Ned Rorem describes this performance of his Double Concerto for Violin and Cello as "perfect", so it would be presumptuous to challenge his opinion of it technically. Certainly the playing of Jaime Laredo and Sharon Robinson is excellent, as is that of the IRIS Orchestra under Michael Stern. Like some of Rorem's other concertante works, this takes the form of a series of short movements, eight in all, save that one of them (Conversation at Midnight) isn't so short, lasting for nearly a quarter of an hour, or about half the concerto's total time. The two soloists offer admirably focused playing here, with a real feeling of dialog both between themselves and with the orchestra. The scoring is Spartan--strings, eight woodwinds, and four brass--but there's no lack of color or incident. In short, this is a lovely addition to the string concerto repertoire, and a terrific piece for chamber orchestras to consider programming.

What keeps this disc from getting the highest rating is an admittedly personal issue, one that you may not share. After Reading Shakespeare, a suite for solo cello, was also written for Sharon Robinson, and it is very sympathetically performed (listen, for example, to how vividly she characterizes "Titania and Oberon"). Nevertheless, the pairing of an orchestral piece with this most chamber-like of chamber compositions strikes me as unconvincing, coming as it does after the concerto. In his notes Rorem emphasizes the fact that the movement titles of this piece should not be taken literally, the music having preceded some of them. If so, then why use them at all? And why suggest as opening and closing movements such weighty subjects as "Lear" and "Othello and Iago"? They really beg the question of whether or not Rorem's inspiration is up to Shakespeare's, and we don't want to go there, do we? There are times when composers might do better to resist the temptation to offer verbal clues, even if they are perfectly valid ones. Still and all, the music and performances themselves are self-recommending to the composer's many admirers, and on that basis I can recommend this fine new release without further qualification.

--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

Marvellously inventive music, beautifully played by a superb cellist. It is difficult to restrain one’s foot from tapping, a sure sign that good things are happening in the music.

"Vivaldi is greatly over-rated - a dull fellow who would compose the same form over many times." Such is the opinion of one of the great composers on the music of another great composer. Given the evidence of the present newly re-released complete Vivaldi cello concertos incredulity can be the only response to this assessment. But then Stravinsky was a man who voiced strong, often acerbic and sometimes outrageous opinions on virtually anything suggested to him. He had probably heard few, if any, of these cello concertos and irrespective would it have made any difference?

...This is wonderfully inventive music, which reflects the creative genius of its composer. Contrary to Stravinsky’s comments, the structure is highly varied. It is interesting to compare the infectious good-humoured opening of the B flat concerto RV 423 with the C minor RV 401 and its feeling of lamentation and contrapuntal texture. The solo cello part of the C major concerto RV 399 is so very different to the solo parts of all the other concertos.

Vivaldi must have had in mind a particularly virtuosic student when he wrote the demanding passages in the final movement of the D minor concerto RV 405. In the concerto for cello and bassoon, RV 409, the first movement alternates soft sustained passages for the soloist with fast outbursts for the orchestra. Then in the second movement Vivaldi reverses the roles; only in the final movement do the soloist and orchestra play in the same mood.

...The playing by Ofra Harnoy is very musical and evinces beautiful intonation. It is difficult to restrain one’s foot from tapping, a sure sign that good things are happening in the music... This set is enthusiastically recommended for what it is - a record of marvellously inventive music, beautifully played by a superb cellist.

-- Zane Turner, MusicWEb International [reviewing these performances reissued as part of the box set, RCA 67886]

OFRA HARNOY COLLECTION VOL 6 -

To celebrate the centenary of the birth of Sir Michael Tippett, Chandos is releasing Richard Hickox's acclaimed recordings of his symphonies and the Suite from the opera New Year, packaged in a handsome box - and at a special price: 3 discs for the price of 2.

Le docteur Miracle (Doctor Miracle) is an opérette in one act. The libretto, by Léon Battu and Ludovic Halévy, is based on Sheridan's play Saint Patrick's Day. Bizet wrote the work when he was just 18 years old for a competition organised by Jacques Offenbach. He shared first prize with Charles Lecocq, 6 years his senior. Their reward was to have both pieces performed at Offenbach's Bouffes-Parisiens theatre. The premieres took place on 9 April 1857 and although neither opera was a palpable hit both were performed 11 times before falling into oblivion. It seems that public opinion favoured Lecocq - now we can all be judge and jury.

