Schumann: Violin concertos, etc - REVIEW

Schumann: Violin concertos; Phantasie

Baiba Skride (violin); Danish National SO, John Storgards

Orfeo C854131A

From the opening tutti of the D minor concerto, Skride and Storgards unite to give a powerful, richly romantic view of Schumann's works for violin and orchestra.  Skride plays with impressive depth of tone and beauty of sound and, if Anthony Marwood's Hyperion disc of the same works is marginally to be preferred, it is encouraging that a musician as talented as her is moved to make such a strong case for these neglected works. 

*****

Mozart, Rachmaninov, Ravel etc: works for two pianos - REVIEW

Mozart, Rachmaninov, Ravel etc: works for two pianos

Martha Argerich, Gabriele Baldocci

Dynamic CDS7663

Recorded live in Livorno in 2008, this programme of 'Argerich's two-piano Greatest Hits' finds her and her young Italian colleague in mercurial form.  Mozart's D major sonata and Milhaud'sScaramouche fizzle, while an especially kaleidoscopic La valse is truly terrifying.  It is only in Rachmaninov's first suite that one misses the alchemy of Argerich's partnership with Nelson Freire.  The recording is somewhat harsh and overloads occasionally, but this is an exciting snapshot of what must have been an extraordinary evening.

****

Elgar: Cello Concerto; Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations; etc - REVIEW

Elgar: Cello Concerto; Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations; etc

Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello); BBC SO, Jiri Belohlavek

Harmonia Mundi HMC902148

Queyras' lack of sentimentality and sense of drive in the Elgar are very welcome, as is the urgent and ripely idiomatic contribution from an orchestra currently at the top of its game.  The Tchaikovsky has great poise and zest, and as a bonus we are treated to two short pieces by Dvorak - Silent Woodsand the Rondo - which could scarcely have been done better.  We are not short of recordings of any of these works, but nevertheless this disc is worth investigating.

*****

Schubert: Quartet in G, D.887, etc - REVIEW

Schubert: Quartet in G, D.887; Quartettsatz, D.703

Wihan Quartet

Nimbus Alliance NI6221

This refined Czech ensemble gives a finely-nuanced, warmly expressive reading of Schubert's final masterpiece in the genre.  If their earlier disc, the traditional coupling of the Rosamunde and Death and the Maiden quartets may have been a touch too restrained for some listeners, here there is no want of fire or volatility.  With demonstration quality sound, and a welcome coupling, this performance deserves to be heard.

*****

Vaughan Williams: Symphonies nos.5 & 7 - REVIEW

Vaughan Williams: Symphonies nos.5 & 7

LPO, Bernard Haitink

LPO 0072 (2 CDs)

Haitink recorded all nine of Vaughan Williams' symphonies for EMI, finding warmth and spaciousness without sacrificing energy when needed: No.5 had an almost Brucknerian sweep, and no.7 was more cogently symphonic than is often the case.  As the performances under review were given at the time of their respective studio recordings, they are essentially similar although in significantly murkier sound and, in the case of no.5, marred by a restless, bronchial December audience.

***

F & L Couperin, Marchand, etc: Harpsichord works - REVIEW

F & L Couperin, Marchand, etc: Harpsichord works

John Kitchen

Delphian DCD34109

Vividly alert to the widest range of styles and moods, Kitchen's survey of music from the age of Louis XIV is a delight from start to finish.  The 1755 Baillon instrument from the collection at Edinburgh University sounds superb, especially in the dashing dance movements, and the Delphian recording is typically clear and warm. Kitchen intersperses substantial suites by Louis Marchand, Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre and Francois Couperin with imaginatively chosen shorter works in a generous programme that will suit any listener looking for a varied single disc of this repertoire.

