Violinist Arabella Steinbacher, the Luxembourg Philharmonic and conductor Gustavo Gimeno present violin concertos by Beethoven and Lentz. Beethoven's violin concerto may well be the most iconic contribution to it's genre, and to Steinbacher, it is the most "sacred" and sublime in the repertoire, never ceasing to reveal new perspectives. The piece is coupled with Georges Lentz' Violin Concerto '... to beam in distant heavens... ', written for Steinbacher and inspired by her virtuosity. Lentz' concerto is equally inspired by William Blake's poetry, as well as the idea that a future generation will one day look back on us and the way we destroy our planet. Oscillating between violence and angelic visions of love and hope, it places heavy demands on the soloist, and offers an illuminating counterpart to Beethoven's equally searching and idealist work. Luxembourg Philharmonic and Gustavo Gimeno are the ideal partners for this cosmic, adventurous pairing. Arabella Steinbacher is a multiple award-winner with an extensive PENTATONE discography, including Bach & Part (2023), Mozart's complete violin concertos (2014 and 2021), Four Seasons (Vivaldi & Piazzolla, 2020), Mendelssohn & Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos (2015) and many others. The Luxembourg Philharmonic and Gustavo Gimeno released composer monographies of Coll (2021), Franck (2020), Rossini (2019), Debussy, Stravinsky & Mahler (all 2018) as well as Ravel, Bruckner and Shostakovich (all 2017) on PENTATONE.

Julian Jaeyoung Kim, a South Korean-born pianist, is hailed as a marvelous virtuoso. His performances embody a deep sense of commitment and a relentless curiosity about uncovering the true essence of music. "Julian's flexible and intelligent interpretations reflect his command over rhythmic tension and tonal detail, evoking echoes of masterful pianists like Nelson Freire." Gramophone "Julian Kim's technical brilliance shines in every piece as he draws out the full richness of the piano's sound. With style, precision, and sensitivity, he navigates dramatic, heroic, entertaining, and humorous moods with ease and elegance." Klassik Heute

Karel Ancerl in the special company of world-famous soloists. The great success of the 15-CD set Ancerl Live Recordings (2022 - Choc de Classica, Diapason d'Or etc.) and of the series Ancerl Gold Edition (2002-2008) is indicative of Karel Ancerl's firm standing among the most important conductors of the post-war world. The present album tiesin with the boxed set mentioned above; this time, our selection from the Czech Radio archive contains live recordings with the conductor Ancerl in the role of an accompanist. The list of soloists he invited for collaboration is imposing. Predominant among these names are world-famous artists from the Soviet Union, to which Czechoslovakia was allied in those days, with Prague serving as the Eastern Bloc's gateway to the West. The greatest treasures are the two oldest recordings: unique documentation of Dvorak's Violin Concerto with David Oistrakh (1950), which played a major part in the choice of Ancerlas the chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic after Kubelik's emigration, and the oldest recording of Dvorak's Cello Concerto with Rostropovich, issued here for the first time, made two weeks before Rostropovich's legendary studio recording with Vaclav Talich. Often, however, the artists standing to Ancerl's left were stars coming to Prague from the West as well as great Czech artists. The album authentically captures the unrepeatable performances of soloists and orchestra. All of these recordings have been carefully remastered from the original analogue tapes. Lovers of historical recordings will not hesitate.

The first complete edition of Supraphon recordings made by the legendary conductor Lovro von Matacic with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. This set contains unique historical recordings of six great symphonies of the Romantic era with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and the conductor Lovro von Matacic. These recordings were made between 1959 and 1980 by one of the most remarkable conductors of his generation. Matacic was born in Croatia when it was still part of Austria-Hungary. He studied in Vienna, where the great world of music revealed itself to him, and opera especially. The difficult path he had to follow led him through two world wars, but in the end he became a charismatic figure capable of inspiring and galvanising any orchestra. He repeatedly conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Dresden Staatskapelle, the Munich Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Japan, and he stood at the helm of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra. The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and the Czech public always welcomed him as a special guest, and Supraphon enabled him to record first Beethoven's Eroica and two great symphonies by Tchaikovsky. Especially rare are the three symphonies by Anton Bruckner with the best-known Seventh, the grandiose Fifth, and the concluding Ninth representing Late Romanticism at it's zenith. This one-of-a-kind creation shows the orchestra of Ancerl's and Neumann's era in a different light. Around the world, Matacic is better known for his opera recordings, so this Supraphon set of orchestral recordings is unique.

