CD Review on Sat 31st March 2012 - looks good!

[Seán]

This looks like a lovely programme.

I'm really looking forward to the BAL project this week. I would like to see the Quartetto Italiano come first; I sincerely hope that it's not the Takács performance that receives the first place nomination.

In this week’s programme (timings are approximate):

9.05am

Schubert Lieder Volume 6
SCHUBERT: Schwanengesang, D957; Herbst, D.945; Piano Sonata No. 21 in B flat major, D960 Matthias Goerne (baritone), Christoph Eschenbach (piano) HARMONIA MUNDI HMC902139/40 (CD + Bonus CD, mid-price)

Schubert: Willkommen und Abschied
SCHUBERT: Heidenröslein, D257; Schlaflied D527 (Mayrhofer); Wiegenlied D867 (Seidl); Geheimes, D719 (Goethe); Ganymed, D544 (Goethe); Auf der Bruck, D853; Der Fischer, D225 (Goethe); Dass sie hier gewesen! D775 (Rückert); Bei dir allein, D866/2; Der Schiffer, D536 (Mayrhofer); Willkommen und Abschied, D767; Der Wanderer, D493; Im Walde D834; Wandrers Nachtlied I 'Der du von dem Himmel bist', D224; Der Einsame, D800; Der Winterabend (Es ist so still), D938; Herbst, D945; Rosamunde, D797: Romance 'Der Vollmond Strahlt auf Bergeshöh'n'; Nachtstück, D672 (Mayrhofer) Werner Güra (tenor), Christoph Berner (fortepiano Rönisch) HARMONIA MUNDI HMC902112 (CD, mid-price)

Bei dir allein!
SCHUBERT: Bei dir allein, D866/2; Lied der Delphine, D857 No. 1; Lied des Florio, D857 No. 2; Suleika I, D720; Suleika II, D717; An Sylvia, D891; Der Zwerg, D771 (Collin); Geheimes, D719 (Goethe); Heimliches Lieben D922 (Klenke); Gretchen am Spinnrade, D118; Frühlingsglaube, D686; Im Frühling, D882; Der Sänger am Felsen, D482; Totengräbers Heimwehe D842 (Craigher); Litanei auf das Fest Allerseelen, D343 Camilla Tilling (soprano), Paul Rivinius (piano) BIS BISSACD1844 (Hybrid SACD, mid-price)

9.30am Building a Library

Misha Donat surveys recordings of Schubert’s String Quartet no. 14 in D minor D.810 and makes recommendations:

10.20am

Rob Cowan discusses his favourite recordings of Schubert Symphonies:

SCHUBERT: *Symphony No. 1 in D major, D82; *Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, D125 Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, David Zinman (conductor) RCA 88697 87147 2 (CD, mid-price)

Sir Thomas Beecham: The Later Tradition
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36; Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92; Mass in C major, Op. 86; Incidental music to The Ruins of Athens
BRAHMS: Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80; Schicksalslied, Op. 54; Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
LISZT: A Faust Symphony, S108; Orpheus, symphonic poem No. 4, S98; Psalm 13
MENDELSSOHN: A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture, Op. 21; The Fair Melusine Overture, Op. 32
SCHUBERT: *Symphony No. 3 in D major, D200; Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, D485; Symphony No. 6 in C major, D589 STRAUSS, R: Don Quixote, Op. 35; Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Op. 60; Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40; Liebesszene (from Feuersnot); Salome: Dance of the Seven Veils; Intermezzo, Op. 72: Entr'acte in A flat
SUPPE: Dichter und Bauer Overture
WAGNER: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Overture Jennifer Vyvyan (soprano), Monica Sinclair (contralto), Richard Lewis (tenor), Marian Nowakowski (bass), Beecham Choral Society, Alexander Young (tenor), Walter Midgley (tenor), Paul Tortelier (cello), Leonard Rubens (viola), Oscar Lampe (violin), Steven Staryk (violin), John Kennedy (cello), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham (conductor) EMI 9186112 (8 CDs, budget)

MOZART: Symphony No. 41 in C, KV. 551 'Jupiter'
SCHUBERT: *Symphony No. 3 in D, D. 200; Symphony No. 5 in D, D. 485 Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Oswald Kabasta (conductor) PREISNER PR90303 (CD, mid-price)

BERWALD: Symphony No. 3 in C, "Sinfonie Singulière"; Symphony No. 4 in E flat, "Sinfonie Naïve"
SCHUBERT: *Symphony No. 4 in C minor ("Tragic"), D. 417 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Igor Markevitch (conductor) Deutsche Grammophon 457 705-2 (CD, budget)

