Violinist and composer Piotr Szewczyk brings his Violin Futura Project to a recording for Navona Records with terrific results

Polish-born violinist and composer, Piotr Szewczyk www.verynewmusic.com/index.html studied violin with Piotr Milewski, Kurt Sassmannshaus, Dorothy DeLay and Corinne Stillwell and composition with Joel Hoffman, Michael Fiday, Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon, Henry Gwiazda and Darrel Handel.

He holds a Doctor of Music degree from Florida State University, a Bachelor of Music and double Master of Music in violin and composition from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Szewczyk has also appeared as guest concertmaster with Orlando Chamber Soloists and has completed a three-year fellowship at the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas where he served as rotating concertmaster. He is the winner of FSU Doctoral Concerto Competition, the New World Symphony Concerto Competition and other awards. As a soloist and chamber musician he has performed at the Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, Spoleto Festival USA, Colorado Music Festival, Santa Fe New Music as well as many others. He has been a member of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra first violin section since 2007.

Amongst his awards as a composer, he has received The American Prize, Project Trio Competition, Flute New Music Consortium Competition, Shuffle Concert Competition, American Modern Ensemble, Rapido! Composition Contest, Third Millennium Ensemble. His music was featured on NPR Performance Today, the CBS Early Show and has been performed by Atlanta Chamber Players, Trio Solis, Alias Ensemble, Dover Quartet, Carpe Diem String Quartet, Vega Quartet , Sybarite 5, Juventas Ensemble, New Music Raleigh, New World Symphony and at Eastern Music Festival, Ravinia Festival, Colorado Music Festival, St. Augustine Music Festival, and others.

Piotr Szewczyk has developed the Violin Futura Project www.verynewmusic.com/violin-futura.html , a collection of commissioned miniatures for solo violin that highlights over thirty international contemporary composers and how they are re-imagining the solo violin. The purpose of the Violin Futura Project is to sample the creative environment of our times by showcasing the wide variety of styles present in the 21st century and to create a body of new solo violin repertoire.

Navona Records http://navonarecords.com has recently released a 2CD recording of these new works all played by Piotr Szewczyk and entitled Violin Futura.

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Disc 1 opens with Jason Bahr’s (b.1972) www.jasonbahr.com  Ephemeral Rhapsody (2009) to which Piotr Szewczyk brings a fine rich tone in this particularly fine, rather melancholy piece that allows the soloist to weave some fine harmonies and textures. Lawrence Dillon’s (b.1959) www.lawrencedillon.com  Mister Blister (2006) contains some brilliantly incisive phrases by quieter, no less incisive moments to which Szewczyk brings a lighter touch.

           

Carson P. Cooman (b.1982) http://carsoncooman.com has featured in a number of my reviews (see below). His The Doors in the Sky (2007) unfolds, revealing some fine moments before adopting an incisive nature. There are many intricate, challenging bars for the soloist before the opening gentler harmonies are found at the end. Daniel Kellogg’s (b.1976) www.danielkellogg.com Sizzle ((2007) bubbles forth with some virtuosic writing expertly done by this soloist, drawing much from his instrument, always with a sense of urgency.

           

Mason Bates’ (b.1977) http://www.masonbates.com Blue Berceuse (2007) slowly draws some lovely textures as the work is developed, a lovely miniature with a lovely little pizzicato coda. Kari Henrik Juusela’s (b.1954) www.karijuuselamusic.com  Red Bull #3 (2009) brings an astringent, incisive repeated theme that is developed through some terrific passages making this a terrific showcase for the violin.

           

Nathan Williamson’s (b.1978) http://nathanwilliamson.co.uk Homecoming (2007) slowly weaves some fine double stopped phrases creating some lovely harmonies as it moves through beautifully hushed moments. A tremendous rhythm and energy opens Mark Grey’s (b. 1967) www.markgreymusic.com  Left for the Dogs (2007) out of which many ideas grow, this soloist bringing a real nervous tension and some terrific taut playing.

           

Aaron Einbond’s (b.1976) https://aaroneinbond.wordpress.com  Fish Gotta Swim (2006) brings a lovely flow as this fine melody is broadened across the strings with fine harmonies, slowly increasing in animation before a settled coda whilst Marc Mellits’ (b.1966) www.marcmellits.com Żubrówka (2006) leaps up full of life and energy as the music is developed through passages that bring a terrific endless flow of invention to a terrific conclusion.

           

Suzanne Sorkin’s (b. 1974) www.sju.edu/about-sju/faculty-staff/suzanne-sorkin-phd Toward the Other Shore (2009) has a slow, exquisitely drawn melody that develops over a drone like background. It is finely written for the instrument and is a really lovely work. The music subtly increases in drama and passion before finding its opening calm. It develops in passion again in some virtuosic passages for the soloist before a more gentle flow, but there are more virtuosic moments before the coda.

           

A quizzical motif introduces Sydney Hodkinson’s (b.1934) www.sydhodkinson.com  Rush (2008) before rapidly developing through some fiery passages, spectacularly played here and ending as a sudden note is ‘fired.’ Patrick Castillo’s (b.1979) www.patrickcastillo.com Cirque (2006) opens with a rather elusive theme that is developed through some rather fragmented passages that bring many varying violin techniques, drawing some terrific effects

           

A repeated motif soon finds a jazz theme in Hiro Morozumi’s (b.1976): Real Phone Key (2007). It is a quite intoxicating piece with this player finding a real swing as he moves through some terrifically wild passages. John Kennedy’s (b.1959) http://johnkennedymusic.com  fp (For Piotr) (2007) works through some gentle, high phrases before finding a gentle swaying theme and later becoming more incisive with some fine violinistic effects.

