Robert Schumann's Dichterliebe and Opus 39 Liederkreis

Both my parents came from poor homes, and both left school at 13 years old. Both of them were fervently musical and were determined that their five children would have the best possible education, so we found ourselves learning French, German, and Italian. Very fortunate for music lovers; this evening I reacquainted myself with Schumann's Dichterliebe. What wonderful music! But with no knowledge of the German language, and little knowledge of Heinrich Heine's 19th century Germany, I don't know whether this sublime music would have had the same effect on me. Anyway: A real masterpiece, and another great pillar of European music. I am no great fan of most of Robert Schumann's music; but his Lieder really are something else.

I enjoyed the Dichterleibe so much, that I went on to listen to the Opus 39 Liederkreis, with poems by Joseph von Eichendorff. Decades ago, I learned the words by heart, even copying out the texts into old school exercise books. Some things one does when young are of immense benefit later on. I greatly enjoyed renewing my acquaintance with Op 39. Singer in the Eichendorff poems was Werner Güra; in the Dichterliebe, Christian Gerhaher. In German Lieder, you really need German singers (just as, in French mélodies, you really need French singers).

Janine Jansen plays Sibelius and Prokofiev

With 42 recordings of the Sibelius violin concerto, and 25 of the first Prokofiev violin concerto on my shelves, one would have thought this was quite enough. I have grown up listening to Ginette Neveu and Heifetz in the Sibelius for over 70 years now. During the rare occasions I re-listen, I find I am concentrating more on the violin playing than on the too-familiar music. Of the two concertos, the Prokofiev has survived best for me; it is highly inventive and grips attention right to the end, even after some 70 years of listening.

If I did not have a satisfactory recording of either concerto, my current addition of Janine Jansen (with Klaus Mäkelä and the Oslo Philharmonic) would be my ideal. Jansen is a superb violinist, and even though classical music is international (except in Africa) there is something that feels right with North Europeans playing music that is 100% North European. A truly excellent CD that will probably see me ignore the 41 rival versions in future. Well done Ms Jansen.

Arthur Grumiaux and Clara Haskil play Mozart

There is no better duo partnership in Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert than Arthur Grumiaux and Clara Haskil. An off-air recording of the duo playing four Mozart sonatas for violin and piano has come my way; the performance took place in Strasbourg on 19th June 1956. This is true partnership playing, with both Grumiaux and Haskil on top form. What was also greatly appreciated by me is the recording quality and balance. 1956 mono it may be, but you can hear every note from the violin, even when playing pianissimo with the piano. Two top players playing Mozart in an exemplary recording; what more can one ask for? Thank you Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française for the recording.

Ernest Chausson and Guillaume Lekeu

I have always had a soft spot for the music of both Ernest Chausson (1855-99) and Guillaume Lekeu (1870-94). Dying the day after his 24th birthday, Lekeu was one of the major composers who never had a chance (like Pergolesi). I was therefore delighted when a good friend sent me recordings of Chausson's "Concert for violin, piano, and string quartet" coupled with Lekeu's evergreen sonata for violin and piano (an old, old favourite).

Participants are Gabriel Le Magadure (violin) with the always welcome Frank Braley as pianist, plus the Agate Quartet in the Chausson. What an admirable coupling! Both works -- particularly the Chausson Concert -- are audibly post-Wagnerian, and fin de siècle. Both receive thoroughly idiomatic performances from the French team and are well recorded (recording a violin, piano, and string quartet must have been quite a challenge, particularly since there is a fair amount of bass sound in the Chausson). This is an obvious coupling that should have been done before many times. (I have six other recordings of the Chausson, plus eight of the Lekeu, the best of which in the past was that by Alina Ibragimova and Cédric Tiberghien).

A most welcome addition to my bulging CD shelves.

Beethoven from the Smetana String Quartet

One can easily overlook the music of Ludwig van Beethoven. I have had his only opera, Fidelio, on my shelves for nearly 30 years now, and never listened to it. And I would feel no loss if I never heard his fifth symphony again, nor the bombastic finale of the ninth. All his life, he had no long-term patron or employer, and was forced to earn his living from crowd-pleasing music. Occasionally, as in his 'old age' (he was only 57 when he died) he wrote music just for himself.

