String Concertos

Very little is known of Robert de Roos (1907-1976), and as far as I can tell, this CD is the only recording of some of his music on the market today. Surprising when you consider that the output of this Dutch composer was quite impressive and included over 100 compositions in all genres and instrumental combinations. Symphonies, violin concertos, choral works, piano pieces, theatre music, and most importantly 8 string quartets came from that composer's pen. And even more astounding, is the fact that music of this caliber has been ignored or neglected until now.

Edward Gregson is a composer of international standing whose music has been performed, broadcast, and commercially recorded worldwide. Gregson is renowned for his concertos and music for band, but his chamber music reveals a more enquiring voice. In recent years these works have been enriched with greater expressive and emotional depth, ranging here from youthful impressionism to the fearsome virtuosity of Triptych, a competition test piece. Gregson’s First String Quartet was acclaimed by one critic as ‘an extraordinary work, both gritty and serene’, while the evocative colours of the Second are framed by the gentle lilt of a Siciliana.

Jean-Luc Votano, principal clarinet of the Liège Royal Philharmonic (OPRL), here presents a work by a ‘classic’ figure of the twentieth century, the Kammerkonzert for clarinet, string quartet and string orchestra of Karl Amadeus Hartmann (1930), along with two compositions of the twenty-first: Magnus Lindberg’s Clarinet Concerto, of which Votano gave the Belgian premiere with the OPRL, and Fantasme – Cercles de Mana by Johan Farjot. The latter work, scored for clarinet, viola, cello and orchestra, here receives its world premiere on disc before being performed to a concert hall audience. An album that admirably reflects the virtuosity and musicality of one of the OPRL’s principal soloists.

Written when Busoni was an only 12, the concerto may be reminiscent of Mendessohn, with shades of Hummel and Beethoven too - but even if it doesn't sound like mature Busoni, it is still a fascinating document of the youthful composer's uncannily advanced technique.

Gathered here, the three discs with Felix Mendelssohn’s symphonies recorded in 2007 and 2008 by Andrew Litton and his Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra were warmly received by the reviewers when they were first released.