Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 “Organ Symphony” (CD Review)

by Karl Nehring

Paolo Bordignon, organ; Park Avenue Chamber Symphony; David Bernard, conductor. Recursive Classics RC5230977

The last time we reviewed a recording by the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, their sparkling account of the Mahler 9 , we offered a fairly lengthy explanation of why the name “Chamber Symphony” should not be taken to mean that they are anything other than a full-sized symphony orchestra – well-suited for Mahler, well-suited for Saint-Saëns. Wording on the cover of this latest release proclaims that this is a “Live InsideOut Concerts^® Recording.” Maestro Bernard has developed methods for seating audience members amongst the orchestra to enhance their listening experience, recently earning a patent for algorithms he has developed to precisely arrange seating based on the hall, orchestra, and other parameters. Although we have occasionally expressed reservation about live recordings, the engineering on this release is remarkably good, offering a stereo soundstage that is deep, wide, and coherent. The engineering perfectly complements the music, which as the delightfully informative notes by critic David Patrick Stearns points out, abounds with subtle details. As you listen to a fine recording such as this one, it’s easy to appreciate that it’s so much more than just a showpiece for the organ.

 

Of the potential problems presented by the organ, Stearns explains, “Saint-Saëns breezily remarked that his symphony should do well in America thanks to the presence of many organs. In fact, the organ is the primary challenge to be solved. Great organs are based in great churches – amid acoustics not favorable to orchestras. In many recordings, the organ has been recorded separately – sometimes continents away – and synched, not always comfortably, with the orchestra. Balances that favor the organ detract from the orchestra and vice versa. ‘For 140 years, the Organ Symphony has been approximated,’ remarked David Bernard in a April 2026 piece for Gramophone Online. ‘It has never quite been performed.’ Modern digital organs are one possibility. But as Bernard reveals, the ideal solution is highly elusive.”

 

Is this new recording by Maestro Bernard, his Park Avenue players, and organist Bordignon that highly elusive ideal solution? The answer to that question will depend upon the expectations of the listener, of course. In terms of the precision of the playing, the transparency and balance of the sound, and the integration of the sound of the organ with the sound of the orchestra, this release is certainly top-notch. To my ears, I enjoyed not being overwhelmed by the sound of the organ; however, I believe that there may be some listeners who might wish for a bigger, more dramatic organ sound. To them, I can recommend the old Telarc with Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra and Michael Murray at the organ. But to my ears, the sonic balance on this new Recursive Classics release is perfectly suited for the appreciation of this remarkable symphony. The organ takes its place as part of the music-making, not as the main attraction. 

 

In summary, what we have here is an audiophile-quality recording of a live performance of the Saint-Saëns “Organ Symphony” which does not highlight the organ but places it in balance with the orchestra. The CD booklet features an essay by David Patrick Stearns that offers some insights noy only into the Saint-Saëns work but also into the French symphonic scene in general. For fans of Saint-Saëns – or anyone just starting to get into classical music, for that matter – this release earns my highest recommendation.

Recent Releases No. 79 (CD Reviews)

by Karl Nehring

B.A.C.H. Martin Fröst. J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria (Arr. for Clarinet and Bass by Martin Fröst and Sebastien Dubé); Sinfonia in G Major, BWV 796 (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Matthias Spindler); Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg); St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244: No. 62. "Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden" (Arr. for Clarinets and Cello by Martin Fröst); Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068: II. Air (Arr. for Clarinet, Theorbo and Bass by Martin Fröst, Jonas Nordberg and Sebastien Dubé); Invention No.10 in G Major, BWV 781 (Arr. for Clarinet and Viola by Göran Fröst); French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816: III. Sarabande (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg); Sonata for Viola da Gamba in D Major, BWV 1028: I. Adagio (Arr. for Clarinet, Cello, and Bass by Martin Fröst, Anastasia Kobekina and Sebastien Dubé); Pastorale in F Major, BWV 590: III. Aria (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg); Invention No.4 in D Minor, BWV 775 (Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Matthias Spindler); French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816: I. Allemande (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg); Prelude in D Minor, BWV 851 (Arr. for Clarinet and Bass by Martin Fröst and Sebastien Dubé); Gounod: Ave Maria (Meditation on the Prelude by J. S. Bach) [Arr. for Clarinet and Cello by Martin Fröst]; Bach: Herr Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht, BWV 335 (Arr. for Clarinet and Theorbo by Martin Fröst and Jonas Nordberg); Invention No. 6 in E Major, BWV 777 (Arr. for Clarinet and Viola by Göran Fröst); Prelude in C-Sharp Major, BWV 872 (Arr. for Clarinet, Theorbo and Bass by Martin Fröst, Jonas Nordberg and Sebastien Dubé); Largo (after Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056) [Arr. for Clarinet and Piano by Martin Fröst and Benny Andersson]. Martin Fröst, Clarinet; Jonas Nordberg, theorbo; Anastasia Kobekina, cello; Sébastian Dubé, double bass; Göran Fröst, viola; Benny Andersson, piano. Sony Classical 19802814742

