Unsung Composers

The Music => Recordings & Broadcasts => Topic started by: FBerwald on Monday 12 July 2010, 19:11

Title: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: FBerwald on Monday 12 July 2010, 19:11
After a somewhat disappointing NOt to mention colourless and unadventurous previous releases in the romantic concerto series (Piano vol 50 and vol 8 Violin >:() Finally its here ... the reason why we fell in love with hyperion! Volume 9 - The Romantic Violin Concerto - Ferdinand David - Concertos 4 , 5 and an Andante and Scherzo capriccioso, Op 16 !!! Bravo.
Dont know if any of these are premier recordings.............anyways... WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Monday 12 July 2010, 19:24
I can confirm this release...

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67804 (http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67804)

Very good news indeed!
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Monday 12 July 2010, 23:46
Me too!  The clips sound fantastic!  I like David's virtuosic style, and he definitely has a melodic flair!

P.S. Let's not get too down on Hyperion's Violin Concerto Series.  I think they scored a hit with the Stanford and Hubay 1 & 2 (although I don't recall if the latter were premiere recordings or not).
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: eschiss1 on Tuesday 13 July 2010, 01:28
Quote from: JimL on Monday 12 July 2010, 23:46
Me too!  The clips sound fantastic!  I like David's virtuosic style, and he definitely has a melodic flair!

P.S. Let's not get too down on Hyperion's Violin Concerto Series.  I think they scored a hit with the Stanford and Hubay 1 & 2 (although I don't recall if the latter were premiere recordings or not).

The Hubay were premiered on Hungaroton, in a set of all four.
Eric
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Tuesday 13 July 2010, 07:56
And the Hungaroton set is arguably the best on the market!
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: peter_conole on Tuesday 13 July 2010, 14:19
Hi all

Just turned the computer on. I have taken my second sedative since reading the glad tidings.

Who would it thought it. Alan and Mark, are you in tears? Remember the huge threads about the German violin concerto as a musical form on the old Raff forums? About 8000 hits as I recall. 

Maybe a few folk out in music land have been reading carefully and taking notice after all.

I know how you might respond Alan and I agree. This is a huge break through -but the great gap lies in the time zone of Reinhold Becker, Gernsheim, Huber, Hiller, Damrosch, Brull (complete), Jongen, Bazzini and a myriad more from the period c1860-1900.

regards
Peter
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Tuesday 13 July 2010, 18:49
You are right, Peter: that is my view. I welcome the opportunity to hear the David VCs, but I don't think we're going to find any great music in them. I'm still waiting for the VCs of unsung 'proper composers' to be recorded...
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Tuesday 13 July 2010, 23:24
Maybe the music isn't "great" but it's a damnsight better than Ernst!
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Tuesday 13 July 2010, 23:46
That's not saying much! But you're probably right, Jim.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Mark Thomas on Wednesday 14 July 2010, 02:41
Yes, Peter, it's excellent news indeed. And I'd like to think that David proves to be a cut above many viruoso composers because of his close association over many years with Mendelssohn and Moscheles. We shall see.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Gareth Vaughan on Wednesday 14 July 2010, 12:48
I don't know VC No. 4, but I have a copy of the piano/violin score of No. 5 which, I must say, strikes me as very attractive.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: eschiss1 on Wednesday 14 July 2010, 13:08
Quote from: Gareth Vaughan on Wednesday 14 July 2010, 12:48
I don't know VC No. 4, but I have a copy of the piano/violin score of No. 5 which, I must say, strikes me as very attractive.
It's available on IMSLP, too, I think.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: peter_conole on Thursday 15 July 2010, 15:12
Hi all

An earlier reply got lost in cyberspace yesterday. Dear me.

Whatever, I can confirm that the recordings of the David concertos nos 4 and 5 will be world premieres. Good compensation for unforgivable neglect in the 1900s.

David was a major figure in European musical life - not just as a violin virtuoso, because he taught at the Leipzig Conservatory for years from 1843 (Joachim and Wilhelmj were among his students) and was Mendelssohn's guide and advisor when the latter's great e minor concerto was being composed. And its first performer.

I have heard the number 5 played through (violin solo, then later with violin and piano) by a couple of fine semi-pro musos and can confirm its appeal. The standard texts (Toskey, Emery, Swalin) all enthuse over the work.

I suspect the recording will be the greatest - and most unexpected - 'unsung hero' musical windfall of the year.

regards
Peter 
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Thursday 15 July 2010, 17:22
I suspect that the music will prove underwhelming - but I hope I'm wrong.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Thursday 15 July 2010, 23:45
Well, Alan, you've heard the same samples I have.  Are you underwhelmed so far? :)
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Friday 16 July 2010, 13:02
Yes. Tuneful, grateful music - which I shall purchase and enjoy listening to. But my original point stands, I think: there is a substantial number of VCs written by far better composers than David which are more deserving of Hyperion's attention. Starting with Gernsheim....
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: eschiss1 on Friday 16 July 2010, 14:52
Quote from: Alan Howe on Friday 16 July 2010, 13:02
Yes. Tuneful, grateful music - which I shall purchase and enjoy listening to. But my original point stands, I think: there is a substantial number of VCs written by far better composers than David which are more deserving of Hyperion's attention. Starting with Gernsheim....

