Book reviews – Page 119
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ReviewDvorák: Cello Concerto in B minor op.104. Martinu¯: Cello Concerto no.1
The Strad Issue: June 2016 Description: Poltéra explores dark places in two Czech cello concertos Musicians: Christian Poltéra (cello) Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/Thomas Dausgaard Composer: Dvorák; Martinu¯ The Dvorák Concerto is as much a recording rite of ...
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ReviewBeethoven: Complete Cello Sonatas
The Strad Issue: June 2016 Description: Cult cellist goes over the top in the five Beethoven sonatas Musicians: Daniil Shafran (cello) Anton Ginzburg (piano) Composer: Beethoven These excellent interpretations of the five Beethoven cello sonatas are ...
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ReviewBach: Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin BWV1001–6 (transc. Luolajan-Mikkola)
The Strad Issue: June 2016 Description: Luolajan-Mikkola offers the lowdown on the solo violin works Musicians: Markku Luolajan-Mikkola (Baroque cello) Composer: Bach If the six Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin are, in Enescu’s words, ‘the ...
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ReviewMikka and other assorted love songs. Alcorn: Crossing the Threshold. Boulez: Anthèmes I. Carter: Riconoscenza. Durand: Roman. Lachenmann: Toccatina. Loevendie: Dance. Scelsi L’me ouverte. Suzuki: Sift
The Strad Issue: June 2016 Description: Contemporary classics and new additions to the solo violin repertoire Musicians: Eric Rynes (violin) Composer: Alcorn; Carter; Durand; Lachenmann; Loevendie; Scelsi; Suzuki; Xenakis The recorded sound on this disc is ...
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ReviewTchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme; Sérénade mélancolique; Méditation from Souvenir d’un lieu cher; Souvenir de Florence
THE STRAD RECOMMENDS The Strad Issue: June 2016 Description: Jan Vogler leads radiant performances of Tchaikovsky’s string works Musicians: Jan Vogler (cello); Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra/Andres Orozco-Estrada; Moritzburg Festival Ensemble Composer: Tchaikovsky For this enchanting recording ...
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ReviewLa Voix. Fauré: Violin Sonata no.1 in A major. Poulenc: Violin Sonata. Ravel: Tzigane; Pièce en forme de habanera
The Strad Issue: June 2016 Description: Silk-toned elegance in a programme of French violin-and-piano classics Musicians: Callum Smart (violin) Richard Uttley (piano) Composer: Fauré; Poulenc; Ravel Accompanied by an illuminating booklet note that captures the essence ...
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ReviewAnderson: In lieblicher Bläue; Alleluia; The Stations of the Sun
THE STRAD RECOMMENDS The Strad Issue: June 2016 Description: Widmann’s premiere performance of Julian Anderson’s Hölderlin concerto Musicians: Carolin Widmann (violin), London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra/Vladimir Jurowski Composer: Anderson Julian Anderson was the London Philharmonic ...
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ReviewThe Soul of Lady Harmsworth: Violin solos by Ernst, Paganini, Sarasate, Tchaikovsky and Wieniawski
The Strad Issue: May 2016Description: Encore works finely performed on a beautiful instrumentMusicians: Kristóf Baráti (violin) Gábor Farkas (piano)Composer: Ernst; Paganini; Sarasate; Tchaikovsky; WieniawskiKristóf Baráti performs this mixed bag of violin encores with striking technical facility, innate musicality and fearless panache. His accounts of Sarasate’s Romanza andaluza ...
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ReviewSaint-Saëns: Cello Concertos: no.1 in A minor op.33, no.2 in D minor op.119; Carnival of the Animals; Africa op.89; Wedding Cake op.76
The Strad Issue: May 2016Description: Saint-Saëns’s cello concertos are shown to be a game of two halvesMusicians: Truls Mørk (cello) Louis Lortie, Hélène Mercier (pianos) Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra/Neeme JärviComposer: Saint-SaënsBerlioz once accused Saint-Saëns of lacking inexperience. I think it’s fairer to say that he was patchy in ...
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ReviewMozart: Violin Concertos: no.2 in D major K211, no.5 in A major K219 ‘Turkish’; Sinfonia concertante in E flat major K3641
THE STRAD RECOMMENDS The Strad Issue: May 2016 Description: Zimmermann continues his new cycle of Mozart’s violin concertos Musicians: Frank Peter Zimmermann (violin) Antoine Tamestit (viola)1 Bavarian Radio Symphony Chamber Orchestra/Radoslaw Szulc Composer: Mozart This is ...
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ReviewSpectrum. Janácek: Violin Sonata. Kreisler: Viennese Rhapsodic Fantasietta. Schubert: Violin Sonata in A major D574 ‘Grand Duo’. Stravinsky: Divertimento
The Strad Issue: May 2016Description: Beilman gets under the music’s skin in a dazzling recitalMusicians: Benjamin Beilman (violin) Yekwon Sunwoo (piano)Composer: Janácek; Kreisler; Schubert; StravinskyWorking alongside his regular accompanist Yekwon Sunwoo, Benjamin Beilman immediately draws us into the elusive sound world of Schubert’s D574 Sonata via his ...
