back to home page to main catalogue Recordings to celebrate the world of the oboe CD details in tabular form This page also looks at what is in the CD booklets that cannot be found on the net. CD No. and Title (click No. for AI sheet) Front Cover (click for a larger version) Back Cover (click for a larger version) Sound Clips (click to play) Review, Comment (on the back of the CD) Unique to the CD (i.e. not on the net) CC2037 interconexiones New Quartets for oboe and Strings Sarah Roper and Cuarteto Emispherio There is a YouTube video about the music, players and composers, with excerpts from all the works. "With a very good recording sound, it offers intense versions of the works accompanied by beautiful and varied colours and virtuoso technique.” Jerónimo Marín Revista Ritmo (Spain) Here are links to detailed programme notes in English and Spanish. CC2036 Telemann 12 solo Fantasias 20,000 words and 20 performances on divers instruments Performers selected from a Telemann Fantasias competition There are sound clips of 15 different instruments, and videos here "This CD is extraordinary. Every new instrument and every new player adds to our understanding. The fact that I actually enjoyed the final track, in which Mark Baigent jazzes up Fantasia VIII, shows me what a journey this CD has taken me on." Double Reed News The booklet has 52 pages (in a DVD box) with a 20,000-word discussion on topics such as the first publication, instrumentation, style, forms, tempi and time signatures, dynamics, articulation and phrasing, as well as a detailed analysis of each Fantasia. CC2035 Vive la différence mid-20th Century music from Britain and France Anthony Robb (flute) Jeremy Polmear (oboe) Michael Bell (piano) Ibert Damase Delius Goossens Naylor Jacob video: Boulanger "Delightful; subtle, intelligent and idiomatic." Double Reed News The booklet includes a discussion on British and French music of the period and the differences and influences on each other. CC2034 Rutland Boughton 'for Joyance' The complete oboe chamber music Mark Baigent (oboe) and chamber ensemble Quartet 1 Quartet 2 Passing of the Faerie Portrait "Mark Baigent captures the character of Boughton's music perfectly, playing with a beautiful sound and many insightful nuances." George Caird The booklet contains information about Rutland Boughton and his daughter Joy not available elsewhere, by Boughton's grandson Ian Boughton. CC2033 Blue Bamboo jazz and other improvisations Melinda Maxwell (oboe) with piano, bass and drums Group Impro Varese Blues Bye-Ya (Monk) L'Amour de Piroutcha (Olivier Messiaen) video: At the recording "A great artist at the peak of her powers." John Harle, Double Reed News The booklet includes an essay by Melinda Maxwell on improvisation. CC2032 Tailwind The Best of British The Gelächter Trio Emma McGovern (oboe) Sarah Smith (clarinet) Lois Au (bassoon) Cecilia McDowall - Ghost Dance Timothy Salter - Mobile Andrew Wilson - Giandujotti Marc Yeats - Dark Gravity video: Ghost Dance "One couldn't ask for better performances... full of inventive spirit." BBC Music Magazine This is the first Oboe Classics CD to be in a digipak; it looks cool, and detailed programme notes are available at www.oboeclassics.com/Tailwind.htm. CC2031 Great Goossens Favourite recordings of Léon Goossens that had disappeared from the catalogues, plus tracks making their first appearance. Cimarosa Concerto Bach Easter Oratorio Senaillé: Cotillon Eugene Goossens Concerto R Strauss Concerto bonus videos: Jig & Where'er you walk "The recordings on this disc are truly legendary... the result is artistry of incomparable quality, well transferred." Musical Opinion An interview with Nicholas Daniel, the UK's premier oboe soloist, on the Goossens legacy, and on the individual performances here. CC2030 Cuarteto Emispherio Quartets for oboe & strings Sarah Roper Wanhal Quartet in C Krommer Rondo Malcolm Arnold Ferrer Ferran Quartet Albeniz Tango Videos, Wanhal and Tango. "This selection is a delight... characterised by gorgeous sonorities from Sarah Roper, refined string playing and a recorded sound of clear quality." Double Reed News, UK Extensive background (in English and Spanish) on the genre of the oboe quartet, the composers and the works. CC2029 Très Françaix Chamber Music by Jean Françaix Jeremy Polmear and friends Variation (No. 4) Quatuor - V Sixtuor - I Elègie L'Heure du Berger - III Videos, Sixtuor - I and Sixtuor - II. "Delightfully French ... Altogether a most infectious and enjoyable collection." Gramophone Contains an essay (in English and French) that addresses the question of how the witty, popular style of 20th Century French wind music came about. CC2028 Balkan Bolero Chamber Music of Isidora Žebeljan Borislav Čičovački (oboe, oboe d'amore, cor anglais, oboe sopile) and ensemble Bacchanal Bride's Song 1 My Tired Footsteps Girotondo Rejouissance Wooden Sticks Videos: Cradle Song, Bacchanal. "This disc has been a revelation to me... this endlessly talented composer deserves greater exposure." MusicWeb International Borislav Čičovački is married to Isidora Žebeljan, and is able to explain in detail not only the compositions on the CD, but her fundamental approach to melody and rhythm. CC2027 English Accents oboe players active in England in the 1950s with Sidney Sutcliffe, Léon Goossens, Terence MacDonagh and Evelyn Rothwell Michael Winfield Terence MacDonagh John Barnett Sidney Sutcliffe 1 Sidney Sutcliffe 2 This CD may have you wondering whether among all the gains in oboe playing since the 1950s, something has also been lost. The booklet includes an essay by Geoffrey Burgess on the English oboe scene of the 1950s, and a discussion by four oboists of the playing styles and performances represented on the CD. CC2026 The World of the Oboe an introduction to the music, players, reeds and instruments (double CD) Beethoven Berio Britten Mozart Ravel Tchaikovsky "These CDs illustrate perfectly the many qualities of this wonderfully expressive instrument." Jenny Agutter, Double Reed News (UK) The download version is single CD length. The booklet includes articles on the history of the oboe, and the making of oboes and reeds. CC2025 The French Accent Original performances of Poulenc, Auric and other French composers Auric Ferroud Poulenc Roesgen-Champion Stravinsky "A sumptuous booklet... a cornerstone of both performance and repertoire and greatly to be welcomed." MusicWeb International The booklet includes an essay by Geoffrey Burgess on Paris in the first half of the 20th Century: the milieu that produced this fertile outpouring of French wind writing and playing. CC2024 Han de Vries The Radio Recordings Nine CDs, a DVD and bonus DVD in a box Bach Bainbridge Bennett Cimarosa Françaix Mozart Penderecki Röntgen Schat Voormolen "Ten hours to finally give back to the exceptional Han de Vries, jewel of the Dutch oboe school, the place he deserves in our part of the world, alongside his colleague Heinz Holliger." Diapason Magazine (France) LIMITED EDITION - SOLD OUT CC2023 cor! Alison Teale (cor anglais) Elizabeth Burley (piano) Bebop tango Bozza - Divertissement Ritual Fire Dance Hindemith Sonata Piazolla - Nightclub 1960 Valentine - Sonata no 10 "Alison Teale proves herself a virtuoso of the cor anglais [english horn] in terms of both excitement and poetry." MusicWeb International The 'booklet' folds out into a large picture of a cor anglais (english horn) that would grace any wall! CC2022 music for oboe, horn and piano Jeremy Polmear (oboe) Stephen Stirling (horn) Richard Saxel (piano) Mozart 1 Blanc Romance Herzogenberg 4 Molbe Air arabe Basler Voc-Waltz Damase 1 video (1 of 5) on the making of the CD "This is one of those surprising niche releases that affords considerable and unalloyed pleasure. The performances in every case are top-notch." Fanfare Magazine (USA) The booklet includes previously unavailable material on Molbe, and comments by Jean-Michel Damase on his Trio. CC2021 Frozen River Flows New Noise Janey Miller (oboe) Joby Burgess (percussion) Journey to the End of the Night Peace for Vayu Random Girl Dmaathen Sphinx Frozen River Flows Bagatelle 1 "The composers on this fabulous disc range from the absolutely wild to the superbly cool." Nicholas Daniel No new information, but lovely booklet design and photographs! CC2020 Harrison Birtwistle Orpheus Elegies Three Bach Arias Melinda Maxwell (oboe) Helen Tunstall (harp) Andrew Watts (c-tenor) Elegy 15 Elegy 10 Elegy 8 Elegy 22 Elegy 20 Bach Aria II Videos, Elegy 10 and Elegy 3. "These vignettes prove to be absolutely compelling." The Independent The booklet includes Melinda Maxwell talking to Harrison Birtwistle; an essay on Orpheus and Rilke, the writer of the Sonnets on which these Elegies are based; and the words (in English and German) of the relevant Sonnets. CC2019 Antares