Works: Violin Concerto Op 15 Lachrymae Op 48a Reflections on a song of Dowland, for solo viola and string orchestra
Artists: Anthony Marwood violin
Lawrence Power viola
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Ilan Volkov conductor
Long recognized as an outstanding chamber musician, Anthony Marwood has more recently been making waves as a
concerto soloist, with two contributions to the Romantic Violin Concerto series and now a disc of Britten with the BBC
Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Ilan Volkov. The youthful Violin Concerto, with its mix of anguished lyricism and
changeability of mood nods to both Berg (whose own Violin Concerto had made a profound impression on Britten) and
Prokofiev but the result is entirely personal.
The still earlier Double Concerto, for violin and viola, is impressive above all for its precocious confidence; written
when Britten was just eighteen and still a student at the Royal College of Music, it had to wait sixty-five years before
receiving its belated premiere in 1997 at the 50th Aldeburgh Festival. Anthony Marwood is joined by star violist
Lawrence Power (who makes two appearances in Hyperion’s new releases this month). The viola was Britten’s own
instrument and his Lachrymae, inspired by a Dowland song, brings us to the other end of his career, for though it was
composed in 1950, it wasn’t orchestrated until 1976, the year of his death.
‘Totally at one with the idiom, Marwood’s unflashy, sweet-toned playing lends just the right note of enchantment and
authenticity to these forgotten scores. In short, this is Hyperion at its best’ Gramophone on Romantic Violin Concerto 5 CDA67420
Works: Seven Preludes from 24 Preludes Op 34 arranged by YEVGENY STRAKHOV Sonata for viola and piano Op 147 Five Pieces from The Gadfly Op 97 arranged by VADIM BORISOVSKY
Artists: Lawrence Power, viola
Simon Crawford-Phillips, piano
Lawrence Power makes the second of his appearances in this month’s release lists, this time with his regular pianist
partner Simon Crawford-Phillips in the chamber music of Shostakovich. The centrepiece is the Viola Sonata,
Shostakovich’s last completed work, premiered posthumously, on what would have been the composer’s sixty-ninth
birthday. Its ravishing slow finale reworks the opening of Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’ Sonata—a tribute to a composer he
revered.
Shostakovich the film composer also takes a bow, in the form of The Gadfly, with its famous ‘Romance’ beloved of
violinists everywhere. That this works just as compellingly on the viola is triumphantly displayed in the arrangement
made by Vadim Borisovsky (founding violist of the Beethoven Quartet), one of the Five Pieces he recast from
Shostakovich’s original.
Shostakovich’s 24 Piano Preludes have also proved irresistible to transcribers and here we have the seven brilliantly
reworked by a pupil of Borisovsky, Yevgeny Strakhov.
‘Bowen’s writing for both instruments is more than demanding yet nothing detracts from Lawrence Power’s and Simon Crawford-
Phillips’s enviable fluency and achievement.' Gramophone on Bowen CDA67651/2
Gabriel Fauré
(1845–1924) Cello Sonatas
CDA67872 CD
Max Reger
(1873–1916) Romantic Violin Concerto Vol 11
Works: Cello Sonata No 1 in D minor Op 109
Cello Sonata No 2 in G minor Op 117
Élégie Op 24 Romance Op 69 Papillon Op 77
Sérénade Op 98 Sicilienne Op 78
Allegro commodo Movement 1 (at a faster tempo) of Cello Sonata No 1 in D minor, Op 109
Artists: Alban Gerhardt cello
Cecile Licad piano
Following their triumphant Casals Encores disc, Alban Gerhardt and Cecile Licad are reunited for Fauré’s music for cello
and piano. The two cello sonatas are among the masterpieces of the cello repertoire, looking back to the 19th century but
also with an edginess that may well reflect the time in which they were written—during and immediately after the First
World War. Remarkably, Fauré was in his seventies by the time he wrote them. There’s some debate as to how fast the
last movement of the First Sonata should go—so Alban Gerhardt has recorded two alternative versions, to be
programmed to the listener’s taste.
Alongside the sonatas are some of Fauré’s most seductive bon-bons, including the famous Sicilienne and Élégie, and the
so-called Papillon (so-named at his publisher’s insistence, much to Fauré’s annoyance who hated fluffy titles).
Alban Gerhardt is of course a Hyperion regular and this is his ninth album for the label.
Works: Violin Concerto in A major Op 101 Two Romances Op 50
Artists: Tanja Becker-Bender violin
Konzerthausorchester Berlin
Lothar Zagrosek conductor
Reger is one of those composers more talked about than listened to—caricatured as a prolific writer of organ music with
a penchant for dense musical textures. But he certainly wasn’t averse to a good tune: the two Romances abound in lush
lyricism, while the magnificent A major Violin Concerto shows him continuing in the tradition of the violin concertos of
Beethoven and Brahms. An unashamedly symphonic work, it’s nearly an hour long—around the same length as the
nearly-contemporary Elgar Violin Concerto. No less a figure than Adolf Busch championed it—first performing it when
he was just sixteen.
