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Presto News - 11th October 2010Bach's Violin Concertos from Rachel Podger and Brecon Baroque |
 The name Rachel Podger has become almost synonymous with the music of J S Bach. Her recordings of the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin as well as the accompanied Sonatas (with Trevor Pinnock on harpsichord) have both been phenomenally successful, critically acclaimed, and were both named First Choice when BBC's Building a Library programme looked at all available recordings of those works. It is perhaps somewhat surprising therefore that she has only now finally got round to recording Bach's Violin Concertos. They have just been released, and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to chat with Rachel last week about her new recording and I'd like to share some of her thoughts (as well as my own) with you this week.  Rachel Podger The first and most immediately striking thing about this new recording is that the orchestra is made up of single strings (each part is played by just one player rather than a whole section of players). She is not the first violinist to have recorded the concertos this way (both Monica Huggett and Viktoria Mullova have previously done so) and while you do lose a little in contrast between the soloist and the orchestra, these concertos aren't really written in the more typically 'classical' style that requires that contrast. Instead you benefit from much greater clarity in the tutti lines and a more equal interplay between the soloist and the other players. Particularly in the outer movements where there are things like contrapuntal imitation and fugal entries, the solo violin part is often written like just one of the orchestral parts and so Rachel's more chamber-like approach sounds fantastically appropriate and vividly exciting. Rachel was keen to point out that there is also historical evidence of the concertos being performed this way since Bach's time. Bach was director of the Collegium musicum in Leipzig (a student musical society) and this group gave twice weekly two-hour concerts at Zimmerman's Coffeehouse. Bach wrote a number of harpsichord concertos specifically for concerts here but with limited space there is a good chance that these (and other concertos) would frequently have been performed by just single players all grouped around Bach on the harpsichord in the middle. While the outer movements in Bach's Concertos generally rush along with great spring and bounce, the slow movements are typically much more tender and meditative, often with the orchestra providing a more typical accompanying role while the solo violin floats over the top. I suppose it is here that you maybe slightly miss the more dreamlike bed of sound that you can get from a fuller orchestra. Partly as a result of this, and partly through stylistic choice, Rachel's tempos for the middle movements are generally slightly faster than what you are probably used to. She was keen to point out that in the A minor Concerto it is marked Andante, not Adagio and that this movement is often performed too slowly. I'd agree with her on that, but personally feel she has maybe gone slightly too far the other way in this concerto and some of the others, and you maybe don't get quite enough sense of repose and reflection before launching into the faster final movements, but that is a minor personal quibble and shouldn't in any way put you off these terrific performances. The six players who accompany Rachel here (and contribute so much to the success of this recording) go under the name Brecon Baroque. The group was founded by Rachel in 2007 and form the backbone of her annual Brecon Baroque Festival which takes place each year at the end of October (full details here). It is a dynamic flexible ensemble and, as you can clearly hear on this recording, comprises some of the world's most outstanding period-instrument specialists. Channel Classics have made a short video trailer for you, which I've put on the website via the link below. It is a little long-winded, and not brilliantly put-together, but do stick with it as you get to hear the whole of last movement of the E major Concerto towards the end. Enjoy!
