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Presto News - 23rd February 2009The world's most celebrated violins |
 Antonio Stradivari was undoubtedly one of - if not the - greatest violinmakers ever. The instruments he made, known by the colloquial term 'Strads', are highly prized, and only one other maker, Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, commands a similar respect amongst professional violinists. Apart from violins, Stradivari also made violas and cellos, as well as guitars and at least one harp — more than 1000 instruments in all. Approximately 650 of these instruments survive today and they are spread throughout the world - many in the hands of professional musicians, plus some in museums and private collections.  James Ehnes The retired software magnate David Fulton has built up one such private collection. Instruments either formerly or currently in his collection have sustained some of the great careers of the 20th century, including those of Yehudi Menuhin, Itzhak Perlman and Isaac Stern. Personally, I’ve got mixed views about whether any of these instruments should be sitting un-played in private collections, but when you consider the outstanding condition of some of his instruments - his Stradivari ‘La Pucelle’ for example has no cracks, retouching or worn-out corners, and apparently looks like it has just left the makers hands - then there is certainly an argument to preserve a few of these instruments in such perfect condition. My inspiration this weeks comes from the fact that he’s let Canadian violinist James Ehnes loose on his collection, and after spending years trying to decide what music best suited each instrument, Ehnes has now produced a fantastic CD/DVD featuring performances on 12 of them. On the CD, you can hear a hugely impressive recital of short pieces followed by ‘comparison tracks’ in which he plays the same brief passage from Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy. On these tracks you really hear the differences between the instruments, and it is remarkable how different they actually are – whether it be the purity of sound of something like the Stradivari ‘Pucelle’ or the vitality of the same maker’s ‘Baron d’Assignies’. On the accompanying DVD you get the complete performances as well as the opportunity to see them as well. Close up shots include scrolls, fronts, backs and revolving shots to get a good idea of arching. The photography is fine and gives a real appreciation for the original varnish and wood quality. You also get to hear James Ehnes thoughts and an interview with David Fulton. It is a unique and fascinating document which gives an insight into the world of these multi-million pound instruments. Really quite remarkable.
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 James Ehnes - Homage (CD/DVD)A tribute to 12 of the world's finest instruments |
Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
Watch a short preview videoNew Releases23rd February 2009 |
This is just the pick of the recent releases. The New Releases and Future Releases pages are always available for browsing all the new and forthcoming releases. |
 Bellini: I Capuleti e I MontecchiAnna Netrebko, Elina Garanca, Joseph Calleja, Robert Gleadow & Tiziano Bracci, |
 Handel: FaramondoMax Emanuel Cencic, Philippe Jaroussky, Sophie Karthäuser, Marina de Liso, ,Xavier Sabata, Terry Wey, In-Sung Sin & Fulvio Bettini, Choeur de la Radio Suisse, Lugano & I Barocchisti, Diego Fasolis'Composed towards the end of Handel's long operatic career, Faramondo has enjoyed few modern revivals – a neglect which the Handel scholar Jonathan Keates ascribes to the weakness of its tortuous libretto and pallid characterisation rather than any musical shortcomings. This lively and attractive recording certainly reveals an invigorating score, swiftly paced with a wealth of incisive, tuneful arias and a welcome absence of dry recitative. The cast is notable for the flamboyant contributions of the impressive young countertenors Max Emanuel Cencic (in the title role) and Philippe Jaroussky. Strongly recommend' The Telegraph, 18th February 2009 |
 Knight of the Lute - |
 Moscheles - Symphony & Piano ConcertoLiu Xiao Ming (piano), Brandenburg State Orchestra, Nikos AthinaosIgnaz Moscheles (1794–1870) was a Bohemian composer, piano virtuoso and a very close friend of Mendelssohn. This recording offers a rare chance to hear the stylish and romantic music of this very prolific composer, well-known and respected in his time but more recently overshadowed by his more famous contemporaries. |
 Schubert - SchwanengesangIan Bostridge (tenor) & Antonio Pappano (piano)Following their highly acclaimed Hugo Wolf lieder album, Ian Bostridge and Antonio Pappano have renewed their musical partnership with a recording of Franz Schubert’s Schwanengesang, the third and last of the composer’s song cycles, and literally his swan song, as he succumbed to illness shortly after its completion in 1828. |
 Two new Simon Rattle BoxesStravinsky and BrittenThe box of Stravinsky contains works from all parts of his musical life including six ballets; three major ones from his youth – The Firebird, showing the inspired palette for exotic colour learnt from his teacher, Rimsky-Korsakov, Petrushka (in its revised version of 1947) and The Rite of Spring; two in his Neo-Classical style – Apollo and Pulcinella and extracts from Agon. The box of Britten contains, besides the three great song cycles (Les Illuminations, Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings and Nocturne), the “War Requiem”, “Sinfonia da Requiem”, the ever popular “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” and the most remarkable set of songs written in French when he was 15, “Quatre Chansons Françaises”. |
 Ariosti - The Stockholm Sonatas IIIThomas Georgi (viola d’amore), Lucas Harris (archlute & baroque guitar) & Mime Yamahiro Brinkmann (violoncello)This disc concludes the journey by Thomas Georgi through the works for viola d’amore by Attilio Ariosti. The 79 movements, falling into groups and forming 21 ‘sonatas’, stem from two different sources – a ‘Collection of Lessons for the Viol d‘Amour’ published in London in 1724, and a manuscript copy made by the Swedish composer Johan Helmich Roman during his student years in London in the late 1710s. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 21st February 2009 |
Building a Library - Wagner - Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg |
 First ChoiceHans Sachs (Norman Bailey), Sixtus Beckmesser (Bernd Weikl), Walther von Stolzing (René Kollo), Eva Hannelore (Bode), David Adolf (Dallapozza), Magdalene (Julia Hamari) & Veit Pogner (Kurt Moll), Wiener Staatsopernchor & Wiener Philharmoniker, Sir Georg Solti |
 DVD ChoiceWolfgang Brendel, Gösta Winbergh, Chor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos |
Disc of the Week |
 Vivaldi: La Fida NinfaLorenzo Regazzo, Veronica Cangemi, Philippe Jaroussky, Sandrine Piau, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Topi Lehtipuu & Sara Mingardo, Ensemble Matheus, Jean-Christophe Spinosi |
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