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ELODIE LAUTEN: The Death of Don Juan – Randi Larowitz, soprano/ Elodie Lauten, Fairlight CMI, harpsichord, trine, alto and contralto/ Bill Raynor, electric guitar/ Arthur Russell, cello and tenor/ Steven Sauber, bass and speaker – Unseen Worlds Records Published on July 24, 2008 A post-minimalist classic resurfaces—but is it really worth the fuss?
MONTEVERDI: L’Orfeo (complete opera) – Laurie Monahan (La Musica)/ Frank Kelly (Orfeo)/ Roberta Anderson (Euridice)/ Music from Aston Magna/ Daniel Stepner, conductor – Centaur Published on July 24, 2008 A homegrown production of this masterpiece that is almost fully competitive
BENJAMIN BRITTEN: Piano Concerto in D Major; Young Apollo; Diversion Op. 21 - Steven Osborne, piano/BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Ivan Volkov - Hyperion Published on July 24, 2008 All three of these works were written during the same period: from 1938 to 1940.
JOHN ADAMS: Grand Pianola Music; Shaker Loops; The Chairman Dances; Short Ride in a Fast Machine – Solisti New York/ Ransom Wilson/ London Chamber Orchestra/ Christopher Warren-Green, conductor/ City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/ Simon Rattle - EMI Published on July 23, 2008 An excellent introduction to the provocative John Adams
Tears of Beauty = Chamber works of ATTERBERG, HURD, FINZI, PART, SHOSTAKOVICH, JOHNSTONE Etc. - Soloists/None Profit Music Chamber Orch. - Warner Bros. Spain Published on July 23, 2008 An unusual and esoteric collection of very fine music
CHOPIN: Mazurkas - Complete - Antonio Barbosa, piano - Centaur Published on July 22, 2008 I recommend the Barbosa mazurkas for their idiomatic, sensitive readings, often with more than a fiery touch of excitement.
PUCCINI: La Boheme (complete opera) – Norah Amsellem (Mimi)/ Marcus Haddock (Rodolfo)/ Georgia Jarman (Musetta)/ Fabio Capitanucci (Marcello)/ Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/ Gwinnett Young Singers/ Robert Spano, conductor – Telarc Published on July 22, 2008 As a standalone effort there are wondrous moments, but too many side issues keep this one from entering the list of immortals.
PHILIP GLASS: Waiting for the Barbarians (complete opera) – Richard Salter (Magistrate)/ Eugene Perry (Colonel Joll)/ Michael Tews (Warrant Officer Mandel)/ Erfurt Philharmonic Orchestra/ Erfurt Theater Opera Choir/Dennis Russell Davies - Orange Mt. Published on July 19, 2008 A serious theme, powerful libretto, and same old Glass.
YORK BOWEN: The Complete Works for Viola & Piano = Viola Sonata No 1 in C minor; Romance in D flat major; Fantasia for four violas; Piano Sonata No 14 'Moonlight'; Phantasy in F major; more - Lawrence Power, viola/Simon Crawford-Phillips, p. - Hyperion Published on July 18, 2008 Both play magnificently and this is an excellent survey of Bowen’s works for viola and piano.
Glass Farm Ensemble - In Four - Music by LOUIS ANDRIESSEN, YVONNE TROXLER, PETER HERBT, ELIZABETH HOFFMAN and WOLFGANG HEINIGER. Glass Farm Ensemble - Innova Recordings Published on July 18, 2008 Individually and collectively, the instruments honk, squeak, whine, cry, batter, tick, tock, clang, chime, sing and generally surprise.
GRIEG: Six Poems by Henrik Ibsen, Op. 25; Six lieder, Op. 48; A Girl of the Hill Spirits, Op. 67; Melodies of the Heart, Op. 5; Princess - Katarina Karneus, mezzo-soprano/ Julius Drake, piano - Hyperion Published on July 18, 2008 An outstanding collection of undervalued Grieg gems
STEVEN STUCKY: Four Album Leaves; Three Little Variations for David; ESA-PEKKA SALONEN: Yta II; 3 Preludes; Dichotomie; LUTOSLAWSKI: Piano Sonata - Gloria Cheng, piano - Telarc Published on July 18, 2008 Cheng is right on target in this wonderful recital
PAUL JUON: Piano Quartets Op. 50 and 37, “Rhapsodie” – Oliver Triendl, piano/ Daniel Gaede, violin/ Hariolf Schlichtig, viola/ Peter Burns, cello – CPO Published on July 16, 2008 Another great release of an unknown composer
FRANZ SCHREKER: Songs – Hermine Haselbock, mezzo-soprano /Wolfgang Holzmair, baritone/ Russell Ryan, piano – Bridge Published on July 16, 2008 A good mix of Schrekerian muse, performed mostly to good effect
BACH: Goldberg Variations – Beth Levin, piano – Centaur Published on July 16, 2008 If you go with the premise that this is an honest live performance, you might find much to admire in Levin’s playing.
