Streaming Classical

This is a classic account by the young Frager, the Prokofiev never surpassed. This is the LP cover, not used in Tidal. See below.

Streaming Classical (24-1)

Baroque
Bach First, the lovely Triple from Les Muffati (Ramee). This label concentrating on Austrian artists has never disappointed me! Here, one relishes in vitality while bathed in gemutlichkeit, far removed from some of the over-aggressiveness of HIP. I pray there will be further installments, particularly of the Brandenburg’s and Orchestral Suites. Then, the Sonatas for Violin and Harpichord played by the wonderful violinist Sirrka Lisa Kaakinen-Pilch (Ondine). Biber The same violinist shines in the Mystery Sonatas (Ondine). Believe me, I’ve committed her tongue-twister of a name to my memory! Should you like more Violin Sonatas from this master composer, go to Gunar Letzbor (Pan Classics); and he also has even more Biber elsewhere (Challenge).

More Violinists
Great fiddlers are in abundant supply these days. Forget about “big” names! Beethoven While Bulgarian Liya Petrova is fabulous in Walton VC (Mirare), her Beethoven VC is even finer; this is coupled with the controversial Mozart 271a, here given a very very convincing reading (Mirare). Russian Alena Baeva, whom I have followed ever since I heard her ages ago in HK give an equally fresh reading of the Beethoven VC with the unheard of Auvergne National Orchestra (orchestra’s own label). I also highly recommend her in one of my favorites, Wieniawski’s VC2 (Chopin Institute) and the recital album Fantasy with husband Kholodenko, another pianist that I like (Alpha). Debussy The elusive Violin Sonata features in several excellent releases by non-French violinists. In Flame (Orchid), Irish Gwendolyn Masin shows real flair in a quasi-French program (equally good Ravel; she has many other interesting recordings, like Bernstein with Saxophone Quartet), while Russian Anna Ovsyanikova also excels in Les Saisons Francaises (Stone Records), which has less familiar couplings (like Poulenc). Meanwhile, English-Dutch Michael Foyle is more restrained but suitably refined in The Great War Centenary (Challenge). All these excellent violinists play chamber music better than many a bigger name.

Cellist Anastasia Kobekina’s Venice (Sony) is choice, by turns electrifying and dark in mood, but all just lovely. The best Cello album since Raphaela Gromes’ Offenbach on the same label.

Pianists
Rachmaninov Lukas Geniusas has an uncommonly lucid Rachmaninov program (Alpha) that makes a convert even of me, who somehow usually has trouble with Rach’s solo piano works (as I do with Schumann). Prokofiev Nikita Midoyants is refreshingly not bombastic but just fluid in Sonatas 4 and 8 (Aparte). But the real gem is The Young Malcolm Frager (Parnassus). This performance of Prokofiev 2, partnered by Paris Conservatory Orchestra under the great Rene Leibowitz, was once issued on a Living Stereo RCA LP (also old Classic Sound re-issue; the pic shows the RCA cover; this is on HP’s list). Both performance and sonics of the Prokofiev have never been surpassed (while the Haydn is dispensible). While we’re on French Orchestra of this period, their ways with Prokofiev is inimitable: witness Jascha Horenstein’s performances (especially Symphony 5) with the Concerts Colonne (Vox). Mozart Frager can also be heard in early but wonderful performances on the fortepiano in Concertos 13, 17 and 23 with Bulgarian forces (Balkanton). Forward to now, it seems this is the great age of Mozart Piano concertos. Aside from Jean-Efflam Bavouzet’s wonderful cycle (Chandos), we have Robert Levin’s excellent HIP cycle (AAM own label). Delectable too are Charles Richard Hamelin in 20 and 23 (Analekta) and Dejan Lazic in 23 and 14 (Challenge; on Tidal you won’t find it under his name, but try conductor Willem de Vriend). Lazic and friends’ Piano Quartets are also refined (Onyx).

Harpsichord
I much enjoyed the recital by Elizabeth Joye, modestly titled Miscellanes (L’Encellade) as well as the Byrd program by Stephen Barr (Resonus). Those more adventurous should sample Geottlieb Muffat's magnum opus Componimenti musicali per il cembalo, as played by Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya (Linn; yes, this is the first time I recommend an issue by this label, whose offerings overall do not impress me performance- or sonic-wise.).

