Recording reviews for Classical Ear iphone app 2013-2017

Recording reviews Classical Ear app and website

Schubert: String Quartet No 14 in D minor, D810 (Death and the Maiden); Sibelius: String Quartet in D minor, Op 56 (Voces intimae) Reviewed on Wed 09 Aug, 2017 Death, or the foreboding of it, infuses this pairing of Schubert and Sibelius quartets, to make you wonder why they have never been recorded together before. The subject, though, does not make the works sound overtly gloomy, as the Ehnes Quartet’s emotionally laden performances eloquently prove. From the opening of Schubert’s 'Death and the Maiden' it is palpable that these musicians invest everything with a lightness of touch and a keen ear for sonority whilst not overplaying Schubert’s Viennese indulgences. Sibelius’s only published string quartet might be lesser known; however, this five-movement beauty is simultaneously intimate and illuminating of the Fourth Symphony’s larger canvas. Ever his own man, Sibelius’s colour palette and dynamic inventiveness captivate anew with each subsequent hearing. Superb recorded sound seals the deal.

–Evan Dickerson Pretty Yende: A Journey – Arias by Rossini, Delibes, Bellini, Gounod, and Donzietti Reviewed on Tue 25 Jul, 2017 This recital of seven scenes and arias marks a significant milestone in Pretty Yende’s journey from the South African townships to a career on important world stages. Her creamy tone and natural controlled vibrato is immediately pleasing and consistently beautiful. Unsurprising, therefore, that Rossini’s 'Una voce poco fa' sparkles as one would hope for and Gounod’s 'Dieu, quell frisson' is imposingly passionate. Less pleasing, though, are the occasional pitching issues that creep in (Bellini’s I puritani Mad scene), and, particularly on repeated listening, the uniformity of Yende’s other interpretations. That said, it’s to Yende’s credit that she delves behind the standard repertoire with 'Respiro io qui ... Ma la sola, ohimè!' (Bellini’s Beatrice di Tenda) and 'En proie à la tristesse' (Rossini’s Le Comte Ory), presented as full scenes rather than truncated ‘torso’ arias. Good partnership with mezzo Kate Aldrich and others; serviceable accompaniment from Marco Armiliato and his Italian forces; notes, texts and translations included.

–Evan Dickerson

Pergolesi: Stabat Mater in F minor; Mancini: Sonata No 14 in G minor; Durante: Concerto grosso in F minor Reviewed on Wed 28 Dec, 2016 Your liking or otherwise of this recording, taken from a live concert at Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Élysées on 27 June 2016, will most likely hinge on what can be deemed stylistically appropriate. The Ensemble Amarillis, led jointly by Héloïse Gaillard and Violaine Cochard, performs the programme with some awareness of period approaches. Hence, there are few quibbles to be had with the comparatively rare instrumental offerings from Francesco Mancini and Durante. If only the same could be said about the Pergolesi. Here the discrepancy of approach between the orchestra and the overtly operatic voices of Sonya Yoncheva and Karine Deshayes becomes, for me at least, a point of increasing contention as the performance progresses. Both singers are distinguished in their own right but they don’t gel as sympathetically as others do on disc. Try Netrebko and Pizzolato for Pappano (DG) or Kirkby and Bowman for Hogwood (Decca) for singers from very different traditions who nevertheless find real depth of feeling within Pergolesi’s heartfelt score. Decent live recording and supporting notes.

–Evan Dickerson

Haydn: String Quartets – No 1 in B flat major, Op 1 No 1; No 41 in G major, Op 33 No 5; No 81 in G major, Op 77 No 1 Reviewed on Wed 21 Dec, 2016 The youthful German musicians of the Goldmund Quartet will garner widespread attention for their debut studio recording that includes three works spanning Haydn’s exploration of the string quartet form. In the booklet interview the artists rightly observe how swiftly Haydn established the quartet form and the criteria against which quartet playing is judged: intonation, articulation, phrasing and balance. Each aspect is apparent in the Goldmund’s sensuously moulded sound and contributes to each work catching the ear. Op 1 No 1 – a five-movement divertimento-like work in B flat major – is played with joyful élan, its freshness adding to the lively prestos and minuets whilst the central adagio registers depth of feeling. The humour of the more conventionally structured and densely constructed Op 33 No 5 in G major is easily captured, the faithful and spacious recording allowing individual lines to register unobtrusively. The harmonic daring of Op 77 No 1 (also in G major) offers the Goldmund opportunities for virtuosity and revelry in equal measure, yet never to Haydn’s detriment. Should you be seeking your first recording of this repertoire or already have one with your quartet of choice but are interested in an alternative, I strongly recommend the Goldmund Quartet. Naxos’s bargain price seals the deal. Delightful!

–Evan Dickerson Rott: Symphony No 1 in E major Reviewed on Wed 14 Dec, 2016 A fellow student with Gustav Mahler in Anton Bruckner’s composition class, Hans Rott (1858-1884) left his mark on the symphonic form. Rott’s orchestration of the piece (1880) simultaneously echoes Wagner’s Tannhäuser and Brahms’s First Symphony whilst anticipating Mahler in form and theme: compare the scherzo third movement with those from Gustav’s First and Fifth Symphonies. Rott’s orchestral demands upon the enlarged Mozarteum forces has them feeling the strain, as the more than respectable November 2015 live recording from Salzburg’s Großes Festspielhaus cannot hide. Constantin Trinks’s tempo choices also contribute to lending Rott’s music an over-deliberated feel; the first movement coalesces unconvincingly and the second movement adagio quickly loses the thread of its argument. Here, Trinks is preferable to Leif Segerstam’s (BIS) even more slovenly approach, but is bettered by both Paavo Järvi (RCA) and Sebastian Weigle’s budget Munich offering (Arte Nova). Trinks is at his best in the scherzo, whilst the finale eventually gathers steam. Dennis Russell Davies (CPO) is tighter still than most alternatives, tackling the finale full on to revel in the nearWagnerian brass scoring that crowns it. Overall, however, it’s the playing of Järvi’s Frankfurt Radio forces that secures my final recommendation.

–Evan Dickerson Jonas Kaufmann: Dolce Vita Reviewed on Fri 09 Dec, 2016 The booklet will have you believe that Jonas Kaufmann’s latest recording will transport you to a sun-kissed Italian beach with a feel-good factor. It’s not quite that simple. There are positives: the varied repertoire, Asher Fisch’s pacey conducting and the glossy presentation. Kaufmann remains in tune and linguistically accurate throughout. The negatives prove serious flaws: the Teatro Massimo di Palermo orchestra sounds distinctly scratchy, and Kaufmann’s singing lacks that most essential quality – style. Take Dalla’s 'Caruso', de Curtis’s 'Torna a surriento' or Modugno’s 'Volare': Pavarotti (Decca) bathes them in golden tone with ease, yet Kaufmann’s more baritone-tinged and effortful vocals leave them lingering in the shadows. Gigli (EMI) and Wunderlich (DG) imbue Leoncavallo’s 'Mattinata' with feeling that Kaufmann cannot match. A few canzone, such as Gastaldon’s 'Musica Proibita', are moderately successful under Kaufmann’s advocacy. On balance, though, that’s not enough and, given the alternatives, I would not replay this recording straight through again in a hurry.

–Evan Dickerson

Friedman: Piano Quintet in C minor; Różyicki: Piano Quintet in C minor, Op 35

Reviewed on Tue 22 Nov, 2016 Polish piano quintets in C minor are becoming a niche interest for Jonathan Plowright and the Szymanowski Quartet on Hyperion. They follow up their winning account of Juliusz Zarębski’s opus (CDA67905) with an equally intriguing pairing of works by Ludomir Różycki and Ignacy Friedman. Różycki’s three-movement work, dating from 1913, is loosely reminiscent of Brahms. Carrying the air of Romanticism too, the work makes much of its atmospheric ebb and flow, rather than its thematic inventiveness. As it proceeds, a growing sense of personality pervades the piece, with the second movement in particular displaying an increasing reliance upon the cello part to propel the quintet along. Friedman’s Quintet is thematically more engaging and proves to be a real discovery. Given its civilised salon-friendly manner, I am surprised it’s not better known, as the piano part seems written for the semi-professional pianist, even though Friedman himself was a virtuoso. Throughout, the strings weave a web of inventive colour and texture around the piano – try as a starting point the middle movement theme and variations to show just how genial a composer Friedman is. Superb playing is matched by fine engineering in the atmospheric acoustic of Potton Hall. Greatly recommended – you won’t regret it!

–Evan Dickerson Clementi: Piano Concerto in C major; Franz Xaver Mozart: Piano Concertos – No 1 in C major, Op 14; No 2 in E flat major, Op 25 Reviewed on Tue 15 Nov, 2016 Franz Xaver Mozart – born four months before his father’s death – led an itinerant life as 'Wolfgang, Jr.', piano virtuoso and composer of chamber music. His only orchestral compositions are two piano concertos; the first of which, written aged 18, is a tad ‘like father, like son’, since it is broadly indebted to Wolfgang’s later classical style. That said, keep things in perspective: I wouldn’t approach this recording expecting major discoveries that you can’t live without. The theme and variations central movement provides the concerto’s most substantive material, though each outer movement wears its charm lightly, and throughout the balance of soloist and orchestra is superbly realised. The Second Concerto is more individual by starting in uncharacteristically serious vein. The solo line packs florid imagination with an orchestral palette enlivened by clarinets that are deftly utilised. The two movements that follow allow tender expressivity to shine forth in streams of melody that hold momentary attention. Clementi’s sole surviving concerto makes an appropriate partner piece, with the opening movement’s virtuosity handled with dexterity by Howard Shelley and the Swiss St Gallen orchestra alike. As Richard Wigmore rightly suggests in his liner notes, the central movement’s “hushed solemnity anticipates Beethoven” and the “distinctly Haydnesque” presto finale is delivered with delight. The fine playing is matched by Hyperion’s production values.

–Evan Dickerson Anna Netrebko: Verismo – Arias by Cilea, Giordano, Puccini, Leoncavallo, Catalani, Boito and Ponchielli Reviewed on Mon 07 Nov, 2016 In my review of 12 September 2013, I urged caution when approaching Anna Netrebko’s selection of Verdi arias, suggesting that the darkening of her vocal timbre had yet to fully settle. Her latest offering, which centres on Verismo repertoire in the loosest sense, shows more certainty in that regard through much of the repertoire. Netrebko uses the arias to demonstrate her versatility – both Liu and Turandot are represented, though the latter proves more successful and sits easier in her maturing voice. Puccini dominates proceedings, and the recital as a whole builds towards a satisfying traversal of Manon Lescaut’s final act that also features Netrebko’s husband, the fine tenor Yusif Eyvazov, as Des Grieux. Alas, Madama Butterfly’s 'Un bel dì' and Tosca’s 'Vissi d’arte' lack individuality, though extracts from Boito’s Mefistofele and Ponchielli’s La Gioconda are enriched by Netrebko’s rich lower register. Antonio Pappano leads his Santa Cecilia forces with assurance if no particular individuality. Excellent sound quality; texts and translations included, though they are minutely printed against a dark graphic background that impacts their usefulness.

–Evan Dickerson

Chopin: 24 Mazurkas

Reviewed on Tue 01 Nov, 2016 Andrew Achenbach enthusiastically greeted Pavel Kolesnikov’s playing of Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons (reviewed 23 January 2015). The 26-year-old's latest Hyperion release is arguably the best Chopin recording I have encountered in recent years. By steering clear of bland chronology, Kolesnikov’s personal selection and ordering of twenty-four of the fifty-eight Mazurkas echoes an approach often taken by the composer himself in concert and lays the foundation for an enthralling and refreshing experience that strengthens the reputation of this young Russian pianist. From start to finish Kolesnikov doesn’t lose sight of the fact these are dances in miniature and his phrasing of each is entirely apposite. Chopin’s inventiveness is made the inescapable feature of this recording, be it in the instinctive juxtaposition of time signatures realised within the C major, Op 24 No 2, or the palpable sense of atmosphere that infuses every note of the A minor, Op 17, No 4. Hyperion’s topnotch production values of sound quality and Jeffrey Kallberg’s liner notes complement Kolesnikov’s artistry well. Don’t delay!

–Evan Dickerson

Diepenbrock: Elektra (Symphonic Suite); De Vogels – Overture; Marsyas (Concert Suite) Reviewed on Thu 27 Oct, 2016 Self-taught Dutch composer Alphons Diepenbrock (1862-1921) was respected by Mahler, Strauss and Schoenberg during his lifetime, though his music still has to find a widespread audience. These three examples of his orchestral theatre music (not symphonic poems in the strict sense of the genre) perhaps indicate why.

The overture De Vogels (‘The Birds’) tries a little too hard to realise humour and leaves its thematic material rather underdeveloped. The two suites, drawn from larger compositions, are more complex. Marsyas’s five movements show Debussy’s influence in their searching harmonies that pushed the boundary for Dutch composition at the time. Elektra, Diepenbrock’s last completed score, is undoubtedly the most forthright work heard here. It fuses a vivid sense of character around the major personas of Orestes, Electra, Clytemnestra and the Furies with a penchant for the darker timbres of low woodwinds and brass. Antony Hermus brings out the music’s drama by drawing dynamic playing from the Bambergers. A greater range of instrumental colour and more assured performances than those from Hans Vonk (Chandos) make this the preferable choice. Useful introductory notes; good recorded sound.

