Reissues

September round-up

Before recording a complete Mozart concerto cycle, directing the Berlin Philharmonic for EMI in the early 1970s, David Oistrakh had already proved his Mozartian credentials a decade earlier, recording two of Mozart’s Violin Concertos in Russia between Rudolf Barshai (who also plays viola in the K364 Sinfonia Concertante) and Kirill Kondrashin. The latter obtains some delightfully crisp (if undeniably robust) playing from the Moscow Phil in 1959 (K207), whereas early ’60s Barshai with the Moscow Chamber (K216 and lovely French horn vibrato in the finale of K364) sounds more attuned to the music’s chamber-scale sensitivities. In these first-rate transfers, Oistrakh’s sparkling precision, tonal directness, and rhythmic buoyancy sound more alluring than ever. (Alto ALC 1454) ★★★★ It took musical Europe a little longer to catch up with violinist Oscar Shumsky, whose major career was based almost exclusively in the United States. It was not until 1980 (when he was 63) that Shumsky emerged over here (as if by magic) as one of the greats. In 1985, EMI recorded him (and his son Eric) in Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante and G major Concerto K216 with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Yan Pascal Tortelier – this is its first appearance on CD. Velvet-toned, elegantly poised, and radiantly supple, Shumsky is a Mozartian of rare distinction. (Biddulph 85104-2) ★★★★ Fans of British choral music should snap up a glorious disc by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Douglas Bostock, featuring no fewer than four world-premiere recordings: Elgar’s With Proud Thanksgiving, Howells’s Sine Nomine, Dyson’s The Blacksmiths, and Elgar’s orchestration of Purcell’s Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes mei – also included are Bridge’s A Prayer and Brian’s Psalm XXIII. That such musical riches should have waited until 2002 to be recorded is truly baffling, but the performances prove fully worthy of the occasion, with soprano Elizabeth Donovan making an unforgettable contrib