William Thomas Best, geboren 1826 im englischen Carlisle, gestorben 1897 in Liverpool, war der erste englische Organist, der sich mit dem Werk Johann Sebastian Bachs umfassend auseinandersetzte. Das Resultat war eine 20-bändige Gesamtausgabe der Bachschen Orgelwerke, von denen zwei Bände erst posthum erschienen.

Best ist damit vor Karl Straube der wohl wichtigste Bach-Exeget der Romantik. In seiner Bach-Ausgabe, der die erste Bach-Gesamtausgabe Wilhelm Rusts zugrunde liegt, ist keine einzige Note der ursprünglichen Vorlage geändert, wohl aber deren Lesart. Eben hierin liegt der Hauptaspekt dieser Neueinspielung: Sie ist ein Blick in die Interpretationsgeschichte des Bach'schen Orgelwerkes. Das mag zunächst befremden – in einer Zeit, die sich dem Urtext und Erforschen sogenannter historischer Aufführungspraxis verschrieben hat.

Orgel als Farbmalkasten

Andererseits liegen inzwischen auch vergleichbare Einspielungen vor etwa von Mendelssohns Fassung der "Matthäuspassion" oder Mozarts Version des Händel'schen "Messias". Best hat, darin ganz Kind seiner Zeit, das Interpretentum als ein mitschöpferisches betrachtet und sich wie selbstverständlich das Recht heraus genommen, Bachs Musik seinen persönlichen dynamischen und agogischen Vorstellungen zu unterwerfen und die Orgel hierbei als orchestralen "Farbmalkasten" zu benutzen. Deshalb beginnt bei ihm die d-Moll Toccata auffallend zart, wechselt in der großen c-Moll-Passacaglia die Registrierung mitunter taktweise, wie auch das Crescendo-Pedal vielerorts zum Einsatz kommt.

Echter Bach alla Best

Eine Bach-Inszenierung also, vergleichbar dem modernen Regietheater, welches sich ja ebenfalls das Recht heraus nimmt, konkret Überliefertes neu zu deuten. Interpret Carsten Wiebusch vollzieht diese Anweisungen aufs Genaueste und zeigt dabei, dass auch auf einer vergleichsweise "modernen" Klais-Orgel (Christuskirche Karlsruhe) "echter" Bach alla Best möglich ist.

On retient d'Eduard Franck qu'il fut l'un des élèves favoris de Mendelssohn, au contact duquel il a développé des talents de pédagogue et d'interprète. Compositeur exigeant et scrupuleux, il publia tardivement et ne connut qu'un succès d'estime, principalement grâce à sa production chambriste. Avec ce programme inédit, nouvel avatar de la série qu'Audite consacre au musicien, on découvre son corpus orchestral.

Les couleurs et les transitions de caractères font oublier le peu de hardiesses harmoniques de ces quatre pages. Une instrumentation de qualité permet au sentiment de se refléter en de généreux volumes et paysages sonores, à l'image de ce Carnaval romain plus proche des bords du Danube que du Tibre. Une trompette pétaradante ouvre les festivités. Dans la Fantaisie op. 16 passent les fantômes de Schumann et Mendelssohn; le recours systématique aux tutti traduit un plaisir évident à déployer une phrase à travers l'orchestre, pour que chaque pupitre se l'approprie. L'académisme de l'écriture est supplanté par la noblesse des proportions (fin de l'Andante ma non troppo).

Après l'Ouverture de concert, figée dans un hiératisme suranné malgré les efforts des solistes de la Philharmonie du Württemberg, arrive le joyau de l'album. On peine à croire que ce Konzertstück pour violon (1844) n'avait jamais eu les honneurs du disque. Malgré d'infimes duretés dans l'aigu, l'archet de Christiane Edinger a toute l'élégance requise dans les dessins virtuoses des bariolages, gammes vertigineuses et appoggiatures. Elle offre, ici comme dans d'autres volumes de la série, des qualités qui révèlent efficacement cette musique.

