Used Bin Troll Tweets V.

Ethelbert Nevin

[December 2016.]

auvidisvalois_v4848

Reynaldo HAHN: Quintette pour quatuor à cordes et piano (1921); String Quartet in A minor (1939); String Quartet in F major (1939-43). Alexandre Tharaud (pno), Quatuor Parisii: Thierry Brodard, Jean-Michel Berrette (vln), Dominique Lobet (vla), Jean-Philippe Martignoni (vlc). Auvidis Valois V 4848 (1 CD) (since reissued with a companion disc of Roussel on Naïve 40013) (http://www.naive.fr/).

Pal to Proust, Hahn’s effervescent pieces stand agreeably between frivolity and pretension. Crisp readings, both quartets are premieres. YES.

kairos_0012992kai

Ramon LAZKANO: Hauskor (2006)¹; Ortzi Isilak (2005)²; Ilunkor (2000-01)³. Cello Octet Amsterdam¹, Ernesto Molinari² (clar), Basque National Orchestra^1,2,3, Johannes Kalitzke^1,2,3 (cond.). Kairos 0012992KAI (1 CD) (http://www.kairos-music.com/).

Enough with the Lachenmann Jrs: Hauskor’s 8 solo cellos’ balance fails; spin Mahler instead of Ortzi Isilak; Ilunkor is a path not taken. NO.

cantaloupemusic_ca21106

Michael GORDON: Gotham (2004). Aurora Orchestra, Nicholas Collon (cond.). Cantaloupe Music CA21106 (1 CD) (http://www.cantaloupemusic.com/).

A bracing, gritted dose of symphony, percussion and guitars that makes more sense if accompanying Bill Morrison’s film, so why no DVD? MAYBE.

naxos_8557394

Arthur BLISS: String Quartet No. 2 (1950); Clarinet Quintet (1932). David Campbell (clar), Maggini Quartet: Laurence Jackson, David Angel (vln), Martin Outram (vla), Michal Kaznowski (vlc). Naxos 8.557394 (1 CD) (http://www.naxos.com/).

Unfairly unfamiliar, these two are perhaps the most consistent and best chamber efforts of a last Romantic (or anticipatory Modern). YES SIR.

mode_288

“on the edges.” Gerald ECKERT: An den Rändern des Maßes (2005-11); Bruchstücke… erstarrtes Lot (1998-99); Sopra di noi… (niente) (2014). ensemble relexion K, Gerald Eckert (cond.). mode 288 (1 CD) (http://www.moderecords.com/).

Interchangeable titles for slowly moving husks whose seeping, subtle spurs coalesce into formidable ghosts. Ignore the program notes. MAYBE.

hyperion_cda67597

“Keyboard Suites.” Jean-Philippe RAMEAU: Suite in E minor (1724); Suite in G minor (1728-30); Suite in A minor (1728-30). Angela Hewitt (pno). Hyperion CDA67597 (1 CD) (http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/).

Supposing you can stomach French Baroque on piano, Hewitt distorts Rameau’s grace with slovenly gushing and distracting mannerisms. MAIS NON!