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Rochberg: Violin Sonata, Caprice Variations / Peter Sheppard Skærved, Aaron Shorr
Metier

Rochberg: Violin Sonata, Caprice Variations / Peter Sheppard Skærved, Aaron Shorr

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Details

Composer
ROCHBERG, GEORGE
Artist
Shorr, Skaerved
Format
CD
Label
Metier
Released
Mar 28, 2011
Catalog #
MSV28521
UPC
809730852121

About

Metier continues its faithful dedication to contemporary music by adding this remarkable release to its already abundant collection. The double-disc release is devoted to the American composer George Rochberg’s (1918-2005) two violin works – the Violin Sonata for violin and piano, and the Caprice Variations for solo violin, previously issued under the same label in 2003.

Rochberg is a composer who embraces a broad spectrum of compositional styles and genres throughout his long span of musical career. Plunged into Schoenbergian serialism in his early years, Rochberg, after the death of his son in 1964, discarded the technique and turned to a musical language that mixed abstract chromaticism with tonal idioms. The Violin Sonata, written in 1988, is a telling exemplification of his late style. The profound emotional expression in all four movements is characterized by the constant employment of atonality and tonal variety.

The Caprice Variations, in which Rochberg masterfully blends Modernist and Classical elements, is a beguiling, if not bemusing, composition. The one-and-a-half-hour long solo violin work begins with a theme that incorporates traditional tonal harmony in the manner of Bach’s solo violin partita – diatonic sequences, balanced phrases, and perfect cadences. Musical humor continues by the composer echoing the styles of our great predecessors such as Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, and Mahler – some more tacitly, some more overtly. Apart from appreciating Rochberg’s musical humor and wisdom, one may well wish to treat the variations as an entertaining test of musicianship while listening.

The marvelous recording quality captures both the music’s refined details and the sense of ample space. The informative booklet, written mainly by the violinist himself, devotes its central focus to the portrait of the composer’s personality and aesthetic philosophy. Being a long-term musical collaborator and an intimate comrade of the composer, Skærved would be the ideal one to take up the job. Not only is the general description of the performer’s rehearsing and recording procedures included, the booklet also encompasses some interesting and thought-provoking conversations between the musicians that enable the readers to have a better understanding on both the composer’s compositional process and the performer’s reception towards the music. I would have welcomed some more detailed information on the composer’s general compositional style(s) and the analytical commentary of the two works in this album so that less experienced listeners could also be benefited.

After all, an outstanding recording that provides wonderful listening experiences.