BEETHOVEN: VIOLIN CONCERTO, SP

Galway is certainly engagingly whimsical in the bright, rhythmic outer movements of the Op. 25 Serenade, and if his strong instrumental personality dominates, he doesn't hog the limelight: his colleagues are well in the picture, although the recording is just a shade too resonant for an absolutely perfect focus. Galway's warm yet silvery melodic line is at its most appealing in the Minuet, given a classical elegance, with the following Allegro molto generating lots of extrovert energy to make a striking contrast. The Andante con variazioni is very agreeable too. It is certainly a positive performance, but has not quite the simplicity and unostentatious charm that makes the Israeli account on CDI/Pickwick so memorable.

As his main coupling Galway chooses the companion Serenade, Op. 8, but, surprisingly he uses an arrangement for flute and piano instead of adapting the violin part of the original string trio. The result has much less textural interest, for the piano part tends to act rather as an accompaniment. Philip Moll, however, makes the most of it and becomes a genuine partner. Again the poised Minuet is a highlight and Galway is at his most sparkling in the Allegretto alla Polacca, which he turns into a real lollipop.

The Sonata seems unlikely to be by Beethoven at all; its central Largo has a flowing Italianate theme rather like an opera aria and Galway makes the most of it, then carols his way gaily through the closing Allegro molto. Galway admirers will not want to miss this collection, but others may wish to look for the main work with other couplings.

-- Ivan March, Gramophone [7/1990]

BEETHOVEN: FOLK SONG ARRANGEME

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

ARTISTS OF THE CENTURY - EMIL

BEETHOVEN: SONATAS, VARIATIONS

The Schuppanzigh Quartet has been a source of enormous energy in the area of string quartet literature for almost thirty years. Founded by violinist Anton Steck in 1996, the ensemble offers a delightful experience with their intellectually stimulating concert programs and recordings, whose connections to other arts are completely fascinating. So too is their current album with it's snapshots of early 19th century Vienna. Beethoven's unruly and ironic "Quartetto serioso" Op. 95 is paired with a quartet by the French violinist Pierre Rode, for whom the master had written his last violin sonata Op. 96 in 1812. Consequently, this work is also recorded here - not in the original, but in an astonishing quartet version that Beethoven's pupil and friend Ferdinand Ries arranged. And so it sounds almost a bit like Dvorak

Following her celebrated solo debut album, award-winning pianist Anna Khomichko now releases a GENUIN album featuring classical piano concertos. Accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra Heidelberg under the baton of Mino Marani, she not only performs the reconstructed first concerto by Ludwig van Beethoven in E-flat major but also presents early works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Muzio Clementi. With this cleverly curated selection and in brilliant, detailed sound, she offers a compelling overview of the beginnings of classical composers-a rare and gratifying listening experience!

Stephen Kovacevich TITLE: Beethoven: The 32 Piano Sonatas, Bagatelles (9CD) "Nobody plays this music more authoritatively and eloquently," wrote London's Sunday Times of Stephen Kovacevich in Beethoven. "He is in his element, responding wholeheartedly to the extreme physicality that Beethoven brought to music... but the wit and delicacy of the playing are also remarkable."Kovacevich himself has spoken of his love for the "fun and virtuosity" of the composer's early sonatas, while in the often challenging later works he sees a "subtext of radiance and some sort of inherent faith in life."

The invention of the chromatic pedal, which simplified playing, significantly increased the popularity of the harp. So popular did the instrument become that Beethoven wrote his Variations on a Swiss Song 'pour harpe ou piano'. Later, his most popular pieces were arranged, such as the 'Moonlight' Sonata, which was virtuosically transcribed by John Thomas, harpist to Queen Victoria. The Divertissements pour la harpe were once thought to be by Beethoven but are possibly by his contemporary and acquaintance, Count Karl Wilhelm von Haugwitz. Leading Italian harpist Paola Perrucci plays on an erard harp except for the Adagio grazioso, Op. 31, No. 1 where she plays on a modern instrument.

Classical Music