*****

Britten: War Requiem - REVIEW

Britten: War Requiem

Galina Vishnevskaya, Peter Pears, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau; choirs; Melos Ensemble; LSO, Benjamin Britten

Decca 4785433 (2 CDs & blu-ray audio)

Decca have done Britten, and one of their genuinely iconic recordings, proud.  Newly-remastered, this fifty year-old recording sounds as if it were made yesterday.  The work fits handily onto a single CD, with the invaluable rehearsal extracts taking up the second disc.  Best of all is an audio blu-ray of the performance which, for those with the set-up, provides studio-quality of blistering power and definition.  It is touching that such an important, moving document has been restored to such a level.

*****

Amore e morte dell'amore: duets by Monteverdi, Handel, etc - REVIEW

Amore e morte dell'amore: duets by Monteverdi, Handel,etc

Roberta Invernizzi, Sonia Prina; Ensemble Claudiana, Luca Pianca

Naive OP30549

An imaginative, engaging programme that opens with Monteverdi at his most austere to Handel at his Italian brightest, via a characterfully chromatic duet by Marcello and - to showcase these excellent players - a vibrant instrumental sonata by Domenico Scarlatti.  Invernizzi and Prina revel in the range and colour of the works in hand, and are rewarded with benchmark recorded sound and presentation.  Roll on Volume Two!

*****

Berlioz trans. Liszt: Harold en Italie - REVIEW

Berlioz trans. Liszt: Harold en Italie; etc

Philip Dukes (viola), Piers Lane (piano)

Naxos 8.573011

Liszt cleverly condenses Berlioz's epic soundscape, with the result that orchestral textures are clarified and sharply delineated (especially when in the powerful hands of Piers Lane).  The viola is inevitably on a more equal footing with its accompaniment, and it is startling to hear details that fall by the wayside in even the best orchestral performance.  Dukes makes a passionate advocate, with a big sound and a relish for felicitous detail, and if Kurt Roger's Hindemith-like sonata makes for an odd coupling for the Berlioz, Liszt's haunting Romance oubliee is a delightful sorbet between them.

****

Theodore Dubois: Piano Concerto no.2, Suite, etc - REVIEW

Theodore Dubois: Piano Concerto no.2, Suite, etc

Cedric Tiberghien (piano); BBC Scottish SO, Andrew Manze

Hyperion CDA 67931

Hyperion's ambitious Romantic Piano Concerto series reaches its sixtieth issue with a disc dedicated to a figure - academic, administrator, organist - now thought of as a fringe figure in the history of French music.  He was a hugely prolific composer and, if much on the disc reminds the listener of Saint-Saens (who he succeeded as organist of the Madeleine), there is a romantic warmth underpinning the skittishness.  Tiberghien plays with fizzling technique and total commitment, especially in the Second Concerto which really ought to be heard more often.  Magnifique!

*****

Bartok, Prokofiev, Hindemith: Sonatas for solo violin - REVIEW

Bartok, Prokofiev, Hindemith: Sonatas for solo violin

Ning Feng (violin)

Channel Classics CCSSA34413 (hybrid SACD)

A generous collection of some of the key 20th century works for solo violin.  This is the second solo disc from this assured Chinese player, presenting a more logical, more satisfying programme than its rather bitty predecessor.  He plays a modern instrument, securing a singing tone and overcoming most technical difficulties with ease.  If no performance on the current disc is quite a first choice, this is nevertheless a convenient way to acquire fine performances of important repertoire in excellent sound.

****

Schubert: Sonata in G, D.894; Wanderer Fantasy - REVIEW

Schubert: Sonata in G, D.894; Wanderer Fantasy

Tristan Pfaff (piano)

Aparte AP065

Pfaff presents a young man's view of the big, reflective G major sonata: tempi are swift, perhaps too swift some times; he makes the most of the astonishing outbursts in the Andante, and the Allegretto is suitably song-like.  He seems more comfortable, however, in the out-and-out virtuosity of the 'Wanderer' Fantasy; he draws a rich sound from his instrument (no information is given; the booklet contains no notes, merely the Wanderer poem!) and impresses with a very wide tonal palette.

