Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Thomas Goss presents The Critic's Chair
 

Honegger: Pastorale d'ete; Symphony No 4, Deliciae Basilienses; Une cantate de Noel
Christopher Maltman (bar), New London Children's Choir, London Phil Choir & Orch/Vladimir Jurowski
(LPO Live 0058)

This is a superb disc, in every way that a recording of a 20th-century composer should be. There’s intelligence and scholarship in this rendition, but also great care and real affection for the material. This disc is programmed to be approachable to your ear, and yet challenging to your preconceptions.

Poulenc: Figure Humaine; Mass in G; Un soir de neige
Swedish Radio Choir/Peter Dijkstra
(Channel Classics CCS SA 31411)

There’s the obligatory Mass in G on this disc as well, along with a uniquely tempered rendition of the Seven Songs. But Un soir de neige and Figure Humaine really stand out as achievements for this ensemble and their director, and are some of the best new choral recordings I’ve heard this year.

Koechlin: Orchestrations of Debussy, Faure, Schubert & Chabrier
Sarah Wegener (sop), Florian Hoelscher (pno), Stuttgart Radio SO/Heinz Holliger
(Hänssler CD 93 286)

I would say that the performance of Debussy’s Khamma makes the CD worth owning, but you usually don’t purchase 22 minute long CDs.  Stuttgart’s version of the Fauré orchestrations are bearable, if a little uncouth, but the rendition of Koechlin’s Schubert Wanderer Fantasy and Koechlin’s, Sur le flots lointain is weak to say the least.  So be warned that this is not the most even of recordings in terms of quality, and it really doesn’t do justice to Koechlin’s skill as an orchestrator.

Chaminade: Piano Trio in A minor Op 34; Debussy: Piano Trio in G; Lenormand: Piano Trio in G minor Op 30
Trio Chausson
(MIRARE MIR 163)

These players have a real feel for this era, as well they should with a name like Trio Chausson.  Next to Debussy’s Trio in G and the somewhat forgettable Lenormand, Chaminade’s trio wins hands-down in terms of artistic commitment and energy, not to mention confidence and maturity.