BENJAMIN BRITTEN – THE COMPLETE WORKS FOR OBOE – ALEXEI UTKIN

简介:
Composer: Benjamin Britten
Performer: Alexei Utkin
Orchestra: Hermitage Chamber Orchestra
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 1 SACD-R
Format: ISO
Bit Depth: 64(2.8 MHz/1 Bit)
Number of channels: 5.0, 2.0
Label: Caro Mitis
Size: 2.62 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Server: datafile
SS-CD.net review by mwagner1962 October 6, 2006
This SACD from Caro Mitis is a somewhat different departure from their normal release of music from well known
composers like Mozart & Bach to unknown composers like Wlfl & Rebel.
Britten certainly falls into the well known category, but this music is some more of his less known material.
In fact, the only selection on this recording that is actually familiar to me is the “Six Metamorphoses after
Ovid”. My 1st encounter with this particular composition was years ago while living in Ohio. I heard a CD of
this piece played by the superb principal oboe of the Cleveland Orchestra, John Mack. For years I searched for
that recording to no avail.
Alexi Utkin”s playing, like on his other Caro Mitis SACDs, is stunning. I have heard few oboists who
demonstrate such a total mastery of what is perhaps the most fiendish instrument, while having such a warm &
pleasing sound. This selection alone makes this SACD a winner.
The other selections are very enjoyable as well. The Phantasy Quartet (written when he was only 19) already
shows Britten”s mastery of composition. Whereas many people equate Britten”s homosexuality to the content of
his music (I hate to mention this but his struggle with his sexuality does dominate much of his music,
especially his operas “Billy Bud” & “Peter Grimes”). However, the interesting “Insect Pieces” really represent
nothing more than witty musical illustrations of bugs, & the music is very clever indeed!
The final composition “Temporal Variations” is a composition that IS laden with meaning. I am not going to go
into this here, so you will have to buy this recording to learn more. SORRY!! Originally arranged for Oboe &
Piano, Mr. Utkin & another person (Viktor Kozodov) arranged this for string orchestra. Once again, this is
typical Britten…masterful, enjoyable, & a treat to listen to.
I will eventually sound like a broken record when I review future Caro Mitis SACDs. Let”s face it, these SACDs
are some of the BEST SOUNDING RECORDINGS available!!! The Polyhymnia team has definitely got their ducks in a
row when the record the various Caro Mitis artists.
HIGHLY recommended!!!!
if you live in USA & would like to know how to order these, please e-mail me & I will let you know how to get
them. You can get my e-mail address from my profile!
SA-CD.net:
Site review by mwagner1962 October 6, 2006
Performance: Sonics:
This SACD from Caro Mitis is a somewhat different departure from their normal release of music from well known
composers like Mozart and Bach to unknown composers like Wlfl and Rebel.
Britten certainly falls into the well known category, but this music is some more of his less known material.
In fact, the only selection on this recording that is actually familiar to me is the “Six Metamorphoses after
Ovid”. My first encounter with this particular composition was years ago while living in Ohio. I heard a CD of
this piece played by the superb principal oboe of the Cleveland Orchestra, John Mack. For years I searched for
that recording to no avail.
Alexi Utkin”s playing, like on his other Caro Mitis SACDs, is stunning. I have heard few oboists who
demonstrate such a total mastery of what is perhaps the most fiendish instrument, while having such a warm and
pleasing sound. This selection alone makes this SACD a winner.
The other selections are very enjoyable as well. The Phantasy Quartet (written when he was only 19) already
shows Britten”s mastery of composition. Whereas many people equate Britten”s homosexuality to the content of
his music (I hate to mention this but his struggle with his sexuality does dominate much of his music,
especially his operas “Billy Bud” and “Peter Grimes”). However, the interesting “Insect Pieces” really
represent nothing more than witty musical illustrations of bugs, and the music is very clever indeed!
The final composition “Temporal Variations” is a composition that IS laden with meaning. I am not going to go
into this here, so you will have to buy this recording to learn more. SORRY!! Originally arranged for Oboe and
Piano, Mr. Utkin and another person (Viktor Kozodov) arranged this for string orchestra. Once again, this is
typical Britten…masterful, enjoyable, and a treat to listen to.
I will eventually sound like a broken record when I review future Caro Mitis SACDs. Let”s face it, these SACDs
are some of the BEST SOUNDING RECORDINGS available!!! The Polyhymnia team has definitely got their ducks in a
row when the record the various Caro Mitis artists.
