The 50th volume of Masaaki Suzuki’s exploration of J.S. Bach’s cantatas features works composed by Bach in collaboration with the Leipzig poet Christian Friedrich Henrici.

I find the album title to be just wonderful: “Man singet mit Freuden” (One sings with Joy)

The cantatas generally make sparing use of the choir, but center on two arias, linked by one or two recitatives, and a final chorale. In addition, these works contain several examples of reuse of earlier instrumental movements as introductions: The opening Sinfonia of BWV 174, uses the first movement of his Third Brandenburg Concerto.

Bach, J S:

• Cantata BWV149 ‘Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg’

• Cantata BWV145 ‘Ich lebe, mein Herze, zu deinem Ergötzen’

• Cantata BWV174 ‘Ich liebe den Höchsten von ganzem Gemüte’

• Cantata BWV49 ‘Ich geh und suche mit Verlangen’

Performed by Hana Blažíková (soprano), Robin Blaze (counter-tenor), Gerd Türk (tenor) & Peter Kooij (bass); and the Bach Collegium Japan, conducted by Masaaki Suzuki

Here is one of my great favorites, as performed by this group: J. S. Bach: “Herr, unser herrscher” ~ Bach Collegium Japan

Click HERE to watch and listen

Tags: J. S. Bach, Cantatas, Masaaki Suzuki

Johannes Brahms traveled throughout Europe for many years, performing concerts with the renowned violinist, Joseph Joachim. In fact, Brahms composed his violin concerto and dedicated it to his friend. And Mr. Joachim provided some key technical advice, because Brahms did not play the violin.

Brahms chose to do the premier concert for his only violin concerto on the 1st of January 1879; that is 133 years ago… and this music is still a huge favorite among concert goers.

Yehudi Menuhim died in 1999, yet recordings by him are still being released: This one was released in 2010

Here is Yehudi Menuhin playing the Brahms Violin Concerto, 3rd movement, with Kurt Mazur conducting

And to hear Menuhin performing the same music in a 1943 broadcast, please click HERE

Many years later, violinist Yitzhak Perlman acquired Mr. Menuhin’s violin. Here he performs this same Brahms concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini

Tags: Brahms violin concerto, Yehudi Menuhin

Beethoven:

• String Quartet No. 11 in F minor Op. 95 ‘Serioso’

• arr. for string orchestra, G. Mahler

Mahler:

• Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor – Adagietto

• Symphony No. 10 in F sharp major – Adagio

• arr. for string orchestra, H. Stadlmair

Performed by the Amsterdam Sinfonietta, conducted by Candida Thompson

Gustav Mahler was a musical genius, who died in 1911… not all that long ago! He revolutionized the performance of Opera in Europe and later in New York, when he became the conductor of the Metropolitan Opera for a while. As a composer of original music, his symphonies and his songs for voice and orchestra became world famous after he died.

In addition, Mahler also orchestrated some compositions of his predecessors. One such work was the Beethoven string quartet, Op. 95, known as the “Serioso” quartet.

Here is what Mahler wrote about his arrangement of Beethoven’s music in an open letter to the Viennese newspaper “Die Wage” in January 1899.

“A quartet for string orchestra! That sounds strange to you. I already know all the objections that will be raised: ruination of intimacy, of individuality. But that is an error. What I intend is only an ideal representation of the quartet. Chamber music is primarily written for the living room. It is really enjoyed only by the performers. The four ladies and gentlemen who sit at their music stands are also the audience towards which this music turns. If chamber music is transferred to the concert hall, this intimacy is already lost. But even more is lost. In a large space the four voices are lost and do not speak to the listener with the power that the composer wanted to give them. I give them this power by strengthening the voices. I unravel the expansion that is dormant in the voices and give the sounds wings.”

In addition to the Beethoven arrangement, this interesting CD also has a recording of the Adagietto from Mahler’s Symphony #5, and the Adagio from the never completed Mahler 10th symphony.

This fascinating CD will be released on December 13, 2011

Here is a video on the making of “The Mahler Album”

Here is the String Quartet “Quartetto Serioso”, Op. 95 by L. van Beethoven, as arranged for chamber orchestra by G. Mahler; First movement, Allegro con brio

And now here is the Gustav Mahler arrangement of the Beethoven String Quartet Op.95 in f minor “Quartett Serioso” 4th movement – Aram Gharabekian conducts the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia

Tags: Gustav Mahler, Beethoven quartet Serioso, Amsterdam Sinfonietta

Schubert:

• Piano Sonata No. 15 in C major, D840 ‘Relequie’

• Piano Sonata No. 17 in D major, D850

• Piano Sonata No. 18 in G major, D894

• 4 Impromptus, D899

• Klavierstücke (3), D946

Performed by Paul Lewis, piano

I am always amazed at how many of my favorite younger artists have come out of British music training. The music teachers there, and the core commitment to providing excellence in music instruction seems quite obvious to me, based on results achieved.

Pianist Paul Lewis is such an example. I have reviewed several of his recordings at earlier times on this Blog. And this Schubert recording just adds to the fine set of interpretations by this artist.

Mr. Lewis created a very successful Beethoven recording project, which included the complete sonatas and concertos as well as the Diabelli Variations. Now he returns to Franz Schubert – a key focus of both his concert career and his recordings. On this double album we get three late sonatas, accompanied by the Impromptus and Klavierstücke.

