New Releases

[Wakefield]

Here a link to Vimeo:

http://vimeo.com/56772892

[Octave]

For those not on the Arkiv Music mailing list. 



Wagner: DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN (Opera d'Oro, 14cd, 2013)
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra/Chorus dir. Clemens Krauss, w/Hans Hotter,  Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau,  Josef Greindl,  Astrid Varnay, Wolfgang Windgassen, Ramon Vinay; mono, 1953

http://www.arkivmusic.com/albumpage/869838-E1072

This is a glorious Ring Cycle -- this one tells us everything about Wagner's great vision. It is the one for the desert island.

Newly reissued and exclusively available through ArkivMusic, this deluxe set includes a full libretto and English translation for each opera and new liner notes written by Bill Parker.

Ah, I wish I'd known about this.  Of course, I have the Spencer RING companion, so it's not like I need a libretto; and I don't see anything about a recent remaster; but I wish I'd gotten the nicer newer package for about the same price, and I bought the last edition just several months ago!  Get used to it, Octave.

I imagine everyone here who digs Wagner knows this set since all of ya'll attended the actual performances in 1953; but this was a serious highlight to my listening year 2012, among many, many serious highlights.  Even the compromised sound did not interfere with the ritual intensity of the whole thing.  I listened to whole thing twice inside of a few months, which for me and my attention deficit is saying something.  Riveting!
There is a Pristine Classics remaster that I've heard good things about, but I've seen some knowing discussion at GMG that suggests that the "Pristine advantage" is subject to taste if not question.

I did not see a listing at Amazon US for this item, yet.

[kishnevi]

For those not on the Arkiv Music mailing list. 



Wagner: DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN (Opera d'Oro, 14cd, 2013)
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra/Chorus dir. Clemens Krauss, w/Hans Hotter,  Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau,  Josef Greindl,  Astrid Varnay, Wolfgang Windgassen, Ramon Vinay; mono, 1953

http://www.arkivmusic.com/albumpage/869838-E1072

The price is tempting, but I've already got five Rings, one of them a classic mono (Furtwangler/RAI), and that doesn't count the Levine/MET DVD set I've never gotten around to finishing; and of those Rings I've yet to listen one whole one and parts of two others, so I think I'll let others be the guinea pigs here.

An additional disincentive for me is my previous experiences with Opera d'Oro releases,  which are much more misses than hits, and sometime seem to come from sources of dubious quality that no engineering can massage into something worth listening to.

[Que]

No personal experience with the various transfers, just pointing out this "official" (directly transferred from the original tapes) issue by Orfeo:



Q

[Fafner]

For those not on the Arkiv Music mailing list. 



Wagner: DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN (Opera d'Oro, 14cd, 2013)
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra/Chorus dir. Clemens Krauss, w/Hans Hotter,  Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau,  Josef Greindl,  Astrid Varnay, Wolfgang Windgassen, Ramon Vinay; mono, 1953

http://www.arkivmusic.com/albumpage/869838-E1072

*pounds the table*

I heard all the best things about this set and I will certainly get it sooner or later. However the $17.99 for international shipping strikes me as rather prohibitive. I'll probably wait until it is available on Amazon MP.

[Octave]

No personal experience with the various transfers, just pointing out this "official" (directly transferred from the original tapes) issue by Orfeo:



Q

Yes, careless of me not to mention that, especially when I was considering it over the Opera d'Oro for a while.  Why did I get the Opera d'Oro?  I thought I'd read a couple trusted accounts that said that the OdO was in most respects inferior to the Orfeo, but not seriously, and that the two were more "different" than clearly rankable in terms of their relative advantages.  But now I cannot see that statement, so it looks like I am a cheap dupe, haha.  Here is Colin Clarke's (FANFARE) long review of the Orfeo, immediately followed by Jes Distler's short review (CLASSICS TODAY).
For those in N. America, I vaguely remember the Importcds price on the Orfeo edition being a lot cheaper than the Amazon/MP prices; I have not bothered to check this recently.

