Presto News - 15th March 2010

Mozart Symphonies from Mackerras - Volume 2

One of our best selling discs ever is the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Sir Charles Mackerras’s recording of Mozart’s late symphonies on Linn. It was released two years ago and has won several awards including Disc of the Year at the 2009 BBC Music Magazine Awards. I’d be surprised therefore if I’m the only one who has been eagerly awaiting the promised second volume. Well the wait is finally over as it is released today. Containing Symphonies 29, 31 (Paris), 32, 35 (Haffner) & 36 (Linz), it arguably completes the set of all the real masterpieces which Mozart gave to the Symphonic genre.

Just like in the first set, the combination of Mackerras’s lifelong experience of performing Mozart (he’s now 84) and the youthful and hugely talented Scottish Chamber Orchestra produces a recording of staggering quality. Produced by James Mallinson (a multi-award winning producer who also does all of LSO Live’s releases), the quality of the recording is equally breathtaking.

Sir Charles Mackerras
Sir Charles Mackerras

From the very first bars of Symphony No. 29 you immediately sense a vitality and transparency in the playing which will mark this recording out above virtually all others. The balance is superb and the rhythms so clear that you hear all the inner details of Mozart’s orchestration. The orchestra plays predominantly on modern instruments (with natural horns and trumpets) but with an acute awareness of period style, and this combination of rich orchestral colour and appropriate stylistic playing is hugely persuasive.

Mackerras paces the slow movements just right, never sounding rushed nor in the slightest bit dull. The phrasing always sounds natural, and even within very quiet passages there is a shape and elegance to proceedings. There is never any exaggerated slowing down at the end of phrases, nor any sentimentality or mannerisms. The finales crackle with electricity, the trumpets and drums play with a bright blazing splendour, and when the horns let rip there is a real thrill and excitement.

I don’t believe the concept of definitive recordings as I think there is almost always more than one interpretation that can be valid and have something interesting to say. That said, I can’t imagine a more persuasive version of these symphonies than this – so joyous and life-enhancing throughout and they come with my highest recommendation.

I’ve put a short video on the website for you to watch and, after a few thoughts from Sir Charles, there is a substantial excerpt from the first movement of the ‘Haffner’ Symphony to whet your appetite. Enjoy!

Mozart - Symphonies Nos. 29, 31, 32, 35 & 36

Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras

play Watch a short trailer

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Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk

New Releases

15th March 2010

This is just the pick of the recent releases. The New Releases and Future Releases pages are always available for browsing all the new and forthcoming releases.

Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14

Anima Eterna, Jos van Immerseel

This monumental work of French Romanticism is one of the essential landmarks in the career of any conductor. The quality of Berlioz’s orchestration and questions of timbre and the ideal instrumental forces lie at the core of the approach of Jos van Immerseel and Anima Eterna Brugge, who are increasingly drawn to French composers and especially to their precise, shimmering orchestral textures.

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Charpentier, M-A: David et Jonathas

Anders Dahlin (David), Sara Macliver (Jonathan), Dean Robinson (Saul), Richard Anderson (Achis), David Parkin (Ghost of Samuel), Simon Lobelson (Joabel), Paul Mcmahon (La Pythonisse), Cantillation & Orchestra of the Antipodes, Antony Walker

This beautiful and engaging French Baroque opera brings to life the Biblical story of a friendship which surmounts political, religious and even family differences. Charpentier’s 17th century masterpiece is celebrated with this brilliant recording by Australia’s most exciting opera company, Pinchgut Opera.

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Bach, J S: St Matthew Passion, BWV244

Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Thomanerchor Leipzig & Thomanerchor Leipzig, Riccardo Chailly

The great orchestra of Bach's own city of Leipzig in a glorious new recording of his choral masterpiece. Played on modern instruments, Chailly’s Bach beautifully demonstrates that vivid, stylistically aware performance is not the exclusive preserve of period instrument ensembles.

Distinguished German vocal soloists, including acclaimed bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff, rise gloriously to the challenges of Bach’s exalted score. The choir parts are thrillingly sung by two of Germany's most celebrated boys' choirs - the Thomanerchor Leipzig and the Tölzer Knabenchor.