Das RIAS Neue Wiener Schule Projekt vereinigt auf 4 CDs maßstabsetzende...

Gewohnt brillant agiert [das Mandelring Quartett] in den scharf konturierten schnellen Ecksätzen der Quartette Op. 44. Auch die Struktur wird von dem Quartett bestens herausgearbeitet.

Das Mandelring Quartett ist dabei, eine Gesamtaufnahme der Kammermusik für...

Having purchased the first volume of Eduard Franck's orchestral works, the violin concerto opus 30, and the Symphony opus 47 and really loved those I naturally had to buy the second volume of Eduard Franck's orchestral works. That these are not only first recording's but first performances (according to the notes) is totally unbelievable. If you like Mendelssohn, Schuman and Brahms these are for you. Eduard Franck is no place imitator but truelly excellent original composer of the 19th Century german romantic school.

Beautifully recorded and played these are like the first CD, essential for any complete classical CD collection.

Eduard Franck (1817-1893) was a German composer of some note in his day (no relation to Cesar Franck), and on the evidence of the music here, a rather unfairly neglected one. Fortunately Audite has done an impressive job of recording his music. The violin concerto in D major op. 57 was composed in 1860 and is apparently his second work in the genre. It is an ambitious, inventive and thoroughly engaging work; it may not be the most stylistically original concerto composed in the Romantic era, but Franck's writing for the instrument (and the orchestra) is impressive and much of the music here is deeply rewarding and even memorable. The first movement appears to be very influenced by Beethoven, but Franck clearly knew how to live up to the ambitious scheme. The somewhat Brahmsian slow movement, on the other hand, is a masterpiece on its own – the kind that will haunt the listener for a long time afterwards. The finale is delightful, if light, with plenty of fiery fireworks in the solo part. Overall, this is a magnificent work that would surely warrant a life in the concert hall.

The symphony in B major op. 52 dates from 1856 and is, apparently, Franck's second or third (it is a little unclear, and not all of his works in the genre seems to have survived). Although it may not be quite in the league of the violin concerto it is still an impressive work, this time clearly inhabiting the sound world of Schumann though with a certain personal streak – the composer that my mind was most frequently drawn toward was Robert Volkmann. It is a confident, often atmospheric work; the thematic material is generally strong and Franck certainly knew what to do with it – the format is taut and the argument cogent.

Two easily recommended works, then, and particular praise should go to the violin concerto. The performances by the Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra under Hans-Peter Frank may not exhibit the last touch of finesse, but they are far more than merely serviceable, conjuring up plenty of spirit, color, panache and exuberance. Christiane Edinger produces affectionate playing in the concerto, and while some details may be a little fuzzy her ability to sustain a singing line is consistently impressive, in particular in the second movement. Overall, this is a very rewarding release, recommended with some enthusiasm.

Audite's previous disc of orchestral works – like this one, a violin concerto and a symphony – was a real winner, sympathetically recorded and performed. This follow up album is also a rewarding and interesting release.

The D major violin concerto strives for a loftier tone than the E minor work on the previous disc and while it may seem a little more impersonal in mood during the first movement, it still mines Franck's rich seam of melody and harmonic resource. Repeated listenings have shown that, like in his previous concerto, he is capable of stirring emotion without resource to gimmicks or flashiness. The second movement reflects the serious tone of the first movement, eschewing the variation format of the previous work in favour of an 'adagio molto espressivo' that one might expect from a Romantic concerto of this era; it is in a relatively uncomplicated ABA form, with the traditional 'dramatic' episode at the centre of the movement. For me, this central part misses fire somewhat, but I am willing to concede that it might sound differently with alternative performers – without knowledge of the score, it is difficult to ascertain whether the slightly stilted and awkward moments are a result of Edinger and the conductor or the composer himself; it might indeed be both; it is but a minor cavil, though. The finale is a rustic sounding dance, with an opening theme that initially threatens to turn into Bruch but immediately carries on to form an ingratiatingly memorable melody that lingers in the mind long after the piece has finished.

