april 2014 paladino magazine
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Dear paladino friend, The second issue of our ePaper comes later than expected, but we have a good reason: In February 2014, we moved into a new office - the first paladino only premises, and we are accordingly excited. If you are in Vienna and want to know more about how our recordings and editions come to life, stop by our office in the shadow of the famous Hundertwasserhaus in the third district. Besides that, we were extremely lucky to have Dimitri and Vladimir Ashkenazy with us in Vienna to present their eagerly awaited CD, and we have more exciting recordings on both paladino music and Orlando Records for you. Greetings from spring in Vienna!
paladino artist of the month: Vladimir Ashkenazy .................................................................... 3 New recordings from paladino music ....................................................................................... 4 paladino and Orlando artists live ............................................................................................. 5 Composer of the month: Helmut Rogl ...................................................................................... 6 New recordings from paladino music ....................................................................................... 8 New recordings from Orlando Records .................................................................................... 9 How I met my teacher: Martin Rummel about William Pleeth ................................................. 10 New recordings from the Vienna Music Group ....................................................................... 12 Meet our distributors: Naxos Deutschland (Germany) ............................................................ 14 Herrprofessor‘s voice ............................................................................................................. 15
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paladino artist of the month
“I believe that interpretation should be like transparent glass, a window for the composer‘s music.” (Vladimir Ashkenazy) It seems that everything that “one” has to say has been said about an artist like Vladimir Ashkenazy, yet some questions will always remain unanswered. But what is there to say about someone about whom everything seems to have been said? Maybe that he prefers a simple Viennese “Beisl” to a five star restaurant. Maybe that he prefers to be picked up from the airport by a friend with a normal car than by a limousine service. Maybe that he has been married to the same woman for a number of decades and that he seems to adore her today as much as he did on their wedding day.
Dimitri and Vladimir Ashkenazy with Martin Rummel in Vienna on 12 Feb 2014
The great Vladimir Ashkenazy owns an iPhone, mainly to manually dial the number of his wife, who is also Dimitri Ashkenazy’s mother. He seems to be blissfully unaware of the endless possibilities of the device with the one round button, but he certainly knows what to do with another device – the one with 88 black and white buttons. Seeing and hearing him operating that device, one realizes HOW great the great Vladimir Ashkenazy is. In German, “Größe” means both greatness and tallness, and it is commonly known that one has nothing to do with the other. In Ashkenazy’s particular case, the opposites are combined to perfection. If one were to look for biographical details of Vladimir Ashkenazy, it is easiest to just type his name into Google. He remains to be one of the most eminent musicians of the 20th (and beginning 21st) century and is also a very special human being. We, all paladini, are proud that he has entrusted us with his “birthday recording” with his son Dimitri and wish him, the unique artist and person, all the very best. www.vladimirashkenazy.com Dimitri and Vladimir Ashkenazy recorded clarinet works by Schumann, Eschmann, Gade, Reinecke and Nielsen in Raiding in 2012 and 2013. The CD was presented in Vienna on 12 February 2014.
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new paladino recordings
Vladimir & Dimitri Ashkenazy: “Father & Son” Clarinet works by Robert Schumann, Carl Reinecke, Carl Nielsen, Niels Wilhelm Gade and Johann Carl Eschmann Dimitri Ashkenazy, clarinet | Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano
pmr 0030 vladimir & dimitri ashkenazy father & son
“Father & Son” is the first complete album of Dimitri and Vladimir Ashkenazy as a duo internationally available. Dimitri Ashkenazy selected some of his favorite fantasies and fantasy pieces, and besides all-time hits such as Schumann’s Opus 73, there is music by the Swiss Romantic Johann Carl Eschmann to discover.
