Building a Library: Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
Reviewer - Fiona Talkington
First Choice: Sting (narrator), Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado (conductor)
(recorded 1988; c/w PROKOFIEV March, Op.99; Overture on Hebrew Themes; Symphony No.1 in D 'Classical')
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4293962 (CD)
Mid-Price Choice: Sean Connery (narrator), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Antal Dorati (conductor)
(recorded 1965; c/w PROKOFIEV Lieutenant Kije suite; BRITTEN Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra)
LONDON 4441042 (CD, mid-price)
CD Review BAL Catalogue Data bal.prokofiev:
bal.prokofiev.peter.and.the.wolf
Playlist
[All recordings are available at full price unless indicated otherwise.]
Hot Off The Press:
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS On Christmas Night (excerpt played)
(c/w Fantasia on Christmas Carols (version for strings and organ); The First Nowell*):
Sarah Fox (soprano)*, Roderick Williams (baritone)*, Joyful Company of Singers, City of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox (conductor)
CHANDOS CHAN10385 (CD)
CASTELLANOS Villancico de Corboda (from Ten Spanish Noels)
(from CD entitled 'Noel' - also including works by J.S.BACH, CHAMINADE, CORNELIUS, GOUNOD, GRIEG, GRONDAHL, HEAD, LYAPUNOV, NORDQVIST, QUILTER, REGER, SIBELIUS and WIDEEN):
Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano), Bengt Forsberg (piano)
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4775725 (CD)
ADAM Cantique de Noel*
(from CD entitled 'Merry Christmas' - familiar and rare recordings from the post-war decades including works by J.S.BACH, BUXTEHUDE, HUMPERDINCK, LOEWE, PRAETORIUS, REGER and REINICKE):
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone)*, Jorg Demus (piano)*
(2-CD set also features Fritz Wunderlich (tenor), Hermann Prey (baritone), Helmut Krebs (tenor), Helmut Walcha (organ), The Trapp Family Singers, Karl Richter (conductor), Fritz Lehmann (conductor) and others):
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4775759 (2-CD, budget)
STOELZEL Christmas Oratorio - Gospel Cantatas Vol.2 (Cantata 'Denen zu Zion wird ein Erloser kommen' played)
(c/w Te Deum)
Ute Schulze (soprano), Schirin Partowi (alto), Andreas Post (tenor), Klaus Mertens (bass), Handel's Company, Kammerchor der MarienKantorei Lemgo, Rainer Johannes Homburg (conductor)
MDG 9051369-6 (CD/SACD Hybrid)
Building A Library Recommendations:
PROKOFIEV Peter and the Wolf
Reviewer: Fiona Talkington
First Choice:
Sting (narrator), Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado (conductor)
(c/w PROKOFIEV March, Op.99; Overture on Hebrew Themes; Symphony No.1 in D 'Classical')
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4293962 (CD)
Alternative / Mid-Price Choice:
Sean Connery (narrator), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Antal Dorati (conductor)
(recorded 1965; c/w PROKOFIEV Lieutenant Kije suite; BRITTEN Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra)
LONDON 4441042 (CD, mid-price)
Consumer Spot - Harmonia Mundi's Christmas Edition 2006:
A selection of music from the discs below is also available on a compilation CD entitled 'Noel' - HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2978223 (CD, mid-price)
J.S.BACH Magnificat BWV243a (Magnificat anima mea played)
(c/w Cantata 'Christen, atzet diesen Tag' BWV63):
Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Ingeborg Danz (alto), Mark Padmore (tenor), Sebastian Noack (bass), Collegium Vocale Gent, Philippe Herreweghe (conductor)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2971782 (CD, mid-price)
School of Notre Dame (12th century) - Mass for Christmas Day (Kyrie played):
