CONSUMER INFORMATION SERVICE: NO. 267 APRIL 2014 REPRESENTING TODAY’S GREAT LABELS THIS MONTH'S HIGHLIGHTS

Select Music and Video Distribution Limited 3 Wells Place, Redhill, Surrey RH1 3SL Tel: 01737 645600 Fax: 01737 644065 John DOWLAND The Art of Melancholy

Iestyn Davies Thomas Dunford

Of all English songwriters, John Dowland has enjoyed the most powerful afterlife, his voice unmistakably present in any version of his songs. The preeminent marriage of music and poetry, the nuanced shades of wit and melancholy and the extraordinary writing for both lute and voice all combine to proclaim Dowland as the father of English song. Highlight of the month CDA68007

Johannes BRAHMS String Quintets

Lawrence Power Takács Quartet

The Takács Quartet have been recently described as ‘one of the world’s most distinguished ensembles’. Here CDA67900 they collaborate with Britain’s greatest living viola player, Lawrence Power, who with his long association with The Nash Ensemble among others, has also proved himself a remarkable chamber musician.

Emil MŁYNARSKI, Aleksander ZARZYCKI The Romantic Violin Concerto, Volume 15

Eugene Ugorski BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Michał Dworzyński CDA67990

In this latest volume of Hyperion’s Romantic Violin Concerto series, we journey to Poland (in the company of a conductor from that country) for two concertos by Młynarski and two works for violin and orchestra by Zarzycki (who will be familiar to Romantic Piano Concerto collectors).

Gabriel PIERNÉ, Louis VIERNE

Piano Quintet & String Quartet

Goldner String Quartet Piers Lane

The admired Goldner String Quartet presents two utterly charming—yet little-known—examples of CDA68036 French chamber music by contemporaneous composers Pierné and Vierne.

Fritz KREISLER Violin Music Jack Liebeck CDA68040 Katya Apekisheva

Hyperion is delighted to welcome award-winning violinist Jack Liebeck to the label, together with his frequent collaborator, Katya Apekisheva.

Hugo WOLF Henry PURCELL, Eichendorff-Lieder John BLOW Countertenor Duets Stephan Genz Roger Vignoles James Bowman Bernarda Fink CDH55435 Michael Chance CDH55447 The King’s Consort Robert King

(from CDA66909) (from CDA66253)

2 APRIL 2014 Giuseppe VERDI Macbeth

Latonia Moore, Simon Keenlyside, Gwyn Hughes Jones, Brindley Sherratt, Ben Johnson, Elizabeth Llewellyn Opera in English Chorus ENO Orchestra Edward Gardner

This recording of Verdi’s Macbeth marks the completion of the Peter Moores Foundation’s remarkable Highlight Opera in English series, established in 1995 with the aim of making opera available to wider CHAN 3180(2) of the month audiences by presenting the highest quality opera performances in English. Here a translation by Jeremy Sams is sung by an all-star cast including Simon Keenlyside as Macbeth and Latonia Moore as Lady Macbeth. Edward Gardner conducts the English National Opera Orchestra.

Jean SIBELIUS Complete Symphonies Three Late Fragments

BBC Philharmonic John Storgårds

The Finnish maestro John Storgårds, Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, presents his first recording on Chandos, a complete symphonic cycle of his nation’s greatest CHAN 10809(3) musical export, Jean Sibelius.

Louis Lortie Plays Chopin, Volume 3

Nocturne in A flat major, Op. 32; Impromptu in A flat major; Nocturne in F sharp major, Op. 48; Impromptu in F sharp major; Nocturne in D flat major, Op. 27; Impromptu in G flat major; Nocturne in C sharp minor, Op. 27; Fantaisie-Impromptu in C sharp minor; Nocturne in B major, Op. 9; Sonata in B minor, Op. 58.

Louis Lortie

Louis Lortie here gives us the third volume in his ongoing Chopin project. CHAN 10813

Franz Xaver SCHARWENKA Complete Piano Concertos

Alexander Markovich Estonian National Symphony Orchestra Neeme Järvi

The Polish-born German composer Franz Xaver Scharwenka was a much lauded and beloved figure of late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century music. His four piano concertos are central works among his small output. With Neeme Järvi and the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Markovich has recorded them together for the first time. CHAN 10814(2)

Francesco MANCINI

Solos for a Flute Sonatas 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, and 12

Gwyn Roberts Tempesta di Mare Chamber Players Born in 1672 in Naples where he trained as an organist and composer, Francesco Mancini CHAN 0801 became one of the most prominent composers of Neapolitan opera in the eighteenth century. The Solos for a Flute, published in 1724, were a collection of Sonatas dedicated to John Fleetwood, the English consul to Naples and himself an amateur flautist.

APRIL 2014 3 BUXTEHUDE Membra Jesu Nostri Recorded live at Magdalen College Chapel, Oxford July & August 2013

John Mark Ainsley, Robin Blaze , Giles Underwood Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford OACD9023D Daniel Hyde

This is a significant new CD release, launching an exciting new partnership between Opus Arte and Magdalen College Choir, Oxford, under its director Daniel Hyde.

HANDEL, TALLIS, BRITTEN, TURGES, CARVER, GIBBONS, BYRD

Music of the Kingdom The Sixteen Harry Christophers COR16122 This new compilation from The Sixteen brings together some of the finest works written for, and in celebration of, Monarchs and the Kingdom. From Turges in the 1400s to Britten in the 20th century, whether for magnificent state occasions or private devotion, the Kings and Queens of Great Britain have inspired and patronized some of our finest and most enduring music.