****

Judith Bingham: Choral Music - REVIEW

Judith Bingham: Choral Music

Wells Cathedral Choir, Matthew Owens

Hyperion CDA 67909

Writing fluently and with a fine ear for text and balance, Bingham has produced a steady flow of choral works over the last ten years, many receiving their first outing on this well-recorded disc.  There are many striking textures, such as the 'Lamb of God' section of what is the composer's third Missa brevis, but these all seem to spring up organically, giving the impression that nothing is done merely for effect.  The Wells boys, men and - in one piece - girls acquit themselves with distinction.

*****

Mahler/Stein: Symphony no.4 - REVIEW

Mahler/Stein: Symphony no.4*; Debussy/Sachs: Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faun

Sonia Grane (soprano)*; Royal Academy of Music Soloists Ensemble, Trevor Pinnock

Erwin Stein's chamber version of Mahler's Fourth is not the stranger to concert hall or disc it once was; his arrangement is a miracle of clarity and economy.  The Academy's young musicians do it full justice, and are rewarded with recorded sound that is both warm and natural.  The arrangement of Debussy's Prelude, assumed to be by Schoenberg-pupil Benno Sachs, takes us further from the established version, relying heavily on the piano to 'fill out' the sound; but it is hard to imagine a better account of it on record.

*****

"14": works for violin & piano - REVIEW

"14": Works for violin & piano by Paganini, Tartini, Wieniawski, etc

David Garrett (violin), Alexander Markovich (piano)

DG 4790933

A very curious release.  At a time when David Garrett is, Kennedy-like, trying to reinvent himself as a 'rock star' violinist, this programme sits oddly with his carefully marketed 'maverick' image.  Recorded eighteen years ago by fresh-faced, teenage Garrett, there is a great deal of lovely playing here, if without the last word in imagination.  But the intervening years have seen the 'Prodigy Fiddler' field become much more competitive, and one wonders just why this disc is released now after nearly twenty years. 

***

Donizetti: Caterina Cornaro - REVIEW

Donizetti: Caterina Cornaro

Carmen Giannattasio, Colin Lee, etc; BBC Singers & SO, David Parry

Opera Rara ORC48 (2CD)

Yet another hugely welcome discovery from this most enterprising of labels.  Donizetti's score bristles with tuneful highlights, the young leads are excellent, and Parry holds everything together with panache and the lightest possible touch.  Collectors may know an off-air recording featuring Caballe and Carreras; personal affection for those artists aside, this modern recording comfortably outshines it.

*****

Riisager: Concerto for Orchestra; Symphonies nos. 1 & 2; etc - REVIEW

Riisager: Concerto for Orchestra; Symphonies nos. 1 & 2; etc

Aarhus SO, Bo Holten

Dacapo 8.226147

As unpredictable and hard to pin down as fellow Dane Nielsen, Knudage Riisager is nevertheless an interesting and important voice.  His second symphony recalls Sibelius, other works on the present disc suggest a debt to Martinu and his teacher Roussel.  Definitely worth a listen, especially when Dacapo have gone to the trouble of capturing these vivid performances in such good sound.

*****

Wagner: extracts from The Ring; The Flying Dutchman - REVIEW

Wagner: extracts from The Ring; The Flying Dutchman

Egils Silins (bass-ba); Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, David Zinman

RCA Red Seal 88725479412

As he has in Strauss, Mahler and latterly Schubert, Zinman presents here a leanly-textured, clear and exciting interpretation of these Wagner highlights.  The Ride of the Valkyries and Siegfried's Rhine Journeyknock your socks off, while his Sunrise is richly coloured and deeply touching.  Latvian Egils Silins makes an enormous impression as The Dutchman and (as he proved recently in Manchester) Wotan in what is an exceptional one-disc Wagner feast.

