Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Complete Works for Flute and Strings Vol. 3. Ferdinand Ries presents himself as a master of chamber music with the three extraordinarily imaginatively composed works on Vol. 3 of our edition of his complete works for flute and strings. On the one hand he is firmly rooted in the tradition of his great classical models. On the other hand he takes the step to a poetic musical worldview that by no means corresponded to the mainstream between 1815 and 1830. Some time before Novalis had written: »The world must be romanticized.« Along with two more flute quartets designed very much in the classical style but also already displaying newer musical expressive forms, his only, highly emotional Flute Quintet op. 107 is heard here, a work composed by Ries in London in 1818. As in the great majority of flute quintets, it is scored with two violas, which results in a practically orchestral sound picture. The composer makes manifold use of the option of setting the stringed instruments in opposition to the flute. Nevertheless, the flute is treated as the equal partner of the stringed instruments, which all take part in the changing functions of solo and accompaniment. Here too the Ardinghellos offer »dialoguing that is finely heard out, trim playing with a minimum of vibrato, and the most careful, delightful phrasing« (klassik-heute of Vol. 3 in March 2019).

The Finnish artist Christoffer Sundqvist is one of the leading clarinetists of his generation, and we are very happy to have won him for our complete edition of Louis Spohr's works for clarinet and orchestra (partly first recordings!). Not only the extremely brilliant and masterful four clarinet concertos can be heard, but also all the other works for clarinet and orchestra, composed at that time for the virtuoso Johann Simon Hermstedt. When Hermstedt played Spohr's potpourri on themes from Winter's opera "Das unterbrochene Opferfest" op. 80 in Leipzig on October 13, 1812, the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung commented: "The potpourri for clarinet was not only very happily composed from ideas of the sacrificial feast, but these ideas were also mostly quite excellently processed; and so it would like to stand at the top among the works of this genre. An indispensable complete edition, not only for clarinetists!

So, the First is a minor find and the Second is at least good fun. The performances are unlikely to be bettered and the recording is warm and pleasant if a little over-reverberant (note that it was made in a church). The booklet notes, in three languages, gives a very full background to Ries and his times although they may overstate the case for the works themselves. The musically curious (all of us, I would like to think) need not hesitate.

-- Christopher Howell, MusicWeb International

The Sixth is a dramatic, harmonically rich work reminiscent of Weber, Mendelssohn, and Schumann, though at times the music's high-romantic styling and mode of expression seem to point to early Wagner (especially in the first movement) or even Bruckner (the heavy-treading scherzo and the serenely beautiful larghetto). Howard Griffiths' lively conducting and the committed and enthusiastic playing of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra make a strong case for these intriguing symphonies [4 & 6], while CPO's spacious, dynamic, and detailed recording makes this disc easily recommendable.

-- Victor Carr Jr, ClassicsToday.com

My only wish is that I had come across this composer earlier as I find both these symphonies examples of the genuine article. By that I mean strong themes, well developed, well orchestrated and balanced across the orchestra. This is coupled with a genuine sense of growth and development within the symphonic structure. Indeed if I had heard them many years ago when I was finding out about Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart etc., I am not sure that I wouldn't have rated these works up there with the other masters.

Ries wrote eight symphonies in all, and based upon the evidence of these two [7 & 8], the others should be well worth hunting out. CPO's recording is absolutely first rate and is available in SACD format, which can also be played in normal stereo. It is the latter format I listened to here, and I found that the sound quality, always first class with this company, had a slight additional bloom to the sound. Whether this is to do with the SACD mix down or just the luck of the draw, I am not sure, but there are no shortcomings with respect to the sound quality whatsoever.

I recommend this disc without reservation, and look forward to hearing the others in this superbly played, conducted and recorded series.

-- John Phillips, MusicWeb International