Toccata Classics has already released the first volume of Steve Elcock’s orchestral works. This collection of chamber music provides another facet to this composer’s intriguing music. As a composer, Elcock’s a recent discovery. For years he worked his day job, composing in his leisure time and filing his pieces away. Unaffected by the demands of […]
CD Review
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Oliver Triendl connects with Reizenstein Concerto
When it comes to piano concertos, Franz Reizenstein is best remembered for his “Concerto Populaire,” his contribution to the Hoffnung Festivals. The 1961 Piano Concerto No. 2 is more serious, but in both, I hear a desire to connect with the audience. Reizenstein premiered the work at the keyboard. There’s plenty for the pianist to […]
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Polish Lute Music offers rare Renaissance treats
Lute-playing was all the rage in the 1600s. The Italian, French, and English schools are well-represented with recordings. But other European courts were active musical centers. This release features lute music from Poland. It’s an interesting blend of both cosmopolitan styles and native folk traditions. Joachim Held performs with precision and delicacy. His interpretations are […]
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Per-Sonat gives Kaiser Maximilian I court music regal treatment
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (1508-1519) is known for many things. He established the Hapsburg Dynasty in Spain, wrested the Empire from Papal control — and was a great patron of the arts. This release samples some of the music heard in Maximilian’s court. Most of the works are chansons and lieder, leavened by some […]
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Iván Eröd String Quartets – Finely Crafted
I’m always wary of liner notes that read like manifestos. Iván Eröd was a Hungarian composer who was inspired by Bela Bartok and Zoltan Kodaly. His music incorporated some of their concepts while remaining primarily tonal. The booklet is full of things like, “[Eröd] broke with the dogmas of the then-prevalent avant-garde and also refused […]
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Marcy Rosen gives thoughtful performances of Grieg and Strauss
If you’re of a certain age, you may have fond memories of the Musical Heritage Society. The MHS was a record club that offered great music in strictly generic packaging. Originally the MHS licensed music from Erato and other classical labels. Eventually under their own label MusicMasters, they made their own recordings — like this […]
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Fred Jacobs bring Kapsperger theorbo music to light
To some, this might seem like a hyper-specialized release. It’s a collection of early 17th Century music by Giovanni Kasprerger (who?) virtuoso of the theorbo (what?). And it’s not just theorbo music, but music specifically written for the Papal Court. But the end result — the music and the performance — should appeal to all. […]
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Leila Schayegh delivers with LeClair Violin Concertos
This first volume of Jean-Marie LeClair violin concertos features four selections: two each from his Opus 7 (1739) and Opus 10 (1743). LeClair was one of the greatest violinists of his age. He regularly used extended techniques, such as double stops, bariolages, and harmonics. And yet in his concertos, these techniques were always used in […]
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Jozef Zeidler and Antoni Habel – Polish Classicists
Jozef Zeidler (1744-1806) and Antoni Habel (1760-1831) are major figures in the history of Polish classical music. And yet they’re almost ciphers. Almost nothing is known of Zeidler’s life or career. He wrote in the style of Mozart and Haydn, earning him the nickname “the Polish Mozart.” Zeidler’s Mass in D major does have a […]