*****

Sibelius: Symphony no.2, etc - REVIEW

Sibelius: Symphony no.2, etc

Halle Orchestra, Mark Elder

Halle CDHLL7516

A superbly-played, warmly-cogent reading of the Symphony is a telling reminder both of what an insightful, natural Sibelian we have in Sir Mark; and of what a fine ensemble he has at his fingertips.  Coupled with an imposingPohjola's Daughter and an Oceanides of great power and atmosphere, this really is essential listening

*****

Mompou: Musica callada, etc - REVIEW

Mompou: Musica callada, etc

Arcadi Volodos (pf)

Sony Classical 88765433262

Belying his reputation as a barnstormer, Volodos unexpectedly turns his prodigious technique to the refined, delicate miniatures of Catalan composer-pianist Federico Mompou.  He invests these pieces with a hypnotic poetry entirely in keeping with the music, no more so than in Musica callada, his last and probably greatest cycle of pieces.  For Mompou to have such a high-profile, well-recorded release is a great compliment to a fascinating musical voice

****.

An American in Paris - violin works by Poulenc, Gershwin, Ives & Ravel - REVIEW

An American in Paris - violin works by Poulenc, Gershwin, Ives & Ravel

Tamsin Waley-Cohen (vn), Huw Watkins (pf)

Champs Hill Records CHRCD059

It is heartwarming to discover that a young artist's debut CD can be as refreshing and enjoyable as this.  The sonatas by Ravel and Poulenc receive sensational performances, second to none; Ives' wistful Decoration Dayis truly moving; and Heifetz's Gershwin transcriptions are great fun.  Huw Watkins is an inspirational partner, matching Waley-Cohen in virtuosity and insight.  Warmly recommended.

*****

Casella: Italia; Symphony no.3; etc

Casella: Italia; Symphony no.3; etc

BBC Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda

Chandos CHAN 10768

This third disc in Noseda's Casella survey features one of the composer's key late works, the neoclassical third symphony.  Commissioned for the fiftieth anniversary of the Chicago Symphony, this huge score was championed by conductors including Furtwangler - although it's unlikely to have received as fine a performance as on the present disc.  The folksong-inspired Italiacalls to mind Ravel and Respighi, and makes a welcome coupling.

*****

Kapustin: Preludes, Op.53; Sonata no.1, Op.39 - REVIEW

Kapustin: Preludes, Op.53; Sonata no.1, Op.39

David Brain (pf)

Ringwood RW002

A somewhat maverick figure in 20th century music, not unlike Friedrich Gulda, Kapustin sought to infuse his compositions with jazz - a policy which can hardly have endeared him to his elders and monitors in the Soviet Union.  An fine pianist himself, he has recorded most of his own works; yet in this new disc, Brain is every bit as dazzling and persuasive, and significantly better-recorded.  At just under an hour, the cycle of Preludes is best dipped into rather than consumed as a whole; but it is a dip worth taking.

****

Carpentersville - songs by Blitzstein, Bernstein, etc - REVIEW

Carpentersville - songs by Blitzstein, Bernstein, etc

Lucy Schaufer (s); ensemble cond. Kevin Amos

ABC Classics 4810331

Inspired by her roots in 'small town' America, Schaufer has concocted an imaginative, quirky selections of songs from both familiar and less well-known composers.  Numbers by Bernstein and (especially) Blitzstein are delivered with panache, and contrast rewardingly with haunting songs by Amanda McBroom and Michele Brourman.  Purists may object to an Erbarme Dich arranged for saxophone and accordion, but throughout Schaufer is a winning and persuasive presence.

