George Enescu was a musical genius of Mozartean universality and range, and the only reason his music isn't better known is because it's terribly difficult to play, not just technically but emotionally and stylistically. Despite the neo-classical patterning of such works as the first two suites on offer here, there's really no such thing as a chaste, "classical" approach to these, or any other of his works. Either you're a full-blown Romantic virtuoso in the "golden age" sense of the term, or you'd better not waste your own (or the listener's) time. In particular, Enescu's subtle approach to tempo requires the most sensitive use of rubato and the ability to play whole phrases and paragraphs across the bar lines as if in a single breath. Add to this the composer's exquisite sensitivity to matters of tone color and his sheer love of rich textures--of writing music with "lots of notes" but in which every one of them matters--and the result requires a very special sort of artistry in performance.


On evidence here, Romanian pianist Luiza Borac makes a very worthy exponent of her countryman's music. The First Suite, composed at the ripe old age of 15, is Bach on steroids, and Borac's playing perfectly conveys its gusto and enthusiasm. She projects the second-movement fugue with effortless insouciance and makes a thing of poetry of the Adagio, one of Enescu's first essays in the sort of endlessly flowing river of melody that later became so characteristic of his style. In the final Presto, Borac unleashes a torrent of sound and sustains it from the first bar to the last.


The Second Suite, which dates from 1901/03, begins with a jubilant Toccata, played here with the necessary freedom of tempo and uninhibited sense of abandon. Listen to the way Borac caresses the gorgeous third-movement Pavane, her fingers scarcely seeming to touch the keyboard as she spins out its gentle trills and decorative filigree. Captivating! In the concluding Bourrée Enescu turns to Romanian folk music, and Borac captures both the music's rustic charm as well as its evident desire to break out of the simple rhythm of its initial accompaniment and become something altogether more sophisticated (an apt musical illustration of the composer's personality).


Dating from 1913-16, the Third Suite consists of individual pieces later collected together in a single volume, and so it completely lacks the neo-classical formal outlines of the previous two. It also contains some of Enescu's most remarkable piano music now in his fully mature style. Voix de la steppe perfectly illustrates his "parlando-rubato" melodic style, as does Borac's presentation of it. Burlesque recalls many a similar moment in Bartók, with its nose-thumbing humor and deliberate grotesquerie. The most remarkable movements, though, are the finale pair, a chorale shot through with mysterious modal harmony, and a remarkable Carillon nocturne whose chiming dissonances and evocative use of piano resonance sound like some early work of Messiaen.


It's very instructive to compare Borac's performances of these last two pieces to those of Aurora Ienei (last on Olympia). Borac takes a full three and half minutes longer over both movements but plays with such dynamic sensitivity and breadth of phrasing that Ienei sounds quite prosaic by comparison. Borac also is much better recorded; the silken tones she conjures from the keyboard are very naturally captured in a lively acoustic that coveys optimal warmth and clarity. Even were this not the only show in town in this repertoire, it's obvious that Borac has a special affinity for the composer's elusive idiom, and that makes this disc an outstanding contribution to the still far-too-small Enescu discography.
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

Classical Music

Classical Music

Strauss, R.: Heldenleben (Ein) / Metamorphosen

While Johann Georg Pisendel is primarily remembered today as the 18th century virtuoso that inspired Bach to compose his renowned Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin, this extraordinary program "Per Monsieur Pisendel" reveals the violinist/composer's influence to be much more widespread and diverse. Each of the six violin sonatas offered was either dedicated to or composed by Pisendel himself, amply attesting to his apparent charisma and exemplary skill. La Serenissima's members--violinist Adrian Chandler, cellist Gareth Deats, and harpsichordist Robert Howarth--rise to the occasion, delivering stirring, alert, and focused performances that ably serve Pisendel and his contemporaries Vivaldi and Albinoni.


Vivaldi's famous RV 6 opens the program, and like Romanesca (Harmonia Mundi) and the Biondi/Alessandrini/Naddeo/Pandolfo/Lislevand ensemble (Arcana), Chandler and colleagues brazenly draw out every dramatic nuance and diabolical twist implicit in the score. Especially enjoyable is their deft treatment of the third movement (Grave), heightened by numerous decorative flourishes throughout. The program in fact features a refreshingly wide variety and inventive use of ornamentation that, unlike so many other recitals of similar repertoire, perpetually keeps things interesting. Chandler's spellbinding rendering of Pisendel's Allegro from his Sonata in D is absolutely spectacular! Likewise, Chandler's performance of the second-movement Allegro of Vivaldi's Suonata a Solo facto per Monsieur Pisendel del Vivaldi in C, RV 2 equally impresses in its cocksure bite and vigor.


