti/Vienna remains my benchmark for recordings with modern instruments, with Szell/Cleveland and Sawallisch/Dresden also recommended, this new set comes with a blu-ray audio disc which may decide some listeners. Four and 1/2 stars.

neilnw · Post by **neilnw** » Fri Dec 30, 2022 6:04 pm

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sat Dec 31, 2022 1:25 pm

Britten War Requiem Gardiner on DG

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Wed Jan 04, 2023 11:49 am

Maestro Antonio Pappano's new CD of Rossini's late Messa di Gloria has immediately upon first hearing become my favorite recording of this masterpiece. Pappano's years of experience working with world-class singers has stood him in good stead as he has chosen an outstanding cast, three out of five members of which were new to these ears. The two American tenors (one of whom must soar to a high Db!), Lawrence Brownlee & Michael Spyres, are at the peak of their powers, while the excellent soprano Eleonora Buratto glides through the coloratura in the Laudamus Te with electrifying aplomb. Carlo Lepore's gentle bass is ideally suited to his solo turn in the "Quoniam Tu solus..." Happily, the Orchestra & Chorus of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia here are exceedingly well-prepared, and they provide both solid accompaniment where needed and standout ensemble in the "Cum sancto spiritu..." finale. Superb sound from Warner's engineers balances the complex forces quite well. Five gold stars!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Wed Jan 11, 2023 11:52 am

This 1982 rarity from Kurt Sanderling and his Berliner Sinfonie Orchester is a true gem of an addition to my library. Kurt Sanderling was appointed co-conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic along with Furtwangler, but was suddenly removed when Hitler rose to power. Forced to emigrate to find work, Sanderling left for Russia and formed a deep friendship with Dmitri Shostakovich, with whom he corresponded continuously when he returned to East Berlin in 1960 to lead the orchestra on this recording. In 1959, Leonard Bernstein brought the N. Y. Philharmonic to Moscow, where he premiered a faster tempo for parts of the fourth movement to Shostakovich's approval. It is this tempo that Sanderling uses for the opening, yet he retains the score's marked tempo from the B section through to the end. A brilliant compromise then, stunningly recorded in 1982 by East German engineers, here reissued on Eurodisc. The strings in the Adagio will bring a lump to your throat. Five gold stars!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Wed Jan 18, 2023 12:51 pm

Having sung all but one of the roles represented on this extraordinary CD (Vepres Siciliennes), this was clearly a trip down memory lane for me. With Anthony Pappano conducting, a maestro who has worked extensively with the best of the best, Jonas Kaufmann and Ludovic Tezier are both in top form here, as is the Orchestra dell' Accademia di Santa Cecilia. With such a high level of excellence, it's difficult to criticize, so I'll just say that Kaufmann is a bit too heavy a voice for Rodolfo in the opening duet, but I must compliment him on avoiding the swallowed high notes that have marred several recordings with Pappano in the recent past. This album is a winner, strongly recommended by yours truly. Five stars!

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:55 am

Menotti: Amahl & the Night Visitors. David Syrus, cond., Royal Opera House, Covent Garden 1998. Jay Records 2005. FWIW, the Jay Records' website states this is the *only* stereo recording currently available. How true that claim is I do not know.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Jan 23, 2023 11:16 am

Manfred Honeck has done it again! Readers will know that I have been 99% supportive of Honeck's many recent recordings (The one exception being his Brahms IV, which I found to be disjointed in the extreme.). Here we have an exemplary Beethoven VI, with two caveats which may offend the purist. In the first movement, Honeck uses the piccolo to double the flute for the bird calls, citing the massed sound of modern strings in order to balance the orchestra. The other oddity is a certain amount of foot-stomping (barely audible in the recording) in the peasant dance section before the storm. Neither addition is offensive to these ears, in fact, even with concentrated listening, neither filigree interrupts the flow of what should be considered a fine accomplishment. While Jordi Savall's more authentic approach may appeal to a purist's better nature, this is an excellent Beethoven VI that deserves its place on my shelves next to those by Bruno Walter, Toscanini and von Karajan among others. Finally, the Steven Stucky work which completes this outstandingly recorded SACD, while only loosely connected to Beethoven by means of the environment, celebrates the 50th anniversary of the publication of Rachel Carson's influential book "Silent Spring." This work, while dissonant, will fall more easily on listeners' ears than initially expected. Five stars.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Wed Feb 15, 2023 11:40 am

