In the liner notes, the artists write they’re presenting “a collection of largely unknown works for violoncello and piano from Latin America…[These composers] traveled to Europe, where they found themselves torn between their admiration for the culture and their nostalgia for… their own cultural roots. We share their experience, and their music resonated deeply with […]
Chamber music
-
-
New England Trios make a solid program
Joel Pitchon, Marie-Volcuy Pelletier, and Y-Mei Wei had a very specific program in mind for this recording. In the liner notes, they state that they wanted piano trios that “spoke with an American, and even more narrowly, a New England voice.” In the end their focus was even tighter. The four piano trios on this […]
-
Robert Furstenthal Chamber Music Volume 3 maintains quality
This latest installment of Furstenthal’s music features four instrumental sonatas and a string quartet. Like the preceding volumes, the music here is of very fine quality, and timeless. Furstenthal’s promising musical career was derailed when Austria was invaded in 1838. The young composer fled to the United States — and never wrote another note. Not […]
-
Charles Villiers Stanford Quintets – Worth the Wait
This is a release I’ve been waiting for. The Dante Quartet’s traversal of Stanford’s string quartets was first-rate. I expected their recording of his quintets to be on the same level. It is. For the string quintets, members of the Dante and Endellion Quartets joined forces. Both of these UK-based ensembles thoroughly understand Stanford’s music. […]
-
Aaron Tindall soars with Yellowbird
For his sophomore release, tuba virtuoso Aaron Tindall presents music that blends classical and jazz. And it works really, really well. Tindall’s masterful technique makes the tuba a truly lyrical instrument. His playing has exceptional clarity throughout the registers — no mean feat. And his musical phrasing is spot on. Many times classical artists who […]
-
Mariani Klavierquartett excels with Emilie Mayer works
The Mariani Klavierquartett has only been around since 2009, but they’ve already accumulated an impressive body of work. This is their fifth release, and it’s a winner all the way around. Emilie Mayer (1812-1883) was a well-respected composer in her lifetime. Her music was frequently performed, and she was the Associate Director of the Opera […]
-
Josef Myslivicek Oboe Quintets anticipate Mozart
Many musicologists credit Josef Myslivecek with providing the compositional models Mozart was to follow. The Czech composer was a friend of Leopold Mozart and close to the family until they fell out in 1778. The chamber works in this release certainly bear a strong resemblance to Mozart’s early work. And they’re just as enjoyable. For […]
-
Jan Ladiislav Dussek Sonatinas for amateurs and professionals
The liner notes for this release carefully points out that Dussek “wrote extensively for the Middle Class.” In this case, 12 Progressive Lessons and Six Sonatinas, Op. 20 — both written for amateur musicians. And while they’re not masterworks, they’re certainly well-crafted. And I found myself enjoying them in different ways. The 12 Progressive Studies […]
-
Jan Ladislav Dussek Sonatinas present challenges
The liner notes for this release carefully points out that Dussek “wrote extensively for the Middle Class.” In this case, 12 Progressive Lessons and Six Sonatinas, Op. 20 — both written for amateur musicians. And while they’re not masterworks, they’re certainly well-crafted. And I found myself enjoying them in different ways. The 12 Progressive Studies […]