THUILLE: Sonata for Cello & Piano in D minor; TOVEY: Sonata for Two Cellos in G Major; and DOHNANYI: Sonata in B-flat Major Op. 8 - Marcy Rosen and Frances Rowell, cellos - Bridge Published on July 16, 2008 An extraordinarily fine and enterprising release, which should be no surprise since Bridge specializes in such matters.
SAINT-SAENS: Prelude et Fugue, Op. 99, No. 3; Fantasie, Op. 101; Prelude et Fugue, Op. 99, No. 1; Cypres; Fantasie No. 3; Marche religieuse; Prelude et Fugue, Op. 99, No. 2; Benediction nuptiale; Fantasie (1857) - Andrew-John Smith, organ - Hyperion Published on July 15, 2008 The composer was dedicated to formalism in music and a mix of progressive and antique coloration that took in the music of Bach and Liszt at once.
Introducing Violinist Shannon Lee - Works of WIENIAWSKI, KREISLER, DEBUSSY, ELGAR, SCRIABIN, BRAMS, VITALI, CHOPIN, BAZZINI, etc. - Telarc Published on July 15, 2008 Another young wunderkind—does she have the stuff to make a mark?
Mercurial Love = Songs by DOWLAND and PURCELL – Jama Jandrokovic, soprano/ Jory Vinilour, harpsichord/ Charles Weaver, lute/ Carlene Stober, viola da gamba – MSR Published on July 15, 2008 Melancholy is exactly what Ms. Jandrokovic revels in, if her comments in the notes are to be believed.
CARL REINECKE (1824-1910): Wind Octet, Op. 216 (c. 1892); From the Cradle to the Grave, Op. 202 (1888); Wind Sextet, Op. 271 (c. 1905) - Members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra - Naxos Published on July 14, 2008 Disappointing for those who prefer the more vigorous and thrilling woodwind music of composers like Reicha and Spohr.
JOHAN SVENDSEN - Symphonic Works - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; Norwegian Artists’ Carnival; Romeo and Juliet; Carnival in Paris; Zorahayda; Festival Polonaise; Andante funebre; 4 Norwegian Rhapsodies, others - Latvian Nat. Sym. Orch./ Terje Mikkelsen - CPO (3) Published on July 13, 2008 His wife threw into the burning fireplace the only manuscript of his just-finished Third Symphony!
KAPUSTIN: Piano Sonata No. 15, Op. 127 “Fantasia quasi Sonata;" 24 Preludes in Jazz Style: 5 Preludes; 8 Concert Etudes, Op. 40--Nos. 5-7; 3 Bagatelles from 10 Bagatelles, Op. 59; Scherzo from Piano Sonata No. 2. Op. 54 - John Salmon, piano - Naxos Published on July 13, 2008 Kapustin worked with progressive jazz bands in Russia, and the decidedly American influence saturates Kapustin’s musical syntax.
Birds On Fire: Jewish Music For Viols - ORLANDO GOUGH, SALOMONE ROSSI, ANON., TRADITIONAL, ALBERT KELLIM, LEONORA DUARTE, THOMAS LUPO, PHILIP VAN WILDER, AUGUSTINE & HIERONYMO BASSANO, JOSEPH LUPO - Jeremy Avis, tenor/ Fretwork - Harmonia mundi Published on July 13, 2008 Fretwork illustrates the cosmopolitan atmosphere that sustained musical creation at the Tudor and Stuart courts.
BRAHMS: String Quartets (Complete) – Auryn Quartet – Tacet (2 CDs) Published on July 12, 2008 A fine try in a relaxed manner, but is the competition too tough?
