December is a time of traditions. And the Classics a Day feed is no different. We continue our tradition of making Classical Christmas our December theme.
The challenge is to post music related to the season. So sacred works for Advent and Christmas, secular works about winter, or even just music written and/or premiered in December.
Here are my posts for the fifth and final week in December.
12/26/22 Arnold Bax: Mater ora filium
Bax didn't write much choral music. But in the early 1900s, he did set this traditional text, that celebrates the journey of the Three Kings.
12/27/22 William Crotch: Lo! Star-led Chiefs
This choral piece is often sung in Anglican churches during Epiphany. It was originally part of William Crotch's oratorio "Palestine," published in 1818.
12/28/22 Peter Cornelius: Three Kings from Persian lands afar
In the mid-1800s, Cornelius was a renowned opera composer in his native Germany. In England, he was a one-hit-wonder. And that one hit was this tune from his Op. 8 Weihnachtslieder
12/29/22 Jacobus Clemens non Papa: Magi veniunt ab oriente
Most of Clemens' output was sacred music. This would have been sung at a Feast of the Epiphany service, marking the Magi visiting the Christ child.
12/30/22 Jacob Handl-Gallus: Omnes de Saba
The text is one of the graduals for Epiphany. Handl first published his setting in his 1586 collection Opus musicum.
Naxos' Music of Brazil series continues to yield musical gems. The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is spearheading the project.
Over 100 orchestral works by Brazilian composers will be released. And what a great way to enhance Brazil's stature in the world (OK, perhaps just in the world of classical music.)
This release features two symphonic suites by César Guerra-Peixe. Although he doesn't enjoy the international reputation of countryman Heitor Villa-Lobos, Guerra-Peixe is one of Brazil's most important and influential composers.
Guerra-Peixe was a violinist, composer, and conductor. And he was also an enthusiastic ethnomusicologist. He was vitally interested in Brazil's folk traditions, particularly those of the northeast.
These symphonic suites present native dance music recast as orchestral works. Guerra-Peixe adds complexity and depth to these tunes while retaining their original character.
The two suites were composed in 1955. Symphonic Suite No. 1 "Paulista" features dance music from the São Paulo region. No.2 "Permanbuana" showcases music from the Pernambuco region.
The Goiás Philharmonic Orchestra knows this material well. Not only is Guerra-Peixe frequently performed by Brazilian orchestras. And the players know the folk traditions behind Guerra-Peixe's music.
That additional knowledge gives these performances an added lift. These are dance suites that could have you dancing!
César Guerra-Peixe: Symphonic Suites Nos. 1 and 2 Roda de Amigos Raul Menezes, flute; Públio da Silva, oboe; Patrick Viglioni, clarinet; Felipe Arruda, bassoon Goiás Philharmonic Orchestra; Neil Thomson, conductor Naxos
The Solarek Piano Trio performs three early works by Henriëtte Bosmans. Included is her Sonata for Violin and Piano (1918), Arietta (1917), and the Piano Trio (1921).
If you're familiar with Bosmans' mature style, these compositions may surprise you. They have a lush, romantic sound to them. This is a dramatic contrast to the stripped-down harmonies she started using in the 1930s.
The Violin Sonata was written while Bosmans was studying with Jan Willem Kersbergen. It's full of youthful energy and enthusiasm.
My one criticism is that the piano part seems overly showy. Not out of character for a young piano virtuoso/composer. But at times it threatens the balance between the two instruments.
The Arietta is a very different piece. Though written within a year of the sonata, the Arietta is much more introspective. Plus, Bosmans reigns in the piano, letting the violin sing. Because of the range -- and the character -- of this music, the Arietta is often performed on the viola. Nice to hear the composer's original intent here.
The Piano Trio shows Bosmans' growth as a composer. The handling of her material is much more assured. The piano part is meaty, but never overpowers the other instruments. Also, this work seems more emotionally focused somehow.
The players of the Solarek Trio turn in some fine performances. To my ears, the recordings -- especially the sonata -- seemed a little boomy. Consider it a nit, but one I had to mention.
Henriëtte Bosmans is a major figure in Dutch music. But she's little known outside the Netherlands. Here's hoping this release will encourage more folks to explore her catalog. It's worth the effort.
Henriëtte Bosmans: Early Chamber Music Solarek Piano Trio Toccata Classics TTOCC 0654
Selim Palmgren was a virtuoso pianist and a prolific composer -- particularly for his instrument. His catalog includes over 400 published works.
Jouni Somero's goal is to record all Palmgren's solo piano works. This includes quite a few unpublished pieces. Not surprisingly, each volume of this series has several world premiere recordings. As does this volume.
The program on volume six is a cross-section of Palmgren's short piano works. It has his first published pieces from 1898 through his mid-career works of the 1940s.
As with the other volumes, Palmgren demonstrates his mastery of the miniature. Many of these pieces are less than two minutes in length. And yet each is a fully-developed idea.
For me, one of the real standouts was "Youth," published in 1908. This suite of six movements has a cohesive feel to it. And that's no mean feat. The suite includes a Debussy-like Impressionist movement, as well as several based on Finnish folk songs. But it all works together.
Jouni Somero continues to impress me with his phenomenal technique. Palmgren was a great pianist -- and a good deal of his music was written for performers at his level. Somero is equal to the task.
Plus, he gives the smaller, slighter pieces equal attention. Simple though some may be, Somero's playing adds a bit of emotional weight.
Selim Palmgren: Complete Piano Works 6 Jouni Somero, piano Grand Piano
December is a time of traditions. And the Classics a Day feed is no different. We continue our tradition of making Classical Christmas our December theme.
The challenge is to post music related to the season. So sacred works for Advent and Christmas, secular works about winter, or even just music written and/or premiered in December.
Here are my posts for the third week in December.
