Béla Bartók plays a major role in many works by Peter Eötvös. The love of Bartók's music first appears in the piano piece "Kosmos". The title refers to Bartók's famous piano cycle "Mikrokosmos". However, the work also bears the title "Kosmos" because Yuri Gagarin's famous space flight was about to take place when it was written in March 1961. Eötvös was then 17 years old, and Gagarin excited the young composer's imagination. On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of Bartók's birth in 2006, Eötvös wrote a piano concerto in which he further developed Bartók's ideas and thought processes. The concerto is entitled "CAP-KO", an acronym for "Concerto for Acoustic Piano, Keyboard, and Orchestra". The piano resources are extended by use of a computer, which adds further sounds to those being played - a revolutionary technology that Eötvös wants to be understood as a symbol of Bartók's pioneering spirit. The concerto centres on the famous Bartók cascades of octaves and sixths. Eötvös has twice re-arranged "CAP-KO" for other instrumentations, e.g. as "Sonata per sei" for two pianos, three percussionists, and sampler keyboard. Among the musicians Eötvös has always admired is Frank Zappa. When Zappa died in 1993 at the young age of 42, Eötvös responded with grief and anger. He said, "In connection with Zappa's premature and meaningless death, one really cannot praise God, but must protest." He composed a piece that gives expression to this protest. Since the 150 psalms in the Bible do not deal with protest, the piece became Psalm 151: "This is the one that is not in the Bible."

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BARTOK: CONCERTO FOR ORCHESTRA

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 15 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 144

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The Steinway used by TACET makes the three composers seem like contemporaries - that's how present and delicate this sound is. It fully meets the highest standards. How wonderful it is the way the grand piabno learns to sing under Mahler's and Reinecke's touch. It is for this reason, above all, that it is worth hearing this recording, even if one already knows the recording of the three composers from other productions: The sound speaks for itself. 4009850017905 TCET179.2 19548012 .00 23.99 .24 TACET RECORDS COMPACT DISCS CLASSICAL CHAMBER MUSIC & RECITALS 01/15/2010 https://media.aent-m.com/graphics/items/sdimages/c/500/9/4/2/7/1997249.jpg 1 1 N SCHUMANN / AURYN QUARTET AURYN SERIES 25: PIANO QUARTET OP. 47 & PIANO This coupling of Schumann's two most popular piano chamber pieces is in every way a winner" (Fanfare)

Wolfgang Rihm's compositions for string quartet are as extensive as they are varied. So far, there are thirteen quartets, as well as ten other compositions for or with a string quartet. A selection of these works can be found on this recording featuring the Minguet Quartet and pianist Markus Bellheim. Rihm's String Quartet No.11 is a piece of work of extreme contrasts - restrained and explosive, simple and virtuosic, fragile and forced to the point of screaming, tightly homophonic and polyphonically splintered to the edge of total dissolution. Interscriptum is an elaboration of Rihm's twelfth string quartet. To the quartet ensemble, treated as one instrument, a piano part is added, which initiates a dialogue and creates entirely new relationships within the piece. Grave is dedicated to the Alban Berg Quartet, and was written in response to the group's request for a requiem.

Richard Stöhr (1874–1967) was yet another Austrian composer driven by the Nazis into American exile. His output– ripe for rediscovery – includes 7 symphonies, 15 violin sonatas among much other chamber music, songs, choral and piano pieces. His two cello and piano works, recorded here in the first of a series of Stöhr CDs, reveal a lyrical and expressive composer downstream from Brahms and Schumann. The disc continues the Toccata’s rediscovery of composers who suffered under the Third Reich.

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The Auryn Quartet plays these works with such sovereign ease that in places they sound positively casual. But don't let this fact give any impression of complacency on the part of the players--rather the performances reveal a certain aristocratic elegance that serves these works particularly well. In the Ravel, for example, note the purity of intonation in the unison octaves of the first movement's second subject, or the finale's almost insolent vitality. The Debussy, as befits its more passionate idiom, commands a correspondingly more dramatic approach, but never at the expense of the conversational quality that great quartet playing always preserves. The group's give and take in the scherzo displays a particularly memorable species of relaxed charm, with the ensuing Andantino truly "doucement expressif", as the composer directs.

Fauré's elusive late masterpiece conceals numerous harmonic surprises below its outwardly placid surface, a fact that the Auryn Quartet surely understands. Listen to the subtle but always impeccably clear voicing of the central Andante's delicate web of lyrical polyphony, and to the players' ability to float the rhythms of the concluding Allegro across the bar lines. In sum, these are performances of remarkable distinction and polish, captured in state-of-the-art sonics. Another winner from this small but almost invariably excellent label. [5/31/2003]

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

A veritable audiophile delicacy - lovingly preserved historic microphones, a mixing desk consisting of nostalgic V72 amplifiers and W85 regulators, the analogue M5 Telefunken tape recorder - each item a legend in itself! May we proudly present this illustrious combination of equipment, here to preserve beautiful music "TUBE ONLY", in other words without transistors. The CD leaflet is illustrated with impressive color photos. Available on CD, SACD and even on (180 gram, recorded without the use of transistors). And what about the music? (This is the question music lovers ask nervously whenever the word "audiophile" crops up.) Answer: nothing but the best! As is always the case with this violinist, whether he is acting as leader of the Gaede Trio or solo (e. g. on TACET 52 "Hommage Kreisler"). with skill and discernment, Daniel Gaede serves US a unique encore menu of virtuoso prize exhibits and enjoyable dream-pieces. He is accompanied by Xuesu Liu on piano and the Polish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Wojciech Rajski.

