Classical Music

Classical Music

Received opinion holds that the subtle inner workings of Fauré's solo piano works are difficult to communicate across the footlights of a standard size concert hall. I doubt, however, that Sally Pinkas believes so. Each of Fauré's 13 Nocturnes benefits from Pinkas' ample, full-bodied tone and confident yet never aggressive projection. She is less inclined to savor the first five Nocturnes' wistful melodies than to interpret the composer's "molto espressivo" directions by fashioning the right hand phrases into paragraphic statements that keep the storylines vibrantly afloat. At the same time, Pinkas is astutely attuned to the later Nocturnes' allusive harmonic language and bleak surface style. In general, her playing proves a compelling foil to the drier, small-roomed intimacy characterizing Jean-Phillipe Collard's reference EMI set, and the extraordinary, classic mono traversals by Germaine Thyssens-Valentin (Testament). A bonus disc features Pinkas delivering an insightful and warmly communicative talk about these works, with appropriate musical demonstrations. Highly recommended.--Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com

Selection includes "Beyond the Notes" - The Mendelssohn's, and the artist's place in high society.

A revolution in art and literature swept through Europe and by the early 1800s Romanticism dominated the musical landscape. Such figures as Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Brahms exemplified the ideals yet maintained highly individual approaches. Now, our finest historically-informed musicians and scholars present this incomparable repertoire in a series destined by become an essential part of every serious music lover’s collection. Karol Szymanowski was a giant in the history of Polish music and among the greatest composers of his turbulent era. His music spans a kaleidoscopic range of styles from late-Romantic chromaticism, to shimmering Impressionism, to a proud and energetic nationalist idiom. All his music is marked by an attractive lyricism and an exceptional sensitivity to tone color. Pianist Matthew Bengtson and violinist Blanka Bednarz, life-long tireless advocates of his music, present a varied program of his greatest masterpieces for solo piano and violin/piano duo.

This is the première recording of Alessandro Grandi’s complete arias for solo voice from his third volume of 1626, performed here by tenor Bud Roach as they would have been commonly heard at the time of their publication: with the singer accompanying himself on the baroque guitar. A contemporary of Claudio Monteverdi, Grandi found his greatest success with cantatas and arias for solo voice. These secular songs were among the most popular in Venice throughout the third decade of the 17th century, and are considered to represent the apogee of the genre. Like many of the song collections published by Vincenti, this volume includes “alfabeto” notation for the strummed Spanish guitar. - Musica Omnia

Robert Schumann carved out a unique position for himself in the world of German Romanticism, especially in the creation of a new genre of solo piano music, which consisted of a cycle of miniatures, often provided with evocatively poetic titles. The present recording features three of Schumann’s works in this form: Papillons, Op. 2, Kinderszenen, Op. 15 & Waldszenen, Op. 82. Also included are Schumann’s Op. 1 Abegg Variations and the haunting Arabeske, Op. 18. Penelope Crawford enhances her performances through the use of an original fortepiano from 1835 by Viennese master-builder, Conrad Graf.

A revolution in art and literature swept through Europe and by the early 1800s Romanticism dominated the musical landscape. Such figures as Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Brahms exemplified the ideals yet maintained highly individual approaches. Now, our finest historically-informed musicians and scholars present this incomparable repertoire in a series destined by become an essential part of every serious music lover’s collection. Robert Schumann, the “herald of a new poetic age”, in the words of his biographer, John Daverio, carved out a unique position for himself in the world of German Romanticism, especially in the creation of a new genre of solo piano music, which consisted of a cycle of miniatures, often provided with evocatively poetic titles. The present recording features Schumann’s three-movement Fantasie in C major, Op. 17 and the playfully mysterious and kaleidoscopic Carnaval, Op. 9, a series of miniature character portraits with a wide range of moods and textures. Chi-Chen Wu performs these works on a copy of a 19thcentury Viennese fortepiano by Rodney Regier.

A wonderful recording of Schubert’s great chamber music works.

While Schubert only composed the two piano trios in this set, they are certainly among the finest masterpieces of 19th-century chamber music. Long four-movement works - the first is nearly 41 minutes here, and the second over 52 minutes - they show Schubert at his most inventive, and most melodic. The long finale of the Op. 100 piano trio is one of the finest chamber music movements I know, and contains one of Schubert’s most haunting melodies.
 
