Charles Gounod ~ 2 Symphonies / Faust Ballet Music

You were the beginning of my life as an artist. I spring from you', wrote Bizet to Gounod. This well-known tribute came to mind when I heard the first movement of Gounod's First Symphony. It is clear that Bizet's Symphony in C, written when he was seventeen -- a marvelous work in my opinion, and one that has entered the symphonic repertoire -- was modeled on Gounod's First, which preceded it by some fifteen years. Gounod was only briefly Bizet's teacher but clearly exerted a seminal influence. So, the question is, how do Gounod's symphonies stack up? The answer is that they are entirely likable, beautifully constructed and elegant in the Gallic fashion. They are not the sort of music that causes one to go into raptures about their importance, but they are witty, melodious and classically French. This is not to say there is no Germanic craft involved, although there is certainly no advance on the symphonies of, say, Mendelssohn or Schumann. Still, the slow movement of the First has a neatly made fugue. The so-called 'Scherzo' is actually an elegant minuet with a trio that, with its droning basses, comes within a hair of being a musette. The finale is vivacious and inspiriting; on closer examination one realizes that after a slow Haydnesque introduction the movement is a sonata-allegro with particularly piquant use made of the winds and trumpets. (Bizet's Symphony again comes to mind. To tell the truth, the young Bizet wrote a more distinctive work than his teacher but Gounod's First does not deserve peremptory dismissal in comparison.)

The Second Symphony is longer and a bit more serious in intent. There is a dramatic almost Beethovenian scherzo preceded by a sonata-allegro first movement and a hymnlike larghetto second movement with arching cantabile main theme. The finale is a high-spirited romp -- albeit with a minor-key glance at the drama of the scherzo -- that returns us to a world closer to that of French comic opera; although Gounod is not noted for his own comic operas, it is clear that he might have given Offenbach a run for his money had he so chosen.
The Sinfonia Finlandia is a group I was not familiar with, but they clearly are a world-class ensemble. Their founder/conductor is Patrick Gallois, the distinguished French flutist, a student of Jean-Pierre Rampal, who obviously is also a good conductor on the evidence of these performances. He has the ability to limn the delicacy and grace of Gounod's music as well as evincing the drama inherent in the Second's scherzo. Bravo!

tracks
01. Symphony 1 - I. Allegro molto (6:37)
02. Symphony 1 - II. Allegro moderato (3:40)
03. Symphony 1 - III. Scherzo. Non troppo presto (5:52)
04. Symphony 1 - IV. Finale. Adaagio - Allegro vivace (9:42)

05. Symphony 2 - I. Adagio, Allegro agiato (8:37)
06. Symphony 2 - II. Larghetto (8:57)
07. Symphony 2 - III. Scherzo. Allegro milto (4:48)
08. Symphony 2 - IV. Finale. Allegro, leggiero assai (8:39)

09. Faust - Les Nubiennes, valse (Allegretto) (2:30)
10. Faust - Adagio, Animato (4:08)
11. Faust - Danse antique (Allegretto) (1:25)
12. Faust - Variations de Cleopatre (Moderato maestoso) (1:45)
13. Faust - Les Troyennes (Moderato con moto) (2:49)
14. Faust - Variations du miroir (1:57)
15. Faust - Danse de Phryne (2:45)

W.A. Mozart ~ Requiem - Claudio Abbado / Berliner Philharmoniker

tracks
01. I. Introitus - Requiem aeternam (Chorus, Soprano) (4:29)
02. II. Kyrie (Chorus) (2:25)
03. III. Sequentia - Dies irae (Chorus) (1:59)
04. III. Sequentia - Tuba mirum (Soli) (3:17)
05. III. Sequentia - Rex tremendae (Chorus) (1:44)
06. III. Sequentia - Recordare (Soli) (5:04)
07. III. Sequentia - Confutatis (Chorus) (2:34)
08. III. Sequentia - Lacrimosa (Chorus) (2:53)
09. IV. Offertorium - Domine Jesu (Chorus, Soli) (3:36)
10. IV. Offertorium - Hostias (Chorus) (3:48)
11. V.  Sanctus (Chorus) (2:07)
12. VI. Benedictus (Chorus, Soli) (5:10)
13. VII. Agnus dei (Chorus) (3:29)
14. VIII. Communio - Lux aterna (Chorus, Soprano) (5:24)
15. Betracht dies Herz (Soprano) from Grabmusik KV 42 (35a) (4:11)
16. Laudate Dominum (Soprano, Chorus) from Vesperae solennes de confessore KV 339 (4:29)

