CD of the week – May
31 May – 4 June
Ryuichi Sakamoto – Playing The Piano
Decca 476 3609
Playing The Piano, is a compilation from the veteran Japanese musician, producer, songwriter, actor and performer. It collects 10 recordings from Japanese-only albums that were originally released in 2004 and 2005 and adds two new tracks.
From his early days with Yellow Magic Orchestra and his incredibly moving soundtrack work, Ryuichi Sakamoto continues to impress the critics and surprise and delight his legion of fans.
24 –28 May
HEROES & VILLAINS
Opera’s Leading Men
Decca 478 2346 (2 CD)
Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Bryn Terfel, Rolando Villazón and other leading men of opera sing the greatest arias of opera’s heroes and villains. From the heroes of La Bohèmeand Carmen to the villains of Don Giovanni and Faust, revel in these emotional masterpieces.
17 – 21 May
Volupté: Music for Viola and Piano
Roger Benedict, viola
Timothy Young, piano
Ben Jacks, horn
Melba MR 301126
Melba Recordings presents Volupté: Music for Viola and Piano by twentieth century composersCharles Kœchlin and Joseph Jongen, played by outstanding musicians Roger Benedict, Timothy Young and guest artist Ben Jacks. As a communist and passionate Frenchman Charles Kœchlin felt deeply the responsibility that he write music that was within the reach of everyman, at the same time offering pieces that were of uncompromised artistic merit and emotional truth. The viola music of Jongen has an unashamed focus on the melodic line driving the drama of his pieces forward. The harmonic colour of his music shows a love of the French impressionist palette but is always applied with his own brush.
3 – 7 May
PATRICIA PETIBON – ROSSO
Italian Baroque Arias
Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea marcon, conductor
DG 477 8763
Rosso is soprano sensation Patricia Petibon’s personal selection from the emotional operas of the Italian Baroque, which includes arias by Handel, Scarlatti, Marcella, Porpora, Stradella and Vivaldi.