Capriccio
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Bloch: Prelude & 2 Psalms; Suite Hebraïque etc. / Sloane, Deutsches Symphony Orchestra
Shostakovich: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2 / Suite, Op. 6
Rosenberg: Piano Works / Christensson
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REVIEW:
One of the most gratifying aspects of this music is its compactness and lack of pretentiousness. Rosenberg says exactly what he has on his mind, clearly and expressively, then moves on to something else. Christensson’s musicianship is much the same: her fortissimos are big but never bangy, her runs clear but not showy, and she is willing to let the music wistfully die away, as the composer requests at the end of the variations set. Listen espescially to the limpid simplicity of the theme and first variation in this work. I’ve never heard her work before, but she sounds like a first-class artist, and she is well served by the warm recording.
– American Record Guide
Jubilee Edition / Shirai
On May 28th May Mitsuko Shirai celebrated her 70th birthday. She looks back on life rich with musical performances: lieder, concerts, and also operas. The Lied duo Mitsuko Shirai / Hartmut Holl have created their own vast library of songs with numerous recordings and set new standards with concerts and releases. ''I prize all the recordings of Mstuko Shirai and Hartmut Holl, a historically great partnership in song, and I cherish the memory of the many times I heard them live.'' (Richard Dyer, Boston Globe)
Sound Escapes
Claude Debussy’s music, as his String Quartet (1910) illustrates, reveals characteristics justifying the Impressionist painter comparison, creating landscapes of sound that can draw the listener into the middle of the picture. Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet (1903) had to be and was compared with Debussy’s. His musical diction – based on Debussy’s – prepared the way for French Modernism. Briton Thomas Adès (b. 1971) is capable of fusing traditional elements from music history, including existing composition references, with modern sound production into an individual, appealing style.
Christmas Concertos / Erxleben, New Berlin Chamber Orchestra
This is splendid Baroque period music composed for the occasion of Christmas Eve. Performed by the New Berlin Chamber Orchestra along with soloists on organ and violin, these nuggets include Corelli’s “Concerto grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G minor ‘fatto per la notte di Natale”’, Handel’s “Pastoral Symphony” from Messiah, “Locatelli’s Concerto grosso in F minor,” Manfredini’s “Concerto grosso in C major,”and more works by Molter, Torelli, and Werner.
Nostalgia / Behle
Daniel Behle is one of the most versatile German tenors, with successes in concerts, recitals and the opera alike: “The basic idea for this programme was originally a homage to the golden 1950s and 1960s and my favourite singer of that time, Fritz Wunderlich. Earlier, not everything used to be bad, and for this reason I find it legitimate to ‘re-animate’ the greatest ‘pearls’ once more and present them to a younger audience.” Daniel Behle was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2014 in the recording of Leonardo Vinci’s Artaserse. His lieder recordings and solo CDs, including Die schöne Mullerin, Dichterliebe, Strauss songs and Bach arias, have been praised by critics. His debut album for Decca (Gluck arias with Armonia Atenea) was released in 2014.
Liszt: Paganini & Transcendental Etudes / Waleczeka
What a man, what a violin, what an artist! […] And his expression, his manner of phrasing, and finally his soul!’ Franz Liszt, 1831 (about Paganini). The transcriptions and arrangements of Paganini’s études represent a special case and, besides a bow before the great colleague, demonstrate demands on extreme technical skills. In his études, the pianist Liszt is quite evidently endeavouring to place alongside the Devil’s violinist Niccolò Paganini a Devil’s Pianist, which he completely succeeds in doing. In general, recourse is taken to the second version (1851) today, as it seems to be in keeping with Liszt’s definitive desire. However, all the more interesting on this new release is a direct comparison with the earlier version (1838), which exhibits an even more dense notation and difficulties transcending technical borders.
