Classical Music

Wolfgang Rübsam, one of the finest, busiest, and most prolifically recorded organists on Planet Earth, launches the first volume of a cycle devoted to the complete organ works of Pachelbel. The first impression you'll get from placing this disc in your trusty CD changer will be the pungency of the bright, reedy stops characterizing the organ by Johann Nepomuk Holzhey at Wiessnau (built in the 1780s). Naxos' transparent, up-close engineering further underscores the instrument's timbral distinctions. Listen, for example, to the registral clarity in the three Christmas Chorale Preludes, the brooding G minor Fantasia (what heartbreakingly gorgeous low-register harmonies!), or the flowing, reflective Komm, Gott Schöpfer, heiliger Geist. The two Toccatas in C major boast snarling pedal-points from which vivid, trumpet-like lines proudly take wing. Rübsam's slight ritards and breath marks throughout the D minor Chaconne, together with his strikingly varied couplings, add welcome drama and color to the score. Some listeners might prefer the steadier rhythm and restrained registration of Joseph Payne's more conservative reading on Centaur, but I lean toward Rübsam.


Payne's Pachelbel cycle, nearly complete at 10 volumes, employs a different organ for each installment. Will Rübsam do the same? That is, if he's been designated to record the whole Naxos Pachelbel cycle himself (remember, the label's Dupré organ music cycle is given over to different players). Artistically speaking, Rübsam and Payne complement rather than compete with each other. Even if you've acquired all or many or some of the Payne volumes, give Rübsam's Pachelbel a fair shot. What can you lose at Naxos' rock bottom price? Stay tuned for Volume 2.
--Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com

BACH, J.S.: Sonatas for Violin and Harpsichord, Vol. 2

Handel: Dettingen Te Deum & Te Deum in A Major

HANDEL: Ode for St. Cecilia's Day

Channel Classics gives us under-appreciated stellar talents in violinist Rachel Podger and cellist Peter Wispelwey, and Naxos offers parallels in violinist Michiko Kamiya and cellist Vytautas Sondeckis in it's Laureate series. Sondeckis serves up a 60-minute box of assortment from eastern Europe here, with expressive vibrato and the solid technical skills one might expect from the son of a distinguished cellist and student of David Geringas, himself a renowned cellist who ably conducts the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra in this recording. Much of the music is familiar: Tchaikovsky's Melody, Nocturne, and Andante Cantabile, Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee and Serenade, and Rachmaninoff's Vocalise. Other pieces are less well-known, works by Davidov, Dvarionas and Taneyev, and a lush Shostakovich adagio arranged for cello and string orchestra by Atovmyan.

To know only the popular Vals Criollo among Antonio Lauro's Venezuelan Waltzes for guitar is like knowing just one Chopin Mazurka, Scarlatti Sonata, Haydn Symphony, or Joplin Rag. Buy this disc and you'll encounter a treasure trove of exquisitely wrought miniatures. They are gorgeously deployed for the instrument, laced with ear-tickling harmonic invention, and offer further rewards with each hearing. Lauro's virtuosic demands pose no problem at all for Adam Holzman's immaculate technique. More importantly, he taps into the heart and soul of Lauro's idiom, playing with effortless élan, flowing lyricism, and infectious musicality. On top of that, the disc is excellently recorded. A lovely, lovely release. Go get it. --Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com

SIBELIUS: Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5

This disc features the second half of the 12 sonatas (actually suites of dance movements) that make up The Nymphs of the Rhine Op. 8 by the fascinating 17th century Dutch-German composer Johannes Schenck. A master gambist, Schenck's absolute knowledge of the potential of the instrument is on full display in these superbly crafted, colorful works, and Susie Napper and Margaret Little, the players in Les Voix Humaines, possess superb skill and incisive musical instincts. The dialogue between the instruments seems effortless, allowing Schenck's cosmopolitan blend of musical languages to speak naturally. Just listen to the gentle weeping of the Menuet, or to the highly expressive Allegro "Aria" of the E minor sonata, with its delicately interlaced musings.