Colin Clarke, FANFARE:

WAGNER Der Ring des Nibelungen • Clemens Krauss, cond; Bayreuth Fest O & Ch • ORFEO C809113R (13 CDs: 852:46) Live: Bayreuth, 8/8–12/1953


WAGNER Das Rheingold • Hans Hotter ( Wotan ); Gustav Neidlinger ( Alberich ); Erich Witte ( Loge Read more Mime ); Ludwig Weber ( Fasolt ); Josef Greindl ( Fafner ); Ira Malaniuk ( Fricka ); Bruni Falcon ( Freia ); Maria von Ilosvay ( Erda ); Hermann Uhde ( Donner ); Gerhard Stolze ( Froh ); Erika Zimmermann ( Woglinde ); Hetty Plümacher ( Wellgunde ); Gisela Litz ( Flosshilde ); Clemens Krauss, cond; Bayreuth Fest O & Ch • ORFEO C809113R (13 CDs: 852:46) Live: Bayreuth, 8/8–12/1953


WAGNER Die Walküre • Hans Hotter ( Wotan ); Ira Malaniuk ( Fricka ); Astrid Varnay ( Brünnhilde ); Ramón Vinay ( Siegmund ); Regina Resnik ( Sieglinde ); Josef Greindl ( Hunding ); Brünnhild Friedland ( Gerhilde ); Liselotte Thomamüller ( Helmwige ); Lise Sorrell ( Waltraute ); Maria von Ilosvay ( Schwertleite ); Bruni Falcon ( Ortlinde ); Gisela Litz ( Siegrune ); Sibylla Plate ( Grimgerde ); Erika Schubert ( Rossweise ); Clemens Krauss, cond; Bayreuth Fest O & Ch • ORFEO C809113R (13 CDs: 852:46) Live: Bayreuth, 8/8–12/1953


WAGNER Siegfried • Wolfgang Windgassen ( Siegfried ); Astrid Varnay ( Brünnhilde ); Hans Hotter ( Wanderer ); Gustav Neidlinger ( Alberich ); Paul Kuën ( Mime ); Josef Greindl ( Fafner ); Maria von Ilosvay ( Erda ); Rita Streich ( Woodbird ); Clemens Krauss, cond; Bayreuth Fest O & Ch • ORFEO C809113R (13 CDs: 852:46) Live: Bayreuth, 8/8–12/1953


WAGNER Götterdämmerung • Astrid Varnay ( Brünnhilde ); Wolfgang Windgassen ( Siegfried ); Josef Greindl ( Hagen ); Hermann Uhde ( Gunther ); Natalie Hinsch-Gröndahl ( Gutrune ); Ira Malaniuk ( Waltraute, Second Norn ); Gustav Neidlinger ( Alberich ); Maria von Ilosvay ( First Norn ); Regina Resnik ( Third Norn ); Erika Zimmermann ( Woglinde ); Hetty Plümacher ( Wellgunde ); Gisela Litz ( Flosshilde ); Clemens Krauss, cond; Bayreuth Fest O & Ch • ORFEO C809113R (13 CDs: 852:46) Live: Bayreuth, 8/8–12/1953


My colleague Ronald E. Grames listed this performance (although not issued by this particular company) in his Want List of 2010, referring to the 1953 Clemens Krauss Bayreuth Ring as "one of the finest—if not the finest—performance of the tetralogy available on CD." Difficult to argue, and certainly the differences between Krauss with his golden cast (caught around the time of the so-called "New Bayreuth"), and the last Ring I reviewed for Fanfare (Haitink, in 32:1) are, to say the least, marked. Krauss's grasp of Wagnerian process is in another league. Kraus certainly realizes and projects the longer-range structure in a way that cannot help but dwarf Haitink, but his sure handle on the individual moment and ongoing orchestral detail makes this a very different experience from anything Furtwänglerian. More, Krauss's cast seems to have come straight out of some Wagnerian's dream. That the singers are so inspired makes this a memorable experience. That Krauss shapes the performances with such firm conviction and leads us inexorably to the final Immolation makes listening to this Ring from first to last a shattering journey. Krauss's tempos are, objectively speaking, generally on the fast side.