12/19/22 Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck: Hodie Christus natus est
Quite a few composers used this Gregorian chant as a starting point. For Sweelinck, it was an opportunity to explore the possibilities of polyphony.
12/20/22 Giovanni da Palestrina: Hodie Christus natus est
This setting comes from Palestrina's third volume of sacred motets. This collection was published in Venice in 1575.
12/21/22 Giovanni Gabrieli: Hodie Christus natus est
Gabrieli set this traditional Christmas liturgical text in 1615.
12/22/22 William Byrd: Hodie Christus natus est
Byrd's setting was published in Gradualia ac cantiones sacra, Liber 2, which came out in 1607. This volume featured 4-voice sacred music for Christmas and Epiphany.
12/23/22 Healey Willan: Hodie Christus natus est
Canadian organist and composer Willan wrote more than 800 works, most of them for voice. His setting of this text comes from 1935.
Style Galante was fashionable in the mid-1700s. It formed a bridge between the Baroque and Classical Eras. And in New Spain, music was being written and performed in that oh-so-current style.
New Spain was the collective name for Spain's possessions in the New World. It included modern-day Mexico, Cuba, the American Southwest, and Central America. Mexico City and Veracruz were thriving cities, with sophisticated cultural life.
Italian composers Santiago Billoni and Ignacio de Jerusalem emigrated to New Spain. David Pérez (Lisbon) and Luis Misón (Madrid) remained in Europe. But their music was well-known and often performed in New Spain.
I think location makes a difference. There's something that the Billoni and Jerusalem compositions have that the others don't. Indigenous music and culture weren't far below the surface. The Italian composers didn't adopt folk tunes into their music. But there's a rhythm pulse in their works that seems distinctively LatinX.
The quality of the compositions is on par with that of the Mannheim School. The melodies are all well-formed and easy to follow (a hallmark of the style). And they're all quite tuneful.
The performances by the Camerata Antonio Soler are generally good. And the vocal soloists also do a credible job. All in all, this release succeeds in its intent. And that is to demonstrate just how rich and vibrant the music scene was in New Spain.
Galant Cathedral Music from New Spain Camerata Antonio Soler; Javier José Mendoza, conductor Orchid Classics ORC100208
This is a Christmas album that will appeal to some, but not to all. If you enjoy Broadway musicals, then "Christmas Tidings" is for you. Seriously, I thought I was listening to an original cast album for "Creche: The Musical."
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the selections. Brian Knowles knows how to write engaging melodies, and he knows how to write for the human voice. All these selections sounded like they would be fun to sing (and even choreograph).
I loved the opening track, "Dancing in My Heart." It was upbeat, with fresh imagery and harmonies. And many of the selections are like that. Knowles writes in a modern, tonal style similar to contemporary music theater.
But in some of the selections, the musical theater element overpowers. And for me, that's when the message of the music sounds inauthentic.
"Skydiving," for example, imagines the Heavenly Host swooping through the air as they sing to the shepherds. Great idea. But the vaudeville setting of the music had me picturing dancers in flowing gowns and tap shoes.
The Celestia Singers directed by David Ogden do a terrific job. They sing with enthusiasm and really sell the music. Some of the selections have brass accompaniment, but most just have a piano.
That's unfortunate. After a while, I felt like I was sitting in on a rehearsal rather than a final performance.
As I say, if you enjoy musicals, this release is for you. I like -- but don't love -- the musical theater genre. So my reaction was mixed. And that's on me.
Brian Knowles: Christmas Tidings Celestia Singsers & Brass; David Ogden, director Convivium Records CV177
This is a Christmas release like no other. And it's one of those albums that you can listen to any time of the year.
In 1397, Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos hit the road. Constantinople had been under siege by the Ottoman Empire for six years. The King of Hungary's attempt to break the siege had failed, and Byzantia needed help.
Manuel II went east, seeking aid from his fellow Christian monarchs. He made his case in Venice, Padua, Milan, the Vatican, and France. It was the French king who recommended he also visit Henry IV of England.
He did, arriving in 1400. The two monarchs celebrated the Christmas season together at Eltham Palace. They did many things together. But they worshipped separately, each to their own traditions.
And that's what this album attempts to recreate. The Cappella Romana performs the Byzantine chants Manuel II heard in worship. And they reconstruct the polyphonic hymns Henry IV may have heard in his services.
It's an album of contrasts, and fascinating ones at that -- Latin vs. Greek; polyphony vs. monody. The Cappella Romana does both equally well. And do so in the appropriate style for each tradition.
When singing Henry's music, the ensemble has a clear, bell-like sound. For Magnus's music, they sound darker and a little gravelly. It's very well done. The differences between Eastern and Western liturgical music are clear.
This is an album of great beauty and great serenity. Those are two qualities both the Latin and Eastern Orthodox hymns have in common.
Recommended.
A Byzantine Emperor at King Henry’s Court Christmas 1400, London Capella Romana; Alexander Lingas, director Cappella Records
December is a time of traditions. And the Classics a Day feed is no different. We continue our tradition of making Classical Christmas our December theme.
The challenge is to post music related to the season. So sacred works for Advent and Christmas, secular works about winter, or even just music written and/or premiered in December.
Here are my posts for the third week in December.
12/12/2 Arnold Brunckhorst: Weihnachtmusik
Brunckhorst was active in the late 1600s. Despite having a long career as organist and kapellmeister, only a handful of his compositions survive, including this Christmas cantata from 1710.
12/13/22 Dietrich Buxtehude: Ihr lieben Christen, freut euch nun, BuxWV 51
Buxtehude's compositions served as models for the next generation of German composers (including Handel, Bach, and Telemann). As you can hear.
