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Presto News - 21st February 2011Lisa Batiashvili - Echoes of Time |
 Georgian violinist Lisa Batiashvili is quickly establishing herself as one of the finest players of her generation and, after a string of acclaimed recordings for Sony, she signed last year to Deutsche Grammophon. Her debut recording for the famous yellow label has just been released and features one of the most powerful works in Violin repertoire – the First Concerto of Dmitri Shostakovich.  Lisa Batiashvili Shostakovich wrote the concerto in 1947-8 but, because of the ‘Zhdanov decree’ (one of numerous state rulings during Shostakovich’s life which restricted the music he could publish and have performed), it was put aside and not premiered until 1955, by which time Stalin had died and he had been largely ‘rehabilitated’ by the state. It is a work full of emotions, from the cold suppression of feelings in the opening Nocturne, the frantic and frenzied energy of the scherzo, the dark and haunting Passacaglia which follows, before the apparent care-free abandonment of the Burlesque which concludes the work. Batiashvili draws you immediately into the bleak landscape of the opening movement with a fragility and stillness in her tone and is superbly supported by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Esa-Pekka Salonen. It really sets the tone for a terrific performance and while there are no shortage of competition for this work, this new one is right up there with the very best. In the faster second and last movements she is technically and musically bang on, while the slow Passacaglia is poignant and moving, and there is a real sense of build-up and growing tension through the long cadenza which leads into the finale. The accompanying works on this disc are carefully chosen to show how some other composers responded to the impact by the Soviet regime on their artistic lives. She is joined by pianist Hélène Grimaud for Arvo Pärt’s heart-rending Spiegel im Spiegel, while V & V by her Georgian compatriot Giya Kancheli and the lovely Rachmaninov Vocalise complete a hugely enjoyable disc. The only real gripe I have is about the booklet note. There is a short article about the disc generally, but I didn’t find it particularly well-written or very interesting, and it also incorrectly states that she won the Sibelius Competition at the age of 16, whereas in fact she came second. There is nothing about the composers, the works themselves, or the artists – instead it is padded out with pictures of Batiashvili. While she is by no means unattractive to look at, I would have preferred to read something about works like Kancheli’s V & V which was new to me. However, please don’t let that put you off, as there is so much about this disc to recommend it. Gramophone Magazine have already named it Disc of the Month in their March issue and I wouldn’t be surprised if it picks up a few more accolades before the year is out.
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 Echoes of TimeLisa Batiashvili (violin), Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Esa-Pekka Salonen |
Chris O'Reilly - chris@prestoclassical.co.uk |
Watch: A short video trailer of this disc.New Releases21st February 2011 |
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. |
 Bach, J S: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1-6 BWV1046-1051 (complete)Giuliano Carmignola (violin), Ottavio Dantone (harpsichord), Michala Petri (recorder) & Reinhold Friedrich (trumpet), Orchestra Mozart, Claudio AbbadoThe maturity and wisdom harvested from a lifetime of making music on the highest levels ennobles Maestro Abbado’s leadership of the superb Orchestra Mozart. The sublime simplicity of their performance of the Brandenburg Concertos illuminates the complexities of Bach’s incomparable demonstration of the unity of Logic and Love. Harpsichordist Ottavio Dantone, recorder player Michala Petri, trumpeter Reinhold Friedrich, supreme Baroque violinist, Giuliano Carmignola and the others demonstrate the mastery that makes them among Abbado’s favourite soloists. |
 Villa-Lobos: Choral WorksSWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart, Marcus CreedThis is the latest release from the incredible SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart and includes several CD and world premiere recordings. Villa Lobos created a vast repertoire of new Brazilian choral music and the works on this CD range from the sublime elegance of Bachianas Brasilieras No.9 to the passionate Préces Sem Palavras. The genius of Brazil’s greatest composer is obvious in this exquisite music. |
 Operas by Handel & ManzaroMary-Ellen Nesi (Alessandro), Marita Solberg (Salustia), Kristina Hammarström (Giulia), Irini Karaianni (Albina), Gemma Bertagnolli (Claudio), Petros Magoulas (Marziano), Armonia Atenea, George PetrouHandel's Alessandro Severo is based on the life of a Roman emperor of the third century and is in the form of a pasticcio. Manzaro composed the Greek national anthem and the discovery of an opera by him – Don Crepuscolo – was a major find by the Greek conductor George Petrou. These are world premiere recordings and Handel specialists Armonia Atenia – performing on period instruments – have once again scored a major coup. |
 Schoenberg, Webern, Berg: The String Quartet and the VoiceSandrine Piau (soprano) & Marie-Nicole Lemieux (contralto), Quatuor DiotimaFor the first time all the music written for the unusual combination of string quartet and voice by the three most important composers of the Second Viennese School, Schoenberg, Webern and Berg appears together on a single CD. The music is performed by one of the best young ensembles of recent years, the Quatuor Diotima, with important contributions from the distinguished singers Sandrine Piau and Marie-Nicole Lemieux. |
 Tchaikovsky: Charodeika (The Enchantress)Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Gennady ProvatorovThis opera is rarely performed and here Melodiya presents one of the best 20th century recordings of the work. The soloists are all leading singers from Moscow theatres. |
 Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Franck & SchmittOrchestre Métropolitan, Yannick Nézet-SéguinUnder the baton of the international conductor Nézet-Séguin, Orchestre Métropolitan performs the rarely recorded Symphonic Poem La tragédie de Salomé by French composer Florent Schmitt (1870-1958). Originally, the work was a one-hour ballet scored for only 20 musicians. In 1910, Schmitt reduced the length of the work and expanded the orchestration. This shorter version on this CD is the best known. |
 Gade: Complete Piano Trios & Scherzo for Piano QuartetTrio ParnassusNineteenth century contemporaries ranked Gade with Mendelssohn, but it is only recently that this Danish composer’s music has once again returned to the concert halls. His Trio in F major was his most masterful composition and it gives these musicians a great opportunity to display the skills that have earned them a long list of prizes. |
 Fritz Wunderlich: Live on StageUnreleased arias from Vienna and MunichFritz Wunderlich, Germany’s greatest tenor in the 20th century – and one of the greatest tenors of all time – would have celebrated his 80th birthday on 26 September 2010. We commemorate the occasion with an exceptional album of Magic Moments – arias and scenes, almost all first-time releases, taken from live performances at the Vienna State Opera and the Bavarian State Opera, recorded between 1963 and 1966, the year of Wunderlich’s death. |
 BBC Radio 3 CD ReviewSaturday 19th February 2011 |
Building a Library - Ravel: Alborada del gracioso (orchestral version) |
 First Choice(coupled with other works by Ravel)Berliner Philharmoniker, Pierre Boulez |
Disc of the Week |
.jpg) Strauss, R: Intermezzo, Op. 72BBC live broadcast recorded at Glyndebourne, 1974, Sung in EnglishElisabeth Söderström (Christine), Marco Bakker (Storch), Richard Allfrey (Frantzl), Elizabeth Gale (Anna), Alexander Oliver (Baron Lummer), Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Stroh), Thomas Lawlor (Der Notar), Glyndebourne Festival Chorus & London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir John Pritchard |
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