The Last Rose: Mysterious Music on Silent Instruments Reborn

 

This album has a truly remarkable origin. Early music specialists Mathilde Vialle and Thibaut Roussel received a unique opportunity. The Paris Museum of Music was loaning them two instruments from its collections. Instruments that had not been played for centuries. 

Vialle received the basse de viole of John Pitts, London 1679. It's the only known surviving instrument from this luthier. Iit was restored to playing condition in the 20th Century. But this release will most likely be the only opportunity to most of us to hear it. 

Roussel was entrusted with the archlute of Cristoph Koch, Venice, 1654. It was restored to playing condition in the 1990s.

What to perform? In the Bibliothèque nationale de France, they found a mysterious manuscript. It was a collection in two bound volumes -- one for the viol parts, the other for the bass. The first page was torn out, so there is no title, author, composer, or patron to attach to the work. 

But inside were 200 pages of music, both familiar and obscure. This album is the result. As the artists wrote in the liner notes, "To hear the music that had been long forgotten but is now played on instruments that remained silent for centuries is to embark on a journey through time."

And it's a convincing journey. Vialle and Roussel are top-notch players. While their playing is stylistically correct, it's full of expression and emotion. Ronan Khalil plays the virginal, filling out the basso continuo. And tenor Zachary Wilder sings some of the selections. 

This is a beautifully realized release. The instruments have an extraordinary sound, enhanced by the masterful recording. The clean, detailed sound showcases the rich voices of these instruments.

Even if you have a large collection of early music, you should add "The Last Rose" to your collection. And if you're starting your exploration of this genre, "The Last Rose" is a great choice as well.

The Last Rose: Songs, tunes, and dances from a mysterious manuscript
Mathilde Vialle, bass viol; Thibaut Roussel, archlute; Ronan Khalil, virginals; Zachery Wilder, tenor
Harmonia Mundi HMM 902505

#ClassicsaDay #PoetryMonth Week 4, 2025

 April is Poetry Month. The Classics a Day challenge for April is to post examples of classical music inspired by poetry. The most obvious cases are poems set to music. But sometimes, inspiration runs deeper. 

Here are my posts for the fourth week of #ClassicsaDay #PoetryMonth.

04/21/25 Benjamin Britten: The Holy Sonnets of John Donne

Britten set a selection of John Donne's sonnets after viewing the liberated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1947.

 

04/22/25 Peter Warlock: The Curlew (W.B. Yeats)

Warlock selected four poems by W.B. Yeats for this work. He completed it in 1922, and it was premiered that same year.

 

04/23/25 George Butterworth: Is my team ploughing? (Houseman)

Butterworth set six poems to music from A.E. Houseman's "Shropshire Lad." Butterworth completed the work in 1911. He would go on to set additional poems from the collection.

 

04/24/25 George Butterworth: A Shropshire Lad (Rhapsody for Orchestra)

Butterworth wrote two song cycles based on A.E. Houseman's "Shropshire Lad." His orchestral rhapsody served as an instrumental epilogue to the project. It premiered in 1913.

 

04/25/25 Ralph Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge (Houseman)

Vaughan Williams set six poems from A.E. Houseman's "Shropshire Lad" to music. Originally, the songs were for voice and piano. In 1924, Vaughan Williams created a version for voice and orchestra.

 

Glass, Undistorted: Di Lallo’s Faithful Performances

 

Giusto Di Lallo created this recording with some very specific objectives. The first was to mark the tenth anniversary of Philip Glass' Piano Etudes. The 20 etudes were first published -- and recorded -- in 2014. 

Since that time, several pianists have recorded these works. When he studied the scores, Di Lallo realized that many performers took liberties with the music. Philip Glass recognized that players tend to make pieces their own through interpretation. 

But as Di Lallo noted in the liner notes, "As I delved deeper into studying these pieces, I realized that, besides the tempos, pianists

often altered the dynamics and phrasing as well. As a composer myself this left me with a certain sense of frustration."

Di Lallo's goal was to be as faithful as possible to the printed music. So the tempos, dynamics, and phrasing are true to Glass' vision. Does it make a difference? 

Oh yes. 

These are not mechanical performances. Di Lallo brings all his musicianship to making these pieces come alive. It's just that he's aligned his own expressive nature with Glass' ideas. 

Di Lallo wisely chose not to record all 20 etudes. By picking and choosing, he's created a compelling and engaging program. Plus he chose not to play the etudes in sequence. This creates some interesting contrasts between the pieces, and provides additional insights into Glass' music. 

