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4.0 out of 5 stars
Fine performances of generally interesting music, June 17, 2009
This review is from: Trios for Oboe Viola & Piano (Audio CD)
Even if not all the music here is very distinguished, Chandos has made some clever moves in putting together the programme (though I suppose choice was at least a little restricted due to the rather unusual combination of oboe, viola and piano), for the variegated styles and approaches to the medium make for a rather absorbing and nicely contrasted hour of listening. None of these works are likely to be familiar to the casual listener, but all of them are at least attractive enough - if not exactly masterpieces, the Hindemith apart - and receive committed advocacy from de Vries, Guittart and Janssen.
Robert Kahn (1865-1951) isn't very well represented in the catalogue, but based on this sunny, charming Serenade his rather large output of, in particular, chamber music might be well worth exploring further. August Klughardt (1847-1902) at least has a disc of orchestral music to himself from Sterling - which I haven't heard - but his Schilflieder, based on Lenau poems belong to a rather anonymous, although somewhat appealing, German Romanticism; expressive enough and skillfully written but not particularly memorable. The best is the sad third movement, skillfully developed and nicely laid out for the instrumental combination.
Loeffler's two rhapsodies, based on Rollinat poems, are slightly more personal in idiom, consisting of a simple and poignant first rhapsody, `The Pond' and a more dramatic 'The Pipes'. Both cleverly exploits the textural possibilities of the instrumental combination and are imaginatively written.
But the Hindemith trio (for heckelphone, viola and piano) stands head and shoulders above the rest. This is Hindemith as his best; inventive, beautiful and personal, slightly dry but profoundly imaginative. The first part is in three (continuous) sections and the second consists of four short movements. Obviously Hindemith understood the instruments he was writing for very well, for the timbres and textures and potential emotional ranges are masterly exploited in a contrapuntal style, culminating in a wild prestissimo.
The trio plays all works excellently (though there are one or two somewhat unkempt tones); well-phrased and with thorough understanding of the various idioms. Perhaps a somewhat less restrained approach could be wished for in some of the pieces, but the music is generally well-characterized and thoroughly enjoyably rendered. Sound quality is up to the usual Chandos standards.
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