Tracks on this 2-CD album are:

Piano Sonata D.850. I. Allegro
Piano Sonata D.850. II. Con moto
Piano Sonata D.850. III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
Piano Sonata D.850. IV. Rondo. Allegro moderato

Piano Sonata D.894. I. Molto moderato e cantabile
Piano Sonata D.894. II. Andante
Piano Sonata D.894. III. Menuetto. Allegro moderato
Piano Sonata D.894. IV. Allegretto

4 Impromptus D.899. I. Allegro molto moderato
4 Impromptus D.899. II. Allegro
4 Impromptus D.899. III. Andante mosso
4 Impromptus D.899. IV. Allegretto

Piano Sonata D.840. I. Moderato
Piano Sonata D.840. II. Andante

3 Klavierstücke D.946. I. Allegro assai. Andante. Andantino
3 Klavierstücke D.946. II. Allegretto
3 Klavierstücke D.946. III. Allegro

Here is Paul Lewis performing Schubert’s Allegretto in C minor D915 (Beautiful!!!)

And now here’s a video of one of my all-time favorites: Schubert’s Fantasie in F minor Op. 103, as performed by Paul Lewis and Imogen Cooper.

Tags: Paul Lewis, Schubert, pianist, Sonatas

On these six CD’s, the distinguished Dresden Staatskapelle, under the baton of conductor Sir Colin Davis, soaks in the music and tradition of this historic performance of all of Beethoven’s 9 symphonies.

Here’s why conductor Davis is so excellent, in his own words:

“The less ego you have, the more influence you have as a conductor. And the result is that you can concentrate on the only things that really matter: the music and the people who are playing it. You are of no account whatever. But if you can help people to feel free to play as well as they can, that’s as good as it gets.”

Audio CD was released on September 27, 2011; 6 CD’s

Here is the 4th movement of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s 9th symphony.
Performed by the Staatskapelle Dresden orchestra, Conducted by Sir Colin Davis

And here is the “Agnus Dei” from Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, as conducted by Sir Colin Davis

Tags: Sir Colin Davis, Beethoven symphonies

The First Ladies of Music is a tribute to Opera’s greatest stars, many whom still actively sing today! This 2 – CD album features Renée Fleming, Anna Netrebko, Cecilia Bartoli, Angela Gheorghiu, Kiri Te Kanawa, and many more!

What I like about these samplers is the way you can compare your favorite arias and singers with recordings of complete operas you might already own. Those arias with which you aren’t familiar with will become familiar if you listen carefully. There’s no doubt that this is great music, as performed by terrific singers.

Tracks on these two CD’s are:

Disc 1:

1. Madama Butterfly/Act 2 – Un Bel Dì Vedremo
Renée Fleming

2. Rusalka, Op.114/Act 1 – O Silver Moon
Anna Netrebko

3. Le Nozze Di Figaro, K.492 – Original Version, Vienna 1786 – Act 2 – ”Porgi Amor”
Sylvia McNair

4. Norma/Act 1 – Casta Diva
Cecilia Bartoli

5. Samson HWV 57/Act 3 – Let The Bright Seraphim
Kiri Te Kanawa

6. La Forza Del Destino/Act 4 – Pace, Pace, Mio Dio
Angela Gheorghiu

7. Così Fan Tutte, K.588/Act 1 – ”Temerari! Sortite!” – ”Come Scoglio!” – ”Ah, Non Partite”
Anne Sofie von Otter

8. Turandot/Act 1 – ”Signore, Ascolta!”
Barbara Hendricks

9. Le Nozze Di Figaro, K.492/Act 2 – ”Voi Che Sapete”
Anne Sofie von Otter

10. Andrea Chénier/Act 3 – La Mamma Morta
Montserrat Caballé

11. Tancredi/Act 1 – Di Tanti Palpiti
Elina Garanca

12. Semele HWV 58/Act 1 – Endless Pleasure…
Danielle de Niese

13. Manon/Act 2 – Adieu, Notre Petite Table
Patricia Petibon

14. Don Carlos/Act 2 – Chanson Du Voile: ”Au Palais Des Fées”
Magdalena Kozená

15. Die Zauberflöte/Act 1 – ”O Zittre Nicht”
Sumi Jo

Disc 2:

Song Title Artist
1. Orfeo Ed Euridice (Orphée Et Euridice) – Sung In Italian/Vienna Version (1762) – Act 3 – ”Che Fiero Momento”
Sylvia McNair

2. Zaide, K.344/Act 1 – Ruhe Sanft, Mein Holdes Leben
Renée Fleming

3. La Bohème/Act 1 – ”Sì. Mi Chiamano Mimì”
Angela Gheorghiu

4. La Sonnambula/Act 2 – Ah! Non Credea Mirarti Si Presto Estinto, O Fiore
Cecilia Bartoli

5. Faust/Act 3 – Chanson Du Roi De Thule – Air Des Bijoux
Anna Netrebko

6. Louise/Act 3 – ”Depuis Le Jour”
Nicole Cabell

7. Suor Angelica – Senza Mamma
Barbara Hendricks

8. Casanova – Nuns’ Chorus
Kiri Te Kanawa

9. Ariodante HWV 33/Act 3 – ”Dopo Notte, Atra E Funesta”
Anne Sofie von Otter

10. Roméo Et Juliette/Act 1 – ”Ah, Je Veux Vivre”
Patricia Petibon

11. L’assedio Di Calais/Act 1 – Al Mio Core
Elina Garanca

12. Rinaldo/Act 2 – ”Lascia Ch’io Pianga”
Danielle de Niese

13. Tosca/Act 2 – ”Vissi D’arte, Vissi D’amore”
Montserrat Caballé

14. Die Zauberflöte, K.620/Act 2 – ”Ach, Ich Fühl’s”
Karita Mattila

15. Giulio Cesare In Egitto HWV 17/Atto Terzo – ”Da Tempeste Il Legno Infranto”
Magdalena Kozená

Here is Anna Netrebko in Antonin Dvořák’s Rusalka:

