Elfrida Andree Gets New Audience

This release presents two major works by Swedish composer Elfrida Andree. She's now little more than a footnote in musical history today. But in the late 1800s, she was a well-known organist and composer in Scandinavia. 

Andree was a prodigious organist. But Swedish churches weren't hiring female organists in the 1850s. They were considered unseemly. Nevertheless, Andree persevered. By 1861, she was organist at the Gothenburg Cathedral, a post she would hold for 62 years.

Composing, performing, and mounting concerts grew Andree's reputation. She was the first Swedish woman to conduct an orchestra. And she was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy.

Andree's first symphony was completed in 1868 -- the first by a Nordic female composer. It premiered the following year to mostly favorable reviews. 

Andree was never fully satisfied with the work, especially with the orchestration. I found it to be a well-crafted piece of music. The orchestra isn't asked to do anything unusual or awkward. And the music simply flows. 

Less successful for me was the Frijet Suite. This composition started as an opera. There were problems with the librettist, problems with the dramatic structure, and problems with logistics. All hampered the creation of the work and limited its performances. 

Adree eventually created an orchestral suite from the score. That's proved more successful. To my ears, the work is overly sentimental. The opening sequence sounds like mid-Victorian salon music. 

Each section has its charm, but it's a very dated charm (in my opinion). I would very much like to hear Andree's second symphony, though. 

Still, this release features two major works by a ground-breaking composer. And those works do merit an audience. 

Elfrida Andree
Symphony No. 1; Fritiof-Svit
Norkoping Symphony Orchestra; Hermann Baumer, conductor
CPO 555 589-2

Unseasonable Cantatas Provide Pleasant Listening

This seems like the wrong time to be releasing Christmas music, but, um, OK. Johann Philipp Käfer was one of the lesser-known German composers active in 17th-century Europe. He spent most of his career at the court of the Margraviate of Baden-Durlach. Käfer composed operas and other occasional works for the Margraviate. 

Unfortunately, he was soon overshadowed by his successor Johann Melchior Molter. And little of his music has survived. 

Which makes this such an interesting album. Käfer was a gifted composer and melodist. The album includes three cantatas written for Christmas. And each is a well-polished miniature. Käfer apparently had modest forces to work with, but he made the most of them. 

The ensembles have a clean, transparent sound. The counterpoint is engaging, yet easy to follow. And the trumpet lines are just gorgeous. This is the kind of music I'd like to hear at Christmastime in a church setting!

Also included are some other works by Käfer. Was Käfer a rival of Bach? No. But could he explore all the possibilities of the tunes he wrote? Oh, yes. And quite elegantly, too. 

This is a well-recorded album of music that I'm glad I heard. Listen with open ears and you may be, too.

Christmas Cantatas and Instrumental Music by Johann Philipp Käfer
La Protezione dell Musica; Jeroen Finke, director
Arcantus arc 24056

Walton: Violin Concerto and "Troilus and Cressida" in SACD

This release collects three of William Walton's most important compositions. And that's a good thing -- because Walton isn't as well-known as his music deserves. 

The Sinfonia of London performs his biggest hit, "Portsmouth Point." This energetic 5-minute overture launched Walton's career. He gained an international reputation with his lively interpretation of an 18th-century print. 

The Violin Concerto was one of Walton's most important commissions. He composed it for Jascha Heifetz. It took a while for the work to reach fruition and for Heifitz to eventually premiere it. Charles Lovell-Jones is the leader of the Sinfonia of London.

He performs the work with great sensitivity and expression. Walton's work borders on the post-Romantic without stepping over into sentimentality. Lovell-Jones plays in a straightforward manner that conveys the emotion behind the music. 

Walton's grand opera "Troilius and Cressida" took seven years to compose. And there were many twists and turns along the way. As an opera, it's had a difficult run. In 1987, Walton's publisher hired Christopher Palmer to create a symphonic suite from the score. And that suite has enjoyed greater success.

The work is almost symphonic in scope. The key scenes are carefully delineated -- and quite effectively -- by orchestra alone. 

