{"id":6206,"date":"2020-11-06T09:27:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-06T09:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.larkreviews.co.uk\/?p=6206"},"modified":"2020-11-06T09:27:00","modified_gmt":"2020-11-06T09:27:00","slug":"cds-dvds-november-2020-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/?p=6206","title":{"rendered":"CDs DVDs November 2020 (1)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Andre Messager: Fortunio<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Choeur les Elements, Orchestre des Champs-Elysees, Louis Langree<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
NAXOS NBD0119V<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Another rarity and Messager is hardly well known let alone his comic operas. While this has some lovely music in it, the story line is very slight and possibly a little too risky today. That said, it is well sung and the narrative moves at a good pace.<\/p>\n

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JAMES MACMILLAN ORGAN WORKS<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
STEPHEN FARR, Rieger organ of St Giles\u2019 Cathedral, Edinburgh<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
RESONUS RES10266 56\u201950<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

To begin this selection here is a collection of wonderful performances of a range of solo organ works by James MacMillan. Many moods and colours are evoked in this programme and it makes for very enjoyable listening. The works included here date from 1983 until last year and include three pieces written as wedding gifts. Opening with the rhythmic<\/p>\n

Kenga e Krushqve<\/em>, based on an Albanian wedding song and closing with the vibrant Toccata<\/em> there are further jubilant moments alongside more reflective passages in this well balanced disc.<\/p>\n

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ALPHA & O: MUSIC FOR ADVENT & CHRISTMAS<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
CHOIRS OF ST CATHERINE\u2019S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, Edward Wickham, Director<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
RESONUS RES10268 54\u201929<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

A lovely fresh sequence of seasonal music is presented here with real clarity by the chapel choir and girls choir of St Catherine\u2019s. The blend of contemporary settings with plainchant gives a great sense of balance and also of the continuing tradition of devotional choral music. There are a number of premiere recordings included. Full texts and translations are to be found in the accompanying booklet.<\/p>\n

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DUARTE LOBO MASSES, RESPONSORIES & MOTETS<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
CUPERTINOS, Luis Toscano, Director<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
HYPERION CDA68306 70\u201916<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Duarte Lobo \u00a0(c1565-1646) is regarded as one of the finest composers from the \u2018Golden Age\u201d of Portuguese polyphony. Although obviously rooted in a particular time and place, this music also possesses something of a timeless universality. Here are beautiful renditions of motets and a premier recording of Christmas Responsories <\/em>alongside the two main works Missa Sancta Maria <\/em>and Missa Elisabeth Zachariae. <\/em>Extensive notes and texts are provided in this excellent production.<\/p>\n

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CHARLES-MARIE WIDOR ORGAN SYMPHONIES 3<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
CHRISTIAN VON BLOHN, organ of St Joseph\u2019s Church, Sankt Ingbert, Germany<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
NAXOS 8.574206 79\u201934<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Naxos\u2019 extensive Organ Encyclopedia <\/em>series continues to expand with volume 3 of Widor\u2019s organ symphonies played by Christian von Blohn on this recently restored late romantic instrument. The decision to record here not using a Cavaille-Coll instrument is a welcome one as surely this music should be allowed to travel further afield. These two substantial works both push Widor\u2019s writing in new directions. They are Symphony No 7 in A minor, Op 42 No 3 <\/em>& the ever popular Symphonie Gothique, Op 70.<\/em><\/p>\n

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FAZIL SAY COMPLETE VIOLIN WORKS<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
FRIEDEMANN EICHORN, Violin. FAZIL SAY, Piano. AYKUT KOSELERLI, Percussion<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
DEUTSCHE RADIO PHILHARMONIE SAARBRUCKEN KAISERSLAUTEN<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
CHRISTOPH ESCHENBACH, Conductor<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
NAXOS 8.574085. 70\u201930<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

This CD contains some very exciting sounds. All of the music here was new to me and I was very impressed by the whole programme. The two most substantial pieces here are the Sonata for violin & piano No2 \u201cMount Ida\u201d, <\/em>a very recent work, from 2019, and Violin Concerto \u201c1001 nights in the Harem\u201d <\/em>from 2007. The composer, who often draws on his Turkish roots, produces some very pleasing music which combines tradition with modernity, retaining melody and a sense of progression but still with much that surprises.<\/p>\n

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BRIAN GIEBLER \u2013 A LAD\u2019S LOVE<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
BRIAN GIEBLER, Tenor\u00a0 STEVEN MCGHEE, Piano<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
BRIDGE 9542\u00a0 70\u201943<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

This CD really moves me. It is the debut album from an American singer who has taken on many musical theatre roles to great acclaim. Here he shows how at home and accomplished he is with a very different repertoire. A Lad\u2019s Love <\/em>takes its title from a song by John Ireland included here. The songs, many from the first half of the 20th<\/sup> Century, explore various aspects of love \u2013 young, unrequited, forbidden\u2026and the horror and devastation of war and loss. There is so much here that needs to be heard and understood. Giebler\u2019s sensitive delivery, together with supportive accompaniment from Steven McGhee and the contributions of the other musicians make for a very impressive listening experience. The whole production is superb.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Anton Rubinstein: String Quartets Op 47 No 1&3<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Reinhold Quartet<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
CPO 777 709-2<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

These are lovely pieces, deeply felt but not over worked and here given highly committed performances by the Reinhold Quartet.<\/p>\n

Humperdinck: Music for the Stage<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Malmo Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Dario Salvi<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
NAXOS 8.574177<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Though a great lover of Hansel and Gretel <\/em>I was not prepared for just how good these incidental scores really are. It shows that Humperdinck was far more than a one work wonder and is surely overlooked among the large number of turn of the century composers who were able to turn out such highly melodic scores. The one real rarity here is the suite arranged from Das Wunder<\/em> \u2013 the first full-colour silent film, made in 1912. A real find.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gershwin: Concerto in F<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Kevin Cole, piano, National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic, David Alan Miller<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
NAXOS 8.559875<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

This is an eclectic collection of twentieth century American music centred on Gershwin\u2019s piano concerto. John Harbinson\u2019s Remembering Gatsby <\/em>\u00a0is a foxtrot for orchestra evoking 1920s dance bands, while Walter Piston\u2019s Symphony No5 draws on twelve-tone techniques while maintaining a sense of joy and optimism.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Twentieth Century Foxtrots \u2013 2<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
Gottlieb Wallisch, piano<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
GRAND PIANO<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n

Twenty nine items by sixteen composers and a wonderful range of foxtrots, not all of which you could easily dance to but all of which are certainly worth the time to listen attentively. A lovely disc.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Andre Messager: Fortunio Choeur les Elements, Orchestre des Champs-Elysees, Louis Langree NAXOS NBD0119V Another rarity and Messager is hardly well known let alone his comic operas. While this has some lovely music in it, the story line is very slight … 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\/6206"}],"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=6206"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6207,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6206\/revisions\/6207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}