Skampa Quartet - Live from Wigmore Hall
A mixed series of recordings made at the BBC's lunchtime concerts at London's Wigmore Hall last year
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček
Label: BBC Music
Magazine Review Date: 12/1999
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 55
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: BBCW1001-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| String Quartet No. 1, 'The Kreutzer Sonata' |
Leoš Janáček, Composer
Leoš Janáček, Composer Skampa Quartet |
| Quintet for Piano and Strings |
Antonín Dvořák, Composer
Antonín Dvořák, Composer Melvyn Tan, Piano Skampa Quartet |
Composer or Director: Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn
Label: BBC Music
Magazine Review Date: 12/1999
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 60
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: BBCW1006-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Keyboard Trio No. 25, 'Gipsy Trio' |
Joseph Haydn, Composer
Dénes Várjon, Piano Gábor Takács-Nagy, Violin Joseph Haydn, Composer Peter Szabó, Cello |
| Piano Trios, Movement: No. 7 in B flat, Op. 97, 'Archduke' |
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer
Dénes Várjon, Piano Gábor Takács-Nagy, Violin Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer Peter Szabó, Cello |
Composer or Director: Olivier Messiaen
Label: BBC Music
Magazine Review Date: 12/1999
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 50
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: BBCW1007-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Quatuor pour la fin du temps, 'Quartet for the End of Time' |
Olivier Messiaen, Composer
Nash Ensemble Olivier Messiaen, Composer |
Composer or Director: Camille Saint-Saëns, Fryderyk Chopin, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy
Label: BBC Music
Magazine Review Date: 12/1999
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 57
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: BBCW1003-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (16) Polonaises, Movement: No. 7 in A flat, Op. 61, 'Polonaise-fantaisie' |
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Cécile Ousset, Piano Fryderyk Chopin, Composer |
| Waltzes, Movement: No. 5 in A flat, Op. 42 |
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Cécile Ousset, Piano Fryderyk Chopin, Composer |
| Waltzes, Movement: No. 7 in C sharp minor, Op. 64/2 |
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Cécile Ousset, Piano Fryderyk Chopin, Composer |
| Waltzes, Movement: No. 14 in E minor, Op. posth. |
Fryderyk Chopin, Composer
Cécile Ousset, Piano Fryderyk Chopin, Composer |
| Pavane pour une infante défunte |
Maurice Ravel, Composer
Cécile Ousset, Piano Maurice Ravel, Composer |
| (8) Valses nobles et sentimentales |
Maurice Ravel, Composer
Cécile Ousset, Piano Maurice Ravel, Composer |
| (6) Etudes, Movement: Toccata (cf: Piano Concerto 5 Finale) |
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer Cécile Ousset, Piano |
| (24) Préludes, Movement: Feux d'artifice |
Claude Debussy, Composer
Cécile Ousset, Piano Claude Debussy, Composer |
Composer or Director: Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn
Label: BBC Music
Magazine Review Date: 12/1999
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 50
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: BBCW1004-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (6) Original Canzonettas, Book 1, Movement: Recollection |
Joseph Haydn, Composer
Joseph Haydn, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| (6) Original Canzonettas, Book 2, Movement: Content |
Joseph Haydn, Composer
Joseph Haydn, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| (6) Original Canzonettas, Book 2, Movement: Sailor's Song |
Joseph Haydn, Composer
Joseph Haydn, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| (6) Original Canzonettas, Book 2, Movement: She never told her love |
Joseph Haydn, Composer
Joseph Haydn, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| (6) Original Canzonettas, Book 2, Movement: Piercing eyes |
Joseph Haydn, Composer
Joseph Haydn, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| An die ferne Geliebte |
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| Goethe Lieder, Movement: Harfenspieler I (Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt) |
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| Goethe Lieder, Movement: Harfenspieler II (An die Turen) |
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| Goethe Lieder, Movement: Harfenspieler III (Wer nie sein Brot) |
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| Goethe Lieder, Movement: Anakreons Grab |
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| Mörike Lieder, Movement: Fussreise |
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| Mörike Lieder, Movement: Der Gärtner |
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| Mörike Lieder, Movement: Auf ein altes Bild |
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
| Mörike Lieder, Movement: Abschied |
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer
Hugo (Filipp Jakob) Wolf, Composer Malcolm Martineau, Piano Thomas Allen, Baritone |
Composer or Director: George Gershwin, Kurt (Julian) Weill, Richard Rodgers
Label: BBC Music
Magazine Review Date: 12/1999
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 66
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: BBCW1005-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Oh, Kay!, Movement: Someone to watch over me |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| (A) Damsel in Distress, Movement: A Foggy Day |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| (A) Damsel in Distress, Movement: Nice work if you can get it |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| (A) Damsel in Distress, Movement: Stiff upper lip |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Girl Crazy, Movement: I got rhythm |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Girl Crazy, Movement: Embraceable you |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Pardon My English, Movement: Isn't It a Pity? |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Shall we dance?, Movement: Let's call the whole thing off |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Shall we dance?, Movement: Shall we dance? |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Shall we dance?, Movement: They can't take that away from me |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Porgy and Bess, Movement: Summertime |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| (The) Shocking Miss Pilgrim, Movement: For you, for me, for evermore |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| (3) Preludes, Movement: No. 1 in B flat |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Lady in the Dark, Movement: My ship |
