Debussy: Pelleas et Melisande

Zurich Opera, Alain Altinoglu

BELAIR BAC 157

Debussy’s only opera was conceived as a fairy tale, a fantasy, but there has been a recent spate of productions which try to give it a naturalistic gloss. Glyndebourne’s most recent production did this with considerable success, by putting the whole story into the thinking of the composer. In Dmitri Tcherniakov’s approach we are in a highly realistic modern, and very expensive, flat which serves for all the scenes. Characters eat, drink and move about in the most relaxed way but the text regularly has nothing to do with the visual impact. Melisande, a convincing portrait of neurosis by Corinne Winters, is either insane at the start or becomes increasingly so as the work progresses. Golaud is her psychiatrist – there is no hint of royalty or palace about the production – and Pelleas his younger sparring partner.

It is unclear how much of what is said is aimed to help Melisande come to her right mind – to unlock the causes of her neurosis – or whether they are all equally mad.

Thankfully the singing is splendid and the orchestral playing beautifully balanced. I found myself quite often simply listening. Yet again the CDs might have been more impressive than the DVD.

Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia

Theatre des Champs Elysees, Le Cercle de l’Harmonie, Jeremie Rhorer

NAXOS 2.110592

This is an odd but remarkably successful combination of forces. Le Cercle de l’Harmonie under Jeremie Rhorer bring us original instrument tonalities and a really sparkling support where on stage Laurent Pelly’s production is as post-modern as one might wish for with its setting of vast pages of manuscript paper.

The cast are in modern dress but the interaction of characters is so forceful as to sweep away any lurking objections. Add to this some very fine singing, particularly from Michele Angelini’s glorious high tenor as Almaviva, and there is a great deal here to admire and enjoy.

Jaromir Weinberger

Orchestral works

Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Karl-Heinz Steffens

CPO 777 513-2

It would be easy to dismiss Weinberger as a one-work-wonder but this would be a disservice to his abilities as this new cd shows. We may all know the Polka from Schwanda, the Bagpiper but the excerpts here show the work is full of lovely folk melodies and a creative use of orchestration.

Set alongside the six Bohemian Songs and Dances, and the overture to the ill-fated The Beloved Voice, and we get a sense yet again that the one popular hit can be a mill-stone to a composer who might be much better known without it.

Mieczyslaw Weinberg

Chamber symphonies 1 & 3

East-West Chamber Orchestra, Rostislav Krimer

NAXOS 8.574063

I have to admit not knowing Weinberg before encountering this new recording and made the mistake of assuming it was by Weinberger. No connection of course and these lyrical chamber pieces speak eloquently for themselves. The composer did not have an easy time and spent the last years of his life in obscurity, his style now very much out of fashion. Thankfully we are – I hope – more open to recognising quality regardless of whether it happens to be fashionable or not and these are certainly worth following up in their own right.

Iberia y Francia

Imogen Cooper, piano

CHANDOS CHAN 20119

An interesting collection and a well arranged programme which leads us tactfully from the familiar to the rare, through Ravel and de Falla to Albeniz and Mompou via unfamiliar pieces of Debussy. Within the context, Debussy’s L’Isle joyeuse seems overtly modern.

Romantic piano concerto: 79

Markus Becker, piano, Rundfunk-sinfonieorchester Berlin, Constantin Trinks

HYPERION CDA 68258

Pfitzner’s E flat major piano concerto is a four movement bombastic work which has its moments but often seems over the top. By contrast the lesser known Tag und Nacgtstucke by Walter Braunfels is a more subtle impressionistic piece which weaves the piano part into the orchestration rather than sets up a contest of might.

Puccini: Le Villi

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Marco Angius

DYNAMIC 37840

Puccini’s Le Villi is rarely performed and even with the quality of the singing here it is easy to see why. While there is some good music in it, the structure fails to hold the attention even though it is essentially a one act work. It feels as though the composer could not quite make up his mind whether to write a full ballet score or an opera and ended up with an unhappy compromise.

Paul Gunn: A Beekeeper’s Garden

Paul Gunn, piano with soloists

Available from www.paulgunn.bandcamp.com

I came across Paul Gunn and the members of his band almost by accident at an open event at the Opus Theatre in Hastings. It is worth listing the instrumentalists involved. Paul Gunn himself plays both a Steinway and an Arturia American digital piano. He also composed most of the tracks. Helen Thomas plays an early nineteenth century cello; Leslee Booth is on Bass and David Rohomans on Drums. Bjorn Dahlberg is on sax and clarinet, Ben Cummings on trumpet and flugelhorn. The constant changes of dynamic and tonal qualities across this range of instruments is enlightening and persuasive. The style is relaxed but always gently challenging expectation. I particularly enjoyed Creole Dance and Two Part Invention, but you really need to hear the cd or better catch the group live. Recording available from the address above.

British Tone Poems: Vol 2

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Rumon Gamba

CHANDOS CHAN 10981

Most of these works will be unfamiliar but are certainly worth more than a cursory listen. I particularly enjoyed Foulds’ April-England which sits happily alongside works by Vaughan Williams and Arthur Bliss. Hymen Cowen’s Reverie and Hadley’s Kinder Scout are here recorded for the first time, and all of these short works could easily hold their own in the concert hall.

Brahms: Violin Sonatas,

Alina Ibragimova, violin; Cedric Tiberchien, piano

HYPERION CDA 68200

A lovely disc, and seductively indulgent. The second movement of the Sonata No1 in G major is sheer delight. Added to the three Brahms’ sonatas is the short but beautiful Andante molto by Clara Schumann. Worth every penny!

Schumann: Songs of Love and Death

Simon Wolfisch, baritone; Edward Rushton, piano

RESONUS RES 10247

As well as Dichterliebe this recording includes 12 settings of Justinus Kerner and 5 songs taken from Hans Christian Andersen. There is an intensity to Simon Wolfisch’ singing which is entirely in keeping with the scores and splendidly supported by Edward Rushton.

Rossini; Sigismondo

Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Munchner Rundfunkorchester, Keri-Lynn Wilson

BR KLASSIK 900327

Sigismondo did not go down well in Venice when it was first heard in 1814. The story is even more complex than we are used to in opera plots and involve levels of mental confusion and misunderstanding which certainly confused the first night audience hoping for another noble tale like Tancredi or a comedy. In the event they got neither but on can’t object to the score itself with is a strongly focussed as any of the later works. Keri-Lynn Wilson drives the score with vigour and the live performance helps the tension the presentation inevitably has.

Weber: Oberon

Philharmonisches orchester Gleissen, Michael Hofstetter

OEHMS OC 984

A live performance of a work which combines a glorious score – here sympathetically performed – with essential narrative which, however well done, lowers the temperature. Would that somebody could find an answer to allow a dramatic format for Weber’s final work which overcame the problems with the text.