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Thieriot - Chamber Music Volume 1

Hamburg Chamber Players

This is the first of a series of recordings that the Hamburg Chamber Players will be making for Toccata Classics, focussing on chamber music by neglected German Romantics.

Ferdinand Thieriot (1836–1919) was, like Johannes Brahms, a student of Eduard Marxsen in Hamburg. Brahms remained a friend in later years – and indeed Thieriot’s music has a Brahmsian warmth and richness and overflows with memorable melodies.

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Mahler: Symphony No. 9 in D major

Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Roger Norrington

This is the latest Mahler recording from the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Roger Norrington. This recording marks the crowning achievement of Norrington’s exploration of the Romantic Symphony masterpieces.

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Cantilena: Voices of Bach - Transcriptions for oboe

Albrecht Mayer (oboe), The English Concert & Trinity Baroque

Principal oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic and a hugely successful recording artist in his native Germany, Albrecht Mayer is a world-renowned musician and winner of Germany's prestigious ECHO-Klassik as Instrumentalist of the Year.

His latest Decca solo album is a celebration of the music of J.S.Bach. The album includes works written specifically for wind instruments (both oboe and cor anglais) as well as great melodies from the choral works in new arrangements.

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Soweto Strings

A Film by Mark Kidel

Soweto Strings tells the extraordinary and moving story of an outstanding music project in Soweto. Established in 1997 by British viola player Rosemary Nalden, the Buskaid project, which gives local township children the opportunity to learn classical stringed instruments virtually free of charge, has transformed the lives of many youngsters and produced musicians of international quality. Under Rosemary Nalden’s direction, the Buskaid Ensemble has played in many of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, and its performance at the 2007 BBC Proms in London won it unanimous critical acclaim. In 2009 Gramophone magazine identified the Ensemble as one of the world’s ten most inspiring orchestras.

Award-winning filmmaker Mark Kidel followed the project’s work for over two years, focusing on a number of musicians at different stages of the journey towards the mastery of their instruments. He also highlights Rosemary Nalden’s phenomenal success at inspiring young musicians who have grown up in exceptionally difficult circumstances.

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9 New Dutton Epoch releases

A superb selection of new releases from Dutton this month including Violin Concertos from Lionel Sainsbury & Haydn Wood, Elgar's Sea Pictures sung by baritone Roderick Williams, a rare disc of English String music, discs of John Ireland and Arnold Cooke, and more...

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Radio 3

BBC Radio 3 CD Review

Saturday 13th March 2010

Building a Library - Brahms: Die schöne Magelone, Op. 33

First Choice - (baritone and piano)

(coupled with a small selection of Schubert songs accompanied by Benjamin Britten)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) / Sviatoslav Richter (piano)

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First Choice - (tenor, narrator and fortepiano)

Christoph Pregardien (tenor) / Andreas Staier (fortepiano) / Vanessa Redgrave (narrator)

