Recording reviews – Page 159
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ReviewThe Soviet Experience Vol.2. Shostakovich: String Quartets nos.1–4. Prokofiev: String Quartet no.2
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A rewarding second volume in an ongoing Shostakovich cycleMusicians: Pacifica QuartetComposer: Shostakovich, Prokofiev The Pacifica Quartet launched its Soviet Experience series, a sort of complete-Shostakovich-plus-one, with the fifth to eighth quartets and Miaskovsky’s 13th. In this second ...
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ReviewViolin Concertos from Dresden. Pisendel: Concerto in G major. J.F. Fasch: Concerto in D major FWV L:D8. Handel: Trio Sonata in F major HWV392 (arr. Pisendel). Telemann: Concerto in B flat major TWV51:
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Athletic accounts of Baroque concertosMusicians: Johannes Pramsohler (violin) International Baroque PlayersComposer: Pisendel, J.F. Fasch, Handel (arr. Pisendel), Telemann, HeinichenThis debut disc for both violinist Johannes Pramsohler and the period-instrument International Baroque Players explores concertos by 17th-century German composers associated with ...
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ReviewBorodin: String Sextet in D minor. Glazunov: String Quintet in A major op.39. Arensky: String Quartet no.2 in A minor op.35
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Superb accounts of three rarities of Russian chamber musicMusicians: Nash EnsembleComposer: Borodin, Glazunov, Arensky Unfortunately we only have the first two movements of Borodin’s D minor String Sextet (plus some sketches for the finale). ‘Unfortunately’ because what we do have is ...
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ReviewBrahms: Cello Sonatas no.1 in E minor op.38 & no.1 in F major op.99
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A disappointing coupling of two key works from a young cellistMusicians: Laura Buruiana (cello) Matei Varga (piano)Composer: Brahms Performers who record such well-known repertoire as the Brahms cello sonatas at the start of their career should be certain that ...
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ReviewSainsbury: Cello Concerto op.27*. Foulds: Cello Concerto in G major op.17†
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Benchmark performances of two rare concertosMusicians: Raphael Wallfisch (cello) Royal Scottish National Orchestra*, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra† /MartinuYatesComposer: Sainsbury, FouldsRaphael Wallfisch continues his foray into lesser-known British concertos with two impressive recording premieres of works written nearly a century apart. Both concertos, written ...
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ReviewString Trios from the East. Gubaidulina: String Trio. Paiberdin: Organum A-nn-A. Kancheli: Time… and again, Rag-gidon-time. Knaifel: E.F. and three visiting cards of the poet
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Too much control and self-regard hamper an otherwise rewarding programmeMusicians: Goeyvaerts String TrioComposer: Gubaidulina, Paiberdin, Kancheli, Knaifel The Belgian-based Goeyvaerts String Trio was established in 1997 to explore 20th- and 21st-century music, and its pedigree is clear on this ...
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ReviewTchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major op.35. Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A well-paced account of a favourite concertoMusicians: Susanna Yoko Henkel (violin) Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra/Jonathan DarlingtonComposer: Tchaikovsky, Vaughan Williams With so many of today’s young firebrands driving through Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto at express speed, it is good to find Susanna ...
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ReviewBach: Violin Sonatas in B minor BWV1014 & E major BWV1016, Flute Sonatas in G minor BWV1020 & B minor BWV1030, Siciliana from Flute Sonata in E flat major BWV1031 (arr. violin)
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Mixed results on a disc that adopts Bach’s penchant for transcriptionMusicians: Lara St John (violin) Marie-Pierre Langlamet ?(harp)Composer: BachLara St John always seems to attempt something different. Trading on Bach’s inveterate recycling of his works in different instrumental combinations, her latest CD ...
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ReviewBall: Cello Concerto no.1*, Song Without Words† , Roundelay† , Close of the Day† , Folksong Arrangements† , For Stjepan
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Unashamedly tuneful music played by a young star of the celloMusicians: Stjepan Hauser (cello) Yoko Misumi† (piano) Emerald Concert Orchestra/Christopher Ball*Composer: Ball The Croatian cellist Stjepan Hauser has become something of a celebrity, appearing as one half ...
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ReviewDe Machy: Suites no.1 in D minor, no.4 in G major, no.5 in D minor & no.8 in A major from Pièces de violle (1685)
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Vindication for the work of a 17th-century French viol player and composerMusicians: Paolo Pandolfo (viola da gamba)Composer: De MachyPaolo Pandolfo believes that scholars have grossly underestimated de Machy’s influence on his contemporaries and successors. He aims to set the record straight with ...
