Bloch
Concerto symphonique for Piano and Orchestra
ERNEST BLOCH (1880-1959): Concerto symphonique in B Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Scherzo fantasque for Piano and Orchestra, Hiver-Printemps for Orchestra. After the old Vanguard recording and the more recent but much harder-to-find Laurel recording, this appears set to finally make Bloch's large-scale concerto of 1947-48 known to a larger audience. In three movements, all basically fast (a relentless pesante opening with a baleful six-note motif; a percussive scherzo which Bloch himself called a danse macabre whose trio provides the only slower, but hardly serene, music of the concerto; and the tumultuous, martial finale), the piano functions both as soloist and, in quasi-obbligato fashion, as a member of the orchestra. As if Bloch had more of this piece in him than he had room for in the concerto, he produced the Scherzo in 1949 in much the same wild, forceful and rhythmically insistent spirit. His early pair of short tone-poems from 1904-5 have both Impressionistic and late Romantic touches in their sketches of a C sharp minor winter and a B major spring. Halida Dinova (piano), Symphony Orchestra of the State Academic Cappella of St. Petersburg; Alexander Chernushenko. Chandos 10085 (England) 08F001 $16.98
NOTE - The usual dearth of new releases in the month of August means another short catalogue but also the opportunity to forge abroad for some more unusual items without U.S. distribution. So, in addition to two more pages of overstocks, you will find 16 Czech items (most are fairly new and have not ever had U.S. distribution; you may want to check your collections on a few of the releases from the early Classical period since, while they don't appear familiar to us, they could have been offered by our predecessors pre-1997?), three from Australia (stock did not arrive on these and four others from Down Under so some of you may be back-ordered on these) and a couple more from Chile.
07F001 - the Atterberg Symphony No. 9 - only arrived on Friday, Aug. 1. Look for it to be included with your August orders unless you specified that your July order be held until it arrived.
05E009 - the Rosenberg opera The Isle of Bliss has reappeared and back-orders will be filled with August orders. Most of the back-orders of the Melchers Phono Suecia/Modern Classics disc (04E009) were shipped during last month. However the Sköld (04E008) did not appear at all! As this goes to press, though, there is a possibility that it will arrive by the time you're reading this so that its back-orders can ride along with the Rosenberg...
See back page of catalogue for last minute Naxos arrivals!
OTTORINO RESPIGHI (1879-1936): La pentola magica, La Boutique fantasque, BACH/RESPIGHI: Prelude and Fugue in D. La pentola magica was done by Marco Polo 12 years ago but, for collectors who missed that or who want a virtuoso orchestra and the Chandos sound for this pastiche of (mostly) lesser-known Russian composers - a bit of Rubinstein's Demon ballet music is the only really recognizable piece - done in 1920 for a ballet whose scenario is not extant... well, here you go! The complete ballet of Respighi's pastiche of musical bits culled from Rossini's Sins of Old Age lasts almost 45 minutes while the Bach transcription is an interesting contrast to Stokowski's since Respighi does not attempt to imitate the organ, rather "interpreting" the work as if it had been composed for orchestra to begin with. BBC Philharmonic; Gianandrea Nosea. Chandos 10081 (England) 08F002 $16.98
ANTON ARENSKY (1861-1906): Cantata on the Tenth Anniversary of the Coronation, Op. 26 for Soprano, Baritone, Chorus and Orchestra, Symphony No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 4, Fantasia on Themes by I.T. Ryabinin for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 48, Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky for Orchestra, Op. 35a, 3 Vocal Quartets for Chorus and Cello, Op. 57. Arensky's 1893 cantata is much briefer than Tchaikovsky's Moscow cantata composed for the actual coronation of Alexander III and it is based largely on the famous "Slava" melody Mussorgsky used in the Coronation Scene of Boris Godunov. The other "premiere recording" is that of the three brief Fet setting for four-part chorus and solo cello (1901), in turn reflective, nocturnal and burblingly onomatopic. The Fantasia is still rather rare - a nine-minute treatment of two themes by an early 19th century Russian bard in the Lisztian, late Romantic style. Cyrillic-English texts. Tatiana Sharova (soprano), Andrei Baturkin (baritone), Tatiana Polyanskaya (piano), Dmitri Miller (cello), Russian State Symphonic Cappella and Symphony Orchestra; Valeri Polyansky. Chandos 10086 (England) 08F003 $16.98
JOHN BLACKWOOD MCEWEN (1868-1948): String Quartets, Vol. 2 - String Quartets No. 3 in E Minor, No. 6 in A "Biscay" & No. 13 in C Minor. If it seems like a long time since the first volume in this series, it has been: these recordings were made in November of 2001! The colors of McEwen's native Scotland appear most obviously here in the finale of the third quartet (1901) while the French Impressionism which captivated him throughout his career is on display in the Biscay quartet of 1913, composed while the composer was convalescing on Cap Ferret, and whose three movements describe "The Lighthouse" (a turbulent sea-scape), "The Dunes" and "The Scraper" (which seems to have in mind a local, not-too-well-versed violinist). The middle-late period C minor quartet from 1928 is a four-movement work of "absolute" music with two slow movements (one tense and anxious, the other sad and somber) set off by a scurrying scherzo and an exuberant, galloping finale. Chilingirian Quartet. Chandos 10084 (England) 08F004 $16.98
WILLIAM HURLSTONE (1876-1906): Piano Trio in G, Adagio for Viola and Piano (transcr. Bridge), Piano Quartet in E Minor, Op. 43. The posthumously published trio is a four-movement work of engaging, Brahmsian warmth, full of cantabile melody and many surprising harmonic touches which were one of Hurlstone's most characteristic signatures. Although it has a high opus number, the quartet is a youthful work from 1898, as Brahmsian as its discmate but more expansive and with richer textures. The filler is the slow movement from Hurlstone's cello sonata which composer/violist Frank Bridge transcribed in 1907. Dussek Piano Trio, James Boyd (viola). Dutton Epoch CDLX 7128 (England) 08F005 $16.98
SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR (1875-1912): Violin Sonata in D Minor, Op. 28, African Dances, Op. 58, Hiawathan Sketches, Op. 16, Petite Suite de Concert, Op. 77. Melody flowed effortlessly from Coleridge-Taylor's pen, which has led some later musicologists to tar him with the brush of "facile" or "popular" composer. It's true that many of the pieces here (including the sonata) have a touch of the salon about them but there is also more than a touch of Dvorak too (the composer's hero), especially in the first movement of the sonata and in his treatment of the African Dances. The Hiawathan Sketches (1896) preceded his fabulously successful oratorio and share no thematic material with it, being a trio of short tone-poems inspired by quotations from Longfellow's poem. David Juritz (violin), Michael Dussek (piano). Dutton Epoch CDLX 7127 (England) 08F006 $16.98
GEORGES ENESCU (1881-1955): Suites No. 1 in G Minor "Dans le style ancien", Op. 3, No. 2 in D, Op. 10 & No. 3 "Pièces impromptues", Op. 18. In her notes to this release, the pianist aptly describes the three piano suites as prose, poetry and drama. The first is a neo-baroque piece with four movements dating from 1897, the second (1901 and 1903), while still a suite of baroque dance forms, has all the glitter and style of Paris, where Enescu was living at the time. Although composed as early as 1913-16, the much longer, seven-movement third suite foreshadows the late sororities and elliptical style of such works as the Chamber Symphony and the opera dipe. Luiza Borac (piano). Avie AV0013 (England) 08F007 $16.98