VII. Agnus dei (Chorus) 

J. S. Bach ~ Violin & Oboe Concertos (Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment)

Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment 

A word of warning. The violin concertos here are not the familiar pair in A minor and E. Bach composed a number of concertos for orchestral instruments and later transcribed them as keyboard concertos. Reversing Bach’s procedure, Wilfried Fischer has taken the harpsichord versions and from them has reconstructed the originals. BWV 1056 is a transposed transcription of the Keyboard Concerto in F minor (though New Grove identifies the outer movements as being from a lost oboe concerto). The D minor work is also usually heard in its keyboard adaptation. The concerto in C minor for two harpsichords appears in its original instrumentation for violin and oboe, the soloists here being perfectly balanced for clarity of line. It was Tovey who suggested that the A major concerto may have been intended for the oboe d’amore, an instrument pitched between the oboe proper and the cor anglais. These are period performances, lively and resonant, employing a supporting ensemble of 12 string players and a harpsichord. To allow for the pitch difference between Bach’s day and our own, the whole programme sounds about a semitone lower than the stated keys. A disc well worth exploring. Performance: 5 (out of 5), Sound: 5 (out of 5)

tracks

01. Elizabeth Wallfisch: Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment - Bach: Violin Concerto In G Minor, BWV 1056 - 1. Allegro (3:47)

02. Elizabeth Wallfisch: Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment - Bach: Violin Concerto In G Minor, BWV 1056 - 2. Largo (2:37)

03. Elizabeth Wallfisch: Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment - Bach: Violin Concerto In G Minor, BWV 1056 - 3. Presto (3:18)

04. Anthony Robson; Elizabeth Wallfisch: Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment - Bach: Concerto In C Minor For Oboe & Violin, BWV 1060R - 1. Allegro (4:52)

05. Anthony Robson; Elizabeth Wallfisch: Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment - Bach: Concerto In C Minor For Oboe & Violin, BWV 1060R - 2. Adagio (4:41)

06. Anthony Robson; Elizabeth Wallfisch: Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment - Bach: Concerto In C Minor For Oboe & Violin, BWV 1060R - 3. Allegro (3:44)

07. Elizabeth Wallfisch: Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment - Bach: Violin Concerto In D Minor, BWV 1052 - 1. Allegro (8:09)

08. Elizabeth Wallfisch: Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment - Bach: Violin Concerto In D Minor, BWV 1052 - 2. Adagio (6:33)

09. Elizabeth Wallfisch: Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment - Bach: Violin Concerto In D Minor, BWV 1052 - 3. Allegro (8:12)

10. Johann Sebastian Bach - Concerto for Oboe d'amore BWV 1055 in A major Part 1 (4:18)

11. Johann Sebastian Bach - Concerto for Oboe d'amore BWV 1055 in A major Part 2 (5:17)

12. Johann Sebastian Bach - Concerto for Oboe d'amore BWV 1055 in A major Part 3 (4:53)

Concerto In C Minor For Oboe & Violin, BWV 1060R - 1. Allegro

J.S. Bach ~ Musical Offering ~ Le Concert des Nations (Jordi Savall)

One is occasionally fortunate enough to come across a new recording of a great work, and a personal favourite, that is so good that all other recordings pale in comparison. A recording that is not only played and recorded impeccably, but also one that gives the listener an entirely new outlook on the work in question. This is the case with this new recording of Bach's Musical Offering by Jordi Savall and Le Concert des nations.