Joseph Marx: Eine Herbstsymphonie

Grazer Philharmoniker, Johannes Wildner

CPO 555 262-2

A surprisingly romantic work – think Ravel or Scriabin – which had something of a tortured start. It is difficult today to sense the complaints made at its premiere in 1922 of modernism made against it. It does not sound difficult to our ears today and if anything seems to look back to the late nineteenth century rather than what we now consider modern. It is a fascinating exception and one from a composer highly regarded in his own day but almost forgotten now.

Bach: Toccatas BWV 911-916

Mahan Esfahani, harpsichord

HYPERION CDA 68244

There is a real buzz of excitement in this recording which I have certainly felt hearing Mahan Esfahani live but which does not always transfer to disc. Here it certainly does and the tight, dancing rhythms are never allowed to drop. These are not toccatas in the strictest sense of the term but more short suites, or expanded single pieces, often closer to a fantasy that the organ toccatas we are more familiar with. All the more engaging then because of their unfamiliarity and very much worth seeking out.

Risonanze: music for viola da gamba

Ibrahim Aziz, viola da gamba

FHR 83

The combination of classical pieces by Bach, Abel and Schenck alongside more recent works by Rebecca Rowe and Carlos Martinez Gil add considerable frisson to the recording and the warmth of Ibrahim Aziz’ playing is never in doubt.

Dowland

Michael Butten, classical guitar

FHR 84

Twenty short works by Dowland – each a gem and worthy of careful attention in its own right. The classical guitar brings a different tonal quality compared to the more familiar lute for these pieces and therefore brings a more nuanced perspective and demands a careful listener, which hopefully they will get.

A Life in Music: Vintage Tommy Reilly

Tommy Reilly, harmonica

CHANDOS CHAN 20143

This is a delight and brings back many happy memories of post-war radio programmes. However, alongside familiar popular tunes there are some unexpected classical items which demonstrate not only Tommy Reilly’s virtuosity but also the enormous range of his talent. To be able to encompass Jealousy and a Scarlatti sonata is no mean feat.

Puccini: Madama Butterfly

Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Omer Meir Wellber

OPUS ARTE OA 1167 D

Before you think oh dear, another Butterfly let me just say this is breath-taking on almost every level. Annilese Miskimmon’s production moves the period to the second world-war with the reality of American sailors returning to the USA with Japanese brides. The use of film clips set this scene clearly and uncomfortably from the start. Added to this the opening act is in Goro’s offices where he is almost literally selling brides to sailors. Joshua Guerrero’s handsome if naïve Pinkerton seems to want to take things more seriously and is happy to go through with the wedding ceremony even if he has no long term intention of keeping his vows. There seems to be enough money to keep Olga Busuioc’s Cio-Cio-San until her son is clearly about 4, and Yamadori is a more that acceptable second husband should she accept the offer. But she doesn’t. The inevitable climax comes and her death is as upsetting as it is unnecessary.

Throughout the score is driven by Omer Meir Wellber with a fierce intensity and lack of sentimentality which is always engaging. The singing is splendid and I particularly liked Michael Sumuel’s world-weary Sharpless.

Very well worth investing in, even if you have more than one Butterfly already.

Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Davis

CHANDOS CHSA 5239

What makes this worth investigating, in addition to a fine rendition of the familiar Symphonie fantastique, is the addition of the Fantaisie sur la Tempete de Shakespeare, written at about the same time as the symphony and subsequently incorporated into Lalio. It makes for an interesting and instructive combination with obvious links between the two emotionally as well as musically.

Schubert: Die Schone Mullerin

Roderick Williams, baritone; Iain Burnside, piano

CHANDOS CHAN 20113

Roderick Williams goes from strength to strength and one wonders if there is anything today that he can’t do. The sensitivity he brings to the text and the sheer joy in his musicality shines throughout. He is superbly supported by Iain Burnsides mellifluous piano accompaniment. An absolute delight!

Stanford: overture in the style of a tragedy; Verdun; A Welcome March; Fairy Day; A Song of Agincourt

Ulster orchestra, Howard Shelley

HYPERION CDA 68283

A surprisingly eclectic collection ranging from the charm of Fairy Day – which is as unsentimental as Mendelssohn’s Dream while maintaining a real lightness of touch – the more overtly bombastic A Welcome March for Edward VII’s visit to Ireland. Alongside this sit the Verdun Solemn March and Heroic Epilogue and A Song of Agincourt – a fantasy reworking the familiar medieval song with a romantic take on heroism in its opulent orchestration.

Brahms: Symphony No 4

Haydn: Symphony No101

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Otto Klemperer

BR KLASSIK 900717

These recordings from 1956/7 come from a period before I first heard Otto Klemperer live in London and they certainly bring back the wonderful attention to detail as well as the often ponderous approach to tempi. These are not as slow as I had feared they might be but there is still a weight to the Brahms and a slightly pretentious attention to phrasing which is now very much out of fashion. As such it is a useful reminder of how much fashion does actually control our thinking about the way a work should be performed and that, in another fifty years, what now sounds vivid may simply sound superficial.

Beethoven: The Creatures of Prometheus – version for piano

Warren Lee, piano

NAXOS 8.573974

Beethoven issued the piano arrangement himself before the orchestral scores so that this is not a reduction from the full score so much as the composer’s own approach to the work in the process of composition. It works extremely well and Warren Lee’s playing is engaging and alive throughout.

Wagner: Siegfried Act 3

Lise Lindstrom, Stefan Vinke

Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Pietari Inkinen

SWR MUSIC SWR 19078CD

This has been released as an abridged version of Act 3 and, for some of us at least, it leaves out much of the best music! In essence this is the final duet from the awakening of Brunnhilde, but includes the Vorspiel to the act and the transition fire music. The orchestral playing is excellent under Pietari Inkinen. Some may find the vibrato in Stefan Vinke’s voice difficult to take but he has no problem or sense of strain with the higher lying passages. Unfortunately Lise Lindstrom suffers from the same problem in terms of a marked vibrato in the voice which I found uncomfortable throughout. A pity – but when there are so many other versions to choose from I am not quite sure what this has to offer.

Puccini: Madama Butterfly

Glyndebourne Festival Opera

OPUS ARTE OA 1167 D

This is a captivating and very moving account which avoids gimmicks and yet brings us a fresh and disturbing vision of the world American Imperialism. In the opening scene we are in Goro’s office where sailors are passing through to buy local girls. Pinkerton is marrying Cio-Cio-San but the transaction is hardly any different, and there is nothing romantic about the event except for the music which brilliantly reflects the inner-lives of those involved. Behind everything is the film of life for Japanese brides in the promised land of the USA.

