Toronto’s cultural and architectural landmark turns 30 this year, and is celebrating its birthday with the launch of William Littler and John Terauds’ new book Roy Thomson Hall: A Portrait. The authors use the iconic building, once known as the “New Massey Hall,” as a backdrop for the stories of the myriad people who have contributed to its development through the years. From Arthur Erickson’s initial architectural plans, to the 2002 acoustical renovations, to the countless outreach and community programs that the hall hosts today, Littler and Terauds have provided readers with a comprehensive story of the building’s first three decades while maintaining interest amidst the telling of administrative anecdotes – a testament both to the writers’ skill and to the colourful history of the hall itself. Well-researched and beautifully illustrated, the book supplies the community with a refreshing perspective of a much-loved musical landmark.

Fuelled by innovation rather than nostalgia, composers and arrangers continue to utilize the sonic parameters of larger ensembles to help tell their stories in the most expansive way possible. Whether it’s exposing individual original compositions or organizing the sessions into a thematic whole, these vital CDs demonstrate why a big band is still favoured as an expressive vehicle for both free-form improvisation and tightly plotted compositions.

For an example of the latter you don’t have to go much further than Brooklyn Babylon (New Amsterdam Records NWAM 048 newamsterdamrecords.com), a mythical and cinematic narrative created by Vancouver-born Darcy James Argue as part of a multi-media presentation by Croatian-born visual artist Danijel Zezelj. Argue, who also lived in Montreal and received his degree in composition in Boston, has been in Brooklyn since 2003 and composed the multi-part Brooklyn Babylon as a fable, reflecting his adopted hometown’s storied past, cultural multiplicity and ambitious future. Conducted by the composer, Argue’s 18-piece Secret Society band performs the suite’s eight interlocking themes and seven brief interludes. Calling on the talents of a band featuring the interlocked groove of drummer Jon Wikan and bassist Matt Clohesy, the storytelling understatement of several reed soloists, and the alternately plunger excitement and mellow narratives of fellow Canuck trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, Argue directs a sound picture with enough expansive exposition to make the CD the equivalent of aural Technicolor. Reflecting present-day currents of New York`s second borough, the sequences in Argue’s suite blend and contrast vamping big-band section work; heavily rhythmic rock-music-like grooves; gentle folkloric and impressionistic sound pastels from flute, soprano sax and flugelhorn soloists; plus interludes that replicate brass band marches, Balkan ballads, a touch of electronic processing and the pre-recorded sounds of the borough’s streets. One standout is Missing Parts when the rest of the band members play hand percussion backing Josh Stinson’s free-form baritone sax lines and a mellow trombone interlude from James Hirschfield. Another is The Tallest Tower in the World, which reaches its heights through brassy trumpet triplets and soprano sax squeals. Keyboardist Gordon Webster holds components together not only with sharp piano cadenzas but also with near-vocalized melodic sweeps. If the program does have a weakness it probably lies in its movie soundtrack-like surround sound expressiveness. With piccolo peeps and French horn lowing heard more often than tuba burps or guitar note shredding, the selections often retreat to overly pleasant background sounds lacking the authoritative ingredients that would define them as completely individual. But Argue is still developing. Maybe he’ll soon compose a piece to reflect his homeland.

Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Tierkreis

Bruno Heinen Sextet

Babel Label BDV 13119 (babellabel.co.uk)

Perfect sounds for those who think Karlheinz Stockhausen’s music is difficult is Tierkreis (1974-75), initially composed for 12 music boxes reflecting the signs of the zodiac, and then adapted for any number of instruments. With the sanction of the composer’s son, British pianist Bruno Heinen, whose parents were Stockhausen associates, has created a jazz-improv variant of the suite for bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, trumpet, double bass, drums, his own piano and, on certain tracks, five music boxes, bookending the performance as the composer demands, with an identical melody reflecting the session date’s star sign.

