The young Russian/American virtuoso, Vassily Primakov, has created an impressive buzz in the classical music world. Of a recent Lincoln Center performance, critic Jeremy Eichler in The New York Times wrote that Primakov "gave a fiery performance of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto, with bold, expressive phrasing and dramatic commitment that brought the audience to its feet." The International Record Review heaped praise on his Beethoven CD (BRIDGE 9251), writing of the "thoughtful performances from a young musician who is more than a virtuoso." Winner of the Young Concert Artists Competition, Primakov combines deeply personal playing, brilliant technical command, and a seductive tonal palette reminiscent of an earlier era of virtuosi. Primakov's new account of both of the Chopin Concertos was recorded in May of 2008 with the Odense Symphony Orchestra directed by British conductor Paul Mann. Bridge Records is pleased to announce that Vassily Primakov has been signed to make a series of new recordings including upcoming recordings of Chopin Mazurkas; a Tchaikovsky disc with the Sonata, Op. 37, and The Seasons, Op. 37A, and a Mozart Concerto disc with the Concerto in B-flat Major, K. 595; and the Concerto in C Minor, K. 491, with the Odense Symphony Orchestra conducted by Scott Yoo. This new Chopin disc presents Primakov's first concerto recordings.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

The superb Horszowski Trio is heard here in their debut recording. The Horszowskis (Jesse Mills, violin, Raman Ramakrishnan, cello and Rieko Aizawa, piano) draw their name from legendary pianist, Miecyslaw Horszowski, who made one of his specialties the repertoire of the three composers presented here.

Strongly expressive, moving and often gripping.

The three works recorded here were written between 1949 and 1970, thus spanning more than twenty years of Leighton’s creative life.

The Symphony for Strings Op.3, one of Leighton’s earliest significant works, was first performed by Gerald Finzi and his Newbury String Players following Bernard Rose’s recommendation. Finzi, to whom Leighton dedicated his Veris Gratia Op.9 (1950), commented that he had “seldom come across an early work of such achievement” (in Diana McVeagh’s Gerald Finzi: His Life and Music publ. Boydell & Brewer). The music of this substantial work composed by a young man of twenty is still indebted to that of composers from older generations. One certainly thinks of Vaughan Williams and Finzi but also of Herbert Howells; but the music already displays a remarkable flair for telling string textures and considerable formal mastery. The first movement opens with a slow introduction soon giving way to the main body of the movement characterised by crisp rhythms and assured contrapuntal writing. The slow movement is mostly calm and expressive with a tenser central section, whereas the sunny third movement completely dispels the tension of the preceding movement and concludes the work in high spirits although the very ending is rather subdued and somewhat inconclusive. One can but wonder why a fine work of such calibre has remained unrecorded, let alone unheard, for so many long years. It clearly belongs to that glorious legacy of magnificent British works for string orchestra. One hopes that this recording will encourage many string orchestras to take it into their repertoire.

I have always had a soft spot for the Concerto for String Orchestra Op.39 simply because it was the very first work by Leighton that I have ever heard. Composed some twelve years after the Symphony for Strings, this is a considerably more mature work. In the intervening years, many things had happened to Leighton. He studied with Petrassi in Rome as a recipient of the Mendelssohn Scholarship. Petrassi, no doubt, introduced Leighton to dodecaphony and serialism and, more importantly, taught him how to use these techniques in a supple way in order to meet his personal expressive and formal needs; Petrassi was never a strict serialist. During that same period, Leighton also composed some early major works such as the Fantasia Contrappuntistica Op.24 for piano, the masterly Cello Concerto Op.31 that I consider one of his finest and most gripping achievements as well as the two string quartets and the Piano Quintet Op.34. The music of Op.39 is clearly mature, vintage Leighton throughout, although echoes of Bartók and even Shostakovich may still be heard from time to time. It now fully displays Leighton’s tense, rugged lyricism that can be best heard in the outer slow movements framing a short, nervous Scherzo. This is a most impressive and powerfully expressive work. I had not heard it for too many long years and I had forgotten what a beautiful work it was.

Although scored for the same forces as Poulenc’s celebrated Organ Concerto, the Concerto for Organ, String Orchestra and Timpani Op.58 is a strikingly different piece. This major mature work displays many features that one has now come to regard as typical Leighton hallmarks. It is an intensely expressive, often sombre piece of utterly serious music that I find hard to resist. Its three movements are laid out in a similar pattern as those of the Concerto for Strings: two long slow outer movements framing a shorter central Scherzo. The dark-hued opening Lament unfolds contrapuntally with considerable cumulative force, the music being punctuated by an ominous, hollow gesture played by the timpani. The music gathers considerable momentum in the course of the first movement and the tension is eventually released in the short, nimble but nonetheless tense Scherzo. The final movement is a typical Leighton structure in the form of a Chorale with Variations eventually capped by a brief restatement of the very opening of the first movement.

