Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.co.uk.
5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Utterly compelling music in magnificent performances
30 Aug 2009
Format:Audio CD
Arthur Bliss is best known for his orchestral works (among others the wonderful A Colour Symphony and the imaginative ballet Checkmate), but he composed music in all genres, and on the evidence of Naxos's series his chamber music isn't inferior to his orchestral works. And his music is certainly worth listening to; sophisticated and original but always inventive, well-crafted and superbly written for the instruments.
The piano quartet of 1915 is imaginative, generally tuneful and varied, with two passionate outer movements separated by a charming, brief Mazurka. Donohoe's playing is maybe a little to vigorous for this generally lyrical music, but in general he leads a solid and well-considered performance and he surely brings excitement to the music, excellently backed up by member of the always trustworthy Maggini quartet. The viola sonata, dating from 1933, is however the gem here; a deeply profound, turbulent utterance, more harmonically advanced than the piano quartet; to which Martin Outram responds by almost effortlessly navigating the substantial technical challenges to realize an utterly compelling performance. The ambitious and emotionally probing second movement is superbly brought off with panache, concentration and a assured approach to textures and form. This is, in fact, world-class playing, and Outram is excellently partnered by the superb Julian Rolton.
The oboe quartet from 1927 is far easier listening, focusing more on atmosphere. And it is indeed an imaginative, wonderfully evocative work, full of wistful, nostalgic, soaring melodies over imaginatively shifting harmonic bases, often strikingly beautiful but hinting at something more uneasy and profound. The performances are again outstanding, with not only magnificently played individual parts but an interplay and balance between the instruments which sounds exactly as good as it could be done. In short, this is a winner of a disc, even more compelling than the one containing the first string quartet. Sound quality is splendid as well, as is the documentation. Do hear this one.
The piano quartet of 1915 is imaginative, generally tuneful and varied, with two passionate outer movements separated by a charming, brief Mazurka. Donohoe's playing is maybe a little to vigorous for this generally lyrical music, but in general he leads a solid and well-considered performance and he surely brings excitement to the music, excellently backed up by member of the always trustworthy Maggini quartet. The viola sonata, dating from 1933, is however the gem here; a deeply profound, turbulent utterance, more harmonically advanced than the piano quartet; to which Martin Outram responds by almost effortlessly navigating the substantial technical challenges to realize an utterly compelling performance. The ambitious and emotionally probing second movement is superbly brought off with panache, concentration and a assured approach to textures and form. This is, in fact, world-class playing, and Outram is excellently partnered by the superb Julian Rolton.
The oboe quartet from 1927 is far easier listening, focusing more on atmosphere. And it is indeed an imaginative, wonderfully evocative work, full of wistful, nostalgic, soaring melodies over imaginatively shifting harmonic bases, often strikingly beautiful but hinting at something more uneasy and profound. The performances are again outstanding, with not only magnificently played individual parts but an interplay and balance between the instruments which sounds exactly as good as it could be done. In short, this is a winner of a disc, even more compelling than the one containing the first string quartet. Sound quality is splendid as well, as is the documentation. Do hear this one.
Beautifully done
18 Aug 2011
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great opportunity to hear some very nice late Brittish music, sort of modernish is some areas but mostly tunefull and pleasant.
another fine addition to the British chamber music catalogue
7 Jan 2011
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This appealing chamber music program opens with the Piano Quartet (1915), completed when Arthur Bliss was only twenty-four years old. It exhibits some of the "busy-ness" that runs throughout the composer's work, which is to say that there always seems to alot going on. In this case, Bliss draws on folk material and blends it with some Brahms-like gestures and the end result is that the whole thing hangs together quite well with plenty of catchy tunes bouncing around. It's all quite enjoyable.
The Viola Sonata (1933) which follows certainly has distinguished origins: it was inspired by the great violist Lionel Tertis, who first played it in the composer's home with Solomon at the keyboard and William Walton turning the pages of the music. The opening bars are a bit dated sounding, with a swooping, melodramatic feel that seems almost old-fashioned. The music improves from there, again with evidence of the influence of Brahms especially in the second and third movements, but still with too much going on and not enough thematic continuity to sustain it.
The Viola Sonata is no match for the Oboe Quintet (1927) which closes this disc. This is a fine piece of music, expertly written with the great oboist Leon Goossens in mind and first performed by him at the Venice Festival. The oboe doesn't enter for nearly a minute and a half and when it does, a pleasing calm is established; and while this doesn't set the stage for the remainder of the work - after all, this is Bliss - there's a little less competition among the multiple themes. The third movement is exceptional, a brilliantly modern interplay between the strings and the typically elegiac oboe. Most enjoyable.
The performers need no recommendation and the sound is first rate. Warmly recommended.
The Viola Sonata (1933) which follows certainly has distinguished origins: it was inspired by the great violist Lionel Tertis, who first played it in the composer's home with Solomon at the keyboard and William Walton turning the pages of the music. The opening bars are a bit dated sounding, with a swooping, melodramatic feel that seems almost old-fashioned. The music improves from there, again with evidence of the influence of Brahms especially in the second and third movements, but still with too much going on and not enough thematic continuity to sustain it.
The Viola Sonata is no match for the Oboe Quintet (1927) which closes this disc. This is a fine piece of music, expertly written with the great oboist Leon Goossens in mind and first performed by him at the Venice Festival. The oboe doesn't enter for nearly a minute and a half and when it does, a pleasing calm is established; and while this doesn't set the stage for the remainder of the work - after all, this is Bliss - there's a little less competition among the multiple themes. The third movement is exceptional, a brilliantly modern interplay between the strings and the typically elegiac oboe. Most enjoyable.
The performers need no recommendation and the sound is first rate. Warmly recommended.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
