Die Gesamtaufnahme der Sinfonien Gustav Mahlers durch Rafael Kubelik und sein...

Die Gesamtaufnahme der Sinfonien Gustav Mahlers durch Rafael Kubelik und sein...

Er erhielt seine Chance durch Zufall. Als Nathan Milstein erkrankte und der...

Même si la voix de Sabine Ritterbusch manque parfois d'ampleur, l'interprète...

Bei Orgelwerken von Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart oder anderen klassischen Komponisten...

Diese CD beinhaltet die drei großen Orgelwerke von Franz Liszt, Präludium und...

Bernhard Kratzer, a member of the Wurttemberg Theater orchestra in Stuttgart, is a strong player whose incisive tone is often nicely rounded. His light articulations, interesting ornaments, dynamic shapes, and meaningful phrases make this a very enjoyable recording. Monika Nuber is an excellent accompanist, and the Standner organ of Villingen Cathedral sounds big yet clear.

This is my first exposure to the little Sonata al\' Postcommunio by GB Martini, the concerto by Johann Gottfried Walther, the Sinfonia from II Barcheggio by Alessandro Stradella, and the suite by Purcell. The Martini Toccata and the concertos by Albinoni, Torelli, and Telemann are standard fare, but Kratzer does personal things-such as some ethereal high-register work in the gorgeous Adagio of the Torelli- that make them seem quite fresh.

Orgelwerke Franz Liszts hat Helmut Deutsch auf der Walcker/Schuke-Orgel der...

The Fantasy (Phantasie, Fantasia, or Fancy) is a form that dates back several centuries. In Elizabethan England, composers were fond of the genre and it made a comeback at the height of romanticism. In the 20th Century the British industrialist Walter William Cobbett instituted an annual competition encouraging British composers to resurrect the ancient form, but with certain modifications. The most popular and enduring work from the century just past-though in no way connected with the Cobbett competition--was Vaughan Williams\'s Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis.

Here we have several examples of Fantasy Pieces by 19th and early 20th Century composers, most either German or Scandinavian. The best known is the Opus 73 by Schumann: well-constructed and filled with both lyricism and passion. The less familiar companion works of Niels Gade and August Winding (1835-99) follow the same mold: brief but excellently crafted collections of miniatures that contain much fine music and expertly exploit both the lyrical and technical capabilities of the clarinet. Both the Nielsen and Gaubert are single-movement works, but they are built in such a way that each composer\'s fancy is wholly satisfied.

The playing here is first-class, leaving nothing to be desired, and the repertoire is appealing.

The British publisher William Forster commissioned these trios, also called divertimentos, in 1784. Forster had published many other works by Haydn and was well aware of the market potential of anything by him. Published either for two violins and cello or for flute, violin, and cello, they are fairly unusual in that Haydn borrowed freely from other works, including some of his baryton trios and the opera Il Mondo Della Luna. In fact only 9 of the 18 movements were newly composed. (Fermate\'s notes give the sources of the other seven movements.)

While not of earthshaking importance, this music is well written and pleasant in the typically 18th Century pastoral style. The young German musicians who make up the Agora Ensemble play with fine spirit and considerable polish. The recording is extremely natural.

The only other CD currently listed of these works is on Globe. I haven\'t heard it, but it includes two additional trios and thus offers a better value.