 

As Ry Cooder almost once sang, oooohhh, I’m a fool for a clarinet. Back in the day, one of my musical heroes was fellow Ohio State grad Richard Stoltzman (double major: music and mathematics), a true master of the instrument who made remarkable recordings in a variety of genres. Today, Swedish clarinetist Martin Fröst is making a name for himself as a master of the instrument, and like Stoltzman, Fröst is willing to explore innovative ways to showcase his musical abilities. Back in 2022, we reviewed an album by Fröst in which he explored music from a diverse group of composers ranging over such figures as Bach, Scarlatti, Purcell, Rameau, Richard Rogers, Gordon Jenkins, and Chick Corea (you can read that review here).  In past concert performances, Fröst sometimes devised programs titled "Beyond All Clarinet History" (B.A.C.H.), which intertwined some Bach’s melodies with new arrangements; what we have here is an entire album – appropriately titled “B.A.C.H.” – entirely devoted to the music of Bach, but presented in new interpretations both for clarinet and a variety of other instruments, such as bass, cello, and theorbo (for those unfamiliar with that instrument, imagine a lute on steroids), and on the final track, a piano – played by Benny Andersson of the world-famous pop group ABBA. Although Bach never wrote for the clarinet, nothing here sounds forced or gimmicky. Recorded in an old wooden chapel set in the Swedish countryside that Fröst purchased, restored, and turned into a studio and concert venue, the album has a warm, intimate sonic quality that is well-suited to Bach’s music. You don’t need to be a fool for a clarinet to enjoy this album, but you might become one after giving it a listen. This is a recording that should appeal to a wide variety of musical tastes.

Brahms, Balkans & Bagels. Paquin-Bugi: Mahler Goes Meshuge; Traditional: Kolomeyka; Paquin-Buki and Paquin / Brahms: Élégie des vieux amants; Saint-Saëns: Balkanale; Svigals: Glazier's Hora;  Traditional: Beresh Katz Bulgar; Liszt: Rhapsodie hongroise no 2; Pigeon: Trumpet Doina, wie aus der ferne; Traditional: Der yidisher soldat in di trenches (WWI); Traditional: Reel de Béatrice; Kodály: Kállai kettõs; I. Weber: Wiegala. Oktopus (Matthieu Bourget, bass trombone; Guillaume Martineau, piano; Gabriel Paquin-Buki, clarinet; Maxime Philippe, drums and percussion; Francis Pigeon, trumpet; Julie Blanchet, flute; Noémie Caron-Marcotte, flute; Laetitia Francoz-Lévesque; Simon Jolicoeur, trombone; Kalun Leung, trombone; Julie Rivest, violin) with guest musicians Éric Breton, percussion; Catherine Chabot, flute; Corine Chartré-Lefebvre, horn; Pascal Demalsy, accordion; Janna Kate, vocals; Charles-André Labelle-Giroux, tuba; Emie Rioux-Roussel, piano; Rosanne Philippens, violin.

 

This delightful album should bring many a smile to those listeners with a deep affection for classical music; it may even have some of them leaping from their listening positions and whirling about the room in half-crazed dances of delight; I foresee broken furniture – but pray for no broken bones.  In Brahms, Balkans & Bagels, the Canadian octet Oktopus digs into the question of how popular music may have inspired great composers. The opening track is a perfect example, highlighting the influence of klezmer music on Gustav Mahler. Mahler fans will certainly be able to recognize the themes and enjoy the energetic interweaving of Mahler and madcap. Another highlight is their arrangement of Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, which highlights above all the impressive talent of pianist Guillaume Martineau, who improvises a virtuosic cadenza before the group ends the piece with a klezmeresque flourish. It’s an album full of delights and surprises; moreover, what is especially rewarding is that the overall tone is one of joy and respect for classical music – the musicians of Oktopus are not mocking the music of the great composers, they are reveling in it and inviting you to join them in their revels. My goodness, this is a fun release!