           

Laurence Sherr’s (b.1953) http://ksuweb.kennesaw.edu/~lsherr Midnight Dance (2009) finds a rhythmic forward movement with a repeated motif that develops in varying rhythms, later becoming more fluid. Piotr Szewczyk (b.1977) provides the final work on the first disc, All Wheel Drive (2004) which has a leisurely theme that develops a bluesy character, speeding to a frenzied coda where the soloist creates some wild sounds.

Disc 2 opens with Richard Belcastro’s (b.1976) www.rbelcastro.com Buyer's Remorse (2009) with a rhythmically sprung theme that darts hesitantly forward before finding a sweet toned flowing variation, high in the violin’s register. The opening returns before the flowing theme now in a lower register. These two ideas contrast against each other before the violin rises high to flow to the coda.

           

Lisa R. Coons’ (b.1979) www.lisarcoons.com  Coming Undone (2009) brings a melancholy, wailing theme before alternating with a hushed long drawn line. There are incisive staccato phrases that alternate with a hushed longer line creating a subtle drawing of emotion. Incisive phrases lead Tyler Capp’s (b.1983) https://tylercapp.net Scatterbrain 2009) into a hushed long line as a theme develops, interrupted by the incisive phrases. This work is vividly played by Piotr Szewczyk as he moves through some virtuosic working out of the material.

Gary Smart’s (b.1943) http://garysmart.net Benediction (2009) brings a rich melody with much of the feel of a traditional melody. It soon speeds through variations that bring much variety to this fine piece. A sprung, incisive motif opens Ng Wah-Hei’s (b.1982) www.facebook.com/cuhkfantasia2014/posts/728994203837475  Caprice (2009) before being developed through some fine passages that bring superb playing from Piotr Szewczyk.

           

A lovely little motif is gently floated as Ethan Wickman (b.1973) www.ethanwickman.com  Respite (2007) opens before being varied through some beautifully conceived passages, finding some lovely harmonies and textures. Jeffrey Harrington’s (b.1955) http://parnasse.com/jh/blog Puce (2006) brings a hesitant rhythmic theme that develops through some incisive passages, exploring the motif through a variety of textures, timbres and rhythms.

Adam Schoenberg’s (b.1980) http://adamschoenberg.com Swoosh (2009) launches with a fast moving theme before dancing forward rhythmically with something of the feel of a jig. The music brings some fine timbres and textures for the violin before a terrific little coda. Lan Chee-Lam (b.1982) www.iscm.org/catalogue/composers/lam-lan-chee-f-hong-kong  slowly weaves a theme through a variety of textures and colours as her piece Memories (2009) develops, this soloist drawing some fine moments.

           

Pizzicato phrases open Jianjun He’s (b.1958) http://www.ju.edu/cfa/music-old/Pages/Jianjun-He.aspx  Yang-Ge Dance (2010) before the merry theme dances forward through a variety of finely developed ideas, full of wit and humour. Clifton Callender’s (b.1969) http://cliftoncallender.com gegenschein (2009) opens with lovely harmonies that subtly develop through some firmer passages that still retain many subtle textures, timbres and colours, this soloist revealing all the various nuances.

Rich harmonies open John Oliver (b.1959) http://earsay.com/johnolivermusicTossing and Turning (2009) before developing through drooping phrases and a variety of fast moving ideas drawing much fine, accurate and taut playing from Piotr Szewczyk. A quivering theme emerges in the opening of Jorge Sosa’s (b.1976) www.jorgesosa.com  Moto Perpetuo (2009) before working through rapid passages, bringing unusual harmonies and textures with many subtleties picked up here.  

Short sharp phrases announce Carl Schimmel’s (b.1975) www.carlschimmel.com  Whiffet (2009) before it quickly shoots ahead through hushed quicksilver variations which are exquisitely revealed here. This is an elusive yet wholly captivating piece.  Perhaps the most unusual work here is Moritz Eggert’s (b.1967) www.moritzeggert.de Idylle (2006) which is introduced by a spoken text ‘I got up this morning and heard the news.’ In the composer’s words, the violinist reacts to a piece of daily news that he finds extremely annoying. The piece builds up this aggressive potential which is resolved purely musically.

Piotr Szewczyk’s First Coast Groove (2008) has a rhythmic opening with taps on the violin before it moves through a variety of ideas, developing some terrific textures. Midway there is a lovely slower, thoughtful section as the theme is gently ruminated on before speeding to a fast moving coda.  

One just has to look at the number of composers listed above to get an idea of how great an achievement this project is. To listen to the wealth of creatively on these two discs brings this home completely.

All these new pieces are well ordered, creating variety. The recording is excellent.  There are notes on the project and a link for further information.

See also:

Carson Cooman

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/an-impressive-line-up-of-works-by.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/an-organ-symphony-from-carson-cooman-to.html

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/erik-simmons-reveals-many-little.html

Moritz Eggert 

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/endlessly-fascinating-music-by-german.html

One of the finest recordings of the violin sonatas of Debussy, Elgar and Respighi from James Ehnes and Andrew Armstrong on a new release from Onyx Classics

Violinist James Ehnes www.jamesehnes.com already has an impressive list of recordings for Onyx Classics www.onyxclassics.com covering concertos by Barber, Britten, Elgar, Khachaturian, Korngold, Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi as well as chamber works by Barber, Bernstein, Elliott Carter, Copland and Ives.

