Yolanda Kondonassis does not play pretty harp music. Her performances are marked with intensity and energy — and her choice of repertoire continually pushes the limits. Jennifer Higdon wrote her a concerto that gives Kondonassis free reign to express herself — and she does. The four-movement Harp Concerto has Kondonassis do just about everything with […]
Concerto
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Orfeo reissues Louis Spohr Clarinet Concerto recordings
Orfeo first released these recordings of Louis Spohr clarinet concertos in 1984. And they sound like it. The overall sound is somewhat dulled in the extreme registers (compared to contemporary recordings). It casts the orchestra and soloist in soft focus. Despite this, I would still recommend this reissue. Karl Leister is an exceptional clarinetist, and […]
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Brouwer and Bellinati Concertos: masterworks masterfully played
This release features world premiere recordings of two works by master guitarists played by two master guitarists. Music by Cuban guitarist Leo Brouwer has become mainstays of the repertoire. His 2003 Book of Signs uses Western classical music as a foundation. The first movement deconstructs the theme to Beethoven’s 32 Variations in C minor. The […]
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Violinist Bojan Cicic delivers on virtuoso Giovanni Giornovich concertos
Giovanni Giornovich AKA Giovanni Mane Giornovichi, started life as Ivan Mane Jarnovic. This Croatian violin virtuoso made his debut in Paris (1773), and landed in England after the French Revolution. He was a friend of Haydn, and his music was almost as popular among London audiences of the 1790s. The three concertos in this release […]
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Shelest and Järvi make the most of Rubinstein concertos
In the 19th Century Russia, one composer towered over the rest. It wasn’t Tchaikovsky, any member of the Might Five. It was Anton Rubinstein. Rubinstein was prolific, and one of the first to assimilate Western musical tradition into Russian composition. Rubinstein was a piano virtuoso (among other talents), and his five piano concertos were the […]
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Sergei Zhukov Concertos Suited to Soloists
Ukranian composer Sergei Zhukov wrote a series of three concertos, each dedicated to a different sister of The Bekova Trio. This release features the Piano Concerto written for Eleonora Bekova and the Violin Concerto, written for Elvira Bekova. Omitted is the Cello Concerto, composed for Alfia Bekova. Zhukov’s stated intent was to create concertos that […]
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Tatjana Ruhland performs Müller Flute Concertos beautifully
Today, August Eberhard Müller is mostly forgotten. Yet at the turn of the 19th Century, he was one of the most important musical figures in Germany. As cantor of Thomaskirche, Leipzig, he performed cantatas by its most famous cantor, J. S. Bach. He was first chair flute of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, as well as a […]
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Charlottesville Symphony Thrill with Bartok and Mendelssohn
Bela Bartok’s Violin Concerto No. 2 is a challenging work for both soloist and ensemble. Audiences were treated to a fine performance by violinist Joseph Lin, maestro Benjamin Rous, and the Charlottesville Symphony March 23 and 24th, 2019. Lin possessed all the technical ability necessary for this difficult piece. He played with a clean, pure […]
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Friedrich Benda Viola Concertos Delightful Discoveries
Friedrich Benda came from a distinguished musical family and was a noted violinist and violist. So it’s not surprising that his viola concertos are well-crafted examples of Classical Period form. In general form, these works reminded me of Haydn’s string concertos. They have a similar air of elegance about them. Bernard Labadie is renowned for […]