'Round Midnight
The title of this album comes from the Thelonius Monk piece, Round Midnight. At the time of the song’s publication, Monk was labeled an outsider. His intense harmonies and the complexities in his music put others off. The virtuosic performances on this recording, however, present an acceptable medium for such elaborate polyphonies.; Alongside this composition from a jazz great, this album also includes a wide range of moods, from the gloomy Saint-Saens Dance Macabre, to Purcell’s Fairy Queen. This album of “nighttime” themed music is performed with ease, agility, and fervor.; Performers are Falk Maertens and Raphael Mentzen, trumpet, Paolo Mendes, Horn, Andreas Klein, Trombone, and Johannes Lipp, Tuba. All are members of the Deutschen Symphonie-Orchesters Berlin.
Haydn: Applausus
Kapustin: Saxophone Chamber Music / Blumina, Bruns, Cair-Obscur Saxophone Quartet
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REVIEW:
The alto sax-cello duo is the one work on this album written for a saxophone, and happily cellist Peter Bruns seems to have some experience in playing jazz time, because he plays his instrument almost like a jazz bass (or at least like a jazz cello, reminding me of Oscar Pettiford and Fred Katz). It’s a wonderfully imaginative piece, too, in which the alto sax plays almost continuous eighth-note figures while the cello prods him rhythmically, and occasionally our saxist, Christoph Enzel, puts some grit in his tone which helps to bring out the jazz connection very well. The second movement in particular (“Sonatina—Animato”) brings out some pretty nifty counterpoint while still having at least a foothold in jazz time.
In toto, then, an interesting album with good music from start to finish and some really good performances of it.
– Art Music Lounge
Dohnanyi: The Veil of Pierrette / Matiakh, Vienna Radio Symphony
Who would assume today that after its premiere in 1910 Ernst von Dohnányi’s dance pantomime spread like a wildfire over the stages of the world. The ‘Wedding Waltz’ from Der Schleier der Pierrette could regularly be heard on musical request programmes on the radio, enjoying similar popularity to the waltz sequence from Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier. Dohnanyi’s choice of the genre of pantomime was entirely in keeping with the spirit of the age that, following the large-scale, plot-laden ballets of late Romanticism, sought to find in pantomime a more intimate and more naturalistic form of expression. It may come as a surprise that the source for Dohnányi derived from none other than Arthur Schnitzler (1862–1931), one of the salient representatives of fin-de-siècle Austria. With this first complete recording again an important gap is closed in the knowledge of repertoire of this fascinating epochal time of musical history.
Graupner: Easter Cantatas / Bonath, Pulchra Musica Baroque Orchestra
In 1711 Christoph Graupner was already appointed court conductor and he would continue to work in Darmstadt for the rest of his life. Graupner’s focus shifted to sacred vocal music, which explains the sheer abundance of the 1,400-plus cantatas he composed. In 1723 the Leipzig city magistrates were looking for a new cantor at the Thomas School – and wanted him, above all. Alas, Graupner’s patron did not release him from his contract an so they had to hire Bach. Graupner, famous and widely celebrated during his lifetime, was soon thereafter forgotten. As we rediscover and hear more and more of his works, however, the judgment of his contemporaries would appear to us as increasingly germane. The present recording spans the liturgical arc from Maundy Thursday via Good Friday and Easter Sunday to Easter Monday and presents one liturgical work for each of the festive days – and each of them a world premiere recording!
REVIEW:
As one might expect, even though the accompaniment is limited to strings, the emotional content of the words, appropriate for the season, are reflected in Graupner’s progressive music. The text is never obscured, and he takes great pains to insure that rhythmic and textural variations are done gracefully. The performance by the Pulchra Musica ensemble is quite exact, with good intonation and a sense of style that allows for the variety of the music to emerge easily. Conductor Christian Bonath keeps things moving along, and the chorus Capella Vocalis works well. Sebastian Hübner’s tenor and Johannes Hill’s bass have the lightness of sound and flexibility for this sort of music, and the richness of countertenor Jan Jerlitschka complements them well. My only concern is that the one-on-a-part strings are perhaps too thin, and there are times when the orchestral accompaniment fades almost into obscurity. The recording of these sensitive and lyrical cantatas would have been enhanced by a thicker orchestral texture. But that being said, the performances are well worth adding to the growing collection of this master of the Baroque church cantata.
