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Rontgen: Wind Serenades / Linos Ensemble
CPO

Rontgen: Wind Serenades / Linos Ensemble

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Details

Composer
ROENTGEN, JULIUS
Artist
LINOS ENSEMBLE
Format
CD
Label
CPO
Released
Mar 27, 2012
Catalog #
777127-2
UPC
761203712724

About



RÖNTGEN Serenade (Wind Quintet). Serenade (Wind Septet). Trio for Flute, Oboe, and Bassoon • Linos Ens • CPO 777 127-2 (60:15)


As Jerry Dubins reviewed this disc at some length in Fanfare 36:1, I will make this relatively brief, wanting only to register some degree of dissent from his overall negative judgments. Basically, Dubins liked the rather Brahmsian early Serenade, op. 14, but dismissed the later wind quintet Serenade as a “frivolous, frothy fluff piece” and called the Trio “a work of modest means and even flimsier substance.” He concluded, “If you’re new to Röntgen ... I’d strongly suggest that you start with almost anything else by him than the disc at hand.” I must beg to differ with him regarding the latter two works. While these are indeed occasional pieces rather than major masterworks, they are all ingratiating and provide charming and rewarding listening. While the major influence on the late serenade is indeed, as Dubins notes, Richard Strauss—the clarinet at the opening is reminiscent of that in Till Eulenspiegel , and the end of the third movement sounds much like the music for the little Moorish servant boy from the final bars of Der Rosenkavalier —it also follows in the footsteps of Nielsen’s Quintet. Adjectives that spring to mind are saucy, insouciant, cheeky, and mischievous. It is constructed in a cyclic pattern with a return in the last movement to material from the first movement. The Trio is even closer to Nielsen’s ambit in the more craggy melodic contours and unexpected harmonic twists of its three brief movements. The connection is not surprising; not only was Röntgen an enthusiast for Scandinavian culture, who wrote a biography of his friend Edvard Grieg, but he also played in a string quartet with Carl Nielsen in 1892. It would be interesting to know of any further connections between them. I do admit to being less fond of this piece than of the two serenades, as the slow movement is uningratiating.


I do agree with Dubins regarding the high caliber of the playing of the Linos Ensemble, although in the Trio I do find the oboe to be a bit harsh and off in intonation (perhaps the instrument simply needed to be swabbed out). The recorded sound and booklet notes meet CPO’s usual excellent standards. For those who are particularly fond of the genre of wind serenades, this disc is a welcome addition to its not very sizeable repertoire.


FANFARE: James A. Altena

Tracklist 13 tracks

  1. 1 I. Con moto 03:52
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Con moto
    Duration
    03:52
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  2. 2 II. Un poco sostenuto 02:43
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Un poco sostenuto
    Duration
    02:43
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  3. 3 III. Animato 02:06
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Animato
    Duration
    02:06
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  4. 4 IV. Lento 03:17
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Lento
    Duration
    03:17
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  5. 5 V. Allegro 02:09
    Track
    5
    Title
    V. Allegro
    Duration
    02:09
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  6. 6 VI. Coda 01:44
    Track
    6
    Title
    VI. Coda
    Duration
    01:44
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  7. 7 I. Allegro tranquillo 09:21
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Allegro tranquillo
    Duration
    09:21
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  8. 8 II. Scherzo: Allegro 06:26
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Scherzo: Allegro
    Duration
    06:26
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  9. 9 III. Andante 06:38
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Andante
    Duration
    06:38
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  10. 10 IV. Allegro 08:34
    Track
    10
    Title
    IV. Allegro
    Duration
    08:34
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  11. 11 I. Allegro con spirito 04:23
    Track
    11
    Title
    I. Allegro con spirito
    Duration
    04:23
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  12. 12 II. Poco andante: quasi una fantasia 04:59
    Track
    12
    Title
    II. Poco andante: quasi una fantasia
    Duration
    04:59
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble
  13. 13 III. Allegretto 03:45
    Track
    13
    Title
    III. Allegretto
    Duration
    03:45
    Composer
    Julius Röntgen
    Ensemble
    Linos Ensemble