BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - September 2024 Choices
It's preceded by the violin concerto Altar de cuerda (performed by its dedicatee María Dueñas) and Kauyumari - commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic for their return to the stage after the lockdowns of 2020/2021, the piece draws on Huichol melodies and folklore, and was described by the San Francisco Chronicle as 'a rhythmically interweaving, pulsating explosion of hope and renewal' after its premiere at Walt Disney Hall.
Recording of the Month
Orchestral Choice
Bartók: String Quartet No. 3 & Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin
The Cleveland Orchestra, Franz Welser-Möst
'Undoubtedly, the big news in the Cleveland Orchestra’s latest set of digital releases is Stanley Konopka’s resourceful and imaginative transcription for string orchestra of Bartók's Third Quartet. I need hardly add that the results are stunning.'
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Concerto Choice
Schnittke: Concerto for Piano and String Orchestra & Hindemith's The Four Temperaments
Anna Gourari (piano), Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Markus Poschner
'She extracts a dizzying range of colours from Hindemith’s ingeniously constructed score...The string section of the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana under Markus Poschner responds incisively to Gourari’s volatile playing.'
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Opera Choice
'From the very first item, her rich, full-blooded tone, expressive manner and keen sense for textual meaning are apparent...Indeed, whatever she is singing, and in whichever range, Marina Viotti proves herself to be simultaneously vocally authoritative and thoughtfully expressive.'
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Choral & Song Choice
'We’re treated to five motets and two instrumental works revealing that Stradella’s remarkably varied idiom is refined, expressive and felicitous...In sum, this revelatory album is a wonderful way to celebrate Concerto Italiano’s 40th birthday.'
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Chamber Choice
Forgotten Sounds: The World Premiere Recording of Loeffler's Rediscovered Octet
Graeme Steele Johnson (clarinet) et al
'The Octet at times gives the impression of Loeffler as being an unexpected, utterly charming, combination of late Brahms and early Ravel... it is also sublimely played, the gorgeous entwining of pairs of clarinets and violins at the heart of the Adagio molto meltingly beautiful...'
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Instrumental Choice
'In this recording the Schubert works emerge as absolutely magical. The Divertissement elicits a sumptuous softness, while the Fantasie creates the impression of vast and intensely dramatic landscapes.'
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Jazz Choice
'Metheny engages with the baritone’s distinctive thrum with an astuteness that marries perfectly with his elegant voicings and thoughtful phrasing that’s somehow both logical and unpredictable...anyone who appreciates the combination of continuity and innovation that makes jazz what it is will enjoy this fine piece of work.'
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV
Chris O'Reilly - Chief Executive