I have just been re-listening to his string quartet opus 130 in B flat major. Surely the Cavatina followed by the Grosse Fuga finale are among a chosen few at the summit of all music? In these two movements, Beethoven raises music to new heights. Music to which I am never tired of listening.

My chosen CD this time round was the Smetana String Quartet, Czech string quartet players playing Beethoven and really well recorded and balanced by Supraphon, my favourite company for string quartet recordings. Contentment all round.

Acquaragia Drom

Decades ago, in a record store in Paris (in the days when there were such things) I picked up, out of curiosity, a CD by a group of Adriatic gypsies who called themselves Acquaragia Drom. The group appeared to travel around in a tour bus and consisted of three men and two women. Instrumentarium was guitar, accordion, violin, clarinet, bass clarinet, and 'tromba de' zingari'. The music alternates between European, Indian, and 'Arab'. Throughout over two decades, this one CD has given me immense pleasure. Listening to it again today, I could not help but reflect on just how far popular / folk music has deteriorated with the advent of all-embracing American/African popular music, with its omnipresent guitar strumming, beat, and bongo drumming, all in relentless 4/4 time. No violins, no clarinets, no accordions, and everything synthesised and amplified via advanced electronics. Modern music has a lot to answer for. Modern folk (or "people's") music is to music what Bach is to Stockhausen. "Stockhausen? I think I once trod in some" quipped Thomas Beecham.

Pavel Haas Quartet in Shostakovich

I have always had a soft spot for Dmitry Shostakovich's music. He is almost alone in 20th century composers in speaking directly to me. I have just been listening to hs 2nd, 7th and 8th string quartets played by the wonderful Pavel Haas Quartet. Terrific, personal music. Wonderful, committed playing. And, as one would expect, a demonstration-class recording by Supraphon, a company that appears to have mastered the art of balancing and recording string quartets. I wish the Pavel Hass Quartet would record more; I have loved them in Schubert, but await with impatience to hear them in Mozart and Haydn.

Georg Friedrich Händel in Italy

There are few of the great composers I would have wanted to meet in person; certainly not Mozart, nor Beethoven. But I would like to have met Georg Friedrich Händel, if only to hear about his travels as he flitted, seemingly effortlessly, between Germany, Italy, France, and England. He must have had some travel tales to relate! His period in Italy when aged only 21 or so would have been particularly interesting. He was in Florence, he was in Rome, he was in Venice, composing music on commission for various members of the nobility as he went. The cantatas and duetti that he composed at that time gave him ample material for exploitation in his later works, particularly his operas.

In a Handel marathon, I listened to eight Glossa CDs, recorded in Italy with all-Italian participants around 2005. The principal singer is Roberta Invernizzi (soprano). The band is La Risonanza, and the director is Fabio Bonizzoni. Around ten hours of listening to Handel's cantatas and duetti; quite a feast. The music varies in quality from excellent routine, to really first class. Sometimes Handel had a talented band of musicians at his disposal; at other times he appears to have been down to a harpsichord and basso continuo (probably also a result of the amount of ducats offered for the commission). Sometimes the band really goes to town: viz the extensive violin solo in the cantata Un'Alma Innamorata of 1707 in Rome that suggests that Arcangelo Corelli was in the band for that performance, as well as playing in the cantata from Rome Il Delirio Amoroso.

My ten hours went by swiftly. There is a lot to be said for having Italians singing Italian texts (also French for French texts, Germans for German texts, etc). The Glossa collection really takes one back to Italy in the period around 1707 (when Handel would have been just 22 years old). I have a vast collection of recordings of Handel's music; and I would not part with a single piece.

