New Releases

[Brian]

SOME MORE JULY STUFF

good month for Busoni sonatina enthusiasts





Camiel Boomsma: "Discovering the music by Dutch composer Gerhard (and his son Karel) Hamm was really a game of fate. After a recital, Carl Hamm, who is a direct descendant, gave me a stack of scores. While playing through the pieces at home I was struck by their delicacy and narrative power. Gerhard Hamm belongs in a way to the musical family of Robert Schumann. He writes little poetic reflections on grand Romantic gestures. In these small musical poems a whole world lies hidden. Sometimes powerful and proud, sometimes vulnerable and reflective. Romantic expression beautiful in itself. In his "Gefunden: 6 Clavierstücke in Liedform opus 18' Gerhard Hamm's musical gift as a composer is beautifully displayed. Hamm's craftsmanship is excellent but he never neglects poetic expression."



highlight compilation from 20 years of live recordings at a Vienna festival. Excerpts from larger works unfortunately



1983-84, Josef Suk - Josef Chuchro - Josef Hala - they should have called themselves the Josef Trio

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Finally:

What's better than a tuba???!!
THREE TUBAS

[Mandryka]

The Kiener Goldbergs on harpsichord is one I'll be curious to hear.

[André]

As for me, the Andriessen stands out.

[Que]

SOME MORE JULY STUFF



1983-84, Josef Suk - Josef Chuchro - Josef Hala - they should have called themselves the Josef Trio

Count me in! 

[Mirror Image]

He's been one of those conductors graced by good orchestral playing and good engineering.  Put those qualities to one side and I hear little beyond safe 'centrist' conducting.  I don't know who Gardener "is" as a conductor.  Could I ever pick on one of his interpretations for its insoight and individuality....?  Probably not!

This is a good point, but it could also be made about so many conductors working today. For example, when Karajan or Szell got on a podium, for better or for worse, you know what you're getting. I just don't hear much in the way of a unique persona in Gardner nor many of his peers.

[Mirror Image]

SOME MORE JULY STUFF

Boy, they're really pushing Lise Davidsen who is an 'okay' vocalist. I listened to her Vier letzte Lieder the other day (w/ Salonen on Decca) and was incredibly disappointed with her voice. There's just no life in it nor any belief in the text she's singing or, at least, this is my own view.

[Mandryka]

The first track, the toccata of 830 , is a radical experiment, he plays quite slowly, with lots of legato and cantabile, like later piano music in fact. I haven't heard anything else.

[Mandryka]

https://www.kairos-music.com/cds/0015094kai

[amw]

I was considering it but Monadologie V seems to have intentionally been left complete (i.e. the last two sonatas + Il Terremoto were not recorded & the artist does not seem to have intended to do so). Incomplete works are always a bit of a turn-off. Maybe Winter & Winter's house pianist (Collot?) will do it eventually.

[Mandryka]

I was considering it but Monadologie V seems to have intentionally been left complete (i.e. the last two sonatas + Il Terremoto were not recorded & the artist does not seem to have intended to do so). Incomplete works are always a bit of a turn-off. Maybe Winter & Winter's house pianist (Collot?) will do it eventually.

While looking for it on Qobuz I found this Bernhard Lang based recording, and first impressions are really positive (haven't heard the piano recording yet.)



https://www.allaboutjazz.com/new-jazz-meeting-baden-baden-2002-trio-x-3-hat-hut-records-review-by-john-kelman.php?width=810

Paulo Alvares, a piano player there, has made this recording which you'll also find streaming




Most of it seems to be transcriptions of ensemble pieces, and they haven't attracted me so much. But one piece, Total, is a fabulous exploration of the percussive possibilities of a regular unprepared piano - I can't stop playing it!

[Mirror Image]

Heads up Saint-Saëns fans!

Coming soon -





I'd definitely going to be buying this! I LOVE this composer's music and I feel like there's so much that I haven't even heard yet.

[GioCar]

Listening to right now, on Qobuz.

Schiff really brings new life to these old warhorses. He plays a Blüthner grand piano c.1859 and conducts the orchestra.

[Mandryka]

[Brian]

That Saint-Saëns edition looks really fun and I like that Warner is gonna keep making these big boxes for every French composer with all their Erato recordings and lovely impressionist paintings. This is a bit of a departure from the Berlioz and Ravel etc editions in that it is not complete by any stretch. I didn't know he wrote 600 works! Jeez. There are probably 4ish discs of solo piano originals and transcriptions missing, and the Cello Concerto No 2. And isn't there a cello and orchestra suite in D minor or something? Naxos has at least 2 ballets that this box doesn't, as well.

But let's be real...with all that chamber music, vocal stuff, and all the historical goodies on offer, that's gonna be a good box. Can't wait for the parlor game of guessing who performs what. Martinon for all 5 symphonies, or someone else for the Organ? Really hope the Septet is some sassy French recording from the 50s with crazily timbred woodwinds.