Out of curiosity, have the Gernsheim violin concertos been performed at all recently?
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Friday 16 July 2010, 14:58
I have no idea - but my guess is that they haven't. Although the rumour a few years back was that Ulf Hoelscher was looking at them...
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Friday 03 September 2010, 19:25
The David concertos are due to be released on 27th September.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: TerraEpon on Friday 03 September 2010, 20:57
If his violin concerti are anywhere as good as his catchy trombone concertino, I'm in for one.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: eschiss1 on Friday 03 September 2010, 21:34
Quote from: Alan Howe on Friday 16 July 2010, 14:58
I have no idea - but my guess is that they haven't. Although the rumour a few years back was that Ulf Hoelscher was looking at them...
Hrm. Well, he's already (as part of a quartet) recorded one of the string quartets... unlike most violinists!
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Friday 03 September 2010, 22:14
Eric: what Gernsheim has Hoelscher recorded?
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: eschiss1 on Saturday 04 September 2010, 01:34
Quote from: Alan Howe on Friday 03 September 2010, 22:14
Eric: what Gernsheim has Hoelscher recorded?
I was mistaken again, (I see why- was something very careless and stupid of me. Erm. Oops. Thought for some reason he was a member of the Mandelring Quartet. Isn't.
(Wonder who recorded the first piano quintet for German radio some years back though, before the Toccata recording came out...)
Eric
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: FBerwald on Saturday 04 September 2010, 07:38
Any news about the Philipp Scharwenka Violin concerto. Is Hyperion recording it finally. ..... And on a slightly different note what about the Romantic Cello Concertos? Any planned releases?!?!?!?!?
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Saturday 04 September 2010, 09:35
Not a sniff of any news, unfortunately.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Saturday 02 October 2010, 15:01
I'm not underwhelmed, happily; these are very nice pieces indeed, although not masterpieces. The fascinating thing is to see what a truly great composer, Mendelssohn, made out of a similar idiom. Nevertheless, this CD is precisely what Hyperion should be bringing out - thoroughly entertaining, well-written, neglected music. And, as ever, it is all beautifully performed and recorded (Shaham is a brilliant violinist, with a most winning romantic flair). Another winner!
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Saturday 02 October 2010, 15:14
I suspected you might find these rather more substantial than you expected, Alan.  I just had a gut feeling that these works would be more than mere virtuoso showpieces, even though not towering masterworks.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Saturday 02 October 2010, 22:30
All I would say is that I am not overwhelmed either. Just entertained and diverted - but that's enough, perhaps. Still, I have the feeling that there's a substantial body of RVCs out there that are a good deal more worthy than these David VCs.

Now, I'm just listening to Ysaye's Poème élégiaque on a new Aeon CD - meaty stuff with a real late-Romantic kick to it. Much more interesting and original fare...
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: eschiss1 on Saturday 02 October 2010, 22:36
Taking off briefly on that tangent, the Jaques-Dalcroze violin concertos (late Romantic? early modern?) have been recorded - I had a quick look at the vn/pf score of the 2nd, subtitled Poème, a few days ago (it's on IMSLP). They were both broadcast on www.concertzender.nl recently and should still be archived I think but I haven't yet heard them- planning to.  Some other promising late-Romantic violin concertos were discussed in a thread awhile back a number of which I hope to hear - the 2 by Gernsheim of course but others too. Sibley as mentioned recently went through their collection looking for (trolling for? :) ) mid- and late-Romantic violin concertos  in general, the Jaques-Dalcroze only one among them, and uploaded a whole bunch of them (some in partitur, some in reduction)- I had not seen Iver Holter's name in a long, long time!
Eric
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Saturday 02 October 2010, 23:10
Quote from: Alan Howe on Saturday 02 October 2010, 22:30
All I would say is that I am not overwhelmed either. Just entertained and diverted - but that's enough, perhaps. Still, I have the feeling that there's a substantial body of RVCs out there that are a good deal more worthy than these David VCs.