David Popper: Complete Suites for Cello (2 CDs) Popper: Suites for cello and piano opp 16bis, 50, 60 and 69 Suite for two cellos op 16 | Requiem op 66 Alexander Hülshoff & Martin Rummel, cello | Mari Kato, piano | Bertin Christelbauer, cello
pmr 0007 (2 CDs) david popper complete suites for cello
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With this recording, cellists Alexander Hülshoff and Martin Rummel launch their “Popper project”: In the coming years, they aim to record the complete works by David Popper. The first recording features the complete suites, including the rarely performed cello and piano version of the Suite op 16. Compulsory for every cello-lover!
paladino and orlando artists live
A Far Cry 17 April - Boston, USA 10 May - Boston, USA 23 May - Boston, USA Dimitri Ashkenazy 26 April - Niederfellabrunn, Austria 27 April - Mürzzuschlag, Austria 24 May - La Roche, Switzerland 31 May - Wieselburg, Austria Joe Brent 26 April - Brooklyn, USA 3 & 4 May - Miami, USA Christoph Eggner 17 May - Niederfellabrunn, Austria 28 May - Hohenems, Austria ensemble paladino 23 May - Gmunden, Austria Howard Griffiths 24 April - Kaufleuten, Switzerland 9 May - Frankfurt/Oder, Germany 17 & 18 May - Frankfurt/Oder, Germany 27 May - Stuttgart, Germany Christopher Hinterhuber 13 April - Prague, Czech Republic 18 May - Deutschlandsberg, Austria 20 May - Vienna, Austria 27 May - Klagenfurt, Austria 29 & 31 May - Wieselburg, Austria
Ursula Langmayr 20, 21 & 22 May - Vienna, Austria Eric Lamb 12 April - Seekirchen, Austria Alberto Mesirca 20 April - Düsseldorf, Germany 25, 26, 27 April - Nordhorn, Germany 29 April - Osnabrück, Germany Northern Sinfonia 3, 9, 10, 11, 15, 22, 23, 24, 31 May - Gateshead, Quatuor Mosaïques 10 May - Vienna, Austria Martin Rummel 23 April - Vienna, Austria 13 & 14 May - Vienna, Austria Alon Sariel 16 & 27 April - Detmold, Germany 4 May - Hannover, Germany 21 May - Sofia, Bulgaria 27 May - Tel Aviv, Israel 29 May - Bruchsal, Germany Markus Schirmer 23 April - Judenburg, Austria 24 April - Wenigzell, Austria 3 May - Graz, Austria 4 May - Kufstein, Austria 8 May - Mürzzuschlag, Austria
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composer of the month Helmut Rogl born: Enns, 2 April 1960 Helmut Rogl had piano lessons from an early age. Following first compositions as an autodidact, he then started studying composition at what was at the time the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz, learning from Helmut Schiff and Gunter Waldek. Later, he studied at the “Mozarteum” in Salzburg with Helmut Eder. Parallel to his music studies, he studied business at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz and received his PhD, thus now living a dual view of the world between arts and business or avocation and profession. He was awarded the “Talentförderungspreis” of the federal state of Upper Austria in 1984, the cultural prize of the city of Linz in 1989 and the same city’s cultural medal in 1999 as well as the “Landeskulturpreis” of Upper Austria in 2001. Dr Alice Ertlbauer-Camerer wrote in her laudation for that: “In the jury’s opinion, Rogl features a solid composition technique – which can not at all be taken for granted nowadays – as well as an instinct for musical form. Even Rogl’s early-performed chamber works already show a clear voicing that enables the listener to understand his music. In this sense, Rogl is an exponent of the polyphonic style that has a tonal centre. His œuvre ranges from solo pieces to orchestral and stage works. Up to now, he wrote more than 50 compositions which show his openness towards all musical genres and some of which were commissioned by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienner Chamber Symphony, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Bruckner Orchestra Linz, the Budapest String Soloists, “Pro Brass” and the Chamber Orchestra Diagonal. Yet in all diversity, there is a focus on vocal music and the cello. Special highlights of Helmut Rogl’s life as a composer include the premiere of the cello concerto in the Vienna Konzerthaus, his contribution for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Mauthausen concentration camp (the oratorio “Memento” for solos, chorus and orchestra as well as actress Erika Pluhar as narrator) and the opening music for the 2002