With pianist Andrew Armstrong www.andrewarmstrong.com he has already recorded violin sonatas by César Franck and Richard Strauss. On their new recording for Onyx Classics, James Ehnes and Andrew Armstrong have brought together violin sonatas by Debussy, Elgar and Respighi, all written between the years 1916 and 1918.

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Claude Debussy’s (1862-1918) Violin Sonata in G minor is his last major work written during the war years1916/1917. Right from the opening piano chords of the Allegro vivo, Ehnes and Armstrong bring an idiomatic sensitivity to this music, finding so many fine moments as they negotiate Debussy’s twists and turns, changes in tempi and dynamics with Ehnes often bringing a beautiful lilt whilst drawing some lovely textures.

These players bring some playful moments to the Intermède. Fantasque et léger around the most magical quieter passages. Ehnes’s bowing is a delight; light, wonderfully shaped, finding every nuance and turn. 

Armstrong brings some beautifully delicate, filigree phrases to the opening of the Finale - Très animé before Ehnes gently enters, building to some wonderfully turned phrases as the music speeds. Both bring a particularly light touch, the most fluent and finely shaped playing whilst finding moments of exquisite melancholy and subtle beauty before building to a terrific coda. This is rather a magical performance.

Edward Elgar’s (1857-1934) Violin Sonata in E minor is also a late work written right at the end of the First World War and first performed in 1919. James Ehnes and Andrew Armstrong launch quickly into the Allegro. Risoluto bringing a searing urgency, a really passionate edge. They soon find the melancholy, suffusing this work as they move through exquisite passages with hushed textures. These two know just how to find the inner emotions and haunting quality in this music. They move through some wonderfully shaped and nuanced passages, building to moments of intense passion, a constantly shifting emotional journey.  

These two artists find an elusive quality in the Romance – Andante with lovely little surges, momentary increases in tempo as well as some beautifully shaped longer phrases. Again there are those constantly shifting emotions, perfectly captured by these two. Ehnes brings a superb violin tone in the more richly drawn passages – some wonderfully Elgarian inflections with lightly shaped rhythmic details before a beautifully hushed coda.

The Allegro non Troppo has a lovely undulating flow as Ehnes and Armstrong seamlessly integrate the underlying melody. They move through some incisive passages but it is not long before they find Elgar’s magically elusive ideas, bringing some wonderfully rich textures and passionate moments. There is a lovely moment when, towards the end, they turn the music back to the earlier theme.

This is another rather special performance.

Ottorino Respighi’s (1870-1930) Violin Sonata in B minor dates from 1917 and is perhaps his finest chamber work. Ehnes and Armstrong bring a sense of intense anticipation to the opening of the Moderato weaving some very fine passages, always keeping a careful reign until a brief surge of drama appears. They move through some exquisitely shaped passages where, again, it is these two players ability to find the deeper, less obvious emotions that shows. The music rises through passages of intense drama around which there are moments of intensely lyrical quietude.  Armstrong  brings some very fine broad, passionate piano passages that frame Ehnes’ intense, beautifully toned passages, both bringing out much emotional turmoil and instability before leading to an exquisitely shaped coda.

They develop the Andante espressivo from a quite lovely piano opening, through some wonderful passages full of intense, aching lyricism from Ehnes, finely shaping the music through its constantly shifting emotional landscape.  Both find much passion as the music reaches a climax, weaving some lovely textures before arriving at the coda.

The Allegro moderato ma energico brings some dramatic piano phrases to open, joined by the violin in this stormy opening. They move through passages of intense volatility, both bringing the most impressive incisive phrasing. There is a grave central section that soon gives way to a lyrical flowering though soon finding a rather haunted nature. The music rises through some terrific passages to the decisive coda.

This is an impressive performance that finds much passion and emotion.  

Jean Sibelius’ (1865-1957) Berceuse, Op. 79, No. 6 is the last of a set of six pieces written during the years of the First World War. Ehnes and Armstrong exquisitely shape this short piece with some quite lovely hushed playing making this a fine encore to this disc. 

With a tip top recording from Potton Hall, Sufflok, UK and excellent booklet notes from Jeremy Nicholas this is, without doubt, one of the finest recordings of these works.

An irresistible new release from Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704 of Jan Dismas Zelenka’s Missa Divi Xaverii and Litaniae de Sancto Xaverio for Accent

The Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704 www.collegium1704.com  ensembles were founded by the harpsichordist and conductor Václav Luks in 2005 on the occasion of the Bach–Prague–2005 project, marking the beginning of residential collaboration with the Prague Spring International Music Festival.

Since 2007, after their huge success with Zelenka's Missa votiva in France, Collegium 1704 has been regular guest at festivals around Europe. In addition to performing the general baroque repertoire they promote the work of Czech masters such as Jan Dismas Zelenka and Josef Mysliveček.

In 2008 they began the Prague-Dresden Musical Bridge concert series which continues the rich cultural traditions of the two cities and in 2012 a second concert series called Collegium 1704 in the Rudolfinum held at the Rudolfinum – Dvořák Hall in Prague. Since autumn 2015, the two concert series merged into one season held in Prague and Dresden.

Other appearances have taken place in Prague, Caen, Dijon, Luxembourg and Vienna as well as the Salzburger Festspiele, Berliner Philharmonie, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Wigmore Hall, Versailles, the Lucerner Festival, the Chopin Festival, Oude Muziek Utrecht and Bachfest Leipzig.

