Geoff Adams

Classical reviews: August 4

> Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (highlights). State Opera of South Australia, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and singers. Melba 2 CDs.

Classical reviews: July 28

> Benaud Trio: Works by Australian composers. Melba CD

Classical album review: 21st July

After their award-winning recording of the Striggio 40-part Mass, the expert forces of I Fagiolini, directed by Robert Hollingworth, return with more baroque music for huge forces.

Classical reviews: July 8

> Messiaen: Visions de l'Amen. Debussy: En blance et noir. Ralph van Raat (piano 1), Hakon Austbo (piano 2). Naxos CD.

Classical reviews: June 30

>"The Art of Renee Fleming". Renee Fleming (soprano). Decca CD.

Blow me down and shiver me timbers, this book's a pearler

Let us not beat about the bush. By and large, I spill the beans on Max Cryer's latest research results in Curious English Words and Phrases (Exisle, pbk.)

Seeking clarity

One of Iain Banks' previous novels (The Crow Road ) began with a memorable sentence: "It was the day my grandmother exploded."

New Zealand noir

Two books by New Zealand writers, with similar noir themes, arrived in my reading lap. They were juggled as hot potatoes but I found them rather unpalatable.

Classical reviews: June 23

> "Release: The Mozart Fellowship". La Belle Alliance. Ode CD.

Classical reviews: June 16

> "The Art of Nance Grant". Nance Grant (soprano). Melba 2 CDs.

Classical reviews: June 9

> "Love and Longing". Magdalena Kozena (mezzo-soprano), Berliner Philharmoniker. Deutsche Grammophon CD.

Classical reviews: June 2

> Sarasate: Bolero, Introduction et Fandango, etc. Tianwa Yang (violin), Markus Hadulla (piano), Naxos CD.

Classical reviews: May 26

> Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos 2 and 15. Royal Liverpool Orchestra and Choir. Naxos CD.

Cold War atmosphere brilliantly created

The Day of the Lie is the fourth novel by William Brodrick, winner of the Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger. It puts his hero, the lawyer-turned-monk Father Anselm, in Poland with the difficult task of seeking restorative justice for some victims of communism - as well as the horrors of the Nazi invasion in World War 2.

Classical reviews: May 19

> "Legacy". David Garrett (violin), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Decca CD.

Classical reviews: May 12

> Rachmaninov: Piano Sonata No1, Variations on a Theme of Chopin.Vladimir Ashkenazy (piano). Decca CD.

Classical reviews: May 5

> Prokofiev: Sonata No 6, Liszt and Saint-Saens. Behzod Abduraimov (piano). Decca CD.

Classical reviews: April 28

> Gershwin: Concerto in F, Rhapsody No.2, etc. Orion Weiss (piano), Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos CD. Concerto in F (1925) is not as melodic as the more famous Rhapsody in Blue, but the two works are markedly similar. The concerto avoids programmatic content in many tunes to seem more serious.

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Geoff Adams