This is what I like about Toccata Classics. They don’t just do a single release of a composer I’ve never heard of — they do a whole series. And their instincts are usually spot on. In this case, the composer is Hermann Graedener (1844-1929). In his early years, he was a colleague and friend of […]
Toccata Classics
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Steve Elcock chamber music series celebrates an original talent
Toccata Classics has already released the first volume of Steve Elcock’s orchestral works. This collection of chamber music provides another facet to this composer’s intriguing music. As a composer, Elcock’s a recent discovery. For years he worked his day job, composing in his leisure time and filing his pieces away. Unaffected by the demands of […]
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Friedrich Gernsheim Piano Series Begins at Beginning
Friedrich Gernsheim was a talented pianist and composer with two strikes against him. He was a contemporary of Johannes Brahms, who overshadowed him during his lifetime. And he was a German Jew, so his legacy was (temporarily) erased by the Nazis. The 21st Century seems to be kinder to Gernsheim, given the number of recent […]
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Pianist Jinghu Zhao Launches Carl Czerny Series
Now, this is an ambitious recording project. Carl Czerny wrote over 1,000 works — a substantial portion for solo piano. If you still collect CDs, you might want to clear a shelf for this series. Volume one features five works, only one an entirely original Czerny composition. Variations, fantasies, and impromptus based on existing melodies […]
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Hans Gál Chamber Music Volume 3 – Consistent quality
This installment of Toccata Classics’ Hans Gál series feature works from very different times in the composer’s life. Although there are stylistic differences between them, there’s a consistency of quality and craftsmanship throughout. The earliest (and largest) work is the 1914 Piano Quartet in B-flat major. Gál builds on foundations laid by Brahms and Dvorak. The themes […]
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Robert Furstenthal – A composer redeemed
The story behind Robert Furstenthal’s music is compelling. It might even be the stuff of movies. But in the end, the music has to stand (or fall) on its own merits. The first part of Furstenthal’s story isn’t new. He was a young Jewish composer forced to flee when the Nazis annexed Austria. He emigrated […]
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Arnold Rosner Orchestral Music Vol. 3 – more, please
Toccata Classics continues their exploration of Arnold Rosner’s orchestral music. Volume Three presents three world premiere recordings. Each one a masterwork, and each (in my opinion) deserving more performances. Rosner was fascinated with Medieval and Renaissance music and often used pre-Baroque voice-leading and modal harmonies in his work. The 1978 Nocture is one such example. […]
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Dotzauer Flute and Oboe Quartets Charm with Simplicity
Who was Friedrich Dotzauer (1783-1860) that we should be mindful of him? Cello students know him well — his 100+ exercises and caprices for solo cello are still in use. Dotzauer was a cellist, and he was also a prolific composer, with over 190 works. His catalog includes 9 cello concertos, 25 string quartets, and […]
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Arnold Rosner Orchestral Works, Vol. 2
This installment of Rosner’s orchestral music shows a wide range of emotional expression. The 1976 Five Ko-ans for Orchestra encapsulates the essence of Rosner’s style. The music’s mostly triadic, with chords resolving in delightfully unexpected ways. Rosner incorporated Renaissance modality and late Medieval counterpoint into his music. It’s no accident that the final movement of this work […]