Lyrita was founded in 1958 by Richard Itter, and is one of those record labels without which our appreciation of British music would be much the poorer. This release however takes us beyond the label’s own recordings, bringing examples of broadcast performances preserved by Itter on the professional recording equipment he had at his home in Burnham. With excellent BBC reception he made huge numbers or recordings of live performances which would otherwise have been lost into the ether. All of these recordings are from his tapes, while the Walton Cello Concerto was transferred to an acetate disc.

These are mono recordings, but the combination of the BBC’s high broadcast standard and Richard Itter’s superb tape recorder, the sound is remarkably good. You can find Arthur Benjamin’s Violin Concerto in modern sound on the Dutton Epoch label (see review), but Derek Collier’s 1961 recording is superbly shaped and much of the orchestral detail comes through. This is a work which was famously admired by Constant Lambert as “a brilliantly executed work”, and the same can be said of this performance. I remember Derek Collier as a teacher at the Royal Academy of Music when I was a student there in the 1980s and having this recording with him clearly at his best is a very fine tribute.

Lyrita’s own 1979 debut commercial recording of the E.J. Moeran very Irish Violin Concerto is inevitably more refined sonically (see review), but even with a little tape hiss and a few extraneous noises this is a very moving performance. Renowned soloist Alfredo Campoli is heard on top form in this recording and is worth the asking price for this set alone. One has the feeling the BBC Symphony Orchestra are also raising their game to meet the heartfelt expressiveness of Campoli’s solo, and the warmth of the accompaniment is present without a doubt, even if the recording is a little on the crisp side. The playful central movement is full of verve and energy, and the final Lento puts the seal on this work as a masterpiece which deserves far wider recognition.

Arnold Bax’s Violin Concerto has appeared in a modern recording from Chandos, as well as Dutton’s historic 1944 version from the BBC with soloist Eda Kersey conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. Made shortly after its première in 1943 and not long before Kersey’s tragic early death, this is a precious recording, but the present performance with Belgian violinist André Gertler is certainly worth having. Gertler was a champion of the music of his time, and this is a colourful and commited performance, the solo violin not quite as closely recorded as with some of the other works in this collection but certainly audible in most essential respects. The heart of the work, the central Adagio is beautifully played and Sir Malcolm Sargent proves a sensitive accompanist, though the consumptive audience is hard to ignore at times.

William Walton’s Cello Concerto is the best known work here by some way, and easily obtainable in numerous more or less recent recordings. Gregor Piatigorsky’s early recordings include one from 1957 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra which you can find on Pristine Audio. This stereo studio recording is an altogether cleaner affair, but as the booklet notes for this Lyrita release argue, this “European premiere … is more rhapsodic and instinctive …” It is indeed the difference between a carefully prepared studio recording and the more edgy excitement of live performance; fans of this work will want to have both. One of the differences is that Piatigorsky’s cello is made to sound rather fluffy and delicious in the Boston recording, and while his instrument is further away and sounding a tad boxy on the Royal Festival Hall stage, you can hear the raw impact of Walton’s energetic central Allegro appassionato and the lyrical expressiveness in the Lento opening of the final movement in different and equally valid perspectives.

We have to be grateful to Richard Itter for his enthusiastic taping of these and many other broadcasts, and I’m sure there is much more to be discovered from this source. Lyrita’s release of this collection of concertos is very valuable indeed, and with informative booklet notes by Paul Conway it is of more than just historical interest. These fine performances and recordings are a snapshot of the BBC’s programming in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and part of the foundation of its hard-earned reputation. Now, let’s see what’s on tonight.

– Dominy Clements, MusicWeb International

A CD release of three works of chamber music celebrating American composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. The Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio's more than thirty years together began with their debut at President Jimmy Carter's inauguration. They remain one of America's finest, internationally renowned ensembles. A quartet for more than twenty years, the Miami String Quartet's programatic diversity, performance poise and musical clarity have kept them at the forefront of today's quartet ensembles.