These recordings are presented as premiere recordings, which is only partly true for collectors will certainly remember that the Organ Concerto was once available on Hyperion A66097 played by Christopher Rathbone with the Southern Pro Arte conducted by Charles Peebles. The Concerto for Strings was once available on Pye Virtuoso LP (TPLS 13005) played by the LPO conducted by John Snashall. Neither of these long-deleted LPs has ever been re-issued. Thus the “real” premiere recording is that of the Symphony for Strings. This is just a mere “grumble” about an otherwise magnificent release.

I now hope that the second volume - to include the masterly Second Symphony “Sinfonia Mistica” - will soon be released.

Leighton’s strongly expressive and often gripping music is superbly served by excellent performances and very fine recording. This magnificent release is a must for all Leighton fans, but also for all those who still need to be convinced that contemporary music can also be moving.

-- Hubert Culot, MusicWeb International

Johann Bernhard Bach (1676-1749) is a relatively unknown member of the Bach family. He is more widely known by association to his famous first cousin once removed, Johann Sebastian. A disciple of Pachelbel, Johann Bernhard was in the service of the court of Eisenach and left us only instrumental music. His four Ouvertures for orchestra constitute the obvious link between French music of the Grand Siecle and the compositions that Johann Sebastian would write in Weimar and Cothen. This release is an interesting missing link to be rediscovered.

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Classical Music

The Russian composer, conductor and pianist Arensky was a pupil of Rimsky-Korsakov at St Petersburg Concervatory and later taught at the Moscow Conservatory, where his pupils included Rachmaninov and Scriabin. His music is an ecclectic blend of Russian idiom and late romantic tradition. Vassily Sinaisky is a master of this repertoire and has made a string of recordings of Russian music with the BBC Philharmonic, all of which have received tremendous critical acclaim. Recorded in: New Broadcasting House, Manchester 9-11 April 2002 Producer(s) Brian Pidgeon (Executive) Mike George (Recording) Sound Engineer(s) Stephen Rinker

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To celebrate the centenary of the birth of Sir Michael Tippett, Chandos is releasing Richard Hickox's acclaimed recordings of his symphonies and the Suite from the opera New Year, packaged in a handsome box - and at a special price: 3 discs for the price of 2.

High Performance Review wrote of this recording at its original release, 'Prokofiev's ballet score [The Buffoon] was written for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, but it's doubtful that any ballet company ever has danced to such vivid, raucous playing as Järvi inspires in this concert suite. Chandos has blessed the Scottish National Orchestra with bright, airy, near demonstration quality sounds, and Järvi provides an enthusiastic reading that sparkles with an abundance of characterful wit and dances with good humour'. The music from The Buffoon is complemented here by two further colourful suites, that from the opera The Love for Three Oranges and the lesser-known, late Waltz Suite, which brings together music from the opera War and Peace, the ballet Cinderella and the film Lermontov. 'Järvi and his orchestra produce brilliantly exciting performances, which are stunningly recorded', wrote Australian Hi-Fi and Music Review.

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Verdi: Overtures & Preludes, Vol. 2

The first Rachmaninoff recording by Gianandrea Noseda and the BBC Philharmonic; 'Francesca da Rimini', received the accolade of 'Classical CD of the Week' from The Daily Telegraph and elicited the comment, 'Noseda sculpts the brooding passions of Rachmaninoff's dramatic score with trhilling intensity', from The Times. They return with three highly charged orchestral works. Noseda writees of his journey with Symphony No.1: 'Having conducted several times the Rachmaninoff second and third symphonies, I've been wondering continuously why the first of his symphonies has been neglected or considered not as good as its later sisters. In the last couple of years the level of my curiousity has increased so much that I've taken seriously the task of studying, learning and finally performing Rachmaninoff's first symphony. The result astonished me greatly: the symphony has such a beauty in the melodic line, the harmony is so refined, the structure is well controlled and yet everything seems naturally fluent.' Regarded as one of the most remarkable composers of the twentieth century, Serge Rachmaninoff wrote three romanticalldy inclined symphonies, two of which are now standard orchestral repertoire. However, the premiere of Symphony No.1 was such a disaster that Rachmaninoff refrained from composing anything more for the next three years. The conductor, Glazunov, is reputed to have been drunk, and Rachmaninoff was unable to attend the entire performance. He reacted by tearing up the score. Thankfully for posterity, the instrumental parts were preserved and rediscoverd in 1945, permitting the work to be restored. It is a work full of youthful fervour, distinctive and sweeping themes, and nationalist sentiments, and is now widely regarded as a vivid example of his early talent. It is complemented here by the 'Youth Symphony', the first movement of a projected but never completed symphony in D minor, composed when Rachmaninoff was only seventeen, and the great symphonic poem 'The Isle of the Dead', inspired by Arnold Böcklin's painting of the same name which Rachmaninoff had seen on display in Paris in 1907. Composed in 1909, it is still a relatively early work, but contains some of the dark Russian spiritual qualities which Rachmaninoff was to develop further in his later compositions. Gianandrea Noseda has a particular affinity for Russian music, which perhaps grew from his time with Gergiev at the Kirov. It is clear from his conducting that Rachmaninoff's music is deeply personal to him. Orchestra and conductor will perform this work at the BBC Proims in summer 2008 and at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall in November. Gianandrea Noseda will also conduct Rachmaninoff with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in June.