The Musical Offering is the name of a set of pieces that Bach wrote for King Frederick II of Prussia. Bach's son, Carl Phillip Emmanuel, was harpsichordist for the young king, who was an avid music lover. He begged the younger Bach to have his father come and play for him. One evening, Johann Sebastian showed up, and the king immediately ushered him to a pianoforte, where he played a theme for a fugue. "Old" Bach improvised a fugue to this theme, but was so impressed by it that he wrote a much larger set of pieces around this theme, and dedicated it to the King, hence, this Musical Offering.

Like Bach's Art of Fugue, this work shows the many possible ways that a single theme can be elaborated on to make a large, varied work composed of fugues and canons. The two works do indeed have many similarities. The themes are related, and the manner of treating them is similar.

This new recording is brilliant, and makes all previous recordings redundant. Savall and his ensemble have managed to take this music and give it the attention and creativity it needs. I have several recordings of this work, but none come close to this one.

Several elements stand out here, beyond the quality of the playing and the excellent sound. First of all, Savall has taken a totally new approach to the work. The disc opens with a brief piece, which is not in Bach's score - a 29 second performance of the "royal theme" on solo flute. This is an excellent idea, for it gives the listener the essential musical element of the set on its own, allowing them to more easily follow the development of this theme through the various canons and fugues.

Savall has taken "liberties" with the order of the pieces - although, since no one is sure exactly what order should be respected, this is not unjustified. The work is made up of several small canons, a long (almost 9 minute) Ricerar a 6 for harpsichord, and other fugues. But its centrepiece is the sonata in four movements that gives the royal theme its most intricate exposition. Savall puts this sonata in the centre of the work, just after the Ricercar a 6, placing the two major pieces of this work in direct relationship.

Several of the canons are also played in an interesting manner. Savall plays four of these canons beginning with just one voice, then adding the next, then the next. This gives a much more interesting tone for these cryptic works (the canons were not fully written out in the work; they were enigmas that had to be figured out to be played). He also repeats one of the canons in a different manner, and repeats the Ricercar a 6 at the end of the disc, this time arranged for strings and harpsichord. (These additions explain why this disc is over 71 minutes long, compared to 45 to 50 minutes for most other recordings of the work.)

One of the high points of this disc, in my opinion, is Pierre Hantaï's solo performances of the Ricercar a 6, the Ricercar a 3, and two canons played by solo harpsichord. The instrument he is playing on is one of the best sounding harpsichords I have ever heard on a recording (the only one I know that sounds better is the magnificent instrument used by Kenneth Gilbert on his Well-Tempered Clavier recording). No information is given in the notes as to the instrument, but it has a magical sound: it is dark and smooth, especially in the back register; its bass notes are rich and ample, its treble silky and bright, though not aggressive. The quills (the plectra used to strike the strings) are highly flexible, and sound as though they are real bird quills. In the Ricercar a 3, when he plays with the two registers coupled, the resonance of the instrument is even more astounding, and its sound when using the lute stop, in the Canon a 2 Quaerendo invenietis (A), is amazing. It sounds as if it is using brass strings, which could explain the magical sound, but, whatever the case, Hantaï's instrument and performance are extraordinary. His performance of the two Ricercars is so excellent that it is worth buying this disc for these two pieces alone.

The sound of the rest of the recording is excellent as well. There is an amazing separation of the instruments, even at high volumes, and they all fit together perfectly, with flawless' balance.

All these elements coalesce into what I feel is the finest recording of this work I have ever heard. The only thing I can say is that this is an essential disc for all lovers of Bach's music. And if you are not familiar with this work, this is even more essential - not only can you discover one of Bach's greatest works, but in perhaps its finest performance as well.

