Thomas Fasano

Tom Fasano has been writing reviews of classical music recordings for the past quarter century. He's finally making them public on this blog.
50

Sibelius String Works – Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra

Sibelius in Miniature—and in Finnish WARNER APEX 09274 06072 (76:23) Here’s a curious thing: some composers write…

65

Bruno Walter and Goldmark Chamber Works – Graffin

Bruno Walter and Karl Goldmark: Chamber Works Philippe Graffin, violin; Pascal Devoyon, piano Hyperion CDA67220 Hyperion’s engineers…

46

Beethoven Piano Concerto No 5 Emperor Schnabel

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73, Emperor Cello Sonata in G…

95

Rossini: Il Signor Bruschino – Warsaw Chamber Opera

The Young Rossini’s Farsa in Spirited, if Imperfect, Polish Hands Here’s a problem that vexed me throughout…

50

Beethoven Complete Piano Sonatas by Bilson and Ensemble

Ludwig van Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas Performers: Malcolm Bilson, Tom Beghin, David Breitman, Ursula Dütschler, Zvi Meniker,…

53

Schreker Orchestral Works – Slovak Philharmonic Under Seipenbusch

# Schreker Without the Shimmer Franz Schreker: Orchestral Works Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra / Edgar Seipenbusch Naxos 8.555246…

59

Puccini Madama Butterfly – Karajan Film by Ponnelle

Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on Film: The Karajan Paradox Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s 1974 film of Madama Butterfly presents a…

115

Villa-Lobos Symphony No. 10 – Santa Barbara Forces

# Villa-Lobos’s Tenth: A Monumental Curiosity from Santa Barbara VILLA-LOBOS: Symphony No. 10, “Ameríndia“ Carla Wood (mezzo-soprano),…

54

Arnold Bax String Quartets 1 and 2 – Maggini Quartet

Sir Arnold Bax String Quartet No. 1 in G major (1918) String Quartet No. 2 in A…

44

Strauss Ariadne auf Naxos – Sinopoli Dresden

# Sinopoli’s Valedictory Ariadne: evidence of Textural Clarity One hesitates to call any disc a “last testament“—the…

53

Bartok: The World of Bartok Compilation

Béla Bartók (1881–1945): The World of Béla Bartók Detroit Symphony Orchestra/Antal Dorati; Vladimir and Vovka Ashkenazy (pianos),…

63

Bach Organ Works – Hans Helmut Tillmanns

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) Organ Works: Prelude and Fugue in A Minor, BWV 543; Prelude and Fugue…

78

Genovese Oboe Recital – Boston Symphony Principal

**Genovese: Oboe Recital** Alfred Genovese, oboe; Peter Serkin, piano; Robert Spano, piano; Burton Fine, viola; Harold Wright,…

64

Shostakovich Symphony No 8 – Jansons and Pittsburgh

Jansons and Pittsburgh in Shostakovich’s Eighth: A Monument to Circumstance This is a strange disc—strange in its…

54

Schnittke Sacred Choral Works – Holst Singers

Schnittke: Concerto for Mixed Chorus; Voices of Nature; Minnesang** Holst Singers/Stephen Layton Hyperion CDA67297 [64:48] The grotesque…

60

Vaughan Williams and Gurney: Shropshire Lad Song Cycles

A Shropshire Gathering: Vaughan Williams and Gurney in Hyperion’s Thoughtful Pairing This Hyperion release addresses—though not entirely…

67

Bach Organ Works by Jonathan Biggers

Johann Sebastian Bach: On The Fritts! Organ Works: “Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C-Minor” BWV 564, Partita…

64

Bach Christmas Oratorio – Beringer and Münchener Bachsolisten

J.S. Bach. Christmas Oratorio. Juliane Banse (soprano), Cornelia Kallisch (alto), Markus Schäfer (tenor), Robert Swensen (tenor), Thomas…