Seaford Music Distribution - releases for June 1998


New Releases for June 1998	Seaford Music Distribution

HEMERA - HCD2923 (full price): TERJE BJORKLUND - Music for Strings

Arctos - Concerto for Violin & Strings (1993); Carmina for String Quartet (1993/4); Cantos for String Quartet (1993/4); Per la strada for Solo Violin (1987); Sarek for String Orchestra (1992).

Marianne Thorsen (violin), The Trondheim Soloists directed by Bjarne Fiskum, The Chilingirian String Quartet

The Norwegian composer Terje Bjorklund was born in Narvik in 1945. This disc contains first recordings of these works for various combinations of string instruments; contemporary music in an approachable style, somewhat reminiscent of Gorecki and Part. The two works for string quartet were written for the Chilingirians and first performed by them at the Lillehammer Winter Olympics.

NKF - NKFCD500352 (full price):

FRIEDRICH AUGUST REISSIGER (1809-1883): String Quintet, Op.59.

CARL ARNOLD (1794-1873): Grand Sextuor, Op.23.

The Norwegian String Quartet with Hans Josef Groh (cello) and with Einar Steen-Nokleberg (piano) and Dan Styffe (double-bass)

Two very attractive romantic chamber works from two composers virtually unknown in the UK. Reissiger composed his quintet for string quartet and second cello in 1862 and Carl Arnold his sextuor for the unusual combination of piano, string quartet and double-bass in 1825. Although both Reissiger and Arnold were actually born in Germany, both spent most of their working lives in Norway and both helped to form a national style of music at a time when Norway still lacked significant composers of its own.

MEDIAPHON - MED72.155 (mid price): SEXTETS FOR PIANO AND WINDS

BOHUSLAV MARTINU (1890-1959): Sextet; WILLIAM BOLCOM (1938- ): Five Fold Five; CURTIS CURTIS-SMITH (1941- ): Sextet; GORDON JACOB (1895-1984): Sextet in B flat major, Op.6.

Dennis Russell Davies (piano) with the Stuttgart Wind Quintet

An attractive recording at mid-price of contemporary music for piano and wind quintet; these are first recordings of the Bolcom and Curtis-Smith pieces and there is little competition for the Martinu and Gordon Jacob. Splendid performances from Dennis Russell Davies and his Stuttgart colleagues in sparkling recorded sound.

MEDIAPHON - MED72.168 (mid price): MENDELSSOHN - MOTETS AND CHORAL CANTATAS

including:

Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe (German Liturgy); Heilig ist Gott der Herr Zeboath; Jesu meine Freude; O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden; Verleih uns Frieden; Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten; Richte mich Gott; Jauchzet dem Herren alle Welt; Salve Regina; Denn er hat seinen Engeln befohlen; Christe du Lamm Gottes.

Steffi Sieber (soprano), Mathias Horn (baritone), Pforzheim Motet Choir, South West German Chamber Orchestra and Wind Soloists conducted by Rolf Schweizer

These appear to be the only recordings currently available on CD of most of these works and will prove to be of great interest to the Mendelssohn enthusiast. Excellent choral performances of these neglected works in Mediaphon's fine-sounding mid-price recording.

MEDIAPHON - MED72.167 (mid price):

RODION SHCHEDRIN: Carmen Suite (after Bizet);

ERIK SATIE: Gymnopedie No.1 (arr. Debussy); Gymnopedie No.2 (arr. Roland Gagneux); Gymnopedie No.3 (arr. Debussy).

Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra conducted by Dennis Russell Davies

Shchedrin's popular Carmen ballet for string orchestra and percussion, based on themes from Bizet's opera, is given a stunning performance and recording. The fill-up of the orchestrated versions of Satie's Trois Gymnopedies is unusual in including the second gymnopedie, here in an orchestration by the contemporary French composer, Roland Gagneux.

MEDIAPHON - MED72.169 (2 discs for the price of 1):

GUSTAV MAHLER: Symphony No.2 in C minor "Resurrection".

Silke Kaiser (soprano), Cornelia Kalisch (mezzo), Geneva Motet Choir, Choir of the Grand Theatre Geneva, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande conducted by Armin Jordan

Armin Jordan and his Geneva forces follow up their very successful disc of music by Richard Strauss with an equally magnificent performance of Mahler's Symphony No.2. The recorded sound is stunning and the disc offers one of the finest recordings of the work in recent years.