This set, on original instruments, brings out the intricate interplay between the violin and cello, and the fortepiano is ideally balanced with the two string instruments. Both the playing and recording here are exemplary. The Atlantis Trio is what improvisational musicians would call “tight”; their playing fits together perfectly, and you can hear the music come alive from three musicians who clearly enjoy what they are playing. This music is dynamic at times, grave at others, but always vibrant and full of vigour.
 
To fill out this two-disc set, three shorter works are included. The Adagio e Rondo Concertante in F Major is a quartet, with an additional viola; the Notturno in E-Flat Major is a single movement for trio that may originally have been composed for the Op. 99 trio; and the Sonata in B-Flat Major is a single movement of an unfinished youthful work. While the latter is clearly inferior to the two great trios, it is interesting to hear.
 
This double is a re-mastering of an item released some years ago. The sound is crystal-clear, offering a fine dynamic range, admirable balance among the instruments, delicious texture and a vibrant soundscape.
 
These piano trios are among the staples of chamber music, and this set - part of a continuing series featuring piano trios by Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Schumann - on original instruments is excellent, both for its performance and for its sound.
 
-- Kirk McElhearn, MusicWeb International  

Classical Music

Harpsichordist Nickolai Sheikov makes his recording debut with Musica Omnia in this select program of fifteen of the 555 dazzling, expressive and highly original sonatas penned by Domenico Scarlatti. Mr. Sheikov's performances have been critically acclaimed. Following the 2009 inauguration solo recital at Boston's new concert series Music at First Church, the Boston Musical Intelligencer described Nickolai as a "noteworthy" and "an excellent harpsichordist". Nickolai appears as soloist, chamber musician and continuo player at venues in cities across the USA.

- Robert Schumann's three sonatas for violin and piano embody the 19th c. German Romantic perspective. - Entering Schumann's unique sound world, violinist Nicholas DiEugenio and pianist Chi-Chen Wu draw further inspiration from the builder Rodney Regier's unique creation of a fortepiano that embodies the ideal characteristics of instruments by Vienna's greatest early 19th c. builders, Conrad Graf and Ignaz B�sendorfer. - The release of this disc ushers in the first such recording to feature performances of all three sonatas on a fortepiano.

The Harmen Kröger organ of St. Mary’s Church in Celle, Lower Saxony, dates from 1653, and is witness to the changing musical requirements placed on the instrument from its first construction into the early 20th century. Restored in 1999 to its original state by Australian organ builder, Rowan West, it provides an authentic voice for the music of Northern German masters from Scheidemann through to Buxtehude and Bach. Brett Leighton, one of Europe’s leading organists specializing in authentic instruments of the 17th and 18th centuries provides a comprehensive portrait of the German organ of this period. - Musica Omnia

1 Dietrich Buxtehude: Toccata in D minor, BuxWV 155
2 Matthias Weckmann: Canzona (III) in D minor
3 Jacob Praetorius: Von allen Menschen abgewandt I
4 Jacob (II) Praetorius: Von allen Menschen abgewandt II & III
5 Heinrich Scheidemann: Praeambulum in C major, WV 72
6 Heinrich Scheidemann: Eine feste Burg ist unser Gott,WV 76
7 Franz Tunder: Praeludium in F major
8 Melchior Schildt(?):Wie schön leucht uns der Morgenstern = Johann Sebastian Bach: In dulci jubilo, BWV 608
9 J. S. Bach: Allein Gott in der Höh‘ sey Ehr, BWV 676
10 J. S. Bach: Toccata in C major, BWV 564

Trained as a singer, Agostino Steffani was an impeccable composer for the voice. His ingratiating melodies, held by sure-footed harmony, subtly convey every nuance of the words that he set. In his chamber duets these qualities are enhanced by a richness of vocal textures ranging from parallel motion to intricate counterpoint. Like the trio sonatas of Corelli (their instrumental counterparts), the duets of Steffani were the pinnacle of their genre, providing models for Handel and others. That the magnificent examples on this release are presented as a story demonstrates that they approach the subject of love from an ingenious variety of angles. Leading vocalists present these works, all experts in the dramatic Italian baroque vocal style, and noted harpsichordist Jory Vinikour provides musical direction for the project.

Selection includes a 20 minute discussion disc "Beyond the Notes" - The Virginalists: An English Phenomenon.