The young German violinist Tanja Becker-Bender, who has already made such an impact in Schulhoff and Paganini, is
joined by Lothar Zagrosek and the Berlin Konzerthausorchester for this 11th volume in the Romantic Violin Concerto
series—a series that is triumphantly demonstrating how much great music there is out there just waiting to be
rediscovered.
‘These are marvellous performances, full of freshness and vitality, technically accomplished yet spontaneous sounding
and highly expressive GRAMOPHONE EDITOR’S CHOICE: PAGANINI 24 Caprices CDA67763
Tanja Backer-Bender
Havergal Brian
(1876–1972) Symphony No 1 ‘The Gothic’
CDA67971/72 2 x CD
Charles-Marie Widor
(1844–1937) Romantic Piano Concerto Vol 55
Artists: SUSAN GRITTON soprano, CHRISTINE RICE mezzo-soprano, PETER AUTY tenor, ALASTAIR MILES bass
THE BACH CHOIR, BBC NATIONAL CHORUS OF WALES, BRIGHTON FESTIVAL CHORUS, CBSO YOUTH CHORUS, CÔR CAERDYDD,
ELTHAM COLLEGE BOYS’ CHOIR, HUDDERSFIELD CHORAL SOCIETY, LONDON SYMPHONY CHORUS,
SOUTHEND BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CHOIRS DAVID GOODE organ BBC National Orchestra of Wales
BBC Concert Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins conductor
On 17 July 2011 over 800 performers gathered in London’s Royal Albert Hall to give a rare performance of Havergal
Brian’s Symphony No 1 in D minor—‘The Gothic’. Tickets for this Prom sold out within 24 hours, and so it gives us
great pleasure to make this live recording available to all.
It’s a pretty phenomenal work. Responding to the challenge set by Sir Henry Wood, the composer has thrown just about
every known orchestral instrument into the mix, then adding a double chorus of over 500, plus children’s choirs, for an
hour-long Te Deum—the church’s blazing Hymn of Thanksgiving—which makes up the symphony’s finale.
Whether or not you were lucky enough to be there on the night, this is a recording not to be missed.
'For all the RAH’s lively reverberation this recording of The Gothic is very good indeed – the best yet - and captures a sensational amount of detail in a performance that resets the clock. Hyperion have done us proud' (MusicWeb.com)
Works: Charles-Marie WIDOR
(1844–1937): Piano Concerto No 1 in F minor Op 39 Fantaisie in A flat major Op 62 Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor Op 77 Cello Concerto in D minor; Rondo in F major for cello and orchestra (First recording); Ballata and Ballabile Op 160 (First Recording); Irish Rhapsody No 3 Op 137
Artists: Markus Becker piano
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Thierry Fischer conductor
Charles-Marie Widor was born in Lyon to a family of organ builders and consequently became an organist of great skill
and an assistant to Camille Saint-Saëns at La Madeleine in Paris at the age of twenty-four.
Today, Widor’s compositions for organ have a prominent position in the instrument’s core repertoire, but it is often
forgotten that the composer wrote many other significant works, notably his two piano concertos. Surprisingly, these
are the first recordings of the concertos and are a much-awaited addition to the numerous world premiere recordings
featured in Hyperion’s Romantic Piano Concerto series, now reaching its 55th volume and still unearthing little-known
works to consistently dazzling effect.
Following the success of his renditions of the Draeseke and Jadassohn concertos, pianist Markus Becker makes a
welcome return to the series. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the remarkable Thierry Fischer more than do
justice to Widor’s imaginative orchestrations.
‘The Berlin orchestra and Michael Sanderling provide crisp support for the sparkling and industrious Markus Becker who leaves
the impression not only of having an affection for the three works but also that he has been playing them all his life’ Gramophone on Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 47 – Draeseke & Jadassohn: CDA67636
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Sir John McEwen
Flos Campi & Viola Concerto
Works: RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS(1872–1958): Suite for viola and small orchestra Flos Campi
SIR JOHN MCEWEN(1868–1948): Viola ConcertoPiano Concerto No 8 in C major ‘Lützow’ K246; Piano Concerto No 9 in E flat major ‘Jeunehomme’ K271
Artists: Lawrence Power viola
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Martyn Brabbins conductor
Lawrence Power has established himself as the most sought-after violist of his generation and his sumptuous tone and
persuasive interpretations have lead to many comparisons with the pioneering British violist Lionel Tertis. Indeed, the
three works on this disc were written for Tertis, who did so much to broaden the instrument’s musical repertoire and
raise its status to an accepted solo instrument.