12/14/22 Arnold Bax: Winter Waters
Christmas isn't a joyous time for everyone. If you're one of them, this piece might be for you. Bax subtitled his 1915 piano piece "Tragic Landscape."
12/15/22 Eastern Orthodox Chant: In the Dark Night
Eastern Orthodox worship traditions are just as rich as those of Catholic or Protestant churches (and in some cases, even older). This Christmas chant is from Ukraine.
12/16/22 Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow: Von Himmel kam der Engel Schar
Zachow was Handel's first music teacher. When he died in 1713, Bach was invited to take over his position of Chormeister at Halle's Market Church.
Though hardly remembered today, Ernst Wilhelm Wolf was well-known in 1790s Germany. He was a child prodigy at the harpsichord.
His compositions impressed Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (son of J.S.), and the two became friends. He married the daughter of composer Franz Benda. And he was Kapellmeister of the Weimar court.
Wolf had an impressive catalog of works, and it was widely published and performed. But after his death in 1792, it all faded away.
Wolf wrote in the empfindsamer Stil. The Classical Era of Mozart and Haydn which followed was more complex. By the early 1800s, Empfindsamer Stil works were considered too superficial. Which accounts for Wolf's slide into obscurity.
But Wolf's style is what makes these four Christmas cantatas so appealing. Melodies are flowing with minimal ornamentation. Polyphony is present, but the textures stay thin and transparent. The choruses are homophonic, making their melodies easy to follow.
In other words, these are cheery, tuneful works that just might have you humming along. And what else could one want during a Christmas service?
The Kölner Akademie, directed by Michael Alexander Willens, plays to perfection. The instrumentalists perform with just the right touch. They keep the music nimble and light.
The recording also features a chorus of nine vocalists and three soloists. They also produce a clear, clean sound in keeping with the style.
Ernst Wilhelm Wolf: Auf, jauchzet ihr Christen Christmas Cantatas Beate Mordal, soprano; Georg Poplutz, tenor; Matthias Vieweg, baritone Kölner Akademie, Michael Alexander Willens, conductor CPO
This is the world premiere recording of the Missa Jubilate of Luca Maranzio. Maranzio was renowned for his madrigals (over 500 we know of).
He knew how to write for the human voice, and how to illustrate texts through vocal lines and textures. This release shows those skills carried over into his sacred music, too.
The works receiving their recording premiers were only recently identified as Maranzio's. The manuscripts were preserved in Vercelli’s Archivio Capitolare without attribution. Only after years of painstaking research did musicologists confirm the works as Maranzio's.
It's a fascinating story, and one the booklet goes into detail about. But in the end, what counts is the music.
And it's glorious. Marenzio was a contemporary of Palestrina. There's plenty of contrapuntal development in the mass. But it has a much lighter texture than any of Palestrina's (at least to my ears).
The lines also seem more tuneful. Perhaps that's Marenzio the madrigalist coming through.
The Cappella Musicale della Cattedrale di Vercelli has a wonderful vocal blend. There's a luminous quality to the sound, especially when the entire ensemble is singing. The recording is also quite good. There's enough ambiance to let the music breathe, but not too much to muddy the polyphony.
Also included are both versions of the Jubilate Deo a 8, and the Magnificat octavi toni. Hearing alternative versions of the same work provide insight into the composer's creative process.
Luca Marenzio: Missa Jubilate Magnificat Sexti Toni Cappella Musicale della Cattedrale di Vercelli; Don Deis Silano, director Stefanp Demicheli, organ; Federico bagnasco, violin Dynamic
I'm always surprised at how little Canadian classical music is known in this country. American labels have released music from Central and South American composers.
But it seems only Canadian labels record Canadian classical music. I don't understand why, given the scope and quality of that music.
Rosemary Thomson and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra present a program of three Canadian composers. The orchestra is based in British Columbia, where two of the three composers live.
The album has three concertos, each one showing a fresh interpretation of the genre.
R Murray Shafer was one of Canada's most iconic and influential composers. He achieved international recognition for his work on environment and sound. Shafer's "The Falcon's Trumpet" is from 1995.
He writes that it represents a trumpet as it "plays across a lake at dawn or sunset, causing the whole forest to echo and vibrate." It's atmospheric and evocative. The trumpet's interplay with the soprano is especially beautiful.
Imnant Raminsh completed his Violin Concerto in 1997. This work also includes a soprano voice, this time in support of the solo instrument. Raminsh's intent was to create work for orchestra with violin obbligato (rather than as a showpiece). It's well-crafted and succeeds in its goal.
Ernst Schneider emigrated to Canada in 1958. His "Romantic" Concerto of 1980 is the first of his two piano concertos. The work is rich in emotion and beautifully expressive. Schneider's language is tonal, though modern. So there are more modal harmonies than thickly stacked thirds. (That's not a complaint.)
The soloists for these performances all perform admirably. The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra is a regional orchestra. They deliver committed performances. But there were times when the ensemble wasn't as tight as it needed to be, and there were a few intonation problems. But those are minor quibbles
This is a strong program, with good performances. And it's a fine example of the great classical music being created to the north of us. Give this release a listen, and discover what we've all been missing.
Canadian Soundscapes Schafer, Raminsh, Scheider Guy Few, trumpet; Carmen Harris, soprano; Melissa Williams, violin; Eeva-Maria Kopp, soprano; Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, piano Okanagan Symphony Orchestra; Rosemary Thomson, music director Centrediscs CMCCD29722
December is a time of traditions. And the Classics a Day feed is no different. We continue our tradition of making Classical Christmas our December theme.
The challenge is to post music related to the season. So sacred works for Advent and Christmas, secular works about winter, or even just music written and/or premiered in December.
Here are my posts for the second full week in December.
12/05/22 Arnold Bax: Winter Legeneds
Bax described this large-scale work for piano and orchestra as "a northern nature piece full of sea and pine forest and dark legends."
