It is amazing how neglected is the music of Charles-Valentin Alkan. I spent an enjoyable hour or so listening to the "Trio Alkan" playing the violin sonata, the cello sonata, and the piano trio. Rainer Klass (piano), Kolja Lessing (violin) and Bernhard Schwarz (cello) play well, but the recording is "early Naxos" (1991) and lacks the impact of my favourite CD with Tedi Papavrami and Huseyn Sermet (plus Christoph Henkel in the cello sonata).
Sad that this wonderful music is so neglected; the cello sonata may be the only one of its genre that I can listen to with enjoyment, and I have always held the Grand duo Concertant for violin and piano in high esteem since making its acquaintance years ago (thanks to Nicholas Grandjean). Papavrami played it; Dong-Suk Kang played it (not very well, I have to say). But no other violinist of note has adopted it -- neither Grumiaux, Thibaud, Francescatti, Ferras, Dumay ... to mention only some French maestri. How nice if it suddenly burst into fame!
Finished the evening with Philippe Hirschhorn's 1967 (Brussels) performance of Paganini's first concerto. I had forgotten how good this was, but it is right up there with Kogan, Rabin and Mullova. Perhaps even better? Anyway, three stars for this classic (public) performance.
Personal journal dealing mainly with music listened to, plus various food and wine matters. Rants at a few favourite topics.
Harry Collier
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4 comments:
Let me re-listen to Hirshhorn & revert. If my memory serves me right, I still prefer the Rabin.
Harry: I can't believe that Alkan's cello sonata is maybe the only one you really enjoy. Let's forget LvB and Brahms, but you don't like Rachmaninoff,Miaskovsky,Grieg,Magnard?
Not one of them?
Oisfetz
Cellos are cellos, and I am not terribly fond of the sound of a solo cello for hours on end. Even the Bach cello suites are low on my listening list. I do not, of course, like organs and harpsichords. And I love violins and violas! But I find the sound of cellos somewhat gruff and unwieldy.
There are exceptions .. and Christoph Henkel playing the Alkan cello sonata is one of them.
Agreed on your comment on cellos & the solo Bach cello suites.
Prefer the sound of the violin but the viola sounds less appealing (except when Bashmet plays).
As for the cello, the best piece in the repertoire is the Dvorak Cello Concerto (with its magnificent B major short-cut into the 2nd subject of the 1st mvt). Always gives me the goosebumps!
As for the double bass, I like the sound of Gary Karr's 1611 Amati (which Serge K gave to him via his widow). Lucky fella! I played with him in 1979 at a music camp in HK. He's a really great guy - very friendly. Also saw him in the Wigmore Hall d-b recital (1980s) which he gave 7 encores too!
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