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ReviewEnescu: Piano Trios in G minor & A minor, Sérénade lointaine
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Welcome recordings of rare chamber works by the Romanian composer–violinistMusicians: Brancusi TrioComposer: Enescu George Enescu’s G minor Piano Trio was composed in his early teenage years and was thought lost until a set of parts recently turned up. Probably ...
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ReviewHeavy. Works by Byron, Halle, Wolfe, King, Mesinai, Lang, Bunch & Zarvos
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A disc of contemporary music with a 1970s feelMusicians: EthelComposer: Byron, Halle, Wolfe, King, Mesinai, Lang, Bunch & Zarvos There’s an intriguing juxtaposition between the contemporary music for string quartet on this album – all from the last 20 years ...
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ReviewAffettuoso. Piani: Violin Sonatas op.1 no.2 in E minor, no.4 in G major, no.8 in B minor & no.10 in D major. Geminiani: Violin Sonatas op.1 no.7 in C minor & no.8 in B minor. Handel: Violin Sonata in
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A fast and furious approach to Baroque sonatas has gains and lossesMusicians: Emilio Percan (Baroque violin) Oriol Aymat Fusté (Baroque cello) Luca Quintavalle (harpsichord)Composer: Piani, Geminiani, HandelCaptured in a clear and resonant recording, Emilio Percan’s programme of Baroque repertoire is loosely connected ...
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ReviewJoubert: String Quartets no.1 in A flat major op.1, no.2 op.91 & no.3 op.112
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A worthy birthday tribute to one of Britain’s most accomplished senior composersMusicians: Brodsky QuartetComposer: Joubert The music of South African-born composer John Joubert, who settled in the UK in the 1940s and is perhaps best known for vocal music ...
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ReviewLigeti: String Quartet no.2. Pintscher: Study IV for Treatise on the Veil. Cage: String Quartet in 4 Parts. Xenakis: Tetras
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Intense performances of music by four leading modernistsMusicians: Jack QuartetComposer: Ligeti, Pintscher, Cage, Xenakis Taking on Ligeti, Pintscher, Cage and Xenakis in a single concert programme might seem brave to the point of recklessness, but the New ...
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ReviewNew Street
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A British-born violinist explores various modern jazz currentsMusicians: Ben Powell Quartet, Stéphane Grappelli Tribute TrioComposer: Ben PowellThere is a backwards-looking glance about a lot of the music here. But what violinist Ben Powell does, he does very well, and there ...
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ReviewPostcards from Home. Bhambra: Dervish Dancer, Darker Sides, Escape to Tibet. Shave: Machair to Myrrh, Sounds of Harris. Parricelli: Parc Floral, Another Place, Summer in Le Marais, Guarana
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: An engaging world tour from an unusual trio of instrumentsMusicians: Jacqueline Shave (violin) John Parricelli (guitar) Kuljit Bhamra (tabla)The minimal booklet notes give no information on how or why this unusual group came together; perhaps it just seemed like a good idea. ...
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ReviewRachmaninoff: Trios élégiaques no.1 in G minor op.8 & no.2 in D minor op. 9
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: An account of an early piano trio that cannot hide the work’s structural weaknessesMusicians: London Mozart TrioComposer: RachmaninoffRachmaninoff’s second Trio élégiaque was written in 1893 to mourn the death of Tchaikovsky, though it was revised twice in later life. For the 20-year-old ...
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ReviewThe Scottish Viola: A tribute to Watson Forbes. Works by Nardini, Orr, Richardson, S. Forbes, Alwyn, Rameau & Bach
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A worthy testimonial to a great Scottish violistMusicians: MartinuOutram (viola) Julian Rolton (piano)Composer: Nardini, Orr, Richardson, S. Forbes, Alwyn, Rameau & Bach As somebody who appreciates historic continuity, I am very glad to see a Royal Academy of Music professor ...
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ReviewVasks: Vox amoris, Violin Concerto ‘Distant Light’, Lonely Angel
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Persuasive performances of three essays in Baltic melancholyMusicians: Alina Pogostkina (violin) Sinfonietta Riga/Juha KangasComposer: VasksListening to this disc straight through might not be the best way to appreciate it: the three pieces for violin and string orchestra by Latvian composer P?teris Vasks ...
