126 September/October 2015 the WDR Symphony Is Still a Superb Harmonic
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have impressed everyone else far more than Cherubino’s ‘Voi che sapete’ from Marriage of its composer, who wrote it in a hurry. Here are Figaro. some other variations from Moscheles along His is a superby beautiful voice, and his with two sonatas for flute. silken sound makes much of the arias. Since These pieces are consistently varied in six of the arias are fairly unfamiliar to most lis- rhythm, harmony, and texture. The contra- teners, only Cherubino’s aria falls on reluctant puntal turns the music takes are an important ears. Years of hearing a mezzo voice have component of that textural variety. Even the hardened my ears against a countertenor five divertimentos included in the program are Cherubino. first-rate light entertainment. None of the The orchestra and fairly slow tempos add writing sounds like an imitation of other com- to the musical beauty. No texts. posers, namely Moscheles’s more famous con- Look for a recording of this by male sopra- temporaries, except the earliest selection, no Michael Maniaci. He sings the same two which has touches of Beethoven. This piece Lucio Silla arias, duplicating Sesto’s ‘Deh, per predates the famous Alexander Variations. The questo istante solo’ and adding ‘Parto, ma tu Variations Concertantes for flute or violin and ben mio’. He caps off the program with a spec- piano were written in Vienna in 1813 or 1814 tacular, complete Exsultate, Jubilate. His is a and consist of a theme and six variations plus brighter, precisely edged voice, and he sings coda with impressive technical work from with enthusiasm and personality. His accom- both players. It was shortly after this that paniments are by the Boston Baroque. They Beethoven would delegate to Moscheles a also perform the overtures to Idomeneo and La piano arrangement of Fidelio. The edition Clemenza (Telarc 31827, March/April 2010). used for the Sonata in A (1819) is Billaudot, PARSONS and the one I have is from Universal, called Vienna Urtext Edition. There are some minor MOZART: Clarinet Concerto; Bassoon Concerto differences between them, and in the Trio of Thorsten Johanns, cl; Ole Kristian Dahl, bn; the Scherzo the flute and right hand of the Cologne Radio/ Karl-Heinz Steffens, Eivind Aad- piano part are switched. This earlier sonata of land—LAWO 1060—45 minutes the two is among the most important flute works of its time. The WDR Symphony of Cologne presents the The flutist studied at the Paris Conservato- “Alpha and Omega” of Mozart’s wind concer- tos, both recorded in concert in June 2011. ry and the pianist attended Curtis; both of Principal Clarinet Thorsten Johanns takes cen- them have competed internationally. Kazunori ter stage with Norwegian maestro Eivind Aad- Seo’s articulation is sparkling clean in III of the land on the podium. Principal Bassoon Ole Sonata in G; his tone is pure and refined. Kristian Dahl is a native of Norway as well, but Whether he is accompanying a sonata or a this time Berlin Philharmonic clarinetist- divertimento, Makoto Ueno has lots to do and turned-conductor Karl-Heinz Steffens takes executes it with clarity, sensitivity, and superb the baton. balance. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, The production begins well, with a hand- this is one of the best records I’ve heard this some and muscular Bassoon Concerto. Dahl year. offers a robust tone, excellent technical facili- GORMAN ty, a highly varied color palette, and wonderful sensitivity; and the orchestra matches him OZART: Castrato Arias M with confidence and energy. Valer Sabadus, ct; Graz Orchestra/ Michael Hof- The Clarinet Concerto, though, is a disap- stetter—Oehms 1814—50 minutes pointment. Johanns plays with a cloudy tim- Mozart composed some arias for castrato, bre and a patchy legato; and while he has good adapted some of his own, and some others fingers, he allows messy connections and reg- were taken over by present day countertenors. ularly compresses 16th notes. Moreover, his Sabadus sings some of each. He begins with rendition is bland. Although he has a wide two of Ramiro’s arias from La Finta Giar- dynamic range, he says very little; and he hur- diniera, we hear the (non-sung) overture to ries through II as if he has a plane to catch. Lucio Silla, then two of Cecilio’s arias. Sesto’s The crisp orchestra of the Bassoon Concerto is big aria, ‘Deh, per questo istante solo’ from La also gone, replaced by one that sounds tired Clemenza di Tito is followed by Idamante’s and indifferent, following Mozart’s expressive ‘Non ho colpa’ from Idomeneo and (yes!) markings out of courtesy rather than belief. 