Why 1704? In August 1704 the church of St. Nicholas in Prague witnessed the magnificent performance of Jan Dismas Zelenka’s (1679-1745) Jesuit allegory play Via Laureata. Given that little is known about Zelenka's previous life, this event signifies the arrival of one of the most remarkable personalities in 18th century music.

Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704’s recordings on the Accent, Zig-Zag Territories and Supraphon labels have received critical acclaim (including Diapason d'Or, Coup de Coeur by TV Mezzo, nomination for The Gramophone Awards by Gramophone Magazine).

Their most recent project is the world premiere recording of Jan Dismas Zelenka’s Missa Divi Xaverii for Accent www.note1-music.com coupled with Zelenka’s Litaniae de Sancto Xaverio.

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In 1729 Zelenka produced two major compositions for the celebrations held in Dresden’s Catholic court church for the feast of St. Francis Xavier, Missa Divi Xaverii and Litaniae de Sancto Xaverio.

There are some fine string sounds from Collegium 1704 as the Kyrie eleison I of Missa Divi Xaverii, ZWV12 jogs forward with a fine rhythmic pulse pointed up by the timpani and brass adding colour.  Soloists, Hana Blažíková (soprano), Kamila Mazalová (alto), Václav Čížek (tenor) and Stephan MacLeod (bass) weave some fine textures and harmonies interspersed by some very fine choral passages from Collegium Vocale 1704, Václav Luks always keeping the rhythmic pulse and a sense of taut, forward motion.

Collegium 1704 bring some lovely light textured orchestral passages to the opening of Christe eleison with a wonderful control in the longer held phrases as well as some agile decorations. The choir bring great energy to Kyrie eleison II with Hana Blažíková and Kamila Mazalová adding subtle vocal textures, rhythmically pointed up by the ensemble.

The Gloria opens wonderfully with the brass of Collegium 1704 in the fast and rhythmically sprung Gloria in excelsis Deo. The choir weave some very fine vocal layers, bringing lovely textures, perfectly balanced with the ensemble. There is a beautifully shaped Domine Deus I with tenor Václav Čížek bringing a fine strong voice and providing some lovely sounds in the longer held phrases with Luks shaping the orchestral part so well.

The choir and orchestra with timpani bring a strong powerful opening to Domine Deus II. There are some lovely woodwind passages with soprano and alto blending beautifully in a delightful section against which the woodwind are heard, creating a rather pastoral feel.

It is the male voices of Collegium Vocale 1704 that introduce the Qui tollis I with the whole choir adding layers before a slow section leads to Qui tollis II with more fine wind passages and tenor Václav Čížek and bass Stephan MacLeod weaving some lovely textures against an instrumental accompaniment. There is a short, fugal choral Qui sedes with terrific instrumental and timpani accompaniment before an energetic passage for strings introduces Quoniam tu solus Sanctus to which brass, then woodwind join. The four soloists brings some beautifully sung, sensitively controlled passages along with much energetic, fleet orchestral playing, crisply pointed up with timpani. Finally in this section of the mass the choir and orchestra weave a terrific Cum Sancto Spiritu, as fine as anything by Bach, certainly as performed by Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704.

Sanctus - Pleni sunt coeli brings a lovely breadth from Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704 with a subtle, beautifully paced urgency developing.  Beautifully blended woodwind open the Benedictus, exquisitely done before soprano Hana Blažíková brings a superbly nuanced Hosanna with fine rhythmic energy from the choir and orchestra in this strikingly fine section.  

There is a really lovely opening to Agnus Dei I with a flute gently jogging forward over strings before alto Lucile Richardot glides in, adding the most lovely textures, blending perfectly with the instrumental accompaniment, bringing fine flexibility and control in this exquisite section. The choir brings an equally fine texture to the Agnus Dei II before the timpani firm up the music for Dona nobis pacem as Collegium Vocale 1704 and Collegium 1704 lead forward in a faster flowing section with soprano and alto soloists adding some fine moments. Luks finds a subtle strength to conclude this fine Mass setting.

This is an impressive work wonderfully performed by Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704.

Collegium Vocale 1704 and Collegium 1704, with fine brass textures lightening up  the score, move ahead in a finely textured fast moving Kyrie eleison of the Litaniae de Sancto Xaverio ZWV156. Pater de coelis brings a lovely rhythmic poise with solo soprano Hana Blažíková bringing a fine fluidity around which the orchestra keep a light textured flow. Sancte Francisce brings some lovely rasping brass textures with solo tenor Václav Čížek adding his own fine textures, blending and contrasting so well.  

Alto Kamila Mazalová brings a fine sense of urgency to the Vas electionis with lovely mellifluous choral lines from Collegium Vocale 1704 before running straight into an energetic Tuba resonans with more fine brass textures and the four soloists finding a lovely blend of textures, bass Stephan MacLeod weaving some particularly fine deep resonances.  A dramatically intense Auxiliator naufragantium follows with more terrific rasping brass textures and the choir adding a dramatic choral line before finding a quieter, gentle section; a lovely contrast.

There is a vibrant and lively Cujus potestati where alto Lucile Richardot brings some wonderfully flexible fast passages, crisply phrased in this the second of her two solos. Gloria Societatis Jesu has some incisive, energetic choral and instrumental writing before soprano Hana Blažíková brings a very beautifully toned

Pauperrime, with the choir adding beautiful harmonies against a light and subtle rhythmic accompaniment.

Collegium 1704 bring a terrific well sprung instrumental opening to Animarum et Divini before bass Stephan MacLeod adds his rich tones, weaving some lovely lines around which the rhythmically shaped orchestra winds.

