Nirlen Saraste

The instrumental fantasy on a popular theme is probably almost as old as music itself. In the 19th century, this type of fantasy was a staple in the repertoire of soloists, who would compose these made-to-measure show pieces to display their talents in the best light. One surefire way to attract audiences was to program fantasies on themes from famous operas, which is just how Similia presents this delightful program of arrangements for flute and guitar.

Much of James MacMillan's orchestral music is concerned with matters of Christian theology, and his concerto for percussion and orchestra, Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, may be counted among his most religiously inspired pieces. Outwardly, though, it is ambiguous and difficult to distinguish from purely secular music. Since all of MacMillan's motives and chords are derived from the plainchant hymn for Advent, some will listen for its permutations in the complex network of overlapping fragments.

When it rains, it pours. In our last issue, I raved about a new recording of this curious and rarely heard version of Beethoven's well-known violin concerto—please refer to that issue for details and for a recapitulation of the major recordings of the piece from the early days of the long-playing record. Now here it is again, in a much more fleet reading by the brilliant young Finnish pianist and composer (his own music may be sampled on Finlandia's Portrait of Olli Mustonen and a radiant-sounding, closely miked Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie. The two new recordings complement each other nicely.

Rudolf Buchbinder is firmly established as one of the most important pianists on the international scene, he is a regular guest of such renowned orchestras as the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, London Philharmonic, National Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He has collaborated with the world’s most distinguished conductors including Abbado, Dohnányi, Dudamel, Frühbeck de Burgos, Giulini, Harnoncourt, Maazel, Masur, Mehta, Saraste, Sawallisch and Thielemann and is a regular guest at the Salzburger Festspiele and other major festivals around the world.

Sofia Gubaidulina - And: The feast is in full progress - Ten Preludes for cello (1995) {col legno WWE 1CD 31881}
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© 1995 col legno | WWE 1CD 31881
Classical / Contemporary Classical / Concerto / Chamber Music

The second cello concerto, entitled: Y: la fiesta está en pleno apogeo – And: The feast is in full progress (1993), is based on a poem by the Chuvash poet Gennadi Aigi. The vision of a raging mass of people awaiting the last Judgment is transformed into music by the composer with gripping, immediate, expressive force, free of graphic patterns. A moment of glory not for Gubaidulina only, but for David Geringas on cello, too. And as a bonus on this CD: Diez Preludios –Ten Preludes for Cello, in Vladimir Tonkha’s equally inspired interpretation. Both cellists are the dedicatees of the works they perform.