–Evan Dickerson Dvořák: Symphonies – No 8 in G major, Op 88; No 9 in E minor, Op 95 (From the New World) Reviewed on Fri 07 Oct, 2016 “František who?”, you may be thinking. Stupka (1879-1965) is the all-but-forgotten man that the Czech Philharmonic called when Václav Talich was unavailable. He was no mere time-beater: a busy career secured an international reputation, yet Stupka’s available discography barely fills four CDs. These recordings capture live performances of two Dvořák symphonies: the Eighth is from 1959 in an acceptable acoustic; alas, recessed and cloudy sound mars the 1964 Ninth. Interpretively, too, the Eighth is the main draw, since Stupka’s broad tempo choices are more individual than both Talich (Supraphon) and Kertész (Decca). Disciplined playing and purposeful conviction impose themselves across the outer movements, yet the results lack nothing in spontaneity. Witness, for example, the slow sensitivity afforded the transition to the opening movement’s second subject, and you can only delight in the way he builds impact towards the symphony’s conclusion.

There’s more mystery than usual in the Adagio, where the woodwind playing is a thing of marvel. Only the third movement is rivalled by other versions. The New World has its drama built more episodically than cohesively, although the famous Largo and scherzo hold the attention convincingly. Informative liner-notes on both the symphonies and Stupka are included. Curious collectors are recommended to explore Stupka conducting Novák’s In the Tatras and Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique (Supraphon) – fine stuff indeed.

–Evan Dickerson

Pumeza: Arias

Reviewed on Thu 22 Sep, 2016 Having given Pumeza Matshikiza’s debut recording a warm welcome (see my review dated 2 October 2014), this release arrived with some anticipation. As with its predecessor, the programme is a wide-ranging one of arias and orchestral song. To be fair, the results are variable. At her best, such as in Puccini’s Mimi, Catalani’s Wally and Purcell’s Dido, Pumeza offers strong characterisation where her stage experience is evident. Creamy tone is a notable feature in the Hahn and Fauré numbers, and endearing humour is palpable in the Montsalvatge. The Ravel, Yradier, Sarti, Dvořák and Gluck all fall a bit flat due to their bland vocal characterisation. Some irritations creep in on repeated listening: occasionally approximate diction and offpitch notes in the higher vocal range, the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra’s prosaic playing under Tobias Ringborg, and the unnecessary shortening of some items – Dido’s Lament lacks its preceding recitative. Good sound quality. Maybe future releases should concentrate on areas of strength in greater depth.

–Evan Dickerson Moszkowski: Piano Concerto in B minor, Op 3; Schulz-Evler: Russian Rhapsody, Op 14 Reviewed on Tue 20 Sep, 2016 Hyperion’s Romantic Piano Concerto series continues to unearth interesting repertoire and give it premiere recordings. Both works included here were written ostensibly to further their composers’ playing careers – and the demands they make are considerable. Moritz Moszkowski’s early-1870s concerto was thought lost until the score was discovered in Paris during 2008. A 54-minute work in four movements, it is at best enthralling: sample the opening movement, which has the soloist firing off a Chopinesque fusillade of notes, or the humorous third-movement scherzo. On the debit side, distended writing leads the other movements towards self-serving ornamentation – the finale has not one but two bravura cadenzas – rather than structural cohesion. Adolf Schulz-Evler’s Russian Rhapsody makes for a tuneful and involving partner. Initially sombre, it gradually accelerates through a sequence of shifting keys and melodies towards a brilliant conclusion. Ludmil Angelov achieves minor miracles by throwing everything he can technically and interpretatively at these works, as does Vladimir Kiradjiev, who secures admirably direct playing from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Full-blooded and well balanced recorded sound; useful liner notes by Jeremy Nicholas.

–Evan Dickerson

Mozart: Piano Trios – in B flat major, K 502; in E major, K 542; in G major, K 564 Reviewed on Fri 16 Sep, 2016 The Rautio Piano Trio’s growing reputation will only be enhanced by this, their debut recording of three Mozartian jewels. This might be comparatively mainstream repertoire but they approach it with a gratifying freshness that avoids the routine. The use of period instruments affords each work a transparency of timbre, and judicious tempo choices ensure that the performances avoid difficulties of balance that can weigh down modern instrument alternatives, like Haydn Trio Eisenstadt (Capriccio). Trio Parnassus (MDG) largely avoid that problem but are occasionally pedestrian. No such issues affect the Beaux Arts Trio's 1960s readings (Decca).

The Rautios confidently sit alongside them. Rhythmically alert allegros and nuanced allegrettos allow the gutstrung violin of Jane Gordon and Jan Rautio’s fortepiano to draw the listener in. Cellist Adi Tal underlines them both with warmth, the Larghetto (K 502) and andantes (K 542 and K 564) are characterful and aptly gracious.

Natural, well balanced recorded sound.

–Evan Dickerson

Stojowski: Violin Concerto in G minor, Op 22; Romanze in E flat major, Op 20; Wieniawski: Fantaisie brillante sur des motifs de l'opéra Faust de Gounod, Op 20

Reviewed on Mon 12 Sep, 2016 Polish composers Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880) and Zygmunt Stojowski (1869-1946) make a good pairing.

Stojowski’s Violin Concerto and Romanze, both written around 1899, betray various influences acquired during his Parisian studies with Delibes a decade earlier. The concerto’s opening movement has shades of Brahms, Glazunov, and even foreshadowings of Elgar, about it. The soulful slow movement’s vocalise is key to its emotional centre, whilst Bruch and Wieniawski’s twin imprints are strongest in the taxing yet lyrical finale.

Stojowski’s concerto is thematically weaker than his two piano concertos – excellently played on Hyperion CDA67314 – but calls for a virtuoso solo skill-set crafted to suit its dedicatee and creator Władysław Górski.

The Romanze for violin and orchestra is assured, poetic, nostalgic and clearly deserving of a wider audience.

Wieniawski’s Faust Fantasy ploughs its rich furrow of tuneful operatic derivation to winning effect. Bartłomiej Nizioł rises admirably to the challenges posed by these works with his ripe yet never over-succulent tone, tempered by focused vibrato and secure technique. As on his Hyperion recording of the two piano concertos

by Różycki (reviewed on 25 February 2016) Łukasz Borowicz has the BBC Scottish SO sounding at home on Polish soil. Competition comes from Agnieszka Marucha in Stojowski (Acte Préalable) and Marat Bisengaliev in Wieniawski (Naxos), but Hyperion’s production-values are superior.

–Evan Dickerson Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No 2 in G major, Op 44; Khachaturian: Piano Concerto Reviewed on Wed 07 Sep, 2016 Unlike its forerunner, Tchaikovsky’s Second Piano Concerto has languished unloved and suffered unkind cuts – most prominently to the concertante section of the middle movement in Alexander Siloti’s performing edition.

Fortunately, Xiayin Wang plays Tchaikovsky’s original score, and it has been favoured by other pianists on record. Her playing in the outer movements is passionate and full of feeling, recalling the manner of Viktoria Postnikova (Decca) or Boris Berezovsky (Mirare). If there’s a criticism, it’s to be found in the central movement, where there could be greater fluency of interplay between pianist and the solo violinist and cellist – this was a particularly successful aspect of Peter Donohoe’s recording with Rudolf Barshai and the Bournemouth SO, where he was joined by star soloists Nigel Kennedy and Steven Isserlis (EMI/Warner). Melodie Zhao (Claves) plays the work eloquently; pure poetry. Eldar Nebolsin’s forthcoming account on Naxos faces significant competition. Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto is an unremitting battle of strength for the pianist, often pitted against the thickly-scored orchestra. Xiayin Wang is muscly and forthright, as the work demands, while Oundjian draws some gutsy, characterful playing from the RSNO. As such, this scores over the more intimate recording of Alicia de Larrocha (Decca). Admirable recorded sound; strongly recommended.

–Evan Dickerson Come all ye songsters Reviewed on Fri 26 Aug, 2016 Recorded live in March 2015 with atmospheric sound quality, this recital is largely devoted to Henry Purcell and the Gresham Manuscript, which he compiled between 1692 and 1695. Its highlights are extracts from The Fairy Queen, Don Quixote and famous items such as '‘Tis Nature’s Voice' and 'I see she flies me'. Carolyn Sampson sings with rich yet clear soprano tone and pays keen attention to the texts she sings, as befits Purcell’s reputation as perhaps the greatest composer to set his native tongue to music. From the drama of 'Let the dreadful Engines of Eternal Will' to the gracefully sumptuous 'Fairest Isle', there is much that gives delight. Throughout it all, Sampson is royally supported by a trio of accompanists, and it’s good that they provide instrumental solos or duets too. Laurence Cummings brings a lightness of touch to Purcell’s C major harpsichord suite, whilst lutenist Elizabeth Kenny impresses in Francesco Corbetta’s Passacaille, as does violist Jonathan Manson in Draghi’s An Italian Ground. Intelligent introductory notes and sung texts included.

–Evan Dickerson

Reger: 33 Songs Reviewed on Thu 01 Sep, 2016 Max Reger deserves better than his reputation as dour composer of organ music often affords him. Should you doubt this, then I suggest his large song output should demand your attention. Alas, Hyperion’s recording frustratingly showcases both Reger and the 33 selected songs with uneven results. Reger ploughs a rich vein of post-Brahmsian adventurous chromaticism that proves more effective in setting some texts – 'Waldeinsamkeit' or 'Wenn die Linde blüht', for example – but far less so in others. Richard Dehmel intended his poem Wiegenlied to be a gentle lullaby: Richard Strauss’s setting delivers on that but Reger’s is cacophonous. 'Morgen!' is more successful in Reger’s hands. Sophie Bevan, too, proves a mixed asset. Some songs lie easily within her vocal range: 'Wenn die Linde blüht' and 'Mariä Wiegenlied' are respectively character-filled and touching. There’s beauty in her lower range too, as 'Äolsharfe' demonstrates. Elsewhere, Bevan doesn’t fully meet Reger’s challenge, be it in the vocal leaps demanded by both 'Zwischen zwei Nächten' and 'Träume, träume, du mein süßes Leben!', or the blandness of her delivery in 'Glückes genug'. The undoubted strengths are Malcolm Martineau’s minutely attentive pianism, the excellent sound quality and Susan Youens’s booklet notes. Texts and translations included.

–Evan Dickerson Decades: A Century of Song, Volume 1 (1810-1820) Reviewed on Tue 23 Aug, 2016 The key issue here is one of national balance. German repertoire from Schubert, Beethoven and Weber greatly dominates this opening volume of Malcolm Martineau’s forthcoming decade-by-decade survey of nineteenth century song. Tenor Michael Schade and soprano Sylvia Schwartz assume the burden of responsibility and offer absorbing, nuanced performances. A cameo from baritone Florian Boesch in Schubert’s Das Grab adds further weight. Contributions in French by rarely-performed Sophie Gail and Joseph Dominique Fabry-Garat (sung by soprano Lorna Anderson), Spanish by Sor (sung by Schwartz), settings of Goethe by Tomášek (with Schade) and Viotti (with mezzo Ann Murray) add a little colour along the way. Murray and Anderson prove delightful, Schade’s Tomášek a touch dull – more a reflection upon the composer than the singer. Perhaps a 2CD set would have allowed for greater variety in the composers presented and therefore a fuller impression of art song between 1810-1820 would be given. However, with Martineau’s pianistic acumen and insight beyond question, the series is launched in style. Excellent recorded sound, superb extensive booklet essay, texts and translations further recommend this fine release.

–Evan Dickerson Poulenc: Works for piano solo and piano duo Reviewed on Wed 17 Aug, 2016 Lucille Chung proves a fantastic Poulenc advocate. Her instinctive touch and stylistic sensitivity illuminate the brevity of the 15 Improvisations and 3 Novelettes with rich characterisation.

Poulenc’s talents as pianist and composer combined to create an oeuvre of distinction, within which discrete miniatures feature prominently. Many works remain scandalously under-played, so it is fortunate that Lucille Chung proves a fantastic Poulenc advocate. Her instinctive touch and stylistic sensitivity illuminate the brevity of the 15 Improvisations and 3 Novelettes with rich characterisation. Along the way there are nods to Schubert, Mozart, Piaf, Falla, Stravinsky and Paganini amongst others. Alessio Bax, Chung’s husband, joins her in the remaining works – and the result is a marriage of shared executive excellence in the cheeky Sonata for Four Hands and optimistic L’embarquement pour Cythère. In the composer’s two-piano reduction of the Concerto for Two Pianos Chung and Bax tackle a sizeable work with aplomb, ferociously attacking the outer movements and achieving a delicious romance in the glorious central one. This is a release to savour, even if you have Pascal Rogé’s (Decca) highly regarded collected Poulenc piano works. Demonstration sound quality.