I will begin with apologies to Terry Robbins. Due to his personal itinerary this month several discs arrived too late to be included in his Strings Attached column which, I must admit, I am happy to be able to add to my own collection. First is the latest release from Canadian superstar James Ehnes – Britten & Shostakovich Violin Concertos (Onyx 4113) performed with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Kirill Karabits. Following on his 2013 Juno Award-winning Tchaikovsky recording with the Sydney Symphony and Vladimir Ashkenazy (Onyx 4076), Ehnes’ performances are everything that we’ve come to expect. But what really caught me about this recording is the pairing of the Britten with Shostakovich’s First. These two works, written ten years apart, bear remarkable similarities and as presented here the opening Nocturne of the Shostakovich seems to grow inherently out of the slow Passacaglia finale of the Britten. I’m surprised that these works are not more often presented together. As a matter of fact this seems to be the only recording currently available which includes them both. Malcolm MacDonald’s booklet notes are thorough and enlightening. The orchestral sound is irreproachable and as mentioned above, Ehnes is in top form.

Quatuor Molinari’s latest ATMA release (ACD2 2672) completes their cycle of the 12 (currently existing) String Quartets of R. Murray Schafer. Following their 2000 release of the first seven quartets and in 2003 the eighth quartet paired with Theseus and Beauty and the Beast, the current double CD includes new recordings of Quartets 9 to 12 and a re-issue of No.8. Since the recording of the first set the personnel of the quartet has changed substantially, with only founding first violinist Olga Ranzenhofer remaining. The current line-up includes Frédéric Bednorz, Frédéric Lambert and Pierre-Alain Bouvrette. They seem as comfortable and confident in this sometimes challenging, and oft’ times playful, repertoire as their forerunners. I would be curious though to know whether Bouvrette will prove as adept at playing the cello while marching as his predecessor Julie Trudeau was in the Seventh Quartet when the Molinari performed a Schafer marathon at Glenn Gould Studio back in 2003.

When the Orford Quartet recorded the first cycle of Schafer string quartets, then numbering five, for the Centrediscs label in 1990, producer David Jaeger suggested that the individual works could be considered movements of one large piece, much the same way that Schafer’s Patria series of music theatre works constitute a whole. There are many internal references from one quartet to the next and this has continued throughout the extended cycle.

Due in part to timing considerations within the medium of the compact disc I expect, the current set begins with the Ninth Quartet and continues chronologically through the Twelfth with the 2003 recording of the Eighth added as an appendix at the end of the second disc. This serves the double purpose of isolating the previously released material but also, since the Ninth begins by quoting a theme from the Eighth, of bringing the mini-cycle full circle to where the first disc began. Including the re-issue in this new set also facilitates listening for those who want to experience all 12 quartets by including the first seven on one set (ACD2 2188/89) and the remaining five on this new collection. Kudos to the Molinari, past and present, for their documentation of and dedication to this outstanding and unique cycle from one of Canada’s foremost composers. One of my summer projects will be to take up the challenge and listen to all 12 as one über quartet.

Our WholeNote reviews tend to focus on the best of the plethora of new releases we receive each month, but there are sometimes reasons for visiting or re-visiting older discs. One example of this is Jack MacQuarrie’s review of a 2005 CD by flutist Christopher Lee later in these pages. It is a disc we missed when it was released and which came to MacQuarrie’s attention at a recent live performance. Since Lee is a very active part of the Canadian Flute Convention in Oakville at the end of June it was decided to include a review in the current issue. Similarly, I had the exceptional experience of hearing the Complete String Quartets of Iannis Xenakis performed by the JACK Quartet during the recent Random Walks – Music of Xenakis and Beyond festival/symposium presented by the Fields Institute at the University of Toronto and the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo. This music is definitely not for the faint of heart, with its density and abrasiveness, but when heard in the context of explanatory papers at the symposium and so stunningly performed by a group that has truly made these works their own, it was exhilarating. The program notes by James Harley were reprinted from the 2009 Xenakis Edition Volume 10 (Mode 209) compact disc and during a break I went in search of it. After checking Grigorian (they had several volumes of the series, but not the quartets) and HMV with no luck, I remembered that someone had mentioned an independent shop with quite an eclectic collection. I’d like to thank whoever that was, and Soundscapes (572 College St.) where the disc was indeed in stock. This was JACK’s first appearance in Toronto (although it turns out that three of the members, all but the current violist, did come here for a masterclass with Helmut Lachenmann presented by New Music Concerts back in 2003) and they certainly lived up to their reputation as one of the foremost contemporary ensembles in the world. I await their return with bated breath and in the interim will revisit their recording time and time again.

