Volume 9 Issue 3 - November 2003

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MILKEN ARCHIVE
OF AMERICAN
JEWISH MUSIC
One of the great
recording projects of
the new millennium
Bernstein: Jewish Legacy
Achron: 0 Violin Concerto
Klezmer Concertos
Yiddish Theatre Songs
C-Tedesco: Naomi & Ruth
Weill: The Eternal Road
A Hanukka Celebration
Jewish Voices in New World
Milhaud: Service Sacre
ALL N axos new
releases available at:
HMV Superstore
333 Yonge St, Toronto
Torontq's most complete
Naxos section
seems to suit the slightly muted qua!-
ity of the Anal~kta release - recorded
in Saint John's Anglican Church,
Elora. Ophelie Gaillard's ambroisie
recording is, like her playing, slightly
in your face - this can be extraordinarily
exciting, but more often sounds
a bit relentless.
The most interesting issue seemed
to be the degree to which the player
could balance the music as a simple
dance movement - which with Bach
they never are - with the ability to
bring out subtle shadings of sound
and tone to go beyond the · music.
The Sarabande of the 5th suite is a
good example of this. The music is
very sparse, no double-stopping and
very few notes. The expressive gesture
of the melody has to act as melody
and bass. It is like raw, simple
emotion - Zen and the art of the
Sarabande. With Linden, the most
experienced of the players here, this
is portrayed as simpl.Y as
the structure of the music.
Sergei Istomin's playing is often
similar, and yet there is a humanity
. that he brings to the music. The
Prelude to the 2nd suite could not be
played in more touching a fashion.
The music at the same time seems
naive and yet tortured. You are led
beyond the music and notes to one's
own imagination.
Ophelie Gaillard' s recording
suffers from the excesses of many
modern "baroque" performances -
the fast movements are often too fast
and the sarabandes are often too slow
even for dance. She does have an
admirable exuberance however, and
should be congratulated for CD presentation
- with exquisite cardboard
packaging - and for being the first
female baroque cellist to record the
suites.
This. old romantic though, still pre-
thoroughly satisfying program of viol
solos from the German High Baroque.
For those who might find the idea
of a solo recordiqg NOT devoted to
Bach to be a potential bore, this CD
will prove them wrong. The pro­
'gram is well varied and beautifully .
paced; the recording quality is topnotch;
and the performance is one
of great musical integrity, expressiveness,
and technical excellence. I've
always thought of the baroque viol
as having both noble and intimate
qualities, and this recording displays
both in perfect balance. In fact, the
only thing I was disappointed with
was the rudimentary liner-notes ..
Carl Friedrich Abel (1723-87), a
viol virtuoso famous for his collaboration
with Johann Christian Bach
in I 8th-century London, is represented
by about one-third of his "27
solos", played here with engaging
elegance and expressive virtuosity,
which Abel himself was reputed to
have displayed. G.P. Telemann'sDmajor
sonata from the "Getreue
Musikmeister" receives an insightful
and focused performance, particularly
in its curious recitative-andaria
third movement, and in the
rhythmic and melodic energy of the
closing Vivace. And two sonatas
from Amsterdam-born Johannes
Schenk's "L'echo du Danube" (op.
9), with their exptic writing for the
viol, display lstomin's formidable
technique and the eloquent musicianship
that it serves.
Alison Melville
Graupner: Partien 1718 &
Galanteries
Partitas for Harpsichord, Vol.2
Genevieve Soly
Analekta FL 2 3164
fers the set by Pablo Casals!! · Graupner: Cantate, Sonate,
Kevin Mallon Ouverture - Instrumental and
Vocal Music, Vol.2
Ingrid Schmithiisen
Virtuoso Solos for the Viola da Helene Plouffe
Gamba
L'ensemble des ldees heureuses
Sergei Istomin
Genevieve Soly
Analekta FL2 3144
Analekta FL 2 3180
This new release from Analekta fea- The baroque revival continues. It has
tures violist da gamba Sergei lstomin, been a great adventure over the last
a former Toronto resident now !iv- few decades - so much scholarly and
ing in France, in an ambitious and , musical talent devoted to bringing the
WWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM
masters of the past to us. The most
pleasant of surprises is that there are
so many past masters of which we
previously .knew nothing at all.
Thanks to Genevieve Soly for he.r
efforts on behalf of one such unsung
hero, Christoph Graupner.
Graupner, like his contemporaries
Bach, Handel, and Telemann, was
required by his position to provide a
lot of music for ceremonies, liturgies,
celebrations, etc. His harpsichord
music though, replete with
keyboard gymnastics, was written
for himself and his students. and
thanks to the great technical and
musical abilities of Genevieve Soly,
we have here a real treat. ,
The Partitas on this CD are dance
suites that never tire the ear or the
imagination - the virtuosity serves
the m.usic (not the reverse), With lots
of power, and lots of charm too.
The writing is distinctive and interesting,
and the performances are
spectacular. The harpsichord, by
Henrick Broekman, is perfect for this
music. It's a really substantial instrument
after one by Haas - each of
the registers has a very distinctive
voice, and are all used to great effect
and variety. Listen with headphones
and hold on tight.
!just couldn't sit still for this one.
You have to hear it to believe it. Go
buy it right away. Get a bunch of
them for Christmas presents.
Den Ciul
Editor's Note: Genevieve Soly 's
efforts to bring Graupner to the attention
of the musical public also
'include a series of recordings devoted
to his instrumental (i.e. ensemble)
and vocal music. Analekta
has recently released a second
volume in this set, featuring soprano
Ingrid Schmithilsen with Helene
Plouffe and L 'ensemble des ldees
heureuses under Soly 's direction.
Den Ciul reports: "Graupner wrote
over 1,400 cantatas. "Die Krankfleit,
so mich drilckt" for Soprano
and ensemble is a calm, serene
work .. . Ingrid Schmithilsen is quite
dramatic, but her interpretation is
appropriate to the text ... [In the
Ouverture in D minor GWV 426]
the viola d 'amore of Helene Plouffe
is warm and rich. . . Overall, this is
NOVEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 7 2003