Joshua Guerrero ‘s Pinkerton is naïve rather than brash, but comes to take his position more seriously as the work progresses. Olga Busuioc is a touching Butterfly who matures and becomes heroic by the final scenes. Michael Sumuel is a fine Sharpless, aware of the pitfalls but unable to prevent the tragedy.

Omer Meir Wellber’s conducting is whole-hearted, extrovert and totally engaging. I didn’t see this live in the house and now wish very much that I had done so!

Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

DYNAMIC 37843

This is musically a very sound performance, full-blooded and tightly controlled by Valerio Galli but for once I feel it might have been better as an audio release rather than DVD. The production by Luigi Di Gangi and Ugo Giacomazzi is conventional to the point of dullness, and allows the singers to ignore each other and sing straight to the audience. The chorus, who you might expect to know the work well, stand in serried ranks and can be seen keeping a close eye on the conductor. Much of the performance is given in semi-darkness and the ‘ideas’ – a strangely phallic pole, a bath of ash-laden dye for a vast sheet hauled above the singers – seem to have no relationship to what is actually happening.

Lehar: Die Lustige Wiwe

Frankfurt Opera, Joana Mallwitz

OEHMS OC 983

Having just said I could have done without the visual impact of the Cavalleria Rusticana reviewed above, I really wish I had had the full DVD version of this new Merry Widow. It sparkles with life and vitality, the dialogue it clipped without making it too brief and the characterisation throughout is magnificent.

Iurii Samoilov and Marlis Petersen are ideally paired as Danilo and Hanna, while there is smouldering intensity from Kateryna Kasper and Martin Mitterrutzner as Valencienne and Camille. Smaller parts are all cast from strength and there is a constant sense of a live performance without it ever hindering the quality of the music. A gem!

Mercadante: Didone Abbandonata

Academia Montis Regalis, Alessandro De Marchi

NAXOS 2.110630

Mercadante is almost forgotten today but was an important opera composer alongside Donizetti  and an influence on Verdi. The work as here presented is a meticulous reconstruction of early music styles which allows us to get a feel for the way it may have sounded to its original audience. A highly enjoyable recording of a rare work and worth seeking out.

Mozart: Die Zauberflote

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and State Opera Chorus, Constantinos Carydis

UNITEL 749708

The approach here starts from the point of view of a grandfather reading a bedtime story to his three grand-sons, who, of course, become the three boys of the narrative. It all takes place within the family home with members of the family becoming characters as the story unfolds. At the start this works quite well but as it progresses it becomes ever more fanciful and further removed from either the original text or the new concept of the family feud. There are some effective site gaps along the way and much of it is well sung but too often the producer’s ideas get in the way of the potential emotional impact of the music. Die Zauberflote is never an easy work to stage today but this does not really bring us much closer to a satisfactory resolution.

Mendelssohn: String Symphonies Vol3

L’Orfeo Barockorchester, Michi Gaigg

CPO 555 202-2

These are very early works but none the less very engaging. The cd opens with the Sinfonia VIII in D major from 1822 when the composer was thirteen. This and the two subsequent works were written for the Sunday afternoon gatherings in the Mendelssohn household, where the young composer was able not only to demonstrate his creative talents but also to conduct a good sized ensemble by himself.  Before the Sinfonia IX in C major we have the scene for alto and strings Che vuoi, mio cor? which follows well established lines as recitative / cavatina / cabaletta but is distinctly the voice of the composer. A lovely recording and a welcome addition to the series.

Sousa: Music for Wind Band 19

Royal College of Music Wind Orchestra, Keith Brion

NAXOS 8.559839

I wonder just how many cds we are going to get in this series? Actually, I hope it goes on and on for they are all equally and thoroughly enjoyable. The two Humoresques are particularly captivating. On the 5.15 is a lament for late trains and The Band Came Back riffs on popular songs of the period. Alongside these are arrangements of Turkey in the Straw and the more substantial Second Fantasia from El Capitan. Totally engaging and a joy to listen to.

BAIRSTOW – HARRIS – STANFORD

CHOIR OF WESTMINSTER ABBEY

PETER HOLDEN, organ

JAMES O’DONNELL, director

HYPERION CDA68259  75’40

A truly beautifully presented programme of works by these three influential composers showcases aspects of the Anglican choral tradition in fine performances by the Abbey choir. The larger works include Stanford’s Evening Service in A and Bairstow’s Blessed City, Heavenly Salem and The Lamentations.

LE POISSON MAGIQUE – ORGAN WORKS BY JOHN McCABE

TOM WINPENNY, organ of St Albans Cathedral

RESONUS  RES10144  71’43

Presented almost chronologically this programme is a wonderful compilation of John McCabe’s output for organ, much dating from the 1960s but also with works written much later. Alongside the 6 movement Sinfonia, the Johannis-Partita and the work which gives this CD its name (inspired by Paul Klee’s painting) is the set of 7 Carol-Preludes (2008) and Esperanza, written in 2010 for the St Albans Organ Festival. Tom Winpenny is very much at home here, giving fine performances throughout. Features a number of world premiere recordings.

FRANCOIS COUPERIN – QUATRIEME LIVRE DE PIECES DE CLAVECIN

GUILLERMO BRACHETTA, harpsichord

RESONUS RES10240 (2CD) 79’56 & 76’46

This release is the first in a major series which will cover the complete Pieces de Clavecin by Couperin. These recordings bring these characterful pieces to life once more. This is a good entry point for anyone unfamiliar with the baroque keyboard repertoire, who may find the variety and inventiveness here a surprise. Equally for those wishing to build a complete collection this series promises to be a valuable one.

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH – DAS WOHLTEMPERIERTE KLAVIER VOL 1 (BWV 846-869

STEVEN DEVINE, harpsichord

RESONUS RES10239 (2CD) 55’06 & 56’13

This is very familiar territory but a new recording from Steven Devine is always welcome and it is good to hear his scholarly yet musical interpretations of this staple of the keyboard repertoire. He plays a recent instrument by Colin Booth, modelled on an 18^th century instrument by Johann Christof Fleischer. Covering Book 1 of the Preludes and Fugues, this is the first of a 2 volume set.

PIANO SONATAS BY HAYDN, MOZART & BEETHOVEN

WALEWEIN WITTEN, fortepiano

RESONUS RES10242  71’29

This collection presents focussed performances of later classical keyboard works on a copy of an 1805 Walter fortepiano. I have to confess to not being a fan of the sound of the fortepiano but these are fresh recordings with Walewein Witten giving an authentic voice to this repertoire.

