| Label: NAXOS
Catalog: ACD22592
Format: CD Louis-Philippe Marsolais: horn / David Jalbert: pianoBeethoven: Sonate en fa majeur, op.17
Czerny: Andante poloacca, op. posth.
Ries: Sonate en fa majeur, op.34
Moshceles: Theme varie du Feullet d'Album de Rossini / Introduction et Rondeau Ecossais, op. 63 Wholenote Discoveries - July 2009
The French horn probably isn't the first instrument that springs to mind when you think of solo sonatas with keyboard accompaniment, but this fascinating CD features duo works from a pivotal period - both physically and musically - in that instrument's history. The hand-stopped natural horn was gradually replaced by the valve horn from about 1813 on, and the works here reflect the changes that were occurring in the instrument's solo repertoire around the same time. Beethoven wrote his Op.17 F major sonata for one of the greatest natural horn virtuosi, Giovanni Punto, in Vienna in 1800; it was a significant event, as sonatas were new ground for an instrument traditionally featured as a soloist only in concertos. The three other composers represented here were all pianist friends of Beethoven. Ferdinand Ries’ Sonata in F was inspired by an 1811 visit to Kassel, home of the horn virtuosi Schunk brothers; Carl Czerny's Andante e polacca for natural horn was probably written for Eugene Vivier's Vienna visit in 1848, Czerny having written a work for valve horn some 18 years earlier. Both of Ignaz Moscheles' works for horn and piano are here: the Introduction et Rondeau Ecossais from 1821; and the Rossini-inspired Thème varié of 1860. Performing these works on a modern horn, Louis-Philippe Marsolais shows complete mastery of a notoriously difficult instrument, leaving nothing to be desired in his technical assuredness, dynamic range, tone quality and expressive nuance. Pianist David Jalbert provides outstanding support. Terry Robbins  Price: $20.98 |
