The magnificent Christopher Purves performs a recital of Handel's bass arias. This unique collection demonstrates the range and brilliance of Handel's writing for this voice, featuring a selection from Italian and English operas, English classical drama, Biblical oratorios, literary odes and a masque. Handel's endlessly imaginative gift for characterization is fully explored here, with Purves commanding an extraordinary emotional and technical range from the buffo blustering of Polyphemus in Acis and Gatalea to the loving musings of Abinoam in 'Tears, such as tender fathers shed' from the oratorio Deborah. 'With his acting chops and weighty bass-baritone, Purves in full cry is a splendid and fearful spectacle' (The Times)

Blending his unique fusion of Classical, acoustic Jazz, and Middle Eastern music with the talents of virtuoso Tel Aviv pianist Nitai Hershkovits, Duende is a rare collaborative effort from Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen. Recorded in Sweden over just three days, the follow-up to 2011's Seven Seas features cover versions of John Coltrane's "Central Park West," Thelonious Monk's "Criss Cross," and Cole Porter's "All of You" alongside several new compositions including "Signature," "Soof," and "Ann's Tune."

STRAUSS II, J.: Edition - Vol. 51

The problem with Naxos’ Liszt Edition is that it’s easy to overlook some really outstanding releases. If you’ve been following his career, Arnaldo Cohen is a first-rate virtuoso whose Liszt discs on BIS have been outstanding. This Naxos program is just as interesting. The transcription of Saint-Saëns’ Danse macabre almost amounts to a new work (he adds several minutes to it) and is absolutely fascinating. It was one of Horowitz’s most impressive recordings from the 1940s. Unstern: sinistre, disastro is one of those strange, dark, late works, but unlike some of them it’s one that’s uninterruptedly gripping.

Cohen has recorded the piano and orchestra version of Totentanz very powerfully for BIS, and this solo piano version is just as exciting. You may not know that the final crashing scale at the end of the orchestral version actually comes from this arrangement; in Liszt’s original the orchestra closes the piece without the piano. The bottom line: this is a wonderful recital of some of Liszt’s darker and more death-obsessed music, and it’s a tribute to Cohen’s programming intelligence, never mind his virtuosity, that he pulls it off without a trace of monotony (having the Huguenots fantasy in the middle of the program certainly helps).

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

Classical Music