–Evan Dickerson

Satie: Piano Works

Reviewed on Thu 11 Aug, 2016 Russian-German pianist Olga Scheps marks the 150th anniversary of Erik Satie’s birth with a programme that mixes perennial favourites like the Six Gnossiennes and Trois Gymnopédies alongside more rarely performed treats such as the Trois Sarabandes and Darius Milhaud’s keyboard arrangement of the Cinq Grimaces pour Le songe d’une nuit d’été. Scheps possesses the delicacy of touch required for Satie and produces playing of remarkably even tone. This suits the Gnossiennes, Gymnopédies and shorter vocalises Je te veux and Tendrement. Where more characterisation of wry humour is required in the Grimaces Scheps does match Jean-Yves Thibaudet (Decca). That said, the intimacy of Scheps’s recording sounds more appropriate than Thibaudet’s overtly projected offering. As her ‘encore’, Scheps offers Chilly Gonzales’s four-minute Gentle Threat, which aptly comments on the influence Satie still casts over young composers writing today. Good supporting booklet-notes.

–Evan Dickerson David Bruce: Gumboots; Brahms: Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op 115 Reviewed on Thu 30 Jun, 2016 Finding a contemporary piece to partner Brahms’s late Clarinet Quintet is not an easy task, but David Bruce’s 2008 composition Gumboots is successful both in that capacity and on its own terms. Taking inspiration from the chained-together boots worn by black miners in South Africa during the Apartheid years, it’s a work of two contrasting halves: an elegiac slow movement against five dances of increasingly energetic brevity. Julian Bliss and the Carducci Quartet weave their lines together with a sense of adventure, with Bliss clearly relishing his first exploration of the bass clarinet’s sonorities. Brahms’s quintet requires a lightness of touch in performance from all concerned and the work doesn’t come off too badly at all. If Bliss and the Carduccis don’t perform it with quite the sense of drama produced by Martin Fröst et al (BIS – reviewed by Rob Cowan on 1 August 2014), they certainly have a modern take on the Hamburg master that showcases their established camaraderie and musicianship. Atmospheric recorded sound; brief yet useful introductory notes are included.

–Evan Dickerson Live from Buenos Aires – Schumann: 6 Studies in Canon Form, Op 56; Debussy: En blanc et noir; Bartók: Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion Reviewed on Mon 27 Jun, 2016 Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim’s return to their native Buenos Aires in July 2015, from which this recording is taken, was much-hyped, and the booklet reflects the euphoria around the event. Debussy’s transcription of Schumann’s six canon-form studies for pedal piano makes a polite and proper entrée.

Debussy’s own En blanc et noir demands and receives significant pianistic risk-taking throughout. Bartók’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, performed with artists from the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, reaches delirious heights of rhythmic interplay and invention across its three movements. The only serious blot comes courtesy of the recorded acoustic, which restricts the percussive impact of all four musicians. Barenboim is the latest to record these works alongside Argerich, and their recording is self-recommending should you want this partnership. However, studio and live alternatives with other partners merit serious consideration: live from Lugano (Warner Classics) with Lilya Zilberstein offers a restrained take on Schumann and, from the same 3-CD set, a tempestuous account of the Debussy with Stephen Kovacevich. However, Argerich’s 1970s studio sessions with Kovacevich (reissued on Decca The Originals) of the Bartók and Debussy remain uncontested.

–Evan Dickerson

Songs to the Moon

Reviewed on Tue 21 Jun, 2016 This first recording from The Myrthen Ensemble is a 2-CD presentation of solo and group art songs inspired by the moon. The group was formed by pianist Joseph Middleton with a quartet of his regular vocal collaborators including Mary Bevan, Clara Mouriz, Allan Clayton and Marcus Farnsworth. Warlock, Barber and Maconchy contribute English-language art songs, which are used to introduce each disc. Brahms and Schumann fill the remainder of disc one. There are performances of individual distinction – Mouriz in Brahms’s Ständchen and Bevan in Schumann’s Mondnacht, for example. Were it not for a similar recording from Graham Johnson’s The Songmakers’ Almanac (Hyperion), then The Myrthen Ensemble would be without competition, but Johnson and company come out on top largely due to experience rather than any lack of musicality on the part of these newcomers. The second disc ranges across French-language solos and duets with a greater sense of nuance by Mompou, Hahn, Debussy, Massenet, Duparc, Fauré and Szulc. Clayton proves a useful tenor and Farnsworth a sonorous baritone, they both complement Bevan and Mouriz with sensitivity. Joseph Middleton reinforces his reputation as the finest accompanist amongst younger generations, keenly realising the inferences that his part brings to the songs. Excellent sound, authoritative notes from Middleton and Richard Stokes, as well as texts and translations add to this rewarding nocturnal journey. Well worth exploring.

–Evan Dickerson CPE Bach: Sinfonia No 3 in C major, Wq 182/3; Cello Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Wq 171; Sinfonia in E minor, Wq 178; Piccolo Cello Sonata in D major, Wq 137; Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, Wq 17 Reviewed on Thu 16 Jun, 2016 This is the second volume that the Pulcinella Orchestra, guided by cellist Ophélie Gaillard, have dedicated to the music of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. They clearly make the point that CPE was certainly no wallflower compared to his much-revered father. The C major and E minor sinfonias find CPE at his most rumbustious and virile, with a keen ear for timbre, colour and dynamics in evidence, all of which this period-instrument band delight in exploring. Gaillard is an eloquent and elegant soloist possessing pleasing tone in the Cello Concerto No 2, lively and reflective in nature as required. The intimacy of the Sonata in D major is enhanced by Gaillard’s use of a piccolo cello with judicious harpsichord support supplied by Francesco Corti. The latter draws additional plaudits for his fortepiano continuos in the sinfonias and as soloist in the D minor Harpsichord Concerto, from which the slow movement proves especially memorable. Excellent recorded sound; notes from Gaillard and Gilles Cantagrel add to the appeal of this most recommendable release.

–Evan Dickerson Benda: Sinfonias – No 2 in G major; No 3 in C major; No 5 in G major; No 7 in D major; No 8 in D major; No 10 in G major Reviewed on Tue 07 Jun, 2016 This recording is a family affair, and rightly so. Georg Anton Benda (1722-1795) remains the most famous name from a long line of Bohemian musicians and composers. Conductor Christian Benda is the latest in that line. The six Sinfonias recorded here are all in major keys, with G major being clearly favoured in no fewer than three of the works. Charming though they are, greater variation in the diet of works or keys would have given a more rounded representation of the prolific composer’s output. That said, the Sinfonias are models of their kind, as they pick up from Gluck and also anticipate Haydn and Mozart. There is much wit and colourful invention to recommend Benda’s writing. Each Sinfonia’s performance is keenly accented and serves the music well, with faster movements being the main draw. There is an obvious affection in Christian Benda’s conducting, even if the results might have had more character by employing natural brass or period woodwinds. The recording is bright, if a touch recessed, favouring the Prague Sinfonia Orchestra’s upper strings. Useful introductory notes enhance the appeal of this likeable venture.

–Evan Dickerson

Lucas Debargue: Debut Album – Piano Works by Scarlatti, Chopin, Liszt, Ravel, Grieg, Schubert and Scarlatti/Debargue

Reviewed on Wed 01 Jun, 2016 Largely self-taught, the French pianist Lucas Debargue grabbed public and critical attention by winning fourth prize at the 2015 Tchaikovsky competition. His debut recording is taken from live performances at the Salle Cortot in November 2015. Throughout the repertoire of Scarlatti, Chopin, Liszt, Grieg, Schubert and Ravel Debargue performs nearly every indication of tempo and mood in a driven and emphatic manner. The recording also plays a significant part as it reinforces his natural tendency to the extreme; Scarlatti rarely sounds so robustly muscular. True, there are details within Debargue’s most successful performances – Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1 or 'Scarbo' and 'Le Gibet' from Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit – that one does not often encounter. This indicates that Debargue clearly thinks about the music he plays. It’s simply the manner of his execution that makes it hard to stomach. Ultimately, like me, you may yearn for subtler alternatives: Rubinstein in Chopin and Liszt (RCA), Sudbin in Scarlatti (BIS), Arrau in Schubert (DG) and Samson François in Ravel (EMI/Warner).

–Evan Dickerson Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, Op 47; Suite, Op 117; Glazunov: Violin Concerto in A minor, Op 82; Raymonda, Op 57 (Grand Adagio) Reviewed on Fri 20 May, 2016 The Sibelius concerto has served violinists well in their debut recordings: think Viktoria Mullova, Leila Josefowicz (Philips) and Angèle Dubeau (Analekta). By comparison, Esther Yoo’s performance is respectably solid rather than touched by great individuality, yet this does her musicality no disservice. Throughout, the Philharmonia under Ashkenazy’s baton provide no-holes-barred support and their interaction in the third movement is frequently illuminating. Sibelius’s Op 117 Suite lacks the impetuous touch of Tetzlaff (Warner/Erato). Yoo's Glazunov, on the other hand, is a real draw. The brief 'Grand Adagio' from Raymonda is replete with lyricism. The Violin Concerto, cast as three sensitively crafted movements in one, deserves to be played more often than it is. Yoo gets stuck right into its deeply sonorous sound-world, as indeed Dubeau did.

Clear intonation, tonal strength and dependable technique ensure that Yoo is commanding throughout. She secures a palpable sense of joie de vivre along the way, not least in the tour de force cadenza. Yoo holds her own against Julia Fischer (PentaTone) and Maxim Vengerov (Teldec), though Hideko Udagawa (Nimbus) is in a class apart. Should you want both concertos, then, Yoo merits serious consideration alongside Dubeau. The recorded sound is excellent, the booklet presentation glossy and serviceable.

–Evan Dickerson

Bach: Partita No 4 in D major, BWV 828; Toccata in C minor, BWV 911; English Suite No 3 in G minor, BWV 808; Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV 903; and other short pieces

Reviewed on Mon 16 May, 2016 Like Glenn Gould and Murray Perahia (Sony), Martha Argerich (DG) or Dinu Lipatti (EMI) before him, Nelson Freire brings Bach to joyous life on a modern concert grand, rivalling any of the aforementioned artists.

Freire’s survey includes original keyboard scores and arrangements, either by Bach of Marcello, or of Bach by Busoni, Alexander Siloti and Dame Myra Hess. The Fourth Partita and Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue are rich in subtle colouring, which contrasts well with the drive and rhythmic inventiveness he finds in the Third English Suite. The C minor Toccata benefits from Freire’s penchant for simple utterance and architectural understanding. The arrangements are no mere afterthoughts: Marcello’s Adagio is solemn, Busoni’s Ich ruf zu dir is deep and bell-like, Siloti’s Prelude is considered yet enchanting. Freire greets Hess’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring with the caring and soft embrace that one should give such a dear friend. The recording matches Freire’s pianism well, discretely capturing details within the whole.

–Evan Dickerson

Haydn: Six String Quartets, Op 50 (Prussian)

Reviewed on Fri 29 Apr, 2016 Haydn’s six ‘Prussian’ string quartets have not always received the attention accorded the composer’s other quartets. Listening to The London Haydn Quartet you’ll wonder why, as the four accomplished players display an instinctual and obvious love for the music. These performances are historically informed, using period instruments as well as the 1787 Artaria edition scores with full outer-movement repeats. The results are lifeaffirming and infectious, realised with a delightful lightness of touch. Instances abound of invention (for example, Quartet No 1’s Allegro or No 3’s Presto), wit (No 2’s Vivace assai), tension (No 4’s Spiritoso), serenity (No 5’s Poco adagio) and daring harmony (No 6’s Allegro con spirito). The excellent acoustic and sound quality allows each instrument to blend beautifully with the others. Of modern-instrument alternatives, the Kodály Quartet (Naxos) are heavier toned, the Quatuor Zaïde (NoMad Music) play insistently rather than leaving details inferred, while The Lindsays (ASV) occupy a happy middle ground. But it is to The London Haydn Quartet that I shall return. On this evidence, the four other 2-CD volumes in their sequentially released Hyperion cycle merit urgent investigation too – and the remaining ones are keenly anticipated! Richard Wigmore’s booklet-notes provide an informative read.

Janáček: Glagolitic Mass; Adagio; Hail Mary; Our Father Reviewed on Mon 25 Apr, 2016 This is the second recording with Nordic origins of Janáček’s rambunctious Glagolitic Mass to be released by Chandos, the first being Sir Charles Mackerras’s 1994 Danish National Radio version using the original text.

Using the standard score, Edward Gardner, together with his Bergen orchestra, two Norwegian choirs, an excellent international vocal solo quartet and organist Thomas Trotter, convey the music with ample sensitivity to idiom and urgent expression. In this they are aided considerably by the SACD recorded sound.

The results stand comparison with some alternatives: Gardner has better soloists and sound quality than Sir Simon Rattle (EMI/Warner) and a more linguistically accurate chorus and, crucially, better brass than Rafael Kubelík (DG). For sheer insight and quality of performance I still love Karel Ančerl’s 1963 Czech Philharmonic recording with its full-blooded vintage sound (Supraphon), as well as Mackerras's. Gardner’s accompaniments are the early, mournful orchestral Adagio, a Slavonic setting of The Lord’s Prayer (Otče náš) and the highly individual Hail Mary (Zdrávas Maria) – each realised with care and emotion. Useful accompanying notes; texts and translations included.

–Evan Dickerson

Kaleidoscope – Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Ravel: La valse; Stravinsky: Three Movements from Petrushka Reviewed on Wed 20 Apr, 2016 Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili’s latest recording will strongly divide opinion. There are positives: her formidable technique; the instrument is very well prepared and tuned; the recorded sound is excellent throughout (if almost a touch too forceful in the forte passages, of which there are several); and the programme is interesting, with the most arresting performance of Ravel’s La Valse encountered for some time.

