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Trumpet Concertos - Tarkövi, Steffens

Trumpet Concertos - Tarkövi, Steffens

Tudor  SACD 7169

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical


Joseph Haydn, Leopold Mozart, Johann Baptist Georg Neruda, Johann Nepomuk Hummel

Gábor Tarkövi (Tarkovi)
Bamberger Symphoniker
Karl-Heinz Steffens (conductor)

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Review by John Broggio - February 26, 2011

A lovely disc from one of the solo trumpeters of the Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by a former colleague.

Tempo choices apart, little concession is made here to HIP and many listeners might welcome this! Even so, with larger forces than many specialist conductors would elect to use, the strings are never too dominating of the orchestral textures and nor is their vibrato applied too liberally or in a way that makes the music sound more high-Romantic than Classical. Gabor Tarkovi also applies judicious use of phrasing - which Karl-Heinz Steffens (a former principal clarinettist of the Berliner Philharmoniker - his "retirement" concert was in Birmingham's Symphony Hall where he got his own bouquet and solo bow) follows very adeptly - that is entirely in keeping with the music. The finale of the Haydn shows how self-effacing all concerned choose to be - the notoriously difficult ornaments are thrown away with deceptive ease, for once allowing them to be the decoration of the main musical line that they were surely intended to be.

Aside from the Haydn and Hummel, two lesser known works by Leopold Mozart and Neruda feature. The Mozart is an extract from a serenade that also contains a concerto for alto trombone! Whilst clearly not quite on the same exalted level as his son's writing, it contains many pleasing ideas and by the same musical approach as first shown in the Haydn and seeming ease in the stratospheric writing, Tarkovi, the Bamberger Symphoniker and Steffens provide ideal advocacy for this composition - indeed, given the total playing time of the disc (55 minutes) it's a shame that they couldn't persuade a colleague to have helped complete the serenade; given playing like this it's hard to understand why the work is not better known. The Neruda is the weakest composition on this disc but the musicians here play it as though it was one of the more celebrated Mozart's greatest works and this approach rewards the listener handsomely.

Closing the disc is Hummel's justly reknowned work and the opening is treated to one of the most high-powered renditions on disc - Steffans reins in the power for the lyrical second subject but to the quasi-Beethovenian majesty on display is thrilling. Tarkovi joins in characteristically understated mood yet he remains audible at all times and in complete control of proceedings; his audible ease is quite astonishing and takes ones breath away. A thrilling way to end a wonderful disc.

The sound from the Konzerthalle Bamberg is rich and full, yet transparent enough to easily hear the harpsichord in the Mozart and Neruda as well as detect that Steffens has seated the orchestra in the same fashion as his former home (all the violins on the left, cellos centrally located with the violas on the right). The woodwind in the Hummel slow movement also are very easily audible and make delightful interplay with their illustrious guests.

This is big-band Classicism as it should be done! Recommmended.

Copyright © 2011 John Broggio and HRAudio.net

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