Beethoven 9 Symphonies
By HC Robbins Landon, BBC Music Magazine [1994] Reviewing DG 439-900
‘It seems almost incredible,’ writes John Eliot Gardiner in the press handout accompanying this set, ‘that these, the most celebrated symphonies ever composed, are performed regularly from texts that correspond neither to Beethoven’s first nor last wishes, as evinced by the autograph scores or by the first printed editions with corrections in Beethoven’s hand.’
These new recordings have used Clive Brown (Fifth Symphony) and Jonathan Del Mar (all the others) to re-examine all the extant source material and to correct the ‘standard’ texts of Breitkopf & Härtel which, everybody assumed, transmitted the Urtext of Beethoven’s symphonies. The results are spectacular, like the recent cleanings of the Sistine Chapel or the Cappella Brancacci in Florence. Beethoven’s symphonies have emerged cleansed of wrong notes, wrong phrasings, wrong dynamic marks and even wrong tempi. The most glaring wrong tempo comes in the finale of the Ninth, with the alla marcia tenor solo, where the metronome marking which Beethoven dictated to his nephew, Carl, was misread so that the passage has always been taken far too slowly. (Details may be consulted in the exemplary booklet.) The most interesting, large-scale textual change concerns the Scherzo/Trio of the Fifth, now restored to its original form: scherzo/trio/scherzo/trio/transition to finale (this is the form in a set of manuscript orchestral parts corrected by Beethoven, now in the Vienna Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde).
But a large part of the cleansing process must be attributed to the remarkable Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique and the clear, incisive, taut readings it gives under Gardiner’s guidance. Again and again I felt as if I were hearing these warhorses for the first time. Never have Beethoven’s brilliant timpani parts seemed so aggressively original – even violent. Never have the woodwind and brass meshed so effortlessly with the strings: the balance of these CDs is impeccable.
On all accounts, therefore, this set is a triumph and certainly the most important Beethoven recording since the arrival of CD: important for getting the texts right (something we now regard as obvious in Haydn’s and Mozart’s symphonies); important for the revelatory sound of these original instruments; and especially important for the clean, unsentimental, brilliant readings by Gardiner and his orchestra. Not least, DG has given us a marvellously rounded, yet detailed sound, despite the fact that the nine symphonies were recorded at different times and places. Never was the advent of CD more triumphantly vindicated.
Performance: 5 (out of 5); Sound: 5 (out of 5)
Evgeny Kissin & Valery Gergiev - London Symphony Orchestra
Rachmaninoff Concerto No.2 Op.18 in C Minor/Etudes-Tableaux Op.39
By Joseph W. Hyink (Woodinville, WA)
This review is from: Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2; Etudes-Tableaux (Audio CD)
Because Rachmaninoff's music mirrors the Russian culture, I have often noted that no one plays Rachmaninoff like a Russian. Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 and Etudes-Tableaux, played by the Russian Evgeny Kissin, is unparalleled in mastery, beauty, and power. The album begins with one of the most sensitive interpretations of Rachmaninoff's second piano concerto that I have heard (on par with Vladimir Ashkenazy's, a fellow Russian). Kissin understands the flow of the piece from beginning to end. As a result, he builds the tension by accentuating the rich chord progressions that fill the piece. He then resolves that tension with the precision of a story-teller and the sensitivity of a master artist. Though the music stretches the ability of even the greatest pianists, Kissin plays through the difficulty in order to paint a landscape of musical progression. He hears and invites his audience to hear the intricate sub-plots that recur all throughout the work. Perhaps Rachmaninoff's most famous composition is married with a true master artist.
The album ends with six powerful Etudes-Tableaux. Once again, Kissin hears and emphasizes both the predominant theme as well as the innumerable sub-themes, often overlooked by lesser musicians. My favorite is Etude-Tableau No. 5 in E-flat minor. This extremely difficult piece builds tension through increased dissonance until a lofty climax. That dissonance almost becomes unpleasant to the ears, creating an atmosphere of extreme melancholy. I imagine that tension mirroring the inner turmoil that an individual experiences through a difficult time of life. But when that tension and internal cacophony can get no greater and the person is at the point of breaking, grace comes! The beauty of the resolution is far more beautiful against such a dark backdrop. And any person who has been through difficulties can fully enter into the emotion of the music. And anybody who is currently experiencing pain and suffering can take hope, even from this music, that resolution will come.