A chamber organ leads some fine instrumental accompaniment to a beautifully blended, slow, passionate In quo uno omnium for soprano, alto and tenor before brass point up the Sancte Francisce as tenor Václav Čížek brings his nicely shaped and finely agile contribution. Collegium Vocale 1704 bring some lovely broad long lines to Agnus Dei I with soprano and alto adding some glorious, beautifully controlled lines. There is a finely shaped Agnus Dei II with this choir having a lovely ebb and flow before a lovely gentle concluding Miserere nobis. Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704 end the work with a gentle flow.

Václav Luks and Collegium 1704 and Collegium Vocale 1704’s energetic and well-shaped performances bring absolute delight, particularly with their strong line up of soloists. If anyone still needs convincing of Zelenka’s stature these performances may well be the ones to do it. 

With a first rate recording and a well-illustrated booklet with excellent notes by Janice Stockigt of the University of Melbourne this is an irresistible new release.  

Another impressive disc from Apollo’s Fire bringing energy, colour, atmosphere and, indeed, fire to their new disc for Avie entitled Sephardic Journey: Wanderings Of The Spanish Jews

Avie Records www.avie-records.com  have just released another in a fine series of recordings by the period instrument ensemble Apollo’s Fire http://apollosfire.org entitled Sephardic Journey: Wanderings Of The Spanish Jews bringing together a colourful array of genres from ancient Hebrew prayers to Ladino love songs and wedding songs and Italian baroque music encountered along their way after their expulsion from Spain in 1492 when they were scattered throughout Italy, Turkey and North Africa. The word Sephardic is derived from the Hebrew word for Spain. Ladino or Judeo-Spanish is the spoken and written Hispanic language of Jews of Spanish origin.          

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Apollo’s Fire are directed by Jeannette Sorrell and are joined on this new disc by Apollo’s Singers http://apollosfire.org/about/apollos-singers and soprano and guest co-director Nell Snaidas www.nellsnaidas.com , tenor Karim Sulayman www.pcmsconcerts.org/artist/karim-sulayman-tenor  and baritone Jeffrey Strauss.

The music is grouped into five sections. I.  Jerusalem! opens with the traditional Sephardic Ir me kero, Madre, a Yerushalayim (arr. Jeannette Sorrell) bringing some terrific instrumental sounds from Apollo’s Fire. There are the most lovely inflections and textures and, when baritone Jeffrey Strauss enters, he brings a very fine, commanding voice, weaving the text with dexterity. Soprano Nell Snaidas and tenor Karim Sulayman add further fine textures in music full of feeling and atmosphere.  

           

The traditional Sephardic Kuando el Rey Nimrod (Avram Avinu) (arr. Jeannette Sorrell) brings rhythmic drums to which the other instruments join in a lively dance. Jeffrey Strauss joins in this happier, livelier song as do Nell Snaidas and Karim Sulayman and Apollo’s Singers, bringing  fine energy and sonorities.

           

II. The Temple commences with a traditional Sephardic liturgical chant Avinu Malkeinu (arr. Jeannette Sorrell) with the fine, powerful voice of Jeffrey Strauss over an instrumental accompaniment. There is a fine cello passage from Rene Schiffer as this piece moves mournfully and prayerfully forward, the choir joining to add a fine sonority.

           

Lecha Dodi is another traditional Sephardic liturgical chant (arr. Jeannette Sorrell) that opens with percussion soon joined by the other instruments of Apollo’s Fire in a slowly rhythmic melody. Wind instruments add texture before baritone Jeffrey Strauss joins in this impressively wrought piece, full of wonderful Middle Eastern inflections.

Salamone Rossi (Hebreo) (c. 1570-1630) www.salomonerossifilm.com  was an Italian/Jewish violinist and composer who served at the court of Mantua from 1587 to 1628 as concertmaster. He left around 300 works and published a collection of Jewish liturgical music, The Songs of Solomon in 1623. In his Sonata in dialogo detta la Viena Apollo's Fire weave some absolutely brilliant lines and textures, building through some fine passages before Rossi’s Al Naharot Bavel (By the Rivers of Babylon Psalm 137) from the Songs of Solomon where the choir  bring much fine control and energy along with a simple accompaniment.

The baritone opens lone to weave the text of Salamone Rossi’s Yitgaddal v'yitkaddash (Kaddish) (arr. Jeannette Sorrell) from the Songs of Solomon before a lively instrumental passage to which the choir join, full of fervour shaping the music so well.  

III. Love and Romance opens with Ah, el Novio no kere dinero (Ah, the bridegroom wants no money) a traditional Ladino song (arr. Jeannette Sorrell) with Apollo’s Fire immediately joining in, then Apollo’s Singers in this fast moving traditional theme. The wonderful sound of the shawm brings some terrific moments.

           

The traditional Ladino La Rosa enflorese (The rose blooms) (arr. Jeannette Sorrell) opens with the dulcimer slowly picking out the theme is. This is a very fine piece to which soprano Nell Snaidas joins, then followed by a violin to take this melancholy song ahead, this soprano finding a lovely Jewish inflection, as does the violinist Susanna P. Gilmore. Mezzo-soprano Amanda Powell joins to weave some very fine vocal textures.

           

Another traditional Ladino song is Adio kerida (Farewell, My Beloved) (arr. Jeannette Sorrell) where the strings bring some lovely sounds before tenor Karim Sulayman joins in this expressive piece. The instrumentalists weave fine textures before the music rises in drama and expression. When soprano Nell Snaidas joins she brings some exquisite moments to this very fine performance.

