All Review articles – Page 133
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ReviewAyres: Ultradian Rhythms
The Strad Issue: November 2014Description: Ambient string-orchestra sounds from a single player-composerMusicians: Marvin Ayres (violin/viola/cello/double bass)Composer: AyresCatalogue Number: Wall of Waves Records wow101British Minimalist composer, producer and sound artist Marvin Ayres uses stringed instruments and new sound recording technology to create luxuriant ambient music. Inspired by natural ...
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ReviewZemlinsky: String Quartets vol.2: no.1 in A major op.4 & no.2 op.15
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: November 2014Description: Lustrous performances of music by a key figure of Viennese musical lifeMusicians: Escher QuartetComposer: ZemlinskyCatalogue Number: Naxos 8.573088This disc completes the Escher Quartet’s Zemlinsky cycle so effectively begun a year ago with recordings of the later two quartets (reviewed October ...
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ReviewBeethoven: Cello Sonatas, Horn Sonata in F major op.17, Twelve Variations on ‘See, the conqu’ring hero comes’, Twelve Variations on ‘Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen’, Seven Variations on ‘Bei Männern welche
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: November 2014Description: A set that brings together everything Beethoven wrote, and arranged, for cello and pianoMusicians: Fischer Duo: Norman Fischer (cello) Jeanne Kierman (piano)Composer: BeethovenCatalogue Number: CENTAUR CRC 3322/23/24/25 (FOUR DISCS)This set is not just complete, it is very complete indeed. No ...
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ReviewMozart: String Quartets in G major K387, E flat major K428 & C major K465 ‘Dissonance’
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: November 2014Description: Polished accounts of three of Mozart's 'Haydn' quartetsMusicians: Casals QuartetComposer: MozartCatalogue Number: HARMONIA MUNDI HMC 902186This triptych of Mozart performances is of the highest calibre, captured by a close recording whose revealing detail exposes no weakness among the players. Unanimity ...
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ReviewPer Monsieur Pisendel 2. Pisendel: Violin Sonata in C minor, Solo Violin Sonata in A minor. Vivaldi: Suonate Á solo in A major & in F major. Montanari: Violin Sonata in D minor. Albinoni: Violin Sona
The Strad Issue: November 2014Description: A worthy sequel to an earlier disc of Baroque violin sonatasMusicians: Members of La Serenissima/Adrian Chandler (violin/director)Composer: Pisendel, Vivaldi, Montanari, AlbinoniCatalogue Number: Avie AV 2308United by the music’s association with Johann Pisendel, this follow-up to La Serenissima’s first volume from over a ...
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ReviewMontsalvatge: Paráfrasis concertante, Lullaby, Spanish Sketch, Tres policromías, Variaciones sobre un tema de ‘La Spagnoletta’ de Giles Farnaby, Piano Trio
The Strad Issue: November 2014Description: Welcome exposure for the music of a 20th-century Spanish masterMusicians: Eva León (violin) José Ramos Santana (piano) Sibylle Johner (cello)Composer: Montsalvatge:Catalogue Number: NAXOS 8.572621With over 200 works of his to explore, very few of which are at all well known, Xavier Montsalvatge ...
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ReviewPoème. Ysaÿe: Poème élégiaque op.12, Extase op.21. Franck: Violin Sonata in A major
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: A ravishing disc of Belgian masterpiecesMusicians: Lisa Jacobs (violin) Ksenia Kouzmenko (piano)Composer: Ysaÿe, FranckLisa Jacobs (who plays the piano-accompanied version of the Poème élégiaque, alongside the op.21 Extase), emphasises the music’s impassioned eloquence with a cantabile of beguiling radiance.The stand-out performance here ...
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ReviewTelemann: Violin Sonatas (Frankfurt 1715), Ouverture in G minor from ‘Der getreue Music-Meister’
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: Broadly successful performances of the composer’s accompanied sonatasMusicians: Stephan Schardt (violin) Elisabeth Wand (cello) Sonja Kemnitzer (harpsichord)Composer: TelemannStephan Schardt and his colleagues give accomplished accounts of Telemann’s six Frankfurt sonatas, exposing the varied elements of the composer’s mixed style with flair and ...
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ReviewYsaÿe: 6 Sonatas for solo violin op.27, Sonata for 2 violins in A minor
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: A ravishing disc of Belgian masterpiecesMusicians: Tedi Papavrami, Svetlin Roussev (violins)Composer: YsaÿeYsaÿe’s six sonatas for solo violin have witnessed a surge of popularity in recent years, at least if the number of recordings is anything to go by, including notable versions by ...
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ReviewUncovered
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: An adventurous solo cellist ventures into rock and BluesMusicians: Maya Beiser (cello)Composer: Rock, BluesIsraeli–American cellist and composer’s muse Maya Beiser has a significant body of work as a recording artist. Her project-based albums have included world music, a visual art collaboration and ...
