Includes work(s) for piano by Luciano Berio. Soloist: Andrea Lucchesini.

• In 1882 Elisabeth von Herzogenberg, who actually was active only as an interpreting pianist, composed eight truly virtuosic piano pieces that her husband would publish after her much too early death. Heinrich’s own piano pieces, now recorded in highly poetic style for the first time on three CDs by Natasa Veljkovic, a Vienna-based pianist , show that Herzogenberg had what was very much his own independent voice and truly meriting its own hearing – especially in this enthralling interpretation!

Claudio Abbado has termed Aglika Genova and Liuben Dimitrov "the piano duo of the young generation" and the two have indeed come to be regarded as one of today’s most sought-after piano duos worldwide. On their latest CD, dedicated to their beloved teacher Vladimir Krainev, who died in 2011, they interpret suites by Anton Arensky. Arensky enjoyed enormous renown as a composer during his short lifetime and his chamber, instrumental, and vocal legacy, including above all the five suites for two pianos heard here, impressively attests to his artistic stature. From his audiences, whose members included the geniuses Tchaikovsky and Tolstoy, he earned great praise for these suites, both in the orchestral version and in the original version for two pianos. Arensky grew up in a music loving well-to-do family and studied counterpoint and fugue as well as composition under Rimsky-Korsakov at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. He then became a composition teacher at the Moscow Conservatory, where he was appointed to professorship in 1889. He trained many students who later became famous composers (including Rachmaninov and Scriabin). This refreshingly modern interpretation of the suites presents them in all their fascinating sophistication and transparency and reveals the spirited emotionality, sincerity, and bold virtuosity of the effective and dazzling piano parts in their best light. - CPO, (Translated from German.)

Includes work(s) by various composers. Soloist: Jacob Heringman.

An award-winning program created by Apollo’s Fire’s director Jeannette Sorrell, Sugarloaf Mountain follows the joys and sorrows of Celtic immigrants who settled in Appalachia. Sparkling fiddle tunes and haunting ballads of the British Isles crossed the Atlantic during the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries and took root in the hills of Virginia. They mingled with American shape-note hymns and African spirituals, creating the soulful music known as Appalachian. Passing through love and loss, dancing and prayer, the music overflows in celebration as the people of the mountains raise their communal voices.

REUSNER Delitiæ Testudinis, Vol. 1 • Paul Beier (lt) • STRADIVARIUS 33867 (78:47)


Esaias Reusner (1636–79) was taught the lute by his father, became familiar with the published music of such modern masters as Francois Dufault and Ennemond Gaultier, then was influenced by and studied under an unknown lutenist while a valet at the Polish court of Princess Radziwi??. He published two collections of lute suites in the then very popular French style that were very successful, and soon had a pronounced effect on other, similar compositions in the German States. His pieces—naturally contrapuntal, rich in passing dissonances, and prone to the expressive extremes then popular in this kind of intimate music-making—are uniformly attractive. The pavanes and sarabandes in particular revel in an eloquently lyrical melancholy.


Beier’s technique is good, but not perfect. The occasional glanced note—different in dynamics, resonance, and duration from all others around it—interferes with the musical line and his musical insight. Once you get past this, it’s easy to appreciate the fine degree of shading in the Couranta of the Suite No. 4, and the general warmth of tone, but the playing isn’t immaculate. These are stylistically strong performances by a fine lutenist, with the caveat that wrong notes do mar the surface.


The lute on this album is closely miked, but with a pleasantly dry ambiance that keeps textures clean and allows the instrument to sound for itself without any unneeded help from the environment. Beier’s own liner notes are excellent in discussing the influences at work on Reusner, and the disc is an unusually full one. Perhaps best of all, this is only Volume 1—meaning we can look forward to more of the Delitiæ Testudinis in the future. Barring slips of the fingers, this one’s definitely recommended.


FANFARE: Barry Brenesal

Classical Music

The German pianist Michael Korstick performs Liszt’s last major piano cycle, the Années de Pèlerinage – Troisième Année from 1883, written in the latter stage of his life when he visited Rome, Weimar and Budapest. Also featured on this disc is a supplement to Années de Pèlerinage II: Venezia e Napoli.

