‘The Miraculous Mandarin’ (Op. 19, Sz. 73) is Bartók's last work for the stage. The plot revolves around prostitution, brutality, robbery, murder, being an outsider, (unrequited) love, and finally, as a catharsis, a kind of love-death. The music is relentlessly sharp for long stretches, garishly dissonant, radical—probably the most modern score Bartók created. The premiere (1926) in Cologne was a scandal, and Konrad Adenauer, then Lord Mayor of Cologne, immediately cancelled the performances.The Violin Concerto No. 2, Sz. 112, was composed between August 1937 and December 31, 1938, shortly before Bartók's emigration to the United States in view of the increasingly oppressive political and social climate in Hungary. Unlike the ‘Mandarin,’ the work quickly established itself after its premiere in Amsterdam in 1939 as one of the central violin concertos of the first half of the 20th century, and at the same time, as one of Bartók's greatest creations.

In the course of his long career, Michael Gielen has been Music Director of the Royal Opera in Stockholm, the Belgian National Orchestra in Brussels, the Dutch Opera, and the Frankfurt Opera. He was also Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Staatskapelle Berlin, as well as Chief Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Südwestfunk Symphony Orchestra.

BARTOK: CONCERTO FOR ORCHESTRA

Bluebeard's Castle is a difficult opera to cast. Bluebeard himself must either be a bass who can get up to a high F or a baritone who can get down to low G. In the former category, to which Samuel Ramey belongs, the usual risks are that he will sound unsuitably fatherly or will be uncomfortably tense in the upper register. Ramey avoids both hazards with ease: he combines gravity with believable youth, and has no problems with the upper reaches of the part. His is a slightly cool, reserved, soft-grained Bluebeard, there is no swell of homage in the last scene when he hails his former wives as "immortal, unforgotten", but you may well prefer his sobriety to Fischer-Dieskau's meticulous but at times melodramatic expressive shading of every syllable. And in the grand phrases describing his kingdom, between the brazen paeans that follow the opening of the fifth door, Ramey sustains the majestically slow tempo set by Adam Fischer quite superbly.

Judith, more awkwardly still, should really be a mezzo with a top C, not a soprano with a serviceable extension down into the mezzo range. Marton is the latter, and a soprano with a distinct cutting edge to her tone at times, as well as a flutter that can become ungainly under pressure. But she is convincingly ardent and womanly, acts well (real passion and urgency to the scene before the opening of the seventh door) and uses both her words and an effective mezzo voce with intelligence: this is the best recorded performance I have heard from her.

The slowness of the music for the fifth door is characteristic of Fischer's approach to the score. So is its colour (dominated by the brass, not by the organ) and the fact that it is manifestly not the opera's summit: the hugest climaxes in this account are on either side of the seventh door, and Fischer leads up to the first of them with a tension that is increased rather than diminished by his deliberate tempo and his measured silences. It is a less overtly dramatic account than some (than Sawallisch's, say), with pictorial details less vividly coloured, but it has an impressive brooding solemnity and a greater sense than most readings of a drama emerging from and receding into darkness.

-- Gramophone [9/1988]

BARTOK: CONCERTO FOR ORCHESTRA

Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116, The Miraculous Mand

Riccardo Muti is, of course, a noted Tchaikovskian, and this admirable performance of The Fairy's Kiss approximates the tone and lustre of The Sleeping Beauty ballet.

Tchaikovsky was as much a part of Stravinsky's creative consciousness as Mozart was of Tchaikovsky's. All three composers meet in Le baiser de la fée ("The Fairy's Kiss"; 1928), where Tchaikovsky is at his most overtly Mozartian and Stravinsky at his most elegantly balletic. The score is based largely on Tchaikovsky piano pieces and songs; it was commissioned by the dancer Ida Rubinstein, while sections of it were later selected for a separate work, Divertimento, that went on to achieve rather more popularity than the complete ballet. More recordings, too; some of them of exceptional quality.