BEETHOVEN: Violin Concerto; MOZART: Violin Concerto No. 4; HORACE SILVER: Creepin’ In – Nigel Kennedy, violin/ Michael Baranski, bass\ Polish Chamber Orchestra – EMI Published on July 12, 2008 The frustrating violinist Kennedy continues along the same lines
BACH: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 - Andrew Rangell, piano - Bridge Published on July 11, 2008 The closeness of the miking leads one to hear this as a very personal statement about a composer he loves.
DAVID DEL TREDICI: Vintage Alice; Dracula – Cleveland Chamber Symphony/Hila Plitman, soprano/David Del Tredici – Innova Published on July 10, 2008 Del Tredici left serial and minimalist idioms a long time ago for unbridled neo-Romantic forms.
IGOR STRAVINSKY - A Portrait (53 tracks of his music; illustrated essay by David Nice) Sel. from The Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring, Agon, etc. - Various perf. - Naxos (2 CDs) Published on July 09, 2008 Many of the performances are conducted by Robert Craft, who was the composer’s right-hand man for many years.
RAVEL: String Quartet in F Major; ADES: Arcadania; MOZART: String Quartet in F Major, K. 590 - The Calder Quartet - The Calder Quartet Published on July 09, 2008 The group articulates Ravel’s curious demands--like sur tanto, from the bridge--with care, molding the melodies that recur throughout the composition.
J.S. BACH: The Six French Suites, BWV 812-817 - Evgeni Koroliov, piano - Tacet Published on July 06, 2008 His confidence in the brisk gigues, with quick, ad libitum flourishes in grace notes and apoggiaturas, testifies to his fluid mastery.
SCHUBERT: String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D. 810 “Death and the Maiden” (arr. Lieberman); BARTOK: String Quartet No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 7 (arr. Lieberman) - The American String Project - MSR Classics Published on July 06, 2008
ALLEN & WALLACE SHAWN: The Music Teacher – Soloists/3 Pianos/Tomothy Long, conductor - Bridge Published on July 04, 2008 Some fine music, but a weird and questionable story
HAYDN: The Creation – Sandrine Piau (Gabriel)/ Mark Padmore (Uriel)/ Neal Davies (Raphael)/ Peter Harvey (Adam)/ Miah Persson (Eve)/ Chetham’s Chamber Choir/ Gabrieli Consort and Players/ Paul McCreesh, conductor – Archiv (2 CDs) Published on July 03, 2008 Great, but a missed opportunity for surround
Crystal Tears = Music of Dowland and His Contemporaries – Andreas Scholl, counter-tenor/ Julian Behr, lute/ Concerto di Viole [+ bonus DVD] – Harmonia mundi Published on July 03, 2008 For those who like counter-tenors, this is splendid singing
MARK O’CONNOR: Double Violin Concerto; Appalachia Waltz; Johnny Appleseed Suite; Marching Along the Ohio Frontier; Johnny’s Apple Pie; Three Angel Brides; Amazing Grace – Mark O’Connor, Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg, violins/Colorado Sym./Marin Alsop - Omac Published on July 01, 2008 The sound is warm and comforting, production values high. If you know what you like, go for it.
DAVID MASLANKA: Symphony No. 2; JACK STAMP: Symphony No. 1, "In Memoriam of David Diamond"; KEVIN KRUMENAUER: Blue on Red - Illinois State University Wind Ensemble/ Stephen K. Steele, conductor - Albany Published on July 01, 2008 Maslanka's music is always highly creative, beautiful, and wastes no space on the page whatsoever.
HAYDN: Theresa Mass in B-flat; Mass in Time of War in C - Soloists/ Oregon Bach Festival Chorus and Orchestra/ Gachinger Kantorei Stuttgart/ Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/ Helmuth Rilling, conductor - Hanssler Published on July 01, 2008 Rilling has always been able to get a very consistent sound no matter where he was conducting; so it is here.
FERDINAND HILLER: Piano Concertos Nos, 1, 2, & 3 - Howard Shelley, piano & conductor/ Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra - Hyperion Published on June 29, 2008 Skillfully rendered beauty from a little-known Romantic.