*****

Mahler: Symphony no.1 - REVIEW

Mahler: Symphony no.1

Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Edo de Waart

RFP A-List 004

Another day, another orchestra own-label.  And very welcome this is too, on the strength of a superbly paced, artfully controlled Mahler performance from chief conductor de Waart.  His experience shows throughout: tempi are well judged, corners turned with care, making this warmly recorded version a cogent alternative to the flashier Concertgebouw Bernstein (DG and RCO Live)

****

Beethoven: Quartet Op.95; Mozart: Quartet K.428 - REVIEW

Beethoven: Quartet in F minor, Op.95; Mozart: Quartet in E flat, K.428, etc

Chiaroscuro Quartet

Aparte AP051

Vibrant, searching performances from this exciting young period-instrument quartet.  If Alina Ibragimova is the best-known of the four, her colleagues yield nothing to her in virtuosity or insight, and the ensemble playing is little short of remarkable: the Beethoven second movement has rarely sounded so haunting, the Mozart finale so exuberant.

*****

Martinu: Early orchestral works, vol.1 - REVIEW

Martinu: Early orchestral works, vol.1

Sinfonia Varsovia, Ian Hobson

Toccata Classics TOCC0156

Anyone familiar with Martinu's spiky, refreshing soundworld will need no encouragement to explore what promises to be an ongoing treasure trove. The main work is the delightful, tuneful so-called Little Dance Suite (its four movements come in at a little under 45min!), which calls to mind Shostakovich's pastiches.  But the shorter works are all interesting and approachable, especially when as well-played and naturally recorded as here.

*****

Piano Trios by Fartein Valen, Ketil Hvoslef and Klaus Egge - REVIEW

Piano Trios by Fartein Valen, Ketil Hvoslef and Klaus Egge

Valen Trio

Lawo Classics LWC1037 (hybrid-SACD)

Valen is the best-known of these three generations of Norwegian composers - Glenn Gould was an enthusiastic champion - and his early trio is a cogently-argued that brings to mind Schoenberg and Reger.  Egge was better known during his lifetime as a writer and critic, but his exuberant piece, written on the largest scale, is both enthralling and approachable.  Surprisingly, the trio by the youngest of the three, Hvoslef, comes first on the disc: written for the excellent players heard here, it is sparse and direct.

****

Rossini: Petite messe solennelle - REVIEW

Rossini: Petite messe solennelle

Soloists; Coro e Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Roma, Antonio Pappano

EMI 4167422 (2CD)

The Santa Cecilia chorus are the stars of the show, here - the challenges Rossini throws in their path in this delightful work pose them no problems, and they respond with peerless diction, tone and unanimity.  With alert accompaniment from Pappano's players and excellent solo contributions (Sara Mingardo is noteworthy), this makes an operatic-feel alternative to Chailly's filmed Leipzig performance (EuroArts, 2011)

*****

Song of Paradise: piano music by Reginald King - REVIEW

Song of Paradise: piano music by Reginald King

Mark Bebbington

SOMM SOMMCD0125

Bebbington invests these often delightful miniatures with great charm in a beautifully recorded, generous collection.  While many ears will find King's piano music at the very light end of 'light music' (this reviewer was reminded strongly of Ivor Novello), there is much to enjoy here if not necessarily in one sitting.

****

Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Trio in B flat 'Archduke' - REVIEW

Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Trio in B flat 'Archduke'

Storioni Trio; Netherlands SO, Jan Willem de Vriend

Challenge Classics CC72579 (hybrid-SACD)

A generous and sensible coupling forming a pendant to de Vriend's ongoing period-instrument Beethoven cycle. The 1815 Lagrasse fortepiano is wonderfully gutsy, and if the balance often favours the orchestra it is a realistic concert soundscape.  The young soloists play with impressive verve and, in the beautifully-judged Largo, great poise.  The trio is perhaps not quite at the same level: if the slow movement is again very impressive, faster passages are sometimes rushed.

****

Wolf: Italienisches Liederbuch - REVIEW

Wolf: Italienisches Liederbuch

Joan Rodgers, Roderick Williams; Roger Vignoles

Champs Hill CHRCD054

Vividly characterising each subtly different take on love (or the lack thereof), Rodgers and Williams are here caught in excellent voice.  Moreover the order of the songs on this well-recorded disc is imaginative, weaving an engrossing narrative from the innocence of Auch kleine Dinge to the raunch of Ich hab in Penna.  Vignoles is of course these great artists' collaborator par excellence.