Sir John TAVENER Ikon of Light The Tallis Scholars Peter Phillips GIMSE404 “Ikon of Light comes steeped in the traditional soundscape of Orthodox worship and is timeless in its musical response to the idea of an icon opening a window on eternity. It was commissioned by The Tallis Scholars whose atmospheric early recording is hard to beat.” Michael White, BBC Music Magazine, December 2013

J. S. BACH St John Passion James Gilchrist, Matthew Rose, Ashley Riches, Elizabeth Watts, Sarah Connolly, Andrew Kennedy, Christopher Purves Choir of the AAM AAM002 Richard Egarr

A cast of superlative soloists combine with the AAM in its 40th anniversary year for a landmark new recording of Bach’s St John Passion.

Arthur de GREEF

Solo and Concerto Recordings Belgian pianist Arthur de Greef studied with Franz Liszt and also became a close friend of Grieg, who strongly APR_7401 admired his playing. He was a main-stay of the HMV catalogue in the 1920s and this set brings his complete recordings together for the first time.

Timothy HAMILTON Vision Elisabeth Meister Cantoribus Timothy Hamilton 5060192780406 This is the debut recording of a new choir, founded and conducted by English composer Timothy Hamilton. The inspiration for forming Cantoribus came from a desire to introduce an exciting and contemporary dimension to choral music.

4 APRIL 2014 (1906-1975) Six Romances on Verses by W. Raleigh, R. Burns and W. Shakespeare Op. 62a*; Anne Laurie, Scottish Ballad; Suite on Poems by Michelangelo Buonarroti Op. 145a† *World première recording of orchestral version | †World première recording of the Italian version ODE 1235-2 Gerald Finley Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Thomas Sanderling Canadian baritone Gerald Finley is one of the leading singers and dramatic interpreters of his generation and this is his debut recording with Ondine. Irina Shostakovich provided the manuscript for the orchestral version of the Romances on Verses by British Poets, and expressly wished Sanderling to make the first ever recording of this version.

Rune GLERUP Dust Encapsulated

Mathais Friis-Hansen, Rune Glerup, Neel Bramsnæs Teilmann Pierre-André Valade Athelas Sinfonietta

This CD presents five world premiere recordings of acoustic and electronic works by the Danish 8226578 composer Rune Glerup.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2oowoenwiY

PROKOFIEV, SUK, ROTA, LUTOSŁAWSKI, MESSIAEN Brave New World

Emma Johnson John Lenehen

Acclaimed clarinettist Emma Johnson’s new release explores music composed against a background of CHRCD084 war, taking a cue from the title of Aldous Huxley’s 1931 novel ‘Brave New World’.

BRIDGE, SUK, IRELAND, SCHOENBERG Fantasy Trios

Dimension Trio: Rafal Zambzycki-Payne Thomas Carroll Anthony Hewitt

Dimension Trio showcase their prestigious talents in their debut disc of ‘Fantasy Trios’ with music by CHRCD060 Suk, Schoenberg, Bridge and Ireland.

Felix and Fanny MENDELSSOHN Complete Songs, Volume 1

Malcolm Martineau Mary Bevan, Sophie Bevan Robin Tritschler Allan Clayton Jonathan McGovern Benjamin Appl CHRCD056

Champs Hill Records is delighted that Malcolm Martineau will be curating a series of Mendelssohn vocal releases, presenting songs by Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn alongside each other.

APRIL 2014 5 A TRIBUTE TO OSCAR PETERSON Litton plays Peterson Improvisations Lulu’s back in town; ‘Round midnight; Body and soul; A child is born; Little girl blue; Take the ‘A’ train; Basin street blues; How long has this been going on; The nearness of you; Over the Rainbow; Things ain’t what they used to be; Perdido

Andrew Litton BIS2034

On his 16th birthday, Andrew Litton received an LP of Oscar Peterson playing solo. Litton was ‘hooked’, to use his own words: ‘If I’ve ever experienced anything close to an epiphany, this was it! ... He did things daily at the piano while spontaneously improvising that the rest of us spend a lifetime trying to achieve.’

Sergei RACHMANINOV

All-Night Vigil (Vespers) Op. 37; The Theotokos

Netherlands Radio Choir, Kaspars Putniņš

As a coupling to the All-Night Vigil, the Netherlands Radio Choir have chosen to record one of Rachmaninov’s earliest works. The Theotokos, is a hymn to the Virgin and clearly aims to exploit the skill of BIS2039 a first-class choir, with its varied textures, tempos and wide range of dynamics.

v Antonín DVORÁK: Piano Trio No. 3 in F minor, Op. 65

v Bedrich SMETANA: Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15

Josef SUK: Elegy for Piano Trio, Op. 23 BIS2059 Sitkovetsky Trio

v The two large-scale works by Dvorák and Smetana are complemented here by the one-movement Elegy, by v Josef Suk, Dvorák’s student and later son-in-law.

Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH

Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10; Symphony No. 15 in A major, Op. 141

Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Mark Wigglesworth

This cycle of Shostakovich’s Symphonies has constantly offered interesting and thought-provoking interpretations alongside striking performances. The First and the Fifteenth Symphonies are the alpha and BIS1643 omega of a symphonic production that spans almost 50 years of Shostakovich’s life.

