Even in his lifetime, Woldemar Bargiel never quite escaped the shadow of his half-sister and his brother-in-law — Clara and Robert Schumann. At an early point in his career, Schumann rated Bargeil’s chamber music higher than that of newcomer Johannes Brahms. The rankings soon changed. Nevertheless, Bargiel was a talented composer, carefully crafting and refining […]
Romantic period
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Tasmin Little Plays Exceptional Music by Exceptional Women
Tasmin Little presents a solid program of late-Romantic violin works. As always, her performances let the emotional content of this music blossom forth in beauty. Little has done other outstanding recordings of this repertoire (her Brahms album springs to mind). She seems to have a natural affinity of the late-Romantic style. Oh – and all […]
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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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Karl Goldmark Symphonic Poems, Vol. 1 – Off to a good start
Before I received this release, I really only knew two works by Karl Goldmark – his Rustic Wedding Symphony, and his First Violin Concerto. CPO’s new series of Goldmark Symphonic Poems is a welcome addition. Goldmark was a friend of Brahms and an admirer of Wagner. Both those influences can be heard in this collection […]
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Julius Bittner Orchestral Works (with a a dash of Wagner)
The liner notes concede the obvious about Julius Bittner. He was heavily influenced by Richard Wagner. Bittner was a contemporary of Franz Schreker, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and Franz Schmidt. And while his music shares the Viennese richness of his contemporaries, there’s still more than a hint of Wagner. As Brendan G. Carroll relates in the […]
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Albert Lortzing Opera Overtures – Light-hearted Enjoyment
At one time, Albert Lortzing was one of the most-performed opera composers in Germany. His light-hearted Spieloper (light opera) scores were standard fare in the 19th Century. Lortzing’s style bridges the gap between Carl Maria von Weber and Franz von Suppé. These overtures have the clarity of Weber’s writing and the bustling energy of von Suppé. These […]
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Joseph Marx Nature Trilogy a Welcome Reissue
It’s nice to see this Joseph Marx recording back in print. It was originally released by Avie in 2003. Marx actively opposed Schoenberg and his followers. He very strongly believed in the power of tonal music. Marx was a major figure in Vienna, and his music was frequently performed. After World War II, his compositions […]
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Trio Vitruvi Joyfully Perform Schubert Trios
A long journey can seem shorter if it’s done with people you enjoy. Schubert’s Piano Trio in E-flat major, D.929 is such a journey. And it was one made all the better with the Trio Vitruvi. This release is the trio’s debut recording. And it’s a well-chosen one. The youthful Trio Vitruvi approach Schubert’s 50-minute […]
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Tor Aulin Violin Concertos – Swedish Masterworks
Tor Aulin was best known as a violinist. He toured for 20 years with his own string quartet, and later served as concertmaster of the Swedish Royal Opera Orchestra. During his touring years, Aulin composed his three violin concertos. Aulin often performed with his fellow countryman, Wilhelm Stenhammar. Like his colleague, Aulin wrote in a […]