Debussy - String Quartet [Quatuor Ysaye]

This is the first time any Debussy has appeared in my Blog! [over 240 days], Debussy hasn't featured in my Journal highlights for a year, the last time was 28th August 2009 [written in my Journal], this seems crazy.

The Quatuor Ysaye was formed in 1984, by four French students from the Paris Conservatoire, though now the lineup has changed since this recording, which was made in 1990 in London.

Of these two String Quartets, the Ravel is the one that i have really fallen in love with, the Debussy is harder to appreciate, and it's only slowly that i've come to understand it after repeated hearings.

The booklet cover pic is nice [by Gerard Rondeau], a drawing room setting, lovely browns, all dressed in suits.

I so much enjoyed the second movement this time, it's a Scherzo, short and sweet, under 4 minutes, lots of pizzicato and fun things, it starts off with loud pizzicato 'strumming' [0:00+], punctuated by viola bowing, and then soft pizzicato [0:05+], this is a lovely effect, loud then soft makes a memorable impression, then the first violin has some very high pizzicato that is loud [0:09-0:39], again very effective and memorable, what a way to start a movement!, now the first violin bows high in its register [0:40-0:50+] while the rest of the strings pizzicato, a new sweet lyrical moment comes from the first violin [0:58-1:33], while the cello has some deep pizzicato rumblings, again the first violin sings high and sweet [2:15+], with soft pizzicato in the background, then comes these waves of bowing from high violin to low cello [2:32-2:40], an episode of all strings playing pizzicato follows [2:41-3:02], right at the end there's these hesitating waves of bowing and plucking [3:23-3:44], a very virtuoso and exciting Scherzo indeed.

Here's Brooklyn Rider playing the second movement on YouTube.

Bruckner - Symphony 6 [Muti-Berliner Philharmoniker]

This compact disc cost me £25 on an auction on Ebay!, yes those were the days when i had some decent money, and if i wanted something badly enough, i would throw a big bid at it, i was determined to win things, now i think my biggest bid would be £10, i'm more patient in waiting for a cheaper copy to appear rather than throwing money at things, i like the booklet front cover, lovely purple colour, with a flowing red 'Anton' for good effect, even the EMI angel logo looks great.

Bruckner's Symphony 6, in my mind seems to be Bruckner's 'forgotten' mature Symphony, certainly the one i know the least, so it's good to make amends with this today, surprisingly i found out it's actually Bruckner's own favourite Symphony!, hmmm.

Riccardo Muti is Italian, born in 1941 [now 69 years old], this disc was recorded in 1988.

On this listen, the third movement Scherzo caught my ear, for Bruckner it's a really short movement, about 8 minutes long, otherwise typical of Bruckner's scherzos, i believe Muti plays it extra fast, it feel it would have worked better being slower, it starts off with the cellos tapping the strings to create a beat [0:00+], it shows this on the video below, a nice effect, and the strings and woodwind have this nice little sweeping tune [0:03+], it's lyrical at first, but alternates with angry episodes on the brass, this 'cello beat' comes back again and again [1:03+ & 1:47+], there's a nice forte section [2:18+] that gets extra forte [2:24+], a nice powerful effect with the brass, then comes a refreshing middle trio section, something slightly different from Bruckner, it starts with hesitating pizzicato strings [2:39-2:51], with the horns adding a soft fanfare at the end, this is repeated a couple of times to great effect [3:07-3:19 & 4:20-4:33], then the last third of the movement is an exact repeat of the first third [5:09+], ending on those angry extra forte brass fanfares, a nice creative scherzo from Bruckner.

Here's Kubelik conducting the third movement on YouTube.

Barber - Violin Concerto [Oliveira/ Slatkin-Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra]

This is the first time that Barber's Violin Concerto appears in my Blog, it is a work that i haven't known long, but already i feel that it's a lovely work that is becoming endearing, nice tunes in the first two movements, it's very romantic and lush.

Elmar Oliveira is an American Violinist, he was born in 1950, and is now 60 years old, he recorded this Concerto in 1986 at 36 years.