Oboe music by Edwin Roxburgh Paul Goodey (oboe, oboe d'amore) Antares Aulodie Cantilena Silent Strings Elegy Images Shadow Play "The skill of oboist Paul Goodey and pianist Sally Mays is phenomenal." MusicWeb International Paul Goodey, the dedicatee of these pieces, writes about them and includes details of the composer's use of multiphonics. CC2018 Oboe Divas! Operatic Duos and Ensembles from Handel to Wagner Emily Pailthorpe & Elaine Douvas (oboes) The Flower Duet Lucia di Lammermoor Hans Sachs The Marriage of Figaro Fidelio Eugene Onegin "This program embodies what I love about opera and music so much." American Record Guide The track notes include a description of the operatic moments covered in the music, and comments by Richard Blackford on his Portrait of Hans Sachs. CC2017 Britten - Six Metamophoses George Caird (oboe) Joy Boughton (oboe) Nicholas Daniel (oboe) A study CD and essay in a DVD case Caird - Pan Boughton - Pan Daniel - Pan Caird - Arethusa Boughton - Arethusa Daniel - Arethusa Caird - Bacchus sketch "For any oboist, musicologist or Britten fan, George Caird's fascinating and exhaustive investigation into Britten's creative process makes this an essential guidebook." Colin Matthews, Britten-Pears Foundation The 51-page, DVD-size booklet contains 20,000 words about these pieces, including background, literary influences, visual influences, Ovid references, and performance considerations. There are extensive musical examples from Britten's notebooks. CC2016 Melodic Lines Jeremy Polmear (oboe) Philip Gibbon (bassoon) Diana Ambache (piano) Théophile Lalliet Francis Poulenc Geoffrey Bush Madeleine Dring Richard Stoker Barbara Thompson Video, Dring 3rd Movement "Inspired repertoire, superb sound and exemplary programme notes. Brilliant!" MusicWeb International The notes include an essay on Melody by Jeremy Polmear, and interviews with Roderick Swanston (on Geoffrey Bush), Roger Lord (on Madeleine Dring) and Barbara Thompson and Richard Stoker on their own works. CC2015 oboe+: berio & beyond Christopher Redgate Luciano Berio Sam Hayden Michael Young Christopher Redgate Roger Redgate Michael Finnissy "This extraordinary disc is a showcase... but while the sounds are compelling, this is intensely meaningful virtuosity." The Wire Christopher Redgate writes about the 'new sounds' on the CD, and in detail on each of the works, most of which were written for him. CC2014 The Sheba Sound A double CD of two oboes, bassoon and harpsichord crossing musical boundaries Bach Gigue Daryl Runswick Polka Here comes the sun D Matthews Berceuse J-M Damase Suite François Couperin Arrival of... "Great entertainment - a winner and not just for cross-over children of the seventies and eighties. It's a natural for Christmas or any other season." MusicWeb International An extended interview with Catherine Smith, founder of The Sheba Sound, plus interviews with Gordon Langford (The Carnival of Venice and several other arrangements) and David Matthews (Toccatas and Pastorals). CC2013 From Leipzig to London Althea Ifeka (oboe) Katharine May (harps) Duo Sonatas from the 18th and 20th Centuries Bach Little g minor Bach oboe d'amore Bach english horn Gordon Jacob Elizabeth Maconchy Stephen Dodgson Michael Head "A cleverly designed programme... Althea Ifeka is a superb oboist with a slightly plangent tone that fits well with the harpsichord." Gramophone The booklet includes notes (in English and German) on the Leipzig of Bach's time, and the London of the 20th Century, with reminisciences by Lady Evelyn Barbirolli of the English composers on the CD. CC2012 The Oboe 1903-1953 A double CD of historic oboe recordings C Addimando (1908) S Sutcliffe (1951) H de Busscher (1940s) Léon Goossens (1936) Bruno Labate (1929) Louis Bleuzet (1937) "A salvo of praise to Geoffrey Burgess, whose notes fuse technical, tonal and expressive analysis in a compact and articulate way." MusicWeb International An essay by oboist and scholar Geoffrey Burgess on the development of recording technology in the early years of the 20th Century, and its effect on both audio quality and recording session techniques. CC2011 Janet Craxton music for oboe and strings Francis Routh Nicola LeFanu Richard Stoker Elizabeth Maconchy Lennox Berkeley Elisabeth Lutyens "This enterprising compilation should not be missed by any connoisseur of the instrument and deserves every possible success." Gramophone For