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helmut rogl Brucknerfest: “Beginnt das Saitenspiel!” His song cycle “Ihr Lieder mein!” (WP 2008) on poems by various European poets was premiered on the verge of the European cultural capital year of Linz. Additionally, Rogl is open towards electronic music: Especially his collaboration with Manfred Pilsz resulted in a multi-award winning series of music videos. In 2005, he was responsible for the sound design of the project “Heartbeat” at the Ars Electronica festival. Dr ErtlbauerCamerer concludes in her laudation: “With new genres like music videos, electronic music and sound installations, Rogl conquers a new type of audience outside the traditionally narrow circle of classical music lovers. In order to broaden the acceptance of classical music, he treats ‘his’ audience with respect and attentive interest. For him, it is more important to impress and to enchant them rather than to provoke or shock.” Both paladino recordings (“Complete Cello Works So Far”, pmr 0012, and “Complete Saxophone Works So Far”, pmr 0022) received excellent reviews nationally and internationally, and the sheet music edition of his Miniatures op 5 for cello solo adds to international cellists’ repertoire. On 13 June 2014, Helmut Rogl’s music is once more part of a big cultural event: “Höhenrausch.3”, a major arts event in Linz, opens with the premiere of his “Turm.Fanfaren”. The “Oberösterreichturm”, a tower of 31 meters on top of the building of the OÖ Kulturquartier, will be the stage for his latest work for a large brass ensemble of twelve trumpets, six horns, six trombones, bass trombone, cimbasso, two tubas and bass tuba. If you happen to be in Linz on that day, this is the event not to be missed! Where 13 June 2014, 7.30pm, OK-Platz (OÖ Kulturquartier), Linz/Austria Who Blechbläserensemble der Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität, Bernhard Bär (conductor) What Helmut Rogl: “Turm.Fanfaren” op 58 (world premiere)
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new paladino recordings
Benjamin Feilmair: “Don’t mind the gap!” Clarinet works by Joseph Horovitz, Bohuslav Martinu, Darius Milhaud, George Gershwin, Ante Grgin, Isaac Albeníz, Carlos Gardel and Paquito D‘Rivera Benjamin Feilmair, clarinet | Florian Feilmair, piano
pmr 0044 benjamin feilmair don‘t mind the gap
“Don’t mind the gap!” is Benjamin Feilmair’s CD publication as Bank Austria Artist of the Year 2013/14. It is a compilation of works on the border between “serious” classical music and jazz or other genres as well as on the border between the Romantic and the “modern” era.
Graham Whettam: Complete Cello Music Whettam: Concerto Drammatico | Ballade Hebraique | Romanzas 1 & 2 | Solo Cello Sonata Martin Rummel, cello Sinfonia da Camera | Ian Hobson, conductor
pmr 0041 (digital only) whettam complete cello music
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British composer Graham Whettam (1927–2007) left a quite substantial œuvre for cello. This recording of his magnificent cello concerto was listed amongst the best orchestral recordings of the year 2002 by the Gramophone magazine. It is now digitally available through all major download and streaming platforms.
new Orlando recordings
An Englishman in New York Reflections on John Dowland‘s lute music Joe Brent, mandolin | Alon Sariel, mandolin Mandolinists Joe Brent and Alon Sariel present 22 of Dowland’s famous lute pieces in their own versions for two mandolins. “I prefer to think of this recording as a collaboration not merely between Alon and myself, but between the two performers and the luthier who created these beautiful and unique instruments”, says Brent in regard to the mandolins by Brian Dean that he used for this recording.
