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Presto News - 13th December 2010Robert Schumann |
 As 2010 draws towards a close I realise that I haven’t yet featured one of this year's major composer anniversaries, that of Robert Schumann who was born two hundred years ago in 1810. So it is quite fortuitous for me that arguably two of the finest Schumann releases of the year have only recently come out and therefore tie in perfectly with a feature on Schumann this week!  Piotr Anderszewski Robert Schumann’s life was not an easy one. His intention to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist was halted by a finger injury in the early 1830s and from then on he devoted himself instead to composition. He then had a long and acrimonious legal battle with his piano teacher Friedrich Wieck for the right to marry his daughter Clara. This was only resolved in 1840 when she became old enough to no longer require her father’s consent. As he grew older, Schumann suffered from mental instability and in 1854 he attempted suicide, throwing himself from a bridge into the River Rhine. He was rescued but, scared he may harm his beloved Clara, he insisted that he was taken to a mental asylum, where he remained until his death two years later. Until the age of 30 he composed only piano music and this repertoire occupies a central place in his output, often being inspired by and portraying the troubles in his life. On his new disc, Polish-Hungarian pianist Piotr Anderszewski chooses three relatively rare piano works. The Humoreske, dating from 1839, is far more substantial both in length as well as complexity than its title suggests. I consider it to be one of the composer’s finest works and Anderszewski’s performance is one of the best I’ve heard - capturing the mood and character changes brilliantly. He has plenty of power where necessary, but is also imaginative and poetic. The disc also contains the Gesänge der Frühe, which was the composer's last completed piano work, and Six Studies in Canonic form. It is a very fine disc, and is well worth hearing.  Mark Padmore and Kristian Bezuidenhout 1840 was a big year for Schumann as not only did he marry the love of his life, but he also started writing songs, and in that year alone he wrote an astonishing 168 of them. Two of the more famous cycles from that year are Dichterliebe and Liederkreis, Op. 24 which have both recently been recorded by Mark Padmore with fortepiano specialist Kristian Bezuidenhout. It is a fabulous disc, and although I’m not normally a big fortepiano fan, I have to admit Bezuidenhout gets a wonderful sound out of his 1837 Erard. There is clarity and crispness, but it never sounds brittle. Meanwhile he achieves a richness of sound and colour which I didn’t think possible from such an instrument. Padmore is in excellent voice and both performers seem in perfect unity – Bezuidenhout feeling and breathing like a singer, and Padmore sensitive to all the subtle harmonies and modulations in the piano part. Like the Anderszewski disc, Padmore and Bezuidenhout come thoroughly recommended and if you haven’t made the most of Schumann year then these two recordings would both help redress the balance.
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Schumann: Piano worksHumoreske, Op. 20, Studies (6) in Canonic Form, Op. 56 and Gesänge der Frühe Op. 133Piotr Anderszewski (piano) |
 Schumann: Dichterliebe & LiederkreisMark Padmore (tenor) & Kristian Bezuidenhout (fortepiano) |
Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
New Releases13th December 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. |
 American Music for Clarinet & PianoJon Manasse (clarinet) & Jon Nakamatsu (piano)Acclaimed duo partners Jon Manasse and Jon Nakamatsu turn their attention to American composers in this jazz-inflected programme of music for clarinet and piano. Bernstein’s sonata was his first published work. It is a stylish blend of neo-classical formalism and Bernstein’s keen understanding of popular sensibilities. Gershwin is represented here in two arrangements by James Cohn: firstly the evergreen Preludes for piano, followed by a transcription of the iconic song ‘I Got Rhythm’ from the musical Girl Crazy as the disc’s encore. Also featured are two world premiere recordings – John Novacek’s 4 Rags for 2 Jons, a modern take on the style made popular by Scott Joplin, and jazz clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera’s The Cape Cod Files. |
 Arensky: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2Rachmaninov Trio MoscowArensky is a unique figure in late Russian romantic music. In his chamber music, he alternates between Russian emotion and a more objective Western approach. This makes him an important mediator at the turn of the century. The Rachmaninov Trio was formed in 1995 by pianist Vitor Yampolsky, violinist Mikhail Tsinman and cellist Natalia Savinova, who trained together at the Moscow Conservatory. |
 Rheinberger: Complete Organ ConcertosStefan Johannes Bleicher (organ), Musikkollegium Winterthur, Douglas BoydThe catalyst for this SACD was probably the historic organ in Winterthur. The concertos are complemented by Rheinberger’s three rarely performed Pieces for Violoncello and Organ, with Cäcilia Chmel, the orchestra’s solo cellist, impressively displaying her talent. The Musikkollegium has been active in Winterthur since 1629, making it one of Europe’s most richly traditional musical institutions. |
 Brahms: Piano Trios Volume 2Guarneri Trio PragueThe trio in A, imbued with astonishing juvenile ardour, is obviously the work of a pianist writing for himself in his Sturm und Drang period. Featuring a gushing overabundant thematic profusion, it is quite close to the style of the first version of the trio in B, Op. 8. The Trio in C appears as a model of balance between great melodic richness and a lofty mastery of form and freedom of inspiration. Here, the Phantasie spirit remains, but a post-Beethovian vigour gives density to a discourse that is successively meditative, pathetic and rustling 'with nocturnal whispers', coming to a close in full light on a robust peasant dance. Most likely coming from the same pen, probably some 30 years apart, a youthful attempt and its masterful 'fair copy'. |
 Spohr & Onslow: NonetsKate Clark (flute & direction), OsmosisIn this recording Ramée present two pieces of early romantic music for wind ensemble. Spohr's nonet of 1813 is the first written for this particular combination of instruments and makes conscious use of the distinctive qualities and idiosyncrasies of each. Onslow's nonet (recorded for the first time on historical instruments) is startling from the very first bar! The force and volume of his opening declamation, the virtuosity of the violin's first flourishes, and the enormous range in each of the parts give the piece a distinctly 'modern' feel. By comparison with Spohr's nonet this piece is the child of a different Zeitgeist. |
 Reformation & Counter-ReformationColour book of more than 200 pages + 8 CD’s in a magnificent boxFollowing on from and designed along the same lines as the mighty Guide to Period Instruments, this boxed set includes exhaustive introductory texts as well as a huge quantity of music excerpts on the eight CDs. These extracts have been taken from the extensive repertoire recorded by Ricercar over many years, with recordings kindly provided by colleagues from Harmonia Mundi, Gimell, Accent, Alpha, Zigzag and Sony supplementing the programme where necessary. |
 Testament - 3 new releasesTestament close 2010 with three strong releases. Firstly there is a Bruckner 7 from the Wiener Symphoniker under Otto Klemperer from 1958. Next is a previously unreleased Van Cliburn recording of the Brahms 2nd and Schumann Piano Concertos from live 1960 recordings with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner, and finally Bartók and Beethoven from the Hungarian Quartet. |
 Sony OriginalsClassic recordings at superb pricesThis new mid-price series from Sony launches with 32 titles drawn from original RCA, Living Stereo and CBS releases. They feature original LP cover artwork and original liner notes in 3 languages (English, French, German). This series is a perfect starting point for any classical collector, as well as a great way of acquiring some really fantastic recordings at excellent prices. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 11th December 2010 |
Building a Library - Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.4 in E flat major, Op.7 |
 First Choice(coupled with Sonatas 1-3)Andras Schiff (piano) |
Disc of the Week |
 Martinu: Le Jour de BontéTomas Bijok, Lucas, Petr Matuszek, Nicolas, Irena Troupova, Pilsen Philharmonic Orchestra and Prague Chamber Choir, Milan Kanak |
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