Book reviews – Page 124
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ReviewMendelssohn: String Quartets: no.2 in A minor, no.3 in D major; Four Pieces: nos.1 & 2
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: December 2015Description: Intimacy and unanimity as the Escher’s Mendelssohn cycle continuesMusicians: Escher QuartetComposer: MendelssohnEven if you’re no fan of Mendelssohn, you’ll probably – to borrow Beecham’s quip about the English not liking music – like the noise it makes on this disc. ...
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ReviewFauré: Violin Sonata no.1 in A major. Strauss: Violin Sonata in E flat major
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: December 2015Description: Two lifetimes’ experience shines through in these players’ first studio meetingMusicians: Itzhak Perlman (violin) Emanuel Ax (piano)Composer: Fauré, StraussThere are a number of Romantic violin sonatas that work well together in a pairing, by dint of either their similarities or ...
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ReviewNel Giardino di Partenope. 18th-century Neapolitan cello sonatas by Alborea, Greco, Lanzetti, Pergolesi, Pericoli, Porpora, Ruvo and Supriani
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Forgotten sonatas from the heyday of the cello’s developmentMusicians: Gaetano Nasillo (cello) Sara Bennici (cello) Michele Barchi (harpsichord); bonus disc features Neapolitan concertos performed by Nasillo with Ensemble 415/Chiara BanchiniComposer: Alborea, Greco, Lanzetti, Pergolesi, Pericoli, Porpora, Ruvo and SuprianiThis anthology comprises Neapolitan ...
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ReviewCristal. Tangos by Aguirrezabalaga, Bianco/Melfi, Dames, Delfino, Firpo, Fresedo, Guidini, Martínez/Buglione, Mores, Piana, Piazzolla, Scalise and Villanueva
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Tangos arranged for a German quartet of violin, cello, piano and bandoneónMusicians: SolTango QuartetComposer: Aguirrezabalaga, Bianco/Melfi, Dames, Delfino, Firpo, Fresedo, Guidini, Martínez/Buglione, Mores, Piana, Piazzolla, Scalise, VillanuevaThree members of this German tango quartet met while studying in Lübeck, a long way physically ...
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ReviewProkofiev: Violin Concerto no.2 in G minor op.63, Sonata in C major for two violins op.56, Solo Violin Sonata in D major op.115
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Spontaneous-sounding live Prokofiev whets the appetite for moreMusicians: Viktoria Mullova, Tedi Papavrami (violin) Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra/Paavo JärviComposer: ProkofievThese live recordings derive from concerts taped by Hessian Radio in Frankfurt over the past three years, and if one would never guess the ...
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ReviewKraggerud: Equinox
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Around the world in 24 pieces – and all 24 major and minor keysMusicians: Henning Kraggerud (violin/leader) Arctic Philharmonic Chamber OrchestraComposer: KraggerudNorwegian violinist and composer Henning Kraggerud’s latest disc takes some explaining. It’s a collaboration with Norwegian writer Jostein Gaarder, author of ...
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ReviewMetamorphoses. Haydn: String Quartet in C major op.54 no.2. Ligeti: String Quartet no. 1 ‘Métamorphoses nocturnes’. Brahms: Intermezzos: in A minor op.116 no.2 (arr. Judith van Driel), in E major op.1
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Austro–Hungarian connections for a Dutch quartet’s debut discMusicians: Dudok QuartetComposer: Haydn, Ligeti, Brahms (arr. Judith van Driel and David Faber)According to the booklet notes, the Métamorphoses of the disc’s title refer not just to Ligeti’s quartet but to the musical cross-culture of ...
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ReviewPablo Casals: A Concert at the White House. Casals: El cant dels ocells. F. Couperin: Suite (arr. Bazelaire). Haydn: Piano Trio no.39 in G major ‘Gypsy Rondo’. Mendelssohn: Piano Trio no.1 in D minor
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Casals, late in life, with illustrious friends playing for the KennedysMusicians: Pablo Casals (cello) Alexander Schneider, Jacques Thibaud (violin) Mieczyslaw Horszowski, Alfred Cortot (piano)Composer: Casals, F. Couperin, Haydn, Mendelssohn, SchumannThis is the famous concert at the White House on 13 November 1961, ...
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ReviewBritten: Violin Concerto. Delius: Violin Concerto. Milford: The Darkling Thrush
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Graffin takes on two British concertos and the premiere of a rare birdMusicians: Philippe Graffin (violin) Royal Scottish National Orchestra/David Lloyd-Jones Philharmonia Orchestra/Nicholas CollonComposer: Britten, Delius, MilfordDelius’s and Britten’s violin concertos require quite different resources from their soloists, which may be why ...
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ReviewBrahms: Violin Sonatas: no.2 in A major op.100, no.3 in D minor op.108. Dietrich/Schumann/Brahms: F.A.E.’ Sonata. Schumann: Three Romances op.94
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Faust and Melnikov finish their Brahms survey, eight years onMusicians: Isabelle Faust (violin) Alexander Melnikov (piano)Composer: Brahms, Dietrich/Schumann/Brahms, SchumannIsabelle Faust and Alexander Melnikov complete their Brahms sonata cycle as they started (2007), with Faust playing a gut-strung 1704 Stradivari and Melnikov a ...
