RAVEL: LA VALSE; LE TOMBEAUDE COUPERIN; ALBORADA DEL GRACIOSO; UNE BARQUE SUR L’OCÉAN; PAVANE POUR UNE INFANTE DÉFUNTE; MENUET ANTIQUE, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Sakari Oramo/BIS SACD Given that the enterprising Chandos label has recently released a disc of almost identical Ravel repertoire, admirers of the composer are somewhat spoiled for choice, and I’m afraid this review will not be particularly helpful in making a decision. Frankly, both discs are highly recommendable, and there is little doubt that whichever version you shell out your money for, you will not be disappointed. The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra under Sakari Oramo, however, should be particularly commended for their attention to the inner details of Ravel’s intricate and wonderfully detailed scores. On this disc, all except one work were first conceived for piano, but blossom in the sympathetic orchestrations,
DEBUSSY: ORCHESTRATED – PETITE SUITE; LA BOÎTE À JOUJOUX; CHILDREN’S CORNER, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Pascal Rophé/BIS SACD Still with orchestrations of the most significant modern French composers, this Debussy disc is a particularly cherishable collection. Orchestrations of Debussy’s music have been well served on disc over the years, but rarely with as much sensitivity and nuance as here. Pascal Rophé and his Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire pay tribute to their great countryman, Claude Debussy – but not with the standard orchestral fare. Debussy Orchestrated paints a portrait of a light-hearted composer, seen through the eyes of two of his collaborators, Henri Büsser and André Caplet, who transferred the works recorded here from the keyboard to the orchestra.
WEINBERG: STRING QUARTETS VOLUME 2, Arcadia Quartet/CHANDOS Further excavation of neglected music by a particularly gifted Soviet composer, one who was a victim of the less attractive side of Soviet culture (an issue still prevalent today). As the composer’s symphonies continue to appear in impressive succession, it’s particularly welcome to hear Weinberg’s equally accomplished string quartets, here given performances quite as thought through and dramatic as those in Chandos’s first volume in the series.
SPOLIANSKY: ORCHESTRAL MUSIC, Liepaja Symphony Orchestra, Paul Mann/Toccata Classics Those with a liking for the better film scores will be familiar with Spoliansky’s work, but this recording of his striking orchestral music may go some way to making his name move into the light once again. One of the key names in 1920s Berlin cabaret and then as a refugee from Nazi Germany, he wrote only a small selection of orchestral works to go with his film scores, and this well-curated selection does full justice to his achievement.
WEINBERG: CELLO CONCERTINO, FANTASY FOR CELLO AND ORCHESTRA, CHAMBER SYMPHONY 4, Soloists, Les metamorphoses, Raphael Feye/Evil Penguin Yet more Weinberg! (this time from the curiously named company Evil Penguin) Those with long memories will recall when there were only a handful of recordings of the impressive symphonies which reminded many of the composer’s colleague Shostakovich, but now discs such as this particularly impressive addition to the repertoire proves that Weinberg was very much his own man with a particular predilection for finding everything that the cello had to offer. A very impressive release.
COPLAND, REVUELTUAS: THE CITY, REDES (TWO CLASSICAL POLITICAL FILM SCORES), Post Classical Ensemble, Angel Gil-Ordóñ/Naxos Film Music Classics When it comes to recordings of Copland’s film music, it isn’t difficult to find a variety of versions of his colourful score for The Red Pony , and even his more uncompromisingly dissonant scores have found their way onto disc. An extract of the score from The City has previously appeared, but this is the first recording that gives us a goodly chunk of the score in a committed and powerful performance. Similarly, the music of Revueltas is represented on disc by his vivacious Latin scores, but the representation of his film music is a different matter. It is, admittedly, less immediately appealing than the Copland. Nevertheless, the set is an intriguing snapshot of some rarities. Revueltas and Copland wrote prolifically for film, and the scores here were crafted for two of the most formidable and politically motivated films of the time.
BRAHMS: SYMPHONIES; OVERTURES; HAYDN VARIATIONS; HUNGARIAN DANCES, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard/BIS SACD A common complaint for classical listeners over the years has been the multiplicity of recordings of core repertoire. Do we need another set of Beethoven symphonies, listeners ask, as yet another box appears? The same might be said for the symphonies of Brahms, but this set by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra under Thomas Dausgaard is undoubtedly a contender, particularly given the typically wide-ranging recording. This boxed set brings together Thomas Dausgaard’s and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra’s cycle of Brahms’ symphonies, originally released as four separate discs. Each symphony is coupled with carefully selected works to provide a well-rounded idea of the composer’s orchestral output.
