Tag: Romantic

Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall
52:14
Alia Vox AVSA9916

[dropcap]I[/dropcap] was shocked when opened the booklet for this CD – after, I should point out, having been blown away by the drama and energy of the opening movement of one of my favourite Beethoven symphonies! – to discover that this is actually a recording from 1994. 22 years later, as I say, it still has the ability to make one sit up and take note, whether it be the brilliance of the woodwind tone, the shimmering tremolo strings with cutting cross-accents driving the music forward like some sort of life-bringing juggernaut that refuses to be ignored; perhaps for the first time, I heard what my university lecturers meant by the shock value of “Eroica”, and Savall does all of this without milking each of the many dramatic moments. Of course he does more than just let Beethoven’s genie out of the bottle, but perhaps I also appreciated for the first time what a conductor does in terms of “interpreting” a symphony and, I confess I loved it – and you’ll hear no complaints from me about the short duration of the CD as a whole; by the end, I was mentally exhausted!

Brian Clark

Ariadne Daskalakis violin, Wolfgang Brunner fortepiano
61:34
cpo 777 676-2
opp. 8/1, 16/2 & 71

[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ecently I reviewed Ariadne Daskalakis’s performances of violin concertos by Kalliwoda, also on cpo, which impressed me hugely, especially the differing colours she is able to extract from her instrument. The same is true of the present set in which, in the company of brilliant accompanist Wolfgang Brunner, she mines another rich vein of repertoire, this time some violin sonatas by Beethoven’s friend and pupil, Ferdinand Ries.

Although they span less than eight years, the three chosen works show how Ries’s musical language changed; the op. 71 sonata in C sharp minor (his last, written in St Petersburg during a concert tour he undertook in the north of Europe around 1812) is (as the key choice might suggest) a dark, brooding work, while the other two are lighter in character, with more of the dance about them. That is not to say that they are slight – a criticism too often (and, in my opinion, most unfairly) levelled at the composer; the facility with which Ries moves from one key centre to another is frequently surprising! Daskalakis and Brunner are perfect partners, never vying for the limelight, always listening to one another. This is just the latest in a stream of Ries recordings from cpo and I certainly hope they continue to explore his output.

Brian Clark

Susan Gritton soprano, James Gilchrist tenor, Roderick Williams baritone, Andrew West piano
71:00
Somm Recordings SOMMCD 257

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his may not be a release that you would expect to see reviewed here, but it is not that long ago that Robert King’s landmark recording of the fabulous full orchestrations of music by Parry, Stanford and Elgar showed that the legacy of Victorian and Edwardian Britain is fully deserving of rediscovery. With three singers with fine HIP track records, and wonderfully crisp diction, accompanied by one of the finest players in the business, this really is a gem, and surely the first instalment of what will undoubtedly become an award-winning series. Like that of his contemporaries, Parry’s music was taken more seriously on the continent than at home and these songs would scarcely pale alongside the best Lieder  of the period – a rich variety of easily memorable melodies and imaginative piano writing make for an entertaining and rewarding recital, which I heartily recommend.

Brian Clark

Chansons populaires du 19ème siècle
La Clique des Lunaisiens, Arnaud Marzorati
67:03
Paraty 615223

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]ierre-François Lacenaire (1803-36) became something of a cult figure when, on trial for multiple crimes, he endeavoured to project himself as a campaigner for social justice. This recording is as much a Façade/Pierrot Lunaire style quasi-theatrical entertainment as it is a purely musical experience: I’d love to see it, but it made a rather odd listen. His writings are part sung to popular tunes of the day and part read/declaimed and are placed in the context of other pieces he knew or referred to. It doesn’t really fit our usual parameters so I have not awarded any stars, but I’d really recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in this period of French cultural history.
David Hansell