New releases

[HighlandDougie]

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

https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...rks-with-piano

This arrived by post earlier, courtesy of FNAC. While I haven't had a chance to listen to any of it yet, it is a very handsomely produced set. Excellent essay by Deborah Mawer ('The complete music for piano of Maurice Ravel: a classic-romantic synthesis'), texts and translations of the songs and what look to be a promising group of musicians, soloists and singers. Somehow the downloads (or streaming) wouldn't be quite as pleasurable, although it means even less space on already over-laden shelves.

[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_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.

I 'pre-ordered' this set on October 28 and my money was taken immediately as shown on my bank statement. However, while hoping it would arrive in time for Christmas, there is still no sign of it and the BPO Recordings website is still - two months later - showing it as 'coming soon' and is still inviting pre-orders.

It appears that they are happy to take my money but take an unacceptable length of time in sending the goods. This is not good enough.

Has anyone else 'pre-ordered?

[Sir Velo]

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9747731--guess-who

Guess Who is the provocative title of the ever resourceful Olga Pashchenko's latest album. In reality, there is little doubt as to the identity of the two composers featured! For not only does Pashchenko divide her recital into short sets of each composer but from the outset one is revealed as a great composer, while the other, well, isn't on the same plane, charming though much of their music is. I'll leave others to form their own judgements. Not that that should put one off from listening to this beautifully played collection of early 19th century piano music. The instrument itself is a huge draw. I defy even seasoned fortepiano haters not to revel in the magnificent sounds Pashchenko conjures up from the 1836 Graf. Her performance really is masterful. One example: Felix's haunting Op 62 No 3 which in this performance with its strong pre echoes of Alkan's despairing "Song of the madwoman". Recommended.

[MickyD]

I'd also recommend Ronald Brautigam's two discs of the Songs without Words on BIS. A lovely sounding period piano, too.

[Pulcinella]

Released yesterday, but only a taster (Barber last movement) was available on Deezer at first; whole release now available so lined up for later.

Sibelius & Barber: Violin Concertos
Renaud Capuçon (violin), Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Daniel Harding

[Barbirollians]

Vannina Santoni’s recital album on its way after hearing her lovely O Mio Babbino Caro .

[Jonathan]

The next Naxos Liszt CD is on the way in the post. It's volume 65 and includes the rarely heard Magyar Dallok.

[Sir Velo]

I'd also recommend Ronald Brautigam's two discs of the Songs without Words on BIS. A lovely sounding period piano, too.

I'd definitely agree with that Micky but the juxtaposition of Felix and Fanny's respective sound worlds is fascinating and rewarding in the hands of this accomplished artist.

[Sir Velo]

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9747733--sibelius-symphonies-nos-6-7-the-tempest

For those of who have been following this memorable cycle, this last (?) instalment brings the project to an impressive conclusion. The Seventh in particular is a performance to conjure up comparisons with Karajan and Kamu in its cumulative power. One of the most notable aspects of this Alpha series has been the imaginative couplings. Here, Rouvali gives us the gnomic and oblique Tempest in as disquieting a performance as I can remember ever having heard. Recommended.

[MickyD]

I'd definitely agree with that Micky but the juxtaposition of Felix and Fanny's respective sound worlds is fascinating and rewarding in the hands of this accomplished artist.

I'm sure of that, and I always sit up and take note of new releases from Alpha, one of my favourite labels. Another one for the shopping list !

[Roger Webb]

https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...-7-the-tempest

For those of who have been following this memorable cycle, this last (?) instalment brings the project to an impressive conclusion. The Seventh in particular is a performance to conjure up comparisons with Karajan and Kamu in its cumulative power. One of the most notable aspects of this Alpha series has been the imaginative couplings. Here, Rouvali gives us the gnomic and oblique Tempest in as disquieting a performance as I can remember ever having heard. Recommended.

I notice this in 'New Releases' on Qobuz, so it'll go on later....you say it's the 'last (?)' in the series - I presume that means they have done the numbered ones, but have they recorded Kullervo....or, for that matter, Lemminkäinen Suite - a symphony in all but name.

[richardfinegold]

I 'pre-ordered' this set on October 28 and my money was taken immediately as shown on my bank statement. However, while hoping it would arrive in time for Christmas, there is still no sign of it and the BPO Recordings website is still - two months later - showing it as 'coming soon' and is still inviting pre-orders.