Ensemble Organum, Marcel Peres (director)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2971148 (CD, mid-price)
CHARPENTIER Hymn on the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, H414 (Air de l'Ange played)
(c/w Pastorale on the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, H483):
Les Arts Florissants, William Christie (conductor)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2971082 (CD, mid-price)
SCHUTZ Weihnachts-Historie (Christmas History), SWV435 (excerpt played); Heute ist Christus geboren, SWV439 (excerpt played)
(c/w Amderer Theil kleiner geitlicher Concerten, Op.9):
Concerto Vocale, Rene Jacobs (director)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2971310 (CD, mid-price)
BERLIOZ L'Enfance du Christ (Choeur d'anges played):
Veronique Gens (Mary), Paul Agnew (narrator), Olivier Lallouette (Joseph / Polydorus), Laurent Naouri (Herod), Frederic (the family father), La Chapelle Royale, Collegium Vocale, Orchestre des Champs-Elysees, Philippe Herreweghe (conductor)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2971632.33 (2-CD, mid-price)
IVES A Christmas Carol
(from CD entitled 'Carols from the Old & New Worlds' - music from Austria, Finland, Germany, England and the USA):
Theatre of Voices, Paul Hillier (director)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2977079 (CD, mid-price)
MENDELSSOHN Frohlocket, ihr Volker auf Erden (Sechs Spruche Op.79 No.1)
(from CD entitled 'Stille Nacht' - German Carols from the 19th century, also including works by BECKER, BRUCH, FUCHS, KIENZL, NOSSLER, REGER, SILCHER and WULLNER):
RIAS Kammerchor, Uwe Gronostay (director)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2971794 (CD, mid-price)
BALBASTRE Il est un petit l'ange
(from CD entitled 'Noels a l'orgue' - Christmas music for organ including works by J.S.BACH, DAQUIN and ZIPOLI):
Rene Saorgin (historic organs of Tende and Chambery)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2978199 (CD, mid-price)
CORELLI Concerto da chiesa No.7 in D (excerpt played)
(from CD entitled 'Christmas Concerto' - also including Concerti da Chiesa Nos.5, 6, 8 & 11; Concerto da camera No.12):
Ensemble 415, Chiara Banchini, Jesper Christensen (conductors)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMX2971407 (CD, mid-price)
New Releases - Children's Music:
BLAKE The Snowman (excerpt from Walking in the Air played)
(from 2-CD set - CD1 entitled 'A Celebration of Christmas Music' - including 'Christopher Robin at Buckingham Palace' and other famous themes; CD2 ELGAR Nursery Suite - recordings from 2006* and 1931+):
Band of The Welsh Guards, Maj. David W Cresswell (conductor), Royal College of Music Junior Department Symphony Orchestra*, Mark Elder (conductor)*, London Symphony Orchestra+, Sir Edward Elgar (conductor)+
APACE MUSIC CLTCD01 (2-CD, budget)
DALE Malice at Buckingham Palace; R.R.BENNETT Dream-song
(from CD entitled 'Classic Children's Songs' - also including FRASER-SIMPSON Christopher Robin is saying his prayers; They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace; HELY-HUTCHINSON The Owl and the Pussy-cat; and others):
Roderick Williams (baritone), Elizabeth Atherton (soprano), Iain Burnside (piano)
JUST ACCORD MUSIC JUSCD003 (CD)
CHAPPELL Paddington Bear's First Concert (excerpt played)
(c/w KLEINSINGER Tubby the Tuba*; ROVEN The Runaway Bunny+):
Stephen Fry (narrator)*, Brooke Shields (narrator)+, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Barry Wordsworth (conductor)
SONY CLASSICAL 82876844202 (CD)
PATTERSON Little Red Riding Hood (excerpt played); The Three Little Pigs (excerpt played); BLAKE The Snowman (excerpt from Walking in the Air played):
Chris Jarvis (narrator), London Philharmonic Orchestra, David Parry (conductor)
LPO 0015 (CD, mid-price)