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Georg Philipp Telemann is one of the composers whose cause Ricercar has always championed with fervor. To commemorate the 250th anniversary of his death, Ricercar now presents a reissue of its vast repertoire, which makes up a complete portrait of the output of this inspired contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach: His sonatas, trios, fantasias, concertos, and suites written for all sorts of instrumentations are accompanied by several sacred compositions, cantatas, and a St. Matthew Passion which, like a number of other works in the set, is released in this format for the first time. Each of the performers featured on this extensive recording boasts an accomplished career, and each is educated in historically-informed performance practices. Soloists and chamber artists include Frederic De Roos, Marcel Ponseele, Stephanie De Failly, Philippe Pierlot, Pierre-Yves Madeuf, Guy Penson, and many more. Ensembles featured on this release include Ricercar Consort, La Pastorella, Ensemble Eolus, Lingua Franca, Les Agremens, and Choeur De Chambre de Namur (Wieland Kuijken).

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RUNNIN' WILD MUSIC OF GLENN M

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Classical Music

TOUCHEMOULIN Concertos: for Violin; for Harpsichord; for Flute. Symphonies: in G, op. 1/2; in F, op. 1/5 • Daniel Sepec (vn); Alexis Kossenko (fl); Patrick Ayrton (hpsd); Les Inventions (period instruments) • RAMÉE RAM 0807 (68:34)


Our fixation on genius can obscure many whose gifts, though manifold, did not measure up to those held by Mozart, Mendelssohn, and the like. Among those was a man by the name of Joseph Touchemoulin (1727–1801). Some of the critical information regarding Touchemoulin is missing, e.g., regarding his early musical training and what or who was responsible for his move to Germany. But snapshots of the life and career of this older contemporary of Haydn are provided by documents in places as diverse as the University of California at Berkeley and the Benedictine convent of Sarnen in Switzerland.


We find interesting personal correspondence with his family in France and we uncover fascinating tidbits as well, to wit: While Touchemoulin was employed at the court of Thurn und Taxis he was acquainted with and on occasion worked with Emanuel Schikaneder, the director of the city theater. It was he who would later create the role of Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte . We also learn that a Johann Friedrich Peter, a Moravian immigrating to North Carolina, took with him—among other things—a symphony of Touchemoulin as well as music of Mozart and Haydn.


Composers such as Touchemoulin acquired their skills through instruction, hard work, and self-discipline. His apprenticeship, if you will, was in Padua where he was taken under the wing of the great violinist Giuseppe Tartini. In spite of privation Touchemoulin remained loyal to his art, toiling assiduously, and rendering inexorable service to those who favored him with their patronage. Edison’s aphorism about the disproportionate percentages of perspiration and inspiration apparently paid off for Touchemoulin, as a number of his symphonies were performed to great acclaim at the Concert Spirituel in Paris in 1754, and they were published a few years later by Huberty with a dedication to Madame Cousineau. The symphonies are lightly scored, calling for strings with a pair of horns ad libitum . As for the concertos, those for violin and harpsichord include horns (the latter adds a pair of flutes as well), and the flute concerto employs strings only.


One doesn’t have to listen to this music for any length of time to determine that Touchemoulin was no genius, but he did succeed in composing charming and well-crafted music that speaks directly to the listener. There is not as much as a scintilla of pretense, nor is there any sophistry. The music hints at the younger members of the Bach family, with the galant and Empfindsamkeit almost constantly on display. The flute concerto was previously available on vinyl in a recording by Maxence Larrieu, but as far as the other works are concerned, they are world premieres.


Les Inventions is another of those small period-instrument bands with a string section that numbers 5-4-3-2-1 plus the requisite winds when and where appropriate. Its playing is crisp and cleanly articulated with excellent intonation, sprightly tempos, tight ensemble, and an aural spectrum that is quite good as well.


If you’re looking for another Mozart, then pass this one by. But if you’re looking for something different, interesting, and occasionally stimulating, then I suggest this Ramée release, as on those points it certainly won’t disappoint.


FANFARE: Michael Carter

Schumann: Carnaval, Op. 9 - Piano Sonata No. 1

Paul Dukas--an unfairly overlooked composer because he left for posterity a total of only 12 works--makes a significant reappearance with this sumptuous recording by Leonard Slatkin and the Orchestre National de France. The first piece on this CD, the composer's only symphony, is a bustling work that calls to mind the music of Franck with just a hint of the propulsive dynamism of Beethoven. The "Fanfare," a grand flourish of orchestral brass, precedes the composer's last work, the ballet 'La Peri.' A work of sublime beauty, 'La Peri' combines the composer's formal, classicist tendencies with the ravishing impressionism of his contemporaries, Debussy and Ravel. 'L'Apprenti sorcier,' "a symphonic poem after a ballad of Goethe" is Dukas' most popular work. Full of wandering key signatures, swirling string sections and an array of colorful and humorous effects, this mischievous work has understandably proven itself to be the most endearing of Dukas' unfortunately scant output.