MARK-ANTHONY TURNAGE – A CONSTANT OBSESSION

NICKY SPENCE, tenor

CHAMBER DOMAINE

THOMAS KEMP, conductor

RESONUS RES10106  59’27

Alongside the many varied releases of earlier music it is good to see Resonus championing the work of contemporary Bristish composers. Mark-Anthony Turnage’s chamber music is the subject of this disk. The title comes from a 6 movement work for tenor and 8 players featuring settings of texts by Hardy, Keats and others. Also featured are Three for Two (piano quartet), Four Chants (violin and piano), A Slow Pavane (piano trio) and Grazioso! (for 6 players). All the music has been written between 2004 and 2010.

BEETHOVEN PIANO SONATAS Op 2 No 1, Op 14 No 2, Op 53 ‘Waldstein’, Op 54

ANGELA HEWITT, piano

HYPERION CDA68220 76’46

This release marks the penultimate point in Angela Hewitt’s complete cycle of Beethoven piano sonatas. It combines the familiar and the less so. As always Angela Hewitt seems completely at ease in these performances and they are beautifully presented here.

SAINT-SAENS PIANO CONCERTOS 3, 4 & 5 ‘L’EGYPTIEN’

ALEXANDRE KANTOROW, piano

TAPIOLA SINFONIETTA

JEAN-JACQUES KANTOROW, conductor

BIS BIS-2300   80’37

This sequence of  three piano concertos span nearly 30 years of Saint-Saens’ life. They follow on from perhaps the most well-known concerto (No 2) and make for interesting comparison with that and with the so-called “Organ” Symphony. Christened the “young Tsar’ of the piano”’ and “Liszt reincarnated” Alexandre Kantorow’s coupling with the prolific Tapiola Sinfonietta is very successful.

HIERONYMUS PRAETORIUS – MOTETS IN 8,10,12,16 & 20 PARTS

ALAMIRE

HIS MAJESTY’S SAGBUTTS & CORNETTS

STEPHEN FARR, organ

DAVID SKINNER, director

INVENTA INV001 (2 CD) 57’46 & 42’39

These large scale choral works in these brilliant recordings transport the listener back to a different age and into another dimension. There is much variety here as different forces and compositional styles feature throughout. A very enjoyable collection.

JACQUES OFFENBACH – COMPLETE PIANO WORKS

MARCO SOLLINI, piano

CPO  555287-2 (3CD) 211’33

Offenbach’s piano music is not well known. Here is a complete collection of both original music and arrangements. Much of this music is in dance form and most pieces are short with a few slightly extended pieces. The first CD includes two collections –Decameron dramatique and Les Roses du Bengal.

IL CEMBALO TRANSALPINO from the FITZWILLIAM COLLECTION

SOPHIE YATES, harpsichord

CHANDOS CHACONNE  CHAN 0819  65’16

A lovely collection of mostly shorter pieces from the Fitzwilliam Collection. Many of the composers names may be unfamiliar to the listener – the exceptions being Girolamo Frescobaldi, Domenico Zipoli, Peter Philips & Arcangelo Corelli. The latter two have the longest compositions here – Passamezzo Pavan & Galliard (Philips) and Sonata Op 5 No 7.

THOMAS ARNE – THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS

THE BROOK STREET BAND & SOLOISTS

JOHN ANDREWS, conductor

DUTTON EPOCH  CDLX7361 67’50

This masque, with libretto by William Congreve, was first performed in 1742. Partially reconstructed due to the full score being lost, this is a world premiere recording. It is good to be able to hear more from Thomas Arne, much of whose prolific output has been lost.

SP

Donizetti: Il Castello di Kenilworth

Orchestra & Chorus Donizetti Opera, Riccardo Frizza

DYNAMIC 37834

Issuing recordings of Donizetti operas is an admirable undertaking but one has to admit there really are a very large number of them. Il Castello di Kenilworth dates from 1829 and was not immediately successful though quickly overcame its original disappointment. The singing here is excellent – in particular the heroic tenor of Xabier Anduaga as Leicester – and the production is bland but never gets in the way of the music. Riccardo Frizza maintains a brisk approach throughout but I just wish I could tell the work apart from the many others which are fine in themselves but not quite on the level of Lucia.

Mendelssohn in Birmingham: Overtures

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner

CHANDOS CHSA 5235

This continues to be a highly engaging series and there is nothing problematic about this collection of overtures. If anything it goes out of its way to include lesser known works which are nonetheless more than worth seeking out. The Trumpet overture was new to me and Athalie is rarely heard. While the others are more familiar they are given lively and very immediate performances, certainly up to the standard of the earlier volumes.

Contemporaries of the Strauss Family – 4

Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice, John Georgiadis

MARCO POLO 8.225370

We hear so much from the Strauss family, particularly in the winter, that it is easy to forget they came from a world which was heady with dance music in a similar vein. Here we have scores by fourteen contemporaries any of whom can sit comfortably alongside more familiar music for a New Year concert. If some of the works stray into the early twentieth century then so did Lehar and Korngold, so we can easily forgive this collection of highly engaging pieces.

Marschner: Hans Heiling

Essen Philharmonic, Frank Beermann

OEHMS OC 976

I suspect that most of us know of Marschner only in terms of a foot note in a Wagner compendium. Here is the evidence which so much of that is based on. If anything Marschner seems closer to Wagner than Weber, particularly in the opening scenes which foreshadow Flying Dutchman  and Tannhauser in the romantic sense of sturm und drang. If you don’t know any of Marschner’s works this is a good palce to start. The live recording does at times produce a more distant acoustic but this does not affect the listener’s enjoyment.

Strauss/Korngold: Eine Nacht in Venedig

Graz Philharmonic, Marius Burkert

CPO 555 235-2

This live recording is pleasing even if the work itself is rather light-weight and hangs almost entirely on the popular aria Komm in die gondel which returns at key moments. Possibly a souvenir of the live performance but not really a work to put alongside Strauss’ other operettas.

Finzi: By Footpath and Stile & other works

Finzi Quartet, Marcus Farnsworth, baritone, Robert Plane, clarinet, Ruth Bolister, oboe

RESONUS RES 10109

As a lover of Finzi I very much welcome this new recording which includes the Five Bagatelles and four other short works for small ensemble. Marcus Farnsworth’s beautifully lucid singing of By Footpath and Stile makes it worth seeking out anyway.

Elgar: Symphony No1

Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Roger Norrington

SWR 19520CD

This live recording from 1999 brings us Roger Norrington’s forthright and extrovert approach to the symphony, often driving tempi though never overextending the pressure. It is impressive. There is also a recording of the Overture to Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg which he takes at a real lick, getting through it in just over eight minutes!

Fritz Wunderlich: Music of the 20^th century

SWR 19075CD

For those of us who think of Fritz Wunderlich essentially as a Mozartian – or at least a lyric tenor who sits comfortably within the classical/romantic framework, it comes as something of a surprise to find him hear recording works by Pfitzner, Stravinsky, Orff, Egk and Berg.

