April 2015 – Alto CD

Louis Spohr: Octet – Clarinet Conc #1 – Nonet

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:42:13 +0000

(Clarinet) “Spohr’s is really the more satisfying. It has a very beautiful Adagio, and has a sense of musical direction which is often lacking in this gifted composer. And for those who want good music … there is the really excellent and sombre scherzo.” (Octet) “I think you will find the Spohr quite as interesting as the Beethoven (Quintet).” (Nonet)
“The players contribute much to these apparent qualities in the music of affability, gaiety and good balance, and such a modestly-priced version is very welcome.” (Gramophone)

Octet in E major, Op.32 [24:41] / Vienna Octet
[1] Adagio – Allegro 6:20
[2] Allegro 5:19
[3] Andante con variazioni (Thema di Handel) 7:23
[4] Finale: Allegretto 5:38
Clarinet Concerto No.1 in C minor, Op.26 [19:48]
Gervase de Peyer (Clarinet) / LSO / Colin Davis
[5] Adagio – Allegro 10:41
[6] Adagio 3:21
[7] Rondo: Vivace 5:45
Nonet in F major, Op.31 [30:44]
Fine Arts Quartet / New York Wind Quintet
[8] Allegro 8:15
[9] Scherzo: Allegro 7:33
[10] Adagio 8:47
[11] Finale: Vivace 6:09

‘Oxford’, ‘London’ & ‘Paris’ Symphonies Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 92, 104 Mozart: Symphony No. 31

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:42:13 +0000

“performances are robust, yet elegant … both slow movements are beautifully shaped … in the last movement of the ‘Oxford’ the dancing violins are a special delight in one of the composer’s most infectious finales” (Penguin Guide) “Finally, a lovely modern recording, most naturally balanced … the ‘Paris’ Symphony glowingly played by the English Sinfonia. Groves’s tempos are exactly right” (Gramophone)

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809): ‘Oxford’ Symphony No. 92 [25:33]

1. Adagio – Allegro spiritoso 7:38
2. Adagio cantabile 6:23
3. Menuetto: Allegretto 5:30
4. Finale: Presto 6:00

Franz Joseph Haydn: ‘London’ Symphony No. 104 [29:08]

5. Adagio – Allegro 8:58
6. Andante 8:13
7. Menuetto: Allegro 4:44
8. Finale: Allegro spiritoso 7:12

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91): ‘Paris’ Symphony No. 31 [19:09]

9. Allegro assai 8:40
10. Andante 6:34
11. Finale: Allegro 3:55

Haydn: Stabat Mater

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:42:13 +0000

“Stabat Mater was the first of Haydn’s vocal works to achieve an international reputation” (Prof. H.C.Robbins-Landon) “the Scandalously neglected Stabat Mater … this version finds a distinctive place … Darlington takes note of period practice and finds extra detail. The other striking quality is the warmly atmospheric cathedral atmosphere, which yet allows ample detail … these are fresh clear voices, like Carwood, with keen experience of the choral repertory.” (Penguin Guide 3 stars)

[1] Stabat Mater dolorosa (tenor & chorus) 7:12
[2] O quam tristis et afflicta (mezzo-soprano) 6:12
[3] Quis est homo qui non fleret (chorus) 1:58
[4] Quis non posset contristari (soprano) 5:26
[5] Pro peccatis suae gentis (bass) 2:36
[6] Vidit suum dulcem natum (tenor) 4:37
[7] Eia mater, fons amoris (chorus) 3:05
[8] Sancta Mater, istud agas (soprano & tenor) 6:22
[9] Fac me vere tecum flere (mezzo-soprano) 7:00
[10] Virgo virginum praeclara (quartet & chorus) 6:03
[11] Flammis orci ne succendar (bass) 1:53
[12] Fac me cruce custodiri (tenor) 2:33
[13] Quando corpus morietur (soprano, mezzo, chorus) 2:07
[14] Paradisi gloria ut animae donetur (soprano, chorus) 3:11

English Music for Strings

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:42:13 +0000

“With gloriously full and real recording, most beautiful string textures, this is one of Groves’s finest records…RPO players give deeply felt, vibrant accounts of four great masterpieces of English string music” (Rosette award, Penguin Guide) “fresh and vital performances, …a thrilling challenge for any string orchestra which the RPO players meet splendidly, with real wit and convincing intensity of feeling …music superbly evocative of England… Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia; this is a radiant, richly textured and spacious account…. a most desirable collection.” © Gramophone

Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934): Serenade for Strings
in E minor, Op.20

1. Allegro piacevole 3.34
2. Largo 6.34
3. Allegretto 3.08

Sir Benjamin Britten (1913-76): Variations on a Theme
of Frank Bridge, Op.10

4. (i) Introduction & theme (lento maestoso) – (ii) adagio 4.44
5. March (presto) 1.09
6. Romance (allegretto grazioso) 1.23
7. Aria Italiana (allegro brillante) 1.23
8. Bourree Classique (allegro e pesante)* 1.36
9. Wiener Walzer (lento-vivace) 2.57
10. Moto Perpetuo (allegro molto) 1.10
11. Funeral March (andante ritmico) 3.55
12. Chant (lento) 1.42
13. Fugue & Finale (allegro molto vivace – lento e solenne) 7.53

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958): “Tallis Fantasia”

14. Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis* 15.19

Sir Michael Tippett (1905-98): “Corelli Fantasia”

15. Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli* 19.13
(adagio-vivace: variations 1a, 1b, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Schubert: ‘Trout’ Quintet ; Sonata Arpeggione; Quartettsatz

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:42:13 +0000

(Trout) ‘this account has marvelous detail … that might have gone unnoticed in other versions: first movement is very vibrantly played, while the second allows complete contrast, gently lyrical’(Penguin Guide 3 stars) (Shafran) ‘I love his playing. Even at 12 years old. I was immediately entranced; so elegant, so free – and so different from anything I’d encountered before. I think it is his individuality that attracts me still; a free spirit, like a Russian folksinger whose voice happens to be a cello’ (Stephen Isserlis)

The “Trout” Quintet in A major, D.667 [42:25]

1. Allegro vivace 12:39
2. Andante 8:28
3. Scherzo 3:56
4. Andantino 8:26
5. Finale 8:54

“Quartettsatz” in C minor D.703

6. Allegro 6:23

Sonata Arpeggione in A minor, D.821 [20:27]

7. Allegro moderato 8:01
8. Adagio 4:30
9. Allegretto 7:55

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-75) 24 Preludes & Fugues, Op.87

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:42:13 +0000

“..the first choice must inevitably be Nikolayeva.. the “onlie begetter” as it were…Her reading has enormous concentration and a natural authority that is majestic … wisdom and humanity are there and she finds depths that have eluded most others” © Penguin Guide (ROSETTE AWARD). “Nikolayeva’s 1987 recording is better focussed … playful, profound, contemplative and dramatic, it’s a journey very much worth making, (she) is your ideal guide. This … is the one to go for” (Gramophone)

CD I (60.00)

[1] No.1 in C major – 5:33
[2] No.2 in A minor – 2:25
[3] No. 3 in G major – 4:01
[4] No.4 in E minor – 8:47
[5] No.5 in D major – 3:35
[6] No.6 in B minor – 9:33
[7] No.7 in A major – 3:29
[8] No.8 in F sharp minor – 9:58
[9] No.9 in E major – 4:29
[10] No 10 in C sharp minor – 7:32

CD 2 (46.53)

[1] No. 11 in B major – 3:49
[2] No.12 in G sharp minor – 8:52
[3] No.13 in F sharp major – 9:41
[4] No.14 in E flat minor – 7:08
[5] No.15 in D flat major – 5:11
[6] No.16 in B flat minor – 12:00

CD 3 (61.30)

[1] No. 17 in A flat minor – 5:58
[2] No. 18 in F minor – 6:11
[3] No. 19 in E flat major – 5:03
[4] No. 20 in C minor – 11:04
[5] No. 21 in B flat major – 4:31
[6] No. 22 in G minor – 8: 14
[7] No.23 in F major – 6: 48
[8] No.24 in D minor – 13:13
Copyright Gramzapis 1990 / CDK Music 2002
Licensed from CDK Music
Recorded in 1987, Moscow:
Recording engineer: E. Shakhnazaryan

Billie Holiday Centenary Album: Very Best of

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:42:13 +0000

‘a singular and unrepeatable talent, whose finest hours are remarkably revealing and often surprisingly – given her reputation – joyful … One of her innovations was to suggest a role for the singer which blended in with the musicians … While the most obvious characteristic of her singing is the lagging behind the beat, she seldom sounds tired or slow to respond … her best singing invests the words with shades of meaning that vocalists until that point had barely looked at’ (Penguin Guide to Jazz)