This is a fine collection. I'm looking forward to doing some A/B comparisons with other recordings of the etudes. I suspect there may be a few surprises. 

Philip Glass: Selected Piano Etudes
10th Anniversary Special Edition
Giusto Di Lallo, piano
SOMM Recordings SOMMCD 0695

Daugherty Soars Again with Blue Electra

Would it be too much to name Michael Daugherty America's composer? So much of his work is bound up in American culture and history. From the "Metropolis Symphony" (1991) through "Philadelphia Stories" (2001) to "Mount Rushmore" (2010), he's captured the essence of America

Daugherty has a unique symphonic style. It can be expansive without sounding like Copland. It can be lyrical without sounding like Barber. It can reference other musical genres without sounding stilted or pretentious.

This release adds three more masterpieces of Americana to Daugherty's catalog. 

"Blue Electra" (2022) celebrates the life and mysterious fate of Amelia Earhart. Anne Akiko Meyers is the violin soloist. Her playing crackles with energy, especially in the second movement "Paris (1932)." Her phrasing on the final movement, "Last Flight (1937)" is exquisite. It brings the work to an emotional, heartbreaking conclusion. 

"Last Dance at the Surf" (2021) commemorates Buddy Holly's final performance. He would die in a plane crash hours later. Daugherty captures the exuberance of the gig. And all without quoting music by Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, or the Big Bopper. 

Rather, we're treated to an abstract version of the event, moving from uptempo numbers to slow songs and back again. And that abstraction makes the piece work. There's no danger of "Last Dance" ever sounding dated or contrived. 

"To the New World" celebrates the Apollo 11 moon landing. Soprano Elissa Johnston provides a wordless obbligato. Does her voice, coupled with a soaring French horn, echo "Star Trek?" Perhaps. If so, it's a very oblique reference. 

Daugherty uses the voice to create an otherworldly sound to the music. This is another stirring score that inspires and uplifts. 

David Alan Miller directs the Albany Symphony. They're recorded in the legendary Troy Bank Building. When the ensemble needs to go big, it does. And when subtlety is required, the musicians deliver. These are world-class performances of first-class music. 

Michael Daugherty: Blue Electra
Last Dance at the Surf; To the New World
Anne Akiko Meyers, violin; Elissa Johnston, soprano obbligato
Albany Symphony; David Alan Miller, conductor
Naxos 8.559955

#ClassicsaDay #Poetry Month Week 3, 2025

 April is Poetry Month. The Classics a Day challenge for April is to post examples of classical music inspired by poetry. The most obvious cases are poems set to music. But sometimes, inspiration runs deeper. 

Here are my posts for the third week of #ClassicsaDay #PoetryMonth.

04/14/25 Ralph Vaughan Williams: Toward the Unknown Region (Walt Whitman)

This cantata was composed in 1906. It's one of RVW's first settings of Whitman's poetry. It wouldn't be his last.

 

04/15/25 Paul Hindemith: When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd (Walt Whitman)

This work was commissioned in 1945 after the death of FDR. Its subtitle is "A Requiem for those we love (An American Requiem).

 

04/16/25 John Adams: The Wound-Dresser (Walt Whitman)

This 1989 work was written for baritone Sanford Sylvan, who made the first recording of it. The poem was based on Whitman's experiences as a hospital volunteer during the Civil War.

 

04/17/25 John Alden Carpenter: Sea Drift (Walt Whitman)

Carpenter's inspiration for this 1933 tone poem was Whitman's "Sea Drift." This was a section of sea-themed poems in "Leaves of Grass."

 

04/18/25 Frederick Delius: Sea Drift (Walt Whitman)

Delius used selected texts from "Sea Drift" for this work. It was composed in 1906 for baritone, chorus, and orchestra.

 

Three Polish Voices, One Bold Sound

This album has a simple program. Yet it's one with complexity and depth. Thomas Sondergaard has collected three works by 20th-century Polish composers. The three composers have a shared musical heritage. Yet each chooses a different way to express it. 

Graznia Bacewicz wrote her "Overture for Orchestra" in 1943. It's a bustling, energetic work. Without context, it can seem celebratory. But Bacewicz composed it during the Nazi occupation. The intent was defiance. And that's the attitude the Royal Scottish National Orchestra delivers.

Symphony No. 3 by Witold Lutosławski challenges differently. This 1983 work features limited aleatorism. That is, specified instruments play notated patterns for a set length of time. But the speed and frequency of the repetitions are up to the performers. Most of these sections have several groups of instruments playing different patterns. The way they interrelate changes with every performance.