ALBÉRIC MAGNARD (1865-1914): Cello Sonata in A, Op. 20, CHARLES KOECHLIN (1867-1950): Chansons Bretonnes, Book III, CHARLES-MARIE WIDOR (1844-1937): Cello Sonata in A, Op. 80. Two big, romantic sonatas which yet differ from each other greatly surround a recently-discovered third book of Breton songs harmonized by Koechlin (these artists have already recorded the first two books for Hyperion). Magnard (1910) is all impetuous, fiery emotion with small dashes of lyricism to provide relief from the passion while Widor's (1907) is much more relaxed and lyrical, absolutely packed with melody and motives, many of which are introduced but not worked out (Magnard is impeccable in his thematic development) in a work which gives both instrumentalists plenty of tests of their technique. Mats Lidström (cello), Bengt Forsberg (piano). Hyperion CDA 67244 (England) 08F008 $17.98
NIKOLAI SOKOLOV (1865-1914): Mazurka, Scherzo, NIKOLAI ARCHIBUSHEV (1858-1937): Sérénade, ALEXANDER KOPYLOV (1854-1911): Polka, JOSEPH VITOLS (1863-1948): Menuet, MAXIMILIAN D'OSTEN-SACKEN (late 19th cen.): Berceuse, ANATOLY LYADOV (1855-1914): Sarabande, ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV (1865-1936): Prélude and Fugue, NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908): Allegro, FELIX BLUMENFELD (1863-1931): Sarabande, SOKOLOV/GLAZUNOV/LYADOV: Polka. A collection of pieces for string quartet by Russian composers for the regular Friday musical (and gastronomic) soirées held by their patron and music publisher Mitrofan Belyayev in St. Petersburg. Some are of the salon style but others, like Glazunov's Prelude and Fugue, Rimsky's Allegro and even the miniaturist Lyadov's Sarabande are much more ambitious. Le Quatuor Ravel. Skarbo DSK 4029 (France) 08F009 $18.98
KAROL SZYMANOWSKI (1882-1937): 20 Mazurkas, Op. 50, 2 Mazurkas, Op. 62, 4 Polish Dances, Valse Romantique. Offered mainly for the popularity among the initiated of this pianist, this release provides the ironic Valse and the rather unbuttoned, rumbustious Polish Dances as well as the stripped-down, improvisatory quality of the Op. 62 Mazurkas (the composer's absolute last pieces from his tuberculosis-ridden death-bed), in addition to the well-known set of Mazurkas of 1926-31). Marc-André Hamelin (piano). Hyperion CDA 67399 (England) 08F010 $17.98
CLIFFORD VAUGHAN (1893-1987): Hindu Rhapsody for Orchestra, String Quartet No. 1. Vaughan became interested in non-Western music during a period in the 20s when he accompanied a ballet company throughout the Far East and India as musical director. The Hindu Rhapsody (1938) was one of the later fruits of this experience, containing several personally transcribed sacred and secular melodies which the composer then treats with Western compositional techniques, providing the sort of exotic color wrapped in Western disguise which appealed so much to audiences of the period (Vaughan also had a long career in Hollywood scoring and orchestrating, which adds another layer to his ability to please the audience). The quartet (c.1940), however, is "serious" music, whose roots seem to lie in the early 20th century French school. Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra; Vit Micka, Moyzes String Quartet. MMC 2121 (U.S.A.) 08F011 $16.98
SYLVIE BODOROVÁ (b.1954): String Quartet No. 4 "Shofarot", OTMAR MÁCHA (b.1922): String Quartet No. 2, Zdene k Luká (b.1928): String Quartet No. 4, Op. 213, Lubo Fier (1935-1999): String Quartet. These four composers formed an association they named "Quattro" in 1996 since, despite the age differences, they all shared a belief in the need to communicate with audiences. All of them use modal keys although in Lukas and Macha's cases, this is due to their interest in folk music while the others' stems from the general historical European musical tradition. In these quartets, Bodorová and Fiser eschew traditional means of motivic development, constructing and stringing together "blocks" of music (Bodorová also uses microtonality and glissandi to suggest the sound of the ram's horns of her piece's subtitle) while Macha and Lukas both use themes with folk-like features and subject them to traditional methods of development and variation. Jupiter Quartet. Arco Diva UP 0044-2 (Czech Republic) 08F012 $14.98 >
KAREL BOLESLAV JIRÁK (1891-1972): Little Piano Suite, Op. 12, On the Divide, Op. 24, Sonata No. 1, Op. 30, Sonata No. 2, Op. 64, 5 Miniatures, Op. 75. Although his career spanned both World Wars and he lived the last 24 years of his life in exile in Chicago, Jirák's musical style remained remarkably consistent throughout. The Little Suite of 1913 combines late Romanticism with a satirical take on popular dance forms but, after On the Divide (1923), he seems to have adopted the idiom he was to keep, with minor exceptions, for the rest of his life. Harmonies become a bit more severe, polytonality, free tonality, jazz elements and other hints at acquaintance with modernism make their appearances but Jirák's voice remains direct, often tinged with shadows but always approachable. Daniel Wiesner (piano). Panton 71 0523-2 (Czech Republic) 08F013 $14.98 >
Klement Slavick (1910-1999): 3 Piano Pieces, Piano Sonata "Contemplation of Life", Lubo Fier (1935-1999): Piano Sonata No. 8, Leos Janácek (1854-1928): In the Mists, Piano Sonata "1.X.1905", BÉLA BARTÓK (1881-1945): Allegro barbaro. Like Jirák above, Slavicky remained committed throughout his career to approachable music and the two works here show two sides of his nature: the 1947 piano pieces are witty and slightly stylized with a touch of Prokofiev perhaps while the sonata, from 1958, is a big-boned, weighty and emotional work in the traditional three movements. Fiser's epigrammatic five-minute sonata is more modern in technique but remains communicative, in that composer's characteristic style. Martin Kasík (piano). Arco Diva UP 0030-2 (Czech Republic) 08F014 $14.98 >
GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN (1681-1767): Der Messias for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass and Orchestra, Partie in A Minor for 2 Recorders, 2 Oboes, 2 Violins and Continuo, Sonata in F for 2 Violins, 2 Violas and Continuo, Concerto in E Flat for Strings and Continuo. Telemann's "Messiah"? Sometime in the mid 1750s, the composer set two sections of texts from Klopstock's massive hexameter poem by that title, the first French in style with its mixed recitatives and ariosi and dance movements, the second more Italian in its cantabile lyricism. These last some 33 minutes and the remainder of the program is filled with chamber pieces from Telemann's early, pre-1712 period. German-English texts. Veronika Winter (soprano), Marion Eckstein (alto), Jan Kobow (tenor), Klaus Mertens (bass), Telemannisches Collegium Michaelstein; Ludger Rémy. CPO 999 847 (Germany) 08F015 $15.98
DOMENICO SCARLATTI (1685-1757): Sinfonias No. 4 in D, No. 10 in G & No. 12 in G, GIOVANNI BATTISTA PERGOLESI (1710-1736): Violin Concerto in B Flat, FRANCESCO BARBELLA (1692-1732): Flute Concerto in C, FRANCESCO DURANTE (1684-1755): Violin Concerto in A "La Pazzia", Harpsichord Concerto in B Flat, LEO-NARDO LEO (1694-1744): Cello Concerto in D Minor. This collection of concertos from the Naples of the 1730s offers some rare repertoire, like Pergolesi's idiosyncratic violin concerto and Scarlatti's oddly scored sinfonias (with prominent solo oboe) while Durante's violin concerto may be the most strikingly original in its manic-depressive displays of alternating emotion. L'Arte dell'Arco; Federico Guglielmo (violin). ASV GAU 330 (England) 08F016 $16.98
JOHANN JOACHIM QUANTZ (1697-1773): Concerto for 2 Flutes, Strings and Continuo in G Minor, Concerto No. 89 in G for 2 Flutes, Strings and Continuo, Flute Concerto No. 82 in D, Flute Concerto No. 161 in G. For the first time, this Catalonian label offers a release in which the only connection with Catalonia is the soloists, who bring us four of the more than 300 flute concertos written by Quantz in the galant, mixed French and Italian styles so dear to (and demanded by) Frederick the Great at whose court he made his living. Claudi Arimany, Josep-Francesc Palou (flutes), Hungarian Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. Columna Musica 1CM0109 (Spain) 08F017 $18.98
