Search - Herman D. Koppel, Moshe Atzmon, Ålborg Symphony Orchestra :: Herman D. Koppel: Orchestral Works, Vol. 4

A wonderful disc, urgently recommended

G.D. | Norway | 11/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is simply a superb release. Herman Koppel (1908-98) belongs to the group of composers that included Holmboe, Bentzon and Høffding. Holmboe is the most famous of them, but this disc shows without a residue of doubt that Koppel is at least his equal; this is magnificent music that really, really must be heard. Stylistically, if you can imagine a cross between Carl Nielsen and Prokofiev, but slightly more modern in sound (Tubin might be a point of reference as well), you are starting to get close. The music here is mostly tonal or close to tonal - Koppel adopted twelve-tone techniques later in his career, but the transition was stylistically seamless - and full og life and spirit and sheer enjoyment.



The fifth symphony isn't far short of a masterpiece. The opening movement draws on and pays homage to Nielsen's fifth, somewhat pastoral in mood, but with contrastive semi-aggressive elements, with strong themes that are inventively developed. The middle movement is a wonderfully spirited scherzo and the finale features an urgent, slightly strident development of the first movement before relaxing into a wonderfully reflective close. The third piano concerto is a masterpiece, however, and I daresay one of the great piano concertos of the twentieth century; it is elegant and sparkling, but in something of a relaxed blue-skies sense reminiscent of Nielsen (the mood more than the actual content). The themes are truly memorable but it is the development and what he does with them which is remarkable; the argument is convincing, but if you don't feel like following the details of it, well, just relax and revel in the inexhaustible flow of invention and marvelous gestures and figures and interactions between the soloist and orchestra (it is superbly scored, by the way). The finale is spikier, but wonderfully enjoyable. A marvelous work. The Prelude to a Symphony is a more sinewy and craggy piece, but full of wit and verve.



The performances are splendid as well; Nina Kavtaradze has all the resourcefulness and energy to make the solo part of the concerto glitter and shimmer, and the Aalborg Symphony under Moshe Atzmon provides propulsive forward momentum and variegated textures as needed, as they do in the symphony and the prelude. The sound quality is warm and full and detailed. A wonderful disc, urgently recommended.

5"