The symphony is a difficult work to perform. The balance between control and freedom has to be just right. And it is here. I think the orchestra's performance here is the best on the album.

Karol Szymanowski's "Fantasy on King Roger" is the most traditional work on the album. The music was derived from his 1926 opera, "King Roger." The score is an exotic blend of  Mediterranean music, Gregorian chant, and Polish classicism. Sondergaard leads the RSNO in a spirited and nuanced performance. 

A fine album of music. And one that demonstrates just how diverse the music of a single country can be.

Bacewicz, Lutoslawski, Szmanowski

Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Thomas Sondergaard, conductor

Linn CKD 758

Liszt’s Legacy: Two Forgotten Concertos, Reborn

 

The two piano concertos on this release have a few things in common:

1) They were both composed by students of Franz Liszt

2) Both composers were better known as pianists

3) Both works have languished in obscurity for almost a century

4) Both are extraordinary concertos that deserve an audience

Oliver Triendl has made a career recording overlooked and neglected repertoire. Virtually all the music he's recorded has been worthy of revival. And that's the case here, too. 

Triendl has the chops to pull off these concertos -- and they're needed. Emil von Sauer was considered Franz Liszt's heir. His piano writing is dense and difficult. Conrad Ansorge also follows in Liszt's footsteps, but not as closely. His music relies on sensitive musicianship as well as technical brilliance.

Sauer's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E minor was the first of two concertos. He wrote it in 1895, and it's the height of Romantic expression. Crashing chords cascade up and down the keyboard. Thick piano textures are the norm, with an abundance of rapid runs. 

But this concerto isn't solo piano with a side order of orchestra. It is a collaborative effort. The piano sometimes accompanies the orchestra (as well as the other way around). Sauer created a four-movement concerto, unusual for the day. 

The work is filled with big, brawny melodies that have some staying power. Now I want to hear Sauer's second concerto!

Ansorge's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in F major, Op. 28, is a late work from 1924. Ansorge finished it six years before his death. It may be the last work he completed.

It's a very different work from Sauer's concerto. Technical demands on the pianist remain high. But the focus isn't the technique, but what is expressed through it. This is a very lyrical concerto, and one with real beauty. 

The Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchestrer Berlin perform under Roland Kluttig. The ensemble has a big, brawny sound that's well-suited to this music. If you're a fan of Rachmaninoff, Grieg, or Tchaikovsky concertos, give this a listen. You may just discover some new favorites.

Emil von Sauer, Conrad Ansorge: Piano Concertos
Oliver Triendl, piano
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchestrer Berlin; Roland Kluttig, conductor
Capriccio C5511

#ClassicsaDay #PoetryMonth Week 2, 2025

 April is Poetry Month. The Classics a Day challenge for April is to post examples of classical music inspired by poetry. The most obvious cases are poems set to music. But sometimes, inspiration runs deeper. 

Here are my posts for the second week of #ClassicsaDay #PoetryMonth.

04/07/25 Roger Quilter: Three Shakespeare Songs for Baritone and Piano, Op. 6

Quilter's 1905 set features "Come away, death" and "O Mistress mine" from "Twelfth Night," and "Blow, blow thou winter wind" from "As You Like It."

04/08/25 Johannes Brahms: Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53

This 1869 work sets verses from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's "Harzreise im Winter." The poem describes the Harz mountain covered in snow, which Brahsm interpreted metaphorically.   

04/09/25 Felix Mendelssohn: Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage

Mendelssohn based his tone poem on a pair of poems by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In the age before steam, calm seas were dangerous -- only when strong winds could a voyage continue.

04/10/25 Krzystof Pendericki: Symphony No. 8 (Lieder der Vergänglichkeit) 

This 2005 work uses the poetry of Joseph von Eichendorff, Rainer Maria Rilke, Hermann Hesse, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Achim von Arnim.

04/11/25 Franz Lehár: Friederike

This 1928 operetta was inspired by John Wolfgang Goethe's poem "Heidenröslein." The work tells the story of Goethe's doomed love for Friderike, who sacrifices her love for the poet's career.  

#ClassicsaDay #PoetryMonth Week 1, 2025

 April is Poetry Month. The Classics a Day challenge for April is to post examples of classical music inspired by poetry. The most obvious cases are poems set to music. But sometimes, inspiration runs deeper. 

Here are my posts for the first week of #ClassicsaDay #PoetryMonth.