EMMANUEL GONIMNA (1712-1792): Cantata Ha del cielo, ANON. (18th cen.): Cantatas ¡Sopla, Zéfiro blanco!, Avecilla que corras, JOSEP PLA (attr.) (1728-1762): Sonata a 3 in A Minor. The two anonymous cantatas probably date from the 1730s or early 1740s and demonstrate both the late Baroque/early Classical transition as well as the assimilation of Italian models with native Spanish elements such as the tono and the villancico. Gonimna's cantata is galant in style as is the sonata attributed to Pla (although the notes, whose English version look as if they used a rudimentary computer translation program from 30 years ago, fail to mention how they date it to eight years after his death). Spanish texts. Marta Rodrigo (soprano), Jordi Domèmech (countertenor). Camerata Catalana XVIII. Columna Musica 1CM0066 (Spain) 08F018 $18.98
Frantiek Adam Miãa (1746-1811): Symphony in E Flat, Jan KÞtitel Neruda (c.1707-c.1780): Bassoon Concerto in C, CARLO TESSARINI (c.1690-after1766): Overture in D, GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759): Little Ballet Suite in G. Better Handelians than I will perhaps be able to tell the source of the oddly-titled seven-movement suite recorded here but collectors will be after Mica's four-movement symphony with affinities to Haydn's early-to-middle period symphonies as well as Neruda's early classical concerto. Tessarini's Corellian/Vivaldian overture completes an unhackneyed program. Ludmila Vernerová (soprano), Pavla Kicová (alto), JiÞí Vinklárek (tenor), Miloslav Podskalsk (bass), Tessarini Chamber Orchestra - Radio Brno; Mirko Krebs. Edit 41 0074-2 (Czech Republic) 08F019 $14.98 >
Frantiek Xaver Brixi (1732-1771): Judas Iscariothes. Dating from the 1760s, Brixi's oratorio follows the Italian style of allegorical figures (Death - an alto often accompanied by horns; Justice - a strict and dignified bass; and Hope - coloratura soprano) addressing Judas in a recitative-aria sequence which allows for much individual and expressive music throughout the work's 80 minutes. Latin-English texts. Ludmila Vernerová (soprano), Pavla Kicová (alto), JiÞí Vinklárek (tenor), Miloslav Podskalsk (bass), Chamber Chorus of Prague, Musica Bohemica; Jaroslav Krãek. Panton 71 0372-2 (Czech Republic) 08F020 $14.98 >
JUSTIN HEINRICH KNECHT (1752-1817): Dixit Dominus, Heil dem Manne, der dem Rath der Frevler sich entzieht, Herr, straf mich nicht in deinem Zorne. These three psalm settings, composed between 1788-1800, use the language of high Classicism and a good-sized orchestra (Straf mich nicht adds three trombones to darken the effects of its horns and double basses even further to represent the fear and sorrow of the text) to deliver the musical goods from the softest of a cappella choruses to mighty fugues. German texts. Susanne von Sicherer (soprano), Ursula Eittinger (alto), Hubert Nettinger (tenor), Thomas Hamburger (bass-baritone), Hassler Consort Choir and Orchestra; Franz Raml. MD&G 614 1174-2 (Germany) 08F021 $17.98
ANTONÍN REICHA (1770-1836): Symphony in E Flat, Op. 41, Jan Václav Hugo VoÞiek (1791-1825): Symphony in D. Another of Reicha's many symphonies made it to disc back in 1991 on this little Czech label - dating from 1799, it is a youthful work, still very much in the style of Haydn but with the mature Reicha's melodiousness and elegance already present. South Bohemian Chamber Philharmonic; OndÞej Kukal. Bohemia Music BM 0011-2 (Czech Republic) 08F022 $14.98 >
ANTONÍN REICHA (1770-1836): Grand Quintet for Bassoon and String Quartet, Oboe Quintet in F, Op. 107, Variations for Bassoon and String Quartet. All of these are late works, dating from the mid-1820s and the bassoon quintet, in particular with its 37-minute length and melodic expansivenss, looks ahead to Romanticism (and the violin often doubles as a solo instrument as well). Michael Verner (bassoon), Pavel Verner (oboe), New Vlach Quartet. Bohemia Music BM 0016-2 (Czech Republic) 08F023 $14.98 >
ANTONÍN REICHA (1770-1836): 2 Quintets in E Flat for Flute, Clarinet, Horn, Viola and Bassoon. This premiere recording from 1996 was made from surviving parts (no score survives) found in the Austrian National Library, which dates the quintets from between 1801-08. This predates his series of wind quintets which established the genre and suggests that we have here one of his early experiements with his beloved wind instruments. One work has seven and one six movements and the viola gets its own opportunities to shine while the alternation and combination of tone-colors of the winds looks ahead to the mature wind quintets. JiÞí Válek (flute), Ivan Doksansk (clarinet), Zdenek Tylar (horn), Karel ·pelina (viola), Frantiek Herman (bassoon). Clarton CQ 0024-2 (Czech Republic) 08F024 $14.98 >
JOHANN EVANGELIST BRANDL (1760-1837): Bassoon Quintets, Vol. 2 - Quintets for Violin, Viola, Bassoon, Cello and Piano in F, Op. 13, in C, Op. 61 & in F, Op. 62. Although dating from 1798-1800, these works are in the conservative galant style which focuses on melody with the piano having the lion's share of soloistic activity but with the bassoon and violin having a look in while the viola and cello fill in the texture. Calamus Ensemble. MD&G 603 1175-2 (Germany) 08F025 $17.98
GEORGES ONSLOW (1784-1853): Cello Sonata in C Minor, Op. 16/2, FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797-1828): Der Wanderer, Rastlose Liebe, Wanderers Nachtlied (arr. Timoianu), Arpeggione Sonata in A Minor, D 821. This program is the result of a "Schubert and Onslow" series given at the Schubert Geburtshaus last year and the Onslow sonata, from 1820, is a highly impassioned, hot-blooded slice of early Romanticism which earns its place in this company. Yvonne Timoianu (cello), Alexander Preda (piano). Preiser PR 90541 (Austria) 08F026 $16.98
JULES MASSENET (1842-1912): Marie-Magdelene. This 1873 oratorio was one of Massenet's first major successes and pointed the way for his later series of Biblical portraits which usually represented the triumph of chastity and repentance over sin. The spontaneous emotionality and charming melodies, even a dramatic chorus or two, make it easy to see why Massenet was to become so popular (and so damned by misunderstanding critics of later days). 2 CDs. French-English texts. Valentina Tschavdarova (soprano), Pavlina Kambourova (alto), Jaromír Achatzi (tenor), Richard Haan (bass), Czech Philhrmonic Chorus of Brno, Brno Philharmonic Orchestra; Leo Svarovsk. Panton 81 1341-2 (Czech Republic) 08F027 $29.98 >
ANTONIO CASIMIR CARTELLIERI (1772-1807): 3 Parthias for Wind Sextet in E Flat This fifth release in MD&G's series of works by this previously forgotten composer features sextets for pairs of clarinets, horns and bassoons with ad libitum double bass written for Prince Lobkowitz and which stand out not only for the extreme technical difficulties which are present throughout but also for their premonitions of Schubert and Beethoven. Consortium Classicum. MD&G 301 1177-2 (Germany) 08F028 $17.98
Popper - Complete Cello Concertos
DAVID POPPER (1843-1913): Cello Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 8, Cello Concerto No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 24, Hungarian Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68. Widely known as a virtuoso performer during his lifetime, Popper wrote much for his own instrument including these four concertos which always stress melody and lyricism over empty virtuosity. The first dates from 1861 and the second from 1880 while the Rhapsody (late 1890s) is very reminiscent of Barhms' Hungarian Dances. This CD was released in 1993 and has not been offered by Records International since we began our stewardship in 1997. JiÞí Hoek (cello), Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra; Vladimír Válek. Bohemia Music BM 0018-2 (Czech Republic) 08F029 $14.98 >
DAVID POPPER (1843-1913): Cello Concerto No. 3 in G, Op. 59, Cello Concerto No. 4 in B Flat Minor, Op. 72, Im Walde for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 50. This brand-new release brings the final two concertos (1888 and 1900) - still as Mendelssohnian and Schumannian as ever - and the delightful set of 1882 character pieces (which appeared on a Naxos disc several years back). JiÞí Hoek (cello), Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra; OndÞej Kukal, Petr Vronsk. Vars VA 0143 (Czech Republic) 08F030 $14.98 >
MacDowell - Complete Piano Sonatas - on one CD!
