Tango-Rhapsody - REVIEW

Tango-Rhapsody: works and arrangements for two pianos by Piazzolla, Jusid* and Ziegler
Duo Lechner Tiempo; *Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Jacek Kaspszyk
Avanti10332 (hybrid-SACD with bonus DVD)
An attractive, varied sequence of Latin fireworks from brother-and-sister Argerich-prodigies. Three generations of composers are featured: if Pablo Ziegler is not as well-known as the now-ubiquitous Piazzolla, the four pieces presented here are well-crafted and hugely appealing. The specially-commissioned concertante work by Federico Jusid that gives the disc its title reminds this reviewer of Bernstein's showier concert works, no bad thing, albeit with an appealing Argentinian twist. Excellent sound and, with the bonus DVD, a generous package.
*****

Mozart: Concertos K.453, K.482, etc - REVIEW

Mozart: Concertos in G, K.453; in E flat, K.482. Rondo in A, K.386
Kristian Bezuidenhout (fortepiano); Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, Petra Mullejans (leader)
Harmonia Mundi HMC902147
Bezuidenhout has found time alongside his emerging Mozart sonata cycle to record two of the composer's most delicious concertos, and the result is entirely successful. His playing is warm and intuitive - he can be heard discretely joining in some of the tutti passages, to great effect - and the pairing with this Prince of ensembles is well-nigh perfect. Recorded sound is excellent, though with an audible edit or two.
*****

Francaix: Music for string orchestra - REVIEW

Francaix: Music for string orchestra
Sir Georg Solti Chamber Orchestra Budapest, Kerry Stratton (conductor)
Toccata Classics TOCC0162
A valuable release that presents two major scores and two recorded premieres. Francaix's early reputation, now forgotten, was as a composer of ballets - he wrote sixteen - and The Camellias (for Balanchine in New York in 1950) tells Dumas' famous story concisely with panache and grace. The breezily bitonal Symphony for strings is perhaps more immediately approachable, as is the later Ode on Botticelli's Venus with its compelling, throbbing opening. If the playing lacks the last degree of finesse, this is one of the more interesting releases celebrating the composer's centenary.
****

Bach: Une cantate imaginaire - REVIEW

Bach: Une cantate imaginaire - sinfonias, arias and chorales from various cantatas
Orfeo 55, Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto & director)
DG (distribution: Discovery Records) 4810062
A delight from beginning to end. Stutzmann has compiled a generous, intelligent selection of jewels that both rewards continuous listening and provides an easy 'first choice' for anyone wanting a single 'best-of' compilation. She is in wonderful voice, and secures lithe, energetic and poised performances from what is clearly an excellent ensemble. Recommended with all possible enthusiasm.
*****

Beethoven: 'Hammerklavier' Sonata, etc - REVIEW

Beethoven: Sonatas in C, Op.2/3; in B flat, Op.106 'Hammerklavier'; etc
Sviatoslav Richter (piano)
ICA Classics ICAC5084
A complete recital from a master at the very height of his powers, recorded in the Royal Festival Hall in 1975. Richter toured this programme a great deal, and several broadcasts have found their way to disc; indeed BBC Legends released the Aldeburgh Festival version recorded (in significantly better sound) a few days earlier. That version is now deleted, and in any case the London 'Hammerklavier' has a frisson that makes for riveting listening. Furthermore, Paul Baily has done wonders with unpromising source material, and this disc deserves to be heard by anyone interested in great Beethoven playing.
****

Mozart: 'In Between' - REVIEW

Mozart: 'In Between' - Piano Concerto no.9; Symphony no.23, etc
Geneva Chamber Orchestra, David Greilsammer (pf & cond)
Sony 88725430252
An elegant reading of the concerto, directed from the keyboard with real flair and a convincing 'period' feel, follows one of Mozart's neglected masterpieces, the D major symphony with its arresting opening. Greilsammer's project is to present the composer 'In Between' his youthful exuberance and mature mastery, a project that would have succeeded without the ten minute work commissioned from Denis Schuler which sits uncomfortably on a disc to which it adds nothing.
***

My Beloved Spake: Anthems by Henry Purcell & Pelham Humfrey - REVIEW

My Beloved Spake: Anthems by Henry Purcell & Pelham Humfrey
James Gilchrist (tenor), Neal Davies (bass), Iestyn Davies (counter-tenor); Choir of St John's College, Cambridge; St John's Sinfonia, Andrew Nethsingha
Chandos CHAN 0790
An inspired idea to couple well-known works by Purcell with pieces by his slightly older, and tragically short-lived, contemporary Humfrey. His anthem 'O Lord My God' is cast on the largest of scales, and comes across superbly in excellent sound. Gilchrist and Davies are particularly impressive here, as they are in Purcell's so-called 'bell' anthem, 'Rejoice in the Lord Always'. The choir are on top form, and are joined by an instrumental ensemble whose name hides a who's-who of the UK early music scene. Warmly recommended.
*****

One Man, Two Guvnors - REVIEW

Yes, I know: this is a bit off-topic for this blog.