The Rheingold (of August 8, 1953) exemplifies Krauss's strengths perfectly. He is superb at ostensibly simple accompaniments, giving them often deep resonances (for example the punctuating string gestures in the second scene). Moreover, he paints scenes, and individual moments, graphically (the journey into Nibelheim is a case in point, as is the transition to the second scene). As to the singers, his Rhinemaidens are a beautifully strong bunch vocally, with special mention accorded to Erika Zimmermann's Woglinde. Zimmermann has a magnificently open, full sound.


Again, it is Krauss's magic with the orchestra that prepares Alberich's entrance perfectly, portraying the dwarf's bumblings and stumbling so evocatively. Gustav Neidlinger's resonant voice gives authority to his reading (interesting that his Curse, later in the piece, is strongly delivered but not highly malevolent). During the Wotan/Fricka exchanges, it becomes very obvious that good though Ira Malaniuk is, it is Hans Hotter's Wotan that is all-commanding. His "Vollendet das ew'ge Werk" is positively regal, his high register resonantly intact; similarly, his "Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge" is outstanding in its confident delivery. Bruni Falcon takes the role of Freia, and is dramatically right on the money, as well as being wonderfully fresh of voice. One really believes her fear in the face of kidnap. Difficult to imagine two more imposing giants, either, with both Ludwig Weber and Josef Greindl in their element (Weber is consistently fascinating in his delivery of his words).


Erich Witte's Loge is one of the most intelligent assumptions I have heard. His Narration ("Immer ist Undank") is finely hued and carefully sculpted, and his voice owns plenty of reserves. Yet time and time again one returns to Krauss's mastery. The conductor's handling of the third scene is that of dramatic genius, both in the massive torrent as Alberich outstretches his hand with the Ring on it, and in his light touch as Mime taunts Alberich. By the time we reach the final scene, the orchestra s positively alight. The Erda, Maria von Ilosvay, conveys all of her character's all-knowingness without being as heavily contralto-ish as many readings of this part.


If ever Krauss's talents for scene setting were going to come in useful, it is in the storm that begins Walküre . And so it is. Under Krauss, this is surely one of the angriest of Wagnerian storms, especially the brass and woodwind gestures as the entrance of the voices nears. The singers here are among the best, not only vocally but in terms of vocal acting. Siegmund really does sound desperate for a drink when he arrives. Tenderness and indeed eroticism seem to inform Krauss's reading of the orchestral workings. Resnik is creamy yet strong; Vinay every inch the Heldentenor. Greindl is imposing, but is not the heaviest, or blackest, of Hundings, and yet his anger at Siegmund is palpable.


Vinay tells his tales with undeniable swagger. His "Ein Schwert verhiess mir der Vater" emerges with a huge, burnished sound. Incredibly, though, Krauss's wordless depiction of spring is more telling than Vinay's at "Der Lenz lacht in der Saal" (Vinay makes up for it by his ultra-lyrical stance on "Winterstürme").


The opening of act II comes as a surprise, as Krauss seems to lack conviction, and again there is a talent mismatch involving Malaniuk, this time when she is set against Varnay's magnificent Brünnhilde and Hotter's commanding Wotan. Hotter's narrations are consistently gripping over some of Wagner's most sparing, daring scoring. One really feels that Walküre act II is the crux of the Ring 's argument, in particular the struggles of the "Götternot Narrative." Indeed, Hotter's delivery of the two statements of "Das Ende," one assertive, the other beautifully shaded, are demonstrations of true Wagnerian mastery. Varnay matches Hotter in intensity later, in her poignant "Siegmund! sieh' auf mich."