Of course i love the opening of the first movement, such a lyrically compelling idea, lovely and memorable, but on this listen i was even more moved by the middle slow movement, its gentle opening is so sweet and full of almost regret, and like Brahms's Violin Concerto, the oboe steals the show in the slow movement, and i wonder if Barber was influenced by it?, the oboe has the most gorgeous tune to play [0:14-1:30], it's full of pathos and that indescribable tug on the heart, it's so gentle and unassuming, if only... maybe Barber had written an Oboe Concerto instead!, after the oboe a clarinet [1:50+], and then what i believe is the flute [2:03], also have a little go with the tune, the violin finally arrives a third of the way into the movement [3:02+], but not with the beautiful opening tune as expected, then finally after halfway through the movement, the violin gets to play the main tune [5:17+], lovely and sweet, and later the orchestra bursts on the scene, with the strings in full flow with the tune [6:43-6:58], for only 15 seconds!, it's a beautiful Concerto that i'm really getting to know.

Here's Anne Akiko Meyers playing the second movement on YouTube.

Rossini - 8 Overtures [Halasz-Zagreb Festival Orchestra]

Another Naxos disc, and i mentioned about the awful cover artwork that this company does a couple of days ago [27th August 2010], well this isn't much better, and yet i've grown to love this disc, even though it's on a cheap label, with an unknown Orchestra and Conductor, i find these riveting and precise performances, better than full priced discs with famous Orchestras / Conductors, this is the best set of Rossini Overtures i own.

All of these Overtures were tremendous and thrilling, but on this listen, non more so than The Barber Of Seville, i seriously feel that Rossini's Overtures are better that the Operas they're attached too!, Rossini is the master of marrying tunes and rhythms, the gear changes in his Overtures are always exciting,

Here's Carlos Riazuelo conducting the Barber Of Seville Overture on YouTube.

Beethoven - String Quartet 6 [The Miro Quartet]

Last month i reviewed String Quartet 5 from this group [27th July 2010], probably my favourite from the early Quartets, but this is hot on its heels, The Miro Quartet are,

Daniel Ching - 1st Violin

Sandy Yamamoto - 2nd Violin

John Largess - Viola

Joshua Gindele - Cello

The opening movement of this String Quartet has real verve and spirit about it, marked Allegro Con Brio, and in B Flat Major, straight into the melee from the outset, the tune sung sweetly from the first violin, is thrown around vigorously, while being echoed by the cello, and the viola playing some fast bowing rhythms to keep time [0:00-0:39], this is the very essence of the movement, and it's a great little tune, this opening is repeated a little later [1:26-2:05], and towards the end of the movement, the very opening comes back again [4:10+], but this time the music changes into a variation of the opening after about sixteen seconds, but it's this forte chord that the Miro Quartet start on again that is tremendously exciting [at 4:10], of course it's the same as the opening, but somehow this time it has an air of expectancy, a lovely short and sweet movement.

Here's the Endellion String Quartet playing the first movement on YouTube.

Haydn - String Quartet 77 [Kodaly Quartet]

This is the Third String Quartet of Haydn's Op 76 set of six, last month i reviewed the Second [28th July 2010], this Quartet includes the famous piece, which is the German National Anthem.

Again a mention must be made of the awful booklet cover, someone at Naxos should win an award for this!, i only hope that in the future the Op76 set of these String Quartets get re-released into a two disc set, with a really nice cover.

Of course i love the second movement, an ingenious set of variations, which is based upon the German National Anthem, but on this listen, i really liked the first movement, it's bright and breezy, it has that Haydnesque quality about all of his first movements, full of invention and excitement, Haydn uses the sure fire technique of repetition to great effect, everything is swung around again and again, like some wonderful merry-go-round that dazzles you, it opens with a lovely theme [0:00-1:02], well thrown around by all the string players, which returns more glorious a couple of times more [1:55+ & 5:07], right afterwards comes a more virtuoso and exhilarating 'ending' to this theme [1:02+], and this also returns in ever dizzying repetitions later [1:32+, 2:56+, 3:26+ & 5:54+], it sounds like one big Rondo, the repeats are heavenly.

Here's the Duchow String Quartet playing the first movement on YouTube.

Schubert - Piano Trio 2 [Trio Wanderer]

A nice set of the Schubert Piano Trios, which include the two shorter pieces that Schubert wrote for Piano Trio as well [the Notturno D897 is especially beautiful], both trios are composed in a major key, and all of the movements are happy ones, except both slow movements, here there's a degree of melancholy, my preference seems to be towards the Second Trio, the melodies are just that bit more inventive, the piano has some nice things to do.