EDWARD MACDOWELL (1860-1908): Piano Sonatas No. 1 in G Minor "Tragica", Op. 45, No. 2 in G Minor "Eroica", Op. 50, No. 3 in D Minor "Norse", Op. 57 & No. 4 in E Minor "Keltic", Op. 59. Of the Liszt-wannabe sonatas composed in the latter half of the 19th century - by Draeseke, Reubke, Rheinberger, d'Albert and so on - there is a strong argument to be made that the four by MacDowell are among the most accomplished and compelling. Granted, in the cynical, modern second half of the 20th century, MacDowell's high-Romantic preoccupations with Arthurian heroes, knights, elves and wizards looked hopelessly old-fashioned, and this tended to eclipse the sheer quality of his music. But times have changed; now that major Hollywood movies about elves and wizards are fashionable, and the kind of unambiguous heroism and tragedy celebrated in MacDowell's literary models and depicted with graphic vividness in his music address a profound need in the soul of contemporary humanity, perhaps the time is ripe for a reappraisal of these ideals and inspirations. All four sonatas are cyclic, Liszt-like. All are very thoroughly and rigorously worked out thematically, and all contain much melodic writing of great beauty, and pianistic virtuosity as exciting as anything in the literature. The "wild rides" which conclude the second and fourth sonatas are thrilling, right up there with the finale of the Alkan Symphonie, and MacDowell's deeply felt slow movements have genuine depth and pathos. Lovers of unbridled Romanticism should not hesitate to acquire this CD, the first time all four sonatas have been available on a single (81:06) disc. Donna Amato (piano). Altarus AIR-CD-9023 (U.S.A.) 08F031 $18.98
TOMAS SVOBODA (b.1939): Symphony No. 1 (Of Nature), Op. 20, Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra, Op. 148, Overture of the Season, Op. 89. Born in Paris, Svoboda spent the war years in Boston before returning to his parents' native Czechoslovakia in 1946 where he became a child prodigy, having his first composition published at the age of nine and the symphony recorded here premiered by the Prague Radio Symphony in 1957, two years after its composition. Not surprisingly, the work is based on 19th century Romantic models although his harmonies are of the 20th century. The nine-year-old's published song forms the basis for the slow movement and the finale is a complex rondo with the character of Czech folk song while the first movement is, unusually, slow - a chorale - followed by a nimble scherzo. The overture (1978) and the concerto (1993) were both commissioned by the Oregon Symphony (Svoboda spent 27 years teaching at Portland State) and are equally approachable although more advanced in style, the concerto very deftly orchestrated to ensure that the gentle sound of the solo instrument always comes through the texture (the composer was also a percussionist!). Neil DePonte (marimba), Oregon Symphony; James DePriest. Albany TROY 604 (U.S.A.) 08F032 $16.98
RENÉ GERBER (b.1908): Concerto in B Minor for Chamber Orchestra, L'Ecole de Fontainebleau for Large Orchestra, Laïs Corinthiaca for Chamber Orchestra. This second of three Gallo releases devoted to Gerber offers more of the composer's individual blend of baroque-influenced concertante writing and Romantic sensuousness. The orchestral concerto (no dates are provided in the skimpy notes) has a very bucolic first movement whose theme came from the call of a nuthatch, a cello-solo dominated second which is supposed to be a musical portrait of Hermann Scherchen and a noisy fugal finale with a bit of Keystone Kops about it. L'Ecole is a longer, five-movement suite suggested by paintings, sculpture or literature of the School of Fontainebleau. These are lushly orchestrated, sensuous little tone poems depicting Eve, the rape of Europa, Silenus, the appearance of the Muses and the Triumph of Flora while Laïs (a famous ancient Greek courtesan from Corinth) is another suite (eight short movements and a coda) whose tart and cheeky character, with prominent solo saxophone, calls to mind some of the jeux d'esprit of Milhaud. Bucharest Radio Orchestra; Modest Cichirdan. Gallo CD-977 (Switzerland) 08F033 $18.98
KAREL HUSA (b.1921): Overture for Large Orchestra, Op. 3, Sinfonietta for Orchestra, Op. 4, Sonatina for Piano, Op. 1, Suite for Viola and Piano, Op. 5, Sonatina for Violin and Piano, Op. 6. The disc is titled Pragensia, demonstrating the fact that everything here was composed while Husa was still living in Prague (the Sonatina is the latest piece here, dating from 1945), meaning that we are dealing with youthful enthusiam based on neo-classicism mixed with elements of late romanticism. These pieces are generally bright, optimistic, brilliantly orchestrated and as approachable as one could like and it is good to see in the notes that the composer has pointedly reavowed these early works and reaffirmed his debt to his composition teacher Jaroslav ¤idk (whose own uvre, including seven symphonies, would be eminently suited for recording). Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra; Vladimír Válek, Prague Philharmonia; JiÞí Belohlávek, Luka Vondráãek (piano), Vladimír Bukaã (viola), Ivan Îenat (violin), Jaromír Klepáã (piano). Clarton CQ 0049-2 (Czech Republic) 08F034 $14.98 >
OTMAR MÁCHA (b.1922): Patria Bohemorum for Soprano, Alto, Baritone, Chorus and Orchestra, Variations on the Theme and Death of Jan Rychlík for Orchestra, Violin Concerto. Mácha was also a student of ¤idk and has produced a body of work worthy of standing alongside Husa, Kalabis, Trojan and the other significant composers of that generation. "The Land of the Czechs" (1989) is a 44-minute oratorio whose texts are a wild syncresis of pagan legend and the Bible and whose general tone is often reminiscent of the Janácek of the Glagolitic Mass. The Variations (1964) is a strong, now contemplative, now dramatic ten-minute work based on a theme by the short-lived Rychlik, one of Czechoslovakia's pioneer "new composers" while the 1989 concerto is predominantly cerebral, questing and thoughtful in tone with a short scherzo livening things up between two slow movements. Czech-English texts. Jitka Sobehartová (soprano), Drahomíra Drobková (alto), Vratislav KÞíÏ (baritone), Ivan Îenat (violin), Czech Radio Chorus and Symphony Orchestra; Michel Tabachnik, Vladimír Válek. Ultraphon UP 0026-2 (Czech Republic) 08F035 $14.98 >
SYLVIE BODOROVÁ (b.1954): Terezín Ghetto Requiem for Baritone and String Quartet, Concierto de Estío for Guitar and String Quartet, RONALD STEVENSON (b.1928): String Quartet "Voces vaga-bundae". Bodorová's Requiem (1997) is a taut, three-movement work lasting 16 minutes which melds Jewish and Catholic liturgical texts and music in a urgently communicative tribute to the victims of Terezín while her Concierto de Estío is a mirror opposite - a bright, energetic and dance-like ode to summer from 1999. Stevenson's quartet was written in 1990, and its title suggests the theme of travel which runs throughout the four movements, which bear literary superscriptions from Whitman, Kenneth White and MacDiarmid. The piece has a bracing, open-air feel, full of optimism, and encompasses the idea of a journey, both a physical one and as a metaphor for the life cycle. The finale is a typical Stevensonian tour de force of formal and thematic synthesis and symbiosis, fusing traditional Scottish dance forms in a fugal tapestry with shades of Britten and Shostakovich sometimes detectable. Nigel Cliffe (baritone), María Isabel Siewers (guitar), Martinu Quartet. Arco Diva UP 0052-2 (Czech Republic) 08F036 $14.98 >
VIKTOR KALABIS (b.1923): Ludus for Piano Quartet, Op. 82, KAREL HUSA (b.1921): Variations for Piano Quartet, Bohuslav Martinu° (1890-1959): Piano Quartet No. 1. Husa's 19-minute set of variations dates from 1984 and has a generally urgent, tense quality which pushes the bounds of tonality while Kalabis' Ludus (composed for the performers here) is typical of that composer's style: dramatic, emotional and directly approachable although it's surprising to find the characteristic sense of unease and anxiety still present in a work composed in 1998! Martinu Piano Quartet. Arco Diva UP 0027-2 (Czech Republic) 08F037 $14.98 >
LENNOX BERKELEY (1903-1989): Symphony No. 4, MICHAEL BERKELEY (b.1948): The Garden of Earthly Delights, Cello Concerto. The third volume of this father-and-son series brings Lennox's fourth and last symphony (1978), a work more relaxed and expansive than his previous symphony and couched in the traditional three-movement form with an energetic, contrapuntal allegro followed by his favorite variation-form slow movement and a rondo-finale full of rhythmic elan. Son Michael's single-movement concerto from 1983 is really just a big scherzo with outer sections ranging from playful to relaxedly genial and with a somewhat startlingly Elgarian adagio at its center while the much more recent Garden (1998) is not only longer but tougher in tone and with much brilliant orchestral writing. In general, it is inspired by aspects of Bosch's famout triptych although that need not be known to appreciate the compositional virtuosity on display throughout its 21 minute span. Alban Gebhardt (cello), BBC National Orchestra of Wales; Richard Hickox. Chandos 10080 (England) 08F038 $16.98