Baiba Skride: Britten and Bartok

I have never been a fan of the music of Benjamin Britten, bar a few works. I have just listened to a recording of his double concerto for violin, viola and orchestra (completed from drafts). Except for a few passages in the second and third movements, it seems to me to be music written without passion. It was played (very well) in a recent recording by Baiba Skride, with Ivan Vukcevic (viola) and Marin Alsop conducting the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra. I have only one other recording of the work (Anthony Marwood and Lawrence Power, with Ilan Volkov conducting the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra). Apart from the Bach D minor concerto for two violins, I don't think duo concertos work too well.

How different is Britten's one and only violin concerto, written in 1938-9 and frequently revised. I have many recordings of the piece on my shelves, including violinists such as James Ehnes, Julia Fischer, Augustin Hadelich, Janine Jansen, Simone Lamsma, Arabella Steinbacher, and Frank Peter Zimmermann (the latter with three different recordings). The concerto breathes passion, much like Shostakovich's first violin concerto of a few years later. The Britten concerto has come into its own only recently but, to my mind, it is a better piece of music than the ultra-popular concertos of Mendelssohn and Bruch (G minor).

The Latvian violinist Baiba Skride gives a magnificent performance of the violin concerto, with the same backing as with Britten's double concerto. She brings out all the dark passion of the violin concerto and is technically impeccable. Orchestra, balance and recording quality are all excellent. I recently praised the recording of the work by Kerson Leong. Skride is on the same level.

To complete my Baiba Skride listening, I heard Bartok's two Rhapsodies for violin and orchestra (WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln conducted by Eivind Aadland). Not bad, but not music I will return to often, like most of Bartok's music.

Phillippe Graffin plays Eugène Ysaÿe

Put 100 randomly selected people in a room and ask them about the music of  Eugène Ysaÿe and one can almost guarantee total silence. Ysaÿe (1858-1931) was born in Liège in Belgium and was a wonderful violinist. Like Fritz Kreisler, he wrote extensively for the violin, with many well-loved morceaux for violin and piano. His is not great music, but it's for relaxed listening for those who love the violin and music for violin written by a violinist.

A recent CD from the French violinist Phillippe Graffin gives us two large-scale works for violin and orchestra, and three salon pieces for violin and piano. The Poème Concertant is labelled as a world premier recording. The E minor violin concerto has been pieced together from odds and ends of manuscript. In the orchestral works, the Liverpool Philharmonic plays valiantly, conducted by Jean-Jacques Kantorow.

It's a while since I last heard Philippe Graffin, but he is an excellent violinist and probably one of the very best choices possible for Eugène Ysaÿe's music. The music with orchestra is excellently crafted, but is an exercise in craftmanship rather than a product of emotion and imagination. As might be expected, the violin predominates; Fritz Kreisler was wise to have eschewed trying to compose large-scale works for violin and orchestra. For lovers of violin playing, however, even the concertante works are of interest though, on this CD, I particularly enjoyed the two mazurkas, plus the well-known Rêve d'enfant; the pianist in the three morceaux is Marisa Gupta. Recording quality and balance are excellent.

Alena Baeva and Vadym Kholodenko

The latest new CD to hit my CD player features Alena Baeva, a violinist from Russia and the Moscow Conservatoire, and Vadym Kholodenko, a pianist from the Ukraine. Both are excellent musicians and form a good duo. They play Schubert's Fantaisie D.934, a lovely work of which I already have 19 other recordings. It's a wonderful work for the pianist who has the lion's share of the music, a little less so for the violinist who is often asked to assume the role of an obbligato instrument whilst the pianist has all the tunes. No matter: Baeva and Kholodenko give an excellent performance here.

They go on to play Stravinsky's Divertimento for violin and piano, arranged by Samuel Dushkin. Stravinsky's star has faded since the 1960s; at one time some critic called him "the greatest composer of the twentieth century", but those days have passed. His Divertimento is fine, but it's very much bread-and-butter music, designed to bolster Igor's finances. Baeva and partner give it their best go. Then come Schumann's four Märchenbilder. I revere Schumann for his Lieder, but otherwise he has rarely appealed to me. The Märchenbilder are no great shakes, and it's not surprising they feature little on programmes.