PROPIANO - PPR224519 (full price): POEM OF ECSTASY

ALEXANDER SCRIABIN: Le Poeme de l'extase, Op.54 (transcribed for two pianos by Leon Conus); 2 Morceaux, Op.57; 2 Morceux, Op.59; 2 Preludes, Op.67; 5 Preludes, Op.74; 3 Morceaux, Op.45; 4 Preludes, Op.39; 4 Preludes, Op.37; Feuillet d'album, Op.58; Vers la flamme: Poeme, Op.72; Etude, Op.8/12 (alternative version).

Chitose Okashiro (piano)

Chitose Okashiro's latest Scriabin disc includes the world-premiere recording of the transcription of The Poem of Ecstasy for two pianos made by the composer's friend, Leon Conus, around the time of its first performance in the orchestral version (1908). Here, Okashiro plays both piano parts (over dubbed) in ProPiano's Pianist's Perspective Recording.

Peter J Rabinowitz in September/October 1998 Fanfare - "...the playing is always distinctive and, at its best, quite extraordinary. Strongly recommended for the hardy."

CEDILLE - CDR90000039 (full price)

LEO SOWERBY (1895-1968): Symphony No.2; Concert Overture; All on a Summer's Day; Passacaglia, Interlude & Fugue.

Chicago Sinfonietta, Czech National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Freeman

Cedille follow up their earlier disc of Sowerby orchestral works (CDR90000033) with a second disc of first recordings of works by this mid-western American composer. The Symphony No.2 was written in 1928 for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and is considered the finest of his five symphonies.

Paul A Snook in September/October 1998 Fanfare - "All of us concerned with America's classic music heritage will for a long time be indebted to Cedille Records and conductor Paul Freeman for this second CD devoted to the towering talent of our major late-romantic figure, Leo Sowerby...this is a must acquisition for all lovers of our indigenous music."

Fanfare on CDR90000033 - "One of the most important contributions to American discography of recent years".

CEDILLE - CDR90000038 (full price): EASLEY BLACKWOOD (1933-) PIANO MUSIC

Five Concert Etudes, Op.30; Two Nocturnes, Op.41; Seven Bagatelles, Op.36; Piano Sonata in F sharp minor, Op.40.

Easley Blackwood (piano)

American composer, Easley Blackwood, has moved steadily from an avant-garde approach to music towards neo-romanticism. The attractive lyrical works on this disc have more in common with the grand romantic tradition of Rachmaninov than with the thorny Symphony No.1 and the micro-tonal works released on earlier Cedille discs. This disc will be enjoyed by all who appreciate approachable modern music.

Peter J Rabinowitz in September/October 1998 Fanfare - "the music is often whimsical...often beautiful...and always interesting. The performances, of course, are first-rate, as is the engineering. Warmly recommended."

CEDILLE - CDR90000037 (full price): RECORDINGS BY A MOSCOW PIANIST

Brahms: Rhapsody in G min., Op.79/2; Liszt: Polonaise No.2 in E major; Grieg: Ballade, Op.24; Liszt: Tarantella; Chopin: Piano Sonata No.2, Op.35; Liszt: Rhapsodie espagnole.

Dmitry Paperno (piano)

Russian pianist Dmitry Paperno, now resident in Chicago, made many recordings for Melodiya during the Soviet era before he emigrated to the USA. Cedille have rescued some of Melodiya's master tapes from 1967 and 1975 and this release features high-quality transfers of the original recordings made at the height of Paperno's Russian career.

Peter J Rabinowitz in the July/August and November/December 1998 "The Want List" issues of Fanfare - "In sum, Paperno is unquestionably one of the major talents of his generation...these potent recordings belong in the collection of anyone who admires romantic keyboard acrobatics." "...some of his best Melodiya material, including a sizzling Liszt Rapsodie espagnole and what may well be the best Grieg Ballade ever recorded".

MORRISON & CO TRUST - MMT2020 (full price): GARETH FARR (b. 1958) - CHAMBER MUSIC

Shadow of the Hawk; Kembang Suling; Sepuluh Jari; From Forgotten Forests; Cadenza.

