Stefan Poradowski was a man of many talents — including a talent for survival. This Polish composer was deported by the Nazis in 1939,. He lived through the war and returned to become Vice-Rector of the Polish State Music Academy. Poradowski was also a renowned violinist and organist. And he was a respected artist and […]
Concerto
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Simone Lamsma recovers Rautavaara’s Lost Landscapes
This release features works written in the final years of Rautavaara’s life. In 2004 a ruptured blood vessel brought him near to death — and six months in the ICU. That experience changed the composer’s creative output. It affected the types of music he wrote and their emotional centers. Violinist Simone Lamsma plays a selection […]
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Niklay Shugaev excels with underrated 20th Century cello works
The three works have one thing in common. They’re all works for cello and orchestra, composed by Italians in the mid-20th Century. And that’s about all they have in common. Gian Malipiero’s work is a full-blown cello concerto. Giorgio Ghedini’s is a neo-classical composition for two cellos (and orchestra). Alfredo Cansala’s is an unassuming Notturne e […]
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Johann Wilms Piano Concertos Rescued from Obscurity
Not much remains of the legacy of Johann Wilhelm Wilms (1772–1847). He was a major figure in Amsterdam, admired both as a composer and a pianist. He premiered the concertos of his contemporaries, Mozart and Beethoven, to great acclaim. He was a professor at the Koninklijk Nederlandsch Instituut voor Wetenschappen. He judged composition contests and […]
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Christopher Gunning Concertos – Enjoyable and Engaging
In the liner notes, Christopher Gunning wrote the following. “My aim has been to provide the soloist with something enjoyable yet technically challenging to play.” I’d say he also provided the audience with something enjoyable and engaging to listen to. This release collects three concertos that show Gunning hits what he aims for. The performances […]
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George Enescu Violin Concerto – unfinished, but unforgettable
George Enescu’s earliest compositions were for violin and piano. And by early, I mean age five. Enescu was one of Romania’s most talented (and precocious) musicians. He distinguished himself both as a violinist and a composer. Enescu’s sole violin concerto was composed in 1896 when he was 15. It was designed to be a magnum […]
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Ernst von Dohnanyi Early Concertos Impress
According to Wikipedia, Ernst von Dohnanyi’s style was “personal, but very conservative.” I’d add well-constructed and appealing. And for two of the works presented here, not all that conservative. Dohnanyi wrote his Konzertstück in D major for cello and orchestra when he was 26. This 1904 piece isn’t conservative. It’s written in the lush post-Romantic […]
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Violin Concertos by Black Composers Reissue adds Florence Price
This is more than an anniversary reissue. Cedille updates the release by including a new recording. When Rachel Barton Pine recorded these works in 1997, she was an explorer. The works — and even the names — of Black composers were virtually unknown. When it was released, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was the biggest name in the […]
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British Piano Concertos – no fireworks, just great tunes
What sounds do the words “Piano Concerto” conjure up? The bombast of Grieg or Tchaikovsky? The tumult of Beethoven? Well, there are other approaches. This release features six short concertos by British composers. All are classically trained. Some remained in the classical field. Others migrated to film and television soundtracks. No matter. All these works […]