MAX BRUCH Double Concerto for two pianos Double Concerto for clarinet and viola Adagio Appassionato «Loreley» Overture

OLIVER SCHNYDER | JULIA KOCIUBAN ECESU SERTESEN | KYOUNGMIN PARK BERFIN AKSU ORF VIENNA RADIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HOWARD GRIFFITHS Max Bruch (1838–1920)

Double Concerto in A flat minor 6 Adagio Appassionato in F minor for 2 Pianos and Orchestra Op. 88a for Violin and Orchestra Op. 57 9.46 Doppelkonzert as-Moll für zwei Klaviere und Orchester Double Concerto in E minor for Clarinet, 1 I. Andante sostenuto 5.33 Viola and Orchestra Op. 88 2 II. Andante con moto – Allegro molto vivace 5.56 Doppelkonzert e-Moll für Klarinette, Viola und Orchester 3 III. Adagio ma non troppo 7.28 7 I. Andante con moto 7.00 4 IV. Andante – Allegro 6.58 8 II. Allegro moderato 6.18 9 III. Allegro molto 6.04 5 Die Loreley Op. 16 – Overture/Ouvertüre 5.06

Oliver Schnyder piano/Klavier (1–4) Julia Kociuban piano/Klavier (1–4) Berfin Aksu violin/Violine (6) Ecesu Sertesen clarinet/Klarinette (7–9) Kyoungmin Park viola (7–9) ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra ≤ Howard Griffiths

2 Julia Kociuban · Howard Griffiths · Oliver Schnyder

Recording: September 10–13, 2018, ORF Funkhaus Wien, Austria Design: Christine Schweitzer, Cologne Executive producers: Dr. Christoph Becher (ORF), Cover photo: mihalec/shutterstock · Session photos: © zVg Orpheum Thomas Pfiffner (ORPHEUM) Total time: 60.14 Recording producer, editing, mastering: Erich Hofmann P & g 2019 Sony Music Entertainment Germany GmbH Recording engineer: Friedrich Trondl www.sonyclassical.de Recording assistance: Suzanne Wirtisch Pianos: Bösendorfer VC 280

3 FÜNF SOLISTEN –– EINE STIFTUNG

Die Schweizer Orpheum Stiftung zur Förderung junger Solisten bietet eigene Edition. Ausgewählte Stipendiaten erleben in diesem Rahmen ihren Solisten aus aller Welt bereits seit 1990 erste Auftrittsmöglich­ erstmals die Situation im Aufnahmestudio und halten schließlich eine keiten in professionellem Umfeld und mit exzellenten künstlerischen klingende Visitenkarte in Händen, die international Verbreitung Partnern. Dies bedeutet wichtige Erfahrungen für den Musikernach­ findet. Howard Griffiths ist es ein wichtiges Anliegen, die jungen wuchs und kann gleichzeitig zum entscheidenden Impuls für eine Solisten mit Werken in die Welt hinauszuschicken, die besonders gut erfolgreiche Laufbahn werden. zu ihnen passen und mit denen sie alle Facetten ihrer musikalischen Die Art, wie die Orpheum Stiftung „ihre“ jungen Solisten findet, ist Meisterschaft wie auch ihre Persönlichkeit optimal präsentieren so besonders wie ihr Anliegen selbst. In der Regel sprechen die einzelnen können. Mitglieder des Stiftungs­kuratoriums Empfehlungen aus, unter dem Vorsitz von Vladimir Fedoseyev weitere bedeutende Musikerpersön­ Das vorliegende Album ist der vierte Teil dieser Edition und ganz dem lichkeiten wie Daniel Barenboim, Plácido Domingo, Bernard Haitink, Œuvre des deutschen Spätromantikers Max Bruch gewidmet. Abseits Mariss Jansons, Philippe Jordan, Zubin Mehta und David Zinman. seines berühmten Ersten Violinkonzerts und einzelner weiterer Werke Die Auswahl erfolgt letztlich durch den künstlerischen Leiter der sind seine Kompositionen bis heute durchwegs wenig bekannt, Orpheum Stiftung, Howard Griffiths. Die Treffsicherheit, die durch wenngleich sie „Perlen des Repertoires“ sind, wie Howard Griffiths dieses international einzigartige Verfahren­ gewährleistet ist, lässt ausführt. Dass sich unter diesen Perlen auch Doppelkonzerte befinden, sich an den Namen ehemaliger Stipendiaten deutlich ablesen: Die kam gelegen – ist es doch auf diese Weise möglich, gleich fünf Solisten Geiger Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider und Baiba Skride zählen ebenso dazu zu präsentieren. Abgestimmt auf die jeweiligen Musiker, fiel die wie die Cellisten Truls Mørk und Gautier Capuçon, die Pianisten Wahl auf die Doppelkonzerte für zwei Klaviere bzw. für Klarinette Kirill Gerstein und Yuja Wang oder auch der Multiperkussionist und Viola sowie auf das für Violine und Orchester bestimmte Adagio Martin Grubinger. Appassionato. In kontinuierlicher Weiterentwicklung ihrer Grundidee begann Neu bei dieser Aufnahme war „die Idee, einen inzwischen etab- die Orpheum Stiftung anlässlich ihres 25-jährigen Bestehens eine lierten und erfahrenen ehemaligen Orpheum Solisten mit einer

