Luise Adolpha Le Beau was a celebrated pianist who scored successes with compositions of her own, prevailing against all the feelings of resentment working against women composers during the middle of the nineteenth century. The three young musicians Bartek Niziol, Denis Severin, and Tatiana Korsunskaya have dedicated themselves to the chamber music of this composer who is practically forgotten today in what is a thrilling debut making us eager to hear more.

GLAZUNOV String Quartets: No. 1; No. 7 • Utrecht Qrt • MDG 603 1736-2 (52: 16)


Contrasting the first and last string quartets of Glazunov on a single release is a good idea. Unlike many such pairings, they literally do represent the beginning and end of his compositional career, a sort of real-life version of Machaut’s Ma fin est mon commencement . And Glazunov, as one of the foremost admirers in his day of the Franco-Flemish School and its antecedents, would have caught the reference.


His String Quartet No. 1 was the composer’s first published work, premiered in 1882, when he was 16. It was first presented at one of the Friday soirées of the wealthy timber merchant Mitrofan Belyayev, where composers and performers met each week to perform and critique each other’s work. The public premiere took place a few months later, and received an ovation similar to Glazunov’s First Symphony. At a time when Russian nationalism was still a subject of intense debate, with few adequate examples in chamber music, this First Quartet conveys technical assurance and a rich sense of style. The opening movement possesses an authority in its inspired materials and detailed, idiomatic writing that would credit a far more experienced composer. The scherzo is competent, but less individualized, as Glazunov wouldn’t start up his series of remarkable essays in this vein until the Second Symphony, four years later. By contrast, the songful, miniature andante is an early cradle song-like example of the striking lyricism and harmonic subtleties the composer would subsequently lavish on many similar movements. The finale is one of those hybrid sonata-rondos based on two folklike themes that Glazunov would use repeatedly to round off his larger multimovement works.


The Seventh String Quartet was completed in 1930, in Paris. It was among Glazunov’s last compositions, and is both considerably more vivid and imaginative than the pallid Sixth of nine years earlier. Its opening movement is unusually rich in imitative textures and contrapuntal procedures, looking back to the Renaissance, as noted above—not for nothing its subtitle, Hommage au passé . Russian nationalism, which had become less pronounced in Glazunov’s later works, reappears as well, though without discarding the chromatically shifting harmonies of his Eighth and unfinished Ninth symphonies. The slow movement, “Le souffle du printemps,” has the character of a lyrical recitative surrounding lighter material that occasionally launches into full-throated, Borodin-like song. The scherzo, labeled “Dans la forêt mystérieuse,” is the last in an amazing series notable for their delicacy, whimsy, and imagination. This one, spun out of short motifs, irregular rhythms, and counterpoint, creates an impression of unpredictable, fast-moving shadows and complex features beneath a transparently simple surface. The finale, “Festival Russe,” is exactly what it says—with celebratory bells, balalaikas strumming, and a chorus singing joyous hymns, as well as brief recollections of earlier movements, handled with panache. Thus Glazunov returned to the inspiration of his musical youth, and for a brief moment successfully recovered it.


This is the final release in the Utrecht String Quartet’s Glazunov series. I’ve previously reviewed its recordings of the Third and Fifth quartets (MDG 603 1236-2), the Sixth Quartet and the Novelettes (MDG 603 1239-2), and the String Quintet and Suite for String Quintet (MDG 603 1238). The features of its work as a group have remained fairly constant: technically expert playing, a sleekly attractive tone, and an internal response to each other and to the music that is only possible when an ensemble has worked a great deal of time on a given work. The approach is cooler, more objectified than the older Shostakovich Quartet recordings of Glazunov from the 1970s (on Olympia; deleted, but still available from some sources) that feature warmer phrasing, a less linear approach to tempo, and more rubato and portamento. Overall, I respond better in this music to the Shostakovich’s approach, which was developed in training under musicians to whom Russian nationalism was as natural as Beethoven and Brahms. But I find much to enjoy in the Utrecht’s balance, textural clarity, and affection for these works.


The group is least successful in the First Quartet’s finale, where in place of the moderato tempo designation it prefers an andante for much of the movement, and in the Seventh Quartet’s andante affectuoso , which goes at a moderato clip and loses much of its charm in the process. These two instances on this disc (and others, in the series) seem of a part with the group’s emotional coolness, a certain reticence to engage the music at a simple emotional level—hence the inability to express effusive enthusiasm and tenderness. Far better is the finale to the Seventh Quartet, also marked moderato , but with more vigor and flexibility, perhaps because the movement is more complex than its counterpart in the First. The soft playing in the Seventh’s scherzo is a treat, and the four-part harmony, though lacking the richness of the Shostakovich performers, has a spaciousness and majesty that contributes much to the opening movements of both works.