REVIEWS:

Realizing that the technical proficiency of double bass players is nowadays considerably enhanced from what it was in Schubert’s time, Zwilich makes use of the player as an equal partner in the proceedings. That fact alone gives the work a sonorous characteristic that exceeds that of not only Schubert’s chamber work, but of other contemporary chamber pieces that lack the double bass. The opening movement is very vigorous and rhythmic, with the instruments given energetic licks that are tossed around among them. The second movement is much more subdued, and has a good bit of a bluesy atmosphere to it. At around the 2:35 mark, the movement momentarily sounds as if it is about to break into a Piazzolla tango of some sort. That feeling persists longer in the energetic third movement, which has tango-like harmonies and gestures throughout a good portion of its duration. These are displayed over a walking line in the pizzicato bass. In short, this quintet is the jazziest work that I can recall hearing from the pen of this composer.

At the antipodes of the chronology of the works on this CD is the 1987 Piano Trio. The vigorous opening of the work sounds very much like the ending of the previous work minus any of the jazz sonorities. Four-note scalar ostinatos are also very prominent in this movement. Some of these are quite dissonant, but Zwilich has always had the gift of making dissonance acceptable to listeners who might otherwise be bothered by it. The second movement opens with a whisper in the violin, playing without vibrato. Soon, the cello joins in for a short duet between the two instruments which is underpinned by repeated and static chords in the piano. The free rhapsodic nature of the movement continues throughout its duration, with many contrasts in mood and register of the instruments employed. The trio ends with a short presto movement that opens with a cascade of notes in the piano, and gives all three of the instruments a good workout, even though the pace of the piece occasionally lets up.

As at the beginning of the trio, the septet almost sounds like a continuation of the previous piece, since it begins with a very similar sonority to that of the ending of the trio. It quickly becomes apparent that this 2008 composition is scored for a larger ensemble, as there are more simultaneous lines and effects going on. The scoring combines the traditional piano trio with the string quartet. The powerful opening movement is very extroverted in its demeanor, quite a contrast to its second movement, “Quasi una Passacaglia,” that opens with a single mysterious line, quite reminiscent of certain passages in Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, or his sonata for two pianos and percussion. This is especially true in the way it “fills in” the chromatic notes that span a particular interval in a non-scalar way, one of the trademarks of the Hungarian master’s style. Pizzicato strings both close the second movement and open the third movement, “Games.” The latter is a spiky exercise, full of good humor, and jazz sonorities and syncopations. The work (and CD) concludes with “Au revoir,” a movement that is by turns nostalgic and full of energy, but the former mood being the prevailing one. The key of A Minor is prominent throughout, and the piece ends with a pianissimo sustained unison on that note.

All three of these works are presented in splendid fashion by the combined forces of the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio and the Miami Quartet, with violist Michael Tree and bassist Harold Robinson assisting in the quintet...[the performers] capture every mood and nuance in these masterful works by one of America’s leading compositional lights. Recommended, then, on every level as an essential acquisition for your collection of contemporary chamber music.

-- FANFARE (David DeBoor Canfield)

RÜTTI Requiem • David Hill, cond; Olivia Robinson (sop); Edward Price (bar); Bach Ch; Jane Watts (org); Southern Snf • NAXOS 8.572317 (55:02)


The music of Swiss composer Carl Rütti (b. 1949) is not particularly well known in America. Though many CDs devoted to his music have been released in Europe on small labels, this internationally distributed Naxos release should help to bring his work to wider and extremely well-deserved attention. Rütti’s choral music is the most-performed part of his output, and his pieces have developed a following particularly in England where a number of significant choruses (especially the Cambridge Voices and the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge) have featured his choral music in high profile contexts.


Rütti’s Requiem is an extended work for soprano and baritone soloists, double chorus, strings, harp, and organ. He uses the traditional Latin text and, unlike a number of recent composers, he does not interpolate other texts into the narrative. The work was commissioned in 2005 by the Bach Choir of London, which performs it on this recording under the expert direction of David Hill. Though several of Rütti’s previous pieces (notably a terrific Pavane for violin and organ, which is quoted in the Requiem) had been inspired by death, he was initially somewhat reluctant to write a Requiem. However, after reflecting on personal losses, he decided (like many composers) that such a piece would be a meaningful way to express what he felt. The result is an absolutely magnificent work, and the best new Requiem setting of the many that I have heard in recent years.


