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Philip Harrison
Looking back to a concert season 100 years ago
by Philip Harrison
JS Bach: French Suites (Da Vinci Classics)
Explore the style galant with Bach’s French Suites [PHa]
Donizetti: L’elisir d’amore (Opus Arte)
The elixir of love conquers all [PH]
Shostakovich: Symphonies 1 & 3 (Chandos)
Storgårds jumps to the beginning in his survey of Shostakovich symphonies – with mixed results [PH]
Milhaud: Suite Provençale & La Création du monde (High Definition Tape Transfers)
Milhaud from Boston in classic Living Stereo sound in an authentic reel-to-reel tape transfer [PH]
Mozart: Idomeneo (BR Klassik)
A new Idomeneo and another excellent release from Rattle and the Bavarians [PH]
Dancing in Vienna (Somm Recordings)
An invitation to the dance from a master of the lighter style [PH]
British piano quintets (SOMM Recordings)
The essence of the jolly trout in rare British piano quintet repertory [PH]
The Phoenix Opera Company
by Philip Harrison
Salieri: Cublai, Gran Kan De’ Tartari (Aparté)
The buffa side of Italian Opera in the heyday of Vienna’s pre-eminence [PH]
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas (Deutsche Grammophon)
Richter in his prime in Beethoven from the archives of Deutsche Grammophon [PH]
Bliss: Cello Concerto (Onyx)
The first recording of the Bliss concerto in thirty years is a stunning account [PH]
The Royal Opera Season of 1925
by Philip Harrison
Welsh Music for Strings (Rubicon)
A little light music from the valleys – each piece a recording premiere [PH]
Bach JS, Telemann & Albinoni: Concerti (Alpha Classics)
Enlightenment in Germany with an Italian twist [PH]
León: Orchestral works (LPO)
The music of Tania León offers a wealth of colour and a keen sense of rhythm [PH]
Gilbert & Sullivan: Utopia, Limited (Opus Arte)
Hurrah for the Joint Stocks Companies Act of 1862! Ulahlica! [PH]
A Chorus Line – 50 years old today
by Philip Harrison
Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem (LPO)
Another winning anniversary issue of a trio of Britten works from an in-form partnership [PH]
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (CRQ Editions)
Tito Gobbi in one of his great roles at Covent Garden, by way of the BBC [PH]
French School Pianists play French concertos (APR)
A great piano tradition is celebrated in style [PH]
Haydn: Symphonies & Violin Concerto (Alpha Classics)
Another volume to cherish from Alpha & Antononi [PH]
Bartók: Complete String Quartets (Forgotten Records)
Outgunned by the competition, but still worth a listen [PH]
Dvořák & Schumann: Symphonies (LPO)
Another anniversary release from the LPO hits the spot [PH]
