This is the second Takemitsu disc to appear in recent months: the first, from Virgin Classics (9/91), was of works for chamber ensemble. The focus here is the guitar—the ideal vehicle, it might be guessed, for Takemitsu's dreamy, introspective yet far from austere musical manner. And so, to a large extent, it proves.

The earliest music is in the solo pieces. Folios (1974) is unobtrusively characterful, with the unexpected appearance of the Bach St Matthew Passion chorale, "Wenn ich einmal soil scheiden", in No. 3. A very different hymn melody is the source of Takemitsu's transcription of What a Friend, which dates from 1977. What a friend we have in Jesus is inoffensively recast as a decorous piece of light music, along with Gershwin's Summertime and two other songs. John Williams makes the best of these miniatures, the immaculate recording catching the full range of the instrument's delicate colours.

The other compositions date from the 1980s. Toward the Sea takes risks in combining alto flute and guitar, the music often seeming too small scale and inturned for its own good. Though it is performed with the utmost refinement, the many pauses and silences almost come to seem more essential than the actual sounds. Vers, l'Arc-enciel, Palma is another mood piece; languid but not wholly soft-centred. There is a brilliant account of the oboe d'amore cadenza from Gareth Hulse, and no denying the skill with which Takemitsu himself sketches the outlines of a satisfying form on a canvas inspired by the paintings of Joan Miro.

Another painter, Paul Delvaux, inspired the strongest music on the disc, the guitar concerto To the Edge of Dream. Appropriately, in view of Delvaux's work, a distinct sense of menace emerges here to offset the more tranquil moods, and the orchestral contribution serves to control the guitar's improvisatory tendencies. We probably hear more of the guitar relative to the orchestra than would be the case in the concert-hall, but there is nothing unreasonably artificial about the result.

-- Gramophone [1/1992]

SCHOENBERG: GURRE-LIEDER MEHT

The most imaginative of these three sexpartite sets of piano duets is the collection entitled From the Bohemian forest, which Dvofak completed early in 1884, two years before his second set of Slavonic Dances. The six pieces, the nimble "In the spinning-rooms", the evocative "By the black lake", the rumbustious "Witches' sabbath", the dramatic "On the watch", the poetic "Silent woods" (probably better known in its later transcription for cello and piano or orchestra), and the fiery "From stormy times", were inspired by the countryside near Vysokâ, the estate of Dvoiik's brother-in-law, where the composer often went walking, sometimes accompanied by his younger friend Jandeek. They are full of contrast and colour, even if, as seems likely, the titles were added later.

The six Characteristic pieces by the legendary pianist and conductor Anton Rubinstein (founder of the St Petersburg Conservatoire), composed in 1854-8, are expertly written salon pieces, aptly described by their titles, "Nocturne", "Scherzo", "Barcarolle", "Capriccio", "Berceuse" and "Marche"—except that only an exceptionally exhausted (or deaf) baby could be lulled to sleep by this at times decidedly animated "Berceuse". Rachmaninov's six Morceaux, composed in 1894, when he was just 21, have had a bad Press (Culshaw: "Insipid.., a veil can conveniently be drawn"; Norris: "Poor pieces, distinguished by neither inventiveness nor skill"). Skill, and bravura, there is in plenty, however, and they are every bit as engaging as Rubinstein's, which, with their self-explanatory titles—"Barcarolle", "Scherzo", "Theme russe", "Valse", "Romance" and "Slays" ("Glory")—they resemble quite closely.

Yaara Tal and Andreas Groethuysen formed their duo in 1985, and the virtuosity of their performances (stunningly captured by the Sony recording) parallels that of their Czerny record enthusiastically reviewed last year (5/91). Musically, this is all fairly small beer; they have also recorded some Reger and a Mendelssohn disc is promised, but the real test will come when they get down to Mozart and Schubert.

-- Gramophone [11/1992]

FORQUERAY: PIÈCES DE CLAVECIN

What a superb work this is: the quintessential Italian opera, with its absurd melodramatic plot and its wealth of glorious melody. It receives a fine, full-bloodedly Italianate performance from James Levine and his Metropolitan Opera forces, despite the fact that the international cast contains no Italians. As Manrico, Plácido Domingo compensates in musicianship, intelligence and attractive vocal quality for what he lacks in sheer visceral excitement, a quality which the other principals exhibit in abundance. Aprile Millo’s note-values may not always be exact, but she is a convincing Leonora, at her best in her Act IV scene with the villainous Di Luna, suavely characterised and sung by Vladimir Chernov. Dolora Zajick brings the gypsy Azucena to fierce and vibrant life, and the lavish casting of James Morris in the secondary role of Ferrando is a bonus. A full score is performed without any of the usual theatre cuts, and James Levine shows himself fully cognisant of the opera’s real stature. His orchestra is prominent, but not damagingly so. Indeed, a lot of orchestral detail is heard, allowing more of Verdi’s felicitous scoring to be noticed than is often the case. There are other fine performances of Il trovatore, but this one is better than most.

