Old favorites enlivened in best classical albums of 2007
Some might suggest that the art of classical music is dying — even already dead — but a clutch of spectacular new albums in 2007 proved this is not the case. This past year was characterized by phenomenal young performers rising to prominence with fresh interpretations of old favorites.
A perfect example is Rachmaninov: Complete Preludes, a new disc of solo piano music featuring young Uzbek pianist Eldar Nebolsin. The twenty-four preludes convey a vast array of moods, and Nebolsin’s versatility is dazzling. Rather than simply showing off his technical skill, he employs his technique to develop each work’s unique colors. For instance, Nebolsin infuses the epic prelude in B minor with awe-inspiring tragic intensity, but turns on some quaint charm in the contrasting work that follows. The music world will clearly be hearing many more great things from Nebolsin.
Another rising star in the classical scene is the Pavel Haas String Quartet, a talented new Czech string quartet. They are dedicated to playing the chamber music of Pavel Haas, a Jewish composer who was murdered by the Nazis at Auschwitz in 1944.
The Quartet’s latest disc, Janacek, Haas: String Quartets, features two of Haas’ string quartets, including one written just before he was forced into the concentration camp. Haas’ modernist style is, not surprisingly, bitter and somewhat violent, though it is balanced on the album by a more romantic piece from his teacher, Leos Janacek. The Pavel Haas Quartet gives passionate, heartrending performances of this rarely-played music.
Another truly surprising occurrence last year was the discovery of Greek classical music. The art music of Greece is little-known in America, but its exotic melodies and rich sound are instantly appealing. The Athens State Orchestra stars in Kalomiris: Triptychon, Symphony No. 3, the first album of music by Manolis Kalomiris ever released. His Triptychon is a moving elegy written during the Second World War, and concludes with one of the most hair-raising climaxes I have ever heard. Adventurous listeners are strongly advised to check out this surprising new album.
For those classical music fans who shy from the modern era, there is still much to enjoy in 2007’s best releases. A new performance of a classic opera, Mozart: Don Giovanni is so unique that it may redefine the way Mozart operas are performed. Conductor Rene Jacobs and a stellar cast led by twenty-seven-year-old baritone Johannes Weisser adhere strictly to late 18th-century musical practices, providing a performance of the opera the way the composer himself might have heard it. Weisser’s light, heroic Don Giovanni is dramatically different from any other interpretation, and Jacobs’ conducting is unusually snappy. This performance is so boldly original that it should be mandatory listening for Mozart lovers.
Equally brilliant is a new recording of Beethoven: Symphonies 1 and 6. Conductor Osmo Vanska’s performance with the Minnesota Orchestra breathes new life into these much-loved pieces. Vanska paces the “Pastorale” Symphony perfectly and finds a wealth of gorgeous detail in the score. This performance also incorporates new corrections to errors in previous editions of the Beethoven symphonies. The Minnesota Orchestra’s performance is subtle and evocative, and from first note to last is simply beautiful.
Amid all these great recordings, though, there is little doubt which is the best of all. In a year which showcased the exceptional talent of a new generation of young performers like Weisser, Nebolsin and the Pavel Haas String Quartet, one brilliant new artist towered above the rest. He is twenty-seven year old Russian pianist Yevgeny Sudbin, who spent his childhood playing a broken piano in the basement of a refugee shelter. Now, just over a decade later, he is poised to become the most important pianist of the next century. He is that good.
Sudbin’s extraordinary new solo recital, Scriabin: Piano Works, demonstrates his jaw-dropping pianistic talents, but another album he made last year is likely to generate even more astonishment. Early in 2007 Sudbin recorded Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto, an old audience favorite, with Brazil’s Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra. His performance is so invigorating that long-time fans of this concerto will feel like they are hearing it for the first time.
Though Sudbin can play with inspiring power, he and conductor John Neschling are more interested in presenting the work as an intimate emotional journey, shared by the composer, performers and audience.
The album also presents a concerto by the Russian composer Nikolai Medtner. This piece is less immediately appealing, but fortunately Sudbin provides an informative essay explaining its style and meaning. Given the masterful performances and thoughtful booklet, Tchaikovsky/Medtner: Piano Concertos has to be the best classical recording of 2007. Listeners who can only buy one compact disc from the past year should make it this all-time classic. With young artists as extraordinary as Yevgeny Sudbin delivering such inspiring new CDs, the future of classical music is no longer in doubt.
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