by Richard S. Ginell
Fearlessly searching for new conceptions of sound and not caring where he found them, Garbarek joined hands with the classical early-music movement, improvising around the four male voices of the Hilliard Ensemble. Now here was a radical idea guaranteed to infuriate both hardcore jazz buffs and the even more pristine more-authentic-than-thou folk in early music circles. Yet this unlikely fusion works stunningly well -- and even more hearteningly, went over the heads of the purists and became a hit album at a time (1994) when Gregorian chants were a hot item. Chants, early polyphonic music, and Renaissance motets by composers like Morales and Dufay form the basic material, bringing forth a cool yet moving spirituality in Garbarek's work. Recorded in a heavily reverberant Austrian monastery, the voices sometimes develop in overwhelming waves, and Garbarek rides their crest, his soprano sax soaring in the monastery acoustic, or he underscores the voices almost unobtrusively, echoing the voices, finding ample room to move around the modal harmonies yet applying his sound sparingly. Those with nervous metabolisms may become impatient with this undefinable music, but if you give it a chance, it will seduce you, too.
The album ends with six powerful Etudes-Tableaux. Once again, Kissin hears and emphasizes both the predominant theme as well as the innumerable sub-themes, often overlooked by lesser musicians. My favorite is Etude-Tableau No. 5 in E-flat minor. This extremely difficult piece builds tension through increased dissonance until a lofty climax. That dissonance almost becomes unpleasant to the ears, creating an atmosphere of extreme melancholy. I imagine that tension mirroring the inner turmoil that an individual experiences through a difficult time of life. But when that tension and internal cacophony can get no greater and the person is at the point of breaking, grace comes! The beauty of the resolution is far more beautiful against such a dark backdrop. And any person who has been through difficulties can fully enter into the emotion of the music. And anybody who is currently experiencing pain and suffering can take hope, even from this music, that resolution will come.
Jan Garbarek & The Hillard Ensemble
Officium
Fearlessly searching for new conceptions of sound and not caring where he found them, Garbarek joined hands with the classical early-music movement, improvising around the four male voices of the Hilliard Ensemble. Now here was a radical idea guaranteed to infuriate both hardcore jazz buffs and the even more pristine more-authentic-than-thou folk in early music circles. Yet this unlikely fusion works stunningly well -- and even more hearteningly, went over the heads of the purists and became a hit album at a time (1994) when Gregorian chants were a hot item. Chants, early polyphonic music, and Renaissance motets by composers like Morales and Dufay form the basic material, bringing forth a cool yet moving spirituality in Garbarek's work. Recorded in a heavily reverberant Austrian monastery, the voices sometimes develop in overwhelming waves, and Garbarek rides their crest, his soprano sax soaring in the monastery acoustic, or he underscores the voices almost unobtrusively, echoing the voices, finding ample room to move around the modal harmonies yet applying his sound sparingly. Those with nervous metabolisms may become impatient with this undefinable music, but if you give it a chance, it will seduce you, too.
Glenn Gould
J.S. Bach-Goldberg Variations, BWV 988(Aria & 30 Variations)
By Rupert Stone
This review is from: Bach: The Goldberg Variations (Audio CD)
Glenn Gould had recorded two Goldbergs prior to this release: a digital effort from 1955 and a live Salzburg performance in 1959. Both are stunning, bursting with wit and vivacity - but there is something about his testamentary final version (finished just before his premature death, aged 50) that defeats not only his own efforts but those of every other pianist too. Gould himself was an odd fish, to say the least - he never slept (the Goldbergs were written by Bach for the insomniac Goldberg), ate little and was a chronic hypochondriac. Admirable was his love for animals - he had many dogs throughout his life - and his love of solitude (he conducted almost every relationship through the telephone). Such qualities are very important when considering the unmeasurable profundity of this recording - the love of innocence, the aversion to brutality, the childike playfulness are coloured by a deathly weariness and stoicism (hence the beautiful final aria, transcendentally slow, or the tired stubborness of number 1). This is one of those recordings that demands endless relistening - one discovers new things every time amidst the mass of detail and complexity (the diversity of articulation in number 25, the so-called 'black pearl' variation is a good example). His tone is otherwordly, sometimes akin to the sound of a xylophone, sometimes an organ - the glittering textures of Variation 6 or 13 are wondrous. Bach purists will perhaps hate this disc, but wrongly - it is a marvellous realisation of the score combined with a highly original personal vision. Brendel chides Gould for his Bach playing, on the grounds that he fails to bring out the composer's intentions. Well, listen to Brendel's feeble recording of the first two books of Liszt Annees de Pelerinage - as far from the pyrotechnics and thunderous sonorities of the score as one could possibly imagine. Take no notice of these critics - this is surely one of the finest recordings in the entire catalogue, a true marvel of human achievment. It is complex, beautiful and relentlessly profound.