The questionable aspects: Buniatishvili’s Mussorgsky interpretation – gone is the Promenade’s confident swagger as she nervously enters the gallery and witnesses an exhibition painted using finest details and also the brashest of crass statements. The negative points: Mussorgsky and Stravinsky are played on an overtly orchestral scale. Due to this key moments lose impact – for example, the transition into 'The Great Gate of Kiev'. Stravinsky’s three Petrushka movements verge on being a psychotic episode at the keyboard, whilst the pretentious booklet interview is superfluous. So, is Buniatishvili an artist to be taken seriously? Yes, if more so in other repertoire. Here she’s likely to infuriate as much as she pleases. You have been warned!

–Evan Dickerson

Sperger: Symphonies – No 21 in G minor; No 26 in C minor; No 34 in D major

Reviewed on Wed 13 Apr, 2016 Johannes Sperger (1750-1812) had a dual career as a double-bass player and prolific composer of varied chamber and orchestral works. The former activity left its mark on the latter with sonatas for his solo instrument prominently in evidence, several of which are recorded. The same cannot be said of his 45 symphonies. The three included here date from the 1780s and receive their debut recordings. Stylistically, think something akin to mid-period Haydn. The four movements of each piece display wit and seriousness in the contrasting tempi and thematic material, with differences of texture and timbre exploited to enliven the mix. l’arte del mondo play with delight under the Werner Ehrhardt’s judicious direction for this all-butforgotten music, which leaps to life thanks to the zesty intonation of this period-instrument ensemble. The recorded sound is excellent; useful booklet notes. If you love Haydn, then Sperger is sure to appeal.

–Evan Dickerson

Bortkiewicz: Piano Sonata No 2 in C sharp minor, Op 60; Three Mazurkas, Op 64; Jugoslavische Suite, Op 58; Fantasiestücke, Op 61; Lyrica nova, Op 59 Reviewed on Fri 08 Apr, 2016 Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877-1952) was a self-confessed Romantic melodist, and Hyperion first raised interest in his solo piano and concerto writing with Stephen Coombs as their authoritative guide. Bulgarian-born rising star Nadejda Vlaeva now turns her attention to a selection of his works, many recently rediscovered, from the 1940s. Bortkiewicz’s inventive imagination captivates throughout and benefits greatly from Vlaeva’s ready command of musical phrasing and rock-solid technique that meet Bortkiewicz’s considerable demands head on. The recital builds towards a towering performance of the mighty Second Sonata – by turns impassioned, melancholic and wistfully nocturnal. Other works are equally impressive: for example, the two Preludes for their atmosphere; or the Fantasiestücke and Jugoslavische Suite as sequences of colourful miniature tableaux.

Lyrica nova verges on the Scriabinesque. Jouni Somero (FC-Records) recorded all the pieces as part of his nineCD Bortkiewicz survey, but they are harder to find. Excellent recorded sound and useful introductory notes complete an enthralling release. I urge Hyperion to continue advancing Bortkiewicz’s cause with further recordings. Don’t miss this one!

–Evan Dickerson

Maximilian Schmitt: Wie freundlich strahlt der Tag – Operatic Arias by Flotow, Lortzing, Marschner, Nicolai, Schubert, Wagner and Weber Reviewed on Fri 01 Apr, 2016 In the booklet interview Maximilian Schmitt terms the arias recorded here as “discoveries”, and some might be, but in truth they are central to the German language repertoire. Schmitt also references Peter Anders and Fritz Wunderlich as previous owners of this music, and it is to those illustrious singers that he will be compared. Like them, Schmitt brings an experienced Lieder singer’s touch to bear, displayed best in the arias from Schubert’s Fierrabras or Weber’s Euryanthe. His lyric tenor convinces most where he ably floats line and tone, as in Nicolai’s Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor or Flotow’s Alessandro Stradella, even if I do slightly miss a touch of opulence in the voice. The inclusion of arias from Lortzing’s Zar und Zimmermann and Marschner’s Der Vampyr is welcome, and should urge listeners to explore these works further. Wagner’s Rienzi and Tannhäuser suit Schmitt more than the heavier demands Der fliegende Höllander, but he makes a heroic stab at the Steersman’s aria. The Cologne orchestra provide spirited and dependable support under Patrick Lange.

Excellent recorded sound with the voice naturally placed. No sung texts or translations.

–Evan Dickerson

Bruckner: Symphony No 9 in D minor

Reviewed on Tue 29 Mar, 2016 The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s history with Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony is well documented on disc.

Bernard Haitink recorded it twice with them (Phillips), first in 1965 with a timing of 59’22”, then in 1981 with a timing of 62’30”. Of those versions, I favour the second for the stark musical architecture that Haitink inexorably builds from great blocks of granite-like sound. For this RCO Live recording, taken from three performances in March 2014, Mariss Jansons takes a decidedly brisk approach, with an overall timing of 54’44”. That said, Jansons allows the music requisite heft and impact, due to well-integrated string sound and brass that has plenty of bloom thanks to the legendary acoustic of Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. The middle movement’s notable feature is the woodwind trio, although more could have been made of its contrast with the surrounding music. This, and a greater sense of dramatic foreboding throughout, can be found in Haitink’s 2013 version (LSO Live) and Cristian Mandeal’s fine studio recording (Hallé). Excellent SACD sound and adequate booklet notes.

–Evan Dickerson

Brahms: Piano Trio No 1 in B major, Op 8 (original version from 1854); Piano Quartet No 3 in C minor, Op 60 Reviewed on Tue 22 Mar, 2016 This release forms an appropriate partner to the Trio Wanderer’s previously issued recording of Brahms’s piano trios (Harmonia Mundi download). The rarely performed original version of the Opus 8 Trio is a deeply personal expression of Brahms’s youthful and daring romantic feelings, which Trio Wanderer capture effortlessly in their feeling for the instrumental lines and Gallic open textures. Trio Testore (Audite) offer the same work in original and revised forms but their robustly insistent approach might be more suited to mature Brahms. That said, I find that Trio Wanderer and violist Christophe Gaugué – whose warmth of tone integrates well with that of his partners – offer a thoroughly recommendable interpretation of the Piano Quartet, Op 60.

The intimacy of the writing is beautifully realised with experienced musicality, allowing the work’s inner sense of chiaroscuro to be fully appreciated. Harmonia Mundi’s natural recording acoustic seals an impressive release that I shall return to often.

–Evan Dickerson

Steibelt: Piano Concertos – No 3 in E major, Op 33 (L'orage); No 5 in E flat major, Op 64 (À la chasse); No 7 in E minor (Grand concerto militaire) Reviewed on Tue 15 Mar, 2016 Beethoven trounced Daniel Steibelt (1765-1825) in a pianistic duel that delighted frequenters of a Viennese salon in 1800, but his compositions conquered London, Paris and St Petersburg. This recording – the only one currently available to feature Steibelt’s concertos – reveals an imaginative style that relies on virtuoso solo playing and effect-laden orchestration which delighted contemporary audiences. The finale of the Third Concerto (1799) imitates a storm, the Fifth (1802) concludes with hunting horn calls after meandering an individual course between the worlds of Mozart and early Beethoven, whilst the grandiose two movement ‘military’ Seventh (c 1816 and written in praise of Napoleon) is march-laden in the extreme. Naturally, the dazzling faster movements stand out for their bravura elements, and one might forgive that slow movements were not exactly Steibelt’s strong suit. Howard Shelley proves indefatigable as soloist and conductor; the Ulster Orchestra meet Steibelt’s demands admirably. Excellent sound and interesting booklet notes strengthen the appeal of this all-but-forgotten music within Hyperion’s Classical Piano Concerto series.

–Evan Dickerson

Schumann: Frauenliebe und -leben, Op 42; Dichterliebe, Op 48; 6 Lieder

Reviewed on Tue 08 Mar, 2016 Mark DeVoto enthusiastically greeted Dorothea Röschmann and Mitsuko Uchida’s Decca recording of Frauenliebe und –leben (reviewed on 5 February 2015). To my ears, this live recording from Alice Coote and Christian Blackshaw is no less impressive, such is their deep feeling for both texts and accompaniment. A selection of six love songs form their own delightful entrée to the all-Schumann recital, with even the slightest Lied leaving its mark in this self-styled bouquet. In Coote’s experienced hands Dichterliebe brings forth the full emotional range of love’s inner torments through her burnished timbre. The frisson of live performance is palpable throughout, with singer and accompanist sparking off each other to compellingly fuse Heine’s lyrics and Schumann’s music. Atmospheric recording, authoritative notes from Richard Stokes, and texts and translations complete this searching yet deeply satisfying release.

–Evan Dickerson

Mahler: Symphony No 1 in D major; Blumine Reviewed on Wed 02 Mar, 2016 Hannu Lintu’s Mahler 1 faces a crowded field, with another imminently expected from Yannick Nézet-Séguin in Munich on BR Klassik. The situation is rather different, though, if you are seeking a recording with 'Blumine', the work’s rejected second movement. Lintu’s approach is one of coolly calculated objectivity at overall tempi that, whilst relatively slow, rarely drag. The Finnish Radio SO play admirably, with details crystal-clear in Ondine’s exemplary SACD sound, but this occasionally sacrifices realising the symphony’s joyous quality.

Bernstein’s Vienna recording (DG) offers greater all-round passion, Kubelík (DG) finds warm affection in his classic Bavarian recording, whilst Abbado and the Berliners (DG) deliver everything with understated good taste. Lintu places 'Blumine' after the symphony, and he handles its intimate delicacy beautifully. Michael Halász (Naxos) similarly appends it, but, on balance, his less filigree realisation with the Polish National Radio SO comes a close second to Lintu. If price is a consideration, though, Halász certainly proves himself a dependable Mahlerian.

–Evan Dickerson

Różycki: Piano Concertos– No 1 in G minor, Op 43; No 2; Ballade in G major, Op 18 Reviewed on Thu 25 Feb, 2016 Volume 67 of Hyperion’s exhaustive Romantic Piano Concerto series will leave you wondering why you haven’t encountered the music of Ludomir Różycki before now. The three works recorded here show that Różycki’s richly Romantic imagination is deployed with confidence in orchestration and piano writing alike. The singlemovement Ballade (1904) is generously scored to take the listener on an adventure towards a delicate conclusion, whilst the First Concerto (1917-18) is as enticing an ideal of its genre as can be imagined. The Second (1941-2) packs expressive Polish patriotism into its two movements. Jonathan Plowright’s enquiring approach as soloist finds a like-minded collaborator in conductor Lukasz Borowicz, who secures lively playing from the BBC SSO throughout. Near ideal piano/orchestral balance in the recorded sound adds to the recommendation; Adrian Thomas’s booklet notes provide a useful introduction.

–Evan Dickerson

Schmidt: Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln

Reviewed on Fri 19 Feb, 2016 Franz Schmidt and his oratorio Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln, setting a text from the Book of Revelation, have long been overshadowed by associations with the Nazi regime. This perhaps explains why the work is better served on disc than by widespread public performances, though this latest Oehms release captures Simone Young’s live farewell concerts as head of the Hamburg Philharmonic in June 2015. Young brings drive and drama enough to match the inner searching that Schmidt’s music conveys, aided by committed playing and generally fine singing from soloists and massed choirs alike. Oehms’s Achilles heel, though, is the balance of the recorded sound, which lacks aural consistency, making this set a frustrating and confused listening experience. Preferable alternatives come from Mitropoulos (Sony), Harnoncourt (Teldec), Kristjan Järvi (Chandos) and, best of all, Franz Welser-Möst (Warner/EMI), who revels in Schmidt’s heady late Romanticism and has a more authoritative set of soloists to boot. Introductory notes in English and sung text, but no translations.

–Evan Dickerson

Badings: Symphonies Nos 4 and 5 Reviewed on Mon 15 Feb, 2016 Critically acclaimed, and widely performed and commissioned in his lifetime, Henk Badings (1907-1987) was a prominent composer and important educator, but his music is all but unknown today. David Porcelijn and CPO are seeking to rectify that – as they have with other Dutch composers in recent years – by recording his 15 symphonies, which here reaches the third volume. On this evidence I find Badings a mildly interesting discovery, whose idiom somewhat lacks the colourful imagination of his compatriots Julius Röntgen and Jan van Gilse. The Fourth Symphony (1943) is intricately wrought with emphasis on inner detailing rather than overt thematic development, whilst the Fifth (1949) proves a pleasant enough experience, if not viscerally memorable. Both works are traditionally structured, displaying an earnestness and occasional dry wit in their orchestration that belies Badings’s academically-oriented mindset. Porcelijn’s clear-headed advocacy secures committed playing from the Bochum orchestra. Atmospheric and excellent recorded sound; useful booklet notes.

