Quattroruoteruote 9️⃣ 2023

Two late, great Vaughan Williams symphonies: with the ‘Antartica’ and No 9, Martyn Brabbins and his BBC forces complete a cycle enthusiastically acclaimed by Radio 3 Record Review as ‘unmissable’.

This new recording from Trio Parnassus presents the world premiere recording of the three piano trios that Ries made after Beethoven's String Trios op. 9 and which Beethoven's enterprising publisher Simrock immediately sold as his opus no. 61. Hardly anyone was as closely associated with Beethoven as Ferdinand Ries. His parents took the young Beethoven under their wing after his mother's death; Ferdinand himself later became Beethoven's pupil and private secretary in Vienna. These arrangements were common - and Ries mastered his craft as virtuosically as he was familiar with his teacher's tonal language. Nevertheless, Beethoven must have been surprised by the publication - after all, no one had asked him about it before. Ries understood how to preserve the character of the originals in the transfer to the piano trio and at the same time find Beethoven's tone for the new version. The violin part remains almost unchanged; the cello takes over the part of the viola, while the left hand of the piano takes care of the basses. Since Ries also provided Beethoven's publishing correspondence, the path to publication was only a few lines of letters long. Today, the trios are correctly assigned to Beethoven's Opus No. 9 (No. 61 belongs to the famous Violin Concerto). Trio Parnassus approaches these delightful additions to the repertoire with the necessary respect and joy in playing. Luxuriously presented as a Super Audio CD, this high quality new production should convince even the most critical Beethoven admirers!

Joachim Raff’s symphonies present a synthesis of pure music and the programmatic elements of the neo-German school exemplified in the symphonic poems of Liszt. His eighth symphony from 1876, Frühlingsklänge, was followed in 1878 with his ninth, Im Sommer, forming a celebration of spring and summer that are part of a set that make up the four seasons. Both are written in an immediately attractive and approachable style, and scored for a relatively modest orchestra of Classical rather than Wagnerian dimensions.

For Antal Doráti, one of the mid-twentieth century's most gifted conductors, Beethoven was a central repertoire choice. This symphony cycle was recorded in 1975-76 at the beginning of his tenure as principal conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Long unavailable, these scintillating recordings, combining weight and depth with dance-like clarity, are newly presented as a CD edition.

The 9th Symphony in E-flat Major, Opus 70 by Dmitri Shostakovich was written in 1944 and 1945. It is a five-movement symphony with an opening movement in classical sonata form.

Palestrinas music is exquisite and sumptuous? characterised by a richness of texture and purity of sound. From his sacred Masses to settings of the secular Song of Songs, The Sixteen brings this serene and delicate soundworld to sparkling life.

For the latest instalment in their Mahler series, the Minnesota Orchestra under the direction of Osmo Vänskä presents what many consider to be the pinnacle of the Austrian composer’s entire work, the Ninth Symphony, his last completed symphony.

Palestrina’s music is exquisite and sumptuous— characterised by a richness of texture and purity of sound. From his sacred Masses to settings of the secular Song of Songs, The Sixteen brings this serene and delicate soundworld to sparkling life. Palestrina was a towering figure in Renaissance polyphony and arguably the greatest composer of liturgical music of all time. For nearly half a millennium his legacy and impact on sacred music worldwide has been second to none. The Sixteen continues its acclaimed series exploring a selection of his massive output, with this volume featuring the richly sonorous Missa Ut re mi fa sol la at its heart. The Sixteen also shines a spotlight on some of the glorious music Palestrina wrote for St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist.