Challenge Classics is proud to present the final release in Jan Willem de Vriend's cycle of Mendelssohn's symphonies! The conductor's fresh, innovative approach to the classical/romantic repertoire is acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, and in the case of Mendelssohn, he comes to the recording session after deep musicological research on the composer's life and work.

Mendelssohn’s piano trios are among the most popular and frequently played works within the genre. Both trios are such recognised works and display such perfection of form and content that one might well imagine that they flowed effortlessly from the composer’s pen without a moment’s doubt or hesitation. But was this actually so? In the course of recording the two Mendelssohn trios we had the opportunity to examine a copy of the manuscripts of both works. We were astonished to discover that the manuscript of the first trio displayed considerable differences from the work that we were familiar with as the celebrated Trio in D minor. Further investigation revealed that this was an early version of the same trio, completed in July 1839, nine months before the first edition of the definitive version. To our even greater astonishment it turned out that this version was not just a rough sketch but a complete work, which had undoubtedly stood the test of time even without Mendelssohn’s later revisions. It was incredible to discover a masterpiece by his hand that was unknown to us. To be sure, it was largely the same as or closely related to the trio that we were familiar with, but there were also wonderful passages that were totally new to us.

Rising star violinist Simone Lamsma’s first solo recording on Challenge Classics! Hailed by critics and audiences worldwide, the Dutch violinist is respected as one of classical music’s most thrilling young stars. She enjoys a regular collaboration with Maestro Jaap van Zweden, who considers her one of the leading violinists in the world.

"Absolutely stunning." - Chicago Tribune

"Brilliant... polished, expressive, and intense." - Cleveland Plain Dealer

A new account of one of Mahler's most beloved symphonies, on SACD! There is a long connection between Mahler's music and Dutch orchestras; equally, Antonello Manacorda's name is tightly related to Mahler as he was a founding member of Mahler Chamber Orchestra. By contract, this disc differs from soprano Lisa Larsson's usual repertoire, after discs focused on Haydn and Berlioz. As a precious bonus, the program includes three Lieder from Des Knaben Wunderhorn.

On this CD one of James MacMillan's major works-the percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel (which has received more than 400 performances)-has been recorded with the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic, of which MacMillan is Principal Guest Conductor.

Classical Music

KRUFFT Bassoon Sonatas: in F; in Bb, “Grande” • Wouter Verschuren (bn); Kathryn Cok (fp) (period instruments) • CHALLENGE 72313 (61:32)

The name of Nikolaus von Krufft (1779–1818) might have been better known had he lived past the age of 39. As it happened, it simply wasn’t to be. He apparently succumbed to exhaustion while burning the candle at both ends. By day Krufft was a civil servant, and by night a composer. His musical legacy is small, and includes sonatas for violin, bassoon, and horn, plus a set of 24 preludes and fugues for piano after Sebastian Bach. Krufft’s Lieder are his most significant accomplishments, comprising his most influential body of work, which exerted a large influence on Franz Schubert.


The sonatas recorded here date from 1807 and 1818, respectively, and are certainly among the most difficult works from the era, surpassing the technical demands made on the soloist by Mozart in his Bassoon Concerto. Krufft places the instruments on equal footing, challenging not only the bassoonist but also the fortepianist with leaps of more than two-and-one-half octaves and dazzlingly brilliant runs. Both sonatas, though written in the early years of Romanticism, and clearly Classical in tone, owe more to the ghosts of Haydn and Mozart than to the youthful and muscular works of Beethoven.


The performances turned in here are about as good as one could want with virtuosic, elegant, and seamless playing from both participants. The light tone of Wouter Verschuren’s 1810 Cuvillier bassoon is nicely matched by the sparkling character of Gerard Tuinman’s 2007 copy of an 1805 Walther and Sohn fortepiano played by Kathryn Cok; and the recorded sound faithfully reproduces the unique tonal qualities of each of the instruments.


For the most part, the appeal of this compact disc will probably be limited, but those who are bitten by the bug certainly won’t be disappointed.

FANFARE: Michael Carter

This cleverly thought-out album is a tribute to Bach and his kindred spirits. Who is akin to whom? Are they spiritual or elective kinships? In the first instance, all the pieces recorded here are akin to each other in that they are especially suitable or that most sensitive of all keyboard instruments, the clavichord. Beauty is another common feature, which they display in their own way. And in the circle of fifths these pieces are very close to one another. Personal and familial kinships become apparent with the name of Bach. It is also known that JS Bach chose JA Reincken, around forty years his senior, as his teacher: Reincken can certainly be described as a musical father, a true kindred spirit, to JS Bach. Johann Gottfried Muthel slots into the ensemble as a logical consequence. He was JS Bach’s last pupil who had participated in transcribing The Art of Fugue and who composed in a consistently new and noncontrapuntal style. In this respect, he is musically much closer to Bach’s sons Carl Philipp Emanuel and Wilhelm Friedemann, almost a brother to them.

The lute experienced its greatest popularity during the renaissance and early baroque period. During the 18th century it started to decline. Many composers of the late baroque compose not a note for the instrument. The German lute virtuoso Silvius Leopold Weiss was one of the last representatives of a long and impressive tradition.

The fate of the lute in the second half of the 18th century is not that well known among general music-lovers. In that time its music was still very much in demand, especially among amateurs. The various catalogues of the music publisher Breitkopf between 1761 and 1771 contain large numbers of pieces for lute solo as well as for lute and other instruments. There were also some highly-skilled lute players who composed music for their own instrument, like Johann Kropfgans (a pupil of Weiss), Rudolf Straube (a pupil of Bach), Joachim Bernhard Hagen and Karl Kohaut. It is probably typical of the time, though, that the latter two were also performing as violinists.

Karl Kohaut was born in Vienna as son of a musician, and apart from being a professional violin and lute player he was employed as civil servant in the service of the Viennese court. In 1778 he reached the position of court secretary. It seems that it was mainly because of his musical skills that he was held in high regard by his employer - the later emperor Joseph II. Joseph wrote to his mother, empress Maria Theresia, that he was no use as a secretary, "because he always had a cold".

When in 1764 Joseph travelled to Frankfurt for his coronation he visited the abbey of Melk twice, first before he went to Frankfurt, and then on his way back to Vienna. For these occasions festive music had to be written, and Kohaut was elected to compose the music. He was honoured for this by being raised to the nobility.

In Vienna he moved in the circles around Gottfried van Swieten, and participated in the string quartet performances with Mozart and Haydn. He also composed music for the lute, both solo and in ensemble. In addition he wrote 12 symphonies and a solo concerto for double-bass.

The latter is one of the earliest solo concertos for this instrument in history. It is remarkable that it is the only concerto which requires the five-stringed instrument tuned in D which was widespread in Vienna at the time. This suggests that Kohaut must have been well acquainted with the features of the double-bass. That is confirmed by the music historian Maximilian Stadler (1748-1833) who wrote that Kohaut was a "master of the violon" (referring to the violone or double bass viol). The accompaniment is - in line with the Viennese fashion of the time - for two violins and bass. The term "bass" refers to the double bass, as Kohaut makes a clear distinction between the cello and the double bass. As a result we hear two double basses, although of a different type, which leads to a quite peculiar sound.

The double-bass also participates in the other compositions on the programme. The Divertimento Primo in B flat is for lute obbligato, two violins and bass, whereas the Concerto for lute in B flat and the Sinfonia in f minor are scored for two violins, viola and bass. The latter is notable for its closeness to the style of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and it is suggested Kohaut could have become acquainted with the music of this Bach during the concerts at Van Swieten's. The work is in three movements, but the first consists of a sequence of contrasting sections, one of which is a fugue. This work was still appreciated in the latter half of the 19th century by Eduard Hanslick.

The Divertimento in B flat is more than what one usually associates with this kind of music. It has more depth, and is less easy on the ear than other music of this kind. I have the feeling, though, that this is also due to the performance. The heavy attacks of the strings and the strong dynamic accents probably make this piece more serious and lend it more weight than it needs. That is also the case with the Trio in F, which is attributed to Haydn, but doesn't sound very Haydnesque. It is scored for lute, obbligato violin and bass. This scoring also suggests a divertimento-like piece, but its length is not what one would expect, with its three movements each taking more than six minutes. It is a substantial piece, but again I feel that it is given too much weight.

That doesn't diminish my admiration and appreciation of what Ars Antiqua Austria delivers here. Again Gunar Letzbor and his colleagues have come up with neglected and curious repertoire which sheds an interesting light on a curious aspect of musical life in Vienna in the classical era. Kohaut deserves his own place among the Viennese classics, and the Sinfonia in f minor has made me curious about his other symphonies. As there are not that many solo concertos for the double-bass, Kohaut's Concerto in D is an interesting addition to the repertoire. Hubert Hoffmann, who also wrote the comprehensive liner-notes, gives an outstanding performance of the lute parts. Equally excellent is Jan Krigovsky as the double-bass soloist.

This disc is great stuff for curious minds, who like to broaden their musical horizon.

-- Johan van Veen, MusicWeb International

A fine production which sheds light on a composer whose violin concertos need to be further explored.

The Graun brothers, Carl Heinrich and Johann Gottlieb are important representatives of the generation of composers between the baroque and classical eras. Johann Gottlieb attended the Kreuzschule in Dresden and later studied at Leipzig University. He received lessons on the violin from the then most prominent violinist in Germany, Johann Georg Pisendel. He also travelled to Italy, where he became acquainted with Giuseppe Tartini. Back home he was appointed concertmaster of the orchestra of the Prussian Crown Prince Frederick, while Carl Heinrich secured the position of Kapellmeister. Graun held this position until his death. He was also active as a violin teacher; among his pupils were Franz Benda - from 1733 onwards also a member of Frederick's orchestra - and Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.

Graun composed many concertos, mostly for violin, which were to be played by himself and reflect his own skills as a violin virtuoso. Burney reports that he was greatly admired as a composer who combined pleasant melodies with counterpoint and was generally considered "one of the greatest violinists of his day".

The concertos on these two discs show that he gradually moved away from counterpoint. The Concerto in c minor is the earliest piece in this set and was written in 1730 or even earlier. Particularly beautiful is the largo in which the violin moves over a tutti which is dominated by a motif of three notes. Although the scoring includes two oboes they have no independent parts but play colla parte with the violins.

That is also the case in the Concerto for two violins in G. The scoring includes two parts for horns, and these are independent and play a noticeable role in the fast movements, but are silent in the adagio. This movement is dominated by Seufzer and descending figures, both in the solo parts and in the tutti.

Graun's acquaintance with Giuseppe Tartini has had a strong influence on his compositional style. The Italian master didn't avoid virtuosity, but gave priority to expression. That is also the main feature of Graun's concertos, and it is no coincidence that in two concertos the slow movements are the longest. In the Concerto in F the second movement, mesto, is almost twice as long as the fast movements. That is different in the Concerto for viola in E flat. It is one of only two concertos for this instrument which are known from Graun. It is a particularly beautiful work, with a magnificent cantabile solo part in the middle movement, with the character indication 'adagio, un poco andante'.

The only piece which is not by Graun is the Concerto in A, which is attributed to Markus Heinrich Grauel. He is an almost completely unknown quantity, and has no entry in New Grove. The concerto is to be found in the archive of the Berlin Singakademie, and it says 'del Sigr. Grauel'. The man to which it is attributed was cellist in the court orchestra in Berlin from 1763. Considering his style he is thought to have been a pupil of Graun. It is less virtuosic but quite beautiful. The first movement is dominated by drum basses, a feature of many compositions from the mid-18th century.

Ilia Korol and Piroska Batori give excellent performances of the solo parts. The dialogue between the two violins is very well worked out and there is a good balance between the two violins. The viola concerto is definitely one of the highlights of this set, and the viola is brilliantly played by Ilia Korol. The horn parts are impressively executed by Oliver Kersken and Stefan Oetter, and also well recorded as they are clearly audible.

In short, this is a very fine production which sheds light on the oeuvre of a composer whose violin concertos need to be further explored.

-- Johan van Veen, MusicWeb International

James MacMillan is one of today's most successful living composers, also internationally active as a conductor. His musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience, and close connection with Celtic folk music, all blended with influences from Scandinavian and Eastern European music. MacMillan is currently Principal Guest Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic, and has conducted orchestras such as the Baltimore Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. In 2012, he was presented with the prestigious ABO Award at the Association of British Orchestras' annual conference.

