COMPOSERS: Sibelius
LABELS: Ondine
WORKS: Early Chamber Music, Vol. 1: Violin Sonata in F; Suite for String Trio
PERFORMER: New Helsinki Quartet, Ernst Kovacic (violin), Juhani Lagerspetz (piano), etc
CATALOGUE NO: ODE 826-2 DDD
These are worthy Sibelian juvenilia, contemporary with his Kullervo Symphony (1892), though suppressed during the composer’s lifetime, and rediscovered only in 1982. Finest among them is the Violin Sonata; a Piano Quartet is in fact a theme and seven variations; the two remaining works are for string trio. The music is captivating, performances throughout are creditably idiomatic, and Ondine’s recording is serviceable. Michael Jameson
Sibelius: Early Chamber Music, Vol. 1: Violin Sonata in F; Suite for String Trio
These are worthy Sibelian juvenilia, contemporary with his Kullervo Symphony (1892), though suppressed during the composer’s lifetime, and rediscovered only in 1982. Finest among them is the Violin Sonata; a Piano Quartet is in fact a theme and seven variations; the two remaining works are for string trio. The music is captivating, performances throughout are creditably idiomatic, and Ondine’s recording is serviceable. Michael Jameson
Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:12 pm