Complementing La Serenissima's excellent performances is Avie's clear and immediate sound. Chandler's excellent notes are informative and entertaining. This debut recording couldn't be more auspicious. Highly recommended.
--John Greene, ClassicsToday.com

Classical Music

Even without referring to the concise program notes, you easily hear the pervasive French influence in these flute works by British composers. Fauré, Poulenc, Taffenel, Gaubert, Godard, and others quickly come to mind in the nearly unanimous approach by their British counterparts to slow movements (sweet lilting melodies of innocence) and quicker movements (full of wry, witty, sardonic nuances and savoir-faire endings). By implication, each of these composers looks largely to his French antecedents somewhat self-consciously, even as one of them (Arnold) attempted to avoid the notion. But, these works succeed on their own merits as technically formidable and charming compositions, and, as in his enterprising disc of American flute pieces, Jeffrey Khaner makes a persuasive case for them to be included in the core flute repertoire.


All of the works but one in this recital are sonatas, and thus we can see neat if unintentional parallels in styles that stretch from 1940 (Bowen) to 1996 (Hamilton). Berkeley and Arnold seem to share a penchant for the dance in their respective third movements, with the Arnold particularly saturnine in mood. The slow movements are models of gorgeous flute writing: check out the simply beautiful line that Berkeley spins in the Adagio; the mysterious sparse duet in Maw's early 12-tone sonata; and Bowen's disarming Fauré-like tune. Technical flare is in abundance as well, especially in the vertiginous scales and arpeggios in the middle of the first movement of the Arnold and the ridiculously difficult passages in upper-register in the opening of Matthew's variation set.


As with his previous disc, Khaner emits a vigorous, muscular tone that is unashamed of the occasional breathiness. Fellow Curtis alum Charles Abramovic accompanies Khaner with grace and sensitivity in parts that are nearly as challenging for the pianist as they are for the flute. The sound is rather good if a bit dry for a self-produced recording that Avie has seen fit to release as part of an apparently growing series of flute recitals by this excellent flutist. Perhaps a disc of French music (with British influence!) is next.
--Michael Liebowitz, ClassicsToday.com

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

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By definition, no two compilations of "Music for the Spanish Court" are alike (see recordings from Jordi Savall, the Gothic Voices, etc.) and this one offers first rate performances of songs and instrumental pieces performed by one of the world's premier early music ensembles, The Dufay Collective. The repertoire comes from "the time of Ferdinand and Isabella. . . whose marriage in 1469 effectively united the disparate states of Spain." So there's quite a mix of vocal and instrumental songs and dances by both anonymous and named composers, Narváez and Isaac being the most familiar. Early music fans will recognize the various instruments--sackbut, viols, lute, vihuela, rebec, shawm, harpsichord, harp--and these are employed in all manner of combinations, sometimes with a voice or two, invariably to enchanting or at least thoroughly engaging effect. Vivien Ellis and John Potter provide the vocal support and they do it with impeccable musicianship and technique borne of years of experience with early music performance. The instrumental ensembles, whether viols or wind configurations, deliver refined, colorful, energetic performances that we expect from these players--and the result is eminently listenable interpretations that always seem contextually proper and sensible.


My only complaint is the sonic perspective that renders the pieces with winds--such as the shawm, bombarde, and sackbut in several selections--significantly louder and more present than those with more sparse forces, such as voice/harp or solo vihuela or harpsichord. The transition between these tracks is jarring, although the performances remain focused, technically assured, and invariably true to style. Occasionally, as in the song Con amores mi madre, the voice is covered by the accompaniment, but in general the clarity of the instruments and voices is impressive, and early music fans will find this a welcome addition to their collections.
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

No question, recordings of lute music are primarily snapped up by specialists and serious fans of the instrument--it's probably a rare thing for an undecided record store shopper to just impulsively pick up and purchase such a disc as this perfectly fine program of music from "Jane Pickeringe's Lute Book". However, owing to the extraordinary talents of lutenist Jacob Heringman and the eight- and ten-course lutes featured on this recording, it's not inconceivable that a sympathetic listener would be drawn to this gentle, genteel, and agreeably tuneful music and to the ear-friendly sound. Although most of the represented works are by anonymous early-17th century composers, such luminaries as Byrd and Dowland appear in this mysterious collector's manuscript.


These 30 works (nearly 75 minutes' worth!) are characterized by nothing if not variety of mood and rhythmic structure, contained in all manner of familiar forms of the period--allemande, galliard, horn-pipe, pavane, fantasia. Heringman, whose credits include more than 50 recordings, many in collaboration with major artists, is a perfect guide to this repertoire. His playing is a marvel of clarity and evenness of articulation across registers, but he also is careful to bring the melody appropriate prominence against subordinate accompanying figures when required. His always tasteful ornaments and ability to obtain colors from a single instrument that make us wonder if we're actually hearing two add up to a rare and entertaining listening experience--nothing earth-shaking or ground-breaking, just solid music-making. The sound is quite resonant yet captures all the close-up detail we could ask for with no distracting squeaking or scraping. [6/29/2002]
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com