Search - Krommer, Sabine Meyer, Blaser Ensemble :: Krommer: Octets

A good selection with some good playing and muddy sound

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 08/06/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Since the Netherlands Wind Ensemble kicked off the Krommer revolution with its LP of three partitas in the 1960s, the harmoniemusik, or music for winds, by Moravian composer Franz Krommer has become a staple in the recorded literature. Unfortunately, the Netherlands group's recording never made it to CD and, to this day, is buried somewhere in the Unviersal P(Philips) vault.



There are a number of current recordings of the octets and there have been many good ones in the past. The tagline really says it all about this CD -- the selections provide a judicious group of Krommer's beloved harmoniemusik for octet. However, the playing is sometimes uninspired and the sound is distant, homogenous and muddy.



I hang onto this CD while I continue to look for the best renditions of this repertoire -- those recorded in the 1990s on the Tudor label by the Zurich Wind Octet. Long out of print everywhere, apparently, these recordings had all the requirements for surefire Krommer entertainment -- exceptional playing, vivid realistic sound, a level or relaxation rare for hyped up groups that record this music, and they recorded most of the well-known octets.



The group's two CDs recorded about 1993 each contained four octets; one contained Opp. 57, 67, 69 and 79 (which another group foolishly suggested it released a first recording of since that time) and the other included Opp. 71, 73, 77 and 78. About the only goodie this group missed was the wonderful Op. 76 which they later recorded on a CD called "La Gran Partita".



The Op. 76 octet is one of the better efforts on this CD. The Meyer ensemble also turn in a nice recording of Op. 57, probably the best of all the octets. They are especially persuasive in the lovely adagio and horn player Bruno Schneider distinguishes himself in the following alla pollaca.



Now that this CD is out of print, about your only reliable choice in this repertoire are the Naxos recordings. While inexpensive, neither the recordings led by Michael Thompson or Kalman Berkes have the joie de vive or elan the Zurich Winds produced. They are probably as good as this CD although each only contains three octets."