[Mirror Image]

That Saint-Saëns edition looks really fun and I like that Warner is gonna keep making these big boxes for every French composer with all their Erato recordings and lovely impressionist paintings. This is a bit of a departure from the Berlioz and Ravel etc editions in that it is not complete by any stretch. I didn't know he wrote 600 works! Jeez. There are probably 4ish discs of solo piano originals and transcriptions missing, and the Cello Concerto No 2. And isn't there a cello and orchestra suite in D minor or something? Naxos has at least 2 ballets that this box doesn't, as well.

But let's be real...with all that chamber music, vocal stuff, and all the historical goodies on offer, that's gonna be a good box. Can't wait for the parlor game of guessing who performs what. Martinon for all 5 symphonies, or someone else for the Organ? Really hope the Septet is some sassy French recording from the 50s with crazily timbred woodwinds.

Yeah, there's no way the EMI/Erato/Virgin Classics, etc. catalogs contain all of Saint-Saëns' oeuvre. Like you mentioned, he was incredibly prolific. As for the Warner set being a departure, well, the Stravinsky set released earlier would be their first set to mark this departure as that set certainly isn't complete by any stretch of the imagination. It'll be great having more Saint-Saëns solo piano and chamber music in my collection. I have quite a bit of his orchestral music already and I'm surprised that the Cello Concerto No. 2 isn't in the set. Anyway, I can't seem to find a release date as of yet. In fact, I can't even find it on Warner's website.

[JBS]

That Saint-Saëns edition looks really fun and I like that Warner is gonna keep making these big boxes for every French composer with all their Erato recordings and lovely impressionist paintings. This is a bit of a departure from the Berlioz and Ravel etc editions in that it is not complete by any stretch. I didn't know he wrote 600 works! Jeez. There are probably 4ish discs of solo piano originals and transcriptions missing, and the Cello Concerto No 2. And isn't there a cello and orchestra suite in D minor or something? Naxos has at least 2 ballets that this box doesn't, as well.

But let's be real...with all that chamber music, vocal stuff, and all the historical goodies on offer, that's gonna be a good box. Can't wait for the parlor game of guessing who performs what. Martinon for all 5 symphonies, or someone else for the Organ? Really hope the Septet is some sassy French recording from the 50s with crazily timbred woodwinds.

"Complete Solo Organ Works" is in truth only half of his organ music.

The piano music works out to about 4 1/4 CDs, plus the pieces for duo pianists.


But tbh while the piano and organ music is nice enough, it's not essential. The piano stuff in particular is very salon-oriented

[Papy Oli]

Heads up Saint-Saëns fans!

Coming soon -



I'd definitely going to be buying this! I LOVE this composer's music and I feel like there's so much that I haven't even heard yet.

Not something I ever thought I'd say less than 8 months ago but....

ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh 

[Brian]

But tbh while the piano and organ music is nice enough, it's not essential. The piano stuff in particular is very salon-oriented

Thank you for the organ info, did not know that. I absolutely love late 19th century salon piano - adore Moszkowski, Paderewski, that whole genre - but the Grand Piano label traversal of Saint-Saens piano stuff was very boxed in acoustically and as a result rather colorless. Might have a look at the Vox box.

Anyway, I can't seem to find a release date as of yet. In fact, I can't even find it on Warner's website.

Very interesting. Wonder if it's like September or October. Ask for it for Christmas 

[Brian]

Two-CD pandemic set of greatest hits and miniatures, including Debussy, Brahms, Chopin, Scarlatti, a world premiere by Eric Champagne based on a Hopper painting, the very first prelude and fugue from Shostakovich Op. 87, Berio's "Wasserklavier," and a single large-scale piece: Haydn Sonata 33 in C minor.



This is an intriguing rarity. According to Toccata, the composer is strongly influenced by the styles of Hindemith and K.A. Hartmann, but with frequent flashes of a healthy sense of humor. It looks like not only is there a Cor Anglais Concerto, but another label has previously recorded a Bass Clarinet Concerto. Gotta love somebody who pays attention to the "extra" wind instruments.

[André]

That Saint-Saëns edition looks really fun and I like that Warner is gonna keep making these big boxes for every French composer with all their Erato recordings and lovely impressionist paintings. This is a bit of a departure from the Berlioz and Ravel etc editions in that it is not complete by any stretch. I didn't know he wrote 600 works! Jeez. There are probably 4ish discs of solo piano originals and transcriptions missing, and the Cello Concerto No 2. And isn't there a cello and orchestra suite in D minor or something? Naxos has at least 2 ballets that this box doesn't, as well.

But let's be real...with all that chamber music, vocal stuff, and all the historical goodies on offer, that's gonna be a good box. Can't wait for the parlor game of guessing who performs what. Martinon for all 5 symphonies, or someone else for the Organ? Really hope the Septet is some sassy French recording from the 50s with crazily timbred woodwinds.[/b]

I like that !