The sound is immediate and close, yet without mechanical noises. In short, this is a distinguished recording by the Utrecht String Quartet, and a suitable one on which to end its survey of Glazunov.


FANFARE: Barry Brenesal

Crusell, B.H.: Clarinet Quartets (Complete)

These four Salzburg Festival Opening Concerts are now available in a hardcover slipcase for a very attractive price! Top casts with Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Wiener Philharmoniker, Dorothea Roschmann, Elina Garanca, Klaus Florian Vogt, Rene Pape, Anna Prohaska, Anna Larsson and Johan Botha.

Encore!

Ondine is pleased to announce the first release with Austrian violinist Benjamin Schmid with a performance of Reger’s Violin Concerto and the Chaconne for Solo Violin. This release invites to listen to a captivating performance of Reger’s Violin Concerto, a hugely charming big romantic work with broad sentimental gestures.

• Composer Jan Van der Roost's Sinfonia Hungarica (2001) uses key figures and historical moments in pre-Hungarian history to tell its story. From Ancient Times is an homage to the Renaissance era Franco-Flemish School of music paid via use of 'modernized' older compositional techniques. • Mr. Van der Roost leads the Philharmonic Winds OSAKAN in this recording. • The Philharmonic Winds OSAKAN pursues new possibilities in wind music. Mr. Van der Roost is its Principal Guest Conductor.

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In the late 19th and early 20th century, Paul Taffanel was probably the most influential figure in the world of flute music, as performer and composer, but more so as inspirer, commissioner and supprter of fine works by a multitude of composers; this set contains many of those, most of which, having fallen out of fashion in the modernist 20th century, have never been recorded until now - indeed many have been unperformed for years. A great shame as these are without exception, exquisite and lovely works, beautifully performed. One or two well known pieces are included too. The artists have put an immense amount of dedication into this, their 'magnum opus'. over 76 minutes on each CD all at less than mid price.

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This new release contains all of Yuri Bashmet’s RCA Recordings on an exhaustive 9-disc box set. Included in these discs are standards in the repertoire, as well as some lesser-performed pieces. Composers featured include Walton, Bruch, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, and more. Yuri Bashmet, (b. 1953) has won a numerous awards and prizes for his performances, including the People’s Artist of the USSR, Sonning Award, Order of Honour, and a Grammy Award.

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This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD

Herbert von Karajan broke boundaries in many aspects of conducting, among those being that he was the first conductor to become interested in filming his performances to preserve his cultural heritage. This exceptional documentary begins with his first concert productions, taken in Japan in 1957. Following those first recordings is his cooperation with director Henri-Georges Clouzot, then Karajan’s own film company Telemondial. Karajan’s language for orchestral film productions is seen here through all of its stages. This documentary also includes interviews with Karajan and his collaborators.

Picture Format: 1080i, 16:9
Sound Format: PCM Stereo
Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Japanese
Region Code: 0 (All)
Total Running Time: 84 mins

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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

Includes sonata(s) by Johann Philipp Krieger. Ensembles: Parnassi musici, Bavarian Chamber Orchestra Bad Brückenau members.

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DOWLAND: Consort Music and Songs

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Also available on Blu-ray

With an outstanding cast including Daniela Dessi, Fabio Armiliato, Alessandro Luongo, and Alida Berti, this incomparable performance is Puccini at his finest. Directed by Ettore Scola, who has created a great number of award-winning films, this performance is from the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago. One of the most represented operas in history, becoming the inspiration for many works to come, La Boheme is a rich, grandiose opera, which is wonderfully represented in this recording.

Picture Format: NTSC, 16:9
Sound Formats: PCM Stereo, DTS 5.1
Subtitles: Italian, German, English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Japanese
Region Code: 0 (Worldwide)
Total Running Time: 123 mins

The van Hagerbeer organ at St. Peter's Church in Leiden, Holland numbers among the oldest instruments of its kind. Most of the original pipes date from the first half of the fifteenth century and have managed to survive. Restored with loving devotion, it radiates a brilliant and magnificent Renaissance organ sound and in the hands (and feet) of organist Leo van Doeselaar we have a recital of of organ works by Heinrich Scheidemann (1596-1663). - MD&G (Translated from German text.)

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