GRAMOPHONE
LETTERS
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More Smetana from Noseda please' EDITOR'S CHOICE 10 The best new recordings of the month
SOUNDB ITES FOR THE RECORD
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Brendel to retire; Runnicles named Deutsche Oper Berlin music director MY TOP 10 17 Crowning cadenzas of the Emperor INTERVIEW 19 Jordi Savall on his homage to Francis Xavier's II-year mission DIARY 21 Do nations have specific sounds? MarekJanowski isn't sure PHILIP KENNICOTT 23 Cinematic opera or operatic cinema? Either way, hi-def is drawing crowds ARMANDO IANNUCCI 24 Forget "out of this world", Bach has moved beyond the solar system THAT STRAIN AGAIN 26 Fickle fashion overshadows the opera THE GRAMOPHONE DEBATE 28 New music's failure to prompt discussion ENCOUNTERS Sharon Bezaly faces her audience USA (North American edition only) A challenging Rite for NY schoolkids ONE TO WATCH British cellist James Barralet
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A1
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FEATURES COVER STORY Adored, demonised and endlessly controversial, Herbert von Karajan remains a force to be reckoned with THE SIXTH SENSE A lifetime of Karajan Pathitiques MOVING HIM TO TEARS Mirella Freni recalls a softer Karajan
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REVIEWS ORCHESTRAL Ehnes rivals Kennedy in Elgar; straight Shostakovich from Semyon Bychkov ORCHESTRAL ROUND·UP Lyrita offers more British gems FILM MUSIC Monstrous classics from the '30s and '40s CHAMBER Jackson and Wass are spellbind ing in Bax INSTRUMENTAL Masterful viola da gamba music by Abel VOCAL The first recording of the 1732 Esther VOCAL ROUND-UP Half a century of legendary recitals OPERA At last, a wholly satisfying Semele OPERA ROUND·UP Star performances in Italian favourites DVD Britten's War Requiem retains its power REPLAY Medici unearths EMI stereo treasures BOOKS A surprisingly human John Stainer
SOUNDWAVES TUNE SURFING Cyberspace is the natural home of technology-mad Karajan
MUSICAL JOURNEYS SEEN AND HEARD Arts and the media in Portugal LIVE MUSIC Netrebko stars in the ROH Tra viata
HIGH-FIDELITY AUDIO AND VISUAL The best hi-fi buys of2007
FINALE
TALKING KARAJAN
48 MYMUSIC
Karajan biographer Richard Osborne Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett HIGH NOTES 50 Gramophone staff pick their '07 highlights SUBSCRIPTIONS
CLASSIFIEDS
THE COLLECTION Shostakovich's Symphony No 15
52 NEW RELEASES
REVIEWS INDEX
CONTENTS: DG. CHRIS LEE
COVERMOUNT: LA lJl·ER\Vr\SSER I ULISTt.[N I AK G IMAGES
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114 Marantz puts its rivals in the shade www.grnmophone.co.uk
GRAMOPHONE JANUARY 2008 3