This review is from: Bach: The Goldberg Variations (Audio CD)
Glenn Gould had recorded two Goldbergs prior to this release: a digital effort from 1955 and a live Salzburg performance in 1959. Both are stunning, bursting with wit and vivacity - but there is something about his testamentary final version (finished just before his premature death, aged 50) that defeats not only his own efforts but those of every other pianist too. Gould himself was an odd fish, to say the least - he never slept (the Goldbergs were written by Bach for the insomniac Goldberg), ate little and was a chronic hypochondriac. Admirable was his love for animals - he had many dogs throughout his life - and his love of solitude (he conducted almost every relationship through the telephone). Such qualities are very important when considering the unmeasurable profundity of this recording - the love of innocence, the aversion to brutality, the childike playfulness are coloured by a deathly weariness and stoicism (hence the beautiful final aria, transcendentally slow, or the tired stubborness of number 1). This is one of those recordings that demands endless relistening - one discovers new things every time amidst the mass of detail and complexity (the diversity of articulation in number 25, the so-called 'black pearl' variation is a good example). His tone is otherwordly, sometimes akin to the sound of a xylophone, sometimes an organ - the glittering textures of Variation 6 or 13 are wondrous. Bach purists will perhaps hate this disc, but wrongly - it is a marvellous realisation of the score combined with a highly original personal vision. Brendel chides Gould for his Bach playing, on the grounds that he fails to bring out the composer's intentions. Well, listen to Brendel's feeble recording of the first two books of Liszt Annees de Pelerinage - as far from the pyrotechnics and thunderous sonorities of the score as one could possibly imagine. Take no notice of these critics - this is surely one of the finest recordings in the entire catalogue, a true marvel of human achievment. It is complex, beautiful and relentlessly profound.
Gidon Kremer & Academy of St.Martin In The Fields
Double Concerto BWV1043 and The Violin Concertos BWV1041,1042
By John Borwick
BACH. Violin Concertos—No. 1 in A minor, * BWV1041; No. 2 in E major, BWV1042. Double Violin Concerto in D minor, BWV1043. Academy of St Martin in the Fields / Gidon Kremer (vIns). Philips digital ® 411 108-1; CI 411 108-4; Compact Disc 411 108-2.
This is among the most vigorous of Bach playing, of superlative quality within its chosen style. The quality extends both to the soloist and the strings of the orchestra. It probably would have done, too, to the harpsichordist if he had been audible; but only one or two distant chords in the finale of the Double Concerto suggested, without certainty, that indeed there was one there at all. The deficiency is not wholly decisive in these particular pieces; and anyway the ear is riveted by the propulsive style and strong, rich tone of all the string-players. The propulsive rhythm survives the absence of a separate conductor, and the ritardandos at cadences are mostly managed very well: just once, perhaps, the ritardando seemed a trifle tentative. And just once, perhaps, the strings seemed actually too strong, with overpowering accompanying detached chords, in F, in the middle movement of the A minor Concerto. But where, in this concerto and elsewhere, the cadences needed decorating Kremer leaps into action most effectively, with stylish, short amplifications of Bach's outline.
The recording is also of splendid quality, matching the strong string tone ideally. Yet in spite of this marvellous sound two questions should be raised before unreserved recommendation is made. One is that the vigour itself, applied pretty impartially throughout, might better have been modified, given way to a more lyrical style in some passages, some movements even. "Twice too fast," some will say of the Double Concerto's first movement; the arithmetic will be exaggerated, but the reaction will be quite a natural one. The other question is more a psychological one; it is whether, in this Double Concerto, the performance (however good) of both solo parts by the same player is not antipathetic to the spirit of the conversation between two living, human beings envisaged by Bach. Music is a marvellous release of the human spirit, for musician and listener alike; and it may be that in an increasingly mechanical world a few rearguard actions in favour of humanity, may here and there be in place.
For those still, very reasonably, in doubt about a decision, it should perhaps be added that the E major Concerto is split between the two record sides. M . M .