Riccardo Muti is, of course, himself a noted Tchaikovskian, and this admirable performance approximates the tone and lustre of, say, The Sleeping Beauty ballet. The very opening has lovingly stressed string accents and a feeling of 'miracles in the offing'. The ensuing Allegro sostenuto is more playful than biting, and while I would have welcomed a keener edge in the third section of Scene I (track 3) and a rather less. sedate approach to the ensuing Vivace agitato, the "Village Fête" is properly buoyant, the third scene's "By the Mill" nicely atmospheric (how utterly Tchaikovskian those oboes and clarinets) and the penultimate "Scene", with its painfully nostalgic references to None but the lonely heart, is played with appealing restraint. Still, it is at that point in particular that memories of Mravinsky's searing 1983 broadcast prompt a quick rush to the shelves, even though imperfect sound and the occasional technical slip-up preclude total rapture. Stravinsky, too, is memorable, a tighter, drier and occasionally more incisive option, while Järvi's characterization and superior sound serve to bolster a third option - and that is about the limit of the competition, at least for the moment. Muti's La Scala strings are sweetly expressive, whereas his winds and brass are not quite in the top league.

The sound is warm, enclosed and scrupulously balanced, a fairly intimate experience, quite appropriate to the music. Ultimately, I would place Muti more or less on a par with Järvi, but not quite the equal either of Mravinsky or of the composer himself.

As to the BartOk Two Pictures, Muti's performance of "In full flower" traces a romantic strain to contrast with Boulez's Debussian axis (see above). Bluebeard is obviously close to hand while the "Village dance" is sleek, witty and very well played, with not much in the way of a native Hungarian accent. It is a good performance and makes for an attractive, if somewhat unexpected, coupling for a worthy Baiser de la fée.

-- Robert Cowan, Gramophone [9/1995]

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

"The Concerto for Orchestra was an Ormandy specialty. He was Hungarian-born, of course, and had long been an advocate for Bartók’s music, for example, conducting the world premiere of the Third Piano Concerto with soloist György Sándor, and its first recording, both in 1946. This is his third and last recording of the Concerto for Orchestra, in fine early digital (1979) sound. It was also the final work on the last concert he ever conducted, in January 1984. While overall it is a notch less energetic than the 1963 version on Sony, it is expansive, assured, and effortless-sounding. The solo winds are superb, and the brass chorale in the “Game of Pairs” second movement is gorgeous."

-- Richard A. Kaplan, Fanfare [5/2010]

"...[W]ith his fingers of steel Alexis Weissenberg gives a powerful performance... this disc can certainly be recommended." -- Gramophone [2/1971, reviewing the original LP release of the 2nd Concerto]

"No doubts here about the quality of the orchestral playing which is of a high order... [A] well-prepared and finely disciplined account." -- Gramophone [7/1980, reviewing the original LP release of the Concerto for Orchestra]

The album SZINERGIA celebrates the interconnectedness of composers who, despite leading different lives, found common ground in the dance rhythms and folk traditions that inspired their music. At the heart of this album is Karl Amadeus Hartmann's Kammerkonzert for clarinet, string quartet, and string orchestra, a poignant homage to Zolt�n Kod�ly. Hartmann's work epitomizes the synergy of musical ideas, blending the spirit of Hungarian folk music with a modern, introspective voice. Zolt�n Kod�ly's K�ll� Double Dance and Epigrams Nos. 3 & 6 showcase his profound connection to Hungarian traditions. These pieces, reimagined through contemporary arrangements, reveal the timeless nature and the vibrant energy of his melodies. L�o Weiner's Divertimento No. 1 "Old Hungarian Dances" adds a nostalgic yet lively dimension to the album. The expert arrangements by Lajos S�rk�zy and Istv�n V�rdai breathe new life into these classic dances, highlighting the enduring appeal of Hungarian folk music. Paco de Luc�a's Callej�n del Muro brings a touch of Andalusian passion to the collection. Pablo Barrag�n's arrangement seamlessly integrates the fiery flamenco rhythms into the album's narrative, illustrating the universal language of dance that transcends cultural boundaries. B�la Bart�k's Romanian Folk Dances, arranged for clarinet, cimbalom, and strings by Jonas Dominique in dedication to Swedish clarinetist Martin Fr�st, further enriches the album's tapestry. Bart�k's dedication to preserving folk music traditions shines through in these lively, evocative dances, demonstrating his deep connection to the musical heritage of Eastern Europe. Performed by clarinetist Pablo Barrag�n, the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra under the musical direction of Istv�n V�rdai, and the S�rk�zy Trio, SZINERGIA presents a rich, multifaceted soundscape. Each piece highlights the unique voice of it's composer while uncovering the profound connections that link them. SZINERGIA is a celebration of the unity found in diversity. Through the lively rhythms and evocative melodies, listeners are invited to experience the harmonious dance of parallel lives, bound together by the shared threads of musical inspiration.