The troupe (if such is the correct collective noun—somehow, I doubt it) of valkyries that graces act III is the most imposing in my experience on record. Amazingly, one can hear all the individual lines (immediately prior to Wotan's entrance). Despite a slight waver, one feels Brünnhilde's pain at "War es so schmählich?" Her eloquence is unquestionable, only balanced on an emotional level by Wotan's gentle "So küsst er die Gottheit von dir."


Siegfried is the darkest of the evenings, a male-voice-dominated foray into purest Wagner legend. Krauss underlines this by not having Kuën (Mime) emerge as a caricature. Kuën's lusty, full-voiced assumption is full of vim and go, and under Krauss's baton the ongoing argument becomes entirely logical. The climax of the first act comes in the shape of Hotter (Wanderer) in the second scene. Imperial of demeanor, his voice is a Rothkoesque black on the black of Krauss's accompaniment. One has to stop and acknowledge the achievements of Windgassen's Siegfried, too. He holds amazing strengths in reserve for his forging of the sword, and if voice/orchestra ensemble is not always spot-on toward the end of this act, one is left speechless by the great sense of purpose Krauss elicits from his players.


The second act is held together by Krauss's extraordinary intensity. This act arguably holds the finest and most consistent orchestral contribution, reaching its height at the climax of the Wotan/Fafner confrontation. Krauss's graphic abilities come to the fore as Fafner slithers out of his cave, and the orchestra is absolutely on fire for the fight sequence. The only possible bird in the ointment is, alas, Rita Streich's warbly (pardon the puns) Waldvogel; Sutherland on the Solti set still takes the birdseed.


The eighth disc of the set (end act II, beginning of act III) is a mere 27 minutes, but these are minutes that include Hotter's invocation of Erda. There is a little air around his voice, but it only seems to lend it authority. Unfortunately, Ilosvay is a little lacking in gravitas, in what one might term allwissenschaft . Still, the final moments of the confrontation are gripping. Again, Krauss is a major player here, as he is in his management of the Siegfried/Wanderer meeting. Here, both Hotter and Windgassen are in top form. Siegfried sounds so youthful and impetuous—invincible even, as indeed he is in his own mind. Later, Varnay's voice is like a laser beam, but she still avoids shrillness. Her reserves are seemingly unending. The end of the act is stunning, bringing a true climax. The applause starts well before the end, and no wonder.


Krauss's Götterdämmerung is a true crowning to his cycle. He brings a real sense of foreboding to the opening, aided and abetted by a tremendous trio of Norns. His "Siegfried's Rhine Journey" is positively overwhelming, and is imbued with Furtwänglerian grandeur. Varnay does not disappoint at "Zu neuer Taten." The close brass comes as a surprise prior to the final cries of "Heil!" The concentration and power throughout act I never dips, and neither does the darkness of Krauss's painting of the orchestral score. Windgassen has great power, making his entrance in act I, scene 1, one of the most memorable moments of the entire cycle. Throughout the piece, his every word impresses. As Hagen, Greindl is a match for any. There seems real interpretative agreement between himself and Krauss for "Hagen's Watch."


The meeting of two imposing women, Waltraute and Brünnhilde, furnishes another example of Krauss's grip on the drama. Recording-wise, the brass seem to shoot out rather unrealistically at times. Act II is another dark corner of the Ring , and here it is Neidlinger and Greindl that match Krauss's blackness. Alberich speaks, and just when you think it can't get any darker in there, Hagen replies. Siegfried's arrival is like a coming out into the light. A pity the Gutrune (Natalie Hinsch-Gröndahl) is rather swoopy, a fact one hardly remembers when confronted with Krauss's beautiful preparation for the choral "Heil dir, Gunther."


