The #ClassicsaDay team celebrates Pride Month this June. The wide spectrum of sexual identities is now common knowledge. But there have always been non-cis people. Some were able to live openly, others had to hide their orientation to live.
For the challenge, I included as many pre-20th-century composers as possible. Here are my posts for the first week of #PrideWeek.
Our neighbor to the south has a long, rich history of classical music. A much longer history than ours, in fact. For May, the Classics a Day team encourages folks to post videos of Mexican classical music.
There's a lot to choose from. The first composers in New Spain were writing in the 1500s.
Here are my posts for the third week of #ClassicalMexico.
Our neighbor to the south has a long, rich history of classical music. A much longer history than ours, in fact. For May, the Classics a Day team encourages folks to post videos of Mexican classical music.
There's a lot to choose from. The first composers in New Spain were writing in the 1500s.
Here are my posts for the third week of #ClassicalMexico.
Our neighbor to the south has a long, rich history of classical music. A much longer history than ours, in fact. For May, the Classics a Day team encourages folks to post videos of Mexican classical music.
There's a lot to choose from. The first composers in New Spain were writing in the 1500s.
Here are my posts for the second week of #ClassicalMexico.
Miklos Rozsa is one of the great film composers of Hollywood's Golden Age. He scored over 100 films.
Rozsa left Nazi Germany in 1931, then moved to France and England, always one step ahead of the invaders. At that time, he was a renowned composer of classical music. When he came to the United States in 1940, he became a rising star in the film industry.
But Rozsa continues to compose "serious" music for the concert hall. This release features three works written while Rosza lived his double life. It also includes the 1929 Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 3, when he was known only as a classical composer.
This early work is very much a post-Romantic showpiece. Gestures are large and dramatic, with a Brahmsian influence. Cellist Harriet Krijgh really sells the work. Her playing is expressive and emotive, but never over the top.
Rozsa completed his Sinfonia concertante for violin, cello, and orchestra, Op. 29, in 1958. This is a much more complex work, with a relaxed tonal structure. Rozsa's use of violin and cello presents both instruments at their best. Their interchanges sometimes take unexpected turns.
Sometimes film composers (even those who started in the concert hall) can only write Hollywood-style works. Rozsa is different. He successfully pulled off his double life. He created concert works that don't sound like soundtrack cues stitched together.
Gregor Buhl directs the Deutsche Staatsphilharmoni Rheinland-Pfalz. Their playing is disciplined with a concentrated power that matches the soloists.
Sure, I love the scores to "El Cid" and "Ben Hur." But I also like these works -- for different reasons. Recommended.
Miklos Rozsa: Sinfonia Concertante for violin, cello and orchestra, Op. 29
Notturno ungherese, Op. 28; Rhapsody for cello and orchestra, Op. 3
Harriet Krijgh, cello; Nikita Boriso-Glebsky, violin
Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz; Gregor Buhl, conductor
Capriccio C5535
And it's also a misperception. Hovhaness' unique style combined modal harmonies and Eastern scales with Western forms. And while his works are tonal, it's a very loose tonality. There's never a feeling that we're marching inevitably to a final cadence. We simply... arrive.
This album presents several works by Hovhaness. They're for violin, both with orchestra and just piano. Zina Schiff is an excellent interpreter. Hovhaness was proud of his Armenian heritage. In his 1951 Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Strings, those roots lie close to the surface. Schiff's playing makes the violin sound like a folk instrument -- perfect for the music.
Oror (Lullaby), Op. 1 is a different matter. This 1922 work has a strong Eastern European influence. But the violin here is strictly a classical instrument. Schiff is wonderfully expressive in this short work.
The Violin Sonata, Op. 11 from 1937 is a purely classical work. True, the free-spinning melodies could only come from Hovhaness. But the structure and interplay is in line with the violin sonatas of the Romantic composers.
