Ralph Vaughan Williams is one of Britain’s most illustrious composers, and this specially curated selection of works demonstrates the sheer breadth of his achievement. As a major 20th century symphonist he is represented by four of his nine symphonies, all in critically acclaimed recordings (‘A clear top recommendation’ wrote Gramophone of A Sea Symphony). Popular orchestral works such as the celebrated Tallis Fantasia and The Lark Ascending are also included. Vaughan Williams’ chamber works are performed by the Maggini Quartet, his greatest contemporary champions; while the sublime Mass in G minor shows the composer’s high standing in the English choral tradition.

REVIEW:

More Vaughan Williams—and very welcome, too. While admirers may favour other performances, every take here on the composer’s exquisite scores is more than competitive. This curated selection of works is a measure of RVW’s achievements. As a major 20th-century symphonist he is represented by four of his nine symphonies, all in much-praised recordings, while winning orchestral works such as the celebrated Tallis Fantasia and The Lark Ascending are also included. Vaughan Williams’ chamber works are performed by the Maggini Quartet, his greatest contemporary champions; while the sublime Mass in G minor is a solid addition.

-- Classical CD Source (Barry Forshaw)

Also available on Blu-ray

A CONCERT FOR NEW YORK
In Remembrance and Renewal – The Tenth Anniversary of 9/11

On September 10, 2011, The New York Philharmonic presented ‘A Concert for New York,’ a free performance led by Music Director Alan Gilbert of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Resurrection. This performance, hailed by the New York Times as “intensely moving,” was given in remembrance and renewal of the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001. Telecast in the US on Sunday, September 11, 2011 on PBS’ Great Performances, this musical tribute is now available on DVD and BluRay.

“Mahler’s Second Symphony, Resurrection, powerfully and profoundly explores the range of emotions provoked by the memories of 9/11,” said Alan Gilbert. “This great masterpiece has a very special place in the history and psyche of the New York Philharmonic, but its message of renewal and rebirth is universal. We offer it as a tribute to those lost ten years ago.”

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor, “Resurrection”

Dorothea Röschmann, soprano
Michelle DeYoung, mezzo-soprano
New York Choral Artists
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Alan Gilbert, conductor

Recorded live at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, New York City, 10 September 2011.

Bonus:
- Interview with Alan Gilbert and Zarin Mehta

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: PCM Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: German, English, French
Running time: 96 mins (concert) + 14 mins (bonus)
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)

A starry but congenial trio, Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma and Daniel Barenboim interact with each other and with the Berlin Philharmonic in Beethoven's extraordinary Triple Concerto. Released for the first time on vinyl.

'This is a quite extraordinary achievement. Not the least of it's merits is that it leaves you loving the music as never before. The orchestra gives splendid support and the sound is warm and ingratiating.' - GRAMOPHONE

MONK

Learn more about pianist Carol Rosenberger and the Delos label on the Naxos Classical Spotlight podcast!

The internationally celebrated pianist Carol Rosenberger's A Concerto Collection is a diverse and dazzling collection that showcases six outstanding examples of her award-winning discography. (Delos)

The profound and delightful Partitas, Bach’s Opus 1, sparkle in Eleonor Bindman’s brilliant performance. Her unhurried tempos bring out the twists, turns and quick modulations of the dance movements and preludes of this unparalleled set of six suites — famous in Bach’s day and today for their vitality and depth. Bindman’s spirited recording enriches the listener’s experience by revealing the power and emotional nuances of the suites. One of Bach’s favorite forms, the suite, or partita, incorporates lively, stately, graceful and stirring dances introduced by an opening movement — with a different title in each suite: Praeludium, Sinfonia, Toccata, Fantasia, Ouverture and Praeambulum. The scope of these works is vast — melody, harmony and counterpoint blending in sonorous combinations that surprise, fascinate and enchant. According to Bach’s first biographer, J.N. Forkel, “Such excellent compositions for the clavier [keyboard] had never been seen and heard before. Anyone who had learnt to perform well some pieces out of them could make his fortune in the world thereby.”

Past praise for Eleonor's Bindman's other recent Bach recording projects:

Bach: Cello Suites (transcribed for piano by E. Bindman):

Bindman takes him quite literally, transcribing in the register he wrote in, mostly, and clearly with enjoyment. Her tempos are sometimes faster than a cellist’s fingers might find practical, but her musical sense is excellent.

