jw

Jonathan Woolf

Airwaves clarinet MPR117

From the Airwaves (MPR)

Lighter fare for clarinet and piano from a fine duo [JW]

bach brandenburg danacord

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos (Danacord)

A near-complete 1930s Brandenburg Concerto cycle from Berlin and interesting additions [JW]

Pejačević: Chamber music (Brilliant Classics)

A new recording highlights the lyricism and structural strength of Pejačević’s chamber music [JW]

Ecoles de Paris Eda 048

Écoles de Paris – Paris pour École (EDA)

The Foreign Legion conscripted to the School of Paris with vitalising results [JW]

Bernstein Symphonies Slatkin Chandos CHAN9889

L Bernstein: Jeremiah and Age of Anxiety (Chandos)

(Déjà Review) This disc in excellent sound is a worthy alternative to the composer’s own [JW]

maliszewski quartets pscm

Maliszewski: String Quartets (PSCM Records)

Conventional and a little quirky; a minor composer slowly emerges [JW]

arrau early years marston

Claudio Arrau (piano) The Early Years (Marston)

(Déjà Review) No Arrau admirer would want to be without it [JW]

Clarke: Viola Sonata, Violin Sonata (Oehms Classics)

Rebecca Clarke’s string sonatas chart her movement from Brahms to modernism [JW]

Stravinsky violin BIS2657

Stravinsky, Bartok & Martinů (BIS)

A puzzling release in which clarity trumps nuance and warmth [JW]

Moondog songs CA21192

Moondog: Songs & Symphoniques (Cantaloupe)

Mystic and shaman, master of rounds and lullabies, rebirthed by arrangers and singers [JW]

Blake Orchestral Philharmonia Somm CD0678

Blake: Orchestral Works (Somm Recordings)

Blake at his approachable best in orchestral music [JW]

polish quartets acte prealable

Polish String Quartets (Acte Préalable)

Too much programmatic conformity partially rescued by the engaging Rogowski [JW]

Bonis, Fauré, Hahn: Violin Sonatas (Chandos)

Three contrasting French sonatas offer rewarding virtues [JW]

jensen legacy danacord

Thomas Jensen (conductor) Legacy Vol. 20 (Danacord)

Holmboe’s Seventh Symphony heads a varied and packed historic Danacord twofer [JW]

Energico (DUX)

Accordion meets chamber orchestra in colourful, zestful performances [JW]

Flury: Chamber Music Vol. 1 (Toccata Classics)

Flury’s romanticism on rather low wattage in his string quartets [JW]

BergN syms 7776652

Berg: Symphonies Nos 4 & 5 (cpo)

Two wildly contrasting symphonies from the Swedish military veterinarian [JW]

Szigeti Recital at USC 1957 Biddulph 85039-2

Joseph Szigeti (violin) Recital at USC 1957 (Biddulph)

Late Szigeti: time to flog a dead horse [JW]

piano christmas 1920s lyrichord

A Piano Christmas in the 1920s (Lyrichord)

(Déjà Review) An enjoyable and unabashed collection [JW]

Ullmann: Little Cakewalk – Lieder (Gramola)

Over an hour of distressing singing sabotages this song selection [JW]

Gibbs qtets CR083

Gibbs: String quartets (Convivium)

Dappled watercolours from a minor British chamber composer [JW]

Thomas Jensen Legacy v19 Danacord DACOCD929

Thomas Jensen (conductor) Legacy Vol 19 (Danacord)

Broadcasts of Nielsen concertos from unfamiliar soloists head a variety-packed twofer [JW]

kaun symphony cpo

Kaun: Symphony 3 (cpo)

A German (temporary) expatriate’s little-known orchestral music [JW]

Novák: Concertos (Supraphon)

Jan Novák’s daughters record his scores with vitality and filial authority [JW]