–Evan Dickerson

Wagner: Das Rheingold Reviewed on Thu 21 Jan, 2016 Here's a Das Rheingold that punches well above its weight and price bracket. Tempo-wise, Jaap van Zweden, like Karajan and unlike Gergiev (reviewed 27 August 2013), takes his time, yet the action moves along and builds in dramatic tension thanks to dedicated playing from his Hong Kong forces. The strong international cast emphasise textual clarity, and the atmospheric recording from live concerts captures character interaction well. There is much to enjoy in Matthias Goerne’s surprisingly authoritative and eloquently sung Wotan, Michelle DeYoung’s direct Fricka, and Kim Begley’s characterful Loge. Peter Sidholm’s Alberich and David Cangelosi’s Mime scheme wonderfully, and the Rhinemaidens are poised in their watery element. Kwangchul Youn’s Fasolt and Stephen Milling’s Fafner are imposing giants, even if their anvils don’t sound nearly up to the job. Whether you're seeking an alternative to Solti (Decca), Karajan (DG), Boulez (Philips) or Keilberth (Testament) or simply want Wagner on a budget, this opening instalment in Naxos’s Ring cycle represents a bargain. Introductory notes and synopsis included; downloadable libretto and translation.

–Evan Dickerson

Enescu: Symphony No 4 in E minor; Chamber Symphony, Op 33; Nuages d'Automne sur les Forêts

Reviewed on Fri 15 Jan, 2016 Volker Tarnow’s perceptive notes suggest that Enescu had an impact upon the symphony to match Sibelius, whether as an orchestrator of individuality or re-conceiving the symphonic form as chamber music for 12 solo players. The three works recorded here comprise the partially realised Fourth Symphony (1934) with orchestration later completed by Pascal Bentoiu; Nuages d'Automne sur les Forêts (1935), the partially completed opening movement of a planned three movement work; and Enescu’s final opus, the 1954 Chamber Symphony. Peter Ruzicka proved his affinity for Enescu’s neglected oeuvre with the Fifth Symphony (welcomed by me on 8 September 2014). The same care is shown here with the NDR Hannover forces for precise instrumental line and texture in the Chamber Symphony, though without that directness of articulation Cristian Mandeal drew from his Bucharest forces (Arte Nova) or quite the eloquence of Lawrence Foster (Claves). Mandeal recorded Nuages d'Automne sur les Forêts under the title Voix de la Nature; by his side Ruzicka lacks something in feeling, though he enjoys superior sound quality. This first studio recording of the largely unknown Fourth Symphony finds Ruzicka fully involved in its closely argued form, realising its inner delicacies of orchestral colour with delight; therefore, this release is strongly recommended.

–Evan Dickerson

Schubert: 19 Goethe Lieder Reviewed on Tue 12 Jan, 2016 Gefühlslegato – emotional legato – is essential to any great interpretation of Schubert Lieder, as the young Swiss tenor Mauro Peter is only too aware, having studied under his vastly experienced accompanist Helmut Deutsch. This selection of Schubert’s Goethe settings has been chosen with care to suit Peter’s bright tenor timbre, produced with ample tone, clear diction and accomplished technique. Even if he does not always realise the emotion (for example in Gesänge des Harfners) or characterisation (Erlkönig) that one normally enjoys from more experienced performers such as Prégardien (Harmonia Mundi), there's still enough to recommend this recording. The recorded sound is vocally focussed but Deutsch’s eloquent pianism does not take a back seat – and rightly so. Introductory notes and texts but no translations included. For sure, Mauro Peter is an artist to listen out for in future.

–Evan Dickerson

Scriabin: Nuances – Assorted Piano Pieces

Reviewed on Thu 07 Jan, 2016 Valentina Lisitsa’s chronologically presented recording features a selection of Scriabin’s shorter piano pieces. It starts with the 1880s Chopin-inspired romanticism that features in his repeated exploration of the waltz, mazurka and scherzo forms via some rather academic fugues, and concludes with some fine examples of his 1912 original take on the étude that secured him a reputation at the forefront of the avant-garde. Lisitsa’s approach is suitably romantic in atmosphere thanks to her subtlety of touch. She is also aided by the spacious yet focussed recorded acoustic, so that even the briefest track makes an impact. Take Lisitsa’s playing of the alternative version to the Twelfth Étude, Op 8, as an illustration of her ability to mix feeling with impressive technique while still allowing the music itself to remain centre stage. Whether as an introduction to Scriabin’s solo piano writing, or as an addition to others such as Ashkenazy (Decca) or Sudbin (BIS) in the shorter pieces and Ogdon (EMI) in the sonatas, Lisitsa is a recommendable advocate. Brief yet serviceable booklet notes.

–Evan Dickerson

Lang Lang in Paris – Chopin: The 4 Scherzi; Tchaikovsky: The Seasons, Op 37a

Reviewed on Mon 04 Jan, 2016 Lang Lang’s pairing of Chopin’s Four Scherzi with Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons is an interesting if uneven affair in this 2-CD release made at Paris’s Opera Garnier. The Chopin is technically dazzling, but others are better: Stephen Hough (Hyperion) shapes them more effectively, although there is still no rival to the poetry of Arthur Rubinstein’s 1959 recording (RCA), which continues to sound remarkably fresh. A greater degree of nuance and individuality is evident in Lang Lang’s performance of the twelve Tchaikovsky vignettes, one for each month of the year, each mixing memorable melody with character that ranges from delicacy to ardent romance via delightful rusticity. They might be concert rarities, but impressive rivals on disc that are truly steeped in Russian tradition include Mikhail Pletnev (Virgin), Vladimir Ashkenazy (Decca), Pavel Kolesnikov (Hyperion) – enthusiastically greeted by Andrew Achenbach on 23 January 2015 – or, a personal favourite, Viktoria Postnikova (Warner). Recorded sound is fulsome and excellent. The lavishly illustrated deluxe edition contains effusive booklet notes by James Jolly, the poems used by Tchaikovsky as the basis for his pianistic morceaux, and a DVD featuring extracts of these works recorded at Versailles Palace (previously available from Sony).

–Evan Dickerson

Mozart: Operatic Arias; Symphony No 36 in C major, K 425 (Linz) Reviewed on Thu 31 Dec, 2015 Recorded in fine sound from live concerts, this is an enterprising traversal of Mozart’s major baritone arias for the noblemen and servants from the three Da Ponte operas (Don Giovanni, Leporello; Figaro, Il Conte; Così fan tutte, Guglielmo) and Die Zauberflöte’s Papageno. It is no insignificant task for any singer to assume all these parts concurrently in his career, and Christian Gerhaher weaves them into his own unique sequence. Gerhaher convinces me more in the noble roles than the servant ones through his eloquence of tone and textual understanding, as befits a practiced Lieder singer. His Papageno is played rather straight, steering clear of faux comedy. Unusually, the four movements of the Linz Symphony are played out of sequence as the connecting interludes between groups of arias. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra perform with colourful vigour throughout under their leader/director Gottfried von der Goltz. Star instrumental cameos are given by Avi Avital on mandolin and Kristian Bezuidenhout on fortepiano and glockenspiel. Texts, translations and notes included.

Very warmly recommended.

–Evan Dickerson

Dances – Piano Works by Bach, Chopin, Scriabin, Granados, Schulz-Evler, Albéniz & Gould

Reviewed on Mon 01 Dec, 2014 This highly engaging recital takes you on a whirlwind tour of dance-inspired music from Bach to Morton Gould via Chopin, Scriabin, Granados, Albéniz and Schulz-Evler’s individual take on Strauss’s Blue Danube. Benjamin Grosvenor’s Bach is balanced, tasteful and contemporary in outlook and his Chopin playing is of equal distinction. Scriabin’s Mazurkas (three are selected from the Op 3 set) and the A minor Waltz are handled with flair, as is Schulz-Evler’s fantastical Arabesques which might have benefited from being a touch more mischievous in the wit of delivery as opposed to having a certain dry quality. The elegance within Granados’s music is most beguiling, whilst Albéniz’s Tango and Gould’s Boogie-Woogie Etude find Grosvenor really enjoying himself amongst their rhythmical intricacies. First-class sound and useful accompanying notes.

–Evan Dickerson

Nicola Benedetti – Homecoming: A Scottish Fantasy

Reviewed on Thu 23 Oct, 2014 The Scots might have voted against independence in the recent referendum, but this recording gets an enthusiastic “Yes” from me with its rare presentation of classical and Scottish folk repertoire. Nicola Benedetti, the BBC Scottish SO and Rory Macdonald bring spirited passion and lyrical Romanticism aplenty to Bruch’s continental view of Scotland in his technically challenging Fantasy. As Benedetti acknowledges in her notes, Jascha Heifetz is to be reckoned with in this work, and his classic recording with Sir Malcolm Sargent (RCA) is still strongly recommendable. So too is Rachel Barton Pine (Cedille) and her pairing with traditional Scots tunes. But Benedetti trumps Barton Pine in fully letting her hair down with eminent collaborators Phil Cunningham and Julie Fowlis to offer a rich selection of traditional and contemporary repertoire, within which a tribute to Rabbie Burns features strongly, it’s full of idiomatic colour and verve in the playing. Excellent recorded sound and introductory notes.

–Evan Dickerson

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 5 in E flat major, Op 73 (Emperor); Piano Sonata No 32 in C minor, Op 111

Reviewed on Tue 14 Oct, 2014 Riccardo Chailly, the Gewandhaus Orchestra and pianist Nelson Freire present a recording of Beethoven’s 'Emperor' Concerto that resolutely steers clear of the time-worn hackneyed traps of phrasing and tempo that can weigh the music down to the point of disintegration. Instead, there is a crystalline clarity to Freire’s playing even when thickly scored – reminding somewhat Radu Lupu’s approach to the work (Decca) – and enough orchestral detail comes through to lend added interest. In the sonata, Freire finds much of eloquence to say within the two-movement structure and in his hands the sublime second movement 'Arietta' especially becomes a thing of intricate poetic beauty, full of contrasting emotions, and with Beethoven's subtly graded dynamic markings in the half-lit passages made to count for much. Boasting excellent sound quality, this Decca coupling can be very strongly recommended.

–Evan Dickerson

Pumeza – Voice of Hope

Reviewed on Thu 02 Oct, 2014 Having first reviewed soprano Pumeza Matshikiza when she was still a student at London’s Royal College of Music, it’s thrilling to follow, via this recording, her journey from the townships of Cape Town to a burgeoning opera career. The repertoire included here is eclectic, from Puccini (sung with creamy-toned assurance) and Mozart (though the aria perhaps sits a little less easily in the voice), via an interesting song by her long-time supporter and collaborator Kevin Volans, to a collection of Xhosa and Zulu repertoire once made famous by Miriam Makeba. Without exception these are involving, lots of fun and also allow for Pumeza’s varied vocal palette, enhanced by a range of clicked consonants, to shine forth. The various orchestras and conductors provide fine support to her voice, which is placed in a forwardly-placed acoustic. Introductory notes, texts and translations supplied. Very warmly recommended.

–Evan Dickerson

Bartók: Dance Suite; Copland: Appalachian Spring (Suite); Stravinsky: The Firebird (Suite, 1919 version); Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

Reviewed on Mon 29 Sep, 2014 The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony has a growing catalogue that includes all of the Beethoven symphonies alongside other orchestral standards; this recording is best aimed at those seeking these four works in one package. The Bartók is nervous from the start with a growing orchestral texture that almost cloys when at forte, but David Bernard steers a reasonable and characterful performance in the lighter moments aided by sensible tempo choices, culminating in a thrillingly driven finale. The Vaughan Williams is pervaded by calm serenity with finely deployed string tone across the orchestral range, yet Bernard finds depth of feeling in the musical interplay too. Copland’s Appalachian Spring suite is played with dedication, the frequent sparseness of line in his deployment of the Shaker melodies laid bare and imbued with imaginative colouring. Alas, I found that Stravinsky’s Firebird failed to take convincingly to prolonged flight, despite some individually delicate and beautifully played passages. Concise booklet notes and reasonably clear recorded sound, if brass and basses are a little too recessed. For front-rank alternatives try Iván Fischer’s Stravinsky (Channel Classics) and Bartók (Philips), the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra’s Copland (DG) and Barbirolli’s Vaughan Williams (EMI).

–Evan Dickerson Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No 1 in B flat minor, Op 23; Chopin: Piano Concerto No 1 in E minor, Op 11 Reviewed on Mon 22 Sep, 2014 Recorded live at St Petersburg’s 2012 White Nights Festival, these performances lack nothing in atmospheric terms and grab both works by the scruff of the neck. The Tchaikovsky is vigorous from the start under Ashkenazy’s baton, with the St Petersburg Philharmonic producing vividly coloured playing, particularly its brass and woodwind sections. Ingolf Wunder’s playing, too, is robust in the first and last movements, although at times things are in danger of boiling over. Together soloist, orchestra and conductor manage somehow to just avoid the work disintegrating “into individual sections”, which Wunder articulates as the main challenge in the booklet interview. Unlike many other pianists, Wunder finds plenty to say within the slow movement’s detailed passagework. The Chopin is likely to divide opinion regarding the thicker than usual orchestral textures that are in evidence. Again, there are occasional moments of imbalance between orchestra and soloist – perhaps forgivable given the live context. Wunder brings a cleanliness of touch that is nowhere more appropriate than in the central Romance; overall, though, it’s a performance that never really settles convincingly. Close, but no cigar.