           

La Komida la Manyana is a Sephardic/Turkish) piece where drums open, then wind instruments in this traditional instrumental piece that dances ahead with many fine individual instrumental contributions from  Apollo's Fire.

           

The traditional Ladino A la una yo nací (At One I was Born) (arr. Jeannette Sorrell) brings a fine forward moving rhythmic bounce before tenor Karim Sulayman enters soon joined by baritone Jeffrey Strauss to weave the music forward, joined by the choir. The instrumentalists bring some terrific sounds, full of impact before all the soloists and Apollo’s Singers bring the dynamic end.

           

The 12^th c. Spain Ki eshmera Shabbat (If I Guard the Sabbath) (words by Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra) (arr. Jeannette Sorrell) opens IV. The Sabbath with a melancholy theme from Apollo’s Fire to which baritone Jeffrey Strauss then adds his fine voice. Soon drums appear as the choir lead rhythmically ahead. The baritone continues over an instrumental drone like background before the choir return to lead again the firm rhythmic passage. Jeffrey Strauss becomes increasingly passionate with some terrific vocal inflections as he leads to a dramatic end. This is a terrific piece, impressively performed.

           

Halleluyah ‘Ashre 'Ish is from Salamone Rossi’s the Songs of Solomon and finds Apollo’s Singers and Apollo’s fire sounding out joyfully in this rather Western sounding setting.

Brian Kay improvises Taksim playing the oud, a lute like instrument of Middle Eastern origin, bringing a fine atmosphere full of Eastern inflection.

           

Tzur mishelo akhalnu is a Sacred Hebrew poem for the end of the Sabbath meal (arr. Jeannette Sorrell). Baritone Jeffrey Strauss again returns for this richly sung and very expressive setting, the ensemble weaving some fine instrumental textures with tenor Karim Sulayman and the choir joining with a fine blend of voices

V. Feasting and Celebration opens with two instrumental works by Salamone Rossi, first his Sonata sopra la Bergamasca (Sonatas, Book IV, No.12) where Apollo's Fire bring a lively, vibrant performance with some particularly fleet string playing followed by Sinfonia settimadecima & Galliarda detta la Zambalina (Sinfonie e Galliarde, Book II) which receives a lovely rhythmic lift from Apollo's Fire, beautifully shaped and full of life.

           

The traditional Ladino feasting songs Hazeremos una merenda | Kita'l tas (arr. Nell Snaidas) open with a lovely melody for cello before soprano Nell Snaidas enters bringing the most finely sung inflections. She is soon joined by Karim Sulayman and the Apollo’s Singers, gaining in energy as the instrumentalists join to bring a faster section with some particularly fast articulation from these voices.

           

La Komida la Manyana, a traditional Ladino folk song (arr. Rene Schiffer, Jeannette Sorrell, Nell Snaidas) concludes this disc with drums and percussion opening before Apollo’s Fire take the lovely theme forward. Apollo’s singers join in this fine rhythmic, piece with some terrific percussion playing from Rex Benincasa before the instrumentalists and choir take the music to its tremendous conclusion. 

This is another impressive disc from Apollo’s Fire bringing energy, colour, atmosphere and, indeed, fire. They are vividly recorded at St. Paul’s Church, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA. The CD booklet is very nicely produced booklet with excellent booklet notes by Jeannette Sorrell together with full texts and English translations.

See also: 

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/spectacularly-fine-singing-and.html

A very fine Violin Concerto from Patricia Kopatchinskaja that will surely help this work to gain acceptance and a particularly musical performance of the Piano Concerto in A Minor from Dénes Várjon on Heinz Holliger’s fourth volume of his complete survey of the orchestral works of Schumann for Audite

Oboist, composer and conductor, Heinz Holliger www.schott-music.com/shop/persons/featured/heinz-holliger  continues his survey of the Complete Symphonic Works of Robert Schumann (1810-1856) with Volume IV that brings us the Violin Concerto in D minor together with the Piano Concerto in A minor.

On this new release from Audite Holliger again conducts the WDR-Sinfonieorchester Köln www1.wdr.de/orchester-und-chor/sinfonieorchester with soloists Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin) http://patriciakopatchinskaja.com and Dénes Várjon (piano) http://denesvarjon.com

CD and HD Download
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Schumann’s late Violin Concerto in D minor, published posthumously in 1938 by Joseph Joachim’s great niece against the wishes of many, has often received a pretty bad press, being described as unadventurous and laboured, with occasional moments of poignant beauty. Yet despite the composer’s mental health at the time of composition he seemed to be experimenting with new ideas that have only in recent years become appreciated.

Heinz Holliger brings a brief moment of glowing translucence to the opening of the first movement marked Im kräftigen, nicht zu schnellen Tempo before the music rises up, full of remarkable resilience, weight and fervour with some beguiling quieter moments before the soloist enters. Patricia Kopatchinskaja brings a sense of spontaneous discovery in her exquisitely turned questioning and wonderfully subtle dynamics. She brings some beautifully phrased virtuosic passages with Holliger and the WDR-Sinfonieorchester bringing a fine weight, finding some lovely Schumannesque harmonies and sonorities. Towards the middle of the movement there is a particularly ear catching moment where the soloist and orchestra have a gentle dialogue, moving through passages of quite remarkable harmonies between soloist and orchestra. Holliger finds some most sensitively drawn, hushed passages with some vintage Schumann whilst, along with the soloist, infusing the music with some most unusual moments.