The Trio Wanderer are French, they formed as three students in 1987, and they are,

Vincent Coq - Piano

Jean-Marc Philips-Varajabedian - Violin

Raphael Pidoux - Cello

I so much enjoyed the second movement of this Trio, in some ways it's like a set of very loose variations, it starts off with a rather robotic piano toll [0:00-1:56], with the cello taking up the tune, a little later it's transformed in a wonderful way with a more lyrical violin and rippling piano [1:56-3:03], a nice transition, about halfway through the movement, there's an agitation, starting in the piano [4:43+], it spills over into the strings [5:09+], as they become more intense and louder, the piano too becomes forte in the treble [5:21+], after this comes probably the most satisfying section of the piece, there's a lovely rippling piano [5:46-6:58] as the cello sings sweetly and the violin pizzicatos at first, it has a wonderful flow to it, right at the end the piano trickles out the tune with the strings pizzicato [8:35+], a nice coda, especially when the strings bow [8:58+], another beautiful creation from Schubert.

And here's the Trio Wanderer playing this movement on YouTube.

Saint Saens - Violin Concerto 3 [Yun/

Lopez Cobos-London Philharmonic Orchestra]

What a lovely disc this is, two really wonderful Violin Concertos side by side, both have a bravura and a lyricism to melt your heart, the booklet shows Chee-Yun on the beach in a ball gown!, with her violin and bow in hand [photo by Nancy Ellison], i love this shot, the lopsided horizon actually adds to the picture, there's a wonderful breezy flow to her posture.

Kim Chee-Yun is from South Korea, she is now 40, wow these Orientals don't seem to grow old!, i believe she has mainly recorded for Denon, she's made some nice discs, but i think this is the very best disc she's ever recorded.

Again the middle movement is a gem, it has the sweetest melody, it's soothing and heartbreaking at the same time, the violin introduces the main tune twice [0:10-0:45], it's a ravishing tune, and when the tune comes in for a repeat later, it's the oboe that takes the honours [1:27+], but the violin soon takes over, later the strings get in on the act of singing the main tune [4:30+], the ending is ingenious, the violin sings the tune slowly, but high in its tessitura [6:30+], the oboe comes back in to complement it [6:49+], and then a moment of magic, the violin plays double arpeggio scales [7:07-8:06], this is absolutely gorgeous, the oboe still comes in to sing the main tune in a sad refrain [7:19+ & 7:37], this coda is one of the very best things Saint-Saens ever did, it's the icing on the cake of this movement.

Here's Kyung Wha Chung playing the second movement on YouTube.

Schumann - Piano Quintet [Larrocha/ Tokyo String Quartet]

Here's the Spanish Pianist Alicia De Larrocha playing Schumann's Piano Quintet, i've never found Schumann's Chamber music very strong, but the Piano Quintet actually makes an impression on me, it's not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a well pleasing work that i enjoyed listening to today.

The booklet cover is interesting, which must be some tropical tree fronds, the overlaying red works with the greens and the yellows, this is one of the better discs in this series.

I enjoyed playing the first movement today,

Here's Alicia De Larrocha/Tokyo String Quartet playing the first movement on YouTube.

Brahms - Piano Quintet [Schiff/Takacs Quartet]

I love this double disc set, all the Brahms String Quartets o together, and a bonus of having the Piano Quintet also, here Andras Schiff joins the Takacs Quartet, i think because they're on the same Label, and of course they're all Hungarian, the booklet is wonderful [photo by David Gamble], like i've said before, light brown and blue make a great combination, the booklet of course was 'pinched' from the original release of the first two String Quartets, a much more powerful artistic statement than the booklet that accompanies these discs.

I spoke about this set last month [14th July 2010], the wonderful String Quartet 1, now it's the turn of the Piano Quintet, also in a minor key [F Minor], it shows in the first movement, full of an angry undercurrent,

Here's the first movement being played on YouTube.

Dvorak - String Quartet 12 [Guarneri Quartet]

Here's Dvorak's most popular String Quartet again, his 'American', composed right after the famous Ninth Symphony, and like that work, this has those familiar tunes that come from this period, you could say that this work is the String Quartet version of the Ninth Symphony, they're cousins in a lot of ways.

They decided to disband last year

Lalo - Cello Concerto [Harrell/Chailly-RSO Berlin]

Well first off the booklet photo, isn't this a lovely shot? [by P Ingrand], a field full of poppies with a villa in the background, one of the very best photos in the Decca Eclipse series.