Fred Hersch: The Surrounding Green. Hersch: Plainsong; Ornette Coleman: Law Years; Hersch: The Surrounding Green; Egberto Gismonti: Palhaço; George and Ira Gershwin: Embraceable You; Charlie Haden: First Song; Hersch: Anticipation. Fred Hersch, piano; Drew Gress, double bass; Joey Baron, drums. ECM 2826

 

Here we have the most recent release from the veteran American jazz pianist Fred Hersch (b. 1955). Hersch’s story is an inspiring one, for he has come back from the brink of death to regain his ability to play the piano and resume his life and career, as you can you can learn more  about from the pianist himself in from this compelling YouTube video  We have previously reviewed a couple of albums by Hersch, beginning with an album that Hersch recorded in his home during the dark early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. That album was recorded on a less than ideal piano in a less than ideal (at least in terms of recording acoustics) room; however, Hersch’s talent and love for the music made his 2021 release Songs from Home (Palmetto PM2197) a winning collection of tunes that is well worth a listen (you can find our review here). Then in 2024 and we reviewed a his Silent, Listening release on the ECM label, this one recorded under much different and more advantageous circumstances, playing a beautifully tuned piano in an acoustically perfect European hall under the watchful eyes and ears of a world-class producer and engineer (you can find that review here). And a decade before we ever reviewed an album recorded by Fred Hersch himself, our founding father John Puccio reviewed an album recorded by the classical pianist Lara Downes titled 13 Ways of Looking at the Goldberg: Bach Reimagined, in which she had invited various composers to provide their own modern variations on Bach’s original theme. One of those variations that Ms. Downes performs is music that John describes as a “lyrically flowing version by Fred Hersch” (you can read John's review here). 

 Fred Hersch, Drew Gress, Joey Baron

This new ECM release finds Hersch in a trio setting, but “lyrically flowing” remains an apt description of his playing throughout, sympathetically supported by bassist Gress and drummer Baron, themselves like Hersch veterans of the NYC jazz scene; however, prior to this recording, these three musicians had never recorded together as a trio. You’ never guess that from listening, though, as the music just seems to flow so naturally, so beautifully, so lyrically. That doesn’t mean “easy listening,” however; the inclusion of an Ornette Coleman tune, Law Years, should provide a clue that all is not simple tunefulness. But even here, there is nothing to assault the senses; rather, it’s more a feeling of contrast and coloration. After all, Ornette was nothing if not lyrical. Perhaps not traditionally so, but my goodness, his music bursts forth with tuneful joy, and these three musicians understand that. Hersch’s title track, The Surrounding Green, which follows, is another exemplar of lyrically flowing music that cannot but help induce aesthetic satisfaction. Recorded in ECM’s typical warm, spacious sound quality and featuring especially appealing cover art (although, sadly but not surprisingly, no liner notes), this is an easily recommendable release of tasteful, thoughtful, rewarding jazz.

La Mer – French Works for Piano Trio (CD Review)

 by Karl Nehring

Saint Saëns: Trio No. 2, Op. 92; Mel [Mélanie Hélène Domange, née] Bonis: Soir-Matin, Op. 76; Debussy (arranged by Sally Beamish): La Mer. Neave Trio (Anna Williams, violin; Mikhail Veselov, cello; Eri Nakamura, piano). CHANDOS CHAN 20337

It was about a year ago that we last reviewed a release by the Neave Trio, A Room of Her Own, which featured works by women composers who have been largely overlooked by classical music fans (you can read that review here). On this latest release, the ensemble, whose members originate from the USA, Russia, and Japan, present music both familiar and unfamiliar by French composers both familiar and unfamiliar. The album starts off with a relatively familiar work by a highly familiar French composer, the second of the two piano trios by Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921). Although La Mer gets title billing for the CD, it is this five-movement work, lasting nearly 33 minutes, that is the longest of the three compositions featured on the program. Comprising three briefer inner movements contained between two longer outer movements, this is a work grand in scale, but with its five movements offering a range of musical textures and colors to keep listeners engaged. 

Next up is the delightful Soir-Matin (“Evening-Morning”) by a composer whom I suspect will be as unfamiliar to most readers as she was to me, Mel Bonis (1858-1937). She was encouraged as a teenager by Franck and was a fellow student with Debussy at the Paris Conservatoire. Following the dramatic finale of the Saint Saëns, the lighter, more transparent sound and atmosphere created by Bonis serves as a pleasant contrast, a sonic and emotional palette cleanser of sorts, bound to bring a smile. Hearing this brief piece by this previously unknown composer may well whet your appetite – as it did mine – to hear more.

 

Then on to the featured work, a familiar composition for orchestra presented in an unfamiliar way – by a piano trio. Interestingly enough, this is not the first time we have reviewed recordings of well-known orchestral compositions performed by piano trios. Back in 2022, we reviewed a recording of Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5 by Beethoven by the all-star trio of Kavakos, Ma, and Ax, a release for which we could not work up much enthusiasm (you can find that review here). However, we found their later release of a trio arrangement of Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony to be an utter delight (you can read that review here). Perhaps the reason the “Pastoral” reduction seemed to work so much better is that the symphony is so essentially tuneful that reducing the instrumental forces in some respects increases rather than reduces the tuneful appeal of the music. But what about La Mer, where the melodies are less defined and the overall musical colors more hazy? What we end up with in this trio arrangement comes across as an X-ray view of the body of the beast. It is fascinating to listen to, it offers insight into the structure of La Mer, and it can stand on its own as a piano trio. 