BERNARD STEVENS (1916-1983): Piano Trio, Op. 3, Violin Sonata, Op. 1, Trio for Horn, Violin and Piano, Op. 38, Fantasia on a Theme of Dowland for Violin and Piano, Op. 23, Improvisation for Solo Violin, Op. 48a. The rehabilitation of a fine 20th century composer continues with this new recording made in association with his widow. Stevens remained committed to communication and tradition and these never more in evidence than in his youthful trio and violin sonata (1940 and 1942 respectively) which may reflect some of his early enthusiam for Bloch but which also show the elements of his mature style: concision (most works developing out of motifs introduced at the very beginning), warmth (often with cantabile melody) and the love of counterpoint and variation. These are as present in his 1966 horn trio as they are in the earlier works, especially its polyphony while he engagingly takes one of Dowland's few "uptempo" pieces (the Galliard Can Shee Excuse) and treats it almost entirely in melancholy, serious and noble fashion. Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble. Albany TROY 572 (U.S.A.) 08F039 $16.98
NINO ROTA (1911-1979): Sinfonia sopra una canzone d'amore, Suite from the Ballet La Strada, 2 Waltzes from Il Gattopardo. Rota revisited the score for his 1954 Fellini film La Strada over a decade later and produced an hour-long ballet, of which we have here his half-hour long suite. Although minor changes have been made, this music, full of references to popular music, sometimes Stravinskyesque, often full of pathos, will still appeal to both film score collectors as well as to all lovers of Rota's music. The Sinfonia was composed in piano score in 1947 but was only orchestrated much later, after Rota had used several of its melodies and motifs for the film score of Visconti's Il Gattopardo, meaning that this will likewise appeal both to film music buffs and to collectors of 20th century symphonies (although it is anchored firmly in style and structure to the 19th century Romantic tradition). Orchestra Sinfonica del Teatro Massimo de Palermo; Marzio Conti. Chandos 10090 (England) 08F040 $16.98
HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS (1887-1959): Introduction to the Chôros for Guitar and Orchestra, Chôros No. 1 for Guitar, Chôros No. 2 for Flute and Clarinet, Chôros No. 3 for Male Chorus and Winds "Pica-Pau", Chôros No. 4 for 3 Horns and Trombone, Chôros No. 5 for Piano "Alma Brasileira", Chôros No. 6 for Orchestra, Chôros No. 7 for 8-part Chamber Ensemble "Settimino". We hope that this is the first of two volumes of the complete series of Chôros but that is not indicated one way or the other on the disc itself (and these recordings were made in 2000 and 2001...). However, the first seven are here, some much more often recorded than others, while the rare Introduction - a 13-minute piece for guitar and orchestra which is a characteristically dense and rich panorama of sound - makes for a valuable collector's piece. Sergio Alonso (piano), Chorus and Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria; Adrian Leaper. ASV DCA 1150 (England) 08F041 $16.98
BELA BARTÓK (1881-1945): Piano Sonata (1898), 2 Elegies, Op. 8b, Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs, Op. 20, 4 Dirges, Op. 9a, Rhapsody, Op. 1. This appears to be the first CD recording of Bartók's early sonata, whose four movements (lasting 24 minutes) are full of Brahms, Wagner, Liszt and Schubert and whose mood is gustily romantic and, delighfully, a little over-the-top. Also included in a pretty unhackneyed program is the original, 1904 solo piano version of the op. 1 Rhapsody, modeled on Liszt in both pianism and design. Barbara Nissman (piano). Pierian 0016 (U.S.A.) 08F042 $16.98
JAROMIR WEINBERGER (1896-1967): Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree for Orchestra, RICHARD WAGNER (1813-1883): Wesendonk Lieder, GUSTAV MAHLER (1860-1911): Kindertotenlieder. Weinberger's set of variations and fugue on an old English tune is an 18-minute filler to this recital of well-known lieder but we figured we'd better offer it since it's not too likely it's going to appear anywhere else anytime soon. Dedicated to the New York Philharmonic, it was premiered by Barbirolli and the orchestra in 1939. A solo piano ties together transitions and one of the variations is pure American film music but all of them are expressive and gorgeously orchestrated with a final fugue in a good-natured Regerian manner. German-English texts. Ingrid Tobiasson (mezzo), Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra; Sixten Ehrling. Caprice CAP 21661 (Sweden) 08F043 $16.98 >
FEDERICO GARCÍA LORCA (1898-1936): 12 Canciones españolas antiguas, MANUEL DE FALLA (1876-1946): Hommage "pour le tombeau de Debussy", Canción del fuego fatuo, 7 canciones populares españolas. Collectors of Andalusian arcana will enjoy the 30 minutes of harmonizations of (mostly) Andalusian folk songs made by the poet García Lorca and arranged for guitar by Venancio García Velasco (some of these were recorded on HMV by La Argentinita with Lorca at the piano). Spanish texts. Núria Chocq Mampel (soprano), Christian Locussol (guitar). La Ma de Guido LMG 2046 (Spain) 08F044 $16.98
MILTON BABBITT (b.1916): String Quartet No. 2, Occasional Variations for String Quartet, String Quartet No. 6, Composition for Guitar. Listening to two of Babbitt's vital and eventful string quartets, one might very well be forgiven for forgetting that the composer is supposed to be terribly, terribly 'difficult' and unapproachable - that is still the story, isn't it? Academic theorising run wild, oblivious to listener comfort if not actually hostile to it? Well, sorry, but the music doesn't actually sound like that at all. All right, its post-Webernian serialism and the attendant level of atonality that this implies will not endear it to the most musically conservative among us, but the liveliness and inventiveness - to say nothing of the boldly dramatic gestures and surprising lyricism place these works not so very far from the enduring string quartet tradition - certainly no farther than Carter, who can certainly be more complex in his quartet writing than anything here, and eschewing altogether the kind of 'alternative' quartet writing current in Europe in the past several decades. So these are tightly organised works with readily discernable shape and structure, tough and uncompromising, but rewarding as well. The Composers Quartet, The Sherry Quartet, William Anderson (guitar). Tzadik TZ 7088 (U.S.A.) 08F045 $17.98
ANDRÉ BOUCOURECHLIEV (b.1925): String Quartet No. 3, Miroir 2, Archipel II. The three works on this disc comprise the composer's complete output for string quartet, but this almost seems surprising, so naturally did he express himself in this time-honoured medium. Archipel II from 1968 involves a degree of freedom for the performers in determining the combination of material heard at any point in the work; Miroir 2 and th quartet conform more closely to traditional forms and the influence of late Beethoven, very important to Boucourechliev, is clearly audible, though more in the sense of rigorously controlled compositional technique than through direct musical reference. Somber and dramatic, the latter two seem to pay homage to the heroic resolution of Beethoven's final utterances, and as a continuation in post-Webernian terms of the quartet tradition, these fine works make a bold and eloquent statement. Quatuor Ysaÿe. Aeon AECD 0102 (France) 08F046 $17.98
ALWYNNE PRITCHARD (b.1968): Spring for Piano, Piano Quintet: Barbara Allen, Nostos Ou Topos for Guitar, Matrix for Electric Violin, Der Zwerg for Piano, Kit for Voice and Electric Guitar, Der Glücklose Engel, for Clarinet, Violin and Cello, Invisible Cities for Piano. These varied pieces, all written within the past seven years, incorporate many aspects of contemporary modernism without adhering rigidly to any particular school or compositional philosophy. Extended instrumental techniques occur in some, but not all, of the works, and elements of chance contribute to the often improvisatory feel of some of the music. A sense of discontinuity and fragmentation is often present, and although consonant intervals and a suggestion of conventional harmony can occur incidentally, they are never presented functionally. The juxtaposition of theatrical elements (related to the composer's background in dance and as a singer) with sounds presented for their intrinsic sonic value may bring to mind Sciarrino's admittedly more ambitious narrative sound-dramas. Ian Pace (piano) and other artists. Metier MSC CD 92040 (England) 08F047 $16.98
