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 […]
Toccata Classics
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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 […]
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Wenzel Heinrich Veit String Quartets, Vol. 2 – As Good As the First
When I reviewed Volume 1, I said I was very much looking forward to this release. I’m not disappointed. The Kertész String Quartet performs to the same high standard they established with the first volume. On the whole, this period-instrument quartet has the same warm, rich sound I enjoyed before. This time, though, I detected […]
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Martinu Early Orchestral Works, Vol. 3 fills in background
The major work of this release is “Vanishing Night.” Martinu revised this work with the help of his teacher Josef Suk. The work is a compendium of Martinu’s early impressionist style. Originally, it was thought that only a portion of “Vanishing Midnight” survived. Recently orchestral parts for the missing movements were rediscovered, and for the […]
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Wenzel Heinrich Veit String Quartets, Vol. 1 – an individual voice
Robert Schumann had this to say of Wenzel Heinrich Veit’s music: The form of this quartet contains nothing unusual, there is no boldness or originality, but it is proper and shows a well-trained hand. Both the harmony and the individual voices are worthy of high praise. I think the first part of that assessment’s a […]
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Henry Cotter Nixon Volume 2 – Sophomore Slump?
I loved the first installment of this three-part series. This, the second, I have a few reservations about. Henry Cotter Nixon spent most of his professional life at the edges of the English musical world. Although his music won awards, his career outside of London hampered performances. This volume features a variety of works that, to my […]