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The Classical Explorer

Concertos: March 2009 Archives

Orchestral Tour de Force

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Albany TROY1017

Lee Actor
(b. 1952)

Violin Concerto (2005)
Symphony #2 (2006)
Timpani Concerto (2005)

Pip Clarke, violin
Stuart Chafetz, timpani
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra/Kirk Trevor
Albany TROY1017 67:11

One of the advantages of the internet is the ability to be able to sample music before buying it: for many, perhaps, the recent dates of the works on this CD would be an immediate turn-off. Although timpani concertos are not for everyone – and this one is the shortest of the three pieces – the other two works have much to recommend them. The symphony has a variety of moods ranging from the bleak to the jovial as in Shostakovich's 9th symphony. The violin concerto in many ways reminds me of Britten's. Actor is yet another American composer to watch.

[ Available on CD: Amazon - UK - Germany - Canada - France - Japan - ArkivMusic - CD Universe ]

Romantic Piano Concertos Vol. 37

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Hyperion CDA67511

Eduard Nápravník
(1839-1916)

Concerto Symphonique in A minor, Op. 27 (1877)
Fantaisie russe in B minor, Op. 39 (1881)

Felix Blumenfeld
(1863-1931)

Allegro de Concert in A Major, Op. 7 (1889)

Evgeny Soifertis, piano
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/Alexander Titov
Hyperion CDA67511 57:42

After training in his homeland, the Czech Nápravník spent almost his entire career in Russia, where he made a name for himself as a pianist, organist and conductor. The Ukrainian Blumenfeld also spent his career in Russia. These examples of their work are immediately attractive with interesting melodic content and sparkling but not flashy piano writing. Anyone with a taste for Romantic piano writing will find much to enjoy.

[ Available on CD: Amazon - UK - Germany - Canada - France - Japan - ArkivMusic - CD Universe ]

[ Sheet music by Nápravník: Sheet Music Plus - Musicnotes.com
   Sheet music by Blumenfeld: Sheet Music Plus - Musicnotes.com]
Trumpet