This new release is a live recording from a sold out performance at the Edinburgh International Festival 2015. The Scottish Opera is joined by an outstanding soloist cast, including John Mark Ainsley, Elizabeth Watts and Toby Spence. Comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor serves as narrator. HMS Pinafore is thick with comedy, parodying the Italian operas of its day. This is truly a fun release!

Originally released on Avie, the 2004 Gramophone Award winner ‘Gibbons: Consorts for viols’ is now part of Linn’s ECHO re-issue series. With this unique collection juxtaposing Anthems and Madrigals with Fantasies and Dances, Phantasm are firmly in their element of the 16th c. English consort tradition, infusing Gibbons’ passionate polyphony and rapturous harmonies with a suaveness unmatched by contemporary performing viol ensembles. Critics have described their performances and recordings as 'intoxicating', 'revelatory', 'electrifying' and ‘pervaded by a truly burning spirit'.

GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS • Pamela Thorby (rec); Andrew Lawrence-King (hp, psaltery) • LINN 291 (Hybrid multichannel SACD: 67:01)


Music of ORTIZ, VAN EYCK, CASTELLO, DOWLAND, SCHOP, BASSANO, FONTANA, MARINI


Pamela Thorby has been recording for Linn for most of the label’s existence, both as ensemble player and soloist. This time she joins Andrew Lawrence-King (except for a few unaccompanied pieces) in a varied program of music of the 16th and 17th centuries. In his notes, the harpist has an explanation for the disc title in the literary use of the garden as a place of earthly delights (Hieronymus Bosch’s allusion) where lovemaking is accompanied by recorders and plucked strings. His essay lucidly explains some of the terminology too often taken for granted in music of this period. Diego Ortiz, in Trattado de glosas of 1553, illustrated three ways of playing music on instruments; hence the program uses three of his examples at the beginning, middle, and end of this program. Some of these pieces are adapted from earlier composers, such as Bassano after Lassus and Van Eyck after Caccini, while others are original. There is enough variation of mood and style to sustain interest. Thorby is a thoroughly accomplished player, using soprano, alto, and tenor instruments, while Lawrence-King, who uses a double harp and a triple harp (one track employs a psaltery), has five solo tracks. This is an offbeat disc that will hardly duplicate anything in your collection.


FANFARE: J. F. Weber
This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.

This fascinating transatlantic musical collaboration between the brass players of London’s Royal Academy of Music and New York’s Juilliard School presents enduring masterpieces by Giovanni Gabrieli and his Venetian contemporaries. Under the direction of Reinhold Friedrich, renowned trumpet soloist and Principal Trumpet of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, the players blend modern instruments and intellect with 16th-century technique and tuning to excel in this profoundly challenging repertoire. The beautiful acoustic of St Jude’s, Hampstead results in a gloriously sonorous soundscape; burnished waves of rich, warm trombones alternate with the brilliant, crystalline articulation of trumpets. Academy Principal Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, who produced the recording, states: ‘We’re hoping it will show Gabrieli as the composer of great intimate music as well as wonderfully grandiloquent Venetian polyphony.’ This remarkable recording features some of the most compelling and attractive instrumental music of the late Renaissance era and boasts performances worthy of Gabrieli’s extraordinary legacy and the reputation of these two outstanding institutions.

Originally released on Avie, the viol consort Phantasm’s ‘Four Temperaments’ is now part of Linn’s ECHO re-issue series. Representing the golden age of Elizabethan England are four distinct musical personalities - or ‘temperaments’ - the dissonant Robert Parsons, the cool Ferrabosco the Elder, the warm and sanguine Thomas Tallis, and the polar opposites of ecstasy and melancholy of William Byrd. Critics have described the award-winning ensemble’s performances and recordings as 'intoxicating', 'revelatory', 'electrifying' and ‘pervaded by a truly burning spirit'.