A real treat is the Rondeau of the C minor sonata--the opening eerily imitates the drone of a bagpipe (complete with the characteristic swell up to the first note), as the tune, reminiscent of a sober Breton folk song, dances on. Throughout this recording the musicians engage as much technical and interpretive facility as required to effectively capture the music's wide variety of manners and moods. Naxos' sound has a bit of a metallic edge, but is certainly full and clear. If you already have the excellent first volume of The Nymphs of the Rhine, then you'll surely want this one too. If not, then this is a fine introduction to some terrific music.
--David Preiser, ClassicsToday.com

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

HAYDN: Symphonies, Vol. 24 (Nos. 43, 46, 47)

MOZART: London Sketchbook

Bach's D minor Concerto BWV 1052 is one of his very greatest works, whether heard in its arrangements for harpsichord solo, violin solo, or even organ solo (first movement) as the prelude to one of the church cantatas. The music has a brooding, almost tragic intensity, partly the result of the tensely stern melodic material, partly due to the fact that all three movements are set in minor keys. It's also a very large work, at more than 20 minutes one of the largest of all Baroque concertos. Robert Hill gives a stunning performance of the work here, comparable to the great recording by his mentor and teacher, Gustav Leonhardt. Unlike many period instrument people, Hill's refusal to rush the outer movements gives the music an extra measure of grim strength, and his deft passagework allows every Bachian note to register with unforced clarity. He's also excellently accompanied by an orchestra of modern strings, and has selected an instrument that allows the music to cut through the accompaniment without the tone ever turning metallic. The antithesis of BWV 1052 is the sunny E major Concerto BWV 1053. It's equally well done by soloist Christoph Anselm Noll. In fact, all four soloists acquit themselves admirably, making this budget priced issue the equal of any other available version of this music. First rate. --David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

Once again Naxos pulls a rabbit out of its hat with this gorgeous release of Alan Rawsthorne's music (with two world premieres yet). Rawsthorne (1905-71) was one of a middle generation of 20th century British Romanticists whose music had a somewhat rough edge, veering toward elements of atonality without really crossing the line (this is particularly true of his symphonies). One of Rawsthorne's best works, easily ranking with his symphonies, is the Symphonic Studies (1939) performed here. With its shifting moods and bright orchestral colors, this work more closely resembles a concerto for orchestra and is full of delicious surprises. It alone is worth the price of admission.


The world premieres here are the two concertos, one for oboe from 1947, the other a 1966 cello concerto. Both are mainstream Romantic works but with a bit more emotional content than found in the Symphonic Studies. The Oboe Concerto might draw comparisons with the one by Vaughan Williams, but while it has the same depth of emotion, it also has fewer melancholic elements. The soloist is Stéphane Rancourt, whose oboe provides a warm, sympathetic reading of the material without being assertive or showy. The Cello Concerto is a more dour work and it will remind the informed listener of Arnold Bax's cello concerto--but again, without that composer's brooding temperament. However, every performance element here is in place and the sound quality is superior. If you're new to Rawsthorne, there is no better introduction to his music than the Symphonic Studies. This is a real find.
--Paul Cook, ClassicsToday.com

Judy Loman spent most of her career as principal harpist for the Toronto Symphony (retiring in 2002), while making frequent appearances as soloist and chamber musician. For at least four decades she has reigned as one of the world's premier harp virtuosos, and this new release shows that her enthusiasm and flair for performing and her impeccable technique and articulate, always stylish expression haven't diminished one bit. And on this fine outing, we find that the recording's title delivers exactly what it promises, offering not run-of-the-mill transcriptions often presented on such compilations but rather many original and rarely-heard works--and in a well-organized, varied, musically compatible program.


The only weak spot in terms of repertoire is the opening Fantasy on a Theme of Haydn by Marcel Grandjany, competently written and certainly attractive enough, but offering nothing really original in its quaint, rather predictable 19th-century style (a bit of a stretch for a work published in 1953). Of course Loman makes the most of it--very much, actually--and brings us along through its nearly eight minutes by virtue of her scintillating fingerwork, amazing fast legato runs, and, need we say it, shimmering arpeggios. And speaking of "scintillation", Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy (b. 1964) contributes a stunning piece of work by that title that's actually the solo cadenza from her Harp Concerto "And then at night I paint the stars", which she wrote for Loman's retirement from the Toronto Symphony.