SANTORO: SYMPHONIES, 5 & 7, Goiás Philharmonic, N. Thomson//Naxos If you are a classical music lover of a more adventurous bent, you may find this intriguing recording very much worth your while — particularly as the energetic playing here is matched by a recording that does full justice to the thoughtful readings of the music of Claudio Santoro. Over a 50-year period, Santoro wrote a cycle of 14 symphonies that is widely acclaimed as the most significant cycle of its kind ever written in Brazil. The two selected works in this inaugural volume of the first complete recording of his symphonies focus on the 1950s, a period when Santoro sought a more direct and communicative idiom using Brazilian elements. This new release is first in a new cycle of Santoro’s complete symphonies.
MESSIAN: QUATOR POUR LA FIN DU TEMPS, soloists/OUR Recordings SACD Messiaen’s remarkable Quartet for the End of Time has enjoyed many striking readings over the years, but this is a heartfelt contribution to the repertoire, particularly as the sympathetic surround sound recording does full justice to the accomplished soloists. At 47 minutes running time, perhaps another Messiaen piece might have been profitably included, but this is a very worthy reading of a modern masterpiece.
REMBRANDT FRERICHA: PIANO CONCERTOS ONE AND TWO, TRPTIC SACD Who better to provide committed performances of these two unusual pieces than the composer himself? The recording balance of piano and orchestra is impeccable, and though the music will not be to every taste, it is given the best possible advocacy here.
TAKACS: ORCHESTRAL WORKS, soloists, Georgian Chamber Orchestra Ingoldtsadt, Evan-Alexis Christ/Capriccio Those familiar with the oeuvre of the composer Takacs will not be surprised by the lively offerings on this well-filled and colourful disc. Recording engineers at Capriccio have done full justice to this unfamiliar repertoire, and it should go some way to making the composer better known.
BRITISH PIANO CONCERTOS: JOHN ADDISON; ARTHUR BENJAMIN; ELIZABETH MACONCHY; HUMPHREY SEARLE; EDMUND RUBBRA, Simon Callaghan; BBC National Orchestra of Wales; Martyn Brabbins/Lyrita A tempting collection of smaller concertos for piano and modest orchestral forces were a feature of British composition in the first half of the 20th century, here rescued in lively fashion from the obscurity which they had all fallen. No neglected masterpieces here, but a tempting collection for lovers of British music.
VLADIGEROV: ORCHESTRAL WORKS, VOL. 3, Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra; Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra; Alexander Vladigerov/CAPRICCIO This continuing survey of the now little-known music of Pancho Vladigerov is full of little-known delights, particularly this very attractive set. Amid Bulgaria’s diverse musical culture, Pancho Vladigerov clearly stands out as his country’s most important representative composer. As a mentor to generations of other 20th-century Bulgarian composers, he remains to this day one of the most prominent figures in the musical life of his country. These remasters of recordings produced in Bulgaria in the 1970s are now being released on CD for the first time, enabling Capriccio‘s 18-disc Vladigerov Edition to preserve his colourful music for future generations.
METAMORPHOSEN: KORNGOLD: SYMPHONISCHE SERENADE, OP. 39, SCHREKER: INTERMEZZO, OP. 8, R. STRAUSS: METAMORPHOSEN, Sinfonia of London, John Wilson/Chandos SACD Are there any listeners who still doubt that John Wilson is quite as accomplished a conductor of the classical repertoire as he is of the great scores of Broadway and MGM musicals? Here is further proof of his skill, with sumptuous and dramatic readings of late Romantic music by great German composers of the early 20th century. Richard Strauss’s Metamorphosis in particular is given a very strong reading, although the inhalations of breath by the players at the beginning of the piece may distract some listeners. Nevertheless, this is a remarkably accomplished set. (See also Graham Williams’ review opposite)
STRAVINSKY BALLETS: THE FIREBIRD, PETRUSHKA, THE RITE OF SPRING, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle/LSO Live SACD One of the world’s great orchestras provides commanding readings of Stravinsky’s three great Russian ballets in a sound picture which is perhaps the best to arrive from this particular combination. If obliged to pick a particular winner here, many will be particularly impressed by this remarkable reading of The Firebird, possibly the most authoritative the piece has received on SACD. (See also Graham Williams’ review opposite.)