"Quite simply some of the finest guitar playing you'll ever hear." Gramophone "Nothing obscures the subtlety and beauty of his solo guitar." The Times o World-renowned guitarist William Carter presents an appealing collection of works by Spanish guitar virtuoso and composer Fernando Sor, a much-anticipated follow-up to his acclaimed Early Works recording of 2010 (named Gramophone Editor's Choice). o Sor's late works demonstrate highly elaborate structures and technique which tested even the finest students and pushed the boundaries of the instrument. o This second collection showcases some of Sor's most commercially popular works with as much appeal for listeners today as for the original cosmopolitan audiences. o William Carter employs a performance practice endorsed by Sor himself - playing with the finger tips, creating an intimate and unforgettable sound. o A founding-member of the famous Palladian Ensemble, Carter has a deserved reputation as one of the finest classical guitarists with critically acclaimed performances as an orchestral player, chamber musician and soloist. o William Carter is a member of The Academy of Ancient Music, The English Concert and Palladians and is well known as a regular performer at Early Music Festivals. o William Carter's passion for the baroque guitar enthuses his playing with a freshness and vitality, coupled with faultless technique.

The popular Ensemble Marsyas returns with a diverse programme of concerti, wind music and Scottish songs by composers Francesco Barsanti and George Grideric Handel, centred around the music composed for The Edinburgh Musical Society. Horn soloists Alec Frank-Gemmill and Joseph Walters take centre stage in Handel's Concerto for French Horns, exemplifying the extraordinary vogue for horn music at this time. Timpanist Alan Emslie joins them for Barsanti's Concerti gross Op. 3, an unusual concertino comprising timpani and natural horns. Barsanti's four ''Old Scots Tunes'', notable as one of the first examples of Scottish Traditional music to be faithfully transcribed, introduces fiddle player Colin Scobie. Completing the programme is Handel's aria 'Sta nell'Iracana' from Alcina, featuring mezzo-soprano Emilie Renard, and the March for Wind Band, HWV 346.

Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772) was a French organist, harpsichordist and composer. He was also a child prodigy. After taking some harpsichord lessons from his godmother Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, and composition lessons from Nicolas Bernier, he was capable of playing before Louis XIV at the age of six and of conducting his own Beatus vir in the Sainte-Chapelle at the age of eight. The Nouveau livre de noëls were published in November 1757 and is the fruit of many improvisations. This premiere recording marries Daquin's Twelve Noels (well-known as organ pieces) to the original late mediæval verses from which they were derived.

Simon Wright realised the score from the keyboard original and matched it to the original carol melodies before orchestrating it with remarkable imagination. Mark Darlow researched and put together the text during a period of stud leave in Paris. Through a process of consultation the verses were sifted, and a pastoral progression of solos and choruses has emerged, with the shepherds who 'tended their flocks by night' a sthe main characters. The RSAMD is Scotland's International Academy for Music and Drama, with Professor John Wallace as their Principal.

Ingrid Fliter seems to be able to achieve individuality seemingly effortlessly, with cherishable and memorable results. She is a virtuoso of the first order but she holds this in reserve, so when she does unleash her full technical armory, it’s extraordinarily potent. A gem of a disc.

– Gramophone

Kuniko’s eagerly awaited second album includes world premiere recordings of the percussionist’s new arrangements of popular works by contemporary composers Arvo Pärt, Steve Reich, and Hywel Davies. Kuniko gave the world premiere performance of Reich’s New York Counterpoint version for marimba in 2012, and the composer praised her performance saying, “Kuniko Kato is a first rate percussionist.”

Taking their cue from poet/composer Thomas Campion's own avowed devotion to simplicity in his music, the performers on this delightful song recital strive for clarity of vocal delivery, uncluttered accompaniments, and an overall intimacy that's well-served by the warm yet amply resonant acoustic. Most of the 25 selections are for solo voice, but a few involve all three of the singers who together form the ensemble The English Ayre, a group organized by lutenist Nigel North and "devoted exclusively to English Song of the 17th century." (How specialized we've become!) These first rate singers (along with North and "guest" Michael Chance) are joined by another specialty group, Concordia, which exists "to explore music involving viols of all shapes and sizes." The various vocal and instrumental combinations work well together, especially those that feature North's gently pointed, perfectly phrased lute accompaniments. Nevertheless, one of the disc's highlights is the final track, where countertenor Michael Chance is joined by the viol consort for a very moving rendition of the classic "Never weather-beaten sail."

