Building a Library: Verdi: La Traviata
Reviewer - Roger Parker
First Choice: Ileana Cotrubas (Violetta Valery), Stefania Malagu (Flora Bervoix), Helena Jungwirth (Annina), Placido Domingo (Alfredo Germont), Sherrill Milnes (Giorgio Germont), Walter Gullino (Gastone), Bruno Grella (Barone Douphol) Alfredo Giacomotti (Marchese d'Obigny), Giovanni Foiani (Dottore Grenvil), Walter Gullino (Giuseppe), Bavarian State Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Carlos Kleiber (conductor)
(recorded 1977)
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4590392 (Centenary Collection - 2-CD, mid-price) or 4770772 (2-SACD/CD Hybrid)
Historic Choice: Maria Callas (Violetta Valery), Silvana Zanolli (Flora Bervoix), Luisa Mandelli (Annina), Giuseppe di Stefano (Alfredo Germont), Ettore Bastianini (Giorgio Germont), Giuseppe Zampieri (Gastone), Arturo La Porta (Barone Douphol), Antonio Zerbini (Marchese d'Obigny), Silvio Maionica (Dottore Grenvil), Franco Ricciardi (Giuseppe), Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala Theatre Milan, Carlo Maria Giulini (conductor)
(recorded live 1955 - mono)
EMI CLASSICS 5664502 (2-CD, mid-price) or 7644232 (highlights - CD, mid-price)
CD Review BAL Catalogue Data bal.verdi:
bal.verdi.la.traviata
Playlist
[All recordings are available at full price unless indicated otherwise.]
Hot Off The Press:
MYSLIVECEK Sinfonia in C major (1st movement played)
(c/w Overture in A major; Sinfonia in F major; Sinfonia in G major; Sinfonia in E flat major; Concertino in E flat major):
Concerto Koln, Werner Ehrhardt (musical director / leader)
ARCHIV PRODUKTION 4776418 (CD)
VIVALDI Aria 'Vedro con mio diletto' (from Giustino)
(from CD entitled 'Heroes - Vivaldi Opera Arias' - also including arias from Orlando finto pazzo; Ottone in villa; L'Olimpiade; Tito Manlio; Andromeda liberata; Demofoonte; Il Tigrane; Tieteberga; Orlando furioso; Farnace):
Philippe Jaroussky (counter-tenor), Ensemble Matheus, Jean-Christophe Spinosi (violin & direction)
VIRGIN CLASSICS 3634142 (CD)
J.A.HASSE Oratorio: Serpentes Ignei in Deserto (Fiery Serpents in the Wilderness) (Recitativo & Aria 'Nathanael'* played):
Stephanie d'Oustrac (mezzo-soprano)*, Les Paladins, Jerome Correas (director)
AMBRONAY AMY005 (CD)
ANON. Sanctus: Mater mitis vere vitis (from A Scottish Ladymass)
(from CD entitled '13th Century Scottish Polyphony from the St Andrews Music Book)
Canty, Rebecca Tavener (director), William Taylor (wire-strung clarsach & symphonie)
GAUDEAMUS CDGAU360 (CD)
Building A Library Recommendations:
VERDI La Traviata
Reviewer: Roger Parker
First Choice:
Ileana Cotrubas (Violetta Valery), Stefania Malagu (Flora Bervoix), Helena Jungwirth (Annina), Placido Domingo (Alfredo Germont), Sherrill Milnes (Giorgio Germont), Walter Gullino (Gastone), Bruno Grella (Barone Douphol) Alfredo Giacomotti (Marchese d'Obigny), Giovanni Foiani (Dottore Grenvil), Walter Gullino (Giuseppe), Bavarian State Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Carlos Kleiber (conductor)
(recorded 1977)
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 4590392 (Centenary Collection - 2-CD, mid-price) or 4770772 (2-SACD/CD Hybrid)
Historic Choice:
Maria Callas (Violetta Valery), Silvana Zanolli (Flora Bervoix), Luisa Mandelli (Annina), Giuseppe di Stefano (Alfredo Germont), Ettore Bastianini (Giorgio Germont), Giuseppe Zampieri (Gastone), Arturo La Porta (Barone Douphol), Antonio Zerbini (Marchese d'Obigny), Silvio Maionica (Dottore Grenvil), Franco Ricciardi (Giuseppe), Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala Theatre Milan, Carlo Maria Giulini (conductor)
(recorded live 1955 - mono)
EMI CLASSICS 5664502 (2-CD, mid-price)
or 7644232 (highlights - CD, mid-price)
Next week, Lowri Blake explores the available recordings of Shostakovich's Cello Sonata.