This is a nice selection of Cello Concertos once you get away from the ever popular Dvorak & Elgar, the recordings come from 1981 and 1984, and i spoke about the Schumann Concerto on this disc by Lynn Harrell last month [6th July 2010].

Listening to this Concerto again, i realise how very good the first movement really is, it starts off with the angry orchestra, especially notice the forte outbursts, that keep coming back again and again, even when the Cello makes an appearance [0:32+], the outbursts continue, in fact it's a feature of the whole movement, we get five outbursts in a row early on [1:13-1:18], but then not far into the movement, we get a gentle and sweet respite by the Cello [3:12+], even though the angry music returns, so does these lyrical Cello episodes [7:25+ & 9:20+], right at the end the orchestra has the final say in a defiant display of forte music to bring things to a close, nice and exciting this.

Here's Xavier Phillips playing the first movement on YouTube.

Bach - Goldberg Variations [Perahia]

Murray Perahia is an American, born in 1947 [now 63 years old], he lives in London, the front cover booklet shot is lovely [photo by Ken Schles, must have been the same session as his Schubert disc photo's], nice shadows, lovely light coming in through the windows.

On this listen i'm amazed at the sheer variety that Bach throws at us, there's dazzling virtuosity side by side with the slower but more lyrical side of things, i was greatly impressed with variations 5, 8, 14, 20 & 29-30, and i suppose the two middle variations of these six [14 & 20] were especially enlightening, both of these variations require cross-hands, and it's great to watch a Pianist scale these difficulties on YouTube below.

Variation 14 starts with a bass 'buzz' [0:00 & repeated at 0:30], i love this!, what a great idea, and Perahia makes the most of this, and an exciting treble trill [0:00-0:02], there's some gorgeous trills that go down the keyboard in succession [0:15-0:23], repeated again and again [0:46+, 1:17+ & 1:48+], the variation is repeated twice, and then in the second half it's repeated twice again, but slightly differently, it's a tremendous fast and complex variation that Glenn Gould called 'giddy', i love the way that Perahia plays this.

Variation 20, i can only say wow! after hearing Perahia play this, he must have a third hand!, it's very much in the same vein as Variation 14, this one is a fast staccato [0:00-0:13], again ornamented with trills up and down the keyboard [0:13+ & 0:40+], in the second half there's what i will call 'controlled garble' [1:08+ & 1:35+], a truly outstanding mess of notes that congeal into order, it is breathtaking.

Here's Variation 14 and Variation 20 on YouTube.

Grieg - Piano Concerto [Jablonski/Maag-The Philharmonia Orchestra]

Another Grieg Piano Concerto, the sixth of the year, only earlier this month i reviewed the Bakkelund disc [2nd August 2010], all these different versions gives me a different perspective on this work, and since i've listened to it a lot, i've gained quite a few insights along the way, it's a wonderful love affair to have.

Peter Jablonski is Swedish [i thought he was Polish], he has quite a nice discography, some very varied and interesting discs, it's good to get to know him, plus the booklet cover is refreshing, in nice greens [photo by Nick White], he made this recording in 1993.

Again it's the slow movement that gets me, gentle and soothing, the orchestra play a 2 minute introduction before the piano enters [2:22], and it's heavenly, slow rippling notes of the utmost poignancy, it's a dreamy world, and this left me in dreamland!, it's only 7 minutes long, but there's a 'surprise of a reprise' in the third movement.

Here's Jablonski playing the cadenza in the first movement on YouTube.

Beethoven - Piano Sonata 14 [Barenboim]

Here's a nice 'famous' selection of Piano Sonatas from Barenboim's first survey, of the complete 32 Sonatas by Beethoven for EMI, these were recorded in 1967, wow 43 years ago, but still sound wonderfully recorded, even though i admit the piano sound is a bit dull, it really could do with some more treble to balance it out, it's good to have Barenboim's first thoughts on these wonderful works.

Barenboim is Argentinian, born in 1942, he is now 67, and i believe he lives in Germany, the booklet photo is actually quite good, showing a silhouetted piano in a darkened room, but Barenboim is nicely lit.

