New Releases

[Mandryka]

Is that the same or different performances from the Chopin Institute's live Michel Block? The Institute released live recordings from the 1960 competition.
https://sklep.nifc.pl/en/produkt/76709-chopin-sonata-in-b-flat-minor-piano-concerto-etudes

Surprisingly, the sonata is not the same. You need to hear the DG by hook or by crook. Such control of the piano's dynamics and colours; such beautiful legato; such a coherent, unique and convincing conception of the music. I think it's somewhere on this youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOYKL3mjVKo

[foxandpeng]

Never heard of this guy. Interesting . Thank you.

[Florestan]

Never heard of this guy. Interesting . Thank you.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigismund_Todu%C8%9B%C4%83

[foxandpeng]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigismund_Todu%C8%9B%C4%83

Thank you 

[Brian]

Is it too soon for MARCH?

MARCH 2025



That Hammerklavier/Liszt combo is...intense listening for one disc. (Hammerklavier timings: 10:12 [!], 2:33, 18:33, 12:13)

The Walton "Troilus and Cressida" suite is arranged by Christopher Palmer and quite large, almost a half hour. Chandos says this is a new Walton series from Wilson.



includes a quartet arrangement of Visions fugitives



Yes, "Molecule" is the name of the composer, who is an electronic music DJ.





Cavatina Duo is guitar and flute, plus the Pacifica Quartet



"The Spanish Album presents the guitar as the main protagonist in a programme of arrangements accompanied by strings and percussion: reworkings that are perhaps no more surprising than the music itself, much of it filtered through the creative imaginations of composers from Boccherini to Falla."

[Daverz]

Is it too soon for MARCH?

MARCH 2025




The Walton "Troilus and Cressida" suite is arranged by Christopher Palmer and quite large, almost a half hour. Chandos says this is a new Walton series from Wilson.

Interesting that the the new Stilec Wranitsky disc is on Arco Diva and not part of the Naxos series.

Chandos has recorded the Palmer Troilus and Cressida suite before, conducted by Bryden Thomas, and there's a recent recording conducted by Gražinytė-Tyla on DG.  Both are excellent.

[ChamberNut]

Suppé's Fantasia Symphonica is the closest thing to a symphony we have by him, 32-minute long in four movements. Hopefully it will be worth listening.

Has anyone purchased or listened to this? I'm assuming Harry has?  @Harry

David Hurwitz named it his "disc of the year 2024!"

Sidenote: There is no Franz von Suppé composer thread, which was a surprise!

[Brian]

But wait! MARCH 2025 is bringing even more!







Why is Naxos releasing such a generic album? It's tied to the Kreisler Competition winner, the first South American to win the prize apparently. (The past winners list is not exactly superstar-studded; Dmitry Sitkovetsky won the first in '79 and other laureates include Rachel Barton Pine, Daishin Kashimoto, and Sergey Khachatryan.)







"This new album of Bach's complete Cello Suites has the unique feature of being performed using two different historic cellos, one of them being a rare five-string instrument from the 17th century, which is used on Suite 6. Cellist William Skeen is one of the world's premiere Baroque cellists. He serves as Principal Cellist with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Voices of Music, and was Principal Cellist of the American Bach Soloists for nearly two decades."

-

finally, we might have an early forerunner for most pretentious album of the year:



based on the pops history book

From the composer: "What I have attempted is a humble musical response to human signposts, concepts, myths, or ideas that we as a species have carried with us, developing along the way these past couple hundred thousand or so years – breadcrumbs on the path of humanity. I imagined the modern piano as a sort of meta-instrument, present at the dawns of humankind, the cognitive and agricultural revolutions, and some of the most notable inflection points of our troubled and triumphant history. The piece begins not on the piano, but at the piano, with a single human breath."

Interesting biographical note on this composer, whose music is appearing on Sono Luminus: "Sean is the CEO of PENTATONE, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music."

Chandos has recorded the Palmer Troilus and Cressida suite before, conducted by Bryden Thomas, and there's a recent recording conducted by Gražinytė-Tyla on DG.

Chandos and John Wilson specifically seem to have a fondness for re-recording previously done material, huh?

[Roasted Swan]

Is it too soon for MARCH?



Chandos and John Wilson specifically seem to have a fondness for re-recording previously done material, huh?

Slightly surprised Chandos are re-re-visiting Walton again given that the original "Walton Edition" was very good and the Gardener re-makes are SACD and also very fine.  It seems that Wilson is almost given carte blanche.  It'll be fast and dynamic...... I saw them perform Scapino live and it was very impressive in terms of sheer virtuosic skill.