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ReviewGrieg: String Quartet in G minor op.27. Sibelius: String Quartet in D minor op.56 ‘Voces intimae’. Thommessen: Felix Remix
The Strad Issue: May 2016Description: A Norwegian ensemble gets right inside Grieg’s singular String QuartetMusicians: EngegŠrd QuartetComposer: Grieg; Sibelius; ThommessenIt’s good to hear Grieg’s utterly individual string quartet played by an ensemble that has an equally distinctive sound – in this case, the EngegŠrd Quartet’s tight blend ...
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ReviewSerious Business. Fisher-Lochhead: Hack. Haydn: String Quartet in E flat major op.33 no.2 ‘Joke’. Macklay: Many Many Cadences. Reminick: The Ancestral Mousetrap Spektral Quartet
The Strad Issue: May 2016 Description: The Spektral’s exploration of musical humour is no laughing matter Musicians: Spektral Quartet Composer: Fisher-Lochhead; Haydn; Macklay; Reminick Serious Business, the Chicago-based Spektral Quartet knowingly calls its collection of four ...
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ReviewDvorák: String Quartet no.13 in G major op.106. Janácek: String Quartet no.1 ‘The Kreutzer Sonata’. Suk: Meditation on the Old Czech Chorale ‘St Wenceslas’ op.35
The Strad Issue: May 2016Description: The Wihan Quartet brings symphonic space to three Czech worksMusicians: Wihan QuartetComposer: Dvorák; JanácekThe Wihan’s performance of Dvorák’s Thirteenth Quartet injects passion into every bar of the opening movement, the composer’s profusion of dynamic indications used to create so many tonal nuances. ...
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ReviewDvorák: Violin Concerto in A minor op.53; Romance in F minor op.11. Suk: Fantasy in G minor op.24
The Strad Issue: May 2016Description: Characteristically searching playing from Tetzlaff and StorgŠrdsMusicians: Christian Tetzlaff (violin) Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra/John StorgŠrdsComposer: Dvorák; SukSometimes first impressions can be misleading. Although this disc begins with impassioned orchestral playing, answered by equally committed sound from Christian Tetzlaff, the recording sounds a little ...
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ReviewDvorák: String Quartet no.1 in A major op.2. Krenek: String Quartet no.7 op.96. Schoenberg: String Quartet no.1 in D minor op.7
The Strad Issue: May 2016Description: Skilfully played Schoenberg but somewhat slipshod presentationMusicians: Zemlinsky QuartetComposer: Dvorák; Krenek; SchoenbergDvorák’s delightful First Quartet, a rare survivor from his early years that he didn’t try to suppress, gets a tender yet vivacious performance from the Zemlinsky Quartet in this live recording. ...
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ReviewBritten: Violin Concerto in D minor op.15. Korngold Violin Concerto in D major op.35
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: May 2016Description: Frang approaches an odd couple of concertos with lyricism and dramaMusicians: Vilde Frang (violin) Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra/James GaffiganComposer: Britten; KorngoldIn the booklet notes to this release, the Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang describes Britten’s Violin Concerto as ‘one of the ...
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ReviewDavid Oistrakh Plays Johannes Brahms. Brahms: Violin Sonatas: no.1 in G major op.78, no.2 in A major op.100, no.3 in D minor op.108; ‘FAE’ Scherzo in C minor
The Strad Issue: May 2016Description: Frida Bauer brings the best out of Oistrakh in the Brahms sonatasMusicians: David Oistrakh (violin) Frida Bauer, Sviatoslav Richter (piano)Composer: Johannes BrahmsThat great Brahmsian David Oistrakh never systematically recorded the sonatas. We have nothing with his longtime sonata partner Lev Oborin, a ...
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ReviewEnglish Delight. Bridge: Pensiero; Allegro appassionato. Britten: Lachrymae. Clark: E Viola Sonata. Dowland: Flow my tears; If my complaints. Harvey: Chant. Vaughan Williams: Six Studies on English Fo
The Strad Issue: May 2016Description: Vivid viola sounds in La Marca’s thoughtfully conceived programmeMusicians: Adrien La Marca (viola) Thomas Hoppe (piano)Composer: Bridge; Britten; Clarke; Dowland; Harvey; Vaughan Williams; PurcellFrom the opening fanfares of Rebecca Clarke’s Sonata, Adrien La Marca lays down his credentials as a sophisticated player ...
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ReviewThe Szymanowski Trip. Beethoven: String Quartet no.2 in G major op.18 no.2. Laks: String Quartet no.3. Prokofiev: String Quartet no.2 in F major op.92. Ravel: String Quartet in F major. Schubert: Quar
The Strad Issue: May 2016Description: Three recitals follow Szymanowski on his travels around EuropeMusicians: Szymanowski QuartetComposer: Beethoven; Laks; Prokofiev; Ravel; Schubert; Skoryk; Szymanowski; Tchaikovsky; WebernThis set comprises three separate discs, the first two previously released in 2009 and 2011, each setting the quartets of Szymanowski in the ...