or 0007 an englishman in new york reflections on john dowland‘s lute music
Susanna Artzt plays Mozart Mozart: Piano Sonatas K330, 332 and 333 Susanna Artzt, piano Austrian by citizenship, but of Indian, Croatian and French origin, pianist Susanna Artzt studied with Paul Badura-Skoda and has because of that a special affinity for Mozart’s piano sonatas. She has now recorded three of these famous works and shows a remarkably fresh approach while clearly aware of the great performance history of these pieces. or 0009 mozart susanna artzt
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how I met my teacher
Martin Rummel was born in Linz in 1974 and studied with Wilfried Tachezi, Maria Kliegel and William Pleeth. Besides an active career as a soloist, chamber musician and recording artist (of nearly 40 albums for Capriccio, Naxos, Musicaphon and paladino), he taught in Kassel (Germany) and Auckland (New Zealand) from 2000 to 2014 and is the editor of a much-acclaimed series of cello etudes for Bärenreiter-Verlag. Martin Rummel Student of William Pleeth in London from 1990 to 1999
My last lesson with William Pleeth in late January 1999 was not only the end of my studies, but would also turn out to be the last he ever taught. He had been quite ill for a while, but I was lucky enough to be allowed to come and play for him every week. In 1998 I had a major crisis about my playing, and when I spoke to him about it, he suggested that I play a sonata and a concerto for him every week. It was to be one of the busiest years of my life, and by the end of it my crisis was gone, maybe simply because I did not have any time to think about it. I played nearly my whole repertoire for him, many pieces that we had covered in the decade before and a lot of new ones too. Bill sat on the sofa (in the very same room that is shown in the famous Christopher Nupen film about Jacqueline du Pré) and somehow always achieved that I played better than I did when I was at home practicing. Ever since he died, I have tried to figure out what the magic of his teaching was, besides the fact that he was a brilliant cellist himself, which was clear whenever he demonstrated (sitting or in his famous gimmick stand-up position, where he still played better than most people sitting down). Besides the fact that he not only taught the cello, but a whole philosophy of music making and life in general, I think that his main trick was that he just made me play better when he was there. Back home I would try to reproduce this “magic“ effect (and in a way that is still what I do today). Yet for the small details, Bill is still sitting on my shoulder and I hear his comments like “instant coffee fingering, darling!“ - and won‘t dare to use one.
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martin rummel about william pleeth
William Pleeth was born in London in 1916 into a family of Polish immigrants, most of them musicians. He became the legendary Julius Klengel‘s last pupil and made his debut as a soloist at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig at the age of 15. In the 1950s and after a sensational solo career, he focused his activities on teaching and chamber music (as a founding member of the Allegri Quartet). Pleeth died on 6 April 1999. William Pleeth Professor at the Guildhall School in London from 1948 to 1978
I first met Pleeth when I was sixteen after a few lessons with Robert Cohen, who suggested I should go and play for Bill, who then offered me to study with him. Subsequently I spent all school holidays in London and later moved there. He was the most upright musician I ever met, he hated posing and faking, glitz and glamour, competitions and awards. All that counted was the pure essence of the music. His love for his wife and family, his passion for frail antique English furniture and the warmth with which he cared for his pupils’ lives and careers all went with his true and deep love for music. Maybe that is another of the secrets of his teaching: he showed admiration for each and every beautiful phrase that I managed to play. Amongst the many unforgettable moments with him, the most touching was one where I was only a spectator: approaching his house in 1998, I heard a Beethoven cello sonata and was most surprised to peek through the window and see him and Maggie (who was 14 years older than Bill!) playing. He tried to preserve truth in music, and the tradition of his teacher Julius Klengel (who was born in 1859, friends with Brahms and also the teacher of Feuermann and Piatigorsky) meant the world to him. It now does to me. “Being a cellist is not a profession, it is a lifestyle.” (Pleeth) - now, turning forty, I am only beginning to understand what he meant. Yes, right, you wanted to know what I played in that last lesson fifteen years ago ... Strauss’ “Don Quixote“, of all things.
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new recordings
Erin Gee: “Mouthpieces” Erin Gee, voice | RSO Wien | PHACE | Klangforum Wien
col legno 20409 erin gee mouthpieces
In a laid-back manner and with apparently effortless ease the American composer involves her entire vocal apparatus in the making of music. The musical elements revolve around each other, imitate each other, take turns. The listener experiences a combination of human body sounds and musical instruments that is very modern and very much alive. Erin Gee puts all these ingredients together to create music of great emotional depth. Her sounds are as playful as they are accurate. The “Mouthpieces” shift interrelations and reset the boundaries: small/big, close/distant, internal/external ..., all the while stimulating our imagination. This is what good music does to you.
