Roon Music Blog: Classical Community Conversations [2021-2024]

Speaking of “modern”-ish instruments…

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Andybob, gave a shout out to this as his Pick of the Week, so I thought I’d share. I’ve been listing and liking track 1

Saxophone Concerto in E flat major. Op. 109
by Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov

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A great quartet, which disbanded in 2021 after 40 years. Their complete Haydn quartets are all worth listening to, along with the Angeles Quartet (also disbanded).

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Thank you @Rugby. Had my eye on that. And then there’s this enjoyable and instructive listen, further underscoring how amazing J.S. Bach’s keyboard counterpoint is

It helps that I also enjoy jazz now and again, but that’s not really required to enjoy this recording.

Another recording I recently enjoyed is Jennifer Higdon’s Duo Duel dedicated to percussionists Matthew Strauss and Svet Stoyanov and Concerto for Orchestra by the Houston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Spano. The percussion piece is a delight and the concerto is one of Ms. Higdon’s (Curtis Institute, 3 time Grammy winner) lighter pieces and is quite easy on the ear.

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Listening this afternoon once again to the surprising Geminiani violin sonatas, I remembered a couple of albums I some time ago posted on another thread. These albums are quite interesting, as they are by the very English violin virtuoso and composer Richard ‘Dick’ Jones (c. 1680–1744), who in the 1720s became well-known as member of the Drury Lane theater orchestra, assuming its concert mastership at a later date.

In 1735, Richard Jones published a set of violin sonatas, and it is quite surprising to find them very italianate in style; if by training or emulation is unknown. I have not been able to find any data on his musical training, but it is known that his pupil Michael Christian Festing would later go on and train with Geminiani… What the works of these composers make very clear, though, is that in the British Isles of the first half of the 18th century, the Italian style of concerti grossi and accompanied violin sonatas was very much en vogue. Indeed so much so, that there doesn’t seem to have been any space to develop a local ‘English’ style of violin music…

There are two very good recorded interpretations of Jones’s Chamber Airs for a Violin and Thorough Bass. In 2011 appeared on Glossa the recording by Kreeta-Marie Kentala from Finland and the American harpsichordist and musicologist Mitzi Meyerson, who seems to have discovered and edited the music. In 2018, The Beggar’s Ensemble from France released their version on Flora Records, and if anything, this interpretation sounds even more exciting…

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Just a follow-up on Jean-Baptiste Barrière… From time to time, some of his sonatas are included in albums by a variety of players, but not often enough. And still less often artists will dedicate an entire album to his music, and here’s a very worthwhile release by a German player of the pardessus de viole, the violin-sized and most high-pitched member of the viol family. Simone Eckert to me has been somewhat of a revelation… she is a very good player, and on this album the warm overtones of the pardessus, more akin to a modern viola than a violin, produce a very enjoyable sonorous experience… Barrière wrote sonatas for this instrument, and the Hamburger Ratsmusik ensemble give very stylish and tasteful continuo accompaniment. If a radio station from southern Bavaria sponsors the album of artists from Hamburg, they must be very good indeed!! :rofl:

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That’s an excellent album.

I have no recommendations at the moment as I’m still working through the suggestions of everybody here. :+1:

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Yes, it is… And there are other releases by Simone Eckert and her Hamburger Ratsmusik which are excellent, too. In 2012, on Pan Classics appeared a re-release of two of her albums which originally were released in 1996/97 on Christophorus. They contain French suites for the Pardessus de viole, and they are quite impressive. Just listen to those suites by Louis Heudelinne, published in 1701… he seems to have been contemporary to Marais, but didn’t live and work in Paris and was at his own time virtually unknown… much more so now… But… his pieces speak for themselves, and the playing by Eckert is convincing, lively and with pure tone…

I have been to a mini concert (years ago) of these performers and received a CD (I was sponsor related…).
Beside this CD (unidentified in Roon) never found anything like this, but I do like it…
Since the real specialists are residing here: any thoughts on “piano luthéal?”

since it is unidentified, this is the tracklist:

We discussed this on the “what are you listening to now” thread a few years ago. It complements the Barriere well. Also has a rather long album title…

Has Marin Marais. Leclair, Rebel and Barriere plus many other french composers. The much missed Sophie Watillon is featured.

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Le Tombeau de Sophie…

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I’ve been listening to Henri Dutilleux’s works and noticed that I couldn’t access Harmonia Mundi France recordings on Qobuz. When I search by label, Harmonia Mundi France, within Qobuz “There were no results that matched your search” obtains.

The Harmonia Mundi France brand was used from mid 1970s until ~ 2007, at which point the label switched back to Harmonia Mundi. At Discogs, the recommendation is to use the label based on the logos appearing on the release when searching.

The specific album I am looking for is

Can any of you find this in Qobuz, particularly those of you in Great Britain/EU?

Thank you

I’ve been listening to Vanhal again. He fits in well to the recent discussions about composers who deserve more recognition. There are three good symphony albums on Naxos. The selection below is a good addition.

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Beautifully played and recorded wind chamber music from the composer’s last year.

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I can’t find that on Qobuz in the UK.

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Don’t see in US either.

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Not found on Qobuz in Australia.

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For the regulars on this forum and thread it should be quite clear that I am by no means what could be called a ‘Mahlerite’… but I am in love with small-ensemble music, both original and scaled-down arrangements of works originally scored for big symphonic orchestras. I enjoy the utter transparency of the sound, the clear textures, in some contexts the immediacy of the counterpoint in different voices…

So this is what brought me to these albums, released by two excellent chamber ensembles… the Berlin-based Ensemble Mini and the Amsterdam Camerata RCO (soloists from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra).

Both interpretations of the Mahler 9 are based on the same arrangement by the German pianist and conductor Klaus Simon. Both were released in 2014, and both are great… both from a pure musical standpoint and as a gripping listen…

The arrangement of the Mahler 10 was done by the Maltese musicologist Dr Michelle Castelletti… I am right now listening to this album from 2021 and find it delightful. None of these albums are for casual listening, though… this music requires concentration and dedication… but it pays off!

Here some interesting reviewing remarks about these arrangements and interpretations:

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Thank you, @CoralRad and @eclectic for checking. A note from Qobuz helpfully states

Hello,

Thank you for your message.

In some cases, certain discographies are distributed by providers with whom Qobuz has not yet entered into an agreement, while in other cases some albums or artists have changed distributors and therefore these products may not be available in the catalogue for the moment.

If you want to submit your demand to add missing artists, albums or tracks we encourage you to fill this survey that will reach directly our catalogue department team: Why don't you have this?

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions.

Kind regards,

Charles

I requested it, but am also looking for it to purchase. Still overall delighted with access to wonderful music on Qobuz. This recording is also not available on AppleMusic. One of the lost recordings?

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Several months ago I submitted quite a few of missing titles on this Qobuz form; regrettably, I didn’t have any luck with feedback from the ‘catalogue team’…

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I’ve not been able to find this on any streaming service but I could be searching incorrectly.

I guess I need to spend the money on a used CD.

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