[Harry]

Has anyone purchased or listened to this? I'm assuming Harry has?  @Harry

David Hurwitz named it his "disc of the year 2024!"

Sidenote: There is no Franz von Suppé composer thread, which was a surprise!

It is a very worthwhile recording, even though the orchestra and conductor are not known to many. I have that recording, but I also have to add that there are better choices to make in performance and sound. Nevertheless this Naxos disc is a no brainer if you like Suppe's music.

[ChamberNut]

It is a very worthwhile recording, even though the orchestra and conductor are not known to many. I have that recording, but I also have to add that there are better choices to make in performance and sound. Nevertheless this Naxos disc is a no brainer if you like Suppe's music.

Thanks Harry.
For the symphony though, isn't this the only performance being that it is a World Première?

[Madiel]

This new album of Bach's complete Cello Suites has the unique feature of being performed using two different historic cellos, one of them being a rare five-string instrument from the 17th century, which is used on Suite 6

Unique feature?

I have the David Watkin set. The blurb on the back includes the following:

The six Suites are recorded on gut strings and on two historic instruments of note, including the unique five-string cello by Brothers Amati, dating from c.1600.

Now, Watkin in my view has recorded one of THE great performances. Plus his publicists' "uniqueness" claim is somewhat less sweeping than "gosh, nobody has ever used 2 historical instruments where the 2nd one has 5 strings before".

I've gone and e-mailed the offending record company. As if they're the first people to know the 6th suite was designed for a 5-string instrument and nobody has ever thought of playing it on one before. Sheesh.

[Harry]

Thanks Harry.
For the symphony though, isn't this the only performance being that it is a World Première?

That could well be, for you have to remember it was a long time since I have listened to it. I will dive into the matter and fish this one out of my collection.
Dived into it, and yes the Fantasia Symphonica, is still World premiere. To my eyes there is no other performance on the market.  The other works on the CD are also hard to find.

[prémont]

Unique feature?
I've gone and e-mailed the offending record company. As if they're the first people to know the 6th suite was designed for a 5-string instrument and nobody has ever thought of playing it on one before. Sheesh.

You are completely right. This blurb also offended me. Several cellists have recorded the suites on historical instruments, and many of them have used a violoncello piccolo for the sixth suite, such as Bijlsma.

[André]

@ Brian's post (too long to quote, haha!).

The music of Adolf Busch is highly valuable. CPO has released other discs of his works that I have listened to with huge pleasure. Another superb composer better known as a performer is Arthur Schnabel, also championed by CPO.

Also, the violin/piano duo of Irnberger & Korstick is dynamite. Well, artistically, that is. Their music making is unflashy but vibrant and probing.

[Spotted Horses]

I've gone and e-mailed the offending record company. As if they're the first people to know the 6th suite was designed for a 5-string instrument and nobody has ever thought of playing it on one before. Sheesh.

I'm amazed what what gets your back up. They're just trying to sell records and stay in business.

[Atriod]

Surprisingly, the sonata is not the same. You need to hear the DG by hook or by crook. Such control of the piano's dynamics and colours; such beautiful legato; such a coherent, unique and convincing conception of the music. I think it's somewhere on this youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOYKL3mjVKo

His Liszt "Holy Music" disc is even better. In Benediction he out Arrau's Arrau in spirituality.

[Mandryka]

His Liszt "Holy Music" disc is even better. In Benediction he out Arrau's Arrau in spirituality.

This LP with Bunte Blatter is one I'd like to hear with good sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6BLHgpHUeM

[Madiel]

I'm amazed what what gets your back up. They're just trying to sell records and stay in business.

I don't know about where you are, but in this country there are literally laws against trying to sell things with deceptive statements. Maybe for you it's okay to mislead customers in an effort to increase market share.

[Spotted Horses]

I don't know about where you are, but in this country there are literally laws against trying to sell things with deceptive statements. Maybe for you it's okay to mislead customers in an effort to increase market share.

It strikes me a pretty far fetched to claim that the description of the recording as "unique" is prosecutable deceptive advertising. The performer plays a cello with a unique provenance, built as a 5 string cello, converted to a 4 string cello in the 18th or 19th century, brought to the U.S. by a family fleeing the Nazi's, forgotten, rediscovered, and rebuilt to its original five string configuration. I find something unique about it. But, by all means sue them. Why miss an opportunity to drive a classical music label into insolvency.