MUSIC knows it. To hear her is truly heartbreaking, recordings), particularly in the 3rd and REVIEWS and Elgar’s nostalgic concerto is perhaps 5th. It is still unbeatable today, both CH’S HALF DOZEN the perfect vehicle for such a tragic figure. for its electrifying sound and inspired Dame Janet Baker provides stunning vocals performances. Previn’s return to the to another of Elgar’s rarities, the beautiful catalogue with a vengeance is long- song cycle, Sea Pictures. EMI has remastered awaited, especially in this complete edition Rawks this classic with their new technology that’s which includes rare gems such as the Keeping CLASSICAL TIME PIECES TO PASS been proven to deliver a far superior sound delectable Tuba Concerto (a first on CD) THE HOURS WITH to the earlier CD releases, so if you haven’t and the even more obscure Violin Concerto. time yet acquired this historic recording, there’s SERGEI PROKOFIEV: no better time to do so. ZOLTAN KODALY: VIENNESE MUSICAL BY CH LOH ALEXANDER NEVSKY CLOCK (HARY JANOS SUITE) Yuri Temirkanov, St Petersburg One of the most colourful musical HOOKED ON CLASSICS: SIBELIUS, Philharmonic timepieces in classical music, just wind it SEASICKNESS AND MORE (RCA RED SEAL 60867) up and hear it go! SOUL-STIRRING STUFF... Of RCA’s reissues of a bunch of titles Neeme Jarvi, Chicago Symphony Orch from their mid-1990s catalogue, this is (Chandos 8877) perhaps the most exciting. It represents a SERGEI PROKOFIEV: CINDERELLA pioneering effort to present the score of (COMPLETE BALLET) this Eisenstein Stalin pleaser in modern It’s that horrifying twelve-chimer that sent sound – and if you have ever watched the SERGEI RACHMANINOV, PIANO poor Cindy out of the dance floor, minus one black-and-white classic with its disgraceful CONCERTOS 1-4, PAGANINI RHAPSODY glass slipper. It really strikes twelve, too. soundtrack, you will know what a treasure RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: 9 Stephen Hough, piano Andre Previn, London Symphony Orch (EMI Double Forte 68604) this is. Prokofiev’s magnificent score is SYMPHONIES, TUBA CONCERTO, Andrew Litton, Dallas Symphony Orchestra restored to its original grandeur, from THE WASPS, ELIZABETHAN (HYPERION 67501/2) RALPH VAUGHAN-WILLIAMS: the stunning patriotic choruses that just PORTRAITS, VIOLIN CONCERTO Stephen Hough takes the Hollywood out of A LONDON SYMPHONY make you want to be Russian to the classic Andre Previn, London Symphony Orch Tinseltown’s favourite romantic composer, Big Ben’s familiar chime is immortalised Battle on the Ice complete with sound FX, (RCA RED SEAL 55708) and puts the Russian back into these classic in the opening and closing of this this riveting performance by Temirkanov You can’t help but be swept away by the concertos. Whether it stands up to its claim colourful English symphony. Richard Hickox, London Symphony Orch JEAN SIBELIUS, SNÖFRID; and the St Petersburg band will have you exuberance of the Sea Symphony, dramatic as the recording for the new millennium or (Chandos 9902) CORONATION CANTATA, waving hammer and sickle. and illuminated by crystal clarity – just not, you decide – each Rach fan will have his RAKASTAVA, ANDANTE FESTIVO ETC sample the perfectly balanced colours or her favourite. Yet, Hough does live up to OLIVIER MESSIAEN: QUARTET FOR Osmo Vänskä, Jubilate Choir, Lahti of the opening of the slow movement, his promise of providing a lean, electrifying THE END OF TIME Symphony Orchestra and the clearly audible scraped cymbals. Rachmaninov. This is technically brilliant, Forget Schindler’s List or The Piano Player. (BIS-1265) Such are the strengths of Previn’s cycle, even if the brightness of the overall sound This is real-life concentration camp If you enjoy the symphonies of Sibelius one which is especially touching in the will find romantics reaching for the