Contents – January 2011
‘The Freiburgers’ playing sparkles with elegance and expressiveness…This is an unmitigated joy’ David Vickers on the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra’s recording of Telemann’s Tafelmusik, reviewed on page 64
Letters
Memories of Joan Sutherland; unappreciated
Liszt; does Gerald Finley “do” evil?
8
tributes Henryk Górecki memories from Philip Clark; John Steane on Shirley Verrett’s legacy
10
editor’s choice Pappano delivers a great Rossini Stabat mater;
revelatory Telemann from the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra; Vasily Petrenko’s Shostakovich – “not since Karajan…”
14
S o u n d b i t e S
a r t s
&
i c
M u s l e b r e c h t
,
i c
/ a l d e b u r g h M u s
M a l c o l M W a t s o n
:
p h o t o g r a p h y
For the record Daniel Barenboim signs major deal with DG;
new labels for the New Year; NMC Songbook Competition – winner revealed!
16
a conversation with… …best-selling pianist Simone Dinnerstein
21
diary
Soprano Dawn Upshaw considers her new role as guest curator of the Ojai Music
Festival and calls some old friends
22
one to watch Tenor Michael Fabiano, star of the Met’s documentary The Audition, and now at ENO
23
richard eyre How music can be religion, even for atheists
25
PhiLiP Kennicott Why interesting pianists aren’t always the stars
26
www.gramophone.co.uk
F e A t u R e S
the 20 Greatest choirs At a time when the choral music scene is as healthy as it has ever been, an international jury pluck a list of the elite from the many superb choirs singing today. And, says leading American choral composer Eric Whitacre, one nation’s choristers are clearly hitting the high notes
32
itaLy’s ForGotten man Bruno Maderna was the great Italian musician of his era, equal in importance to Pierre Boulez. So why, asks Philip Clark, do so few people talk about him now?
44
the GramoPhone coLLection Bryce Morrison picks his favourite recording of Schubert’s profound last piano sonata
46
e n C o R e musicaL journeys Daniel Hope works with musicians of the future; a Hänssler Classic celebration;
Ruth Palmer’s “Hidden Acoustics”
109
PicK oF the musicaL month Jonas Kaufmann stars in Fidelio in Munich;
James Ehnes plays Mozart in Toronto
113
audio and visuaL The kit of the year; Yamaha’s new, affordable amplifier unveiled and reviewed
114
my music Beach Boy Brian Wilson on his enduring influences, Bach and Gershwin
130
I Fagiolini, just one of the choirs reaping the votes in our ‘The 20 Greatest Choirs’ feature 32
Has Bruno Maderna, the larger-than-life Italian composer, been unfairly neglected? 44
GRAMOPHONE january 2011 3
