I think it must be frustrating to be a one-hit wonder — especially in the field of classical music. Swedish composer Dag Wirén wrote five symphonies, three concertos, five string quartets, nine film scores, several ballets. Yet most orchestras only program one of his works — the Serenade for Strings. The work was dashed off […]
Chandos
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Tasmin Little and Piers Lane – Franck, Szymanowski, Fauré
In my previous reviews of Tasmin Little/Piers Lane recordings, I remarked on their chemistry, and how that transformed the music. It’s still in effect. Little and Lane perform as equal partners, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. César Franck’s Sonata is given an evocative and yet sometimes understated reading that seems well-suited to the […]
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British Tone Poems, Vol. 1 – Luminous English Idylls
I’ll start with the bottom line. If you love the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, Frederic Delius, and Gerald Finzi and want more of the same, buy this disc. The works may not be familiar, but they’ll take you to that same idyllic English countryside as “The First Cuckoo of Spring” or “Egdon Heath.” This […]
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Tasmin Little & Roxanna Panufnik – Four World Seasons
It’s an interesting program, coupling Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” with Roxanna Panufnik’s modern take on the same subject. And it’s one that works very well. The connective thread is the talent of violinist Tasmin Little. Little’s performance of the “Four Seasons” with the BBC Symphony Orchestra is a spirited one. Her solo work is beautifully crafted […]
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Atterberg symphonies romantic and visionary
The fifth and final installment of Neeme Järvi’s traversal of Kurt Atterberg symphonies is out. And it presents two works that stand in stark contrast. Atterberg’s 1942 “Sinfonia romantica,” is sunny, lyrical, and light-hearted, while the “Sinfonia visionaria” is a thickly-textured study of Nordic gloom. Atterberg’s Symphony No. 7 was written in reaction to what […]
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Neeme Järvi conducts Jacques Ibert: sumptuous
There’s a reason Chandos released this in the SACD format. Neeme Järvi and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande perform Ibert’s orchestral works with sympathy and panache — and subtle inflection. And that means every sonic detail is important. As recorded by Chandos, the orchestra, performing in Victoria Hall, Geneva, has a rich, seamless ensemble […]
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Tasmin Little – British Violin Sonatas Vol. 2
You don’t have to be Czech to play Dvorak, Spanish to play Rodrigo, nor British to play Vaughan Williams. And yet an artist who shares the composer’s nationality often brings a deeper understanding to the music, a certain authenticity to the performances. That thought occurred to me as I listened to British Violin Sonatas, Volume […]
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A Festival of Fucik
Most people have never heard of Julius Ernst Wilhelm Fucik — although they’re very familiar with his music. Fucik, sometimes called the “Bohemian Sousa” wrote a work entitled “Entrance for the Gladiators” in 1887. It was quickly adopted by circus bands, and is now known almost exclusively as the clown’s entrance music. Neemi Jarvi and […]
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Tempesta di Mare – Lully, Rebel, and Marais
This release features the music of Jean-Baptiste Lully along with two younger composers who played in his orchestra: Jean-Féry Rebel (violin) and Marin Marais (viola da gamba). While the three share a certain similarity of style, there are distinct differences — especially when played by Tempesta di Mare. Lully’s “Le Bourgeouis Gentilhomme” reflects Louis XIV’s […]