The violin was one of Bach's favourite instruments and inspired his most lyrical outpourings. We know he was greatly influenced by the Italian masters whose work he discovered during his Weimar years - by the power of Frescobaldi, the melodic flexibility of Corelli, the sunny grace of Vivaldi - but he developed his own wonderful artistry in writing music of polyphonic density for the violin and 'playing' with it's sound palette. His deep understanding of the instrument clearly enabled him to exploit it's full potential and to write as well as perform music of the utmost virtuosity.
HC25024 Schelb II "My encounter with Josef Schelb's music can be best described as a feeling of extraordinary joy. One hears such expressive sounds, paired with carefully harmonised structures. In addition, there is always a wonderfully playful approach to the various forms and to the peculiarities of some specific moments, as can also be found in Richard Strauss and Sergei Prokofiev. Definitely a musician's composer!" (Leo Siberski)
The University of York is very fortunate to own this exquisite 1856 Erard London concert grand piano, lovingly restored by Nigel Scaife and tuned to the Bach-Lehman temperament by Aidan Delacey-Simms. The piano is straight strung allowing greater separation of registers compared to it's more homogenised modern counterpart. The strings are damped from below, rather than above as in a modern piano, a less efficient design that results in pleasing result is a wash of colour and a ring of complex overtones that was surely an aesthetic choice. Pianos were likely not tuned in equal temperament in the mid-19th century and my choice of unequal temperament brings extra resonance to the instrument as well as colour to the music. Daniel Grimwood is best known as a world-leading exponent of 19th century virtuosic piano repertoire. Received with critical acclaim, Grimwood's recordings and performances of the music of Adolph von Henselt ensure his international reputation as a groundbreaking, inspirational musician, making him out as a unique voice amongst his generation of pianists. His recording of Henselt's Complete Etudes garnered "instant classic status" by Gramophone Magazine, which also named it piano release of 2023.
Neither Georgian, a pupil of Rostropovich, nor Gililov had come my way before but I hope such persuasive musicians will soon do so again. Their sympathy for Brahms struck me as of the unforced, intuitively perceptive kind. The two cello sonatas are keenly contrasted: (Op.99) Adagio is played with a totally committed intensity by both and the songful finale has an endearing spring-like freshness (Gramophone).
In his new CD recording, Swiss pianist Christian Chamorel focuses on four key works for solo piano by W.A. Mozart: the sonatas in C minor, K. 457; B-flat major, K. 333; and D major, K. 576; as well as the expressive Fantasy in C minor, K. 475, which originate from very different creative phases. Chamorel succeeds in creating a subtle interpretation that brings Mozart's music to life from within. Every phrase, every change in dynamics, articulation, and tempo seems like the result of a well-considered artistic decision and, at the same time, like a spontaneous impulse born directly from the moment.
Aida Stuckie was a Swiss violinist and teacher whose career began when she won the Geneva Competition in 1940. After this initial success she toured Europe and performed under the most famous conductors including Pina Pozzi, Walter Frey, Christoph Lieske, and Elly Ney. Dedicated to education, she began teaching in 1948, and continued throughout the rest of her life, taking a position at Zurcher Hochschule der Kunste in 1992, where she remained until her retirement. Anne-Sophie Mutter is her most famous student. She wrote of her teacher: "Aïda Stucki's recognition as an artist is both inevitable and overdue. Her artistry is a timeless inspiration. Her interpretation incorporates bewitching sound, personal instinct coupled with great insight to the wishes of the composer. I admire this great violinist deeply. These recordings are a must for any string player and music lover." (Anne-Sophie Mutter) This album won the German Record Critics' Award, 2010.
London Symphony Orchestra Leader Roman Simovic steps back into the solo spotlight with a new recording of one of the cornerstones of the violin repertoire: Ysa�e's Six Sonatas for Solo Violin. Written in 1923, Eug�ne Ysa�e's set of sonatas represent a musical snapshot of that moment in the evolution of violin playing. An acclaimed violinist himself, each of the sonatas was written for one of Ysa�e's contemporaries: Joseph Szigeti, Jacques Thibaud, George Enescu, Fritz Kreisler, Mathieu Crickboom and Manuel Quiroga. What results is a creative love letter to the violin, challenging and embracing the technical and lyrical possibilities of the instrument throughout the six stylistically unique sonatas. This new recording of the Sonatas joins a collection of acclaimed recordings with Roman Simovic on LSO Live. Renowned for his brilliant virtuosity and musicality, he has performed as a soloist with many of the most distinguished orchestras and conductors around the world and has been serving as Leader of the LSO since 2010.
Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Sonata was extensively revised by the composer in 1931, and the revised version is tighter and thinner in texture than the original version of 1913. It represents a supreme challenge to the pianist in either version, and has all the hallmarks of the composer at the height of his powers. The 6 Moments Musicaux Op.16 are early works which exhibit the flamboyance of the youthful virtuoso. Sonya Bach includes three of the Preludes from the Op.23 set.
1801 saw Beethoven's development of the piano sonata take a dramatic turn, testing the sonata's limits with a set of slow variations in lieu of a sonata allegro in Op.26, a multi-movement work played without pause in Op.27 No.1, and the remarkable opening movement of the Moonlight, Op.27 No.2. Operatic recitatives are incorporated into the Tempest Op.31 No.2. These features are without precedent. Volume three of Jonathan Biss's acclaimed cycle of the sonatas contains two works from this year of experiment and innovation, though the innovations are less brazen - the Op.28 Pastorale and the somewhat overlooked Op.31 No.1. The third sonata on this disc is one of the most famous of the 32 - the Wildstein, composed in 1803, is a work of life affirming spirit and energy.
