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Messages - Martin Eastick

#32
My only reason for flagging up the instrumentation was the original request and whether or not there would be two viola players in the set-up! Therefore "slight problem" was perhaps a little hypothetical - and apologies for being a tad misleading.

The CD recording mentioned by jdperdrix was originally released as an LP and is the one to which I refer in my original post, and is the only one to date. Obviously this work could well do with a new recording - perhaps it will appear in the Naxos cycle (hopefully to be continued) with the Elan Quintet soon!
#33
May I suggest Georges Onslow's String Quintet No32 in D minor Op78. One of his last string quintets dating from the early 1850's, this surely has to be one of his finest works. One slight problem here though is that it is written for two violas which may be offputting to those considering the aspects of programming etc. Nevertheless this is a fine work which deserves to be better known and is representative of this composer at his very best - it certainly awakened in me an interest in string chamber music which had previously been dominated by piano-orientated repertoire. Apart from the unusual instrumentation, I'm afraid I cannot offer much with regards to difficulty etc., but the parts are readily available from IMSLP. Also, at present, there does not appear to be a modern recording - the only one dates from 1980's and was originally issued on LP. 
#34
When I saw notice of this release from Dutton, I was rather hopeful that it would include some of Ketèlbey's serious works, which include a Caprice, Concertstück, and Concerto for piano and orchestra. Some years ago, it was assumed that these works had not survived, and perhaps that is still the case, but knowing Martin Yates' reputation for reconstructing and/or orchestrating surviving remnants of otherwise unperformable music, I was hoping that some of Ketèlbey's early attempts had re-surfaced from the depths of oblivion; and Martin had been able to work his usual magic here! After all, it was no lesser a person than Elgar who had encouraging things to say about the Concertstück, in the programme notes included in one of two Columbia 78 rpm "boxed sets" of Ketèlbey's music (composer conducting),which was released in the later 1920's!

Nevertheless, though, this release seems attractive enough, in spite of the duplications, and I will cetainly be adding this to my collection. Just a brief concluding correction - it is "Albert" rather than "Arthur"!
#35
Yet more Czerny premières for piano and orchestra from Tuck and Bonynge!https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/carl-czerny-concertinos-fuer-klavier-orchester-opp-78-650/hnum/11458459
According to the post on Youtube,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tFebfSbtBs this will complete their invaluable recording project, although there are, as one might suspect, other works for piano and orchestra by Czerny. All in all though, this project has certainly done Czerny proud, and rediscovered some of his most attractive music!
#36
Although vocal music is not my speciality by any stretch of the imagination, and there are those here that have a much more learned view of vocal repertoire in general, I felt that this recent release of songs by the Dutch - American composer Richard Hageman may be of interest. I obtained the CD a few months ago but only had the chance yesterday to listen for the first time, and have to say that this CD would probably be at the top of my vocal list, both from a repertoire aspect, but also the superb (IMHO) rendition by the Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg. https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/voices-songs-by-richard-hageman/hnum/11068670.
Although the CD contains a few of Hageman's lighter efforts, the majority of the featured songs consist of high quality late romantic American art songs, extremely well written, with equally attractive piano accompaniments. Think of a blend of Amy Beach, Richard Strauss & perhaps Tchaikovsky for starters!
#37
Apart from the substantial costs involved, locating the orchestral material for Coleridge Taylor's "other" choral works has proven to be problematic, and only the enduring persistance of a rather small but dedicated number of musical practitioners has enabled an occasional performance, such as that of his cantata "Meg Blane", which I was lucky enough to be present at (also in our downloads. This superb work does much to reinforce Coleridge Taylor's reputation as a thoroughly talented and accomplished composer in that most popular of mediums in late Victorian Great Britain. It is scandalous that a work of such quality and appeal should be still unperformed and unrecorded.
 (See here,from 20th March 2011:
QuoteA mixed, but fascinating, selection for today - early British piano sonatas by Pinto, Donaldson and Potter, Henry Pierson's brooding and eccentric Symphonic Poem Macbeth (1859), Ethel Smyth's 1887 Cello Sonata, three works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Haydn Wood's Apollo Overture and a suite of dances by Ernest Tomlinson.

Two of the Coleridge-Taylor items have slightly problematic sound: Meg Blane was recorded at a live amateur performance and suffers from some distortion in louder passages, whilst in the Five Choral Ballads the sound is very recessed (I remember that this was an inherent problem with the recording as originally broadcast) and noise-reduction is highly counterproductive. Originally heard in orchestral guise in 1905, the full score is unfortunately lost but it is well worth getting to know these very attractive and often moving settings of Longfellow's poems about slavery. A vocal score of Meg Blane can be downloaded from IMSLP (http://imslp.org/wiki/Meg_Blane,_Op.48_%28Coleridge-Taylor,_Samuel%29) - the orchestral parts of this stormy seascape were quite literally rescued by an enthusiast when Novello's were junking their archives prior to a move of premises and leaving such material on the road-side for waste-paper collection!  :o

It is great to have these rare works in BMB and many thanks again to Martin Eastick for providing the original cassette tapes.  :)

 

I sincerely hope that a recording of "The Atonement" eventually materialises - perhaps to be followed by "A Tale of Old Japan", and the "5 Choral Ballads" Op54 (these would certainly need to be re-orchestrated as, in spite of much research, the orchestral score/parts are unfortunately lost).
#38
Ditto!
#39
This new release looks (and sounds) most promising, with a premiere recording of Enric Casals' Cello Concerto! https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/lalo-casals-cello-concertos/hnum/11143718
#40
The Vladigerov piano trio has been recorded before - on a now-deleted Hungaraton CD, which I do have. I notice that there is a very scathing review of this recording on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chamber-Music-Violin-Vladigerov/dp/B000FIGGQE/ref=sr_1_25?crid=56K35E8DRWSA&keywords=vladigerov&qid=1674477212&s=music&sprefix=vl%2Cpopular%2C111&sr=1-25. Although i haven't listened to this for some time, I cannot recall this as an awful performance - but. as it was the only version available.........! Anyway, I will revisit in the next few days, time permitting!
I any case, it as good that there is now this new recording which i will certainly invest in. Both this trio and the early violin sonata reveal a rather precocious talent - it is a pity that he did not produce more chamber music in larger forms - excepting, of course, a rather later string quartet.
#41
Just a brief mention that under the alias of Valentin Frank, he collaborated with Philipp Scharwenka in the orchestration of Moszkowski's Op12 Spanish Dances.
#42
I will certainly be supporting this release!
#43
Fairly hot on the heels of the rather inadequate Da Vinci Classics release mentioned previously on this forum, it seems rather incredible that such obscure, but nevertheless worthwhile, repertoire should receive anotherrecording which, on the evidence of the soundbites provided, certainly promotes Albanesi in a far more favourable light. Both the recording quality and performance (Julia Severus, who has already recorded two CD's of piano music by Barjansky for Grand Piano), are excellent IMHO! Furthermore, as this is only the first volume, there should be more goodies to follow! https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/klavierwerke-vol-1/hnum/11100629
#45
Recordings & Broadcasts / Re: Hans Seeling piano music
Wednesday 30 November 2022, 13:04
I had also just noticed this! Another to go on "must have" list!