4 Nachwuchsmusikerin zusammen spielen zu lassen. Das hat wunderbar Nachwuchsmusikerin Julia Kociuban ist gleichermaßen von Bruchs funktioniert“, sagt Howard Griffiths begeistert. Die beiden Solisten Musik und von der Aufnahmearbeit angetan. Hier lässt sich der große des Klavier-Doppelkonzerts kannten einander zuvor nicht. Deshalb Bedeutungsgehalt einer solchen musikalischen­ Begegnung und einer „hätte es ebenso gut auch schiefgehen können“, räumt der Maestro solchen frühen Aufnahmemöglichkeit ablesen: ein. „Üblicherweise spielen Klavierduos dauernd zusammen, das ist „Schon beim ersten Anhören zogen mich die innere Kraft und das wunder- ihr Leben.“ schöne musikalische Material des Werks in Bann. Ich war überrascht von der Die zwei Pianisten dieser Aufnahme teilen Howard Griffiths’ Be- Meisterschaft, mit der der Komponist dieses Konzert geschaffen hat und mit geisterung. Oliver Schnyder, der längst international Erfolgreiche der er die beiden Klaviere und das Orchester interagieren lässt. Die Arbeit mit der beiden, erinnert sich voller Dankbarkeit an seine Zeit als Stipendiat Howard Griffiths und Oliver Schnyder war pure Freude und große Inspiration. und mit Freude an die Aufnahme: Oliver ist ein wunderbarer, sensibler Kammermusikpartner und ein äußerst „Orpheum war mein Glück. Wie aus heiterem Himmel erreichte mich un- warmherziger Mensch. Von der ersten Begegnung an spürten wir die musika- mittelbar nach Abschluss meiner Studienjahre die Einladung der Stiftung, lischen Intentionen des anderen, und es war für uns beide sehr einfach, ge- zusammen mit dem Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich unter David Zinman als Solist meinsam zu musizieren. Howards tiefe Musikkenntnis, seine Reife und zu debütieren. Mir hatte bereits vor einer längeren Ochsentour durch die Erfahrung waren hilfreich und ausschlaggebend für die letztliche Gestalt Klavierwettbewerbe gegraut; doch als Sprungbrett oder Durchlauferhitzer für unserer Interpretation. Beide haben mich während der Proben und der Auf- ehrgeizige junge Musiker waren diese kaum zu umgehen. Orpheum ersparte nahme großartig unterstützt und dazu beigetragen, dass ich mich wohlfühlen mir den unliebsamen Umweg und stieß mit meinem Auftritt in der Tonhalle konnte. Ich bin der Orpheum Stiftung sehr dankbar für die Möglichkeit, Zürich den ersten Dominostein eines fortwährenden glücklichen Daseins als meine Musik mit einem breiteren Publikum zu teilen, und für ihre Bemühungen,­ reisender Musiker an. Unzählige vielversprechende junge Kollegen sind seither dieses Werk einzuspielen, das in meinen Augen mehr Beachtung verdient.“ durch Orpheum entdeckt und erfolgreich aufgebaut worden. Viele Initiativen sind zu einer noch gezielteren Förderung von jungen Solisten ergriffen sowie Mehr Beachtung verdienen würde freilich auch das Konzert für strategische Partnerschaften eingegangen worden. Für das vorliegende Auf- Klarinette, Viola und Orchester – auch wenn es, wie Howard nahme-Projekt vertraute man mir die Rolle eines Mentors für die wunderbare Griffiths meint, vermutlich das bekannteste Werk auf diesem Album junge Orpheum Solistin Julia Kociuban an. Als wir für die Proben zusam- ist, allein schon weil es für die beiden „Cinderella-Instrumente“ menkamen, verstanden wir uns menschlich und musikalisch auf Anhieb. Klarinette und Viola vergleichsweise wenig romantisches Repertoire Und als Howard Griffiths dazukam, wurde aus dem Duo ein Trio von beglückender gibt. Die zwei Solistinnen, so Howard Griffiths, „sind beide – auch musikalischer Eintracht.“ musikalisch – sehr starke Persönlichkeiten mit jeweils sehr konkreten

5 Vorstellungen. Sie haben von dieser Aufnahme sehr profitiert und auf Berfin Aksu einem spannenden Weg ein hervorragendes Ergebnis erzielt.“ Ecesu Sertesen schreibt über diese Erfahrung: „In Max Bruchs Doppelkonzert erinnern mich die Klangähnlichkeit der beiden Soloinstrumente und die musikalischen Phrasen an zwei Liebende, die sich in dem, was sie sagen, ergänzen. Bereits 2017 hatte ich in Deutsch- land Gelegenheit zur Zusammenarbeit mit Howard Griffiths. Sein profundes Wissen und sein feines Gespür für Details haben Kyoungmin Park und mich bei der Aufnahme sehr unterstützt, unsere gemeinsame Interpretation zu finden. Dank der Orpheum Stiftung habe ich während der Arbeit im Studio mit dem RSO Wien unheimlich viel gelernt. Für einen Künstler sind die Mikrophone die einzigen Freunde, die immer die Wahrheit sprechen. Als moderne junge türkische Frau, die stolz darauf ist, auf den Bühnen der Welt zu stehen, möchte ich all jenen meinen Dank aussprechen, die diese Aufnahme ermöglicht haben.“ Ihre solistische Kollegin Kyoungmin Park hatte „große Freude an der Zusammenarbeit mit Ecesu Sertesen und Maestro Griffiths. Bruchs Dop- pelkonzert empfinde ich als sehr dramatisch mit starken inneren Gefühlen. Dies mit der Bratsche auszudrücken, habe ich bei der Aufnahme sehr genossen. Dieses Konzert ist eines meiner Lieblingsstücke.“

Ein neues Lieblingsstück dürfte im Zuge der Arbeiten an diesem Album auch Geigerin Berfin Aksu gefunden haben: im Adagio Appassionato. Sie habe, so Howard Griffiths, „einen sehr schönen, filigranen und transparenten Klang, der wunderbar zu diesem Adagio passt“. Berfin Aksus Worte über das Werk und die Arbeit im Studio sind überschwänglich: „Meine Erfahrung mit Bruchs Adagio Appassionato war einzigartig; ich

