New releases

[Mandryka]

Two new releases from The Sound and the Fury - Obrecht and Prioris - presumably old recordings found at the back of a drawer. Listening to the first mass on the Prioris now and I think the performance is excellent - the music may be generic Renaissance style - agreeable and well made, but not more. I’m not
yet.

[Mandryka]

Hamelin Fauré Nocturnes and Barcarolles. Modern Steinway by the sound of it.

I’ve been listening to the the first few Barcarolles. The rubato is immediately striking, not unnatural, and I’d say tasteful and effective. That’s what makes this performance interesting. These are brooding, expressive barcarolles, virtuosic, with a big concert grand sound. A piano with heft. The word I want to use is “Lisztian” Hamelin’s Liszt is very good!

[Rolmill]

Hamelin Fauré Nocturnes and Barcarolles. Modern Steinway by the sound of it.

Yes, the booklet notes say that it is a Steinway (no more detail than that so far as I can see).

I've just bought this 2 CD set (being a Hamelin admirer) but haven't had a chance to listen yet - you've whetted my appetite. He's certainly a pianist with a wide-ranging repertoire (CPE Bach to Feldman, via Haydn, Schumann, Alkan and Godowsky).

[Bryn]

Yes, the booklet notes say that it is a Steinway (no more detail than that so far as I can see).

I've just bought this 2 CD set (being a Hamelin admirer) but haven't had a chance to listen yet - you've whetted my appetite. He's certainly a pianist with a wide-ranging repertoire (CPE Bach to Feldman, via Haydn, Schumann, Alkan and Godowsky).

Not forgetting Charles Ives, whose 'Concord, Mass., 1840–60' sonata, in Hamelin's first recording of the work, was my introduction to his playing.

[Mandryka]

Re the Fauré - a further thought. The Hyperion engineers have pulled out all the stops, this is SOTA sound.

[teamsaint]

Interesting but I note that a great deal of CD space is needlessly wasted in order to stick to the original LP compilations. As noted, much of the content has previously appeared on CD (often in more generously filled individual CDs). I will look out for it on QOBUZ for streaming or download (I wonder whether Hi-Res options will be available). There again, £4.48 per CD, pro rata, from Amazon, is not too bad a price. I do hope they have been remastered

Release seems to be a bit of a shambles.
the Amazon listing is wrong, the indies seem to have a distribution problem.
i may just go for the amazon one and risk having to return.
Anybody found it at a decent price and available ?

[Pulcinella]

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 revie

https://robccowan.com/2023/08/14/tch...e-critics-lot/

The Planets and Walton S1 have both featured as BBC MM CDs (though when I streamed both from this new set yesterday the track info said that they were remastered versions).

[makropulos]

The Planets and Walton S1 have both featured as BBC MM CDs (though when I streamed both from this new set yesterday the track info said that they were remastered versions).

Yes – the reason to buy this set is the memorable Sinfonia Antartica from Boult's last public concert.

[Petrushka]

Yes – the reason to buy this set is the memorable Sinfonia Antartica from Boult's last public concert.

I vividly remember listening to that concert on R3 that night so this CD is definitely on my wish list. I also caught this Planets live on R3. It's such a pity that Boult retired the year before I started going to London concerts so I never saw him.

[makropulos]

I vividly remember listening to that concert on R3 that night so this CD is definitely on my wish list. I also caught this Planets live on R3. It's such a pity that Boult retired the year before I started going to London concerts so I never saw him.

I count myself very lucky to have seen Boult on many occasions from 1966 onwards - and particularly several marvellous Proms and RFH concerts between 1969 and 1977 - but not the Antartica which I only heard on the radio - thrilled to hear it but gnashing my teeth that I couldn’t be there!

[Jonathan]

Next month - the 4th volume of P.Scharwenka's 4 hand transcriptions of Beethoven's symphonies. Really looking forward to this one!

The month after that, volume 6 of Mark Viner's ongoing series of the Complete Piano music of Alkan, including a couple of first recordings.

[Jonathan]

The Mark Viner Alkan recording I mentioned a couple of weeks ago is now available for preorder from his own website. I ordered my copy yesterday evening

[FRJames]

Britten - War Requiem (Decca) - SACD & Vinyl issues.

https://store.deccaclassics.com/products/war-requiem-2sacd-mediabook

Presumably these are 60th anniversary issues even though they aren't labelled as such (vinyl is at bottom of page)

[Bryn]

Britten - War Requiem (Decca) - SACD & Vinyl issues.

https://store.deccaclassics.com/products/war-requiem-2sacd-mediabook

Presumably these are 60th anniversary issues even though they aren't labelled as such (vinyl is at bottom of page)

Happy to stick with the Jarman DVD (48/16, I think).

[Pulcinella]

Released today, and lined up for streaming later:

JSB: Goldberg variations
Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9506827--bach-goldberg-variations

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/06/vikingur-olafsson-pianist-on-bach-goldberg-variations