It is rare when the quality of the performance, the clarity of the recording, and the insightfulness of the liner notes all come together in one outstanding release. Manfred Honeck’s recording of a live performance of Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony in February 2018 with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in Pittsburgh’s Heinz Hall, released on the Reference […]
SACD
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Sarah Connolly shines in Arthur Bliss cantatas
This outstanding release presents three relatively late works by Arthur Bliss. At the time, they were considered a little old-fashioned. Heard now, though, I think they show the originality of Bliss’ vision — and his skill at orchestral writing. Mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly shines in “The Enchantress” and “Mary of Magdala.” Her voice can sound warm, […]
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The ethereal beauty of Peteris Vasks Viola Concerto
Peteris Vasks is one of my favorite contemporary composers. He has a distinctive voice, and his works always deliver emotionally (to me, anyway). The two compositions on this release are no exception — though they are exceptional. The Concerto for Viola and String Orchestra was written in 2014 and premiered by its dedicatee, Maxim Rysanov. […]
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Boris Lyatoshynsky Symphony gets spirited performance
Boris Lyatoshynsky was a Ukrainian who spent a large part of his career working in Soviet Russia. It’s an important distinction. Soviet composers had to write music that followed political guidelines. In the case of Lyatoshynsky’s 1951 Third Symphony, it meant rewriting the finale. The programmatic symphony was a reaction to the horrors of the […]
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Martinu and Martin together in The Secret Mass
There’s only one letter difference between the names Martin and Martinu. Their music isn’t as closely related, but they do share some similarities. Swiss Frank Martin and Czech Bohuslav Martinu were both born in 1890 and were musical contemporaries. The Danish National Vocal Ensemble performs mostly a capella works by these two men, highlighting both […]
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Heinrich Anton Hoffmann String Quartets – Music in Transition
When Heinrich Anton Hoffmann died in 1842, a colleague wrote: “as a composer, he secured his permanent place among the ranks of major composers with the simplicity and deep feeling of his Lieder, and with his Duets for Violin and Violoncello, in which he combined sophistication and elegance.” That statement proved both true and false. […]
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Florent Schmitt Symphony No. 2 “busy for everyone”
Florent Schmitt extracted two orchestral suites from his ballet “Antoine et Cléopâtre.” Stylistically, the score bears a strong resemblance to Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloé” (also from a ballet). The touches of orientalism and sometimes gooey harmonies remind me more of Richard Strauss’ “Salome.” Sakari Oramo and the BBC Symphony seem to relish the rich texture […]
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Larsson Symphony No. 3 – Music that should be heard more often
This release completes Andrew Manze’s traversal of Lars-Erik Larsson symphonies — although I hope he doesn’t stop there. Larsson was a talented composer who crafted his own language out of various 20th Century trends. It’s a voice that needs to be heard more often. The centerpiece of this release is Larsson’s 1944 Symphony No. 3 […]
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Kalevi Aho Concertos – Contemporary Masterworks from Finland
Finnish composer Kalevi Aho is best known for his large-scale works. This release has two excellent examples: the Tympani Concerto, and the Piano Concerto No. 1. The Turku Philharmonic Orchestra commissioned the Tympani Concerto for its timpanist, Ari-Pekka Mäenpää. Speaking as a percussionist, I think it’s a masterwork. Aho worked with Mäenpää to create a […]