Brahms composed only a small number of original works for piano four hands, but arranged almost all of his chamber music and orchestral works for this instrumentation. He played most of them immediately after their completion with Clara Schumann and greatly appreciated her opinion. In his Hungarian Dances Brahms brilliantly transformed original Hungarian melodies and rhythms into multi-coloured orchestral works. The Blüthner grand piano from 1867 shows how Brahms made perfect use of the entire keyboard in his writing for four hands. The various registers appear completely transparent and clear. It is not generally known that Brahms was a great admirer and friend of Johann Strauss. And he loved waltzes! Thus Brahms also created an instrumental version of his Liebeslieder-Walzer for piano four hands. Robert Schumann's last theme, which he wrote for his so-called Ghost Variations immediately before being admitted to a mental hospital, is used by Brahms in his homage to Schumann, which was written immediately after his death in 1856: the Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann op. 23 for piano four hands, which ends with an impressive funeral march.
For the piano duo Wyneke Jordans & Leo van Doeselaar it was an obvious choice to conclude their series with recordings of four-handed piano works by great German composers on period instruments with Brahms.
In the present recording, the organists Liuwe Tamminga and Leo Van Doeselaar have selected eleven double-choir instrumental pieces (from Giovanni Gabrieli. This selection of eight-to-twelve-part pieces, performed on two of the most beautiful and suitable organs for this repertoire—the two magnificent organs of the San Petronio Basilica in Bologna (unfortunately no comparable organs have...
Deep remorse and the longing for divine redemption are two of the central topics in the cantatas of Northern German Baroque composers. Griet De Geyter and Il Gardellino have selected three exemplary works in this genre by Dieterich Buxtehude, Georg Philipp Telemann and Johann Sebastian Bach, giving special emphasis to the clearly led voice and striking expressivity of the young Belgian soprano....
With this CD, violinist Mayumi Hirasaki, who has been Concerto Köln’s concertmaster since 2011, explores the chameleon-like possibilities of her instrument: when playing with scordatura, instead of the usual fifths interval between the violin strings, an alternative is used in which at least one string is tuned to a different pitch. This results in completely new sonic and harmonic...
The Orquesta Barroca de Sevilla, in collaboration with several universities, researches valuable repertoire linked to the history of Andalusia. This Proyecto Atalaya has already produced a series of CDs with unknown jewels, which have been released on Passacaille. On this new album called Astro Nuevo we can rediscover works by Pedro Rabassa (1683-1767). As a faithful musical partner of the...
Works by Johann Walter, Hans Buchner, Josquin Desprez, Nicolaus Cracoviensis, Heinrich Finck, Nicolaus Cracoviensis, Heinrich Isaac, Tylman Susato and from the Cracow Tablature, the Tablature of Joannes de Lyublyn, the Oldenburg Tablature, the Buxheim Organ Book and the Adam Ileborgh Tablature. In the German village of Rysum, in East Frisia, a precious instrument is preserved: an ancient organ,...
The paths of I SOLISTI and Frederik Neyrinck first crossed in 2011. The ensemble immediately recognised the artistic talent of the Flemish composer and together they set up a long-term collaboration. The fruits thereof can be heard on this album, which consists exclusively of works by Neyrinck, written especially for the ensemble. This CD also marks a new chapter in their ongoing partnership,...
Niccolò Jommelli was one of the most sought after composers of his time, but finally accepted to become musical director at the court of Stuttgart in 1753. Three years later he composed his Requiem to commemorates the recent death of the Duchess von Württemberg, mother of his patron, the Duke Carl Eugen..
Despite the fact that Jommelli owed his fame almost exclusively to his operas during his...