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ReviewBrahms: Violin Concerto in D major op.77. Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major op.35; Méditation in D minor op.42 no.1
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Great Kogan performances, even if they are misidentifiedMusicians: Leonid Kogan (violin) Boston Symphony Orchestra/Pierre Monteux; Paris Conservatoire Orchestra/Constantin SilvestriComposer: Brahms, TchaikovskyThese great interpretations by the incomparable Leonid Kogan come with misinformation. The live Brahms Concerto from 11 January 1958, his US ...
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ReviewBottesini: Capriccio op.19; Duetto; Gran Quintetto op.99
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Italian players bring Bottesini’s bass instincts into the openMusicians: Davide Botto, Davide Ghio (double bass) Alessandro Dorella (clarinet) Elda Laro (piano) String Quartet of the Teatro Regio, TurinComposer: BottesiniDespite his stuffy reputation, Bottesini has enjoyed a new lease of life recently, thanks ...
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ReviewSong of Songs. Berio: Naturale. Lang: Just (after Song of Songs). Olivero: En la mar hai una torre
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Knox takes on three works inspired by a variety of culturesMusicians: Garth Knox (viola) Agnès Vesterman (cello) Cliona Doris (harp) Sylvain Lemêtre (percussion and tape) Mediaeval Trio/Andrew SynnottComposer: Berio, Lang, OliveroBerio’s Naturale (1985), for solo viola, percussion and pre-recorded tape, is a ...
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ReviewBrahms: Viola Sonatas op.120: no.1 in F minor, no.2 in E flat major; Four Hungarian Dances
The Strad Issue: December 2015Description: Violists of different generations take on Brahms’s sonatasMusicians: Nils Mönkemeyer (viola) William Youn (piano) Signum QuartetComposer: BrahmsThese CDs feature performances by a Grand Old Man of the viola and one of the instrument’s most celebrated present advocates. Now in his seventies, Rainer ...
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ReviewBach: Viola da gamba sonatas: no.1 in G major BWV1027, no.2 in D major BWV1028, no.3 in G minor BWV1029; Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ BWV639. Handel: Violin Sonata in G minor. D. Scarlatti: Sonat
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Steven Isserlis finally joins forces with Richard Egarr in a Bach extravaganzaMusicians: Steven Isserlis (cello) Richard Egarr (harpsichord) Robin Michael (cello continuo)Composer: Bach, HandelGiven their impressive individual track records with Bach, this first recording collaboration by Steven Isserlis and Richard Egarr is ...
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ReviewBach 2 the Future. Bach: Partita no.3 in E major BWV1006. Biber: Passacaglia from Mystery (Rosary) Sonatas. Crosse: Orkney Dreaming. Frances-Hoad: Suite no.1. Hellawell: Balcony Scenes. Scott: Bumbleb
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Bach’s Third Partita plus Ysaÿe’s reimagining and three new commissionsMusicians: Fenella Humphreys (violin)Composer: Bach, Biber, Crosse, Frances-Hoad, Hellawell, Scott, YsaÿeI heard Fenella Humphreys play this contrasting programme of Bach-plus at The Forge, Camden, in the late spring. On that occasion there were ...
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ReviewBach: Solo Cello Suites BWV1007–12
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: The Suites in hybrid historical performances from a Scottish cellistMusicians: Philip Higham (cello)Composer: BachAll cellists are reared on the Bach Suites from the middle grades onwards. Recording these mighty solo works, however, is only for the intrepid; and although this latest release ...
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ReviewFathers and Sons. Abel: Sonata no.2 in E minor (arr. Callus). Bach: Viola da gamba sonatas: no.1 in G major BWV1027, no.2 in D major BWV1028, no.3 in G minor BWV1029. Krebs: Andante from Trio in C min
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Bach’s gamba sonatas adapted for the modern viola of Helen CallusMusicians: Helen Callus (viola) Luc Beauséjour (harpsichord)Composer: Abel, Bach, KrebsThe sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord are arrangements made by Bach from some of his older chamber music (one of them ...
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ReviewVivaldi: The Four Seasons; Bassoon Concertos: ‘per Maestro dè Morzin’ in G minor RV496, ‘La notte’ in B flat major RV501; Concertos for violin ‘in tromba marina’: in D major RV221, in G major RV313
The Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Another Four Seasons – played with real style and dynamismMusicians: Adrian Chandler (violin/director) Peter Whelan (bassoon) La SerenissimaComposer: VivaldiVivaldi’s Four Seasons may be among the most-recorded of all works, yet there will always be room for performances of this exceptional calibre. Period-instrument ...
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ReviewWartime Consolations. Hartmann: Concerto funebre. Shostakovich: Unfinished Violin Sonata (1945). Weinberg: Concertino op.42; Moldavian Rhapsody op.47 no.3
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: November 2015Description: Dark Hartmann, lighter Weinberg and a Shostakovich firstMusicians: Linus Roth (violin) José Gallardo (piano) Württemburg Chamber Orchestra, Heilbronn/Ruben GazarianComposer: Hartmann, Shostakovich, WeinbergA Shostakovich premiere in 2015? Linus Roth has done his homework and dug out the unfinished movement for a ...
