03a BertoliRhapsody in Blue and other piano works
Mauro Bertoli
Cavalli Musica

From Mozart to Khachaturian
Mauro Bertoli
Cavalli Musica

Piano Works by Scarlatti; Schumann; Granados; Ginastera
Mauro Bertoli
Cavalli Musica
www.maurobertoli.com

03b-BertoliIn the world of classical music, Italy has long been known for producing famous singers and conductors. For some reason, though, the list of renowned Italian pianists is considerably shorter — Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and Maurizio Pollini are among those who come to mind. However, with the release of three CDs on the Cavalli Musica label featuring a young artist by the name of Mauro Bertoli, that list should be immediately augmented! Born in Italy, Mr. Bertoli has been the recipient of several international piano prizes including the prestigious Giuseppe Sinopoli Award in 2006, and he has appeared in major concert halls throughout Europe, North America, Israel and China. It’s our good fortune that he has decided to settle in Canada, where he’s currently on the piano performance faculty at Carleton University in Ottawa.

At the outset, these discs are impressive with their eclecticism. While certain pianists tend to concentrate on music of certain periods, or by particular composers, Bertoli’s repertoire is wide and encompassing, spanning 300 years of piano literature. For example, the CD Rhapsody in Blue and Other Piano Works, focuses primarily on music from the romantic period, with pieces by Schumann, Brahms and Liszt, but also included is the brief and poignant Für Alina by Arvo Pärt. The Brahms Intermezzo Op.188, No.2 and the Liszt Romance S169 are warmly introspective, while the Schumann Toccata Op.7 aptly demonstrates Bertoli’s flawless command of the keyboard. In contrast, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue provides a rousing conclusion. Bertoli may hail from the land of olive trees, but his convincing interpretation of this jazzy and syncopated music from 1924 has ”Manhattan” written all over it.

The disc From Mozart to Khachaturian is another study in contrasts. Opening with Mozart’s poetic and gracious Rondo K494, the disc also features two of Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies, Schumann’s Sonata for the Young, Op.118, Granados’ Allegro de Concert and Shostakovich’s Three Fantastic Dances — a virtual United Nations of piano literature.

03c-BertoliNot many pianists today turn their attention to keyboard music of the Italian Baroque, but three sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti lead off the third disc, all of them demonstrating Bertoli’s manual dexterity and acute sense of timing. Also on this CD are the Schumann Paganini Etudes, Op.3 and Nachtstücke, Op.23. But for me, the highlight of this recording is surely the set of three Danzas Argentinas by Alberto Ginastera. Written in 1937, this music dates from early in the composer’s career and is challenging from all perspectives. With their complex rhythms and chromatic harmonies, these dances might faze many pianists, but Bertoli handles the complexities with apparent ease, bringing the disc to a spirited conclusion.

My only quibble with all three discs is the recording quality, which I found somewhat “dry.” Fine playing such as this deserves a decent sound, and a little more resonance would have been preferable. But this is minor issue and certainly doesn’t detract from these eclectic collections of piano repertoire. Bravissimo, Mr. Bertoli — let’s hear from you again!

Concert Notes: Bertoli is pianist-in-residence at Barrie’s Colours of Music festival (September 21 to 30) and will be performing several concerts there including Strauss’ Enoch Arden with actor Kevin White on the 24th and a solo recital on September 30 featuring works by Gershwin, Khachaturian and Schumann; he will also conduct a masterclass on September 27. On October 7, Bertoli performs at U of T’s Hart House for their Sunday Concert Series.

04-Alison-BalsomAlison Balsom
Alison Balsom
EMI Classics 50999731660 2 3

Two years ago I had the opportunity to review the first recording I had heard by this amazing young British trumpeter. For the most part, that recording consisted of transcriptions of works which were not originally written for trumpet. By contrast, this recent disc contains a wider spectrum of music. The recording starts and ends with works by Argentinean composer Astor Piazzolla. Balsom’s haunting tone sets the stage with his Escuale, and ends with a dazzling fiery performance of Libertango. While this recording too contains mostly transcriptions, it also has the Andante movement of a trumpet concerto by a composer named Neruda. Since no first name was given, a visit to Google turned up three composers by that name. From the sound of the work, I would assume that it is the work of 18th century composer Johann Baptist Neruda. There are movements from an oboe concerto by Marcello, a trio sonata by Bach, a flute work by Debussy and yet another excellent transcription of Rachmaninoff’s ubiquitous Vocalise. A new work, written for Balsom by Scottish composer James Macmillan, Seraph for trumpet and string orchestra, is in a similar vein.