-- Fanfare
Ammann: Missa Defensor Pacis
Benno Ammann’s oeuvre reveals influences from impressionism to free tonality, yet he belongs to no stylistic school. The Swiss composer wrote Missa Defensor Pacis (‘Defender of the Faith’) in 1946 for the official canonization, at St Peter’s in Rome, of Nicholas of Flüe, patron saint of Switzerland. This prestigious commission, with its complex polyphony, countless variations, and use of the cantus firmus technique, is one of the most important and extensive Masses by a Swiss composer for a cappella choir. The Basler Madrigalisten are one of the most traditional professional vocal ensembles in Switzerland and are primarily devoted to demanding repertoires from the Renaissance to contemporary music. The ensemble, founded in 1978 by Fritz Naf at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, has been under the direction of Raphael Immoos since 2013 and has toured Europe, the USA, Australia, and Asia.
Schwarenka: Chamber Music / Triendl, Bertahud, Breuninger
Throughout his life, Philipp Scharwenka (1847-1917) was eclipsed by his younger brother, Franz Xaver Scharwenka (1850-1924), who made a world-renowned career as a piano virtuoso. It is only from the historical perspective that it becomes clear that Philipp was superior to his brother as a composer. This is demonstrated by this album, supplementing Philipp Scharwenka’s meager discography with his works for violin, viola and piano. Violinist Laurent Albrecht Breuninger heads up this project, joined by violist Lise Berthaud and pianist Oliver Triendl.
Doppler: The Complete Flute Music, Vol. 10 / Arimany
The Doppler brothers played a dominant role in the K&K Monarchy’s musical life as composers, conductors, musicians and as orchestral soloists. They were on good terms with acknowledged artists of the era, such as Ferenc Liszt, Ferenc Erkel, or Jozsef Bajza. This is the tenth release in a set of 12 albums comprising the Dopplers' complete music for flute(s), including various arrangements. Flautist Claudi Arimany spent decades researching this project, inspiring many famous musicians to become involved in its realization. Featured on this album alongside Arimany are flutists Jean-Pierre Rampal, Paul Edmund-Davies, pianists John Steele Ritter and Zsolt Balog, and the renowned Iberian Flute Trio.
Dvorák: Sacred Songs
Dvořák composed the Biblical Songs op. 99 in 1894 during his time in America (1892-95), working as artistic director and professor of composition at the New York Conservatory of Music. His 9th Symphony, appositely termed ‘From the New World’ was to be followed by a further symphony, but Dvořák opted instead for treating the Biblical Songs, which, in their austerity, hardly allow scope for an American scent but rather are possibly reminiscent of the composer’s Czech homeland. Dvořák, the Catholic, had long demonstrated his faith with numerous works of fervent piety: Stabat Mater (1876), Requiem (1890), the Mass in D major as well as the pieces for solo voice and organ, for instance, the works that can be heard on this CD - Ave Maria, Ave Maris Stella and Hymnus ad laudes in festo Sanctae Trinitatis (1877-79) as well as the organ preludes and fugues of 1859 by the then 18-year-old composer.
M. Haydn: Serenade in D Major
Johann Michael Haydn never quite reached the fame of his older brother Joseph, but still introduced an impressive oeuvre into the classical repertoire. J. M. Haydn’s Serenade in D was composed in Salzburg in 1767. The ten movement work displays Haydn’s affinity for chamber compositions. Founded in 1986, the Virtuosi Saxoniae is made up of principal members of the Dresden Staatskapelle. The ensemble concerns itself with 18th century European music, devoting themselves to the great figures of the Hasse era.