*****

Holmboe: Concertos - REVIEW

Holmboe: Concertos
Erik Heide (violin), Lars Anders Tomter (viola); Norrkoping SO, Dima Slobodeniouk
Dacapo 6.220599 (hybrid SACD)
A valuable collection of three very different, inventive works from the maverick Danish master, the disc begins in knock-your-socks-off fashion with the arresting opening of the viola concerto, played with a winning mix of glorious tone and swagger by Tomter and the excellent Norrkoping players. The second violin concerto is a little more elusive, but no less rewarding; and the disc sees not only the premiere recording but also the premiere performance of the 19-year-old Holmboe's Concerto for Orchestra. Curious listeners fond of Tippett's soundworld will find much to enjoy here, especially when the disc is so well recorded.
*****

Shura Cherkassky: World Record Club recordings - REVIEW

Beethoven: Sonata Op.111, Eroica Variations; Schubert: Sonata D.959; pieces by Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, etc
Shura Cherkassky (piano)
Guild GHCD2398/99 (2CD)
In the early 1960s, mercurial maverick Shura Cherkassky made three solo records for World Record Club. Not by nature a studio animal, the sessions found him in sparkling form and these performances are a delight. He is relatively free in the larger works - Beethoven's final sonata and the late Schubert A major will not initially be to everyone's taste - but the collection of shorter works and encores that make up this generous collection are to be to be treasured.
****

This Heart that Flutters (song recital) - REVIEW

This Heart that Flutters (song recital)
Lawrence Brownlee (tenor), Iain Burnside (piano)
Opus Arte OACD9015D
A new series of CDs from DVD label Opus Arte in partnership with Rosenblatt Recitals cleverly combines live recordings from the series with specially-recorded studio material. Brownlee is heard in superb voice, perfect for bel canto favourites from Donizetti and Rossini as for French song or Ben Moore's touching settings of Joyce and Yeats. With Burnside a peerless collaborator, this augers well for the rest of the series.
*****

Griffes: Piano Music - REVIEW

Griffes: Piano Music
Garrick Ohlsson
Hyperion CDA67907
Neglected in the US as elsewhere, even today, Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884-1920) was a unique voice at a fascinating time in the history of American music. With an ear for evocative tone-painting matching Scriabin's and a feeling for the last voices of European romanticism, his refusal neatly to be pigeonholed is both the cause of his neglect and the reason he should belatedly be celebrated. And celebrated he is by Ohlsson, whose passion and formidable technique are placed entirely at Griffes' service. With excellent sound and fascinating sleevenotes, this is recommended with all possible enthusiasm.
*****

Chopin: Piano Concerto no.2; Roussel; Ravel - REVIEW

Chopin: Piano Concerto no.2; Roussel: Symphony no.3; Ravel: Daphnis & Chloe Suite no.2, etc
Nelson Freire (piano); BBC SO, Lionel Bringuier
BelAir BAC079 (DVD), BAC479 (blu-ray)
It was a bold idea to invite this young French conductor to the BBC Proms, and surely madness to film the concert in high definition...? Well thank goodness the BBC and innovative label BelAir took the chance, as this is a model of filmed music-making. His rapport with the orchestra (and with soloist Nelson Freire, here on scintillating form) is immediately evident, as is the imagination and flair he brings to each piece. Thoroughly recommended for anyone willing to re-experience a tremendous concert in the comfort of their own home.
*****

Beethoven: Mass in C; Cherubini: Sciant gentes - REVIEW

Beethoven: Mass in C; Cherubini: Sciant gentes
Soloists; Kammerchor & Hofkapelle Stuttgart, Frieder Bernius
Carus 83.295
A warm-hearted reading of Beethoven's Mass, with incisive choral contributions and impressive playing from a relatively small ensemble. The drama is dented, however, by the over-resonant acoustic of the Klosterkirche Alpirsbach in which especially the chorus swim (the excellent soloists, recorded more closely, are less affected). The Cherubini (a premiere recording) is a welcome oddity but, even with this makeweight, the disc offers short measure at under fifty minutes.
***

