jw
Jonathan Woolf
Edwin Fischer (piano) Lausanne CO Concerts (Maestro Editions)
Historic live Bach from Edwin Fischer restored in fine sound [JW]
Rachmaninov: Symphony No.3, Isle of the Dead (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) If you want these performances, this disc proves a canny and inexpensive way to acquire them [JW]
Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony (Pristine Audio)
A discographic first – Dan Godfrey’s 1925 recording of ‘A London Symphony’ [JW]
Elgar: From the Archives Vol 2, Cello & Violin Concertos (SOMM)
Presenting Navarra’s known strengths and adding Varga’s now forgotten qualities [JW]
Erling Bloch: Pioneering Danish chamber musician (Danacord)
The restored recordings of Erling Bloch – sonata and trio player, quartet leader, eminent teacher and committed exponent [JW]
Sir Adrian Boult: Complete Warner Stereo Recordings (Warner Classics)
79 CDs of Warner’s Boult stereo legacy offering the known and the overlooked alike [JW]
Beethoven &; Fauré: Violin Sonatas (Pristine Audio)
(Déjà Review) This release goes a long way to cementing the Sammons discography [JW]
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Beethoven: Symphony No.8 (SOMM Recordings)
Beecham full of flair but with somewhat foggy sonics in live Royal Festival Hall broadcasts [JW]
Sanromá: The Complete Boston ‘Pops’ Recordings (APR)
The formidable concerto achievements of Jesús María Sanromá in an irresistible 2-for-1 release [JW]
Mozart: Piano Concertos 22 & 27 (Maestro Editions)
A Mozartian 90th birthday to Peter Frankl, live from Cleveland, and full of sensitive musicianship [JW]
Overtures from the British Isles Volume 3 (Chandos)
A third volume focuses on mid-century overtures, with three world premiere recordings [JW]
Beethoven: Complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano (Erato)
(Déjà Review) Cut from intimate cloth, preferring incremental, dextrous playing, exuding tenderness and relaxation [JW]
Soirées Internationales – Cello Music (Avie)
(Déjà Review) This Parisian journey can be warmly welcomed [JW]
Renée Chemet (violin): The Victor Recordings (Biddulph)
Another dose of the charming, characterful and decidedly old-fashioned stylist, Renée Chemet [JW]
Antheil: Violin Concerto, Valentine Waltzes (Antal Doráti Society)
A historic Antheil premiere in very fallible sound coupled with his only solo piano recordings [JW]
Korngold: Chamber Works (Cedille)
Beautifully modulated performances of the quartets and beyond [JW]
Hungarian Music for Cello and Piano (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) A winning recital [JW]
The Launy Grøndahl Legacy, Volume 11 (Danacord)
The final Grøndahl Legacy disc from Danacord embraces radio opera as well as the restaurant band pleasures of his rare 1923 Pathés [JW]
Elgar: Premiere Recordings Remastered (SOMM Ariadne)
Elgarian discographic firsts from the immediate post-war period, with competing Enigma Variations [JW]
Renée Chemet (violin): The HMV Recordings (Biddulph)
The ‘French Kreisler’ Renée Chemet proves a characterful, idiosyncratic and anachronistic stylist [JW]
Novák: Piano Concerto, Orchestral suites (cpo)
Another recording of Novák’s youthful Piano Concerto coupled with two ballet pantomimes [JW]
Gibbs: Sonatas for Violin and Basso Continuo (First Hand Records)
A little-known East Anglian with a flair for synthesising violin sonatas, played with energy and finesse [JW]
Dvořák: Slavonic Dances (Pentatone)
A disappointing, generalized survey of what should be infectious music-making [JW]
Sir Thomas Beecham (conductor) The Complete Acoustics 1910-18
Characterful examples of Beecham’s first recordings performed by his zestful orchestra [JW]