Inevitable, given what one has heard previously, that the final Immolation Scene is one of the most finely colored and shaded on record. Its power comes directly from its subtlety and its innigkeit , and therefore its emotional climax seems to occur at the words "Ruhe, ruhe du Gott," one of its more interior moments. Varnay's dignity as she calls for her steed, Grane, is most touching. The orchestra is, of course, graphic in its depiction of Valhalla falling (there is also some stage noise, but if it was Valhalla itself falling, this Valhalla wasn't very big). But it is the dignity of Varnay that remains in the memory long afterward.


This is a remarkable set, and given the superb level of the transfers, the Orfeo print becomes a first recommendation. No wonder this Ring is at the top of many collectors' lists. Orfeo has given us a box to be treasured.

Jed Distler, CLASSICS TODAY: http://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-15702/

This first "authorized" edition of Clemens Krauss' 1953 Bayreuth Ring cycle purportedly stems from the original Bavarian Radio master broadcast tapes. As such, we might expect a sonically superior product to supercede previous "non-official" CD incarnations from multi-generational sources, be it Opera D'Oro's smooth, mid-range-dominant equalization or the brighter, hissier Foyer and Laudis versions.

As it happens, Orfeo's sonic differences prove subtle at best. Quiet passages boast slightly more presence and definition, while the voices and strings seem to acquire a little extra warmth and bloom. And whereas the source tape for all previous Krauss Ring releases begins Siegfried Act 1 with the two bassoons at measure four, Orfeo's source restores the first three measures of solo timpani. That said, Andrew Rose's Pristine Audio digital download restorations offer a less constricted, more open, and heftier acoustic ambience.

Although most of the principal cast members can be heard to better sonic advantage in the live 1955 Decca Bayreuth Ring issued by Testament, you might argue that here Hans Hotter is in marginally fresher voice when it counts the most (Die Walküre's final scene, the opening of Siegfried Act 3). On the other hand, Wolfgang Windgassen is not so vocally and dramatically secure with both Siegfried roles as he became later on–witness the Forging Song's train wrecks. No complaints regarding Astrid Varnay's powerfully projected Brünnhilde, Gustav Neidlinger's amazing Alberich, and Regina Resnik in her youthful, most agile prime as Sieglinde. Krauss' swift tempos certainly keep the music afloat and moving forward, reminding us that Bayreuth is a theater first, and a shrine second.

Should Pristine Audio's interventionist transfer methods not suit your taste, Orfeo's "legit" Krauss Ring release should be considered over cheaper CD and download alternatives. The booklet notes include a lengthy essay and full synopsis of all four operas, but no librett

o.

[mc ukrneal]

*pounds the table*

I heard all the best things about this set and I will certainly get it sooner or later. However the $17.99 for international shipping strikes me as rather prohibitive. I'll probably wait until it is available on Amazon MP.

It is a fantastic set (Opera d'Oro). The orchestral playing is bit limited in the sound (nothing to be done about this sadly), but the singing is utterly fantastic. When I want to hear it in big sound, I listen to a more recent version, but this is taut with tension and the singing is so big and nuanced at the same time. Krauss digs in and takes a big bite out of Wagner, in a good sense. I normally skip recordings in less than modern sound, but this is too good to ignore.

[kishnevi]

Found the Amazon link for the Opera d'Oro in its previous release:  apparently the big difference is the presence of the libretto in the Arkivmusic offering.
[asin]B000E5KQL4[/asin]

Prices on Amazon MP: $137.80 for a new copy,  $33.00 for a used.   

Given the reviews and responses posted here, I'm a little more enthusiastic about this one,  but I keep reminding myself of all those other recordings in the listening pile.....

[Fafner]

Given the reviews and responses posted here, I'm a little more enthusiastic about this one,  but I keep reminding myself of all those other recordings in the listening pile.....

Getting a Ring cycle recording is like getting a tattoo. Once you have one, you never know when to stop. 

[Lisztianwagner]

Getting a Ring cycle recording is like getting a tattoo. Once you have one, you never know when to stop. 

That reminds me what Nietzsche said about Wagner: "Wagner is not a syllogism, but a disease".