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Disc of the Week

Prokofiev - String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2

Pavel Haas Quartet

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Previous Newsletters

15-Mar-2010 -Mozart Symphonies from Mackerras - Volume 2
08-Mar-2010 -Bernard Coutaz and Harmonia Mundi
01-Mar-2010 -Thomas Adès
22-Feb-2010 -Strauss: Alpine Symphony
15-Feb-2010 -Handel: Giulio Cesare and the Brockes Passion
08-Feb-2010 -Debussy and the Prix de Rome
01-Feb-2010 -Testament
25-Jan-2010 -BBC Music Magazine Awards Shortlist
18-Jan-2010 -Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet
11-Jan-2010 -Bach for Violin and Voice
04-Jan-2010 -A Ring cycle for the 21st Century
28-Dec-2009 -Anniversaries - 2009 and 2010
21-Dec-2009 -Richard Farrell
14-Dec-2009 -Thomas Tallis's Secret Garden
07-Dec-2009 -El Sistema
30-Nov-2009 -Christmas Releases
23-Nov-2009 -Kirsten Flagstad
16-Nov-2009 -Nikolaus Harnoncourt
09-Nov-2009 -Two important Elgar rarities
02-Nov-2009 -Felix Mendelssohn
26-Oct-2009 -Cecilia Bartoli and the world of Castratos
19-Oct-2009 -Winterreise from Padmore and Lewis
12-Oct-2009 -Tchaikovsky's Moscow Cantata
05-Oct-2009 -The Quatuor Ebène and the Gramophone Awards
28-Sep-2009 -Unknown Britten
21-Sep-2009 -Australian Eloquence
14-Sep-2009 -Julia Fischer plays Schubert
07-Sep-2009 -Bach Cantata bargain of the year
31-Aug-2009 -Rattle conducts Brahms
24-Aug-2009 -Bruckner from the Concertgebouw
17-Aug-2009 -Gramophone Awards 2009 - Finalists
10-Aug-2009 -Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle
03-Aug-2009 -The Vivaldi Edition
27-Jul-2009 -Diaghilev and The Ballets Russes
20-Jul-2009 -Sir Edward Downes
13-Jul-2009 -Brilliant Classics
06-Jul-2009 -Tomás Luis de Victoria
29-Jun-2009 -Britten's homage to Purcell
22-Jun-2009 -The Three Tenors
15-Jun-2009 -Penguin Rosettes and Building a Library
08-Jun-2009 -Masterclasses
01-Jun-2009 -Gergiev at the Mariinsky
25-May-2009 -Two recent re-discoveries light up Martinu year
18-May-2009 -Idomeneo from René Jacobs
11-May-2009 -A&R and Kate Royal's Midsummer Night
04-May-2009 -Chandos Records - 30 years young
27-Apr-2009 -Rachmaninov Preludes
20-Apr-2009 -20 Years of NMC
13-Apr-2009 -BBC Music Magazine Awards
06-Apr-2009 -Shostakovich 11 from the RLPO
30-Mar-2009 -BIS and the Sibelius Edition
23-Mar-2009 -Haydn - 'The Father of the Symphony'
16-Mar-2009 -George Frederic Handel
09-Mar-2009 -Bach's Brandenburg Concertos
02-Mar-2009 -Angela Gheorghiu in Puccini's Madama Butterfly
23-Feb-2009 -The world's most celebrated violins
16-Feb-2009 -Copyright to be extended
09-Feb-2009 -A feast of Early Music
02-Feb-2009 -Sarah Connolly gets Purcell year off to a flier
26-Jan-2009 -Monteverdi as you've never heard it before!
19-Jan-2009 -Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin put Platti firmly on the map
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05-Jan-2009 -Lindsays lead the bargains
29-Dec-2008 -Jerusalem - in search of peace
22-Dec-2008 -Looking ahead - Handel, Haydn and more
15-Dec-2008 -2008 - A great year for DVDs
08-Dec-2008 -Top new Christmas recommendations
01-Dec-2008 -Richard Hickox
24-Nov-2008 -The World's Great Orchestras, and Euros and US Dollars now accepted
17-Nov-2008 -Lost manuscripts continue to be found
10-Nov-2008 -Haydn's String Quartets
03-Nov-2008 -Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony
27-Oct-2008 -Contemporary Music
20-Oct-2008 -Sir Peter Moores
13-Oct-2008 -Vivaldi in a new light
06-Oct-2008 -Americans in Pyongyang
29-Sep-2008 -Paul Lewis and the Gramophone Awards 2008