Organ Messiaen For some contemplative repose, try La Nativite du Seigneur performed by Mark Steinbach (Aeolus).

Guitar I was turned off by the ridiculous cover “art” and didn’t listen to this album for a long time, even if I’ve followed and previously recommended once Sean Shibe, but Lost and Found proves to be an excellent program (Pentatone).

Accordion Janne Valkeajoki’s Rameau (Orchid) is quite refreshing change from the usual up-tempo tango or gypsy stuff. You would never guess how well it works in French baroque.

Harmonica Gianluca Littera's Solo (Dynamic) is potentially interesting (all transcriptions, including quite a few jazz items), but needs a good system get through, otherwise it would sound towards the bland side (the harmonica has only such a limited harmonic spectrum). Not one to upend Toots Thielemans but then this fellow is only on his own! I'd like to hear him accompanied by others instead of himself.

String Quartet

Dvorak I’ve been a fan of the old Talich Quartet, but the latest formation is even better in the famous American Quartet (Dolce Vita), helped by superior sonics. When the playing and recording is this good, I actually enjoy even more the smaller pieces or fillers, in this case Waltzes. But the greatest surprise is that some the the best Dvorak playing ever comes from the veteran American Fine Arts Quartet, who are already 2 albums in their cycle. The first, Spirit of Bohemia, is excellent but the second, Quartet 2, is even finer (Naxos). As with the Talich, the fillers, in this case the Bagatelles, prove to be gems. This quartet is unbelievably good (better than the old iterations), and I’ve previously recommended their Mozart Piano Concerto transcriptions with wonderful pianist Alon Goldstein (Naxos), several albums’ worth of delights. The Parker Quartet I've always admired. With violist Kim Kashkashian they deliver a good Dvorak quintet but it's the flanking Kurtag pieces that take the crown. This is as good a place to start with this composer if you don't know him.

Piano Trios The Trio Con Brio Copenhagen is more refined and well honed than most. The Passenger (Orchid Classics) combines the rarely played Weinberg Trio with Schubert's 2, and both are very well done. I had to read the notes on NML (Tidal has none of course) to find out the Weinberg piece has a waltz theme linked to his score for the film named The Passenger. Their many other issues (like Tchaikovsky, Shosty) on the same label are worthwhile too. Vadim Gluzman is a violinist I've long followed (on BIS). His recent Trio recording Live from the Concertgebouw with regular partner cellist Johannes Moser and pianist Korobeinikov delivers valedictory Shostakovich Trios, which this time around sandwiched the delectable performances of Silvestrov's Fugitive Visions of Mozart. More offbeat is the Turina Piano Trios by sensitively performed by Mata, Mata and Arauzo (IBS).

Modern Music Aside from the wondrous Kurtag and Silvestrov noted above, two excellent Ligeti releases are of note. Ensemble Intercontemporain under Pierre Bleuse  (Alpha) deliver three concerti and a host of chamber works, while Les Siecles under Roth (Harmonia Mundi) serve the composer equally well. There is only an overlap of one piece, the wonderful Chamber Concerto for 13 instruments. Audiophiles should really listen to this music as the sonorities are so fresh.

Orchestral
Tchaikovsky Two albums of tone poems and less known pieces are well performed by Alpesh Chauhan (Chandos) and well recorded. Klaus Makela, so refreshing in Sibelius, does not disappoint in his second Stravinsky album (the Debussy Jeux is arguably even finer) (Decca). Great sound of course. Rouvali’s Sibelius cycle continues with an excellent 4 (Alpha). Although not the weightiest and darkest, he makes it work very well indeed.

Live Historical Recordings Shostakovich These performances lose nothing to any modern accounts. Even the sound, though not hifi, is so real. You must try New Philharmonia Kurt Sanderling in 10 (ICA) and Rozhdestvensky BBC SO and BBC Phil in 4 and 11 (ICA). Shattering impact! Marvelous!