Martin Slidel: Classical Music Reviews

Ruders Esfahani (hpd); Aarhus Symphony Orchestra (cond. Segerstam) OUR Recordings (2022) New this month on OUR Recordings is Mahan Esfahani’s incredible performance of Poul Ruders’ 2020 ‘Harpsichord Concerto’ with the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leif Segerstam. (OK. I think I know what a digital EP is...)  The first movement ‘Avanti risoluto’ is filmic and almost tender in its careful but inevitable escalation. There is an oddly yet entirely pleasing synthetic quality, engendered by the amplification of orchestral instruments. It is in this manner that the blend of sound is achieved. The effect itself is, of course, unique. And very distant from any historic mould in familiarity with Baroque works by Vivaldi, for example. The otherworldly mesh of strings and brass is strange but wonderous indeed; a mellow foil to the sparkly and spiky solo. The next movement ‘Andante’ is a touch more romantic (with a small ‘r’) although Modernist and spacey. Single notes on each beat cut...

Messiaen Åstrand (vln); Teyssier (cl); Dam Thomsen (vlc); Salo (pno)  OUR Recordings (2022) Written in 1941 whilst incarnated as a POW, Olivier Messiaen’s ‘Quatuor pour la fin du Temps’ (‘Quartet for the End of Time’) shines for ever due its impelling creative insight and resultant beauty. Never more so on a sonically radiant recording from the un-monikered ensemble of Christina Åstrand (violin), Johnny Teyssier (clarinet), Henrik Dam Thomsen (cello), and Per Salo (piano). To be released on May 13th on OUR Recordings. The work opens with ‘Crystal liturgy,’ enticing, delicate, and gently rhythmic with its repetitive birdcalls. The next movement, ‘Vocalise…’ involves the strike of piano chords in varied tonal balance, interweaving between the melodic lines. There is a surprising jump of style near close as if switching to a new movement already. Which is the clarinet solo ‘Abyss of birds.’ A palatte of nature, and of Grieg, it retains a mystery of achievement; compositionally and in ...