Erlkönig - The Last Rose of Summer

String Quartet Op. 3

Redolent of the work of Dmitri Shostakovich in its musical language, Evgeny Kissin’s String Quartet op. 3 comprises four strongly contrasting movements: on the heels of the stately “Adagio liberamente” comes an extremely lively “Allegro inquieto” that wanders between dynamic extremes and bristles with glissandi. The third movement, marked “Largo drammatico”, is sustained by an insistent, heavily rhythmic dotted motive, while the final movement shifts from the introduction, marked “Pensierosamente, ma mantenendo strettamente il ritmo puntato”, into a brilliant finale, “Molto allegro e sarcastico”, that is suffused with elements of fugato and, like all movements, informed bydodecaphonic harmonies. This demanding fifteen-minute work was composed in 2015–16 and recorded for the first time on Nimbus Records by the Kopelman Quartet. Redolent of the work of Dmitri Shostakovich in its musical language, Evgeny Kissin’s String Quartet op. 3 comprises four strongly contrasting movements: on the heels of the stately “Adagio liberamente” comes an extremely lively “Allegro inquieto” that wanders between dynamic extremes and bristles with glissandi. The third movement, marked “Largo drammatico”, is sustained by an insistent, heavily rhythmic dotted motive, while the final movement shifts from the introduction, marked “Pensierosamente, ma mantenendo strettamente il ritmo puntato”, into a brilliant finale, “Molto allegro e sarcastico”, that is suffused with elements of fugato and, like all movements, informed bydodecaphonic harmonies. This demanding fifteen-minute work was composed in 2015–16 and recorded for the first time on Nimbus Records by the Kopelman Quartet.

String Quartet Op. 3

Redolent of the work of Dmitri Shostakovich in its musical language, Evgeny Kissin’s String Quartet op. 3 comprises four strongly contrasting movements: on the heels of the stately “Adagio liberamente” comes an extremely lively “Allegro inquieto” that wanders between dynamic extremes and bristles with glissandi. The third movement, marked “Largo drammatico”, is sustained by an insistent, heavily rhythmic dotted motive, while the final movement shifts from the introduction, marked “Pensierosamente, ma mantenendo strettamente il ritmo puntato”, into a brilliant finale, “Molto allegro e sarcastico”, that is suffused with elements of fugato and, like all movements, informed bydodecaphonic harmonies. This demanding fifteen-minute work was composed in 2015–16 and recorded for the first time on Nimbus Records by the Kopelman Quartet. Redolent of the work of Dmitri Shostakovich in its musical language, Evgeny Kissin’s String Quartet op. 3 comprises four strongly contrasting movements: on the heels of the stately “Adagio liberamente” comes an extremely lively “Allegro inquieto” that wanders between dynamic extremes and bristles with glissandi. The third movement, marked “Largo drammatico”, is sustained by an insistent, heavily rhythmic dotted motive, while the final movement shifts from the introduction, marked “Pensierosamente, ma mantenendo strettamente il ritmo puntato”, into a brilliant finale, “Molto allegro e sarcastico”, that is suffused with elements of fugato and, like all movements, informed bydodecaphonic harmonies. This demanding fifteen-minute work was composed in 2015–16 and recorded for the first time on Nimbus Records by the Kopelman Quartet.

Andante in C major for Horn and Piano

In the summer of 1888, while also working on his tone poem Don Juan, Richard Strauss composed this brief Andante for his father, Franz Strauss, a member of the Munich Court Opera and one of the greatest horn players of his age. The Andante was intended as the slow movement “of a still unfinished” sonata that Strauss, however, never did complete (to the chagrin of all horn players). The piece thus remained unpublished until 1973. For the new Urtext edition by G. Henle Publishers, the original autograph manuscript held at the Munich Public Library was able to be examined directly. The Andante is of only moderate difficulty and is ideally suited for teaching purposes and as aneffective Romantic performance piece. In the summer of 1888, while also working on his tone poem Don Juan, Richard Strauss composed this brief Andante for his father, Franz Strauss, a member of the Munich Court Opera and one of the greatest horn players of his age. The Andante was intended as the slow movement “of a still unfinished” sonata that Strauss, however, never did complete (to the chagrin of all horn players). The piece thus remained unpublished until 1973. For the new Urtext edition by G. Henle Publishers, the original autograph manuscript held at the Munich Public Library was able to be examined directly. The Andante is of only moderate difficulty and is ideally suited for teaching purposes and as aneffective Romantic performance piece.