The justly famous opening movement is mesmerising, but on this listen i was wowed by the last movement, marked 'Presto Agitato', and it certainly is, there's tension and drama all over the place, the rolling notes up the piano, topped off with an outburst [0:00-0:11], there's the agitation in the left hand bass [0:30-0:50], like a low growling dog, if Beethoven can't grab your attention by playing at normal volume, then he repeats by shouting!, in the end he drums the message into you, from here it's an ongoing rush that just never stops, trills and runs and chord bursts, it's one after another, presto movements are usually short and sweet [or sour however you look at them], but this movement lasts nearly eight minutes, it must be tiring on the Pianist, it's a tour de force, one of Beethoven's more inspired outbursts, but it's hard not to get carried away with the exuberance of it all, again, Beethoven is a genius!.

Here's Barenboim playing the last movement of the moonlight on YouTube.

Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto [Nikkanen/ Simonov-The London Philharmonic]

Kurt Nikkanen is new to me, i bought this disc a few months ago, he's an American, he made this recording 20 years ago in 1990, he's now 44.

Collins Classics was a record label that ran from 1989-1998, it's a shame that it closed down, it was very innovative, and some wonderful discs were produced, and here's one of them, a nice pic of Nikkanen on the front cover [by Hanya Chlala].

I so much enjoyed this first movement, it starts off so unassuming and innocent at first, as if it sounds like it's not going to be a serious work, even the first notes of the violin playing solo [0:52] are nothing barnstorming, there's nothing to signify that this is going to be a great work, the main tune is presented by the violin [1:18], a nice enough tune, but again presented without any pomp or importance, there's a certain Slavic whine about the violin tone here, a little later there's a nice change by the violin, it sings a new enduring / pleading tune [3:26], full of pathos, which builds up to a lyrical intensity [4:50], the orchestra gets its big chance to show off its muscle [6:37-7:14], in a sort of military Tchaikovsky fashion, his way with nationalistic music is superb, nice solo violin work too, with the violin embellishing every few notes with extra bowing [8:07-9:13], the solo cadenza starts slap bang in the middle of this movement [10:09-13:09], a strange place to put it, it's not entirely a great cadenza either, and it's quite long too [3 minutes], maybe a shorter one towards the end would have worked better, the rest of the movement is very much the same as the first half, but right near the end there's a frantic-ness that's created, with some high pitched treble screams from the violin [17:50-17:59], and the orchestra also develop this frantic-ness [18:41], which continues right to the end of the piece in a blaze of busyness.

Here's Mayuko Kamio playing the first movement on YouTube.

Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto 2 [Grimaud/ Ashkenazy-Philharmonia Orchestra]

I can't believe that this is the first Rachmaninov disc of the year appearing in my Blog!, surely he's more popular than that, however i have to admit that it's true, and yet Rachmaninov should be a major Composer in my disc library.

Helene Grimaud is French [i always thought she was French Canadian!], she's now 40, an enigmatic Artist, her recordings of late have almost become like planned live recitals, a strange brew of the familiar and the obscure, also she's one of these Artists that has the freedom to call the shots to the Record Company [DG], she's certainly an exciting recording artist.

The evergreen Piano Concerto 2 by Sergei Rachmaninov, lush romanticism, the central movement is almost film music [and has been used in films too], pop songs have been made out of it, very popular indeed, and rightly so, the tunes in this Concerto are gorgeous and memorable, after a short orchestral introduction, the piano comes in solo [0:26], which is also an introduction of sorts, and the flute joins in in a duet [0:49], and then the clarinet comes in singing the famous main melody [1:08], the piano seems to be very content with playing backing arpeggios, as the woodwind steals the limelight in a gorgeous lyrical version of the tune [1:48-2:07], so suited to the instrument, how would have things been if Rachmaninov had made it a Clarinet Concerto instead?, i like the way other lower woodwinds bubble away in the background, especially when the piano comes in to take over the main tune, and then comes a more tragic or sour section, where the piano raises the stakes in a veering away into more troublesome waters [4:00], it's a breathtaking moment, Rachmaninov could so easily have dwelled on the opening sweet tune, instead he breaks the spell only to weave an even stronger one, i just love this section, and it starts to build up into an agitated intensity [4:57-5:15], there's a loneliness here, the woodwinds become the pianos partners in crime, on this recording the piano tone is superb, as if it was especially tuned just for the wonderful burnished colourings needed for this Concerto, Grimaud creates a zing of excitement with trills high in the treble [7:38-7:50], that sing and ring out reverberantly, she just doesn't want them to die, a lovely moment, and then a wonderful reprise, the piano goes solo as at the opening of the Concerto [8:35], but it's the high violins that now sing out that sweet famous melody [9:00], a truly staggering moment, as the piano is still reduced to arpeggios, and it's a little later that the strings exalt us into a new musical intensity [9:56], a dreamy piece that has rightly been used everywhere from films, advertisements, to pop music etc, just a perfect Concerto full of character and feeling.

