New releases

[HighlandDougie]

RCO Live Bruckner Symphonies 1 - 9: I see that this issue, due next month, includes the Eugen Jochum December 1986 recording of the 5th which, unless I am wrong (and Petrushka can put me right), has been quite hard to get hold of. I certainly paid a somewhat premium price for the Tahra issue. Part of Jochum's last concerts with the RCO, it is a very special performance which has an intensity which I never cease to find deeply moving. Worth the price of the box (about £45) on its own.

[Mandryka]

Valentrin Silvestrov's own performance of Drama, actually released in April this year but I didn't notice. People interested in modern music -- listen! It is astonishing and disorienting still, even though written 50 years ago.

The Bandcamp links stream for free

https://silvestrov.bandcamp.com/album/drama-1971

[Petrushka]

RCO Live Bruckner Symphonies 1 - 9: I see that this issue, due next month, includes the Eugen Jochum December 1986 recording of the 5th which, unless I am wrong (and Petrushka can put me right), has been quite hard to get hold of. I certainly paid a somewhat premium price for the Tahra issue. Part of Jochum's last concerts with the RCO, it is a very special performance which has an intensity which I never cease to find deeply moving. Worth the price of the box (about £45) on its own.

I've noticed this set and added it to my list even though these performances of 3 & 8 are included in the bumper 125 box which I have. . The big attraction for me is a live 1 from Haitink, something I don't have on CD or a radio broadcast. Yet another live Haitink 7 is a most welcome addition to my tally of BH live 7s.

The Jochum 5 is indeed the one that appeared on Tahra and one I bought years ago at a 'normal' price. I read somewhere that Tahra have ceased production due to the death of the founder hence inflated prices. I was lucky to pick up interesting issues back in the day.. Agree with your assessment of this performance of 5 which is very special.

[RichardB]

Thanks. I've ordered the Berio and Carter CDs.

Note though that the recording of Berio's Sinfonia is the original version which is missing the fifth and final movement, although it's a fine performance. As compensation for this you have the Concerto for Two Pianos which IMO is one of Berio's most beautiful works.

[Bryn]

Note though that the recording of Berio's Sinfonia is the original version which is missing the fifth and final movement, although it's a fine performance. As compensation for this you have the Concerto for Two Pianos which IMO is one of Berio's most beautiful works.

I wish the BBC would dig out their recording of Berio conducting the BBCPO et al in his Sinfonia (all of it). I saved it to cassette when it was broadcast, back in the 1980s, but that cassette went in a house fire. He said he was particularly fond of working with the BBCPO.

[FRJames]

Bartok - Piano Concertos - Pierre-Laurent Aimard, San Francisco SO, Salonen
Pentatone.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9521346--bartok-piano-concertos

Out on 15 Sep 2023.

[FRJames]

Adrian Boult conducts Holst, Walton, RVW & Butterworth, G
BBC Symphony & London Philharmonic Orchestras
ICA Classics (2xCD)

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9513798--holst-the-planets

Out on 22 Sep 2023.

Some more details in Rob Cowan's review:

https://robccowan.com/2023/08/14/tchaikovskys-fifth-and-the-critics-lot/

[pastoralguy]

Bartok - Piano Concertos - Pierre-Laurent Aimard, San Francisco SO, Salonen
Pentatone.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9521346--bartok-piano-concertos

Out on 15 Sep 2023.

Yes, I’ve been thinking about ordering this disc too.

[MickyD]

Yet another Monteverdi 1610 Vespers out this month - it being from Pygmalion and Raphael Pichon, I'd guess it might be rather special.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Monteverdi-Vespro-della-Beata-Vergine/dp/B0C5FM1P1Z/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2Z7DDEKCJHH46&keywords=Monteverdi+Pichon&qid=1693575129&s=music&sprefix=monteverdi+pichon%2Cclassical%2C105&sr=1-1

[Mandryka]

Steven Osborne Debussy Etudes.

I heard him play them in a concert and it was terrible - so I’ll be interested to hear this if it’s streaming anywhere.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9530129--debussy-etudes-pour-le-piano

[HighlandDougie]

Steven Osborne Debussy Etudes.

I heard him play them in a concert and it was terrible - so I’ll be interested to hear this if it’s streaming anywhere.


https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...-pour-le-piano

I heard him last year play some of the Études (probably round about the time of the new recording) but, while it may be my cloth ears and my innate prejudice in SO's favour, I rather enjoyed the performances. So I'm intrigued as to why they came across as terrible.

[Mandryka]

I heard him last year play some of the Études (probably round about the time of the new recording) but, while it may be my cloth ears and my innate prejudice in SO's favour, I rather enjoyed the performances. So I'm intrigued as to why they came across as terrible.

I wonder if it’s still online - a Wigmore lunchtime concert. It’s a big Steinway and he knows it well, but I got the impression it was just not well controlled, it sounded ugly and occasionally chaotic. The interpretations were totally uninteresting - like a try out someone said. I very much like Steven Osborne, so I was surprised and disappointed. Just a bad day hopefully.

[RichardB]

Yet another Monteverdi 1610 Vespers out this month - it being from Pygmalion and Raphael Pichon, I'd guess it might be rather special.

I'm always up for a new one, and I will certainly listen to this, although I see that there are almost 40 singers in the vocal ensemble which seems far too many to me.

edit: having listened to some of it now, I don't think I'll be investigating further. I think that people impressed by JEG's recordings will appreciate it, but for me it's too aggressive and 'dramatic", especially having accustomed myself to the recording by Compagnia dei Madrigali which I think perfectly captures the way this work (or compilation of works) is so exquisitely poised between the 16th and 17th century. I found this especially puzzling and disappointing after Pichon's survey of music around the time of the invention of opera under the title "Stravaganza d'Amore", which I've listened to often.

[RichardB]

I'm a lot happier with another new release - "Festin Royal du Mariage du Comte d'Artois - Versailles 1773" performed by Les Ambassadeurs directed by Alexis Kossenko, with an orchestra of almost 80 players (which according to historical records is an accurate estimate of who played at the actual event) - including 6 each of oboes and bassoons which makes for quite a pungent sound. The music is by Rameau and the generation after him (Royer, Dauvergne, Mondonville, Francoeur etc.) Forum members with any interest in French (post-)baroque music shouldn't miss this, you know who you are!

[MickyD]

I'm a lot happier with another new release - "Festin Royal du Mariage du Comte d'Artois - Versailles 1773" performed by Les Ambassadeurs directed by Alexis Kossenko, with an orchestra of almost 80 players (which according to historical records is an accurate estimate of who played at the actual event) - including 6 each of oboes and bassoons which makes for quite a pungent sound. The music is by Rameau and the generation after him (Royer, Dauvergne, Mondonville, Francoeur etc.) Forum members with any interest in French (post-)baroque music shouldn't miss this, you know who you are!

I do indeed! I find it difficult to keep up with all the outstanding discs being released by the Château de Versailles label - lack of time and budget, my loss! But I will make a note of this one, it sounds too good to miss, Richard.