JAVS Summer 2000

VoL 16 No.2

58

jOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY

Review: This is another viola recording that I had missed on Naxos Records. It goes back to 1988 and I possibly missed it because I have quite a number of versions of the concerto in my collection. The concerto is played extremely well and so are the rest of the com positions on the record. The musicians are from Bratislava. When my wife and I spent some time in Vienna a few years ago, a group from Bratislava performed in the gorgeous library. They were an original instrument per formance group and I quite enjoyed their efforts. They played without the wiry sound and pitch variances that usually affect the work of similar groups. As usual, the price and performances speak for themselves. Bridges: Music for Viola; Pensiero, Allegro Appassionato; Allegretto; There is a willow Grows Aslant a Brook; Louise Williams, viola; David Owen Norris, piano; Jean Rigby, mezzo-soprano; ASV 1064 Debussy: Sonata for Flute, Viola, Harp; Weber: Clarinet Quintet; Mozart: Flute Quartet #3 K285B; Ravel: Introduction and Allegro for Flute, Clarinet, String Quartet and Harp; Mobius (Ashan Pillai, viola; Philippe Honore, Kanaiko Ito, violins; Martin Stokey, cello; Lorna McGhee, flute; Robert Plane, clarinet; Allison Nichols, harp) EMI 7243 5 73612 2 4 Bach Suites for Cello (Arr. for Viola) Barbara Westphal; 2 BDG 9094

Review: "... strongly recommended to collec tors who lack all or some of these fine works ..." Robert McColly, Fanfore Summerfest La Jolla: Kreisler: Syncopation; Georges Boulanger: American Vision; Mario Davidovsky: Synchronism #6 for Piano and Tape; Brahms: Sextet for Strings; Prokofiev: Overture on Hebrew Themes; Paul Neubauer, viola; Toby Hoffman, viola; Chauncey Patterson, viola; et al La Jolla Chamber Music Society. Private recording for the benefit of the Society. To order call the Society (858) 459 3728 or try the Internet web site (www.ljcms.org). Review: When my friend David Hermann of Fort Worth asked about this recording I said I'd get back to him. Paul Neubauer told me it was a private recording available only from the society. David then ordered a couple of the CDs for us and I was quite pleased to get it and review it. The entire record is a delight with Neubauer having a grand time with his two short solo encores. He also appears on the Prokofiev. The Brahms Sextet is masterfully performed by the Miami String Quartet, with Toby Hoffmann as the additional violist. You can't find this in stores so ifyou want to be sure to get your copy you should buy it soon. I~

-David 0. Brown