126 September/October 2015 The WDR Symphony is still a superb harmonic. He has also recorded more than 200 ensemble, and even the greatest orchestras in film scores as a studio musician in Los Ange- the world have a bad day. But why package it les. Harpist Maria Casale won the 1989 USA for the world to hear? International Harp Competition held at Indi- HANUDEL ana University. She has since played in many orchestras in Southern California, including MOZART: Flute Concertos the Philharmonic, Opera, and Chamber Paul Fried; Maria Casale, hp; Virtuosi de Los Orchestras of Los Angeles, Hollywood Bowl Angeles/ Paul Fried Orchestra, and San Luis Obispo Mozart Festi- Golden Tone 9—75 minutes (800-BUY-MYCD) val. Both Fried and Casale attended Juilliard. Flute & Harp Concerto; BACH,CPE: Flute Concer- Although Maria Munoz lacks no gifts, Paul to in D minor; HENZE: Sentiments of CPE Bach Fried’s playing is more delicious. His sound Maria Cecilia Munoz, fl; Sarah O-Brien, hp; Basel expresses a joy that is absent from the other Chamber Orchestra recording, and it’s just the way I like to hear Ars 38158 [SACD] 64 minutes Mozart—except the tendency toward over- In 1982, Hans Werner Henze transcribed a CPE enthusiastic trills. Harpist Maria Casale comes Bach Fantasia in F-sharp minor from 1787 for though high and low and matches Fried’s flute, harp, string orchestra, and violin. It is a splendor with vibrant playing of her own. The substantial, 15-minute work full of contrasting string complement in this group is too small, textures and harmonies that have been further which gives the winds of the orchestra too explored by setting a string quartet apart from much presence. The violins get lost in the the string orchestra accompaniment. For horns sometimes. Also, very slight intonation these reasons, sometimes it sounds modern problems exist, but pass by quickly. The fine and sometimes baroque, which can probably playing in the cadenzas more than makes up also be said about the original! for this. Fried wrote the cadenzas in the two The playing of the Basel Chamber Orches- concertos for solo flute, and the ones in the tra, apparently without conductor, is oriented Flute and Harp Concerto are given a dazzling more toward refinement than drama. This rendition. notably informs their approach to CPE Bach Both recordings, then, are quite good with and his modern reincarnation. Their dynamic slight defects that can have a larger influence range tends toward the softer end, and in fact since they affect everything. There is reason they are the softest accompanying group I enough to hear both. Based merely on this have heard in a concerto. Lest you think it is all comparison, Fried and Casale offer first-rate sedate, watch out for the storm-like introduc- delight with less than first-rate backing. For tion to the third movement of the Bach! other choices, consult the Overview (May/ Maria Munoz is a very polished young June 2008). player from Argentina who has won several GORMAN international competitions. She is currently principal flutist of two orchestras in Switzer- MOZART: Flute & Harp Concerto; land and also plays in the orchestra of the Wind Symphonie Concertant Colon Theater of Buenos Aires. Her instru- Per Flemström, fl; Pavel Sokolov, ob; Leif Arne Pe- ment is an 18k gold Muramatsu flute. Sarah dersen, cl; Per Hannisdal, bn; Inger Besserudha- O’Brien has been principal harpist of the gen, hn; Birgitte Volan Havik, hp; Oslo Philhar- Munich Philharmonic and Amsterdam Con- monic/ Alan Buribayev, Arvid Engegard certgebouw Orchestra and taught at the LAWO 1071—58 minutes Mozarteum in Salzburg, Sibelius Academy in All of the soloists here are principals of the Finland, Juilliard, and universities in Zurich, Oslo Philharmonic. The winds in the Sinfonia Basel, and Rotterdam. She plays her Lyon and Concertante have tight ensemble, upbeat Healy harp exceedingly well, but the highest buoyancy, excellent forward pulse, fine inflec- notes get lost in the Mozart. The balances tion to their phrases, and not only balance one among flute, harp, and the orchestra are oth- another but dovetail nicely when stitching erwise superb, but the perfect finish to the their lines together—except, that is, in the sec- sound leaves a dull impression about the play- ond movement, which is quite plodding. So is ing despite the clarity. Arvi Engegard’s orchestral introduction, not Paul Fried has played principal flute with because of the tempo but the length with the Pittsburgh Symphony, New York Chamber which the strings hold their notes at the end of Symphony, Boston Symphony, and Berlin Phil- phrases and the lack of rhythmic uplift. The American Record Guide 127 orchestra sounds better once the soloists enter. MOZART: Piano Concertos 21+23; Rondo in A The Flute and Harp Concerto is done in by Ingrid Jacoby, Academy of St Martin-in-the- Flemström’s lack of pulse and rhythmic char- Fields/ Marriner—ICA 5135—67:27 acter.