LOWELL LIEBERMANN (b.1961): Sonata for Flute and Guitar, Op. 35, Sonata for Flute and Harp, Op. 56, Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 23, Soliloquy for Solo Flute, Op. 44, 8 Pieces for Solo Flute, Op. 59, 5 Pieces from Album for the Young for Flute and Piano, Op. 79, A Poet to his Beloved for Tenor, Flute and String Quartet, Op. 40. This is at least the fourth recording of the flute/piano sonata and Still's extra two minutes over the big lento con rubato first movement shows what different soloists can find in such flexible music. The flute/harp sonata (1997) is surprisingly dark and almost sinister, establishing a powerfully rich atmosphere in its 14-minute single-movement form while the flute/guitar sonata is almost coeval with the flute/piano sonata and shares its two-movement form (long and melodious; short and virtuosic). The other major work here is the setting for baritone of six Yeats poems (1993) which is excellent at evoking the various moods of the (unprinted) texts. Alexa Still (flute), David Korevaar (piano), Franco Platino (guitar), Victoria Drake (harp), Curt Peterson (tenor), Yumi Hwang, Claude Sim (violins), Erika Eckert (viola), Judith Glyde (cello). Koch International Classics 7549 (U.S.A.) 08F048 $16.98
LOWELL LIEBERMANN (b.1961): Piano Music, Vol. 1 - 3 Impromptus, Op. 68, 4 Apparitions, Op. 17, Nocturnes Nos. 1-7, Op. 20, 31, 35, 38, 55, 62 & 65. The Nocturnes, written over the period of 1986-99, are a rich compendium of neo-romanticism with the mood suggested by the genre's title augmented by flashes of surprisingly intense virtuosity as well as moments of severe contrapuntal mastery. The early Apparitions (1986) and the recent Impromptus (2000) only serve to bolster the reputation of a young composer who has provided richly rewarding music on every scale from orchestral to instrumental. David Korevaar (piano). Nocturne No. 1 and 4 Apparitions released in 1989 on Musical Heritage Society. Koch International Classics 7548 (U.S.A.) 08F049 $16.98
PETER VAN ONNA (b.1966): Wheatfield with Lark for Piano and Orchestra, Rain, Steam and Speed for Orchestra, The Mondrian Equilibrium for Chamber Orchestra, Dalian Images for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra. Young Mr. van Onna writes music which can only be described as 21st century Impressionsim. Each of these pieces is a musical representation of a particular painting (except for the Mondrian, which represents the artist's style): van Gogh, Turner and four by Dali. van Onna's orchestral palette is rich, colorful and often polyphonic and he paints vivid pictures, especially of the Turner (a 21st century Pacific 231 but with as vivid a depiction of the fog and mist of Turner's painting as of the locomotive lurking within it) and of van Gogh's Wheatfield, full of rushing wind and rustling wheat with the piano-solo bird frozen above it all. 2 CDs. Bart van de Roeder (piano), Arno Bornkamp (sax), Netherlands Ballet Orchestra; Zsolt Nagy, Neal Stulberg. Donemus Composers Voice CV 102 (Netherlands) 08F050 $37.98
Move Records - Australia
JULIANYU (b.1957): Concerto for Marimba and Small Orchestra, Variations on a Theme of Paganini, Scintillation II for Piano, 2 Vibraphones and Glockenspiel, Scintillation III for Flute and Piano, Piano Trio. Of Chinese origin, Yu has absorbed more of the traditional Chinese methods of ornamentation and elaboration of melodic material than actual musical structures and melodic forms. He produces intriguing and original results with 12 scintillating variations on, yes, "that" theme. Here and elsewhere the composer's harmonic language is not especially "modern", alluding to Classical and Romantic models thematically and tonally. For example, the delightful concerto elaborates material by Bach and Debussy, but in a way that suggests the original without ever actually sounding anything like it, while the Piano Trio draws its inspiration from Brahms' first symphony. New compositions all, not in any sense transcriptions, these works offer a highly individual and fascinating take on the concept of continuing the legacy of a musical tradition - or in this case, two: Western concert music and traditional Chinese performance practice. Robert Clarke (marimba), The Academy of Melbourne; Brett Kelly, Australia Ensemble, Synergy with Colin Piper (piano), Laura Chislett (flute), Stephane McCallum (piano), Trio Melbourne. Move MD 3207 (Australia) 08F051 $16.98 >
EVE DUNCAN (b.1956): Solo Violin: Cherubim, Thrones, Seraphim, Dynamis for Violin and Piano, Spiritus Solaris for String Quartet, Remembering Mirrabooka for String Ensemble and version for Chinese Music Ensemble. These works featuring the violin are described by the composer in the very brief booklet notes as "spiritual landscapes" and the connection to the various performers' personalities and collaborative efforts is noted. If this, and the international range of provenance of the recordings suggests a sort of new-age odyssey, the music doesn't really sound like that. Most of the pieces are instrumentally fairly conventional, with tonality a constant presence, especially in the 'western' version of Remembering Mirrabooka (which makes an interesting contrast with the Chinese ensemble version also included). Elsewhere, if Milhaud or Bartók are your sort of thing, you won't find anything here disconcertingly modern, and the disc as a whole has a broad, ready appeal, easy to enjoy. Helfried Fister, Kaixiang Li (violin), Timothy Veldman (violin), Justin Jacobs (piano), Saito String Quartet, Australian National Academy of Music String Ensemble; John Hopkins, Australian Chinese Music Ensemble; Keith Hunter. Move MD 3234 (Australia) 08F052 $16.98 >
Tuneful Percussion - Grainger's Complete Percussion Works
PERCY GRAINGER (1882-1961): Shepherd's Hey, Gamelan Anklung, Irish Tune from County Derry, The Lonely Desert Man Sees the Tents ofthe Happy Tribes, Blithe Bells, Eastern Intermezzo, Arrival Platform Humlet, Bahariyale V. Palaniyandi, Sailor's Song, Sekar Gadung, Under in Bro, Country Garndens, DEBUSSY/GRAINGER: Pagodes, RAVEL/GRAINGER: Le Vallée des Cloches, BALFOUR GARDINER/ GRAINGER: London Bridge, ELLA GRAINGER/GRAINGER: Crying for the Moon. Much has been made of Grainger's eccentricity, both in his private life and his highly individual and idiosyncratic approach to music, including his "elastic scoring" for really, really strange combinations of instruments. This last is one of the most appealing aspects of his unique musical personality, and it is perfectly showcased in this recording, which certainly deserves the description "eccentric" itself; Grainger would have loved it, one suspects. Based around his love of the tuned percussion family of instruments, the disc contains arrangements by other people of familiar Grainger favourites like Shepherds Hey and the Irish Tune, his marvellously inventive Bach, Ravel, Debussy and Gardiner transcriptions, his realizations of Javanese music that resulted from his researches in folk music, and original compositions. Nowadays that somewhere, some piece of music has been written for just about every conceivable combination of instruments and sounds, it comes as something of a shock to be reminded that Grainger got there first by at least half a century, and in music of such delightful appeal and humanity. Woof! Move MD 3222 (Australia) 08F053 $16.98 >
New from Chile
FABRIZIO DE NEGRI MURILLO (b.1971): Temblor de Cielo, Meditación for Solo Clarinet, FaVIOLA for String Quartet, Ensayo for Youth Orchestra, Pacifico for Orchestra, SEBASTIÁN ERRÁZURIZ (b.1975): Estudio Sinfónico No. 1, Musica Funebre in Memoriam Claudio de la Melena, String Quartet No. 1, Musica de Camaras for Orchestra, Linea Uno for Saxophone and Orchestra. With the exception of the brief piece for solo clarinet, de Negri's works have an elemental rhythmic power which is distributed sometimes within a freely tonal background but whose dark, hypnotic, pulsating power reminds one of music for a film about matters you'd rather not remember. Errázuriz' quartet has some more expected reminiscenses - Bartók and folk music - while his orchestral pieces share de Negri's rhythmic power while perhaps allowing for a brighter, more luminous quality at heart. Chile Symphony Orchestra; Nicolas Rauss, David Del Pino, Guillermo Rifo, Viña del Mar Youth Symphony Orchestra; Fabrizzio De Negri, National Youth Symphony Orchestra; Guillermo Rifo, Orquesta Moderna; Luis José Recart, Sebastián Errázuriz, Cuarteto Sur, Cuarteto Iniesta, Isabel Césped (clarinet), Ricardo Alvarez (sax). No label name, no number. (Chile) 08F054 $16.98 >
EDUARDO CÁCERES (b.1955): Orion y los 4 jinetes for Tenor Saxophone and Percussion, JUAN ORREGO-SALAS (b.1919): Secuencias, Op. 120 for Alto Saxophone and Percussion, ALEJANDRO GUARELLO (b.1951): Vikach I for Saxophones and Percussion, CARLOS ZAMORA (b.1968): 3 Movimentos for Tenor Saxophone and Percussion, TOMÁS LEFEVER (b.1926): Trayectoria for Alto Saxophone and Percussion, FERNANDO CARRASCO (b.1953): K.V.C. for Alto Saxophone and Marimba. Two opposing musical traditions tie almost all of these works together: popular music, with which the saxophone is often associated, and the indigenous music of the Andean peoples, assigned here, naturally enough, to the percussion. The works remain as tonal as they can be given that one element consists largely of untuned percussion but the saxophone is always given approachable material to play. Villarfruela/Kanamori. No label name, no number. (Chile) 08F055 $16.98 >
Deletions and Overstocks
These titles exist in quantities from 5-20 pieces. Many are labels no longer extant or no longer available in the U.S. No back-orders... when they're gone, they're gone.