J. S. BACH

Suites Nos. 2, 3 & 6 for Solo Cello (arr. Viola by Simon Rowland-Jones)

Maxim Rysanov

It was with three of Bach’s cello suites, transcribed for the viola, that Maxim Rysanov made his début on BIS in 2010. The Sunday Times had one reservation: ‘Rysanov’s recording of Bach’s suites is near BIS2033 perfection; the only flaw being that he did not perform all six.’ With the present disc that flaw is now rectified, and the set is complete.

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART

Piano Concerto No. 18 in B flat major K456; Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat major K482

Ronald Brautigam Die Kölner Akademie, Michael Alexander Willens BIS2044 The sixth disc in this highly acclaimed series combines two works in which Mozart’s powers as an orchestrator come to the fore.

6 APRIL 2014 Johann Nepomuk DAVID Symphonies 1 & 6 ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wein 777741-2 Johannes Wildner

Johann Nepomuk David is an Austrian symphonist from the generation of Hindemith, Distler and Pepping whose music has been in urgent need of revival.

Heinrich & Elizabeth von HERZOGENBERG Complete Piano Works

Nataša Veljkovic’ć 777789-2

CPO presents the newest volume of the Herzogenberg series played superbly by Nataša Veljkovic’.

Leo FALL (1873-1925) Madame Pompadour Operetta in 3 Acts

Annette Dasch, Heinz Zednik, Volksoper Wein, Andreas Schüller 777795-2

Leo Fall’s operetta Madame Pompadour is distinguished by charming and preppy music and regarded as the composer’s wittiest and most outstanding work of this genre.

Johann Martin Friedrich NISLE Octet – Septet – Quintet Consortium Classicum 777266-2 Nisle presents himself as an original exponent of early romanticism with a pronounced talent for melody.

Carl REINTHALER 26 Lieder Peter Schöne Günther Albers 777570-2 Carl Reinthaler published his first songs during the late 1840s. It was in Italy where he wrote his Songs, Op. 6 to Italian poems. The many years of productive cooperation between Peter Schöne and Günther Albers reach a pinacle on the present recording.

Paul HINDEMITH

Das Marienleben Maya Boog Michael Lakner 777817-2 The revised version of Paul Hindemith’s song cycle is presented for April on cpo. The cycle consists of songs based on poems by Raine Maria Rilke.

Georg Philipp TELEMANN Miriways Markus Volpert, Ulrike Hofbauer, L’Orfeo Barockorchester 777752-2 The opera Miriways met with enthusiastic responses when it was rediscovered after 284 years in 2012 at the Bruckner Festival in Linz, and in the stage production under Michi Gaigg at the Magdeburg Theatre.

APRIL 2014 7 Carl Philipp Emanuel BACH

Complete Works for Piano Solo

Ana-Marija Markovina 98.003 This release celebrates the 300th Birthday of CPE Bach on 3rd March. Ana-Marija Markovina, the featured artist for these recordings, has been working for over ten years with the music of CPE Bach and has developed her own intuitive approach to his style.

Aaron COPLAND, Steve REICH, John CAGE, Morton FELDMAN, Leonard BERNSTEIN, Samuel BARBER America Franz Vitzthum, Andra Darzins, Markus Stange, Franz Bach SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart, Marcus Creed 93.306 The Stuttgart Vocal Ensemble is one of the world’s most renowned choirs. America is the first disc in a new series with each CD focusing on the choral music of a different country.

Géza Anda plays: BARTÓK Piano Concerto, No. 2 TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto, No. 1 Géza Anda, Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (SWR) 94.225 Ferdinand Leitner & Hans Müller-Kray

This is the fifth and final instalment of Géza Anda’s recordings with SWR.

Johanna Martzy plays: MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto, Op. 64 BRAHMS Violin Concerto, Op.77

Johanna Martzy, Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (SWR), Hans Müller-Kray, Günter Wand 94.226

Hänssler presents one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century, performing Mendelssohn and Brahms under world class conductors Hans Müller-Kray and Günter Wand.

Robert SCHUMANN and the Counterpoint

Complete recording of solo piano works

Florian Uhlig

Florian Uhlig is one of today’s in-demand and most interesting German pianists. 98.032

KHACHATURIAN, TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concertos

Yoon-Hee Kim Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Barry Wordsworth RPOSP046 Rising star Korean violinist Yoon-Hee Kim has been in demand as a concert artist since being admitted to the Vienna University for Music at the age of 4 years old (their youngest student ever) and has since performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras and conductors.

8 APRIL 2014 MOZART, BUSONI, HAYDN, BEETHOVEN, BRAHMS, CUI, RACHMANINOFF, NIKOLAYEV, CHOPIN, BRAHMS & BABAYEV. Emil Gilels in Ensembles MELCD 1002210 Emil Gilels, Dmitri Tsyganov, Vadim Borisovsky, Sergei Shirinsky The set features compositions from various periods. Along with well-known piano and chamber emsembles, it includes recordings of rarely performed works by Mozart arranged by Busoni, Saint-Saëns and Cui. Nikolai RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Symphonic Works MELCD 1002130 Heinrich Fridheim, The State Academic Symphonic Orchestra, E. Svetlanov These recordings were made in the late 1960s-early 1980’s in the heyday of the orchestra and their outstanding leader.

Yuri BUTSKO White Nights Galina Pisarenko, Anatoly Mishchevsky, The Big Symphony Orchestra of All-Union Radio and Television MELCD 1002126 Gennady Rozhdestvensky White Nights is a sentimental opera in one act, and is based on a novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

J.S BACH Concertos MELCD 1002127 David Oistrakh, Ignor Oistrakh, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Rudolf Barshai

The soloist of Bach’s violin concertos is David Oistrakh, one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century.