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ReviewSaint-Saëns: Cello Concertos nos.1 & 2, La muse et le poète op.132, Allegro appassionato op.43, The Swan
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: A powerfully played collection of the composer’s works for cello and orchestraMusicians: Natalie Clein (cello) Antje Weithaas (violin) Julia Lynch, Judith Kearey (piano) BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Andrew ManzeComposer: Saint-SaënsA new recording by Natalie Clein is always an event – her last was ...
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ReviewHindemith: Viola Sonata op.11 no.4, Solo Viola Sonatas op.25 no.1 & op.11 no.5, Trauermusik
The Strad Issue: November 2014Description: A largely well-played collection of some of Hindemith€™s viola worksMusicians: Jitka Hosprová (viola) Jitka ÄŒechová (piano) Prague Chamber OrchestraComposer: Hindemith Catalogue Number: Supraphon SU 4147-2Arriving at the tail-end of numerous recordings marking last year’s 50th anniversary of Paul Hindemith’s death, this CD presents some ...
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ReviewLoussier: Concerto no.1 for violin & percussion, Concerto no.2 for violin & tabla. Paderewski: Violin Sonata in A minor op.133
The Strad Issue: November 2014Description: An unusual combination of composers and styles has its momentsMusicians: Adam Kostecki (violin/conductor) Piotr Iwicki (percussion) Gunther Hauer (piano) Polish Philharmonic Chamber OrchestraComposer: Loussier, PaderewskiCatalogue Number: Naxos 8.573200While the bizarre combination of repertoire on this curiously programmed disc makes for somewhat perplexing ...
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ReviewBarber: Cello Sonata op.6. Rachmaninoff: Cello Sonata in G minor op.19. Piazzolla: Le grand tango
The Strad Issue: November 2014Description: Inflexibility lets down performances of three highly charged cello works Musicians: Adolfo Gutiérrez (cello) Luis Fernando Pérez (piano)Composer: Barber, Rachmaninoff, PiazzollaCatalogue Number: Verso VRS 2010 United by a loosely based notion of Romanticism as an elevation of expressiveness, these three works nevertheless ...
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ReviewRietz: Cello Concerto op.16, Fantaisie op.2. Gross: Cello Concerto in B minor
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: No long-forgotten gems, but useful additions to the catalogueMusicians: Klaus-Dieter Brandt (cello) L’Arpa Festante/ Riccardo MinasiComposer: Rietz, GrossThis well-recorded and adeptly conducted CD is a historical ‘filler’, in that it provides the context for the works that were being forged by Mendelssohn ...
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ReviewMendelssohn: String Quintets in A major op.18 & B fl at major op.87, Pieces for string quartet op.81 nos.3 & 4
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: A recording that brings out the neo-Classical side of the composer’s characterMusicians: Mandelring Quartet, Gunter Teuffel (viola)Composer: MendelssohnThis is another fine release (the fourth volume) in the Mandelring Quartet’s ongoing survey of Mendelssohn’s chamber music for strings, one that points up the ...
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ReviewMinstrels. Debussy: Minstrels, La plus que lente (arr. Roques), Violin Sonata, Sérénade (compl. Orledge). Pierné: Violin Sonata in D minor op.36. Fauré: Violin Sonata no.1 in A major op.13
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: An enterprising collection of French violin repertoireMusicians: Christophe Giovaninetti (violin) Izumiko Aoyagi (piano)Composer: Debussy, Pierné, FauréThis well-chosen programme of French pieces opens with Debussy’s rarely heard arrangement for violin and piano of ‘Minstrels’, played by former Ysaÿe Quartet and Elysée member Christophe ...
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ReviewCarter: Four Lauds, Figment I, Figment II, Tre duetti
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: Elegance and precision win over expressiveness in modern classics for solo and duo stringsMusicians: Caroline Chin (violin) Brian Snow (cello)Composer: CarterFirst things first: at just 38 minutes, this is an extremely short disc. But by the end of its thoughtful, jewel-like accounts ...
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ReviewHomecoming — A Scottish Fantasy. Bruch: Scottish Fantasy. Burns: Songs (arr. Campbell). Skinner: The Hurricane. Cunningham: The Gentle Light That Wakes Me, Aberlady. Traditional: Folk arrangements
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: A violinist’s exploration of different aspects of Scotland’s music heritageMusicians: Nicola Benedetti (violin) Julie Fowlis (vocalist) Phil Cunningham (keyboards) etc, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Rory MacdonaldComposer: Bruch, Burns, Skinner, Cunningham Without a violin concerto as its usual coupling, it would be unfortunate if ...
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ReviewBrahms: Piano Trio no.3 in C minor op.101. Vasks: Episodie Canto perpetuo
The Strad Issue: January 2014Description: Two contrasting trios from a young Swiss ensembleMusicians: Rafale TrioComposer: Brahms, VasksThe Zurich-based Rafale Trio offers sumptuous ensemble sound led from Flurin Cuonz’s cello, ideal for the bearded Brahms of the Third Piano Trio. The expressive kinship with the ‘Double’ Concerto has ...