22-Sep-2008 -Songs her mother taught her
15-Sep-2008 -Vernon Handley
08-Sep-2008 -Zig Zag and the Atrium Quartet
01-Sep-2008 -Gramophone Awards nominations
25-Aug-2008 -Beautiful Messiah and Exquisite Morales
18-Aug-2008 -Great Pianists of the Past
11-Aug-2008 -Classical Television Broadcasts on the Internet
04-Aug-2008 -Chloë Hanslip and the unfamiliar
28-Jul-2008 -Leopold Godowsky and the virtuoso pianist
21-Jul-2008 -Linn Records
14-Jul-2008 -Vaughan Williams
07-Jul-2008 -Olivier Messiaen
30-Jun-2008 -Reginald Goodall's revelatory 'Mastersingers'
23-Jun-2008 -The French Baroque - 200 Years of Versailles
16-Jun-2008 -Bach Fugues from Onyx and the Emersons
09-Jun-2008 -New DVD page and Special Offer
02-Jun-2008 -Time to re-evaluate Miaskovsky
26-May-2008 -Superb Scholl sings Dowland and his circle
19-May-2008 -Fiesta! - Dudamel and the Venezuelans
12-May-2008 -The Guarneri Piano Trio and the label Praga
05-May-2008 -A La Bohème for all
28-Apr-2008 -Beethoven and Period Instruments
21-Apr-2008 -The Jerusalem Quartet
14-Apr-2008 -Nigel Kennedy
07-Apr-2008 -Paul Lewis's Beethoven
31-Mar-2008 -Ingrid Fliter
24-Mar-2008 -Mel Bonis
17-Mar-2008 -Stunning new Haydn Creation from Paul McCreesh
10-Mar-2008 -Hilary Hahn plays Schoenberg and Sibelius
03-Mar-2008 -Rattle and Gergiev on Mahler
25-Feb-2008 -Handel Organ Concertos
18-Feb-2008 -Late Mozart Symphonies
11-Feb-2008 -Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project
04-Feb-2008 -Arvo Pärt's Spiegel im Spiegel
28-Jan-2008 -Undeservedly neglected music - John Marsh and Juan de Araujo
21-Jan-2008 -New Bach Cantatas page
14-Jan-2008 -Composers' Own Recordings
07-Jan-2008 -Francis Xavier and Jordi Savall
31-Dec-2007 -50 Years of Harmonia Mundi
24-Dec-2007 -Last thoughts on 2007, first on 2008
17-Dec-2007 -Discs of the Year
10-Dec-2007 -Stockhausen
03-Dec-2007 -25 Years of the Compact Disc
26-Nov-2007 -Pacini and the importance of first performances
19-Nov-2007 -Christmas music worth hearing
12-Nov-2007 -The forgotten Maria
05-Nov-2007 -Why composers marked repeats
29-Oct-2007 -Bach B minor Mass from Suzuki
22-Oct-2007 -New Mahler 8 from Pierre Boulez
15-Oct-2007 -Lucerne Festival Orchestra
08-Oct-2007 -Julia Fischer and the Gramophone Awards
01-Oct-2007 -Mozart - Don Giovanni from René Jacobs
24-Sep-2007 -Natalie Clein and the Elgar Cello Concerto
17-Sep-2007 -Joshua Bell
10-Sep-2007 -Luciano Pavarotti
03-Sep-2007 -Kate Royal
27-Aug-2007 -Gramophone Awards - finalists revealed
20-Aug-2007 -Exciting new baroque rediscovery - Conti's David
13-Aug-2007 -Venezuelan Youth Orchestra the envy of the world
06-Aug-2007 -Music's Best-kept Secrets
30-Jul-2007 -Haydn - the most underrated great composer
23-Jul-2007 -Beethoven Piano Sonatas
16-Jul-2007 -BBC Proms 2007
09-Jul-2007 -Elin Manahan Thomas
02-Jul-2007 -Open minds and superb Bernarda Fink
25-Jun-2007 -Excited by another batch of re-issues?
18-Jun-2007 -Composer Works lists now published
11-Jun-2007 -Padmore and Bostridge sing Handel
04-Jun-2007 -Elgar's Enigma Variations
28-May-2007 -Still suffering some seventy years on?
21-May-2007 -Buying Opera on CD or DVD
14-May-2007 -Debussy's new champion
07-May-2007 -Schütz's Legacy
30-Apr-2007 -Mstislav Rostropovich
23-Apr-2007 -Missed Opportunities
16-Apr-2007 -BBC Music Magazine Awards
09-Apr-2007 -The way we listen
02-Apr-2007 -Too much Mozart?
26-Mar-2007 -Harpsichord or Piano?
19-Mar-2007 -Strauss's Four Last Songs
12-Mar-2007 -The importance of government support
05-Mar-2007 -Do today's musicians all sound the same?

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