HIGHLY recommended!!!!
if you live in the US and would like to know how to order these, please e-mail me and I will let you know how
to get them. You can get my e-mail address from my profile!
Copyright 2006 Mark Wagner and SA-CD.net
Review by JJ May 28, 2007 (3 of 5 found this review helpful)
Performance: Sonics:
Voici un enregistrement regroupant l”intégralité des uvres pour Hautbois de Benjamin Britten. Partie mineure
de sa musique de chambre, ces partitions n”en demeurent pas moins dignes d”intérêt comme nous le prouve avec
brio ce disque exemplaire. Avec les “Six métamorphoses d”après Ovide” Op. 49 datant de 1951, le compositeur
anglais marche sur les traces de Debussy. Réussissant pleinement son pari de traduire en musique la poésie
d”Ovide, Britten apporta aux six parties de son uvre les descriptions suivantes mettant en lumière son propos.
1) Pan jouant d”une flte en roseaux dans laquelle s”est transformée sa bien aimée Syrinx. 2) Phaéton qui n”a
pu arrêter les chevaux ailés dans leur impétueuse course, a été foudroyé et est tombé de son char dans l”eau du
fleuve Pandus. 3) Niobé pleurant la mort de ses quatorze enfants se transforme en montagne. 4) Bacchus, dont
les festins sont pleins de rires, de bavardage des femmes et de cris de garons. 5) Narcisse, séduit par sa
propre image se transforme en fleur. 6) Aréthuse qui, fuyant l”amour d”Althée, dieu des fleuves, s”est
transformée en fontaine. Le Quatuor Fantaisie Op. 2 qui suit est une pièce pour hautbois, violon, alto et
violoncelle datant de 1932. C”est l”uvre d”un jeune homme de 19 ans. Insect Pieces Op. Posthume est une petite
partition regroupant deux pièces arrangées ici pour hautbois et orchestre à cordes par Leonid Hoffman. Datant
de 1935, elles précèdent Temporal Variations Op. Posthume dont Viktor Kozodov et Alexei Utkin offrent une
version également pour hautbois et orchestre à cordes. Ce Super Audio CD en pur DSD rend une nouvelle fois
justice au talent d”Utkin. Mais cette fois, la musique choisie, plus que tout autre, met en lumière la matrise
du souffle, le contrle des nuances et la finesse d”une ligne musicale vibrante et sensuelle. Utkin offre ainsi
au compositeur britannique le plus bel hommage qui soit. Car chez Britten, et comme pour une dernière
“métamorphose” chaque note ne demande qu”à se transformer en poésie…
Jean-Jacques Millo
曲目:
Alexei Utkin / Алексей Уткин
Hermitage Chamber Orchestra / Камерный Оркестр “Эрмитаж”
Benjamin Britten: The Complete Works for Oboe
Six Metamorphoses after Ovid, op. 49 (1951) for oboe solo. Dedicated to Joy Boughton
01. Pan, who played upon the reed pipe which was Syrinx, his beloved [2:20]
02. Phaeton, who made upon the chariot of the sun for one day and was hurled into the river Padus by a
thunderbolt [1:13]
03. Niobe, who, lamenting the death of her fourteen children, was turned into a mountain [2:35]
04. Bacchus, at whose feast is heard the noise of gaggling women”s tattling tongues and shouting out of boys
[2:30]
05. Narcissus, who fell in love with his own image and became a flower [3:40]
06. Arethusa, who, flying from the love of Alpheus the river god, was turned into a fountain [2:25]
07. Phantasy Quartet, op.2 (1932) for oboe, violin, viola and cello. Dedicated to Leon Goossens [12:35]
Insect Pieces, op. posth. (1935)
Arranged for oboe and string orchestra by Leonid Hoffman
08. The Grasshoper [3:22]
09. The Wasp [1:52]
Temporal Variations, op. posth. (1936). Arranged for oboe and string orchestra by Viktor Kozodov and Alexei
Utkin. Dedicated to Montagu Slater
10. Theme. Andante rubato [1:32]
11. Oration. Lento quasi recitativo [1:41]
12. March. Alla marcia [1:16]
13. Exercises. Allegro molto e con fuoco [1:02]
14. Commination. Adagio con fuoco [1:28]
15. Chorale. Molto lento [1:57]
16. Waltz. Allegretto rubato [1:16]
17. Polka. Tempo di Polka. Allegro [1:37]
18. Resolution. Maestoso (ma non troppo lento) [1:46]