"10 Notable Classical Music Recordings of 2012" by Alex Ross

[Guest]

A short list by Alex 'The Rest is Noise' Ross on the New Yorker site over here.

Agree? Disagree? Any additions?

I was most interested by the book noted at the end: 'The First Four Notes: Beethoven's Fifth and the Human Imagination' - this one had passed me by.

[Madame Suggia]

I'd like to add the new Debussy Immerseel disc.

[Nick Armstrong]

I'd like to add the new Debussy Immerseel disc.

Merci Madame! I'd forgotten that was coming out Must have a listen

[HighlandDougie]

I'd like to add the new Debussy Immerseel disc.

As I have said elsewhere - much to my surprise - definitely one of my discs of the year. Caliban - get listening. In the same level of exaltitude as Les Siècles's Firebird - in short, terrific.

[Nick Armstrong]

Les Siècles's Firebird

...and you recall how I bored everyone rigid with my enthusiasm for that!!!

[gurnemanz]

I don't know any of Rose's choices but loved Nina Stemme's Isolde at ROH. Florian Boesch did a great lunchtime concert recently. I bought quite a few reissue CDs this year but not that many new recordings first released in 2012. All these are good:

Winterreise - Henk Neven (BBC Mag)
Schönberg Copmplete Songs (Capriccio)
Neidhard: Minnesang (Naxos) - superb
Natalie Dessay - Debussy Songs (Virgin) - great cover
Bob Dylan - Tempest

[jayne lee wilson]

What a dull list by Alex Ross. Real column-filler that one.

Me? Where do I start? Or finish?

Off the top of my head...

Bruckner - Symphonies 0&1; No.2 (Mario Venzago, CPO)
Kaija Saariaho - Works for orchestra (Ondine 4CDs, Saraste, Salonen, Lintu, Eschenbach)
Holmboe - Chamber Symphonies 1-3 (Da Capo, Lapland CO/Storgards)
Kalevi Aho - Chamber Symphonies 1-3 (BIS 24-bit Flac, Tapiola Sinf.,Asbury/Kantorow)
Bartok - Violin Concerto No.2 (Hungaroton, Kelemen/Kocsis)
Rakhmaninov - Piano Concertos 1&4 (BIS 20-bit Flac, Ogawa/Arwel Hughes/Malmo SO)
Anders Hillborg - Eleven Gates (BIS 24-bit Flac, Salonen)
Liszt - Dante Symphony (Actes Sud, Les Siecles/Roth)
Schumann Piano Trios 1-3 (EMI, Tetzlaffs/Andsnes)

Away from new releases, I've had enormous pleasure listening to Simon Rattle's CBSO recordings, mostly the original Angel CDs bought 2ndhand. What a fabulous orchestra and partnership it was! (Fabulous engineering too - Keener, Clements, Murray, Sheady etc.)

[Sir Velo]

I haven't purchased that many records released in 2012. Instead, I have tended to focus on acquiring bargains of either re-releases of classic or obscure repertoire (e.g. Naxos' magisterial Bliss series; Hamish Milne's complete Medtner sonatas; Venetian renaissance polyphony; Craft's Schoenberg and Blomstedt's Hindemith et al).

However, I would definitely have to include the four movement version (sic) of Bruckner Symphony No.9, as realised by the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle. Still not convinced, either intellectually or emotionally, but what a glorious attempt, akin to scaling the north face of Everest without quite attaining the summit.

[Sir Velo]

Natalie Dessay - Debussy Songs (Virgin) - great cover

I'd hate to see your idea of bad cover art!

[Bryn]

The only one I have heard is the Faustian Berg/Beethoven, and that is very fine indeed. A worthy place in the ten. I ordered the 25th 'June in Buffalo' anniversary performance of Crippled Symmetry a couple of days ago, and in response to its inclusion in the list have just now opted for the Ligeti/Beethoven disc too. I may not hold his noisy book in particularly high regard but his musical taste seems pretty good.

[gurnemanz]

I'd hate to see your idea of bad cover art!

OK. I have a soft spot for Art Nouveau teetering on the brink of kitsch. it seems to complement the music very well.

[cloughie]

Bob Dylan - Tempest

A good album but stretches the term classical somewhat!

As so much of my buying and listening is reissues and back catalogue I find this thread difficult to add to.

[gurnemanz]

A good album but stretches the term classical somewhat!

As so much of my buying and listening is reissues and back catalogue I find this thread difficult to add to.

Sorry about that. I forgot to check the rubric. I added it because I also seem to buy mainly reissues and was scraping around for new recordings to include

[Thropplenoggin]

This is tricky. As someone plugging in manifold gaps in his burgeoning collection (Mozart, Mahler, Bach, Beethoven) it's really been re-issues or recent recordings for me in 2012, not particularly records recorded and released this year. The only couple I bought were:

° Mahler 1: Ivan Fischer & Budapest Festival Orchestra. A Mahler cycle that has been consistently interesting, offering new insights and superb sonics.

° Beethoven: String Quartet op.59 and Quintet - Kuijken Quartet, which I haven't played much, though this in no way reflects on the performance.

However, one's I have heard and will be buying when funds allow it from 2012 are:

° Leif Ove Andsnes and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra: Beethoven Piano Concerto 1 & 3. Not especially for Andsnes's playing (he's no Richter, Solomon or Gilels) but more for the MCO. I've never heard these pieces where the orchestral part really came alive in such vibrant colourful sound and playing. The ending of the first movement of No. 3 is wonderful.

° Steve Osbourne's Beethoven bagatelles (op.33, 119, 126). I have Pletnev and Kovacevich, but the latter's attack grows wearisome. Osbourne's has a less aggressive touch and seems more warm sound-wise.

[jayne lee wilson]

Just played the Andsnes/MCO LvB 1st Concerto - it's a wonderful reading, and I think Andsnes' subtlety in the solo part is all of a piece with his conception of the work, serving Beethoven, not showing off his own virtuosity and thereby dominating or subduing the role of the brilliant, vibrant orchestra. It's less volatile or as exciting than their live Symphony Hall relay on R3 2 weeks ago, but richer-sounding, more maturely beautiful. And there's less acoustic presence on the disc than Radio 3 conveyed so vividly in their magnificent webcast. No wonder I go on listening to their concerts!

Surprised at the emphasis on reissues on this thread, it's been a great year for new releases of all kinds (see msg 7). After this Beethoven, about to dive into La Mer with Immerseel... (holding my breath...)
...then it's Mozart Concertos 17 & 22 with Freiburg Baroque, Mullejans and Bezuidenhout (see December IRR). So, armfuls of goodies!

Forgot to mention in my earlier list - Gardiner's superb new Brahms German Requiem with ORR/Monteverdi.

2012 - wow!