Alexander GLAZUNOV Concertos for Violin, Cello and Saxophone Viktor Tretiakov, Mstislav Rostropovich, Lev Mikhailov, The Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, Evgeny Svetlanov MELCD 1002131 The Moscow Symphony Radio Orchestra Soloists Ensemble, Alexander Korneyev Glazunov’s compositions are performed by the outstanding Russian musicians such as Victor Tretiakov, Mstislav Rostropovich and Lev Mikhailov.

Johannes BRAHMS Violin Concerto in D Major Leonid Kogan, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Monteux MELLP 0026

Johannes Brahm’s Concerto for violin and orchestra is a part of any violinist’s golden repertoire.

Johannes BRAHMS Violin Sonata No. 1 in F Minor Violin Sonata No. 2 in E Flat Major MELLP 0022 Yuri Bashmet Two viola sonatas by Johannes Brahms, Op. 120, composed in 1894, signify an actual completion of the composer’s creative life and the epoch of German romanticism.

Alexander BORODIN

String quartet No. 1 in A Major MELLP 0027 A composer of a universal gift, Borodin displayed special love for chamber music.

Georg Philipp TELEMANN: Canon-Sonata for Two Violins Jean-Marie LECLAIR: Sonata for Two Violins in C and G Major Eugène YSAŸE: Sonata for Two Violins in A Minor MELLP 0020 Violin Duos Leonid Kogan, Elizaveta Gilels Leonid Kogan is one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century.

APRIL 2014 9 J.S. BACH Precious Refuge Sonate III C-Dur, Konzert g-Moll, Sonate II a-Moll & Violinkonzert a-Moll

Iskandar Widjaja OC896 Oehms presents Precious Refuge, performed by the enormously talented violinist Iskandar Widjaja.

Franz & Richard STRAUSS Romantic Works for Horn Xiaoming Han Oehms is delighted to make an important contribution to the Richard Strauss Anniversary Year 2014, together OC1804 with showcasing the solo horn of the Deutsche Radio-Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern.

David IANNI Prayers of Silence

David Ianni OC428 Oehms presents David Ianni’s second album for April, Prayers of Silence.

James PRIMOSCH Sacred Songs Susan Narucki William Sharp 21st Century Consort BRIDGE 9422 Christopher Kendall Mr. Primosch’s music has been performed by ensembles including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Collage, the New York New Music Ensemble, and the Network for New Music. This recording includes four cycles, featuring the leading American singers, soprano Susan Narucki, and baritone William Sharp.

RAVEL, SAINT-SAËNS, WYNER, HAHN, BRITTEN Moments of Love Dominique Labelle Yehudi Wyner This song recital documents the long and brilliant partnership of soprano Dominique Labelle and composer BRIDGE 9406 and pianist, Yehudi Wyner.

J.S. BACH St Matthew-Passion, BWV 244 Karina Gauvin, Gerhild Romberger, Julian Prégardien, Maximilian Schmitt, Michael Nagy, Karl-Magnus Fredriksson Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks Regensburger Domspatzen Concerto Köln Peter Dijkstra 900508 To follow the Christmas Oratorio, the Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks under artistic director Peter Dijkstra, present a major work by Johann Sebastian Bach in a live recording on CD and DVD (see page 19): the St Matthew Passion.

10 APRIL 2014 RESPIGHI The Pines of Rome; Belkis; Queen of Sheba - Suite Eiji Oue Minnesota Orchestra

“Dazzling orchestral colours,” is one way to describe the music of Ottorino Respighi. “Belkis, Queen of Sheba” was conceived as an evening-long ballet with singing whose lavishness has kept it from view since its La Scala premiere. RM-1509

Miraculous Metamorphoses HINDEMITH: Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber PROKOFIEV: The Love for Three Oranges - Suite BARTÓK: The Miraculous Mandarin - Suite Kansas City Symphony Michael Stern RR-132

This magnificent new symphonic recording with the Kansas City Symphony contains three classic modern masterpieces.

C. P. E. BACH Spiritual Songs Norbert Meyn Terence Charlston

To mark the tercentenary of the birth of C. P. E. Bach this spring, Toccata Classics releases the first full TOCC 0248 recordings of some of his sacred songs, accompanied by the clavichord, the composer’s favourite instrument.

Gerard SCHURMANN Chamber Music, Volume Two Lyris String Quartet: Håkan Rosengren Clive Greensmith Mikhail Korzhev TOCC 0220 The Anglo-Dutch composer Gerard Schurmann, based in the USA since 1981, celebrated his 90th birthday in January, but these recent chamber works testify to his continued verve: they are intense, passionate, tightly argued, charged with energy – and also infused with lyricism.

Alexander GRECHANINOV Complete Music for Viola and Piano Elena Artamonova Nicholas Walker

Over the course of his long life (1864–1956), Alexander Grechaninov remained true to the Russian lyricism he inherited from the Rimsky-Korsakov school, as these attractive but largely unknown viola TOCC 0234 works make clear.

Arthur FARWELL Piano Music, Volume Two

Lisa Cheryl Thomas The American composer Arthur Farwell (1872–1952) was known as a leading ‘Indianist’ but his style TOCC 0222 was a wide-ranging one, as can be heard in the impressionist Tone Pictures after Pastels in Prose and the experimental Polytonal Studies.

APRIL 2014 11 RESPIGHI, DIETRICH, SCHUMANN, BRAHMS The Masters of Violin, Volume 3 Franco Gulli Enrica Cavallo CDS7693 Franco Gulli and Enrica Cavallo perform works by Respighi, Dietrich, Schumann and Brahms, including Respighi’s £5.55 Sonata in B Minor.