Langsam has a most affecting orchestral opening to which the soloist gently brings a lovely theme. Both soloist and orchestra achieve a wonderful balance as Kopatchinskaja weaves a lovely line, revealing this as one of Schumann’s finest and most unusual creations. She finds so many little inflections with this conductor drawing exquisite playing from the orchestra, leading to a wonderfully hushed passage before rising for the third movement.

Lebhaft, doch nicht schnell is rhythmically buoyant with Kopatchinskaja finding the distinctive rhythmic phrasing needed. There are some very fine incisive orchestral passages with both soloist and orchestra finding a natural underlying flow and structure. There are many fine little rhythmic phrases as this soloist leads the music forward and a lovely gentler passage that leads to the vibrant, beautifully sprung coda.

This concerto shows just how remarkably individual Schumann was at this difficult period in his life. If this concerto is to fully gain acceptance then this may well be the performance to do it. The recording made in the Philharmonie, Koln, Germany is very fine with the soloist set naturally within the orchestra.

Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54, Op. 54 needs no special pleading. Here soloist, Dénes Várjon finds a considered and thoughtful moment after the crisp decisive opening of the Allegro affettuoso from orchestra. With the orchestra he soon develops a faster flow, rising to some very fine passages. Várjon and Holliger shape the music very well, finding a taut rapport that lifts this music. There are moments of refined poetry as well as passages of impressive fluency where the soloist and conductor really push the music ahead purposefully, bringing a directness of approach. Várjon’s phrasing brings a fine pulse to the music with a quite wonderfully done cadenza before a buoyantly sprung coda.

There is a lovely lightness of touch to the Intermezzo. Andantino grazioso with Holliger and the orchestra providing some lovely rubato, letting the music really blossom at times whilst this pianist beautifully dovetails his phrases with the orchestra.

Várjon leaps into a buoyant Allegro vivace bringing a terrific forward propulsion over Holliger’s fine orchestral flow. Both soloist and orchestra find many fine subtleties through some very fine rolling piano passages, all the while subtly developing the music with some particularly fleet and lithe orchestral playing toward the coda.

This is a particularly musical performance lacking in any superficial show for virtuosity’s sake. They receive an excellent recording again from the Philharmonie, Koln and there are excellent booklet notes. 

This is a fine addition to this ongoing Schumann cycle.

The World Premiere of Peter Seabourne’s Piano Concerto No. 2 receives a tumultuous reception at Prague’s Martinů Hall

The World Premiere of British composer Peter Seabourne’s www.peterseabourne.com Piano Concerto No. 2 took place at the Martinů Hall in the Lichtenstein Palace, on 12th March 2016 with Kristina Stepasjuková www.facebook.com/kristina.stepasjukova  and the Academy Orchestra of the Czech Philharmonic www.ceskafilharmonie.cz/en/orchestral-academy-of-the-czech-philharmonic-p374.html  conducted by Ondřej Vrabec www.vrabcovi.cz

The performance was received with tumultuous, sustained applause and has since been partly broadcast by Czech Radio. This terrific concerto was composed in 2004/5 but has had to wait until now for its first performance. Scored for double wind, horns and strings the concerto lasts around thirty minutes and is in two movements of roughly equal length. The first movement marked Fleeting, delicate opens with the most exquisite filigree harmonies for piano and orchestra before moving through faster passages of muscular, virtuosic writing. The Lento Molto is a remarkable movement, building from a slow gentle opening, soon gaining in power to lead to a terrific climax before finding a quiet coda.

This World Premiere performance can be enjoyed via the following link:

https://youtu.be/T0mLc2MNenM 

The score, along with further information, biography and audio can be found at www.peterseabourne.com

Premiere of Peter Seabourne's Piano Concerto No. 2

Peter Seabourne receives the audience's enthusiastic applause

A wonderful collection of Galina Grigorjeva’s choral works expertly performed by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and Theatre of Voices conducted by Paul Hillier with the YXUS Quartet and recorder player Conrad Steinmann on a new release from Ondine

Galina Grigorjeva (b.1962) www.edition-s.dk/composer/galina-grigorjeva www.emic.ee/galina-grigorjeva was born in Crimea, Ukraine and studied at the Simferopol Music School and Odessa Conservatoire. In 1991, she graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatoire under Professor Yuri Falik later undertaking postgraduate studies with Lepo Sumera at the Estonian Academy of Music. She has remained in Estonia where she now works as a freelance composer.

The music of Galina Grigorjeva has been performed in Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Germany, France and the USA. Her works have been performed by Hortus Musicus, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica, the Moscow Patriarchate Choir, the State Choir Latvija, percussion ensemble Kroumata, the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, recorder player Conrad Steinmann and clarinettist Michel Lethiec. Her music has been performed at several festivals including From Avant-Garde to the Present Day (St. Petersburg, 1996), Two Days and Two Nights (Ukraine, 2001 and 2003), December Nights (Moscow, 2002), the Naantali Music Festival (Finland), the Lockenhaus Festival (Austria, 2003) and the Festival Pablo Casals in Prades (France, 2004).

The Estonian Radio has twice chosen Grigorjeva’s work to represent Estonia at the International Rostrum of Composers. She was awarded the Heino Eller Music Prize in 2003 and the Annual Prize of the Endowment for Music of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia in 2004 and 2013. In 2014, Grigorjeva was ascribed the the Order of the White Star Fourth Class. Her first CD In Paradisum was awarded the Estonian Music Prize in the category of Classical album in 2015.

