rb

Rob Barnett

Britten & Veale: Violin Concertos (Chandos)

(Déjà Review) A gorgeous disc that will have you reassessing the Britten and embracing the Veale concerto [RB]

Danish PCs Danacord DACOCD597

Danish Piano Concertos Vol 3 (Danacord)

(Déjà Review) Three memorable Danish romantic piano concertos [RB]

Goossens: Chamber music for flute (Chandos)

(Déjà Review) A consummately successful collection [RB]

Bjorling Til Havs Swedish Society SCD1100

Jussi Björling (tenor) Til Havs (Swedish Society Discofil)

(Déjà Review) A treasure snatched from last minute oblivion and a memorable memento of a great voice and personality [RB]

korngold robin hood naxos

Korngold: The Adventures of Robin Hood (Marco Polo)

(Déjà Review) A thorough restoration performed with ‘great-hearted’ elan and thumpingly well recorded [RB]

Doráti: Orchestral Works (BIS)

(Déjà Review) Two harmonically astringent potently imaginative works coupled with a bright and light-on-the-toes serenade [RB]

Leningrad String Quartets (Northern Flowers)

Four largely unknown Leningrad quartets in committed performances [RB]

Banschikov Piano Sonata Northern Flowers NFPMA99155

Banschikov: Sonatas for Piano, Flute & Bayan (Northern Flowers)

Fierce, angular melancholia, deliberate clarity and a turned-inwards icy-acid virtuosity [RB]

Grechaninov: Symphony No.3 (Chandos)

(Déjà Review) The strongest of the Grechaninov CDs from Chandos – the cantata is a work of the greatest virtue [RB]

Hovhaness piano MS1796

Hovhaness: Mountain Fantasies (MSR Classics)

Rites of mountainous meditation here played and recorded with eloquent muscularity [RB]

villa-lobos choros asv

Villa-Lobos: Chôros 1-7 (ASV)

(Déjà Review) Close your eyes and conjure your own veranda [RB]

Natanael-Berg-Phono-Suecia-PSCD721

N Berg: Song of Songs & Symphony No 4 (Phono Suecia)

(Déjà Review) A warming chance to sample the music of Berg the Swedish romantic [RB]

Tučapský: Concertos (SOMM Recordings)

(Déjà Review) The sort of disc which makes reviewing ‘peripheral’ repertoire a joy [RB]

van der Pals String Quartets v1 cpo 5552822

van der Pals: String Quartets Vol 1 (cpo)

A late-romantic cat’s-cradle of tenderness caught in a viscous tonal velour [RB]

bortkiewicz symphonies hyperion

Bortkiewicz: Symphonies (Hyperion)

(Déjà Review) Exultant, yearning, gloomy, sincere, passionate, nostalgic Slavonic music [RB]

Noskowski: Symphonies 1 & 2 (Capriccio)

Two late-19th century symphonies, agreeable if not compelling, little known, little heard [RB]

Stamp: Chamber Music Vol.1 (Toccata Classics)

Cleverly-shaped wind music in an often enchanted populist blend [RB]

d’Albert: Die Toten Augen (cpo)

(Déjà Review) You will want to luxuriate in this fine score [RB]

Alfano qtets 8579042

Alfano: Complete String Quartets (Naxos)

Wondrously fervent, hot-house stuff … upon you with tiger-like ferocity [RB]

An interview with Philip L Scowcroft

by Robert Barnett

François Le Roux (baritone): Schoeck, Barber & Durey (Gallo)

(Déjà Review) A real connoisseur’s disc [RB]

An interview with BIS founder Robert van Bahr

by Robert Barnett

chadwick orchestral reference

Chadwick: Orchestral Works (Reference Recordings)

(Déjà Review) Fine rare repertoire and typically sprung, lively sound with power and subtlety aplenty [RB]

Scriabin sym2 8574139

Scriabin: The Poem of Ecstasy, Symphony No. 2 (Naxos)

Exemplary justice done … ecstatic filigree and truculent brass artillery [RB]