Though there is a definite “British choral” influence on Rütti’s style, there are also Eastern European and Baltic characteristics that all combine to produce his personal voice. The resulting blend produces a truly wonderful mix of the practical melodic and modal character of much British music, and the poignant mysticism of many Baltic composers. The work begins and ends evocatively with an unaccompanied soprano solo, which the composer intends to represent the soul “alone before God.” Particular highlights of the work include the transcendently beautiful choral writing in the mostly unaccompanied Introitus that follows the opening soprano solo. The powerful and urgent Kyrie is extremely memorable. The most extended movement is the central Offertorium, which is packed with spine-tingling climaxes and textures. A memorable recurring motive throughout the whole Requiem is a sequence of shifting chords with false relations on the word “Jerusalem”; it is particularly glorious.


The common danger with Requiem settings is that the overall quiet mood of the text causes there to be far too much slow music; and when there is occasionally something fast and powerful (think Dies irae ), it ends up being earth-shattering. Rütti intentionally avoided a Dies irae because it did not fit with his beliefs about God. However, through a remarkable variety of texture and mood, Rütti manages to avoid this fatigue entirely. In the service of musical variety and dramatic shape, he ends up making some choices that other composers rarely do: the Kyrie, for example, is dramatic and powerful. Likewise, the main statement of the concluding “In paradisum” is thrillingly exciting and forms a major final climax to the work. The overall result is a perfectly balanced piece.


Perhaps what is most impressive to me about Rütti’s piece is how much genuine musical interest and variety he creates, despite the small forces. In terms of the creative spirit (though only rarely the actual sound of the music), James MacMillan’s seminal early pieces, such as Seven Last Words , are called to mind. In recent years, MacMillan’s large-scale works tend to use enormous orchestral palates, which are very appealing; however, it’s not nearly as difficult to create a lot of color with so many resources at one’s disposal.


The performance and recorded sound are excellent. Though I was somewhat “jaded” upon receiving the disc to see yet another new Latin Requiem by a contemporary composer, Rütti’s superb piece completely won me over. I cannot say enough in praise of this work, which is one of the finest Requiem settings of our time; I am absolutely convinced it will join the great ones from the past. It is a disc to which I will return frequently, and is Want List material, without doubt.


FANFARE: Carson Cooman

Gerald Finzi's choral music never has achieved popularity on the level of works by composers such as Stanford, Vaughan Williams, or Elgar, and in general this is because by comparison it's not as well-organized, the inner structural details aren't as carefully developed, and the balance of text with musical ideas isn't as facile. As a result, many of Finzi's choral pieces sound just a bit labored, a bit more difficult than they need to be, the structural edges a bit rough, the overall concept unpolished. Just listen to any of Finzi's partsongs against, say, Stanford's motet Beata quorum via or Elgar's As torrents in summer, or Finzi's Lo, the full, final sacrifice next to Vaughan Williams' Toward the unknown region, and you'll see what I mean.


Not that Finzi is a careless or inept craftsman. Rather, in his vocal music he is a wonderful miniaturist (just listen to his exquisitely wrought 10 children's songs or to his fine solo songs with piano, for example--not included here) whose more expansive efforts just tend to have an unfinished quality that's often allied to an excessively text-bound style that hinders the flow of such pieces as the Magnificat and the anthem Welcome sweet and sacred feast.


And that's too bad, because Finzi's works are packed with beautiful moments, lovely melodic snippets, and delightful quiet sections followed by thrilling climaxes. All of those things are present among these pieces, which provide an excellent introduction to this composer's choral oeuvre. In spite of its structural faults the Magnificat remains a powerful and interesting piece--and the cathedral anthem Lo, the full, final sacrifice is bound to rouse any congregation or audience with its grand singing and organ accompaniment. The seven partsongs are not particularly memorable, for all their effortful dramatic qualities.


