Another Milstein on the violin… Maria Milstein

This recital stupefied me. I started with the Saint-Saens sonata (track 5, try it yourself!) and immediately I wondered if this was an underrated masterpiece or that I witnessed a miraculous performance. After hearing the complete CD, I think it is the latter. Glorious tone, spectacular accuracy and thoughtful, electrifying performances. And no, she is NOT related to Nathan Milstein, but the granddaughter of Yakov (Yaakov) Milstein, musicologist, professor at the Moscow conservatory and lecturer of oa Bella Davidovich and Elisabeth Leonskaja…

The “theme” of recital CD seems to be music that is attached to Marcel Proust’s recherche du temps perdu, although it’s hard to find how and why that has been established. Nevermind, the playing is awesome, the program original. She is accompanied by her sister, Nathalia Milstein. 

As an extra, an older recording by Maria Milstein and cellist Noelle Weidmann in rarely performed 1910 work by Saint-Saens. 

Tracks 01-03 Gabriel Pierné - Sonate pour violon et piano en ré mineur opus 36 (1900)
Tracks 04 Reynaldo Hahn - À Chloris (1916)
Tracks 05-08 Camille Saint-Saëns - Sonate pour violon et piano n°1 en ré mineur opus 75 (1885)

Track 09 Reynaldo Hahn - 7 Chansons grises, no 5,  L’Heure Exquise (1887-90)
Tracks 10-12 Claude Debussy - Sonate pour violon et piano (1916-7)
Maria Milstein, violin

Nathalia Milstein, piano

Rec 2017 

Track 13 Camille Saint-Saëns: La muse et le poète violon, cello e Orchestre in mi minor, Op. 132 (1910)

Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège

Christian Arming

Noelle Weidmann (cello), Maria Milstein (violin)

Rec 2013

https://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/2Hrgs5MYMT25vQudRM558W (Webplayer link)

Nathalia and Maria Milstein

Alexander Glazunov on Spotify

Alexander Glazunov is known for many things: First, he was one of the most gifted musical prodigies in history, comparable to Korngold and Mendelssohn-Bartoldy. Glazunov started relatively late at the piano and composed his first piece at the age of 13. But his development was so rapid, that one of his teachers, Rimsky-Korsakoff mentioned that he “not learned by the day, but by the hour". His first symphony was written at the age of 16. 

Second, Glazunov had one of the most amazing musical memories in history. Mozart could write Allegri’s 10 minute Miserere from memory, Glazunov is reported to write down a complete symphony from memory after just hearing it once. It came in handy when reconstructing Borodin’s Prince Igor after his death, Glazunov reconstructed it from memory, as the score was lost. 

Third, Glazunov was one of the most notorious drinkers in musical history. He ruined the premiere of Sergei Rachmaninov’s first symphony, sending Sergei in a depression for three years. Dimitri Shostakovich, like Nathan Milstein one of Glazunov’s pupils, remembered that during classes Glazunov always had a bottle of alcohol with him, zipping secretly once in a while.

But fourth, Glazunov composed some seriously fine music! 

In 1905 Glazunov became director of the St. Petersburg conservatory and composed his one and only violin concerto. For this occasion, he learned himself to play the violin in a couple of weeks. 

The 1959 recording by Erica Morini and Ferenc Fricsay is a real collectors item on vinyl, and one of the finest recordings I know of this piece. Proof of Alexander’s early mastery are the 5 novelettes for string quintet, written at the age of 16. It’s gathered on a recording by the fine arts quartet with the string quintet from 1891. A cd that I owned for years and made many rounds in my cd player. Glazunov composed two piano recordings of which I like the first the most. The form is somewhat original, two movements of which the last is a set of (very fine!) variations. The pianist is the winner of the 2003 Queen Elisabeth competition Severin von Eckardstein. 

Hope you will enjoy this playlist again!

Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936)

-Tracks 01-05 Concerto for violin and orchestra in a minor op 82 (1905)

Erica Morini, violin

Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra

Ferenc Fricsay, conductor

Rec 1959

-Tracks 06-10 Five novelettes op 15 (1881)

-Tracks 11-14 String quintet in A major op 39 (1891)

Fine arts quartet 

Ralph Evans, violin

Efim Boico, violin

Yuri Gandelsman, viola

Wolfgang Laufer, cello

Nathaniel Rosen, (added) cello

Rec 2005

-Tracks 15-16 Concerto for Piano no 1 in F minor, Op. 92 (1910-11)

Severin von Eckardstein, piano

Belgian National Orchestra 

Walter Weller, conductor

Rec 2008

https://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/1QnW1xifu5l59Q44oRMzHX (Webplayer link)

