Handel: Almira
Boston Early Music Festival
CPO 555 205-2
Lovely as this is I was surprised by just how long it is. This is presumably complete and runs to just over four hours. It is Handel’s earliest opera, dating from 1703, and while it reflects the style of earlier composers in Halle there is plenty of evidence here of the masterpieces which were to follow. A useful, and musically very satisfying, addition to the many versions of Handel operas now available.
The Early Horn
Ursula Paludan Monberg, horn; Arcangelo, Jonathan Cohen
HYPERION CDA 68289
It is difficult at times to realise that the ability to play the natural horn is comparatively recent, compared with the normal valve instrument. I recall the first performance of the Basil Lamb edition of Messiah at the BBC studios where the trumpeter using a natural trumpet had to take breaks between sections as he had never played the instrument before. Today, with so many original instrument ensembles, it is easy to forget how fortunate we are. This new recording focuses on eighteenth century works for horn moving through Mozart and Haydn to works by Graun, Telemann and two anonymous pieces. All highly entertaining and engaging.
Beethoven: complete works for Cello and Piano
Robin Michael, cello; Daniel Tong, piano
RESONUS RES 10254
Alongside the five sonatas are the three sets of variations, two drawn from Die Zauberflote and one from Judas Maccabeus. I found these more engaging though the range of the sonatas takes us from his very early years to the time his hearing was all but gone. The recording here is with original instruments making was both a warmer cello sound and more incisive early piano.
20th Century Foxtrots from Austria and Czechia
Gottlieb Wallisch, piano
GRAND PIANO GP 813
This is a delight throughout and I particularly enjoyed Krauss-Elka’s dance version of themes from Tannhauser and the final excerpt from Schulhoff’s Groteske. That said the whole disc is thoroughly entertaining and uplifting.
Beethoven: Septet & Clarinet Trio
Berkeley Ensemble
RESONUS RES 10255
The trio is the unusual piece here and the one which may attract particular attention. The unusual combination of clarinet, cello and piano dates from 1798 when the composer was well established in Vienna. The more familiar Septet is given a fine reading with great clarity throughout.
Bach: St Matthew Passion
Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki
BIS 2500
There is a great deal to enjoy here and the quality of musicianship is not in doubt but I feel that the whole does not hang together as well as the individual parts. Solo singing is excellent but the approach often seems over-precious, particularly where tempi are concerned. I wish there was a greater sense of emotional involvement with the score, one which would engage the listener rather than pointing up the magnificence of the writing at the expense of the narrative.
Malipiero: Symphony No6; Ritrovari; Serenata mattutina; Cinq studi
Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, Damian Iorio
NAXOS 8.574173
I have to admit that this is the first CD of Malipiero’s works I have come across and it is certainly engaging. The sixth symphony dates from 1947 and is easy to access on a first hearing even if unconventional in style. The Ritrovari are more complex as is the Seranata but the studies and short and engaging. Worth investigating.
Leoncavallo: I Pagliacci
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Valerio Galli
DYNAMIC 37863
Oh dear. I hope this production worked better in the theatre than it does on DVD. The set is very messy and it is difficult to get any sense of place or atmosphere as a result of regular lighting changes and odd pieces of scaffolding which move around of their own volition. Some of the singing is good, with Angelo Villari’s Canio forceful and convincing, but the overlarge chorus, with an equally large number of children, often seem out of their depth and left to their own devices. As such there is no real sense of direction or purpose. A pity; it has the makings of a strong approach but needs somebody to knock it into shape.
Rossini: La Cenerentola
Teatro Opera of Rome, Alejo Perez
MAJOR 752408
This is fun. Don’t look too closely or ask why the chorus are all wind-up dolls, for the musical side is so strong and the characterisation so convincing that it carries you along with it. Alessandro Corbelli is superb as Don Magnifico and the young couple, Juan Francisco Gatell and Serena Malfi, make light weight of Rossini’s florid musical lines. Alejo Perez keeps his orchestra on their toes with a sparkling account of the score. What’s not to like?