Ondine www.ondine.net  have just released a new recording of works for Chamber Choir and Chamber Ensembles by Galina Grigorjeva featuring the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir www.epcc.ee and Theatre of Voices http://theatreofvoices.com conducted by Paul Hillier http://theatreofvoices.com/paul-hillier , YXUS Quartet www.yxusensemble.ee  and Conrad Steinmann (recorder).

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Svjatki for mixed choir (1997/2014) refers in the Russian folk calendar to the winter holidays from Christmas to Epiphany. First is Slava! (Glory!) that brings a repeated rising motif, a resounding cry of Slava! with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir filling the ample acoustic of Niguliste Church, Tallinn, Estonia wonderfully.

The male and female voices of the choir alternate in the fast moving Svatyy Vecher (Holy Evening) with some finely written part writing expertly handled.  

An alto voice opens Podblyudnaya (Guessing Song) before the female voices of the choir join in a most lovely theme. Soloist and choir alternate as the music slowly flows forward. Later a soprano joins to suddenly rise up before the alto and choir gently lead ahead to a whispered section before the choir find the hushed coda.

Oy Kalyudka! (O, Kalyudka!) opens with the choir providing a kind of fast chant over which voices rise including whooping phrases from the soprano. The music slowly gains in strength, the male voices adding a depth to the chanting line. A bass rises over the choir who find some terrific textures as they rise in power to a climatic coda where the echo of the choir is allowed to decay. Absolutely terrific.

Chto Nastanet Vesna (Spring Is Coming) finds a solo soprano singing over a gentle vocalising choir, creating a quiet magical sound. Grigorjeva subtly adds to the textures produced by the choir with a fine weaving of musical lines in this simple theme that is made to sound quite beautiful before concluding on a high pure soprano note.

A tenor opens the fast moving contrapuntal Khristu Rozdjënnomu (To the Newborn Christ) soon joined by the choir, rising in passion. They bring an insistent, very orthodox style chant before a declamatory coda.

This is an impressive work, all the more so given that it is an early piece.

Salve Regina for vocal quartet and string quartet (2013) was commissioned for the Theatre of Voices and the YXUS Ensemble who are the performers here.

Soprano, Else Torp rises up high in a pure toned theme, taken by the string quartet in this slow, beautiful melody. Tenor Christopher Watson joins before the vocal Quartet blend with the String Quartet in the most lovely sound. The soprano again rises high above the string quartet before male voices weave the music with Grigorjeva showing her fine ear for vocal and instrumental textures and harmonies as the music is shifted around the voices, blending into the string textures. They rise in intense passion in repeated phrases before the strings take the music to a gentler passage to which the alto Iris Oja brings a lovely tone. Bass Jakob Bloch Jespersen brings an equally lovely passage over which strings provide strange high murmurings before a hushed, quite lovely coda.

As you may have gathered by now this is a particularly lovely work, the kind of piece that could become extremely popular.

The male voices of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir return for Diptych for male choir (2011), a work based on a text from the Gospel of St. Luke and a text by Cosmos, Bishop of Jerusalem in the 8^th century. Nyne otpushtshajeshi (Lord, Now Let Your Servant Depart) opens with a lovely descending hushed motif that gently and slowly rises a little as the male voices move ahead with some fine basses underpinning the choir. Grigorjeva’s harmonies and textures are wonderful as she weaves some lovely overlaid lines, always finding the most exquisite harmonies in this mesmerising section, rising toward the coda only to find a gentle conclusion.

Ne Rydai Mene, Mati (Do Not Lament Me, O Mother) brings a high alto voice over a static choir. The choir then take the lovely theme forward adding richer harmonies. The music has a beautifully gentle calm before these singers weave some rather more passionate passages as the music develops, finding rich textures. They rise to a peak only to suddenly regain their earlier poised calm for a gloriously hushed coda.

Lament for recorder (2000) was commissioned by the International David Oistrakh Festival and premiered by the soloist here, Conrad Steinmann. The recorder rises in a slurred upward arch before developing the theme through some very fine passages where the acoustic of the venue adds much to the atmosphere of this solitary piece. The music achieves some quite hauntingly atmospheric moments. Conrad Steinmann brings some terrific fast tongued passages before finding the calm of the opening and leading to a final flourish.  

This is a remarkable work, quite wonderfully engaging with a definite Slavic quality.

Nature Morte for mixed choir (2008) is based on poems by Joseph Brodsky and was commissioned by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir who return to perform it here. It is this choir’s fine basses that open Nature morte with a hushed sound over which chattering voices emerge building to a frenzied climax only to fall away.  There are further surges from the choir as male and female sections take the text, moving through some remarkable, fast passages before falling again to hushed male voices chattering, over which the choir take the text. There are some stunning passages for female voices interspersed by the most lovely quieter moments.

In The Butterfly the female voices bring a gentle mellifluous calm to which male voices join. This is a beautifully paced piece that rises in passion centrally, this choir finding so many subtleties in this quite wonderful setting.

The female voices of the choir open Who Are You?; beautifully overlaid as the textures and harmonies emerge. It is quite brilliantly sung as the male voices add richness before tailing off with a lovely moment for the female voices and a hushed coda.

In paradisum for mixed choir (2012) was commissioned by the international choir festival Tallinn 2013. The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir shape the music wonderfully as they allow it to slowly reveal its textures, rising through some fine passages effused with Orthodox influences. The control that this choir brings is remarkable – right to the hushed coda. 

This is a wonderful collection of this composer’s works that I wouldn’t want to be without. The very fine recording captures the acoustic of Niguliste Church to great effect. There are useful booklet notes with full texts and English translations.