More not than jazz.(Berio: Orchestral transciritpions)(Milhaud: La Creation du monde, Le Boeuf sur le toit, Suite provencale)(Prokofieff: Lieutenant Kijd, Symphonic Suite Stravinsky)(Sound Recording Review)

Berio: Orchestral transciritpions from Bach, Boccherini, Brahms, Mozart, Purcell, and Schubert Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi/ Riccardo Chailly (Decca 476 2830)

The first selection is a 62-second romp, a rendition of a hornpipe melody from Purcell. There follows a solemn-sounding but rewarding orchestration of Contrapunctus XIX from Bach's Die Kunst der Fugue, quite a contrast from the jaunty Purcell tune. The recording engineers have given the brass a distant sound, which frames this arrangement most aptly, the ending dying off in space, a tribute to Bach's unfinished masterpiece.

Moving along chronologically, we next encounter Berio's rendering of some music by Boccherini, titled Quattro versioni della Ritirata notturna. While we usually think of Baroque music as rather modest in scope, Berio's take on it is quite grand and colorful.

On to the Classical period, then, and a modernistic-sounding piece that tunrs out to be based on, of all people, Mozart. Those who associate Mozart with easygoing, hummable melodies will be surprised to hear what Berio has done with a Mozartean aria. Interesting to listen to for two-and-a-half minutes, but it is something of a nice relief to move on to the next Classical composer, Schuberrt, and hear what Berio has constructed out of the sketches that Schubert left for his last, uncompleted symphony. It sounds like Schubert overall, but with plenty of verve and color. Quite interesting.

The final piece on the CD is my personal favorite, a transcription for orchestra of Brahms's Clarinet Sonata Op. 120, featuring Fausto Ghiazza on the clarinet. Long-time readers know that I am a sucker for the sound of the clarinet, and the Clarinet Sonatas and Quintet by Brahms are among my favorite pieces of chamber music. Now, it is as if Brahms had written a Clarinet Concerto, such is the effect of this marvelous effort by Maestro Berio. I'm listening to it as I type these words, and I am in clarinet heaven. What a wonderful piece of music. Bravo, Brahms! Bravo, Berio! Bravo Charily! Bravo, Ghiazza! Bravo, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi. Everybody stand up and take a bow!

Milhaud: La Creation du monde; Le Boeuf sur le toit; Suite provencale; L'Homme et son desir Orchestre National de Lille/Jean-Claude Casadesus (Naxos 8.557287)

Many listeners ease into classical ...