Saint-Saens: Cello Concertos Nos. 1 and 2; Suite, Op. 16; Allegro Appassionato, Op. 43; The Swan. Maria Kliegel, cello; Bournemouth Sinfonietta conducted by Jean-François Monnard – Naxos 8.553039 (62 minutes).
An infant prodigy, Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) started taking piano lessons at the age of three, gave his first recital when 11, and at 15 won first prize for organ playing at the Paris Conservatoire. For 20 years starting in 1857, he was organist at ‘La Madeleine’, resigning his post due to his increasing disaffection with all things sacred.
In 1871 he visited London for the first time to inaugurate the new Royal Albert Hall organ. The British saw him as the greatest living French composer, and as a token of their esteem he was made an honorary member of the Philharmonic Society.
Saint-Saëns was an elegant and fluent writer and his output, if not huge, is considerable – a dozen operas, film scores, five symphonies, 10 concertos, chamber works, and salon pieces and songs.
This disc focuses on his two cello concertos, written 30 years apart. The first, in A Minor, dates from 1872, and ever since has become the favourite of virtuoso cellists, such as Casals and Rostropovich. The reason is simple.
Rich in expressivity and imagination, the work has a felicitous streak from start to finish, and its one-movement structure gives it a freshness and vitality that is hard to achieve in three-movement compositions of the genre.
Its fertile melodic writing is also a constant feature of this gem of a concerto.
Alas, the second, in D Minor (1902), is one of Saint-Saëns’s least known concertos. Premiered on February 5, 1905, it has been rarely performed.
Its unspectacular virtuosity and uneven form may have contributed to its near demise, but whatever the reason, the piece deserves better.
Three short but extremely evocative pieces complete a programme of uncomplicated music that falls sweetly on the ear.
Schubert: Mass No. 1 in F; Mass No. 3 in B Flat. Immortal Bach Ensemble and the Leipzig Chamber Orchestra conducted by Morten Schuldt-Jensen – Naxos 8.572279 (57 minutes).
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) composed a huge amount of music, comprising some 600 songs, nine symphonies, chamber works, including the famous ‘Trout’ Quintet and Octet, piano sonatas, stage works and a sizable amount of sacred works among which we find six completed Mass settings.
This disc includes two of his earliest attempts, when the composer was still trying to create his own personal language. From his childhood years, Schubert had a particularly close relationship with church music, and when he was eight he was already a member of the parish church choir.
From 1808 to 1812 he formed part of the Imperial and Royal Chapel choir, and was only forced to leave when his voice broke.
His first complete Mass came soon after. It was composed at lightning speed between May 17 and July 22, 1814, and was first performed late in September at Liechtenthal for the celebration of the church’s centenary.
The piece was well received, and Antonio Salieri had words of praise for his former pupil.
The Mass in B Flat dates from late 1815 and was presumably performed at the same venue. This piece too is scaled for liturgical performance, and similarly combines beauty with splendour. Both creations are certainly no Missa Solemnis, but as with all Schubert works, they have an unmistakable freshness and joy that transfer to the listener with effortless ease.
Performances are clean and breezy and the sense of ensemble has that constant glow and balance that gives the music its sacred timbre.
A Night at the Opera: Favourite arias, duets and ensembles. Several artists, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Rosekrans – Naxos 8.557309 (71 minutes).
This entertaining disc serves two important purposes. It is a stimulating introduction to the world of opera and a glittering showcase of some of the best up-and-coming singers of the last decade.
The 16 tracks include excerpts from some of the most famous stage works ever written – Verdi’s Rigoletto, Il Trovatore and Don Carlo, Puccini’s La Boheme and Gianni Schicchi, Mozart’s Don Giovanni and La Clemenza di Tito, Gounod’s Faust, Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffman, Handel’s Orlando, Purcell’s The Tempest, Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, Bizet’s Les Pecheurs de Perles, and finally, Bellini’s I Puritani are all represented, giving the collation a wide spectrum of styles and colours.
The five singers are all relatively new, but during the past few years they have been steadily building up their reputation.
Soprano Indra Thomas has been acclaimed as the next great Verdi diva, while mezzo Kristine Jepson has enjoyed great success in the role of Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) at the New York Met.
Lyric tenor Matthew Polenzani’s international career also includes appearances at the Met in a varied and challenging number of roles.
Polish baritone Mariusz Kiviecien boasts a wide ranging repertoire, and has regaled audiences at the Met as well as the Vienna State Opera, winning a number of prestigious awards.
Bass-baritone Valerian Ruminski has a wide range of roles to his credit, and his services are constantly in demand.
A highly enjoyable issue, this CD should appeal particularly to those who want to start exploring the magical and enchanting world of opera. Notes and sound are acceptable if not wholly exemplary.
These CDs were made available for review by D’Amato Record Shop of 98/99 St John Street, Valletta.