GEORGE CRUMB: Variazioni; Otherworldly Resonances; Night of the Four Moons; The Sleeper; 3 Early Songs – Quattro Mani/ Jan DeGaetani, mezzo-sop./ Gilbert Kalish, piano/ The Aeolian Chamber Players/ Odense Symphony Orchestra/ Paul Mann, conductor – Bridge Published on June 29, 2008 This is an essential issue in this series, not to be missed
BACH: Trio Sonatas, BWV 525-530; Prelude and Fugue in B-minor, BWV 544; Prelude and Fugue in E-minor, BWV 548 – Christa Rakich, organ/ Alice Robbins, cello and viol da gamba/ Dana Maiben, violin/ Wendy Rolfe, flute – Loft Published on June 29, 2008 As fine a conception of these sonatas as you are likely to hear
ERNST TOCH: Violin Sonata No. 2, Op. 44; Burlesken, Op. 31; 3 Cello Impromptus; Piano Quintet – Spectrum Concerts Berlin (Daniel Blumenthal, piano/ Annette von Hehn, violin/ Julia-Maria Kretz, violin/ Hartmut Rohde, viola/ Frank Dodge, cello - Naxos Published on June 29, 2008 Finally an excellent recording of music struggling to find its place
Streams of Tears = Music of Juan Gutierrez de Padilla - The Sixteen/ Harry Christophers, conductor - Coro Published on June 26, 2008 The Sixteen present us with a fine selection of his music, sumptuously recorded, and is as superior a collection of Padilla's music as you will find.
KENNETH LEIGHTON: Orchestral Works Vol. 1 = Symphony for Strings Op. 3; Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani Op. 58; Concerto for String Orchestra op. 39 - John Scott, organ/BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Richard Hickox - Chandos Published on June 26, 2008 Leighton’s organ concerto of 1970 uses a similar scoring as Poulenc’s famous work.
AULIS SALLINEN: Symphony No. 3, Op. 35; No. 5, Op. 57 "Washington Mosaics" - German State Philharmonic of the Rheinland-Palatinate/ Ari Rasilainen, conductor - CPO Published on June 26, 2008 Sallinen is a highly emotional composer, one who wears his very distraught and sometimes fragile heart on his sleeve.
"From HaFiz to Firewing (and beyond)" = Works by SARGON, DUTILLEUX, WELCHER, DUNHILL, PATTERSON - Erin Hannigan, oboe - Crystal Published on June 26, 2008 Do give Ms. Hannigan a try as she richly deserves it, but keep in mind that most recitals like this are invariably a mixed bag.
KENNETH FUCHS: United Artists; Quiet in the Land; Fire, Ice, and Summer Bronze; Autumn Rhythm; French Horn Concerto ("Canticle to the Sun") - Timothy Jones, horn/ London Symphony Orchestra/ JoAnn Falletta, conductor - Naxos Published on June 25, 2008 Successful follow up to Fuch’s previous Grammy-nominated Naxos CD
ANTONIA SALIERI: Armida (Sinfonia); Daliso e Delmita (Overture); Pafio e Mirra ossia I prigionieri; Der Rauchfangkeher (Overture); Les Danaides; Les Horaces (Overture); Catilina (Overture) - Mannheim Mozart Orchestra/ Thomas Fey, conductor - Hanssler Published on June 25, 2008 Is Salieri unjustly neglected or justly ignored? You decide.
STEPHEN JAFFE: Cut Time; Cello Concerto; Poetry of the Piedmont; Homage to the Breath - David Hardy, cello/ Milagro Vargas, sop./ North Carolina Sym./ Grant Llewellyn/ Odense Symphony Orchestra/ Paul Mann, conductor/ 21st Century Consort/Kendall - Bridge Published on June 25, 2008 The best here certainly proves that Jaffe is a voice to be reckoned with.
"Capriccio" - Renaud Capucon, violin and Jerome Ducros, piano in Recital - Virgin Classics Published on June 25, 2008 Capucon is a gifted artist who plays the 1737 Guarneri del Gesu instrument the late Isaac Stern sported for fifty years.
