American Concertos

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Skride sizzles in this gathering of 20th – century US works. Beyond the Bernstein, Rózsa’s red-hot concerto adds fuel to the fire. — BBC Music Magazine, November 2018, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 31st Aug 2018
Catalogue No: C932182A
Label: Orfeo
Length: 1 hour 55 minutes

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Bernstein: Serenade (after Plato's 'Symposium')

Work length31:50

$8.00

$10.35

$14.00

Baiba Skride (violin)
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Santtu-Matias Rouvali
Recorded: 21-23 August 2017
Recording Venue: Gothenburg Concert Hall, Sweden

I. Phaedrus - Pausanias. Lento - Allegro

Track length6:46

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II. Aristophanes. Allegretto

Track length4:46

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III. Eryximachus. Presto

Track length1:36

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IV. Agathon. Adagio

Track length7:38

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$2.60

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V. Socrates - Alcibiades. Molto tenuto - Allegro molto vivace

Track length11:04

$3.00

$3.85

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Korngold: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, TH 59

Work length26:47

$7.00

$9.05

$12.25

Baiba Skride (violin)
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Santtu-Matias Rouvali
Recorded: 21-23 August 2017
Recording Venue: Gothenburg Concert Hall, Sweden

I. Moderato nobile

Track length10:00

$3.00

$3.85

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II. Romanze. Andante

Track length9:14

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III. Allegro assai vivace

Track length7:33

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$2.60

$3.50

Rozsa: Violin Concerto, Op. 24

Work length31:54

$7.00

$9.05

$12.25

Baiba Skride (violin)
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Santtu-Matias Rouvali
Recorded: 17-19 May 2018
Recording Venue: Tampere Hall, Finland

I. Allegro non troppo ma passionato

Track length13:20

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II. Lento cantabile

Track length9:41

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III. Allegro vivace

Track length8:53

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Bernstein: West Side Story: Symphonic Dances

Work length25:11

$9.00

$11.70

$15.75

Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Santtu-Matias Rouvali
Recorded: 17-19 May 2018
Recording Venue: Tampere Hall, Finland

I. Prologue

Track length4:37

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$1.75

II. Somewhere

Track length4:46

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III. Scherzo

Track length1:32

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IV. Mambo

Track length2:35

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V. Cha-cha

Track length1:03

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VI. Meeting Scene

Track length0:56

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VII. Cool - VIII. Fugue

Track length3:53

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IX. Rumble

Track length2:03

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X. Finale

Track length3:46

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“America, you are better off” – wrote Goethe in 1827, weary of German Romanticism and the 'fruitless wrangling' of sterile debates.

A century later, the New World experienced an unprecedented wave of migration consisting of leading figures, largely Jewish, from the cultural and intellectual spheres of Germany and Austriia, composers were able to immerse themselves in the new world of sound film in Hollywood. However, few were able to reap those rewards to the fullest. Among those few, who were able to make their way through pragmatism and perseverance, were Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Miklós Rózsa – both regularly nominated for Oscars. While making a living from this genre of 'music drama', each of them – whether or not they were recognized by the classical music business – sought to push the limits of the traditional formats and were remarkably successful in doing so.

'If you’re Heifetz, I’m Mozart!' Taking a phone call, Rózsa could scarcely believe that the legendary virtuoso was seriously interested in his Violin Concerto and was ready to give the work its premiere – but so he did in 1956. It was the same with the Violin Concerto by Korngold, Rózsa’s senior by ten years: the 1947 premiere of this twentiethcentury classic again showcased Heifetz as soloist. In the new generation of genuinely American musicians, one outstanding figure was Leonard Bernstein, an all-rounder whose early success led on to even greater heights: here too, one can hardly ignore his contribution to film music, even if it amounts to one single film. Bernstein rated his Violin Concerto of 1954, 'Serenade', inspired by Plato’s Symposium, as his best work ever, and this work too in its imaginatively slimmed-down scoring for string orchestra, harp and percussion is now acknowledged to be an important 20th-century concerto for violin. Isaac Stern performed the premiere of the work with the composer conducting. As an encore', this compilation includes the masterly Symphonic Dances from the immortal 'West Side Story', which has long risen above the 'fruitless wrangling' over 'light' and 'serious' music. The very different challenges posed by all three concertos are brilliantly overcome by Baiba Skride, whose unquestionable virtuosity nevertheless takes second place to the immediacy of her musical language and expression.

Reviews

November 2018

Skride sizzles in this gathering of 20th – century US works. Beyond the Bernstein, Rózsa’s red-hot concerto adds fuel to the fire.

November 2018

Skride has real feeling for the [Korngold's] extravagant yearning and she conveys it without ever slipping into cloying sentimentality…The Serenade (1954) is among Bernstein’s most perfect, concise creations and Skride really digs into it…It’s absolutely gripping as well as plain gorgeous, her glistening tone reflecting the glitter of percussion…Both orchestras provide excellent support in the concertos.

January 2019

Skride impresses from the outset, grabbing the attention in the haunting opening phrases of Bernstein’s Serenade, and describing the violin’s expansive line with piercing clarity.

Classical Ear December 2018

The recorded sound from the Gothenburg Symphony’s Concert Hall home thrusts you into the emotional maelstrom of Bernstein’s Serenade with gleeful abandon

American Concertos

2 CDs

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