[TheGSMoeller]

Listening to it on Spotify, has a US release date of Feb. 12th. On pre-order, supreme performances and sound.

[Wakefield]

The samples sound very promising.

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Johann-Sebastian-Bach-1685-1750-Sonaten-Partiten-f%FCr-Violine-BWV-1001-1006/hnum/2877402

[prémont]

The samples sound very promising.

Have you heard her Bach violin/harpsichord sonatas with Kay Johannsen? I have not.

[Wakefield]

Have you heard her Bach violin/harpsichord sonatas with Kay Johannsen? I have not.

No, me neither. I recall some research years ago, but I was not too much excited with the samples.

BTW, I have also noticed these two new recordings of the sonatas & partitas for solo violin: Lotter and Montanari. I'im particularly interested in Lotter, a fantastic violinist who has never disappointed me; although a friend of mine has been saying for two months that Montanari is superlative in these works (but I'm not convinced because he has also praised excessively his Corelli and his Vivaldi).


J.S. BACH - Sonaten & Partiten für Violine Vol.1
Rüdiger Lotter, Violine
Oehms, DDD, 2010
Released: 21.1.2013

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH -SONATE E PARTITE PER VIOLINO SOLO BWV 1001-1006
interprete STEFANO MONTANARI

EDIZIONE INTEGRALE (LIBRO + 2 CD)
CD 1:

• Sonata I in sol minore BWV 1001

• Partita I in si minore BWV 1002

• Sonata II in la minore BWV 1003



CD 2:

• Partita II in re minore BWV 1004 

• Sonata III in do maggiore BWV 1005

• Partita III in mi maggiore BWV 1006

Stefano Montanari, primo violino dell'Accademia Bizantina, interpreta con un violino d'epoca uno dei più celebri capolavori di Johann Sebastian Bach: le Sonate e Partite per violino solo BWV 1001-1006. Un'esecuzione straordinaria per estro, originalità e perizia tecnica di una raccolta in cui l'autore ha magistralmente riunito arduo virtuosismo, fantasia barocca e speculativa ricerca della forma.[/img]

[Opus106]

Con moto! Get it?

But that's not Vivaldi on the cover, just to let you know.

[asin]B00AYF5SRG[/asin]

[Opus106]

New old release -- you know what I mean. I have little idea on what's included, but if it doesn't overlap much with his Bach collection, then this is something to get.

Apparently Sir John is about to release a book about Bach as well.

[asin]B00B1952R0[/asin]

SIR JOHN ELIOT GARDINER CELEBRATES HIS 70th BIRTHDAY IN STYLE

30-CD box, in the packaging-style of the Messiaen Edition of 2008: tremendous value for this calibre of recorded material.

Original Jackets

The 108-page booklet includes an extended interview-article (2,500 words) with Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Principal of the Royal Academy of Music in London, recording producer and trumpet-player.

The truly great DG / Archiv & Philips recordings from across his career, ranging from Monteverdi to Stravinsky via Handel, Bach, Mozart and Verdi.

Released to co-incide with his 70th birthday, several major performances, at least one TV appearance and the publication of his long-awaited book on Bach

One of the great advocates of period-instrument performance he has received more Gramophone awards than any other living artist … and now Sir John Eliot Gardiner is reaching the ripe old age of 70 without any signs of letting up on his almost frenetic life in music.

It’s an overwhelmingly vocal collection, a sequence of highly dramatic musical works that faithfully reflects Gardiner’s musical ideals and predilections. Sung texts and translations will be available as a digital download. The 30-CD box, in the packaging-style of the Messiaen Edition of 2008, presents the recordings in their original jackets, the 108-page booklet includes an extended interview-article with Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Principal of the Royal Academy of Music in London, recording producer and trumpet-player. As ever with Gardiner, this provides a stimulating account of his life and music, and we plan to make the full interview, conducted earlier this year, available on the special website we are preparing for the occasion.