12/06/22 William Billings: Boston
Billing's "Boston" is one of America's earliest original Christmas hymns. It was published in "The Singing Master's Assistant" of 1778.
12/07/22 Johann Kuhnau: Wenn ihr fröhlich seid an euren Festen
Kuhnau was the kapellmeister at St. Thomaskirche, Leipzig for 18 years. Upon his death, Johann Sebastian Bach was hired as his replacement.
12/08/22 Louis-Claude Daquin: Noel VI
Daquin's 1757 publication Nouveau livre de noëls is standard repertoire for organists. It features his settings of traditional French carols.
12/09/22 Georg Philipp Telemann - Cantata am Feste der heiligen drei Konige from Harmonischer Gottes-Dienst
I could do the entire month of posts with Telemann Christmas cantatas. We'll settle for this one from 1726 -- for now
December is a time of traditions. And the Classics a Day feed is no different. We continue our tradition of making Classical Christmas our December theme.
The challenge is to post music related to the season. So sacred works for Advent and Christmas, secular works about winter, or even just music written and/or premiered in December.
Here are my posts for the first week in December (short though it was).
12/01/22 Claudio Monteverdi: Magnificat
The Magnificat (My soul magnifies the Lord) is Mary's response to the angel Gabriel. Monteverdi wrote this setting for St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice, where he served for many years.
12/02/22 Charles Tomlinson Griffes: A Winter Landscape
Griffes wrote this in 1912, the same year he composed "The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan," one of his most popular works.
This is the second installment in CPO's Emilie Mayer symphonic cycle. In the first, Jan Willem de Vriend and the NDR Radiophilharmonie performed Mayer's first two symphonies. This release includes her third symphony as well as her seventh, possibly her last.
Symphony No. 3, "Military" was Mayer's career-making work. Sort of. It premiered at an exclusive concert of all-Mayer music. Mayer carefully organized the event. She supervised the rehearsals and cannily selected the guest list. It included the most influential musicians, critics, and taste-makers.
And it worked. Critics were uniformly effusive in their praise of her music, especially the symphony. The publicity helped her achieve performances in other cities throughout Germany.
But at the heart of it, the critics all said the same thing. Pretty good -- for a woman. In time the momentum slowed. Mayer found it increasingly difficult to get her music performed by chamber ensembles, never mind orchestras.
This release -- as does the previous one -- shows just how criminally unfair those assessments were.
The "Military" symphony is a spirited work. One critic at the premiere wrote, "The themes flow lightly through the knowledgeably demarcated realm of tone colors, which change with taste, rather often even with surprising elegance." Not bad for anyone, regardless of gender.
I agree with that assessment. Mayer handles her material skillfully. And while themes develop in a logical fashion, that logic is often only apparent in hindsight. The listener is constantly surprised at what comes next.
Symphony No. 7 in F minor was composed six years later. It was never performed in Mayer's lifetime. There are hints that she wrote one more symphony, but no trace has been found.
The work is still pure Mayer. Themes unfold and develop in fresh and exciting ways. The music rises and falls, moving from one dramatic point to the next. Mayer's skills as a composer and orchestrator are on full display with this work.
Jan Willem de Vriend leads the NDR Radiophilharmonie in some excellent performances. He keeps the energy level high, and the ensemble sound controlled. Mayer's tutti climaxes lean more towards Mendelssohn than Beethoven. And that's how de Vriend plays it.
The orchestra has a warm ensemble sound. Solo instruments sound with clarity, letting us appreciate the subtlety of Mayer's orchestrations.
The score for Mayer's Symphony No. 5 is lost, as is the one for No. 8. So that leaves just two more symphonies for de Vriend and the NDR Radiophilharmonie to record. I look forward to the completion of this cycle.
Emilie Mayer: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 7 NDR Radiophilharmonie; Jan Willem de Vriend, conductor CPO
This release presents two of Georg Philipp Telemann's "Johannis" oratorios. For the church year 1730-31, Telemann set himself an ambitious task. For every church service, he would compose a full oratorio (rather than a short cantata).
Few composers other than Telemann could have pulled it off. And an even smaller group could have done so at the quality Telemann maintained.
The first oratorio recorded here is Gelobet sei der Herr. It relates the birth of John the Baptist, and of the role he would play in preparing the way for Christ.
The second was sung during the Third Sunday of Easter. Bequemliches Leben, gemächlicher Stand is a contemplation of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, and what that role means.
These are indeed, big works. Soloists include not only the principal characters of the stories. Old Testament prophets comment on the action and provide historical background. Allegorical figures personify concepts such as love and faith.
The 20 musicians Telemann had at his disposal are given plenty to do, as is the chorus. And yet these oratorios have a lighter feel to them than J.S. Bach's. The choral and instrumental textures have greater transparency. And the relatively straightforward solo lines have a natural clarity to them.
Michael Alexander Willens and the Kölner Akademie are among the premier practitioners of high German Baroque choral music. Their performances here are fluid and supple. Willens guides the singers (and our ears) through the subtleties of the text. His direction makes a strong connection between the emotional content of Albrecht Jacob Zell's words and the music.
Will they do all 50+ oratorios? That's a tall order. But I'm glad these two were recorded. Both are works that are worth revisiting time and again.
Georg Philipp Telemann: Johannis Oratorium Rahel Maas, Harsányi, soprano; Elvira Bill, alto; Mirko Ludwig, tenor; Klaus Mertens, bass baritone; Mauro Borgioni, bass; André Morsch, baritone Kölner Akademie; Michael Alexander Willens, director CPO
Ferdinand Hiller definitely qualifies as a forgotten composer. During his lifetime he was a sought-after piano virtuoso. He was a prolific composer (over 450 works). Most of his works were performed, and quite a few were performed frequently.