The works on this album span 51 years, from 1921 to 1973. Listen carefully. You'll hear Hovhaness defining and refining his style over time. Highly recommended for those ready to move beyond "Mysterious Mountain."
Alan Hovhaness: Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Strings; Works for Violin and Piano
Zina Schiff, violin; Valerie Stark piano
Salzburg Chamber Soloists; Avlana Eisenberg, conductor
Naxos 8.559957
Our neighbor to the south has a long, rich history of classical music. A much longer history than ours, in fact. For May, the Classics a Day team encourages folks to post videos of Mexican classical music.
There's a lot to choose from. The first composers in New Spain were writing in the 1500s.
Here are my posts for the first week of #ClassicalMexico.
As Quint explains in the liner notes, the three commissioned works each mark an important milestone in his career.
Lero Auerbach composed her Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 56 in 2000-2003. This was a milestone for Auerbach, too. It was her first large symphonic work to be recorded. The concerto is a fascinating blend of styles. The violin provides continuity as the work moves from one section to the next.
The Violin Concerto of Errollyn Wallen is the newest work on the album. It was completed in 2024. It's also the first violin concerto by the composer (another milestone). Wallen's concerto is tonal and written with Quint in mind. Several themes are quotes from tunes Quint heard growing up.
Lara Kwint composed her Rhapsody for Violin and Piano in close collaboration with her son. The violin part is full of technical challenges. But this is not a showpiece. Rather, it's a true conversation between violin and piano. And one of exceptional beauty.
Adoration by Florence Price concludes the album. This short, sentimental tune is charming in its simplicity. And that's how Quint performs it. He lets the music speak for itself.
This is an album of extraordinary performances. The release is available in Dolby Atmos format. If possible, listen to it through an Atmos system. The concertos really come alive in the immersive soundfield.
Philippe Quint, violin: Milestones
Lero Auerbach, Errollyn Wallen, Lara Kwint, Florence Price
Scottish National Orchestra; Andrew Litton, conductor
Pentatone PTC5187408
And they succeed quite handily. Their previous two albums have garnered some prestigious awards, and no wonder.
This all-female ensemble is comprised of top-flight musicians. Les Kapsber'girls are quite comfortable performing in a variety of early music styles. And this release is no exception.
The ensemble derived its name from Hieronymus Kapsberger. He was a virtuoso string player and composer of the early 17th C. This release features several tracks from his published collections of lute and theorbo music.
The program consists mostly of music by women composers. And it's a collection of surprising variety. Barbara Strozzi is represented by several elegantly crafted Italian madrigals. There are some lively selections by Antonia Bembo, a contemporary of Strozzi.
Francesca Campana was the daughter of early opera composer Andrea Campra. Her arias show a real gift for vocal writing.
Alice Duport-Percier (soprano) and Axelle Verner (mezzo-soprano) sing with clear, rounded tones. And their vocal blend is seamless. They create a beautiful, almost unearthly sound I found quite appealing.
And the instrumentalists are equally talented. Pernelle Marzorati (triple harp), Garace Boizot (bass viol), and Albane Imbs (theorobo, torbino, and baroque guitar) play with clarity and energy.
These works are not presented as academic curiosities. This is a program filled with exciting and engaging performances. This is one of the best early music recordings I've heard in a while. Recommended.
Vox Feminae
Les Kapsber'girls
Alpha
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 fifth and final week of #ClassicsaDay #PoetryMonth.
What surprised me is that this release features works for symphonic wind band. Without strings, Rosner's music has an immediacy to it, bristling with raw power.
Rosner's masterful orchestrations are idiomatic to the ensemble. None of this business of just substituting clarinets for strings! That gives Rosner's wind band music a distinctive sound.
Any instrument (or combination of instruments) can have the melody. Any instrument (or group of instruments) can provide supporting harmony. These combinations shift throughout the work, providing fresh insights into the material.
