This fascinating recital features three works composed during a short period of tremendous upheaval in the world of music. Szymanowski's Mythes: Trois Poèmes, op. 30 was composed in 1915, Dohnányi's Sonata, op. 21 in 1912, and Bartók's Sonata No. 1 in 1920-21. Violinist Elizabeth Chang writes that "the crosscurrents of multiculturalism and the pursuit of a national identity separate from the prevailing Germanic legacy, are topics with searing relevance to the early 21st century. Probing the connections among the densely intertwined web of musicians of this time yields insight into an inflection point in musical history that unleashed the wildly divergent paths that music composition took as the twentieth century unfolded." This recording presents beautifully detailed performances of three important pieces, performed by two leading virtuosi.

The repertoire for string trio is comparatively small, but in addition to the relevant works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Reger, it also contains surprising, newly discovered, and newly composed pieces. In the selection of pieces for the current recording, the Trio Lirico has looked off the beaten track with works by Eugène Ysaye, Ernst von Dohnányi, and Zoltán Kodály. The program is completed by a string trio by Péter Eötvös, a haunting memorial composition with a variety of different playing techniques and gestures of sound and expression.

Ernst von Dohnányi was interested in various inventions throughout his life, so it is not surprising that around 1909–1910 he became one of the main promoters of pianos with a semi-circular keyboard. At that time, they had long been experimenting with creating the most comfortable keyboard possible, with all its parts being at the same distance from the pianist, and being able to play it with the same body and hand position at the bottom, middle or top of the keyboard range. It seems that the Viennese Ludwig Bösendorfer started making pianos with a concave keyboard (Bogenklaviatur) only in 1910, and Dohnányi used them exclusively in the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. After Dohnányi moved home to Budapest at the end of 1915, one of his own pianos was the short Clutsam-Bösendorfer, which is currently owned by the Budapest Museum of Music History. This CD offers the first recording of this special instrument after a long time restoration.

A superbly performed selection of Dohnányi works from players entirely immersed in his musical voice, led by a conductor who inspires them all the way.

Of the works Ernst von Dohnányi wrote for the stage, only his ballet pantomime The Veil of Pierrette received any particular acclaim. His concert music, meanwhile, was much more warmly received. With this already sixth recording of his late romantical, sensual music, deeply rooted in the Austro-German classical tradition, Capriccio presents three of his concerts. Apart from two piano concertos and two violin concertos, Ernst von Dohnányi wrote three more, which are concertos in all but name Variations (for piano and orchestra), Concertino (for harp and chamber orchestra), and Konzertstück (for cello and orchestra); the names subtly hinting at their specific character.

REVIEW:

Variations on a Nursery Theme, an unjustly neglected and once-popular work, receives a truly superb performance. Similar delights abound in the rarely heard Concertino for harp. A superbly performed selection of Dohnányi works from players entirely immersed in his musical voice, led by a conductor who inspires them all the way.

-- Gramophone