I will thank Bruce Surtees for my next foray into the archives. In his review of a new recording of Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht by the Emerson String Quartet and friends, Bruce mentioned that Eduard Steuermann, a student of Schoenberg, had made a transcription of the fabled work for piano trio. This whetted my appetite as an amateur cellist who loves to play trios, quartets and quintets with friends, and I was very pleased to find several choices of recording available at Atelier Grigorian (70 Yorkville Ave.). I chose the 2005 Vienna Piano Trio version (Dabringhaus und Grimm MDG 342 1354-2) because I found the inclusion of Zemlinsky’s Piano Trio and Mahler’s piano quartet movement to be most appropriate. I am happy to say that I found Steuermann’s adaptation for violin, cello and piano of Schoenberg’s string sextet very satisfying, in fact more so than I might have expected. Steuermann was a renowned pianist and his arrangement captures the density of the score without sacrificing any of the subtlety. The performance is convincing and the sound quality on the mdg “gold” disc is clear and robust. I’ve added having a hands-on go at this arrangement as another one of my summer aspirations. 

In brief, a few more summer projects: Another lovely new disc that arrived too late for full review treatment is a breathtaking performance of Bach’s The Art of the Fugue by Les Voix humaines Consort of Viols (ATMA ACD2 2645). Core members of Les Voix humaines Margaret Little, pardessus or high voiced viol, and Susie Napper, bass viol, are joined by Melisande Corriveau, treble and alto viols, and Felix Deak, tenor viol, in this period performance. I look forward to revisiting other realizations of this incredible unfinished work by the master of counterpoint in the coming months. My collection includes a modern instrument treatment by the Juilliard String Quartet, a mixed strings and winds version featuring the Fine Arts Quartet and the New York Woodwind Quintet which was my first exposure to this masterpiece some four decades ago, Glenn Gould’s (incomplete and only) organ recording and a version by the Alexander and Daykin Piano Duo. Let me say for now that I think Les Voix humaines will prove to be a tough act to follow.

I have mentioned New Music Concerts in the preceding paragraphs and in the spirit of full disclosure I feel I must remind you that my “day job” is general manager of that illustrious institution, English Canada’s oldest new music society (is that an oxymoron?). That task has brought with it not only the privilege of working with Robert Aitken, one of the world’s finest musicians, but also the opportunity to meet some of the most renowned composers from around the globe, including Helmut Lachenmann mentioned above, and the late, great Witold Lutosławski. In April NMC celebrated the centenaries of six influential composers including Lutosławski. On that occasion we welcomed the collaboration of the Consulate of the Republic of Poland, which has declared 2013 the Year of Lutosławski. We were presented with the Witold Lutosławski Centenary Edition (Polskie Nagrania PNCD BOX 0009 A/H), an eight-CD set of historic recordings by Polish Radio, including a number of first performances, many with the conductor at the podium. Although not complete – some notable omissions are the Symphonic Variations, Les espaces du sommeil and the Sacher Variations for solo cello, one of very few chamber works by this master – the set includes almost ten hours of music and some gems like the first Polish performance of the seminal String Quartet featuring the LaSalle Quartet. It will take me most of the summer to work through this wealth of material, which may be complicated by the fact that Naxos is on the verge of releasing its own centenary set of collected Lutosławski recordings. This latter will include the last concert he ever conducted, featuring violinist Fujiko Imajishi and the New Music Concerts Ensemble at the Premiere Dance Theatre in Toronto on October 24, 1993. A summer’s worth of listening indeed!

We welcome your feedback and invite submissions. CDs and comments should be sent to: The WholeNote, 503 – 720 Bathurst St. Toronto ON M5S 2R4. We also encourage you to visit our website thewholenote.com where you can find added features including direct links to performers, composers and record labels, “buy buttons” for on-line shopping and additional, expanded and archival reviews.

David Olds, DISCoveries Editor

discoveries@thewholenote.com

Rameau - Les Amants Trahis
Philippe Sly; Hélène Guilmette; Clavecin en Concert; Luc Beauséjour
Analekta AN 2 9991

Rameau was always supremely confident of his instrumental compositions, yet opera remained his key challenge. His quest for excellence is demonstrated in this CD. In some short extracts from Thétis, bass-baritone Philippe Sly sings an attractive prélude Muses, dans vos divins concerts, demonstrating Rameau’s mastery of airs and récitatifs. More complex are the pieces selected from Les Amants Trahis: Hélène Guilmette and Sly are almost polyphonic in Ma bergère a trahi sa foi, carefully interpreting the moods of the duo. In fact, it is difficult to decide which are the more enjoyable, the duos or the airs – the compilers offer us no fewer than 30 tracks to help us make up our minds!
 