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 JS Bach: Violin ConcertosRachel Podger (violin/director), Brecon Baroque |
Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
Watch a short video trailerNew Releases11th October 2010 |
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. |
 Tchaikovsky & Liszt: First Piano ConcertosAlice Sara Ott (piano), Munchner Philharmoniker, Thomas HengelbrockAlice Sara Ott follows up the complete Chopin Waltzes - her highly successful international debut - with her first concerto recording on Deutsche Grammophon. The young artist presents two of the greatest hits in the repertoire: Tchaikovsky's and Liszt's First Piano Concertos. |
 Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4Leif Ove Andsnes (piano), London Symphony Orchestra, Antonio PappanoInternationally acclaimed pianist Leif Ove Andsnes teams up once again with conductor Antonio Pappano on his new recording of Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4. They are joined by the London Symphony Orchestra. Andsnes and Pappano first recorded collaboration was the 2004 EMI Classics release of Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, with the Berliner Philharmoniker, which received glorious, universal acclaim. |
 Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 18, No. 1 & Op. 127Artemis QuartetFor the Artemis Quartet, Beethoven remains "the most modern, provocative, experimental and boldest composer of all". The Artemis’ devotion to Beethoven's towering quartets brings two seasons of concerts around Europe and the US and, in 2011, the release of the complete cycle on Virgin Classics. The sixth release in the Artemis Quartet's complete Beethoven cycle comes as the Berlin-based ensemble devotes its international performing schedule to this cornerstone of the repertoire. |
 Tchaikovsky & Bruch: Violin ConcertosNicola Benedetti (violin), Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Jakub HrusaWhen reflecting on Nicola Benedetti’s varied career to date it’s easy to forget that she has only just turned 23. Benedetti shot into the public spotlight as winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year at the age of 16 and has since released four albums for Deutsche Grammophon while building a solid international career. Benedetti’s career was crowned this summer when she made her BBC Proms debut, performing Vaughan Williams’ ‘The Lark Ascending’ in the Royal Albert Hall. Other recent and upcoming highlights include debuts with the Russian National Orchestra, as well as her Dallas and Pittsburg debuts. |
 Gershwin, Tansman & BoulangerDavid Greilsammer (piano), Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Steven SloaneThe acclaimed pianist David Greilsammer performs three pieces that celebrate the strong musical ties between Europe and America during the early part of the 20th century. The disc includes Polish-born composer Alexandre Tansman’s Piano Concerto No. 2, receiving its world premiere recording, Gershwin’s ever popular Rhapsody in Blue, and Nadia Boulanger’s rarely played Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra. Steven Sloane conducts the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. |
 The Opera Series20 new re-issues which further display EMI's tremendous legacy of recording opera. There are some fabulous recordings here from all eras, and it is great to see them re-issued here. They do not come with a printed libretto, but do contain a Bonus Disc from which you can print out a synopsis and a libretto with translations. |
 111 Years of DG: The Collector’s Edition 1This set first came out last year - 55 CDs to celebrate DG's 111th Anniversary. It sold out within weeks so thankfully has seen a re-press (along with Volume 2 - below) this year. The limited edition box set gathers together many landmark recordings – from the past to the present. Most of them appear complete, as originally programmed, in their original cover art - and several include additional material. This is a great library of music, artists and recordings extending from Abbado to Zimerman, Monteverdi to Pärt, Furtwängler to Dudamel - there’s never been anything quite like it before! The opulent deluxe box with hinged lid opens up to reveal the neatly stacked contents of 51 "original jacket" albums and the 150-page booklet. |
 111 Years of DG: The Collector’s Edition 2With the success of the 2009’s limited-edition 55-CD box (The Collector’s Edition), DG are following up with another multi-CD box in 2010 – The Collector’s Edition 2. This time there is a total of 56 CDs, bringing the number of discs in both boxes to a combined number of 111. There are 53 original albums (including three double-sets), featuring the great names of Deutsche Grammophon’s recording history. The limited-edition box set comprises 56 CDs in original jackets, with booklet of ca. 120 pages, in deluxe flip-box. And contents include Popular albums, cult albums, best sellers, old and new. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 9th October 2010 |
Building a Library - Dvorak: Slavonic Dances Nos. 1-8, Op. 46 Nos. 1-8 |
 First ChoiceSingle CD (coupled with the Op. 72 set of Slavonic Dances)Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Rafael Kubelik |
 First Choice3 CD set (coupled with the Op. 72 set of Slavonic Dances, Overtures and Symphonic Poems)Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Rafael Kubelik |
Disc of the Week |
JS Bach: Violin ConcertosRachel Podger (violin/director), Brecon Baroque |
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