6 habe eine starke Verbindung mit diesem Werk gespürt. Es ist von unglaublicher Repertoire, an diesem Klang und sowieso mit den jungen Künstlern. Schönheit und steckt voller Kontraste zwischen einer dunklen Melodie und Man hat gemerkt: Das Orchester stand ganz hinter den Solisten, daraus erblühender Hoffnung. Es war die erste Aufnahme, die ich gemacht und es hat ihnen die denkbar beste Unterstützung gegeben.“ Das habe, und entsprechend groß war meine Vorfreude. Die Musiker des Radio- Ergebnis ist auf diesem Album zu hören. Symphonieorchesters Wien haben eine sehr einladende Atmosphäre geschaffen, Ulrike Lampert sie waren in jedem Moment ganz bei mir. Mit Howard Griffiths habe ich zum ersten Mal zusammengearbeitet, als ich vierzehn Jahre alt war. Das Wissen, dass er bei dieser Aufnahme dabei sein würde, hat bei mir Vertrauen und Aufregung ausgelöst. Ich wusste, er würde wunderbar sein, und er brachte Magie in die Arbeit. Wir haben die Aufnahme innerhalb von drei Stunden abgeschlossen – mit nur fünf Minuten Pause, in denen wir einzelne Stellen mit dem Tonmeister angehört haben. Ich war überwältigt angesichts der Hin­ gabe aller Beteiligten während unserer gemeinsamen Arbeit. Die Aufnahme hätte für mich nicht glücklicher verlaufen können, und ich hoffe, die Hörer genießen jede Sekunde, wie wir sie genossen haben.“

Wie wichtig die gute Atmosphäre für ein Projekt wie die hier vor- liegende Aufnahme ist, betont auch Howard Griffiths. Dazu gehören für ihn Vorarbeiten mit den Solisten, noch ehe es ins Studio geht, ebenso selbstverständlich wie die Betreuung der jungen Kollegen während der Aufnahmetage etwa durch Gespräche – sei es in Form von fachlichem Austausch oder seelischem Beistand oder schlicht beim gemeinsamen Essen. Wie für die Solisten hatte auch für Howard Griffiths das Zusammenwirken mit dem ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien als Partner wesentlichen Anteil an der hervorragenden Atmo- sphäre. „Die Musiker des Orchesters hatten große Freude an diesem

7 MAX BRUCH BEWAHRER DER ROMANTISCHEN TRADITION

Es war ein ideales Umfeld für ein vielseitig kreativ­­ begabtes Kind, in das Max Bruch am Dreikönigstag des Jahres 1838 in Köln hineingeboren wurde: die Großväter ein Superintendent und ein Mitbegründer der Musikalischen Gesellschaft in Köln, der Vater Polizeirat und die Mutter anerkannte Sängerin. Sie war auch die erste Musiklehrerin ihres Sohnes Max, der sich im Musikalischen wie im Bildnerischen in außergewöhnlichem Maße hervortat. Bereits im zarten Knabenalter hatte er mehrere Dutzend Kompositionen verfasst und galt in der Familie als „der zweite Raffael“. Ein Stipendium der Frankfurter Mozartstiftung ermöglichte Kom­ po­sitions­studien bei Ferdinand Hiller und wurde zur Weichenstellung für Max Bruchs musikalische Laufbahn. Diese führte ihn unter anderem nach Leipzig, wo der Mendelssohn-Kreis prägend für ihn wurde, und Mannheim, als Musikdirektor nach Koblenz, als Hofkapellmeister nach Sondershausen, als freischaffender Komponist nach Bonn, als Leiter der Philharmonic Society nach Liverpool, auf Reisen nach Amerika, als Leiter des Orchestervereins nach Breslau und schließ- lich nach Berlin – als Professor für Komposition an der Königlichen Akademie der Künste. Das lange Leben Max Bruchs – er wurde 82 Jahre alt – fiel in eine Art Zwischen-Zeit: in die Zeit der Neudeutschen, allen voran Richard Wag­ner und Franz Liszt, die sich von der absoluten Musik abwandten