And, yes, I know: I'm a bit late to this particular party.

A show that's garnered more unconditional love than a YouTube clip of kittens watching a YouTube clip of a baby panda sneezing. A show that appeared to have absolved James Corden from the tawdry mess that was Lesbian Vampire Killers. A show that went stateside quicker than a white collar criminal.

Yes, I know. I'm a bit late.

You may have seen it? You may have loved it? If so, look away now.

Your faithful reporter, hoodwinked into going along last night, was fooled by the pre-curtain music: the excellent skiffle band (period-informed performance?!?) was easily the best thing of the evening.

For it soon became clear that the meat in this particular pasty was a dessicated pellet of cod Am Dram rattling around hollowly in an impenetrable pastry coffin of cheap gags, sub-panto mugging and unconvincing 'audience'-participation.

Perhaps my 800 fellow-patrons last night were less resistant to lines such as "What a Count(ry Life)" - hilarious! - or the sub-Are You Being Served spectacle of an old man falling repeatedly down stairs?

Was I missing the point? Could this have been an edgy, on-the-button critique of provincial theatre? A visionary director letting his actors put everything on the line by baring every fibre of their souls? Mike-Leigh-meets-Haneke? "Oh no it wasn't!"

As a celebration of the mediocre, a hymn to the lowest common denominator, 'One Man, Two Guvnors' was, at best, an embarrassing Perfect Storm of awfulness. At worst, it was a reminder of how fearful we have become of Art, how cheaply we feel we need to flog culture, and truly depressing.

*/2 (the half-star for its being indoors, in case it had been raining)

Bach: Keyboard Concertos - REVIEW

Bach: Keyboard Concertos
Retrospect Ensemble, Matthew Halls (hpsd/dir)
Linn CKD410 (hybrid-SACD)
A hugely welcome disc that finds an exhilarating mix of warmth and sheer joy. Halls surrounds himself with excellent players, one to a part, who dazzle with their accuracy and panache; a perfect foil to his own eager virtuosity. Excellent sound in both stereo and surround.
*****

Turnage: Orchestral works vol.3 - REVIEW

Mark-Anthony Turnage: Orchestral works vol.3
various soloists and conductors; London Philharmonic Orchestra
LPO 0066
Showing remarkable commitment to, and faith in, the composer's ability freshly to mint new sounds and exciting textures, the LPO's final collection of recent works by Turnage is even more interesting than its two predecessors. Soloists Lawrence Power, Michael Collins and Christian Tetzlaff respond vividly to the many technical and interpretative challenges thrown their way, and maestri Stenz, Alsop and Jurowski preside over performances that can only be described as definitive. Urgently recommended
*****

Dvorak: Symphonies nos.3&6 - REVIEW

Dvorak: Symphonies nos.3&6
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Jose Serebrier
Warner 2564657753
A lovely record from an old-school maestro with nothing to prove, content to inspire his players to performances of natural grace and unforced virtuosity. Rubato is always idiomatic and flexible, and rhythms dance in these most genial of works. Sound is good, and the only drawback of such a generous coupling is the mere four seconds between symphonies
****

Henk Neven: The Sea - REVIEW

The Sea: songs by Faure, Schubert & Debussy
Henk Neven (baritone), Hans Eijsackers (piano)
Onyx 4102
A delightful recital that effortlessly transcends the potential naffness of the title. Neven's melodies are every bit as persuasive, as idiomatic as his Lieder, finding great poetry in well-chosen songs by Faure and Debussy. The many facets of Schubert's fascination with all things aquatic come off equally well, with a dashing Schiffer and a haunting Gondelfahrer. Throughout, Eijsackers proves an insightful and gifted collaborator, and the recording team do the project proud
*****

