Haydn: Piano Sonatas

Joseph Haydn: Complete Piano Sonatas - Christine Schornsheim

Haydn wrote a few keyboard pieces that are not so exciting, but these are greatly outnumbered by many brilliant sonatas, all of which are included here on 13 CDs, played on a number of harpsichords, clavichords and pianofortes. Unless you already know all of Haydn's sonatas, you can expect many pleasant surprises. In addition, I've found Schornsheim's interpretation of Haydn more convincing than any other until now. The sound is wonderful.

There is a 14th CD with Schornsheim discussing and demonstrating the different keyboard instruments that were used. This is highly fascinating as well (for those who understand German).

The price is a bargain if anything is.

Capriccio CAP49404

Tormis: Forgotten Peoples

Veljo Tormis: Forgotten Peoples - Musica Intima

Works by Estonian choral composer Veljo Tormis (b. 1930) are for a large part based on folksongs. If one thinks of folksongs as simple and conventional, one is probably not familiar with the Baltic-Finnish choral tradition. The music is witty, joyful, highly inventive, and at times offering the most daring harmonies. Listen for example to Singing Aboard Ship, the 19th song of the cycle.

The performance by the twelve members of the Canadian vocal ensemble Musica Intima is superb.

Atma ACD2 2354

Brahms: Liebeslieder-Walzer

Johannes Brahms: Liebeslieder-Walzer op. 52, Drei Lieder op. 64, Neue Liebeslieder op. 65 – Marlis Petersen, Stella Doufexis, Werner Güra, Konrad Jarnot, Christoph Berner & Camillo Radicke.

The three included opus numbers with vocal quartets were primarily intended for domestic use. I was therefore somewhat surprised to find such poetic, exquisite and passionate music. Especially in op. 65 we find the richness in harmony and rhythm that is so typical for Brahms. The performance is outstanding. Heartily recommended.

Harmonia Mundi HMC 901945

Brahms: Lieder

Johannes Brahms: Lieder - Bernarda Fink and Roger Vignoles

From Bernarda Fink and Roger Vignoles we expect nothing but the very best, and that is what we got. What a delightful CD!

Harmonia Mundi HMC 901926

Ten Holt: Soloduiveldans

Simeon ten Holt: Soloduiveldans 2 & 4 - Ivo Janssen

Simeon ten Holt is best known for his Canto Ostinato, which exists in several versions (I would recommend the version for two pianos, played by Kees Wieringa and Polo de Haas). But I find this CD with two of his Solo Devil Dances even more exhilarating.

Ten Holt's style is perhaps best described as 'repetitive music', in the sense that motives are repeated with small variations, but the music develops so quickly, and with such finesse, that one can only keep up by listening attentively. The fabric of the many quick notes creates a unique kind of aesthetics.

The performance by master pianist Ivo Janssen is unsurpassable.

VOID 9903

Sinopoli: Lou Salomé

Giuseppe Sinopoli: Lou Salomé -
Lucia Popp, José Carreras, Stuttgart Radio Symphony
Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli

One of the most important compositions by Sinopoli is the opera Lou Salomé, first performed in 1981. This CD contains two suites with excerpts, which are compelling not due to dramatic effect, but to a deep musical expression, with a magical vocabulary most reminiscent perhaps of the music by Alban Berg.

It is a disgrace that no recording of the complete opera is available.

Deutsche Grammophon 415 984-2

Torstensson: In großer Sehnsucht

Klas Torstensson: In großer Sehnsucht - Charlotte Riedijk, Ellen Corver, Peter Brunt, Larissa Groeneveld

The cycle of songs 'In großer Sehnsucht', for soprano and piano trio, is set on texts by five tragic women: Camille Claudel, Frida Kahlo, Cristina di Svezia, Rosa Luxemburg, and Louise Michel. This is an exceptional composition, that resembles nothing else. As so often with 'modern' music, one needs to abandon preconceived ideas of what classical music should be like. If one succeeds, the reward here is a unique listening experience.

The performance is of the highest quality.

COBRA 0018

Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge

J.S. Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge - Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet

The Art of the Fuge, the single most impressive feat of fugal writing, represents many challenges when it comes to performance with a choice of four instruments, or on one or two keyboards. The biggest obstacle is the transparency of the contrapuntal fabric, while avoiding that any one voice takes a predominant role. This performance on four recorders, some of which were especially manufactured for the occasion, is the most ideal that I can imagine. It is wonderful how well the instruments mix with each other, while each voice can be perceived individually. The interpretation by the four virtuosi from Amsterdam is outstanding.

Channel Classics CCS 12698

Schnittke: Requiem

Alfred Schnittke: Symphony No. 4, Requiem - Stockholm Sinfonietta,
Okku Kamu / Stefan Parkman

To be honest, I cannot appreciate all of Schnittke's compositions. At times, I'm seem to be missing the point. The Requiem is a very special work however. The 14 movements, all less than 4 minutes, are absolutely fascinating, each in its own way, and together they create a powerful ensemble. The fragmentary use in the Credo of rhythms from rock music, in combination with a pulsating high note from a trompet, gives a staggering effect.

The other work on the CD, the Symphony No. 4, is also fascinating. It shares with the Requiem the religious background and it also has a vocal element, which is used very effectively.

BIS-CD-497

Samama: En Hollande

Leo Samama: 'En Hollande' for soprano and string quartet, Quintet for clarinet and string quartet, Sextet - Nienke Oostenrijk, Daniel Quartet, and others

The music by Dutch composer Samama is very accessible and tonally oriented, yet truly original and compelling. Especially the beauty of 'En Hollande', on a text by Paul Verlaine, is out of this world.

Composers' Voice CV106

Theresienstadt

Theresienstadt - Anne Sofie von Otter and others

This CD contains a selection of music from Theresienstadt. All of the compositions are deeply touching. Some are so bitter because of the circumstances in which they were written. Knowing a little about the background, there are no words to describe Ilse Weber's Wiegala. Other compositions on the CD are of the highest quality from any perspective. I challenge anyone with their heart in the right place to listen to Viktor Ullmann's Beryozkele without getting tears in their eyes. Also the Four Songs on Chinese Poetry by Pavel Haas and the sonata for solo violin by Erwin Schulhoff are magnificent.

Human tragedy, and an entire generation of the world's most gifted composers cut short...

Deutsche Grammophon 00289 477 6546