Used Bin Troll Tweets D.

Ethelbert Nevin

[October 2013.]

newworldrecords_80693 newworldrecords_80637

Ben JOHNSTON: String Quartet No. 1, “Nine Variations” (1959); String Quartet No. 5 (1979); String Quartet No. 10 (1995). Kepler Quartet: Sharan Leventhal, Eric Segnitz (vln), Brek Renzelman (vla), Karl Lavine (vlc). New World Records 80693-2 (1 CD) (http://www.newworldrecords.org/).

Ben JOHNSTON: String Quartet No. 2 (1964); String Quartet No. 3, “Crossings” (1966); String Quartet No. 4, “Amazing Grace” (1973); String Quartet No. 9 (1988). Kepler Quartet: Sharan Leventhal, Eric Segnitz (vln), Brek Renzelman (vla), Karl Lavine (vlc). New World Records 80637-2 (1 CD) (http://www.newworldrecords.org/).

The astronomer’s star charts guide Johnston’s microtones. How else could they do it? No. 10 has catchy unsingable tunes. I crave Vol. 3. YES.

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Carl NIELSEN: Quintet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon, Op. 43 (1922)¹. Charles LOEFFLER: Two Rhapsodies for Oboe, Viola and Piano (1901)². Sergey PROKOFIEV: Quintet for Oboe, Clarinet, Violin, Viola and Bass, Op. 39 (1924)³. Ransom Wilson¹ (fl), Allan Vogel^1,2,3 (ob), David Shifrin^{1, 3} (clar), David Jolley¹ (hn), Julie Feves¹ (bsn), Pamela Frank³ (vln), Paul Neubauer² (vla), Steven Tenenbom³ (vla), Edgar Meyer³ (bass), Irma Vallecillo² (pno). Delos DE 3136 (1 CD) (http://www.delosmusic.com/).

Unusual combos well played. The Nielsen is fine, however, bypass the dreary Loeffler and investigate the cool Prokofiev. Just barely a MAYBE.

newworldrecords_80414

George TSONTAKIS: String Quartet No. 3, “Coraggio” (1986); String Quartet No. 4, “Beneath Thy Tenderness of Heart” (1988). American String Quartet: Peter Winograd, Laurie Carney (vln), Daniel Avshalomov (vla), David Geber (vlc). New World Records 80414-2 (1 CD) (http://www.newworldrecords.org/).

No. 4’s Russian hymn undergoes neo-Romantic transformations. I’ll take ersatz LvB’s Op. 131 any day instead of serial chicken scratches. YES.

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Arnold SCHOENBERG: Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4 (1899)¹. Franz SCHUBERT: String Quintet, D. 956 (1828)². Janine Jansen^1,2, Boris Brovtsyn^1,2 (vln), Maxim Rysanov¹, Amihai Grosz^1,2 (vla), Torleif Thedéen^1,2, Jens Peter Maintz^1,2 (vlc). Decca 478 3551 (1 CD) (http://www.deccaclassics.com/).

Mature players gather around two pillars. It unsettles to hear Schubert’s grounding after Nacht evaporates. Let’s hope for some Brahms. YES.

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“L’Orchestre de Louis XIV.” Jean-Philippe RAMEAU: Les Indes Galantes: Suite d’Orchestre (1735); Naïs: Suite d’Orchestre (1748); Zoroastre: Suite d’Orchestre (1749); Les Boréades: Suite d’Orchestre (1764). Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall (cond.). Alia Vox AVSA92282A+B (2 SACDs) (http://www.alia-vox.com/).

Starchy in full force, as if the roster were completed moments before the session started. Small moments in Les Boréades, miraculous. MAYBE.

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Michel CORRETTE: Concertos pour orgue et orchestre, Op. 26 (ca. 1756; restitution by René SAORGIN). René Saorgin (org), Ensemble Baroque de Nice, Gilbert Bezzina (cond.). Harmonia Mundi HMA 1955148 (1 CD) (http://www.harmoniamundi.com/).

Reimaged for period pipes and ensemble (plus spinet), six folksy Italianate concertos stand up well in lively and balanced 1984 tapings. YES.