César FRANCK Stradella Orchester and Chorus of the Opéra Royal de Wallonie CDS7692/1-2 Paolo Arrivabeni Stradella is an opera full of youthful ardour, animated by a strong romantic spirit, in which the orchestra - as one would expect from even a young César Franck - is not mere accompaniment to the voices but has a role of its own.

York BOWEN 24 Preludes; Suite Mignonne; Berceuse Cristina Ortiz GP637 Ortiz’s natural musicality and masterful craftsmanship have secured her a place among the most respected pianists in the world, both as a recitalist, concert soloist and teacher. She has performed with some of the world’s leading orchestras and has recorded some 30 albums for a number of labels.

Alexander TCHEREPNIN Complete Piano Music, Volume 6 Song Without Words, Op. 82, Chant et Refain, Op. 66, Le Monde en Vitrine, Op.75, La Quatrième, 2 Novelettes, Op. 19, Prayer, Rondo á la Russe, Slavic Transcriptions, Op. 27 GP651 Giorgio Koukl “Getting to know more of Tcherepnin’s brilliant and wonderful music has been one of the highlights of my musical year […] Giorgio Koukl’s playing is phenomenal…” – MusicWeb International Joachim RAFF

Piano Works, Volume 4 La Cicerenella, Op. 165, 12 Romances en Forme D'Etudes, Op. 8, 2 Pieces, Op. 166, Allegro Agitato, Op. 151 GP653 Tra Nguyen

“Tra Nguyen shows what an original and brilliant voice Raff’s is” The Independent

Hit It! Teemu Viinikainen Trio: Teemu Viinikainen Ville Herrala PCD146 Mika Kallio The critically acclaimed guitarist Teemu Viinikainen has performed with numerous international jazz musicians, such as Joe Lovano, Vince Mendoza, Randy Brecker and Tim Hagans. The well-known jazz critic and author Stuart Nicholson places Viinikainen among “the top 20 jazz guitarists in the world.”

MOZART The Five Violin Concertos The Uppsala Chamber Orchestra SCD1158 Nils-Erik Sparf Nils-Erik Sparf has been a member of the since 1992, and has garnered a number of distinctions and awards for his unique interpretations.

12 APRIL 2014 BACH, MOZART, BEETHOVEN

Otto Klemperer ICAC 5120 Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester Otto Klemperer

BEETHOVEN

Piano Sonata No.31 op.110 ICAC 5122 Piano Sonata No.32 op.111 Piano Sonata No.23 op.57 ‘Appassionata’

Claudio Arrau

MOZART Piano Concerto No.14 K449 Piano Concerto No.27 K595 Rondo K382 ICAC 5125

Ingrid Jacoby Academy of St Martin in the Fields Sir Neville Marriner

Günter Wand Edition NDR Sinfonieorchester Günter Wand Anton BRUCKNER: Symphonies Nos. 3, 7, 8, 9 PH12044 Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART: Serenade No. 9 in D Major (“Posthorn”) Joseph HAYDN: Concerto for Orchestra and Oboe in C Major Robert SCHUMANN: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A Minor Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART: Symphony No. 40 in G Minor MEDELSSOHN, DEBUSSY, BRAHMS, HAYDN, RAVEL, BUSONI, v FRANCK, DVORÁK, ROSSINI Carlo Maria Giulini: Anniversary Edition PH14006 Pinchas Zukerman, Maria Callas, Luigi Alva, Tito Gobbi Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonie-Orchester Orchestra and Choir Teatro Alla Scala Richard WAGNER LOHENGRIN WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln PH13040 WDR Rundfunkchor Köln NDR Chor Prager Kammerchor Semyon Bychkov

A Bach Recital Keyboard Works and Transcriptions Penelope Thwaites LIR027 The Australian pianist, Penelope Thwaites launched her international career with a recital in in 1974, and has since appeared in over thirty countries on five continents, as recitalist, broadcaster and concerto soloist.

Felix MEDELSSOHN

Mendelssohn & friends Sax Allemande B108082

Renowned soloists, all lovers of Mendelssohn’s music, have responded to the invitation from Sax Allemande to take on solo parts in several ‘Songs’. As well as creating additional variety, the guest instruments, violin, cello and horn, further enhance the vivid delineation of character in these works.

APRIL 2014 13 Fantasie Operistiche Operatic Fantasies for Bassoon and Piano Roberto Giaccaglia Jung Hun Yoo

After having been practiced, enjoyed and extolled during the nineteenth century, the instrumental paraphrase of opera themes has regained favour. This music highlights the performer’s virtuosity, and also calls to the listener’s TC 800003 mind the themes of operas and the greatest composers.

Luca Marenzio e il suo Tempo Madrigals, Villanelle, Dances and Fantasies of Late 16th Century Angela Alesci Domenico Cerasani Massimo Lonardi In the year 1580, Luca Marenzio, then a young man, published his first collection of compositions: Primo libro de’ TC 531302 madrigali a cinque voci. In the sophisticated Roman musical circles of the end of the sixteenth century, it revealed a personality that was able to express the aesthetic requirements of that period with supreme mastery.

Antonio CALDARA Giovanni Sonatas for Cello and Continuo GABRIELI

L’Aura Soave Ensemble Canzoni et Sonate TB 670390 Consort Fontegara René Clemencic TB 550702

Giovan Battista FERRINI Antonio SALIERI Opere per Clavicembalo Ouvertures, Scherzi, Roberto Loreggian Divertimenti TB 600602 Paolo Pollastri TB 751903 Quartetto Amati

BUSONI, MOZART, STRAVINSKY ANDERSON, ROE, Solo Piano Works

LISZT Jenny Lin An Amadeus STNS 30022 STNS 30028 Affair

Anderson & Roe Piano Duo

CR6015-2 Charlie HUSKINSON Another World

Mario Montagna

Played here on a Steinway Grand Piano in rich natural acoustic together with a very special creative CR6015-6 pianist, the magic has now bloomed forth for all to hear the beautiful colours and nuances that inhabit Charlie’s Asperger’s Syndrome.

14 APRIL 2014 ROSSINI Virtuoso Rossini Arias Lawrence Brownlee Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra DE 3455 Constantine Orbelian This album of spectacular rarities by Gioacchino Rossini from superstar tenor Lawrence Brownlee captures the most exciting bel canto tenor voice of our time in its absolute prime, and offers a choice selection of rarely heard vocal blockbusters – drawn from several of the old master’s most rarely performed operas.

LE PICARD, FARR, IGNATOWICZ, BERG, MARJÁN, MARIC, HATZIS Dancing on the Head of a Pin DE 3451 Lynn Vartan

Among the gifted percussionists who have gravitated to solo marimba performance, Lynn Vartan has emerged as one of the instrument’s most brilliant and engaging virtuosos.

Sean HICKEY Cursive Piano and Chamber Music Philip Edward Fisher, Julia Sakharova, Brandon Patrick George, Anne Lanzilotti, Meredith Clark DE 3465

Hickey’s two prior CD releases (one on Naxos) made the Billboard Top 100 Classical Chart upon release. An even greater array of stylistic inspiration is heard in these (mostly) piano compositions – many of which have been championed by today’s leading pianists.

Virginia WOOLF (Unabridged) Night and Day

Read by Juliet Stevenson NA0153 Night and Day is a story about a group of young people trying to discover what it means to fall in love.

Gustave FLAUBERT (Unabridged) Madame Bovary

Read by Juliet Stevenson NA0177 In Madame Bovary, one of the great novels of nineteenth-century France, Flaubert draws a deeply-felt but sympathetic portrait of a woman who, having married a country doctor, finds herself unhappy in a rural, genteel existence and longs for love and excitement.

George ELIOT (Unabridged) Silas Marner

Read by Anna Bentinck NA0167 Here is a tale straight from the fireside. We are compelled to follow the humble and mysterious figure of the linen weaver Silas Marner, on his journey from solitude and exile to the warmth and joy of family life.

Alexandre DUMAS (Unabridged) The Three Musketeers Read by Bill Homewood NA0149 In The Three Musketeers, one of the greatest adventure stories ever written, we follow the fortunes of the dashing young swordsman D’Artagnan and his daredevil companions Athos, Aramis and Porthos.

APRIL 2014 15 Concerto is an independent record label that specializes in producing a high quality of sound and recordings of artistic value. The label focuses mainly on Italian musicians and includes early, baroque, eighteenth century Neapolitan, twentieth century and contemporary classical music. One of the main objectives of the label is the development of Italian composers and classical musicians.

VERDI, WAGNER, MASCAGNI Francesco Manara, Marco Sollini

Paraphrases from Verdi and Wagner for violin and piano. WAGNER: Romanza (Albumblatt) RITTER: “Isolde Liebestod”, scena finale da “Tristan und Isolde” di Richard Wagner CD 2092 WILHELMJ: Parafrasi per violino e pianoforte dal “Siegfried” di Richard Wagner BAZZINI: Fantasia su “La Traviata” di Giuseppe Verdi, op. 50 SIVORI: Fantasia su “Il Trovatore” di Giuseppe Verdi, op. 20 MASCAGNi: Ave Maria, per violino e pianoforte (Intermezzo da “Cavalleria Rusticana”)

Recently founded in May 2013, CONTINUO Classics aims to foster close collaborations with performers and composers, and to offer a catalogue of adaptations alongside new and rare recordings of neo-classical music.

TCHAIKOVSKY, STRAVINSKY, PROKOFIEV Les Ballets Russes

Elena Rozanova CC777.701 The mythical “Russian Seasons” organised by Serge Diaghilev were a huge success in Paris in 1909. New musical and choreographic works emerged and built a new era in the field of dance, music and painting in France. On this disc, which contains everything from Tchaikovsky to Prokofiev and Stravinsky, the listener can follow this evolution through the best extracts from the Ballets Russes.

BRITTEN, HEAD, IRELAND VAUGHAN WILLIAMS, SCHUBERT The Stream in the Valley Inspired by Song Songs and Duets Piano Quintets of Ralph Vaughan Williams and Franz Schubert – “The Trout” Alison Browner Sharon Carty GEN14300 Münchner Andreas Frese Klaviertrio GEN14305 Tilo Widenmeyer Alexander Rilling

LISZT, SCHUBERT, J. S. BACH RACHMANINOFF, DE FALLA, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2 CHOPIN, MEDTNER Gerlinde Otto Dances, Poems, Fairy Tales GEN14302 GEN14308 Anna Scheps

WITOLD WITOLD LUTOSŁAWSKI LUTOSŁAWSKI Opera Omnia, Volume 5 Opera Omnia, Volume 6 Piano Concerto; Cello Concerto; Variations Symphony No. 3; Symphonic Variations; on a Theme by Paganini; Fanfare for CUBE; Silesian Triptych Lacrimosa; Little Suite Fanfare for UoL, Prelude for GSMD.

NFM Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir ACD197-2 Jacek Kaspszyk, Garrick Ohlsson ACD198-2 Jacek Kaspszyk Lutosławski Piano Duo Agata Zubel Court-circuit NFM Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra Jean Deroyer

16 APRIL 2014 BRAHMS, GRIEG

Cello Sonatas

Adam Javorkai 99034 Clara Biermasz

STRAUSS, SCHUBERT Dedication 99035 Ildikó Raimondi Junge Philharmonie Wien Michael Lessky

The Moon of Wintertime

Quadriga Consort 99036 The very best of Quadriga Consort.

Franz Xaver RICHTER Genesis 1757 casalQuartett SM184

HAYDN, MOZART Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross

Hansjörg Schellenberger C130199 Daniel Giglberger Hariolf Schlichtig Wen-Sinn Yang

Arthur HONEGGER Symphony No. 2; Symphony No. 4, "Deliciae Basiliensis" SOB 05 Sinfonieorchester Basel Dennis Russell Davies

BACH: French Overture in B Minor, BWV 831 David S. LEFKOWITZ Inner World SCRIABIN: Piano Sonata No. 5 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 53 Elinor Frey, David Fung, Paul Coletti Silu Fei MOZART: Katie Kadarauch Variations on Paisiello’s Salve tu Domine Ralph Williams Serena McKinney YAR78873 YAR88328 CARTER: Julie Long Piano Sonata

Orion Weiss

APRIL 2014 17 Richard STRAUSS 101699 Salome Live from the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, 2010

Erika Sunnegårdh, Mark S. Doss, Robert Brubaker, Dalia Schaechter, Orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna Nicola Luisotti Stage Director: Gabriele Lavia 108096 In Gabriele Lavia’s triumphant 2010 Bologna production, the linking of Salome’s naive insouciance, sexual obsession and cruelty as portrayed by Erika Sunnegårdh is also subtly reflected in the scenic representation.

Giacomo PUCCINI 102187 Madama Butterfly Live from the Staatsoper, Hamburg, 2012 Alexai Voulgaridou, Cristina Damian, Teodor Illincai, Lauri Vasar Philharmoniker Hamburg, Chorus of the Staatsoper Hamburg Alexander Joel 108106 Stage Director: Vincent Boussard Costume Designer: Christian Lacroix In 2012, the Hamburg State Opera presented a new production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. The internationally renowned director Vincent Boussard stages the opera collaborating with fashion designer Christian Lacroix.

Sasha Waltz - A Portrait

A Film by Brigitte Krammer

Sasha Waltz is one of Europe’s best known and most exciting choreographers. Her choreographies are outstanding as she always surprises with new formations, deep subject matter and stunning aesthetic style. She does not only work with dancers; dialogue with all other art forms is her special interest. 102182

Anton BRUCKNER Symphony No. 5

NDR Sinfonieorchester Günter Wand

Live recording from the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival 1998 107243 Few conductors have made a greater contribution to our present day understanding of Anton Bruckner than Günter Wand (1912-2002). Wand believed that the greatness of Bruckner’s music could only be grasped through a lovingly detailed account of its structure.

John VIZZUSI Don Ellis – Electric Heart

Don Ellis – Electric Heart is the story of the most innovative musicians of the 20th Century. Ellis fused together a mixture of Jazz Classical Rock and his own version of World Music long before anyone else had thought of doing it. 102178

Richard Strauss and his Heroines

A film by Thomas von Steinaecker

Featuring: Brigitte Fassbaender, Renée Fleming, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Christa Ludwig, Christian Strauss, Rufus Wainwright and others.

This release explores Strauss’ relationship to women. The primary focus lies on his attachment to Pauline his 102181 wife of more than 55 years.

18 APRIL 2014 Anton BRUCKNER The Mature Symphonies Symphony No. 7 in E Major Daniel Barenboim ACC202177 Staatskapelle Berlin In Anton Bruckner’s 7th Symphony, the listener encounters a music which speaks of grief and lamentation. The Guardian calls Barenboim’s London interpretation “Tremendous…Barenboim and the Staatskapelle seem to have this work in their systems, and the overall impression was of music unfolding organically at its own pace rather than of a work being self-conciously interpreted or led”. ACC102177

TCHAIKOVSKY Ballet by Mats Ek Juliet & Romeo 715608 Royal Swedish Ballet

Romeo and Juliet becomes Juliet and Romeo: World renowned choreographer Mats Ek presents his full-length work to Tchaikovsky’s music with its first performance of the Royal Swedish Ballet at the Royal Swedish Opera House. 715704

J.S. BACH St Matthew-Passion, BWV 244

Karina Gauvin, Gerhild Romberger, Julian Prégardien, Maximilian Schmitt, Michael Nagy, Karl-Magnus Fredriksson Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks Regensburger Domspatzen Concerto Köln Peter Dijkstra

To follow the Christmas Oratorio, the Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks under artistic director Peter Dijkstra, present a major work by Johann Sebastian Bach in a live recording on CD and DVD: the St Matthew Passion. 900509