–Evan Dickerson Brahms: Cello Sonatas – No 1 in E minor, Op 38; No 2 in F major, Op 99; Trio in A minor for clarinet, cello and piano, Op 114

Reviewed on Tue 16 Sep, 2014 There’s nothing particularly wrong with this recording; it’s just that the performances of all three works are trumped by alternatives already available. In the two cello sonatas, particularly the First, Paul Watkins sounds somewhat lacking in character – his tone is on the thin side for one thing, and this could be an issue of the recording balance between the instruments. Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax (RCA) capture more of the surging passion in the First Sonata, but with a mellow richness of tone. Watkins and Brown are more successful in the Second Sonata thanks to good tempo choices, but Rostropovich and Serkin (DG) bring still greater emotional intensity. The 1891 Clarinet Trio is more usually paired with the two clarinet sonatas or Clarinet Quintet, but here makes for a welcome interlude between the cello sonatas. Michael Collins brings a freshness of approach and focussed tone that is most suited to this jewel from Brahms’s Indian summer. Indeed, the recording reminds me of the élan captured by The Nash Ensemble (Onyx); on that disc Watkins and Brown partner clarinettist Richard Hosford, so the resemblance of approach is unsurprising. For greater individuality in this wonderful trio, though, try Fröst, Pöntinen and Thedéen in SACD sound (BIS, reviewed by Rob Cowan on 1 Aug 2014) – spellbinding playing indeed.

–Evan Dickerson

Enescu: Symphony No 5 in D major; Isis

Reviewed on Mon 08 Sep, 2014 Enescu’s many talents as a violinist, conductor, pianist and pedagogue often led to his compositions suffering with many works left incomplete. The symphonic poem Isis (1923) and the Fifth Symphony (1941) are two such examples, with large amounts of material sketched on three staves and elaborated into performing editions by Pascal Bentoiu in the 1990s; thus, although valuable, the resulting scores can only approximate Enescu’s intentions. Aside from rare Romanian radio or YouTube recordings, Peter Ruzicka remains the only conductor to advocate these works. I heard him conduct the Fifth Symphony in Hamburg last year, after this recording was made, and he brings a composer’s ear to the piece, finding simultaneously a sense of structure and organic growth within it. The clarity of the recording quality undoubtedly helps the fine Saarbrücken forces achieve wonders in capturing the often bitter-sweet tone of lament within the complex multi-layered instrumental voices, later intensified by the female choir and the eloquently throaty tenor soloist in Eminescu’s valedictory poem. Isis shows a daring use of instrumental and vocal colour throughout its passionate writing that pushes tonality towards ambiguity, a quality Ruzicka revels in. Useful notes accompany this most recommendable release, and this team's recording of Enescu’s Fourth Symphony is keenly awaited.

–Evan Dickerson Mahler: Rückert-Lieder; Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen; Urlicht; Alma Mahler: Fünf Lieder Reviewed on Tue 02 Sep, 2014 'A husband and wife who are both composers: how do you envisage that? Such a strange relationship between rivals…' So wrote Gustav Mahler to Alma in 1901 prior to their marriage, yet it is an intriguing contrast even today. Alma’s entire surviving output consists of 14 songs, of which the set of five recorded here are the earliest (pre-1901, published 1910). In absorbing all the fin de siècle passions of the poets she set Alma displayed a fine gift for lyric line and richly Romantic accompaniment which Karen Cargill and Simon Lepper readily seize upon in their penetrating performances – although the complete Lieder performed by Isabel Lippitz or Ruth Ziesak (both on CPO) also merit investigation. Maybe it’s the familiarity of Gustav’s Lieder that leaves me conscious that other mezzos offer more interpretatively than Cargill does: try Janet Baker’s Wayfarer songs (Hyperion) or Alice Coote’s Rückert-Lieder (EMI). Urlicht, extracted from the Second Symphony, can stand alone and gains in its sense of isolation with piano accompaniment. The close recording can emphasise Cargill’s breathing, which on repeated listening could become a slight distraction.

–Evan Dickerson Schubert: Nachtviolen – 24 Lieder Reviewed on Tue 26 Aug, 2014 This recording’s intelligently constructed programming of 24 Schubert songs profitably explores the recesses of inward melancholia and reflects the pains of unrequited love as felt by one left alone in the moonlit night.

Gerhaher and Huber prove themselves masters at bringing to each song precisely what is required to make its impact register. The sound dynamic hardly ever rises above mezzo-forte – and the performances are the more effective for that – but, when needed, the incision of Gerhaher’s textual interpretation leaves an indelible mark, as do the occasionally occurring moments of poetic positive feeling. Timbre, tone, touch and timing are all deployed with equally telling effect throughout this most rewarding recital, but try Wehmut ('Melancholy'), Tiefes Leid ('Deep Sorrow') or Frühlingsglaube ('Faith in Spring') as entry points to this particular vein of Schubertian song. The recording allows for the necessary intimacy between performers and listener without being too close for comfort. Detailed notes, texts and translations are included. Unmissable for any lover of Schubert Lieder.

–Evan Dickerson

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op 35; Balakirev: Islamey (orch Lyapunov); Ippolitov-Ivanov: Two Caucasian Sketches; Erkin: Köçekçe – Dance Rhapsody for Orchestra

Reviewed on Mon 18 Aug, 2014 If you think you know Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, then it is worth hearing this latest recording by Sascha Goetzel and the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic. The performance is keenly paced, the playing fully committed (with beautifully played violin solos from Pelin Halkaci Alkin) and enhanced by the exemplary recorded sound quality. What really makes this a recording to investigate, however, is the local colour provided by a Turkish oud (lute) between Scheherazade’s first and second movements and a qanun (zither) at the start of the finale.

Additionally, a ney-flute is used in place of a cor anglais in Ippolitov-Ivanov’s second Caucasian Sketch and does much to help enliven this sadly neglected repertoire. The exciting, accelerating coda of Balakirev’s Islamey gains maximum effect from the tempi elsewhere not being over-hurried. Erkin’s dance rhapsody, Köçekçe, is something of a modern icon of Turkish orchestral music, filled with heart-on-sleeve melodies that are dispatched with ever-changing tempi and moods. Goetzel’s own booklet notes usefully sets the scene and justify his changes of instrumentation. Have a sense of adventure and investigate this now!

–Evan Dickerson Mozart: Concert & Opera Arias Reviewed on Tue 12 Aug, 2014 Emma Matthews’s programme favours concert arias and items drawn from some earlier operas, with the music written for specific singers whose strengths Mozart knew well. Hence, this disc covers ranges widely across the soprano 'Fach', from lyrico spinto (such as 'Ach, ich fühl’s' from Die Zauberflöte) to lyric coloratura ('Lieve sono' from Il sogno di Scipione) and dramatic coloratura ('Der Hölle Rache', again from Die Zauberflöte).

It would be a big ask to pull it all off. Although Matthews tries hard, she doesn’t really succeed. Decent linguistic skill, cleanliness of attack and a creamy tone that hardens slightly in its upper reaches are evident; she is heard at her best in mid-register and at legato tempo, since the added impetus of runs taken at speed, although initially thrilling, can tire on repeated hearings for lack of nuance. Therefore, I favour her Pamina over her Queen of the Night and Zaide’s Fortuna or Le Nozze’s Countess over the contrasting demands of the concert arias Ah! Lo previdi and Voi avete un cor fedele. There is able support from Marko Letonja and his Tasmanian forces, who might have been captured with greater presence were the acoustic less reverberant.

Useful introductory notes, texts and translations included.

–Evan Dickerson Schumann: Kinderszenen, Op 15; Abegg-Variationen, Op 1; Fantasie in C major, Op 17 Reviewed on Wed 06 Aug, 2014 It doesn’t take a child prodigy to play Schumann’s Kinderszenen with a sense of wide-eyed wonder, but 26year-old Lise de la Salle brings a careful blend of maturity and inquisitiveness to the much-loved set of 13 miniatures. In her hands some pieces (for example, 'Knight of the hobby-horse') gallop along with impetuous bravura confidence, whilst others ('Child falling asleep' or 'The poet speaks') are spacious and stylishly refined yet without being too artfully played. The work’s final pages come close to creating an other-worldly ambience. A genuinely youthful creative outpouring is enshrined in the Op 1 Abegg Variations, and de la Salle is alert to the work’s structural and melodic twists and turns. The sprawling C major Fantasie is notoriously hard to unify in structural terms, having both its introverted and fiery elements to contend with, but de la Salle is not to be intimidated. Her assurance of touch has substance when needed and her keen intellectuality serves the music well. One can sense her enjoyment of the challenge presented. Excellent sound quality; liner notes comprise an interview with de la Salle on playing Schumann. Recommended.

–Evan Dickerson

Chants nostalgiques – Piano works by Godowsky, Kreisler/Rachmaninov, Schubert/Liszt, Silvestri and Tárrega

Reviewed on Tue 29 Jul, 2014 Luiza Borac’s latest recording for Avie is an innovative programme of songs with and without words. Following her surveys of Enescu and Lipatti, composer-pianist-conductor Constantin Silvestri hits the spotlight with Chants nostalgiques (1944), three short piano works that are melancholic meditations which receive innately sensitive interpretations from Borac. Insightful touch and unassuming understanding is also lent to Borac’s discreet augmentation of accompaniments for a varied group of German and Romanian songs recorded by tenor Ion Buzea in 1964. These songs are an artful and unique collaboration of sorts thanks to recording technology, but the results are enchanting. The nostalgic mood into this absorbing programme is effortlessly established and maintained by transcriptions and arrangements of Kreisler/Rachmaninov, Schubert/Liszt and Tárrega/Borac. Throughout it all Luiza Borac maintains a feeling for vocalise and proves more than able to delve into the emotional intensity of the music, combining the transcribers’ excesses of fancy alongside the intention of the original into an arresting union. Excellent sound quality with useful booklet notes – urgently recommended.

–Evan Dickerson

Poulenc: 'Les anges musiciens' – Mélodies Reviewed on Mon 21 Jul, 2014 As a composer and performer, Poulenc was meticulous in the crafting and execution of his mélodies, and his expectation was that others would bring a similar care with his creations. It’s good to have a programme that mixes better-known individual songs with important cycles and rarely performed pieces such as the VocaliseÉtude to give a full impression of Poulenc’s art-song oeuvre. Sophie Karthäuser and Eugene Asti prove more than equal to the challenge, taking on songs written for both male and female voice as well as being alert to the subtleties of wit or pathos in the texts from poets as diverse as Shakespeare, Apollinaire, Eluard, Aragon and Louise de Vilmorin. Karthäuser and Asti make their individual interpretative marks on this repertoire to stand alongside Poulenc’s own recordings with Pierre Bernac or, more recently, Michel Piquemal (Naxos) as a great introduction to this most Gallic of repertoire. Admirable sound quality and succinct introductory notes, texts and translations add to my overall strong recommendation.

–Evan Dickerson

Rachmaninov: Piano Sonatas – No 1 in D minor, Op 28; No 2 in B flat major, Op 36; Preludes, Op 23 – No 4 in D major; No 5 in G minor; No 6 in E flat major

Reviewed on Tue 15 Jul, 2014 Xiayin Wang’s first disc of Rachmaninov received much praise when first released, so it is unsurprising that Chandos follow it with the beginnings of a sonata cycle from the Chinese-born pianist. Her technical ability is immediately impressive, possessing nearly all the robustness one could wish for in a great Rachmaninov player, as is the challenge presented by the first two sonatas. Wang’s playing of the First Sonata is full of drama and easily captures the Faustian inspiration that many claim lies behind this sprawling work. Indeed, the forte passages are so consistently declaimed that they would benefit from slight variation throughout the work; structurally things just about hold together. Wang’s choice of the concise revised version of the Second Sonata is beneficial to the no-holes-barred reading, but for intensity of experience and sheer feeling for the music Vladimir Horowitz (RCA) still wins out. The 3 Preludes from Op 23 are lighter in tone and conception, and for that reason their inclusion is welcome here. Useful accompanying notes.

–Evan Dickerson

Motherland – Piano pieces by Bach, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Debussy, Kancheli, Ligeti, Brahms, Liszt and others

Reviewed on Mon 07 Jul, 2014 After well-received recordings devoted to Liszt and Chopin, Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili presents an album that is part self-portrait formed of shorter pieces with personal meaning and sentiment, and part reflection of a musician’s nomadic lifestyle. Indeed, it’s somewhat of an adventure to jump from composer to composer, but on the whole the programme works in its own right, and individual pieces are thoughtfully played as well. There’s a certain sorrow found in the sound-world of the Romantics such as Brahms, Mendelssohn and Dvořák (the latter's Slavonic Dance in E minor, Op 72 No 2, given in duet with Khatia’s sister, Gvantsa). This contrasts to pleasing effect with the crispness of touch given to the moderns such as Kancheli and Pärt, whilst also infusing her Bach and Scarlatti playing. Arguably, though, it is Khatia’s own arrangement of a Georgian traditional tune that comes most from the heart, and rightly so. Clean recorded sound rounds out a more than usually satisfying concept disc from this bright young thing of the keyboard world.

