Brilliant Records continues their traversal of Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s piano concertos. It’s a worthy project. Hummel was a major figure in the early 19th Century Vienna. He was friends of both Beethoven and Schubert. He was regarded as near-equal to the former, and more successful than the latter. Hummel was a virtuous pianist (at age […]
Brilliant Classics
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Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer and the Recorder in the Low Countries
Baroque recorder albums are something of a crapshoot for me. Sometimes they sound harshly shrill. And sometimes they sound like this release. Erik Bosgraaf uses a variety of recorders, all of which have a warm, woody sound — even the soprano recorder. Equally exceptional is the recorded sound of the keyboard. on some tracks, Francesco […]
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Anton Bruckner Complete Piano Music Complete Surprise
May I use the word “revelatory?” It most accurately describes my reaction to this release of Anton Brucker’s piano music. Bruckner’s reputation (rightly) rests on his symphonies. But those were far in the future of the young student who wrote these piano pieces. All of the works recorded were composed as student pieces and composition […]
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Ensemble Il Demetrio deliver thoughtful performances of Tartini
The liner notes lay out the problems with these Giuseppe Tartini works. In the late 1760s, the term a Quattro (in 4 parts) was somewhat vague. Did Tartini intend his Sonate a Quattro to be played with only four string instruments, as a proto-string quartet? And what about the role of the harpsichord, tacitly a […]
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Stefano Molardi branches out with Bach Family Organ Works
Consider this release a companion volume to Stefano Molardi’s previous Bach recording. That 2-disc set featured the complete works of Johann Michael Bach and Johann Christoph Bach (Johann Sebastian’s first cousin, once removed). There was enough material by J.M. Bach and J.C. Bach to fill two CDs. Not so in the case of the family members […]
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Jan Ladislav Dussek Sonatas, Vol. 7 – simple vs. complex
Volume Seven of Brilliant Classics’ on-going series has a nice balance. Jan Ladislav Dussek’s massive sonata “Retour à Paris” is offset by the featherweight the Op. 47 “Sonata facile.” Sonata faciles were just that — easy sonatas. Designed for the amateur, these works were simple in structure, and simple to perform. Mozart and Beethoven both wrote sonata […]
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Ensemble Imaginaire performs Durante with light touch
This double-disc release features eight string concertos by Francesco Durante, plus one that’s never been recorded before. Durante was a major figure in the early 18th Century. His music helped define the Neopolitan Galante Style. It was clean, clear, and relatively free of ornamentation. For the most part, the concertos on this release follow the […]
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Jan Ladislav Dussek – Complete Piano Concertos, Vol. 6 features transcriptions
This release features the Opus 9 Piano Sonatas of Jan Ladislav Dussek. Originally, they were written for a melodic instrument + piano, a common practice of the late 1700s. The melodic instrument could either be a violin or flute — performer’s choice. Innovations in pianoforte construction allow for longer sustained notes. Dussek could transcribe these […]
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Organ works by Johann Michael Bach & Johann Christoph Bach – A family resemblance
Johann Sebastian Bach wasn’t the only musical Bach (perhaps just the greatest one). The Bach family was a virtual dynasty of musical talent that spanned generations. This release focuses on two brothers: Johann Michael and Johann Christoph Bach. Johann Christoph (1642-1703) helped teach the young Johann Sebastian (his first cousin, once removed). Johann Michal’s daughter, […]