JÁN JOZEF RÖSLER (1771-1813): String Quartets in C, Op. 6/1, in G, Op. 6/2 & in A, Op. 6/3. Stamic Quartet. Panton 81 9031-2 (Czech Republic) 08F057 $6.98
JOHANN ADOLF HASSE (1699-1783): Salve Regina in A, Sinfonia in D, Salve Regina in E Flat, Sinfonia in F, Op. 3/5, Fuga und Grave in G Minor, Chori angelici laetantes (motet). Barbara Bonney (soprano), Bernarda Fink (mezzo), Musica Antiqua Köln; Reinhard Goebel. DG Archiv 453 435-2 (Germany) 08F058 $5.98
JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU (1683-1764): Overtures to Les Fêtes de Polymnie, Les Indes galantes, Zaïs, Platée, Les Talens lyriques, Zoroastre, Dardanus, Les Paladins, Hippolyte et Aricie, Le Temple de la Gloire, Pigmalion, Les Surprises de l'Amour, Les Fêtes de l'Hymen et de l'Amour and Acante et Céphise. Les Talens Lyriques; Christophe Rousset. L'Oiseau-Lyre 455 293-2 (England) 08F059 $5.98
NICOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844-1908): The Maid of Pskov. 2 CDs. Russian-English libretto. Galina Gorchakova (soprano), Vladimir Galusin (tenor), Vladmir Ognovienko, Gennady Bezzubenkov (basses), Kirov Chorus and Orchestra; Valery Gergiev. Philips 446 678-2 (Netherlands) 08F060 $11.98
MARCIN LEOPOLITA (?-1589): Missa Paschalis, MARCIN MIELCZEWSKI (1600-1651): Missa super "O Gloriosa Domina", GRZEGORZ GERWAZY GORCZYCKI (1665-1734): Missa Paschalis. Il Canto (SSATBarB). CD Accord 011 304-2 (Poland) 08F061 $4.98
ADAM JARZEBSKI (c.1590-1649): Tamburetta, Chromatica, Canzona Quarta, GRAZYNA BACEWICZ (1913-1969): Concerto for String Orchestra, HENRYK MIKOLAJ GÓRECKI (b.1933): 3 Pieces in Old Style, WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791): Symphony in B Flat, K. 182, Symphony in C, K. 200. Polish Chamber Orchestra; Jerzy Maksymiuk. CD Accord 011 367-2 (Poland) 08F062 $4.98
MIECZYSLAW KARLOWICZ (1876-1909): 22 Songs. Polish-English texts. Jadwiga Rappé (alto), Ewa Poblocka (piano). CD Accord 011 485-2 (Poland) 08F063 $4.98
PETER TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893): Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op. 23, ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810-1856): Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54, JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750): Bourrée I & II from English Suite No. 2, FREDERIC CHOPIN (1810-1849): Mazurka in F Minor, Op. 63/2, DOMENICO SCARLATTI (1685-1757): Sonata in D Minor, L. 422, ALBERTO GINASTERA (1916-1983): Danza de la Moza donosa. Martha Argerich (piano), Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra; Kazimierz Kord. Rec. 12/5-8/79 and 10/1/80. CD Accord 011 305-2 (Poland) 08F064 $4.98
JANIS IVANOVS (1906-1983): Symphony No. 3 in F Minor, Cello Concerto in B Minor, The Cloudy Mountain. Maris Villeruss (cello), Latvian National Symphony Orchestra; Imants Resnis & Leonids Vigners. Campion Cameo 2009 (England) 08F065 $5.98
JANIS IVANOVS (1906-1983): Violin Concerto, AULIS SALLINEN (b.1935): Violin Concerto, JAN SIBELIUS (1865-1957): Violin Concerto in D, Op. 47. Valdis Zarins (violin), Latvian National Symphony Orchestra; Vassily Sinaisky. Campion Cameo 2004 (England) 08F066 $5.98
JOHANN SIMON MAYR (1763-1845): Overtures to Sisara, Un pazzo ne fa cento, Il segreto, I virtuosi a teatro, Ginevra di Scozia, Alonso e Cora, Adelasia e Aleramo, La rosa bianca e la rosa rossa, Medea in Corinto. Orchestra Stabile di Bergamo; Donato Renzetti. Fonit Cetra NFCD 2030 (Italy) 08F067 $6.98
JOSEPH WOEFL (1773-1812): Duets for Piano and Harp, Opp. 29, 37 & 44. Laure Colladant (fortepiano), Catherine Michel (harp). Mandala MAN 4862 (France) 08F068 $4.98
GIOVANNI SGAMBATI (1841-1914): Complete Piano Works, Vol. 2 - 8 fogli volanti, Op. 12, Gavotte, Op. 14, 4 pezzi di seguito, Op. 18, 3 Morceaux, Op. 42. Daniela Morelli (piano). And three piano-roll recordings: Vecchio Minuetto, Op. 18/2 (Rudolf Ganz, 1914), Toccata, Op. 18/4 (Aurelio Giorni, 1917), Gavotte, Op. 14 (Ernesto Consolo, c.1910). Fonoteca FT-97.10.01 (Italy) 08F069 $4.98
PIETRO MASCAGNI (1863-1945): I Rantzau. 2 CDs. Italian libretto. Barry Anderson, Rita Lantieri, Fulvia Bertoli, Giacomo Boldrini, Chorus, Orchestra del C.E.L. - Teatro di Livorno; Bruno Rigacci. Fonè 93 F 13 (Italy) 08F070 $9.98
OLE SCHMIDT (b.1928): Piece Concertante for Trumpet, Trombone, Strings, Percussion and Harp, Tuba Concerto, Horn Concerto, Music for Five Horns, Timpani and Percussion. Knud Hovaldt (trumpet), Carsten Svanberg (trombone), Michael Lind (tuba), Bjørn Fosdal (horn), Aarhus Symphony Orchestra; Ole Schmidt. Danacord DACOCD 513 (Denmark) 08F071 $5.98
CARLOS JIMÉNEZ MABARAK (1916-1994): Balada del Venado y la Luna, Balada de los ríos de Tabasco, Sala de Retratos, SymphonyNo. 1, Symphony in One Movement, CARLOS CHÁVEZ (1899-1978): Encantamiento y Zarabanda from La Hija de Cólquide, Sinfonía India. 2 CDs. Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, Carlos Chávez Symphony Orchestra, Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra; Fernando Lozano. Clásicos Mexicanos SDL 221022 (Mexico) 08F072 $9.98
SALVADOR CONTERAS (1912-1982): Danza Negra, EDUARDO HERNÁNDEZ MONCADA (1899-1995): Symphony No. 1, FEDERICO IBARRA (b.1946): Symphony No. 1, DANIEL CATÁN (b.1949): Tu Son, Tu Risa, Tu Sonrisa, ARTURO MÁRQUEZ (b.1950): Son. Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra; Eduardo Díazmuñoz. Clásicos Mexicanos SDL 21009 (Mexico) 08F073 $4.98
NIELS VIGGO BENTZON (1919-2000): Organisazione Populare, Nos. 1-4, Opp. 349-352. Flemming Dreisig (organ of Helligånds Church, Denmark). Danacord DACOCD 518 (Denmark) 08F074 $5.98
NIELS VIGGO BENTZON (1919-2000): Toccata, Op. 10, Partita, Op. 38, Woodcut, Op. 65, Kaleidoscope, Op. 86. Anker Blyme (piano). Danacord DACOCD 531 (Denmark) 08F075 $5.98
ABEL EHRLICH (b.1915): Das Buch der Zeichens for String Orchestra, Thou Knowest Not for Children's Choir and Violin, Flee to the Mountains Like a Bird for 11 Instruments, Music for Orchestra. Ensemble Oriol Berlin; Sebastian Gottschick, "Ankor" Children's Choir of the Rubin Conservatory, Shlomit Sivan (violin), Israel Contemporary Players; Paul Mefano, Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon Le-Zion; Noam Sheriff. Music in Israel MII-CD-21 (Israel) 08F076 $4.98
JOACHIM STUTSCHEWSKY (1891-1982): 3 Movements from Landscapes of Israel, MENAHEM AVIDOM (1908-1995): 4 Impressions, PAUL BEN-HAIM (1897-1984): 5 Pieces, Op. 34, MORDECAI SETER (1916-1994): Chaconne and Scherzo, YEHEZKEL BRAUN (b.1922): Sonata, TZVI AVNI (b.1927): Sonata No. 1. Pnina Salzman (piano). Music in Israel MII-CD-19 (Israel) 08F077 $4.98
HANS STÄHLI (b.1950): Symphonic Poem Tokachi for Tenor, Chorus and Orchestra, String Trio in A, CHRIS FRANKLIN (b.1950): String Quartet No. 1. Tomoaki Aiba (tenor), Obihiro Chorus Association, Sapporo Symphony Orchestra; Naohiro Totsuka, Heidelberg String Trio and other artists. Antes Edition BM-CD 31.9109 (Germany) 08F078 $4.98
