Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra / Lahav Shani BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 - Piano Concerto No. 4

 

SYMPHONY No. 7 - PIANO CONCERTO No. 4

 

Alexandre Tharaud GÉRARD PESSON - HANS ABRAHAMSEN - OSCAR STRASNOY

                        GÉRARD PESSON - HANS ABRAHAMSEN - OSCAR STRASNOY

Yannick Nézet-Séguin / Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra RAVEL Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2 - Valses nobles et sentimentales - La Valse - Ma Mère l'Oye

The exciting young conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who succeeded Valery Gergiev as Music Director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra last season, makes his EMI Classics debut with the Orchestra in an all-Ravel programme. The repertoire features the composer’s greatest orchestral works: Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2, Valses nobles et sentimentales, La Valse and Ma mère l’Oye.

For Nézet-Séguin, Maurice Ravel is the greatest orchestrator French music has ever had: “It’s all about colours” Yannick says, “and the contrast between intimacy and grandness, La Valse being one of his greatest and most powerful symphonic poems and the Valses nobles et sentimentales being much more intimate (…).Daphnis and Chloe is one of his most uplifting and triumphant works while Ma mère L’Oye is so intimate.” This disc explores the enormous variety of Ravel’s orchestral music through three of his particular themes: his fascination with childhood; his interest in the culture and character of Ancient Greece; and a near obsession with waltzes of all kinds. Indeed the collection is suffused with dance, ballet and rhythmic energy.

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra / Yannick Nézet-Séguin BRUCKNER Symphony No. 8 (THE ROTTERDAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA COLLECTION 6 / 6)

This collection of previously unreleased live recordings celebrates the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra’s centenary and the ten-year residency, from 2008 to 2018, of its principal conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

The Rotterdam Philharmonic, under its long-term Principal Conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, is widely recognised as one of Europe’s most distinguished orchestras. Celebrated for its winning combination of passionate commitment, boundless energy and scintillating virtuosity, the orchestra has come a long way since its relatively humble beginnings in 1918 as a private ensemble whose members initially paid for the privilege of joining its ranks.

The arrival of Canadian maestro Yannick Nezet-Seguin in 2008 signalled a new golden era for the Rotterdam Philharmonic, as is evidenced by this outstanding set of recordings, captured live in the Doelen concert hall between 2011 and 2016 and collected together here for the first time by Deutsche Grammophon. At the end of 2017/18 season Nezet-Seguin assumes the role of Honorary Conductor, handing over the post of Principal to 29-year-old Lahav Shani.

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra / Yannick Nézet-Séguin BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra DVORÁK Symphony No. 8 DEBUSSY Nocturnes HAYDN Symphony No. 44 (THE ROTTERDAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA COLLECTION 4 & 5 / 6)

This collection of previously unreleased live recordings celebrates the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra’s centenary and the ten-year residency, from 2008 to 2018, of its principal conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

The Rotterdam Philharmonic, under its long-term Principal Conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, is widely recognised as one of Europe’s most distinguished orchestras. Celebrated for its winning combination of passionate commitment, boundless energy and scintillating virtuosity, the orchestra has come a long way since its relatively humble beginnings in 1918 as a private ensemble whose members initially paid for the privilege of joining its ranks.

The arrival of Canadian maestro Yannick Nezet-Seguin in 2008 signalled a new golden era for the Rotterdam Philharmonic, as is evidenced by this outstanding set of recordings, captured live in the Doelen concert hall between 2011 and 2016 and collected together here for the first time by Deutsche Grammophon. At the end of 2017/18 season Nezet-Seguin assumes the role of Honorary Conductor, handing over the post of Principal to 29-year-old Lahav Shani.

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra / Yannick Nézet-Séguin BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 8 TCHAIKOVSKY Francesca da Rimini TURNAGE Piano Concerto (THE ROTTERDAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA COLLECTION 3 / 6)

This collection of previously unreleased live recordings celebrates the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra’s centenary and the ten-year residency, from 2008 to 2018, of its principal conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

The Rotterdam Philharmonic, under its long-term Principal Conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, is widely recognised as one of Europe’s most distinguished orchestras. Celebrated for its winning combination of passionate commitment, boundless energy and scintillating virtuosity, the orchestra has come a long way since its relatively humble beginnings in 1918 as a private ensemble whose members initially paid for the privilege of joining its ranks.

The arrival of Canadian maestro Yannick Nezet-Seguin in 2008 signalled a new golden era for the Rotterdam Philharmonic, as is evidenced by this outstanding set of recordings, captured live in the Doelen concert hall between 2011 and 2016 and collected together here for the first time by Deutsche Grammophon. At the end of 2017/18 season Nezet-Seguin assumes the role of Honorary Conductor, handing over the post of Principal to 29-year-old Lahav Shani.

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra / Yannick Nézet-Séguin MAHLER Symphony No. 10 (THE ROTTERDAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA COLLECTION 2 / 6)

This collection of previously unreleased live recordings celebrates the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra’s centenary and the ten-year residency, from 2008 to 2018, of its principal conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

The Rotterdam Philharmonic, under its long-term Principal Conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, is widely recognised as one of Europe’s most distinguished orchestras. Celebrated for its winning combination of passionate commitment, boundless energy and scintillating virtuosity, the orchestra has come a long way since its relatively humble beginnings in 1918 as a private ensemble whose members initially paid for the privilege of joining its ranks.

