For the Record, Op. 86: Hilary Hahn's García Abril 6 Partitas; Soloists of the NY Phil; Jupiter Quartet

May 23, 2019, 2:41 PM · Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. We hope it helps you keep track of your favorite artists, as well as find some new ones to add to your listening!

Hilary Hahn. Photo by Dana van Leeuwen for Decca.

6 Partitas by Antón García Abril
Hilary Hahn, violin

The way Antón García Abril put together the Six Partitas he wrote for solo violin makes his inspiration clear: he wrote six single-movement pieces and named them "Heart; Immensity; Love; Art; Reflexive; You" -- "H-I-L-A-R-Y." This is Hilary Hahn's world premiere recording of the partitas, commissioned by Hahn for solo violin. These works continue the longstanding tradition of composers such as J.S. Bach and Eugene Ysaÿe writing six polyphonic works for the violin. Read our interview with Hilary about these works here.. "Before these pieces existed,” said Hahn, “I knew they needed to be written. Antón García Abril deeply understands the violin, and he epitomizes a musical tradition that has never before been expressed in the solo violin repertoire. His voice is romantic and impulsive, abrasive, beautiful." BELOW: Hahn talks about the new album, which is available in digital formats as well as vinyl.

Soloists of the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
Frank Huang, violin
Cynthia Phelps, viola
Anthony McGill, clarinet
Joseph Alessi, trombone

This album features principal musicians of the New York Philharmonic, with Concertmaster Frank Huang performing Barber’s Violin Concerto; Principal Violist Cynthia Phelps performing Julia Adolphe’s Unearth, Release; Principal Flutist Robert Langevin performing Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 2; and Principal Clarinetist Anthony McGill performing Copland’s Clarinet Concerto; all with the New York Philharmonic. BELOW: An excerpt from a rehearsal, with Frank Huang performing Barber's Violin Concerto with the New York Philharmonic, led by Juraj Valcuha.

Alchemy
Jupiter Quartet
Bernadette Harvey, piano

Alchemy features four works commissioned by Arizona Friends of Chamber Music: Pierre Jalbert’s Piano Quintet (2017); Steven Stucky’s Piano Quartet (2005); Carl Vine’s Fantasia for Piano Quintet (2013); and Pierre Jalbert’s Secret Alchemy for violin, viola, cell, and piano (2012). All but Secret Alchemy are world premiere recordings. BELOW: Video from the 2017 world premiere performance of Pierre Jalbert "Piano Quintet," performed by the Jupiter String Quartet and pianist Bernadette Harvey at the Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, 2017 Tucson Winter Chamber Music Festival.

If you have a new recording you would like us to consider for inclusion in our Thursday "For the Record" feature, please e-mail Editor Laurie Niles. Be sure to include the name of your album, a link to it and a short description of what it includes.

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Replies

98.5.150.253

May 25, 2019 at 02:01 PM · Wow ! Bet everyone wants to hear it again, study the score, find relationships in the melodies.....analyze the texture.....When the composer's explanation exceeds the length of the work, perhaps it is not a masterpiece worthy of entrance into the Hall of Fame with Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Dvorak or Elgar...or others that've written for piano quintet. The piece, like so many recent works, seems difficult and busy beyond musical consideration....Anyone wanna hear it again ?? Want a recording ?? A perhaps noble attempt that clearly misses the mark.

Tom Holzman

May 25, 2019 at 05:24 PM · I knew two of the members of the Jupiter, Megan and Liz Freivogel, when they were kids. Their brother John was a good friend of my son's. It's an amazing family. The parents are basically non-musical. Their four kids are very talented. John played violin back then, and I believe he plays professionally, just like his sisters. Their brother Ben was a cellist. I do not think he plays professionally now, but he probably could have become a professional cellist. As kids, they were the Freivogel Quartet and played at venues like the Kennedy Center.

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