New releases

[Pulcinella]

November 2024 BBC MM cover CD

A tribute to Sir Andrew Davis

Holst: The Hymn of Jesus (Barbican 2008; BBCSO and Chorus, Trinity Laban Chamber Choir)
Debussy arr Altinoglu: Pelléas et Mélisande suite (Barbican 2019; BBCSO)
Tippett: Symphony 4 (Proms 2022; BBCPO)

Tippett's own recording of S4 was an early cover CD; it went on to be released commercially by NMC.

[silvestrione]

November 2024 BBC MM cover CD

A tribute to Sir Andrew Davis

Holst: The Hymn of Jesus (Barbican 2008; BBCSO and Chorus, Trinity Laban Chamber Choir)
Debussy arr Altinoglu: Pelléas et Mélisande suite (Barbican 2019; BBCSO)
Tippett: Symphony 4 (Proms 2022; BBCPO)

Tippett's own recording of S4 was an early cover CD; it went on to be released commercially by NMC.

Wow! That one I will buy...
Thanks.

[Petrushka]

November 2024 BBC MM cover CD

A tribute to Sir Andrew Davis

Holst: The Hymn of Jesus (Barbican 2008; BBCSO and Chorus, Trinity Laban Chamber Choir)
Debussy arr Altinoglu: Pelléas et Mélisande suite (Barbican 2019; BBCSO)
Tippett: Symphony 4 (Proms 2022; BBCPO)

Tippett's own recording of S4 was an early cover CD; it went on to be released commercially by NMC.

That Tippett 4, recently rebroadcast was the best I've heard of it and am very glad indeed to see it appear on the BBC MM CD.

Unfortunately, most of the recent BBC MM CDs have been poor stuff but this one will be a keeper. The Holst clinches it.

[Pulcinella]

Looking forward to this new release, out today,

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9660161--that-sweet-city#related

as I know Leighton's Veris gratia only from the suite, coupled with a recording of Finzi's Cello concerto on Chandos:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/works/306930--leighton-veris-gratia-op-9/browse

[HighlandDougie]

For HvK and the Berlin Philharmonic fans, the BPO label is promising this:

https://www.berliner-philharmoniker-recordings.com/karajan-edition.html?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=REC%20-%2010%20%20Weihnachtsaktion%202024%20-%20EN&utm_content=REC%20-%2010%20%20Weihnachtsaktion%202024%20-%20EN+CID_1e9e8a600cf89f46d18bf71d8277b597&utm_source=Email%20Newsletter&utm_term=Pre-order%20with%20a%2010%20discount

as a forthcoming (sometime soon?) new release. Not, alas, any sort of bargain but would make an indulgent Christmas present to oneself.

[Petrushka]

For HvK and the Berlin Philharmonic fans, the BPO label is promising this:

https://www.berliner-philharmoniker-recordings.com/karajan-edition.html?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=REC%20-%2010%20%20Weihnachtsaktion%202024%20-%20EN&utm_content=REC%20-%2010%20%20Weihnachtsaktion%202024%20-%20EN+CID_1e9e8a600cf89f46d18bf71d8277b597&utm_sou rce=Email%20Newsletter&utm_term=Pre-order%20with%20a%2010%20discount

as a forthcoming (sometime soon?) new release. Not, alas, any sort of bargain but would make an indulgent Christmas present to oneself.

Many thanks for highlighting this, HD. I've long wanted live recordings from Karajan given in Berlin and this looks very good indeed. The dates given on the box suggest that a further volume will appear in due course. I've probably already exceeded my 'Christmas present for oneself' quota but this is a clear must buy.

One question: When purchasing the BPO Furtwangler wartime broadcasts edition I got stung with a hefty customs bill. Is there a way to avoid this, presumed Brexit 'benefit'?

The only other caveat is that the BPO presentation and packaging of their CD boxes is beyond dreadful but there's not much I can do about that.