The cycle presented here, which refers to Bach's "Well-tempered Clavier", of course not only in the title, is presented so euphoniously and with such virtuosity by the two Swabian artists that I can quite confidently recommend this album as one of the most interesting classical guitar productions of recent years....

Ascanio is the student of Benvenuto Cellini, a legendary Florentine sculptor. This latter character’s genius and romances came to know a great operatic destiny. The name Ascanio is also the title of a grand lyrical drama by Camille Saint-Saëns which premiered in 1890, and is based on Paul Meurice’s play. The opera was abridged several times and reassembled despite the composer’s strong objections. It is a wonderful work, far too little-known, in which Italian lyricism, Wagnerian influence and French elegance combine. For the very first time, we will be able to hear the complete premiere performance of the version abiding by the 1888 autograph manuscript. It is brought to us by the impassioned conductor, Guillaume Tourniaire, and a topflight, French-speaking cast. They are accompanied by the Orchestra and Choirs from the Grand Théâtre de Genève and the Haute École de Musique. All this has been meticulously and enthusiastically recorded by B Records.

...Boldly arresting... Individually it is Piatigorsky's sumptuous cello that gives me the greatest joy... The last [of the Sinfonias] really does emerge like a spirited episode from one of the Brandenburgs... The disc ends with a juicily plangent 1946 Ave Maria from Heifetz and his loyal old partner, Emanuel Bay. -- Joan Chissell, Gramophone [4/1989]

Includes galop(s) by Josef Lanner. Ensemble: Vienna Ensemble. Soloists: Paul Guggenberger, Tibor Kovac, Peter Götzel, Josef Pitzek.
Includes polka(s) by Josef Lanner. Ensemble: Vienna Ensemble. Soloists: Paul Guggenberger, Tibor Kovac, Peter Götzel, Josef Pitzek.
Includes waltz(es) by Josef Lanner. Ensemble: Vienna Ensemble. Soloists: Paul Guggenberger, Tibor Kovac, Peter Götzel, Josef Pitzek.

...By far the most interesting box in Sony's 31-volume "Isaac Stern - A Life in Music" is the fourth (® CD SX12K67196; 12 CDs), which contains Vols. 23-31 and includes a number of recordings that are either first-ever releases or new to the UK... [Alexander] Zakin takes over [as accompanist] for...a concert of music by Hindemith (the 1939 Sonata, recorded in 1946), Bloch (Baal Shem and the First Violin Sonata - recorded in 1961 and 1959, respectively) and a 1968 recording of the Copland Sonata with the composer at the piano (Vol. 28). This is a really superb recital...

-- Gramophone [9/1996]
reviewing the complete "Isaac Stern - A Life in Music" box set

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Brahms: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1, 2 & 3

This set includes a CD of Barbara Hendricks performing the song cycle with Rolan Poentinen accompanying on piano. Also included is a DVD of Hendricks performing extracts from Schubert's Winterreise.

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Over the years the Brodsky Quartet has undertaken numerous performances of the complete cycle of quartets by several composers. It is, however, the complete Shostakovich cycle that has become synonymous with its name: its 2012 London performance of the cycle resulted in its taking the prestigious title of ‘Artist in Residence’ at the city’s Kings Place. One of the most rewarding aspects of performing the cycle is the way in which it seems to pan out so naturally and perfectly. To be aware that Shostakovich had intended to write twenty-four quartets, one in every key, but ended up with these fifteen thereby creating a unique musical journey that feels predestined and all-encompassing, makes one think that there really must be a greater force at work. The Quartet now adds to its famed discography this remarkable release, recorded live at Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw.

WERGO presents first recordings of chamber music works by the Israeli composer Chaya Czernowin. The eponymous series of works, 'Shifting Gravity', from 2008 connects the string quartets 'Anea Christal' with the compositions 'Sheva' and 'Sahaf'. The second part of the CD consists of the 'Winter Songs III' (2003). This WERGO production shows a different side of the artist who was born in Haifa in 1957 and who, up to now, has been appreciated mainly for her stage works, in particular for the much noticed music theatre play 'Pnima ... Ins Innere' or her adaptation of Mozart's 'Zaïde / Adama'. The instrumental works were all created after the music-theatre plays, associating notions like paralysis, adherence, proliferation. The field of tension resulting therefrom corresponds with Czernowin's own descriptions: 'Anea is the imaginary name of a 'music crystal' created from a latticework of corresponding musical gestures according to the model of an ionic crystal'. 'Winter Songs' are described by her as follows: 'The whole cycle reflects the aspect of winter which is about being pulled into the inner cave... At the same time, underneath, in the ground, the roots of life slowly grow stiff and blindly start to search for a path between the stones'.

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