Consumer Spot - Haydn Masses:
HAYDN The Complete Mass Edition
Theresienmesse; Kleine Orgelmesse; Schopfungsmesse (Creation Mass) & Revised Gloria from Schopfungsmesse; Missa 'rorate coeli desuper'; Harmoniemesse; Salve Regina; Te Deum; Paukenmesse (Missa in tempore belli); Incidental music to 'Alfred, Konig der Angelsachsen'; Te Deum (No.2); Nelsonmesse; Ave Regina; Missa brevis; Heiligmesse (Missa Sancti Bernardi von Offida); Nikolaimesse (Missa Sancti Nicolai); Missa Sanctae Caeciliae (Missa Cellensis); Missa sunt bona mixta malis; Grosse Orgelmess; Mariazeller Messe; Missa Cellensis (No.2):
Susan Gritton (soprano), Janice Watson (soprano), Nancy Argenta (soprano), Lorna Anderson (soprano), Pamela Helen Stephen (mezzo-soprano), Catherine Denley (mezzo-soprano), Louise Winter (mezzo-soprano), Mark Padmore (tenor), Stephen Varcoe (baritone), Ian Watson (organ), Collegium Musicum 90, Richard Hickox (conductor)
CHANDOS CHACONNE CHAN0734 (8-CD, budget)
New Releases - Orchestral:
Reviewer: Jonathan Swain
BRITTEN The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op.34; Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op.33a; ELGAR 'Enigma' Variations, Op.36:
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Jarvi (conductor)
TELARC CD80660 (CD)
For Comparison:
ELGAR 'Enigma' Variations, Op.36*; Pomp and Circumstance Marches Nos.1-5, Op.39+:
London Symphony Orchestra*, London Philharmonic Orchestra+, Sir Adrian Boult (conductor)
EMI CLASSICS 7640152 (CD, mid-price)
MUSSORGSKY (orch. RAVEL) Pictures at an Exhibition; TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op.36:
Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Tugan Sokhiev (conductor)
NAIVE V5068 (CD)
SIBELIUS Kullervo, Op.7
Satu Vihavainen (soprano), Juha Uusitalo (bass-baritone), KHL - male chorus, Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Rfalz, Ari Rasilainen (conductor)
CPO 7771962 (CD/SACD Hybrid)
SIBELIUS Kullervo, Op.7
Charlotte Hellekant (mezzo-soprano), Nathan Gunn (baritone), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Robert Spano (conductor)
TELARC CD80665 (CD) or SACD60665 (SACD)
TCHAIKOVSKY Francesca da Rimini; Romeo and Juliet - Fantasy Overture; Eugene Onegin - Waltz* & Polonaise; 1812 Overture Op.49*+:
Coro dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia*, Banda Musicale della Polizia di Stato+, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Antonio Pappano (conductor)
EMI CLASSICS 3700652 (CD)
'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
BIBER The Mystery Sonatas (The Descent of the Holy Spirit played):
Maya Homburger (baroque violin), Camerata Kilkenny
MAYA RECORDINGS MCD0603 (CD)
MOZART Quintet movement in B flat, K516 (completed by Duncan Druce)
(c/w Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op.115; GLAZUNOV Reverie Orientale, Op.14 No.2; W.SWEENEY An Og-Mhadainn):
Lesley Schatzberger (clarinet), Fitzwilliam String Quartet
LINN RECORDS CKD278 (CD)
DUTILLEUX Au gre des ondes
(from disc of Dutilleux: Complete Solo Piano Music - also including Sonata; Trois Preludes):
John Chen (piano)
NAXOS 8557823 (CD, budget)
J.S.BACH Mass in B minor BWV232 (Qui Tollis; Quoniam; Cum sancto spiritu (Gloria) played):
Mechthild Bach (soprano), Daniel Taylor (counter-tenor), Marcus Ullmann (tenor), Raimund Nolte (baritone), Kammerchor Stuttgart, Barockorchester Stuttgart, Frieder Bernius (conductor) CARUS 83.211 (2-CD)
Radio 3's Disc Of The Week:
RAVEL Sonata for violin and piano; STRAVINSKY Suite Italienne (after Pulcinella, trans. Samuel Dushkin)
(c/w SCHUBERT Fantasie for violin and piano in C, D934; C. SCHUMANN Romanze for violin and piano, Op.22/1):
Viktoria Mullova (violin), Katia Labeque (piano)
ONYX 4015 (CD)