American Orchestral Song = THOMSON: The Feast of Love; CARPENTER: Water-Colors; HARRIS: Give Me the Splendid Silent Sun; GRIFFES: Ancient China and Japan; more - Patrick Mason, baritone/ Odense Symphony Orch./Paul Mann - Bridge Published on June 25, 2008 An essential disc of unknown but outstanding repertory
MASCAGNI: Zanetto (complete opera); L'amico Fritz (Intermezzo); Cavalleria rusticana (Intermezzo) - Eilana Lappalainen (Sylvia)/ Jennifer Larmore (Zanetto)/ Academic Choir Zerotin/ Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic/ Peter Tiboris, conductor - Elysium Published on June 24, 2008 A Mascagni rarity with the effervescent Jennifer Larmore
Romaria = The Dowland Project - John Potter, tenor/ Milos Valent, violin and viola/ John Surman, soprano sax, bass clarinet, tenor and bass recorders/ Stephen Stubbs, baroque guitar, vihuela - ECM Published on June 24, 2008 The latest Dowland Project album provides plenty more of the same
SCHOENBERG: Chamber Symphony No. 2, op.38; Die gluckliche Hand, op. 18; Wind Quintet, op. 26 - Mark Beesley, bass/ Simon Joly Chorale/ New York Woodwind Quintet/ Philharmonia Orchestra/ Robert Craft, conductor - Naxos Published on June 24, 2008 More terrific Schoenberg by a master conductor who know the works better than anyone
The Best of DELIUS - 13 complete selections; various orchestras (listings below) - Naxos Published on June 23, 2008 An inexpensive introduction to Delius’ special world and will hopefully lead to further exploration.
VIVALDI’s Five Seasons - Quintessence Saxophone Quintet - CPO Published on June 23, 2008 Definitely a classical-jazz crossover effort.
HAYDN: Piano Concertos Nos. 3, 4, 9, 11 - Sebastian Knauer, piano/ Cologne Chamber Orchestra/ Helmut Muller-Bruhl - Naxos Published on June 23, 2008 Joyful, spirited Haydn that is beautifully played.
MARTINU: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, H. 293; Serenada No. 2 for Strings, H. 216; Toccata e due canzoni, H. 311 - Isabelle Faust, violin/Cedric Tiberghien, piano (in Toccata)/The Prague Philharmonia/Jiri Belohlovek - Harmonia mundi Published on June 22, 2008 Music of diverse genres from the pen of Bohuslav Martinu, whose eclectic style combines Slavic elements with a Parisian pedagogy.
"Cello Fiesta!" = HAYDN: Cello Concerto in C Major; TCHAIKOVSKY: Pezzo capriccioso for cello; AZARASHVILI: Cello Concerto; GINASTERA: Glosses on themes of Pablo Casals; COREA: "La Fiesta" - Marie-Elisabeth Hecker, cello/Kremerata Baltica - Profil Published on June 22, 2008 A Cello Fiesta to which all are invited.
StringPoetic—American Works in a 21st Century Perspective Published on June 22, 2008 Works by HIGDON, RUGGLES, HARRISON & ADAMS
D’INDY: Summer Day in the Mountains, Op. 61; The Enchanted Forest, Op. 8; Souvenirs, Op. 62 – Iceland Symphony Orchestra/ Rumon Gamba, conductor – Chandos Published on June 20, 2008 Spectacular. This is all I kept thinking to myself when first listening to this remarkable disc.
Apostle of Ireland = Medieval Irish Plainchant, An Office for St. Patrick – William Taylor, wire strung clarsach/ Canty/ Rebecca Tavener, conductor – Divine Art Published on June 20, 2008 A disc of music devoted to St. Patrick
HASSE: Requiem in C; Miserere in E minor – Greta De Reyghere, soprano/ Susanna Moncayo von Hase, alto/ Ian Honeyman, tenor/ Dirk Snellings, bass/ Il Fondamento/ Paul Dombrecht, conductor – Opus III/Naïve Published on June 19, 2008 A bit of recycling from the now defunct Opus 111 label, and worth every moment
HANDEL: Dettingen Te Deum; Coronation Anthem, “Zadok the Priest”; Organ Concerto No. 14 – Neal Davies, bass/ Richard Marlow, organ/ Trinity College Choir, Cambridge/ Academy of Ancient Music/ Stephen Layton, conductor – Hyperion Published on June 19, 2008 A splendid Dettingen Te Deum (and needed in the catalog), but the fillers somewhat lackluster.