-- American Record Guide

The Brandenburg Duets (arr. for piano duet by E. Bindman):

These transcriptions are not easy to play, but Bindman and Lin are up to the task. Fast movements are played crisply, but not with brittleness, although the pianists play the opening movement of the Sixth Concerto in a more legato fashion, and use the sustaining pedal—a necessary choice, Bindman writes, given the concerto’s violin-less scoring. The slow movements are not Romanticized, but are duly lyrical. The two pianists equally divvy up the primo and secondo parts.

-- Fanfare

The combination of Karajan and the Vienna Philharmonic playing Mozart and Bruckner drew a “packed and raving audience” according to The Guardian. (ICA Classics)

SCHUBERT Symphony No. 5. SCHUMANN Genoveva Overture; Symphony No. 2 • Charles Munch, cond; Boston SO • ICA ICAD 5052 (DVD: 76:00) Live: Cambridge 02/27/1962, 04/18/1961, 04/07/1959

Yet another volume appears in the ICA series of releases of Boston Symphony telecasts with Charles Munch, and this is a particularly successful one. All of the performances here are taken from concerts given in Sanders Hall at Harvard University, rather than from Symphony Hall in Boston. While the audio quality in all three works is quite acceptable monaural sound—only occasionally suffering from congestion or blare—the quality of the video portions varies significantly, being poorer with increasing age. All suffer from a considerable degree of bleaching out of the black-and-white film; in addition, the Schubert is somewhat grainy and murky, while in extended portions of the Schumann symphony the musicians’ faces and figures become blurry and distorted. Somehow this never affects Munch himself, whose trademark long baton whips about in a flurry of motion sufficient to trigger a tornado. As with other issues in this series, the set includes the introductions to the original broadcasts (here, for the two symphonies) by longtime Boston Symphony announcer William Pierce.

Of the three works presented here, the only one that Munch recorded commercially was the Genoveva Overture, and that back in 1951. That version wears its age well and is competitive with the one presented here. Live performances of the other two works have been issued elsewhere: a 1952 Schubert Fifth and 1955 Schumann Second, both by West Hill Radio Archive, and a 1956 Schumann Second from a concert tour in Moscow by Arte. However, in addition to the video dimension (not a great desideratum for me), these performances of the symphonies have several advantages over the rival versions. The WHRA issues are in a large multi-CD set of Boston Symphony performances from the earlier 1950s that limit their appeal almost exclusively to dedicated Munch collectors. These later performances are not only preserved in superior sound—much moreso in the case of the Schubert—but are also in superior interpretations that benefit greatly from slightly slower tempi.

Munch’s brisk take on the Schubert Fifth is the antipode of the lyrical Gemütlichkeit of Bruno Walter or the stateliness of Karl Böhm, both very Viennese; but what is exhilarating in 1962 crosses over into the jarringly manic a decade earlier. The final movement in 1962 still suffers from some abrupt shifts in tempi and is one point here where Munch is not at his best. While I much prefer Walter’s approach, I nonetheless find this a bracing alternative that challenges my previously held conceptions of how this piece ought to sound.

With Schumann, we come to a composer for whom Munch had a very special affinity. It is a crying shame that his only studio recordings of the major orchestral works were the First Symphony for RCA and the Piano Concerto for EMI; fortunately live performances of the Fourth Symphony and Cello Concerto have also found their way into print, leaving the Third Symphony as the major gap in a Munch Schumann discography. Of the composer’s four symphonies, the Second has proved to be far and away the most difficult for conductors to get right; in my estimation the number of recorded performances that exceed mere competency and achieve greatness can be numbered on the fingers of one hand. Here we have one of those exalted rarities. There are no traces of leaden heaviness anywhere, and Schumann’s often dense orchestration is made to shine. The ever-tricky transition from the slow introduction to the faster main section of the first movement is nicely gauged, though Munch needs a few bars to get up to full speed. The finale is a model of triumphant exuberance, though the latter section is taken a tad too quickly for my taste and requires the conductor to slow back down slightly for the final peroration on the trumpets and timpani, which is dispatched without the unnatural exaggeration that too often spoils the symphony’s close. The rendition of the overture is on a similar plane of excellence. In sum, then, this DVD is warmly recommended to fans of Munch, aficionados of historic performances, and lovers of Schumann alike.

