Liszt : Etudes D'execution Transendante.
Performer : Dinara Klinton.
I saw Dinara playing last summer at a piano school week and it is a pleasure to see this new release garnering such favourable reviews.
Friday 29 July 2016
Advocating Dvorak
Dvorak piano concerto, Schumann piano concerto.
Performers: Stephen Hough piano, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons.
Both composers linked to Brahms, both composers only piano concerto. One secure in the repertoire, the other less familiar. But with Hough's advocacy on this disc and in concert, the attractions of the Dvorak are becoming ever clearer.
Performers: Stephen Hough piano, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andris Nelsons.
Both composers linked to Brahms, both composers only piano concerto. One secure in the repertoire, the other less familiar. But with Hough's advocacy on this disc and in concert, the attractions of the Dvorak are becoming ever clearer.
Brighton ( or Hove's ) Finest
Martin Butler : Dirty Beasts and other chamber works.
Performers : Simon Callow narrator, New London Chamber Ensemble, Navarra String Quartet, Leon Bosch double bass, Martin Butler piano.
Setting of three macabre children's poems by Roald Dahl, pieces for wind ensemble and string quartet and combinations thereof plus solo piano works.
Performers : Simon Callow narrator, New London Chamber Ensemble, Navarra String Quartet, Leon Bosch double bass, Martin Butler piano.
Setting of three macabre children's poems by Roald Dahl, pieces for wind ensemble and string quartet and combinations thereof plus solo piano works.
Thursday 28 July 2016
Another Take On Czech heritage
Martinu : The complete piano trios. Piano trios 1 to 3 and Bergerettes.
Performers : The Smetana Trio
Martinu's chamber music makes good counterweight to the symphonies and covers a longer span of his output than those do.
Performers : The Smetana Trio
Martinu's chamber music makes good counterweight to the symphonies and covers a longer span of his output than those do.
Folk Dance Movement
Smetana piano music. Czech Dances plus On the Seashore.
Performer : Garrick Ohlsson, piano.
Smetana aiming to do for Czech folk dance forms what Chopin did for Polish. Cohesive recital.
Performer : Garrick Ohlsson, piano.
Smetana aiming to do for Czech folk dance forms what Chopin did for Polish. Cohesive recital.
Early, Late and Middle Mozart
Mozart sonatas for keyboard and violin. Nos 5, 9, 15, 18, 21, 27 and 33 in a two CD set.
Performers : Alina Ibragimova violin, Cedric Tiberghien piano.
Judicious selection of juvenile and mature works, the former just having comping accompaniments from the violin which comes into its own in the latter works.
Performers : Alina Ibragimova violin, Cedric Tiberghien piano.
Judicious selection of juvenile and mature works, the former just having comping accompaniments from the violin which comes into its own in the latter works.
Wednesday 27 July 2016
Neglected 20th Century Cycle
Box set of Martinu symphonies nos 1 - 6 inclusive.
Performers : Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Bryden Thomson. Leader Edwin Paling.
There may be better recordings of individual symphonies but a very serviceable and economically viable set.
Performers : Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Bryden Thomson. Leader Edwin Paling.
There may be better recordings of individual symphonies but a very serviceable and economically viable set.
Worthwhile Revival
Zemlinsky : Die Seejungfrau ( The Mermaid ), Sinfonietta op 23.
Performers : Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Storgards.
I saw a performance of The Mermaid at the Royal Festival Hall earlier this year and some critics were very sniffy about it, suggesting it was not a worthwhile revival. I find that mystifying, since it stands comparison with much of Strauss for instance.
Performers : Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Storgards.
I saw a performance of The Mermaid at the Royal Festival Hall earlier this year and some critics were very sniffy about it, suggesting it was not a worthwhile revival. I find that mystifying, since it stands comparison with much of Strauss for instance.
Tuesday 26 July 2016
War Time Sonatas
Elgar, Debussy, Respighi violin sonatas, plus Sibelius Berceuse.
Performers : James Ehnes violin, Andrew Armstrong piano.
Sonatas all contemporary with each other under the shadow of WW1. I saw them play this programme at a recital at Wigmore Hall in 2015. Exemplary playing.
Performers : James Ehnes violin, Andrew Armstrong piano.
Sonatas all contemporary with each other under the shadow of WW1. I saw them play this programme at a recital at Wigmore Hall in 2015. Exemplary playing.
No Longer Underrated
Rachmaninoff Symphony no 3, 10 songs ( arr Jurowski )
Performers : London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. Leader Peter Schoeman. Vsevolod Grivnov tenor.
Songs arranged by the conductor's grandfather, also called Vladimir. Live recording from the Royal Festival Hall.
Rachmaninoff's orchestral works nor seem to be getting their recognition and place in the repertoire.
Performers : London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. Leader Peter Schoeman. Vsevolod Grivnov tenor.
Songs arranged by the conductor's grandfather, also called Vladimir. Live recording from the Royal Festival Hall.
Rachmaninoff's orchestral works nor seem to be getting their recognition and place in the repertoire.
Monday 25 July 2016
Magical Magyar
Bartok piano music. Suite op 14, Out of doors, Fifteen Hungarian peasant songs, Three Burlesques, Mikrokosmos book 6
Performer : Cedric Tiberghien
Hungarian folk influence, French impressionist influence, Bartok originality.
Performer : Cedric Tiberghien
Hungarian folk influence, French impressionist influence, Bartok originality.
Saturday 23 July 2016
Stormy
Sibelius : The Tempest : Incidental music to Shakespeare's play.
Performers : Lahti Symphony Orchestra conducted by Osmo Vanska. Lahti Opera Chorus directed by Anna-Clara Groundstroem. Lilli Paasikivi mezzo, Kirsi Tiihonen soprano, Anssi Hirvonen tenor, Heikki Keinonen baritone, Paavo Kerola tenor.
I saw a concert performance conducted by Vanska at the Festival Hall but that had narration by Simon Callow and only the songs of Ariel by a mezzo.
Performers : Lahti Symphony Orchestra conducted by Osmo Vanska. Lahti Opera Chorus directed by Anna-Clara Groundstroem. Lilli Paasikivi mezzo, Kirsi Tiihonen soprano, Anssi Hirvonen tenor, Heikki Keinonen baritone, Paavo Kerola tenor.
I saw a concert performance conducted by Vanska at the Festival Hall but that had narration by Simon Callow and only the songs of Ariel by a mezzo.
Friday 22 July 2016
Soviet Jazz
Nikolai Kapustin Piano Music.
Performer : Steven Osborne piano.
Sonatas nos 1 and 2 plus 24 preludes in jazz style. Notated jazz influenced pieces with a classical bedrock. Idiomatically played by Steven Osborne.
Performer : Steven Osborne piano.
Sonatas nos 1 and 2 plus 24 preludes in jazz style. Notated jazz influenced pieces with a classical bedrock. Idiomatically played by Steven Osborne.
For The Library
Two CD set of piano trio music by Schubert, performed by Trio Wanderer. Top choice on BBC Radio 3 Building a library feature.
Piano Trio Nos 1 and 2, Notturno and Sonatensatz.
Piano Trio Nos 1 and 2, Notturno and Sonatensatz.
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