Le Concert des Nations:
Marc Hantai, transverse flute
Pierre Hantai, harpsichord
Manfredo Kraemer, Pablo Valetti, violons
Bruno Coeset, bass violon and cello
Sergi Casademunt, Lorenz Duftschmidt, viola da gamba
Jordi Savall, viola da gamba and director

tracks

01. Thema Regium (0:30)

02. Ricercar a 3 (6:25)

03. 03 Canon perpetuus super Thema Regium (2:28)

04. Canon 1 a 2 (cancrizans) (1:55)

05. Canon 2 a 2 Violini in unisono (1:34)

06. 06 Canon 3 a 2 per Motum contrarium (2:06)

07. 07 Canon 4 (A) Augmentationem, contrario Motu (2:36)

08. Ricercar a 6 (8:48)

09. 09 Sonata soprIl Soggetto Reale - I. Largo (6:30)

10. II. Allegro (5:30)

11. III. Andante (3:20)

12. IV. Allegro (2:53)

13. 13 Canon 1 a 2 Quaerendo inventietis (9A) (1:41)

14. 14 Canon 1 a 2 Quaerendo inventietis (9B) (1:08)

15. 15 Canon 5 a 2 per Tonos Acsendenteque Modulatione ascendat Gloria (3:30)

16. 16 Fuga canonica in Epidiapente (6) (2:20)

17. 17 Canon 4 (B) Augmentationem, contrario Motu (3:07)

18. 18 Canon perpetuus per just intervali (8) (3:28)

19. Canon a 4 (10) (4:41)

20. Ricercar a 6 (7:15)

Thema Regium 

Canon 2 a 2 Violini in unisono 

Schoenberg, Berg, Webern ~ Piano Music

The music of Arnold Schoenberg (1885 -- 1935) and his students Alban Berg (1885-- 1935) and Anton Webern (1883 -- 1945) brought something creative, revolutionary, and controversial to music. The change they effected in compositional style was so marked that Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern are frequently referred to as the "Second Vienese School." This CD includes virtually all the solo piano music composed by the Second Viennese School. The works are short and in a variety of styles. Pianist Peter Hill, a specialist in the performance of 20th century music, including works by Stravinsky and Messiaen, gives a deeply informed and probing reading of these difficult works.

Alban Berg's piano sonata, opus 1 (1908) is the earliest of the works on this CD, composed after Berg had completed four years of study with Schoenberg. Berg's only work for solo piano, the sonata is lyrical, reflective and accessible. It is a late romantic masterpiece, full of changes in harmonies, tempo, and dynamics. The work develops from a quiet, meditative theme, stated at the outset, and rises develops to moments of great force and passion. It comes, at last, to a quiet, serene close in which the tonal character of the piece is confirmed.

Arnold Schoenberg was the creator of "atonal" or fully chromatic music. (As it developed, it uses all the black and white keys on the piano without establishing a key center.) Schoenberg's output for piano solo is small, but Schoenberg used his writing for the instrument to develop his musical ideas. There is a tendency to over-intellectualize Schoenberg's work and that of his student Webern, (Berg's music, even at its most atonal, is overtly romantic and tugs at the heart.) but the music is full of passion when given a chance.
Schoenberg's Three Piano Pieces, op. 11 and his Six Little Piano Pieces, op, 19 date from 1909 and 1911. The pieces of 1909 are sometimes dubbed as "Brahms with dissonances" as Schoenber composed music in a romantic mood while venturing into the musical language of atonality. The initial two pieces are recognizably romantic, in themes and structure, while the brief third piece moves into a language much more impressionistic, fragmentary and difficult. The set of six little piano pieces are short and intense, following the third piece of op. 11. The final piece of the set, with its bell-like conclusion was written for the funeral of Gustav Mahler.

Following WW I, Schoenberg developed his music by using the twelve-tone scale for which he is best remembered. The five piano pieces, opus 23 consists, again of very short works, which take small clusters of notes and explore them intensely. The final work of the set, a waltz, is the only work of this set in a 12-tone idiom. The suite for piano opus 25, written at the same time as the opus 23, is 12-tone throughout. But the feel of the music shifts from romanticism to a throwback to the baroque suite, as Schoenberg's movements each bear the name of, and a distant resemblance to, a dance movement from an early harpsichord suite, such as "prelude", "musette" "gavotte", and "gigue". Schoenberg's final piano works, op. 33A and op. 33b, combine, in short compass the romantic and the baroque elements of op. 23 and op. 25.

