All Reviews articles – Page 149
-
ArticleChris Stout’s Brazilian Theory: Live In Concert
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Sparks fly in a multi-continental meeting of fiddle traditionsMusicians: Chris Stout (fiddle) Thomas Rohrer (rabeca/saxophone) Catriona McKay (harp) Carlinhos Antunes (guitar/vocals) Ian Stephenson (guitar) Rui Barossi, Neil Harland (double bass) MartinuO’Neill (bodhran)Composer: Trad.Shetland fiddler Chris Stout leads a pan-global gathering on this ...
-
ArticleAlone. Kodäly: Sonata for solo cello. Shchedrin: Russian Fragments. Sollima: Lame, Alone. Schnittke: Improvisation. Casals: Song of the Birds (arr. Geringas)
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A rewarding solo cello recital from a talented Russian playerMusicians: Boris Andrianov (cello)Composer: Kodäly, Shchedrin, Sollima, Schnittke, Casals (arr. Geringas)Boris Andrianov may not often commit himself to disc – his last solo recording was five years ago – but when he does ...
-
ArticleSpirit Song. Works by Jacopo da Bologna, Alexander, B. Turetzky, Hauta-aho & Fricker
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Intriguing but flawed collection from the veteran US duoMusicians: Bertram Turetzky (double bass) Nancy Turetzky (flute)Composer: Jacopo da Bologna, Alexander, B. Turetzky, Hauta-aho & FrickerSpirit Song is Bertram and Nancy Turetzky’s celebration of 50 years of marriage and music making, bringing together ...
-
ArticleMozart: String Quartet in C major K465 ‘Dissonance’. Schubert: String Quartet in A minor D804 ‘Rosamunde’
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A young quartet belies its name in the subtle colouring of its playingMusicians: Chiaroscuro QuartetComposer: Mozart & SchubertFormed in 2005 at the Royal College of Music, the Chiaroscuro Quartet has the inestimable advantage of having Alina Ibragimova as its leader. ...
-
ArticleSchumann: String Quartets op.41, Piano Quintet in E flat major op.44
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Recordings of Schumann that are just a little too individualistic for comfortMusicians: Gringolts Quartet, Peter Laul (piano)Composer: SchumannHow you take to the performances by the Gringolts Quartet depends very much on how you respond to the playing of Ilya Gringolts himself in the first violinist’s ...
-
ArticleLeighton: Partita op.35, Elegy op.5, Sonata for Cello Solo op.52, Alleluia Pascha Nostrum op.85
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A welcome collection of music by a master writer for the celloMusicians: Raphael Wallfisch (cello) Raphael Terroni (piano)Composer: LeightonRaphael Wallfisch adds yet another high-quality disc of English music to his impressively extensive discography, with Kenneth Leighton’s complete chamber works for cello. As ...
-
ArticleReinecke: Cello Sonatas in A minor op.42, D major op.89 & G major op.238
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Neglected Romantic cello sonatas brought alluringly to lifeMusicians: Manuel Fischer-Dieskau (cello) Connie Shih (piano)Composer: ReineckeThree Romantic sonatas for the cello ought to be enough to set the pulses racing given the relative paucity of worthy material from this period. However, although these ...
-
ArticleFauré: Piano Quartet in C minor op.15. Brahms: Piano Quartet in G minor op.25
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Some fine performances let down by a piano-dominated balanceMusicians: Primrose Piano QuartetComposer: Fauré & BrahmsThis CD was recorded using a Blüthner piano chosen by Brahms in 1896 for a young British pianist, Margarita Hanson, who had met him while she was studying ...
-
ArticleReger: Three Suites for solo cello op.131c
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Even top performances can’t rescue Reger’s suites from the practice roomMusicians: Ulrich Horn (cello)Composer: RegerReger’s cello suites are a little bit like cod liver oil: they’re good for you, but would you want to live on them alone? There are a few ...
-
ArticleJanácek: Violin Sonata. Schumann: Violin Sonata no. 2 in D minor op.121. Schubert: Fantasy in C major D934
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Mixed success in a recital of varied violin repertoireMusicians: Frank Stadler (violin) Luis MagalhÁes (piano)Composer: Janácek, Schumann, SchubertThe powerful opening chords set the scene for Frank Stadler’s impressively intense performance of Schumann’s Second Sonata. Perfectly capturing the wide mood swings that picture ...
-
ArticleBrahms: Viola Sonatas op.120
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Bel canto meets Brahms in some perhaps over-lovingly tended sonata performancesMusicians: Danilo Rossi (viola) Stefano Bezziccheri (piano)Composer: BrahmsThis latest in the apparently unending line of Brahms viola sonata recordings comes from south of the Alps. Danilo Rossi is principal viola at the ...