Les Amants Trahis, with 12 tracks selected, dominates this anthology, but let us not forget Aquilon et Orithie. The air Servez mes feux à vôtre tour features not only some spirited singing but also a vigourous violin accompaniment. Le Berger Fidèle’s Faut-il qu’Amarillis périsse? is an excellent vehicle for Guilmette’s skills, stately and pensive as is the air in question.
 
Finally, there is the conducting from the harpsichord by Luc Beauséjour, who brings out the best in his continuo. All demonstrate the importance of Rameau whether to opera or to French music.

Pergolesi - La Salustia
Vittorio Prato; Serena Malfi; Laura Polverelli; Accademia Barocca De I Musici Italiani; Corrado Rovaris
ArtHaus Musik 101651

Pergolesi - L’Olimpiade
Raúl Giménez; Lyubov Petrova; Yetzabel Arias Fernández; Academia Montis Regalis; Alessandro De Marchi
ArtHaus Musik 101650

Pergolesi - Il Flaminio
Juan Francisco Gatell; Laura Polverelli; Marina De Liso; Accademia Bizantina Orchestra & Chorus; Ottavio Dantone
ArtHaus Musik 101653

Of Pergolesi's operas only the intermezzo La Serva Padrona is now at all well known, although I once saw another intermezzo, Livietta e Trascollo. But in his short life (he died at the age of 26), Pergolesi wrote a number of full-length operas, both serious and comic. The opera house in Jesi, Pergolesi's birthplace, has performed several of them in recent years.

Of the three recordings under review, that of La Salustia is the least satisfactory. The opera is set during the reign of the third-century Roman Emperor Alexander Severus and presents the rivalry between his mother and his wife. The best performance comes from Serena Malfi as the emperor's much abused wife but all of the singers are technically very competent. The main drawback is the acting which is either rudimentary or grossly exaggerated. Attempts at baroque gesture are unsuccessful. I also thought it was a mistake to cast a countertenor as the emperor. I am not saying this because I disapprove of the use of countertenors in 18th century opera (unhistorical though it is). A singer with a stronger voice like Philippe Jaroussky would certainly have managed it very well.

The libretto for L'Olimpiade is by Pietro Metastasio. It was set by dozens of composers, beginning with Caldara in 1733. There is a CD set issued by Naïve which uses the complete text of the Metastasio arias but uses music by 12 different composers (it was reviewed in the July 2012 issue of The WholeNote). Pergolesi's version dates from 1735 and was written for Rome. It features a tenor, a baritone and four singers with high voices. Since women were not allowed on the stage in Rome, the higher parts would have been performed by castrati. Here they are sung by women, a sensible decision, and the singers are very good indeed, particularly Sofia Soloviy and Jennifer Rivera, in trouser roles. I am not wild about the production which makes no attempt at creating any theatrical illusion and does nothing with the important pastoral element of the work.

While the two operas discussed above are opere serie, Il Flaminio is a comedy or, as it was known in Neapolitan dialect, a commedia pre musica. It incorporates popular melodies as well as jokes about language. The maid Checca is from Pisa, she makes fun of the Neapolitan dialect spoken by her boyfriend and complains that he mispronounces her name as Cecca. He then attempts, unsuccessfully, to address her in Tuscan. The production does not start well: the baritone overacts and the tenor is not much better but the women are excellent. Laura Polverelli gives a magnificent performance of an opera seria aria in Act I (it is the context which makes it a parody) and there is a delightful impersonation by, again, Serena Malfi as a gauche but ultimately successful suitor.

To sum up: I cannot recommend the production of La Salustia but I liked the other two, despite some reservations.

Rossini - Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Cecilia Bartoli; David Kuebler; Gino Quilico; Carlos Feller; Schwetzingen SWR Festspiele; Gabriele Ferro
ArtHaus Musik 102 305

Useless Precaution. Believe it or not, this was how this opera was called at its premiere. Since the Barbiere had already been written by the older, well established Paisiello, Rossini had to choose a different title. Opening night the Teatro Argentina in Rome was filled with Paisiello fans and this new opera by a “young upstart” was booed and whistled off the stage, but now, almost 200 years later where is Paisiello?