Here's Boris Berezovsky playing the second movement on Youtube.

Bach - Double Violin & Oboe Concerto [Mackintosh & Hammer/ Hogwood-The Academy Of Ancient Music]

As well as the 6 Brandenburg Concertos, this double disc set also has room for three other works, and one of these is the delightful Double Concerto for Violin & Oboe [BWV 1060].

I like this lithe performance on 'authentic instruments', there's not enough Double Concertos in the world, so this is very welcome, and Bach and Vivaldi regularly composed these types of concertos.

I certainly enjoyed all the movements of this concerto, but most of all the final movement was especially thrilling, it's played quite fast here, but maybe this is a normal speed,

Here's Nigel Kennedy & Aisling Casey playing the third movement of this Concerto on YouTube, even Nige gets a rose at the end!.

Albeniz - Suite Espanola [Larrocha]

The first anniversary of Alicia De Larrocha's death comes up later this month, she recorded these works in 1986, and maybe these two discs are her greatest legacy.

The suite Espanola seems to have been kidnapped by Guitarists, just about every Guitarist has learnt one of these pieces [usually Asturias], , i know these pieces better in the Guitar garb than in the original myself, and of course they are very strumming/picking type of works, maybe Albeniz was trying to mimic the sound of the Guitar.

The Suite of eight pieces is very varied, on this listen i was very impressed with 1 & 3-5, with the fifth piece 'Asturias' being the gem of the whole set, and probably the most complex and difficult to play, it has flamenco rhythms, and at times it can seem that the left and right hands play against each other, the first section [0:00-1:33] starts off with the rippling piano [0:00+], which some treble is added to [0:22+], and then these 'outbursts' [0:33+], where both hands lunge at a chord, the left hand towards the bass, and the right hand towards the treble, creating wide leaps for the hands, this must be difficult to accurately play, especially at the speed indicated by Albeniz, here's a visual on YouTube played by Katherina Helmut, with a volume increase needed as well, this very section returns towards the end of the piece [3:43-5:12], a very exciting piece, with a middle 'moorish drone' to it all, it's certainly great in its guitar incarnation as well.

Here's Alicia De Larrocha playing 'Asturias' on YouTube.

Elgar - Cello Concerto [Fournier/Wallenstein-Berliner Philharmoniker]

This is a very nice disc, probably the two most popular Cello Concertos coupled together, i wrote about the Dvorak Concerto last month [15th July 2010], a nice re-issue on the DG Galleria label, with some pleasing art on the front cover.

The Elgar Cello Concerto was written just after the First World War, and it was a very different Elgar portrayed here than in his jolly works, an overriding sadness permeates the whole work, it's in the dark key of E Minor, what a lamentation to the fallen it is.

This is the first time this year that i've written about Elgar's Cello Concerto, it is a work i love, and yet not a work that has truly become 'great' to

me, the opening is quite unique/revolutionary, the very dark cello in it's bottom registers [0:00-1:00], with only slight orchestral accompaniment, it's dark and delicious!, later the strings sing a less sad theme [1:38+], the cello joins in, and sings a stronger forte version of the theme [1:57-2:17], which ends in the cello going up in the forte treble, and the orchestra blasting out a forte version of the main theme [2:17-2:36], this whole section returns in a shorter truncated way later [5:56-6:25], right at the very end the cello has some dark pizzicato notes, and some higher ones too [6:57-7:15], this leads into the second movement, where the pizzicato continues, i like the 'new' Elgar here, a very serious Cello Concerto, i'm warming to it more and more.

Here's Pierre Fournier playing the opening movement on YouTube, with Alfred Wallenstein conducting.

Beethoven - Symphony 5 [Sawallisch-Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra]

This is a logical coupling, of Beethoven's two most popular Symphonies, plus they're like opposites, one soft and gentle, the other hard and ferocious, this EMI cycle is very good indeed, each disc has two Symphonies [except the ninth], with a picture of Sawallisch in a different pose on the front [photo by Paul Huf], writing in black in a gold box, and a different colour scheme, for this one it's purple, very nice indeed.