Nevertheless, the singing on this disc is very fine--of course, this is a choir that you can count on to have such repertoire down cold--and it's always impressive to hear trebles sing with such solidity of tone and brilliant, never harsh, high notes, perfectly blended and balanced with the lower voices. While there are times that some choral sections stand out a bit too prominently, the organ is exceptionally well recorded. If you're interested in Finzi's choral music, you won't go wrong here--however, if you want the sound of an adult mixed choir in this same repertoire (with a few additional selections), very beautifully recorded, try the reference disc, with the Finzi Singers on Chandos.
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

This is a fine collection of some of Charles Stanford's most enduring church music, sung by one of England's most revered choirs, itself a staple of the country's choral music tradition for more than 300 years. However, there are many fine recordings of Stanford church music in the CD catalog, also sung by superlative choirs steeped in the English cathedral repertoire--choirs from Chichester, Durham, and Portsmouth (all on Priory Records), the Cambridge Singers (Collegium), and Trinity College, Cambridge (Conifer), among others--and so, the question is, if you're looking to acquaint yourself with this beautiful and beloved music, would this be a good place to begin? And the answer is yes, but with the caution that although these performances are not collectively the best, they nevertheless offer faithful, conscientious, well-mannered interpretations that fully honor the substance and style of Stanford's scores.


The service music comes off best, owing to the power of the organ accompaniments and the choir's strongly projected and well articulated statements. The famous Three Latin Motets, staples of concert choir performances all over the world, seem overly reserved and lacking the punch we usually hear--and expect--from these richly expressive pieces. The Communion Service in C is a gem (minus the cumbersome Credo--a text that absolutely defies elegant musical setting), and the choir--probably the most vocally well-integrated of all of England's all-male ensembles--proves its reportorial command as well as its vocal prowess. Sonically, I have no serious complaints--except that I had to turn the volume up higher than my usual listening level to clearly hear and get the full effect of the unaccompanied motets. And I find Naxos' practice of printing track listings only on the back of the jewel box--and not reproducing them in the liner booklet--an irritating and unnecessary inconvenience.
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

Also available on Blu-ray

This new release from Opus Arte is a live recording from the Glyndebourne Opera House, Lewes, taken in October of 2015, of the first ever professional UK staging of Donizetti’s Poliuto. This masterpiece is rarely performed, but is nevertheless a masterwork that shows the magnanimous genius of this bel canto opera composer. The exhilarating American tenor Michael Fabiano sings the role of Poliuto, and fellow world-class singers Ana Maria Martinez and Igor Golovatenko round out a spectacular cast. “Every now and then the world of opera unearths a forgotten masterpiece […] Poliuto needs at least three world-class singers, and Glyndebourne has them” (What’s on Stage) Extra features include “Passion & Faith: Preparing for a UK premiere” and “Love & Opression: An interview with Mariame Clement.”

Picture Format: 16:9
Audio Formats: PCM 2.0, DTS 5.0
Subtitles: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean
Region Code: 0 (Worldwide)
Running Time: 117 mins, 15 mins (Bonus)

Listen to the Naxos Podcast to learn more about this release

James Whitbourn is a Grammy® nominated composer whose music is internationally admired for its direct connection with performers and audiences, The Observer describing him as "a truly original communicator in modern British choral music." Carolae is a fusion of the great Christmas traditions at King’s College Cambridge and Princeton University Chapel, with the Missa Carolæ at its heart. Whitbourn’s love of medieval musical language is reflected in his clever use of original melody with famous carols such as Noël Nouvelet, combined with skillful new arrangements of seasonal favorites such as The Coventry Carol.

RUBBRA: Nine Tenebrae Motets / Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

REVIEWS:

“Although seventy-five years old, these mono recordings have been digitally remastered to reveal a thrilling performance of this great dramatic work.” – John Pitt, New Classics

“Full marks... Baillie is superb... Parry Jones makes a real impression. Williams is a magnificent colossus of an Elijah. I’d recommend this retrieval with pleasure.” – Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb

“First rate standards of production and repertoire... Astoundingly good quality.” – David Patmore, Classic Record Collector

“Williams is a magnificent prophet... Histrionically exciting and technically accomplished. Baillie is as always fresh-toned with pinpoint attack. The well trained choir is vital and dramatic, as is Robinson’s conducting. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to hear this set.” – John T. Hughes, International Record Review

Classical Music

Classical Music

Music by Stanley Silverman, libretto by Richard Foreman.