The arrival of Canadian maestro Yannick Nezet-Seguin in 2008 signalled a new golden era for the Rotterdam Philharmonic, as is evidenced by this outstanding set of recordings, captured live in the Doelen concert hall between 2011 and 2016 and collected together here for the first time by Deutsche Grammophon. At the end of 2017/18 season Nezet-Seguin assumes the role of Honorary Conductor, handing over the post of Principal to 29-year-old Lahav Shani.

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra / Yannick Nézet-Séguin SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 4 (THE ROTTERDAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA COLLECTION 1 / 6)

This collection of previously unreleased live recordings celebrates the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra’s centenary and the ten-year residency, from 2008 to 2018, of its principal conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

The Rotterdam Philharmonic, under its long-term Principal Conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, is widely recognised as one of Europe’s most distinguished orchestras. Celebrated for its winning combination of passionate commitment, boundless energy and scintillating virtuosity, the orchestra has come a long way since its relatively humble beginnings in 1918 as a private ensemble whose members initially paid for the privilege of joining its ranks.

The arrival of Canadian maestro Yannick Nezet-Seguin in 2008 signalled a new golden era for the Rotterdam Philharmonic, as is evidenced by this outstanding set of recordings, captured live in the Doelen concert hall between 2011 and 2016 and collected together here for the first time by Deutsche Grammophon. At the end of 2017/18 season Nezet-Seguin assumes the role of Honorary Conductor, handing over the post of Principal to 29-year-old Lahav Shani.

Andreas Ottensamer PORTRAITS The Clarinet Album

In February 2013 Andreas Ottensamer entered an exclusive recording partnership with Deutsche Grammophon/Mercury Classics, making him the first ever solo clarinettist to sign an exclusive agreement with the Yellow Label. His first album, Portraits – The Clarinet Album, has been released in June 2013 and features concertos by Copland, Spohr and Cimarosa, plus arrangements of short pieces. His partners are the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

He said of the recording: “This album poses the challenge of jumping between different styles and ways of playing, but at the same time I set a high priority on maintaining my personal interpretation and sound.”

For a man who is so dedicated to music, Andreas Ottensamer is also passionate about sport. For many years he was a tennis tournament player, and together with his brother he founded his own football club, the Wiener Virtuosen, in 2007. The team plays successfully in the Wiener DSG league and Ottensamer still travels to Vienna for matches whenever his schedule permits.

Apart from his extensive activities within the world of classical music, Andreas Ottensamer has widened his horizon to other musical fields, resulting in a collaboration and recording with Tori Amos on her album Night of Hunters.

Andreas Ottensamer is very passionate about chamber music. He is artistic director of the "Buergenstock Momente" - Festival in Switzerland together with pianist José Gallardo. Artists such as Nils Mönkemeyer, Clemens & Veronika Hagen, Albrecht Mayer, Linus Roth, Danjulo Ishizaka, Benjamin Schmid and the Szymanovksi Quartet have been part of the festival.

The beauty of tone and distinct musicality over a wide range of styles have won extensive critical plaudits for Andreas Ottensamer. Sybill Mahlke wrote in Der Tagesspiegel of his “limitless dynamic range . . . he plays with a vitality that pushes boundaries.” NRC Handelsblad said: “Andreas Ottensamer melts with his clarinet . . . he is an ‘übersolist’ and a phenomenon.” Rebecca Schmid wrote for MusicalAmerica.com: “Solo clarinettist Andreas Ottensamer played with particular finesse . . . and a touch of melancholy.”

Yannick Nézet-Séguin / Lisa Batiashvili / Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra TCHAIKOVSKY Pathétique

Yannick Nézet-Séguin's first symphonic recording with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra on Deutsche Grammophon is of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 in B minor, "Pathétique," which the conductor has known intimately throughout c, this is a solid reading that holds its own against the large number of recordings of this symphony, so listeners who need a first-rate version can be assured of the interpretation and the performance. Yet because this is one of the most frequently recorded classical pieces of all time, one may wonder what Nézet-Séguin brings to it that makes his rendition necessary. Perhaps his sense of pacing and calculated use of rubato for dramatic effect make it feel more organic than most, and his sudden shifts of tempo and emphasis on heightened dynamics make this one of the most interesting versions to follow. But in the end, there's not enough to distinguish it from the competition, so listeners should not expect a major revelation. It's still the same warhorse. To fill out the CD, Nézet-Séguin accompanies violinist Lisa Batiashvili in a selection of Tchaikovsky's Romances, Op. 6 and Op. 73, of which the most famous is None but the lonely heart (track 8). These pieces serve as a welcome palate cleanser after the rich but not overly ripe performance of the "Pathétique," and it's interesting to hear Nézet-Séguin's piano playing, which is quite restrained and poetic in feeling. Batiashvili carries the melodic lines with passionate expression and a warm singing tone, so the most compelling music making can be found in these filler tracks.