jf

John France

EarlyOneMorning da-vinci

English music for flute and piano (Da Vinci Classics)

Victorian voices revived: charm, wit and wistful song [JF]

VaughanWilliams Mantegna Albion

Vaughan Williams: Mantegna – Hymnody and Beyond (Albion Records)

Hymns reimagined, Vaughan Williams gloriously illuminated [JF]

Rarities of Piano Music at Schloss vor Husum 2008 (Danacord)

(Déjà Review) An excellent CD for all enthusiasts of romantic piano music [JF]

wellesz stringquartets cpo

Wellesz: String Quartets (cpo)

Vienna to Oxford: Quartets Reborn [JF]

theeuleorgan convivium

The Eule Organ: Magdalen College, Oxford (Convivium Records)

Magdalen’s Eule organ: a monument to musical continuity and change [JF]

Cowie: Because They Have Songs (Métier)

Africa’s birds, reimagined in sound [JF]

Husum2024 DACOCD989

Rarities of Piano Music at Schloss Husum 2024 (Danacord)

A satisfying journey through technical invention and stylistic variety [JF]

I Have Lived & Loved (Albion Records)

Continuity and change in British lyric song tradition [JF]

M Herbert: Songs (Linn)

(Déjà Review) One of my major musical discoveries of the year [JF]

TheSilentPool_ PeterJacobs Heritage

The Silent Pool: British Piano Music by Women Composers (Heritage)

Discover rare, evocative voices in British piano music [JF]

Chisholm: Music for Piano Volume 5 (Divine Art)

(Déjà Review) A fine production, essential for enthusiasts of British piano music [JF]

Falla piano2 8555066

Falla: Piano Music – Vol 2 (Naxos)

Listen, stop the player, sip a glass of Rioja and move on to the next number! [JF]

Poulenc MeridianCDE84674

Poulenc: Piano Works (Meridian)

Pianistic sophistication, sentiment, wit and wonder [JF]

Cowie: Rock Music (Métier)

A complex cycle of sonatas inspired by geological processes [JF]

Leif Segerstam (conductor): Segerstam in Aarhus (Danacord)

Brilliant final testimony to Leif Segerstam’s recording career [JF]

Transatlantic CHAN20399

Transatlantic. Works for brass (Chandos)

A superbly curated disc which rewards unhurried listening and repeated return [JF]

noel rawthorne liverpool alto

Bach: Organ Favourites on the Mighty Willis Organ (Alto)

Cathedral power meets Baroque brilliance: Bach unleashed on Liverpool’s Titan [JF]

Bax: Complete Music for Cello and Piano (SOMM Recordings)

My go-to version for these remarkable compositions [JF]

LloydWebber TheSaviour Priory

W Lloyd Webber: The Saviour (Priory)

Essential for all lovers of English music from the choirstalls and the organ loft [JF]

pitfield orchestral music toccata

Pitfield: Orchestral Music (Toccata Classics)

A valuable exploration of Pitfield’s eminently approachable orchestral music [JF]

John Turner (recorder): A Few More Surprises (Prima Facie)

A sound and sophisticated production from the first note to the last [JF]

norwegian brass band championships 2007

Norwegian Brass Band Championships 2007 (Doyen)

(Déjà Review) I enjoyed virtually all the works presented but the absence of any information about them is deplorable [JF]

Ravel CompleteSongs SignumClassics

Ravel: The Complete Songs of Ravel (Signum Classics)

Clarity, fastidiousness, wit, harmonic richness, and melodic subtlety [JF]

Scott: Moods & Impressions (Tremula Records)

As an enjoyable exploration of Scott’s music, this disc has not been superseded [JF]