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Stephen Barber
Szymanowski: Concert Overture, Songs of a Fairy Princess, Symphony No 3 (CD Accord)
Szymanowski’s fans should hear this [SB]
Glass: Etudes for piano (Orange Mountain Music)
A valuable selection of Glass’s fascinating Etudes [SB]
Benjamin: Complete Piano Works (Piano Classics)
Commanding performances of all of George Benjamin’s piano works so far [SB]
Wagner: Die Walküre (Pristine Audio)
This second instalment of Knappertsbusch’s 1956 Ring is very acceptable [SB]
Dittersdorf: Symphonies after Ovid’s Metamorphoses (cpo)
Charming works from the time of Haydn and Mozart [SB]
Bach: Reconstructed (Audite)
Imaginative recreations of possible Brandenburg Concertos [SB]
Messiaen: Song Cycles (Alpha Classics)
Excellent versions of the attractive song cycles [SB]
Watkins: Works For Strings & Piano Trio (Resonus)
Attractive and accessible contemporary works [SB]
Silvestrov: Symphony for Violin and Orchestra ‘Widmung’ (Naxos)
Two of the works which made Silvestrov’s reputation, in good performances [SB]
Wagner: Das Rheingold (Pristine Audio)
This is a rewarding set, and fans of the singers, in particular, will be pleased [SB]
Debussy: Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien (SWR Classic)
A problematic version of a problematic work, but Debussyians should investigate [SB]
Enescu, Ysaÿe and Bacewicz: Music for Strings (Chandos)
John Wilson’s latest recording of string music is a winner [SB]
Zemlinsky: Eine florentinische Tragödie (BR Klassik)
A good version but there are better [SB]
Lumas Winds: British Wind Quintets (Champs Hill Records)
Five entertaining works and one more serious [SB]
d’Indy & Magnard: Piano works (Piano Classics)
d’Indy’s sonata is impressive but Magnard’s Promenades are more entertaining [SB]
Schubert/Liszt: Der Wanderer (Piano Classics)
Liszt’s reworkings of Schubert are well worth considering [SB]
Ravel: Chamber Music (First Hand Records)
Good performances of Ravel’s three major chamber works [SB]
Strauss: Piano Quartet & Metamorphosen (B Records)
Good performances but there are preferable versions of the main work [SB]
Busoni: Piano Concerto (SWR Classic)
A worthy performance of this massive work but others are better [SB]
Tchaikovsky, Korngold: String Sextets (Hyperion)
Two delightful string sextets, expertly played [SB]
Stainer: The Crucifixion (Delphian)
An ideal performance of this famous old work which should win it new friends [SB]
Schumann: Chamber works with wind instruments (B Records)
Minor Schumann, but very pleasant listening [SB]