Beethoven: Symphonies - REVIEW

Beethoven: Symphonies nos.1-9
Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Franz Bruggen
Glossa GCDSA921116 (5 hybrid-SACDs)
Twenty years on from his pioneering, long-deleted Philips set, Bruggen's Beethoven is again a breath of fresh air. Tempi may not be as fleet as some other recent period instrument versions, but every bar crackles with energy and delight. Excellent recorded sound, capturing a natural concert hall perspective
*****

Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier - REVIEW

Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Books 1 & 2
Andras Schiff (piano)
ECM New Series 4764827 (4CD)
In what is not so much a radical rethink of his quarter-century-old Decca set as a wholly organic refinement, Schiff proves yet again what a masterful musician he is. Pedaling is almost entirely shunned, ornamentation is tastefully reined-in; yet every piece dances and sparkles with life in a perfect matching of clarity with warmth. This must now be the prime recommendation for anyone wanting these works on the piano.
*****

Schumann: Violin Concerto - REVIEW

Schumann: Violin Concerto in D minor; Concerto in A minor, Op.129; Fantasy in C, Op.131
Anthony Marwood (violin); BBC Scottish SO, Douglas Boyd
Hyperion CDA 67847
Adding Schumann's own transcription of the Cello Concerto to the little-heard Fantasy and the belatedly-discovered Violin Concerto, Marwood's disc is a delight from start to finish. He makes a persuasive case for the neglected D minor concerto; invests the late Fantasy with his trademark tenderness and sweet-toned beauty; and sets the bar for cellists at the highest possible level. Excellent notes and recorded sound.
*****

Alexander Tcherepnin: Piano Music 1913-1961 - REVIEW

Alexander Tcherepnin: Piano Music 1913-1961
Alexander Tcherepnin, Mikhail Shilyaey (piano)
Toccata Classics TOCC 0079
An inspired idea to open the disc with a selection of 1960s archival recordings by this most dynamic of composer-pianists. Here, two compact but imposing sonatas show a highly individual harmonic language and a fearsome performing technique. If he perhaps gets the lion's share of repertoire, his younger colleague makes the most of a series of thirty well-crafted, accessible miniatures, yielding nothing in terms of pianism. Well worth exploring.
****

Music for Kings and Courtiers - REVIEW

Music for Kings and Courtiers: pieces by de Visee, Corbetta, Hurel, etc
Gordon Ferries (guitar, lute & theorbo)
Delphian DCD34111
A beautifully-recorded selection of 16th and 17th century repertoire brought vividly to life by Scottish virtuoso Gordon Ferries. He carefully matches each set to one of four fine replica instruments, and perfectly captures each mood from the grave beauty of de Visee's 'Royal' Allemande to the astonishingly 'modern' harmonies of Restoration composer Francesco Corbetta. Warmly recommended.
*****

"The Thatcher Effect"...???

I believe it's something to do with the way the brain processes visual imagery...
But, upside-down, I think these two CD covers look pretty similar (try looking at them again, the right way round!)

Bruckner: Symphony no.5 - ARCHIVE REVIEW, June 2012

Bruckner: Symphony no.5
Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
Accentus ACC20243 (DVD), ACC10243 (blu-ray)
Two groups of people will need no encouragement to buy this (albeit pricey) performance on DVD or blu-ray: those who have been following Abbado’s revelatory Mahler cycle filmed by EuroArts (and latterly Accentus); and those who heard these musicians bring the work to the RFH last year. Anyone else should simply buy it, mortgaging the cat if need be. Crystal-clear camera work and perfect sound.
*****
Winner of 2012 Gramophone Award (DVD Performance)

Mouton: Missa Dictes moy toutes voz pensees, etc - REVIEW

Jean Mouton: Missa Dictes moy toutes voz pensees; Nesciens mater, etc
The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips
Gimell CDGIM047
A fascinating exploration of a little-known composer and a unique soundworld, Phillips' latest offering pairs a major mass setting with vividly characterised (and often fiendishly difficult) motets that really do deserve to be heard in such a fine, clear recording. Every bit as interesting and beautiful as his contemporary Josquin, Mouton has been the subject of a small flurry of CDs in recent months; none surpass the current disc.
****

Chopin: Concerto in F minor; Sonata in B flat minor, etc - REVIEW

Chopin: Concerto in F minor, Op.21*; Sonata in B flat minor, Op.35, etc
Khatia Buniatishvili (pf); Orchestre de Paris, Paavo Jarvi*
Sony 88691971292
Listeners familiar with Buniatishvili's art will recognise a formidable technique placed wholeheartedly at the service of an inspired, heat-of-the-moment imagination. Her love for Chopin is never in doubt: these are fiery readings that are never dull, even if her entirely personal response to these pieces occasionally leads to interpretative excesses.
Many will feel artistry at this level deserves better than the sexed-up cover and booklet images.
****