This is not only an excellent recording. It's an excellent-sounding recording. If you have the opportunity, listen to it through an SACD player. The added details -- especially in "Portsmouth Point" enhance the listening experience.

William Walton: Suite from "Troilius and Cressida"
Violin Concerto, Portsmouth Point
Charles Lovell-Jones, violin;
Sinfonia of London; John Wilson, conductor
Chandos SACD CHSA 5360

Miklos Rozsa: Sinfonia Concertante

Miklos Rozsa is one of the great film composers of Hollywood's Golden Age. He scored over 100 films.

Rozsa was nominated 17 times for an Oscar and won three times. But that was only half of what he called his "double life."

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

Alan Hovhaness: Concerto No. 2, Works for Violin and Piano

 I admit I'm a big Hovhaness fan. And I know that's not necessarily a popular opinion. Detractors complain that the music of this amazingly prolific composer all sounds the same. My response? It's a sound I like. 

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

Album Marks Philippe Quint's Career Milestones

Violinist Philippe Quint presents a program of four violin works. All four were written by women, and three were composed especially for Quint. Quint's personal relationship to these composers (and their works) informs his performance. And those performances are superb.

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

Les Kapsber'girls -- Vox Feminae

According to their website, Les Kapsber'girls look for "new ways of interpreting historical sources," while "exploring the pre-baroque and baroque repertoire."

 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

Arnold Rosner's Music for Wind Band: Bold and Unfiltered

This release was a real surprise for me. Long-time readers know I love Arnold Rosner's music. He combined Renaissance and Medieval harmonies and voice-leading. And he eschewed the major/minor structure of the Baroque (and later) periods. His use of tonality makes his music accessible to modern audiences. And yet there's a sense of timelessness to it.

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

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

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

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

Kreutzer Quartet: Four Premieres, Four Bold Voices

This album was a long time coming. The Kreutzer Quartet began recording it in 2018 and completed it four years later. The program features four world premier recordings from new and old composers.

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

Derek Scott’s Dance Suites: Defying Academia

 Derek Scott's academic career focused on the British music hall and popular music. And in his youth he played in a rock band. That experience and knowledge come into play with his Dance Suites.

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

Théodore Dubois: A Romantic Voice Rediscovered

 

Théodore Dubois was a major force in French music at the turn of the 20th Century. He had won the Prix de Rome in 1864, establishing his reputation as a composer. He was organist at several major churches in Paris. And eventually Dubois became director of the Paris Conservatoire. 

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

Anatoly Alexandrov’s Landmark Piano Sonatas

Anatoly Alexandrov was a pianist and composer who worked in the Soviet Union. His music isn't as well-known in the West as those of his colleagues (like Shostakovich and Prokofiev). 

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

Ronaldo Miranda’s Piano Works Shine in New Release

The latest entry in Naxos' Music of Brazil series is a real corker. And a real discovery (at least for me). It features works for piano and orchestra by Ronaldo Miranda. 

Though probably not well-known in America, Miranda has international stature. He's considered one of Brazil's most important living composers. And his music regularly appears in concerts and music festivals throughout Europe. 

This album features three world recording premiers. Miranda's 1983 Piano Concerto is one of them. It's an intense, modernist work with echoes of Bartok. Miranda is a natural melodist. No matter how jagged the contours, melody always wins out. 

This is an energetic work that pits piano against orchestra. And that dynamic back-and-forth is thrilling. Wonder why it took so long to get it recorded. This is a composition that should appeal to many orchestras -- and soloists.

The 1986 Concertino for Piano and Strings has a more modest scope. It's a more tonal composition. The motivic thrusts reminded me a little of Bernard Hermann. Like the concerto, this piece demands your attention -- and rewards it with a wealth of detail. 

Also included are two pieces for orchestra. The Variacoes Temporais (Beethoven Revisitato) (2014) features a variety of Beethoven motifs, quickly deconstructed by Miranda. Hoizontes is a tone poem inspired by Columbus' voyage of discovery (the good parts). 