Kurt (Julian) Weill, Composer
Kurt (Julian) Weill, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Lady, Be Good!, Movement: The Man I love |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| By Strauss |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Funny Face, Movement: He loves and she loves |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Goldwyn Follies, Movement: Love is here to stay |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| Goldwyn Follies, Movement: Just another rhumba |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
| (The) King and I, Movement: Hello, Young Lovers |
Richard Rodgers, Composer
Richard Rodgers, Composer Sylvia McNair, Soprano Ted Taylor, Piano |
Composer or Director: Traditional, Johannes Brahms, George Frideric Handel, Peter Lieberson, Gustav Mahler
Label: BBC Music
Magazine Review Date: 12/1999
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 56
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: BBCW1002-2
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (5) Rückert-Lieder |
Gustav Mahler, Composer
Gustav Mahler, Composer Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Mezzo soprano Roger Vignoles, Piano |
| Ariodante, Movement: ~ |
George Frideric Handel, Composer
George Frideric Handel, Composer Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Mezzo soprano Roger Vignoles, Piano |
| Theodora, Movement: ~ |
George Frideric Handel, Composer
George Frideric Handel, Composer Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Mezzo soprano Roger Vignoles, Piano |
| Songs on Poems by Rilke |
Peter Lieberson, Composer
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Mezzo soprano Peter Lieberson, Composer Roger Vignoles, Piano |
| Triraksha's Dream |
Peter Lieberson, Composer
Peter Lieberson, Composer |
| Deep River |
Traditional, Composer
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Mezzo soprano Roger Vignoles, Piano Traditional, Composer |
| (8) Lieder, Movement: No. 8, Unbewegte laue Luft |
Johannes Brahms, Composer
Johannes Brahms, Composer Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Mezzo soprano Roger Vignoles, Piano |
Author: Edward Greenfield
New series of CDs drawn from BBC Radio broadcasts are coming thick and fast. Following the BBC Legends series and the recent Proms series come these seven discs taken from BBC lunchtime recitals at the Wigmore Hall over the last 12 months. Where, in the other two series of discs, each issue mixes recordings from different concerts, these are each taken from a single broadcast. That is on the whole a strength, though it does point to the obvious fact that a recital programme, generally offering contrasted material, is rather different from our usual ideas of programming on CD. It also limits the overall timing to around an hour or under.
The formula works best with the vocal recitals, in which the programmes provide vivid portraits of each artist. Those are the issues I would recommend most strongly, notably Sir Thomas Allen's splendid recital with Malcolm Martineau. With the voice firm and velvety, he leads from the vigour and charm of the Haydn Canzonettas (how good to have a male voice in the 'Sailor's Song' with its cries of 'hurly-burly') to an urgent, passionate account of Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte. The spontaneity of a live occasion leads one compellingly forward. Both there and in the Wolf songs - eight of his most immediately attractive - Allen's mastery of detail as a Lieder singer makes one realize that he has far too few Lieder discs to his name.
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's recital with Roger Vignoles even more strikingly extends our appreciation of a superb singer, who till now has been represented on disc almost entirely by baroque repertory. Here she starts not with the two Handel arias, well contrasted and superbly sung, but with the five MahlerRuckert-Lieder, where one relishes the ripe sensuousness of her rich, secure mezzo even more. Also in the songs by her husband, Peter Lieberson, beautifully moulded to her voice. With such intense performances from both singer and pianist, one hardly misses the extra colour of the orchestral versions of the Mahler.
Sylvia McNair, in her recital celebrating the Gershwin centenary, hits a perfect balance between art-song and Broadway musical, always inflecting in a way that is both idiomatic and stylish. At various points she winningly addresses the audience, with the excellent pianist, Ted Taylor, given his brief moment of solo glory in Gershwin's Prelude No. 1. Several numbers are neatly elided, as when the two witty send-ups of British manners, Stiff upper lip andLet's call the whole thing off, merge one into the other. The only snag is that applause after each number grows rather wearisome.
It is good, too, to have Cecile Ousset characterized so strongly in her recital of Chopin and Ravel, very welcome when discs from her have been far too few lately. Ousset has always been a bold artist, and as ever she proves a natural communicator here, at once poetic and purposeful. The encores are of Debussy and Saint-Saens, the last a scintillating firework piece which amid the excitement brings a forgivable splash or two.
The Skampa Quartet's disc of Janaeek and Dvorak brings an odd mixture. Though the Janaeek, with its kaleidoscopic switches of mood and tempo, is vividly done, the Dvorak Piano Quintet finds the leader, Pavel Fischer, sounding thin and edgy, with Melvyn Tan at the piano tending to lead the performance, sounding more comfortable than his string colleagues.
