September 2008 – July 2009

September 2008 – July 2009

All selections were made from recordings available in the UK at the time of the broadcast and are full price unless otherwise stated.

Previous editions of this factsheet are available from the CD Review website: www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/cdreview

Rachel Podger (violin)

Channel Classics CCS12198 (CD – Volume 1) and CCS14498 (CD – Volume 2)

Also available as CCSSEL2498 (2 CDs, Mid Price)

(c/w Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor BWV 903)

Angela Hewitt (piano)

Hyperion CDA66746 (CD)

Blandine Verlet (harpsichord)

Naïve E8603 (CD)
Clavichord Recommendation:

(c/w 12 Little Preludes (various); 6 Little Preludes BWV 933-938)

Richard Troeger (clavichord)

Lyrichord LEMS8047 (CD and download)

[NB. There is currently no UK distributor for this item, which is available as a download]


BARTOK: The Miraculous Mandarin BB 82 Sz. 73 (Op. 19)*; The Miraculous Mandarin Suite Rob Cowan

25/10/2008

First choice:
Budapest Festival Orchestra*, Ivan Fischer (conductor)*, SLUK Slovakian Folksenmble Choir, Branislav Kostka (conductor)

Philips 475 7684 (3 CDs, Budget)

(complete works for cello and piano)

Miklos Perenyi (cello), Andras Schiff (piano)

ECM New Series 472 4012 (2 CDs)

Claudio Arrau (piano)*, Henryk Szeryng (violin), Janos Starker (cello), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Eliahu Inbal (conductor)

Philips 462 358-2 (14 CDs, Budget)

Also available as a single sonata, download only

Takacs Quartet

Decca 4708492 (3 CDs, Mid Price)

Historical Recommendation

Busch Quartet, Rudolf Serkin (piano)

EMI 5653082 (4 CDs, Budget)

Also available on EMI Great Recordings of the Century series 5096552 (3 CDs, Mid Price)
BERG: Lyric Suite Martin Cotton

10/01/2009

First choice:

(c/w HAYDN: String Quartets Op. 74 No. 3 and Op. 76 No. 3; MOZART: ‘Haydn’ Quartets’; ‘Hoffmeister’ Quartets; ‘Prussian’ Quartets; SCHUBERT: String Quartets D804 and D173; BRAHMS: String Quartets Nos. 1-3; DVORAK: String Quartet in G major Op. 106; BERG: String Quartet Op. 3; WEBERN: Five Movements Op. 5; Six Bagatelles Op. 9; String Quartet Op. 28; URBANNER: String Quartet No. 3)

Alban Berg Quartet

Teldec 2564 696067 (8 CDs, Budget)

(c/w Klavierstucke Opp. 116 and 119)

Stefan Vladar (piano)

Harmonia Mundi HMC901844 (CD)

BRAHMS: Symphony No. 3* Robert Philip

11/10/2008

First choice:
(c/w Symphony no.1 in C minor op.68; Symphony no.2 in D major op.73; Symphony no.4 in E minor op.98; Academic Festival Overture op.80; Gesang der Parzen op.89; Tragic Overture op.81; Alto Rhapsody op.53; Schicksalslied op.54; Haydn Variations op.56a; Nänie op.82)

Marjana Lipovšek, Ernst Senff Chorus, Berlin Radio Chorus, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra*, Claudio Abbado (conductor)*

Deutsche Grammophon 435 683-2 (4 CDs, Mid Price)

Also available as a single CD DG 429 7652 and download from the Universal Classics and Jazz website

(c/w Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings; Les Illuminations)

John Mark Ainsley (tenor), Britten Sinfonia, Nicholas Cleobury (conductor)

Classics for Pleasure 5755632 (CD, Mid Price)

(c/w Prelude de l’apres did, Nocturnes, La Mer, Valse, Iberia)

Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitink

Philips 50 4646972(CD – Mid Price)

(c/w Berceuse héroique; Images for Orchestra; Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune; Première Rhapsodie; Danses for Harp and Orchestra)

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra*, Vera Badings (harp), George Pieterson (clarinet), Eduard van Beinum (conductor), Bernard Haitink (conductor)*

Philips 438 7422 (2 CDs, Budget)
DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor Ivan Hewett

04/10/2008

First choice:
Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, Raffaele Arié, Valiano Natali, Anna Maria Canali, Gino Sarri, Coro e Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Tullio Serafin (conductor)

EMI 5861972 (2 CDs, Budget)

Also available on EMI 562747 (2 CDs, Mid Price with booklet), 566438 (2 CDs, Mid Price with booklet) and Naxos 8.110131-32 (2 CDs, Budget)


DVORAK: Symphony No. 9 in E minor From The New World, Op. 95 Rob Cowan

02/05/2009

First choice:

(c/w DVORAK: In Nature´s Realm. Overture from the Cycle of Concert Overtures, Op. 91; Othello. Overture from the Cycle of Concert Overtures, Op. 93)

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Karel Ancerl (conductor)

Supraphon SU 3662-2 011 (CD, Mid Price)

(c/w FALLA: Fantasia Baetica; Master Peter’s Puppet Show)

Antonia Contreras (flamenco singer), Jerome Correas (bass-baritone), Chantal Perraud (soprano), Eric Huchet (tenor), Orchestre Poitou-Charentes, Jean-Francois Heisser (conductor)

Mirare MIR034 (CD)

(c/w FALLA: La Vida Breve; 7 Canciones populares espanolas; El sombrero de tres picos; Soneto a Cordoba; Psyche)

Victoria de los Angeles (soprano), Philharmonia Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini (conductor)

EMI 567587-2 (2 CDs, Mid Price)

OR

(c/w FALLA: El Sombrero de tres picos; 7 Canciones populares espanolas; Concerto in D major for Harpsichord and Five Instruments; etc)

EMI Classics 5099923759527 (2 CDs, Budget)

(c/w DEBUSSY: String Quartet in G minor Op. 10; RAVEL: String Quartet in F Major)

Ebene Quartet

Virgin 5190452 (CD)

Susan Hamilton (soprano), Nicholas Mulroy (tenor), Thomas Hobbs (tenor), Nicholas Hurndall Smith (tenor), Matthew Brook (bass), Dunedin Consort and Players, John Butt (director)

Linn CKD 319 (2 Hybrid SACDs)

HANDEL: Dixit Dominus Simon Heighes

03/01/2009

First choice:

(c/w CALDARA: Missa Dolorosa)

Balthasar-Neumann Choir and Ensemble, Thomas Hengelbrock (conductor)

Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 82876587922 (Hybrid SACD)

Carolyn Sampson, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Mark Padmore, Christopher Purves, The Sixteen, Harry Christophers (conductor)

Coro COR16062 (2 CDs plus bonus CD, Mid Price)
HAYDN: Symphony No. 94 in G Surprise Jonathan Swain

06/06/2009

First choice:

Philharmonia Hungarica, Antal Dorati (conductor)

Decca Eloquence 467 405-2 (CD, Budget)
HANDEL: Water Music Colin Lawson

18/04/2009

First choice:

(c/w Music for the Royal Fireworks HWV351)

L'Arte dell'Arco, Federico Guglielmo (conductor)

CPO 7773122 (Hybrid SACD)

Malcolm Bilson (fortepiano)

Claves 502501 (CD)
Modern Instrument Recommendation:

(c/w Piano Sonatas Nos.59, 61-62)

Andras Schiff (piano)

Elatus 2564 608072 (CD, Mid Price)

Warner 2564 699674 (6 CDs, Budget)
HAYDN: Piano Trio in C major Hob XV:27 Misha Donat

14/03/2009

First choice:

The Complete Piano Trios

Beaux Arts Trio

PHILIPS 454 098-2 (9 CDs, budget price)

(c/w Symphonies Nos. 94, 96, 100, 101 and 103)

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Colin Davis (conductor)

Philips 4647072 (2CD, Budget)

(c/w Magnificat and Nunc Dimitis; Like as the Hart; Paen for Organ; Long, Long Ago; Office of Holy Communion – Collegium Regale; Rhapsody No. 3 for Organ; Take Him Earth, for Cherishing)

St. John’s College Choir, Cambridge, Iain Farrington (organ), Christopher Robinson (conductor)

Naxos 8.554659 (CD, Budget)

Russian Piano School Vol. 3: Liszt

Lazar Berman (piano)

Melodiya MELCD1000748 (CD) [1959 Recording]

(c/w Symphonies 1-5)

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Vaclav Neumann (conductor)

Supraphon 11 0382-2 (3 CDs, Mid Price)

(c/w Les Fresques de Piero Della Francesca; Orchestral Suite ‘Juliette’)

Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen, Jiri Kout (conductor)

Arte Nova 82876577402 (CD, Budget)

(c/w MENDELSSOHN: Sextet in D major Op. 110)

Chamber Music Ensemble of Lincoln Center

Delos DE 3266 (CD)

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Vladimir Ashkenazy (conductor)

Decca 470 946-2 (3 CDs, Budget)

MONTEVERDI: Eighth Book of Madrigals Tess Knighton

30/05/2009

First choice:

La Venexiana, Claudio Cavina (director)

GLOSSA GCD 920928 (3 CDs, Mid Price)


MOZART: Serenade No. 10 in B flat 'Gran Partita' K. 361/370a Anthony Burton

04/07/2009

First choice:

(c/w Divertimento in E flat major K. 252)

Linos Ensemble

Capriccio 10 472 (CD)

Albion Ensemble

Helios CDH 55093 (CD, Budget)

PURCELL: Dido and Aeneas Jeremy Summerly

21/03/2009

First choice:

Catherine Bott (Dido), Emma Kirkby (Belinda), John Mark Ainsley (Aeneas), David Thomas (Sorceress), Elizabeth Priday (First Witch), Sara Stowe (Second Witch), Julianne Baird (Second Woman), Daniel Lochmann (First Sailor), Michael Chance (Spirit), Chorus and Orchestra of the Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood (conductor)

Decca 4757195 (CD, Mid Price)

RACHMANINOV: Symphony No. 1 David Fanning

13/12/2008

First choice:

(c/w Symphonies Nos. 2-3; Symphonic Dances Op. 45; The Isle of the Dead Op. 29; The Bells Op. 35)

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy (conductor)

Decca 455 7982 (3 CDs, Budget)

c/w RAVEL: Sonata for violin and piano; Sonata for violin and cello; Sonata for violin and piano ‘Sonate posthume’

Renaud Capuçon (violin) / Gautier Capuçon (cello) / Frank Braley (piano)

Virgin 5454922 (CD)

(c/w RAMEAU: Castor et Pollux)

L'Orfeo Barockorchester, Michi Gaigg (director)

Phoenix Edition 110Phoenix (Hybrid SACD)

(c/w SCHOENBERG: Verklärte Nacht; SCRIABIN: Prometheus, the Poem of Fire; SCHMIDT: Symphony No 2)

Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Dimitri Mitropoulos (conductor) [1953]

Music and Arts CD-1156 (2 CDs, Mid Price)

(c/w VARESE: Ameriques)

Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, Zoltan Kocsis (conductor) [2001]

Budapest Music Center Records BMCCD102 (2 CDs)

(c/w SCHOENBERG: Variations for Orchestra Op.31; Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Op.36; Concerto for Piano and Orchestra Op.42.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Pierre Boulez (conductor) [1991]

Apex (ERATO) 2564699845 (2 CDs, Budget)

SCHUBERT: Winterreise Daniel Leech-Wilkinson

07/02/2009

First choice:

First Choice Recommendation:

Christine Schäfer (soprano), Eric Schneider (piano)

Onyx Classics ONYX4010 (CD)

(c/w TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto in D Op. 35)

Viktoria Mullova (violin), Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa (conductor)

Philips 4647412 (CD, Mid Price)

(c/w Till Eulenspiegel Op. 28; Don Juan Op. 20; Salome Op. 54– Dance of the Seven Veils)

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan (conductor)

Deutsche Grammophon 447 4412 (CD, Mid Price)

(c/w Symphonies 1-6; Francesca da Rimini; Marche Slave; Eugene Onegin Waltz and Polonaise; ARENSKY: Variations on a Theme by Tchaikovsky Op. 35a; BORODIN: Prince Igor – Overture)

London Symphony Orchestra*, Philharmonia Hungarica, Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati (conductor)*

Mercury 4756261 (5 CDs, Budget)

(c/w Symphony No. 5 in E minor Op. 64)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Daniele Gatti (conductor)

Harmonia Mundi HMU907381 (CD)

London Symphony Orchestra / Adrian Boult (conductor)

EMI 2066362 (30CD, Budget)


WAGNER: Die Meistersinger Roderick Swanston

21/02/2009

First choice:

Norman Bailey (Hans Sachs), Hannelore Bode (Eva), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Georg Solti (conductor)

Decca 4756680 (4 CDs, Mid Price)
Runner-up Recommendation:

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Hans Sachs), Catarina Ligendza (Eva), Choir and Orchestra of Deutschen Oper Berlin, Eugen Jochum (conductor)

Deutsche Grammophon 4777559 (4 CDs, Mid Price)

DVD Disc Recommendation:

Wolfgang Brendel (Hans Sachs), Gosta Winbergh (Eva), Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos (conductor)

Arthaus Musik 100 152 (DVD)