Giulini in America II – The Chicago Recordings
BRITTEN: Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings, Op. 31
DVORAK: Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 'From the New World'; Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88
MAHLER: Symphony No. 9 in D major
MUSSORGSKY orch. Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition
PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 'Classical'
SCHUBERT: *Symphony No. 4 in C minor, D417 'Tragic'; Symphony No. 9 in C major, D944 'The Great' Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 'Unfinished'
Robert Tear (tenor) & Dale Clevenger (horn), Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini (conductor) DG 4779628 (5 CDs, budget)

SCHUBERT: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 (Complete) including one of Rob’s favourite *Symphony No 5 in Bb SWR Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden and Freiburg, Hans Zender (conductor) Hänssler HAEN93120 (4 CDs, mid-price)

BRUCKNER: Symphony no.8, WAB.108 in C minor
SCHUBERT: *Symphony no.5, D.485 in B flat major SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sergiu Celibidache (conductor DG 445 473-2 (2 CDs)

SCHUBERT: Symphony no. 8 in B minor, D. 759 "Unfinished"; *Symphony no. 6 in C, D. 589 Orchestra of the 18th Century, Frans Brüggen (conductor) Philips 442 117-2 (CD)

Guido Cantelli: Fiery Angel of the Podium
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 - movements 2-4; Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68; Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90
CASELLA: Paganiniana, Op. 65
DEBUSSY: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune; Trois Nocturnes: Nuages et Fêtes; La Mer; Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien - Fragments symphoniques
DUKAS: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
FALLA: El sombrero de tres picos
FRANCK, C: Symphony in D minor
MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 'Italian'
MOZART: Ein musikalischer Spass K522; Symphony No. 29 in A major, K201
RAVEL: Pavane pour une infante défunte; Daphnis et Chloé - Suite No. 2
ROSSINI: La gazza ladra Overture; Le Siège de Corinthe Overture
SCHUBERT: *Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 'Unfinished'
SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120
TCHAIKOVSKY: Romeo & Juliet - Fantasy Overture; Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64; Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 'Pathétique'
WAGNER: Siegfried Idyll
Philharmonia Orchestra, NBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Milano, Orchestra Stabile Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rome, Guido Cantelli (conductor) EMI 6 79043 2 (9 CDs, budget)

Edition Hans Knappertsbusch & Berliner Philharmoniker: The complete RIAS recordings Berlin, 1950-1952
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Symphony No. 8 in C minor, Symphony No. 9 in D Minor
HAYDN: Symphony No. 94 in G Major 'Surprise'
KOMZÁK II: II Bad’ner Mad’ln
NICOLAI, C O: Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor overture
SCHUBERT: *Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 'Unfinished', *Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 'Unfinished'
STRAUSS, J, II: Tausendundeine Nacht, Op. 346: Intermezzo, Die Fledermaus Overture, Pizzicato Polka
TCHAIKOVSKY: The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a Berliner Philharmonic Orchestra, Hans Knappertsbusch (conductor) AUDITE 21.405 (5 CDs, budget)

A Portrait Of Rafael Kubelik
SCHUBERT: *Symphony No. 9 in C Major, "Great", D.944
MOZART: Serenade No. 13 In G Major, K.525 "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"; Symphony No. 36 In C Major, K.425 "Linz"
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 4 In F Minor, Op.36 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Rafael Kubelik (conductor) Disky DCL 705982 (2 CDs)

Edition Wilhelm Furtwängler - Complete Rias Recordings: live recordings from 1947 to 1954 BACH, J S: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV1068
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 'Pastoral'; Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67; Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61; Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 'Eroica'; Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 'Eroica'; Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 'Pastoral'; Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
BLACHER: Concertante Musik, Op. 10
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98; Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90; Variations on a theme by Haydn for orchestra, Op. 56a 'St Anthony Variations'; Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90
BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 8 in C minor (2nd Version)
FORTNER: Concerto for violin & Large Chamber Orchestra
GLUCK: Alceste Overture
HANDEL: Concerto grosso, Op. 6 No. 10 in D minor, HWV328; Concerto grosso, Op. 6 No. 5 in D major, HWV323
HINDEMITH: Concerto for Orchestra, Op. 38; Symphony 'Die Harmonie der Welt'
MENDELSSOHN: A Midsummer Night's Dream Overture, Op. 21
SCHUBERT: Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 'Unfinished'; Rosamunde, D797: Overture; Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D759 'Unfinished'; *Symphony No. 9 in C major, D944 'The Great'
SCHUMANN: Manfred Overture, Op. 115
STRAUSS, R: Don Juan, Op. 20
WAGNER: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Overture; Tristan und Isolde: Prelude & Liebestod; Götterdämmerung: Siegfried's Funeral March; Götterdämmerung: finale
WEBER: Der Freischütz Overture
Bonus material: Interviews with Furtwängler Yehudi Menuhin (violin), Gerhard Taschner (violin), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Wilhelm Furtwängler (conductor) AUDITE 21.403 (12 CDs, budget)

