Max Bruch and Karl Goldmark violin concertos on Spotify

Poor Max Bruch. He never got it. „Why do people love my 1st violin concerto while my 2nd concerto is just as good or even better” he once remarked. Maybe it’s the somewhat weird structure, the concerto opens with a slow movement; the second movement is a short fast piece and the last movement pulls hence and forward, that made it less accessible. After hearing this concerto Johannes Brahms remarked that „there should be a ban on concerto’s that open with a slow movement. Or maybe it’s because the concerto might be original, but just lacks the tunes…

That feeling becomes audible when you hear the opening of Karl Goldmark’s 1877 a minor violin concerto, till the 1950’s belonging to the standard violin repertoire. What it lacks in balance it compensates with memorable tunes…. Both concerto’s, Bruch 2nd and Goldmark’s 1st, are performed here by Nai-Yuan Hu and the Seattle symphony with Gerard Schwarz as conductor.
One of the true gem’s of the Delos back catalogue.

Ok, and rub it in, the two real masterpieces for violin and orchestra that Bruch wrote; the 1st violin concerto in g minor and the Scottish Fantasy op. 50. Here in a spirited and firm (orchestra ritornello’s!) performance by Yuzuko Horigome and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Yuri Simonov. A recording that appeared on the RPO’s own label in the 1990’s and received very positive reviews at that time.

Enjoy and discover!

Max Bruch: Violin concerto no 2 in d minor op 44
Karl Goldmark: Violin concerto no 1 in a minor op 28
Nai-Yuan Hu, violin
Seattle symphony 
Gerard Schwarz, conductor.

Max Bruch: Violin concerto no 1 in g minor op 26
Max Bruch: Scottish Fantasy op 50
Yuzuko Horigome, violin
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Yuri Simonov, conductor



http://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/25DI8u13iUQZ6y8tvZZvN7 (HTTP link)

Jill Crossland on Spotify

Happy 2014…!

Starting this year with an artist I discovered last year… pianist Jill Crossland.
On page 78 of the awards 2013 issue of the Gramophone I spotted an advert for the "devine art" label. Never bought a CD from them, but, was always curious about their artists. The new record by pianist Jill Crossland is not on Spotify yet, but her earlier CD's are.

First a selection from Jean Philippe Rameau’s Premier livre de pièces de clavecin, played on a modern piano. Played with a jazzy feel and fine characterization of the Rameau miniatures.
Then, a live concert given at Restoration House, Rochester, on the 1824 Jirikowsky fortepiano by Jill Crossland. On the Gramophone forum someone was very enthusiastic about the Scarlatti sonata on that CD and, yes, it’s a fine, crisp performance, just as the other items on that CD, by the way…!
Hope you will enjoy this fresh start of 2014 as well :-)

Jean Philippe Rameau - Premier livre de pièces de clavecin (modern piano)
Domenico Scarlatti - Sonata in E major Kk 380 (1824 fortepiano)
Johann Sebastian Bach - English suite No. 3 in g minor BWV 808 (1824 fortepiano)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Fantasia in C BWV 906 (1824 fortepiano)
Johann Sebastian Bach - Preludes and fugues of WTC I and II (sel.) (1824 fortepiano)

Jill Crosland Piano & Fortepiano






http://open.spotify.com/user/otterhouse/playlist/0wdR3HD4GD6r7t1v2iiG9A (HTTP link)