SCHUBERT: Mass No. 6 in E-flat, D 950 – Brigitte Fournier, soprano/ Jacky Cahen, alto/ Jorg Durmuller, tenor/ Andreas Karasiak, tenor/ Gaston Sister, bass/ Lausanne Vocal Ensemble/ Lausanne Chamber Orchestra/ Michel Corboz, conductor – Mirare Published on June 19, 2008 Spirited Schubert hampered by some less than optimal live sound
DOMENICO SCARLATTI: Madrid Mass; Missa Breve, “La Stella”; Stabat Mater – Simone Gheller, organ/ Melodi Cantores/ Elena Sartori, conductor – Tactus Published on June 17, 2008 Fine, sturdy singing of what are becoming new baroque standards
STANFORD: Symphonies No. 3 (“Irish”) and No. 6 (“in honour of G.F. Watts”) – Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/ David Lloyd-Jones, conductor – Naxos Published on June 17, 2008 Standards remain high in Lloyd-Jones’s continuing cycle
Xuefei Yang, guitar – 40 Degrees North = ALBENIZ: Sevilla; Cordoba; Castilla; STEPHEN GOSS: The Chinese Garden; TARREGA: on the Carnival of Venice; HE ZHANHAO and CHEN GANG: The Butterfly Lovers (I); GRANADOS: Valses Poeticos; WANG HUIRAN: Yi Dance - EMI Published on June 17, 2008 Sweet playing by one of the most heralded new guitarists on the scene today
SCHUBERT: Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667 “The Trout”; MOZART: Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Major, K. 493 - Yefim Bronfman, piano/Pinchas Zukerman, violin/Jethro Marks, viola/Amanda Forsyth, cello/Joel Quarrington, double-bass - Sony/BMG Published on June 16, 2008 Bronfman’s aggressive style is turned inward so his natural polish and smoothly articulated pulse integrate themselves in the fine skein of Schubert’s lyrical outpourings.
SCHOENBERG: Brettl-Lieder (Cabaret Songs); Pierrot Lunaire – Jennifer Goltz, soprano/ Gayle Blankenburg, piano/ Inauthentica – MSR Published on June 12, 2008 The idea of pairing the wonderful Pierrot Lunaire with these songs is a stroke of genius.
ALBERT ROUSSEL: Symphony No. 3 in G minor Op. 42; The Spider’s Feast (complete ballet) - Orchestre de Paris/Christoph Eschenbach - Ondine Published on June 12, 2008 Eschenbach has already recorded the other three Roussel symphonies, and has earned praise for them.
Patmore Lewis, violin - Rillito River Project - LEWIS: Elemental Flow; R. STRAUSS: Sonata in E flat Major for Violin & Piano; ZYMANOWSKI: The Fountain of Arethusa; ALAN SEIDLER: Sonata for Violin & Piano - YouGlobalEntertainment Published on June 10, 2008 The opening world/classical/New Age selection has a special connection to a desert area near Tucson, AZ.
SCHUBERT: Fantasy in F minor for piano duet; Andantino varié in B minor for piano duet; MOZART: Sonata in D Major for two pianos K 448 - Katia and Marielle Labeque, pianos - KML Recordings Published on June 10, 2008 The Lebeques are so precise in their execution that another recording I sampled for comparison sounded downright sloppy!
CHARLES IVES: The Three Orchestral Sets = No. 1 - Three Places in New England; No. 2; No. 3 - Malmo Sym. Orch. & Ch. Chorus/James Sinclair - Naxos Published on June 10, 2008 This is the world premiere recording of the Set No. 3 - recently reconstructed by two Ives experts.
GODARD: Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 131; Concerto Romantique for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 35; Scenes Poetiques for Orchestra, Op. 46 - Chloe Hanslip, violin/ Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra/Kirk Trevor - Naxos Published on June 09, 2008 The Berceuse from his 1888 opera Jocelyn became the darling of such diverse artists as John McCormack and Pablo Casals.
MICHAEL NYMAN: Mozart 252 (playlist below) - Michael Nyman Band (+ on last 3 tracks: Hilary Summers, contralto, Andrew Slater, bass - MN Records Published on June 06, 2008 Mozart-derived selections taken from a score for a Peter Greenaway film and from Mozart's own letters & riddles.