Tracks:
1 Elephant Drone; Elephants 3:01
2 Elephant Heartbeats 2:03
3 Don’t You Believe; My Ears 2:21
4 All Shook Up 1:33
5 Read My Palms; My Hands Are Inside the Wall; Gavotte 3:52
6 Read My Palm; Watch Me Move; I’m No Closer; Look at My Hands 6:33
7 Stop Seeing Reinhardt 5:23
8 Entr’acte; Watch Me Put My Right Foot 5:27
9 I Am No Longer Beautiful; Beautiful As Is 4:43
10 We Sit in the Window 4:13
11 Gypsy Tango; Shoot Them 3:31
12 You’re on the Radio; Radio Waves 3:34
13 Dreaming of Reinhardt 1:04
14 Midnight Sun 4:05
15 Photograph Song 1:29
16 Madrigals 2:50
17 Vaudeville Chase; Stirring Soup; A Strange Thing 4:32
18 Finale 4:35

Scrubwoman – Karen Altman
Hannah – Susan Belling
Max – Luther Enstad
Doctor – Roland Gagnon
Otto – Larry Marshall
Rock Singer – Luther Rix
Ragtime Lady – Marilyn Sokol
Hartman – PhilipSteele
Archangel – Michael Tilson Thomas

Chorus: Patti Austin, Jane Gunter, Dianne Higginbotham, June Magruder, Patricia Price, Albertine Robinson, Maeretha Stewart, Rose Taylor

Electronic music realized by Pril Smiley at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Laboratory.

The Norwegian vocal ensemble Edvard Grieg Kor is the resident a cappella ensemble at Troldhaugen, the home of Edvard Grieg. Displaying versatility across all musical genres, they perform regularly with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and also form the core of the Chorus for Bergen National Opera. They have had numerous works and arrangements written specially for them by leading composers including Jonathan Rathbone, and David Lang, both of whom are represented here on this the choir’s debut recording. Greig’s Fire Salmer, (Four Psalms) after Norwegian folk tunes (his final opus) and his shorter Ave Maris Stella (performed here in an a cappella arrangement made by the composer) are two rare examples of religion in Greig’s output. Works by fellow Norwegian composers Ole Bull and Agathe Backer Grøndahl, and a sensational and virtuosic arrangement of Greig’s Holberg Suite complete the programme.

Classical Music

The Billy Collins Suite comprises intimate chamber settings for eleven Collins poems, some sung, others narrated. (Cedille)

John Tavener studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Sir Lennox Berkeley and David Lumsdaine. In 1968 his dramatic cantata The Whale took it's audience by storm and led to his music being recorded on The Beatles' Apple label. Since that time Tavener has continued to show an originality of concept and an intensely personal idiom, making his a voice quite separate from those of his contemporaries. Over the years, the contemplative side of his nature has led him in more spiritual directions and his commitment to the Russian Orthodox Church, which he joined in 1977, is now evident in all his work. In an interview published in his recent book The Music of Silence, Sir John Tavener wrote. "If you listen to the music of the East, somehow the divine is already there. It is - which is a parallel with the eternal 'I am."' What this means in practical terms is that Tavener, in aiming at writing music suitable to convey the theology and the spirituality of the Orthodox Church, to participate in some way in that "eternal 'I am"', creates music of what one might call "dynamic stasis". In other words, the long phrases of eastern chant (of various traditions), the harmonic transparency and the stillness of his work runs counter to what the composer sees as the more "active" spirit of western sacred music; nevertheless, Tavener's western background inevitably and naturally plays it's part, and the unique sound of the fusion of these two is characteristic of all of the works on this disc.