Rounding out the program are arrangements of two traditional works, Shenandoah and Nobody Knows. Since much of the music is by lesser known composers, I would have appreciated some biographical information. Unfortunately there is none. Overall this is an excellent display of the talent of this young woman’s virtuosity. One does not have to be a trumpet aficionado to enjoy an hour of quality music with this CD.

01-AchronFrom my reviewing standpoint, I don’t think any CD label has provided as many interesting releases over the past few years as England’s Hyperion Records. The latest release to reach me is a 2-CD set of the Complete Suites for Violin and Piano by Joseph Achron (CDA67841), in simply stunning performances by Hagai Shaham and Arnon Erez. Five of the six Suites are on CD2, recorded in 2009 at the Jerusalem Music Centre in Israel; the Stempenyu Suite and the 17 shorter pieces on CD1 were actually recorded 13 years earlier at the same location, and were previously released on Biddulph (LAW021). There is no discernible difference in the sound quality.

Achron (1886–1943) was a Russian Jewish virtuoso who studied under Leopold Auer in St. Petersburg, as did Milstein, Elman, Zimbalist and Heifetz; the latter is described in the excellent booklet notes by Malcolm Miller as Achron’s “friend and champion.” It’s a fitting connection, for Achron’s compositions — especially the earlier ones — are much in the style of the encore and salon pieces of Kreisler and Heifetz; the Children’s Suite on CD2 is a 1934 arrangement by Heifetz of eight of the 20 pieces in Achron’s original piano suite of the same name. Achron’s brother, incidentally, was Heifetz’s pianist in the US in the early 1920s. To strengthen the connection even more, Shaham’s tone and vibrato are very reminiscent of Heifetz’s own playing. And what playing there is on these two discs! Shaham is not only technically superb, but presents perfect interpretations, never treating the music as just occasional pieces, but never going over the top with the virtuosic aspects either.

What is particularly interesting about the music here is that it presents such an intriguing picture of the musical world through the early years of the 20th century; names mentioned in the notes as influences on Achron include Scriabin, Franck, Ravel, Stravinsky, Bartok, Mahler, Zemlinsky and Bloch. Achron’s style clearly developed as he moved through his life, from his early Russian pieces, through his connection with the Society for Jewish Folk Music in St. Petersburg in 1911, to his later, more chromatic works in Berlin and the US, works which were much admired by Schoenberg.

I simply can’t say enough about Shaham’s playing here — this is truly a violinist’s violinist. Erez is no slouch at the keyboard either, albeit possibly with less virtuosic demands. Surprisingly, much of Achron’s music still remains in manuscript form only, which makes this CD set even more valuable. Achron wrote three violin concertos, premiering the last two of them with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra during his Hollywood years in the late 1930s; what I wouldn’t give to be able to hear Shaham playing them!

02-DebussyThe latest CD from England’s Brodsky Quartet offers beautifully-judged performances of the String Quartet and Piano Trio of Claude Debussy (Chandos CHAN 10717). The quartet was founded 40 years ago, with two of the original members still there, so their faultless ensemble playing should come as no surprise.

The String Quartet is a beautiful and idiomatic reading: passionate, nicely coloured and with a wonderful range of tone and dynamics. The Piano Trio is an early work from 1880, when the 18 year old Debussy was employed by Nadejda von Meck, Tchaikovsky’s patroness. Despite its lack of maturity, it’s an interesting piece, with many hints at the composer’s later style, but with a rather weak ending. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet is the perfect pianist for this music, having recorded Debussy’s Complete Works for Solo Piano for the Chandos label. Again, it’s a beautiful performance.

Two shorter works fill out the CD. The Deux Danses (Danses Sacrée et Profane) for chromatic harp and orchestra were written in 1904 as examination pieces for the Brussels Conservatory, after that institution had been persuaded by the Parisian instrument makers Pleyel, the chromatic harp’s inventors, to run courses for the instrument. Welsh harpist Sioned Williams is the excellent soloist in this arrangement for pedal harp and string quintet, with Chris Laurence on double bass.

The closing track is the 1890 piano piece Reverie, arranged for string quartet by the Brodsky’s violist Paul Cassidy. Beautiful string playing throughout, with excellent balance and sound quality, make this a very attractive release.

03-SivoriCamillo Sivori (1815-94) was Paganini’s only pupil, and was already touring Europe as a virtuoso violinist by the age of 12. Like most 19th century virtuosi, he wrote works for his own instrument. The Italian label Tactus has issued his Opere per Violino e Pianoforte (TC 811901) in excellent performances by violinist Mauro Tortorelli and pianist Angela Meluso.

