Sibelius: Works for Violin and Piano - RES10293

Sibelius: Works for Violin and Piano

£12.99
Total playing time [67:32]

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Fenella Humphreys (violin)
Joseph Tong (piano)

As both musician and composer the violin was central to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’s career, and his output for the instrument spans much of his long life.

Acclaimed violinist Fenella Humphreys and celebrated pianist Joseph Tong explore a tantalising programme of Sibelius’s music, from the youthful Andante cantabile in G major composed in 1887, through Opp. 78 and 81, written in the midst of the First World War, to his last works for the instrument – Four Pieces, Op. 115 and Three Pieces, Op. 116 both penned in 1929. Completing the programme are the five Danses champêtres, Op. 106 from 1924–5.

Album Booklet (PDF)

Tracklist

Four Pieces, Op. 78
1. Impromptu
2. Romance
3. Religioso
4. Riguadon

5. Andante cantabile
in G major, JS 33

Five Pieces, Op. 81
6. Mazurka
7. Rondino
8. Valse
9. Aubade
10. Menuetto

Danses champêtres, Op. 106
11. Largamente assai
12. Alla polacca
13. Tempo moderato
14. Tempo di Menuetto
15. Poco moderato

Four Pieces, Op. 115
16. Auf der Heide / On the Heath
17. Ballade
18. Humoreske
19. Die Glocken / The Bells

Three Pieces, Op. 116
20. Scène de danse
21. Danse caractéristique
22. Rondeau romantique

“

'From start to finish Humphreys’s playing is a feast of flawless tuning, beautifully focused and coloured tone and rich characterisation. And there’s no mistaking how Joseph Tong’s accompanying, always immaculate in the earlier pieces, responds vividly to the stronger material in the later ones.'

- BBC Music Magazine (Chamber Choice, 5 stars)

'From start to finish Humphreys’s playing is a feast of flawless tuning, beautifully focused and coloured tone and rich characterisation. And there’s no mistaking how Joseph Tong’s accompanying, always immaculate in the earlier pieces, responds vividly to the stronger material in the later ones.'
BBC Music Magazine (Chamber Choice, 5 stars)

'Humphreys and Tong [...] make a persuasive case for this music [...] no prospective listener is likely to go wrong with this new recording.'
Gramophone

'Technically, the pieces range from movements suitable for the amateur to some serious virtuosity involving double-stopping and quick-fire pizzicato–arco switches. Throughout, Humphreys captures their balance between musical simplicity and emotional sophistication: her rhythms, especially in the more dance-oriented pieces, are taut, and her tone ranges from firm to tender without ever becoming sentimental. Joseph Tong’s piano playing is always clear-sighted and flexible and the pair are recorded in a close but supportive acoustic.'
The Strad

'This well constructed programme links early works with his last two sets of pieces for this genre. Fine performances by Fenella Humphreys and Joseph Tong.'
Lark Reviews

Credits
© 2022 Resonus Limited
Ⓟ 2022 Resonus Limited
Catalogue No. RES10294
Producer: Matthew Bennett
Engineer: Dave Rowell
Executive producer: Adam Binks
EAN: 5060262793237
Cover image: Jean Sibelius in the garden of his home, ‘Ainola’ (The Finnish Museum of Photography)
Release date: 7 January 2022