Now that high standards have been set for performances of Baroque works (opera in particular), early music groups are springing up like dandelions and many excellent recordings are being marketed. In fact, Handel and Vivaldi operas seem to cross my desk more often than Puccini and Verdi these days. Suffice it to say that the first-rate reading of Handel's Amadigi (London, 1715) produced by the Chaconne label with the Early Opera Company under the direction of Christian Curnyn, rates five stars from your reviewer. A fine cast of soloists led by countertenor Tim Mead and featuring sopranos Mary Bevin and Anna Dennis along with contralto Hilary Summers and countertenor Patrick Terry sings every note with conviction and manage to convey the overly complicated plot twists with aplomb. This is ear candy for lovers of Baroque opera such as yours truly. Five gold stars!

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 11:14 am

Maestro John Wilson has done it again, with his latest release, Hollywood Soundstage. His Sinfonia of London has been wonderfully recorded by Chandos in suites and overtures from the golden age of Hollywood (The latest track is an arrangement of the theme from The Sandpiper, The Shadow of Your Smile.). Korngold is here (The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex), as are Frederick Lowe in a suite from The Wizard of Oz, Franz Waxman in a suite from Rebecca and Alfred Newman in a suite from How to Marry a Millionaire. David Raksin, who was a close friend of my voice teacher, is here as well, with his most famous track, the theme from Laura, with Andy Wood on trombone. More than a potpourri of bon-bons, this release showcases some of the finest work by Hollywood's composers back in the days when an orchestral soundtrack was de rigueur. Five stars!

Post by **Lance** » Mon Feb 27, 2023 11:37 pm

Like you, Brian, I have carefully collected Ronald Smith's recordings. The EMI set mentioned here [67117, 200th Anniversary Edition) contains many pianists besides Smith. I have enjoyed this set. Ronald Smith made at least two Chopin recordings for EMI (which were also included in the 200th Anniversary Edition set)-

•EMI 76930 [2CD] included in the above set
•EMI 85767 [2CD] Complete Chopin Mazurkas (not included in 67117)

Other CD recordings of Smith's Chopin:
•Appian/APR 5565 - Volume 1 - Chopin selections
•Appian APR 5567 - Volume 2 - Chopin Etudes (complete Opp. 10/25), etc.
•Nimbus 5223 - Chopin Etudes (complete Opp. 10/25)

I'm not sure the Appian and Nimbus are the same recordings without checking further. No question, however, he will be remembered for his EMI and Appian recordings of Alkan.

maestrob wrote: ↑
Mon Aug 22, 2022 8:33 am

neilnw wrote: ↑
Sun Aug 21, 2022 10:41 am
https://www.discogs.com/release/1284660 ... lete-Works

I don't quite know if this contains ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING Chopin wrote--it seemed there were some other unpublished pieces in the old MHS series of which I had a few volumes (& a couple in the Ashkenazy series)...but at the price I had little choice.....
Had no idea that Ronald Smith had tackled Chopin's oeuvre for EMI. That's quite a bargain!

I treasure his Alkan.

Belle · Post by **Belle** » Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:18 am

maestrob wrote: ↑
Mon Feb 27, 2023 11:14 am

Maestro John Wilson has done it again, with his latest release, Hollywood Soundstage. His Sinfonia of London has been wonderfully recorded by Chandos in suites and overtures from the golden age of Hollywood (The latest track is an arrangement of the theme from The Sandpiper, The Shadow of Your Smile.). Korngold is here (The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex), as are Frederick Lowe in a suite from The Wizard of Oz, Franz Waxman in a suite from Rebecca and Alfred Newman in a suite from How to Marry a Millionaire. David Raksin, who was a close friend of my voice teacher, is here as well, with his most famous track, the theme from Laura, with Andy Wood on trombone. More than a potpourri of bon-bons, this release showcases some of the finest work by Hollywood's composers back in the days when an orchestral soundtrack was de rigueur. Five stars!