On first hearing, the seven pieces here are much in the style of Paganini, but Sivori was apparently noted for “advancing and maturing the concept of interpretation,” as the rather awkwardly-translated booklet notes put it, and the works offer a fascinating look at mid-1800s Italian virtuoso playing and composing in the post-Paganini years. Detailed performing and publication histories of the works are included in the booklet.

The playing here is absolutely first-class; it’s never enough simply to get all the notes and technical tricks in this type of music, even if it’s not that deep emotionally – you must also make it smooth and seamless, and apparently effortless, without making it sound like empty virtuosity. Tortorelli gets it stunningly right on all counts. The piano has less to do, but Meluso is a fine and sympathetic accompanist.

04-BottesiniSivori’s name also turns up on Bottesini – Capriccio di Bravura, a CD of stunning double bass performances by the Dutch bassist Rick Stotijn (Channel Classics CCS SA 32612). Giovanni Bottesini (1821-89) was a brilliant bass virtuoso, and his compositions for the instrument were responsible for the double bass becoming a bona fide solo instrument.

His most frequently heard work is the Gran Duo Concertante in A Major, originally written for two double basses and orchestra, but now played almost exclusively in the arrangement by Camillo Sivori for violin, double bass and orchestra. It is played here in an arrangement by Duncan McTier for the same soloists with string orchestra, with the outstanding Liza Ferschtman on violin and the Amsterdam Sinfonietta under Candida Thompson.

Cellist Monika Leskovar joins Stotijn for the Duo Concertant on Themes from Bellini’s “I Puritani, also in a string orchestra arrangement, and the CD also features two works for double bass and string quintet: the Grande Allegro di Concerto “alla Mendelssohn,” which seems to rely heavily on the E Minor violin concerto for its inspiration; and the Capriccio di Bravura in A Major.

Stotijn’s sister, mezzo-soprano Christianne Stotijn, joins her brother and pianist Hans Eijsackers in two songs that reflect the composer’s love of – and familiarity with – opera and the bel canto style. Bottesini was a successful opera conductor, having conducted the premiere of Verdi’s Aïda in 1871, and he also wrote several operas of his own. Neither song is particularly Italianate or showy, and the bass beautifully supports the vocal part.

Stotijn’s playing throughout is quite astonishing, although the music itself isn’t always up to his high standards; his tone, vibrato speed, agility and range are truly amazing. At times it’s difficult to tell the violin and bass apart in the Gran Duo, and Stotijn manages to sound more like a cellist in the quintets.

The contributions from members of the Amsterdam Sinfonietta in the chamber works are first-class; there is a lovely resonance to the recorded sound, with the soloists perfectly balanced.

05-Bach-CelloI’m not sure where to start with the new CD from the American cellist Charles Curtis – Bach: An Imaginary Dance (eOne EOM-CD-2127). “An extraordinary new reading of 3 Bach Cello Suites,” says the sticker on the front of the jewel case: “Accompanied by tabla and organ, Charles Curtis opens an alternative dimension of rhythm and color.” Well, maybe.

First things first. Curtis is a superb cellist. His playing here is smooth and flowing, with no hint of technical difficulty, and with a lovely sense of line that simply bursts with life and energy. I would pay a good deal to hear him perform the complete suites unaccompanied. So how did he end up recording selected cello suites with tabla (Naren Budhakar) and organ (Anthony Burr)?

For a start, he is fully aware of the historical context of the works, of the importance of dance in social life at the time and of Bach’s lack of hesitation in adapting his music to different instrumentations.

But why the Indian instrumental additions? Well, Curtis has studied the Kirana style of Indian classical music, and is a regular member of the Just Alap Raga Ensemble. When he decided to enhance the dance nature of the suites, the organ and tabla must have been immediate options: the tabla clearly supports and embroiders the rhythmic nature of the music, and the organ fills in the harmonic structure implicit in the solo cello lines. It’s a subtle harmonic support, too, with no vibrato and no contrapuntal lines – just a smooth, low-key chordal sound typical of the portable organs used in Indian music.

Now the big question: does it work? The Suites chosen are numbers 1 in G Major, 3 in C Major and 4 in E-flat Major; all have six movements – Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Bourrée or Menuet, and Gigue – and in each case the Prelude and Sarabande (the slow movements) are played unaccompanied. Even in the remaining movements, the tabla and organ are not always present; the degree of participation varies a great deal, whether they are playing singly or together. I tended to find that I would forget about them in the solo cello movements and then wonder why they had returned.

You can argue as much and as long as you like about whether or not this approach provides an ear-opening new way of listening to these works, or whether such additions do nothing but pointlessly compromise the integrity of the original music, but the bottom line for me is that Curtis’ cello playing is so wonderfully full of life, as close to perfection as you can get, that I can’t see how you could possibly need anything else. In many ways the tabla and organ don’t really detract from the music, but they can hardly be said to add anything either; at best, they buzz and hover around it like mosquitoes at an outdoor evening dinner.

“An alternative dimension of rhythm and color?” I don’t really know; I was too busy listening to the cello.

 

L’Olimpiade – The Opera
Romina Basso; Franziska Gottwald;
Karina Gauvin; Nicholas Phan;
Ruth Rosique; Nicholas Spanos; Venice Baroque Orchestra; Markellos Chryssicos
NaïveV 5295

This recording is cheeky and timely. L’Olimpiade was yet another Metastasio libretto (like La Clemenza di Tito) set many times by various composers to gain applause with a new version of a well-known text. The plot centres around the prize of a king’s daughter at the Olympic games, and in this release a bunch of arias were jumbled together from the earliest setting by Caldara in 1733 to Torchi in 1792, in time to coincide with the upcoming Olympics in London. So far, so fun! The voices range from excellent to adequate. Excellent are Karina Gauvin as Argene, Ruth Rosique as Aristea, Romina Basso as the athletic Megacle who competes disguised as his friend Licida (Franziska Gottwald). Nowadays it’s steroids; back then evidently the latest scandal was impersonation!

The problem is the definition of “pasticcio” which is what this concert is called. The notes are by the Oxford Professor of Music, Reinhard Strohm who translates this word as “patchwork.” The word describes a pastry or pie containing various fillings held together by the blending of tastes — and in opera, the recitative. As with culinary art, there can be good and bad taste. Do it badly and you get the Met’s Enchanted Island or the earlier Opera Immaginaria.

This new effort is a delightful assortment, but no decent director would have yoked together such a disparate selection. Even amongst the composers selected (including neither J.C. Bach nor Beethoven) one of the most famous arias of the period, Superba di me stessa by Lampugnani, is omitted for a mediocre setting by Hasse. But since this is pleasant summer listening and the singers ornament well, it gives a lot of pleasure.

You could turn off the TV volume, and turn up the sound for these CDs. I’m afraid the inevitable next step will be a staging of L’Olimpiade with naked counter tenors, but I had better not say that too loud. “Propriety” is a word like “pasticcio” that seems to have fallen into disrepute.

 

Bach – Flute Works
Daniel Pailthorpe; London Conchord Ensemble; Julian Milford
Champs Hill RecordsCHRCD031

Upon first seeing this disc, one might well ask if we really need another recording of J.S. Bach’s flute music. However upon listening to it there is much to recommend this CD, a much-cherished project of BBC Symphony co-principal flutist Daniel Pailthorpe. Playing on a modern wooden instrument, a rarity in the contemporary flute world, Pailthorpe’s warm and unforced sound is most pleasant, and he and his colleagues play with complete engagement. The Sonata in B Minor for flute and obbligato keyboard is very well considered, beautifully balanced, and the teamwork between Pailthorpe and pianist Julian Milford is impeccable. Also on the program is the Sonata in A Major, the outer movements of which are performed with wit and ingenuity. In his rendition of the sonata for solo flute, Pailthorpe’s deft phrasing, wise appreciation of the underlying harmony and intimate sensibility are much appreciated.

The Second Orchestral Suite ends the disc and receives the same focused treatment, though this particular modern string sound is a bit of a vague throwback to the 1960s. While some will still prefer to hear this repertoire played on baroque instruments, this is a very fine CD carried by the players’ obvious affection for Bach’s music and their exemplary playing in the style of their choice.

 

Mozart – Piano Concertos 20 & 21
Jan Lisiecki; Bayerischen RSO;
Christian Zacharias
Deutsche Grammophon4790061

Canadian Jan Lisiecki is an incredible young artist who has recorded the Mozart piano concertos Nos.20 and 21 at the age of 16. I enjoyed his performance of the D Minor concerto for its dynamic contrasts and the dramatic intensity of the cadenza. His playing is clear, structured and without pretence. The emotions within the music were expressed honestly and not coated in pretty or exaggerated stylism. His technique is virtuosic with articulate scales and arpeggios cascading up and down the keyboard in a refined tonal palette. The interpretations are artistically thought through and mature enough to defy his age. His touch was lovely in a pure Mozart style. The second movement, Romance did not melt my heart as some other performances (Perahia, Uchida, etc.) but he captured the natural flow of the music and his phrasing was impeccable. The Rondo: Allegro Assai with the cadenza by Beethoven was brilliantly played with crisp trills and ornaments and the “dark energy” Lisiecki speaks of in the program notes is evident in the intensity of his playing.