8 hin zur Programmmusik, ebenso wie in die Zeit des nahezu Gleichaltrigen geschränkt, und galt vornehmlich seinen großen Chorwerken, den Johannes Brahms, den er allerdings um mehr als zwei Jahrzehnte Kantaten und Oratorien. Heute wird der Name Max Bruch zuallererst überlebte in eine neue Zeit hinein, in der Igor Strawinskys Ballett­ und nahezu ausschließlich mit einer Instrumentalkomposition ver- komposi­tionen in Paris für Aufregung sorgten und in der Arnold bunden: dem Ersten Violinkonzert in g-Moll, op. 26. Kein anderes Werk, Schönberg die Tonalität verließ. auch keines seiner späteren Violinkonzerte oder anderen,­ meist ein- Bruch selbst war und blieb in seiner Musik der romantischen Tradition sätzigen Stücke für Violine in Begleitung von Klavier oder Orchester, verpflichtet. Eines seiner frühen umfangreicheren Werke ist die „große­ ist im Repertoire so fest verankert wie das Opus 26; auch nicht das romantische Oper in vier Akten“ Die Loreley, op. 16, die 1863 in Mannheim Adagio Appassionato für Violine und Orchester, op. 57, aus dem Jahr zur Urauf­führung gelangte. Emanuel Geibel hatte das Libretto frei nach 1890. Dramatische Dichte und rhythmische Prägnanz sind diesem Satz Clemens Brentanos Ballade Lore Ley verfasst – für Felix Mendelssohn ebenso zu eigen wie sanfte Melodien in lyrischen Passagen. Man Bartholdy, der allerding starb, ehe das Werk vollendet war. Bruch mag es deutlich merken:­ Auch wenn er selbst nie Geige gespielt hatte, missachtete das Vertonungsverbot – und war mit seiner Musik bei Bruch liebte die Violine „über alles“, wie Sohn Ewald Bruch in den Geibel derart er­folgreich, dass dieser das Libretto für ihn freigab. Als Erinnerungen an seinen Vater festgehalten hat. Erfolg konnte Bruch das Werk tatsächlich verbuchen – es wurde in Im Gegensatz dazu hatte Max Bruch zum Klavier, seinem ersten den Jahren darauf mehr­mals aufgeführt, etwa in Hamburg und Leipzig, Instrument, das er auch im höchsten Alter noch exzellent zu spielen ehe es in Vergessenheit geriet. Hans Pfitzner war es dann, der es wusste, ein äußerst ambivalentes Verhältnis. „Ich habe kein eigent- 1916 – gut fünfzig Jahre nach der Entstehung und Uraufführung – in liches Interesse für dieses Instrument“, teilte er 1870 dem Ehepaar Straßburg wieder herausbrachte, und weitere gut hundert Jahre später Laura und Rudolf Beckerath in einem Brief mit, „und so kann ich hielt das Fachmagazin Concerti 2018 in einer Kritik fest: „Die Loreley dann freilich nichts zu Stande bringen.“ Ein Blick in den Werkkatalog zeigt, welchen Weg die deutsche Oper ohne Wagner beschritten hätte.“ des Komponisten zeigt: ein paar frühe Klavier-Solowerke, mit größerem Die Wertschätzung, die Max Bruch zu seinen Lebzeiten zunächst zeitlichem Abstand einige Kammermusik – und dann doch noch ein entgegengebracht wurde, war beträchtlich, wenn auch nicht unein- spätes Konzert für zwei Klaviere und Orchester des 77-Jährigen in

9 Form einer gravierenden Umarbeitung seiner 1904 bis 1915 kompo- ein: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart mit dem Kegelstatt-Trio und Robert nierten, unveröffentlicht gebliebenenDritten Orchestersuite­ mit Orgel. Den Schu­mann mit seinen Märchenerzählungen. Anstoß für dieses Klavier-Doppelkonzert, op. 88a, gab das amerikanische Als Bewahrer der romantischen Tradition, in der er freilich seine Klavierduo Ottilie und Rose Sutro. Enttäuscht vom nachlassenden eigene musikalische Sprache und einen charakteristischen, von Interesse an seinen Werken in Europa, hatte Max Bruch nach seinem starken Melodien und verschiedensten Volksliedern (nordischen,­ Rück­zug von der Berliner Akademie der Künste wieder Kontakt nach schottischen, keltischen, russischen etc.) geprägten Stil entwickelte, Amerika aufgenommen – so auch mit den Sutro-Schwestern, mit denen hatte Max Bruch in einer Zeit der kompositionstechnischen Um- er wohl aus deren Berliner Studienzeit bekannt war und die sogleich ein wälzungen und Erneuerungen auf Dauer keinen einfachen Stand. Konzert bei ihm bestellten, das sie dann – mit eigenmächtig vorge- Die zahlreichen Würdigungen – Preise, Ehrenmitgliedschaften und nommenen Vereinfachungen – 1916 in Philadelphia zur Uraufführung -doktorate – mochten ihn nicht darüber hinwegtrösten, dass seine brachten. Kompositionen insgesamt nicht jenen Widerhall erfuhren, den er Bereits einige Jahre vor diesem Werk hatte Max Bruch ein Konzert sich wünschte und der ihnen – auch heute, knapp hundert Jahre nach für zwei Soloinstrumente zu Papier gebracht: jenes für Klarinette, Viola dem Tod des Komponisten – wohl auch zustünde. und Orchester, op. 88. Es steht in der Tradition­ bedeutender Klarinetten­ Ulrike Lampert kompositionen des 19. Jahrhunderts, wie sie etwa Carl Maria von Weber für Heinrich Baermann und Johannes Brahms für den Klarinettisten der Meininger Hofkapelle Richard Mühlfeld geschaffen hatten. Max Bruch schrieb seine Klarinettenwerke für seinen ältesten Sohn Max Felix; das Doppelkonzert von 1911 ebenso wie die zwei Jahre zuvor vollendeten Acht Stücke für Klarinette, Viola und Klavier, op. 83. Mit der Kombination der beiden Mittelstimmen-Soloinstrumente reiht sich Bruch zugleich auch in die Tradition zwei wichtiger Vorgänger

10 FIVE SOLOISTS AND A SWISS FOUNDATION

Since 1990, the Swiss Orpheum Foundation for the Advancement of are hereby provided with what is often their first-ever experience in Young Soloists has been supporting musicians from all over the world, a recording studio, and offered a “visiting card” in album form that helping them to get early performing opportunities in a professional can help enhance their international presence. It is important to environment where they can work with top-class artistic partners. Howard Griffiths that these young soloists should go out into the This provides these young musicians with important experience, world playing works that suit them as perfectly as possible, and with and can provide decisive impetus on their path to a successful career. which they are able to display their own personality and all the facets The manner in which the Orpheum Foundation finds its young soloists of their musical mastery to the very best of their ability. is as unusual as its goals. As a rule, they are recommended by the indi- vidual members of its Artistic Board of Trustees. This Board is chaired The present album is the fourth in our edition, and is devoted entirely by Vladimir Fedoseyev, and includes other renowned musical per- to the œuvre of the German late-Romantic composer Max Bruch. sonalities such as Daniel Barenboim, Plácido Domingo, Bernard Haitink, Apart from his famous First Violin Concerto and a few other individual Mariss Jansons, Philippe Jordan, Zubin Mehta and David Zinman. works, Bruch’s compositions remain little known to this day, even The final selection is vetted by the Artistic Director of the Orpheum though they are really “pearls of the repertoire”; as Howard Griffiths Foundation, Howard Griffiths. This internationally unique procedure says. It was our good fortune that these pearls include two double has proven an accurate gauge of success, as is obvious from just reading concertos, because this means we can here present five Orpheum a list of former Orpheum scholarship holders, such as the violinists Soloists. The works and soloists were carefully chosen to match Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider and Baiba Skride as well as the cellists Truls each other; thus we here feature the double concertos for two pianos Mørk and Gautier Capuçon, the pianists Kirill Gerstein and Yuja and for clarinet and viola respectively, and the Adagio appassionato for Wang and the multi-percussionist Martin Grubinger. violin and orchestra. On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the Orpheum Foundation This album in the Orpheum edition tries out a new idea, as Howard Griffiths decided to expand the ways in which it can realise its founding aims, explains: “We wanted to have two Orpheum Soloists play together here – one and so set up its own edition of recordings. Selected Orpheum Soloists a young musician, another a former Soloist who has since become experienced

