CD Review including BAL on 07 Feb 2015

[Seán]

Timings are approximate




9.00am

Saint-Saens: Symphonies, Vol. 1
SAINT-SAENS: Symphony No. 1 in E flat major Op. 2; Symphony No. 2 in A minor Op. 55
Malmo SymfoniOrkester, Marc Soustrot (conductor)
NAXOS 8573138 (CD budget)

Brahms: Serenades
BRAHMS: Serenade No. 1 in D major Op. 11; Serenade No. 2 in A Major Op. 16
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Riccardo Chailly (conductor)
DECCA 4786775 (CD)

John McCabe: Composer, Pianist, Conductor
MCCABE, J: Symphony No. 1 ‘Elegy’; Capriccio (Study No. 1); Sostenuto (Study No. 2); Tuning; Fantasy on a Theme of Liszt
London Philharmonic Orchestra, John Snashall (conductor), John McCabe (piano), National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, John McCabe (conductor)
NAXOS 8571370 (CD budget)

Clare Hammond: Etude
CHIN, U: Piano Etudes (6)
KAPUSTIN: Five Etudes in Different Intervals Op. 68
LYAPUNOV: Etude d'execution transcendente Op. 11 No. 4 'Terek'; Etude d'execution transcendente Op. 11 No. 5 'Nuit d’ete'; Etude d'execution transcendente Op. 11 No. 6 'Tempete'
SZYMANOWSKI: Etudes (12) Op. 33
Clare Hammond (piano)
BIS BIS2004 (Hybrid SACD)




9.30am Building a Library

Geoffrey Norris sorts the sheep from the goats among the available recordings of Saint-Saëns's 'Organ' Symphony to make a personal recommendation.





10.20am

CPE Bach: Symphonies
BACH, C P E: Symphony in D major, Wq. 183/1 (H663); Sinfonia in A major, Wq. 182/4 (H660); Hamburg Symphony in B minor, Wq. 182/5 (H661); Symphony in F major, Wq. 183/3 (H665); Symphony in E flat major, Wq. 179 (H654)
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Rebecca Miller
SIGNUM SIGCD395 (CD)

Telemann: Trios & Quartets with viola da gamba
TELEMANN: Quartet TWV 43:G1 in G major for flute, violin, viola da gamba or cello & b.c.; Trio TWV 42:g1 in G minor for violin, viola da gamba & b.c.; Quartet TWV 43:G12 in G major for flute, 2 violas da gamba & b.c.; Sonata TWV 42:a7 in A minor for flute, viola da gamba & b.c.; Trio TWV 42:G6 in G major for viola da gamba, harpsichord & b.c.; Quartet TWV 43:e4 in E minor for flute, violin, viola da gamba or cello & b.c.
Florence Bolton, Benjamin Perrot, La Reveuse
MIRARE MIR267 (CD)

Leonardo Leo: Recorder Sonatas Nos. 1-7
LEO: Recorder Sonata I in F major; Recorder Sonata II in C major; Recorder Sonata III in D minor; Recorder Sonata IV in F major; Recorder Sonata V in F major; Recorder Sonata VI in G minor; Recorder Sonata VII in D minor
Tommaso Rossi (recorder), Ugo di Giovanni (archlute), Marco Vitali (cello), Raffaele di Donna (bass recorder), Patrizia Varone (harpsichord), Ensemble Barocco di Napoli
STRADIVARIUS STR33969 (CD)

Coup Fatal
Baroque music by Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Bach, Gluck and Handel combined with Congolese music, played on traditional and modern instruments by musicians from Kinshasa.
Serge Kakudji (countertenor), Coup Fatal, Rodriguez Vangama (conductor, guitar), OUTHERE OUT656 (CD)




10.50am New Releases

Hilary Finch discusses recent releases of Schubert song with Andrew, including the cycles “Winterreise” and “Schwanengesang”.