This wonderful production from Cologne just proves how successful a performance can be without any directorial updating, added “relevance” or other nonsense that has ruined so many present day productions. Although traditional, it is brilliantly directed by veteran Michael Hampe, but it is the principal singers who make this production unforgettable. The star mezzo, Cecilia Bartoli has distinguished herself as a true Rossini diva both as a dramatic actress (e.g. Desdemona) and here as a delightful comedienne singing with virtuoso brilliance and conquering Rossini’s hair-raising fioraturas with supreme ease. Underneath she has a mischievous trait and hidden fire par excellence so essential for a Rossini heroine.

Her counterpart as Count Almaviva, American tenor David Kueblerwreaks havoc in some hilarious scenes (especially as a drunken soldier), his voice perfectly suited for Rossini’s difficult tessituras. No less successful is Canadian baritone Gino Quilico(Figaro) who proves to be a worthy son of his famous father, with a velvety, resilient and acrobatic lyrical baritone. A wonderful bonus in the basso department is the eminent, now regrettably late Robert Lloyd, incomparable as Don Basilio, but Carlos Feller certainly doesn’t disappoint as the hilarious though pitiful Dr. Bartolo either.

Mahler - Orchesterlieder
Christian Gerhaher; Orchestre symphonique de Montréal; Kent Nagano
Analekta AN 2 9849

Kent Nagano’s initial collaboration with the splendid German baritone Christian Gerhaher and the OSM in a Sony recording of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde drew qualified admiration from me in 2009. This new recording of Mahler’s vocal works on the Analekta label is a patchwork from two January evenings during the inaugural season of the OSM’s new concert hall in 2012. As before, the main attraction is Gerhaher’s exceptional voice and sensitive interpretation of the three major song cycles: the youthful Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, the ruminative Kindertotenlieder, and the variegated settings of the Rückert Lieder. (Gerhaher also released a sensational Deutsche Grammophon recording of Des Knaben Wunderhorn with Pierre Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra in 2010.)

Nagano is an attentive collaborator and handles tempo fluctuations adroitly, though the dynamic contrasts and drama of the music are decidedly underplayed. The recorded sound has considerable presence which is both a blessing and a curse as this is one of the noisier live performance pick-ups I’ve heard. Beyond the usual muffled coughs from the audience, odd thumps and strange mutterings occasionally infest the stage as well. (This is the downside of making recordings on the cheap without the contribution of an engaged producer in proper studio conditions.) Gerhaher’s finely modulated voice and excellent diction set a new standard for future interpreters of Mahler lieder. Thankfully this time (unlike the OSM Das Lied release) full French and English translations of the German texts are provided. 

Kaija Saariaho - La Passion de Simone
Dawn Upshaw; Finnish RSO; Tapiola Chamber Choir; Esa-Pekka Salonen
Ondine ODE 1217-5

There is no easy way to explain the mystery that was Simone Weil. A trained philosopher before women were seen as capable of comprehending philosophy, a secularized Jew who converted to Catholicism, a pacifist who sought combat in the Spanish Civil War, a left-wing thinker who put her ideas to the test by joining a factory assembly line… Add to it a martyr in her death (or was she anorexic?), an altruist living an ascetic life and a major irritant to those who believe that upholding convention is the only way to maintain social order. It is a small wonder that the composer who embarked on writing an oratorio based on the life of this incredible woman is a rebel herself – Kaija Saariaho, known to Toronto audiences through her remarkable opera Love from Afar.

This oratorio, a small and reflective work, uses the martyr scenario of Stations of the Cross to depict Weil’s life. The music is not grand by any measure, as the life depicted was contemplative and largely introverted. This is served well by the voice of Dawn Upshaw, who sounds here as Weil might have – suffering and tired. Esa-Pekka Salonen skilfully coaxes the delicate harmonies out of the tightly wound melodies, bringing his understanding of nuance to the task. Weil herself said it best: “Two powers hold sway over the universe: light and gravity.” There is an abundance of both of them here.

Janitsch - Sonate da camera Volume3
Notturna; Christopher Palameta
ATMA ACD2 2626

Johann Gottlieb Janitsch (1708-1763) was a court musician for Frederick the Great. As a composer, he embraced the contrapuntal style of the day in his intricate chamber music. Here Notturna, under the leadership of oboist Christopher Palameta perform five of his quadro sonatas.