[HighlandDougie]

I agree on the BPO boxes. Maybe they thought that they would simply remain as sealed objects of desire, rather than actually be opened and played. Alas, I can't help on the HMRC issue as previous boxes (Furtwängler; KP in DSCH etc) have come to my French address. It might be worth contacting them as you should be able to pay for them without German VAT as that is what you'll then have to pay to HMRC? But I think that, like JPC, they might have sorted something out to make it easier for UK customers?? I simply don't know.

[Pulcinella]

Looking forward to seeing (or more accurately hearing!) how this new release, out today, of Shostakovich 6 compares with that of Mäkelä:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9660163--santtu-conducts-shostakovich-symphonies-nos-6-9

[HighlandDougie]

This:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dmitri-Shostakovich-Complete-String-Quartets/dp/B0D9HP9WXG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14THCRWS9D2EI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.R3DUngis6--KoSE7BT254w.PQcl-Kytg6XV0s-P_NMU3pFG6zmtI2MK3pSHFPsW6SM&dib_tag=se&keywords=shostakovich+cuarteto+casals&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1730462223&s=music&sprefix=shostakovich+cuarteto+casals%2Cclassical%2C98&sr=1-1

arrived in my postbox yesterday. Even in a world which seems to abound with wonderful string quartets (musicians, that is) I think that the Cuarteto Casals are exceptional. I've listened to the 3rd and the 5th so far. As good as I might have hoped - beautifully recorded.

[ostuni]

I'm definitely looking forward to hearing the Casals' first volume of Shostakovich: yes, a superb group - and my current favourite for a modern-instrument Beethoven cycle (though the recent, more capricious, two volumes of the Doric Quartet's cycle is well worth investigating).

But also among this week's new releases is the second in a very interesting period-instrument Beethoven cycle, from the Amsterdam-based Narratio Quartet. I think over the years I've heard all the various HIP Beethoven quartet recordings: the Narratio go rather further than others do in terms of both tempo flexibility and use of portamento. Definitely recommended to those who like gut strings, period bows, and the rest!

[Alison]

Blimey, what a disappointing version of Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons from Bruce Liu. Airless studio bound recording and little or no charm or spontaneity in the playing.

[HighlandDougie]

Blimey, what a disappointing version of Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons from Bruce Liu. Airless studio bound recording and little or no charm or spontaneity in the playing.

The MQA-CD version of this issue arrived from Japan yesterday so, given Alison's comments, it was with some trepidation that I stuck it into the player earlier. Recorded in the Siemens-Villa in Berlin, it is closely recorded in a rather dry acoustic, although the piano sound per se is OK. Apart from the Barcarolle, I don't know these pieces at all well (one reason for ordering the CD) so can't comment on Bruce Liu's playing in detail, other than to have responded more positively to it. I didn't find it to be charmless but the recording quality, even in a supposedly superior format, definitely does it no favours. Things seem to improve as he makes his way through the set of pieces but it might just have been getting used to the acoustic.

Maurizio (and Daniele) Pollini's Schubert next - in the same consignment from CD-Japan.

[silvestrione]

Well, for me the last (last?) new Pollini disc ever was very moving, partly because of that, and partly because I had not expected to have a Pollini recording again of new repertoire. But I had always hoped he would record the G major Sonata, which i knew was in his repertoire. I found much of it beautifully shaped, the chords in the first movement beautifully struck, the melodic episode in the last movement touching and heart-stopping. The playing of the last three movements has that 'let's drive on straight ahead' quality of the later Pollini, but with the characteristic integrity.

The F minor 4 hand Fantasie also very moving, I found. Even if the Allegro Vivace section is a bit rough and ready (after, say, Steven Osborne and Paul Lewis). In the rest of the piece I thought they compared favourably.

[Alison]

Thanks for your response Dougie. I’ll give it another go over the weekend. 👍👍

[Pulcinella]

Due out 8 November 2024: currently sampling what's already available to stream.
Gramophone November 2024 Recording of the month.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9667077--ravel-the-complete-works-with-piano