11 and established. It functioned wonderfully”. The two piano soloists in the Bruch the great significance of a musical encounter such as this, and is open Concerto did not know each other beforehand. “So it could just as easily have about what it means to have an opportunity to make a recording at gone wrong”, admits the maestro. “Usually, piano duo partners play con- this early stage of her career: stantly with each other, that’s their life”. “As soon as I heard the music for the first time, its inner strength and beauty cast a spell over me. I was surprised by the mastery demonstrated by the com- The two pianists on this recording shared Griffiths’ enthusiasm. poser in this concerto, and how he has the two pianos interact with each other Oliver Schnyder, who has long been established on the scene, still and the orchestra. Working with Howard Griffiths and Oliver Schnyder was recalls his time as an Orpheum Soloist with gratitude, and very much a source of sheer joy and a great inspiration to me. Oliver is a wonderful, enjoyed making this recording: sensitive chamber music partner and an extremely warm-hearted person. Right “Orpheum was my big chance. Just after completing my studies, I was utterly from our first encounter, we each sensed the musical intentions of the other, surprised to get an invitation from the Foundation to perform as a soloist with and it was very easy for us both to make music together. Howard’s deep the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra under David Zinman. I imagined my future knowledge of music, his maturity and experience were a great help and ulti- would be a hard, dreaded slog through the piano competitions, because for an mately played a decisive role in the overall shape of our interpretation. They ambitious young musician, they were almost impossible to avoid if you wanted both gave me fantastic support during the rehearsals and the recording itself, a springboard for your career. Orpheum saved me from that unwelcome and helped me to feel at ease. I am truly grateful to the Orpheum Foundation for detour. By giving me that performance in the Zurich Tonhalle, it provided the the opportunity to share my music with a broader public and for its decision first step in a chain reaction that led me into a career as a travelling musician that to record this work, which to my mind deserves far more attention than is continues to delight me. Innumerable promising young colleagues have since currently the case”. been discovered and successfully supported by the Orpheum Foundation. Its many initiatives have led to even more focussed ways of promoting young soloists as The Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra is also undoubtedly worthy well as to strategic partnerships. For the present recording, I was given the role of more attention, even if it is probably the best-known work on this of mentor to Julia Kociuban, a wonderful young Orpheum Soloist. When we album as Howard Griffiths admits – not least because it is composed came together for our rehearsals, we understood each other immediately, both for two “Cinderella” instruments, the clarinet and viola, for which as musicians and on a human level. And when Howard Griffiths arrived too, there is relatively little in the Romantic repertoire. Griffiths has -re our duo became an exhilaratingly harmonious, musical trio”. marked on how his two soloists “are both very strong personalities, The young Orpheum Soloist Julia Kociuban is just as enthusiastic also as musicians, each with their own concrete ideas about things. about Bruch’s music and about the recording process. She emphasises The have both benefitted a lot from this recording, and have taken an

12 Julia Kociuban · Oliver Schnyder Kyoungmin Park · Ecesu Sertesen · Howard Griffiths

exciting route to achieve exceptional results”. Ecesu Sertesen writes Her soloist colleague here, Kyoungmin Park, “very much enjoyed this as follows about the experience: collaboration with Ecesu Sertesen and Maestro Griffiths. I find Bruch’s Double “In Max Bruch’s Double Concerto, the similarity in sound between the two Concerto very dramatic, full of strong, inner feelings that I really enjoyed expressing solo instruments and their musical passagework make me think of two lovers with my viola in this recording. This concerto is one of my favourite pieces”. who complement each other in what they say. I first had the opportunity to work with Howard Griffiths in Germany back in 2017. His in-depth knowledge and The violinist Berfin Aksualso seems to have found a new favourite his subtle feeling for details were a great help to Kyoungmin Park and me when piece while working on this album: Bruch’s Adagio appassionato”. Howard we were finding our way to our own interpretation during this recording. Thanks Griffiths praises her “very beautiful, filigree, transparent sound that to the Orpheum Foundation, I was able to learn an incredible amount during wonderfully suits this Adagio”. Berfin Aksu is full of enthusiasm­ for our work in the studio with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. For an the work and for the recording process in the studio: artist, the microphone is the only friend who always tells the truth. As a modern, “My experience with Bruch’s Adagio appassionato was unique – I felt a young Turkish woman who is proud to stand on the concert stages of the world, really strong connection to this work. It is incredibly beautiful and full of contrasts I would like to thank everyone who has made this recording possible for me”. between its dark-hued melodies and the hope that blossoms from them. It was