1. Lover Come Back To Me (Romberg/Hammerstein II) 3.18
with Eddie Heywood’s Trio, Rec.1944
2. That Old Devil Called Love (Roberts/Fisher) 2.52
with Toots Camarata and his Orchestra, Rec.1944
3. Lover Man (Davis/Ramirez/Sherman) 3.15
with Toots Camarata and his Orchestra, Rec.1944
4. God Bless the Child (Holiday/Herzog) Rec.1950 3.09
5. Don’t Explain (Holiday/Herzog) 3.22
with Toots Camarata and his Orchestra, Rec.1944
6. All of Me (Marks/Simons) 3.49
with Eddie Heywood Orchestra ft. Lester Young, Rec.1941
7. Trav’lin Light (Young/Mundy/Mercer) 3.16
with Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra, Rec.1942
8. Fine and Mellow (Holiday) ft. Frank Newton, Tab Smith, Rec.1939 3.10
9. Good Morning Heartache (Higginbotham/Drake/Fisher) 3.06
with Bill Stegmeyer’s Orchestra, Rec.1946
10. Sailboat in the Moonlight (Lombardo/Loeb) Rec.1937 2.49
Billie Holiday & Orchestra ft. Lester Young and Buck Clayton
11. Gloomy Sunday (Seress/Lewis) 3.11
with Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra, Rec.1941
12. Billie’s Blues (Holiday) 3.07
with Eddie Heywood’s Trio, Rec.1944
13. When You’re Smiling (Shay/Goodwin/Fisher) 3.00
with Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra ft. Lester Young, Rec.1938
14. Yesterdays (Kern/Harbach) ft.Oscar Peterson, Paul Quinchette, Rec.1952 2.46
15. He’s Funny that Way (Whiting/Moret) 3.15
with Eddie Heywood’s Trio, Rec.1944
16. Mean to Me (Ahlert/Turk) 3.06
with Teddy Wilson and his Orchestra ft. Lester Young, Rec.1937
17. Crazy He Calls Me (Sigman/Russell) 3.04
with Gordon Jenkins’ Orchestra ft. Bobby Hackett, Rec.1949
18. Solitude (Ellington/DeLange/Mills) 3.08
with Bob Haggart and his Orchestra, Rec.1947
19. Lady Sings the Blues (Holiday) 3.44
with Tony Scott’s Orchestra, Rec.1956
20. Strange Fruit (Allan) 3.02
with Tony Scott’s Orchestra ft.Charlie Shavers, Rec.1956
21. Body and Soul (Green/Heyman/Sour/Eyton) 6.21
Billie Holiday & Orchestra ft. Ben Webster, Barney Kessel, Rec.1957
22. Please Don’t Talk about me When I’m Gone (Stept/Clare) 4.19
Billy Holiday and her Orchestra ft. Benny Carter, Rec.1955
23. For All We Know (Coots/Lewis) 2.54
with Ray Ellis Orchestra ft. Billy Butterfield, Hank Jones, Rec.1958
[tracks 4, 8, 14 all backed by Billie Holiday Orchestra]

Shostakovich (#1) & Myaskovsky Cello Concertos + Rococo Vars

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:42:12 +0000

(Shostakovich) ‘outstanding ‘cellist, with a poetry of expression matching an infallible technique, very well recorded … under the composer’s supervision’ (Gramophone) (Myaskovsky) ‘overwhelming sense of nostalgia and an elegiac atmosphere … Rostropovich’s pioneering account is in a class of its own … could not be played with greater eloquence and restraint’ (Penguin Guide) ‘The soloist for whom the work was written and whose artistry has plainly exercised influence, is Mstislav Rostropovich … the ‘cello the natural voice of his unusually mature and wise musicianship’. (Tchaikovsky) ‘brilliantly performed and a winningly whimsical quality’ (Gramophone)

Shostakovich: Cello Concerto in E flat, Op.107 (27:10)
[1] I. Allegretto 6:31
[2] II. Moderato 10:36
[3] III. Andantino – Allegro 5:29
[4] IV. Allegro non troppo 4:32
Myaskovsky: Cello Concerto in C minor, Op.66 (27:57)
[5] I. Lento, ma non troppo 10:57
[6] II. Allegro vivace 17:00
Tchaikovsky: ‘Rococo’ Variations, Op.35 (18:38)
[7] Variations on a Rococo Theme 18:38