Under the title "Kaleidoskop Europa", this CD presents a musical journey that encompasses the entirety of Europe. Central to the album is the concept of dance as a medium that both connects people via music and body language, and also motivates them to express themselves with one another, regardless of national origin, language, religion or culture. The album features dances from eleven different European countries, commencing and concluding the musical journey in Vienna-the home of both the ensemble and the painter Ferdinand Georg Waldmuller. By combining pieces of music from different countries, dance emerges as a symbol of the unity found within Europe's diverse cultures. All compositions are arranged for piano trio, with the exception of the opening march by Fritz Kreisler, which was originally composed for this instrumentation. Some arrangements were made by Martin Forst, the cellist of the trio, specifically for this production, thus leading to their premiere presentation on this CD. Through these adaptations, works originally composed for piano or orchestra take on a new form: the auditory experience is enhanced by numerous dimensions-particularly regarding color richness and transparency - revealing intriguing and novel facets of the compositions to listeners.

Of all the great composers of classical modernism, Bartok undoubtedly made the most significant contributions to violin chamber music. The Latvian-Armenian violinist Georg Sargsyan and the Australian pianist James Maddox present two major works from this repertoire. The piano sonata, the only contribution to the genre in the composer's otherwise extensive piano oeuvre, rounds off the program.

*** This title is a reissue of a Japanese release with liner notes in Japanese. ***

"Ormandy gave the American premiere of the Fifteenth Symphony as well as a number of other Shostakovich works...The playing could hardly be surpassed. The recording sounds superb and stands up well against subsequent versions."

Penguin Guide [2003/4 Edition]

The first point worth making is that the Royal Philharmonic strings sound more secure, more lustrous and more tonally distinctive here than on most of their recent discs, a qualitative leap that is due in no small part to Daniele Gatti's positive influence. Bartók's scrupulously crafted Divertimento offers plenty of scope for textural contrast, primarily in the first movement's dramatic alternation of tutti and solo, but also in the ghostly pianissimos that haunt the Molto adagio (note also Gatti's stealthy handling of those nightmare crescendos) and the lungingfortissimos in the same movement, with stunned piano phrases sleepwalking in their wake. Noteworthy detail emerges almost as a matter of course — vividly trilling sforzando violas at bar 55 in the finale, gipsy-style slides in the little violin cadenza at 316" and much subtle colouring elsewhere. The second violins' fractionally delayed pp entry at the start of the Molto adagio sounds like a telling rhetorical gesture and my only quibble concerns a certain lack of raw energy... The opening Andante non troppo [of the Concerto for Orchestra] is delicately phrased, and note how sensitively the violins accompany the clarinet at 639". Bassoons audibly pepper the texture at 443" into the "Giuoco delle coppie" (a particularly effective piece of characterization) and the burbling woodwinds at the start of the "Elegia" recall the damp, cloistered world of Bluebeards Castle (the forte restatement of the first movement's principal violin theme — for example, at bar 34, or 213" — is immensely powerful). Gatti takes the slowest of BartOk's metronome options for the beginning of the finale, wisely I think given that he achieves clear articulation, and the tempo for the second movement is more or less on a par with Boosey & Hawkes's 1993 'revision' of crotchet=94... A musicianly production, then, well prepared, warmly recorded and full of telling interpretative observation...

-- Gramophone [1/1998]

BARTOK: PIANO CONCERTO NO 1, M

BARTÛK: CONCERTO FOR ORCHESTRA

"...[T]hese players’ Bartók is among the most musical and lucid I have heard. With a fine recording, the disc is recommended to anyone attracted by this pairing of works." -- Misha Donat, BBC Music Magazine