Hiller had rock-solid credentials. He was protege of Johann Nepomuk Hummel. He visited (with Hummel) Beethoven during his final days. He heard Franz Schubert and Johan Michael Vogel premier Die Winterreise.
As a performer, he was admired by Franz Liszt. His pupils include Max Bruch and Englebert Humperdinck.
And yet, within a few years after his death in 1885, Hiller's music virtually disappeared from performance and publication. The current theory is that tastes changed. His music was simply considered too old-fashioned.
Of course, almost 150 years later, even the New German School that supplanted it is now old-fashioned. And so we can appreciate Hiller's music for what it is, rather than dismiss it for what it is not.
This release presents two chamber works by Hiller. Both were composed in the early 1870s. The Piano Quartet No. 3 in A minor and the Piano Quintet in G major are great introductions to Hiller. They're both substantial works, each running about 40 minutes.
Hiller was a friend of Mendelssohn, and there's a Mendelssohnian lightness to these works. Hiller develops his themes skillfully. He had studied Bach and was one of the first Romantic pianists to play his music in a recital. But counterpoint is simply a means to an end for Hiller.
What's most important is that the theme evolves in a logical and emotionally satisfying fashion. And Hiller does that again and again.
Pianist Oliver Trindl is in top form. A good thing, because piano virtuoso Hiller wrote some challenging piano parts. The Minguet Quartett has a seamless ensemble blend. And their collaboration with Trindl is flawless.
These are spirited performances indeed! These works were a pleasure to listen to. Solid chamber music delivered with elan.
Ferdinand Hiller: Piano Quartet Op. 133, Piano Quintet Op.156 Oliver Triendl, piano; Minguet Quartett CPO
This month the Classics a Day team presents a real challenge. And that's to remember forgotten composers. It's a challenge, but remembering the forgotten can be important, too.
The idea here isn't to lift up composers who always labored in obscurity. Rather, the goal is to recall composers that were once popular.
Throughout this month, many of the composers I'll be featuring will have the same story. During their lifetime they were famous and popular. People flock to hear them play, publishers fight for the rights to their music, and younger composers emulate their style.
And yet, after their death, it all goes away -- and quite quickly. Usually, within a decade their music's out of print, no one performs or discusses them, and they're virtually eliminated from music history.
Why? The reasons vary. Sometimes it's gender or racial bias. Sometimes it's political upheaval. Sometimes tastes just change.
Here are my posts from the second week of #ForgottenComposers. I'll leave it to you to judge if they deserve to remain so.
11/21/22 Carl Loewe: Erlkonig
In the mid 1800s, Loewe was renowned as a tenor and as a composer of dramtic ballad. He was called the "Schubert of North Germany," and his music was admired by Wolf and Wagner. In time they would overshadow Loewe and his music fell into obscurity.
11/22/22 Thomas Arne: Ouverture to "Alfred"
Thomas Arne was Britain's premier composer of theatrical music, composing one hit after the other. Today, he's remembered for just two tunes: "Rule Britania," and "A Hunting We Will Go."
11/23/22 John Knowles Paine: Symphony No.2 in A-major, Op.34 "Im frühling"
Paine was a major figure in late 19th Century American music. He founded the AGO, developed Harvard's music curriculum, and was a director of the New England Conservatory of Music. His music was regularly performed until after World War I when European repertoire became the norm in American concert halls.
11/24/22 Hans Pfitzner: "Palestrina," Act I Prelude
Pfitzner was a rising star in 1920s Germany. His contentious relationship with the Nazis hampered his career somewhat. But because he didn't fully break with the regime, his music wasn't performed much after the war.
11/25/22 Moritz Moszkowski: Piano Concerto in E major, Op. 59
Moszkowski was considered the greatest Polish composer/pianist after Chopin. His tours were always successful, and he was one of the most sought-after piano teachers of the 1890s. His health declined in the early 1900s, and his fame soon vanished -- as did his music from the concert hall.
Collegium Musicum societies sprang up across Germany during the Reformation. Originally, they were amateur musical groups created to perform instrumental works.
In time, many incorporated professional musicians. These expanded groups provided instrumental ensembles for large civic and church functions.
And in many cities, it wasn't long before the leading local composers joined. They often wrote music for their collegiums and conducted performances.
The Hamburg Collegium Musicum of the 1650s was one of the most prestigious. Composers from other cities would send scores for the collegium to perform. This was the organization Matthias Weckmann founded.
Weckmann was a student of Heinrich Schutz and organist at JakobKirche in Hamburg. He was very much interested in the music of Italy, especially contrapuntal music. The works he composed for the Collegium Musicum reflect that interest.
The eleven sonatas recorded here use a variety of instrumental combinations. These were the musicians Weckmann worked with professionally, and he knew their capabilities. Every one of these sonatas pushes the limits of the instruments involved.
The Musica Fiata directed by Roland Wilson is up to the challenge. Wilson also plays cornetto with the ensemble. Wilson's direction brings out the contrasting sections in Weckmann's music. To my ears, there were hints of Gabrielli and his use of contrasting choirs.
The ensemble is well-recorded. There's a little ambiance, but not a lot. And that's appropriate. These would have been performed in a coffee house or other secular gathering place. So the sound would have been closed in.
There's no harpsichord used here, only a chamber organ. That gives these works a very different sound quality than many Baroque chamber recordings. And, I think, one truer to the vision of organist Mathias Weckmann.
Matthias Weckmann: Eleven Sonatas for the Hamburg Collegium Musicum Musica Fiata; Roland Wilson, director CPO
This release presents four works for solo cello by Kaija Saariaho. It also includes a fifth, let in on a technicality. Saariaho is a composer who continually explores the nature and texture of sound. And in these works, those explorations range far.
