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Classical CD releases
Stephen Pritchard and Guy Dammann
Sunday November 23 2008
The Observer,UK
Schubert - Lieder Elizabeth Watts (soprano), Roger Vignoles (piano)
(RCA Red Seal 88697 329322) £13.99
Rising star Elizabeth Watts makes her recording debut with this
collection of 20 Schubert songs and immediately makes plain why she is
one of today's most talked-about young sopranos. Her beautiful,
honey-toned voice, perfect intonation and innate understanding of this
repertoire make this a stand-out CD. She charms with the moonlight of
'An den Mond', glows with the sunset of 'Im Abendrot' and breaks our
hearts with the sadness of 'Lambertine'. Roger Vignoles has been
playing these songs for years, yet sounds as fresh as his young
companion, who must surely have a glittering career ahead. SP
Various - Tangos and Fantasies Cadence Ensemble (Signum SIGCD140) £11.99
The land-locked former Soviet nation of Armenia is thousands of miles
from the birthplace of the tango, but the Cadence Ensemble from Yerevan
steams with appropriate Latin passion when it performs the work of
Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla. Under the leadership of pianist
Armen Babakhanian, they play Piazzolla's wildly infectious music with
style and hauteur and introduce us to more tangos by lesser-known
masters (including an Armenian) before winding up with a delightful
arrangement of themes from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Refreshingly
different. SP
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Beethoven - The Five Piano Concertos Mikhail Pletnev (piano), Russian
National Orchestra/ Gansch (DG 477 7575 - 5CDs) £27.99
Listening to Mikhail Pletnev in a bad mood can be infuriating,
especially when he rips to shreds beloved pre-impressions of well-known
works. Lucky then that he is so attuned to the burning lust for life of
Beethoven's middle period that bad moods are impossible. Recorded live
at the 2006 Beethovenfest, the Russian National Orchestra shows the
same dark fire as in the recent symphony recordings and Pletnev
dazzles, delights and - most important - convinces totally. GD
Stephen Pritchard and Guy Dammann
Sunday November 23 2008
The Observer,UK
Schubert - Lieder Elizabeth Watts (soprano), Roger Vignoles (piano)
(RCA Red Seal 88697 329322) £13.99
Rising star Elizabeth Watts makes her recording debut with this
collection of 20 Schubert songs and immediately makes plain why she is
one of today's most talked-about young sopranos. Her beautiful,
honey-toned voice, perfect intonation and innate understanding of this
repertoire make this a stand-out CD. She charms with the moonlight of
'An den Mond', glows with the sunset of 'Im Abendrot' and breaks our
hearts with the sadness of 'Lambertine'. Roger Vignoles has been
playing these songs for years, yet sounds as fresh as his young
companion, who must surely have a glittering career ahead. SP
Various - Tangos and Fantasies Cadence Ensemble (Signum SIGCD140) £11.99
The land-locked former Soviet nation of Armenia is thousands of miles
from the birthplace of the tango, but the Cadence Ensemble from Yerevan
steams with appropriate Latin passion when it performs the work of
Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla. Under the leadership of pianist
Armen Babakhanian, they play Piazzolla's wildly infectious music with
style and hauteur and introduce us to more tangos by lesser-known
masters (including an Armenian) before winding up with a delightful
arrangement of themes from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Refreshingly
different. SP
=0
A
Beethoven - The Five Piano Concertos Mikhail Pletnev (piano), Russian
National Orchestra/ Gansch (DG 477 7575 - 5CDs) £27.99
Listening to Mikhail Pletnev in a bad mood can be infuriating,
especially when he rips to shreds beloved pre-impressions of well-known
works. Lucky then that he is so attuned to the burning lust for life of
Beethoven's middle period that bad moods are impossible. Recorded live
at the 2006 Beethovenfest, the Russian National Orchestra shows the
same dark fire as in the recent symphony recordings and Pletnev
dazzles, delights and - most important - convinces totally. GD