Chopin: Waltzes & Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 53

"The Hindemith concerto, while not exactly revealing itself as an unregarded masterpiece, gets just the right degree of tempered bombast and pastoralism - suggesting that here is a piece ripe for reassessment."

-- BBC Music Magazine reviewing Sony 64507

"These two concertos are the product of Nielsen's last years: the Clarinet Concerto, surely one of his strangest and most powerful utterances, was written in 1929, only two years before his death, and the Flute Concerto comes from 1927. They are two of the most masterly concertos for their respective instruments (Nielsen whose understanding of the wind was second to none had planned a concerto for each of the wind family) and Robert Simpson rightly calls the Flute Concerto "the richest and most original" written for the instrument...Stanley Drucker gives an intelligent account of his demanding part...Julius Baker is the excellent soloist in the Flute Concerto which he plays with great virtuosity."

-- Gramophone Reviewing original LP, CBS 72639

THE ROYAL EDITION - HAYDN: MAS

A marvellously convincing performance that in its uninhibited way blows any cobwebs off one's impressions of this romantic masterpiece. Under Bernstein there is never boredom: only freshness and much excitement.

Slick, you may say from our side of the Atlantic, in a tone of old-world smugness, but what a lot there is to be said in a highpowered and quirky romantic symphony for the Bernstein touch and unlimited rehearsal time. After all Bernstein has something of the musical Byron about him, and Liszt himself was hardly a paragon of refinement.

Bernstein's is a marvellously convincing performance that in its uninhibited way blows any cobwebs off one's impressions of this romantic masterpiece. Under Bernstein there is never boredom: only freshness and much excitement. But that said one does have to tackle the inevitable question: how does Bernstein compare with Beecham ? Most of my detailed comparisons reveal exactly the contrast one would expect. In the grand enunciations of Faust's martial theme in the first movement Beecham has more swagger and panache : by comparison Bernstein seems to be driving too hard. In the delicate little passage near the beginning of the second movement where Gretchen counts the petals ("He loves me, he loves me not"), Bernstein sounds perfect until you hear Beecham. Beecham with his daring but controlled rubato conveys so much more the tentativeness, the expectancy of joy, and it is the same through much of that slow movement. The second subject, marked dolce amoroso, is so very tender in Beecham's hands, that Bernstein's idea of amoroso sounds comparatively extrovert afterwards. The latter's account of the Mephistophelian finale opens with more diabolical drive, but Beecham conveys more clearly that the first bars are a mere introduction (he comes closer to observing the instruction ironico) and when the gallumphing scherzando distortions of the Faust themes appear the Beecham panache again triumphs.

All of which suggests a clear preference in Beecham's favour, and there is no doubt that anyone who has grown to love the Beecham performance should remain with him. But Bernstein's freshness and directness have a cumulative effect whatever the detailed comparisons, and the choral ending is more expansive than with Beecham. Particularly if one does not trouble too much about what Bernstein did at a particular bar, it is a hair-raising experience he provides, and the recording, very reverberant but brilliant as well, is recognizably more modern than the Beecham. The coupling too may have an influence on choice, though for my money I find Orpheus more interesting than Les Preludes every time. Although listed I have left the DGG issue out of the comparisons: neither playing nor recording come anywhere near the other two.

One final comparison between Beecham and Bernstein: at the very opening when violas and 'cellos enunciate Faust's mystic theme (ranging over all twelve notes of the scale as Stuckenschmidt has pointed out) Beecham conveys a sense of reverie. This is Faust the philosopher, where Bernstein's reading conveys less of mysticism and magic than a confident magician after the manner of Dukas. But to go to the same theme when it returns after the development: there curiously the contrast is quite different. After the frenzy of the development Beecham somehow fails to relax completely, where Bernstein's extra tautness in the preceding argument allows a deeper sense of calm in the return to the home idea. But then when in the finale that same theme is hinted at, pizzicato over mysterious muted horns, it is Beecham who again shows a clear supremacy. It is a marvellous work whichever version you choose.

-- Edward Greenfield, Gramophone [reviewing the original LP release]

Dvorak's three concertos were written in 1876 (piano), 1883 (violin) and 1894 (cello). Like Gerald Finzi, another transcendental national lyric composer, Dvo?ák's last orchestral work was a cello concerto.

Both works are given the customary weight by the Philadelphian strings. In fact Ormandy encourages a strong symphonic approach to these two works. This is the orchestral equivalent of a sleek Bentley. The Cello Concerto emerges best of the two works. However first to the Violin Concerto. This is a work I have always felt affectionate towards. My reference set is the Supraphon recording with Josef Suk. The Sony has Stern in place of Suk. Stern's touch of schmaltz and flashiness sometimes jars in such a cleanly rustic nationalist work. However there is much to take pleasure in too. At 10.12 in the first movement no-one, not even Suk, achieves that moment of pulse-stilling calm. Another example is the needle-fragile crystal glass dance Stern evokes at the start of the Allegro giocoso. This is a good interpretation but the age of the recording tells against it marginally but noticeably.

Leonard Rose is ripe, noble, brilliant, edgy, resinous of tone and exciting and he brings all the strengths that we know from his Sony recording of the Brahms Double Concerto. The sound quality is a notch or two above that for the other Dvo?ák work on this disc but still grainy in texture.

-- Rob Barnett, MusicWeb International

Gilels's playing is leonine and fiery, and his virtuosity is never less than imposing. There is much poetry, too...

-- Gramophone [6/1983]
reviewing the first CD release of the Gilels/Mehta Piano Concerto, CBS 36660


David Oistrakh plays...with the total skill and musicianship which seem as rewarding today as they did 20 years ago... [T]he Philadelphia strings are both very strong and very impressive.