It appears that they are happy to take my money but take an unacceptable length of time in sending the goods. This is not good enough.

Has anyone else 'pre-ordered?

Whatever happened here, Petrushka?

[Petrushka]

Whatever happened here, Petrushka?

Glad you asked! It eventually turned up here on January 29, a month ahead of the official release date on February 28, so can't complain too much. Even so, it would have been nice to have been given a date when it could be expected as I was hoping for a delivery by Christmas.

I'm about halfway through the set at present, having briefly had a break to catch up on other things. There are are a few anomalies about the set which may trouble some more than they do me, but what we have are the complete, surviving live concert broadcasts given by Karajan and the BPO between 1953 and 1969 from the archives of RIAS and SFB. None of these have previously been released with the exception of the 1953 'Eroica', a 1957 Beethoven PC3 (Gould) and Sibelius 5 and two Beethoven 9's from 1957 and 1963.

As is to be expected, many of these recordings are in generally good mono, though a 1965 Dvorak 'New World' I found to be less good with woodwinds badly recessed. I'll try it again to see if my settings might have been wrong.

One anomaly is that not all of these early concerts are complete, though the works are, as presumably.only certain pieces were wanted for broadcast. They are complete, and in stereo, later on. In addition, due to timing issues between radio stations applause had been edited out and, unfortunately, that is the case in the box until the later tapes from the mid-60s.

Another anomaly: a 1956 recording features Schwarzkopf in 'Es gibt ein Reich' from Capriccio but this isn't listed on the Karajan concert database website. The first half is said to be Boris Blacher's Orchestral Fantasia which isn't here. Surely Schwarzkopf wouldn't have been brought in for an 11 minute aria? It's here anyway.

Would I recommend? Yes, but it is very expensive for 24 CDs and the packaging is beyond awful but it is what it is. However, there's a superb 128 page book.

[HighlandDougie]

https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...-7-the-tempest

For those of who have been following this memorable cycle, this last (?) instalment brings the project to an impressive conclusion. The Seventh in particular is a performance to conjure up comparisons with Karajan and Kamu in its cumulative power. One of the most notable aspects of this Alpha series has been the imaginative couplings. Here, Rouvali gives us the gnomic and oblique Tempest in as disquieting a performance as I can remember ever having heard. Recommended.

Very much seconded. Particularly well-judged seventh with some great playing from the Gothenburg SO. I'm due to see/hear Rouvali in April in the RFH - DSCH rather than Sibelius but much looking forward to it

[richardfinegold]

Glad you asked! It eventually turned up here on January 29, a month ahead of the official release date on February 28, so can't complain too much. Even so, it would have been nice to have been given a date when it could be expected as I was hoping for a delivery by Christmas.

I'm about halfway through the set at present, having briefly had a break to catch up on other things. There are are a few anomalies about the set which may trouble some more than they do me, but what we have are the complete, surviving live concert broadcasts given by Karajan and the BPO between 1953 and 1969 from the archives of RIAS and SFB. None of these have previously been released with the exception of the 1953 'Eroica', a 1957 Beethoven PC3 (Gould) and Sibelius 5 and two Beethoven 9's from 1957 and 1963.

As is to be expected, many of these recordings are in generally good mono, though a 1965 Dvorak 'New World' I found to be less good with woodwinds badly recessed. I'll try it again to see if my settings might have been wrong.

One anomaly is that not all of these early concerts are complete, though the works are, as presumably.only certain pieces were wanted for broadcast. They are complete, and in stereo, later on. In addition, due to timing issues between radio stations applause had been edited out and, unfortunately, that is the case in the box until the later tapes from the mid-60s.

Another anomaly: a 1956 recording features Schwarzkopf in 'Es gibt ein Reich' from Capriccio but this isn't listed on the Karajan concert database website. The first half is said to be Boris Blacher's Orchestral Fantasia which isn't here. Surely Schwarzkopf wouldn't have been brought in for an 11 minute aria? It's here anyway.

Would I recommend? Yes, but it is very expensive for 24 CDs and the packaging is beyond awful but it is what it is. However, there's a superb 128 page book.

Thanks for the detailed review. I think I’ll pass on this one. I’ve spent a fair amount this past year on live Karajan recordings and will savor them for a while.
I had ordered the news stereo Ormandy/Philly box and it’s due to arrive soon