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Presto News - 18th May 2009Idomeneo from René Jacobs |
 René Jacobs has in my view achieved a perfect balance in the repertoire he chooses to record. Last month he brought us Telemann’s unjustly neglected Brockes Passion. It turned out to be a real masterpiece, full of imagination, richness and bold instrumentation. I had previously considered Telemann to be a good but slightly dull composer, but had to completely re-assess my opinion after hearing the work performed like this.  René Jacobs Now, Jacobs returns to the mainstream repertoire, continuing his Mozart opera series with the release next Monday of Idomeneo, a work the composer wrote when he was just 24. Like his other Mozart opera recordings Idomeneo was recorded after a series of live concert performances. Jacobs says he prefers these to staged performances before a recording so that he is ‘freed from the ideas of directors’. I was lucky enough to be at one of these concert performances in Brussels last November courtesy of Harmonia Mundi and it was a really memorable trip. Quite apart from the broken down Eurostar which resulted in two hours of free Champagne drinking on the way back, the performance itself was exciting, dramatic and full of all the outstanding music-making which so characterizes Jacobs’ Mozart opera recordings. I always think that if you’re going to record repertoire that already has plenty of very fine recordings, you have to have something new and exciting to say. Well, Jacobs and his fine group of musicians have plenty. From the very opening of the Overture when you hear the vibrant and pungent sound of the Freiburger Barokorchester you know that it is going to be both spirited and exciting. In years past, recitatives in Mozart operas were often considered the boring but necessary bits between arias. Here, they’re very much brought into the dramatic action of the opera and are performed with real conviction and spontaneity. And the outstanding choral singing by the RIAS Kammerchor is surely unparalleled in previous recordings of this work. However the real stars of the show are the soloists. Many names will be familiar from previous operas in the series with Bernarda Fink’s heroic Idamante, Sunhae Im’s enchanting Ilia and Alexandrina Pendatchanska’s thrilling Elletra all particularly outstanding. For the title role Jacobs brings in the hugely experienced Richard Croft whose rich voice combined with a sensitive and thoughtful account also make a strong impression. As they have done with a number of their high profile releases recently Harmonia Mundi have built a mini-site where you can explore the recording, listen to numerous excerpts and watch a short video trailer. You can access this from the link underneath the picture on the website. The set is lavishly packaged and comes with a free short DVD documentary. As James Jolly said in the Gramophone Magazine recently “Gardiner's Gramophone Award-winning Archiv set has held sway in Idomeneo for 17 years, I think it's about to get a serious run for its money."
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 Telemann: Brockes PassionBirgitte Christensen, Lydia Teuscher, Marie-Claude Chappuis, Donát Havár, Daniel Behle & Johannes Weisser, RIAS Kammerchor & Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, René Jacobs
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 Mozart: Idomeneo, K366Richard Croft (Idomeneo), Bernarda Fink (Idamante), Sunhae Im (Ilia), Alexandrina Pendatchanska (Elettra), Keneth Tarver (Arbace), Nicolas Rivenq (Gran Sacerdote) & Luca Tittoto (La Voce), RIAS Kammerchor & Freiburger Barockorchester, René Jacobs
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Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
Visit MicrositeNew Releases18th May 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. |
 Beethoven - Piano Concertos Nos. 3-5Artur Pizarro (piano), Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles MackerrasLudwig van Beethoven’s piano concertos are some of the most popular works in the classical repertoire. Renowned conductor Sir Charles Mackerras leads pianist Artur Pizarro and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in a truly memorable performance of these great works. |
 A New HeavenThe Sixteen, Harry Christophers“Hubert Parry's glorious Coronation anthem 'I was glad' unfolds in waves of increasing elation and broad, sweeping lyricism. It's a tremendous performance by The Sixteen, and it's an effective composition. There are many others like it... These are proud, expansive, superlatively sung performances...” BBC Music Magazine, May 2009 ***** |
 Shostakovich - Symphony No. 15Russian National Orchestra, Mikhail PletnevThis is the fifth disc in the PentaTone Shostakovich Symphonies cycle. To quote the Gramophone: “the Russian National Orchestra’s refinement has opened a new chapter in Russian orchestral playing.” |
 Saint-Saëns - Piano QuartetsMozart Piano QuartetSaint-Saens was himself an excellent pianist, so many of his chamber works feature the piano. The Mozart Piano Quartet was founded in 2000 and is now one of the leading piano quartets in the world. |
 Purcell: Ten Sonatas in Four Parts (1697)Retrospect TrioThis release marks a new collaboration between Linn Records and Retrospect Ensemble. Released to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the birth of Henry Purcell, 'Ten Sonata’s in Four Parts' is performed by Retrospect Trio, a group formed under the umbrella of the larger Retrospect brand. The release date will coincide with the launch of Retrospect, formerly known as The King’s Consort. |
 Handel: MessiahCarolyn Sampson (soprano), Daniel Taylor (altus), Benjamin Hulett (tenor) & Peter Harvey (bass), Kammerchor Stuttgart & Barockorchester Stuttgart, Freider BerniusSeldom has a CD recording been so eagerly anticipated as the Messiah with Freider Bernius. Released to coincide with his interview in BBC Music Magazine, and featuring a stellar lineup of soloists. |
 Tchaikovsky - Orchestral Suites Nos. 1-4Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville MarrinerThis new specially-priced set showcases four Orchestral Suites by Tchaikovsky, comprising a selection of scintillating works which are celebrated by musicians, conductors and audiences alike. Sir Neville Marriner conducts two of the orchestras he is associated with; The Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. |
 15 New ReleasesThe latest bacth of re-issues and new recordings from the Dutch company Brilliant ClassicsAmongst the new recordings there are the piano works of Alexander Borodin, the Buchberger Quartet's continuing Haydn cycle, Volume 4 of the Frescobaldi edition, and the guitar studies of Angelo Gilardino. Re-issues include the LSO's Prokofiev cycle under Walter Weller, The Rutter Gloria from Clare College Cambridge, and Beethoven and Mozart Piano Quintets with Klára Würtz. And all at super-budget price. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 16th May 2009 |
Building a Library - Liszt: Transendental Studies, S139 |
 First Choice(1959 Recording)Lazar Berman (piano) |
Disc of the Week |
 Kurtág‘s GhostsMarino Formenti (piano)György Kurtág has created an original and fascinating composition based on the music of (amongst others) Debussy, Janacek, Messiaen, Boulez, Mussorgsky, Scarlatti and Bach. |
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