-- Danny Kim-Nam Hui, ConcertoNet.com

Tracklist 55 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 I. Sarabande: Molto adagio con tenerezza 06:10
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Sarabande: Molto adagio con tenerezza
    Duration
    06:10
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved, Aaron Shorr
  3. 2 II. Scherzo capriccioso, con spirito 05:14
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Scherzo capriccioso, con spirito
    Duration
    05:14
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved, Aaron Shorr
  4. 3 III. Ardentemente - 07:36
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Ardentemente -
    Duration
    07:36
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved, Aaron Shorr
  5. 4 III. Adagio 06:49
    Track
    4
    Title
    III. Adagio
    Duration
    06:49
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved, Aaron Shorr
  6. 5 No. 1. Allegro energico 01:16
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 1. Allegro energico
    Duration
    01:16
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  7. 6 No. 2. Presto 00:56
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 2. Presto
    Duration
    00:56
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  8. 7 No. 3. Allegro molto e con fucco 01:03
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 3. Allegro molto e con fucco
    Duration
    01:03
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  9. 8 No. 4. Poco allegro ma quasi recitando 02:09
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 4. Poco allegro ma quasi recitando
    Duration
    02:09
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  10. 9 No. 5. Poco agitato ma con molto rubato 00:42
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 5. Poco agitato ma con molto rubato
    Duration
    00:42
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  11. 10 No. 6. Poco allegretto ma con molto rubato 01:37
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 6. Poco allegretto ma con molto rubato
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  12. 11 No. 7. Presto (after Beethoven Op. 74 Scherzo) 00:57
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 7. Presto (after Beethoven Op. 74 Scherzo)
    Duration
    00:57
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  13. 12 No. 8. Languido (after Schubert Waltz Op. 9, No. 22) 02:14
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 8. Languido (after Schubert Waltz Op. 9, No. 22)
    Duration
    02:14
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  14. 13 No. 9. Non troppo presto (after Brahms Op. 35, Book 1, No. 2) 00:38
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 9. Non troppo presto (after Brahms Op. 35, Book 1, No. 2)
    Duration
    00:38
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  15. 14 No. 10. Vivace (after Brahms Op. 35, Book 1, No. 3) 00:56
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 10. Vivace (after Brahms Op. 35, Book 1, No. 3)
    Duration
    00:56
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  16. 15 No. 11. Andante (after Brahms Op. 35, Book 1, No. 11) 01:43
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 11. Andante (after Brahms Op. 35, Book 1, No. 11)
    Duration
    01:43
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  17. 16 No. 12. Andante com moto (after Brahms Op. 35, Book 1, No. 12) 01:39
    Track
    16
    Title
    No. 12. Andante com moto (after Brahms Op. 35, Book 1, No. 12)
    Duration
    01:39
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  18. 17 No. 13. Feroce, energico (after Brahms Op. 35, Book 2, No.10) 01:09
    Track
    17
    Title
    No. 13. Feroce, energico (after Brahms Op. 35, Book 2, No.10)
    Duration
    01:09
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  19. 18 No. 14. Alla guitarra; allegretto con molto rubato 02:28
    Track
    18
    Title
    No. 14. Alla guitarra; allegretto con molto rubato
    Duration
    02:28
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  20. 19 No. 15. Con grazia; un poco agitato 01:41
    Track
    19
    Title
    No. 15. Con grazia; un poco agitato
    Duration
    01:41
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  21. 20 No. 16. Andante amoroso 01:45
    Track
    20
    Title
    No. 16. Andante amoroso
    Duration
    01:45
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  22. 21 No. 17. Poco adagio 02:06
    Track
    21
    Title
    No. 17. Poco adagio
    Duration
    02:06
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  23. 22 No. 18. Allegro fantastico 02:10
    Track
    22
    Title
    No. 18. Allegro fantastico
    Duration
    02:10
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  24. 23 No. 19. Vivace 01:12
    Track
    23
    Title
    No. 19. Vivace
    Duration
    01:12
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  25. 24 No. 20. Quasi cadenza: Andante con molto espressivo 03:02
    Track
    24
    Title
    No. 20. Quasi cadenza: Andante con molto espressivo
    Duration
    03:02
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  26. 25 No. 21. Allegro con brio (after Beethoven Symphony No. 7, Finale) 00:51
    Track
    25
    Title
    No. 21. Allegro con brio (after Beethoven Symphony No. 7, Finale)
    Duration
    00:51
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  27. 26 No. 22. Molto espressivo e cantando 01:51
    Track