The birthday itself falls on 20 April 2013. Around it will be a marathon concert in London’s Royal Albert Hall, consisting of all the Bach Passions and Oratorios performed in a single day. Gardiner is also publishing a book on Bach, and there will be TV appearances as well (The Andrew Marr Show in the UK).

[Brian]

From the photos Amazon has, I surmise that the 30 CDs include his recordings for Archiv, Philips and DG.

[Wakefield]

New old release -- you know what I mean. I have little idea on what's included, but if it doesn't overlap much with his Bach collection, then this is something to get.

Apparently Sir John is about to release a book about Bach as well.

[asin]B00B1952R0[/asin]

From the photos Amazon has, I surmise that the 30 CDs include his recordings for Archiv, Philips and DG.

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Classical-Collection-Boxed-Set_000000000088040/item_The-John-Eliot-Gardiner-Collection-30CD-Limited_5308148

Click on "READ MORE".

[Opus106]

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/artist_Classical-Collection-Boxed-Set_000000000088040/item_The-John-Eliot-Gardiner-Collection-30CD-Limited_5308148

Click on "READ MORE".

Thanks.

[Brian]

Just as Naxos and Chandos simultaneously launched Casella revivals, so they now both move on to Goffredo Petrassi.

March releases from Naxos:



"Frederico de Freitas was one of Portugal's most prolific composers, whose highly successful ballets are inspired by local folklore and romance. The Silly Girl's Dance is a work of exuberant musical vitality about a timid village girl who turns out to be the loveliest of them all. The Wall of Love describes innocent amorous encounters, the Medieval Suite conjures 'the fragrance of medieval Portuguese poetry', while dances, songs and 'fiestas' are evoked in the lively Ribatejo."



"Following Ukraine's independence in 1991, Ivan Karabits became the country's leading musical figure. An inspirational composer, artistic director and teacher, he absorbed into his own music three particular traditions: Mahler, Shostakovich, and the folk-music of his native country. The colourful, virtuosic and at times theatrical Concertos for Orchestra reflect the influence of his friend and mentor, Rodion Shchedrin. Following Karabits' untimely death, his compatriot Valentin Silvestrov composed two heartfelt memorials. The first of these, Elegie, makes use of Karabits' own unfinished pencil sketches which sit side by side with Silvestrov's own ideas as the piece progresses, almost as if it were a dialogue between the two friends about their work."



"Penderecki's Piano Concerto [is] heard here in its 2007 revision first performed by Barry Douglas" (who also performs on the CD)

"Goffredo Petrassi was one of the most important Italian composers of the twentieth century. Beginning with the previously unrecorded Divertimento in C, this release focuses on Petrassi's compositions of the 1930s and 40s. Employing an unusual mix of styles and idioms, as well as brief quotations from Ravel and Stravinsky, the Partita was the first work to win him renown. The eloquent Quattro inni sacri (Four Sacred Hymns), described by the composer as 'music of today for the faithful of today', were intended as an antidote 'to the unctuous and conformist style in use in our churches' but, in reality, are only ever heard in the concert hall. Soon after the start of the Second World War, Petrassi wrote his meditative madrigale drammatico, Coro di Morti (Chorus of the Dead), the composer's first setting of a non-sacred text and perhaps his finest achievement in the field of vocal music."



The Mozart performers list is in tiny print on that cover, but it is the St Albans Cathedral Choir, Sinfonia Verdi, and conductor Andrew Lucas, joined by soloists Elizabeth Cragg (s), Deborah Miles-Johnson (c), Daniel Auchincloss (t), Lawrence White (b), and Tom Winpenny (organ).


By the way, for those keeping track at home, a short list of pianists who have recorded Naxos CDs in the past year or so: Aldo Ciccolini, Barry Douglas, Peter Serkin, Jean-Yves Thibaudet

Peter Serkin's Naxos debut is a February new release of contemporary music with Oliver Knussen:



Also new on Naxos for February