13 the first recording I’ve made, and so I was really looking forward to it. The exchanging information from musician to musician to providing musicians of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra created a really moral support and even just eating together. Just like his soloists, inviting atmosphere, and they were with me every step of the way. I worked Howard Griffiths too felt that their partnership with the ORF Vienna with Howard Griffiths for the very first time when I was just 14. Knowing that Radio Symphony Orchestra played a major role in getting such a he would be conducting this recording gave me confidence, and also made me great atmosphere: “The musicians in the orchestra were delighted feel excited. I knew he’d be wonderful, and he brought magic to our work. We with the repertoire, with the musical results and with the young artists finished the recording within three hours – with just a five-minute break to themselves, of course. You could tell that the orchestra was fully listen to individual passages with the sound engineer. I was overwhelmed by behind the soloists and gave them the best possible support”. And the dedication of everyone involved throughout our work together. This re- the results can be heard on this album. cording could not have been a happier experience for me, and I hope that the listeners enjoy every second of it, just as we did”. Ulrike Lampert Translation: Chris Walton Howard Griffiths also emphasises how important it is to achieve a good atmosphere for a project like this recording. For him, this also means preparing things in advance with the soloists before they even enter the studio. It also means mentoring his young colleagues during the recording sessions and engaging them in conversations – from

≤

14 MAX BRUCH MAINTAINER OF THE ROMANTIC TRADITION

Max Bruch was born in Cologne on 6 January 1838 into a family that could hardly have offered a more ideal environment for such a multi- fariously gifted child. His two grandfathers were a Protestant dean and a co-founder of the Cologne Music Society respectively, his father was a police commissioner, and his mother a respected singer. She was also her son’s first music teacher, though he proved extraordinarily talented not just in music but also in drawing. When still a child, he had alrea- dy composed several dozen works and was also referred to in the fa- mily as “the second Raphael”. Thanks to a scholarship from the Frankfurt Mozart Foundation, Bruch was able to study com­position with Ferdinand Hiller, and this paved the way for his future career in music. He went to Leipzig, where he ming- led with the circle of musicians that had gathered there under Felix Mendelssohn, and whose influence would prove decisive to him. From there he went successively to Mannheim, then as music director to Cob- lenz, as Court Capellmeister to Sonders­hausen, to Bonn – this time as a freelance composer – then to Liverpool as the Director of the Philhar- monic Society, to America, to Breslau (today Wrocław) as director of its orchestral society, and finally to Berlin where he was appointed professor of composition at the Royal Academy of the Arts. The long life of Max Bruch – he died at the ripe age of 82 – coincided with what seems today to have been a kind of intermediary period in

15 music. On the one hand there was the New German School domina- could write in a review that “The Loreley shows the paths German ted by Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt, who had both moved away from opera could have trodden without Wagner”. “absolute” music to music drama and programme music respectively, Max Bruch enjoyed a considerable reputation during his lifetime, and on the other hand there was the circle of composers around Jo- though he was not successful in every field; it was his large-scale cho- hannes Brahms, who was barely older than Bruch, though Bruch would ral works – his cantatas and oratorios – that were the most popular. outlive him by more than two decades. By the time of Bruch’s death, Igor Today, the name of Bruch is primarily, almost exclusively, associated Stravinsky’s ballets were creating a furore in Paris, and Arnold Schoen- with a single instrumental work: his First Violin Concerto in g minor, op. berg had long left the bounds of tonality. 26. No other work is so firmly anchored in the repertoire – certainly Bruch himself remained committed to the Romantic tradition in none of Bruch’s own later violin concertos, nor his works for violin and his music. One of his early, large-scale works was a “large Romantic piano (most of which are cast in one movement), nor even his Adagio opera in four acts” entitled Die Loreley op. 16, which was given its appassionato for violin and orchestra op. 57 (1890), though this work is first performance in Mannheim in 1863. Its libretto, by Emanuel possessed of gripping drama, rhythmic tautness and gentle, lyrical Geibel, was freely based on the ballad Lore Ley by Clemens Brenta- melodies. It seems clear that while he himself did not play the violin, it no. It had originally been intended for Mendelssohn, though he had was the violin that Bruch “loved above everything”,­ as his son Ewald died before being able to complete the work. Bruch ignored the po- recalled in his reminiscences of his father. et’s ban on setting his libretto – and in fact Geibel was so enthusiastic By contrast, Max Bruch had a highly ambivalent­ relationship to the pia- when he heard Bruch’s music that he lifted the ban for him. This ope- no, even though this was his own first instrument, and he remained a ra was indeed successful, and enjoyed several productions­ in cities brilliant pianist into old age. “I don’t really have any interest in this including Hamburg and Leipzig, though it was afterwards forgotten. instrument”, he wrote in a letter of 1870 to Laura and Rudolf von Be- It was Hans Pfitzer who then resurrected the work in Strasbourg in ckerath, “and so I can’t write anything for it”. And a glance at Bruch’s 1916, some fifty years after it had been composed and premièred. But work catalogue confirms that he wrote just a few early solo works for it was another hundred years before the specialist magazine Concerti piano, then – after a considerable length of time – a little chamber