Mozart violin concerto's on authentic instruments

A while ago I encountered an exiting CD from Italian violinist and conductor Fabio Biondi on Spotify. Mozart’s first three violin concerto’s on authentic instruments, including continuo, a sparkling and tingling fortepiano! Fiery playing, also, noted in the reviews I found online from the Gramophone and Classicstoday website. Suddenly, Mozart’s strum und drang is not very far away from the Mannheimers like Stamitz, Richter or Mysliveček. For variety I have interwoven the concertos with several famous serenades, like the Nachtmusik and Musical joke, played by Jordi Savall and the Les concert des nations.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Tracks 01 to 04

Serenade In G, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik KV 525 

Les concert des nations, Jordi Savall, conductor

Tracks 05 to 07

Violin Concerto No.2 in D major K.211

Europa Galante, Fabio Bondi violinsolo and conductor

Tracks 08 to 11

Ein Musikalischer Spaß KV 522 

Les concert des nations, Jordi Savall, conductor

Tracks 12 to 14

Violin Concerto No.2 in D major K.211

Europa Galante, Fabio Bondi violinsolo and conductor

Tracks 15 to 17

Serenade In D, Serenata Notturna KV 239 

Les concert des nations, Jordi Savall, conductor

Tracks 18 to 20

Violin Concerto No.3 in G major K.216

Europa Galante, Fabio Bondi violinsolo and conductor

Tracks 20 to 23

Notturno In D Für Vier Orchester KV 286 

Les concert des nations, Jordi Savall, conductor

https://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/50uc0JjlAotheEpFhzNQBe

(Spotify webversion link)

Noël Lee, connoisseurs pianist, in Faure, Franck and Debussy (on Spotify)

The American (Chinese born, French citizen, a real cosmopolitan!) Noël Lee (1924-2013) was a real connoisseurs pianist. He excelled in the French repertoire and was one of the finest accompanists in chamber music in that genre. With his musical partners Gérard Poulet and Bernard Kruysen, thirteen of the sixteen LP’s and CD’s they made received a French “Grand Prix du Disque” award. I’ve selected several works in this playlist that demonstrate the unique understanding and empathy of Noël Lee for French Chamber music. 

One remark, unfortunately the “tagging” of the works by Spotify is erratic, description below is the correct one. The Debussy sonata has a special particularity, as the composer dedicated (and played!) the sonata to Gérard Poulet’s father; the violinist Gaston Poulet. 

These are recordings I cherish very much; hope you will enjoy them as well!

The correct order of the playlist is:

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924):

1- Berceuse in D major op 16 (1878)

César Franck (1822-1890)

2-5 Violin sonata in A Major (1886)

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924) 

6-9 Violin sonata no 1 in A major op 13 (1875)

Claude Debussy (1867-1918)

10-12 Violin sonata (1917)

Gérard Poulet, violin

Noël Lee, piano

Jules Massenet (1842-1912)

13-19 Poème d'avril, Op.14 (1866)

Bernard Kruysen, Baritone

Noël Lee, piano

https://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/3QLt6CdQSbmUOoCA9ea8uK

(link to Spotify Webplayer)

Noël Lee (1924-2013)

Carl Schuricht radio recordings (part 1 - 20 CD's)

Ok, normally I don’t buy CD’s anymore. But this 20 CD set was on my “omg I want to have this” list for several years. Also important, it was sold for a staggering 12 euro’s at a local CD shop. 

The box is dedicated to the German born (Gdansk, now Poland) Carl Schuricht (1880-1967), a name I knew from the many Musical Masterpiece Society LP’s he made. Although the orchestra’s on those LP’s are often not top class, Schuricht always knows how to get a crisp and lively performance from those sources. That same quality can be heard on this box with the Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, radio recordings from the period 1950-1966. These radio recordings were the backbone of what German radio listeners on the radio, and for many (south)German people their first contact with classical music. The repertoire ranges from the standard repertoire to unknown, 19th and early 20th century Austro/German repertoire. From Arkiv I borrowed the tracklist of this box. Normally, the playlists on this blog are not that lengthy (assuming you want to listen to the playlists :-) so I added a hint where on the list the CD’s could be found.

Hope you will enjoy this splendid box as much as I did…! 