Of all the volumes in this series, the current one presents arguably the most diverse sample of Villa-Lobos' musical language and techniques.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Today Hermann Goetz (1840-76) numbers among the forgotten 19th c. composers - a most undeserved fate. Unfavorable personal circumstances and his early death meant that his musician's life did not develop as it should have. Goetz's piano compositions, without opus numbers, have been recorded here for the first time. Until recently they had not been available in printed form, thus continuing to be virtually unknown. Pianist Christof Keymer’s work on Goetz’s manuscripts has made it possible to present a first edition of Goetz's previously unpublished piano music.

SOR: Introduction and Variations Opp. 26-28 / Etudes Op. 29

This 2-CD set contains Middelschulte's organ transcription of the complete Bach Goldberg Variations.

Classical Music

On this album, Stefano Grondona plays the works for guitar by Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986) and Gaspar Cassad� (1897-1966). The CD is an homage to his master Andr�s Segovia; the guitar used for this recording was made by the great luthier Antonio de Torres in 1882.

Simple delight in well-crafted, unpretentious music-making.

These three CDs present, in almost chronological order, the complete piano music of a composer who will, I imagine, be unfamiliar to most readers. Carlos Guastavino was born in Santa Fé, the capital of the northern Argentine province of the same name. After studies at home and in Buenos Aires he achieved international recognition as a pianist, touring South America, the USSR and China, and giving broadcasts on the BBC in London. His musical language is firmly rooted in tradition, believing that music should be firmly based on singable melodies and tonal harmony and written for us now, not for the discovery of future generations.

The first three pieces are delightful. A fast dance, a slow atmospheric piece and a dedication to beautiful earth, beautiful country (Tierra Linda), a phrase often used to refer to Argentina itself, get this set off to a fine start. Easily approachable, delightful to listen to, difficult to play, Guastavino has the vernacular of his country’s music at his fingertips.

The Sonatina in G minor is a light hearted piece. Already Guastavino has started to simplify his style and the sheer exuberance of the finale is a joy. The Sonata of two years later is more serious in substance but equally easy going in language, and is only let down by a rather banal fugue in the middle of the finale, but a return to the colloquial material redeems this. And so it goes for this first CD.

The second CD contains two sets of ten pieces each. The Diez Preludios are well characterized pieces, being free, and simple, settings of children’s songs and very attractive they are too. Very short, they leave you wanting more. The Diez Cantilenas Argentinas which follow are much bigger pieces, more nationalistic in feel. The tempi are, in general, leisurely and the composer takes his time to make his point. These are lovely pieces, abstract in feel with a thicker texture than the Preludios, and much more filigree writing.

The final CD starts with a shock. Here is some strong, individual music, obviously from the same hand as the earlier pieces but with more character. Until now I was beginning to wonder if Guastavino’s style developed and was most pleasingly surprised with these Tres Romances Nuevos (Three New Romances), although there are only two! Pueblito, mu pueblo, Cancion Argentina is a step backwards, being a later arrangement of a very early song, but with Las Presencias (Appearances) and Mis Amigos (My Friends) we reach Guastavino’s mature style, and most attractive it is. These fifteen short pieces are portraits of friends (some imaginary!) and they are light and delicate, full of colour and a real feel for the south. It really was worth waiting for these prizes. The final set of Popular Songs presents the most effective treatment of simple material with a childlike effortlessness.

If you’re expecting highly rhythmic, heavily accented Argentinian music of the Ginastera type, or the slinky, sexy tangos of the great Astor Piazzolla then this is not for you. What Guastavino gives us is South America through a late 19th – early 20th century European compositional style, but with the voice of the Americas always to the fore. This is not a set for playing from start to finish in one sitting, but there’s enough music of interest, and variety within the small style, here for many enjoyable visits.

Martin Jones is a fine, and always reliable, pianist so I have no doubt that his performances are of the first order, they certainly sound most authoritative - I have never seen the music so am relying entirely on my ears! - and I suspect the thoroughly enjoyed himself when recording these most enjoyable works.

The booklet is excellent, Calum MacDonald’s twelve pages of biography and discussion of the music are all one could want in helping you through music which is new to you.

Well worth having for the simple delight in solid, well crafted and unpretentious compositions and music making.

-- Bob Briggs, MusicWeb International

Guitar Favorites

Classical Music

Gaspard Le Roux belongs to the very first rank of clavecinistes of the seventeenth century, on a par with Louis Couperin. For sustained invention, refinement of ornamentation and profundity of expression, Le Roux' Pies de clavecin.