The CD booklet offers informative liner notes, and the engineering is first-class. The Neave Trio has once again delivered a release well worth seeking out in every respect, from the originality of the program to the excellence of the playing and production. Enthusiastically recommended!

Paganini: 24 Caprices (Streaming review)

by Bill Heck

Paganini: 24 Capricesfor Solo Violin. Sarasate: Caprice basque, Milstein Caprice. Wieniawski: Etudes-Caprices for 2 violins, Op.18; Caprice andalous, Op. 122; Rêverie et caprice, H. 88. Saint-Saëns: Introduction et rondo capriccioso, Op. 28. María Dueñas, violin; Itmar Golan, piano (Sarasate); Boris Kuschnir, piano (Wieniawski); Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, Mihhail Gerts (Wieniawski, Saint-Saëns). DG 4865708 (2 CDs or download)

A few days ago, KWN and I were chatting about the kinds of music that we choose to review or, more precisely, about the recordings that we don’t want to review. Why not, you ask? Well, neither of us feels comfortable reviewing recordings of music that doesn’t particularly appeal to us and, like everyone else, we have our individual preferences. And, as we aren’t being paid for our efforts, we have neither the inclination nor the time to spend listening when doing so just feels like a chore. As we talked, one sub-genre that came up was solo violin pieces, and here we agreed: while there's no denying that some great music has been written for solo violin, neither of us tends to get into it.

So why am I recounting such a conversation? Because the retelling just shows how life's little ironies pop up everywhere. Within a day of this conversation, I came across this new recording of, yes, solo violin music that piqued my interest. Oh well – there are exceptions to every rule, and my rule about generally not being so interested in works for solo violin has already been violated at least once on this website, specifically in my review of the Yasÿe Six Sonatas played by Hillary Hahn. What’s one more intellectual inconsistency among friends…?

Now if we are going to listen to music for solo violin, we might as well start with one of the most famous and, if contemporaneous reports are to be believed, one of the most spectacular violin virtuosos of all time, Niccolò Paganini. And if one is going to listen to Paganini's compositions, we might as well begin with the 24 Caprices, perhaps Paganini’s most widely known (and imitated) series of works.

Reviews of some other recordings by Dueñas have characterized her playing as spirited, expressive, even aggressive (in, I think, a good sense), and those are the characteristics that one hears immediately. She certainly has the technique and control of her instrument to deal with these often very difficult pieces. But in addition, she makes them interesting, even moving and just a joy to hear. As played here, these works are not just a collection of virtuoso fireworks; she’s not afraid to vary tone and rhythm in the interests of letting the music speak. To illustrate what I mean, think of a difficulty that may arise when listening to such a long series of pieces: the mind may wander, attention may drift off in other directions. That wasn’t an issue here for me, as Dueñas brought out the musical underpinnings of each piece and kept me fully engaged.

Niccolò Paganini

 

Of course, there are plenty of other recordings of these works. For example, the one by Itzhak Perlman is classic, but I must say that the recording is showing its age, with rather dull sound. The recent one by James Ehnes features spectacular technique (he rockets through Number 1 in an incredible 1:48 as compared to Dueñas’s “leisurely” 2:33), but the playing, while never dull, is perhaps more straightforward than hers. In any case, I hear Dueñas’s traversal of the Caprices as a major success – so far, so good.

But it doesn’t stop there: as late-night TV commercials say, “But wait! There’s more!” Although the Paganini pieces are the headliner, and surely the reason that most readers would be interested in this release, the album includes a collection (recital?) of works featuring the violin. To keep this review at reasonable length, I’m going to do a quick summary, but readers should know that there’s interesting and enjoyable music to be found here.

To start with, Dueñas is joined in different works by piano, guitar, and full orchestra, so it’s not solo violin all the way. Many of these works have a Spanish flavor. Perhaps the most interesting is De cuerda y madura (Of Stone and Wood) which, depending on your taste, may strike you as a fascinating exploration of modern composition or a far-too-out-there collection of random notes; I lean toward the former. More immediately appealing are the Études-Caprices for 2 Violins by Wieniawski, and of course the two works by the perpetually underappreciated Saint-Saëns. All the playing is impeccable, as expected.