Anton Webern wrote only one short piece for solo piano, the Variations, op 27, but it exerted great influence on many subsequent 20th century composers. It is a three-movement work, in which only the third movement consists of variations. For many years, Webern's music was thought, even by his admirers and imitators, to be formal and cold with little room for feeling. But this view seems to be a misapprehension of the music's nature and purpose, as Webern, following his teacher, tried to write tersely and to pack emotion and feeling into very short, succinct phrases. I found that approaching the music in this way helped me to respond to it.

Berg's sonata has become established, and rightly so, in the piano literature, but Schoenberg and Webern still remain more respected than heard. For those possessing good familiarity with music and patience for repeated hearings, this music will be deeply rewarding. This budget priced CD is an excellent way to get to know the music of Berg, Schoenberg, and Webern.

tracks

01. Sonata, op.1 (Alban Berg) (12:07)

02. Three Piano Pieces, op.11 no.1 - Maessig (Arnold Schoenberg) (5:00)

03. Three Piano Pieces, op.11 no.2 - Maessig (Arnold Schoenberg) (9:51)

04. Three Piano Pieces, op.11 no.3 - Bewegt (Arnold Schoenberg) (2:57)

05. Six Little Piano Pieces, op.19 no.1 - Leich, zart (Arnold Schoenberg) (1:27)

06. Six Little Piano Pieces, op.19 no.2 - Langsam (Arnold Schoenberg) (0:54)

07. Six Little Piano Pieces, op.19 no.3 - Sehr langsam (Arnold Schoenberg) (0:58)

08. Six Little Piano Pieces, op.19 no.4 - Rasch, aber leicht (Arnold Schoenberg) (0:25)

09. Six Little Piano Pieces, op.19 no.5 - Etwas rasch (Arnold Schoenberg) (0:36)

10. Six Little Piano Pieces, op.19 no.6 - Sehr langsam (Arnold Schoenberg) (1:39)

11. Five Piano Pieces, op.23 no.1 - Sehr langsam (Arnold Schoenberg) (2:18)

12. Five Piano Pieces, op.23 no.2 - Sehr rasch (Arnold Schoenberg) (1:29)

13. Five Piano Pieces, op.23 no.3 - Langsam (Arnold Schoenberg) (3:24)

14. Five Piano Pieces, op.23 no.4 - Schwungvoll (Arnold Schoenberg) (2:34)

15. Five Piano Pieces, op.23 no.5 - Walzer (Arnold Schoenberg) (3:34)

16. Suite For Piano, op.25 - Praeludium (Arnold Schoenberg) (1:04)

17. Suite For Piano, op.25 - Gavotte (Arnold Schoenberg) (1:10)

18. Suite For Piano, op.25 - Musette (Arnold Schoenberg) (1:19)

19. Suite For Piano, op.25 - Gavotte (Arnold Schoenberg) (1:14)

20. Suite For Piano, op.25 - Intermezzo (Arnold Schoenberg) (4:12)

21. Suite For Piano, op.25 - Menuett (Arnold Schoenberg) (2:03)

22. Suite For Piano, op.25 - Trio (Arnold Schoenberg) (0:37)

23. Suite For Piano, op.25 - Menuett (Arnold Schoenberg) (1:33)

24. Suite For Piano, op.25 - Gigue (Arnold Schoenberg) (2:38)

25. Piano Piece, op.33a (Arnold Schoenberg) (2:22)

26. Piano Piece, op.33b (Arnold Schoenberg) (3:41)

27. Variations, op.27 - Sehr maessig (Anton Webern) (2:04)

28. Variations, op.27 - Sehr schnell (Anton Webern) (0:40)

29. Variations, op.27 - Ruhig fliessend (Anton Webern) (4:07)

 Intermezzo (Arnold Schoenberg)

Gigue (Arnold Schoenberg)