Rapsodie in E minor (Lazzari) - from CDA68005 - Hyperion Records

Reviews

‘Strongly tonal and lyrical, Jongen's chief influences seem to be Richard Strauss and César Franck … the Fantasia in E major has a gorgeous honeyed melody as its main subject. A better title might have given it wider currency. The more amorphous Adagio symphonique from three years later comes from the same stable, with the soloist flying high over a rich orchestral texture. It is this characteristic that is most evident in the three movements of the Violin Concerto’ (Gramophone)

‘Volume 18 of Hyperion's series of little-known violin concertos of the Romantic era. This one showcases the music of Joseph Jongen, a Belgian composer much admired in his day for his orchestral and chamber works. On this new album violin virtuoso Philippe Graffin collaborates with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic and conductor Martyn Brabbins in Jongen’s Violin Concerto, one of the composer’s first substantial works. David [Mellor] describes it as "a lovely violin concerto which ought to be rather better known than it is’ (Classic FM)

‘Philippe Graffin is a very stylish violinist who does full justice to these scores. The same can be said for the orchestra and Martyn Brabbins’ (American Record Guide)

‘Graffin’s tonal transparency, ear-ringing intonation and phrasal intuitiveness … are a constant source of pleasure, captured in alluringly tangible sound’ (The Strad)» More

‘The Fantasie in E Major (1898) by Jongen finds an admirable lyricism in this performance by Philippe Graffin, whose 1730 Busano instrument lights up its delicate, relatively uncomplicated colors’ (Audiophile Audition, USA)» More

‘Technically and artistically Philippe Graffin once again proves first-class, his slender yet eloquent tone being altogether appropriate. Recorded sound is admirable, though a little drier than the label's very finest’ (Limelight, Australia)» More

‘All in all, then, this is an attractive disc which will certainly not disappoint’ (MusicWeb International)» More

‘Graffin is, as usual, superb in every respect … with a luscious tone, expansive and nuanced phrasing, and sensitivity and passion to burn. He is given terrific support by Brabbins and the orchestra’ (The Whole Note, Canada)» More

«Philippe Graffin et Martyn Brabbins y mettent partout beaucoup de cœur et de couleurs» (Diapason, France)» More

«Philippe Graffin est l'indispensable interprète des raretés … bien que les musiques qu'il joue soient extrêmement expressives, il les aborde sans appuyer le son, toujours élégant, toujours délié» (Classica, France)» More

PERFORMANCE

RECORDING

Sylvio Lazzari (1857–1944) was born in Italy. A pupil of Gounod at the Paris Conservatoire, he was encouraged by Franck and Chausson and his music owes a considerable debt to them, as well as to Wagner. He is probably best known for the opera La tour de feu (The lighthouse), given its premiere at the Paris Opéra in 1928. It was one of the first operas to make use of cinema effects (the final scene was performed in front of a projected film of a stormy sea). The Rapsodie in E minor for violin and orchestra was composed six years earlier (the manuscript is dated ‘Suresnes, 16 April 1922, Easter Sunday’). The fluid harmonies and lyrical lines of this work reveal a composer of great skill, while the solemn chromatic brass chords that introduce the closing section suggest a flair for moments of post-Wagnerian nobility. Cast in a single movement, the Rapsodie has an appropriately free structure—and one that is marked throughout by music of singular beauty and poise, deftly orchestrated.

Sylvio Lazzari (1857–1944) naquit en Italie. Élève de Gounod au Conservatoire de Paris, il fut encouragé par Franck et par Chausson, envers qui sa musique a une dette immense, tout comme envers Wagner. Peut-être est-il surtout célèbre pour son opéra La tour de feu, créé à l’Opéra de Paris en 1928. Ce fut l’un des premiers opéras à utiliser des effets cinématographiques (la scène finale fut interprétée devant un film montrant une mer déchaînée). La Rapsodie en mi mineur pour violon et orchestre fut composée six ans plus tôt (le manuscrit porte la mention «Suresnes, le 16 avril 1922. Dimanche de Pâques»). Les harmonies fluides et les lignes lyriques révèlent un compositeur très habile, cependant que les solennels accords chromatiques qui introduisent, aux cuivres, la section conclusive, suggèrent un don pour des moments de majesté postwagnérienne. Coulée en un seul mouvement, cette Rapsodie a une structure opportunément libre, marquée de bout en bout par une musique singulièrement belle et posée, adroitement orchestrée.

Sylvio Lazzari (1857–1944) wurde in Italien geboren. Am Pariser Conservatoire war er ein Schüler Gounods; zudem wurde er von Franck und Chausson ermutigt und seine Musik weist deutliche Parallelen zu dem Oeuvre dieser beiden Komponisten und auch zu Wagner auf. Sein wohl bekanntestes Werk ist die Oper La tour de feu (Der Leuchtturm), die 1928 an der Pariser Opéra uraufgeführt wurde. Hierbei wurde auf der Opernbühne mit zum ersten Mal von kinematographischen Effekten Gebrauch gemacht (die letzte Szene wurde vor einem projizierten Film einer aufgewühlten See dargeboten). Die Rapsodie in e-Moll für Violine und Orchester war sechs Jahre zuvor entstanden (das Manuskript trägt den Vermerk „Suresnes, den 16. April 1922. Ostersonntag“). Die flüssigen Harmonien und lyrischen Linien dieses Werks offenbaren einen äußerst talentierten Komponisten, während die feierlichen chromatischen Bassakkorde, mit denen der Schlussteil des Werks eingeleitet wird, ein Flair für Momente post-Wagnerischer Nobilität andeuten. Die Rapsodie ist einsätzig angelegt und hat eine entsprechend freie Struktur, die sich zudem durchgehend durch eine Musik von einzigartiger Schönheit und Ausgeglichenheit mit gewandter Orchestrierung auszeichnet.

Recording details: July 2013
Muziekgebouw Frits Philips Eindhoven, Netherlands
Produced by Rachel Smith
Engineered by Ben Connellan
Release date: January 2015
Total duration: 16 minutes 52 seconds

Rapsodie in E minor

Philippe Graffin (violin), Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Martyn Brabbins (conductor)

Reviews

Introduction