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies nos. 1 - 3 - REVIEW

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies nos. 1 - 3
LSO, Valery Gergiev
LSO Live LSO0710 (2 hybrid-SACDs)
Here at his least wilful and most persuasive, Gergiev presents these early works with utter commitment and great verve. Special mention must be made of the solo contributions, with wind passages especially winning. Excellent sound recorded in London and, unusually for this label, in Switzerland.
*****

Isserlis / Ades: Lieux retrouves - REVIEW

Janacek: Pohadka. Faure: Sonata in G minor, Op.117. Ades: Lieux retrouves. works by Liszt and Kurtag
Steven Isserlis (vc), Thomas Ades (pf)
Hyperion CDA67948
Isserlis is here in commanding form in a fascinating, generous recital that takes in Liszt at his darkest and strangest, Faure's final masterpiece in the genre, and the CD premiere of a characteristically eclectic, brilliant piece by Thomas Ades. The composer of Lieux retrouves, which is both warmly mature and horrifically difficult, reminds us just how fine a pianist he is, and Hyperion's sound does everyone credit. Recommended.
*****

Last Spring (Kraggerud/Wesseltoft) - REVIEW

"Last Spring": arrangements, original compositions and improvisions

Henning Kraggerud (violin/viola); Bugge Wesseltoft (piano)

Act ACT9526-2

Many will need little introduction to Kraggerud - his splendid Naxos recordings (of mostly Scandinavian repertoire) are world-class, and his SIMAX disc of the Ysaye sonatas is second to none. His partnership with jazz musician Wesseltoft is as inspired as it was accidental, and provides a canvas for a sequence of haunting meditations and sound pictures. Beautifully recorded and warmly recommended.

*****

Handel: Rinaldo DVD - REVIEW

Handel: Rinaldo

Sonia Prina, Anett Fritsch, Brenda Rae, Luca Pisaroni, etc; OAE, Ottavio Dantone; Robert Carson (dir)

Opus Arte OA1081D (DVD); OABD7107D (blu-ray)

Carson's slyly-funny, bold-conceived production pits the school-age lovers against saracen teachers and their St Trinians sirens. Music-making is superb, surely vintage-Glyndebourne; the leads are well-cast and the OAE responds electrically to Dantone's direction. The high-definition cameras miss nothing, and this easily becomes the prime recommendation for this opera in this format.

*****

Clifford Curzon Edition: complete Decca recordings - REVIEW

Clifford Curzon Edition: complete Decca recordings

Clifford Curzon (piano); conductors including George Szell, Georg Solti, Istvan Kertesz and Benjamin Britten

Decca 4784389 (23 CDs plus DVD)

An essential tribute to one of the finest artists of the last century, Decca's modestly-priced set finds benchmark performances of some of the key works in the repertory in mostly superb sound. Mozart concertos with Britten and quartets with members of the Amadeus Quartet; Schubert sonatas and the 'Trout' Quintet; Beethoven with Knappertsbusch; it is folly to continue listing the treasures herein. 

With many rarities and previously unissued recordings and interviews, and a DVD of recitals filmed for BBC TV, this is urgently recommended.

*****

Martha Argerich: Lugano Concertos - REVIEW

Martha Argerich: Lugano Concertos

Concertos by Beethoven, Poulenc, Mozart, Schumann, Prokofiev, Liszt & Bartok; assorted works by Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Stravinsky & Milhaud

DG 4779884 (4CD)

EMI having loyally supported Martha Agerich’s annual ‘Progetto’ at the Lugano Festival, it now falls to DG to release a cornucopia of concertos from the same source – and they do her proud. 

The assortment of concertos is appropriately motley: Poulenc’s fizzling Double Concerto nuzzles between Mozart and Beethoven; Argerich stalwarts the Schumann, Bartok 3, Prokofiev’s First and Third all have something fresh, some revelatory detail that the keen listener will not have heard before.

Vocal works that formed part of the Progetto reach CD for the first time: a choral take on Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer is the most ovate of curate’s eggs, and Les noces of Stravinksy comes off well with some finely etched solo contributions.

There is sense that the some of the conductors, seven in number recorded over seven years’ festivals, sometimes can’t match Argerich for panache and charisma… but then who can?

