Szymanowski Orchestral and Piano Works

Antoni Wit | Cracow Polish Radio Chorus | Cracow Radio Symphony Orchestra | Felicja Blumental | Jerzy Semkow | Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra

With the exception of the early and accomplishedly Brahmsian Theme and Variations, this is all late Szymanowski, Szymanowski giving up...

Reviewed by Michael Oliver in issue: 4/1995

Massenet Don Quichotte

Alain Fondary | Christian Papis | Isabelle Vernet | Jean-Claude Barbier | José Van Dam | Marie-Ange Todorovitch | Michel Plasson | Nicolas Rivenq | Teresa Berganza | Toulouse Capitole Chorus

With the magical Cherubin, Massenet's Don Quichotte marks the ripe maturity of his art. The final scene, of Quixote's death,...

Reviewed in issue 12/1993

Brahms Piano Trios

Borodin Trio

All piano trios are difficult to balance: Brahms's especially so, his piano writing tending to take on the dimensions of...

Reviewed in issue 5/1983

Brahms Piano Sonata No. 3; Theme & Variations, Op.18

Radu Lupu

There are fine F minor sonatas in boxed-sets from Arrau (Philips 6768 356, 7/83) and Zimerman (DG 2740 278, 5/83)...

Reviewed by Joan Chissell in issue: 1/1984

Mantler Concertos

Berlin Neue Musik | Bjarne Roupé | Bob Rockwell | Majella Stockhausen | Michael Mantler | Nick Mason | Pedro Carneiro | Roland Kluttig | Roswell Rudd

A famously reticent performer, Michael Mantler is also a musician easy to underestimate, yet the sheer unpredictability of his output...

Reviewed by Richard_Whitehouse in issue: 3/2009

Nyman Piano Concerto; MGV

(Anonymous) Orchestra | (Michael) Nyman Band | Kathryn Stott | Michael Nyman | Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Considering the international success of Jane Campion's film The Piano and the healthy number of copies its soundtrack album (Virgin,...

Reviewed by rseeley in issue: 9/1994

Liszt Mazeppa

Writing in the accompanying notes, Philippe Beaussant tells us that “playing Liszt on an old Pleyel…makes the music sound different,...

Reviewed by Bryce Morrison in issue: 7/2008

Agricola Missa In Myne Zyn

Capilla Flamenca | Dirk Snellings

The dazzling inventiveness of Agricola is justly praised by Fabrice Fitch in his booklet-notes to this outstanding recording. This late...

Reviewed by Ivan Moody in issue: 5/2011

Mozart Horn Concertos; Rondo, K371

English Chamber Orchestra | Jeffrey Tate | Radovan Vlatkovic

Yet another collection of Mozart horn concertos, but this one has the singular advantage of including the Concert Rondo, K371...

Reviewed by Ivan March in issue: 6/1987

Twentieth-Century String Works

Dickermann Quartet | T. Trappe

Barber's String Quartet is the source of his popular Adagio for strings: the familiar arrangement for string orchestra carries the...

Reviewed by Michael Oliver in issue: 9/1986