Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Archives - NativeDSD Music

Vivaldi – 6 Bassoon Concertos

Sjoerd Staal — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Just as George Frideric Handel was crowned “creator of the organ concerto”, Antonio Vivaldi (1687 – 1741) may also in good conscience be singled out as “pioneer of the bassoon concerto”. Like its predecessor, the dulcian, the bassoon was used exclusively as a basso continuo instrument until the beginning of the 17th century. It provided a solid basis for the sound and the harmonies, and as it was rarely used in ensembles, its part was not even written out at the time. Then in 1645, Giovanni Antonio Bertoli published in Venice nine decidedly virtuoso sonatas for bassoon and basso continuo. Not only was this probably the earliest collection of works consisting exclusively of solo sonatas, it was also a significant milestone for the emancipation of the bassoon.

The post Vivaldi – 6 Bassoon Concertos appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

Gordon Getty Orchestral Works

Sjoerd Staal — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The San Francisco-based Gordon Getty is most widely known to music lovers through his vocal works, perhaps not surprising for a composer who in his student years studied not only composition and piano but also voice. Most of his compositions have involved the voice, and his three previous recordings on PentaTone Classics have all featured vocal works: his widely performed song cycle The White Election, to poems by Emily Dickinson; his cantata Joan and the Bells, on the Joan of Arc story; and Young America, a collection of his choral compositions. (The White Election, in fact, has been issued in two separate commercial recordings.) But to most music-lovers, the work of Getty’s that most readily springs to mind is Plump Jack, a two-act opera that was premiered in a concert production by the San Francisco Symphony in 1987 (that orchestra had presented an excerpt from the work-in-progress four years earlier) and since then has been performed in whole or part by such organizations as the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Festival of the Two Worlds (Spoleto, Italy), Aspen Music Festival, London Philharmonia with London Voices, Puerto Rico Symphony, New Mexico Symphony, and Orquesta Sinfónica Sinaloa de las Artes (Mazatlán, Mexico).

The post Gordon Getty Orchestral Works appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

Mozart: Clarinet Concert in A, Clarinet Quintet in A

Sjoerd Staal — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The crowning glory of clarinet music

The two compositions by Mozart recorded on this CD are not just brilliant pièces de résistance taken from the oeuvre of an outstanding composer, they also provide two top-ranking international musicians with an opportunity to demonstrate their artistic mastery as well as to celebrate in a suitable musical manner two important days in their lives: here, father and son Marriner have combined forces. Sir Neville, who celebrated his 80th birthday this year, is conducting the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and accompanying his son Andrew, who turned 50 in 2004.
Mozart’s Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet in A, K. 581 is dated September 29, 1789. The clarinettist Anton Stadler – who was a top-ranking virtuoso, as is clear from contemporary reports – encouraged his friend Mozart to write not only his Clarinet Concerto, but also this Quintet. Despite the considerable virtuosity demanded here, the basic idea of this half-hour work is not to give a demonstration of purely technical instrumental skill and brilliance, but to provide a tonal balance between the five instruments involved, as well as a corresponding consistency in the motivic-thematic writing. The clarinet dominates insofar as permitted within Mozart’s understanding of chamber-music: it balances on the narrow line between solo instrument and partner in the design of the composition.

The post Mozart: Clarinet Concert in A, Clarinet Quintet in A appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

Creating Timeless Classics

Sjoerd Staal — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Around the start of the new millennium, three music enthusiasts came together to launch a new music label that promised to redefine the way people listen to classical music. Their vision was crystal clear: to offer an unrivalled classical music experience through superior audio technology.
The introduction of 5-channel surround sound which made this experience possible came at a time when classical music sales were suffering. But PENTATONE’s founders were unwilling to compromise their vision, so convinced were they of the new technology that they launched their own label in 2001. After a somewhat rocky start, the label quickly began adding talented artists to its roster. Now, 13 years later, PENTATONE enjoys a reputation for excellence, its catalogue comprising some of the very best that classical music has to offer.

For all their diversity, the artists featured on PENTATONE have one thing in common. They all put their heart and soul into the music, drawing on every last drop of creativity, skill, and determination to perfect their compositions.

PENTATONE exists to extract everything that went into creating these timeless classics and put it before the listener with a resolution and crispness not found anywhere else. We don’t dabble in technology for technology’s sake – we believe it’s the only way to truly appreciate these great works of art. As we celebrate 13 years of PENTATONE and prepare for a changing of the guard, it is time to reflect on our achievements and look toward the future.

The post Creating Timeless Classics appeared first on NativeDSD Music.