Hyperion
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Reducing the string size of Strauss's Metamorphosen from 23 to the seven of the composer's short score… might seem to be going light on the tragic force of this great wartime elegy. Not so... —
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Mozart: Missa solemnis & other works
Lynda Russell (soprano), Lina Markeby (mezzo-soprano), James Oxley (tenor) & David Wilson-Johnson (baritone), Simon Johnson (organ)
St Paul's Cathedral Choir & St Paul's Mozart Orchestra, Andrew Carwood
Most of the music here is performed by the good soloists and enthusiastic chorus with gusto, so the chief impression is of lusty praise...The St Paul's team seems to be enjoying itself, though... —
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the dynamic range and palette of tonal colours that Herrick conjures up and the exemplary clarity of the recording make this a highly satisfying release...it's a cleverly contrasted selection... —
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Echoes of Nightingales
Encores as sung by Kirsten Flagstad, Eileen Farrell, Helen Traubel and Eleanor Steber
Christine Brewer (soprano) & Roger Vignoles (piano)
unlike many dramatic sopranos, Brewer here demonstrates a clarity of enunciation and a variety of tone that suits this lighter material...Irresistable. —
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Prokofiev - Cello Concerto & Symphony-Concerto
Alban Gerhardt (cello)
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Litton
Whatever conclusions one draws from a direct comparison between the two works, there is little doubt that Alban Gerhardt is equally committed to both. …he performs with consummate authority,... —
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The Romantic Violin Concerto 11 - Reger
Tanja Becker-Bender (violin)
Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Lothar Zagrosek
it's one of [Reger's] most heart-warming works, allowing his intensely lyrical streak free rein...Aided by first-rate orchestral playing, [Zagrosek] finds transparency in Reger's original...Chief... —
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Tallis: Salve intemerata & other sacred music
Robert Evans (bass), Robert Evans (bass) & Robert Rice (baritone), Robert Rice (baritone)
The Cardinall's Musick, Andrew Carwood
In the anthems, particularly, the Cardinall's Musick pulls the listener into Tallis's splendid architecture, with perfect paragraphing and line shape. For the most part, though, it retains a... —
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Vaughan Williams: Dona nobis pacem & Hough: Missa Mirabilis
Christopher Maltman (baritone), Sarah Fox (soprano)
Colorado Symphony Chorus & Colorado Symphony, Andrew Litton
Vaughan Williams's Dona nobis pacem is a work that wastes no time cutting to the quick, and nor does this performance of it: in the opening Agnus Dei soprano Sarah Fox is immediately intense... —
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There can never be too many recordings of Grieg's masterpiece, Haugtussa ('The Mountain Maid')… In the mezzo-soprano of Katarina Karnéus, Haugtussa becomes a darkly erotic tale… —
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Herrick's playing is always lively and energetic, but with mixed results. Buxtehude's G minor Prelude and Fugue receives a beautifully poised and controlled account, and the works by Gade and... —