-
ArticleThe American Album. Dvorák: String Quartet in F major op.96 ‘American’. Griffes: Two Sketches Based on Indian Themes. Barber: String Quartet in B minor op.11
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: Quartets that express different aspects of the American experienceMusicians: Cypress QuartetComposer: Dvorák, Griffes, Barber The booklet describes the Cypress sound as being built up from the bottom register, and in Ethan Filner’s introductory viola motif to Dvo?ák’s ‘American’ Quartet ...
-
ArticleThe Mahler Album. Mahler: Adagietto from Symphony no.5, Adagio from Symphony no.10 (arr. Stadlmair). Beethoven: String Quartet in F minor op.95 ‘Serioso’ (arr. Mahler)
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: An unusual but telling contribution to the recent Mahler anniversaries from a leading string orchestraMusicians: Amsterdam Sinfonietta/Candida ThompsonComposer: Mahler (arr. Stadlmair), Beethoven (arr. Mahler)Cast aside any accusations of ‘bleeding chunks’ with this celebration of Mahler: the composer himself often programmed the Adagietto ...
-
ArticleSchnittke: String Quartets nos.1–4, Canon in Memoriam Igor Stravinsky
The Strad Issue: January 2012Description: A Canadian ensemble brings out the songfulness of a modern Russian master’s quartetsMusicians: Molinari QuartetComposer: SchnittkeSchnittke’s four string quartets appeared variously between 1966 and 1989, announced by a work composed originally for the Borodin Quartet that draws upon the micro-gesturing and sonic profiling ...
-
ArticleConcertos for Small Violinists. Works by Huber, Küchler, Rieding, Seitz, Komarowski & Ortmans
The Strad Issue: January 2011Description: A showcase for the first steps available for the aspiring concerto soloistMusicians: Elizabeth Glass (violin) Sebastian Stoermer (piano) Composer: Huber, Küchler, Rieding, Seitz, Komarowski & OrtmansI remember at the age of nine asking, somewhat prematurely, to be taught Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. ...
-
ArticleCatch Light. Ness: Mad Cap Tootling. Hellstenius: By the voice a faint light is shed*. Kverndokk: Initiation† . Asheim: Catch Light‡
The Strad Issue: January 2011Description: Persuasive performances of a quartet of recent Norwegian violin concertosMusicians: Peter Herresthal (violin) Peter Kates (percussion)‡ Bit20 Ensemble/Pierre-André Valade*, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra/Rolf Gupta† , Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra/Peter Szilvay‡Composer: Ness, Hellstenius, Kverndokk, AsheimWith its four violin concertos by contemporary Norwegian composers, this disc ...
-
ArticleHaydn: String Quartets op.71, op.74
THE STRAD RECOMMENDSThe Strad Issue: January 2011Description: Performances that bring out all the characteristics of Haydn’s artMusicians: Takács QuartetComposer: HaydnThe Takács Quartet seems to be working its way backwards through Haydn. The opp.76, 77 and 103 quartets are already in the Decca catalogue, and now here are ...
-
ArticleSchubert: String Quintet in C major D956, Quartettsatz D703
The Strad Issue: January 2011Description: Well-integrated playing of Schubert from a vintage ensembleMusicians: Tokyo Quartet, David Watkin (cello)Composer: SchubertThough there have been changes in the membership of the Tokyo Quartet since its formation back in 1969, the ensemble has retained its refined sound and impeccable performing standards. ...
-
ArticleVivaldi: Cello Concertos in E minor, F major, A minor & B minor, Concerto in C major, Concertos for two violins and cello in G minor & D minor, Sinfonia in C major. Caldara: Sinfonias no.6 in G minor
The Strad Issue: January 2011Description: A well-planned Vivaldi concert with spectacular resultsMusicians: Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello) Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin/Georg KallweitComposer: Vivaldi, CaldaraThe remarkable cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras intends this disc to be savoured in its entirety like a concert. Accordingly he has planned a programme that takes ...
-
ArticleVivaldi: Violin Concertos op.6
The Strad Issue: January 2011Description: Vibrant Vivaldi from period-performance mastersMusicians: Federico Guglielmo (violin/director) L’Arte dell’ArcoComposer: VivaldiThese recordings, the first fruits of these performers’ extensive project involving Vivaldi’s concertos, are based on Alessandro Borin’s critical edition of the Italian composer’s third published concerto set, the six violin concertos ...
