Domenico Cimarosa’s abilities as an operatic composer are evident in his large-scale Requiem in which the soloists and chorus range from the mournful supplication of the opening movements, through vivid evocations of the ‘day of wrath’ and the praises uttered by the heavenly hosts in the Sanctus, to the prayers for mercy, peace and eternal light which conclude the work. Composed to commemorate the death in 1787 of the wife of the French ambassador in St Petersburg, its overall character is one of classical restraint.

ARAMBARRI: 8 Basque Songs / In Memoriam / Spanish Fantasy

Whenever the words “among the most frequently performed” are used in a description of a contemporary choral composer, we usually can expect (if the claim is true) that the music is not only singable by good choral singers (not just professionals) but is also enjoyable to sing–and that it’s readily listenable by most anyone who loves choral music–certainly tonal (usually free of confounding quirks and troublesome crags), with attractive melodies. Even better is if the texts are interesting (unusual, even), enhanced by clever and competently realized music. And, for those who aren’t familiar with Kim André Arnesen–“one of Norway’s most frequently performed contemporary composers”–that’s pretty much what you get on this program of 12 works, several of them receiving their recording premieres.

None of this says anything about how “good” the music is; in fact, some listeners will likely find these pieces not challenging enough–a little too easy to listen to, a little too similar in style and mood. But I wouldn’t go that far. Arnesen builds his music on rich, lush harmonic structures–so yes, there are lots of chords, beautiful, flowing, often the foundation for melody (Flight Song), but sometimes the vibrant, resonating clusters of tones make their own powerful effect without need for a real tune–for example in O Sacrum Convivium, which will remind some listeners of the style of Morten Lauridsen.

Versions of the text in the opening work, lines discovered on a Nazi concentration camp wall (it begins, “I believe in the sun even when it’s not shining…”) have been set by many composers, and Arnesen’s proves as poignant as any, particularly as it focuses so pointedly on the few words–three short lines–capturing in varied musical repetitions the deeply felt, personal, truthful sentiment expressed by that anonymous author in that awful, desperate time and place. Arnesen’s melodic facility appears perhaps most strongly in his Flight Song, which he wrote for Anton Armstrong’s 25th year as St. Olaf Choir conductor–a lovely melody you might have heard someplace before, but not quite. Throughout the program you notice how Arnesen often manages to create engaging pieces of five, six, or seven minutes seemingly without a whole lot of material–again, somewhat in the mold of Lauridsen, but less prone to direct repetition, so the music is more open, more expansive–and we’re just carried along by the dynamic flow of harmony and the beauty of these voices. What finer advocates for his music could a composer have than these excellent singers of Kantorei?

And as for the music itself, I’ve said before: any competent composer can write really difficult music intended only for professional singers (not that there’s anything wrong with that); but it takes a special kind of composer–such as Arnesen–who understands the nature and complexities of choral composition and knows the nature and complexities of singers and singing–and is able to create music of high quality and sophistication that’s both satisfying and accessible to a vast community of accomplished yet non-professional musicians and legions of serious listeners, most of whom appreciate an occasional challenge but who also crave the pure pleasure of musical experience where voices simply soar and harmonies shimmer and there are no grimaces or gritted teeth or ruffled ears anywhere to be found. Yes, there are one or two pieces here that push the schmaltz level slightly past my limit–but even so, that’s a small price to pay for the hour of “pure pleasure” on the rest of the program.

– David Vernier (ClassicsToday)

Includes sonata(s) for keyboard by Antonio Soler. Soloist: Gilbert Rowland.

An important marker in Debussy’s compositional development, the Fantaisie reflects something of the influence of César Franck’s Symphonic Variations yet embodies his own new aesthetic. Unpublished in Debussy’s lifetime, it is heard here in its 1968 revision. The delicately evocative Rapsodie for saxophone is an exotic work with an ‘oriental’ atmosphere and Spanish or Moorish associations. Although composed as a Conservatoire test piece, the Première Rapsodie for Clarinet has long since entered the repertoire as an important addition for the instrument. The glittering Danses for harp and strings recall Satie’s Gymnopédies, with the Danse profane in particular calling for a degree of virtuosity. Volume 6 of this much-admired series (Naxos 8.572583) was praised for its ‘subtle and sensitive readings’. (Gramophone)

"We've reached Volume 7 in Naxos's superb Lyonnaise exploration of Debussy's orchestral works with the thrilling Fantaisie for Piano and Orchestra, superbly played here by Jean-Yves Thibaudet. It's a grand showpiece, reminiscent of César Franck's Symphonic Variations but painted in Debussy's inimitable palette."