Zapateado

For the elaboration of his eight Spanish Dances (HN 1370), Sarasate employed extant material – folk melodies or songs by well-known composers – which he then blended with his own delightful brand of tonal language. Playera and Zapateado op. 23, which make up nos. 5 and 6 of the third volume of Spanish Dances, were composed in the summer 1879. Zapateado is a breath-taking, highly virtuosic dance in which the violin is able to show off all its technical possibilities. This is why the work also quickly became one of the composer’s most successful performance pieces for himself as violinist. Now offered by Henle as a stand-alone edition, this piece has not lost any of its allureand continues to enjoy great popularity. For the elaboration of his eight Spanish Dances (HN 1370), Sarasate employed extant material – folk melodies or songs by well-known composers – which he then blended with his own delightful brand of tonal language. Playera and Zapateado op. 23, which make up nos. 5 and 6 of the third volume of Spanish Dances, were composed in the summer 1879. Zapateado is a breath-taking, highly virtuosic dance in which the violin is able to show off all its technical possibilities. This is why the work also quickly became one of the composer’s most successful performance pieces for himself as violinist. Now offered by Henle as a stand-alone edition, this piece has not lost any of its allureand continues to enjoy great popularity.

Sonata For Violin And Piano : Op. 82

Edward Elgar spent the summer of 1918 in the countryside. In August he received reports of the approaching end of the First World War, and this good news so inspired him that he was able to finish an initial draft of his great Violin Sonata in barely four weeks. Writing about it in his diary, he notated laconically: “Wrote some music”. His wife Alice was more enthusiastic: “E. writing wonderful new music, different from anything else of his”. This magnificent music is now available in a Henle Urtext edition by the British violinist and Elgar expert Rupert Marshall-Luck. He has examined and evaluated the many sources according to all the rules of Urtext editing –the sketches, drafts, autograph fair copies, proofs and first edition.

Sonata in E Flat Major Op. 18 : Violin and Piano

Composed at the end of a longer series of works between summer and autumn 1887, the violin sonata numbers among Strauss’ most popular chamber music compositions to this day. In the outer movements, its piano setting and modulations break the intimate mould of chamber music, alluding to the sensational first symphonic poems written at the same time. Between the first and last movements, both of which are also technically very demanding, the slow middle movement, “Improvisation”, offers a respite. A kind of song without words, it was also published as a single movement and enjoyed great popularity in the years around 1900 in household and salon concerts. Ulrich Krämer isresponsible for editing this Urtext edition, Arabella Steinbacher kindly provided the markings for the violin part and Michael Korstick those for the piano part. Composed at the end of a longer series of works between summer and autumn 1887, the violin sonata numbers among Strauss’ most popular chamber music compositions to this day. In the outer movements, its piano setting and modulations break the intimate mould of chamber music, alluding to the sensational first symphonic poems written at the same time. Between the first and last movements, both of which are also technically very demanding, the slow middle movement, “Improvisation”, offers a respite. A kind of song without words, it was also published as a single movement and enjoyed great popularity in the years around 1900 in household and salon concerts. Ulrich Krämer isresponsible for editing this Urtext edition, Arabella Steinbacher kindly provided the markings for the violin part and Michael Korstick those for the piano part.

Klaviertrio Nr. 1 d-moll Opus 49 : Piano Trio no. 1 in d minor op. 49

Mendelssohn is considered a self-critical composer, who repeatedly reworked a number of his pieces until he deemed them worthy to be published. The path to his first Piano Trio was particularly rocky: only after several attemptswas he able to complete it in the summer of 1839: it appeared in 1840 after further revisions. This perfectionism paid off, for Mendelssohn’s d minor Trio was immediately received with enthusiasm. Robert Schumann wrote: “It is themaster trio of the present day, like those of Beethoven in Bb and D and that of Franz Schubert in Eb were in their time: a very beautiful composition which after years will still delight grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”Which was to prove true: even today, it numbers among the most popular works in the trio repertoire in general. The trio, taken from the volume Mendelssohn · Piano Trios HN 957, is now available from Henle for the first time alsoas a practical single edition.