'Brundibar': chamber works by Krasa, Ullmann, Klein and Haas - REVIEW

'Brundibar': chamber works by Krasa, Ullmann, Klein and Haas
The Nash Ensemble
Hyperion CDA67973
Characteristic works from four composers killed by the Nazis reveal four very different musical personalities. Haas' vivid, Bohemian-sounding 2nd quartet contrasts with the more Viennese soundworld of Ullmann's 3rd. David Matthews has assembled an attractive instrumental suite from Krasa's children's opera 'Brundibar', a much lighter confection than Klein's deeply felt string trio. Excellent performances and recording.
****

Schubert: 'Erlkonig' - REVIEW

Schubert: 'Erlkonig' - Lieder vol.7
Matthias Goerne, Andreas Haefliger
Harmonia Mundi HMC902141
Goerne's series, using hand-picked pianists and achieving impressive focus and freshness grows apace. Heard hear in superb voice, he has assembled a sequence that is at once a satisfying, lyrical programme and a rewarding one-disc collection of Schubert's best-known songs. Those who have been following the series will not need prompting; this latest installment is warmly recommended to those who haven't.
*****

Britten: Complete works for cello - REVIEW

Britten: Complete works for cello
Alban Gerhardt (cello); Steven Osborne (piano); BBC Scottish SO, Andrew Manze
Hyperion CDA67941/2 (2CD)
Gerhardt's fresh sound and wide-eyed approach pays great dividends in repertoire once thought solely Rostropovich territory. He finds unprecedented light and shade in the three solo Suites, and his partnership with Osborne in the Sonata is revelatory. If perhaps the Cello Symphony here feels a little lightweight, a commensurate clarity and transparency is very welcome. Excellent sound.
*****

Dohnanyi: Complete solo piano music volume 2 - REVIEW

Dohnanyi: Complete solo piano music volume 2
Martin Roscoe (piano)
Hyperion CDA67932
Another generous, well-recorded installment in what is shaping up to be a hugely important series celebrating one of the great composer-pianists. Roscoe does Dohnanyi proud, and finds in the early Four Piano Pieces Op.2 and especially in the Variations & Fugue on a theme of EG great wit and variety of mood, tossed off with effortless virtuosity. Warmly recommended.
*****

Mozart, Copland & Kats-Cherinin: Clarinet Concertos - REVIEW

Mozart, Copland & Kats-Cherinin: concertos for clarinet and orchestra
Michael Collins (clarinet, basset-clarinet & director); Swedish Chamber Orchestra
Chandos CHAN10756
Mozart's late masterpiece really does deserve to be heard on the basset-clarinet, especially when the performance is as winning as here. Even more impressive is the performance of the Copland concerto, which balances beauty and vitality to perfection. The third item, Elena Kats-Cherinin's 'Ornamental Air' was written for Collins as a basset showpiece, and is entertaining if not on the same level as its companion pieces.
****

Weber: Sonatas, Op.10, etc - REVIEW

Weber: Sonatas, Op.10 for pianoforte & violin; Quartet, Op.8 for violin, viola, cello and fortepiano
Isabelle Faust, Alexander Melnikov, Boris Faust, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt
Harmonia Mundi HMC902108
Weber's chamber music has never had the exposure of his orchestral and operatic masterpieces; more's the pity, as Faust and Melnikov throw themselves into these remarkable works. Compact and breathtakingly inventive, the sonatas were written for amateur performance, and must be as satisfying to play as they are rewarding to hear. The current disc is valuable for rescuing them from obscurity, and makes a strong case for them as repertoire staples in the future. The quartet is similarly inspired, and performances and recording do the project proud.
*****

Satie & compagnie: piano music by Satie, Poulenc, Ravel, Hahn, etc - REVIEW

Satie & compagnie: piano music by Satie, Poulenc, Ravel, Hahn, etc
Anne Queffelec (piano)
In as delightful a recital as this reviewer hopes to hear this year, Queffelec has crafted an inspired 80-minute sequence anchored around some of Satie's best-known works - Gnossiennes, Gymnopedies, etc - and rarities by Severac, Hahn and Koechlin rub shoulders with Poulenc's Pastourelle and Debussy's Clair de lune. Just wonderful!
*****