Record Reviews

HOLLAND BAROQUE / BASTARDA ~ MINNE PENTATONE 8717306260022 (Barcode: 8717306260022) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the 6th album by Polish trio BastardaFind albums by this artist comprising of clarinetist Pawel SzamburskiFind albums by this artist, cellist Tomasz PokrzywinskiFind albums by this artist and contrabass clarinetist Michal GorczynskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with the Holland BaroqueFind albums by this artist orchestra under the artistic leadership of Judith SteenbrinkFind albums by this artist (violin) and Tineke SteenbrinkFind albums by this artist (keyboards), which comprises (on this album) of nine violinists, a keyboardist and a guest reciter. The album presents nine tracks, two of which are credited to Bastarda, four to Judith Steenbrink, one is a Georgian chant and two are by early music composers. The album’s concept was inspired by the texts of the 13th Century female poet HadewijchFind albums by this artist, who lived as a Flemish beguine in Brabant. Her exceptionally expressive love poems are a unique Medieval literary phenomenon. The music offers a superb amalgam of cross-genre aspirations, combining ideally improvisation, Medieval and Baroque musical traditions and above all reflecting a spiritual connection between the seemingly separate worlds Bastarda and the orchestra belong to, but as usual in the case of the trio’s legacy, their chameleonic ability to adopt and integrate their music with the music of other musicians / ensembles, works like a dream. The Holland Baroque orchestra manifests a remarkable open-mindedness in this collaboration, especially as far as improvisation in concerned, since this project is largely improvised in many respects, both conceptual and musical. This praiseworthy flexibility enabled the wonderful symbiosis, which characterizes this beautiful piece of music, without any artistic compromises. Overall, this is a remarkable album, full of enchanting music, which bridges effortlessly across Centuries of music and Culture, preserving respectfully the original compositions and contemporary musical approaches, all perfectly performed with elegance and a wink of stylish aesthetics. Not surprisingly, the album offers also sublime sound quality and SACD audio. Bravo!

Updated: 31/05/2024Posted: 31/05/2024

CD 1 Digipak SACD Recommend To A Friend

ORCHESTRE SYMPHONIQUE DE MONTREAL ~ SCHOENBERG: PELLEAS UND MELISANDE & VERKLÄRTE NACHT PENTATONE 8717306262187 (Barcode: 8717306262187) ~ CANADA ~ Classical Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is an album by the Orchestre Symphonique De MontrealFind albums by this artist, conducted by the Venezuelan conductor Rafael PayareFind albums by this artist, who is also the orchestra’s musical director, performing two early works by Austrian Jewish composer Arnold SchoenbergFind albums by this artist: the tone poem “Pelleas Und Melisande” (composed in 1903) and the “Verklärte Nacht” (composed originally as a string sextet in 1899 and subsequently revised to a string orchestra versions, this one from 1943). The sound quality of the recording is impeccable and the tone is well balanced. Schoenberg, who was the greatest musical revolutionary of the 20th Century and Godfather of the free atonality and later twelve-tone method, is in retrospect primarily known for his early works of his Late Romanticism period, like those presented here. This is not really surprising, as the complexity and sheer intellectual “weirdness” of his later works is even today light-years ahead of the average Classical music listener, not to mention the ability of most orchestras to tackle their performance. That does not mean, of course, that Schoenberg’s early works are less sophisticated, brilliant or intricate, but they are certainly “packaged” using more conventional compositional techniques, which makes them more accessible, but not necessarily better understood, by a wider audience. There are many available recordings of these two works by Schoenberg, sometimes quite different from each other, so the question is if Payare’s interpretation adds a new aesthetic perspective to the compositions and if the listener can truly enjoy the beauty of the music. I am happy to say that the answer to both these question is positive. Payare takes the music “back to the source” so to speak, emphasizing the romantic nature of the melodic sequences and playing with the dynamics of the subsequent parts of each composition, treating it somewhat like a soundtrack to an imaginary movie. That is as much liberty as the conductor is allowed, and he does not overdo it. The result becomes more “listenable” than most other interpretations, a bit “rounded”, but all in good taste. Overall, this is a wonderful album, which should satisfy Classical Music connoisseurs, who dare to explore Schoenberg’s magical world, or at least the early facet of it, hoping they will dare to search further, into his more advanced periods, which hide many treasures as well. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 24/01/2025Posted: 24/01/2025