The Double Concerto is here making its fourth appearance on CD (itself some kind of record) but this is the first version in which the same soloist uses overdubbing techniques to perform both parts. Gidon Kremer is thus able to match phrases and 'dialogue' passages with precision; yet we do lose a sense of interplay between two individual artists. More to the point are the fast tempos and full-toned sound throughout all three works. Our reviewer MM describes the performances above as "vigorous" and there is indeed little relaxation even in the slow movements. Overall sound, however, is of high-fidelity standards with the bright acoustic contributing to a recording of exceptional clarity.
The Beaux Arts Trio
Arensky - The Piano Trios No.1 Op.32 & No.2 Op.73
By John Warrack
Selected comparisons - coupled as above:
Beaux Arts Trio (6/95) (PHIL) 442 I27-2PH Borodin Trio (2/98) (CHAN) CHAN7048
Arensky's First Piano Trio has been recorded quite frequently, and with good reason. The melodic and some of the harmonic manner may lie close to Tchaikovsky, but Arenslcy has his own highly engaging individuality within a similar Russian romantic idiom, and his ear for scoring is no less acute: indeed, he never allows himself the hefty piano textures that can make such a problem with Tchaikovslcy's own Trio. The Second Piano Trio is less immediately appealing, though it, too, has its pleasures, and deserves a better hearing in the West. Among the couplings of the two works are those by the Borodin and Beaux Arts Trios. The Borodin Trio's recording is not one of their most successful. Vigorous as they are, especially in the First Trio, they can sometimes overplay the intensity when a gentler lyricism might yield more. The Beaux Arts' performance is less strenuous, and in its warmth of feeling and its quick-wittedness with the fleet-footed Scherzos lies closer to the new Dussek version. The Dusseks are highly accomplished and sensitive players, responsive especially to the First Trio's Elegia and the Second Trio's Romanza: in these gentle slow movements Arensky's gift is at its most affecting. There is really little to choose between these two intelligent, sensitive performances of some very attractive music; if choice there has to be, it would go to the Beaux Arts and a performance of delightful individuality.
Lilya Zilberstein & Neeme Järvi-Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Grieg - Piano Concerto Op.16, Op.54, Op.11
By Michael Jameson, ClassicsToday.com
Neeme Järvi's survey of Grieg's orchestral works always has been highly regarded, combining idiomatic interpretations and vibrant sound from Gothenburg's splendid orchestra and acoustically inviting concert hall. The most substantial works, the complete Peer Gynt and Sigurd Jorsalfar, formed a full-priced DG box. Now they're the backbone of this new mid-priced 6-CD set from DG's Collectors Edition. The recordings, made between 1986 and 1993, are all largely self-recommending. The only minor caveats apply to the shorter, small-scale pieces. There's a Holberg Suite that might have been more convincing had smaller forces been employed instead of what sounds like a scarcely reduced full string section. Järvi leads assertively, and his players follow his nicely tailored rubatos carefully enough, but everything sounds too big to be properly intimate as Grieg intended, especially in the Sarabande and Air.It's a pity that Järvi doesn't make more of the subtle colors of the Lyric Suite, or demonstrate more affection for the lovely Elegiac Melodies. One point of interest is that in the Lyric Suite he restores the bell-ringing ("Klokkeklang") effects that Grieg omitted from the final version, effects that add a particularly evocative aspect here. But sometimes the performances seem fussy and businesslike, lacking the flow and flexibility that smaller forces could provide, and you'll probably find Neville Marriner's 1994 Hänssler Classic accounts more pleasing. Järvi's readings of the more rugged and folksy Norwegian Dances and Symphonic Dances are another matter. Both are superlative--thoughtfully directed and again excellently played.
There remains the outstanding complete Peer Gynt, with a strong vocal cast led by Barbara Bonney (Solveig), Urban Malmberg (Peer Gynt), and Marianne Eklof (Anitra), with attractive instrumental solos by Knut Buen (Hardanger-fiddle) and Paul Cortese (viola). Järvi can be rather mannered, though, and there are moments of stiffness in "The death of Ǻse" and other slower, more reflective passages. There's simply no better recording of Sigurd Jorsalfar than this one, but Virgin's 1991 version of the rarely heard C minor Symphony with the Bergen Philharmonic under Dmitri Kitaenko is more lyrical and lucid than Järvi's. This set also includes Lilya Zilberstein's accomplished account of the piano concerto along with Grieg's orchestral songs. The concerto brings some truly inspired moments (the slow movement is beautifully atmospheric) and some horribly bombastic ones too;, but if you go for this set, its value lies in its completeness, which is unmatched at the price.
Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax
Brahms - Sonata For Piano & Cello Opp.38, 99 and 108
By Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States)
This review is from: Brahms: Sonatas for Cello and Piano (Audio CD)
Many place Brahm's Cello Sonatas as his most personal music while others feel that Brahms is best in the bigger works. The two sonatas of cello and piano - E minor, Op. 38, F major, Op. 99, and and for violin and piano D minor, Op. 108 - cover the course of Brahms' musical career and the variations in his approach to melody, but all three of the works are some of the more introspective, radiantly beautiful works from his chamber pieces.
Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax have performed together and have been close musical comrades for many years so it comes as no surprise that their collaboration is as glued as any other duo work. They seem to sense each other's presence in a most respectful and admiring way. The result is Brahms played with not only technical finesse but with the love that comes from such superb collaboration. Ma's lush cello tone is matched by Ax's subtle phrasing. This is a recital to cherish.
Gidon Kremer & Martha Argerich
Beethoven - Violin Sonatas Nos.6-8 and Sonatas Op.30 Nos.1,2,3
By MR WT MAKHATHINI "thando" (Durban, South Africa)
This review is from: Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos. 6-8 / Kremer, Argerich (Audio CD)
I bought this from Amazon last few weeks back. I was actually looking for Beethoven Violin Sonata No.5 "Spring" I dont know why I eventually ended up purchasing this CD but Im glad I did. This is one of the most thrilling perfomance by Argerich & Kremer.Kremer's violin sounds very much authentic in sound & performance by the masterful Violinist is great.So is Argerich with her tilting fingers on her piano wow! this is an essential recording indeed.The fact that Im the 2nd person to review this recording is unbelievable to me, Amazon should be calling for a halt to the avalanche of reviews to this recording. For me things started hitting up from Sonata no.1 's "Allegretto con Variazion(1-vi) and then to the end. Violin's movement causes sparks to fly. Needless to say my colleagues at work now love the sound of a violin even though some will not admit to love this music.The understanding between the two instruments & co-ordination is simple out of this world.Musically i would not be able to express the actual movements i.e. in musical terminology since im not a musician but I know when something is not only great but deserves to be appluaded. You buy this one without any inhibitions its a must have for any serious collectors item. By the way I also purchased Perlmans No. 5 "spring" Beethoven violin concerto its also thrilling as well but this one comes tops.
Fabio Biondi & Europa Galante
Vivaldi-Il Cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione / Le Quattro Stagioni
by Uncle Dave Lewis
The four concerti in The Four Seasons of Antonio Vivaldi have probably earned the distinction of being the most frequently recorded classical works in the digital era. Originally published as part of a set of 12 concerti as Vivaldi's Opus 8, the other eight concerti also get some attention, particularly La tempesta di mare, but the set as a whole is comparatively seldom recorded. In Europa Galante's Virgin Classics release, Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione, violinist Fabio Biondi, who has recorded The Four Seasons at least once before for Opus 111, leads his expert ensemble in the whole of the Opus 8 set. The 12 concerti fit comfortably onto two CDs, with some reshuffling of the pieces into a different order than that assembled by Vivaldi, though not through splitting up the "big four."
The very first thing that comes to mind in listening to Biondi on this Virgin recording is how restrained and natural this interpretation sounds versus some other, and perhaps more highly publicized, recordings by others. Biondi is not auditioning for the Kronos Quartet here; his tone is sweet, finger work fleet, and he makes sparing, but expressive use of vibrato. Europa Galante is in a relatively small configuration in this outing, but Virgin's excellent recording conveys the impression of a bigger band. Some tempos are zippy indeed; the fast-moving parts of L'inverno threaten to catch fire, whereas certain movements, such as the final Allegro in La primavera, are given plenty of room to breathe and thus, are a little longer than most performances. Elasticity is the key to Biondi's interpretation, but it is never employed in a manner that causes the music to sag, as in some older, modern instrument recordings.
The band does a great job of coordinating some of the special effects used in these works -- the driving accents in La caccia are marvelously tasty and point up Vivaldi's revolutionary approach to rhythm in instrumental music. Europa Galante's Virgin recording of Vivaldi: Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione should please all but those who have zero tolerance for period instrument performers, and is so charismatic that even some among the latter might make an exception for it.