Other highlights include the impressionistic Vers la source dans le bois by Marcel Tournier and a transcription of Prokofiev's piano Prelude in C Op. 12 No. 7, which Loman performs with such crystal clarity--you hear every single note and line--and such perfect balances between lower and upper registers that you can't imagine a more ideal rendition of the piece, no matter what the instrument. Finally, in the Ballade Op. 28 we hear why Carlos Salzédo, with his fascinating use of articulation effects and his grand-scale, all-over-the-harp gestures was such an important, commanding figure as a harpist and composer for the instrument. Loman conveys the work's varied moods and fulfills its formidable technical demands with a thoroughly engrossing performance that shows off both her impressive dynamic power and facility for more subtle, lyrical expression. The sound is impressive as well--big and bold yet clear and vibrant, with the harp appropriately positioned relative to the listener so that even an hour of plucking doesn't wear on the ear. If this is your kind of music, you should look for an earlier "companion" to this program (also on Naxos) titled Harp Showpieces (type Q3108 in Search Reviews), which contains another beautiful work by Tournier along with Salzédo's own Scintillation. [10/19/2005]
--David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com

Brahms: Four-Hand Piano Music, Vol. 11

Naxos launches a survey of Buxtehude's complete organ works with a well-varied selection of chorale preludes, fugal works, and virtuoso showpieces. Volker Ellenberger's fluent technique and intelligent musicianship particularly come across in the chorale preludes and in larger-scaled works like the Magnificat primi toni (BuxWV 203), where the four fugues effortlessly emerge from their more freely conceived preceding episodes. The bassoon-like clarity of the pedal registration in the G major Prelude and Fugue BuxWV 147 helps move the music forward, as does Ellenberger's sharply etched phrasing in the fugue. The latter contrasts with Rene Saorgin's slower, more yielding (though no less valid) treatment. On the other hand, Saorgin's ebullient dash through the BuxWV 149 G minor Praeludium's introduction presents the music in a more improvisatory light compared to the shorter phrase lengths Ellenberger stresses.


The 1997 organ of the Evangelical Lutheran City Church in Bückeburg, Germany benefits from clear and close-up engineering, similar to what producer Wolfgang Rübsam enjoyed in his fine (and sadly out-of-print) Buxtehude cycle recorded for Bellaphon in the early 1980s. Should the remaining releases in this series match Volume 1's high performance and engineering standards, we'll have a Buxtehude cycle on par with Saorgin's classic Harmonia Mundi recordings from the late '60s/early '70s.
--Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com

The three works presented on this installment (Vol. 23) in Naxos' ongoing series of Haydn symphonies (using three different orchestras) usually appear only when somebody does a complete cycle. This is not surprising with so many great works in his symphonic output. Still, symphony No. 31 is very entertaining. The opening horn call which gave the work its 'Hornsignal" nickname quickly gives way to a beautiful movement featuring solo lines from the violin, cello and double bass, just like an old fashioned concerto grosso. The music is much more interesting than the other two works, and the excellent soloists play very tastefully. Some listeners may have slight objections to the Eastern European sounding winds and horns (all four of whom get plenty of action), but they actually lend a rustic quality, which is quite appropriate. Symphonies 27 & 28 are less remarkable by Hadyn's high standards, but both feature his usual high-spirited Allegros and Presto finales. The Nicolaus Esterházy Orchestra plays cleanly and brightly, if occasionally a bit stiffly. For example, the Menuet of No. 28 is a bit heavy-footed, and the following Trio could have used a slightly brisker tempo for contrast. These and a couple of other spots are just a bit too homogenous. Naxos' recorded sound is very good, and the balance is fine throughout, making this disc a nice way to get acquainted with some little known music.

--David Preiser, ClassicsToday.com

SIBELIUS: Finlandia / Karelia Suite / Lemminkainen Suite

Bruckner: Symphonies No. 8, WAB 108 & No. 0, "Nullte", WAB 1

VIVALDI: Flute Concertos (Famous)

Field: Piano Concertos, Vol. 3

DVORAK: Symphony No. 9 / SMETANA: Moldau (Kleiber) (1927-19

GIANTS OF JAZZ

LEE, Peggy: It's a Good Day (1941-1950)

This album was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental
Soloist(s) Performance with Orchestra.

Claude Monet (1840-1926) was at the forefront of the Impressionist revolution in painting. Together with a small group of like-minded friends, he scandalized the critics by devising a new way of representing the world in all it's bewildering variety of light and shadow. Here, the world of Monet is given a musical perspective with a carefully chosen selection of pieces by the finest composers of his time. We may enjoy here some of the greatest moments in musical and artistic development in the late nineteenth century, as Impressionism was emerging triumphant. On this CD, Monet's incredible foresight and breathtaking depictions of natural beauty are musically complemented by such landmarks as Debussy's graceful Pr�lude � l'apr�s-midi d'un faune and Bizet's daring masterpiece Carmen. 1 CD with full-color, illustrated, explanatory booklet.