The three cds are taken from recordings made before 1960 and  include songs by Fritz Naumeyer, Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex and excerpts from Orff’s Antigonae and Oedipus der Tyrann, concluding with two extended extracts from Wozzeck. A fascinating collection to set alongside the more familiar recordings which have come down to us.

Beethoven: Christus am Olberge

Chorus Cathedralis Aboensis, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam

NAXOS 8.573852

Leif Segerstam is not as familiar a figure in this country as was previously the case so it is all the more welcome to be reminded of his considerable talents as a conductor. This early oratorio was first performed in a lengthy concert which included the first and second symphonies alongside the third piano concerto, and is fairly conventional in its structure even if there are hints of a more operatic approach to the chorus writing and the sensitive solo part for Jesus. Good to have a new recording of this and the bonus is the rarer Elegischer Gesang from 1814.

Sibelius: Kullervo

Lunds Studentsangare, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard

HYPERION CDA 68248

We hear the numbered symphonies so often they are almost over-familiar but the two other major works – which are both in effect symphonies, Lemminkainen and Kullervo – are rarer. This is particularly true of Kullervo presumably because hiring a Finnish speaking male choir is quite an undertaking. Not only is the work set in Finnish, it needs singers who understand Finnish to make a real impact – which it certainly does here. Thomas Dausgaard’s approach is bright, open and at times dangerously aggressive. A fine recording altogether.

Sibelius: Lemminkainen Suite; Spring Song; Suite from Belshazzar’s Feast

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo

CHANDOS CHAN 20136

I don’t think anybody gives us better Sibelius at the moment than Sakari Oramo and so this new recording of the Lemminkainen Suite is very welcome. There is an intensity, not to say weight, even in the most lightly scored passages which brings emotional engagement and depth. It is good to find the Spring Song included as it is not frequently heard live and the suite from Belshazzar is a welcome addition.

Schubert: Works for solo piano Vol 4

Barry Douglas

CHANDOS 20086

Volume 4 brings us Piano Sonatas Op147 D575, Op164 D537 & Op120 D664

Of these three I find the Op164 the most engaging in the fluidity of its approach but all three are well worth seeking out and adding to an already fine series.

Bruckner: Symphonies 1-9

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, various conductors

BR KLASSIK900716 (9 CDS)

Most box sets are drawn together through a single artist – most often, with symphonic series like this, through the conductor – but here it is the orchestra itself which is the focal point with four different conductors who take an understandably idiosyncratic approach to the works.

Lorin Maazel conducts the first two, Mariss Jansons 3,4,7 and 8, Bernard Haitink 5 & 6 and finally Herbert Blomstedt for No9. The impact is exciting if only for the difference in approach given the continuity of tonal impact from the orchestra. A very interesting collection and one which presumably would pay dividends in other contexts.

Mahler: Symphony No 2 Resurrection

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Andris Nelsons

UNITEL 748908

This is a live performance recorded as part of the 2018 Salzburg Festival. The ovation at the end is fully justified by this stunning event. Not only is the orchestral sound thrilling throughout, but Andris Nelsons shapes and controls the dynamic changes with great subtlety. The hushed entry of the chorus is almost inaudible, while the climaxes burst out in all their glory.

The recording also includes Zimmermann’s Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra with Hakan Hardenberger the enthusiastic soloist. The work is based on Nobody knows de trouble I see but the variations are so complex listeners might be hard put to recognise the underpinning melody.

Music for Saint Katherine

The Binchois Consort, Andrew Kirkman

HYPERION CDA 68274

The Binchois Consort consists of tenor and male-alto voices and most of the a cappella music comes from the fifteenth century. The recording is linked to a project studying the alabasters of St Katherine and the music that these images inspired.

There is a wonderful fluency to the compositions which can become hypnotic in its impact. Highly recommended both for the music and the accompanying essay and pictures.

Johan Botha: Italian Opera Arias

ORFEO C 967192

Johan Botha’s sudden death in 2016 was a great loss to the Helden-tenor world, though his repertoire was much wider than the Wagnerian roles he was just beginning to make his own. Here we have live recordings from the Vienna State Opera taken from a wide range of Verdi , Puccini, Macagni and Giordano – with extended excerpts from Otello and Cavalleria Rusticana. If the sound quality varies slightly, this is a result of the staging not the voices, and makes no difference to the listeners enjoyment.

Havergal Brian: Symphonies 7 & 16; Overture,The Tinker’s Wedding

New Russia State Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Walker

NAXOS 8.573959

There was a time when Havergal Brian’s works could be heard quite regularly and I remember Prom concert performances while he was still alive. As they have become something of a rarity these days, despite their immediacy and musical integrity, this recording is all the more welcome. The overture to The Tinker’s Wedding is a lively piece which would sit easily on Classic FM or Scala. The 7^th symphony, based on the life of Goethe, is the last of his larger compositions and he uses the large forces with consummate ease. By contrast the 16^th symphony is briefer, more conservatively scored and acerbic in content.

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Op 109, 110, 111

Steven Osborne

Hyperion CDA 68219

These three sonatas are the final ones Beethoven composed and form a deliberate set which is certainly best heard straight through. The eight movements then flow through to the inevitability of the sublime slow conclusion, rather than the more excitable inevitability which might be expected. Splendidly paced by Steven Osborne, using a modern Steinway, the sound is precise and moving throughout.

Richard Strauss: orchestral works

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Michael Collins

CHANDOS CHAN 20034

This is an eclectic mixture of less familiar works opening with the Burleske for piano and orchestra followed by the Duett-Concertino for clarinet, bassoon and strings with harp. The Romanze for clarinet and orchestra draws on the strengths of Michael Collins as both performer and conductor. The final piece is also the most substantial – the violin concerto with Tamsin Little as soloist. While all are interesting in themselves, and make up a satisfying recording, they are something of a specialist taste when set alongside Strauss’ major compositions.

Tartini: Sonatas Vol 3

Crtomir Siskovic, violin; Luca Ferrini, harpsichord

DYNAMIC CDS7824

Another hour of Tartini sonatas – all of them beautifully crafted and here lucidly played but unless one is a real expert it is going to be difficult to make a professional comment on the specific musical qualities of the individual works on offer.

Paladin: lute music

Alex McCartney, lute

Veterum Musica VM 22

This is very much a labour of love by lutenist Alex McCartney who notes he came across the works of Jean Paul Paladin by accident. His enthusiasm for the sixteenth century composer is more than justified in the beauty and fluidity of these pieces and his technical skill bringing them to life with such ease. A real pleasure.

Chopin; Piano Concertos 1 & 2

Hans Rosbaud, conductor, Nikita Magaloff, Hans Rcihter-Haaser pianos

Sudwestfunk-Orchester Baden-Baden

SWR CLASSIC SWR190776CD

It is not often that concerti are placed together because of the conductor rather than the soloist but here it is justified in these historic recordings, made in 1951 and 1961 respectively. There is little problem with the sound quality, even in the earlier concerto, and the intensity and sensitivity which Rosbaud brings to his approach more than compensates. More than simply a historical document, they present us with a vivid impression of orchestral sound half a century ago.

