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Presto News - 7th February 2011Simon Rattle's new Mahler 2 |
 The symphonies of Gustav Mahler have been a central theme in Simon Rattle’s career, and the Second Symphony (the Resurrection) has been particularly important. He says it was this piece, when aged 12, which made him take up conducting in the first place. He opened and closed his tenure at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with it and during his time there made a critically acclaimed recording with Arleen Augér & Janet Baker the two soloists. That recording became the Gramophone Record of the Year, the Building a Library First Choice, and a Penguin Guide Rosette winner. But it was 24 years ago now and while the quality of that first recording remains, a new recording with the Berlin Philharmonic (the orchestra which premiered the work back in 1895 under the baton of the composer) is a very welcome new release this week.  Sir Simon Rattle The Symphony, scored for large orchestra, soloists and chorus, tackles the great mysteries of life and death and was one of the most successful and popular of Mahler’s symphonies during his lifetime. Rattle explained: Mahler aimed to put the entire world into a symphony and this world goes from the death rights of some unnamed hero through a memory of what life was in both its beauty and its horror and final resurrection and redemption. It’s on a vast canvas with many, many performers and, for me, it is one of the most moving of all orchestral works. The new recording comes from live performances in Berlin’s Philharmonie in late October last year with soloists Kate Royal and Magdalena Kožená. I’ve listened to it about a dozen times now and it is fabulous. I grew up with the earlier CBSO recording so couldn’t really stop myself to some degree comparing them. The first thing to say is that, despite the twenty-four year gap, Rattle’s interpretation hasn’t actually changed much, and that is a good thing as there were so many wonderful things about that earlier recording like drama and playfulness which are still ever-present here. Rattle’s tempos have broadened slightly, but crucially they never feel self-indulgent, and indeed these broad tempos add to the majesty and grandeur of the performance, which was perhaps the only thing that I found slightly lacking in the earlier CBSO recording. And while there is still the incredible attention to detail which Rattle’s Mahler is renowned for – with intricate balance, careful phrasing and stunning dynamic contrasts (ranging from the quietest pianissimos to almost deafening climaxes) – I think Rattle lets his Berlin players ‘play’ a little more than he did the CBSO, where occasionally things sounded slightly too micro-managed. Magdalena Kožená's ‘Urlicht’ is rich and beautiful but while I’ve written enthusiastically about her in these newsletters in the past I have to admit I did find myself yearning for Janet Baker a bit. It may just be me though as I love the Janet Baker reading of this movement (as I do her Mahler recordings generally) and when you have such an affinity with one performer I do find it hard not to compare all others unfavourably! Kate Royal sings beautifully, as do the impeccable Rundfunkchor Berlin, and the orchestra are lyrical, poetic and dramatic – exactly as required. A splendid start to this second successive year of Mahler celebrations and a recording which I’m sure you’ll enjoy and cherish for years to come.
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 Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor 'Resurrection'Kate Royal (soprano), Magdalena Kožená (mezzo), Berliner Philharmoniker & Rundfunkchor Berlin, Sir Simon Rattle
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Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
Watch: A short video of the concluding bars from the live performance in October 2010New Releases7th February 2011 |
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. |
 Kate Royal: A Lesson in LoveKate Royal (soprano) & Malcolm Martineau (piano)A Lesson in Love tells the universal story of a love won and lost, and contains some beautiful and emotional German lieder, English and American songs and French mélodies. Kate leads us through her own personal choice of song, and her innate sense of drama and her passion for musical storytelling brings a fresh and youthful interpretation of the disc repertoire. |
 Monteverdi: Vespro della beata Vergine (1610)L'Arpeggiata, Christina PluharL’Arpeggiata, the multi-faceted ensemble led by Christina Pluhar, celebrates its 10th birthday by marking the 400th anniversary of Monteverdi’s Vespro della beata vergine, one of the supreme masterpieces of music history. |
Alexandre Tharaud plays ScarlattiAlexandre Tharaud (piano)“I love the extravagance, the sunny glow, the light touch of Scarlatti,” says French pianist Alexandre Tharaud, whose second Virgin Classics release is a collection of the composer’s captivating and adventurous keyboard sonatas. His first release, the Chopin recital Journal intime was described by The Guardian as “altogether breathtakingly beautiful”. |
 Echoes of TimeLisa Batiashvili (violin), Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Esa-Pekka SalonenLisa Batiashvili’s debut album for DG, ‘Echoes of Time’, is a matter of the heart – Lisa focuses her program on composers whose lives and work have been heavily influenced by the political happenings in former Soviet Union. Inspired by personal experience, Lisa, herself, went into German exile with her family during the political upheaval in Georgia in 1991. The program spans the whole of the 20th century, classics by Shostakovich ‘Waltz from the Doll’s Dances’ and Rachmaninov’s ever popular ‘Vocalise’, are combined with Georgian composer, Giya Kancheli’s ‘V and V’, and Estonian, Arvo Pärt’s ‘Spiegel im Spiegel’. Spiegel im Spiegel was written shortly before the composer went into exile. |
 Philippe Rogier: Polychoral WorksMagnificat & His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts, Philip CaveThis recording, celebrating the 450th anniversary of Rogier’s birth, is a kaleidoscope of sound, with up to 12 choral parts plus instrumental forces including His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts, organ and harp. One of the last great renaissance composers, Rogier’s music showcases the rich, contrapuntal renaissance style, full of lush textures and colour for which he is renowned. |
 Bach, J S: Sonatas & Partitas for solo violin, BWV1001-1006Pavlo Beznosiuk (violin)Widely acknowledged as one of the most technically and intellectually challenging works in the solo violin repertory, only a musician with the wealth of knowledge and virtuosic prowess that Pavlo Beznosiuk possesses could deliver Bach’s masterpieces with such vitality and insight. Described as an artist with ‘star quality’ whose ‘playing is full of fantasy’ and ‘whose range of ideas seems every time more amazing', Pavlo is one of the most versatile musicians working on the early music scene today. |
 Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5Yevgeny Sudbin (piano), Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo VänskäAfter huge success with their cycle of Beethoven Symphonies on BIS, Osmo Vänskä and the Minnesota Orchestra return with the great composer’s Piano Concertos performed by the sensational young pianist Yevgeny Sudbin. |
 Rossini: Armida - DVDRenée Fleming & Lawrence Brownlee, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus, Riccardo FrizzaRenée Fleming continues her reign as ‘Queen of the MET’, starring in a bel canto rarity specially staged for her – a showcase for her extraordinary vocal virtuosity. This four-hour bel canto extravaganza is presented here on 2 DVDs. In addition to the great prima donna title role, Armida uniquely features no fewer than six tenor roles, here led by the acclaimed young American tenor, Lawrence Brownlee. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 5th February 2011 |
Building a Library - Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette, Op. 17 (Romeo and Juliet) |
 CD ChoicePlease note: The first choice was the John Eliot Gardiner version which is not currently available on CD. This Toscanini recording was the top CD choice, but dating from 1947 the sound quality isn't great!Gladys Swarthout (mezzo), John Garrison (tenor), Nicola Moscona (baritone), NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini |
Disc of the Week |
 Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor 'Resurrection'Ricarda Merbeth (soprano) & Bernarda Fink (mezzo soprano), Netherlands Radio Choir & Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons |
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