Franz Schubert Winterreisen
SCHUBERT: Winterreise D911
Daniel Behle (tenor), Oliver Schnyder Trio
SONY CLASSICAL 88883788232 (CD

SCHUBERT: Winterreise D911
Jan van Elsacker (tenor), Tom Beghin (fortepiano)
EVIL PENGUIN EPRC0016 (CD)

SCHUBERT: Winterreise D911
Zivi Emanuel-Marial (male alto), Philip Mayers (piano)
THOROFON CTH2615 (CD)

Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin, Winterreise & Schwanengesang
SCHUBERT: Die schone Mullerin, D795; Winterreise D911; Schwanengesang, D957
Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto), Inger Sodergren (piano)
ERATO 2564623701 (3CD budget)

Schubert: Schwanengesang
SCHUBERT: Schwanengesang, D957; Harfenspieler I D325 (Goethe); Harfenspieler III 'Wer nie sein Brot mit Tranen ass', D480; Harfenspieler II 'An die Turen will ich schleichen, D479; Grenzen der Menschheit, D716; Prometheus, D674 (Goethe)
Florian Boesch (baritone), Malcolm Martineau (piano)
ONYX ONYX4131 (CD mid-price)

Schubert: Schwanengesang
SCHUBERT: Schwanengesang, D957; Der Hochzeitsbraten D930 (Schober)
Christina Gansch (soprano), Robert Murray (tenor), Matthew Rose (bass), Malcolm Martineau (piano)
STONE RECORDS 5060192780475 (CD)

Schubert, Gluck, & CPE Bach: Klopstock Lieder
SCHUBERT: An Sie D288 (Klopstock); Das Rosenband, D280 (Klopstock); Dem Unendlichen, D291 (Klopstock); Die fruhen Grabe, D290 (Klopstock); Die Gestirne, D444; Die Sommernacht, D289 (Klopstock); Edone D445 (Klopstock); Furcht der Geliebten ('An Cidli') D285 (Klopstock); Hermann und Thusnelda D322 (Klopstock); Sekna und Selmar D286b (Klopstock); Vaterlandslied D287(Klopstock)
Wolfgang Holzmair (baritone), Stefanie Steger (soprano), Wolfgang Brunner (piano)
GRAMOLA GRAM99037 (CD)




11.45am Disc of the Week

Mozart: Horn Concertos & Horn Quintet
MOZART: Horn Concertos Nos. 1-4 (complete); Horn Quintet in E flat, K407
Pip Eastop (natural horn), The Hanover Band, Anthony Halstead (conductor), the Eroica Quartet
HYPERION CDA68097 (CD)

[Diapason]

I recall trying to do the same in Ciaran's place a few years back. We didn't really come to any conclusions that day, and I'm still searching for the perfect Saint-Saens 3.

[Seán]

That was my principal reason for posting the programme details. Fergus will almost certainly be interested in the Mozart Horn Concertos too.

[fergus]

That was my principal reason for posting the programme details. Fergus will almost certainly be interested in the Mozart Horn Concertos too.

He certainly will. Thank you for the notice Seán. I will listen to it on the playback facility.

[Diapason]

So what was the verdict? I'd be somewhat intrigued.

[Seán]

So what was the verdict? I'd be somewhat intrigued.

It is excellent:

Camille Saint-Saens
SAINT-SAENS: Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. “Organ Symphony”
Gaston Litaize (Organ), Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim

Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila; Prélude to Le Deluge Op. 45; Danse macabre, Op. 40
Orchestre de Paris, Daniel Barenboim

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02jhy7x

[Diapason]

I don't know that recording, thanks Sean, I'll look it up.

[Ciaran]

Also highly commended were

* Les Siecles under François-Xavier Roth, (Musicales Actes Sud). Authentic instruments, recorded in St. Sulpice, Daniel Roth on the Cavaillé-Coll

and

* Seattle Symphony under Ludovic Morlot, Joseph Adam, organ. Seattle Symphony Media. Here they're in their own hall with its own organ. The Barenboim has Orchestra and organ in different continents! It sounded fine on the radio, however.

Also a favourite of the reviewer, but currently unavailable (front-runner otherwise?)

* Oslo Philharmonic under Mariss Jansons, with Wayne Marshall on the organ. EMI

[Diapason]

Also highly commended were

* Les Siecles under François-Xavier Roth, (Musicales Actes Sud). Authentic instruments, recorded in St. Sulpice, Daniel Roth on the Cavaillé-Coll

Heh. Given that I smuggled this out of DaveF's place in my CD player and have yet to return it, I can also heartily endorse this recording!

(Sorry Dave, it's been on my desk in work for some time just waiting for me to do something with it, like, oh I dunno, put it in the post!)