ITALIAN CONCERTOS AND SONATAS • Stephen Stubbs, cond; Lucia Swarts (vc); Teatro Lirico (period instruments) • CHALLENGE 72516 (3 CDs: 181:10)


Works by BOCCHERINI, JACCHINI, LEO, PLATTI, PORPORA, VIVALDI


This appears to be the third time around for the works on this disc, having been recorded back in 1997–99, and released individually by Challenge Classics then and once more in 2004–2007. This time, though, all of the works are available on a three-disc set, a sort of compendium, even though the programming becomes a bit more generic than one might expect. Lucia Swarts, a protégée of famed cellist Anner Bylsma, follows her mentor closely in style, with dexterous rapid passages and a sonorous, soaring, lyrical line as appropriate. Brian Robins reviewed the first disc, the Italian concertos, back in 2003, and the others have generally received excellent reviews for her performance in several online venues, so there is little to add here, save for my own immediate reactions.


First, Challenge Classics made no effort in the booklet notes to unify the release. All three of the previous discs’ notes are given verbatim side by side, and there is no overarching continuity or explaining just what “Italian concertos and sonatas” means in this context. On the other hand, despite the incongruity of the works, each has its own special purpose. The first disc is a compendium of concertos from about 1700 to 1730, an excellent means of demonstrating how this instrument came to prominence as a solo during this period. The first Platti concerto in C Major is more of a concerto grosso, with the solo instrument playing in the episodes of the ritornello, emerging as a textural contrast. The Leo concerto, on the other hand, has some extremely difficult passagework in the two fast movements, all of which foreshadow the more virtuosic lines of composer-cellists like Boccherini later in the century. Each of these varies between three and four movements, as one might expect of the late Baroque period, but there is ironically more of a hint of the emerging galant in the second Platti and the Leo, both of which straddle the stylistic periods. Here, the Teatro Lirico period-instrument orchestra provides a good background, with a fine sense of nuanced style and an excellent ensemble.


For the two sonata discs, the term “worlds apart” can distinguish them. Vivaldi writes four-movement works that are interesting but not especially unique. To be sure, he writes long lyrical lines and uses a fair amount of rhythmic syncopation. But it is Vivaldi, and he is deliberately writing apparently for well-trained but non-virtuoso musicians. There is of course no evidence that these were composed for the Ospedale della Pietà, where he worked for many years, but the style may be telling. For the Boccherini, however, we enter a time where the instrument’s potential had been released, thanks to that composer’s technical prowess, including the extensive use of the thumb position. The four sonatas are tours de force , often requiring extreme ranges and double- or triple-stop passages. I am particularly impressed by the first movement of the Sonata No. 2 in C Major, with figuration that really makes the performer sweat. All of these Swarts performs with an ease that is exceptional. One final word about the continuo on these two discs. In the Vivaldi, she expands the size, which I find gives a nice contrasting resonance to the character of the individual movements, while in the Boccherini she has chosen to have it performed by a continuo cello, ably played by Richte van der Meer, and a plucked instrument, varying between guitar in the fast movements and theorbo in the slow. I am not convinced by the musicological arguments for this arrangement, but from a musical standpoint, the results are eminently satisfactory. Indeed, for Boccherini, who spent so much time in Spain, there is more than a nice echo of Iberia in the opening Allegro militaire of the third sonata, with its marchlike rhythms for which the guitar is a perfect accompaniment. If you don’t already own these individually, this set is a good way to incorporate some great pieces from the 18th century into your collection.


FANFARE: Bertil van Boer

Classical Music

HAYDN Organ Concertos: in C, Hob. XVIII:1; in D, Hob. XVIII:2; Concerto in F for Organ and Violin, Hob. XVIII:6 • Ton Koopman (org, cond); Catherine Manson (vn); Amsterdam Baroque O • CHALLENGE CC72390 (62:41)


Among the 17 concertos listed under Hoboken XVIII, there are many questions of not only authenticity but the solo instrument Haydn had in mind. These three works, however, are on solid ground, their authenticity confirmed by either autographs or Haydn’s own thematic catalog, and the organ generally accepted as the most appropriate solo instrument. All are early works from the 1750s, prior to Haydn’s employment by the Esterházy family. The C-Major Concerto is often played with spurious trumpet and drum parts (e.g., in Brilliant Classics’ 150-CD Haydn Edition); the original scoring—strings, two oboes, and bassoon—is used here.


