ACO 10911 - Grand Concerto 4 Tubas

Works by John Stevens

A compellingly different magical sound - World Premiere Recording

Usually one will for the most part only find a single tuba in a symphonic orchestra. Notwithstanding, more than 20 years ago four tubists from renowned German orchestras formed the Melton Tuba Quartett and since then have been performing internationally as soloists with this ensemble.

With the magnum opus of this recording, the „Grand Concerto 4 Tubas“, they now present together with the Duisburg Philharmonics under Carl St. Clair the historically first work of its genre, a concert for tuba quartet and symphony orchestra. The American composer John Stevens wrote the piece as a joint commission by the Duisburg Philharmonics, the Bamberg Symphonics and the Dresden Philharmonic. John Stevens in the piece avoids using vanguard tendencies and builds on the American tonal language, coined by composers like Aaron Copland, George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein.

The sound of the tubas as an ensemble is in the foreground, even though all of them are also called upon solistically. The first movement, „Intrada“, as the most weighty part of the composition, has a forceful-heroic character. The ensuing „Scherzo“ more is about facility and agility. While quite often there is a certain heaviness attributed to the tuba, it is precisely here where the soloists prove the contrary and show just how many possibilities their instrument possesses in terms of agility. The warm timbre of the „Ballade“ emphasises the lyrical-melodic qualities of the tuba by means of singability and harmony. The finale, „Tango-Tarantella“, has a dance-like character. Here the tuba at first can be experienced unaccompanied; fascinating sonic possibilities are displayed and even even the limit of the tonal range is touched.

The album is topped by additional works by the hand of John Stevens, representing many different facets of his oeuvre: The striking orchestral piece „Jubilare!“, followed by the „Adagio“ for just strings in the tradition of a great many of renowned Adagio works, as well as a number of pieces for tuba quartet and eight-part tuba-euphonium-ensemble, each with its completely unique character.

Jubilare! for Orchestra (2000)

Adagio for Strings (2009)

Grand Concerto 4 Tubas
for Tuba Quartet and Orchestra (2010)
I. Intrada
II. Scherzo
III. Ballade
IV. Tango – Tarantella

Adagio for Eight Part Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble (1991)

Power for Tuba Ensemble (1974)

Benediction for Tuba Ensemble (2003)

DVD+FLAC192: Double DVD - on each DVD player directly playable 24Bit/96kHz Audio-DVD, including additional FLAC files for streamers or media players, plus additional FLAC192 disc, containing 24Bit/192kHz FLAC files (in total 2 discs, 2x Super Jewel Case NH), detailed information

The result is an interpretation, which brings out completely new aspects of this well-known piece from the repertoire: Even though Susanna Yoko Henkel seems to effortlessly master the whole bag of tricks in terms of technique, fascinating with acrobatics which seem to be completely related, she deliberately chooses an interpretation removed from the typical show-piece of violin literature, instead far more stressing the enigmatic, melancholic moments. Here vocal-like leading of musical arches harmonizes with her striking refinement of sound in a unique way.

The Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto is complemented by the seldom performed Fantasia for Double String Orchestra by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

The ECHO Klassik award belongs to the most renowned international awards and this year will be awarded for the 18^th time, already. The award ceremony will take place on October 2^nd, 2011 in the Berlin Konzerthaus. The ZDF (Second German Television broadcasting corp.), who has been a partner of the award ceremony since 1996, broadcasts the show „ECHO der Stars“ the same night at 10 p.m.

ACOUSENCE-

Horenstein Ensemble "Tempelhof"

The Horenstein Ensemble brings to its debut album an interesting search for clues, where connoisseurs and music lovers alike will sit up and take notice! On CD, HD Studio Master, DVD+FLAC and audiophile 180g Vinyl!

The Horenstein Ensemble wants to present the great diversity of chamber music and the interplay of various instrument types such as strings, winds and harp. The members of the ensemble, all musicians of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, all strive to produce in their interpretations the best possible sound with many layers of colour, or freely adapted from the words of Leopold Stokowski: “Sound, good sound, is paramount”

The listener is presented with works of great variety, yet the proximity of the works is also apparent. The four works were all composed within 25 years of each other, and the musical language, character (one could almost attribute a unifying sound to all the pieces) and chamber music gesture are all closely related. Having said that, each of these pieces has its own special tone, each one achieving a new balance between the archaic and the modern. Also, each of the four pieces has its own specific instrumentation which lends it its own individual taste.

DVD+FLAC192: Double DVD - on each DVD player directly playable 24Bit/96kHz Audio-DVD, including additional FLAC files for streamers or media players, plus additional FLAC192 disc, containing 24Bit/192kHz FLAC files (in total 2 discs, 2x Super Jewel Case NH), detailed information