Two compositions for cello and electronics are included. "Petals" was composed in 1988 and focuses on the sound possibilities of the instrument. Saariaho seamlessly combines the acoustic with the electronics. The cello seems to transform into something greater than itself.
"Pres," written six years later, has a clearer structure. The work has three distinct movements, Here the electronics use real-time processing. This makes them more responsive to the performer, making them an extension of the instrument.
The two acoustic works are "Sept Papillons" for solo cello, and "Spins and Spells" for cello with scordatura. Scordatura means alternate tuning. Saariaho's scordatura changes the pitches of the open strings on the cello. These create subtly different colorations that she then exploits.
Joanna Gutowska is a fantastically talented performer. Her mastery of this material is superb. Her technique is flawless. And she seems comfortable interacting with the electronics. This is an important addition to Saariaho's catalog of recorded works.
Oh - that piece that got in on a technicality? It's Neiges for eight cellos. Although in this case, all eight parts are performed by Gutowska with overdubs. I'm not normally a fan of this type of performance, but here it works. Gutowska manages to make each line sound like it's interacting with the others. It's as if eight musicians were indeed performing together. Well done.
Kaija Saariaho: Works for Cello Joanna Gutowska, cello DUX 1686
This month the Classics a Day team presents a real challenge. And that's to remember forgotten composers. It's a challenge, but remembering the forgotten can be important, too.
The idea here isn't to lift up composers who always labored in obscurity. Rather, the goal is to recall composers that were once popular.
Throughout this month, many of the composers I'll be featuring will have the same story. During their lifetime they were famous and popular. People flock to hear them play, publishers fight for the rights to their music, and younger composers emulate their style.
And yet, after their death, it all goes away -- and quite quickly. Usually, within a decade their music's out of print, no one performs or discusses them, and they're virtually eliminated from music history.
Why? The reasons vary. Sometimes it's gender or racial bias. Sometimes it's political upheaval. Sometimes tastes just change.
Here are my posts from the second week of #ForgottenComposers. I'll leave it to you to judge if they deserve to remain so.
11/14/22 Frank Bridge: Three Idylls
Bridge was one of the pre-eminent composers of Edwardian Britain. After World War I, his music became more complex and forward-looking -- and less popular. Today, his fame primarily rests in the title of Benjamin Britten's "Variations on a Theme by Frank Bridge," which made Britten's reputation.
11/15/22 Antonio Salieri: Requiem in C minor
Salieri was one of the most respected composers and teachers in 1790s Vienna. By the 1820s, changing tastes, and spurious rumors caused his music to disappear from concert halls. Salieri's music experienced a revival in the late 20th C. with the success of Peter Seller's "Amadeus."
11/16/22 Alberic Magnard: Symphony No. 4
He was known as the "French Bruckner." Before World War I his star was on the rise. But Magnard was killed in 1914, and styles changed after the war. His music was soon forgotten.
11/17/22 John Knowles Paine: Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 23
Paine was the eldest member of the Boston Six and a major figure in American music in the 1890s. His works were performed internationally and regularly appeared in American orchestral programs. After World War I, there was an influx of European conductors, hired by the major American orchestras. These conductors considered Paine's music -- as well as those of his contemporaries -- old-fashioned and provincial. Paine's music ceased being programmed.
11/18/22 Sergei Taneyev: Prelude and Fugue, Op. 29
Taneyev was a music theorist as well as a composer. He was a master at counterpoint, and preferred to stick to the "rules" of the forms he wrote in. He often clashed with the Five, who were developing a Russian school of composition. Their opinion prevailed, and the music of Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Mussorgsky, et al. became the standard for Russian music.
Uncomfortable with Taneyev's intellectual approach to composition, Rimsky-Korsakov characterized it as dull and academic (though it was actually neither). Nevertheless, performances of his works soon dropped off.
For 45 years Carl Loewe was at the center of musical life in Stettin, Poland. He was organist at the largest church. He taught music and conducted public performances.
Loewe organized chamber recitals and musical salons. He even managed concerts for the Masonic lodges. And he composed -- a lot. Over 400 works are credited to the "Schubert of North Germany" as he was known.
This release presents his two symphonies, written in 1834 and 1835 respectively. There's a reason contemporaries compared Loewe to Schubert. These symphonies seem to have been created in a burst of unbridled enthusiasm -- much like Schubert's.
That's not to say they're unstructured. Far from it. Loewe also shared an instinct for organization with his contemporary Felix Mendelssohn. There are plenty of gorgeous melodies in these works (a la Schubert). But the themes are clearly presented and worked through logically (a la Mendelssohn).
Simon Gaudenz leads the Jenaer Philharmonie in some energetic performances. Loewe's symphonies are full of drama, and Gaudenz ensures we experience every ounce of it. The ensemble has the power for the thundering climaxes. And they can also play with hushed restraint as required.
These days, Carl Loewe is only remembered as Emilie Mayer's composition teacher. But his own music's worth exploring as these two symphonies demonstrate.
Great fun.
Carl Loewe: Symphonies 1 & 2 Overture Themisto Jenaer Philharmonie; Simon Gaudenz, conductor CPO
Monsignor Lorenzo Perosi was the Perpetual Director of the Sistine Choir. As such, he was in charge of liturgical music for the Pope. But Perosi's talent extended beyond the walls of the Vatican.
He was part of the Giovane Scuola ("young school"). This early 20th Century group of young composers redefined Italian music. Puccini, Mascagni, and Leoncavallo were colleagues with Perosi.
As a cleric, Perosi didn't consider opera an appropriate genre to write for. But that was the only exception. Perosi did compose a great deal of sacred music, but he also wrote instrumental works as well. And in Italy, Perosi is a familiar name in concert halls.