-- Stephen Pritchard, The Observer [11/19/2011]

TCHAIKOVSKY: 1812 Overture / Romeo and Juliet / Capriccio It

HADJIDAKIS For a Little White Seashell. 6 Popular Pictures. Suite for Piano, “Ionian.” Rhythmology • Danae Kara (pn) • NAXOS 8.570957 (73:01)


Manos Hadjidakis was born in northern Greece in 1925. He was a constant and authoritative presence in the chaotic Greek scene of the latter half of the 20th century, but was also active in the movie business. His song Never on Sunday won an Academy Award in 1960 for the film of the same name. He died in 1994. This CD presents a collection of his solo piano music, spanning a period from 1947 to 1971. Although he took some classes at the Athens Conservatory, he was largely self-taught. Nevertheless, his music is well constructed and compelling. His language is mainly derived from folk sources, primarily dance, with vibrant rhythms and interesting harmonic flashes elevating the material from banality. Juilliard-trained Greek pianist Kara presents the music with delightful energy and color.


FANFARE: Peter Burwasser

In April 1764 the Mozart family arrived in London on a concert tour arranged by Mozart's father Leopold which had already taken them to cities in Germany and to Paris. They were to stay until summer the following year. Received at the English court.

Naxos' acclaimed recordings of the music of John Ireland continue with this disc of the three piano trios and music for violin and piano. The tuneful Phantasie Trio of 1908 was one of the first of his works to bring him to public notice.

Ferdinand Ries’s life and work are inextricably intertwined with those of his friend and teacher Beethoven, and both Cello Sonatas, Op. 20 and 21 were dedicated to cellist Bernhard Romberg, who performed regularly with Beethoven. Ries exploits Romberg’s extraordinary sound quality in the lower register of the cello in music that resonates with references to colleagues such as Haydn and Hummel. Ries’s final Cello Sonata, Op. 125, completes a triptych that richly deserves its place in the cello repertoire. This release joins an ongoing program of releases of music by neglected composer Ferdinand Ries. This has included an edition of his complete piano sonatas and sonatinas played by Susan Kagan, to whom “classical music lovers owe a debt of gratitude for rescuing these attractive keyboard creations from the undeserved obscurity that they’ve been languishing in for the past two centuries or so.” (Halesowen News) Acclaimed cellist Martin Rummel has recorded widely for labels including Paladino Music and Capriccio. His recordings for Naxos include works for cello and piano by Joseph Merk and Reinhold Gliere. Recordings by pianist Stefan Stroissnig include Beethoven’s Second and Fourth Piano Concertos with the RSO Wien conducted by Heinrich Schiff on the Gramola Records label, and his recording of the Four Impromptus Op. 90 by Franz Schubert and the Sonata in B minor by Franz Liszt was awarded the ‘Pasticcio Prize’ by Austrian Radio.

This programme brings together aesthetic and musical elements of East and West. Zhou Long captures the essence of the Chinese plucked ch'in and Cambodian aesthetics are preserved in Chinary Ung's expressive Spiral III. Tan Dun's Eight Colors combines the exotic timbres of Peking Opera with Second Viennese School tonalities. Gao Ping's Bright Light and Cloud Shadows has been admired for it's 'long-breathed brush strokes' (Washington Post). Taking it's inspiration from James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake Toru Takemitsu's beautifully crafted a Way a Lone evokes a shimmering sound world.

Baron von Dittersdorf's attractive personality and inventiveness as a composer shines through in every movement of the three charming symphonies featured on this world premi're recording.

Félicien David was the pivotal figure in French opera that ignited the obsession for setting works in the exotic East. Almost all the country's leading composers in the late 19th century followed his lead, including Saint-Saëns, Delibes, Gounod and Massenet. Premièred in 1862 and recorded here for the first time, David's magical opera Lalla Roukh uses evocative orchestration to support the fairy-tale plot of an Indian princess and her journey in search of love. The work contains some memorable melodies, the most famous of which, Charmant oiseau, has been a favorite of the world’s greatest sopranos.

"The best of the music has great charm and is less self-consciously exotic than the orientalia of, say, Bizet or Massenet. Noureddin's serenades re ravishingly sung by Emiliano Gonzalez Toro. Marianne Fiset is supremely elegant in the title role." -- Tim Ashley, The Guardian [4/10/14]
“All the principals have firm, clear voices...Marianne Fiest as the heroine has a bright, perfectly placed soprano, attacking even the most exposed notes with precision.” -- Gramophone [6/2014]

Though Bach’s set of six ‘Sonatas and Partitas’ represents the pinnacle of writing for the solo violin, the Baroque repertoire was rich in compositions for the unaccompanied violin, much of which remains little explored. On this recording Augusta McKay Lodge, hailed as “the real thing, a true virtuoso” (Seen and Heard), explores masters of the genre such as Biber, Locatelli and Pisendel but delves deeper to include the impassioned works of Nicola Matteis, the Franco-Italian warmth of Thomas Baltzar and a series of other long-overshadowed works by their contemporaries.