–Evan Dickerson Wagner: Tannhäuser – Overture, Venusberg Bacchanal & Elisabeth's Aria; Wesendonck-Lieder; Tristan und Isolde – Prelude & Liebestod Reviewed on Thu 03 Jul, 2014 Over half of this recording is devoted to purely orchestral material, which wouldn’t be so bad if Cornelius Meister didn’t nudge his Viennese forces along rather too generally. The Tannhäuser overture has a nice brassy bloom, but the strings are lacklustre. Similarly, the Venusberg Bacchanal is far too safe – these are performers revelling on mineral water. The Tristan Prelude scrapes a barely passable performance, and in this music that just won’t do. Oh, for the spine-tingling viscerality of a great interpretation, and there are many to choose from! Anne Schwanewilms is a great artist, be in no doubt, and in the Wesendonck-Lieder she projects her words with unfailing feeling for their meaning, accuracy of pitch and beauty of tone. Only occasionally does she show strain in her delivery. She takes Elisabeth’s hall aria and Isolde’s Liebestod phrase by phrase rather than sweeping you along with their passionate outpourings, and being lighter of timbre than many established Wagnerians, the end results regrettably underwhelm. Introductory note, texts and translations included. Decent sound quality.

–Evan Dickerson

Schubert: Piano Sonatas – No 14 in A minor, D784; No 19 in C minor, D958; No 20 in A major, D959; No 21 in B flat major, D960

Reviewed on Fri 27 Jun, 2014 Paul Lewis’s fine accompaniment of Mark Padmore in Schubert’s three great song cycles gave some hope that he might forsake his preoccupation with Beethoven of recent years and return to Schubert’s late sonatas, where his international prominence began on Harmonia Mundi in 2002. The A major (D959) and B flat major (D960) sonata performances are reissues of 2002 recordings; the C minor (D958) included here is from 2013, as is the A minor (D784). The earlier recordings still warrant the superlative praise that greeted them first time round, and Lewis never shies away from the emotional or technical challenges presented. In each work, astute tempi and an ever sensitive touch achieve texturally transparent results. Even when robustness is called for, Lewis’s tone is beautiful, which serves to highlight the tragic quality of much of Schubert’s writing still further.

These trademark qualities are maintained in the recent recordings, as Lewis’s intellectually inquiring mind palpably probes Schubert’s meditations on the human condition. These are insightful performances that challenge Brendel (Philips) – though Lewis’s readings have greater warmth about them – or Maria João Pires (DG). Excellent recorded sound and useful introductory notes are included. Urgently recommended.

–Evan Dickerson

Juan Diego Flórez: L'Amour – Arias for tenor from operas by Boiëldieu, Bizet, Donizetti, Berlioz, Adam, Delibes, Massenet, Thomas, Offenbach and Gounod Reviewed on Mon 23 Jun, 2014 Juan Diego Flórez’s latest recital disc is quite superb and his many fans will need no convincing of this viewpoint. Forsaking the Italian roles for which he is famed, Flórez takes on the challenge of 19th-century French fare in an astutely chosen selection of rarely performed sweetmeats by Boiëldieu, Bizet and Thomas alongside more well-known arias by Massenet, Offenbach and Gounod. Flórez’s performances are sensitively projected throughout with plenty of light and shade, not to mention attention to the text being in evidence. To give a snapshot view of the disc’s range, the requisite nine high Ds in the Postillon aria by Adam ring forth proudly, but the passion felt by Massenet’s Werther is also securely captured alongside the ardour of Gounod’s Roméo. My only slight niggle is that Flórez has yet to totally master the French style of delivery to be truly idiomatic, but in Delibes's Lakmé everything comes together. This is music Flórez should take on stage, though for vocal reasons any forays into heavier Berlioz territory would best be confined to the studio. Strong support is given by Roberto Abbado and his Bolognese forces. Booklet contains introductory notes, texts and translations. Enjoy!

–Evan Dickerson Olga Peretyatko: Arabesque – Arias for soprano from operas by Mozart, Rossini, Bellini, Verdi, Gounod, Bizet & J Strauss II Reviewed on Tue 17 Jun, 2014 This is Olga Peretyatko’s second recital disc and further confirms her as a rising soprano talent, still in demand largely within her native Russia and various houses of continental Europe. Peretyatko’s performances improve as the disc proceeds with its adventurous programme that ranges from serious repertoire to lighter fare.

Whilst much of the Mozart and Bellini is blandly characterised and alike in its vocal palette, it’s the rarely-sung Rossini cantata – it borrows material from The Barber of Seville and anticipates La Cenerentola’s showpiece concluding stretta – that shows the first signs of some individuality. With the Gounod and Bizet arias Peretyatko begins to totally convince of her abilities and she is suitably coquettish as Adele in Die Fledermaus.

The arias by Eva dell’Acqua, Arditti and Alabieff hark back to repertoire that was once the preserve of Adelina Patti et al, but Peretyatko dusts them off for today’s audiences with charming performances that are sung with consummate poise and creamy tone. Enrique Mazzola and the NDR Sinfonieorchester provide solid support throughout. Booklet contains an introductory note but no sung texts or translations.

–Evan Dickerson

Brahms: Violin Sonatas – No 1 in G major, Op 78; No 2 in A major, Op 100; No 3 in D minor, Op 108; Scherzo in C minor; Wiegenlied, Op 49 No 4 (arr Lenehan)

Reviewed on Wed 11 Jun, 2014 This is the first recorded collaboration between Leonidas Kavakos and Yuja Wang and it shows great promise in their partnership; together they present a singular vision of Brahms’s three magnificent sonatas. The First Sonata is aptly ruminative in its opening movement, with both artists quickly establishing a judicious sense of balance between light and shade that continues throughout. There is a succulence to Kavakos’s tone that, in combination with a convincing tempo choice, works to benefit the third movement of the Second Sonata. The Third arguably comes off best of all: Wang brings gravitas to the piano accompaniment when required without ever making it stolid, whilst Kavakos embraces the music’s emotional range with ease and bravura playing. The performances are the equal of Perlman and Ashkenazy (EMI), with the instruments well balanced, but in quieter passages much heavy breathing is evident. The generously filled disc is completed by the inclusion of the discreet Wiegenlied (played in a charming arrangement) and an impulsively propelled performance of the Scherzo from the 'F.A.E.' Sonata. Highly recommended.

–Evan Dickerson

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No 3 in D minor, Op 30; Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No 2 in G minor, Op 16

Reviewed on Wed 28 May, 2014 I have admired Yuja Wang’s earlier recordings and live in performance for some time. There’s no doubt that she can be an electrifying presence when heard in repertoire that requires passionate bravura and a fearsome technique. Both concertos included here fit the bill, but these two live performances don’t quite convince in equal measure. Wang proves a fanciful and even downright wilful soloist at times in Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto. That said, she is never less than ear-catching with her deadly accurate fingerwork and sense of command, particularly in the last two movements. There are some rather personal accentuations in the Prokofiev Second as well, notably in the finale, but these work instead to the benefit of the piece as a whole.

Dudamel aids things where he can, but the Simón Bolívar orchestra is let down by the recorded acoustic, lacking balance and ideal clarity in the wind section. A recording that’s not quite what it could have been.

–Evan Dickerson

Mozart: Violin Concertos – No 3 in G major, K216; No 4 in D major, K218; Sonata No 22 for piano and violin in A major, K305 Reviewed on Wed 21 May, 2014 The cover photo might show Ray Chen clothed and styled by Armani, but the recording reveals him as an equally stylish Mozart interpreter. Words such as poised and elegant come to mind when describing his thoroughly modern interpretations, rather than the weightier tone that Anne-Sophie Mutter (DG) and others have on occasion brought to the works. The cadenzas in both concertos are his own, and they are discretely appropriate rather than revealing insights into the material they are drawn from. An admirable lightness of touch is brought to the works by the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, too, with most pleasing results.

Christoph Eschenbach swaps the baton for the keyboard to accompany the Sonata in A major, K 305. Despite being just two movements this lesser work is a demanding jewel, particularly in the theme and variations.

Chen and Eschenbach play it as equals, revelling in its twists and turns. Warmly recommended and well recorded.

–Evan Dickerson

Ravel: Sonatine; La Valse; Valses nobles et sentimentales; Scriabin: Piano Sonatas – No 4 in F sharp major, Op 30; No 5, Op 53; Two Poems, Op 32; Waltz in A flat major, Op 38

Reviewed on Wed 30 Apr, 2014 Korean pianist HJ Lim leapt to prominence with an artistically variable but technically impressive Beethoven sonata cycle. Ravel and Scriabin are hardly better served in her latest recording, which is a pity because their works could make for an interesting contrast. There are impressive things in evidence here, such as Lim's articulation of Scriabin's complex writing in his Fourth and Fifth sonatas. Overall, however, her readings, including those of the smaller Waltz and Two Poems, lack much in the way of a wide-ranging colour palette.

This quality is central to any successful Scriabin performance, as John Ogdon (EMI) readily demonstrates. The Yamaha piano as captured by the microphones acquires a hardness of tone that is evident in the Ravel works, particularly Valses nobles et sentimentales. La Valse has requisite muscularity but the Sonatine lacks its much needed nuance of touch. Ultimately, it's a disc that promises much but doesn't really deliver.

–Evan Dickerson

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Fantasia para un gentilhombre; Invocación y danza; Falla: Homenaje; Danza del Molinero; Sor: Grand Solo; Lennon/McCartney/Takemitsu: Michelle

Reviewed on Fri 25 Apr, 2014 Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez and Fantasia para un gentilhombre (a concerto in all but name) are so well known that lacklustre performances can make one wish never to encounter them again. There's no chance of that in this recording by Miloš Karadaglić, the LPO and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Miloš’s interpretations carry a freshness and individuality of nuance that seriously rival the recordings by elders such as Julian Bream (RCA), John Williams (Sony) or Narciso Yepes (DG). The recorded balance is excellent too, with the LPO discreetly spotlit at times to bring out details of interest that are often missed in other recordings. Nézet-Séguin draws forth enough rhythmic bounce and contrasts it well with moments of repose when called for. The remaining items are solos for Miloš – more Rodrigo alongside Sor, Falla and Takemitsu's take on Lennon/McCartney. The playing shines, but the acoustic is a tad over-resonant. Overall, this recording shows style and substance can happily coexist.

–Evan Dickerson

Schubert: Wanderer-Fantasie, D760; 3 Klavierstücke, D946; 12 Ländler, D790; Allegretto, D915; Ländler No 12, D366; Auf dem Wasser zu singen, Litanei and Der Müller und der Bach (all transcr Liszt); Kupelwieser-Walzer (arr Richard Strauss) Reviewed on Tue 22 Apr, 2014 Bertrand Chamayou has cemented a reputation within his native France and is slowly gathering wider praise.

This recording shows in part at least why that is so, but it’s a case of buyer beware on two fronts. First off, it’s not wholly a recording of Schubert. Yes, the great Wanderer-Fantasie and 3 Klavierstücke, D946, are the major genuine articles on the disc, alongside several examples of that echt Schubertian form, the Ländler. However the remaining fillers are songs heard in transcriptions by Liszt as well as Richard Strauss’s re-imagining of Schubert’s Kupelwieser Waltz, and these pieces tend to place Schubert as secondary to his arrangers. Then there’s Chamayou’s playing and vision of the music. It shows a varied take on things that can become irritating on repeated listenings: the Wanderer-Fantasie is at times heavy-handed and occasionally loses its way compared to the likes of the cogent and compelling Pollini (DG), whereas the Klavierstücke possess a lightness of touch which is infinitely more pleasing. Decent recorded sound.

–Evan Dickerson

Brahms: Piano Concertos – No 1 in D minor, Op 15; No 2 in B flat major, Op 83

Reviewed on Mon 10 Mar, 2014 Stephen Hough is no stranger to the Brahms concertos, having recorded them for Virgin Classics back in the late 1980s with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Andrew Davis. This latest issue also vies for attention against the impressive interpretations of Gilels (DG), Pollini (DG) or Freire (Decca), to name but three. Hough’s readings are muscular and introspective by turns, if occasionally idiosyncratic. The D minor Concerto fails to coalesce convincingly, unlike the other recordings already mentioned; the expansive opening movement (which otherwise contains much that is thrilling) suffers unduly from Mark Wigglesworth taking things off the boil when he shouldn’t do. The central Adagio is the high point in performance terms from Hough as he realises and sustains the music’s inner tension. In the Second Concerto, though, the orchestra’s shortcomings become more apparent, whereas Hough manages to extract far greater personality from – and also brings a pleasing cogency to – Brahms's writing. If only that selfsame cogency were more widespread; as things stand, however, it's 'close but no cigar' for this excellently engineered Hyperion release.

–Evan Dickerson

Russian Treasures: Choral music by Gretchaninov, Rachmaninov, Golovanov, Chesnokov, Kalinnikov, Tchaikovsky and Kedrov

Reviewed on Mon 03 Mar, 2014 Tenebrae and their director Nigel Short are no strangers to Russian a capella repertoire. They launch their own label with a varied selection of repertoire, from individual movements drawn from Rachmaninov’s 'All-Night Vigil' to rarer religious settings by the likes of Gretchaninov, Chesnokov, Golovanov, Kalinnikov, and Kedrov (each of whom deserves to be better known outside of Russia). Tenebrae bring their trademark passion and precision to the performances, achieving almost orchestral sonorities at times with the closely-knit textures that are in evidence. Of particular interest to me were the hymns of Pavel Chesnokov and Nikolay Golovanov’s expressive setting of the Our Father, which exemplifies the uplifting approach this music receives under Short’s astute direction. Russian choirs might find more darkness of tone or sing it with greater edge to their delivery, but this hardly matters given the level of artistry captured on this recording. Useful notes, texts and translations included.