The works are complex as the counterpoint weaves between the voices with challenging progressions. The ensemble performs with a clear balance between the instruments and a driving group rhythm. Each member of the ensemble is a “star” as the works demand a detailed focus on each note and a sense of the longer line. This is especially evident in Quadro in B-flat major, Op.3, No.1. In this world premiere recording, a rapid change in harmonies in the first five measures foreshadows a fascinating and technically difficult work that seems to embrace the composer’s self-imposed challenge to expand his musical boundaries. In contrast, Op.1, No.5 in C Major is a slightly lighter work, and is the only quartet to use an obbligato cello. The opening dancelike Larghetto alla Siciliana is convincing with its deliberate pizzicato continuo articulation. The second movement fugue from Op.7, No.5 in C Minor for oboe, violin, viola and continuo is an aural treat. At just over two minutes in duration, Palameta’s oboe performance is especially colourful in its detail and ability to cement the parts together.

The balanced performances make this Notturna release one to be enjoyed time and time again.

Couperin - Concerts Royaux
Clavecin en Concert; Luc Beauséjour
Analekta AN 2 9993

Louis XIV summoned Couperin to play for him nearly every Sunday; the works performed in 1714-1715 were titled Concerts Royaux and were published in 1722. Couperin left the instrumentation of the concerts to the musicians’ discretion, a traditional Renaissance practice, even if the movements take the form of the traditional French baroque suite, no doubt under the Sun King’s influence.
 
From the first concert, the flute, oboe and bassoon lend a different quality to what would otherwise have been strings-dominated pieces. The woodwind instruments are prominent in the prélude and sarabande, where they impart a melancholy quality, and in the gavotte and gigue where the result is a more rustic feel.
 
In the second concert, the strings make themselves felt much more, notably in the gentle quality of the air tendre. The last movement, échos, restores the balance in favour of the woodwind, in a dignified baroque style.
 
The third and fourth concerts royaux combine some lively performances for oboe, bassoon and flute, most notably in the musette of the third. The name allemande for the second movement of the third concert belies its liveliness, even if sarabande grave is an entirely appropriate name for the fourth movement.
 
And then the fourth concert, with yet another allemande not living up to its sombre reputation. In fact, both the courantes which immediately follow, and the rigaudon and forlane en roundeau make this the most exuberant of the concerts royaux.
 
All in all, an enjoyable collection of Couperin’s music for his royal master.

Haydn - Piano Concertos Nos.3, 4 & 11
Marc-André Hamelin; Les Violons du Roy; Bernard Labadie
Hyperion CDA67925

This new offering from Hyperion features Haydn’s three “indubitably genuine” concertos for keyboard and orchestra (HOB XVIII: 3, 4 and 11), and a delightful offering it is. Performed on modern piano, strings and winds rather than on their historical counterparts, the disc opens with the popular D major concerto, written for “harpsichord or fortepiano” sometime between 1779 and 1783. The latest and most dramatic of the three concertos, it makes a bold and energetic opening statement. The F major and G major concertos, originally written for harpsichord in the 1760s, are slightly less effusive works but in these performances they sparkle with refined galanterie.

Hamelin’s performance as the piano soloist is expressive, well considered and full of humour, tenderness or bravado as befits the musical moment at hand. His talent for paying infinite attention to detail without ever losing sight of the bigger musical picture is truly impressive, exceptionally so in the slow movements. As we’d expect from Les Violons du Roy under the baton of Bernard Labadie, the ensemble playing is detailed, focused and musical – lots of light when they are in the forefront, and fine shadowing of Hamelin when the limelight is his. The teamwork between orchestra and soloist is well balanced and amiable. And finally, my kudos to all for the beautiful distinctions made between the various vivaces, allegros and prestos!

Mozart - Piano Concertos 17 & 27
Angela Hewitt; Orchestra da Camera di Mantova; Hannu Lintu
Hyperion CDA67919

There is a cute little story attached to Mozart’s G major concerto. Apparently he acquired a little bird, a starling who quickly picked up the rondo theme of the third movement and sang it day in and day out, adding some of its own bits to it which pleased Mozart, a bird lover, immensely. No doubt, this helped him composing.

