Project Harmonia Mundi - Part 11

Handel's violin sonatas are masterpieces in miniature form, unexpected of a composer famed for his grand oratorios and dazzling operas. Gramophone Award-winners Andrew Manze and Richard Egarr imbue these chamber works with a sense of theatre in their complete recording of all the extant sonatas authenticated by latest research.

The symphony of a new world. In spite of its apparently rather classical formal structure, this symphony was so innovative in its proportions (a finale of extravagant length and complexity), its forces (including vocal soloists and choir) and the universal message contained in the setting of Schiller's famous Ode to Joy, that it paralysed several generations of romantic composers after Beethoven. Philippe Herreweghe strives to recapture as closely as possible the form and the spirit of this visionary work as it would have been heard on a certain day in May 1824. This is reflected particularly in the tone colours (thanks to the instruments of the period) and the tempi (Beethoven was very precise in his indications)…

Herreweghe's innate sense of Brahms's musical lines is evident everywhere as he sculpts this works. Herreweghe's combined choirs respond magnificently to his direction.

Stereophile

The musical testament of the ancestors of J. S. Bach. If Bach had not lovingly preserved the works of his forefathers, we would know almost nothing about them. His collection, known since the eighteenth century as the ‘Altbachiches Archiv’, was published for the first time in 1935. The original manuscripts, lost during the Second World War, were recently located in the Archives in Kiev. Here now is a recording of the complete collection.

A dazzling version of arguably the finest set of violin sonatas ever assembled, with the fresh approach to the text and newly improvised ornaments which have become Andrew Manze’s and Richard Egarr’s hallmark.

Dietrich Henschel invites us to follow in the footsteps of Schubert at his most intimate, his most deeply moving: the Schubert whose songs deal with the themes of death (Totengräberweise), wandering (Der Wanderer) and night (An den Mond, Nachtstück). As to the famous Sehnsucht, the ‘yearning’ of its title beautifully sums up the inimitable mood that is the essence of the German Romantic lied, whether the verse that inspires it is by Goethe, Schlegel, Mayrhofer, Schulze or Seidl.

The triumph of freedom. Written two years before his premature death, the eighteenth piano Sonata is the outcome of the life-long and painful struggle waged by Schubert in the intimidating shadow of Beethoven to find a form of his own that would adequately express the rambling moods and protean sentiments of his musical imagination. The originality of his solution is reflected in the perplexity of his Viennese publisher in 1826 when he entitled the work Fantaisie ou Sonate, indicative of the extent to which Schubert’s work strains at the strictures of the rigorous conventional rules of sonata form in a new vision of formal freedom. This sense of freedom is even more apparent in the exquisite musical miniatures of the Moments Musicaux. The astonishing wealth of contrast and content of these little jewels makes them among the most progressive works by this most Viennese of the Romantics.

British composer John Tavener continues to realize his spiritual obsessions with his work Total Eclipse, given its world premiere recording here. This much-anticipated collaboration with Paul Goodwin and the Academy of Ancient Music follows Eternity's Sunrise, which was a commission by the famous Early Music ensemble to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Integral to this performance is soprano Patricia Rozario, whose experience in interpreting Tavener's "holy minimalism" has made it almost second nature for her.
Total Eclipse explores both religious and musical elements, combining them to illustrate the idea of metanoia, or conversion, which is Tavener's focus here. The piece, a single movement in four parts, is structured using the conversion of St. Paul as a platform. The requested stage positioning of the instruments, voices, and choir plays a significant role in symbolizing Saul's transformation, which–while the aural-spatial landscaping is captured quite well in this recording–can only be truly experienced in a live performance (the work was premiered at St. Paul's Cathedral in June 2000).

A soprano saxophone (representing Saul), at times wailing with Coltrane-esque intensity (to "be played in a deliberately anarchic manner"), at other times questioning softly, is beautifully and appropriately pitted against the period instruments of the Early Music ensemble with a near chilling effect. In addition to the sax, Tavener–outside his now familiar simple use of harmony–employs several newer compositional techniques and instrumentation: the work embraces improvisation, microtonal textures, Far Eastern percussion instruments, and an earth-shattering ensemble of 19 tympani. Also on this disc is Agraphon, a setting of the poem by the Greek poet Angelos Sikelianos. It was commissioned by the Athens Concert Hall, and also features Rozario.

W.T. Arnold

I highly reccomend this CD and its companion volume. For those who think they know Vivaldi this is a rare treat, showing his compositional abilites in a new, more measured but nonetheless exciting form

Ralph Kerr, Amazon.com

The gold standard for Woelfl. Enjoyed the rare opportunity to listen to Jon Nakamatsu playing Woelfl at the San Francisco Symphony Hall tonight - a true revelation! Woelfl, Beethoven's unappreciated contemporary was brought to life in the most brilliant manner by this highly talented young pianist. Nakamatsu's interpretation of Woelfl's sonata in E major is uncompromising. Highly recommended!

Dirk Lammerts, Amazon.com