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Martin Cullingford’s pick of the inest recordings from this month’s reviews R E C O R D I N G O F T H E M O N T H SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No 10. Lady Macbeth – Passacaglia Boston Symphony Orchestra / Andris Nelsons DG F 479 5059GH EDWARD SECKERSON’S REVIEW IS ON PAGE 20 Powerful and beautifully crafted, this recording – the first from the relationship between DG and the Boston Symphony under Nelsons – is a hugely impressive sign of just what this ensemble/ maestro partnership may go on to achieve. BRUCKNER Symphony No 1 Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra / Jaap van Zweden Challenge Classics F Í CC72556 Van Zweden completes his journey through Bruckner’s symphonies with a richly detailed, passionately played First. REVIEW ON PAGE 24 STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring, etc François-Frédéric Guy, Jean-E’’lam Bavouzet pfs Chandos F CHAN10863 Fabulous playing from a pair of completely on-form pianists, which lends The Rite of Spring’s rhythmic themes a quite thrilling intensity. REVIEW ON PAGE 53 SCRIABIN Symphonies Nos 1 & 4 Russian National Orchestra / Mikhail Pletnev Pentatone F Í PTC5186 514 The Scriabin centenary offers an excellent chance to reassess his creativity: this is a fine contribution to that endeavour. REVIEW ON PAGE 36 JS BACH ‘Bach in Montecassino’ Luca Guglielmi org Vivat F VIVAT108 A true recognition of Bach’s genius took some time, but these works were circulating shortly after his death and are here wonderfully played on an organ of the era. REVIEW ON PAGE 56 McGUIRE Chamber Works Red Note Ensemble Delphian F DCD34157 A beguiling, lyrical grace weaves through much of this Scottish composer’s chamber music, and these performances well capture its questing expressiveness. REVIEW ON PAGE 46 BEETHOVEN Missa solemnis Sols; Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra / Bernard Haitink BR…Klassik F 900130 Haitink at 85 makes his first recording of one of music’s choral masterpieces – and what a wonderful performance his wisdom and experience offers. REVIEW ON PAGE 69 SCHOENBERG Gurrelieder Sols; Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra / Markus Stenz Hyperion F b CDA68081/2 Excellent performances throughout from orchestra, soloists and choruses – rarely have the lush textures of Schoenberg’s late-Romantic cantata sounded this fresh. REVIEW ON PAGE 75 M STEINBERG Passion Week Cappella Romana / Alexander Lingas Cappella Romana F CR414CD A deeply moving, serene performance of the last major sacred work composed in Soviet Russia, one which until recently languished in obscurity. REVIEW ON PAGE 77 NIELSEN Maskarade Sols; Danish National Symphony Orchestra / Michael Schønwandt Dacapo F b Í 6 220641/2 As with Scriabin, Nielsen’s anniversary invites us to reassess the composer with new recordings, in this case a fourth – and successful – outing on disc for Maskarade. REVIEW ON PAGE 89 DVD/BLU€RAY ESCAICH Claude Sols; Orchestra of the Opéra de Lyon / Jérémie Rhorer Bel Air Classiques F ◊ BAC118 A modern opera in a production that doesn’t shy away from the brutality and bleakness of its story and message. REVIEW ON PAGE 85 REISSUE/ARCHIVE ANATOLE KITAIN ‘The Complete Columbia Recordings, 1936Ž39’ Anatole Kitain pf APR B b 1 APR6017 A chance to discover the elegant playing of this largely forgotten pianist. REVIEW ON PAGE 62 In association with www.qobuz.com Listen to many of the Editor’s Choice recordings online at qobuz.com gramophone.co.uk GRAMOPHONE AUGUST 2015 7

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