SCHUBERT: OCTET CLEVELAND OCT

The TACET label, famous for ist visionary, high-quality repertoire policy, uses new technology to search for new ways of using the auditorium for musical experiences. Andreas Spreer, owner and manager of the label Tonmeister of this recording, places the listener right in the middle of the musicians: opposite the viola, with the violins at front left and right and the two cellos behind his or her shoulders. This configuration is most definitely unusual and takes some getting used to; but what three-dimensionalness it gives to Schubert’s wonderful – and wonderfully played – String Quintet! The themes become tangible thanks to the masterful interpretation, the structure of the work is intuitively understandable, and the attribute “acoustically transparent” should really be redefined after this recording. (Kulturspiegel)"(…) Ever wondered what it was like to play in a chamber group such as this? Well, choose your instrument and sit close to that speaker. You’ll get a pretty good idea." (Audiophile Audition)

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Although this 2006 Schubert four-hand program might be difficult to source as a physical CD, it is now easily obtainable via digital download. I have rarely heard such grand, grounded, and deeply considered performances of these two major Schubert masterpieces.

Too many younger duos impose tricky phrasings and fancy rubatos throughout the F minor Fantasia, whereas Evgeni Koroliov and Ljupka Hadžigeorgieva allow the opening section to seemingly play itself, with the climaxes and soft moments carefully scaled and the embellishments perfectly placed. The Largo conveys a rare buoyancy by virtue of the duo’s seamlessly matched trills and triplet chords. They take time over the Scherzo and slightly relax the pace in the Trio section; as a result, the imitative writing gains a lovely conversational lilt. Likewise, the players keep the fugal finale’s foreground and background material in clear perspective, so that the music sounds weighty yet never cluttered or clangorous. You don’t get the Perahia/Lupu edition’s moments of otherworldly intimacy and harmonic pointing, yet Koroliov/Hadžigeorgieva are no less distinctive.

Comparable textural organization and deftly effected transitions characterize this duo’s remarkable synchronicity in the Grand Duo’s first movement, both technically and musically. They appropriately feel the long second-movement Andante in two long beats to the bar, and, more importantly, let the music sing. The Scherzo often comes off as clunky when pianists fall into the trap of accenting most downbeats. Here, however, the triplet patterns fall into long lines that effortlessly move over the barlines. It’s easy to turn the note-packed Finale into a bloated Hungarian Dance that just won’t end. Yet through intelligent balances, subtle animation, and variety of articulation, the Koroliov/Hadžigeorgieva duo brilliantly reveals the movement’s symphonic scope and truly “grand” aspirations.

My home sound system loves Tacet’s resplendent engineering, by the way! No Schubert lover nor piano duo maven should miss this most gratifying release.

– ClassicsToday.com (Jed Distler)

Total playing time: 65'15

Schubert's great E flat major trio had its first performance on December 26, 1827 at a concert in the Musikverein with the legendary violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh, who had given first performances of Beethoven’s five last string quartets earlier in the decade. Trio Vitruvi returns to Schubert's gem, giving us the original (longer) version of the score in an impassioned reading. Niklas Walentin, Alexander McKenzie, and Jacob la Cour have performed critically acclaimed concerts in Denmark, China, Russia, France, Ausria, Portugal, Belarus, and Germany in the most beautiful and famous concert halls. They won both first prize and audience prize at the Danish National Radio’s Chamber Music Competition of 2014, and first prize at the Jurmala International Music Competition that same year. “The young Vitruvi Trio showed highest technical and musical qualities… I can recommend them everywhere.” (Adam Fischer)

This is a very sprightly Trout. The first movement, a true Allegro vivace, gives a joyful feeling of onward momentum, but poised and well in control so there's no sense of undue hurry. The lively yet easygoing style persists in the Scherzo and finale. The quintet's bright textures suit the clear, picturesque sounds of period instruments admirably: I especially enjoyed the light, seemingly effortless brilliance of the piano's upper register — the third variation in the fourth movement shows this off to perfection — and the way the characteristic 68 Gramophone February 1999 sonorities of the lower strings emerge so clearly. But there are some disappointments; Schubert's many pianissimos rarely sound soft or mysterious enough, and I felt often that the string phrasing should move further away from classical elegance towards romantic breadth. In the two slower movements particularly, the best modern instrumental versions, such as those led by Brendel and Curzon, achieve a more intense expression of Schubert's unique lyricism.

Bylsma plays the Arpeggione Sonata on a five-string violoncello piccolo. The result is wonderfully convincing; the light, reedy tone, often with minimal vibrato, is very appealing, and the high-register passages sound entirely natural and unforced. Immerseel's Viennese-action instrument, too, is especially evocative and sweet-toned here. The Notturno, however, despite some fine playing, slightly misfires, missing the mystery and excitement of La Gaia Scienza (also on period instruments), or the tranquillity and grandeur of Schiff, Shiokawa and Perenyi (their two-disc set of the piano trios also includes a warmly expressive account of the Arpeggione Sonata).