“…a lot of the time I play music from other worlds …. Welcome to My World” World premiere on the NEUE MEISTER label: International classical superstar NIGEL KENNEDY releases his first album of his own compositions, entitled “My World”. The first album by Nigel Kennedy in which he features his own compositions is at the same time the most intimate view yet of his world: a colourful kaleidoscope of sounds. He has written works inspired by his mentors Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern and Stéphane Grappelli, and artists like Mark O’Connor and Jarek Smietana, while composing a whole new suite to Anton Chekhov’s play “Three Sisters”. On “My World”, Kennedy shows how well string orchestra, rock band and piano go together once you forget the stereotypes. Nigel Kennedy, who turns 60 on December 28, 2016, has been true to his vision throughout his career: making music that transcends all conventions. “My World” retraces how meeting his mentors shaped his musical understanding and changed his career path. Yehudi Menuhin probably had the most important influence on Kennedy: “I feel that Yehudi Menuhin gives me a direct route back to the music of Bach. Also Menuhin paid for my education at his school so without him I would probably not be playing classical music at all.” Next to Menuhin, meeting Stéphane Grappelli was a crucial moment: “I met Stéphane for the first time when he was playing to us kids in the Yehudi Menuhin School; I surprised him by jumping on the stage and joining him in his performance, which was the catalyst for a long musical relationship with him. He loved it that a 14-year-old kid was into his music and could also play it. From my point of view, it was invaluable to meet a musician who, when playing, proved that serious music doesn’t have to be depressing.” Listening to “My World” it becomes very clear how strong jazz music has influenced Kennedy. This is to be heard in the dedications to Polish jazz guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana or Nashville based country-jazz-blues violinist and composer Mark O’Connor and also represented in the band line-up. Orphy Robinson, who has already played with Don Cherry, Wynton Marsalis, David Murray and many famous jazz musicians, plays vibes and percussion alongside Adam Czerwinski on drums. Tomasz Kupiec on bass has to lay the groundwork for three guitarists: long-time touring guitarist Rolf Bussalb, young Julian Buschberger and Doug Boyle, who used to play with Robert Plant and is now assistant producer of Nigel’s album. Considering this line-up, “My World” sounds surprisingly calm and classical. The Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra has a permanent role throughout, while the band only plays some of the time. Overall Nigel demonstrates what a great soloist he is: virtuosic but never plays a note too many – just like his musical idols. He has written an album full of great melodies. “Three Sisters” is clear evidence of this. The inspiration for the suite comes from Nigel’s wife Agnieszka, who has produced the play by Anton Chekhov for the stage. Fascinated by the underlying psychological study of the play, Nigel started writing his own “Three Sisters” suite.“

With fine organ playing from Jonathan Vaughn and excellent recorded sound(producer, Andrew Walton), the disc ranks among the best choral issues of recent times. John Steane, Gramophone

Andrew Nethsingha and The Choir of St John’s, Cambridge present a tribute album to two former directors, Christopher Robinson and David Hill, who celebrate their 85th and 65th birthdays respectively. Taking the idea of new growth as a starting point, the album develops from the seed of a single treble line, gradually adding organ, then lower voices, a second choir (Yale Schola Cantorum), 150 additional singers, and eventually combining nearly 500 voices together (former members and friends of the college choir). The programme spans Hildegard of Bingen to a new commission by James Long (b.1987) and also includes works by three ex-St Johnians: Herbert Howells, Johnathan Harvey and Christopher Robinson. The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge is one of the finest collegiate choirs in the world, known and loved by millions from its broadcasts, concert tours and recordings. Founded in the 1670s, the Choir is known for its distinctive rich, warm sound, its expressive interpretations and its breadth of repertoire.

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD

This new release from Opus Arte is a live recording from the Glyndebourne Opera House, Lewes, taken in October of 2015, of the first ever professional UK staging of Donizetti’s Poliuto. This masterpiece is rarely performed, but is nevertheless a masterwork that shows the magnanimous genius of this bel canto opera composer. The exhilarating American tenor Michael Fabiano sings the role of Poliuto, and fellow world-class singers Ana Maria Martinez and Igor Golovatenko round out a spectacular cast. “Every now and then the world of opera unearths a forgotten masterpiece […] Poliuto needs at least three world-class singers, and Glyndebourne has them” (What’s on Stage) Extra features include “Passion & Faith: Preparing for a UK premiere” and “Love & Opression: An interview with Mariame Clement.”

Picture Format: 16:9, 1080p HD
Sound Formats: LPCM 2.0, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Region Code: 0 (Worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean
Running Time: 117 mins, 15 mins (Bonus)