The final Fantasie in this programme so titled is one by Olivier Messiaen. I feared the worst, and my fears were doubly confirmed; the work is seven minutes of tuneless and theme-less note spinning, and why the artists elected to play it here, I cannot think. Maybe it was the only other work they could find with Fantaisie in its title. To be avoided by all lovers of music. The balance and recording of the CD are acceptable. When played via my Spendor loudspeakers -- that always emphasise the bass range -- the piano completely overwhelmed the violin for most of the time in the Schubert Fantaisie. Listened to it again via my Sennheiser wireless headphones, the balance was OK, with the bass less dominant.

Not, then, a "must-have" CD. Thinking of the Messiaen piece: why is it that a century that could boast composers such as Rachmaninov, Sibelius, Debussy, Ravel, Elgar, Britten, Stravinsky, Puccini, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and others, could produce pretty well nobody of note after around 1960? There are many composers of classical music post-1960, but few whose works are ever played more than once.

Bennewitz String Quartet in Dvorak

Having greatly admired the playing and recording of the Bennewitz String Quartet playing Haydn quartets, I decided to invest in the quartet playing Dvorak (10th and 13th string quartets). As a great fan of string quartets, I could not understand why, in my giant collection of recordings, I had only one CD of Dvorak string quartets (recorded in 1984 by the Panocha Quartet). Antonin Dvorak wrote a lot of music, including numerous string quartets, sonatas, trios, symphonies -- and concertos for violin, piano, and cello (of which the cello concerto became famous). His Slavonic Dances are ubiquitous. To my taste, much of his reams of music speaks of a superb musical craftsman, rather than of someone inspired.

Like later Beethoven and Shostakovitch, Dvorak appears at times to have regarded his string quartets as a personal musical sandbox; many passages and harmonies of the 13th quartet, for example, lean more towards the harmonic language of the 20th century, rather than the 19th. The quartet was composed in 1896 -- just on the cusp. The sandbox was not for those who wanted "easy listening". The 10th quartet contains more memorable material; for me, the 13th quartet has its material spread thinly, with a little going a long way.

The Bennewitz Quartet does not disappoint. The quartet's dynamics are again excellent (as in its Haydn CD) and the recording of the Dvorak (SWR Music in Baden-Baden) faithfully reproduces the sound of the four players, though the recording perspective is not up to the high standard of the Czechs when they recorded the Haydn. I hope that the Bennewitz will record more Haydn, plus Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Shostakovitch. I am waiting, chequebook ready. It appears I am a big fan of the Bennewitz Quartet, but not of much of Dvorak's music. Now I have two CDs of Dvorak string quartets on my shelves: that is enough.

Brahms and Mozart with Peter Csaba and Arthur Grumiaux

I have added two more violin recordings to my shelves, both sent by a good friend, and both featuring refurbished sound. Brahms three sonatas for violin and piano are played by Peter Csaba and Jean-François Heisser, recorded around twenty years ago and refurbished by Praga Digital. Mozart's five violin concertos were recorded by Arthur Grumiaux and Colin Davis with the LSO some sixty years ago, with the sound refurbished by Classical Music Reference Recording (CMRR). The sound in both Brahms and Mozart is thoroughly acceptable.

Peter Csaba confirms my admiration for the Czech school of violin playing, and the recording confirms my respect for the Czech recording companies (undoubtedly Supraphon). Csaba and Heisser are an admirable duo and do full justice to Brahms three works in lively interpretations that never drag the music out.

Arthur Grumiaux in Mozart is a natural, with his suave, elegant playing fitting Mozart like a glove. Colin Davis and the LSO give excellent support, with the original fine Philips sound coming over even better in the CMRR re-make. Good to have this evergreen classic recording given another sixty years of life.

Sadly, I find that Brahms is descending in my list of enjoyable composers. The more I immerse myself in the music of the 18th century, the more I appreciate clean lines and textures and the muted nature of any Sturm und Drang. I've never really loved Brahms' four symphonies, and I was dismayed to discover my lack of appreciation in his chamber music such as the three violin and piano sonatas. Just too much Schokolade mit Sahne for my taste. Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann just seemed to love thick textures.