Perosi was a talented pianist as well as a composer. In 1931, was talking with his friend Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari. He explained that, after 16 string quartets, he wanted to write piano quintets, "so I can play too."
And these quintets do sound fun to play. Perosi had a natural facility for lyrical melody. The quintets both seem to sing. And it seems like the piano parts are especially juicy. I guess Perosi indeed wanted to get in on the fun.
The Roma Tre Orchestra Ensemble has a good ensemble blend. Their playing meshes well with pianist Matteo Bevilacqua. Perosi never wrote operas, but his music has that Italianate operatic quality to it.
Also included is the String Trio No. 2 in A minor from 1928. Like the quintets, the melodies are gorgeous.
If you're not familiar with this Italian master, this is a good place to start. Perosi was a cleric, but his music was not completely bound by his religion. There's a lot of his work to explore, but these quintets will give you the essence of his talent.
Lorenzo Perosi: Piano Quintets Nos. 1 and 2 String Trio No. 2 Matteo Bevilacqua, piano Roma Tre Orchestra Ensemble Naxos
Well, it was a heck of a birthday present. Dacapo released this complete set of Per Nørgård symphonies on the composer's ninetieth birthday (July 13, 2022). And, really, it's a present for us all.
Dacapo recorded the symphonies over an eight-year period from 2008 to 2016. Each one was with a world-class orchestra, and each an SACD release.
Through three orchestras and three conductors, the sound quality remains superb. And so do the performances. One might think that the Danish National Symphony Orchestra might be the strongest. After all, the orchestra members share the same nationality as Nørgård.
But I found the performances with the Vienna Philharmonic and Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra equally compelling.
Nørgård was inspired by Nordic composers such Vagn Holbmoe, Carl Nielsen, and Jean Sibelius. And he strove to infuse his own works with that same Nordic character.
His "Infinity Series" compositional system proved incredibly malleable and expressive. The idea is that a motif is repeated over and over. Each time the motif grows, increasing in complexity throughout the work.
As these symphonies show, the series can be tonal, atonal, or even post-tonal. And textures can vary, from simple triads to complex clouds of sound.
Nørgård is also a precise orchestrator. Every note is there for a specific purpose, and instruments are combined for a specific effect. If you own any of the original releases, I encourage you to complete your collection.
If you're new to Nørgård, then jump right in. You will be taken on eight sonic journeys that are absolutely unique. (and very, very, Nordic).
Per Nørgård: 8 Symphonies Danish National Symphony Orchestra; Thomas Dausgaard, conductor Vienna Philharmonic; Sakari Oramo, conductor Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra; John Storgårds, conductor Dacapo CD BOX 8.204002
This month the Classics a Day team presents a real challenge. And that's to remember forgotten composers. It's a challenge, but remembering the forgotten can be important, too.
The idea here isn't to lift up composers who always labored in obscurity. Rather, the goal is to recall composers that were once popular.
Throughout this month, many of the composers I'll be featuring will have the same story. During their lifetime they were famous and popular. People flock to hear them play, publishers fight for the rights to their music, and younger composers emulate their style.
And yet, after their death, it all goes away -- and quite quickly. Usually, within a decade their music's out of print, no one performs or discusses them, and they're virtually eliminated from music history.
Why? The reasons vary. Sometimes it's gender or racial bias. Sometimes it's political upheaval. Sometimes tastes just change.
Here are my posts from the second week of #ForgottenComposers. I'll leave it to you to judge if they deserve to remain so.
11/07/22 Maria Teresa Agnesi Pinottini: Sonata in G major
Maria Teresa was renowned as a keyboard virtuoso. Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa was both a fan and a patron, and Pinottini's concerts were destination events for European music lovers. Although a good deal of her music was published, it was not well-curated. After her death in 1795, it was considered second-rate and not worth preserving. As a result, much of her music has been permanently lost.
11/08/22 Franz Schreker: Prelude to a Drama
Schreker, like Wagner, created a unique musical and dramatic aesthetic. After WWI, he was the most-performed operatic composer after Richard Strauss. But he was Jewish. His career was brutally shut down by the Nazis, who officially declared his music irrelevant. Schreker died in 1934, and that assessment of his work was carried forward by historians well into the 1990s.
11/09/22 Thomas Canning: Fantasy on a Hymn Tune by Justin Morgan
Canning studied with Howard Hanson at Eastman and had a successful career in academia. He taught at the Royal Conservatory of Music at the University of Toronto, the University of Hull, and West Virginia University. Most of his compositions were written for specific events, and though favorably received, were still music of the moment. His Fantasy on a Hymn Tune remains his best-known work, although that, too, has lapsed into obscurity.
11/10/22 Robert Fuchs: Piano Concerto in B-flat minor Op. 27
Fuchs was an influential composition teacher at the turn of the century. His pupils highly regarded him as a composer, including Sibelius, Mahler, Korngold, Wolf, Schreker, and Zemlinsky. Fuchs was never interested in promoting his music, so it lfell into obscurity after his death.
11/11/22 Malcolm Arnold: Fantasy for Trumpet, Op. 100
Arnold was a trumpeter who turned to composition. At one time, he was the most-performed composer in Britain. He wrote over 100 film scores, including "Bridge on the River Kwai." Anti-social behavior exacerbated by alcoholism eventually destroyed his career. Now only a few of his most popular scores are infrequently performed.
It's been four years since the Schuppanzigh Quartet recorded volume three in series. And 18 years since they started it. This time they present a quartet and a quintet by Ferdinand Ries. It's a good combination.
Ferdinand Ries was one of only two pupils Ludwig van Beethoven accepted. Ries studied piano with Beethoven, and eventually became his copyist, and personal assistant. His time with the master was well-spent. And it greatly influenced his own compositional style.
The Op. 37 String Quintet in C major was composed in 1809. Ries dedicated it to violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh (the quartet's namesake), who premiered it.