The two Vaughan Williams works display an unabashed romanticism and pastoral elegance. Flos Campi, meaning
‘Flower of the field’, was completed in 1925 and puzzled audiences with its ambiguous form and unusual orchestration.
Despite the prominent solo viola and wordless chorus, it is neither a concerto nor a choral work. The seamless viola line
moves in unity with the orchestra and the chorus appears as a body of instruments, creating an effect of mesmerizing
beauty and calm. The little-performed Suite for viola and small orchestra was written ten years later and contains some of
the composer’s most lyrical inventions.
The lush orchestration and memorable themes in Sir John McEwen’s 1901 concerto expose this large-scale work as a
neglected gem of the viola repertoire and Power’s performance is sure to set a new benchmark. The BBC National
Orchestra of Wales, under the expert and unfailingly sensitive guidance of Martyn Brabbins, provides expert backing
throughout.
‘This disc featuring Britain’s star viola player throbs with lyricism and insouciant larks … Sparks keep flying from Power’s viola’ The Times, Paul Hindemith: The Complete Viola Music, Vol. 3 CDA67774
Works: Bartók:
Three Hungarian Folktunes, Sz. 65-66
Benjamin, A:
Elegiac Mazurka
Blumenfeld:
Kujawiak-Obertas (No. 2 from Suite polonaise No. 2, Op. 31)
Britten:
Mazurka Elegiaca op.23 no.2
Castelnuovo-Tedesco:
Hommage à Paderewski
Chaminade:
Étude symphonique Op. 28
Chanler:
Aftermath
Goossens:
Homage To Paderewski
Hammond, R:
Dance
Labunski:
Threnody
Martinu:
Mazurka ‘Homage to Paderewski’, H. 284
Milhaud:
Choral
Nin-Culmell:
In Memoriam Paderewski
Rathaus:
Kujawiak
Rieti:
Allegro danzante
Schelling:
Nocturne à Ragusa
Con tenerezza
Stojowski:
Cradle Song
Weinberger:
Étude in G major
Whithorne:
Hommage, Op. 58, No. 2
Wieniawski:
Étude, Op. 44 No. 22
Zarzycki:
Chant du printemps, Op. 34, No. 1
Artists: Jonathan Plowright,
piano
Following the resounding success of Jonathan Plowright’s 2010 Hommage à Chopin, the acclaimed British pianist becomes
the first artist to record the album of works written and published in homage to one of the early twentieth century’s
most fascinating figures, Polish pianist, composer and politician Ignacy Jan Paderewski.
Of the twenty-two works on this recording, from composers including Bartók, MartinÍ and Milhaud, sixteen were
included in the memorial piano album Homage to Paderewski published by Boosey & Hawkes in New York in 1942. A
further six pieces written for Paderewski also feature, including a Mazurka for two pianos by Britten originally intended
for the volume (Britten misunderstood the commission, which specified solo piano), for which Plowright is joined by
Aaron Shorr. These diverse works are performed with flair and dedication.
‘Plowright's playing throughout is sublime.’ Geoffrey Norris - Daily Telegraph
Franz Liszt
(1811–1886)
Edvard Grieg
(1843–1907) Piano Concertos
Works: Franz LISZT
(1811–1886): Piano Concerto No 1 in E flat major;Piano Concerto No 2 in A major Edvard GRIEG(1843–1907): Piano Concerto in A minor
Artists: Stephen Hough piano
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Andrew Litton conductor
A concerto album from Stephen Hough is always a significant event. For this new recording Stephen travelled to Bergen
– Grieg’s home town – to join forces with Andrew Litton and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in performances of
Grieg and Liszt that are set to become landmark recordings of all three concertos.
Grieg’s A minor Piano Concerto, with its plethora of great tunes, is one of the most popular of all Romantic works,
while Liszt’s two highly original concertos present unique challenges to both pianist and orchestra. These performances
are exciting, magisterial and highly coloured, with breathtaking virtuosity harnessed to poetic refinement and finesse –
hallmarks of Stephen’s playing that have already helped his concerto recordings to win two Gramophone ‘Record of the
Year’ accolades.
Stephen Hough and Andrew Litton continue the astonishing success of their collaboration in Rachmaninov’s concertos,
Hyperion’s fastest-selling recording. The Bergen players provide freshly idiomatic support in the Grieg and revel in the
sumptuous scoring of the Liszt. The results are thrilling, and this deserves a place in any music lover’s collection, no
matter how familiar the music.
Released to coincide with the twin anniversaries of Liszt’s birth (200 years ago) and Stephen’s own 50th birthday (in
November), this recording is an apt celebration of both.
‘Does the world really need another recording of the Grieg Piano Concerto? The answer has to be an emphatic yes when the soloist is the barnstorming Stephen Hough...Highly recommended.’ Stephen Pritchard - Observer
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