The program includes many of Campion's best-known songs, notably "Fire, fire", "There is a garden in her face", "The Cypress curtain of the night is spread", and the abovementioned "Never weather-beaten sail". But we also get such interestingly titled fare as "Break now my heart and die", "Turn back you wanton flyer", and "Beauty is but a painted hell". All four singers are ideal for this music and each is given a chance to shine. Another recently issued disc of Campion songs on Hyperion, with countertenor Robin Blaze and lutenist Elizabeth Kenny (occasionally joined by theorbo and viols), features many of these same songs. It's an equally compelling, expertly made recording that although slightly different in interpretive nuance makes an ideal companion to this program--and offers intriguing comparisons.

--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

BRUCKNER Symphony No. 2 (arr. Payne). J. STRAUSS II Wein, Weib und Gesang (arr. Berg) • Trevor Pinnock, cond; Royal Academy of Music Soloists Ens • LINN 442 (SACD: 65: 39)


A Bruckner symphony arranged for chamber orchestra? That really shouldn’t work—but it does, and it’s a spectacular success. Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, principal of the Royal Academy of Music, is the brains behind the project, and top honors go to him for his astute choice of symphony and even more astute choice of arranger, the composer Anthony Payne. Add to that the arrangement itself, which is a triumph of clarity and timbral focus, an interpretation from Trevor Pinnock, who proves to be an insightful Brucknerian (who knew?), orchestral playing from students who need fear no comparisons with the finest professionals, and exceptional SACD audio, and the result is an unqualified success on every count.


The release is the second in a series called Reigniting Schoenberg’s Vision . The idea is to recreate—or even reinvent—Schoenberg’s famous Society for Private Musical Performances, performing some of the chamber arrangements of symphonic works made for those events, and even, as in this case, correcting Schoenberg’s omissions by adding to the repertoire. Bruckner’s Second “Symphonie” (as it’s referred to throughout the accompanying literature, a curious affectation) is a daring but smart choice. While it is not particularly small of stature, its identity, character, and charm emanate more from its quieter passages than from its climaxes. Payne follows the spirit more than the letter of the Schoenberg/Berg/Stein arrangements, using a 20-piece ensemble, larger than in any of the Vienna reworkings, but substituting the full orchestra in similar ways, particularly in the use of piano and harmonium to provide essential, although usually invisible, support.


Some of the climaxes feel underpowered, but even here the pros of the arrangement outweigh the cons. We hear the stratospheric violin lines, the chugging bass figures, and the brass fanfares with a rare clarity. But it is in the quieter passages that this version really comes into its own. At the start, for example, the theme is given to the cellos. Here, we hear it as a cello solo, elegantly phrased and all the more beautiful for the sense of intimacy a single player can bring. In later passages, the bassoon writing is a particular revelation, and just as beautifully played. The opening of the Andante second movement, pared down to string sextet, is transporting in a way that only the very finest recordings of the full symphony manage. Some of the scherzo sounds a little hollow, but Pinnock and his small brass section ensure the momentum is maintained through finely calibrated accentuation. And in the finale, an appropriate gravitas is achieved, even in the absence of weight.


Trevor Pinnock brings many of the preoccupations of the period instrument movement to bear on the work, yet it never sounds dry. Details of phrasing and accentuation are addressed in every bar, and the smaller ensemble allows him to shape and color accompanying textures with as much care as the main themes. His tempos are propulsive, but never rigid, nor excessively fast. He seems to be in a quandary over the caesuras. The tutti cut-offs don’t need the time to decay, but the severity of the mood changes often require a pause for reflection, which he always gives.


The instrumentalists perform to an exceptionally high standard throughout. The playing of the string sextet is particularly impressive, highly expressive but finely controlled and balanced. So too the woodwind soloists, blending their tone in ensemble but taking full advantage of the increased exposure in solos to play with character and color. To all the other accolades for Jonathan Freeman-Attwood we must also add recording producer, another field in which he excels. The recording was made at St. George’s Bristol, and the sound is warm, but never excessively resonant. The clarity that Payne achieves in his arrangement is amplified at every step by the quality of the recorded sound.


