SCHUBERT arr.MERTZ: 6 Schubertian Songs- Lob der Tranen (Praise of Tears), D. 711: MERTZ: Bardenklange Op13 a) Book 3: No. 3. Capriccio b) Book 6: No. 1. Tarantelle; Elegy; 3 Morceaux, Op. 65: No. 1. Fantaisie Hongroise: BACH: Sonata for solo violin No. 3 in C major, BWV1005- I) Adagio ; II Fuga-Alla Breve; III Largo ; IV Allegro Assai .KOSHKIN: Guitar Sonata I. Allegro energico II. Adagio molto III.Presto, risoluto energico.
Gabriel Bianco
Naxos: 8572306
Gabriel Bianco’s Naxos album is certainly one to attract the attention right from the opening seconds, partly because he chooses some of the most outstanding pieces from Johann Kaspar Mertz’s huge repertoire.
Anyone who has come across Mertz’s many pieces will know just how outstanding it is, and moreover just how wonderful a Guitarist one needs to be to give it a proper performance. Well, there is no problem with our guitarist here, because he is perfectly up to the challenge .Mertz’s late Romantic style is very different from most guitar composers of this period, but he really did make a wonderful job of creating such mind – blowing pieces, full of drama, emotion, excitement and every other word you could think of. So, if Mertz is a new name to you, go and see if you can get this album!
The rest of the album is made up with two large major works, the first being J.S. Bach’s Sonata for solo violin No3 in C Major, in its complete 4 movements, arranged for guitar in such a way that one hardly realises that the violin was its original instrument. Of course with Bach everything is quite different from any other composer of his time , and all the movements have a quality to them that leaves all other composers far behind him .Bianco does a great job of bringing out all the various themes and counter – themes and part writing without any difficulty at all.
Nikita Koshkin is one of the 20th century’s most beloved composers, arranger, and musicologist, and his music is often difficulty in its harmonies and otherwise very modern sound, but this should not put anyone off, because the three – movement Sonata is gripping in its intensity, beginning with the Allegro Energico, which never sits still once it has started. The Adagio Molto is very slow but again instantly very dramatic in its opening theme, and very emotional in its sounds. The finale, a Presto , Risoluto Energico moves around very swiftly with a little four note motto that often occurs , and heightens up the tension, that eventually closes on a number of very harsh unexpected fortissimo chords and a final octave slam. At a little over 27 minutes this piece is a major work that really needs to be witnessed and it is surprising how little known it is !
This is beautifully recorded album, effortlessly played by Bianco and definitely worth your time to hunt it out and listen to it!
Chris Dumigan
Comments