URMAS SISASK (b.1960): Christmas Oratorio, Mass No. 4 "Christmas Mass". Academic Male Choir of Tallinn Technical University, Instrumentalists. Antes Edition BM-CD 31.9061 (Germany) 08F079 $4.98
NICHOLAS SACKMAN (b.1950): String Quartet No. 2, GEORGE NICHOLSON (b.1949): String Quartet No. 3. Bochmann Quartet. Metier MSV CD92016 (England) 08F080 $4.98
JEAN-LOUIS FLORENTZ (b.1947): Les jardins d'Amènta for Orchestra, Op. 13, Le songe de Lluc Alcari for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 10, L'ange du Tamaris for Solo Cello, Op. 12. Yvan Chiffoleau (cello), Orchestre National de Lyon; Emmanuel Krivine, Günther Herbig, Yves Potrel (cello). MFA 216023 (France) 08F081 $6.98
PATRICK BURGAN (b.1960): La Puerta de la Luz, PHILIPPE HERSANT (b.1948): L'Infinito, OLIVIER KASPAR (b.1962): Messe. Ensemble Musiciatreize; Roland Hayrabedian. MFA 216031 (France) 08F082 $6.98
PAVEL PABST (1854-1897): Fantasie sur l'opera "Mazeppa", Paraphrase de concert sur l'opera "Eugene Onegin", Réminiscences de l'opera "Le Demon" Grand Fantasie, Paraphrase de concert sur le ballet "Sleeping Beauty", Berceuse (Tchaikovsky, Op. 16/1), Illustrations de l'opera "La dame de pique". Oleg Marshev (piano). Danacord DACOCD 450 (Denmark) 08F083 $5.98
LOUIS SPOHR (1874-1849): 6 deutsche Lieder, Op. 103, JOHANN WENZEL KALLIWODA (1801-1866): Heimatlied, FRANZ SCHUBERT (1979-1828): Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, Romanze from Die Verschworenen, GIACOMO MEYERBEER (1791-1857): Hirtenlied, CONRAD KREUTZER (1780-1849): Das Mühlrad, OTTO NICOLAI (1810-1849): Variazioni concertanti, Op. 26, FRANZ BERWALD (1796-1868): Edo fuån när och fjärran. Julia Broxholm (soprano), Martin Katz (piano), Fred Ormand (clarinet). Danacord DACOCD 538 (Denmark) 08F084 $5.98
JOSEP SOLER (b.1935): Passio Jesu-Christi for Soprano, Baritone, Organ, Harpsichord, Cello and Viola, 2 Motets for Soprano and Organ, Postlude for Organ. Vocal and instrumental soloists; Antoni Ros-Marbà. PDN 80.2056 (Spain) 08F085 $4.98
SALVADOR PUEYO (b.1935): Simfonia barroca, Wind Quintet, Fantasia for String Trio, Quintet for 2 Violins, English Horn, Bassoon and Harpsichord. Camerata de France; Daniel Tosi, Barcelona Wind Quintet, Grupo Bartok. PDN 80.2329 (Spain) 08F086 $4.98
RODOLFO HALFFTER (1900-1987): 2 Soantas de el Escorial, Homenaje a Antonio Machado, JOAQUÍN RODRIGO (1901-1999): 4 Piezas, FRANCISCO CALÉS: 2 evocaciónes, 5 cantos de Sefarad, ROMÁN ALÍS: 5 poemas de la baja Andalucia, ALBERTO GOMÉZ: 5 formas. Alberto Gómez (piano). Several Records SCD-803 (Spain) 08F087 $4.98
British String Miniatures, Vol. 3
GILBERT VINTER (1909-1969): Entertainments, CYRIL SCOTT (1879-1970): First Suite, GARETH WALTERS (b.1928): Sinfonia breve, HAIGH MARSHALL (1914-1999): Elegy, JOHN FOX (b.1926): Countryside Suite, PETER WARLOCK (1894-1930): 4 Folksong Preludes (arr. P. Lane), EDWARD ELGAR (1857-1934): Sospiri, Op. 70. The first movement of Vinter's Entertainments (1966), a Caprice, opens with all the vigor and thrilling elan of Elgar's string Serenade and we're off on yet another collection of music from that inimitable and seemingly inexhaustible fountain of "British Light Music". The usual chronological mix is again present, Lane's arrangements of four Warlock piano preludes (1917-23) and Scott's 1931 three-movement suite of, respectively, Victorian ballad, folk song and nursery rhyme, representing the older generations while the generation the 20s shows its longevity and diversity with Fox's 1975 work (the English love of the countryside) and Walters shows no lack of vim and vigor in his 1998 Sinfonia which is the longest work here (19 minutes) and which generically borders on "serious" music. Royal Ballet Sinfonia; Gavin Sutherland. ASV White Line WHL 2139 (England) 08F088 $11.98
MIKLÓS ROZSA (1907-1995): Original Motion Picture Soundtracks from Quo Vadis, Madame Bovary, Ivanhoe and Plymouth Adventure. Mono. Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Miklós Rozsa. Tsunami TCI 0623 (Germany) 08F089 $16.98 >
SOMEI SATOH (b.1947): Lament for Spring for Harp, Vortex for Harp, Flute, Clarinet and Percussion, Lanzarote for Clarinet and Piano, Incarnation I for Harp, Piano and Percussion. "[In] about [1977] I began to conceive, and now still embrace, the idea that music has its base in silence". And there you have it. Delicate watercolor pointillism, without drama or agitation of any kind, characterises these almost obsessively subtle works. For the most part, such musical material as there is is slow and consonant, and in its meditative stillness, the music is among the finest examples of the principles and accomplishments of the "new spirituality" to have been committed to the recorded medium to date. Various artists. Camerata 28CM-628 (Japan) 08F090 $17.98
NED ROREM (b.1923): Symphonies Nos. 1-3. These are the world premiere recordings of the first two symphonies and the CD premiere of the third (if you don't count the live NPO premiere in 1959 which appeared in one of the Orchestra's self-released box-sets). Dating from 1950, 1956 and 1958, these are resolutely tonal, abundantly melodic works often tinged with a French gentility and elegance but just as often redolent of the great American symphonists with such traits as open intervals and a general sense of good-will and optimism. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra; José Serebrier. Naxos American Classics 8.559149 (U.S.A.) 08F091 $6.98
ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV (1865-1936): Orchestral Works, Vol. 17 - Chopiniana, Op. 46, Overture No. 1 on 3 Greek Themes, Op. 3, Overture No. 2 on 3 Greek Themes, Op. 6, Serenade No. 1, Op. 7, Serenade No. 2, Op. 11, Triumphal March, Op. 40. Much youthful enthusiasm and the expected brilliant orchestration here in these works from the composer's teens and twenties (look for John Brown's Body in the Triumphal March!). Moscow Symphony Orchestra; Vladimir Ziva. Naxos 8.555048 (New Zealand) 08F092 $6.98
HECTOR BERLIOZ (1803-1869): Herminie for Soprano and Orchestra, La Mort de Cléopâtre for Soprano and Orchestra, La Mort de Sardanapale for Tenor, Male Chorus and Orchestra, La Mort d'Orphée for Tenor, Female Chorus and Orchestra. These rare cantatas date from 1827-30 and represent the young composer's four attempts to win the Prix de Rome. Look for the famous idée fixe from the Symphonie fantastique in the introductin to Herminie! French-English texts. Michèle Lagrange (soprano), Béatrice Uria-Monzon (mezzo), Daniel Galvez Vallejo (tenor), Chur Régional Nord/Pas-de-Calais, Orchestre National de Lille; Jean-Claude Casadesus. Naxos 8.555810 (New Zealand) 08F093 $6.98
PAUL DUKAS (1865-1935): Sonata in E Flat Minor, Variations, Interlude et Finale sur un thème de Rameau, La plainte, au loin, du faune..., Prélude élégiaque. Chantal Stigliani (piano). Naxos 8.557053 (New Zealand) 08F094 $6.98