Elgar: String Quartet and Quintet

Brodsky Quartet, Martin Roscoe, piano

CHANDOS CHAN 10980

These lovely works still tend to be overlooked so it is good to have a new recording to remind us what fine pieces they are. Here the Brodsky Quartet brings out the complexity of the compositions – reflecting on the composer’s youthful string playing seen through the prism of the outcomes of WWI. The many changes of mood, alongside touchingly gentle melodies, are captured strongly here and enable us to engage with the emotionally entangled web which underpins the whole.

Alberto Nepomuceno: O Garatuja: Brazilian Suite: Symphony in G

Mineas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra, Febio Mechetti

NAXOS 8.574067

I have to admit to knowing nothing of Nepomuceno before I listened to this new recording but was immediately delighted. The Brazilian composer pre-dates Villa-Lobos and was known to, and played by, Richard Strauss. He draws on Brazilian folk music but sets it within a late romantic framework, the potential tension between the two adding to the enjoyment of the works. Only the prelude survives of O Garatuja and it is apparently his most popular work – though I can’t recall ever hearing it in concert in the UK. A pity for it is a fine work and very well worth discovering. Buy it – you will not be disappointed.

Piazzolla: Time of life

Geir Draugsvoll, accordion; Metter Rasmussen, piano

NAXOS 8.573896

For those who only know Piazzolla for Libertango then this might come as something of an eye-opener. I have to admit to loving tango and so this is a very welcome recording, at once so engaging and yet so laid-back. The combination of classical accordion and piano could not be better, hinting both at the classical concert hall and the dive bar all at the same time. A real gem and thoroughly recommended.

Works for Horn: Schumann, Saint-Saens, Gliere

Markus Maskuniitty, horn; Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Sakari Oramo

ONDINE ODE 1339-2

Another collection of (almost) unknown delights. The longest work is Gliere’s Horn Concerto and a very late composition for the composer, dating from 1951, though it is entirely romantic in its structure. This sits alongside two works by Schumann – the Konzertstuck fur 4 Horner und Orchester and the Adagio & Allegro Op70 in an arrangement by Ernest Ansermet. Between them is Saint-Saens’ Morceau de concert. All very pleasing and far more engaging than a solo horn recording might at first appear to be.

Weber: Der Freischutz

Teatro alla Scala, Myung-Whun Chung

NAXOS 2.110597

Raimond Orfeo Voigt’s skeletal setting seems quite appropriate for what is in many ways a conventional production of Weber’s gothic chiller. The Wolf’s Glen scene is particularly effective and I loved the giant boar! Musically this is very sound with Michael Konig in strong voice as Max and Julia Kleiter a sympathetic Agathe. Chorus and orchestra respond well to Myung-Whun Chung’s crisp but romantic handling of the score.

Handel adpt Leo: Rinaldo

Festival della Valle d’Itria, conducted by Fabio Luisi

DYNAMIC 37831

Today we don’t welcome the idea of favourite works being ‘improved’ even if we stretch the stage presentation of Shakespeare or Verdi well beyond what they might have expected. However in the early eighteenth century there was no such hesitation and here we have an adaptation of Handel’s familiar score as represented by the manuscript found at Longleat which contains some Handel, some items by Leonardo Leo and a number of other unidentified pieces which seem to reflect the party pieces of the soloists who sang the version in Naples in 1718. It is a fascinating piece even if we have to ignore the world Handel originally created. The fanciful production looks pretty but does little to raise the whole above the level of an amusing entertainment. Handel’s original was certainly far more than that!

SWEETER THAN ROSES – SONGS BY HENRY PURCELL

ANNA DENNIS, Soprano,

SOUNDS BAROQUE, Directed and Keyboards by JULIAN PERKINS

JAMES AKERS, Theorbo & Baroque guitar

HENRIK PERSSON, Viola da gamba

RESONUS RES10235  67’33

Opening this latest selection of releases from Resonus is a programme of English songs – twelve by Purcell and two by Henry Lawes, who died just three years after Purcell’s birth. Alongside these are instrumental works by contemporaries of Purcell, working in London. Firstly there is Francesco Corbetta’s Suite in C major for guitar. This is followed by Giovanni Battista Draghi’s Suite in E minor for harpsichord. This varied but coherent selection makes for a very enjoyable disc.

DIETRICH BUXTEHUDE – MEMBRA JESU NOSTRI

CHAPEL CHOIR OF TRINITY HALL, CAMBRIDGE & SOLOISTS

ORPHEUS BRITANNICUS

NEWE VIALLES

ANDREW ARTHUR, Director

RESONUS RES10238 70’17

This substantial composition gets a stunning new presentation in this release combining period instruments with the well disciplined voices of Trinity Hall. This music is regarded as the first example of Lutheran oratorio and consists of seven cantatas, each referring to a specific part of Christ’s crucified body, in turn divided into six sections and incorporating choral and instrumental movements. Together with extensive texts in the accompanying booklet it is once more possible to enter fully into the heart of this Passion meditation.

JOSEPH-NICOLAS-PANCRACE ROYER – PREMIER LIVRE DE PIECES DE CLAVECIN

MIE HAYASHI, Harpsichord

RESONUS RES10236 65’11

Royer was a French baroque composer and most of his surviving solo keyboard work is to be found in this book. There are fourteen characterful pieces here played with style by Mie Hayashi on an Andrew Garlick copy of a 1749 Jean-Claude Goujon double manual harpsichord.

JS BACH -CHORALE PARTITAS BWV 766-8 & 770

STEPHEN FARR, Bernard Aubertin organ, Private residence,

Fairwarp, East Sussex

RESONUS RES10234 55’46

We return to familiar territory for this final Resonus disc this time. Stephen Farr continues his presentation of Bach’s organ works with these fine performances of extended chorale treatments. Beautiful music, well communicated on a newly installed organ recorded here for the first time.

MARTINU – THE COMPLETE MUSIC FOR VIOLIN & ORCHESTRA

BOHUSLAV MATOUSEK, violin & viola

CZECH PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, Director, CHRISTOPHER HOGWOOD

HYPERION CDS44611/4 (4CDs) Total 243’

This release brings together a number of diverse works written for violin and orchestra over a long period. Some of the music has bene revised by the composer over time. Extensive sleeve notes give a good background to this music and early on attention is drawn to Bohuslav Martinu’s evolving style from Neo-Classical, through Neo-Romantic and also incorporating Impressionistic features in other works. Included here are two Violin Concerti, two versions of Suite concertante for violin & orchestra, Czech Rhapsody and Concerti involving flute and piano alongside the violin. An impressive set, well presented.