All these works are world premiere recordings. I hope we'll start seeing them show up on concert programs. Every piece is a gem. Eclipse, Op. 100 is a tone poem depicting the celestial event. Rosner wrote it for a high school ensemble, creating an engaging work using simple materials.
Wind band arrangements of folk music are fairly common. Rosner's are uncommon. RAGA!, Op. 104 uses an Indian raga. But he doesn't just set the raga in a Western tonal framework. Rather, he closely follows the Indian traditional form. He uses a shifting combination of instruments to develop the material.
"Lovely Joan", Op. 88 is a setting of an English folksong. But Rosner does more than simply present the tune a few times. His work explores the underlying harmonies of the piece. Each part of the melody is examined in detail. The work ranges far and wide, held together by the source material.
Density512 is a first-rate ensemble, dedicated to contemporary music. They play with commitment, expression, and enthusiasm. Arnold Rosner was truly a unique composer with a voice all his own. And it's a voice that is accessible to modern audiences. If you'd not heard Rosner before, this is the album to start with. This is Rosner unfiltered.
Arnold Rosner: Music for Symphonic Wind Band
Density512; Jacob Aaron Schnitzer, Nicholas Perry Clark, conductors
Toccata Classics
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
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.
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 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
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.
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
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
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.
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."
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.
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.
This 2005 work uses the poetry of Joseph von Eichendorff, Rainer Maria Rilke, Hermann Hesse, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Achim von Arnim.
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.
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.
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
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
March is Women's History Month. And it's a great opportunity for Classics a Day to focus on the contributions of women to classical music.
Women composers are often unjustly overlooked by history. The problem is seldom the quality of their work -- just the worker's gender. The challenge in March is to post examples of music by women composers. There's a millennium of music to choose from. For me, the challenge was what to leave out. Here are my posts for the fourth and final week of #WomensHistoryMonth.
Thomas Metcalf is in his thirties and has an impressive body of work. "Pixelating the River" (2022) was commissioned and premiered by the Kreutzer Quartet. The structure is extremely complex. But the quartet's playing makes sense of it all. Metcalf has broken his music down into it's smallest components. The Kreutzer's phrasing shows how it all fits together.
Australian composer Sadie Harrison is another young artist with something to say. Many of her works address social injustice, as does the piece here. "10,000 Black Men Named George: The Multiple Burdens of Injustice" says it all in the title. Harrison uses African-American spirituals as the template for her work. The result is a moving and heartfelt lament that transcends race.
"On Blue" (2020) was another commission by the Kreutzer Quartet. Joel Jarventausta is concerned with texture. This work moves slowly, with the instruments gradually shifting in their interrelationships. The quartet does a masterful job of sustaining the intensity of the music..
Gloria Coates is probably the most familiar composer on the release. The Piano Quintet was her final completed work. Half of the quartet is tuned a quarter-tone higher. It gives the ensemble an eerie, otherworldly sound. From the ethereal sound clouds to the hammering tuttis, this is classic Coates. And it's an apt summation of her career.
Four contemporary composers with four totally unique approaches to composition. Another fine album by the Kreutzer Quartet.
Kreuzter Quartet: Something So Transporting Bright
Music by Thomas Metcalf, Sadie Harrison, Joel Jarventausta,Gloria Coates
Metier MEX 77132
According to Scott, "derision in academic circles for music that was often categorised as ‘derivative rubbish’ or ‘entertainment for the masses’" made him reticent to complete these works. He got over it, though. And I'm glad he did.
These suites were inspired by various popular dances. But they are neither derivative nor superficially entertaining. Rather, Scott explores the essence of these dances. He keeps the character of the dances while expanding and building upon their cores.
Dance Suite No. 1 "Old Time Dances" celebrates dances of the Edwardian Era. It includes the tango, waltz, polka, and two-step. Dance Suite No. 2 "The 1960s" features the boogaloo, watusi, and the twist. Both suites are a lot of fun. But they're also substantial works as well.
