Classical Music

Classical Music

Mozart himself held the Divertimento K. 563 in great esteem and performed it personally on several occasions. One of these performances took place at a private concert he gave at the Hotel de Pologne in Dresden on 13 April 1789, while on his way to Berlin. This is a work of profound meaning and intrinsic musical worth; indeed, it was written only a few weeks after the last symphonies, and it must be ranked next to the best quartets and quintets of the last period. "The entire work is not only one of his most mature chamber works, but constitutes an unsurpassed achievement of its genre" (Herman Abert). Just as in the field of baroque music, music from the classical period is now being recorded more often on "original instruments". The less romanticized sound does not only render the "classicism" in the pieces' structures clear; here, it also superbly brings out the elegance of Mozart's melodic writing. The ALEA Ensemble is a chamber music group that was founded in Graz in 1988. The group primarily focuses on contemporary music, but ventures into historical performance practice as well.

IDOMENEO

Also available on Blu-ray

A MusicWeb International Recording of the Month

Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio) is a three act opera Singspiel by W. A. Mozart. With libretto by Christoph Friedrich Bretzner, the plot follows the attempt of Belmonte and his servant Pedrillo to rescue his Konstanze from the seraglio of Pasha Selim. This production comes from the Glyndebourne Chorus, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenmnent conducted by Robin Ticciati. Director David McVicar has strived in this production to give an original-period version of the opera. The costuming from Vicki Mortimer and the sets add to the dazzling performance. “Mesmerising, sensitive, at times troublingly erotic, the whole thing forces us to rethink a remarkable work. Outstanding.” (The Guardian)

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REVIEW:

Like most opera lovers I have my favourite composers and operas. High on my list are Verdi and Mozart works, the latter's Le nozze di Figaro, one of the greatest operatic stage works in many peoples opinion, and Verdi’s Don Carlo feature at the top of my list. However, in the case of both named composers there is other of their works that I love dearly which do not feature so regularly in recordings, or live in the theatre. In the Mozart oeuvre Die Entführung aus dem Serail, a title often shortened to Il Seraglio, the harem in translation, features highly. After some years of relative neglect, perhaps out of mistaken political correctness relating to the impact of Muslim fundamentalism, this work has returned to favour. It is defined as a singspiel, a work of musical numbers interspersed by spoken dialogue. Perhaps to get away from the traditional and any other sensitivities, this renaissance has led to some rather quirky productions including one set on The Orient Express; yes, a train for a harem, any gimmick is possible for some directors and designers. I could not imagine how it could work and it didn’t (see review). Similarly, Opera North treated the work as slapstick (see review). I go back to the early 1980s when Glyndebourne produced elegant sets by William Dudley alongside a touring cast that brought the best out of Mozart’s creation and whilst not shirking a coloured harem guard, Osmin, complete with curled toe shoes and fez. That production, and elegant sets, were caught on film at the main Glyndebourne Festival and is available on DVD in 4:3 aspect (review). I found much to commend in a later production from Florence in 2002 by Eike Gramss with sets by Christoph Wagenknech and costumes by Catherine Voeffray. Issued in 2011 in now standard 16:9 screen aspect it impressed me to the extent that I gave it the imprimateur of a DVD of the month (review). Its timing of 136 minutes gives a clue to limitations that include severe slashing of much of the spoken dialogue. I had experience of a full dialogue version in a BluRay of Christof Loy’s minimalist production filmed in the Gran Teatre de Liceu in July 2011. However, I did not like the modern dress and minimalist set (review). Aware of this limitation, when I heard that David McVicar, a favourite director of mine, was to direct a new production at Glyndebourne in 2015, with the dialogue complete, I was more than a little interested to the extent I recently bought a copy of the DVD and which I review here.

Die Entführung aus dem Serail was a groundbreaking work for Mozart. As an appendix, I recount the circumstances of the work’s creation and how it was a watershed in his compositional life. Meanwhile, let me state quite clearly that this performance and staging, complete with all the spoken dialogue, is the best I have seen and heard of this work in a long life of opera going. McVicar and his designer update the work as far as Mozart’s time, thus allowing a traditionalist staging and which is particularly opulent and apt. The characters are all in appropriate costume and the sets represent what we might expect of a seraglio and not far from that to be seen today in Granada, Spain, and built during the Ottoman Empire.