Wonderful. I love and admire John Wilson and the work he does, not to mention his superb orchestra!! He has done more than any other single individual to revive the career of the great MGM orchestrator, Conrad Salinger, and for that alone I thank him.

People have historically devalued film music as somehow second rate - especially in comparison with art music. Firstly, I think the comparison is false as they're mutually exclusive but, secondly, though the compositions are based on rigorous principles of art music, the composers were highly original, innovative and lent great weight and authority to the motion picture art form. This isn't John Wilson but Henry Mancini. What's not fabulously clever about this - and the theme of the film? (This film has just been meticulously restored.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6obTyQcG64

Saul Bass: artist extraordinaire!!

And then this score, from the great John Williams: what versatility!! (I hear you Philip Glass and Steve Reich!!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtJN2WnjdDE

Post by **Lance** » Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:39 am

Naxos has a stereo recording out in their "American" series:
Ike Hawkersmith, Kirsten Gunlogson, Dean Anthony, Todd Thomas, Kevin Short and Bart LeFan; Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Members of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Members of the Nashville Symphony Chorus; Alastair Willis, George Mabry. Released in 2008 on Naxos 8.669019. I don't have it myself, and members of the cast are unknown to me. Perhaps Jay Records did not update their website from 2005.

jserraglio wrote: ↑
Sun Jan 22, 2023 9:55 am
Menotti: Amahl & the Night Visitors. David Syrus, cond., Royal Opera House, Covent Garden 1998. Jay Records 2005. FWIW, the Jay Records' website states this is the *only* stereo recording currently available. How true that claim is I do not know.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Mon Mar 06, 2023 12:27 pm

John Wilson's recorded legacy for Chandos has encompassed a great many serious composers along with more "pops" oriented titles such as his recent Hollywood journey reviewed above. Thankfully, Wilson's Sinfonietta of London has been able to live up to the challenges of, say, Ravel and Copland, just to name some recent successes. Here in Rachmaninoff, he is up against Rachmaninoff's favorite orchestra in Philadelphia, with recordings in the catalogue from Eugene Ormandy in superb modern sound in the Third Symphony and Vocalise, and Fritz Reiner's superb Chicago Symphony in The Isle of the Dead. It's worth noting that Wilson's conducting makes good sense to your reviewer in most passages, while the Sinfonia of London's strings are, sadly, not always up to the task when compared to the lush depth of both Chicago and Philadelphia. So, while I still prefer those older recordings (Wilson's pacing of The Isle of the Dead left me wanting more drama), this is a worthy second choice, better than many others who fail to grasp Rachmaninoff's idiom. Four stars, then.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Wed Mar 22, 2023 11:33 am

John Nelson has done it again! Like his predecessor in this repertoire, Colin Davis, Nelson has established a stellar reputation in the music of Hector Berlioz. Here he presents Baritenor Michael Spyres in the world premiere of the original 1856 version of Berlioz's "Nuits d'ete" sung by a single voice, with texts by Theophile Gautier. This is a deeply-felt portrayal of romantic angst that moves me deeply every time I read the excellent poetry brought to life by Berlioz and his magical scoring. The companion work on this album is a stellar performance of "Harold in Italie" with the brilliant violist Timothy Ridout, accompanied by L'Orchestre philharmonigue de Strasbourg, every member of which plays at their best. This is definitely a five-star CD.

maestrob · Post by **maestrob** » Wed Mar 29, 2023 11:05 am

Finally, after 50 years, we have a fine digital recording of Michael Tippett's The Midsummer Marriage! While the plot verges on the silliness only the British can master, the music, while not as deeply complex as Benjamin Britten's, is well-grounded in mid-twentieth century tonality. Edward Gardner leads his London Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir in a splendid live performance recorded by the BBC (applause is edited until the very end), along with the English National Opera Chorus and a fiery cast of soloists on three CDs, each containing one of the three acts. CD2 features the three Dances which have acquired a life of their own as concert music, but there is much to be thankful for musically in the opening to each act that offers much in the way of orchestral color as an accompaniment to the wonderful depth of sound produced by the committed choral singing here. All-in-all a splendid release that, to my ears, out-classes the earlier Colin Davis recording both musically and sonically. Five stars!

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