COLERIDGE-TAYLOR (arr. BAYNES) Christmas Overture (excerpt played); LANE The Night before Christmas*
(from CD entitled 'The Night Before Christmas' - also including MOZART Classic Sleighride; MASSENET Ther Last Sleep of the Virgin; LANE Overture on French Carols; NICOLAI Christmas Overture; CARMICHAEL Sleighride to Thredbo; LISZT The Christmas Tree Suite; CARWITHEN On the Twelfth Day):
Stephen Fry (narrator)*, BBC Concert Orchestra, Barry Wordsworth (conductor)
NAXOS 8570331 (CD, budget)
Interview - Martin Frost:
MOZART Clarinet Concerto in A, KV622 (excerpt from 1st movement played)
(c/w Quintet in A, KV581*)
Martin Frost (basset clarinet), Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Peter Oundjian (conductor), Vertavo String Quartet*
BIS SACD-1263 (SACD/CD Hybrid)
BRAHMS Clarinet Sonata No.2 in E flat, Op.120 No.2 (4th movement played)
(c/w Clarinet Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.120 No.1; Trio in A minr, Op.114*)
Martin Frost (clarinet), Roland Pontinen (piano), Torleif Thedeen (cello)*
BIS SACD-1353 (SACD/CD Hybrid)
WEBER Clarinet Concerto No.2 in E flat, Op.74 (excerpt from 3rd movement played)
(c/w Clarinet Concerto No.1 in F minor, Op.73; Quintet in B flat, Op.34 (arr. KANTOROW for string orchestra); Concertino in E flat, Op.26):
Martin Frost (clarinet), Tapiola Sinfonietta, Jean-Jacques Kantorow (conductor)
BIS SACD-1523 (SACD/CD Hybrid)
HILLBORG Clarinet Concerto (excerpt played)
(c/w Liquid Marble; Violin Concerto):
Martin Frost (clarinet), Anna Lindal (violin), Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor)
ONDINE ODE10062 (CD)
AHO Clarinet Concerto (5th movement played)
(c/w NIELSEN Clarinet Concerto):
Martin Frost (clarinet), Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Osmo Vanska (conductor)
BIS SACD-1463 (SACD/CD Hybrid)
(to be released April 2007)
'THE LISTENING BOOTH':
The Listening Booth is a regular slot around midday on Saturday's CD Review. It's your chance to vote for and listen to excerpts from brand-new CDs.
If you would like to subscribe to a weekly email list of the discs in the Listening Booth please visit:
www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/newsletters/index.shtml
HOLST This have I done for my true love; ANON. Antiphon 'O Oriens'
(from CD entitled 'Christmas at St John's - A sequence of music leading from the darkness of Advent to the blazing light of Christmas, Epiphany and beyond' - Antiphons and traditional hymns alongside works works by BINGHAM, HOLST, HOWELLS, LAURIDSEN and WARLOCK):
The Choir of St John's College Cambridge, David Hill (director)
HYPERION CDA67576 (CD)
SCHUTZ Hodie Christus natus est; LANGLAIS Fete
(from CD entitled 'Christmas Vespers at Westminster Cathedral' - chants from the Office of Vespers as it might be heard on the eve of Christmas, alongside motets and canticles by TALLIS, VICTORIA and SCHUTZ):
The Choir of Westminster Cathedral, Matthew Martin (organ), Martin Baker (director)
HYPERION CDA67522 (CD)
FRANCAIX L'Horlage de Flore
(c/w Quartet for English horn, viola and cello; Trio for oboe, bassoon and pIano; Quartet for 2 violins, viola and cello):
Lajos Lencses (oboe & English horn); Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Uri Segal (conductor), Parisii Quartett, Francaix-Trio
CPO 999779-2 (CD)
Radio 3's Disc Of The Week:
VICTORIA O quam gloriosum; Missa O quam gloriosum (interspersed with works from the CODEX CALIXTINUS - Psallat chorus caelestium; O lux et decus Hispaniae; O venerande Christi):
(from CD entitled 'Pilgrimage to Santiago' - a cappella choral music from the Twelfth century to the Seventeenth century also including pieces by DUFAY, LASSUS, MOUTON, MORALES and PALESTRINA):
The Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)
SOLI DEO GLORIA SDG701 (CD)