AMARAE MORTI – LAMENTATIONS & MOTETS BY CARDOSO, GOMBERT, LASSUS, MORALES, PALESTRINA, PHINOT & VICTORIA

EL LEON DE ORO, Conductor, PETER PHILLIPS

HYPERION CDA68279 66’24

This marvellous collection is described as a “survey of some of the finest- but perhaps lesser known- music from the Renaissance period…from either the Franco-Flemish or the Iberian schools”. The sequence takes the listener from the penitential to exuberant praise. Splendid!

GIOVANNI DE MACQUE – MADRIGALI & ORGAN WORKS

WESER-RENAISSANCE, BREMEN, MANFRED CORDES

EDOARDO BELLOTTI, Organ

CPO    CPO777977-2  63’03

From the sleeve notes it seems I am probably not alone in not having heard of this composer before. Giovanni de Macque (1548-1614) is described as “barely known today, he was greatly esteemed in his lifetime.” He lived and worked in Vienna, Rome and Naples ans was influential in areas of vocal and keyboard music. I particularly enjoyed the placing of organ solos amongst the vocal works.

CPE BACH – SOLO KEYBOARD MUSIC, VOL 37 – SONATAS, VARIATIONS & FUGUES 1745-55

MIKLOS SPANYI, Harpsichord

BIS  BIS-2331  77’53

I continue to enjoy each release in this long running series of the solo keyboard work of CPE Bach. The fact that this is volume 37 emphasises how prolific this “other” (once regarded as THE) Bach was. There are nine works here, the most substantial being Sonata per il cembalo a 2 Tastature in D minor. If you know nothing about CPE Bach beyond the Solfegietto this would be a good place to start.

SPLENDID SILBERMANN

CHRISTIAN VON BLOHN, Silbermann organ, Protestant Church, Bouxwiller, France

OEHMS CLASSICS OC 1705  62’01

I put off listening to this CD as it just appeared to be another worthy (but slightly dull?) historical release. How wrong I was! Here we have excellent playing from Christian von Blohm on this beautifully recorded historic instrument (built 1776, restored 2017). His programme spans the centuries from JS Bach & Nicolas de Grigny through Boely and Mendelssohn. For me the placement of more recent works alongside these really makes this CD a very satisfying and rounded listening experience. I loved Joris Verdin’s Organetto consisting of seven very short contrasting movements and also Christian von Blohn’s own contribution to the ongoing Orgelbuchlein-Projekt – the attempt to “complete” the unfinished work of JS Bach. There are three chorale preludes here. I’m actually rather pleased I saved this one until the end!

Rachmaninov: 24 Preludes

Boris Giltburg, piano

NAXOS 8.574025

While these can be seen as means of studying the composer’s musical development they are also so enjoyable that the academic is quickly forgotten in the pleasure of being led through the whole collection. A very pleasing recording on every level.

Mendelssohn: Early Piano Music

Sergio Monteiro, piano

NAXOS 8.573946

The virtuosity of these pieces, given that Mendelssohn was not even a teenager when he wrote most of them and was only fifteen when he composed the Fugue in E flat major, is stunning. They never attempt to be over clever, there is no hint that Mendelssohn sets out to impress, only that he has a deeply held love of Bach which underpins so many of the works. The romantic sneaks in at times but had yet to flower in his consciousness. Meanwhile we can enjoy Sergio Monteiro’s engaged and convincing playing of these pieces.

Gounod: Symphonies 1 & 2

Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Yan Pascal Tortelier

CHANDOS CHSA 5231

When a composer is internationally famous for one work we can too easily overlook their other compositions. Gounod’s symphonies, written virtually back to back in the mid-1850s, are all but ignored today and so it is good not only to encounter them here but to find such convincing playing that one wonders why we don’t, at least occasionally, here them in the concert hall. I can think of many over-performed pieces which I would willing drop to hear one of these live.

Tangos for Yvar

Hanna Shybayeva, piano

GRAND PIANO GP 794

Yvar Mikhashoff commissioned 127 tangos from leading composers. Across the late 1980s he received a significant number of responses from a remarkably wide range of composers. That not all sound anything like a tango is to be expected but there are many recorded here which will please, including Berkman’s Thorn-torn lips. As if to round off the disc with something a little safer, we hear the familiar but ever welcome Libertango by Piazzolla.

Falla: La Vida Breve

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Juanjo Mena

CHANDOS CHAN 20032

While the dance music is familiar I suspect that the rest of this brief opera will be unknown to most listeners. It comes across as a sort of Spanish version of Cavalleria Rusticana with much the same outcome. The Spanish cast and chorus bring an extra level of authenticity as does the conducting of Juanjo Mena but it is difficult to overcome the feeling that the dance music is the best part of the score.

Janacek: The Cunning Little Vixen (Das schlaue Fuchslein)

Frankfurt Opera, Johannes Debus

OEHMS OC 982

This is a live recording made last year from Frankfurt opera and one which could just as easily have been on DVD given the impressive production photos in the accompanying booklet. The modern dress approach – and particularly the highly anthropomorphic costuming for the foxes – seems to carry over into the liveliness of the approach and the sense both of attack in the orchestra combined with those wonderfully indulgent pastoral moments which Janacek creates.

In the Middle of Things

Chamber music by Michael Zev Gordon

Fidelio Trio; Julian Bliss, clarinet

This is a fascinating recording as Michael Zev Gordon’s musical styles are so eclectic. The Diary Piece 2015 give a snap-shot introduction to his compositions as they move from the immediate lyricism of Long Time to the more sharply focussed Shining Day.  Fragments for a Diary are equally diverse but in all cases the compositions are finely honed for intimate response. This is certainly worth exploring.

Elgar: Caractacus
Huddersfield Choral Society, Martyn Brabbins
HYPERION CDA 68254

This new recording under Martyn Brabbins seems very timely, reflecting as it does the concord that came out of the hostile encounter between the British leader, Caratacus, and the Roman forces under the Emperor Claudius. The fact that the outcome was peaceful and is historically verified is all the more telling – compromise is possible! A strong line-up of familiar British singers and the Huddersfield Choral Society make this a fine new acquisition. My only caveat is the cover picture – Lawrence’s Satan summoning his Legions –  hardly fitting for a British worthy.

The Romantic Piano Concerto – 78

Howard Shelley, piano; Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra

HYPERION CDA 68240

There always seem to be new areas to explore here, and while the Clara Schumann is as splendid – particularly the final movement – as one might expect from a child prodigy, the other items are equally worth our attention. They are Konzertstuck by Ferdinand Hiller, Rondo de concert by Henri Herz and Le reve by Friederich Kalkbrenner. I assume some listeners will be collecting the whole edition and this certainly justifies its continual opening up of lost treasures.