There are only two real, even if minor, disappointments here. First, in the CD version, the Paganini Caprices are spread across two disks (number 21 - 24 on the second disk). Second is the accompanying booklet, which features quotes from Dueñas in a sort of pop magazine interview format. A few interesting ideas surface, but it would’ve been so much nicer to have even a brief essay by the artist speaking directly to us in more depth. The sound of the recordings is very good if not, to my ears, great, although varying as the works were recorded in different locations by different engineering teams; certainly there's nothing to get in the way of enjoying some wonderful playing of appealing and even exciting music. In summary, a release well worth checking out – even if you thought that you weren’t fond of music for solo violin.

Lang Lang: Saint-Saëns

by Bill Heck

Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals, Piano Concerto No. 2; Ravel: Pavane pour une infante defunte; Debussy: Petite Suite 71; Fauré: In paradisium; Delibes: Delibes: Lakmé: Flower Duet; Saint-Saëns: Toccata after the Fifth Concerto (from Six Études pour piano op. 111); Fauré: Pavane op. 50; Farrenc: Étude No. 10; Sohy: Song without Words; Tailleferre: Valse lente; Bonis: The Little One Falls Asleep; Boulanger: Of a Bright Garden; Saint-Saëns: The Swan. Lang Lang, Gina Alice (pianos); Gewandhaus Orchestra; Andris Nelsons, conductor.  DG 5058

Based on an admittedly very small sample, it seems that DG is interested in producing events as much as producing recordings. I suppose that’s their business, and but my curmudgeonly side is, shall we say, a little jaded.

There’s no doubt that Lang Lang is a musical superstar, and I suppose that it’s natural for DG to be trading on that fame. Thus, you can find video sections from the Carnival of the Animals on YouTube and, at least on streaming sources, hear a version of the Carnival with the movements interspersed with accompanying verses originally written by Ogden Nash; here they are read by Jimmy Fallon. And the “exciting audio-visual project” (DG’s words) extends to a concert film of the Piano Concerto made live in concert at Leipzig’s Gewandhaus  and a performance film of the Carnival to be shown on TV internationally and on DG’s video streaming service, STAGE+. Meanwhile, for true collectors, this set is available in multiple versions: LP, signed “crystal” (clear plastic) LP, signed CD set, plain old CD set, and downloads in several resolutions, plus streaming on DG’s own service. Whew!

The promotion continues in the booklet that accompanies the CD: the cover is dominated by a photo of Lang Lang, eyes closed as he blissfully sniffs a flower. The next page shows a hand shot, then we see a repetition of the flower photo, then a close-up of Lang Lang’s head resting on a keyboard, then of him and his wife and co-artist, Gina Alice, embracing, and… Well, you get the idea. The text of the booklet does have some information about the works along with sometimes gushing explanations of why Lang Lang chose the particular works included.

But the premise of the album is odd. The notes tell us that this is a voyage of discovery, but the Saint-Saëns Second Concerto, which we are told is something of a neglected masterpiece, is perhaps the composer’s most frequently recorded, while the Carnival surely is Saint-Saëns’s most popular work. The idea of discovery seems more plausible when referring to the miniature solo pieces, of which more anon.So what about the music found here: are these performances to be recommended? Well, it seems to me a mixed bag. To begin with, there is the recording itself. The sonic presentation greatly emphasizes the pianos, which are up front and, even accounting for the fact that there are two of them, appear unnaturally wide. Meanwhile, the orchestra is a good way farther back on the stage. The resulting imbalance makes both the Carnival and the Concerto into works for piano with orchestral accompaniment rather than real partnerships.

Camille Saint-Saëns

And then there’s the playing. There are plenty of passages in which Lang Lang’s complete mastery of his instrument comes through, with precision of touch and lovely tone. But the interpretations mostly left me thinking of Lang Lang rather than of carnivals, animals, Saint-Saëns, or the exchange between soloists and orchestra. For example, the Carnival is supposed to be a bit of musical fun; indeed, Saint-Saëns would not allow it to be published during his lifetime for fear that it’s perceived frivolity would damage his reputation. But, to cite two examples, the lion depicted in the first movement doesn’t seem very ferocious, and the fourth movement’s elephant, which should be humorously harrumphing, just ambles along in a nondescript way. The Swan (number thirteen) is the one movement that Saint-Saëns did allow to be published in his lifetime, and it  is a lovely miniature. If you hear it on this album, you certainly will be impressed – but if you hear it on, say, our own JJP’s recommended performance (Previn/Pittsburgh), you will be swept away by the sheer beauty, with the voice of the cello soaring above the perfectly balanced piano, not the other way around. The performance of the Concerto is in much the same vein: extraordinary in spots but facing stiff competition. (JJP recommends those by Jean Philip Collard on Warner, Stephen Hough on Hyperion, and Chamayou on Erato). In totality, this one leaves me feeling that the current production is just another version – and again, independently of interpretation, there’s the issue of the imbalance between soloist and orchestra.