copyright reasons this music is not available on the net. The booklet contains interviews with Francis Routh, Nicola LeFanu, Richard Stoker, Nicholas Daniel and Anthony Burton, with comments from Elisabeth Lutyens on Driving out the Death. CC2010 Ready, Steady, Blow! music for beginner oboists [the sheet music must be purchased separately] Pastime Henry VIII Purcell Air Corumbá I Got Rhythm Michael Head "What a brilliant idea! Well played and beautifully produced, thuis CD is great for inspiring people to carry on or even take up the oboe." Nicholas Daniel The booklet includes the stories of the four post- Graduate students who play on the tracks - how they first got interested in the oboe, the encouragements and obstacles they encountered, and the kind of careers they envisage for themselves. CC2009 An English Renaissance Music for oboe and strings inspired by Léon Goossens Maconchy Bliss Britten Gow Moeran "This is much more than a CD for oboe addicts. The essence... is exactly what the title promises. This is for music lovers of all kinds." Musical Opinion The booklet includes an essay by Professor George Caird (in English, French and German) on the 'Magnificent Seven' works for oboe and strings that Goossens inspired. (The other two are on CC2008.) CC2008 Though Lovers be Lost Emily Pailthorpe plays music shadowing the two world wars Britten Dutilleux Finzi Tombeau de Couperin Eugène Goossens "The Jacqueline du Pré of the oboe." Gillet Competition Jury Emily Pailthorpe writes about the period that produced this powerful music, with particular detail about Britten's Temporal Variations. (Notes in English, French and German.) CC2007 the oboe in Mozart chamber music Jeremy Polmear Ambache Chamber Ensemble Quartet K370 Quintet K617 Adagio K580a Sonata K376 Quintet K452 "A must for oboe-philes; a rare treat for Mozartians." The Observer Track notes in English, French and German. CC2006 Pasculli Christopher Redgate plays Operatic Fantasias by Antonio Pasculli, 'the Paganini of the oboe' Study - Le Api Sicilian Vespers Les Hugenots Poliuto La Favorita "A disc to open the ears of all oboists, and to entertain and astonish less specialist music-lovers." BBC Music Magazine The booklet includes an essay (in English, French and German) by Christopher Redgate on the virtuoso composer/oboist Antonio Pasculli. CC2005 Rare Goossens Historic recordings of Léon Goossens previously unavailable on CD Pierné Colin Scarlatti Bax Danny Boy "Historic recordings of Léon Goossens, a great oboist caught in his prime." Gramophone The notes are by Goossens expert the late Melvyn Harris (in English, French and German); the photographs are of the young man-about-town Goossens who made these recordings, not the benign old gent normally portrayed today. CC2004 The art of Han de Vries Concertos spanning two decades from an international career Mozart Bach oboe & violin Kalliwoda Telemann Andriessen "The doyen of Dutch oboists is heard to great advantage." BBC Music Magazine The booklet includes an interview (in English, French and German) with Han de Vries about making these recordings. CC2003 New Ground Paul Goodey in première recordings of music by Fitkin, Goodey, McDowall, Oliva, Roxburgh, Salter and Sutton-Anderson Oliva/Goodey Roxburgh Sutton-Anderson Oliva McDowall "Paul Goodey is a persuasive advocate for an engaging selection of contemporary music." BBC Music Magazine The booklet includes the words (in English, French and German) of Christie Dickason's poem White Fox Woman, the setting for Cecilia McDowall's Fox Woman. CC2002 Robert & Clara Schumann Jeremy Polmear (oboe, cor anglais/english horn) Diana Ambache (piano) Robert 1st Romance Clara 1st Romance Robert Adagio & Allegro Robert Stücke im Volkston "Jeremy Polmear is ideal for these kinds of pieces because his playing is so controlled. The sound he produces varies from the softest, most delicate tones to more powerfully evocative sonorities." Fanfare Magazine (USA) The booklet notes are in English, French and German; many session photographs. CC2001 Baroque Spirit la fontaine playing on period instruments Telemann Presto Telemann Triosonata Quantz Pla brothers "... exuberant... including a startlingly showy Trio Sonata by the Catalan Pla brothers." BBC Music Magazine For copyright reasons these tracks are not available on the net. The notes are in English, French and German. back to home page to main catalogue