One of the consequences of the inclusion of all the spoken dialogue is the importance of Franck Saurel, the actor who speaks the role of Pasha Selim. He does so with his vocal nuance and body language matching his acting, an altogether outstanding portrayal and indicating something as to why there are times when Sally Matthews’ Konstanze’s response to him is equivocal in respect of his sexual impact on her. However, she maintains her dignity and faithfulness to her lover, singing and acting outstandingly in all respects. She excels in the long recit and aria Traurigheit ward mir zum Lose and Martern aller Arten of Act I and shows her doughty character vocally in the second act in particular. As her suitor, who braves the pasha’s domain in pursuit of her, Edgaras Montvidas acts the somewhat starchy character well whilst not quite matching her in ideal vocal mellifluousness. The other two Europeans captured and working in the Pashas palace benefit from two excellent portrayals and performances from Mari Eriksmoen as Blonde, Konstanze’s maid, and the superb acting of Brenden Gunnell as her would be lover. The manner of his acting, particularly when seeking to spike Osmin’s ardour for Blonde, are quite magnificent. Then there is Osmin himself. Very often the role is somewhat marred by slapstick. Here, Tobias Kehrer creates a funny, but fearful character, such as Mozart must have had in mind for the role. The phrases roll off his tongue as he relishes the vocal and acted demands made on him.

To conclude my enthusiasm and pleasure at this issue, I find the conducting by the flying fingers of conductor Robin Ticciati, and his period band forces, to be ideal accompanists throughout, as well as bringing an appropriate verve and vitality to the proceedings.

– MusicWeb International (Robert J. Farr)

Classical Music

The much anticipated second volume of Peter Donohoe's complete survey of Mozart's Piano Sonatas for SOMM Recordings focuses on three sonatas produced during the composer's ill-fated journey to Paris in 1777. This new release follows remarkable critical acclaim for Volume 1 including the accolade of BBC Music Magazine's Recording of the Month which declared: "It was high time someone blew the cobwebs off this still under-appreciated repertoire, and Donohoe is clearly the person to do it." Volume 2 promises more revealing performances from Donohoe, applauded in Gramophone's review of Volume 1 for demonstrating "a personal involvement that is as touching as it is fascinating and finely considered". As if anticipating the mighty Jupiter Symphony, with uncharacteristically detailed tempo indications and an improvisatory quality in places, the Piano Sonata in C major (No.7, K309) may have been composed with Rosa Cannabich in mind, Mozart's 15-year-old student giving it's first performance in late 1777. In a relatively rare key signature for Mozart, the A minor Piano Sonata (No.8, K310) was composed in 1778 immediately after the death of the composer's mother. Intense and expressive, it shows, Christopher Morley succinctly suggests in his informative notes, "Mozart at his most grim". Spacious, full of grand gestures and animated display, the Piano Sonata in D major (No.9, K311) is "a big, spectacular Sonata, full of effect and color" that explores the full range of the keyboard with winning exuberance. The A minor Rondo (K511) was composed in March 1787 and, notes Christopher Morley, "unfettered by the obligations of orchestral constraints, [it] builds in chromatic intensity and melodic urgency to emerge as one of the most profound movements ever penned by the composer". Volume 2 of Peter Donohoe's Mozart Piano Sonatas delivers on the hope expressed by The Classical Review of it's predecessor to "surely make listeners eager to hear the next volumes".

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

An illustrious guest on the 17th CD of the Edition Artist Consort: the grand seigneur of the oboe, Heinz Holliger, plays Mozart's sparkling Oboe Quartet with his Swiss compatriots. The two other woodwind chamber works by the greatest Viennese classicist on this new GENUIN CD are of the same extraordinarily high level. As first among peers, Felix Renggli interprets the fragrant Flute Quartet, and François Benda plays the basset clarinet in the same role as in the original version of the Clarinet Quintet.

• The Merel Quartet, founded 2002 play two of Mozart's “Haydn Quartets” • The quartet's 2nd Genuin CD • Highly renowned in Switzerland • The Merel Quartet has performed extensively in prestigious European venues and festivals • Booklet notes in English, German and French

Here you have Mozart's aesthetics in a nutshell. Of course, music must not break a sweat," and must be natural to be of the highest order." Alfred Einstein wrote this in 1945 about Mozart's later works, and the Trio L�zard has discovered a new look at a group of works that exemplifies this idea of compressed aesthetics: the trios KV 439b, previously known as "five divertimenti", are not really divertimenti, at least Mozart does not call them that. In a long unknown transcript from Mozart's time, the 25 individual movements are arranged differently and supplemented by five arrangements of opera arias, resulting in 30 "Terzetti", as Mozart himself called it. Originally set for three basset horns, there are already alternative voices from the early days - the starting point for the Trio L�zard. Their convincing and brilliantly presented new version of the Terzetti for oboe, clarinet and bassoon shows the fascinating color and transparency of this music with voice alterations in the upper parts.

Classical Music

Carlo Grante is one of the most active and accomplished performing and recording artists of his generation. His concert performances feature a broad repertoire: recently, under the direction of conductor Fabio Luisi, he performed Franz Schmidt's Concertante Variationen with the MDR Orchestra of Leipzig at the Gewandhaus;.