Writers’ Christmas Choices: Brian Bannatyne-Scott
To herald the arrival of the festive season, we’ve invited three of our writers to offer their recommendations for what to enjoy from the comfort of your sofa this Christmas.
Kate Calder has impressively stayed in Scotland for most of her picks, but I have gone a bit further afield and sometimes back in time.
My opera pick is the rather neglected opera by Giordano, “Andrea Chenier”, a tale of love and politics set around the French Revolution. I love this recording, which contains some of the most thrilling tenor singing you will ever hear. Corelli is at his peak and simply magnificent. The soprano and baritone are not bad either! Great sound and fine playing from the Rome Orchestra.
Giordano - Andrea Chenier - EMI/Warner Classics - Corelli, Stella and Sereni - Conductor Santini
My oratorio pick is the 1966 Beethoven ‘Missa Solemnis’, conducted by Karajan on DG. Karajan recorded this seminal piece several times, but this is the best, with unmatched soloists and good 60s sound. I had to have a Beethoven in this 250th anniversary year.
Beethoven – Missa Solemnis – DG – Janowitz, Ludwig, Wunderlich, Berry – BPO Karajan
My symphonic pick is Bruckner’s 4th Symphony on RCA Red Seal with Günter Wand and the BPO. Wand came to Edinburgh several times in his 80s and overwhelmed us with his magisterial readings. I have always loved the 4th, with its wonderful final coda, and this recording is brilliant.
Bruckner – Symphony No 4 – Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – Günter Wand - RCA Red Seal
The early music suggestion is one of the Tallis Scholars’ recordings of the works of Josquin des Pres, their recording of the ‘Missa Pange Lingua’ and ‘Missa La Sol Fa Re Mi’ from 1986. I rate the Tallis Scholars first in the field, even now, and in the practically perfect Peter Phillips, they have a charismatic and deeply intelligent director.
Josquin – Missa Pange Lingua -The Tallis Scholars – Peter Phillips – Gimel
Orchestral songs and tone poems are my next suggestion with Strauss’ marvellous Four Last Songs, combined with ‘Don Juan’ and ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’, in the CD from ABC with Erin Wall (soprano) and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with Sir Andrew Davis. Erin died recently, far too young, but this is a poignant reminder of how good she was. Davis is a decent Straussian, and this is a nice compilation.
R Strauss – Four Last Songs, Don Juan and Also Sprach Zarathustra Wall, MSO, Davis – ABC
Folk Rock from 1971 next, Alan Stivell’s Renaissance of the Celtic Harp. Simply my favourite record of all time. Celtic music reinterpreted by a master of the Celtic Harp.
A Stivell – Renaissance of the Celtic Harp – Philips
Jazz classics from the modern era next with ‘Songs and Stories from Callum Au and Claire Martin’. What a great voice Claire has, and this is sexy, sultry album full of delights. ‘The Folks who live on the Hill’ is near perfection.
Callum Au and Claire Martin – Songs and Stories – Stunt Records
Finally, shameless as ever, my pick of the year is Songs of Stevenson on BBS Records by Brian Bannatyne-Scott (bass), Jan Waterfield and Alan Jacques (piano). A treat for all lovers of Robert Louis Stevenson and Hugh MacDiarmid. Check out Hugh Kerr’s review on this very website!
Brian Bannatyne-Scott – Songs of Stevenson – BBS Records – Birnam CD and Amazon