Performance: *****
Sound: *****

-- Charles Osborne, BBC Music Magazine

BERNSTEIN FAVORITES- OPERA FOR

This is a distinguished issue and a welcome reminder of an artist of whom we have heard far too little in recent years. Fleisher's Ravel is beautifully moulded, with a fine rhythmic snap when needed, and his Prokofiev and Britten are comparably sensitive and finished. Combine that with high-class orchestral support and splendid recorded sound and you have what has to be a highly recommendable disc.

-- Gramophone [4/1993]

One can share in a more carefree expression of joy here. Many fine conductors have presided over these traditional Strauss tributes, but none with such élan as the late Carlos Kleiber. The music swings and sways in terpsichorean ecstasy. Kleiber appears blissful as he inscribes elegant arcs with his baton, and the players beam.

-- Gramophone [4/2008]

SCHUBERT: SYMPHONIES NO 5 & 6

Mozart: Flute Concertos, K. 313 & 314

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 1 & The Nutcracker Suite

BERNSTEIN FAVORITES- OVERTURES

Often known as the Viking of 6th Avenue, the blind New York City street performer and Norse-inspired sartorialist Moondog (born Louis Thomas Hardin) was in fact a groundbreaking composer, jazz musician, and musical avant-gardist. Among Moondog's many admirers were Charlie Parker, Philip Glass, Leonard Bernstein, and New York Philharmonic maestro Artur Rodzinski. His unique artistry was a combination of the then blossoming minimalist compositional style, bop, and free jazz aesthetics, as well Moondog's own divined musical philosophies, which would generate creation of, among others things, the percussion instrument the trimba. Moondog moved to Germany in 1974, where he lived and worked until his death in 1999.

This disc combines what were originally two separate albums recorded in the late '60s and early '70s. With the larger budget he had to make these recordings, Moondog (born Louis Harden) was able utilize a substantially larger orchestra than he had previously. The pool of musicians were largely classically-based players, but also included such jazz regulars as Hubert Laws (on piccolo) and bass players George Duvivier and Ron Carter.

The music ranges from the rhythmically charged "Stamping Ground" to the ethereal "Symphonique #3." A number of these pieces are the result of Moondog's ongoing fascination with the overlapping form of the round (which he began composing in the early '50s). While orchestral in scope, there is a folk-like bearing to his overall vision. This is warmly engaging music and a perfect entry point into the musical world of this unique composer.

Personnel:
Moondog (keyboards); Eugene Becker, Raoul Poliakin (tenor, viola); Aaron Rosand, Paul Gershman (violin); David Schwartz, Emanuel Vardi (viola); Joe Tekula, Charles McCracken , George Ricci (cello); Harold Bennett, Andrew Lolya (flute); Hubert Laws, Harold Jones (piccolo); George Silfies, Jimmy Abato, Phil Bodner (clarinet); Ernie Bright (bass clarinet); Henry Schuman (English horn); Wally Kane (bassoon, baritone saxophone); Joynce Kelly, Don Macourt, George Berg, Jack Knitzer (bassoon); Joe Wilder (trumpet, flugelhorn); Teddy Weiss, Alan Dean, Melvin Broiles (trumpet); Danny Repole (bass trumpet); Richard Berg, Brooks Tillotson, James Buffington, Ray Alonge (French horn); Charles Small, Tony Studd, Buddy Morrow (tenor trombone); Paul Faulise (bass trombone); Phil Giardina, John Swallow, Bill Stanley, Don Butterfield, Bill Elton (tuba); Irving Horowitz (horns); Jack Jennings, Elayne Jones, Dave Carey, Bobby Rosengarden (percussion).

Complete Track List:
1. Theme
2. Stamping Ground, in D minor
3. Symphonique No.3 ("Ode to Venus")
4. Symphonique No.6 ("Good for Goodie")
5. Cuplet, poem
6. Minisym No.1
7. Lament 1 ("Bird's Lament")
8. Witch of Endor
9. Symphonique No.1 ("Portrait of a Monarch")
10. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 1. Bells are Ringing
11. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 2. Voices of Spring
12. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 3. What's the Most Exciting Thing
13. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 4. All is Loneliness
14. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 5. My Tiny Butterfly
15. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 6. Why Spend a Dark Night with Me
16. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 7. Coffee Beans
17. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 8. Down is Up
18. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 9. Be a Hobo
19. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 10. Remember
20. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 11. I Love You
21. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 12. Nero's Expedition
22. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 13. No, the Wheel Was Never Invented
23. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 14. With My Wealth
24. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 15. This Student of Life
25. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 16. Some Trust All
26. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 17. Wine, Woman and Song
27. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 18. Sadness
28. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 19. Maybe
29. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 20. Each Today is Yesterday's Tomorrow
30. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 21. Imagine
31. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 22. You the Vandal
32. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 23. Trees Against the Sky
33. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 24. Behold
34. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 25. Sparrow
35. Madrigals, Rounds, Canons: 26. Pastoral

SIBELIUS: LEMMINK?INEN OP 22,

MOZART: A MUSICAL JOKE, HORN Q