Composer: Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst, Stephen Heller, George Alexander Osborne
Performer: Sherban Lupu, Ian Hobson
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Toccata
Catalogue: TOCC0310
Release: 2016
Size: 373 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
01. Ernst: Polonaise in D Major, Op. 17 (Version for Violin & Piano)
Heller: L’art de phraser, Op. 16 (arr. H.W. Ernst for violin and piano)
02. No. 14, Feuillet d’album
Ernst: 3 Rondinos, Op. 5
03. No. 2 in D Major (After Meyerbeer’s “Robert le diable”)
04. No. 1 in F Major (After Carafa’s “Nathalie”)
05. No. 3 in A Major (After Halévy’s “La tentation”)
Osborne: Variations brillantes sur l’air de Pacini
06. Introduction. Moderato
07. Theme. Allegro moderato
08. Var. 1, Brillante
09. Var. 2, —
10. Var. 3, Tranquillamente
11. Var. 4, Adagio
12. Finale. Allegro
13. Ernst: Romanesca fameux
Ernst: Variations sur l’air national hollandais, Op. 18
14. Introduction. Maestoso
15. Theme. Quasi andante
16. Var. 1, —
17. Var. 2, Au talon en tirant
18. Var. 3, Più mosso
19. Finale. Più mosso
The violinist-composer Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst (1812–65) was one of the leading musicians of his day, a friend of Berlioz, Chopin, Liszt and Mendelssohn, and for Joseph Joachim ‘the greatest violinist I ever heard’.
The popular encore pieces by which Ernst is remembered today represent only a fraction of his output. This is the fifth CD in a series of seven presenting all his compositions for the first time.
It shows his mastery on large and small scale: the Polonaise and Variations on the Dutch National Anthem are grand and brilliant compositions for the concert hall, and the sparkling operatic miniatures and tender arrangements are altogether more intimate.
Sherban Lupu, born in 1952, is the leading Romanian violinist of his generation and was for decades, until his recent retirement from academic life, one of the most sought-after violin teachers in North America. For Toccata Classics he has embarked on a complete recording of the works of Ernst, also in recordings of music by Enescu and Grigoriu. Ian Hobson, pianist and conductor, began his international career in 1981 when he won First Prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition. He is in increasing demand as a conductor, particularly for performances in which he doubles as a pianist. He also performs extensively as pianist-conductor with Sinfonia da Camera. For Toccata Classics he has begun a six-CD series conducting the early orchestral music of Bohuslav Martinů.