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Kirschlager/Keenlyside/Concerto Koln/Jacobs
Mozzart II: Nozze di Figaro
(Harmonia Mundi HMC 901818.20, three discs)

This version of Mozart's wittiest yet most profound opera - an observation and explosion of the absurdities of class distinction - is firstrate.

It is conducted by Rene; Jacobs, who has proved himself a natural man of the theatre in his many recordings of baroque opera, and of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte.

Crucially, he is able to bring a wonderful spirit of spontaneity even to the stifling surroundings of a recording studio, and here, directing the precise, ever alert period instruments of Concerto Koln, he provokes a reading that is positively electric.

There is wonderful characterisation from Simon Keenlyside and the radiant Veronique Gens as Count Almaviva and his longsuffering Countess on one side of the great but crumbly divide, Patrizia Ciofi and Lorenzo Regazzo as the mischievous Susanna and Figaro on the other - while Angelika Kirschlager makes an appealingly boyish Cherubino and the slyness of Kobie van Rensburg as Basilio is positively fox-like.

Various artists
The British Cello Phenomenon
(Cello Classics CC1010, two CDs)

The story of British cello playing in the 20th century is documented in this illuminating survey of 29 performers.

The first disc begins, appropriately enough, with Douglas Cameron, a noted teacher whose distinguished pupils included Derek Simpson, Thomas Igloi, Douglas Cummings, Christopher van Kampen and Keith Harvey (all represented here).

That other influential teacher, William Pleeth, is heard playing Rubbra, while his most famous pupil, Jacqueline du Pre, is featured in a recently discovered recording of Rubbra's Soliloquy.

The orchestral playing (by an amateur ensemble) is not brilliant, but there is no mistaking du Pre's soulful, burnished tone. The cream of modern cellists (Isserlis, Wallfisch, Baillie, Welsh, Watkins) can be heard on the second of the two CDs. A fascinating survey.

Taffetas
Taffetas
(Most, 1002)

A gentle acoustic trio that could be an Islington dinner party soundtrack, but actually stimulates with its sound and textures.

The three players are Ibrahima Galissa from Guinea-Bissau on kora, the sublime, rippling gourd-and-fishing-line harp from West Africa, and the Swiss duo of Marc Liebeskind on guitar and Christophe Erard on double bass.

The opening track, Fano Keita, finds a gentle West African rhythmic groove and then adds rippling cascades and contrapuntal dialogues.

It is both sublimely soothing and endlessly fascinating as you tune into the intricacies of the kora and guitar playing.

There is a delicate, pointillist instrumental texture which forms the background to a soft female vocal on the title track, and Fanta - nothing to do with the fizzy drink - is a softly caressing escapist fantasy.

That is the appeal of this disc - an escape from frenzy and noise into a place of delicacy and refinement.

Various artists
Martin Scorsese presents/Piano Blues
(Columbia Legacy, 512571-2)

There is nothing like the endorsement of a Hollywood celeb or two to get quality music taken seriously.

While not questioning for a moment the fervent enthusiasm of gun-happy director Martin Scorsese or gun-toting actor (and amateur keyboarder) Clint Eastwood for the blues, it is highly unlikely that these fine compilations of blues Americana would ever have been plucked from various recording-industry vaults without their personal involvement.

Starting last Thursday, a seven-film blues documentary series executive produced by Scorsese runs on BBC4 at 9pm, each with a different director and soundtrack.

This is Eastwood's cut, an excellent anthology covering everybody from Jimmy Yancey to Fats Domino, including Basie, Ellington, Thelonious Monk (playing Blue Monk, of course), Ray Charles, Professor Longhair, Joe Turner and Dr John. Not a dud among them.

 

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