Earlier, I mentioned the other short solo pieces on the album. Most were not composed by Saint-Saëns, but I won’t quibble about their relation to the title: these are, at least for me, the most interesting pieces here. While the first few are by familiar composers, including Debussy and Fauré, with the remainder we hear little-known works by little-known female composers. These, not the far better known earlier pieces, are the ones more appropriately described as the advertised “discoveries”. While each of these works has been recorded elsewhere, having them on an album that is sure to receive major publicity and high availability is a good thing. Lang Lang’s playing here is expressive; some may find it over the top, but that’s a matter of taste. My only real complaint here goes back to that booklet: each of these works receives a single sentence. Surely an album of discovery should devote a little more space to the works most plausibly thought of as needing to be unearthed.Where does all this leave us? For “us,” readers of this review, who likely have some familiarity with classical music and who are looking primarily for recordings that they will enjoy on musical and sonic terms, my instinct is to say move along, nothing to see here. But if the superstar project approach generates excitement, or even a modicum of interest, among the wider public and brings others into the classical music fold, can that be all bad? We'll see how it goes.

Recent Releases No. 65 (CD Reviews)

by Karl Nehring

Sommernachtskonzert 2023. Bizet: Carmen Suite No. 1; L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera); Lili Boulanger: D'un matin de printemps; Berlioz: Le Corsaire Overture, Op. 21, H. 01 Gounod: Sapho, Act III, No. 19 - Ô ma lyre immortelle; Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2, M. 57b      ; Saint-Saëns: Samson et Dalila, Op. 47 - Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix: Ravel: Boléro, M. 81; Johann Strauss II: Wiener Blut, Op. 354. Elīna Garanča, mezzo-soprano; Vienna Philharmonic; Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Sony Classics 19658818969

The Summer Night Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic was held this year on June 8th, 2023. It is an annual open-air event that has been held since 2008, something of a complement to the famous New Year’s concerts with their much older tradition. Musically, these summer concerts are far more interesting than their winter counterparts, presenting as they typically do a more varied program than the mostly Strauss waltzes and such that are heard in January in the  gilded Musikverein. As you can see from the above program listing, the summer concert is more musically substantial, and because it is summer, the park of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna is the outdoor setting for the concert, allowing for a far larger audience to attend. 

Like the New Year’s concert, the Summer Concert is led bya top-flight conductor – Yannick Nézet-Séguin in 2023, following in the footsteps of Georges Prêtre, Daniel Barenboim, Franz Welser-Möst, Lorin Maazel, Christoph Eschenbach, Zubin Mehta, Semyon Bychkov, Gustavo Dudamel, Daniel Harding, and Andris Nelsons. Also like the New Year’s Concert, the event is televised worldwide (PBS carries it in the USA) and is made available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and – obviously – CD.  To be perfectly honest, I would think most folks would prefer to see a video version of this concert rather than merely to listen to the CD. Don’t get me wrong, though; it’s an excellent release, a well-recorded concert CD of a substantial and highly entertaining musical program, well-performed, and even the CD booklet is well-done – but the concert really is something you might want to see as well as hear if you get the chance.  

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: Original Soundtrack Recording (50^th Anniversary Special Edition). The Vince Guaraldi Quintet (Vince Guaraldi, piano and voice; Seward McCain, bass; Mike Clark; drums; Tom Harrell, trumpet and brass arrangement; Chuck Bennett, trombone). Lee Mendelson Film Productions LM02302 

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving premiered on CBS television  on November 23, 1973. This was the tenth Peanuts special, and earlier that summer, Vince Guaraldi had entered the studio with his fellow musicians to work on the score. Jazz fans might recognize the names of Tom Harrell, who would go on to become a legendary trumpeter on the New York scene, and Mike Clark, who toured with Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters band in the 1970s and who, along with Dave Garibaldi, the drummer for the Bay area group Tower of Power, became well-known for their driving, powerful style of drumming. (As a side note, Clark and Garibaldi have teamed together with the noted drummers Greg Errico [Sly and The Family Stone], Lenny White [Return to Forever], and Greg Shrieve [Santana] on a series of YouTube videos called Stick People, which features in-depth interviews with other musicians. You can see their first episode here.) 

Also recognizable to most people of a certain age should be the general style and some of the musical themes included in the program. Although not quite as endearing as the music for the A Charlie Brown Christmas special from 1965 – who can ever forget “Christmas Time Is Here?” – the Thanksgiving music has an upbeat, feel-good, jazzy energy to it that makes for some engaging listening. With Harrell’s contributions (plus a little help from an unidentified guitar player) adding extra color and pizazz to Guaraldi’s tunes, the net result is an album that swings from start to finish – and that is something for which to be thankful this holiday season.

Éventail (CD Review)

by Karl Nehring

Ravel: Pièce en forme de Habanera; Saint-Saëns: Sonate, op.166; André Jolivet: Controversia*; Messiaen: Vocalise-Étude; Morceau de lecture; Ravel: Deux Mélodies hébraïques; Kaddisch; Milhaud: Vocalise-Étude; Debussy: Syrinx; Koechlin:  Le repos de Tityre, op. 216/10; Jolivet: Chant pour les piroguiers de l'Orénoque; Debussy: Petite pièce; Saint-Saëns: Le Rossignol; Robert Casadesus: Sonate, op.23. Heinz Holliger, oboe, oboe d’amore; Anton Kernjak, piano; Alice Belugou, harp*. ECM New Series 2694

Swiss oboist, composer, and conductor Heinz Holliger (b. 1939) has enjoyed a long and illustrious musical career. Many composers have written works for him, including Frank Martin, Olivier Messiaen, Witold Lutoslawski, Luciano Berio, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Elliott Carter, Hans Werner Henze, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Isang Yun. A glance at the ECM website reveals that Éventail  (“Fan”) is the latest of more that two dozen recordings he has made for the label in those roles of composer, conductor, and performer. Introducing his latest recording, Holliger writes: “The fan that opens like cautious butterfly wings, barely opening or timidly closing again, is the reflection of the innermost stirrings of the soul. Through Stéphane Mallarmé’s poem Éventail and its wonderful settings by Ravel and Debussy, the fan opening fold by fold (‘pli selon pli’) became a symbol for the most hidden words, sounds, and colours of French music. The closeness of the oboe to the human voice inspired my idea of opening up the richly coloured fan of French music through the still far too little known collection of Vocalises-Études… It contains works by the most important French composers… ‘songs without words’ in the truest sense.”

 

This truly is a communicative collection of music with charm and aesthetic appeal. Certainly different listeners will find different favorites from among the selections to be found here; for me, there are two that especially stand out. The first is Controversia by André Jolivet (1905-1974), a composer whose work I have run across only seldomly over the years. To learn more about him, I checked Wikipedia, where I found the following fascinating characterization: “Known for his devotion to French culture and musical thought, Jolivet drew on his interest in acoustics and atonality, as well as both ancient and modern musical influences, particularly on instruments used in ancient times.” Controversiais a bracing and energetic piece, stimulating but rewarding. The other especially interesting piece is Ravel’s Kaddisch. Now, this is a piece with which I am more familiar. The most moving performance I ever heard was from a broadcast of a special memorial concert by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting. In that performance, the Ravel piece was played by a solo clarinet, and my goodness, it was moving. Holliger delivers a fine performance as well, playing with warmth and expressiveness. These two are of course not the only two noteworthy tracks: rest assured that the album is a delight from start to finish. With notes by Holliger on all the music in the program and the usual rich, spacious ECM sound quality, Éventail is a highly recommendable release.

Recent Releases No. 57 (CD Reviews)

by Karl Nehring

Chen Gang and He Zhanhao: Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto (arr. Yan Huichang and Ku Lap-Man); Saint-Saëns: Introduction et Ronde Capriccioso in A minor, op. 28; Massenet: “Méditation” from Thaïs; Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen. Joshua Bell, violin; Singapore Chinese Orchestra conducted by Tsung Yeh

 

Those looking for something different  but not too far “out there” might well find themselves fascinated by this recording, one that mixes East and West in an unusual way. The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto, which was inspired by a romantic Chinese legend, was written in 1959 by the Chinese composers Chen Gang (b. 1935) and He Zhanhao (b. 1933). Their original version, which they richly scored for a full Western symphonic orchestra, has achieved global popularity. For this recording, however, violinist Joshua Bell has chosen to perform an adaptation of the work by Yang Hui Chang and Ku Lap-Man for an orchestra of mostly traditional Chinese instruments. As the liner notes explain, “the sound world of the concerto becomes more vivid , arresting, and visceral in this arrangement. For instance, instead of violin and viola sections echoing the sounds of the gaohu, the erhu, and the zhonghu – the Chinese bowed string instruments in various ranges – the Singapore Chinese Orchestra employs whole sections of skilled players of these as well as other traditional Chinese instruments. To anchor the ensemble sound, the orchestra includes Western cellos and double-basses. Aside from these, the percussion section and a guest harpist, however, all the other instruments are traditionally Chinese. The concerto is in seven short movements, with the solo violin, so expressively played here by Bell, weaving a tale of great passion throughout. The Chinese orchestra does not sound as exotic as the notes might lead the listener to expect; just not as full and soaring as a Western orchestra. It’s an interesting sound, to be sure, which carries over into the more familiar chestnuts that fill out this interesting-sounding album. 

 

Mozart Recital. Mozart: Gigue in G minor, K 574 “Eine kleine Gigue”; 12 Contredanses for Count Czernin, K 269b - Nos. 1, 2, 3, 12; Sonata No. 9 in D major, K 311; Allegro in G minor, K 512; Adagio in B minor, K 540; Variation on “Unser dummer Pöbel meint”, K 455; Sonata No. 12 in F major, K 332; Ave verum corpus, K 518 (arr. Franz Liszt). Su Yeon Kim, piano. Steinway & Sons 30211 

 

This all-Mozart recital is the first recording by the Korean pianist Su Yeon Kim (b. 1994), 2021 Grand Laureate of the Concours musical international de Montréal. The young artist has spent much of her career delving deep into Mozart’s music, having studied at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg and competed successfully at the Mozart International Competition. Although this background gave her a good foundation, to record an album of Mozart’s music still presented a formidable challenge to the young pianist: “Even after 10 years of diligent studies, I still felt like there were a few steps left before I fully understood Mozart’s music and the spirit behind it,” she explains. “His music is full of life and power, encompassing the full spectrum of human emotions and transcending all eras and cultural boundaries. I feel that I also learned, through Mozart's music, how to face myself in unfiltered way, how to accept and express from painful sadness to sheer joy.” On the album, she presents a variety of music of different styles, from the quirky opening Gigue, the rollicking Contredanses, and of course a couple of more substantial pieces, the Sonatas Nos. 9 & 12. Of course, even within the sonatas, Mozart gives us a variety of emotions, and Su Yeon Kim brings a deft touch to the keyboard that brings balance to the proceedings. Between the two sonatas are three standalone pieces – an Allegro, a heartfelt Adagio, and the energetic and playful Variations on “Unser dummer Pöbel meint.” She then closes her recital with the meltingly beautiful Franz Liszt arrangement of Mozart’s  Ave verum corpus. As usual, Steinway & Sons has done an excellent job of capturing the sound of the piano. 

 

Per Nørgård: Three Nocturnal Movements; Symphony No. 8; Lysning. Peter Herresthal, violin; Jakob Kullberg, cello; Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra; John Storgårds, conductor BIS-2502 SACD

 

Per Nørgård (b. 1932, pronounced “Per Ner-Gore”) is generally regarded to be one of the most the most important Danish composers since Nielsen. Long ago I had heard some orchestral music of his that I had found intriguing; this memory led me last year to acquire a boxed set of his symphonies, eight in number, which had been released on BIS. I found the set challenging but fascinating and even included it in a supplemental post of some more of my favorite releases of 2022, which you can read here. In that set, Symphony No. 8 was by the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Finnish conductor Sakari Oramu (b. 1965). There is also a YouTube video of Finnish conductor John Storgårds (b. 1965) conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic in 2012, in what was I believe was the work’s premier (you can find that video here). At the end of the performance, Nørgård comes forward to acknowledge the applause of the concertgoers along with conductor Storgårds, to whom the work was dedicated. (For those who might be interested, there is also a video made at about the same time in which Nørgård and Storgårds discuss the symphony (and Sibelius), which you can watch here. 

 

Fast-forward a decade, and Storgårds is now the conductor for this 2023 release (the symphony was actually recorded in 2022, the other works in 2019), this time with the Bergen Philharmonic. The program opens with Three Nocturnal Movements for violin, cello, and orchestra. Violinist Peter Herresthal and cellist Jakob Kullberg are two of Nørgård’s long-term collaborators; Kullberg in particular had significant input into the creation of the work, which is three movements that evoke confusion and calm, mystery in the darkness, random points of light. Nocturnal, yes… The symphony is also in three movements, with the first, marked Tempo giusto, being significantly longer than the other two (11:28 in this performance, compared to the nearly identical 6:50 Andante molto and 6:49 for the final movement, which is marked simply as ♩ = 90. The work is bold, busy (lots of notes), and although probably not to everyone’s taste (what is?), intriguing. It is one of those works that seems to get better as it goes along, until by the last few minutes you realize that you are enthralled – the final movement has won you over – and you want to listen to it again. But before you do, you can spend a little relaxing time (4:43) in the glade, which is the term Nørgård uses to characterize Lysning, a soothing piece for string orchestra. As we have come to expect from BIS, the sonics are first-rate. For the record, I did my listening to the CD layer of this hybrid SACD, which also includes stereo SACD and 5.0 surround layers.