Bach: cello suites

Alban Gerhardt, cello

HYPERION CDA 68261/2

There is a fine improvisatory sense throughout this recording which pays off. One is never quite sure where Alban Gerhardt will go next and it is almost as if the tempi and phrasing come out of the playing rather than in any way being pre-planned. So much the better for a refined but entirely engaging approach.

Bach: St Matthew Passion

Mainz Bach chorus and orchestra, Ralf Otto

NAXOS 8.574036-38F

It is always difficult to review a new recording of a work which is such a familiar part of most music lovers’ libraries already. This new recording from Mainz has a relaxed reflective approach, musically very sound and frequently beautifully sung. It uses baroque orchestral forces but a large choir in addition to the many soloists. As such it bridges the best of both worlds. Given the price range for Naxos this will probably become a strong contender for any new-comer who has yet to add the St Matthew  to their collection.

Kalman: Ein Herbstmanover

Stadttheaters Giessen, Michael Hofstetter

OEHMS OC 977

The Gay Hussars is not familiar to us these days – fact there have apparently been very few revivals since its initial runs before the First World War. The air of melancholy and at times forced jollity which pervades the work may account for this but ignores the quality of the music itself. Where too often modern productions on DVD can appear to undermine the work, this is a case where seeing the production would certainly have helped.

Hans Gal: Das Lied der Nacht

Osnabruck chorus and orchestra, Andreas Hotz

CPO 555 186-2

Hans Gal has been all but forgotten and this new recording of his 1924 opera Das Lied der Nacht is significantly support by the Hans Gal Society. Escaping from Nazi Germany when his musical career came to an abrupt end, he eventually found a longer term home in Edinburgh. He work is essentially romantic and lyrical, even if not quite as richly orchestrated as Richard Strauss. The work is well structured and deserves its place alongside many of the overlooked compositions within the late romantic tradition.

Reznicek: Suites for orchestra

Weimarer Staatskapelle, Stephan Solyom

CPO 555 056-2

Though the composer is best known for his overture to Donna Diana this collection of three suites for orchestra shows that he was certainly not a one-tune wonder. These are finely crafted, romantic and lyrical works with full romantic orchestration which is highly enjoyable. Don’t dismiss until you have listened!

Beethoven; Eroica variations etc

Florian Glemser, piano

OEHMS OC 1703

There is an intimacy to Florian Glemser playing which I find very appealing. He takes a breezy approach to the Eroica variations but is the Bagatelles which are the most substantial works on the disc and the most compelling. Hopefully we will hear more from him.

Puccini: Tosca

Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann

UNITEL 748308

Just occasionally a new production rings all the right bells even though it is unconventional. This modern dress approach by Michael Sturminger starts in an underground car-park with a shoot-out – it is Angelotti escaping. However unexpected this might be, the characterisation is spot on and in Ludovic Tezier we have one of the most convincing Scarpias I have ever encountered. The denouement is equally startling but I won’t give the game away. Anja Jarteros is a convincing opera singer as Tosca and her solid Cavaradossi, Aleksandrs Antonenko, provides heroic top notes where needed. Chorus are more involved than usual and using the boys as the firing-squad is brutal but absolutely in keeping with the fascist character of the whole presentation. Christian Thielemann’s handling of the score is masterly. Well worth seeing, even if you think you know everything there is to know about Tosca.

Chabrier: L’Etoile

Dutch National Opera, Patrick Fournillier

NAXOS 2.110595

I wanted to like this, for the music is entertaining throughout, but it really is a little too fantastical for the every day. Thankfully it is very well sung and the orchestra is spritely throughout, though for once an audio recording might have done just as well.

Fairytale Operas

Hansel & Gretel: The Cunning Little Vixen; The Adventures of Pinocchio

OPUS ARTE OA 1270 BD

The Hansel & Gretel comes from the Royal Opera under Colin Davis and dates from 2008; The Cunning Little Vixen is the Glyndebourne production of 2012 conducted by Vladimir Jurowski  and  Jonathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio is from Opera North under David Parry in 2008. The linkage may be somewhat dubious but the strength of the individual productions makes this a very satisfactory line up. The Vixen is probably the most familiar of the three, though the Hansel & Gretel was famous at the time for the performance of Anja Silja as the Witch. Having first seen her in Bayreuth in 1965 her performance here is amazing and quite compelling. The rarity if the Jonathan Dove which is certainly not out of place and will hopefully be seen by far more enthusiasts because of the coupling. With box sets being such a normal part of life today it should succeed.

Dvorak: Symphony No 9

Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Roger Norrington

SWR 19515CD

This is a live recording made in Stuttgart in 2008 and has Roger Norrington’s seal firmly stamped on in in terms of its tempi and balance. Highly enjoyable if at times idiosyncratic.

Bach Cantatas

Amici Voices

HYPERION CDA 68275

We have become used to Bach with smaller vocal forces, which the Amici Voices provide here to splendid effect. The three cantatas include Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit which gives an interesting insight into Bach’s approach to death. Where so many of the cantatas are full of remorse and confession, this funeral cantata is remarkably cheerful as it looks forward to eternal life. The other two cantatas are Komm, Jesu, komm and Himmelskonig, sei willkommen together with an arrangement of O Gott, du frommer Gott.

Sousa: Music for Wind Band – 18

Trinity Laban Wind Orchestra, Keith Brion

NAXOS 8.559812

I love this series and wonder how much longer it will go on for.  Yet again there is a great deal to enjoy here and the Trinity Laban Wind Orchestra give us exhilarating performances. Much of the music seems tongue-in-cheek, particularly The Stag Party which in the nineteenth century was a student night out and nothing to do with weddings. The Merry-Merry Chorus is recorded, surprisingly, for the first time – but we can only look forward to the next instalment.

Boieldieu: Piano concerto; six overtures

Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, Howard Griffiths

CPO 555 244-2

I first encountered Boieldieu as a statue in the Place Boieldieu in Rouen but at the time knew nothing of his music. Even today, with so many recordings available, he is not often encountered. All the more welcome then this recording of so many of his overtures, some of which occasionally see the light of day at the start of a concert but are otherwise ignored. The Piano Concerto is pleasing but does not have the musical life or immediacy which the overtures require.

Tippett: Symphonies 3, 4 & B flat

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Rachel Nicholls, Martyn Brabbins

HYPERION CDA 68231/2

Not an easy listen but a compelling one. Tippett has unfortunately dropped out of favour since his death which is hardly justified by the quality of his large output. If you need a way into this new cd then the Symphony in B flat will certainly help. An early work, it is closer to the lyricism of his earlier operas that the later symphonies and so provides a link into the more demanding later works. Martyn Brabbins handles the scores with skill and authority.

More CD reviews to follow for March 2019