JAVS Fall 2003

Melancoli: Kodaly: Adagio; Dowland: If my complaints could passions move; Britten: Lachrymae; Part: Spiegel im Spiegel; Joplin: (Atr. Atnold): Solace; Kvandal: Elegie; Bloch: Meditation and Processional; Spruch; 2 Lieder Op. 91; Morten Carlsen, viola; Sergei Osadchuk, piano; Marianne Beate Kielland, mezw soprano; 2L 2L1 First of all I should mention that 2L is the name of the company that publishes this disk and 2Ll is its number. A friend in Norway sent this to me knowing of my viola collection. I was most pleased to learn about another fine violist that is performing in Norway. I previously received an excellent recording of Lars Anders Tomter. Both of these artists deserve the highest praise for put ting Norway on the viola map and for their superior talent. Mr. Carlsen plays a 1980 viola made in Mittenwald by Y. Homma. Its mellow sound suggested a much older instrument. The tide of the record tells us of the introspective nature of the cd... Having 7 ver sions of the Brahms songs with viola obbligato in my collection, sung by some of the world's finest singers I'm afraid that Ms. Kielland has a voice in the devel opmental stage. In his extensive review for Fanfare magazine in the Nov/Dec 2002 issue, Martin Anderson says the disk is "well worth investigating". Liszt: Valse oubliee No.1, Romance oubliee; Brahms:

Jackie T. Gabel: Whale Hunt Dream; Heskel Brisman: Sinfonia Concertante for Viola and Orchestra; Philip Koplow: Elegy for Viola "Martin Luther King, Jr."; Frank G. Stewart: Concerto for Viola; Karen Dreyfus, viola; Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra; Jerzy Swoboda, conductor MMC Recordings MMC 2079 Ms. Dreyfus plays so well with her usual warm tone and sensitive playing, and as there is a serious need for new viola works, I hate to inject a negative response to this disk. The melodies meander, the harmonies are suitably com plex, but the compositions seem to be searching for something meaningful to say. The only work I connected with, was the "Whale Hunt Dream''. Loefller: 2 Rhapsodies; 5 Songs: Reverie en Sardine, Le rossignol, Harmonie du soir, La lune blanche, La chanson de Ingenues; Pierne: sonata da camera; DuruBe: Prelude, recatif et variations; Douglas Paterson, viola, William Dazerley, baritone; and others ASV CD CA 1139 In the two Rhapsodies for oboe, viola, and piano, Loeffier shows himself to be strongly allied with Debussy, and more fundamental ly, with Faure. The real magic in these variously elegant and strongly rhetorical pieces is the way they offer a vague but telling Russian melancholy. The 5 Songs for voice, viola, and piano... are similarly French based and simi larly eclectic... William Zagorski, Fanfare

lin; Richard Kapp, piano Ess.a.y. CD 1078

The Devil Made Me Do It: Tartini: Sonata for Viola and Keyboard "The Devil's Trill"; LeClair: Sonata for Viola Op.9 #5, Locatelli: Sonata for Viola and Keyboard Op. 6 #12; Paganini: Sonata #1; Mela Tenenbaum, viola; Richard Kapp, piano. Ess.a.y. CD 1079 Your eyes have not deceived you and I did not make a mistake with the listings. I grouped the disks together because in reality, in the two records the artists are playing the same music, albeit a fifi:h lower for the viola. In Prague where the two artists Mr. Kapp and Ms. Tenenbaum recorded the four sonatas in one day, an off hand remark by Ms. Tenenbaum who said, "Wouldn't it be interesting to record these sonatas on the violi' was quickly taken up by the usually adventurous and tal ented Mr. Kapp. A borrowed viola and adjustments to the piano parts and it was done. I am very familiar with the talents ofMs. Tenenbaum through her many solo recordings for Mr. Kapp's recording company and with her duties as concert mas ter of the chamber orchestra that Mr. Kapp leads. She ranks near the top with both of the instruments she plays. Her violin playing is warm, technically superior and her phrasing exemplary. I must admit, while it took some time to get used to the timber change, her artistry won me over. I'm always happy to hear new repertoire for the viola no mat ter where it comes from. My sincere congratulations to the two artists. These are my recordings of the year.

Mozart: Divertimento for String Trio K 563; Duo #2 K 424; Scott

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 82