|
Organ
Concerto in B flat, op.7, N°1. The first of these posthumously
published concertos, written mainly between 1740 and 1750, is in the grand
style. In the first movement the organ pedal makes its first appearance in
works of this genre. The first two movements are based on the same ground
bass, presented first in common time and then in triple time, and forming the
foundation for variations of a simple though effective kind. The third
movement, the Largo is again constructed on a recurring bass linked
with the organ. The Bourrée is unashamedly light-hearted.
Organ
Concerto in F major, op.4, N°5 was not originally written for
organ. It is a reworking of the eleventh flute sonata of opus 1. It shows its
origin in the dance-form in the Siciliana and Presto movements
and in the near dance character of the other two, each of which begins with a
virtual double exposition of the opening theme, once for the orchestra and
again on the organ. Although, in some ways, this may invalidate the concerto
as a work for organ, Händel’s
second thoughts are obviously effective to the listener.
Organ
Concerto in B flat major, op. 4, N°6. This is one of the two
concertos in the three-movement style of Vivaldi and Scarlatti, and the only
one in that form for which Händel
wrote out all the movements. In the original score it appears for harp or
organ or, as Hawkins maintained, it could be a transcription of a recorder
sonata written for one of Händel’s friends. An unusual feature is that the
upper strings are directed to play with mutes and the lower ones to play
pizzicato in the opening – a rare direction in Händel.
Tchaikovsky’s music, primarily for
orchestra and the stage, is especially esteemed for its melodic skill, the
dark cast of its harmonies and orchestration and the use of Russian folk
melody. His works includes many operas, ballets, symphonies, tone poems,
overtures, piano concertos, a violin concerto, choral works, string quartets,
piano works and, last but not least, his songs.
On this album we present the first-ever recording of his work
Children’s Album transcribed for organ by the talented concert organist Ekaterina
Melnikova.
Camille Saint-Saëns
is best remembered for his opera Samson et Dalila (1877) and for
Le
Carnaval des Animaux (1886), a trifle he wrote in a few days and
which he suppressed during his lifetime. In this zoological fantasy, Saint-Säens
illustrate with humour, through the sound of various animals such as “le
lion, l’éléphant, tortues”, his perfect knowledge of the instruments and
their potential in an effective and original way. On this album we present the
first-ever recording of Le Carnaval des Animaux in transciption
for organ by Ekaterina Melnikova. Her transcription translates brilliantly the
humour and originality of the pieces and make the organ perform, with the
various voices, as a great orchestra.
|