Now, I'm just listening to Ysaye's Poème élégiaque on a new Aeon CD - meaty stuff with a real late-Romantic kick to it. Much more interesting and original fare...
Indeed.  It is too bad that Ysaye's only surviving VC is a neo-Baroque pastiche work, and that his other (presumably more Romantic-sounding) VCs were destroyed by him!
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: jonfrohnen on Tuesday 12 October 2010, 01:18
I downloaded the David from the Hyperion website and enjoy it very much!  Go Hagai go!
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Tuesday 12 October 2010, 04:33
Put it them in your personal rep, Jon!
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: jonfrohnen on Tuesday 12 October 2010, 18:51
for sure!  I sent Hagai the solo parts for the op.18 Variations de Concert (original theme) and the op.21 Intro et Variations (Irish air)...hopefully they will wind up on one of the upcoming David albums
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Tuesday 08 February 2011, 00:03
Finally!  Got this from Presto Classical the other day and just devoured it.  Both David concertos are everything a Romantic VC ought to be, and blow anything by Spohr clear off the ocean (apologies to any of you Spohrophiles on the forum.)  The Andante and Scherzo Capriccioso ought to be an encore piece or pops item right alongside Saint-Saëns' Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, a work which, I'm sure, owes quite a debt to David's predecent.  BTW, although the writer of the liner notes caught the obvious cyclic reference to the slow movement towards the end of the finale of the 5th Concerto, he missed the immediately succeeding pizzicato reference to the first movement's first subject in the orchestra right before the final hijinks begin.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Mark Thomas on Tuesday 08 February 2011, 07:32
JimL wrote:
QuoteSpohrophiles
Spohrites? Spohrians? Spohrers? Spohrists? Spohrianer? Spohrifficianados?

Calling John White,: which is it to be?

(apologies, Jim)
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: Alan Howe on Tuesday 08 February 2011, 18:09
Quote from: JimL on Tuesday 08 February 2011, 00:03
Both David concertos are everything a Romantic VC ought to be, and blow anything by Spohr clear off the ocean...

Well, David was a whole generation later than Spohr. Spohr was surely building the foundation which later composer-violinists such as David used to develop their own compositions...
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Wednesday 09 February 2011, 00:40
Quote from: Mark Thomas on Tuesday 08 February 2011, 07:32
JimL wrote:
QuoteSpohrophiles
Spohrites? Spohrians? Spohrers? Spohrists? Spohrianer? Spohrifficianados?

Calling John White,: which is it to be?

(apologies, Jim)
Let's see:

A Spohrite would be someone who resembles Spohr.

A Spohrian would be a denizen of the planet Spohr.

A Spohrer would be someone who acts like Spohr, (marrying a harpist?)

A Spohrist would be an acolyte or follower of Spohr.

A Spohrianer?  That's a tough one.

A Spohrophile and a Spohrafficianado would be synonymous.

A Spohrophiliac would be someone who absolutely bleeds Spohr! ;D

Alan, I think that the 1840s through the 1870s are just about my favorite musical period precisely because of works like the David concertos.  Although, oddly, I find that the David concertos owe more to De Bériot than Spohr.  Is it just me?
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: eschiss1 on Wednesday 09 February 2011, 05:14
Spohphont?
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Wednesday 09 February 2011, 06:38
Quote from: eschiss1 on Wednesday 09 February 2011, 05:14
Spohphont?
You mean Spohrphont?

Let me see...ah, yes.

It's either a cross between Spohr and an elephont or a script that resembles Spohr's writing. :D
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: FBerwald on Wednesday 09 February 2011, 06:41
Quote from: JimL on Wednesday 09 February 2011, 00:40

.............

A Spohrianer?  That's a tough one.

.......................

Sounds like a character from a Barbara Cartland Novel. .. Are we all suddenly in Goon Land? Ying Tong Iddiloe PO!!!!!.
... Yes Yes I kanoe... we are getting off the topic... So does anyone have any idea what Vol 11 will be Now that Vol 10. Cliffe & Erlanger is release. (And what a wonderful release!!!!!)
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: eschiss1 on Wednesday 09 February 2011, 11:13
Quote from: JimL on Wednesday 09 February 2011, 06:38
You mean Spohrphont?

Actually, I was thinking along the lines of Spohr + sophont...
(so end my Spohrphistries for the even')
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Thursday 10 February 2011, 06:03
Meanwhile, back at Ferdinand David...

I'm really starting to think of David 5 as another viable alternative to the Mendelssohn, right alongside the Dietrich.  It certainly has a lot of the same things going for it as the Mendelssohn.  What impresses me the most about David is his skillful orchestration, and his surprisingly symphonic conception.  For a violinist-composer he gives the orchestra a much more prominent role in the musical fabric than many of his contemporaries. 
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: jerfilm on Thursday 10 February 2011, 22:15
Well, I really liked the David, but the Cliffe?D'erlanger disc arrived (finally) here in the colonies and it's the lovliest thing I've heard in many moons.  I especially like the D'erlanger Concerto.  Wow! Gorgious!
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: FBerwald on Friday 11 February 2011, 09:29
I wouldn't mind seeing the Dietrich done by Hyperion. Its become one of my favourite pieces.
Title: Re: Hyperion : The Romantic Violin Concerto, Vol. 9
Post by: JimL on Friday 11 February 2011, 17:54
Quote from: FBerwald on Friday 11 February 2011, 09:29
I wouldn't mind seeing the Dietrich done by Hyperion. Its become one of my favourite pieces.
Too bad cpo beat them to it.  Still, in the interests of completionism, a Hyperion release, maybe coupled with Gernsheim 1 (to parallel the Cello Concerto release) wouldn't be a bad idea.  Not to mention filling Alan's heart with joy.