****

Britten: My Beloved is Mine - REVIEW

Britten: On This Island; The Holy Sonnets of John Donne; Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo; Canticle I (My Beloved is Mine)

James Gilchrist (ten), Anna Tilbrook (piano)

Linn CKD404 (hybrid SACD)

Having committed a fine Winter Words to disc, Gilchrist and Tilbrook turn their attention to earlier Britten with equal success. Gilchrist brings a youthful ardour to the Auden and Michelangelo cycles, and the pair find a suitably dark tone for the underrated Donne sonnets. Excellent sound, as well as notes and full texts.

****

Schoenberg: Complete Songs - REVIEW

Schoenberg: Complete Songs

Claudia Barainsky & Melanie Diener (sop), Anke Vondung (mez), Christa Mayer (con), Markus Schäfer (ten), Konrad Jarnot (bar), Urs Liska (piano)

Capriccio 7120 (4 CD)

A truly enlightening survey of Schoenberg's entire Lieder output. Better-known cycles (especially Jarnot's classy take on The Book of the Hanging Gardens) come off superbly, and there are enough rarities to make this an unmissable collection. The unifying factor throughout is pianist Urs Liska, new to this reviewer, but a genuine talent to watch.

****

Tchaikovsky: Concerto no.1 in B flat minor - REVIEW

Tchaikovsky: Concerto no.1 in B flat minor
solo works by Tchaikovsky, Chopin and Liszt
Daniil Trifonov (piano); Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev
Mariinsky MAR0530 (hybrid SACD)
Last year's Tchaikovsky Competition prize-winner brings a satisfying mix of panache and sensitivity to this much-recorded concerto, and receives exhilarating and searching from Gergiev's players. The accompanying recital is a welcome alternative to a second war horse, and his readings of Liszt's Schubert transcriptions are particularly fine.
****

Puccini: Suor Angelica - REVIEW

Puccini: Suor Angelica; Preludio sinfonico
cast incl. Kristine Opolais, Lioba Braun, Mojca Erdmann; WDR Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Cologne, Andris Nelsons
Orfeo C848121A
Concert performances of operas can fail to make an impact, lacking the dramatic intensity a successful stage performance brings. Here, though, perhaps without a production to distract from the purely musical, Nelsons galvanises a near-perfect cast into one of the most successful performances on record. In tremendous voice, Opolais captures the complexity of Angelica's situation, and Braun - a fine Wagnerian - is both imperious and identifiably human. With full texts and translations, and excellent recorded sound, this is warmly recommended.
*****

Suk: A Summer's Tale, etc - REVIEW

Suk: A Summer's Tale; Prague
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Jiri Belohlavek
Chandos CHSA5109 (hybrid SACD)
Two intensely lyrical, beautifully orchestrated symphonic poems brought vividly to life by Belohlavek and the orchestra whose reins he relinquishes this year. A Summer's Tale is perhaps best seen as a sequel to the harrowing Asrael Symphony, Suk finding, rather than cruelty and unfairness, the consolation and warmth the natural world can bring. Prague is an earlier work, an affectionate tribute to the composer's home city and here a generous and welcome coupling. The recording is demonstration quality in both stereo and surround: these works have never sounded better.
*****

Wolf: Italian Liederbook - REVIEW

Wolf: Italian Liederbook
Janet Baker (mez), John Shirley-Quirk (ba); Steuart Bedford (piano)
ICA Classics ICAC5076

Captured at the peak of their prime in a warm, clear BBC recording, Baker and Shirley-Quirk manage both to capture the essence of every one of these extraordinary miniatures and mould a dramatic cycle that grips the listener from start to finish. Much of the credit lies in the sequence devised especially for this Aldeburgh Festival performance by Steuart Bedford He needn't fear comparison with any other pianist in what is sometimes a fearsomely difficult keyboard part, and deserves better then than an insultingly smaller font on the credits.

****

Per Norgard: Will-o'-the-Wisps In Town - REVIEW

Per Norgard: Will-o'-the-Wisps In Town; Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking

Helen Gjerris (mez); Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen

Dacapo 8.226085 (CD with bonus DVD)

One of the most consistently inventive and individual voices today, Norgard responded to a Hans Cristian Anderson bicentennial commission with this delightful, warmly approachable cantata (recorded here in a scaled-down chamber version). Pithy vignettes alternate with arias but perhaps too much spoken Danish narrative for English-speaking listeners. Dacapo generously include a winning, imaginatively filmed documentary featuring interviews with composer, librettist and artists.

****