Italian Clarinetist Luigi Magistrelli has performed with many chamber groups, as principal clarinet with the San Remo Symphony and as an extra player with several Italian and European orchestras. Currently he serves as principal clarinet for the Milano Classica Chamber Orchestra and ArteViva Chamber Orchestra of Milan. His fifty CD discography includes recordings on many labels, Centaur among them. He is Professor of Clarinet at the Conservatory of Milano. Works by Mozart and Anton Stadler, with a consort and a string quartet, feature on this new CD release.

various Ensemble Torculus; Ronald Greene, cantor; Haig Mardirosian, cond. Mors et Ressurectio

The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra is among the most important and mos tlong-established of Czech orchestras. It's creative dramaturgy and ever improving artistic level has helped it win a significant role in the country's concert life. It is also warmly welcomed at concert halls beyond the Dzech Republic. It's tradition dates back to 1926 and is linked to the creation of the station Radiojournal. Julius P. Williams leads the orchestra through the works of Elena Roussanova and Armand Qualliontine.

Includes work(s) by Baldassare Galuppi, Alexander Arkhangelsky, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Dimitri Bortniansky, Alexander Gretchaninov, Pavel Chesnokov, Alexander Nikolsky. Ensemble: National Cathedral Choral Society Washington, D.C.. Conductor: J. Reilly Lewis.

Trio Solari, who is violinist Sean Yung-Hsiang Wang, clarinetist Chad Burrow, and pianist Amy I-Lin Cheng, is one of the most dynamic chamber ensembles touring the world today. All three musicians in Trio Solari are professors of their instrument, with Burrow and Cheng at University of Michigan, and Wang at University of Houston. Individually, the musicians have won prizes from the Young Concert Artist International Auditions in New York, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the Rising Young Artist Series in Taipei, and more. For this release, the ensemble has chosen works from Darius Milhaud, Aram Khachaturian, Edward Knight, and Bela Bartok. This program was recorded in 2013 in the excellent acoustics of the Stamps Auditorium at the University of Michigan.

Classical Music

MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto in e. 1 Symphony No. 4 • Nicholas McGegan, cond; 1 Zsolt Kalló (vn); Capella Savaria • CENTAUR 3287 (56:03)


Before one chooses to skip this review, please note that these are different versions than usual of the thrice-familiar works presented here. The Violin Concerto is given in its original 1844 version, before the composer made several changes to the orchestration, and the “Italian” Symphony is performed here in the second version from 1834, in which the composer made numerous changes to the second, third, and fourth movements. The fact that he never got around to revising the first movement has convinced most orchestras, even to the present day, to play the original score, but Nicholas McGegan has here chosen to tack the original (untouched) first movement onto the revised remaining movements.


The ear picks up many, if not all, of the textural changes in the Violin Concerto: despite the use of a smallish orchestra playing period instruments, the sound is remarkably darker, almost ominous-sounding (against such a small orchestra, the timpani is particularly forward), although part of this impression is also conveyed by violinist Kalló’s method of inflection in his phrasing. It should be noted that he is not an imported soloist but, rather, the concertmaster of Capella Savaria, and a fine one he is, too. The liner notes by Katalin Tamás also make reference to differences in “the usage of the theme in various registers” as well as “in some unpredictable harmonic solutions.” But in the end, different edition or not, the final question is: is this performance convincing? And the answer is a resounding yes. McGegan is one of those very rare conductors, like Minkowski and Norrington, who know how to make a period orchestra “speak,” to give it nuance and expression, and in the end that is always more important than the specific medium (period instruments or whatever) being used. There is no question in my mind that this is one of the premier recordings of this warhorse. When the music shifts to the uptempo lilt of the third movement, Kalló is right there in mood, giving a lift to his bowing that practically spurt the notes out of his instrument; and here, in particular, the winds of Capella Savaria contribute most remarkably to the overall texture.


The “Italian” Symphony, likewise, gets off to a rousing start, the winds and strings joyously bouncing their way through the music. There is a noticeable accelerando at the end of this movement, driving the music home with panache. One of the first noticeable differences comes at the beginning of the second movement, where the “pilgrims’ march” is changed—subtly, but enough to make a difference in how the themes cohere. (Also, by using such a small orchestra, the clarinets sound so clear that they almost come across as recorders, a unique effect in my experience.) The third movement’s changes are largely in orchestration, too, but there is also a very surprising change from major to minor in the playing of the horns in their later reappearance that does not appear in the original version of the symphony. This harmonic change ties in to the brief minor theme of the full orchestra that is present in both versions.


The last movement Saltarello has a few changes, mostly in texture, but thanks to the incredible clarity and transparency of the orchestra and McGegan’s almost torrid pace, it sounds quite different from most versions. I did detect a few musical alterations here and there: little ones, but enough to make the movement sound more cohesive musically than it usually does (note particularly the swirling strings, a nice touch and a very original one). With such clear textures, even the string pizzicatos have more “bite” than they normally do, and the swirling string figures almost have the effect of a swarm of bees or hornets. I should also mention that these performances are given at A=430, a shade below modern pitch, for those who keep score on such things.


Overall, then, a most interesting and, I think, valuable addition to the Mendelssohn discography. Bravo to Kalló, McGegan, and the orchestra! And bravo, too, to engineer Miklós Csikós, who has kept everything forward and sharply etched in the soundspace so that no detail is lost.


FANFARE: Lynn René Bayley

These are three of the masterpieces by Mendelssohn. Alon Goldstein is one of the finest young pianists performing today. Yoav Talmi and the Israel Chamber Orchestra deliver superb, committed performances.

Max Reger's (1873-1916) Suites for Solo Cello are technically demanding, harmonically complex and melodically attractive works of late-German Romanticism which look both backward and forward to J. S. Bach and the neo-classicism of the coming age. +Cellist Karen Buranskas is Associate Professor of Music, Cello at the University of Notre Dame and member of the Notre Dame String Trio. +As an active concert soloist, she has given recitals in major concert halls in the U.S., Europe and Asia

This new release features the guitar music of 19th century French composer, Victor Magnien. In addition to being a composer, he was also a distinguished violinist and guitarist. The pieces on this recording are beautifully performed by guitarist Pascal Valois.

Joseph Schwantner is one of the most prominent American composers of our day. This new release features Looking Back, a commission in honor of flutist Sam Baron by his former students. Sarah Frisof showcases Schwantner's works with her vibrant and soulful playing. Frisof was the winner of both the National Flute Association Young Artist Competition and the Heida Hermanns International Woodwind Competition. Frisof considers herself a proponent of contemporary music and frequently premieres major works.

Classical Music

Jean-Philippe Rameau was perhaps the greatest of all French composers of the Baroque. Sylvie Proulx presents an exceptional program of Rameau's works in transcriptions for guitar. Canadian virtuoso guitarist, Sylvie Proulx has concertized throughout Canada, the United States and England. A champion of new works for the guitar, she has presented numerous Canadian world-premieres. Acclaimed for her exceptional musicality and remarkable technique, her repertoire reflects a wide range of periods and styles. In addition to solo and orchestral work, Ms. Proulx always enjoys the collaborative aspect of chamber music, welcoming new and challenging pieces for that genre.

Classical Music

Classical Music