-- Gramophone [12/1982]
reviewing an LP release of the Oistrakh/Ormandy Violin Conceto, CBS 60312

BACH: MAGNIFICAT VIVALDI: GL

The title of this release is thoroughly misleading. The album contains nothing like the ''Complete Flute Sonatas'' of C. P. E. Bach but only those for flute with obbligato harpsichord, of which there are but five. Eleven others for flute and continuo are omitted, along with Bach's single work for unaccompanied flute. Instead, the remaining five sonatas in the programme consist of two (BWV1020 and 1031) whose authorship has long been a matter of dispute; a trio for flute, violin and bass (H578) in which the violin part has been taken over by the right hand of the keyboard; another (H543) in which a similar adjustment has been made to Bach's two differently scored originals; and a duet for violin and harpsichord (H504) in which the violin part is taken by the flute. So, you can see that the title of the album is somewhat economical with the truth, though the accompanying essay by Barthold Kuijken clarifies the position.

That much having been said, I found the playing lively in spirit and responsive to the composer's own distinctive brand of sensibility, which sits comfortably under the Empfindsamerstil umbrella. Kuijken's tone is warmly coloured, softly spoken and pleasingly rounded and he clearly has much affection for Emanuel Bach's expressive idiom. The balance between flute and harpsichord is effective, too, with Bob van Asperen proving himself an ideal partner both on account of his playing, which is particular in and attentive to detail, and his sympathy with the music. Many of the pieces here are all too seldom performed, the beautiful G major Sonata (H509) is one of them, and readers are likely to be captivated by music and playing alike. It does seem to me unlikely that C. P. E. Bach was responsible for the fine E flat Sonata (BWV1031), usually included in the J. S. Bach canon, if now generally regarded as an interloper. Kuijken, too, expresses serious doubts but has nevertheless chosen to include it because it is a rewarding piece. The authorship of the Sonata in G minor (BWV1020) is equally shrouded in mystery. Kuijken considers it possibly a C. P. E. Bach piece, though again I remain unconvinced since it draws upon an expressive vocabulary so different from much else here. Certainly, the music of both sonatas seems to speak of a Berlin rather than a Leipzig provenance.

In short this is a first-rate recital, stylishly played with outstanding virtuosity and sympathetically recorded. Recommended to flautists and to readers with a love of the expressive subtleties of the time.

-- Nicholas Anderson, Gramophone [5/1994]

Here’s another splendid CD from the excellent Tafelmusik.

Schmelzer’s music can hardly fail to inspire – whether it’s to make you want to dance; or make your jaw drop at the lightness of his touch in what really are profound or very human pieces such as the Lament on the death of Ferdinand III (tr 6); or smile at the cheeky woodwind embellishments in the chamber sonata ‘al giorno delle correggie’ (on the day of the lash) with its unexpectedly abrupt end.

Playing period instruments on what was a nominee for the 1994 ‘Best Classical Album, Small Ensemble’ Juno Award, the Toronto-based Baroque specialists, Tafelmusik, under their ever-energetic director, Jeanne Lamon, take you on a tasty and sprightly tour of some of Schmelzer’s most engaging music – mostly sonatas (Schmelzer played such a crucial role in developing the form in the Germany of the mid C17th) - and with the delightful Chaconne and French Ballet music for Nettuno e Flora festeggianti by Cesti.

In addition to music redolent of Monteverdi (especially in the ‘Zu der Kayserlichen’ sonata), Lully and Scheidt from the generation immediately preceding Schmelzer’s, you’ll hear music of great inventiveness, with an eternal spring and – nice in a relatively short ‘space’ – highly varied music.

It’s also repertoire in which Tafelmusik are very well at home and enjoy. Despite their immaculate ensemble playing, the contributions of each of their members are sparkling.

As with all these Arkiv CDs you are getting a record company-authorised CDR at a favourable price. The original liner-notes are included here.

If you’re looking for an introduction to this highly pleasing composer, who has such an original voice, this would be a good place to start. Several of the items included in the present reissue are unavailable elsewhere and likely to remain or become if not definitive, then eminently sought-after interpretations.

-- Mark Sealey, MusicWeb International

BACH: BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS K

Includes march(es) by George Frideric Handel. Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Charles Groves. Soloist: E. Power Biggs.

In December 1740, a notice in the Mercure de France announced the imminent publication of six ‘Sonates Violoncello Solo col Basso’ by Antonio Vivaldi. He composed at least ten cello sonatas; one has vanished, but this extremely rare Paris print encompassed the greater, and much the best part of a corpus of work which might have been significantly larger than we now know.v These sonatas have been recorded fairly regularly; the catalogue features creditable versions from Pieter Wispelwey (Channel Classics) and David Watkin (Hyperion), both accomplished periodists offering much to enjoy and admire in their contrasting performances. If Wispelwey is the more mercurial, surprising and unconventional, then Watkin’s more scholarly approach tends sometimes toward drabness, regardless of its authority.

Veteran Dutch authenticist Anner Bylsma, however, plays with greater imagination and fervour than either. Questions of phrasing, articulation and ornamentation will always remain largely conjectural; Bylsma’s solutions are reassuringly plausible, but never pedantic in their application of received historical wisdom. Sony’s fine recording is richly detailed, whilst never over-resonant, and continuo playing is discreetly effective throughout. Highly recommended.
Performance: 5 (out of 5); Sound: 5 (out of 5)

-- Michael Jameson, BBC Music Magazine

VIVALDI: VIOLIN CONCERTOS OP 8

Bach: 6 Trio Sonatas for Organ, BWV 525-530 (Version for Har

Dvorák: Symphony No. 6 in D Major, Scherzo capriccioso & Sui