Either would be great for a pops concert or a regular series concert. The same is true for the Serenade, Op. 48. Scott channels the great light classical composers, such as Eric Coates and Trevor Duncan.
Once again, Scott uses the prototypes as a starting point. So, the Serenade achieves the intended effect without sounding like a pastiche. This is wholly original music that -- by design -- is tuneful and accessible.
Paul Mann directs the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra. These artists deliver spirited performances that add to the fun.
Scott's Dance Suites may be frowned on by academia, but they brought a smile to my face.
Derek B. Scott: Orchestral Works, Volume 4
Dance Suite Nos. 1 & 2; Serenade
Liepaja Symphony Orchestra; Paul Mann, conductor
Toccata Classics TOCC 0750
March is Women's History Month. And it's a great opportunity for Classics a Day to focus on the contributions of women to classical music.
Women composers are often unjustly overlooked by history. The problem is seldom the quality of their work -- just the worker's gender. The challenge in March is to post examples of music by women composers. There's a millennium of music to choose from. For me, the challenge was what to leave out. Here are my posts for the third week of #WomensHistoryMonth.
Dubois' ambition was to write opera. Most of them were either unperformed, or had very short runs. In the meantime, he amassed an impressive body of work in other genres.
This release features several chamber works by Dubois. They show a composer with a gift for melody and a talent for organizing his material.
The Piano Quintet in F major is a good example. Traditional piano quintets are comprised of a piano plus a string quartet. Dubois substitutes an oboe for one of the violins. This creates a wider timbre palette that Dubois exploits.
The album's other major composition is the 1909 String Quartet No. 1. Dubois writes idiomatically for the strings. The work flows effortlessly along as an animated conversation between four friends.
Contemporaries judged Dubois to be a skilled composer, if not an especially original one. That might be a little unfair. His musical language is that of the late Romantic period.
It doesn't upend harmonies like Debussy. But neither does it sound like an inferior imitation of someone else.
Dubois's crime seems to be just that he colored within the lines. But the colors he chose elevate his music above the ordinary.
The works on this release feature some unusual instrumental combinations. Unusual but effective combinations.
The assembled musicians deliver nuanced, committed performances. They help make the case that this music needs to be heard.
If you enjoy the music of French masters such as Massenet and Saint-Saens, give Dubois a listen. It's music worth exploring.
Théodore Dubois: Chamber Music
Lajos Lencsés, oboe; Carole Dubois, piano; Antal Váradi, organ; Renie Yamahata, harp; Quatuor Parisii; Budapest Strings
Toccata Classics No: TOCC0362
Alexandrov wrote in a variety of genres. But his most important works were his fourteen piano sonatas. They're also his most deeply personal works.
This three CD set includes all fourteen sonatas. And it gives three of them world recording premieres. Clarisse Teo plays with sensitivity and expression. Her interpretations explore the emotional depths of these works.
Alexandrov was a talented pianist. And these sonatas show the full range of his abilities. Teo ably brings out the complex inner voices of Alexandrov's music.
Like Scriabin, Alexandrov's music has a mystic quality to it. During the Stalin era, he downplayed that characteristic. But it was always present. And Teo draws it out of the scores.
Divine Art sequences the sonatas in chronological order. And that's a great way to listen to them (at least initially). It's easy to hear the development of Alexandrov's compositional skill. And at the same time hear the spiritual foundations that tie these works together.
Highly recommended.
Anatoly Alexandrov: Complete Piano Sonatas
Clarisse Teo, piano
Divine Art DDX 21375
3 CD Set
March is Women's History Month. And it's a great opportunity for Classics a Day to focus on the contributions of women to classical music.
Women composers are often unjustly overlooked by history. The problem is seldom the quality of their work -- just the worker's gender. The challenge in March is to post examples of music by women composers. There's a millennium of music to choose from. For me, the challenge was what to leave out. Here are my posts for the second week of #WomensHistoryMonth.
