jw
Jonathan Woolf
Myaskovsky: Vocal Works Vol. 2
More premiere recordings of Myaskovsky’s introspective songs [JW]
Heifetz reDiscovered (RCA)
(Déjà Review) A disc of drama, excitement and real historical and musical value [JW]
Eugene Goossens – Cincinnati Symphony Vol 2 (Pristine Audio)
More pluses and some minuses with Goossens in Cincinnati [JW]
Koczalski: Symphonic Works Vol. 1 (Acte Préalable)
A long-running series throws up more compositional dilemmas [JW]
Robert Lortat (piano) – Chopin Recordings (APR)
Lortat, a real competitor to Cortot in Chopin, finally receives the transfers he deserves [JW]
Mischa Elman (violin) Tchaikovsky & Wieniawski (Biddulph)
Elman in Slavic repertoire: genteel decline in action [JW]
Otto Klemperer (conductor): The Remastered Edition (Warner Classics)
Klemperer consolidated; his full Warner legacy in best-yet transfers [JW]
Oscar Shumsky (violin): Live at Berkeley (Biddulph)
Shumsky in a previously unreleased recital – a magnificent violinist with an admirable pianist [JW]
The First Songs of Travel (Albion)
A 1950s English song recital restored; excellent remastering but stylistically uncertain [JW]
Coates: Orchestral Works Vol 3 (Chandos)
John Wilson, spruce and lively once again in Eric Coates [JW]
Brahms: Chamber Works (Pristine Audio)
The pre-war Budapest Quartet triumphs in Brahms [JW]
Louis Kaufman (violin) French works for violin (Music & Arts)
(Déjà Review) Lyrical, tragic, introspective, exultant [JW]
Schubert: Wanderer Fantasy and Sonatas (APR)
(Déjà Review) Performances which reflect Smith’s formidable credentials as a Schubertian of distinction [JW]
Glanville-Hicks: The Songs (Tall Poppies)
(Déjà Review) This rewarding disc furthers my admiration for her music [JW]
Three Great Danish Woman Pianists (Danacord)
(Déjà Review) A most worthwhile conspectus of these three very varied women [JW]
Busoni: Works for Piano & Orchestra (Music & Arts)
(Déjà Review) Grante is impressive, enthusiastic, comprehensive, technically eloquent and idiomatic [JW]
Mozart: Overtures (RCA)
(Déjà Review) Davis cleaves to traditional values with his superlative orchestra, splendidly recorded [JW]
Romantic Clarinet Quintets (Musical Concepts)
A warmly textured and rubato-conscious performance from an experienced clarinettist and chamber colleagues [JW]
Mendelssohn: String Quartets (Cedille)
(Déjà Review) A suitably warm and wonderfully detailed recording matches insight, imagination and colouristic sensibility [JW]
Mompou: Complete Piano Works (Brilliant Classics)
(Déjà Review) A chance to admire Mompou the composer-pianist in his maturity and playing that gets to the heart of the matter [JW]
Frederick Stock (conductor) Chicago Symphony Vol. 2 (Pristine Audio)
Frederick Stock and his Chicago forces excel in major repertory [JW]
From Jewish Life (SWR Classics)
A valuable boxed reissue from SWR’s vaults brings melancholy, vivacity and many disc premieres [JW]
von Klenau: Orchestral works (Dacapo)
A strange triptych of previously unrecorded works by Paul von Klenau [JW]
Müller-Hermann: Chamber Music (Hänssler Classic)
A chamber music pairing that reflects contrasting influences on a still little-known Austrian composer [JW]