–Evan Dickerson

Mozart: Serenade No 7 in D major, K320 (Posthorn); Symphony No 35 in D major, K385 (Haffner); March in D major, K335 Reviewed on Mon 24 Feb, 2014 This is not a Mozart recording that will beguile you with its discreet elegance; it will grab you with its forthright use of the brass, compounded by the timpani and a rambunctious oboe in the short D major March. The tendency to strident brass is taken to extremes in some of the Posthorn Serenade’s seven movements. Initially the effect might prove thrilling, but it quickly palls on repeated listening. That is far from the Serenade’s only quality, as there is some refinement too which varies the overall interpretation. Harnoncourt’s idiosyncratic way with the Haffner symphony also fails to convince, despite the fine contribution of his players. Heavily accented, it’s an energetic affair within which you’ll find some adroitly placed details. The Presto finale goes at somewhat under the stipulated tempo but is dispatched with panache. Admirable recording clarity throughout.

–Evan Dickerson

Brahms: Symphonies – No 1 in C minor, Op 68; No 2 in D major, Op 73; Tragic Overture, Op 81; Variations on a Theme of Haydn, Op 56a

Reviewed on Wed 29 Jan, 2014 This Brahms release has several issues that could well deter all but the most die-hard LSO and/or Gergiev fans.

The First Symphony does not come close to receiving a convincing performance, too laboured in the outer movements with awkward transitions between subjects. The softer third movement is more successful. The Second Symphony fares a little better given its more genial overall character, but it too sounds a rather contrived interpretation when taken as a whole. The Haydn Variations are afforded unusually bland treatment, whilst the Tragic Overture has drama and weighty intentions but somehow lacks lasting presence. Captured at a number of live concerts in 2012 at London’s Barbican, the recordings are wanting in depth and definition.

This collection does the performers and Brahms no favours at all, particularly given the strong competition that is readily available. Decent notes accompany the 2-SACD set.

–Evan Dickerson

Brahms Beloved – Symphonies No 2 in D major, Op 73 & No 4 in E minor, Op 98; Clara Schumann: 10 Lieder

Reviewed on Mon 30 Dec, 2013 There’s no shortage of great Brahms symphony cycles out there with Riccardo Chailly’s recent Decca offering being merely the latest of them. John Axelrod sees the context of Brahms’s relationship with Clara Schumann as key to drawing out the inner meaning of each symphony. The Second is the more successful; buoyant and with greater palpable youthful élan about it. Its coupling of five songs by Clara finds Indra Thomas a warmtoned and sensitive soloist. Axelrod's reading of the Fourth misses the 'dark questing urgency' that the liner notes encourage one to hear, being either too steady or not intense enough within individual movements.

Paired with a further five of Clara’s songs, with Nicole Cabell as soloist, a feeling of inner composure prevails.

Axelrod accompanies both singers insightfully at the piano. Truth to tell, I revisited Clara’s songs with greater fascination than I did the earnestly performed but occasionally scrappy live accounts of the symphonies. A mixed bag, to say the least.

–Evan Dickerson Szymanowski: Symphony No 3, Op 27 (Song of the Night); Symphony No 4 (Sinfonia concertante), Op 60; Stabat Mater, Op 53

Reviewed on Mon 25 Nov, 2013 Those who invested in the first disc of Valery Gergiev's Szymanowski symphonies might well need little persuading, but he has never struck me as a natural interpreter of the Polish composer. These live recordings with the LSO are lush and rich performances that capture many of the exotic colours in the music. There's an element of pungent eroticism to the Third Symphony that emerges from its thin veil as the piece progresses, and Gergiev handles this well. Toby Spence is a forthright and moving soloist. The Fourth Symphony, a piano concerto in all but name, features Denis Matsuev as an insightful soloist. The Stabat Mater is better than some on disc – Rattle's CBSO recording still leads the pack for me – but it's a work whose importance is made more apparent with every new encounter. It benefits from solid soloists who are well attuned to the text's sensitivities. In particular, Kostas Smoriginas is a bass-baritone I want to hear more of. Recommended.

–Evan Dickerson Enescu: Piano Quintet in A minor, Op 29 (1940); Piano Trio in A minor (c1911-16); Aria and Scherzino (c1908)

Reviewed on Wed 13 Nov, 2013 Listeners might find it best to take the three works on this recording in reverse playing order to ease their introduction to Enescu's complex sound world. The Schubert Ensemble play with dedication and are more characterful in the livelier movements, such as the Scherzino, rather than the relatively dour preceding Aria.

Enescu specialist Remus Azoitei contributes an aptly piquant solo violin line to this Morceau de concert. The rather close recorded acoustic – exacerbated in forte passages – does the earnest performances of the Piano Trio and Piano Quintet few favours; individual lines might have had more space to register fully. The Trio, left uncompleted by Enescu, is given in the Schubert Ensemble's own revision of Pascal Bentoiu's performing edition. It doesn't quite convince and sounds too matter-of-fact, missing much of the verve that could and should be there. The Quintet comes off rather better, having benefited from concert experience. There is greater cohesion of vision in realising its mature, often granite-like structure, and a near-authentic tang in the keenly nuanced details too. Excellent supporting documentation by Martin Anderson.

–Evan Dickerson

Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen; Kindertotenlieder; Rückert-Lieder

Reviewed on Mon 30 Sep, 2013 Christian Gerhaher is an experienced Mahler singer, yet this recording is his first of the composer's three seminal song cycles in their orchestral incarnations. His baritone is strongly suited to this repertoire and he is intelligent with his use of the text throughout each cycle. In the Wayfarer songs and Rückert-Lieder he mixes the requisite angst with a well-maintained sense of line that more than hints at internal emotions being made public. Only in the comparatively rarely performed Kindertotenlieder could he have identified still further with the pain inherent in Rückert's verse, but for that perhaps the music requires a female voice in preference to a male one. The Montreal orchestra play with polish under Kent Nagano's lead, though his are rather routine interpretations. Mahler, however, as always leaves one with the impression of a master orchestrator at work, allying his tonal palette to the psychology of the texts. The live recording is of good sound quality. Full notes, texts and translations included.

–Evan Dickerson Domingo sings Verdi – Baritone arias from Macbeth, Rigoletto, Un ballo in maschera, La traviata, Simon Boccanegra, Ernani, Il trovatore, Don Carlo & La forza del destino

Reviewed on Fri 20 Sep, 2013 Plácido Domingo has achieved great things in Verdi throughout his long career, and that shows few signs of changing in his debut recital recording as a baritone. As attentive as ever to the text, nuance of vocal line and character of the role he sings, Domingo offers key arias and scenes from nine operas. Yes, the voice does show its age slightly in preparation and production of the sound, but not in a way that unduly affects its tonal quality. This is also, for the most part, to the benefit of roles such as Germont (La traviata), Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra and Rodrigo (Don Carlo). Elsewhere, perhaps a little youthfulness can be found wanting, but this hardly diminishes Domingo's overall achievement. The Valencia orchestra and chorus perform creditably under Pablo Heras-Casado's attentive baton, further enhancing his growing reputation. The smaller solo roles that fill out various scenes are well cast too. First-class recording quality, notes, texts and translations complete a highly recommendable release.

–Evan Dickerson Enescu: Violin Sonatas Nos 2 & 3; Violin Sonata in A minor ('Torso'); Impromptu concertant

Reviewed on Wed 18 Sep, 2013 George Enescu (1881-1955) was a world-class violinist and pianist who held composition as his primary interest. He left us relatively few works for violin and piano duo, yet each piece is noteworthy and highly individual. The two sonatas recorded here are very different: the Second, written by a precocious 17-year-old, is infused with Romantic verve and bears the imprint of Fauré (Enescu's teacher); the Third is mature and masterfully captures the musical essence of his homeland, Romania. Performers have to negotiate intricate notation which often conveys music that might appear improvised. As such, the A minor 'Torso' Sonata or Impromptu concertant provide approachable ways into Enescu's music. Axel Strauss is a solid violinist who largely conveys the letter of the score yet lacks some imagination in conveying its inner feeling. Ilya Poletaev's pianism is stronger, and the recording makes his contribution slightly more dominant too; his booklet-notes are useful. For those on a budget or new to Enescu, this is a reasonable starting point.

–Evan Dickerson

Anna Netrebko sings Verdi – Scenes and Arias from Macbeth, Giovanna d'Arco, I vespri siciliani, Don Carlo and Il trovatore

Reviewed on Thu 12 Sep, 2013 This is a recording that will divide opinions. Anna Netrebko's fans might welcome the recent darkening of her vocal timbre and enjoy her first forays into heavier spinto soprano roles, prior to tackling some on stage.

Others, myself included, are apt to consider this repertoire not yet wholly within her grasp: Lady Macbeth and Elisabetta (Don Carlo) evidently tax her and the interpretations would benefit from greater variety of tonal palette and characterisation. In short, they lack nuance. Occasionally uncertain diction further impairs matters.

The Giovanna d'Arco and I vespri siciliani excerpts are the most successful, requiring vocal delicacy rather than dramatic heft. The scene from Il trovatore starts satisfactorily but has its squally moments as things progress.

Gianandrea Noseda and his Turin forces are decent Verdians, but they are occasionally complicit in helping Netrebko out of problems with phrasing and dynamics. The booklet centres equally on Verdi and Netrebko; texts and translations included. Approach with caution.

–Evan Dickerson Verdi: Quattro Pezzi Sacri (Four Sacred Pieces); Ave Maria (1880); Libera me (1869)

Reviewed on Tue 10 Sep, 2013 Verdi's Quattro Pezzi Sacri have tended to partner the Requiem on disc. This recording will most likely, though not exclusively, appeal to those whose collection does not include that pairing. Composed as individual works rather than the quartet they became, they are, by turns, intimately personal and outwardly passionate.

Listeners will find further interest in the Libera Me recorded here, being a prototype version for the one used in the Requiem and was written as part of a collaboratively composed memorial mass for Rossini. The Ave Maria is of passing interest, its inspiration somewhat patchy by comparison. Antonio Pappano draws idiomatic performances from his Santa Cecilia forces, both refined and gutsy when needed, with Maria Agresta an appealing soprano soloist. The recording quality is first rate; useful notes and texts are included.

–Evan Dickerson Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem, Op 45 Reviewed on Fri 06 Sep, 2013 Marin Alsop's new account of Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem follows her successful symphony cycle for Naxos. As in those recordings, Alsop brings real feeling for Brahmsian line and scale to this affectionately shaped performance. Unlike some on disc, this is a lithe rather than stolid interpretation that finds the emotional depth within Brahms's highly personal Requiem. The Leipzig orchestra is idiomatic with a wellbalanced palette across the strings, filled out by characterful woodwinds with robust brass and timpani. The Leipzig Radio Choir produce urgent and keenly accented contributions when required but have full command of judiciously blended lighter tone too. Stephan Genz imbues his solos with a Lieder-singer's sensitivity for the text, whilst Anna Lucia Richter momentarily reminds one of Lucia Popp; clean tone and solid technique reinforce her reputation as a rising star. The atmospheric recording benefits from the famous acoustic of Leipzig's Gewandhaus; notes, text and translation are included. Highly recommended and great value for money.

–Evan Dickerson

Cornelius: Complete Lieder, Volume 1 – Sechs Lieder, Op 1; Trauer und Trost, Op 3; Brautlieder; An Bertha, Op 15; Rheinische Lieder; Drei Lieder, Op 4

Reviewed on Mon 02 Sep, 2013 Peter Cornelius (1824-1874) was a poet-musician of deeply personal expression who often set his own lyrics, composing in the Liszt or Wagner mould. Several historical singers kept Cornelius's music in their repertoires alongside the established greats of the German lieder genre, where it rightly belongs, but Cornelius is overdue for rediscovery. The six cycles recorded here display Cornelius's development and confidence as a composer who could capture feelings of melancholy, tenderness, joy and occasional wit within individual brief songs. All three singers are experienced Lieder interpreters: Christina Landshamer is a clear, brilliant light soprano, Markus Schäfer a sensitive and nuanced tenor with clean tone, and Mathias Hausmann a firm and pleasing baritone. The accompaniments contribute much to the appeal of this repertoire and Matthias Veit makes their imaginative force shine with brilliant ease. The recorded sound is suitably atmospheric. Supporting notes are informative and song texts with translations are downloadable. Definitely worth investigating; future volumes are keenly awaited.

–Evan Dickerson Wagner: Das Rheingold

Reviewed on Tue 27 Aug, 2013 There's a great tradition of Wagnerian performance in St Petersburg. Valery Gergiev's Mariinsky Das Rheingold is obviously one drawn from recent experience, atmospheric in its watery subtleties and visceral in portraying the power-play of the Gods. Gergiev occasionally misses some of the magic that others have found in Wagner's music but he clearly takes care in shaping the score. To a predominantly Russian cast are added a couple of Germans: René Pape, one of today's great Wotans, exudes authority and gets inside his role; Stephan Rügamer's Loge is lighter-toned than is commonly encountered but he is incisive. All other principal roles are well sung, with Ekaterina Gubanova's experienced Fricka being made of stern and thrilling stuff. The sound quality is first rate in its SACD format; full notes, libretto and translation included. To be considered alongside other classic sets or in its own right, particularly if you like Gergiev's urgent approach to Wagner.

–Evan Dickerson