Toscanini Collection Vol 15
SCHUBERT: Symphony no 5 in B flat major, D 485; *Symphony no 9 in C major, D 944 "Great" by Franz Schubert NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini (conductor) RCA GD 60291 (CD)

(* featured symphony)

11.10 am Schubert Lab with Tom Service

11.20 am Building a Library recommendation

[Seán]

Next week's BAL is Bach's Saint Matthew Passion.

[Seán]

The nomination is the 1981 recording by the Amadeus Quartet:


With the historical preference awarded to the Busch Quartet:


and a special mention for the Lindsays:


I really liked the Amadeus and the Busch performances.

The BBC have just finished broadcasting the entire Amadeus recording, it is a very enjoyable performance.

[Ciaran]

I've been listening to BAL for nearly thirty years and that was the first time that I can remember where the famous Amadeus Quartet did well in the comparisons! I listened to the complete performance too and enjoyed it hugely. Unfortunately it'd OOP at the moment, hence the recommendation of the Lindsays. I liked what I heard of the Hagen Quartet: the second variation with the cello solo was just gorgeous! The Busch Quartet sound like an essential purchase as well.

Update: Misha Donat said the Amadeus were out of print, but it's on offer here on Amazon (for a mere £3.97) and on the DG webshop: maybe they reissued it if they heard it had won BAL?

[bombasticDarren]

I wonder if anyone heard Rob Cowan's summary of the available symphony recordings of Schubert? Some interesting choices and I was also a little surprised that both Cowan and Andrew McGregor singled out Bruggen's recording of the 9th symphony - this is a reading that I instantly disliked (although the rest of the cycle is excellent)

[Seán]

I've been listening to BAL for nearly thirty years and that was the first time that I can remember where the famous Amadeus Quartet did well in the comparisons! I listened to the complete performance too and enjoyed it hugely. Unfortunately it'd OOP at the moment, hence the recommendation of the Lindsays. I liked what I heard of the Hagen Quartet: the second variation with the cello solo was just gorgeous! The Busch Quartet sound like an essential purchase as well.

Update: Misha Donat said the Amadeus were out of print, but it's on offer here on Amazon (for a mere £3.97) and on the DG webshop: maybe they reissued it if they heard it had won BAL?

Hi Ciaran, the Amadeus Quartet recording has been available on Amazon for several months, I've had a copy in my basket for a long time. I must say that I am fond of the Amadeus, I have their Brahms, Haydn and Mozart box sets. I too was surprised that they received first place. I liked the Hagen too but the Busch stood out for me, I will get a copy of the Busch Quartet's recording in due course.

[Seán]

I wonder if anyone heard Rob Cowan's summary of the available symphony recordings of Schubert? Some interesting choices and I was also a little surprised that both Cowan and Andrew McGregor singled out Bruggen's recording of the 9th symphony - this is a reading that I instantly disliked (although the rest of the cycle is excellent)

I listened to the entire programme. Rob Cowen recommended the Bruggen/Orchestra of the 18th Century Sixth recording, I find that their versions of the Eigth and Ninth are awful. Cowen recommended the Toscanini/NBC SO version of the Ninth, I'd prefer Solti/VPO.

I really liked the performances of the Second and Fifth Symphonies by the Zinman/Tonhalle and the Zender/Baden-Baden und Freiburg orchestras.

[bombasticDarren]

I wonder if anyone heard Rob Cowan's summary of the available symphony recordings of Schubert? Some interesting choices and I was also a little surprised that both Cowan and Andrew McGregor singled out Bruggen's recording of the 9th symphony - this is a reading that I instantly disliked (although the rest of the cycle is excellent)

I listened to the entire programme. Rob Cowen recommended the Bruggen/Orchestra of the 18th Century Sixth recording, I find that their versions of the Eigth and Ninth are awful. Cowen recommended the Toscanini/NBC SO version of the Ninth, I'd prefer Solti/VPO.

I really liked the performances of the Second and Fifth Symphonies by the Zinman/Tonhalle and the Zender/Baden-Baden und Freiburg orchestras.

I heard no mention at all of Abbado in the discussion - that surprised me :-0