Emile Jaques-Dalcroze - New CD

[adriano]

I am happy to report that a couple of weeks ago I have finished recording my 3rd Jaques-Dalcroze CD; this time with the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra. As a most important discovery, it will contain his expressionistic cycle for soprano and orchestra "Tragédie d'amour" - a work of immense beauty and tense atmosphere, which can stand alongside other French cycles with orchestra like Chausson's "Poème de l'amour et de la mer". In 1906, when it was premiered in Switzerland, its realism and daring subject (a woman kills the murderer of her lover - using the same knife) caused a shock. The poems were written by the composer. At the premiere, soprano Nina Faliero (Jaques-Dalcroze's wife - Switzerland's first interpreter of Mahler and Strauss) performed and the composer conducted. So far, no other performances could be reported. Musically, it is a very difficult score and has rhymthmically very odd passages in which 5/8 alternate with 6 and 8/8, or are interpolated by 3/4 and 2/4. The orchestra is normal-sized, the instrumentation remains always trasparent, erupting to short violent "crisis" moments only occasionally. The seventh (and last) song has a longer orchestral postlude.
The work has never published; I conducted from manuscript copies and using the premiere's instrumental parts - and I also had to edit a new vocal score.
For this recording I am more that happy having been able to convince my friend Elena Mosuc to perform. And with her maginficent voice she has done an incredible interpretation. Since years I dreamed having her to perform this. The atmosphere in the studio was also very tense and creative. Listening to the first editing I can say that we have created a very good performance.
On the same CD there will be a wonderful orchestral suite entitled "La Veillée" ("The Vigil") and the brilliant overture to Jaques-Dalcroze's opera "Sancho", from which I have already recorded years ago the ballet suite.
I am editing now a video clip on this project, it will be available in two weeks. For the moment I only have this:
https://www.bratislavarecording.com/single-post/2017/04/27/The-BSO-record-with-the-world-famous-singer-Elena-Mosuc
It will be decided only in June on which label this will be issued.
And I am also happy to report that my CD with Martin Scherber's First Symphony will be definitely issued by Sterling and available in autumn.
But - sadly - it looks as these two (my 48th and 49th) will be my very last recordings as a conductor... I cannot find any more sponsors supporting remaining projects.

[M. Yaskovsky]

I look forward to that 3rd volume (alredy own the first 2).
By the way: pity the Scherber Symphony 2 isn't available any more at amazon.co.uk. Do you happen to know an alternative option to buy it. (Not download, I like CD's.)

[Alan Howe]

But - sadly - it looks as these two (my 48th and 49th) will be my very last recordings as a conductor... I cannot find any more sponsors supporting remaining projects.

That is desperately sad news - and an immense loss to the world of unsung classical music.

[Alan Howe]

The Scherber Symphony 2 CD was issued by Cascade Media, so you might try them:
www.cascade-medien.com

[adriano]

Shall I try to contact the sponsor of this CD? Maybe he is still selling directly some spare copies. He also sponsored my own recording. I have tried to convince Cascade once more to make a download, but they never answer. In any case, in their catalogue, this items does not figure anymore...

[minacciosa]

Congratulations!! This is a most fascinating project!!

I know how bleak are the prospects for creating new and interesting recordings. Don't give up hope!

[Alan Howe]

Shall I try to contact the sponsor of this CD? Maybe he is still selling directly some spare copies.

That would be incredibly kind of you.

[M. Yaskovsky]

That would be very kind hadrianus!

[adriano]

Done - and waiting for a reply. Since its President's (Friedwart Kurras) death, the Brucknerkreis has now been taken over by another member, and there is still much left to administrate his legacy, but something will be happening soon. In the worst case I have already proposed to arrange a commercial download of this recording. Such a pity that after all he had done to bring this recording of the First Symhony to life, he would not see it issued anymore... And it took two years, since the songs coupled with the Symphony could not be recorded as expected due to the tenor's illness...

[JimL]

Are there any plans to record the 2nd Violin Concerto by Dalcroze?

[FBerwald]

Hasn't the second VC already been recorded on Guild?

[jerfilm]

Yes

[Alan Howe]

Here:
http://www.guildmusic.com/shop/wbc.php?sid=2738114fe58&tpl=produktdetail.html&pid=8720

[adriano]

Yes; and this CD was my project and I had prepared everything, but Moscow wanted that particular soloist and that solist preferred to work with his conductor-friend... Finally, who am I??

[eschiss1]

Well, Moscow (or rather, the USSR) did pioneer the conductorless orchestra (Persimfans), maybe that should have been a warning sign...