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BIS

Beethoven: The Late String Quartets Arranged For String Orchestra / Tonnensen, Camerata Nordica

$39.99

Details

Composer
BEETHOVEN, LUDWIG VAN
Artist
Nordica, Tonnesen
Format
CD
Label
BIS
Released
Feb 25, 2014
Catalog #
BIS-1096
UPC
7318590010969

About

Like few other works, Beethoven's late string quartets have gained an almost undisputed standing as the very apex of their genre. Not many of Beethoven's contemporaries would have accorded them this: the composer Louis Spohr called them 'indecipherable, uncorrected horrors' and the quartets were widely regarded as the monstrous products of a madness which at best could be excused by the composer's deafness. One of the first to recognize them for the masterpieces that they are was Franz Schubert, who after having heard a performance of Quartet No.14 in C sharp minor is reported to have said 'After this, what is left for us to write?' Composers after Schubert have been as awestruck by this music, with Stravinsky famously describing the Große Fuge as 'an absolutely contemporary piece of music that will be contemporary forever.' The feeling that Beethoven in these works was giving form to a universal music which transcends genre conventions have also inspired many to adapt various of the quartets for larger forces, including the conductors Dmitri Mitropoulos and Arturo Toscanini. On the present recordings, originally released by the Altara label in 2006, it is the Norwegian violinist Terje Tønnesen's adaptations we hear, performed by himself and his Swedish string ensemble Camerata Nordica. Besides providing the greater dynamic spectrum that a larger ensemble can bring to the music, Tønnesen's main aim has been to strengthen the contrasts between intimate passages and fuller textures by employing solo players in certain passages, as in a concerto grosso. He and Camerata Nordica has also reinstated the Große Fuge in its proper context: that amazing 15 minute monolith was originally intended as the finale of Op.130, but proved indigestible to contemporary audiences and critics - one of whom described it as 'as incomprehensible as Chinese' - and was replaced by an easy-going rondo following a request from Beethoven's publisher.

Tracklist 26 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 I. Maestoso - Allegro 06:08
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Maestoso - Allegro
    Duration
    06:08
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  3. 2 II. Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile 17:59
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile
    Duration
    17:59
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  4. 3 III. Scherzando vivace 06:38
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Scherzando vivace
    Duration
    06:38
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  5. 4 IV. Finale: Allegro - Allegro comodo 06:57
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Finale: Allegro - Allegro comodo
    Duration
    06:57
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  6. 5 I. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo 06:37
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
    Duration
    06:37
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  7. 6 II. Allegro molto vivace 02:59
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Allegro molto vivace
    Duration
    02:59
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  8. 7 III. Allegro moderato - Adagio 00:51
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Allegro moderato - Adagio
    Duration
    00:51
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  9. 8 IV. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Più mosso - Andante moderato e lusinghiero - Adagio - Allegretto - Adagio, ma non troppo e semplice - Allegretto 13:22
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Più mosso - Andante moderato e lusinghiero - Adagio - Allegretto - Adagio, ma non troppo e semplice - Allegretto
    Duration
    13:22
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  10. 9 V. Presto 05:14
    Track
    9
    Title
    V. Presto
    Duration
    05:14
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  11. 10 VI. Adagio quasi un poco andante 02:09
    Track
    10
    Title
    VI. Adagio quasi un poco andante
    Duration
    02:09
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  12. 11 VII. Allegro 06:25
    Track
    11
    Title
    VII. Allegro
    Duration
    06:25
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  13. Disc 2
  14. 1 I. Adagio, ma non troppo - Allegro 12:31
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Adagio, ma non troppo - Allegro
    Duration
    12:31
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  15. 2 II. Presto 02:03
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Presto
    Duration
    02:03
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  16. 3 III. Andante con moto, ma non troppo - Poco scherzoso 06:11
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Andante con moto, ma non troppo - Poco scherzoso
    Duration
    06:11
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  17. 4 IV. Alla danza tedesca - Allegro assai 02:54
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Alla danza tedesca - Allegro assai
    Duration
    02:54
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  18. 5 V. Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo 06:48
    Track
    5
    Title
    V. Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo
    Duration
    06:48
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  19. 6 VI. Grosse Fuge 14:39
    Track
    6
    Title
    VI. Grosse Fuge
    Duration
    14:39
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  20. Disc 3
  21. 1 I. Assai sostenuto - Allegro 09:29
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Assai sostenuto - Allegro
    Duration
    09:29
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  22. 2 II. Allegro ma non tanto 06:30
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allegro ma non tanto
    Duration
    06:30
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  23. 3 III. Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenden an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart 15:43
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenden an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart
    Duration
    15:43
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  24. 4 IV. Alla marcia, assai vivace - Più allegro 02:07
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Alla marcia, assai vivace - Più allegro
    Duration
    02:07
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  25. 5 V. Allegro appassionato - Presto 06:16
    Track
    5
    Title
    V. Allegro appassionato - Presto
    Duration
    06:16
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  26. 6 I. Allegretto 05:54
    Track
    6
    Title
    I. Allegretto
    Duration
    05:54
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  27. 7 II. Vivace 03:27
    Track
    7
    Title
    II. Vivace
    Duration
    03:27
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  28. 8 III. Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo 06:33
    Track
    8
    Title
    III. Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo
    Duration
    06:33
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen
  29. 9 IV. Der schwer gefasste Entschluss 06:25
    Track
    9
    Title
    IV. Der schwer gefasste Entschluss
    Duration
    06:25
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Ensemble
    Camerata Nordica
    Conductor
    Terje Tønnesen