As published in the 18 December 2016 edition of The Sunday Times (Singapore):
BEST
ZHOU LONG & CHEN
YI
Symphony Humen 1839
Conductor Darrell Ang became Singapore ’s
first-ever Grammy nominee for classical music with this symphony jointly
composed by the China-born husband-and-wife Zhou Long and Chen Yi. Commemorating
China ’s act of
defiance in Humen, Canton that
sparked off the Opium Wars, the 2009 work is both patriotic and cathartic,
heralding the ascent of China
as a global superpower.
THE CLASSICAL ELEMENTS
ALBERT TIU, Piano
Centaur 3503
The 20 piano pieces in this
recital are inspired by the ancient concept of earth, air, water and fire as the
four pillars of the natural world. The Philippines-born and Singapore-based pianist
Albert Tiu has an exquisite and variegated touch in diverse works by Liszt,
Ravel, Rachmaninov, Godowsky, Scriabin, Griffes, Ibert, Mompou and others, all
of which are evocatively coloured.
J.S.BACH Mass in B minor
Soloists with Concerto Copenhagen
Lars Ulrik Mortensen
CPO 777 851-2
This recording of Bach’s classic
choral work employs five soloists and just five ripieno voices (one voice per
part) in the choral movements, accompanied by period instruments. The effect is
one of lighter and more transparent textures without sacrificing on volume,
depth or grandeur. A sitting will help redefine the words “divine” and
“beautiful”.
WORST
TCHAIKOVSKY Violin
Concerto
Patricia
Kopatchinskaja, Violin
MusicAeterna / Teodor
Currentzis
Sony Classical
88875165122
Has there been an uglier
recording of Tchaikovsky’s popular Violin
Concerto than this travesty? Moldovan-Austrian violinist Patricia
Kopatchinskaja adopts a preening demeanour, deliberate extremes of dynamics,
slashing and percussive bowing, and capped by a dry vitriolic tone that makes
for irritating repeated listening. Simply perverse.
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