Bach's Goldberg Variation, with Vikingur Olafsson

Bach's Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, are a manifestation of Bach's greatness as a composer. Along with works such as the Mass in B minor, the Goldbergs show Bach to be at the pinnacle of classical music composition. Lasting well over an hour, the work demands extreme virtuosity and keyboard dexterity, as well as the player's ability to hold the listener's attention for a long stretch of time.

Vikingur Olafsson has keyboard dexterity in spades. He also appears to have a real empathy with the keyboard music of the 18th century, and with the music of Bach. I have fourteen versions of the Goldbergs on my shelves, but Olafsson's is now my absolute favourite. His recording of the work lasts for 73 minutes; the recording by Beatrice Rana -- that I also greatly admire -- takes nearly 78 minutes. This is an indication that Olafsson takes the many fast, virtuosic variations at a very fast tempo indeed. One almost suspects recording technology trickery in places; surely eight fingers and two thumbs can't do all that at the same time? However, it's exhilarating to explore this work with Olafsson and his eight fingers and two thumbs. At times, he appears almost to be improvising rather than working to a set blueprint.

The DG recording is admirable, with an interesting essay by Olafsson on the work. Only black mark from me comes from DG's pretence that it is recording a pop artist, and plastering Olafsson's photo in every conceivable place. No picture of J.S.Bach, however.

Record(s) of the Year

This is the time of the year when I contemplate choosing my Record of the Year. A problem this year: there are just too many excellent candidates, and I do not want to have one of those competitions where everyone gets a prize, for something or other. So let me choose just three new recordings I have heard this year, and put them on the pedestal -- as equals.

First up is the Bennewitz String Quartet playing three highly-enjoyable Haydn quartets. Wonderful playing in the great tradition of Czech string playing, with a demonstration-class recorded sound and balance from Supraphon, including the first violin; all important in Haydn's quartets. It should be mandatory for all string quartet recordings to be made by the Supraphon team. The Bennewitz gets its place on the pedestal due to all-round excellence.

Second up is Kirill Petrenko and the Berlin Philharmonic in two of my favourite Shostakovich symphonies: numbers eight, and ten. Much-loved works, extremely well recorded and balanced by the Berlin Concert Hall team. Excellent playing, and conducted by someone who knows and loves the symphonies.

Third up is Marie Cantagrill, a completely unknown violinist (unknown to me) who plays the six Bach unaccompanied partitas and sonatas impeccably in interpretations that sound almost as if she is improvising the music. Ms Cantagrill also has a recording of the Brahms sonatas for violin and piano that are equally impressive; but I have to limit my places on the podium.

I am awaiting Bach's Goldberg Variations played by Vikingur Olafsson. But consideration of that will have to wait until 2024's selection.

More Mozart from Renaud Capuçon

Renaud Capuçon and the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra have released an attractive set of Mozart's music for solo violin and orchestra, recorded in 2022. An elegant set of the young Mozart's five concertos. Solo violin and orchestra are integrated and reasonably well-balanced. Renaud Capuçon's slender, elegant sound is arguably right for this kind of music; young Mozart does not need a mega international soloist showing off in what is, basically, enhanced chamber music. On my equipment, I found Capuçon's violin often sounding somewhat thin in the upper reaches.

I enjoyed much of Capuçon's playing; I admired the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra. I liked the well-balanced recording. An achievement in this somewhat over-familiar music. I used to play the solo part of the last three concertos, and I must have over 30 different recordings of each concerto on my shelves. No matter; if you want Mozart's complete music for violin and chamber orchestra, this set is a good addition, even going back seventy-odd years to Arthur Grumiaux and colleagues.

However, given the ferocious competition, these are just one of a large number of competing performances; my shelves hold 39 different recordings of the A major concerto K. 219 alone. For each individual concerto, I suspect I could delve into my collection and find performances more to my taste. Tempi are on the brisk side, and I often wish the musicians would relax a little and simply enjoy the music. The first movement of the D major concerto K. 218, for example, comes across as somewhat brusque, and the following slow movement could do with a more relaxed tempo. Sometimes one feels that "historical correctness" is getting in the way of the performances.