And now here’s Angela GHEORGHIU in “Si mi chiamano Mimi” from La Bohèmeby Puccini:

And one more: Cecilia Bartoli in Mozart’s “Voi che sapete” from the opear Nozze di Figaro:

Tags: Opera Prima Donnas, Renée Fleming, Anna Netrebko, Cecilia Bartoli, Angela Gheorghiu, Kiri Te Kanawa

This CD is the third solo album for soprano Danielle de Niese. The “Beauty of the Baroque” brings us an album of favorite arias from the English, German, and Italian traditions, accompanied by the leading European Baroque orchestra The English Concert under Harry Bicket.

Favorite arias including Handel’s “Ombra mai fu” and highlights from Bach Cantatas are contrasted with solo songs by Purcell and Dowland, much loved Italian arias and sacred works. Since her earlier successes in the operas of Mozart, Danielle de Niese has become most closely associated with the music of the Baroque.

The New York Times commented: “A voice seductive enough to woo gods as well as mortals.”

Ms. de Niese’s “sweet, gleaming soprano”, “phenomenal musicality” and “sharply comic, yet utterly moving” acting, combined with youth and physical presence, have brought her to the edge of a spectacular career. She has performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and she had her Austrian debut at the historic “Theater an der Wien”. She returns often to both the Metropolitan Opera in Orefo ed Euridice, and to the Glyndebourne Opera as Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare.

Tracks on this CD are:

1. Come again, sweet love doth now invite
2. What if I never speed?
3. Aria “Ombra mai fu” (Serse) from Serse, Act I
4. Air “Let the bright Seraphim”
5. “Thy hand, Belinda – When I am laid in earth”
6. Air “Heart, the seat of soft delight”
7. Duet “Pur ti miro”(Poppea, Nerone)*
8. Quel sguardo sdegnosetto from Scherzi musicali
9. Duet “Io t’abbraccio” (Rodelinda, Bertarido)
10. “Guardian angels”
11. Duet “Stabat Mater dolorosa” from Stabat Mater
12. Aria “Sich üben im lieben”
13. Aria “Schafe können sicher weiden”

Here is Danielle de Niese in the promotional video for Beauty of the Baroque:

Here is Danielle de Niese as Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare:

Tags: Danielle de Niese, Beauty of the Baroque, Soprano, Metropolitan Opera, Haendel

This is a highly interesting CD for several reasons:

1. It pairs two concerti written more than one hundred years apart. Beethoven’s was written in 1806, and Britten’s was composed in 1939.

2. It allows us to hear yet another young, creative, passionate interpreter, and to get a sense for how she feels this music in a way that differentiates it from the traditional, Heifetz-like interpretation.

Don’t get me wrong! I am able to sit there transfixed when I listen to Heifetz perform the Beethoven. Yet Heifetz studied with Leopold Auer, and who says that Auer had the world’s wisdom as to how Beethoven should be performed for the next 150 years?

As such, I am always intrigued by new interpretations, as long as the player shows total commitment to what the composer documented in terms of notes, dynamics, and tempo directions.

This Beethoven concerto, as interpreted by Janine Jansen, is about the genius of Beethoven and about a meditative, thoughtful interpretation. If you can really sit and listen carefully, you will find new aspects to this music that you may not have experienced before. And Janine Jansen is a great musician, both sensitive and mature, who treats this music thoughtfully and carefully. She can do all the technical stuff easily, and when she does, it is always in fine musical taste. She performs with authority and fire, always with a beautiful tone, and a remarkable attention to Beethoven’s details of articulation.

The Britten concerto was written at a truly horrible time  in modern civilization. Benjamin Britten was living in the USA in 1940 while Hitler was preparing to crush his home in England and all of Europe. The concerto is wonderfully free and imaginative, as though it is a further English follow-through on the line of musical creation pioneered by Elgar. Jansen and the orchestra share a real masterpiece with us, and the further you can open yourself to it, the more its tender love and tragedy will move you.

Tracks on this CD are:

1. Beethoven Violin Concerto In D, Op.61 – 1. Allegro Ma Non Troppo

2. Beethoven Violin Concerto In D, Op.61 – 2. Larghetto

3. Beethoven Violin Concerto In D, Op.61 – 3. Rondo (Allegro)

4. Britten Violin Concerto, Op.15 – 1. Moderato Con Moto

5. Britten Violin Concerto, Op.15 – 2. Vivace

6. Britten Violin Concerto, Op.15 – 3. Passacaglia; Andante Lento

Here is Janine Jansen playing and explaining:

And here is the Beethoven Violin Concerto, second movement “Larghetto” with Janine Jansen (audio only):

And here she is again playing J. S. Bach – Sonata for Violin solo No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001

And finally, here are Janine Jansen, violin, with Itamar Golan, piano, in Gabriel Fauré’s hauntingly beautiful “Après un Rêve”:

If you would like to purchase this recording at Amazon, please click on the image below to complete your purchase:

Tags: Janine Jansen, violin, Beethoven, Britten, concertos

More than a year ago, on March 1st, 2010 I reviewed the performances of Argentinean-born pianist Ingrid Fliter. And wow! She’s come up with a lot more music and more terrific recordings. Way to go!