Pianist Eduardo Monteiro brings a lot of attitude to his playing. And it's what Miranda's music requires. These aren't academic exercises. This is music to be enjoyed. And that's just what Monterio delivers. 

Ronaldo Miranda: Piano Concerto
Concertino; Horizontes; Variacoes Temporais
Eduardo Monteiro, piano
Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra; Fabio Mechetti
Naxos 8.574591

Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Dazzle with Contemporary Music

I know people who absolutely, positively will not listen to contemporary music. If the local orchestra schedules it, they'll show up late to miss it (or not show up at all). Why? Because they assume that all modern music is dissonant and ugly. Sorry, that only describes their prejudices. 

Wonderful, exquisitely beautiful classical music is being written every day. All it needs in an audience. JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic have done their part. 

They've put together a program of engaging, well-crafted works. These pieces are unabashedly tonal, and yet they could have only been composed now, in the 21st Century. 

All four composers have a strong relationship with Falletta and the BPO. The musicians know these composers. They know what they're trying to say, and they deliver. 

The BPO has recorded several Kenneth Fuchs albums. Their latest collaboration won them a Grammy. "Point of Tranquility" is a drifting cloud of swirling orchestral colors. As the piece progresses, these colors come together before dissipating into the air. 

Russell Platt's Symphony in Three Movements is an homage. It's inspired by Expressionist artist Clyfford Still. This is a restless, energetic work. Spikey melodies compete with each other for attention. Yet in terms of modernism, Platt's language isn't that far removed from Shostakovich's.

BPO's first chair oboist Henry Ward gets the spotlight in a collaborative concerto. Randall Svane is a friend of Falletta. She thought his Sonata for Oboe and Piano would make a good concerto. "Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra" is the result of that commission. 

Svane reworked the sonata taking advantage of the orchestra's expanded color palette. Modal harmonies add to the attractiveness of the work. 

The Covid-19 lockdown inspired "The Winter that United Us.". Wang Jie's work is introspective. In places I heard hints of Sibelius, Shostakovich, Barber, and Saint-Saens. But the material, and how it's developed, is all Jie. 

I hope the house was packed when the BPO performed these works. This is the direction classical music is going. It just needs audience support. Recommended.

Contemporary Landscapes
Kenneth Fuchs, Russell Platt, Randall Svane, Wang Jie
Henry Ward, oboe
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra; JoAnn Falletta, conductor
BPO

Romantic Bassoon: Scandinavian Gems Rediscoverd

 

This release presents four bassoon concertos from the Romantic Period. Specifically, Swedish concertos written in the early 1800s for Frans Carl Preumayr.  Preumayr was a virtuoso bassoonist living in Stockholm.

The most familiar composers represented are Franz Berwald and Berhard Crusell (Preumayr's father-in-law). Familiar, that is, if you know Scandinavian classical music. Their works were frequently programmed throughout the region in the mid 1800s.

Édouard Du Puy is a little more obscure. He was born in Switzerland, but Du Pay worked in Copenhagen and Stockholm most of his life. 

The fourth composer on the album is Eduard Brendler. He was born in Germany, and his family moved to Sweden when he was an infant. He died age 31. Brendler's catalog of works was small, but showed great promise.

All four pieces were written for the same performer. And that provides a certain consistency among them. They all share a Mendelssohn clarity of construction and melody. 

Bassoonist Jaakko Luoma plays with a warm, honeyed tone. This makes slow movements especially delicious. And he can also play with agility when required. And his rapid scale work is always articulate and clear. 

I'd recommend this album to just about anyone. If the only Scandinavian composer you know is Edvard Grieg - start here. If you don't think of the bassoon as a solo instrument -- start here. And if you just enjoy the early Romantic style of Mendelssohn and Schumann -- start here.

Bassoon Concertos: Crusell, Du Puy, Berwald, Brendler

Jaako Luoma, bassoon

Tapiola Sinfonietta; Janne Nisonen, concertmaster

Ondine CDE 1481-2