Wolfgang Sawallisch was born in Germany in 1923, and will be 87 later this month, he made this Beethoven Symphony cycle in the early nineties.

The opening movement of the Fifth Symphony is so revolutionary, with Sawallisch this very opening is somewhat blunted, i think it has somewhat to do with the recording, it's muddy in the bass, not enough treble to open out the recording, this opening should 'shock your socks off ', it's powerful, not a whimper, but it could do with more oompff, the performance does get better though, it's amazing the structure of the whole thing, everything permeates this opening motif, dot dot dot dash, everyone in the whole orchestra gets to individually whistle this catchy tune, and it returns again and again in power from everyone, special mention should be made of the timpani, some very nice hits create a great power, plus even the timpani hits out the dot dot dot dash, it's so much the perfect creation, even to the point it's greater than a creation, it's as if it was always there, fossilised in the rock of time, waiting for Beethoven to come along and 'discover' / free it!.

Here's the first movement being conducted by Myung-Whun Chung on YouTube.

Beethoven - Violin Sonata 9 [Zukerman/ Barenboim]

You know, i'm really warming to Zukerman, i don't know why, at the beginning of this month i spoke about his Bruch Violin Concerto 1 [1st August 2010], he's good, and i'm listening to him more, these Sonatas were recorded in the early seventies, and unlike other couplings of Violin Sonatas 5 & 9, they find room for Sonata 8 too.

I like the booklet, these EMI studio plus releases are very good indeed, some of the pictures are a tad out of focus, but this one is sharp enough, and EMI seem to have some great colours for the lettering block, red and blue for this one, with a good pic of Zukerman too, a close up of his head with nice shadows to show depth [photo by Reg Wilson].

The middle movement variations always seem to tug at my heart, here's the timings,

Theme - 0:00

Variation 1 - 2:36

Variation 2 - 4:45

Variation 3 - 6:51

Variation 4 - 9:30

Transition? - 12:39

Coda - 13:52

The theme is lovely and masterful [0:00-2:35], the First Variation is made up of lots of trills, the Piano seems to do the brunt of the work [2:36-4:45], the Second Variation is very much the Violin in staccato mode [4:45-6:50], the Third Variation is a lament equally for both instruments [6:51-9:29], the Fourth Variation is a gentle tune, lots of pizzicato for Violin [9:30-12:39], and then comes what i can only describe as a 'bridging intermezzo', a truly glorious tune, sounds as if it came out of his Archduke Trio [12:39-13:52], and then the wistful Coda [13:52-15:44], i suppose i'm a real sucker for this lovely Transition?/Coda, it's like the closing/ending of a memorable day, as Beethoven closes down/brings to a close these wonderful varied variations!, his genius shines again and again.

Here's Zukerman playing these Variations on YouTube.

Schubert - Symphony 5 [Bruggen-Orchestra Of The Eighteenth Century]

This is a lovely original issue disc, a nice mix of two Composers, with different but similar works, the booklet front cover is gorgeous, a nice study of Bruggen, with rather modern furniture, even his shirt's quite tasteful, i like this picture a lot [pic by Kees Hageman].

So here's Frans Bruggen tackling two Symphonies from the early nineteenth century, the period instruments don't actually sound strongly 'ancient', almost as if Bruggen has purposely made them to try sounding more 'modern', but it's good to have that lithe string sound, it works well in these two quicksilver works.

It's amazing that Schubert Composed his Fifth Symphony while still a teenager!, he would become a more mature and serious Composer, this youthfulness would be gone forever in a few years, i very much find this a Haydnesque Symphony, especially the first movement, it really does have something in common with those lovely Baroque opening movements by Haydn.

Naturally i love Schubert's opening movement here, there's something unique even for Schubert in the 'joie de vivre' of the opening main theme, after a very short prelude, the irresistible main theme starts [0:06-0:25], and it repeats its motif again and again, three times in short succession, and then another three times in slightly longer succession, this whole episode itself is repeated [0:25-0:41], and even this whole block itself is repeated again [2:03-2:39], and again [4:53-5:26], it's just full of joy and zest, i find there's nothing else like this opening, what an original and exciting creation it is.