Previously Ingrid Fliter had recorded a marvelous group of well-known Romantic pieces by Frédéric Chopin. Ms Fliter won the silver medal in the prestigious 2000 Chopin International Piano Competition and also the prestigious Gilmore Artist Award, which is awarded every four years to a pianist of “truly exceptional quality”.

Now there’s a disc of three of the most passionate and popular Beethoven Piano Sonatas played by Argentinean pianist Ingrid Fliter:

• The ‘Pathétique’, the ‘Tempest’ and the ‘Appassionata’. CD will be issued 2 May 2011

Tracks on this CD are:

• Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 ‘Pathetique’

• Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31 No. 2 ‘Tempest’

• Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 ‘Appassionata’

Ingrid Fliter’s new Beethoven disc shows us not just her amazing technique and wonderful sound, but also a deep passionate understanding of this music. She has a remarkable dynamic range with powerful Fortes and her pianissimos are beautiful and tender.

These Beethoven performances are incredibly moving, and I was amazed by the POWER and PASSION of her playing; and listen carefully to these notes as they are sounding like machine guns in their evenness, and observe the pianist’s ability to achieve amazing dynamic variety in the following video.

Here is Ingrid Fliter, playing Beethoven’s Sonata No. 18 in E-flat Major, Op. 31 No. 3, the 4th movement: Presto con Fuoco

And here is Ingrid Fliter playing the Finale: Vivace molto from Sonata No. 53 in E minor by Joseph Haydn:

And now the Chopin Waltzes:

And finally, here she is talking about her early years and about Chopin:

Tags: Ingrid Fliter, amazing pianist

Yesterday I had the opportunity to listen carefully to the fine playing of Russian violinist Viktoria Mulova, as she performed the Mozart Violin concerto #4, one of my great favorites. I have my biases, and among them was the fact that a Russian violinist may do a fine job on, say, the Tchaikovsky concerto; but Mozart? I was not sure…

Let me tell you how wrong I was! This turned out to be a wonderful, sensitive, beautifully phrased, and delightful performance. I had heard this recording once before, but this time I was convinced that Ms. Mulova indeed “hit the ball out of the park” on this one.

Mozart’s music here is beautifully presented: Light, with excellent balance, and with fine style. Viktoria Mulova, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment never sound excessively romantic; these are Classical concerti in a performance that is among the best I have heard. While it is an older recording, I am bringing it to your attention here, because it is really worthwhile to experience.

We hear a great deal of sweetness and lyricism from Mullova here. The support from the orchestra seems just right, and she makes even the most difficult passages seem really flawless. And the sound quality is superb too.

On this CD:

Music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Performed by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
with Viktoria Mullova

• Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major, K. 216

• Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major, K. 218

• Violin Concerto No. 1 in B flat major, K. 207

Here is Viktoria Mullova performing the Bach Chaconne violin solo, BWV 1004.

Tags: Viktoria Mulova, Mozart concerti

This is a recording of the debut by young English violinist, Charlie Siem.
Recorded at Wyastone Concert Hall, Monmouth; Great Britain

• Dates: July 26th and 27th 2010

Bazzini:

• La Ronde des lutins, Op. 25

Kreisler:

• Viennese Rhapsodic Fantasietta

Paganini:

• Introduction & Variations on ‘Nel cor più non mi sento’ by Paisiello
• Caprice for solo violin, Op. 1 No. 1 in E major ‘The Argeggio’
• Caprice for solo violin, Op. 1 No. 5 in A minor

Ponce, M:

• Estrellita

Sarasate:

• Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20

Waxman, F:

• Carmen Fantasie for violin & orchestra

Wieniawski:

• Caprice in A minor Op. 18 No. 4

Charlie Siem, violin, and Caroline Jaya-Ratnam, piano

http://www.charliesiem.com/

Here’s a sample:

And one more:

And one more:

Tags: Violinist Charlie Siem, debut recording

For me the orchestral music is always a special treat. This is because I find that I identify with the spirit, the mood, the tranquility, and the spirituality that I often seek in music. Also, music for me is always connected with Nature, and Brahms painted Nature with his sounds like few musicians could ever do as well.

This CD was just released, and it provides the second and third symphonies, and performed beautifully by the Orchestra of the Bavarian Broadcasting Network, under Mariss Jansons.

The tracks are:

Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73

I. Allegro non troppo
II. Adagio non troppo – L’istesso tempo, ma grazioso
III. Allegretto grazioso (quasi andantino) – Presto ma non assai
IV. Allegro con spirito

Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90

I. Allegro con brio – Un poco sostenuto
II. Andante
III. Poco allegretto
IV. Allegro – Un poco sostenuto

Here is Brahms symphony No.3, 3rd Movement with Mariss Jansons conducting the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra:

Tags: Brahms, Mariss Jansons

On this CD:
1. Suite for septet in E flat major, Op. 29

2. Verklärte Nacht, for string sextet, Op. 4

3. Little Pieces (3) for chamber orchestra (No.3 unfinished)

This is a wonderful recording, under the leadership of Pierre Boulez. Schoenberg’s work for winds, and also with other instruments, always presents the best showing of the nature of his serial music, without the classical appeal of melody and traditional harmony. His Suite for septet is quintessential Schoenberg and is not to be missed.

