June 2024
Barber: Concertos (RCA)
Seventy-nine minutes’ worth of pure musical pleasure [GPJ]
Left Hand Legacy Vol 2: Chamber music written for Paul Wittgenstein (Cobra Records)
Fine playing of distinctive music [WK]
Roseingrave: Eight Harpsichord Suites (Signum Classics)
This release deserves a place in any collection of keyboard recordings [JV]
Soundscape (Steinway & Sons)
An intriguing start to a new Steinway venture [PRJ]
A fiddler’s last journey: Songs by Dan Andersson (Sterling)
A worthy conclusion to a valuable series of Swedish song classics [GF]
Brahms by Arrangement, Volume 2 (Toccata Classics)
Skilful, sympathetic orchestrations which are definitely worth hearing, especially by those who love the music of Brahms [JQ]
Sibelius: Complete Symphonies and Selected Orchestral Works (EMI Classics)
(Déjà Review) One of the greatest symphonic cycles under a conductor who shows a deep understanding and profound identification with it [CH]
Schoenberg: Pelleas und Melisande and Five Orchestral Pieces (ABC Classics)
(Déjà Review) A magnificent disc showing both the route that Schoenberg did not take, and, triumphantly, the one that he did [DBi]
Korngold: A Portrait for Piano (TRPTK)
This homage is a gem for admirers of Korngold’s music [GF]
Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Pristine Audio)
A deeply touching Butterfly and a thrilling Pinkerton who are all the more striking in Pristine’s vivid remastering [RMo]
Wilhelm Grosz (conductor) 1933: Les Chefs proscrits (Forgotten Records)
The protean but short-lived Wilhelm Grosz in popular fare from Weimar Berlin [JW]
Damase: Orchestral Works v2 (Dutton)
Superbly performed concertante music by a French neo-classical conservative [NB]
Schmidt: Symphony 4 & The Book with Seven Seals (Somm Recordings)
Two notable archive recordings in excellent transfers to mark Schmidt’s 150th anniversary [JQ]
The Musical Harmer Family
by Gill Price
Stanfordian Thoughts: 23. Stanford & Chadwick’s Book of Choruses
by Christopher Howell
Debussy & Mozart: Songs (ECM)
(Déjà Review) Banse’s subtle, dark-toned soprano is ideal for this material [TH]
20th Century Works for Flute and Orchestra (Centaur)
(Déjà Review) A delightful anthology … tunefulness and brevity [HC]
Nielsen: Flute Concerto, Symphony No. 3 (Chandos)
Vibrant performances of Nielsen’s masterpieces, but the competition is formidable [LW]
A Gardener’s World (Rubicon)
A varied and engaging recital, performed with style and commitment [JQ]
Mozart: Mozart, You Drive me Crazy! (Alpha Classics)
Attractive in every respect to lovers of Mozart, or of opera in general [GF]
Rossini: Le Siège de Corinthe (C Major)
A fine cast of singers are thrown out to sea by a pointless, dismal production [MP]
Mascitti: Sonate a Tre, Opera Prima (Challenge Classics)
An excellent composer whose sonatas are done full justice here [JV]
Bach: Piano Transcriptions Volume 5 (Hyperion)
(Déjà Review) Milne’s playing also reflects his love of this demanding yet rewarding repertoire [TB]
Auric: Beauty and the Beast (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) A most desirable release recommended to film buffs and anyone with interest in 20th Century French music [HC]
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