This well-recorded disc is certainly a recommendation for a period-instrument Trout, and as authentic-sounding an Arpeggione as one is likely to hear.

-- Gramophone [2/1999]

These performances are also included on Sony's 10-disc set "Bruno Walter
Edition Volume 3" - Sony Classical 66248.

Franz Schubert:
Piano Trio No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 99, D. 898
Piano Trio No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 100, D. 929

Beaux Arts Trio

Recorded at Signet Library, Edinburgh, 13 July 1987 (Piano Trio No. 1) and 6 September 1977 (Piano Trio No. 2)

Picture format: NTSC 4:3
Sound format: LPCM Mono
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Menu language: English
Running time: 81 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

The Beaux Arts Trio performs two central pieces of their repertoire on this DVD. Filmed at the majestic Signet Library in Edinburgh, the ensemble demonstrates its mastery in bringing out the deeply lyrical romantic expressions that have made these trios two of Schubert’s most cherished chamber music works. With founding member, Menahem Pressler on piano, Isidore Cohen on violin and Bernard Greenhouse on cello, the ensemble’s distinguished heritage is apparent.

The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world’s greatest artists. These performances are released on DVD for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored. - ICA Classics

The Carus Classics series feature outstanding CD productions from Carus’ past library of recordings. In the works introduced here, Schubert presents vocal chamber music as an independent genre. The male voice ensemble “Schubert hoch vier” – consisting of four internationally renowned Lied singers – together with Schubert specialist Thomas Seyboldt at the piano offered this unfortunately little regarded group of works with a masterful balance between ensemble spirit and soloistic expressivity.

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SCHWANENGESANG

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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.

The electrifying and long-standing collaborative partnership of Tasmin Little and Piers Lane returns to Chandos for this double-album featuring Schubert’s complete works for violin and piano, combined with the ‘Arpeggione’ Sonata and the Adagio in E flat for piano trio, all highly emotive masterpieces.They are joined by cellist Tim Hugh, ‘a musician with compelling insight into the creative urge behind the notes’ (The Times). Gramophone praised this duo’s album (CHAN 10749) for the artists’ ‘complete understanding and spontaneity’ and ‘moments of true musical virtuosity’.

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Today, the Mass in E Flat is increasingly acknowledged as an individual masterpiece; powerful and disquieting, more monumental than the fifth, but likewise seeking to reconcile liturgical grandeur with Schubert's own subjective romantic feeling, while still influenced by Haydn, Beethoven, and Bach. Richard Hickox has long wanted to record this powerful work. The recording follows the successful concert at the 2007 BBC Proms. The same stellar cast is brought together, including Susan Gritton, James Gilchrist and Mark Padmore, accompanied by Collegium Musicum 90. The Guardian commented on the Proms performance: 'it was graciously sung and conducted...' The Daily Telegraph wrote: 'Wednesday night brought Schubert's wonderful and rarely-performed late E flat Mass, performed by some fine soloists and the 'early music' orchestra and choir Collegium Musicum 90, conducted by Richard Hickox. It's close to being Schubert's last piece, and has an amazing harmonic daring mingled with a minatory severity - a very potent mix'. The recording is dedicated to the memory of Francesca McManus, the manager of CM90 who sadly died at the end of November. Also available: Hummel Mass in D major CHAN0681; Mass in E flat, CHAN0712; Mass in D minor CHAN0724

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The distinguished baritone Randall Scarlata regularly performs the German song repertoire with pianists including Cameron Stowe, Jeremy Denk, Jonathan Biss, Inon Barnatan, Laura Ward and Gilbert Kalish. Mr. Scarlata is a regular guest with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Chamber Music Northwest, and the Seattle Chamber Music Festival. Gilbert Kalish's profound influence on the musical community as pianist and educator has established him as a major figure in American music making. His recordings for Bridge Records include his memorable partnership with the mezzo-soprano Jan DeGaetani and a recent solo album of music by Schubert, Beethoven and Haydn. Here, he tackles a well-known favorite in the Lied repertoire: Franz Schubert’s Winterreise.

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REVIEW:

As a stirring and elevating musical experience, as opposed to one that is harrowing, I find Scarlata’s Winterreise utterly compelling. This is an alternative to performances that leave your nerves jangling, and I love it. I could listen to this man serenade me all day. Gilbert Kalish is equally wonderful.

– Fanfare

SCHUBERT: AUF DEM STROM, DER H

SCHUBERT: STRING QUARTETS D 81

TOSCANINI COLLECTION VOL 15 -

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