About Arnold Schoenberg’s “Transfigured Night”, all words are inadequate; it is an amazing masterwork, especially in the original version, for string sextet. I love the dark, especially the lush sounds of the Violas and the Cellos!

Boulez and the “Ensemble Intercontemporain” are excellent.

Hear and observe the dark sounds of Schoenberg in the following video:

Tags: Arnold Schoenberg, Sextet, Septet, Pierre Boulez

• Placido Domingo (tenor)

This 3-CD set contains 50 tracks featuring one of the greatest tenors of this age: Plácido Domingo. Born in Spain in 1941, Domingo spent his early life in Mexico where his parents, both singers, ran a company that presented Spanish light operas and other musical shows. His career has spanned the entire world in a wide range of operas in which he has sung over 120 roles, and in 1990 he made history when, with José Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti, he first appeared in Rome as one of the “The Three Tenors”, whose subsequent concerts and recordings broke all records for television viewing and record sales.

The three CD’s provide us with the following wonderful music:

CD – 1 is mainly a collection of arias and duets by Verdi. It begins with the ‘Celeste Aida’, which is followed by favorite arias from Un Ballo in Maschera, La Forza del Destino, Don Carlo, Macbeth, Ernani, and Otello. Then there is a light-hearted performance of the Brindisi from La Traviata recorded at the end of a Covent Garden Gala and Domingo invites the audience to join in. The CD concludes with two arias by Puccini from La Bohème and La Fanciulla del West.

CD – 2 carries on with highlights from Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and Tosca and then moves on to arias from Boito’s Mefistofele and Mascagni’s Nerone, plus the delightful ‘Cherry Duet’ from Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz. All really marvelous singing for any Opera fan!

CD – 3 starts with some favorite arias from French opera including ‘Salut! demeure’ from Gounod’s Faust and ‘Ô paradis’ from Meyerbeer’s L’africaine. Then comes Lensky’s Aria from Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky, four of Mozart’s most lyrical tenor arias from Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte and Die Zauberflöte, and finally two typically Viennese pieces: ‘Wien, du Stadt meine Träume’ and ‘Dein ist mein ganzes Herz’ from the operetta Das Land des Lächelns.

A great variety of music, beautifully performed by one of the great tenors, and now he’s also making a name for himself as an orchestral conductor.

Here is Placido Domingo in “La Paloma”:

 
If you’d like to purchase this CD at Amazon, please click on the image below to complete your purchase:

Tags: Placido Domingo, 50 best arias

Those of you who have read this blog for a long time already know that in my next life, I will study the viola, and likely also the Cello!

Today, however, my topic is Ms. Kim Kashkashian who is one of my favorite Viola performers! And when she plays Brahms’ Viola sonatas, I am in heaven. I always seek to hear more of the viola sound when I hear performances of string quartets. And often I am frustrated when the viola performer stays in the background. Not so in this CD, where the glorious sounds of Brahms can fill my world with the great sounds of nature, as painted by Brahms. Accompanying Ms. Kashkashian is Robert Levin, piano.

The tracks on this CD are:

1. Sonata for Viola and Piano No.2 in E flat, Op.120 No.2 – 1. Allegro amabile

2. Sonata for Viola and Piano No.2 in E flat, Op.120 No.2 – 2. Appassionato, ma non troppo allegro

3. Sonata for Viola and Piano No.2 in E flat, Op.120 No.2 – 3. Andante con moto – Allegro non troppo

4. Sonata for Viola and Piano No.1 in F minor, Op.120 – Allegro appassionato – Sostenuto ed espressivo

5. Sonata for Viola and Piano No.1 in F minor, Op.120 – Andante un poco adagio

6. Sonata for Viola and Piano No.1 in F minor, Op.120 – Allegretto grazioso

7. Sonata for Viola and Piano No.1 in F minor, Op.120 – Vivace

These works are utterly beautiful. Ms. Kashkashian does not simply “play” her viola, it is as though it is her voice, with beautiful phrasing, inflection and clarity of tone.

Kashkashian’s playing is secure, and she always preserves the big line of these works. Robert Levin’s piano playing is rich and sensitive, with an attention to the nuances that late Brahms piano music of all kinds ideally requires. As a partnership, Levin and Kashkashian are excellent.

Johannes Brahms was a terrific pianist; well before he published his own music, he gave concerts as a solo pianist and also in world – renowned performances with violinist Joseph Joachim. As such, the piano part in these sonatas is complex and meaningful, rather than being viewed as “accompaniment” for the viola. My own sense, however, is that Robert Levin on this recording could have been somewhat more sensitive to the fact that it is easy for a concert grand piano to drown out even Kashkashian’s viola, if one gets carried away with Brahms’ genius as a composer…

Below is a video from a long time ago in which Ms. Kashkashian with Gideon Kramer perform W. A. Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, KV 364 – I. Allegro maestoso:

And now listen to that wonderful lush tone of Ms. Kashkashian in Vieuxtemp’s – Elégie:

If you wish to purchase htis CD at Amazon, please clcik the image below:

Tags: Kim Kashkashian, Brahms, Viola sonatas

I presented to you my first Post on this artist earlier this month. And yes: here she is again, selected (by me) as the CD of the Month! Why, you ask?