VIVALDI: "Rarita per tastiera" = Concerto in F Major; Con. in F Major; Con. in D; Sinfonia in A Major; Con. in C Minor; Largo e Andante in A Major; Con. in F Major; BACH: Con. in B minor; WALTHER: Con. in E minor - L'Orfeo Ens./Fabrizio Ammetto - Tactus Published on June 05, 2008 A thoroughly happy, scholarly and musical supplement to Vivaldi enthusiasts who thought they’d heard it all.
MORTON FELDMAN: For Philip Guston - Julia Breuer: piccolo, flute, alto flute; Matthias Engler: glockenspiel, vibraphone, tubular bells, marimba; Elmar Schrammel: piano, celesta - Wergo Published on June 04, 2008 A protracted essay in ultra-modernism? A bizarre take on minimalism, perhaps even parody? Those things and more.
John Bayless, piano - Circle of Life - The Music of Elton John in the Style of Bach - Angel Published on June 03, 2008 Bayless is a specialist at giving popular themes a Baroque improvisational twist.
ANTONIO VIVALDI: The Four Seasons; Concerto RV 317 in G minor; Concerto RV 257 in E flat major – Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra/Daniel Gaede (violin)/Wojciech Rajski – Tacet Published on June 02, 2008 A tube-only recording, with a contemporary chamber orchestra playing like a period-instrument orchestra.
BRAHMS: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Op. 78; Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 100; Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108 - Curtis Macomber, violin/Derek Han, piano - Bridge Published on June 01, 2008 All tastefully accomplished by two musically kindred spirits.
GUIDO DONATI Plays Guido Donati - Guido Donati, pipe organ - Tactus Published on May 31, 2008 A quirky and fun exploration of music by a composer (and a fine organist) with a highly-developed sense of humor.
Filia Praeclara = Music from 13th and 14th Century Polish Clarisse Convents - Ensemble Peregrina - Divox Antiqua Published on May 30, 2008 Unusual and highly interesting music, expertly done
REICH: Daniel Variations; Variations for Vibes, Piano, and Strings – Los Angeles Master Chorale/ Grant Gershon, conductor/ London Sinfonietta/ Alan Pierson, conductor – Nonesuch Published on May 30, 2008 Almost review-proof, Reich’s fans will no doubt flock to this one—but is it really worth it?
DOHNANYI: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 27; Violin Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 43 - Michael Ludwig, violin/ Royal Scottish National Orchestra/ JoAnn Falletta, conductor - Naxos Published on May 30, 2008 A convenient coupling of worthy entries
SCHUBERT: Death and the Maiden; Quartet Fragment in C minor – Jerusalem Quartet – Harmonia mundi Published on May 30, 2008 Simply stunning Schubert!
LUDOVICO EINAUDI: Divenire - 12 selections - Einaudi, piano - Ponderosa Published on May 28, 2008 A top-selling album in Europe, Divenire has captivated listeners around the world with its piano-based minimalism.
EDGAR BAINTON: Concerto fantasia for piano and orchestra; The Golden River; Three Pieces for Orchestra; Pavane, Idyll and Bacchanal for string orchestra with flute & tambourine - Margaret Fingerhut, piano/BBC Philharmonic/Paul Daniel - Chandos Published on May 27, 2008 Lovely stuff, redolent of Delius to my ears.
ALAN RAWSTHORNE: Practical Cats; Street Corner Overture; Madame Chrysantheme Ballet Suite; Theme, Variations & Finale; Medieval Diptych for baritone & orchestra; Coronation Overture - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/David Lloyd-Jones - Dutton Published on May 26, 2008 "Practical Cats'" settings varied depending on the personality of the particular cat being described.
BRUCH: Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46; MASSENET: Meditation from Thais - Michael Ludwig, violin/Virginia Symphony/JoAnn Falletta - Hampton Roads Classics Published on May 26, 2008 Falletta tries for the lush side of orchestral Romanticism, a la Ormandy, and she elicits a clear, homogeneous, warm sound.
ALEXANDRE DENEREAZ: At Tutankhamen’s Tomb; The Dream; Scenes from Circus Life - Volgograd Symphony Orchestra/ Emmanuel Siffert - Gallo Published on May 26, 2008 In a country with almost 100% Caucasian population, the circus was the only opportunity to see people of different races.

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