Recording of the Month

“…Consummate musicians who play with utter grace, interrelatedness and individual virtuosity, these are instrumentalists of the highest order. One feels not only in safe hands, but serenaded by brilliant hands. Here they deliver intuitive and insightful performances of Haydn’s Piano Trios and are complemented by a fresh and balanced recording. Bravo!”

“…This is the second disc of a proposed complete set of Haydn’s piano trios. In Fanfare 35:3, I called Volume 1 “quite wonderful,” but this one is even more delightful. The Kungsbacka (Simon Crawford-Phillips, piano; Malin Broman, violin; Jesper Svedberg, cello) plays modern instruments with an easygoing, free-swinging style without ever forgetting 18th-century manners. The dark, mysterious Intermezzo of No. 28 is almost film noir music, in which the strings are barely present; Crawford-Phillips captures it perfectly.”

“…For those who prefer to hear these wonderful works on modern instruments, but in performances that recognize and respect historical practices, the Kungsbacka’s Haydn is, for me, the Haydn of choice.”

“…Amid a shoal of so-called underrated English orchestral works of the last century, Goossens’s concerto is a big fish. I can’t imagine it done better… The symphony would bring down the house at the Proms, especially directed by Davis, who knows the idiom inside out and secures a nimble, dynamic response from his Melbourne orchestra, recorded with ample depth and space in the concert hall at Monash University. Outstanding all round.”

****

“… Jean Muller’s playing is as imaginative as it is expressive. Superb strings, incisive brass and agile woodwinds have no difficulty at all with König’s rhythmically sharpened conducting and help to realize the conductor’s dramaturgical concept in an optimal way. A pleasantly spatial sound recording rounds off the good impression of this CD.” *****

“… The choir members serve as active participants in the action (e.g. slave hunters) as well as commentators on the plot. The music is largely tonal, often dramatic, sometimes pathetic or reflective, but dramaturgically very well done so that the listener’s attention is always captured. The production, recorded live at Carnegie Hall in May 2018, has a very good musical level and shows a lot of commitment on the part of the singers. And so this recording, which also includes a complete libretto, must be certified as being of a high standard and highly recommendable.” *****

“Plumbing deep wells of spiritual devotion, this music meets its match in poised, committed performances of simultaneous unanimity and character … Six elegant masterly, creatively scored motets by Hermann Werrecore appear in their world premier recordings as the rarest delicacies in a flavoursome menu of works from the maestri of 16th-century Milan.”  *****

"This collection of piano quartets showcases a breadth of stylistic influences. A worthy intro to the works, which exploit the instruments possibilities to great effect." ***

"...  delightful listen." ****

“… The choir shines when singing as an ensemble, bringing out Ešenvalds’s clever vocal techniques superbly.” ***

"...Elegant performances..." ****

Performance *****      Recording *****

Performance ****     Recording *****

Performance ****      Recording *****

“… the 13 youthful voices of Siglo de Oro produce a fresh, ingenious sound. Their timbre is open and expressive – the use of vibrato adding a tremulous urgency to some of the more emotive passages. The young singers respond sensitively to the music and liturgical range of the programme … Textures vary, too, from the luscious full ensemble to fragile solo voices (their sound tender, if a shade tentative at times). Director Patrick Allies shapes the architecture of the large-scale music edifices with admirable control. Both the ensemble and the recording are well-balanced, and the acoustic has an aptly sacred bloom.”