For me, music is not just the performer’s technical skill. If I can see a really young person who has figured out that PASSION in music is a wonderful way to express feelings, then the performer already has an enormous advantage, and shows great promise for the future.

In this CD, Lise plays composers from two different time periods: Mozart, from the second half of the 1700’s, and Prokofiev, from 150 years later. And she lives up to the challenge to show us that she can present the appropriate style for each composer.

The Prokofiev Toccata requires great skill and great emotion. And listen to the wonderful things this artist does with Prokofiev’s composition! This piece is strongly percussive, and a great challenge for a mature artist with 40 years of experience. Mlle de la Salle, at age 22, displays fantastic control and one has the sense that she is sensitively giving us the composer’s music as well as playing all of notes that he wrote; this is one of the best performances of the Toccata that I have heard, and I hope to be around when I hear it played by her a few years later, as well!

Below is a video with excerpts from her CD; If you understand French, this will be great for you; if not, enjoy her playing and…. Here we go:

Lise de la Salle – nouvel album Mozart | Prokofiev:

And here is a younger Lisa de la Salle (age 19), playing Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in A-Major

Tags: Lise de La Salle, Mozart, Prokofiev, Bach, Toccata

I have heard Mikhail Pletnev as a solo pianist, as a performer of concerti, and as a conductor. And…. I admire him greatly as an inventive musician. While I may occasionally be surprised by his interpretation, I like musicians to take risks, vary from the usual and try to explore new ways that may bring the listener closer to what the composer intended.

The skill of Pletnev’s pianism is enormous; he displays astonishing precision, power and control of dynamics; he clearly knows exactly what he is doing and wants to do. Sometimes he will deliberately and ironically punctuate the music. On other occasions he might introduce sudden, emphatic riterdandos, as in the rondo of the “Emperor” concerto. These are precisely the methods that allow me to listen afresh to the music.

Christian Gansch and the excellent Russian National Orchestra stay connected with him in these performances and play beautifully. The live sound is outstanding, and I particular enjoyed the rich, sound of the Blüthner grand piano that Pletnev prefers.

For me these performances provide a freshness, inventiveness, and different flavors that provide new insight into Beethoven’s masterpieces.

Here is Conductor Christian Gansch, Soloist Mikhail Pletnev and the Russian National orchestra performing the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73; 3rd movement – Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo.

My listening to music is often driven by my needs: Music for sleep; Music for relaxation; Music for excitement; Music to match my mood at the moment…

My sense is that this recording is definitely not for inducing sleep! It surely IS for hearing a composer’s inventive use of folk music to create a feeling of power, energy, great rhythm, and sheer thunder and lightning! All of these are available in Prokofiev’s piano concerti numbers 2 and 3!

Evgeny Kissin is perfectly at ease in the Prokofiev second and third concerti, effortlessly playing passages that other pianists play with a lot weaker results. Many of Prokofiev’s keyboard works use extensive rhythms and the percussive side of the piano’s capabilities. The Second concerto takes this approach to a farther extreme than any other of his five concertos, which accounts for its rather rare performance. Kissin’s playing is somewhat less thunderous than most, and in this Russian music he’s clearly a master.

The Third concerto, on the other hand, is Prokofiev’s most popular, and Kissin shows us music that is powerful, elegant, exciting, and witty. What I hear in this CD is a sense of overwhelming technical command. The theme and variations that are the heart of the concerto exhibit a breathtaking range from delicate pianissimo’s to wonderful melody, and the most demanding passagework whisks by without any hiccups. One reason that Kissin so dominates this performance is that conductor Ashkenazy takes a back seat with excellent accompaniment that is gorgeous throughout.

Bottom line? Fantastic playing by an amazing artist!

Here is a 6-minute extract of a video of Kissin rehearsing the Prokofiev Piano concertos 2 & 3:

This historic work of Johann Sebastian Bach was composed to provide a solution to a client’s insomnia. And let me tell you that it works for me! I don’t know how many times I have fallen into a deep, peaceful sleep while listening to this masterpiece!
Bach composed this music as a theme (called the Aria), followed by 30 variations. After the last variation, the Aria returns again for one last time. This is music created in the 1700’s, and it still brings immeasurable pleasure to millions of listeners today.

This recording is also historic because it represents the debut recording by the amazing, legendary Canadian pianist, Glenn Gould.

This recording was Gould’s first studio recording, presenting all the fire and passion of a twenty three year old showing the world that he’s got unusual capabilities as a performer. He must have known that the time was right for a Bach interpretation that paid homage to the greatness achieved in the past as well as one that strode confidently into the future. Gould’s Goldberg Variations played no small part in Baroque’s new birth during the 1950’s.

I love both of Glenn Gould’s versions of the Goldberg Variations. The first, from 1955 (this one), made him famous, while the last one in 1981 was his swan song. The 1981 version definitely has the fuller modern sound, and Gould goes deeper into Bach’s mysteries. Yet the original 1955 version is historic, the sound is still excellent, and Gould’s technique is just amazing!