Barber: Cello Concerto; Cello Sonata; Adagio for strings - REVIEW

Barber: Cello Concerto; Cello Sonata; Adagio for strings
Christian Poltera (cello); Bergen PO, Andrew Litton; Kathryn Stott (piano)
BIS 1827 (hybrid-SACD)
Poltera is completely at home in Barber's richly romantic concerto, finding tenderness and vitality with the deft support of Litton's players. A performance such as this makes it all the more bewildering that the piece is not heard more often. The sonata is an earlier work, less certain of its step but just as rewarding, and here finding another perfectly idiomatic reading. With excellent sound, this makes an excellent addition to Poltera's series of single composer discs for Bis.
*****

Canciones Espanolas: songs by Granados, Guridi, Montsalvatge, etc - REVIEW

Canciones Espanolas: songs by Granados, Guridi, Montsalvatge, etc
Sylvia Schwartz (s), Malcolm Martineau (piano)
Hyperion CDA67954
As recommendable a single disc of Spanish song as there currently is. Schwartz shows a wonderful voice, warm responsiveness to the texts and perfectly idiomatic Spanish. The programme is well-chosen, showing variety of mood, style and soundworld: Guridi's Six Catalan Songs have never been done more vibrantly, more movingly on record. Martineau is, as ever, the perfect collaborator.
*****

Concertos by CPE, JC & JS Bach - REVIEW

Concertos by CPE, JC & JS Bach
Anastasia Injushina (piano); Hamberger Camerata, Ralf Gothoni
Ondine ODE1224-2
A fascinating programme - father and two sons - showing how far the concerto moved on in fifty years. Injushina plays with imagination and flair, although she seems slightly at odds with the period-feel accompaniment: with delightful articulation and grace, we should hear more from these classy Hamburg players.
****

Faure, Bizet, Debussy, Ravel: piano duets - REVIEW

Faure, Bizet, Debussy, Ravel: piano duets
Claire Desert & Emmanuel Strosser (piano)
Mirare MIR190
Another welcome release from this most enterprising of labels. Desert and Strosser bring great tenderness and panache to some of the real gems of the French duet repertoire: the Berceuse from Faure's Dolly Suite melts the heart; Bizet's Jeux d'enfants sizzles with life; and Ravel's Ma mere l'Oye is as fine as any on record. Excellent sound.
*****

Mahler: Symphonies nos.1 & 2 - REVIEW

Mahler: Symphonies nos.1 & 2
NHK SO Tokyo, Otmar Suitner
King International KKC2031/2 (2CD)
One of the highlights of this third tranch of releases from the orchestral archive of Japanese broadcaster NHK. Suitner never quite had the reputation outside Germany that he deserved; here, he shows himself to be a master of pacing, phrasing and cumulative effect. If some of the singing lets the project down, these well-recorded 1970s performances are worth hearing for a fresh approach to Mahler.
****

Telemann: Cantata "Die Hoffnung des Wiedersehns" etc - REVIEW

Telemann: Cantata "Die Hoffnung des Wiedersehns" etc
Dorothee Mields (s); L'Orfeo Barockorchester, Michi Gaigg
DHM 88697901822
An unalloyed delight celebrating that most prolific, and underrated, of baroque composers. Mields sings with great poise and beauty of tone, framing the compact, eponymous cantata of lost love with a fascinating selection of arias and concertos. She's matched by vibrant playing from one of Europe's most exciting ensembles, and by a recording that captures everything cleanly and warmly.
*****