Gabor Takacs-Nagy, the founder and original leader of the Takacs Quartet (which he left some years ago), is here the leader in favourite trios of Beethoven and Haydn. One problem is the close recording, exaggerating a tendency toward rhythmic squareness. Speeds are all on the fast side in the Haydn, with the finale sounding breathless, even though the Presto is no faster than in the Beaux Arts version on Philips (7/92). Though the performance of the Archduke is strong and purposeful, with the Scherzo delectably pointed, the closeness again brings penalties, so that mystery is missing from the slow movement and the finale is rather aggressive.
Best of the instrumental discs is the Nash Ensemble's Messiaen. Though the recording brings some odd balances - with the violin submerged by the clarinet at the start - the players all emerge as sharply characterful artists, each set in contrast with the others. That the overall timing for the work is markedly greater than usual stems almost entirely from the breadth of expression in the two great solo meditations, with Anthony Pay in the clarinet solo of the third movement and Paul Watkins in the cello solo of the fifth both wonderfully compellingin their individual imagination, measured and concentrated.'
The formula works best with the vocal recitals, in which the programmes provide vivid portraits of each artist. Those are the issues I would recommend most strongly, notably Sir Thomas Allen's splendid recital with Malcolm Martineau. With the voice firm and velvety, he leads from the vigour and charm of the Haydn Canzonettas (how good to have a male voice in the 'Sailor's Song' with its cries of 'hurly-burly') to an urgent, passionate account of Beethoven's An die ferne Geliebte. The spontaneity of a live occasion leads one compellingly forward. Both there and in the Wolf songs - eight of his most immediately attractive - Allen's mastery of detail as a Lieder singer makes one realize that he has far too few Lieder discs to his name.
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's recital with Roger Vignoles even more strikingly extends our appreciation of a superb singer, who till now has been represented on disc almost entirely by baroque repertory. Here she starts not with the two Handel arias, well contrasted and superbly sung, but with the five Mahler
Sylvia McNair, in her recital celebrating the Gershwin centenary, hits a perfect balance between art-song and Broadway musical, always inflecting in a way that is both idiomatic and stylish. At various points she winningly addresses the audience, with the excellent pianist, Ted Taylor, given his brief moment of solo glory in Gershwin's Prelude No. 1. Several numbers are neatly elided, as when the two witty send-ups of British manners, Stiff upper lip and
It is good, too, to have Cecile Ousset characterized so strongly in her recital of Chopin and Ravel, very welcome when discs from her have been far too few lately. Ousset has always been a bold artist, and as ever she proves a natural communicator here, at once poetic and purposeful. The encores are of Debussy and Saint-Saens, the last a scintillating firework piece which amid the excitement brings a forgivable splash or two.
The Skampa Quartet's disc of Janaeek and Dvorak brings an odd mixture. Though the Janaeek, with its kaleidoscopic switches of mood and tempo, is vividly done, the Dvorak Piano Quintet finds the leader, Pavel Fischer, sounding thin and edgy, with Melvyn Tan at the piano tending to lead the performance, sounding more comfortable than his string colleagues.
Gabor Takacs-Nagy, the founder and original leader of the Takacs Quartet (which he left some years ago), is here the leader in favourite trios of Beethoven and Haydn. One problem is the close recording, exaggerating a tendency toward rhythmic squareness. Speeds are all on the fast side in the Haydn, with the finale sounding breathless, even though the Presto is no faster than in the Beaux Arts version on Philips (7/92). Though the performance of the Archduke is strong and purposeful, with the Scherzo delectably pointed, the closeness again brings penalties, so that mystery is missing from the slow movement and the finale is rather aggressive.
Best of the instrumental discs is the Nash Ensemble's Messiaen. Though the recording brings some odd balances - with the violin submerged by the clarinet at the start - the players all emerge as sharply characterful artists, each set in contrast with the others. That the overall timing for the work is markedly greater than usual stems almost entirely from the breadth of expression in the two great solo meditations, with Anthony Pay in the clarinet solo of the third movement and Paul Watkins in the cello solo of the fifth both wonderfully compellingin their individual imagination, measured and concentrated.'
Skampa Quartet - Live from Wigmore Hall
Takács-Nagy, Szabó and Várjon - Live from Wigmore Hall
The Nash Ensemble - Live from Wigmore Hall
Cécile Ousset - Live from Wigmore Hall
Sir Thomas Allen and Malcolm Martineau - Live from Wigmore Hall
Silvia McNair and Ted Taylor - Live from Wigmore Hall
Lorrain Hunt Lieberson and Roger Vignoles - Live from Wigmore Hall
Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music.
Gramophone Digital Club
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £8.75 / month
Subscribe
Gramophone Full Club
- Print Edition
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £11.00 / month
Subscribe
If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.