Hommage à Weber

$28.99
Label
SWR
Release Date
October 14, 2014
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      WEBER MOSCHELES
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      Duo D?Accord
    • PERFORMER
      DUO D?ACCORD
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      October 14, 2014
    • UPC
      4010276026976
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      93324
    • LABEL
      SWR
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      2
    • GENRE
      Instrumental
    Works ⌄

    1. Abu Hassan, J. 106: Overture (arr. R. Kleinmichel for piano 4-hands)

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    2. I. Moderato

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    3. II. Allegro

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    4. III. Adagio

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    5. IV. Alla zingara

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    6. V. Alla siciliana

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    7. VI. Theme and Variations

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    8. VII. March

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    9. VIII. Rondo

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    10. Silvana, J. 87: Overture (arr. R. Kleinmichel for piano 4-hands)

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    11. I. Allegro maestoso

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    12. II. Adagio

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    13. III. Rondo: Presto

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    14. No. 11 in E-Flat Major

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    15. No. 12 in D Major

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    16. Der Freischutz, J. 277: Overture (arr. S. Euler and L. Huang for 2 pianos)

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    17. I. Moderato

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    18. II. Andantino con moto

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    19. III. Andante con variazioni

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    20. IV. Masurik

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    21. V. Adagio

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    22. VI. Rondo

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    23. Weber - Aufforderung zum Tanze (Invitation to the Dance) (version for 2 pianos)

      Composer: Leopold Godowsky

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    24. No. 1. Sonatine: Moderato e con amore

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    25. No. 2. Romanze: Andantino, quasi Adagio

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    26. No. 3. Menuetto: Presto

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    27. No. 4. Andante con variazioni: Andante amoroso

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    28. No. 5. Marcia: Maestoso

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    29. No. 6. Rondo: Allegramente

      Composer: Carl Maria von Weber

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    30. I. Allegro vivace

      Composer: Ignaz Moscheles

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    31. II. Andantino con moto

      Composer: Ignaz Moscheles

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord

    32. III. Allegro vivace

      Composer: Ignaz Moscheles

      Ensemble: piano duo Duo d'Accord


With some unusual takes on the standard repertoire already in their catalogue, the Duo D'Accord (pianists Lucia Huang and Sebastian Euler) set out to do something very special: an "Hommage à Weber" - as the title says. It not only contains the complete works for piano duet but also arrangements of some opera overtures and a special adaptation of the 2nd piano concerto for piano four hands by Weber’s friend and biographer Friedrich Wilhelm Jähns: a first recording and a masterstroke of artistic curiosity. Two Weber tribute encores by Ignaz Moscheles and Leopold Godowsky also appear.

REVIEW:

Remarkable as it may seem, this is the only available at present CD of Weber’s complete music for piano 4-hands. Now I’m sure, having said this, that a dozen others will show up in short order. There were two rather poor discs kicking around for a bit at the dawn of the CD era, but they are long gone. The complete works consist of three collections: the Six Pieces Op. 3, Six Pieces Op. 10, and Eight Pieces Op. 60. Not only are they interesting and enjoyable in their own right, for modern listeners they are fascinating as the sources of three of the four movements in Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis. The amazing thing about Hindemith’s arrangements is just how little he had to do to make the music sound modern (sound clips). The concluding march (in the orchestral work) is particularly interesting, stern and strong in Hindemith’s realization, but slinky and rather creepy in Weber’s original. Two of Hindemith’s movements come from Op. 60, and one from Op. 10.

These performances by Duo d’Accord, are far better than any previously released, being fresh, rhythmically supple, and lyrical expressive by turns. They also provide a whole range of interesting couplings, from transcriptions by various parties–including themselves– of three overtures (Abu Hassan; Silvana; Der Freischütz), to a four-hand version of the Second Piano Concerto. Then there are two original compositions based on Weber that are just splendid: Godowsky’s characteristically insane Contrapuntal Paraphrase on Invitation to the Dance for two pianos, and Ignaz Moscheles’ Hommage à Weber, based on music from the operas and subtitled a “Grand Duo”–and so it is. The sonics are a little bit lacking in openness on top, but otherwise capture the players well. This is a great set, and a splendid opportunity to fill out your collection.

— ClassicsToday.com (David Hurwitz