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

RICHARD GALLIANO ~ AROUND GERSHWIN PENTATONE 8717306262293 (Barcode: 8717306262293) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2023 - 2024 Released: 2024 This is a solo album by French Jazz accordion / bandoneon virtuoso Richard GallianoFind albums by this artist, which as the title indicates, is dedicated to the music of George GershwinFind albums by this artist, but also other early 20th Century composers, like Sergei RachmaninoffFind albums by this artist, Eric SatieFind albums by this artist, Claude DebussyFind albums by this artist, Maurice RavelFind albums by this artist and Gabriel FaureFind albums by this artist, all adapted for accordion by Galliano, and also including a couple of pieces composed by himself. The album presents fourteen tracks and offers a splendid sound quality. I have been following the career of Galliano since as long as I can remember (he is almost exactly one year older than me) and he was always one of my favorite Jazz musicians, long before he achieved the international fame and recognition. His incredible sensitivity and power of expression are almost unparalleled, and his openness to other musical cultures and genres makes him a true total Artist. His accumulated contribution to European Jazz is simply colossal. This is not the first album which finds Galliano interpreting Classical music, and his earlier albums with music by Johann Sebastian BachFind albums by this artist, Antonio VivaldiFind albums by this artist or Wolfgang Amadeus MozartFind albums by this artist are all warmly recommended, but this album is closest to my heart, for several reasons. Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” is my all-time favorite piece of music (as irresponsible as that kind of statement might sound), and Galliano’s interpretation of it is simply Godly. I have heard hundreds of recordings of RIB, but this is definitely one of the most profoundly moving ones, especially in view of the completely new environment and the ability to overcome the devilishly difficult score and underlying changes of mood / melody / tempo, etc., which Galliano conquers with his usual wit, intelligence and charm. But perhaps more important is the statement, subtly hidden behind the vail, which places Gershwin with his “serious” Classical Music contemporaries, recognizing his position as a no less “serious” composer, which is more often than not denied from Gershwin, mostly recognized for his work as a songwriter, with his Classical compositions often ignored and neglected, and which deserves to be put straight. Overall, this is a marvelous album, full of delightful music, brilliantly performed and cleverly put together, which puts a new light on the sublime music composed by Gershwin, and offers an hour of tete-a-tete between the listener and one of the greatest musicians out there. Another great production by the PentatoneFind albums on this label label and of course, this is something way beyond recommendation…

Updated: 04/10/2024Posted: 02/10/2024

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ~ WYNTON MARSALIS: BLUES SYMPHONY PENTATONE 8717306262323 (Barcode: 8717306262323) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2023 Released: 2025 This is an album by the Detroit Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by the Italian conductor Jader BignaminiFind albums by this artist, who is also the orchestra’s musical director, performing the “Blues Symphony”, composed by the renown American Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Wynton MarsalisFind albums by this artist in 2009. Marsalis describes it as follows: “The Blues Symphony is a seven-movement work, that gives a symphonic identity to the form and feeling of the blues”. The recording was made in close cooperation with the composer. Wynton Marsalis is undoubtedly one of the greatest American Jazz trumpeters in all time, a highly talented Jazz composer and a renowned bandleader, as well as a respected performed of Classical Music, but he is also a highly controversial figure among the worldwide Jazz community, often accused of being intolerant and despotic. Regardless of where one finds oneself with regards to this debate, there is no denying that he knows his music, which is also obvious to anybody listening to this album. In some respects, the symphony is conceptually and aesthetically similar to earlier works, which combine the Blues / Jazz threads with Classical Music, such as those of George GershwinFind albums by this artist, Leonard BernsteinFind albums by this artist or Gunther SchullerFind albums by this artist, to name just a few American composers (but there were also many European ones as well of course). My personal attitude to this amalgam is purely non-cerebral and I try to enjoy them, rather than analyze them, since purely theoretical / musical analysis often works against them, which the Yiddish phrase “nisht ahin und nisht aher” sums up perfectly. Overall, this is a very entertaining, easy-listening and enjoyable piece of music, which does not really require any serious knowledge of neither the Blues nor Symphonic Music. The orchestra performs the music superbly, the sound is very well balanced and clear, and the music is pleasant and flows elegantly, what more should one ask for?

Updated: 21/03/2025Posted: 21/03/2025

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend