JAVS Fall 1997

97

Review: When I read the interesting article in Fanfare magazine of September/October 1997 about Mrs. Tenebaum, I immeditately got on the internet and found the address for ESS.A.Y. Records but had some difficulty get ting on line. I then e-mailed the company at info@essaycd.com and introduced myself A few days later I received a reply from none other than Richard Kapp, whose work I had known for many years through live concerts and Kapp Records. He graciously sent me the above CDs for review, which I received within a couple of days and immeditately listened to. The first recording I played was the Klebanov Concerto. I must admit I approached it with some trepidation, expecting to hear echoes of Schnittke and Khancheli. Nothing of the sort-1 was so enraptured that I listened to the disc twice and have since heard it a couple of times more. I could not believe that someone with the obvious talent of Klebanov could have fallen through the cracks to become virtually unknown. I checked catalogues back to the '50s but found no mention of him. Klebanov, a Ukrainian from Kharkov, writes in a very melodic style, with development, variation, and even the rondo form. The Viola Concerto is a major work of approximately thirty-two minutes; as played by violist Mela Tenenbaum, it has all the ingredi ents of a major triumph. I knew that Mrs. Tenenbaum was concertmaster of the Phil harmonia Virtuosi, but there is no lessening of her wonderful violin skills when she switches to the viola. As a matter of fact, as I listened, I thought that the viola was her main instrument, not the violin. Her vibrato is warm and even, her technique superb, and her musicianship beyond criticism. Without going into more superlatives, I must say that

the other two CDs are of equally fine artistry.

Reger: Three Clarinet Sonatas (transcribed for viola); Barbara Westphal, viola; Jeffrey Swann, piano; Bridge 9075 (Koch International) Spanish Treasures: various short pieces by Albeniz, Falla, Granados, et al.; Ellen Rose, viola; Kathleen Collier, Centaur CRC 2315 (Qualiton) J. Stamitz, K. Stamitz, A. Stamitz: Concertos for Viola; Jan Perushka, viola; Jiri Belohlavek, conductor; Prague Chamber Orchestra Panton 81-1422 (Albany) Vanhal: Sonata for Viola and Piano, Sonatas for Viola and Harpsichord. K. Spelina, viola; J. Hala, piano; SPR 3285 Viola sonatas by Hummel, Stamitz, Vanhal, and Dittersdorf R. Verebes, viola; M. Legace, piano; SNE 569 (Allegro) Viola Sonatas by Vieuxtemps, Schubert; Schumann: Marchenbilder; R. Verebes, viola; Blondin, piano; SNE 580 (Allegro) Wranitzky (Vranicky): Concerto for Two Violas; Telemann; Concerto for Two Violas; Stamitz: Concerto for Violin and Viola; Lubomir Maly, viola (plays both parts of the two-viola compositions); Milos Konvalinka, violin; Dvorak Chamber Orchestra. Panton 84-1045 (Albany) Viola Pieces by Violin Virtuosi: Pierre-Henri Xuereb, viola; Luc Devos, piano; Talent Dom 29012 -David 0. Brown