The work is finely constructed. Ries seems to have learned motivic development from Beethoven. And many of the gestures may seem familiar. Familiar, but not derivative. Ries is more concerned about the beauty of expression than challenging the heavens. The work unfolds in a logical and engaging fashion.
The String Quartet, Op. 150, No. 1 in A minor was part of group Ries composed around 1826. Ries' compositional language was similar to Beethoven's. But in this quartet, he seemed to draw inspiration from Haydn. The music has a light texture, and the lines seemed longer and more drawn out.
The Schuppanzigh Quartet turns in some fine performances. The ensemble has a warm, rich sound that's in line with Rie's music. This is a good addition to this ongoing series. Let's hope volume five is less than four years away!
Ferdinand Ries: String Quartets, Vol. 4 String Quintet, Op. 37 in C major String Quartet, Op. 150, No. 1 in A minor Schuppanzigh Quartet Cologne Raquel Massades, viola CPO 777 306-2
Normally when I read about rediscovered works, they're of some long-dead composer. But certainly, not a composer who died in 1993. After all, isn't databasing more efficient these days? And especially for a composer as important as Daniel Jones?
Not necessarily. According to Martin Jones, when asked about writing piano music in 1972, the composer declined. He further stated that he had written very little of it at all. His "Set of Bagatelles" had been published, but nothing more.
So Martin Jones was very surprised to discover a cache of piano scores. They were tucked away in the National Library of Wales.
The works -- which appear in this collection -- weren't abandoned experiments. The manuscripts were completed compositions. Several had been clearly prepared for publication. Some had performance notations in them.
Daniel Jones had dismissed them. But fortunately for us, Martin Jones didn't (no relation, BTW). These pieces come from early in Daniel Jones' career, but they show his compositional skill.
There are some short selections, such as his preludes. But then there are some major works, like the Sonata No. 6 in C-sharp minor. This 36-minute work shows Daniel Jones' ability to develop and sustain complex ideas.
Martin Jones is one of those pianists who play everything very well. And here he's playing music by someone he knew. I especially liked his performance of the sonata. Daniel Jones was a skilled pianist himself. So the music gives Martin Jones an opportunity to shine As he does.
It's only through good fortune that early music manuscripts survive the centuries to be rediscovered. In this case, the music was waiting patiently in a climate-controlled environment. But I'm still glad someone looked through the catalog.
Daniel Jones: Rediscovered Piano Works Martin Jones, piano Lyrita SRD.2396 4 CD Set
The latest recording of the B’Rock Orchestra provides a musical snapshot. If you died in Antwerp in 1650 -- and you were important -- this music may well have been performed at your funeral.
The centerpiece is the Missa pro defunctis by Philippus van Steelant. Van Steelant was an organist at St. James' Church in Antwerp. And, as was common at the time, he was also a composer, primarily of sacred music.
His 1650 work is a masterwork of early Baroque choral writing. Most of the choral writing is either homophonic or antiphonic. But it's beautifully wrought.
The control.X vocal ensemble sings with warmth and clarity. They're especially effective in the antiphonal passages, each entrance precisely matched in intonation.
The release also includes a Miserere mei Deus for five voices and a Missa pro defuctis for six voices. These are also by von Steelant, and show his range within this limited field.
The Miserere mei Deus makes effective use of strings. Combined with the organ, they set the emotional tone for this plea to God.
The 1656 Missa pro defunctis is shorter than the 1650 version. Unlike the earlier mass, there are no instrumental symphonia movements. And the mass movements themselves are shorted, and a little more to the point.
I had never heard of Phillipus van Steelant before, much less his music. This release was a fine introduction.
Antwerp Requiem ca. 1650 Music by Phillipus van Steelant CantoLX, B’Rock Orchestra, Frank Agsteribbe, director Pentatone PTC5187006
This month the Classics a Day team presents a real challenge. And that's to remember forgotten composers. It's a challenge, but remembering the forgotten can be important, too.
The idea here isn't to lift up composers who always labored in obscurity. Rather, the goal is to recall composers that were once popular.
Throughout this month, many of the composers I'll be featuring will have the same story. During their lifetime they were famous and popular. People flock to hear them play, publishers fight for the rights to their music, and younger composers emulate their style.
And yet, after their death, it all goes away -- and quite quickly. Usually, within a decade their music's out of print, no one performs or discusses them, and they're virtually eliminated from music history.
Why? The reasons vary. Sometimes it's gender or racial bias. Sometimes it's political upheaval. Sometimes tastes just change.
Here are my posts from the first week of #ForgottenComposers. I'll leave it to you to judge if they deserve to remain so.
11/01/22 Louise Farrenc: Trio for flute, cello, and piano, Op. 45
In her lifetime she was feted as a virtuoso pianist and wrote symphonies, chamber works, and piano music. She was a Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatory for 30 years and wrote several important piano technique books and etudes. Shortly after she died, her reputation and music disappeared.
11/02/22 Hans Huber: Symphony No. 2 "Böcklin Symphony"
At the turn of the 20th Century, Huber was the pre-eminent Swiss composer. His second symphony was part of the orchestral repertoire. After his death in 1921, his music and his reputation were quickly forgotten.
11/03/22 Marianna Martines: Keyboard Concerto in A major
In her lifetime Martines was renowned throughout Europe as a singer, harpsichordist, and composer. She had studied with Haydn and was the first woman to be admitted to the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna. After her death in 1812, her music all but vanished.
11/04/22 Niccolo Jommelli: Requiem
In his lifetime Jommelli was extremely influential among French and Italian operatic composers. He, along with Christoph Gluck, was credited with revitalizing the art form. And yet after his death in 1774 his music ceased to be performed. Very soon music histories credited only Gluck with the innovations they both championed.