Concertino Wien: live from Casino Baumgarten Mozart: Piano Concerto K271 | Symphony No 1 K16 Haydn: Symphony No 45 Carlo Grante, piano | Concertino Wien Tommaso Placidi, conductor Since 2009, Concertino Wien have been bringing the elite of the Wiener Symphoniker together to reduce the orchestra to its purest form, closely tied to the Viennese musical tradition. preiser records 90818 concertino wien live from Casino Baumgarten
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vienna music group
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos 2 & 4 Stefan Stroissnig, piano RSO Wien | Heinrich Schiff, conductor Following his award-winning solo CD, the young Austrian pianist Stefan Stroissnig now presents a recording of piano concertos by Ludwig van Beethoven. Together with the RSO Wien and Heinrich Schiff he performs the rarely heard, but weighty Piano Concertos Nos 2 and 4. The composition dates of these two works are only a decade apart, but in terms of essence and effect they are of very different characters. In its classical structure and the treatment of the piano and orchestra parts, the No 2 is still strongly influenced by Mozart and probably also by Haydn, whereas No 4 must be viewed as one of the key works making Beethoven the forerunner of the Age of Romanticism.
gramola 99029 beethoven piano concertos nos 2 & 4
Dai Fujikura: ice Fujikura: ICE and other works International Contemporary Ensemble Jayce Ogen | Matthew Ward “I think of Dai as a model of an “international” composer – someone who transcends regional styles and aesthetic schools in favor of his or her individual voice. He is able to deftly allude to and absorb music of different styles without being in the least bit derivative.“ Daniel Lippel, guitarist, International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)
kairos 013302 dai fujikura ice
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meet our distributors
Germany: Naxos Deutschland paladino was founded in 2009 and, helped by Naxos owner Klaus Heymann, joined the distribution network of Naxos Global Logistics as early as in 2010. Because of Martin Rummel‘s recording career with Musicaphon, the original distributor for Germany right from the beginning had been Klassik Center Kassel. Being part of the Naxos network, this made no sense any more, and all parties agreed amicably that at the end of 2011 a change should be made. Naxos Deutschland is a strong partner in a strong market for paladino. Matthias Lutzweiler CEO of Naxos Deutschland
Naxos Deutschland is one of the major distributors of classical music in Germany, both physically and digitally. A team of 15 people takes care of all aspects of distribution: marketing, label management, press, licensing, digital distribution and customer service. They are supported by a sales force of three and one key accountant. Bookshops, online stores, big warehouses and special retailers are equally important as Naxos Deutschland’s own web store www.naxosdirekt.de. If you can’t wait: order until 2.30pm and you get your CDs on the following day! Naxos Deutschland has four release dates per month, which means that recordings get to customers as soon as they are available. Each release date is accompanied by eNews, received by 250 retailers, 500 journalists and thousands of customers throughout Germany. Together with Naxos Global Logistics, Naxos Deutschland moved to new premises in Poing near Munich in 2013, and a huge warehouse guarantees constant availability of all titles. Besides both our labels, Naxos Deutschland is the German distributor of dozens of other labels, including our Austrian colleagues Capriccio, Gramola, Phönix Edition and Preiser Records.
www.naxos.de
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herrprofessor‘s voice
Recently my humans dragged me to a new dog zone, opposite a pompous building called “Musikverein”. Had there not been an obnoxious Schnauzer girl, I would have had time to read what all the golden and yellow stickers on its walls said. I believe I recognized some of the names that have something to do with the whole paladino thing, but I am not sure. Having all that noise at home, I prefer to stay away from music when I am out, especially if it is too modern. Although at Musikverein I think there is not much danger of modern music, at least by the looks of the building and the people going in and out ... Other than that, I had the pleasure of having the ensemble paladino at my house, rehearsing something by Shoe Bert while I tried to chew on the first part of it. No success, there was always somebody watching. Jeez, that Bert is a loud guy ... a horn in my living room! At least at the new paladino HQ (isn’t it great that I, hp, can go to a HQ?) it is quiet and I have a nice blanket, a new rug to lie on, and even a selection of bones to chew on. Musically there was a lot of piano recordings recently, and in the last few weeks they mostly talked about sh.. music ... I don’t understand what my poo has to do with music, but I guess we will find out soon. Or have I misunderstood something? I am so busy growing up that I can’t deal with all that music on top of it. Gotta rush ... pee ... they reallyreallyreally hate it when I do it inside, so I try not to ... see you next time ... and follow me @professorbeagle. Woof woof!
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