16 music, and finally a late Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, compo- portant predecessors: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with his Kegelstatt sed at the age of 77. It was an extensive arrangement of his hitherto unpub- Trio and Robert Schumann’s Fairy Tale Stories. lished Third Suite for Orchestra with organ, composed between 1904 Bruch was a man committed to maintaining the Romantic tradition, and1915. Bruch was prompted to compose this double concerto, op. one in which he had been able to develop his own musical language 88 a, by the American piano duo of Ottilie and Rose Sutro. Max and a unique style that was notable for a strong melodic­ gift and was Bruch had been disappointed by the dwindling interest in his work in influenced by the folk music of different regions (Nordic, Scottish, Europe, and so after retiring from the Academy in Berlin he had Celtic, Russian etc.). But in a time of upheaval on the compositional made contact once again with America – including with the Sutro scene, when new techniques and other innovations emerged, his was sisters, whom he had known since their studies in Berlin, and who a style that found it difficult to assert itself. Despite the many honours promptly commissioned a concert from him. They gave its world showered on him – prizes, honorary memberships and doctorates – première in Philadelphia in 1916, after having made numerous sim- none of them was able to hide the fact that his compositions overall plifications to the score. did not enjoy the response that he desired, and that they still deserve to- A few years before, Max Bruch had already written a different dou- day, almost a hun­dred years after the death of the composer. ble concerto – this time for clarinet, viola and orchestra, op. 88. It is situated in the 19th-century tradition of important­ compositions for Ulrike Lampert clarinet, such as Carl Maria von Weber had written for Heinrich Baer­ Translation: Chris Walton mann and Johannes Brahms had written for Richard Mühlfeld of the Meiningen Orchestra. Max Bruch wrote his clarinet works for his el- dest son Max Felix – both the double concerto of 1911 and the Eight Pieces for clarinet, viola and piano op. 83, which he had completed two years before. With this combination of two middle-register solo inst- ruments, Bruch was also following in the footsteps of two other im-

17 JULIA KOCIUBAN OLIVER SCHNYDER

Julia Kociuban was born in Cracow in Poland, where she was given The pianist Oliver Schnyder studied in Switzerland­ with Emmy her first piano lessons at the age of five. She studied at the Fryderyk Henz-Diémand and Homero Francesch, then in the USA with Ruth Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, and with Pavel Gililov at the Laredo (New York) and Leon Fleisher (Baltimore). Since winning Mozarteum University Salzburg. She has won international competi- the grand prize of the Pembaur Competition in Bern in 1999, his tions. This young artist has already been invited to perform in debut at the Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts in Washington renowned European concert halls including the Herkulessaal in Mu- D.C. in 2000 and his debut with the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra un- nich, the Konzerthaus of Vienna and of Berlin, and the Laeiszhalle in der David Zinman (for Orpheum), Schnyder has performed as a guest Hamburg. She has also performed in America and Asia, and at festi- in the most renowned concert halls of Europe, North America­ and vals including La Roque d’Anthéron, the Kissinger Summer Festival Asia. and the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw. Oliver Schnyder has performed with orchestras including the Philhar- Julia Kociuban performs solo recitals, in chamber music and as a monia Orchestra in London, the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra soloist with renowned orchestras (including the Klassische Philhar- of Moscow, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the Baltimore monie Bonn, the NDR Symphony Orchestra of Hamburg and the Symphony Orchestra and the leading Swiss orchestras. The conduc- Wiener Symphoniker). She has also worked with conductors such as tors he has worked with include Semyon Bychkov, Vladimir Fedo- Hans Graf, Neeme Järvi, Aziz Shokhakimov, Ken-David Masur and An- seyev, Philippe Jordan, Sir Roger Norrington and Michail Jurowski. toni Wit. She has recorded for radio, TV and albums, and has already He is also active internationally with his Oliver Schnyder Trio and as a released her first solo album, featuring works by Schumann, Chopin piano accompanist to musicians such as Daniel Behle, Julia Fischer and and Bacewicz. Julia Kociuban teaches at the Bacewicz Music Aca- Sol Gabetta. demy in Łódz. Schnyder’s discography includes solo works by Chopin, Schumann In 2011 she released her first album. Her latest recording includes and Liszt, piano concertos by Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn and Bee- piano concertos by Liszt, Khachaturian and Prokofiev. thoven, and all the piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms. Oliver Schnyder is the co-founder and artistic director of the piano concert series “Piano District” in Baden (Switzerland).

18 BERFIN AKSU ECESU SERTESEN

The violinist Berfin Aksu was born in Ankara in Turkey in 1998. She Ecesu Sertesen was born in 1987. She began clarinet lessons with began her music education at the Bilkent University Music Prepara- Feza Cetin at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University State Conservatory tory Elementary School, where she was taught by Muhammedjan at the age of eleven. In 2008 she was appointed to the Orchestra of Turdiev until 2012. After having thereafter taken lessons with Lutsia the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet, where she is currently first cla- Ibragimova at the Yehudi Menuhin School, she is currently continu- rinettist. Sertesen’s solo engagements in her home country of Turkey ing her studies with Krzysztof Smietana at the Guildhall School of include performances of Aaron Copland’s Clarinet Concerto and of Fazil Music and Drama in London. Say’s clarinet concerto Hayyam (at the express invitation of the com- Berfin Aksu gave her first solo performance with orchestra at the age poser himself). In 2014, she gave the Turkish première of Hasan Niya- of eight. In 2011, she was acclaimed as “Young Musician of the Year” at zi Tura’s Clarinet Concerto. She subsequently performed this work, the Donizetti Classical Music Awards organised by the Turkish music along with Leonard Bernstein’s Prelude, Fugue and Riffs, as a guest with magazine Andante. She had already won second prize at the Interna- the Mittelsächsische Philharmonie under the baton of Raoul Grü- tional Andrea Postacchini Violin Competition in Italy two years ear- neis. She has also performed Say’s Hayyam Concerto in Germany, ac- lier. She has also won first prize at the international Kocian Violin companied by the Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt an Competition in Czechia, and at the international violin competition­ der Oder under Howard Griffiths. “Remember Enescu” in Romania, where she also won the prize for Ecesu Sertesen has founded the Istanbul Wind Ensemble Chamber the best interpretation of a work by Enescu. Already in the course of Music Group, and as an “Official Performing Artist” of the clarinet her young career, Berfin Aksu has worked with conductors such as builder Buffet Crampon she has also performed in Hong Kong and Ibrahim Yazici, Gürer Aykal, Sebastian Tewinkel, Hakan Kalkan, New York. She was a member of the jury at the Buffet Crampon Cla- Hansjörg Albrecht and Howard Griffiths. rinet Competition in Taiwan in 2016. She also gives master classes. In 2016 Berfin Aksu performed an Orpheum recital with pianist Fazil Say.