The many cadenzas are in good taste, but there are far too many of them for my taste. I know cadenzas are historically correct, but I prefer them to be short and confined to the first movement, as became traditional after the 18th century. Cadenzas in slow movements, such as the lovely slow movement of the G major concerto, find me scowling, however tasteful the interlude may be. There are appropriate times for the soloist to show off a little, but the end of a lovely slow movement is not the right moment (to my opinionated ears).

Also included in the set are two Mozart short works (that used to be favourites of Nathan Milstein): the Rondo in C Major K.373, and the Adagio in E major K.261. Well played and welcome additions. Young Wolfgang Amadeus certainly knew how to write attractive music.

Haydn, Bennewitz String Quartet, and Supraphon

Haydn's string quartets are not music to stir the soul. Nor do they tear at the emotions like much of the music of Mahler or Shostakovich. They are just music to listen to with enjoyment. I have been listening (with enjoyment) to the G major (Op 17 no.5), E flat major (Op 33 no.2) and C major (Op 54 no.2) string quartets in a new recording on Supraphon by the Bennewitz String Quartet, recorded during the past couple of years. I am an admirer of the string playing tradition of the Czechs, often heard at its finest in chamber music. The Bennewitz Quartet does not let the side down; this is warm, affectionate playing. For me: Haydn as he should be played, with no exaggerated dynamics such as one gets with quartets such as the Hagen Quartett.

When listening to recordings of chamber music, I often despair of my loudspeakers, where the bass part booms and the violins sound thin, scrawny, and distant. Not so here; the Supraphon recording and balance are demonstration class for string quartet recordings, and the sound reproduces beautifully on my Spendor speakers, avoiding the need for my wireless headphones. Supraphon could give lessons to the sound contractors of music conglomerates such as Universal, or Warner, where one gets the impression that the contractor records a rock group on Monday, a string trio on Tuesday, a folk singer with back-up on Wednesday, and a violin and piano duet on Thursday. Recording classical music demands a recording team that understands balance, and understands acoustic space, and classical music. Haydn's music is wonderful here. The Bennewitz String Quartet is wonderful here. And Supraphon completes the trio for a really successful CD. It will go in my "keep near at hand" rack.

Violin & Piano Classics

Many years ago, I compiled a collection of "A personal and subjective selection of great violin playing 1926-98". The collection comprised 46 short works for violin and piano ("salon or encore pieces"). Such works are now rarely found in concerts, and even broadcasts and recordings favour more "weighty" works for violin and piano. A shame, since there is much really memorable music in these short pieces.

It was so good to listen again to so many favourite recordings: Kreisler in Mendelssohn's "May Breeze" (1926). Dinicu playing his "Hora Staccato" (1928). Bustabo in Paganini's 5th capriccio (1935). Hassid in Sarasate's "Playera" (1940). Elman in Dvorak's "Slavonic Fantasy" (1947). Roby Lakatos in "Ochi Chornyje" (1998). Elman in Espéjo's "Airs Tziganes" (1948). Seidel and Korngold in Korngold's "Gartenszene" (1941). Eudice Shapiro in Ravel's "Kaddish" (1956). Ricci in "Recuerdos de l'Alhambra" (1978).Taschner in Sarasate's "Zigeunerweisen" (1944). Enescu in a Largo by Pugnani (1929). Seidel in Brahms' first Hungarian Dance (1938). Rabin in Scriabin's "Étude in Thirds" (1959). Menuhin in Rimsky-Korsakov's "Song of the Bride" (1930). And so on, for piece after piece. A veritable cornucopia of enjoyable music. Interesting, also, to note how individual most of the playing came over, with an almost immediate identification of the violinist concerned. Play the pieces above with even the best of modern violinists, one would need notes to identify who was playing what. In the old days, vibrato was individual. Tempi were individual. Rubato was individual. Bowing was individual. Violin teachers have ironed out all these idiosyncrasies so that all violinists now play beautifully and accurately in exactly the same manner.