If you are new to Glenn Gould, just remember that even now, 28  years after his death, his playing remains controversial. Everyone agrees that he was a masterful pianist, one of the best ever, but many people just don’t like his unique approach to Johann Sebastian Bach. They find the fast parts too fast, and often — for them —  Gould’s slow was too slow. Conductor George Szell is supposed to have said: “That nut is a genius…” As for me: I feel that his playing is inspirational!
The last 2 tracks of this CD also provide us with Gould’s performance of:

• The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II/Fugue in F-sharp minor, BWV 883

• The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II/Fugue in E Major, BWV 878

Here is an audio recording of the 1955 Goldberg Variations:

This 2 – CD album features Renée Fleming, Anna Netrebko, Cecilia Bartoli, Angela Gheorghiu, Kiri Te Kanawa, Anne Sofie von Otter, and many more! Ten ladies in total…

This is a fairly new CD that was issued February 9, 2010

Ten singers sing for us highlight arias from Cosi Fan Tutte, Turandot, Marriage of Figaro, Manon, Don Carlo, La Boheme, Tosca, Magic Flute, and many others. Each CD contains 15 arias…

I feel that this is a great sampler from two perspectives: If you don’t know one or more of the singers, here’s your chance to get familiar with a whole bunch, and you can decide on your favorites, and potentially which one or two you’d rather skip. And… the same goes for the many operas from which these selections are taken. I, for one, cannot see how anyone would not love arias from Magic Flute, or Marriage of Figaro, or Cosi Fan Tutte. However, it’s possible that Don Carlo or Turandot are too serious for you, so you can easily make that determination from this collection.

My experience is the madams Fleming, Bartoli, and Te Kanawa are great!! You can make your own decisions on the other 7 and feel free to write a comment at the end of this Blog (thanks!)

Here is Dame Kiri Te Kanawa singing “Beim Schlafengehen” from Vier Letzte Lieder by Richard Strauss; the conductor is the late Sir Georg Solti:

Released April 2010

The surprise in this CD is the fact that beyond being a wonderful violinist, Julia Fischer is also a pianist! In Volume 1 of the Complete Works for Violin, we heard Ms. Fischer playing the three Sonatinas; as such in Volume 2, she provides the following program:
Schubert:

• Grand Duo for Violin and Piano in A Major, D574
• Fantasie in C major for violin and piano, D934
• Fantasie in F minor for piano duet, D940

What makes these works so special is Schubert’s depth of feeling cloaked behind simplicity of expression. We do not get the kind of technical challenges in this music as Beethoven requires in his violin and piano sonatas. However, there is plenty of challenge to express feeling. Ms. Fischer and pianist Martin Helmchen do a nice job of presenting this music to us.
There are many recordings of the Fantasie for piano duo, including the one I know best with Kissin and James Levine. This fischer rendition is satisfying, but I did not find it memorable, as such. There is a lot of pathos in this music, and a lot of sadness that Schubert was expressing in this work. The performance captures some of this emotion, yet not in a way that caused me, as the listener, to be riveted by it.

To learn more about Julia Fischer, click below:

Old CD’s are frequently unbelievable, when it comes to the quality of the music. Here we have several master performers, doing the following music by Richard Strauss, performed with the Berlin Philharmonic:

1. Don Juan, Tone Poem for orchestra, Op. 20

2. Burleske for piano & orchestra (or 2 pianos) in D minor, Op. 85 Martha Argerich, piano soloist, with Berlin Philharmonic

3. Till Eulenspiegel’s Lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 28

4. Der Rosenkavalier, opera, Op. 59 excerpt:

with Renee Fleming, Frederica Von State, and Kathleen Battle.

My interest in this CD was generated by the recording of the Burleske, as performed by Martha Argerich. This is amazing pianistic virtuoso playing! There are the perfect, thundering octaves and the screaming runs. And of course, we all love to hear a pianist stretch the physical limits of piano playing. But listen to the video below, and you will hear an interpretation which has given Argerich the respect, love, and admiration that she has earned.

View the 19-minute video, below, and you’ll marvel at points in the performance where she cracks a smile, knowing that a certain delicious spot is about to emerge. This is an absolute treasure! A CD that should be in every collection.

Click below to hear 19+ minutes of the Burleske, or whatever part of it you wish to hear. She plays with the Berlin Philharmonic, under Abbado!

Chopin: the Complete Waltzes

I have been reviewing many exciting pianists recently.  And Ingrid Fliter certainly seems to belong to the group from whom we likely will hear a lot more. As a winner of the prestigious Gilmore Award, she certainly qualifies as a major musician in the making. In this recording Ms. Fliter attempts to make Chopin sound new and fresh.  She occasionally applies a strong attack in these pieces, and I admire her original interpretations.

My own sense is that there’s always a danger of some degree of boredom in hearing all of Chopin’s waltzes at one sitting. Other pianists may have chosen to interpose a different composer’s work, as a break. However, it is the 200^th anniversary of Chopin’s birth, and as such, this may not have worked. Fliter does as much as possible to contrast each waltz with the ones before it. Still, even a Mazurka or a Ballade may have been a good contrast…

Bottom line: I especially enjoyed Ingrid Fliter’s passion that she’s able to bring to this music. This is a fine performance by a thoughtful and capable Chopin interpreter.

Here is a 5-minute video of Fliter talking about, and playing the Chopin waltzes:

And here she is again, this time in the second movement of Chopin’s Piano Concerto #2:

This CD is unique because it presents two versions of the famous Paganini Caprices played by Tedi Papavrami. This allows the listener to compare the version of his concert performance, given in Tokyo on April 19, 2001, with a studio recording made in 1997. The joining of these two versions sheds new light on the interpreter, who plays these pieces in an outstanding, musical, sensitive, and intelligent manner.

