Classical CDs Weekly: Shostakovich, Christoph Prégardien, Nataša Mirkovič

CLASSICAL CDS WEEKLY: SHOSTAKOVICH, CHRISTOPH PREGARDIEN, NATASA MIRKOVIC Chilly orchestral music from the USSR, plus a pair of brass-accompanied vocal recitals

Chilly orchestral music from the USSR, plus a pair of brass-accompanied vocal recitals


Jarvi's ShostakovichShostakovich: Symphony No 6, Sinfonietta (Quartet No 8, arr. Abram Stasevich) Estonian Festival Orchestra/Paavo Järvi (Alpha Classics)

Classical CDs Weekly: Feldman, Schumann, Vaughan Williams

CLASSICAL CDS WEEKLY: FELDMAN, SCHUMANN, VAUGHAN WILLIAMS The final work from a minimalist maverick, plus orchestral music from Germany and Britain

The final work from a minimalist maverick, plus orchestral music from Germany and Britain

 

Feldman's Piano, Violin, Viola, CelloMorton Feldman: Piano, Violin, Viola, CelloMark Knoop (piano), Aisha Orazbayeva (violin), Bridget Carey (Viola), Anton Lukoszevieze (cello) (Another Timbre)

Classical CDs Weekly Special: Callas Live

CLASSICAL CDS WEEKLY: CALLAS LIVE La Divina electrifying in performances spanning 15 years

La Divina electrifying in performances spanning 15 years

Remastered they may be, but the 20 live operas recorded here between 1949 and 1964 vary soundwise from clean at best to atrocious, with all the caprices of stage noise and audience participation seemingly acceptable at the time (so often there's the shouting prompter who seems duty bound to cue everything – even interjecting a loud libiamo! in the silence before the voices kick in for La traviata's Brindisi).