    26
    Title
    No. 22. Molto espressivo e cantando
    Duration
    01:51
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  28. 27 No. 23. Andante graziso e tranquillo 03:10
    Track
    27
    Title
    No. 23. Andante graziso e tranquillo
    Duration
    03:10
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  29. Disc 2
  30. 1 No. 24. Allegretto 00:41
    Track
    1
    Title
    No. 24. Allegretto
    Duration
    00:41
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  31. 2 No. 25. Scherzo 00:37
    Track
    2
    Title
    No. 25. Scherzo
    Duration
    00:37
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  32. 3 No. 26. Con brio 00:45
    Track
    3
    Title
    No. 26. Con brio
    Duration
    00:45
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  33. 4 No. 27. Aria 02:48
    Track
    4
    Title
    No. 27. Aria
    Duration
    02:48
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  34. 5 No. 28. Molto agitato 01:19
    Track
    5
    Title
    No. 28. Molto agitato
    Duration
    01:19
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  35. 6 No. 29. Lento ma non troppo 02:14
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 29. Lento ma non troppo
    Duration
    02:14
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  36. 7 No. 30. Poco allegretto e leggiero 01:30
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 30. Poco allegretto e leggiero
    Duration
    01:30
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  37. 8 No. 31. Molto adagio 02:39
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 31. Molto adagio
    Duration
    02:39
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  38. 9 No. 32. Allegro assai, burlesco 01:25
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 32. Allegro assai, burlesco
    Duration
    01:25
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  39. 10 No. 33. Moderato - Con amore 01:36
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 33. Moderato - Con amore
    Duration
    01:36
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  40. 11 No. 34. Molto adagio 03:05
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 34. Molto adagio
    Duration
    03:05
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  41. 12 No. 35. Allegro molto - Fantastico 02:05
    Track
    12
    Title
    No. 35. Allegro molto - Fantastico
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  42. 13 No. 36. Largo - Sereno 04:36
    Track
    13
    Title
    No. 36. Largo - Sereno
    Duration
    04:36
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  43. 14 No. 37. Barcarolle 01:51
    Track
    14
    Title
    No. 37. Barcarolle
    Duration
    01:51
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  44. 15 No. 38. Can-Can Tempo - Presto 01:16
    Track
    15
    Title
    No. 38. Can-Can Tempo - Presto
    Duration
    01:16
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  45. 16 No. 39. Elegiac; fantastico 03:12
    Track
    16
    Title
    No. 39. Elegiac; fantastico
    Duration
    03:12
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  46. 17 No. 40. Robust, do not rush 01:05
    Track
    17
    Title
    No. 40. Robust, do not rush
    Duration
    01:05
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  47. 18 No. 41. Allegro molto (after Webern Passacaglia Op. 1) 00:39
    Track
    18
    Title
    No. 41. Allegro molto (after Webern Passacaglia Op. 1)
    Duration
    00:39
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  48. 19 No. 42. Nocturnal: slow 02:39
    Track
    19
    Title
    No. 42. Nocturnal: slow
    Duration
    02:39
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  49. 20 No. 43. Andantino 02:05
    Track
    20
    Title
    No. 43. Andantino
    Duration
    02:05
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  50. 21 No. 44. Scherzo (after Mahler Symphony No. 5: Scherzo) 01:12
    Track
    21
    Title
    No. 44. Scherzo (after Mahler Symphony No. 5: Scherzo)
    Duration
    01:12
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  51. 22 No. 45. Presto 00:29
    Track
    22
    Title
    No. 45. Presto
    Duration
    00:29
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  52. 23 No. 46. Bravura, sempre recitando, in the "grand manner" 01:48
    Track
    23
    Title
    No. 46. Bravura, sempre recitando, in the "grand manner"
    Duration
    01:48
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  53. 24 No. 47. Arabesque, fantastico 02:42
    Track
    24
    Title
    No. 47. Arabesque, fantastico
    Duration
    02:42
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  54. 25 No. 48. Moderately fast, fantastico 02:00
    Track
    25
    Title
    No. 48. Moderately fast, fantastico
    Duration
    02:00
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  55. 26 No. 49. Feroce 02:55
    Track
    26
    Title
    No. 49. Feroce
    Duration
    02:55
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  56. 27 No. 50. Fantasy 02:55
    Track
    27
    Title
    No. 50. Fantasy
    Duration
    02:55
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved
  57. 28 No. 51. Quasi Presto, robusto (Paganini's Theme: Caprice 24, Book 2) 00:40
    Track
    28
    Title
    No. 51. Quasi Presto, robusto (Paganini's Theme: Caprice 24, Book 2)
    Duration
    00:40
    Composer
    George Rochberg
    Performer
    Peter Sheppard Skærved