FANFARE: James A. Altena

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Recorded live from Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, 18 April 1961 (Genoveva), 7 April 1959 (Symphony No. 2), and 27 February 1962 (Schubert) Picture format: NTSC 4:3 Sound format: LPCM Mono Region code: 0 (worldwide) Menu language: English Booklet notes: English, French, German Running time: 75 mins No. of DVDs: 1

Two CD set. Morning Glory: The 1973 Concert at the Teatro Gran Rex, Buenos Aires is the first official release of pianist Bill Evans with Eddie Gomez and Marty Morell captured live on June 24, 1973. Remastered from the original tape reels and includes an extensive booklet with rare photos from the actual concert, plus essays and interviews with Eddie Gomez, Marty Morell, and pianist Richie Beirach.

Wes Montgomery -"Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings" Maximum Swing: The Unissued 1965 Half Note Recordings is the first official release of the complete collection of previously unreleased recordings from jazz guitar giant Wes Montgomery. Featuring recordings with the Wynton Kelly Trio at New York City's famed Half Note jazz club in 1965 with drummer Jimmy Cobb and bassists Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Herman Wright and Larry Ridley. Including over 2 hours from the original radio broadcasts with host Alan Grant, the 2 CD Digipak set comes with an elaborate booklet containing previously unpublished photos taken at the Half Note by Raymond Ross, a new essay from acclaimed journalist and author Bill Milkowski, plus interviews with jazz legends Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Bill Frisell, Mike Stern and Marcus Miller

Following the success of 100 Christmas Classics (Capriccio C7331) comes Christmas Meditation, featuring 100 choral and vocal works from across the centuries. The set encompasses sacred Renaissance treasures including Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Bach/Gounod’s Ave Maria, Handel’s Baroque masterpiece Messiah (‘He shall feed his flock’) and classic Christmas carols such as It Came Upon A Midnight Clear by Richard Storrs Willis and Franz Xaver Gruber’s Stille Nacht (‘Silent Night’). Featuring some of the most renowned choral institutions, Christmas Meditation offers listeners a classical Christmas to remember.

REVIEWS:

A rather sumptuous collection of seasonal choral works, instrumental pieces and carols. --BBC Music Magazine

After the success of the 5 CD box “100 Christmas classics” (Capriccio C7331), the new 5 CD box “Christmas Meditation” contains 100 choral and instrumental works from past centuries. It contains works from 43(!) composers, including excerpts from Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Bach/Gounod's Ave Maria, Handel's Baroque masterpiece Messiah, and traditional and classical carols such as "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" by American composer Richard Storrs Willis, and Franz Xaver Gruber's "Silent Night”. With some of the most renowned choirs, “Christmas Meditation” offers you an unforgettable Christmas.

In addition to world-famous Christmas music, in this box you will also discover previously unknown but no less beautiful work by Bruch, Rheinberger, Carl Neuner, Wagenseil, Robert Fuchs, Johann Philipp Reichert or Johann von Herbeck. Cannot be missed!

--Stretto

The Hunter is one of Ike & Tina's most blues oriented albums. It was cut during the blues revival period of the late 1960s. Released just a few years after the Phil Spector-produced River Deep Mountain High, The Hunter boasts several fine blues workouts in which the Stax sound figures prominently. The album features electric blues guitarist Albert Collins. This masterpiece earned Tina Turner her first solo Grammy nomination. This is the first official American LP re-issue in more than 40 years.

The classic 1967 Chess album Muddy, Brass & The Blues, adds horns and prominent organ to Muddy Waters' basic band format. Waters' earlier work had been built around his returning to sounds and influences from his past. Here, the label tried to give him a new sound. Stripped of his guitar, Waters proves what a great R&B singer he was. Featuring Otis Spann on piano, and Sammy Lawhorn and Pee Wee Madison on guitar. This is the first official American LP re-issue in more than 30 years.

The orchestra of Le Consort, in the course of it's exploration of Vivaldi, reveals the many facets of this inexhaustible cycle. To achieve this, Th�otime Langlois de Swarte has held up a subtle mirror to other works by the 'red-haired priest'. All of them perpetuate the seasons in their own way, through shared memories and impressions; in the background Lambranzi's Venetian dances complement this musical picture awash with colors.