Tracks: 01 to 08 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 10/24/1952 (33: 24). SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2 10/31/1959 (36:20) 

Tracks: 09 to 13 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 Maria Stader (sop); Marga Höffgen (alt); Murray Dickie (ten); Otto Wiener (bs); 9/13/1961 (64:24). Coriolan Overture 9/25/1952 (8:07) 

Tracks: 14 to 19 BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 3/16/1966 (41:30). Schicksalslied SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart; 1/26/1954 (15:07). Nänie SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart; 1/25/1954 (13:22) 

Tracks: 20 to 26 BRAHMS Ein Deutsches Requiem Maria Stader (sop); Hermann Prey (bar); SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart; 11/7/1959 (68:12) 

Tracks: 27 to 30 BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4 4/5/1955 (69:03) 

Tracks: 31 to 34 BRUCKNER Symphony No. 5 10/18/1962 (72:54) 

Tracks: 35 to 40 BRUCKNER Symphony No. 7 3/6/1953 (60: 04). WAGNER Tristan und Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod 4/29/1950 (18:18) 

Tracks: 41 to 44 BRUCKNER Symphony No. 8 3/10/1954 (79:45) 

Tracks: 45 to 47 BRUCKNER Symphony No. 9 11/2/1951 (56: 00) 

Tracks: 48 to 53 GRIEG Im Herbst Concert Overture 12/2/1954 (11:21). BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1 Hansheinz Schneeberger (vn); 9/15/1960 (25:11). GOETZ Violin Concerto Roman Schimmer (vn); 4/10/1953 (16:39). VOLKMANN Richard III Overture 9/12/1952 (13:23) 

Tracks: 54 to 64 HAYDN Symphony No. 100 4/8/1958 (22:27). Cello Concerto in D Enrico Mainardi (vc); 11/5/1950 (27:08). Symphony No. 95 4/5/1955 (19:52) 

Tracks: 65 to 92 MAHLER Symphony No. 3 Rut Siewart (mez); SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart; Boys’ Choir of the Eberhard-Ludwig-Gymnasium Stuttgart; 4/7/1960 (66:40) R. STRAUSS Ein Alpensinfonie 1/4-7/1955 (45:32) 

Tracks: 93 to 106 MOZART Symphony No. 35 7/4/1956 (16:53). Symphony No. 38 7/4/1956 (23:05) Symphony No. 40 5/19/1961 (23:23). No, no che non sei capace K 419 Ruth-Margret Pütz (sop); 4/9/1959 (4:23). Le Nozze di Figaro: “Porgi, amor” Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (sop); 4/6/1959 (4:18). Die Zauberflöte: “Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön” Fritz Wunderlich (ten); 4/12/1959 (4:15) 

Tracks: 107 to 112 MOZART Piano Concerto No. 9 Clara Haskil (pn); 5/23/1952 (30:17)” Piano Concerto No. 19 Clara Haskil (pn); 7/4/1956 (27:17) 

Tracks: 113 to 125 VON REZNICEK Theme and Variations Barry McDaniel (bar); 12/2/1954 (17:17). R. STRAUSS Guntram: Overture 3/20-23/1956 (11:16). PFITZNER Käthchen von Heilbronn: Overture 1/20/1956 (12:26). REGER Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Mozart 11/5/1950 (31:45) 

Tracks: 126 to 134 SCHUMANN Manfred Overture 9/14-15/1960 (11:22). Overture, Scherzo, and Finale 9/21/1954 (16:09). MENDELSSOHN Hebrides Overture 1/4/1955 (10:06). Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage 3/10/1961 (12:27). Midsummer Night’s Dream: Overture, Nocturne, and Scherzo 1/26/1954 (21:46) 

Tracks: 135 to 141 WAGNER Parsifal: Act I Prelude 3/17/1966 (12:31). Parsifal: Good Friday Music 9/23/1954 (9:49). Parsifal: Act I Prelude 3/17-19/1966 (5:30). Tristan und Isolde: Act I Prelude 4/29/1950 (18:18). Götterdämmerung: Dawn and Siegfried’s Rhine Journey 9/28/1955 (11:10). Götterdämmerung: Siegfried’s Death and Funeral March 9/28/1955 (7:12) Siegfried Idyll 9/28/1955 (17:20) 

Tracks: 142 to 150 MAHLER Symphony No. 2 Hanni Mack-Cosack (sop); Hertha Töpper (alt); SWR Vocal Ensemble Stuttgart; Bach Choir Stuttgart; 4/17/1958 (45:43) HAYDN Symphony No. 86 5/20/1954 (25:26) 

https://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/7iRpka7cnjT2kMlMGCNLSG

(HTTP link)

Overture concert and symphony a la Française on Spotify

In concert programming, the “sandwich”, an overture, followed by a concerto and closed with a symphony is a proven succes. Also makes a nice Spotify playlist where you can combine you own armchair concerthall together :-)

For this playlist I’ve chosen three French works from the 19th century:

Camille Saint-Saens 1872 Le Rouet d'Omphale (Omphale's Spinning Wheel) is one of the composers symphonic poems based on Greek mythology. Rather more an atmospheric than a literal description of story about Hercules travesty adventures…  The performance of this piece by Charles Dutoit is a long time favorite, with fine playing by the Philharmonia Orchestra. 

For Édouard Lalo’s 1874 “Violin Concerto” (called “Symphonie” Espangole) I had two choices in digital recordings; the secure and firm Sarah Chang and the playful, more imaginative Christian Tetzlaff. Both versions had their own merits, but the “symphony” factor, in this case the magnificent playing by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Libor Pesek, made me go for the Tetzlaff version. Thrilling musicality :-)

The three movement 1890 symphony in B-flat Major is an underrated masterpiece, composed by Ernest Chausson. Cyclic in form, just as in Cesar Franck’s better known symphony, but darker in tone and especially the forward looking harmonies. Sibelius is not far away in this work. Although the BBC Symphony Orchestra is a British Orchestra, the “sound” conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier  elicits is idiomatically French. Fine listening experience. 

Hope you will enjoy this French “concert at home” playlist…!

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

Le Rouet d’Omphale op 31

Philharmonia Orchestra

Charles Dutoit, conductor

Édouard Lalo (1823-1892)

Symphonie Espagnole in d minor op 21

Christian Tetzlaff, violin

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Libor Pesek, conductor

Ernest Chausson (1855-1899)

Symphony in Bb Major op 20

BBC Symphony Orchestra

Yan Pascal Tortelier, conductor

https://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/4LNL05gkseo5DheHLMH7Rd (HTTP link)

Concert doelen Rotterdam: Hawijch Elders - Igor Gruppman

Sunday October 5th, 2014 there will be a concert by the Codarts Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Igor Gruppman, with 15 year old violin talent Hawijch Elders (following a long line of female violinists from the Netherlands such as Emmy Verheij, Isabella van Keulen, Simone Lamsma and Janine Jansen). The concert is played at the Doelen concert hall in Rotterdam, and starts at 16.00 hs. I’ve spotified the program of that afternoon, as much as possible with recordings of Chamber orchestras.
Enjoy the program…!


Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony nr.1 in C-major op 21
Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor

Dimitri Sjostakovitsj/Rudolf Barshai - Chamber Symphony in F op.73a (arrangement of String quartet nr.3)
Tapiola Sinfonietta, Jean-Jaques Kantorow, conductor

Jean Sibelius - Valse triste
Chamber orchestra of Philadelphia, Randall Craig Fischer, conductor

Felix Mendelssohn - Violin concerto in d minor (1822, second version)
Isabella van Keulen, violin
Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam, Lev Markiz, conductor



http://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/4U1mSJoc0klkELA6knYoBL (HTTP link)

Emmy Verhey and the Beethoven violin sonatas on spotify

About ten years ago, I bought two live sets of violin sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven; one by the renown artist Anne-Sophie Mutter, and one by Dutch violinist Emmy Verhey, known in the Netherlands, but not so much outside the Low Countries. Mutter had a perfect intonation, soothing sounds and her fingers dazzled around the strings. Verhey obviously had more trouble with the material, struggling more with the demands than Mutter. But… where Mutter used the music to show off everything she had, ripping the music apart along the way, Verhey used the score to make *music*, something coherent and, in the end, a series of performance I want to come back to, opposed to the Anne-Sophie Mutter versions.

Recently, news came through that, at the age of 65, Emmy Verhey retires from stage, concentrating on education. I wish her the very best on this career and hope you will enjoy the Denon set of the Beethoven sonatas just as much as I did. As the first sonata is not an ideal place to start, I’ve put it at the bottom of the list. But it’s there… :-)



http://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/1qiMriStUOF6XjZ1ukln4I (HTTP link)

Tribute to Tatiana Tchekina

Yesterday I heard the sad news that pianist Tatiana Tchekina had died in a car crash. Her husband an music partner violinist Oleh Krysa, survived the crash with minor, physical, injuries…

They recorded several, preliminary 20th century, works together, of which I have made this small selection:


Erwin Schulhoff: Allegro Impetuoso
Erwin Schulhoff: Violin sonata op. 7
Karol Szymanowski: Three Caprices of Paganini (20, 21, 24) op. 40
Alfred Schnittke: Trio for violin, cello and Piano (with Torleif Thedéen on cello)






Spotify HTTP Link:
http://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/7tmGn4ER905LsQUS53RL0v
(fifty-five minutes)