Conductor Christian Zacharias is most sympathetic and supportive. A well-respected pianist himself he responds to every nuance of the soloist. The orchestra is brought into the performance with spontaneous conversational zest. I always think of Mozart’s piano works, solo, chamber or concerto, as opera for the keyboard. It is a singing conversation and I was pleased to read in Lisiecki’s notes that this was what he also thought of as a key to Mozart’s music. “With almost all the composers I play, I think of a human voice. If you play as you speak and sing, you will produce the most natural phrasing. Mozart’s piano concertos sometimes have positively operatic qualities. In the third movement, Allegro vivace assai of the C Major concerto, for example, one can imagine having different characters speaking with one another onstage.”

In the Piano Concerto No.21 in C Major K467, Lisiecki performs impeccably, light as air in touch, texture and mood but intense and deep in contrasting sections. Lisiecki wrote his own cadenza which was short but well-written and it fit into the concerto stylistically. The famous Andante was crystal clear and moved me with the singing line. Maturity will season this movement in time. Lisiecki has found the key to successful Mozart playing and seems to channel Mozart’s exuberance, humour and singing voice.

 

Schumann – Piano Concerto in A minor
Angela Hewitt; Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin; Hannu Lintu
Hyperion CDA67885

Schumann – Chamber Music
Nash Ensemble
Hyperion CDA67923

Schumann – Piano Quintet; Piano Quartet
Alexander Melnikov; Jerusalem Quartet
Harmonia Mundi HMC 902122

Robert Schumann once wrote: “In order to compose, all you need to do is remember a tune that nobody else has thought of.” If only it were as simple as that! Whatever mental afflictions Schumann may have suffered over the course of his lifetime, there is no denying his place among the great Romantic period composers, and three recent discs will surely please all those who delight in music by the master from Zwickau.

When Ottawa-born pianist Angela Hewitt made the world take notice back in 1985, it was for her interpretation of Bach. Since then, she has proven her talents extend much further, and this Hyperion CD featuring the Schumann Piano Concerto Op.54 plus two lesser-known works for piano and orchestra with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under the direction of Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu is a case in point. The concerto was completed in 1845 as a gift for Schumann’s wife, concert pianist Clara. It proved to be an instant success, with one critic noting the “beautiful alliance” between orchestra and soloist. Here, Hewitt and the DSOB comprise a formidable partnership, her technical brilliance pairing splendidly with the warmth of the orchestra’s strings and woodwinds. The inclusion of the Introduction and Allegro appassionato Op.92 and the Introduction and Concert-Allegro Op.134 are added bonuses, rounding out this most satisfying recording.

I’ve long been a huge fan of the London-based Nash Ensemble. As resident chamber ensemble of Wigmore Hall, it has rightfully earned a reputation for musical excellence, and this latest offering (also on Hyperion) featuring Schumann’s smaller chamber music, is no exception. All the music here was composed between 1849 and 1853, and includes the Märchenbilder Op.113 for viola and piano, the Märchenerzählungen Op.132 for clarinet, viola and piano and the Violin Sonata No.1 Op.105. The playing is elegant and intelligent, whether it be the elegiac opening to the Adagio and Allegro Op.70 for horn and piano or the cheerful optimism of the finale from the clarinet and piano Fantasiestücke Op.73.

Schumann had scarcely written any chamber music before 1842, but before that year was out, he had produced three string quartets, a piano quartet and a piano quintet. Both the piano quartet and quintet are presented on a recent Harmonia Mundi recording featuring the Jerusalem Quartet with pianist Alexander Melnikov. Now a major player amongst chamber ensembles, the Jerusalem recently won its third BBC Music Magazine award and together with Melnikov, has produced an exemplary recording. The playing is confident and exuberant without being bombastic (as is often the case in other recordings of these pieces), with Melnikov displaying a particular sensitivity to the demands of the score. Do I foresee another award for this ensemble in the near future? With this level of quality, it wouldn’t be surprising.

In all, these are three fine additions to the catalogue — great music, superbly performed. We can hardly ask for more.

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