4/1/25 Ralph Vaughan Williams: Three Shakespeare Songs

These a cappella works were originally written in 1951 as test pieces for a choral competition. Two songs are from "The Tempest," the third from "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

 

4/2/25 Aaron Copland: Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson

Copland composed this cycle in 1950, each poem was dedicated to a different friend. In 1970, Copland finished an orchestral arrangement of this work.

 

4/3/25 Franz Schubert: Du bist di Ruh (Friedrich Ruckert)

Friedrich Ruckert was one of the most popular poets in 1800s Germany. Many composers set his poems to music -- including Franz Schubert.

 

4/4/25 Robert Schumann: Liederkreis, Op. 39 (Joseph von Eichendorff)

Eichendorff was a popular novelist and poet of the Romantic Era. His poems were often incorporated into his novels, sung by the protagonists. Schumann's cycle is taken from a collection of Eichendorff poems, "Intermezzo."

 

Violina Petrychenko Champions Ukrainian Masters

Pianist Violina Petrychenko's recording career has been defined by her heritage. The six albums she's released on Ars Production all center around Ukrainian composers. The first five were solo piano recitals. This one's more ambitious. 

Petrychenko is a world-class performer. Her phrasing is wonderfully emotive, and her technique is near-perfection. 

Instead, she chose to celebrate the musical heritage of Ukraine, her home. And Petrychecko's ideally suited to do it. Her playing shows a deep understanding of Ukrainian classical aesthetic. It's an aesthetic that is different from other Eastern European countries (especially Russia). 

This album presents two world premiere recordings. And what wonderful additions to the repertoire they are. Vasyl Barvinsky gained international fame as a pianist and composer. In 1948 he was arrested by the Soviet authorities and sent to a gulag for ten years. During that time, most of his manuscripts were destroyed. 

After his release, Barvinsky tried to reconstruct as many works as possible. But time was against him. He died five years later. The Piano Concerto in F minor is a magnificent post-Romantic masterwork. 

The gestures are broad, and the orchestration is sweeping. And yet this is a tightly focused work, running only 20 minutes. Barvinsky doesn't waste a note and uses the piano to telling effect. 

Viktor Kosenko lived and worked primarily in Kyiv. He was interested in Ukrainian folk music, which did not sit well with the Soviets. As a result, he was forced to live in a state-provided apartment in abject poverty. 

Nevertheless his compositions are among the most treasured of the Ukrainian repertoire. His 1928 Piano Concerto in C minor is a gorgeous work. It compares favorably to Rachmaninoff's concertos -- big themes, memorable melodies, and glittering piano artistry.

Petrychenko, the Lviv National Symphony, and Volodymyr Syvokhip serve their countrymen well. These are stirring performances, driven by real passion. I'll be revisiting this release many times.

Ukrainian Piano Concertos
Vasyl Barvinsky; Viktor Kosenko
Violina Petrychenko, piano
Lviv National Philharmonic orchestra; Voldymyr Syvokhip, conductor
Ars Production 260052

The Timeless Sequences of the Liber Ymnorum

 

When it comes to musical source materials, few surpass the importance of the Liber ymnorum. This collection organized and codified the sequences sung in the Catholic Church. 

Notker Balbulus (c.840-912) as a monk working in the Abbey of St. Gall. He was a talented writer and composer. In the 880s, he compiled the Liber ymnorum, and contributed music to it. It's a massive work of liturgical and musicological scholarship. 

Balbulus organized all the music according to the church calendar. Those using the book to prepare a service could easily find the appropriate music. 

Balbulus also carefully notated the music, ensuring its preservation through the centuries. The modern musical staff had yet to be developed. Balbulus used numes -- graphic elements to indicate the rise and fall of the melody. For long and involved sequences, this was a welcome innovation. The choirmaster no longer had to rely on memory. 

The Liber ymnorum is still in use, and Balbulus' compositions are still sung. 

This album features selections from the Liber ymnum, sung by the Schola Antiqua of Chicago. Director Michael Alan Andeson makes some canny programming choices. These sequences are mostly devoice of a strong rhythmic pulse, or harmony. 

Anderson varies his forces, providing contrast between the selections. A sequence sung by a single male voice is followed by one for women's choi, followed by one to two males, etc.   

The recording venue is spot on. St. Josaphat Parish in Chicago provides an open ambience for the sound. There's some echo, but not enough to muddy the music. This was music designed for the church, and that open cathedral sound is part of its DNA. 

The performances are excellent. This is serene, contemplative music designed to enhance worship -- or at least thoughts of the Divine. It succeeds.

Notker Balbulus: Liber ymnorum
Schola Antiqua of Chicago; Michael Alan Anderson, conductor
Naxos 8.579169