The Wigmore Hall Recital
By James Manheim
This album was recorded live at London's Wigmore Hall in January 2012, and it would be interesting to know whether its release was planned ahead of time or motivated by ongoing affection for the performances. Brazilian cellist Antonio Meneses and Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires have often played as a duo, and the easy conversational quality they have achieved is fully evident here. But the beauty goes beyond the usual chamber music competences. Meneses is rightly renowned for his rich tone, which remains undamaged even in the upper reaches of the Schubert Arpeggione Sonata in A minor, a work written for a defunct six-stringed instrument somewhere between cello and guitar; it lies a bit high for the cello, but Meneses is untroubled by that. The real star of the show, though, may be Pires, who contributes some deeply mysterious Brahms Intermezzi and calibrates her role with astonishing precision in the duo works, emerging into full duet partnership in the final Brahms Cello Sonata in E minor, Op. 38. Beautiful and more, with a dark, melancholy strain unifying the whole, this is chamber music reminiscent of the golden age. Deutsche Grammophon's engineering team also deserves notice for the startling live presence, undiminished by intrusions of noise.
By Stanley Crowe
This one took me by surprise -- I thought that the Wigmore Hall was producing recordings of its own concerts exclusively, but here is DGG with a recording of this concert, with no audience noise distractions and great sound, beautifully balanced between Pires's piano and Meneses's cello. I loved it all, but I was especially struck by Pires's account of the Op.117 Brahms Intermezzi, the second item on the disc. I don't associate her with Brahms, but she gives lucid accounts of these three rather grave pieces, and gives each its due in terms of shaping and color. Nothing too heavy, with pedaling discreet, and with a tonal palette appropriate to each -- just beautiful! The big pieces are the Schubert Arpeggione Sonata and the first of Brahms's two cello sonatas. This is the loveliest sounding version of the Brahms I've heard, with better tone and balance than the otherwise fine Ma/Ax version on RCA. It's more gemutlich than the very fine Kovacevich/Harrell EMI account, which is a bit more fiery at the close, but the sound here is much mellower. Meneses is a cellist I hadn't heard -- I had heard and enjoyed Pires's Mozart -- and I was particularly impressed by his ability to integrate his sound through all registers. Even if you have other versions of the main items here, I strongly recommend this.
Track List:
Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828)
Sonata For Arpeggione And Piano In A Minor, D.821
1. Allegro moderato 11:36
2. Adagio 4:29
3. Allegretto 8:51
Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)
Intermezzi, Op.117
4. Andante moderato, en mi bémol majeur 5:06
5. Andante non troppo, en si bémol mineur 4:56
6. Andante con moto, en ut dièse mineur 5:41
Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)
7. Song Without Words For Cello And Piano In D, Op.109 4:13
Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)
Sonata For Cello And Piano No.1 In E Minor, Op.38
8. 1. Allegro non troppo 14:38
9. 2. Allegretto quasi minuetto 5:38
10. 3. Allegro - Più presto 7:01
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)
11. Pastoral in F, BWV 590 (Pastorale In F, BWV 590 - Arranged For Cello And Piano) 3:56
Anne-Sophie Mutter & Lambert Orkís
Mozart: The Violin Sonatas
By James Leonard
Have you ever noticed how some performers' performances are inextricably linked to their images? How Leonard Bernstein's hyperbolic performances are inextricably linked to his hyperbolic image? How Vladimir Horowitz's flamboyant performances are inextricably linked to his flamboyant image? How Anne-Sophie Mutter's narcissistic performances are inextricably linked to her narcissistic image?
Take as an example Mutter's 2006 recording of Mozart's sonatas for piano and violin. Beyond all argument, Mutter is a truly an amazing violinist. Her tone is lush, polished, and deep. Her technique is impeccable, imperious, and incandescent. Her interpretations are impulsive, passionate, and powerful. But her performances virtually ignore the music and instead focus on selling the sheer physical beauty of her own playing. In an Allegretto grazioso, Mutter is far too forward in her phrasing. In an Andante cantabile, she is much too seductive in her grace notes. In a Tempo di Menuetto, she is way too sensual in her accents. For Mutter, Mozart's music seems to be an ornament to her playing, not the reason for it. There have been many recordings of Mozart's sonatas as beautiful as Mutter's -- Grumiaux's with Klein and Szeryng's with Haebler come first to mind -- but few that are so narcissistic. Deutsche Grammophon's sound and Lambert Orkis' accompaniments are very flattering to the soloist.
By Donald Mitchell
When Anne-Sophie Mutter and Lambert Orkis were in Boston last fall, I attended the concert that featured some of Mozart's violin sonatas from these recordings. While I enjoyed the immediacy of the live performance, I felt that Ms. Mutter tended to overwhelm Mr. Orkis both in volume and style. That was a shame because the piano parts in Mozart's violin sonatas are always at least as important as the violin parts. Having been a little disappointed, I was, however, wowed during the encores when suddenly a balance appeared. Ms. Mutter was quieter and more restrained and Mr. Orkis seemed less constrained. It was magical.
Thus encouraged, I bought a copy of this CD set, and both performers graciously autographed it.
On arriving home and turning the music on, I was stunned! This was much better music than I had just heard, even during the encores.
I don't recall ever enjoying a recording more than a live concert of the same music by the same performers, but there's no comparison in this case. Both Ms. Mutter and Mr. Orkis soar enthusiastically . . . while also retreating tactfully and touchingly where that's appropriate. The balance between the two performers is almost perfect.
Some people criticize Ms. Mutter for putting too much passion and personal style into classical works. In this case, there's a bit of restraint in delivering that passion and style that takes Mozart from being a composer from a prior century and transforms his music into a rewarding emotional presence now. The exuberance of his genius seems to flow from both performers as they provide a modern (but not too modern) interpretation of this exceptional music.
I find myself listening with new understanding to these sonatas virtually every day.
For Anne Sophie-Mutter fans, there's no doubt that this is one of her top five recordings. If you don't own it, you've missed a treat.
Track List :
CD 1:
Sonata for Piano and Violin in F, K.376
1.1. Allegro 4:51
2.2. Andante 6:17
3.3. Rondo (Allegretto grazioso) 5:54
Sonata for Piano and Violin in E flat, K.302
4.1. Allegro 5:10
5.2. Rondeau (Andante grazioso) 6:59
Sonata for Piano and Violin in G, K.379
6.1. Adagio - Allegro 7:40
7.2. Thema. Andantino cantabile - Var.I-V -Allegretto 9:18
Sonata for Piano and Violin in B flat, K.454
8.1. Largo - Allegro 7:04
9.2. Andante 8:30
10.3. Allegretto 6:38
Total Playing Time 1:08:21
CD 2:
Sonata for Piano and Violin in A, K.305
1.1. Allegro di molto 4:57
2.2. Tema con variazioni: Tema - Var. I/VI 9:49
Sonata for Piano and Violin in B flat, K.378
3.1. Allegro moderato 8:51
4.2. Andantino sostenuto e cantabile 6:40
5.3. Rondo (Allegro) 4:03
Sonata for Piano and Violin in G, K.301
6.1. Allegro con spirito 8:01
7.2. Allegro 5:23
Sonata for Piano and Violin in E flat, K.481
8.1. Molto allegro 7:07
9.2. Adagio 8:19
10.3. Allegretto (con variazioni) 7:04
Total Playing Time 1:10:14
CD 3:
Sonata for Piano and Violin in C, K.296
1.1. Allegro vivace 6:14
2.2. Andante sostenuto 5:30
3.3. Rondo (Allegro) 3:57
Sonata for Piano and Violin in E flat, K.380
4.1. Allegro 6:38
5.2. Andante con moto 9:05
6.3. Rondeau (Allegro) 4:28
Sonata for Piano and Violin in F, "für Anfänger", K.547
7.1. Andantino cantabile 4:15
8.2. Allegro 4:21
9.3. Tema (Andante) con variazioni 8:03
Sonata for Piano and Violin in D, K.306
10.1. Allegro con spirito 7:30
11.2. Andantino cantabile 6:04
12.3. Allegretto 6:53
Total Playing Time 1:12:58
CD 4:
Sonata for Piano and Violin in C, K.303
1.1. Adagio - Molto allegro 4:52
2.2. Tempo di minuetto 4:55
Sonata for Piano and Violin in F, K.377
3.1. Allegro 3:57
4.2. Tema (Andante) con variazioni 8:50
5.3. Tempo di menuetto 6:08
Sonata for Piano and Violin in E minor, K.304
6.1. Allegro 8:21
7.2. Tempo di minuetto 6:07
Sonata for Piano and Violin in A, K.526
8.1. Allegro molto 6:34
9.2. Andante 7:32
10.3. Presto 6:50
Total Playing Time 1:04:06