Busoni was a musician of rare versatility – a pianist, composer, writer and editor. His deep study of Bach and Mozart was essential to his own thoughts and creativity. It also bore much compositional fruit in the form of transcriptions and adaptations. The most famous transcription surely is his piano arrangement of the Chaconne from Bach's D-minor Partita for unaccompanied violin.

Includes prelude(s) for guitar by Manuel Ponce. Soloist: Adam Holzman.

Classical Music

Fairy Tales, Folklore, & Fables or, Every Ogre is Unique At a time when children are bombarded with images that leave nothing to the imagination, it feels right to play a role in the centuries-old oral tradition of storytelling; listening to stories let's children make their own images. Add music to that (and let it tell it's own, parallel version of the tale) and you have the makings for something pretty interesting. The Philadelphia-based children's music and storytelling troupe Auricolae has performed for thousands of students throughout the Northeast. Audience participation and playful musical dialogue are hallmarks of the presentations and our aim is to introduce young people to the language of music through the telling of stories. The distinct palette available in music for violin, cello and narrator is quite versatile and has led composers down very different paths. In particular, the role of narrator changes depending upon the piece. Sometimes in dialogue with the instruments, other times it is completely separate and, occasionally, it even becomes an instrument in it's own right. The CD begins with Ferdinand the Bull, Munro Leaf's classic story about a peace-loving bull who, resisting the pressure of his peers, prefers to "smell the flowers" over fighting. Curiously, the story was written during the Spanish civil war and was banned in Spain after right-wing groups called it 'subversive." English composer Alan Ridout's (1934-1996) musical setting demands daunting virtuosity from the violinist. Eric Sessler (b.1969) had the inspired idea to compose multiple endings for The Rascally Rogue of the Beanstalk (a.k.a. Jack and the Beanstalk). All three additional endings are included on this recording following the original version of the piece. Robert Capanna's (b. 1952) unique take on Rumpilstilskin treats the narrator as an equal partner in the music-making. Employing sprechstimme, a technique first used by Schoenberg, the narrator weaves complex rhythms in and out of the violin and cello lines. An Adventure at Grannies by Gwyneth Walker (b. 1947) is a musical dramatization of 'Little Red Riding Hood' in which the instruments assume several character roles and play musical motifs to highlight the text. The Klezmer work Prince Rooster by David Yang (b. 1967) is based on a 19th Century Chassidic folk tale by Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav about a young man with a unique problem and a doctor with a unique solution. Finally, Three Little Pigs was written by Daniel Dorff (b.1956) and contains quotes and references not only to other classical works but to the rhythm of the text itself ("not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin...."). Artistic Director and narrator for Auricolae David Yang is a viola player who has collaborated with members of the Audubon, Borromeo, Brentano, Lark, Muir and Tokyo String Quartets, amongst others. He is also Artistic Director of the Newburyport Chamber Music Festival and founder of the Philadelphia Viola Society and Director of Chamber Music at the University of Pennsylvania. Unholy offspring of a Chinese landscape photographer and Jewish yenta from Brooklyn, David lives in Philadelphia with his daughters, Eliana and Alessandra.

Jenó Jandó's Naxos survey of Beethoven's Bagatelles and dances for solo piano reaches Volume 3. Jandó's adroit and stylish readings have much to commend them, especially in their technical agility and clarity of execution. The greater part of this release is given over to the 12 Minuets--not normally the kind of music that lends itself usefully to cyclical hearing. But in these performances Jandó manages to get away from any repetitiveness and predictability, a potential danger in genre pieces, particularly when heard en masse. That he characterises each so effectively comes down to taut rhythms and clinical exactitude in matters of dynamics and articulation.



The disc opens with six more substantial items, including the two Op. 51 Rondos, the A major Rondo WoO 49, the so-called "Andante favori" (Andante in F WoO 57), and the famous "Rage over a lost penny", otherwise the Rondo a Capriccio in G Op. 129. Again, Jandó's performances are enjoyable and illuminating. Note for example how he highlights contrasts of mood and dynamics so effectively in the last of these works, sharpening the acerbity of its more fevered passages through a clarity of attack that owes more to keyboard articulation than to the pedal--commendable, given his brisk tempo. The two Op. 51 Rondos are also more tersely etched and rigorous than you'll often hear, so I'm inclined to rate Jandó's accounts more highly than Brendel's here. Another welcome addition to a useful budget series.
--Michael Jameson, ClassicsToday.com