Karim's Journey A Voyage of Discovery

The Beethoven Orchestra Karim Said A film which traces the development of an exceptional musical talent from childhood to the beginnings of musical maturity. Karim Said was born in Amman where he studied percussion with his father and the piano with Agnes Victorovna Bashir. He has been applauded by established musicians and juries in several countries and already won nine international prizes. His distinguishing characteristics are his naturalness, both in his music and his personality, his humour, his intelligence and a total lack of pretence but, above and beyond these things, it is the way in which his music gets through to his audiences and touches people, that sets him apart. Our film seeks to capture all of these qualities and to watch his youthful progress in a story with which a great many people will be able to A17CND identify worldwide. “Christopher Nupen: King of the music documentary” – Gramophone Magazine “The most gifted music documentarian of our age” – Julian Haylock, Classic FM Magazine

APRIL 2014 19 George GERSHWIN, DuBose & Dorothy HAYWARD, 2059638 Ira GERSHWIN Porgy and Bess Eric Owens, Laquita Mitchell, Angel Blue, Lester Lynch, Chauncey Packer, Karen Slack John DeMain Stage Director: Francesca Zambello 2059634 “Triumphant! A top-notch, sold out Porgy and Bess” San Francisco Examiner This is the first live recording of The Gershwins’® Porgy and Bess, directed by the internationally acclaimed conductor John DeMain.

ALBÉNIZ, BACH, BEETHOVEN, CHOPIN, DEBUSSY, GERSHWIN, HAYDN, RACHMANINOV, RAVEL Legato – The World of the Piano A Series Created by Jan Schmidt-Garre Boris Berezovsky, Roland Pöntinen, Marc-André Hamelin,│Pierre-Laurent Aimard 2059848

Legato is bringing us closer to the present renaissance of the piano. A new generation of pianists made the instrument popular again and is filling concert halls around the world.

CLASSIC ARCHIVE ™ Collector’s Edition – PIANO

BEETHOVEN, CHOPIN, DEBUSSY, FALLA, FRANCK, GRANADOS, GRIEG, LISZT, RACHMANINOV, RAVEL, SCARLATTI, SCHUMANN, PROKOFIEV, TCHAIKOVSKY

Glenn Gould, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Georges Cziffra, Wilhelm Kempff, Aldo Ciccolini, Samson François, Claudio Arrau, Emil Gilels, Byron Janis, Alfred Brendel 3073984

Great performances from legendary artists of the 20th century, the Classic Archive™ Collector’s edition – PIANO offers unique insights in the world of music interpretation of the golden age.

BEETHOVEN Murray Perahia – The Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos

Academy of St Martin in the Fields Sir Neville Marriner

Murray Perahia, winner of Grammy Awards in 1989, 1999 and 2003, and often described as an aristocrat of the piano, performs Beethoven’s piano concertos 1-5 with the eloquent phrasing, beautiful tone and poetic 3085294 sensitivity, that became a trademark of this extraordinary pianist.

J. S. BACH St Matthew Passion

Werner Güra, Stephen Morscheck, Lucy Crowe, Christine Rice, Nicholas Phan, Matthew Brooks, Bertrand Grunenwald Orchestre de Chambre de Paris John Nelson Scholar Cantorum Oxford James Burton Maîtrise de Paris Patrick Marco 3079654 Filmed live in the Basillica Cathedral Saint-Denis, Paris, July 2011 The Blu-ray release of the St Matthew Passion includes the 52 minute documentary “John Nelson’s Saint Matthew Passion – The Journey” by Louise Narboni as a Bonus, showing intense rehearsals and interviews with John Nelson.

20 APRIL 2014 MINKUS DON QUIXOTE Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, October 2013

Marianela Nuñez Carlos Acosta Christopher Saunders Philip Mosley Gary Avis Bennet Gartside Ryoichi Hirano Laura Morera Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Martin Yates (Conductor) Carlos Acosta after Marius Petipa (Choreographer) Carlos Acosta (Director)

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Carlos Acosta’s first venture directing one of ballet’s 19th century classics was eagerly anticipated, as was his own starring role in the production (as Basilio), opposite the Argentinian Royal Ballet principal Marianela Nuñez (Kitri). Packed cinemas for the live relay, as well as sold-out houses for his performances, testified to the draw the great Cuban dancer still exerts – and the audiences were not disappointed. OABD7143D Still built on Petipa’s original choreography, Acosta’s clear dramatic structure and vivid stage action gave the ‘boy gets girl despite her father’ story a more convincing air than usual, with Don Quixote’s parallel obsession with Dulcinea-Kitri coherently woven into the plot. Acosta’s and Nuñez’s performances were peerless, Tim Hatley’s stage designs vivid and apposite, and this production is surely destined to be a perennial Royal Ballet favourite.

PUCCINI Turandot Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, September 2014

Lise Lindstrom Marco Berti Eri Nakamura Dionysios Sourbis Douglas Jones David Butt Philip Alasdair Elliott Raymond Aceto Royal Opera Chorus Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Henrik Nánási (Conductor) Andrei Serban (Director)

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Andrei Serban’s spectacular and thrilling 1984 production of Puccini’s final and grandest opera has long been a classic at the Royal Opera House. First filmed for BBC TV in the 80s, this new recording – of its fifteenth revival – is in stunning HD and makes this famous production available for the first time on DVD and Blu-ray. The release will rightfully take its place alongside the outstanding Royal Opera Puccini DVDs of La Bohème, OABD7142D Tosca (on EMI) and Il Trittico. American Lise Lindstrom is one of the very few contemporary Turandots who can genuinely sing this ‘killer’ role, and is supported by a touching Liù from Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura and an unashamedly Italianite Calaf from Marco Berti. The young Hungarian conductor Henrik Nánási directs the large orchestra and all-important chorus.

APRIL 2014 21