Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
31	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	1	2	3	4

Gaudier Ensemble - Louis Spohr: Octet & Nonet (1994)

Posted By: Designol

Date: 16 Oct 2023 16:37:56

These are spirited and well-recorded versions of what probably remain Spohr's most popular works. The Nonet is freshly and attractively played, with a proper sense of chamber music informing the performance: that is to say, there is a companionable approach to phrasing, with ideas taken up and returned or passed on as if the players were really listening to one another rather than waiting to say what they were going to say anyhow. Only in the finale do matters become a touch competitive: it is not necessary to go at quite such a speed, and indeed the feeling is of pace rather than the real liveliness which only a very slightly easier tempo might have produced; while some of the string articulation is only just in position. The Adagio is beautifully played, and together with the nimble Scherzo is given a gentle serenade manner: nothing is gained, and sometimes all lost, by trying to make something too profound of these movements.

In the Octet, there is a comparable approach, with a quick ear (also necessary among the engineers) for the unusual scoring—violin, two violas, cello, double-bass, clarinet and two horns. Much is made of the entertaining Harmonious Blacksmith variation movement with which Spohr's patron Tost believed he would conquer his intended English audiences. There is a well-judged performance of the peculiar Scherzo, which got a grumpycomment from Beethoven but in context (and that of what Spohr was trying to do stylistically) has a point of its own. An excellent pairing of two enduringly attractive works.

Review by John Warrack, Gramophone

In his day, Spohr was one of the most highly regarded violinists and composers in the German-speaking world. Until eclipsed by Mendelssohn and Schumann, he was regarded as the greatest symphonist after Beethoven. And while his symphonies and even concertos are getting a new lease on life thanks to recordings, the two works on the present disc confirm for me that Spohr's finest and most memorable music is contained in his chamber works.

If you are looking for profundity on the order of late Beethoven or Schubert, you won't find it in Spohr. At least, if it exists in Spohr, I am still searching also. Spohr's muse is essentially lyrical, and gracious melody rather than deep drama is his forte. The dark little Adagio introduction of the Octet quickly evaporates into a sweet first melody that allows for gentle iterations by horn, clarinet, and violin one after another. In fact, one of the great strengths of both the Nonet and Octet is how fully Spohr exploits all of his instruments while at the same time creating highly compelling musical structures. This is quite a feat in the Nonet, a form that apparently only Boccherini had assayed before.

Both works were commissioned by a rich Viennese textile manufacturer named Tost, whom scholars think is also connected with Haydn's Opus 64 String Quartets (though there is some confusion on this issue). Since Tost wanted to introduce the Octet in England, it features a slow movement the English could embrace immediately, based on Handel's "Harmonious Blacksmith." Spohr broadens and "romanticizes" Handel's jaunty little tune and creates a series of wholly characteristic variations that are about as far removed from Handel's working of the theme as Brahms's in his "Handel Variations." Perhaps the most interesting movement, though, is the restless Minuet, which is really a scherzo cast in the minor key and "rich" in the dissonances that Beethoven objected to in his friend and colleague's music.

The Scherzo of the Nonet, with its two trios, is more conventional but no less attractive. The first trio, with its leading part for the violin, sounds like Schubert at his most lyrical. But it's the bubbly rondo finale that is the irresistible movement in this work. It's the kind of music you come away from whistling to yourself.

The Gaudier Ensemble plays all of this music wonderfully, with tenderness in the slow movements, verve in the fast ones, and beauty of tone throughout. Hyperion's sound, as usual, is rich and truthful, having a real sense of presence. No great profundities, maybe, but this is entertainment of the highest order, ideally presented.

Review by M. C. Passarella, Amazon.com

Louis Spohr at Allmusic
Louis Spohr at Wiki

Gaudier Ensemble at Allmusic

The Gaudier Ensemble:

- Marieke Blankestijn, violin
- Iris Juda, viola
- Yuko Inoue, viola (Octet only)
- Christoph Marks, cello
- Stephen Williams, double bass
- Jaime Martнn, flute
- Douglas Boyd, oboe
- Richard Hosford, clarinet
- Jonathan Williams, horn
- Phillip Eastop, horn (Octet only)
- Robin O'Neill, bassoon

Recorded: 15-17 November 1993, Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel, Hampstead, London, UK

Tracklist:

Nonet in F major Op.31
for violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon
1. I. Allegro [11'19]
2. II. Scherzo: Allegro [6'29]
3. III. Adagio [7'03]
4. IV. Finale: Vivace [7135]

Octet in E major Op.32
for violin, 2 violas, cello, double bass, clarinet, 2 horns
5. I. Adagio — Allegro [9'13]
6. II. Menuetto: Allegro [5'33]
7. III. Andante con Variazioni [7134]
8. IV. Finale: Allegretto [5'37]

EAC log

Exact Audio Copy V1.3 from 2. September 2016

EAC extraction logfile from 24. January 2017, 18:49

Spohr, Louis / Octet & Nonet - The Gaudier Ensemble

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TOC of the extracted CD

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1 | 0:00.00 | 11:24.43 | 0 | 51342
2 | 11:24.43 | 6:32.62 | 51343 | 80804
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7 | 47:47.55 | 7:37.45 | 215080 | 249399
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Track 1

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Track 2

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Track 3

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Track 4

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Track 5

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Track 6

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Track 7

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Track 8

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No errors occurred

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–– CUETools DB Plugin V2.1.6

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2 | (5/5) Accurately ripped
3 | (5/5) Accurately ripped
4 | (5/5) Accurately ripped
5 | (5/5) Accurately ripped
6 | (5/5) Accurately ripped
7 | (5/5) Accurately ripped
8 | (5/5) Accurately ripped

==== Log checksum EDE55A72AFEF969FF86385D0EEAB426710CCE0B1BD0369087A80A4CA3CE94658 ====

DR log

foobar2000 1.2 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2017-04-09 17:38:33

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Analyzed: Spohr, Louis / Octet & Nonet - The Gaudier Ensemble
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
DR16 0.00 dB -22.35 dB 11:25 01-Nonet in F major Op.31 - I. Allegro
DR15 -2.10 dB -23.41 dB 6:33 02-Nonet in F major Op.31 - II. Scherzo: Allegro
DR14 -5.33 dB -25.14 dB 7:06 03-Nonet in F major Op.31 - III. Adagio
DR18 -0.72 dB -23.66 dB 7:45 04-Nonet in F major Op.31 - IV. Finale: Vivace
DR15 -1.18 dB -21.79 dB 9:22 05-Octet in E major Op.32 - I. Adagio - Allegro
DR15 -0.66 dB -22.75 dB 5:38 06-Octet in E major Op.32 - II. Menuetto: Allegro
DR17 -0.98 dB -24.07 dB 7:38 07-Octet in E major Op.32 - III. Andante con Variazioni
DR15 -1.27 dB -21.45 dB 5:42 08-Octet in E major Op.32 - IV. Finale: Allegretto
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Number of tracks: 8
Official DR value: DR15

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 649 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

All thanks to original releaser

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