Canada’s own stellar pianist, Angela Hewitt chose this and the last, the B flat major concerto to follow-up on her previous Mozart concerto issue on the distinguished Hyperion label and what a fine recording this is. In coupling the G major, which comes from a very happy and successful period of the composer’s life with the B flat major, his last statement in this form, Hewitt traverses  a cross section of emotions, from joyful happiness to sad resignation and premonition of death.

My own experience with Hewitt’s exceptional pianism began with Bach and later with immense enjoyment of her beautiful set of Chopin Nocturnes (that were probably easier to interpret), so she came to Mozart relatively late. It was worth the wait. She approaches Mozart like a scholar with exceptional intelligence and a thoroughly sympathetic heart. Her playing has graceful elegance, impeccable technical prowess; the emotional content is deeply felt and compositional structure is fully understood. The orchestra and the conductor Hannu Lintu are wonderfully compatible and in perfect balance with the angelic tones of the Hewitt’s celebrated Fazioli piano. The recording is superlative.

Chopin - Etudes
Jan Lisiecki
Deutsche Grammophon 4791039

Young male pianists all too often try their audiences with a few years of brash playing where speed and volume overshadow their muse. Although impressed with divine keyboard technique, one nevertheless waits patiently for music to emerge – which it eventually and thankfully does.
More rarely, however, comes a young man for whom impeccable technique is merely a tool in the search for music’s kernel of meaning. This is Jan Lisiecki.

Since his early public appearances 5 years ago (in his mid-teens) this young Polish-Canadian has somehow managed to avoid this testosterone trap. He is capable of the most ethereal pianissimos, a blazing and accurate technique and breathtaking power at the keyboard.

The two dozen Etudes of Chopin’s Op.10 and 25 seem the perfect repertoire for Lisiecki at this point in his career. His playing shifts convincingly from transparent lightness to earnest melancholy. His tempi and dynamics feel more understood than learned. His own comments in the CD notes reveal a young mind with a remarkably mature interpretive grasp of Chopin’s music. He thinks with his heart.

As impressive as his playing is his recording technique in which each of the Etudes was recorded as a complete “take.” Technology today offers performers digital perfection with undetectable manipulations of speed and other values, but Lisiecki wanted his audience to have the real thing, start to finish. He allowed no edits. This speaks to a commendable honesty in performance. We should anticipate many years of truly extraordinary recordings from this young man. But we might also hope that his gift finds expression in teaching… we need such mentors.

L'Opera Concertante (Opera transcriptions by Ernest Alder)
Trio Hochelaga
ATMA ACD2 2652

Transcribing arias from the popular operas of the time was one of the favourite practices of 19th century composers. Those transcriptions ranged from faithful reductions to variations, fantasies and potpourris, and were usually done for one or two pianos, trios and quartets. The public enjoyed the more intimate, chamber setting of these transcriptions and took pleasure in the idea of bringing the opera into their salons.

Richard Ernest Alder (1853-1904) was a Swiss composer who studied at the Paris Conservatory and spent most of his life in France. He wrote a number of pieces for piano, as well as choral and orchestral works. He is being rediscovered today as a transcriber and arranger.

This CD features seven of Alder’s trio transcriptions of the beloved operas by Camille Saint-Saëns (Samson et Dalila), Ambroise Thomas (Mignon), Daniel-François-Esprit Auber (La Muette de Portici), Giacomo Meyerbeer (La Pardon de Ploërmel and Les Huguenots) and Jules Massenet (Le Cid and Werther). The transcriptions are skilfully done and adopt the same formula consisting of a brief introduction, followed by alternating sequences of fast and slow segments ending in a dramatic climax. Even though the composers are different, the music feels like one cohesive piece. Alder brings out both the sweetness and the drama in these transcriptions, combining virtuosic practices of 19th century-writing with more serene and sonorous parts, while using the craftsmanship firmly rooted in the German Romantic tradition.

Trio Hochelaga (Anne Robert, violin; Paul Marleyn, cello; Stéphane Lemelin, piano) is a distinguished Canadian ensemble whose repertoire places an emphasis on lesser known works of French music. Their interpretation of Alder’s transcriptions is playful, sensitive and polished. The ensemble’s use of colours and textures truly captures the romantic essence of these operas.
It is not necessary for the listener to know the operas that inspired Alder – one can just enjoy the wonderful chamber music on this CD and, like the 19th century audience, be entertained by it.