Alexa Still (flute), Gareth Farr and Bruce McKinnon (percussion), Carolyn Mills (harp), Doug Bellman (violin), Andrew Uren (clarinet), Michael Houstoun, Katherine Austin and David Guerin (pianos), James Tennant (cello)

MORRISON & CO TRUST - MMT2021 (full price): GARETH FARR (b. 1958) - ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

From the Depths Sound the Great Sea Gongs; Le Temps est … la Pluie; Waipoua; Tabuh Pacific; Queen of Demons.

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gareth Farr

The first two releases in the UK from the New Zealand label, featuring the young New Zealand composer and percussionist, Gareth Farr. He performs regularly in New Zealand and in New York, both as a percussionist and, as his alter-ego, the drag artist Lilith. His gamelan influenced compositions have attracted a wide audience base in both countries. Gareth Farr is a graduate of Victoria and Auckland Universities and of the Eastman School in Rochester, NY. He has been composer in residence for Chamber Music New Zealand since 1993 and is currently undertaking a tour of the UK under sponsorship from the British Council.

Richard Whitehouse in October 1998 issue of Gramophone - "Gareth Farr goes for maximum impact in his music. From the Depths...will appeal to fans of the more demonstrative side of John Adams. Waipoua is a forestscape of touching restraint, Tabuh Pacific a meeting between standard and Balinese orchestras with the spirit of Colin McPhee never far away".

David Denton in May/June 2000 Fanfare - "The five works included on this CD show a composer well equipped to explore the full color spectrum of a large orchestra. He bucks the trend of modern symphonic creativity by employing a distinctly approachable style of writing, rhythmically strong, and melodically fresh and imaginative....Farr conducts the orchestra in these dramatic, wide-dynamic, and virtuoso performances. The NZSO has made some fine recordings in the past, but nothing that comes close to the sheer red-blooded impact of these performances. The recorded sound is a key component, as brilliant as you will find, with the top end of the dynamic range sure to shake out the dust from your speakers."

Robert Kirzinger in September/October 2000 Fanfare on MMT2020 - "Farr's music, on the evidence of this disc, takes its influence from rock music, minimalism and gamelan as well as from the classical world. Overall this music is somewhat engaging if not too challenging to the listener...attractively infectious, an impression augmented by tight, driven performances throughout.

PROPIANO - PPR224517 (full price)

CARL VINE (1954-): Piano Sonata; MESSIAEN: From "Vingt Regards" - No.11, Premiere communion de la Vierge; No.13, Noel; No.15, Le baiser de l'Enfant Jesus; RESPIGHI: First Prelude on Gregorian Melodies; Notturno; LIGETI: From "Musica Ricercata" - No.1, No.3 & No.7.

Sergei Babayan (piano)

The first recording of the Australian composer Carl Vine's piano sonata, coupled with other modern masterpieces for piano. Now resident in the USA, the virtuoso pianist Sergei Babayan was born in Armenia. Another fine Pianist's Perspective recording from ProPiano.

Allan Kozinn in the 20 August 1998 The New York Times - "...an electrifying sonata by Carl Vine...the centerpiece of a new recording by Babayan...the recording goes a long way toward explaining the fuss about Mr Babayan...his extraordinary technique and his ability to play densely harmonized works with an illuminating transparency." Richard Whitehouse in December 1998 Gramophone - "The Messiaen selection offers scintilating pianism...Vine's engaging and resourceful sonata. The Respighi items are lovingly played...". Peter Burwasser in November/December 1998 Fanfare - "This is a very enticing snapshot of a uniquely gifted young artist...The recording made at Tanglewood in 1997 is exceptionally realistic with a bright,forward sound to match the personality of the pianist"

PROPIANO - PPR224518 (full price)

GRANADOS: GOYESCAS - Suite for Piano - Los Requiebros; Coloquio en la Reja; El Fandango de Candil; Quejas o la Maja y el Ruisenor; El Amor y la Muerte: Balada; Epilogo: Serenata del Espectro.

Michel Block (piano)

The second in ProPiano's archive releases of Michel Block. Recorded live in Indiana in 1981, Michel Block, winner of the Arthur Rubinstein prize in Warsaw in 1960, turns his attention to Grandos' suite inspired by the late 18th century paintings of Goya.

James Miller in November/December 1998 Fanfare - "...an outstanding performer who has a flair for Spanish repertoire...the sound is vivid...The cascades of notes and interweaving melodies cause him no obvious difficulties at all and he (or his piano) makes a beautiful sound,...Bloch opens up a brief cut that many pianists make in the third piece..."



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