Gerhard: String Quartets; Chaconne - REVIEW

Gerhard: String Quartets; Chaconne
Arditti Quartet
aeon AECD1225
These are craggy, uncompromising pieces that nevertheless seem infused by the warmth of both Gerhard the man and his Spanish origins. His ear for colour and instrumental effects mean there is never a dull moment, and these engrossing pieces really do demand to be heard. Engaging performances that show these works at their best.
*****

Wagner: The Ring of the Niberlungen (blu ray) - REVIEW

Wagner: The Ring of the Niberlungen
John Tomlinson, Anne Evans, etc; Bayreuth Festival; Daniel Barenboim
Warner Classics 2564656333 (4 blu-ray discs)
Harry Kupfer's 1991 Bayreuth cycle was a breath of fresh air, with Barenboim dynamic and poised in the pit, and a wonderful cast. Captured here is Tomlinson's finest Wotan; Anne Evans makes a sublimely human Brunnhilde; and Siegfried Jerusalem, here in ringing voice, is both heroic and touching. Don't let the flimsy packaging put you off: filmed in hi-def and excellently recorded in surround sound, this is the most consistently satisfying blu-ray 'Ring'.
*****

Richard Rodney Bennett: Choral Works - REVIEW

Richard Rodney Bennett: Choral Works
NYCoS National Girls Choir, Christopher Bell; Philip Moore & Andrew West (piano)
Signum SIGCD325
Produced before Bennett's death, this forms a moving tribute to a masterly composer. The immediately attractive opener, Letters to Lindbergh, quirkily imagines correspondence the aviator might have received from, among others, Pluto (the cartoon dog!) and The Titanic. His gift for soaring, exciting and grateful vocal lines is shown time and time again, and this young Scottish group repay him in spades. Warmly recommended.
*****

Nielsen: Symphonies nos.2 & 3 - REVIEW

Nielsen: Symphonies nos.2 & 3
LSO, Colin Davis
LSO Live LSO0722 (hybrid SACD)
Davis completes perhaps the most persuasive of recent Nielsen cycles with utterly compelling readings of these two works. He captures the unpredictable, iconoclastic rough-and-tumble, and secures performances that are second to none. Those who have (and indeed have not) been collecting the earlier discs will need no encouragement.
*****

Myra Hess: The complete solo and concerto studio recordings - REVIEW

Myra Hess: The complete solo and concerto studio recordings
APR 7504 (5CD)
We are in Mark Obert-Thorn's debt for the finest transfers these wonderful recordings have had to date, and in APR's for collecting them in such a handy and affordable package. The early recordings have a winning combination of grace and elan, those made in her sixties a simplicity and wisdom that speak of a truly great artist. Sample her Schumann or her late Beethoven and be won over.
*****

Clara & Robert Schumann: Piano Trios - REVIEW

Clara Schumann: Trio in G minor, Op.17
Schumann: Fantasiestucke, Op.88; Trio no.3 in G minor, Op.110
Swiss Piano Trio
Audite 92549 (hybrid SACD)
A generous, warmly recorded programme that helpfully pairs Robert Schumann's less well-known trios with Clara's sole contribution to the genre. Still a rarity in concert, it is a much finer piece than her own evaluation ("womanish and sentimental") and here enjoys playing of finesse and sensitivity. If her husband is marginally less well-served by these artists, this is because the competition is considerably stronger; but anyone wanting these three pieces will not be disappointed.
****

Wagner: Die Walkure - REVIEW

Wagner: Die Walkure
Jonas Kaufmann, Nina Stemme, Rene Pape, etc; Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev
Mariinsky MAR0527 (4 hybrid SACD)
Gergiev proved himself a naturally authoritative Wagnerian with performances in Cardiff and London, but this first instalment of a complete Mariinsky 'Ring' cycle is if anything even more impressive, red-blooded and exciting. The leads are luxuriously cast: Kaufmann dark-hued Siegmund matches Stemme perfectly, and Pape is an utterly convincing Wotan. Warmly recorded in both stereo and surround sound.
****