{"id":6289,"date":"2021-02-09T10:37:36","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T10:37:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.larkreviews.co.uk\/?p=6289"},"modified":"2021-02-09T10:37:36","modified_gmt":"2021-02-09T10:37:36","slug":"cds-dvds-february-2021-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/?p=6289","title":{"rendered":"CDs DVDs February 2021 (1)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Gluck: Alceste<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Bavarian State Opera, Antonello Manacorda<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
UNITEL 756804<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Gluck used dance as an integral part of his staging but this version goes even further and includes dancers throughout, often to the point where the singer is static and only the dancers are moving. While the narrative of Alceste <\/em>is certainly limited, the dancers add a parallel rather than a supportive element. Interesting, but not always convincing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shakespeare: Timon of Athens<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
Kathryn Hunter, RSC, Stratford upon Avon<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
OPUSARTE OA 1311D<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n

We saw this production in Stratford in 2019 and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am not totally convinced by the whole scale indulgence in diversity but there is certainly no problem with Kathryn Hunter as Timon. The timeless setting and the fine emotional reality of the narrative make for a compelling production by Simon Godwin. With so much classical theatre around which I am afraid I regard as dubious, this is a refreshing approach which really works.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Beethoven; Piano Concertos 1 & 2<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Igor Levit, Xiaohan Wang, piano; Kolner Kammerorchester, Helmuth Muller-Bruhl<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
NAXOS 8.551447<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

It is not often one has different soloists for the major works being recorded but the use of two soloists here goes back to the Kolner Kammerorchester\u2019s policy of working with a range of young soloists to promote the best. As such we have two perfectly pleasing recordings of the Beethoven concerti but little more focus than that.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mahler: Das Klagende Lied<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Michael Gielen<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
ORFEO C 210021<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

This is a live recording from 1990 and very fine it is. Mahler\u2019s Das Klagende Lied<\/em> is surprisingly little performed when set alongside the symphonies yet it really deserves a place with them if only for the magnificence of the orchestration and melodic creativity. Good to have this available.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 5; Scenes from Bunyan\u2019s Pilgrim\u2019s Progress<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
HYPERION CDA 68325<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

As one who feels that Vaughan Williams\u2019 Pilgrims Progress<\/em> is greatly undervalued, it is a pleasure to find these scenes at least linked with an equally fine recording of the Fifth Symphony. Martyn Brabbins has always been a sensitive conductor of Vaughan Williams and proves to be so again here.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Respighi: Concerto All\u2019antica; Ancient Aires and Dances 1-3<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Davide Alogna, violin, Chamber Orchestra of New York, Salvatore di Vittorio<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
NAXOS 8.573901<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

The Concerto All\u2019antica<\/em> is almost certainly unknown compared with the familiar Ancient Airs and Dances but it is an immensely appealing work, very much in the same vein. The score was only printed in a critical edition in 2019 and so is here recorded for the first time. It is good to have it available.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

French Duets<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
Paul Lewis & Steven Osborne<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
HYPERION CDA 68329<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n

This is sheer indulgence and there is nothing wrong with that. Think of a lollypop and it is probably here \u2013 Faure\u2019s Dolly, <\/em>Debussy\u2019s Petite Suite, <\/em>Ravel\u2019s Ma mere l\u2019oye \u2013 <\/em>plus a number more, all joyfully played with enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

Vida Breve<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
Stephen Hough, piano<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
HYPERION CDA 68260<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n

I caught Stephen Hough speaking with enthusiasm on radio recently about this new recording. It creates a fine over-arching programme opening with an austere reading of Bach\/Busoni Chaconne<\/em> and then moving through a number of works which gradually unfold in enthusiasm until they end gently with a rapturous meditation on Bach\u2019s familiar Ave Maria, <\/em>drawing on Bach and Busoni as well as Stephen Hough himself. A lovely disc.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I wonder as I wander<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
James Newby, baritone, Joseph Middleton, piano<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
BIS BIS 2475<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

These are essentially reflective songs by a wide range of composers, but all focussed on the ruminations of the singer, even when the texts are drawn from folk songs. James Newby manages to communicate his introspection at the same time as ensuring we are not somehow too far on the outside. A moving collection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gluck: Alceste Bavarian State Opera, Antonello Manacorda UNITEL 756804 Gluck used dance as an integral part of his staging but this version goes even further and includes dancers throughout, often to the point where the singer is static and only … 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\/6289"}],"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=6289"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6289\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6290,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6289\/revisions\/6290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}