SOMM
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Elgar: The Spirit of England, Carillon & With Proud Thanksgiving
Judith Howarth (soprano), Simon Callow (speaker)
London Symphony Chorus & Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Paul’s, John Wilson, Ben Palmer
Throughout the programme Wilson proves himself to be a very successful and sensitive Elgarian. In the bombastic sections he is willing to give the orchestra their head but more impressively... —
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Handel: Esther
Rosemary Joshua, James Bowman, Susan Bickley, Christopher Purves, Rebecca Outram & Andrew Kennedy
London Handel Choir, Laurence Cummings
Lawrence Cummings emphasises the music's dramatic quality and generally paces it well… Rosemary Joshua in the title role sings the text as vividly as she does the notes. Christopher Purves... —
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, January 2008, Editor's Choice
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Sonatas Nos 1 and 4 benefit from the expressive eloquence of Rachel Brown's flute, and in the opening Andante of the B minor, she and Adrian Butterfield converse with flirtatious suppleness... —
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Parry: Twelve Sets of English Lyrics Volume III
Sarah Fox (soprano), Roderick Williams (baritone), Andrew West (piano)
These perceptive performances by both singers and their pianist recover even the sense and sensibility of those songs which seem distant from our time…Hearing this brings us closer to understanding... —
Awards:
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BBC Music Magazine, January 2019, Choral & Song Choice
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Sir Thomas Beecham conducts Berlioz, Grieg, D'Indy & Saint-Saëns
with Denis Vaughan (organ) & Tom McCall & Douglas Gamley (pianos)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham
The Somm label has unearthed some more buried Beecham treasure – and it’s pure gold...the recordings do have their limitations. Tubby-sounding timpani are a frequent feature and the strings... —
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wonderful moments in [the Schubert]…accelerating excitement…monumental effect as
a performance overall… —Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2011, Editor's Choice
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The Beecham Collection - Sibelius
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Thomas Beecham
Beecham's 1937 Fourth is one of the definitive versions, but this 1951 studio broadcast offers clearer sound, despite infuriating rasps from the acetate master, and very similar intensity.... —
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Remastered with gritty immediacy, this has to be one of the most intriguing offerings for Smetana’s 200th birthday. —
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BBC Music Magazine, January 2025, Archive Choice
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[Bebbington] plays with tremendous authority, supported by a vivid recording with a appropriately wide dynamic range…Whatever his passions, private or public, Bax does what all worthwhile composers... —
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2019, Editor's Choice
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Britten's last quartet has been lucky in its recordings… With the Coull there's a sense of searching and effort, which suits the pain of the music more than the complete technical assurance... —
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, October 2007, Editor's Choice
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