Ernest Bloch

Amadeus Chamber Orchestra
Agnieszka Duczmal

Contents:

1. Ernest Bloch : Concerto Grosso No.1 for String Orchestra with Piano Obbligato

   with Barton Weber (Piano)
   

2. Ernest Bloch : Concertino for Flute,Viola and String Orchestra

   with Michael Martin Kofler (Flute) ,Helmut Nicolai (Viola)
   

3. Ernest Bloch : Four Episodes for Chamber Orchestra
4. Ernest Bloch : Concerto Grosso No.2 for Strings

Amadeus Chamber Orchestra
Agnieszka Duczmal (Conductor)

Notes:

• Recorded December, 1990 [DDD]
• Released 1992

  

Review:

Strongly Recommended
This disc includes Bloch's compsitions for chamber orchestra. At first, I feel, with clearness of recording, that it is very bright tone. It is so different from exotic coloring like SCHELOMO that the person who knows only SCHELOMO or NIGUN may be surprised.

High-light of the disc are CONCERTO GROSSO NO.1 and CONCERTINO. First movement of CONCERTO GROSSO NO.1 is played in very slow tempo. In my opinion, I don't think it must be so slow. Playing in ordinary tempo lets me feel modern sound, but Playing in slow tempo seems to dilute it. However, last 2 movements are really wonderful, the beauty of viola-soli in middle part and elevation of coda of third movement, overwhelming energy of fugue, the last movement. In the fugue, increasing energy with eighth-notes played staccato and its large-scale are excellent.

Also, in CONCERTINO, we can find really refreshing music. it is small piece but it gives very much of impression. CONCERTO GROSSO NO.2 also shows classical elegance.

Both of performance and sound quality are very well and this is the disc which satisfies listener.

16, August, 2000

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