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9; Symphony in F minor "Study"
Bruckner: Symphony No. 3 (1877); Adagio (1876)
Bruckner: Symphony No. 2 / Poschner, ORF VRSO
Bruckner’s Second Symphony is a rare enough encounter in its 1877 version, but it’s virtually unperformed in the 1872 original version. This is not owing to some deficiency of the earlier ideas compared to the later alterations. It’s mainly habit and convenience because to get new parts and re-learn something ostensibly known, that differs in a great many details, means an extra expense of effort and resources. That’s a shame, really, because it is decidedly worth discovering the original, not-yet-ironed-out rawness of Bruckner’s early masterpiece, which was something unheard of at the time – but needn’t remain unheard now.
Bruckner: Symphony No. 1 / Poschner, Linz Bruckner Orchestra
Anton Bruckner finally received the award of an honorary doctorate of the University of Vienna on 11 December 1891. For Bruckner, receiving the doctorate fulfilled a long-time wish. He had spent most of his life pursuing academic credentials and applied for honorary doctorates at Cambridge University in 1882 and at the Universities of Pennsylvania and Cincinnati in 1885. Two days later, Hans Richter conducted the Vienna Philharmonic in the first performance of the second or so-called “Vienna” version of the composer’s First Symphony, which he had dedicated to the university in gratitude for the degree. The changes Bruckner made in the revised version of the First Symphony are not as extensive as those he made to the Third, Fourth, and Eighth Symphonies during the late 1880s and early 1890s. His revisions to the First Symphony did not affect the overall form of any of the movements. He changed many details of orchestration, articulation, and phrase length, some of which are difficult to notice on first hearing. The 1891 autograph score is, nevertheless, the composer’s final word on how he wanted his First Symphony to be performed and understood.
Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 / Poschner, ORF Vienna Radio Symphony
Among Bruckner’s Symphonies, the Fifth is his contrapuntal masterpiece; the grandest until the Eighth. The tour-de-force of a finale gives us an idea of what the finale of the Ninth might have been like. Its magnificent dark and halting opening with the descending bass line – so effectively recalled in the finale – is inimitable. Although long available only in a disfigured version by Franz Schalk, it is also distinct for never having been the subject to revision or, perhaps, even doubt on the part of Bruckner – who never heard it performed with an orchestra. And yet, when Bruckner wrote this masterpiece, he was still far from establishing himself as a composer in Vienna and his spirits were as low as ever, writing a friend that “my life has lost all joy and delight – in vain and for nothing.” A radiant pinnacle from amid darkness.
Bruckner: Symphony No. 1 / Poschner, Linz Bruckner Orchestra
By his own reckoning, Bruckner began his career as a professional composer when he was thirty-nine years old. With a mere exercise for a symphony under his belt – the unnumbered one in F minor – he was now ready to write his first true symphony. The world was not. First performed in 1868 in Linz – badly – the work flopped and was put aside until nine years and five symphonies later, when it was gently adjusted. A subsequent performance in 1884 was Bruckner’s “most successful Viennese performance to date”, prompting, perplexingly, a thorough revision that would be the 1891 “Vienna” version. This recording uses the unadulterated 1868 “Linz” version.
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 / Poschner, ORF Vienna RSO
“Since Beethoven, nothing has been written that even comes close!”
The great conductor Arthur Nikisch made this remark to Bruckner’s former student, Joseph Schalk and also his fellow conductor, Hermann Levi, described the piece as “the most significant symphonic work since Beethoven’s death.”
Arthur Nikisch conducted the first performance in the Stadttheater, Leipzig, on 30 December 1884, with Bruckner in the audience. While the performance was not a total triumph, it brought the sixty-year-old composer significant international recognition for the first time. During the composer’s lifetime, the Seventh, especially its Adagio, was his most popular symphony, and it remains among his most beloved and frequently performed works.
