Christmas Around the World

Canadian pianist Peter Longworth has established himself as one of the most sought after performers of his generation. Equally comfortable as soloist and chamber musician, he has performed in cities around the world, including New York, Chicago, London, Montreal and Vancouver. Through his work as a private teacher at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto, and as one of the key facilitators of the chamber music and collaborative programs, he has influenced many of the most gifted young musicians of the next generation.

BEETHOVEN Piano Trio No. 5. SCHUBERT Adagio in B?, “Notturno.” SCHUMANN Piano Trio No. 3 • Atos Tr • AZICA 71251 (63:57)


I’ve heard positive buzz concerning the Atos Trio, a young German ensemble that is quickly making a mark for itself just as the chamber-music world mourns the loss of the Beaux Arts Trio after an astonishing half century of concertizing and recording. The field is far more crowded now than when Menahem Pressler assembled his fabled threesome in 1955, and in the past 30 years their principal competition (at least in North America) has been the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio. This latter ensemble also sponsors the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award (KLRITA) competition, and after garnering several other prizes, the Atos Trio took top honors in this prestigious contest in 2007. This new disc on Azica is fruit of that milestone.


In fact, this is their third recording, on the heels of one featuring trios by Heinrich von Herzogenberg on cpo and another with Brahms, Beethoven (Trio No. 1), and Kirchner on Ars Musici. The trios on this new disc by Beethoven, Schubert, and Schumann are described by annotator Laurie Shulman as “less familiar music,” a conclusion I take issue with, although she is certainly correct that there are other trios by these composers that have a stronger presence on the concert stage.


If Beaux Arts excelled in elegant interpretations of classical fare and KLR blossomed in full-throated, virtuosic readings of Romantic repertoire (an oversimplification to be sure), Atos steps easily between these poles as the music dictates. There are absolutely no technical obstacles they don’t easily vanquish, and their range of timbre and articulation are as complete as that of any chamber musicians working today. Listen to the pointed, almost pizzicato-like crispness of Stefan Heinemeyer’s cello in the first movement of Beethoven’s Trio No. 5, matched with exquisite unanimity later by the bow of violinist Annette von Hehn, then blended with the florid, rapid-fire passagework from pianist Thomas Hoppe, all combining for a fleet and nimble, yet stylish and graceful reading. There is an abundance of Haydnesque elegance in their traversal, but when more weight is called for (as in the main body of the opening movement), they have plenty of decibels in reserve. There is a reticent tenderness to their tone in the opening bars of the work, but they pull out all stops in the finale, which bustles with robust sound and unbridled virtuosity. Still, they often turn on a dime as the mood changes, a trait that seems to be a notable hallmark of their style.


Schubert’s single-movement Adagio in E?, D 897 (“Notturno”), was probably intended as the original slow movement of the Trio in B?, but it would be wrong to imagine it a simple, song-like intermezzo. Atos plays it with appropriate weight, conjuring a nearly symphonic creation that seems designed for larger forces (many have noticed its resemblance to the slow movement of the composer’s String Quintet in C). Again, the range of color and dynamics produced by the threesome is breathtaking. This may be the finest version of the work on disc.


Their sound and flow is utterly different in the Schumann, reflective of the moody impulsiveness that courses through much of the music. Yet they frequently switch gears, leavening the prevailing texture when called for. In general, they take a lighter hand with Schumann than the KLR Trio, but the virtuosic flair is there in reserve. The finest Schumann performances are tinged with moments of hair-trigger abandon that this threesome doesn’t quite attain, but their sense of the idiom is nonetheless fully convincing. Tonal sheen and discreet balance are never sacrificed on the altar of spontaneity, a posture that will please some and perhaps disappoint others.


In short, this trio has the goods to stand with the finest chamber groups on the planet, but their raw talent isn’t displayed simply as a way to prove their mettle. Their understanding of these touchstones of the repertoire is deep and vital, and they should, despite their tender ages, be counted among the very best.


I have mixed feelings about the sound, recorded at Waetjen Auditorium at Cleveland State University. Generally it is clean, well balanced, and tonally accurate, but also somewhat dry, clinical, and close. Balance is often a serious issue for piano trios, as the cello can be easily buried by the left hand of the piano, a pitfall mercifully lacking here. Naturally, the recording process can correct ills of this sort, but my gut tells me that they have solved this festering problem of trio performance, owing no doubt to Hoppe’s sensitivity and Heinemeyer’s full-blooded tone. If this disc is an accurate guide, Atos Trio deserves a major label contract and the engineering expertise that usually follows.


