{"id":4936,"date":"2019-02-12T09:45:51","date_gmt":"2019-02-12T09:45:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.larkreviews.co.uk\/?p=4936"},"modified":"2019-02-12T09:45:51","modified_gmt":"2019-02-12T09:45:51","slug":"cds-february-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/?p=4936","title":{"rendered":"CDs February 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
A Neapolitan Stabat Mater<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Le Concert de l\u2019Hostel Dieu<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
CHRONOS ICSM 012<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Franck-Emmanuel Comte takes a fascinating approach to Pergolesi\u2019s familiar setting. As well as a perfectly respectable rendition of the Stabat Mater<\/em> he adds in a number of Neapolitan folk songs of the period which would have been sung in street processions. This highlights how the composer draws on local music as well and the extent to which he enhances it and moves seamlessly from the secular to the sacred.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Schubert: Symphonies Vol 1<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
CHANDOS CHSA 5234<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n

Having presumably completed his fine Mendelssohn series, Edward Gardner now moves on to Schubert with recordings of the 3rd<\/sup>, 5th<\/sup> and 8th<\/sup> symphonies. It makes for a fine and lively collection, setting the \u2018unfinished\u2019 in a context of more extrovert earlier works. The strength of the 5th<\/sup> comes across extremely well before giving way to the melancholy opening of the 8th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

<\/h6>\n
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet plays Schumann<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
CHANDOS CHAN 20081<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

If these late works are not immediately familiar the immediacy of the playing and the warmth of communication throughout makes one realise that one really should know them better. The recording opens with the Grande Sonata Op14 <\/em>in its 1853 revision and moves through the Op26 Carnival Jest<\/em> and the Three Fantasy pieces<\/em> to conclude with the five short pieces which make up Songs of Dawn. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Bach: St John Passion<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Leningrad Chamber Orchestra of old and modern music, Boys Choir of the Moscow State Choral School, Eduard Serov<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
MELODIYA MEL CD 1002379<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

This recording dates from 1981 and reflects styles and approaches of the period. There is a weight and solemnity throughout and tempi are on the slow side most of the time. The generous acoustic helps the balance though the singing comes across as more operatic than liturgical. An interesting release though not one to recommend as a first choice, given the wide range currently available.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lortzing: Opera Overtures<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Malmo Opera Orchestra, Jun Markl<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
NAXOS 8.573824<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Lortzing is all but ignored these days even in Germany, suffering in the same way that Sullivan has done in recent years. This pleasant new cd goes some way to explain the situation. Taken individually, the overtures are engaging, but as a set one quickly realises how little real individuality there is between them. Had I not had the sleeve notes available I would not have known that Undine<\/em> was not Hans Sachs \u2013 <\/em>tuneful as they both are. A useful recording but one for the library rather than regular listening I suspect.<\/p>\n

<\/h6>\n
Bruckner: Symphony No 9<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Mariss Jansons<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
BR KLASSIK 900173<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

This is a live recording made in 2014 in Munich. It makes no attempt to complete the work or add the Te Deum<\/em> as is often the case. The magnificent Adagio<\/em> is moving and deeply felt in Mariss Jansons\u2019 interpretation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mahler: Symphony No2 Resurrection<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
Minnesota Chorale and Orchestra, Osmo Vanska<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
BIS 2296<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n

I first encountered Osmo Vanska when I was in Lahti for the Organ Festivals and his handling of Sibelius at that time was exemplary. Since 2003 he has been with the Minnesota Orchestra and this latest Mahler recording reflects his energy, immediacy and enthusiasm, as well as the excellent results he gets. He is supported by fine solos from Ruby Hughes and Sasha Cooke. Well worth adding to your collection even if you have more than one Resurrection<\/em> already.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tasmin Little plays Schumann, Smyth and Beach<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Tasmin Little, violin; John Lenehan, piano<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
CHANDOS CHAN 20030<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Overlooked female composers are at last beginning to get some wider recognition even if there is still a long way to go. This cd is certainly a help, bringing together three romances by Clara Schumann with three works by Amy Beach and a Sonata by Ethel Smyth. Dame Ethel Smyth did have something of a revival a few years ago but the momentum was not maintained \u2013 a pity as her work is always worth exploring on the rare occasions live performances are available.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Salon Opera<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Flauguissimo Duo<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
RESONUS RES 10233<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

A flute and guitar duo, bringing us chamber versions of works by Gluck and Schubert alongside lesser known original works from the early 19th<\/sup> century. Genuinely intimate and beautifully played. Worth seeking out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Neapolitan Stabat Mater Le Concert de l\u2019Hostel Dieu CHRONOS ICSM 012 Franck-Emmanuel Comte takes a fascinating approach to Pergolesi\u2019s familiar setting. As well as a perfectly respectable rendition of the Stabat Mater he adds in a number of Neapolitan … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4936"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4936"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4936\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4937,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4936\/revisions\/4937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4936"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4936"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4936"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}