Tedi Papavrami was born in Tirana [Albania] in 1971 and he started to play the violin at age four. In September 1982, he was offered a scholarship to study at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique in Paris. In 1985 he won the contest “Rodolfo Lipitzer” in Gorizia and in 1986 he won the “First Award” of the Conservatory of Paris. In 1987 he received a degree at the Lausanne Conservatory. Then followed musical studies under the direction of Zino Francescati and Viktoria Mullova.

Clearly a live recording in Tokyo brings with it the stress, the distraction, yet the potential benefits of a live audience that can be an energizing experience for an artist. Glenn Gould ultimately decided that he really no longer wanted to do live concerts. As such, he concentrated entirely on recordings…

We have an opportunity to here to study differences in tempi, dynamics, and interpretation to see for ourselves the degree of difference.

Joyce DiDonato has one powerful and wonderful voice! On this enjoyable CD, she sings a collection of Spanish songs by Manuel de Falla, Enrique Granados, Xavier Montsalvatge, Fernando J. Obradors, Gioachino Rossini, and Joaquin Turina.

It looks to me like DiDonato likes to select songs that are dramatic, and also songs that are simply fun! In this CD, DiDonato as accompanied by Julius Drake at the piano, offers a large assortment of some of the finest songs, and ¡Pasión! is a most appropriate title for this collection: Fernando Obradors’ ‘Canciones clásicas españolas, Enrique Granados’ ‘Elegia eterna’, ‘La maja dolorosa’, and ‘No lloréis ojuelos’, Joaquín Turina’s ‘Poema en forma de canciones’, Manuel de Falla’s ’7 Popular Spanish Songs’, Xavier Montsalvatge’s complete ‘Canciones negras’, and Rossini’s ‘Canzonetta spagnuola – En medio a mis dolores’.

This is Spanish music that awakes excitement and creates dreams! And Ms. DiDonato provides a terrific spirit in her interpretations.

For a complete change of pace, here are two quite different selections for your additional enjoyment:
First, Joyce DiDonato sings Una Voce Poco Fa from Rossini’s “Il barbiere di Siviglia”:

If you’d also like to hear Joyce DiDonato and Renee Fleming sing some Mozart together, please click below, and enjoy:

Glenn Gould was born on September 25, 1932 in Toronto, Canada; and he died on October 4, 1982 in Toronto at the age of 50. There is no doubt that Mr. Gould was one of the most amazing pianists ever. He was especially known for his interpretation of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.

At the age of ten, Gould began lessons at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. His piano teacher was Alberto Guerrero; he also studied organ with Frederick C. Silvester and music theory with Leo Smith.

In 1945 Gould passed the examination as a solo performer at the Royal Conservatory, signifying a professional level of attainment. In 1946, at the age of 14, he passed the music theory examinations and was awarded a diploma with highest honors. Gould continued piano lessons with Alberto Guerrero until 1952.

Of significant influence upon the teenage Gould were the pianists Artur Schnabel, and also Rosalyn Tureck.

My personal interest in this recording was the fact that the pieces performed are mainly by composers other than Bach. What these pieces have in common is that they all have a sense of serenity, and Gould produces a marvelous sense of this peacefulness in this collection.

The performances by Gould are satisfying and beautiful. This album is a good example of Glenn Gould’s rare ability to interpret slow movements. We get to hear Glenn Gould playing music of the romantic era, even though it is said that Gould was not too fond of romantic music in general.

I wanted to get a taste of Gould’s playing of Brahms, and Richard Strauss, while at the same time satisfying my curiosity on how he plays wrks by such composers as Scriabin and Grieg. This is a great disk filled with extraordinarily beautiful music. The only possible negative aspect is that all the selections are either complete short pieces, or slow movements from a sonata, as is the case with the Strauss. All in all: Wonderful performances by the renowned Bach interpreter.

Here’s a rare video of the young Glenn Gould practicing Bach at his home.

And below another video, where Gould performs a section of J. S. Bach’s Piano Concerto No.7 in G minor with Toronto Symphony conducted by Vladimir Golschmann.

If you have come to this site, chances are that you know that Gil Shaham is one of the world’s leading violinists. Perhaps you guess that Ms. Anthony is his piano accompanist? You’d be wrong…

Adele Anthony is originally from Australia, and she’s also a violinist. And… she’s Mr. Shaham’s wife… It seems that they have begun to give occasional concerts together, where they perform music for two violins and orchestra, such as the Bach Double Violin Concerto, and probably some works for two violins by Vivaldi and others.

In this recording we hear Mr. Shaham perform shorter, yet brilliantly lovely violin compositions. Examples are: The Carmen Fantasy by Saint-Saens, several Spanish Dances by various composers and the well-known Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs) by Pablo de Sarasate.

Four tracks of this 16-track recording are devoted to Ms. Anthony.

While these are lighter, shorter pieces, it is wonderful to hear Mr. Shaham perform in his usual spirited and technically proficient way. He displays wonderful phrasing, perfect intonation, and great musical feeling. Ms. Anthony’s performances are also quite satisfying, and she produces a lovely, warm violin tone and excellent technique in her playing.

This is a brand new recording that just came to market in September, 2009, and it is well worth your consideration.