FANFARE: Michael Cameron

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In 2013, the Attacca Quartet completed a recording project of the complete works for string quartet by John Adams for Azica Records. The review in the New York Times praised this vivacious, compelling set, describing the quartet's playing as exuberant, funky and... exactingly nuanced. The Boston Globe also praised the release, stating: Few [recent recordings] are as consequential as 'Fellow Traveler'... superb performances. The album was the recipient of the 2013 Nat'l Federation of Music Clubs Centennial Chamber Music Award. The hope for our version of Haydn's Seven Last Words (a new arrangement by the Attacca Quartet's cellist Andree Yee) is that it sounds organic enough that even one who has heard the piece performed often will not consciously register anything has been done at all. It is further hoped this version retains the spirit and intimacy of a home version for string quartet, while seamlessly incorporating enough depth to deem it worthy of the concert hall.

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Guitarist David Leisner, a featured Azica solo recording artist, commissioned "Facts of Life" from American composer David Del Tredici for this recording, and in addition delivers the world premiere recording of Osvaldo Golijov's "Fish Tale" with flutist Tara Helen O'Connor. David's arrangement of the JS Bach "Lute Suite" BWV 997, included here, was one of the inspirations for Mr. Del Tredici's "Facts of Life". Mr. Leisner is an extraordinarily versatile musician with a multi-faceted career as an electrifying performer, a distinguished composer and a master teacher. Recent appearances have taken him around the USA, Puerto Rico, Oceania, Europe, Japan and Mexico. He also serves as Artistic Director of the Guitar Plus series in New York, a series that features chamber music with guitar.

It goes without saying that almost all serious organists regard Johann Sebastian Bach's magnificent works as the foundation of their musical art. Performed on any decent instrument dating from Bach's time forward, the composer's genius and compositional facility never fail to shine through in any of his works, be they large or small. His impeccable craftsmanship, supreme sense of musical invention, intense spirituality and unmatched contrapuntal mastery make each example a memorable and uplifting experience. Christopher Houlihan says, "The past sixty or so years have seen numerous, ground-brekaing recordings of Bach's music on historic and historically informed instruments; this recording is a decidedly modern take on this repertoire. You'll hear crescendos and diminuendos as well as registration changes that are only possible on a modern organ. I do not believe this distorts Bach's genius, but rather highlights different aspects of it. It's a little like playing Bach on a piano - perhaps one doesn't play it like Liszt would have, but how much does one pretend the piano is a harpsichord?".

Cleveland guitarist Jason Vieaux adds to his list of stellar recordings with this alluring program of works by Argentina’s master of the tango... The irresistible performances and crystal-clear sound — from Cleveland-based Azica Records — make this a don’t-miss disc. Grade: A

-- Donald Rosenberg, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Jazz pianist, composer, and Grammy Award-winning arranger Bill Cunliffe is known his innovative and swinging recordings and compositions. Bill began his career as pianist and arranger with the Buddy Rich Big Band and worked with Frank Sinatra, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Golson, and James Moody. He has since established himself as a solo artist and bandleader. Bill is a winner of the Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition and has received stipends from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Burning River Brass presents a new recording of fresh and dynamic arrangements from Bach and Gibbons to Debussy, Shostakovich, and DiLorenzo. Since 1996, Burning River Brass has been dazzling audiences from Alaska to Taiwan with "power and virtuosity," "harmonious blend," and "consistently stirring performances." Composed of twelve of the finest brass and percussion players in the country, Burning River Brass is an ensemble on fire! The original inspiration behind Burning River Brass was to give great players who were also good friends a chance to play together on a consistent basis. Soon after the first rehearsal in May 1996, BRB began to grow rapidly. The ensemble made its debut in September of 1996 in Tremont, Ohio under the auspices of Arts Renaissance Tremont and by 1998 was touring nationally. Burning River Brass is consistently applauded for the infectious joy with which it performs. In concert, the ensemble presents a variety of music designed to satisfy the tastes of every audience. BRB’s repertoire includes fresh arrangements of classic literature as well as original works written specifically for the group. The camaraderie continues into BRB’s educational and outreach programs, where the players provide students with a rich, positive experience to encourage their enthusiasm for music in the future.

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Martha Aarons played with the Cleveland Orchestra from 1981 to 2006. Every summer she teaches and serves as principal flute for the Aspen Music Festival. Since becoming a freelancer, she has performed as guest principal in the Baltimore Symphony, the Metropolitan Opera, and she enjoys frequent appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Solo credits include the Cleveland Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, Aspen Chamber Symphony, and Ohio Chamber Orchestra. Currently she is a regular guest artist at Rancho la Puerta, in Tecate, Mexico. Ms. Aarons has taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Oberlin College, and Skidmore College as Filene Visiting Artist-in-Residence. She also taught and performed as visiting artist at Shanghai Conservatory. In 2002 she served as assistant professor at the Eastman School of Music. In 2003 Ms. Aarons performed the Aspen Music Festival premiere of the Flute Concerto by Christopher Rouse.

Soo-Jin Hong, violin, Soo-Kyung Hong, cello, Jens Elvekjaer, piano.