Robert Schumann

Chandos Records signed an exclusive contract with the Brodsky Quartet in time for the celebrations of its fortieth anniversary in 2012.

Formed in 1972, the Brodsky Quartet quickly emerged at the forefront of the international chamber music scene. It has performed more than 2000 concerts and made more than fifty highly acclaimed recordings. This is the Quartet’s first release on Chandos, and includes many of the encores it has performed over the years, notable for their novelty and diverse range of styles and emotions. All the pieces have been arranged by past or current members of the Quartet, and together form an entertaining and original collection.

The Quartet has enjoyed many successful collaborations over the years, and regularly works with artists such as Elvis Costello, Sting, Anne Sofie von Otter, Martin Roscoe, Michael Collins, Tunde Jegede, Dawn Upshaw, and Björk. Its boundless energy and tremendous enthusiasm have led it in many artistic directions, from the classic quartet repertoire of Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, and Tchaikovsky, to the very cutting edge of contemporary music and styles. Its passion to embrace ‘all good music’ has been the driving force behind its success and has kept its approach fresh and its enthusiasm high since its formation.

One recurring characteristic of the performances of the Quartet is its inclusion of guest artists, who take the group away from the standard string quartet repertoire. This will be reflected in two further recordings to be released on Chandos in 2012: A CD of works by Debussy, with the multi-award-winning pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet in the Piano Trio and the harpist Sioned Williams and double-bass player Chris Laurence in the Deux Dances for harp and strings; and a disc of American songs with the bass-baritone Sir Willard White.

The instrumentation of the Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento corresponds to the proportions that Schumann had in mind for his symphonies. The clarity and direction of the orchestra under the baton of Gustav Kuhn, is a clear signature of his understanding of Schumann. The recording technology enhances the music through its clear and transparent sound.

Albrecht Mayer – the acclaimed principal oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - delves into German Romantic music with his oboe and close friends Tabea Zimmermann (viola), Marie-Luise Neunecker (Horn), and Markus Becker (Piano), to create this virtuosic, original, and intimate recording of diverse romantic works for oboe

The world’s leading oboe player rediscovers his German Romantic roots. Mayer is a master musician whose playing has touched the hearts of many fans.

After a number of successful concept albums, Mayer returns to his native Germany and Romantic music composed for oboe. From the popular Schumann romances to lesser known works, Mayer partners with outstanding chamber musicians for a special, intimate album.

Ian Holtham is a distinguished Melbourne-based pianist who has a long discography of Classical and Romantic music to his credit, especially including the music of Chopin.

In this, his first release on Tall Poppies, he has chosen a program of relatively rare works from the piano repertoire. In Ian’s own words:

“The repertoire chosen for the CD is a compilation unique in piano discography and in the history of piano performance. The version of the Schubert unfinished Sonata DV 625 contains completions of the outer movements in which I have had a creative hand and which have never been recorded or performed before. My own interest in commemorative repertoire is enriched through the inclusion of Brahms’ own transcription of the second movement of the string sextet Op. 18, which was a birthday present to Clara Schumann who had expressed fond admiration for the movement in its original string format. The score of this work was only discovered well into the twentieth century. Chopin’s Rondo a la Mazurka would be the least known of all this composer’s major piano output and similarly Schumann’s Davidsbündlertänze, Op 6 is the most significant of all his major piano cycles, but it is also by far the least performed."

Flash is Claire’s second recording for Tall Poppies - a charming compilation of miniatures for the marimba. Inspired by her formative musical years as a pianist and her two young daughters, Claire has chosen a program of new and transcribed gems for the mellow sonorities of the grand five octave marimba. The Australian works have, in the most part, been written especially for the project, and these sit cheek-by-jowl with transcriptions of well-known children’s piano pieces by Bach, Bartók, Corea, Kabalevsky, Schumann and Tchaikovsky. New works for the marimba have been written by Claire’s long-term friends and collaborators Elena Kats-Chernin, Stuart Greenbaum, Andrea Keller, Daniel Rojas and Matthew Hindson - their works are true gifts to Claire, marimba players of the future and future listeners of this CD.

This CD features the usual orchestral setting of the work and also a setting for cello and string orchestra and for four cellos. Benedict Klöckner has won several prizes in international competitions and has performed with Gidon Kremer and András Schiff. He is accompanied by Deutsche Streichphilharmonie, conducted by Kurt Sanderling.

NB though the cover the describes Klemm's version as being for string quartet, it is actually for four cellos

Cyril Huvé is a disciple of Claudio Arrau and pioneer in the rediscovery of nineteenth century keyboards and their expressive possibilities. He sees these instruments as a means to affirm the values of the Romantic tradition of piano performance which his mentors passed on to him. This recording, performed on a Broadwood 1840, is testament to his dedication and skill.

We are very pleased to present this new recording by one of the more gifted pianists of the younger generation, focusing on the inherent poetry of much Romantic music for the solo piano emanating from the middle of the 19th-century (but not confined to that era) by some of the greatest composers of the day alongside two of the less well-known: Theodor Kirchner and Hans Huber, especially. Together with Robert Schumann's immortal Papillons, and an example of Liszt's miraculous recomposition of Schubert's lieder, this is a unique album of the highest musical culture and achievement.