If I’ve one grumble, it’s with the coupling, Alban Berg’s arrangement of Wine, Women, and Song . It follows hard on the heels of the Bruckner without any gap at all (not even time to jump up and switch it off) and it adds little. In comparison to Payne’s detailed and clear textures in the Bruckner, Berg’s arrangement feels bloated and unfocused. Berg had a different acoustic in mind of course, and a different setting in every sense. Presumably this arrangement is included to highlight the link with the Society for Private Musical Performances, but it’s unnecessary. Whatever inspiration Freeman-Attwood, Payne, and the RAM musicians have drawn from Schoenberg is of only historical interest as far as this recording is concerned: The project needs no further justification than the exceptional quality of the results.


FANFARE: Gavin Dixon

Led by violinist Markus Daunert, the ensemble of musicians on this album deliver energized performances of Benjamin Britten’s works for string ensemble. The Aldeburgh Strings ensemble was founded over four decades go by Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears, so it is fitting that the ensemble records these outstanding works. Featured soloists on this album include Markus Daunert, Richard Watkins, Allan Clayton, Mate Szucs, and Lorenzo Soules.

Review:

Founded in 2010, Aldeburgh Strings bring together advanced students for intensive periods of study. The concentration achieved on the course is evident from the standard of playing here.

Britten's buoyant Young Apollo is expressive and substantial, and Lorenzo Soulès is a dexterous solo pianist. Angst permeates the string clusters of Lachrymae early on, too (how powerfully the bass notes resound in Snape Maltings' generous acoustic). In this resonant hall the Prelude and Fugue sounds bigger in forces than it really is. All are performances to be recommended.

The poetry in the Serenade is sung with clarity and perception, the 'dark, secret love' in the Blake becoming an inner thought confided to the microphone. Richard Watkins is commanding as the horn soloist and Aldeburgh Strings are again a vivid presence.

– Gramophone

As Robin Ticciati enters his final season with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Linn celebrates his memorable tenure as Principal Conductor with a recording of four of the most sublime orchestral masterpieces ever written. The recording legacy of these revolutionary and distinctive works serves to underscore the confidence Ticciati has, not only in his own vision for these symphonies, but also in his partnership with the musicians of the SCO, who relish Brahms’ highly virtuosic orchestral writing. The SCO’s renowned recordings of Mozart Symphonies are a natural predecessor to Brahms, who advances the form’s classicism into the Romantic era. Ahead of the SCO 15/16 Season, in which all four symphonies were performed, Ticciati set out his aims: ‘The challenge…is to find a Brahms sound with the orchestra. To find something so unbelievably dark, autumnal, and yet steeped in counterpoint.’ By 2017, that Brahms sound was perfected; Ticciati’s interpretations are both muscular and energized, with detail and life in every line. Ticciati’s meticulous control of tempo, phrase shape and balance results in performances of extraordinary transparency and colour. This recording marks a major landmark in Ticciati’s career.

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REVIEW:

Perhaps one of the most striking aspects of these performances is the sheer variety of colors and timbres Robin Ticciati manages to extract from the outstanding strings of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Throughout each work, Ticciati projects strongly defined phrase characterisation, coupled with a great sense of forward momentum…Exciting, revelatory performances that make you listen afresh to this wonderful life-enhancing music.

– BBC Music Magzine

Robin Ticciati’s recording debut, Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, received rave reviews: it was named Critics’ Choice ‘Sound of 2012’ (The Independent), ‘Classical CD of the Week’ (The Sunday Times), ‘Disc of the Week’ (BBC Radio 3 ‘Record Review’) and was #3 in The Sunday Times’ Best Classical Albums of 2012 list. Ticciati brings out the deep colours and emotions of this composition while balancing the orchestra and keeping the pace to create an impressive and dynamic sound throughout, showing similar flair to that of his teacher the great Berliozian Sir Colin Davis. The works of Berlioz have featured prominently in Ticciati’s programmes with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra since he was appointed Principal Conductor in 2009 earning critical acclaim. With this recording Ticciati succeeds in his aim to offer audiences ‘a thought-provoking and new way of listening to the piece’. With a performance of this calibre it is easy to see why Symphonie Fantastique continues to be one of the most popular early Romantic compositions with today’s audiences.