The two organ concertos sparkle in these performances. The period band (strings 5/4/2/2/1) is accurate and well tuned if a bit reticent. The newly restored organ sounds bright and clear in Haarlem’s Lutherse Kerk, and Ton Koopman plays with exceptional color and bounce, his ornamentation worthy of a coloratura soprano. The more aggressive period ensemble in the Brilliant set, with its trumpets and drums, often smothers its less incisive soloist. These concertos rank among Haydn’s finest (and largest), the D-Major’s Allegro finale matching anything in the composer’s oeuvre for vivacity, elegance, and charm.


The double concerto works well; Haydn expertly balances and even blends violin and organ, a combination we might be dubious about. However, violinist Catherine Manson—concertmaster of the ensemble—barely rises from her first chair, as Koopman dominates the performance. He does tone down the brilliance in duet passages and in the (joint!) cadenzas, but she fails to take command in her solo turns. Susanne Scholtz in the Brilliant set is more aggressive, but a noisy organ and less pristine recorded sound trouble that recording, leaving this Challenge CD the preferable version. It is enthusiastically recommended.


FANFARE: James H. North


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Academic argument has long surrounded Haydn’s ‘Klavier’ concertos, with harpsichord and fortepiano being strong candidates as intended solo instruments, and the latter being the more likely to be heard, certainly with a greater frequency than the highly effective sounding organ which appears in these recordings. When I saw this release listed I wasn’t so much interested in the instrument as in the performer, having been a great fan of Ton Koopman’s playing in the concertos of Handel and others, though less so in his harpsichord recordings of the Bach Well-Tempered Clavier. These Haydn concertos have plenty of the bounce and liveliness which suits Koopman’s playing, though with less room for improvisatory ornamentation they have perhaps a little less of the character shown on the Handel recordings, also with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and now available cheaply on Warner Apex. Knowing the pragmatic nature of 18 ^th century composers and Haydn’s genial nature I’m sure he would have been no less than delighted with these radiant and transparently recorded performances.

Fans of Ton Koopman’s witty little passing phrases and flourishes can obtain their fill in the slow movements of these concertos, and the Largo of the Concerto in C major is a prime example, the organ chirping at times like a highly civilised virtuoso bird between the restrained chords in the strings. The arpeggios in the opening of the Adagio of the Concerto in D major are another joy to behold. The organ used here is a small-scale instrument – an ‘organ positive’ built by Marc Garnier. This has the effect of a confiding intimacy rather than providing the grand gestures of a full church or cathedral instrument. This organ can mix continuo-like with the strings, and easily if not overbearingly rise above them as the solo part takes control. This kind of close relationship between soloist and accompanying orchestra appreciates good sound equipment, and is a good deal less effective on a noisy car stereo as I discovered on giving the disc a cursory first spin on the motorway between Amsterdam and The Hague.

This programme nicely sandwiches the Concerto for Organ and Violin in F major, and there is a fascinating change in texture and a superb interaction between the organ the solo violin, played by Catherine Manson, who is leader of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. The pleasant and refined conversations which result are a highlight of this disc, and with the clear musical synergy between all concerned this is almost like a kind of aural voyeurism, peeking in at a private and rather specially cultural family feast. The ‘galant’ nature of this music means that deeply emotional regions are not plumbed, but with Haydn you always know things are going to go well and make you feel better for having ‘been there’. The clean playing of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra has plenty of rhythmic drive and dynamic range, though will probably have critics of non-vibrato playing wrinkling their noses. In this case I find the non-vibrato strings fit rather well with the non-vibrato organ, so I have no complaints. There is admittedly little variety of colour from the orchestra, but I’m not sure how much of this we should be demanding or expecting in these pieces. The music certainly fizzes with energy in the faster movements, but don’t be deceived by the ‘Musicians on a Balcony’ illustration on the cover – there are no horns and drums in these concertos, or singers for that matter.

This release rises to the high expectations its pedigree promises. Fans of Joseph Haydn, Ton Koopman and top notch genuinely ‘classical’ music in general can do no wrong in adding it to their collections. With a catalogue certainly not drenched in choice when it comes to classy competition for organ concertos by Haydn this is a very welcome little CD indeed.

-- Dominy Clements, MusicWeb International