Classical reviews: March 15

Karayev: The Seven Beauties, The Path of Thunder. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos CD

Kara Karayev, who died in 1982, was one of Shostakovich's most distinguished and favourite pupils, yet developed his own distinctive style using Azerbaijan folk melodies and harmonies. He also stayed closer to the later Russian Romantic model and some of his music is reminiscent of Tchaikovsky.

His two ballet suites are given dramatic readings by the RPO under Dmitry Yablonsky, from Azerbaijan, and are exciting. The Seven Beauties has 12 sections, with a Waltz, Adagio and ''Dance of the Clowns'' preceding an introduction then ''The Seven Portraits'' of beautiful women from different countries.

A winner is chosen and then a final procession. Path of Thunder portrays forbidden love in apartheid-era South Africa, but has some Russian elements.

Highlight: Blends of romantic and energetic sounds.

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Mozart: Concert Arias. Rolando Villazon (tenor), London Symphony Orchestra. Deutsche Grammophon CD

Supported by the superb LSO conducted by Antonio Pappano, this top-flight tenor can hardly lose with these dozen arias by the master composer. Tenors do badly, compared with sopranos, as far as solo albums of Mozart's concert arias go.

Not all these are from Mozart operas, as several were written insertions for other composers' operas, and there is a rare one from Mozart's unfinished comic opera (''Dove mai trovar quel ciglio?'' from Lo sposo deluso K. 430.)

But all of them show Villazon in glorious voice, with his lustrous Latin timbre, and even perhaps singing in more relaxed and confident manner than some of his other recent albums. His coloratura and diction both impress greatly on this very clear recording.

Highlight: Villazon sounds youthful and passionate.

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