Here's Gunther Wand Conducting the first movement on YouTube.

Sibelius - Symphony 2 [Jansons-Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra]

Mariss Jansons was born in Latvia in 1943, he is now 67, he made these recordings in 1992, the booklet cover is a close head shot crop, nice sharp focus on the face, and dark on the shoulder, where the white and light blue lettering is nicely placed, giving a pleasing balance.

This time i enjoyed the first movement, seems like i enjoy a different movement each time i hear this Symphony,

Here's the opening of the Symphony, conducted by Lan Shui on YouTube.

Brahms - Violin Concerto [Oleg/Pesek-Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra]

This is a great coupling of two great Concertos, i wonder why this isn't done more, these recording were made in 1991, the booklet cover is a nice pic of Oleg, nice sky blue background, and a rather reddish brown violin, nice colour combination.

Raphael Oleg is French, born in 1959, he made this recording in 1991 when he was 32.

This time listening to this Concerto, i found the opening movement very compelling, it has a long orchestral intro [up to 2:47 before the violin makes its first appearance], scored in the major key of D Major, and yet Brahms seems to make it sound so dark and turbulent, full of contrasting sweet an sour, Oleg doesn't play the usual Joachim cadenza on the first movement, but rather one that has a lot of similar sounding notes [18:12], but there's no mention of who this cadenza is by, right after the cadenza [21:14-22:41], the Concerto slows down, and there's some of the loveliest moments penned by Brahms, loads of nostalgia and sweet regret, a lovely finish to a mammoth first movement.

Here's Kyung Sun Lee playing the first movement on YouTube.

Schumann - Cello Concerto [Du Pre/ Barenboim-New Philharmonia Orchestra]

I bought this disc a few months ago off of Ebay, mainly because of the wonderful front cover, nice red and blue, plus a great shot of Jacqueline Du Pre [Reg Wilson], plus the music / interpretations are great too, it's good to have a disc of the Cello and Piano Concertos with the Husband/Wife combination of Du Pre / Barenboim.

The British Cellist Jacqueline Du Pre was born in 1945, and died in 1987 of Multiple Sclerosis, she recorded this Concerto in 1968.

I was moved by the central movement, it's a sorrowful lament, the main theme is gorgeous [0:00-0:53], the pizzicato strings in the background could be tears, there comes an even gentler section for the cello, where the cello seems to play two strings at once [1:45-2:40], it's sad and exhilarating at the same time, and the main theme returns towards the end [2:42-3:35], sounding more soothing and gorgeous than before, it's only a short movement [4:39], but it's packed full of good things indeed, a lovely Cello Concerto.

Here's Jacqueline Du Pre playing the slow movement on YouTube, it starts at 2:44.

Bach - The Well Tempered Clavier [Nikolayeva]

Wow what a box set!, and more importantly what interpretations!, 4 discs in a 'fatbox' disc housing, with 12 Preludes / Fugues conveniently on each disc, apart from the last two, it's also good to have a full track listing on the back, and more importantly each Prelude and Fugue aren't cued separately from each other, it makes it easier to know where i am in my listening.

I play these pieces on 'random' on my player, just to mix them up nicely [one reason why separately cued Preludes / Fugues don't work!], you don't know what you're going to get next.

Tatiana Nikolayeva was Russian, born in 1924, she passed away in 1993, she recorded this set in 1984, i also like the photo on the front cover, plus the yellow theme.

Well what can i say about these pieces?, there's so much to enjoy, this work takes a lifetime to slowly appreciate, it seems it just can't be hurried, the Preludes & Fugues that really caught my eye / ear were 1, 3, 9, 17, 25, 31, 36, 39 & 42, i must admit that i have a 'thing' for these Preludes, but the Fugues don't rate so highly.

Well i'll plump for Prelude & Fugue 9 [BWV 854], it's actually the shortest of the whole set, coming in at 2:24, it's innocent and disarming, a great little tune [0:00-1:12], the treble and bass take turns playing the tune [right and left hands] and overlap each other nicely, little trills in the right hand give it a regal quality, the prelude repeats the opening [0:40+], and it opens and flowers all over again in a wonderful way, the fugue starts at [1:13], Nikoleyeva likes to play it loud, possibly as a nice contrast to the prelude, like i said it's short, but it's a perfect little number.

Here's Eric Durham playing Prelude 9 on YouTube