Composer Michael William Balfe composed 29 operas, and around 250 other pieces. He is best known for his opera The Bohemian Girl. Balfe’s opera Satanella was his 23rd opera, and was premiered at Covent Garden in 1858. The work is a hybrid of classical opera tradition and stand-alone songs. This release is performed by the John Powell Singers and the Victorian Opera Orchestra under the direction of Richard Bonynge.

Review:

Bonynge is unsurpassed in this repertoire; he keeps it zipping buoyantly along, effortlessly supporting his singers and clearly relishing every baleful horn call, rippling harp and languishing cello solo. His cast, too, feels near-ideal. The young Chinese-born tenor Kang Wang is a Rupert of considerable dash, and Sally Silver sings the title-role…with sweetness and sparkle.

– Gramophone

Granados, E.: Piano Music, Vol. 5 - Escenas Poeticas / Azul

TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Music, Vol. 2

Glazunov, A.K.: Orchestral Works, Vol. 14 - Piano Concertos

Includes work(s) for pno by Claude Debussy. Soloist: François-Joël Thiollier.

The reputation of Polish pianist, composer, conductor and educator Józef Wieniawski has proved less robust than that of his famous elder brother, the violinist Henryk Wieniawski, but during his lifetime he was considered one of Europe’s finest musicians. The brothers performed together extensively for a time, and the virtuoso elements in the violin part of the youthful Allegro de sonate and Grand Duo polonais can be credited to Henryk. Józef’s Violin Sonata reveals elegant sophistication, expressive depth and jocular playfulness in exploring the full expressive range of both instruments.

This selection of some of Wagner's finest orchestral excerpts opens with the 'storm-swept ballad' of Der fliegende Holle�nder, the opera which launched his epoch-defining later masterpieces. The entire span of Der Ring des Nibelungen is represented in this program, from the luminous rainbow bridge which leads the gods to Valhalla in Das Rheingold, the urgent drama of Die Walkure, and the atmospheric repose of the Forest Murmurs in Siegfried, to the tragic depths of Siegfried's Funeral March. This recording has been praised for it's 'radiant sensuousness'. (Gramophone) Volumes 2 and 3 in this series are available on 8.572768 and 8.572769.

This is an incredibly beautiful CD, one that will surely be played repeatedly around here. The repertoire is mostly for string orchestra and every piece is a romantic gem. Lars-Erik Larsson's music occupies half the CD, and ranges from the tuneful Little Serenade to the eloquent, soul searching Adagio. Gunnar de Frumerie wrote romantic music within a neo-classic framework, and his Pastoral Suite, exquisitely played here, is a prime example. Kurt Atterberg's Suite, which began life as music for a play called Sister Beatrice, is perhaps on a more spiritual level than the pastoral works of the other composers. Atterberg's use of modality at times makes it reminiscent of Vaughan Williams' Tallis Fantastia, and it is just about as lovely and nearly as significant. The lovely little Blomdahl romance might come as a surprise to listeners who only know this composer from his stringent, modern-to-the-max compositions. The playing throughout is incredibly beautiful. This orchestra plays with a rich, ripe tone that is completely disarming, and conductor Petter Sundkvist gets the utmost in nuance from every player. The Naxos sound is full and warm with lots of well-defined bass. This CD is a real find.--Rad Bennett, ClassicsToday.com

Behzad Abdi's opera Rumi fuses traditional dastgah (the Iranian modal system) and the Persian Sama dance with Western classical music, and can be considered the first national opera of Iran. The libretto was written and conceived by the renowned Iranian theatre director and puppeteer, Behrouz Gharibpour, based on the life and writings of the 13th-century Persian scholar, poet, theologian and mystic, Jalal al-Din Rumi. The legendary story of Shams and Rumi is one of the most significant tales in the history of Iranian mystical literature and is brought vividly to life by the award-winning composer's exotic, lyrical and at times intensely dramatic score. Behzad Abdi (b. 1973) studied the setar and Iranian traditional music with Masoud Shoari and Mohsen Nafar and Western classical music with Liudmila Yurina and Vadim Juravitsky at the Tchaikovsky Academy in Ukraine. Abdi is the first composer to write Iranian opera. He is also a composer of film soundtracks and has won two awards at the Fajr International Iranian Film Festival, among others.

Classics at the Movies: War

MARTINU: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 5

A unique programme of music by Alexander Goehr unavailable elsewhere on record. The composer's close association with conductor Oliver Knussen and pianist Peter Serkin give all of these performances definitive status.

the sheer joy of hearing Italian singers in this repertoire where so much rests on the text, especially since these are singers whose accuracy of pitch and sureness of focus means that they can sing together with instrumental clarity -- Early Music Review

In the summer of 1781 Mozart described his new home Vienna as 'the land of the piano'. He soon set about presenting his own subscription concerts, offering the three newly-composed concertos on this disc for publication 'either with a large orchestra.

Classical Music