19 KYOUNGMIN PARK

Kyoungmin Park was born in Seoul in South Korea. She began violin lessons at the age of six, changing to the viola at eleven. In 2003 she came to Europe in order to study in Vienna, then in 2008 moved to the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin to continue her studies, initially with Walter Küsser, then from 2010 onwards with Tabea Zimmermann, with whom she then completed her concert dip- loma. She has attended master classes with Wilfried Strehle, the for- mer solo violist of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Kyoungmin Park has won prizes at both national and international competitions, including second prize and the audience prize at the International ARD Com- petition in Munich in 2013. She has performed as a soloist with or- chestras including the Philharmonie Baden-Baden, the Potsdam Chamber Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Korean Symphony Orchestra and the Polish Chamber Philharmonic. She has also performed chamber music at festivals in Europe and Ko- rea. Kyoungmin Park has been a member of the Berliner Philharmo- niker since February 2018. She plays a viola by Patrick Robin (Angers 2012) that is on loan to her from the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben.

20 HOWARD GRIFFITHS

Howard Griffiths was born in England and studied at the Royal Col- ticular acclaim, such as his recordings of all eight symphonies by lege of Music in London. He has lived in Switzerland since 1981. From Beethoven’s pupil Ferdinand Ries. Howard Griffiths is also always -re 1996 to 2006 he was the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of ceptive to new, unconventional ideas, such as his crossover projects the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, and successfully continued its long with Giora Feidman, Roby Lakatos, Burhan Öçal and Abdullah Ibra- tradition of excellence in every respect. From 2007 to 2018 he was him. Howard Griffiths is also extremely committed to supporting the General Music Director of the Brandenburg State Symphony Orche- and encouraging music among children and young people, and has stra (BSOF) which was a very productive and successful partnership. developed several education projects in collaboration with the Howard Griffiths has appeared as a guest conductor with leading BSOF which reached out to more than 3.000 young people. orchestras all over the world, including the Royal Philharmonic He has also written a prize-winning, pedagogically successful trilogy of Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, the Deutsche Symphony Or- music books for children. For this he and the BSOF received the chester Berlin, the Orchestre National de France, Radio Moscow’s special prize from the German Orchestra Foundation. Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Or- In 2006 Howard Griffiths was appointed a Member of the British chestra, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Warsaw Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his services Philharmo­nic, the London Mozart Players, the Orquesta Nacional to musical life in Switzerland and in July 2019 he received the ‘Verdi- de España, BBC NOW, the Belgrade Philharmonic, and many of the enstorden’ (Order of Merit) of the Land Brandenburg for his artistic German radio orchestras. He performs with renowned artists such as and social engagement. Kathleen Battle, Joshua Bell, Sir James Galway, Evelyn Glennie, Edi- Since the year 2000, Howard Griffiths has been the Artistic Director ta Gruberova, Mischa Maisky, Mikhail Pletnev, Julian Rachlin, Vadim of the Orpheum Foundation for the Advancement of Young Repin, Maria João Pires, Fazil Say, Gil Shaham, Patricia Kopatchins- Soloists. kaja and Thomas Zehetmair. Some 150 albums bear witness to Howard Griffiths’ broad artistic range. His première recordings of rediscovered music dating from the 18th and 19th centuries (over 40 symphonies) have met with par-

21 ORF VIENNA RADIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra is deeply committed to the Viennese tradition of orchestral performance. It is well known for its extraordinary programme planning, often placing the Classical/Romantic repertoire with modern classical works in unexpected contexts. In September 2019, Marin Alsop took over the position of its Chief Conductor. The Vienna RSO emerged from the Large Orchestra of Austrian Radio in 1969. Under its chief conductors Milan Horvat, Leif Segerstam, Lothar Zagrosek, Pinchas Steinberg, Dennis Russell Davies, Bertrand de Billy and Cornelius Meister, the orchestra con­tinually expanded its repertoire and consolidated its international reputation. The RSO regularly plays in the Musikverein and the Konzerthaus in Vienna. Above and beyond this, it also performs every year at the big festivals at home and abroad. It has a close connection to the Salzburg Festival, the Styrian Autumn Festival and Wien Modern. The Vienna RSO has toured Japan, China, the USA, South America and Germany. Since 2007, the Vienna RSO has established a regular, successful col­laboration as the opera orchestra of the Theater an der Wien. But it is also at home in the world of film music. Every year, composers who have won the Oscar for best film music come to con­duct the Vienna RSO at its “Hollywood in Vienna” gala. The guest conductors who have worked with the Vienna RSO include Leonard Bernstein, Christoph von Dohnányi, Christoph Eschenbach, Michael Gielen, Andris Nelsons, Kirill Petrenko, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Giuseppe Sinopoli and Hans Swarowsky. The orchestra has also played under composer-conductors such as Luciano Berio, Friedrich Cerha, Hans Werner Henze, Ernst Krenek and Krzysztof Penderecki. The Vienna RSO enjoys a broad spectrum of recording activity across all the genres. In 2018, the Vienna RSO was honoured by the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) and the Opus Klassik for its recording of Martinu’s symphonies. All performances by the Vienna RSO are broadcast on the radio. The Vienna RSO has also set up a large-scale music education programme. In 2013 it was awarded the Bank Austria Art Prize for its music education project “My RSO – Greatest Hits for Contemporary Or- chestra”.

22 G010003984373N More albums featuring Orpheum soloists