My partner feels that Edinger, in this and the E minor concerto on Audite's other disc, is a little over-emphatic as a performer at times, to the detriment of Franck's music; for myself, although I can see how a more historically aware performance might also reap dividends, I am generally quite happy with her warmth and rich emotion. It is a matter of taste therefore and I would have room in my collection for both this and an alternate performance on 'authentic' instruments should any adventurous period band decide to take up the scores.

I awarded the previous disc an unequivocal five stars, but this disc I have given four stars only. This is because I don't feel the symphony in B flat is as well balanced or distinctive as its A major counterpart. Although contemporary critics had reservations about the slow movement and finale, I feel it is the two outer movements that let the work down.

The first movement is as one expects from Franck the symphonist, a relatively untroubled and flowing piece, the development section moving along quite naturally and elegantly – indeed the whole movement has an easy grace about it and is finely orchestrated. The problem is that the material lacks a certain definition and memorability.

The scherzo, a type of movement for which Franck seems to have had a definite flair, certainly doesn't disappoint; and while the slow movement cries out for a strong melody to really pull it together, it has no lack of atmosphere, at times the twilit shades becoming quite dark. It is a shame that it is followed by an amiable but not particularly memorable finale and one which is far too short and inconsequential to round off a symphony from this period, even a conservative and modest one.

The result then is a fine concerto and a pleasant, curate's egg of a symphony. Given that the minor keys produced some of the composer's most interesting chamber music, it is lamentable that the two early minor key symphonies appear to have disappeared without a trace – we can only hope that copies of the manuscripts or parts turn up somewhere so that Audite can continue with their enterprising and valuable service to this neglected composer.

Amazon has facilitated an endless journey of discovery for the classical music enthusiast wanting to move beyond the well trodden paths of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, etc. These and other giants of the 18th and 19th centuries had a host of lesser or unknown contemporaries composing works not far short of the established masterpieces. Specialist labels like cpo, Chandos and Naxos have opened the doors to numerous composers I hadn't heard of. After I came across the Sterling label and bought up much of its catalogue including a very appealing album of Richard Franck's orchestral works. I then learned that Richard's father Eduard was also an accomplished composer and the very favourable Amazon reviews prompted me to purchase the three releases on the audite label of his symphonies, violin concertos and orchestral items, including the present one. The music is invariably tuneful and beautifully orchestrated, performed and recorded. Anyone who enjoys Mendelssohn and his contemporaries should try Franck's works. I would rate the present CD and the other audite releases as among my more successful discoveries along with Czerny, Wilms, Kalliwoda, Gouvy, Onslow and other lesser known 19th century composers.

Auch die zweite Veröffentlichung im Rahmen einer Gesamteinspielung der kompletten Kammermusik für Streicher von Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy mit dem Mandelring Quartett besticht durch ihren klassisch schönen Musizierstil. Das Quartett bietet dem Hörer eine ausgewogene Mischung aus traditioneller Interpretation, sehr hohem spieltechnischen Niveau, einer lebendigen Aufführungspraxis und einer geschliffen transparenten Wiedergabe. Dank der SACD-Technik erlebt man eine sehr räumliche Aufführung der drei Streichquartette op. 44/1, op. 44/2 und op. 80, wobei die Interpreten besondere Sorgfalt bei den beiden früheren Quartetten walten lassen, die einerseits den klassizistischen Charakter stark hervorheben, andererseits sehr filigran mit der Melodienführung umgehen.

Das f-Moll Quartett öffnet dem Hörer eine ganz andere Welt. Hier ist das Mandelring Quartett weniger an einer linienförmigen Auflösung als einer Herausarbeitung von Spannungsfeldern und dramatischen Impulsen interessiert. Dank der wunderbar klaren Lesart der Musiker und Dank ihres durch und durch lebendigen Musizierens erlebt der Hörer geradlinige Kammermusik vom Feinsten.