blanket. inspiration. then venture boldly into his other works. remarkable 3rd (Pastoral). Here Previn is Leave the kleenex in the drawer, and be Myung Whun Chung, Gil Shahm et al (DG 469052) There isn’t much in his huge opus of works perhaps the only one who truly illuminates prepared for a fast ride. Even the schmaltzy that will not appeal. In the area of vocal the subtle colours painted by the composer (but oh so deliciously so) 22nd Paganini AMILCARE PONCHIELLI: DANCE OF music his works are not often encountered, in this Sibelian tribute – take the role of Variation cannot deter Hough, who does THE HOURS (LA GIOCONDA) but BIS is doing a great job in making sure the tuba in the soft passages of the Scherzo perform some real magic in this familiar Popularised by the 1963 American comic they get the audience. and the closing pages of the Finale, rarely Rediffusion closer. parody by Allan Sherman entitled, Hello The main work Snöfrid is a work for EDWARD ELGAR: CELLO CONCERTO, audible in other recordings. The Dallas Symphony is faithful to Muddah, Hello Fadduh. Believe it or not, orchestra, chorus and narrator, a dramatic SEA PICTURES Previn demands loving care from Hough’s vision, serving up a lean and gritty this standard is now a ringtone. Go ahead, work steeped in mystery and Finnish lore Jacqueline Du Pre, cello his players, and the orchestra responds Slavic backdrop that saves the rushed download it to your cellphone and annoy the hell out of your friends in the best tradition of Sibelius. The other Sir John Barbirolli, London Symphony enthusiastically – from the beautifully 2nd Concerto from escaping attention Herbert von Karajan, Berlin two choral pieces, Oma Maa (My Country) Orchestra moulded string phrases (listen to the altogether. Litton moulds the orchestra Philhmarnomic (DG 459445) and Coronation Cantata offer a glimpse (EMI 562-8862) heartbreaking loneliness of the opening of lovingly, but not enough to counter some into Sibelius’ beautiful choral writing style, Remember that awful film Hillary and the Nr 7, Sinfonia Antarctica) to intensely of Hough’s excesses, for example, the JOSEPH HAYDN: SYMPHONY 101 (CLOCK) and the latter is especially haunting in its Jackie? Well, neither do I (who names expressive solos (the cor anglais that opens absolutely fast-forwarded opening chords of 18th Century audiences were very easy to nocturnal shades. a biopic of one’s sister by putting her the slow movement of the 2nd (London) the 2nd which kills the mystery to perhaps amuse. If you find the show of stocking shocking, then be prepared to be amazed The disc comes with some excellent own name first?) Tsk tsk, Hillary Dupre’s is simply stunning), there is always the most enigmatic opening ever written. by Haydn’s amazing clock impersonations. hors d’oeuvres, for example the subtle scandalous kiss-and-tell biography had something special happening. Still, as a live recording it brims with concert Not. Andante Festivo, a stunning example the music community in uproar for quite a Of all the cycles past and present, hall excitement tempered by a remarkable Sir Colin Davis, Concertgebouw of Sibelius’ mastery in luminous string while. But forget the scandal, and celebrate this classic Previn cycle was at the top fluency, and there is no shortage of high (Philips 42614) writing. Other rarities include miniatures the artistry of this stunning cellist whose of the heap in its day, rivalling even the voltage, especially in the Finale of the 3rd, like Rakastava and the early Overture in A. talent was nipped in the bud by a fatal eminent Sir Adrian Boult’s (whose EMI which can sound almost brutal. onset of multiple sclerosis. Du Pre’s cello cycle was dogged by an uncharacteristic literally mourns her fate even before she lack of a certain edge found in his earlier CH Loh is a musician 48 JULY2005 JULY2005 49 .