Modest Trio

Like Schubert, Dvorak turned to the string quartet early in his career, but in neither case is that a cue for lyrical flights on the subject of 'lifelong affinities'. Both had one sound practical reason for choosing this medium at the start of their careers: it was relatively easy to get quartet music played. The three complete quartets included in Vol. 1 (Nos. 1-3) show considerable facility in writing for strings (after all, Dvorak was a violinist), but it took him some time to arrive at a fully idiomatic quartet style: the first movement of No. 2 for instance wouldn't lose much by being orchestrated. Dvorak also had to learn to rein in his natural expansiveness: the Third Quartet spins out its modest material to an astonishing 70 minutes—the first movement alone is longer than the whole American Quartet! The outer movements of the No. 4 in E minor (Vol. 2) show him concentrating admirably, though the later shortened version of the central Andante religioso (popular as the Nocturne for strings) is a considerable improvement.

The uncle of the great Giovanni Gabrieli, Andrea Gabrieli is often overshadowed by his nephew, yet he was one of the greatest and most approachable composers of the High Renaissance. Late in his life Andrea composed a Mass for four choirs, but most of his music requires only relatively modest forces; yet it has all the colour, imagination and emotional immediacy that we associate with the best Venetian art of the 16th century. In 1562 Andrea formed a lasting friendship with Lassus while visiting Germany, and the music of Lassus can be seen to be an important influence on his own.

Stelios Petrakis, Efren Lopez, Bijan Chemirani - Mavra froudia (2011) {musiepoca MEPCD003}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 348 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 120 Mb
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© 2011 musièpoca world / Mohlos Studio | MEPCD003
World Music / Mediterranean Trio

It is quite rare to find, in so-called world music, a unique and original meeting of cultures, striking in its obvious, organic and modest simplicity. As if that is the way things should be, without artificial political/artistic/cultural conventions and free of the new-age baggage of superficial slogans about one world without borders. But that is exactly the magic behind the Mediterranean trio of Cretan lyra player Stelios Petrakis, Spanish multi-instrumentalist Efrén López and Iranian/French percussionist Bijan Chemirani (son of the great Iranian zarb master Djamshid Chemirani). All three have collaborated before with Greek/Irish multi-instrumentalist Ross Daly.

Discover the compositions of pianist Jérôme Ducros on this world premiere recording released on Decca. At the age of only 38, pianist Jérôme Ducros is widely recognised for his talents as a chamber music pianist and accompanist. Here, in a world premiere recording are the Quintet and Trio works by this modest and discreet composer/performer.

The Belmonts are an American doo-wop group from the Bronx, New York, that originated in the mid-1950s. The original group consisted of Fred Milano, Angelo D'Aleo, and Carlo Mastrangelo. They took their name from Belmont Avenue, the street Milano lived on. There were several stages in their history, including the 1958–1960 period with Dion DiMucci, when the group was named Dion and the Belmonts. At this time Mastrangelo sang the bass parts, Milano the second tenor, D'Aleo the falsetto, and DiMucci did lead vocals. With Dion they scored such hits as 'A Teenager in Love' (No 5) but this was a short relationship & after Dion went solo, they continued to gain hits with such songs as 'Tell Me Why' (No 18), 'Come on Little Angel' (No 28)…

The tunes are instantly recognizable: well-known standards such as "All The Things You Are", "Over The Rainbow" or "Autumn Leaves". And yet the listener always has the impression of hearing something completely new. On "Painting Music", Danish pianist Carsten Dahl gives his own take on some of the great classics of the jazz repertoire in a way that is highly personal, resolutely individual and completely revelatory.

Johann Friedrich Fasch was seven years younger than Georg Philipp Telemann was and outlived him by one year; Fasch, Telemann, and Johann Sebastian Bach all traveled in similar circles. In 1720, for example, both Fasch and Bach were gainfully employed in the courts of the Anhalt princes, Bach in Cöthen and Fasch in Zerbst. However, Telemann provided the model for the sonatas heard on CPO's Johann Friedrich Fasch: Trios & Sonatas, featuring Epocca Barocca, a period-instrument ensemble based in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany.