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Recent Posts
- Annelies Vrieswijk honours French composers on CD Héroines June 27, 2022
- Russian composer Roman Stolyar writes B-ut-c-h-a: ‘I can’t remain silent on the war against Ukraine’ June 16, 2022
- Elena Firsova composes Piano Concerto for Concertgebouw Orchestra: ‘A new work of art brings new life’ June 3, 2022
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Category Archives: review
Annelies Vrieswijk honours French composers on CD Héroines
On her latest album, alto saxophonist Annelies Vrieswijk presents music by three French composers who have been very inspirational for her. The title is as simple as it is effective: Héroines. She graduated with honours twice: in 2006 Annelies Vrieswijk … Continue reading
Posted in review, women composers
Tagged Annelies Vrieswijk, Jeanine Rueff, Lucie Robert, Mark Toxopeus, Paule Maurice
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Gundega Šmite denounces the violence & futility of war
The CD As I go off to War by the Latvian Gundega Šmite was released last year, and has since gained an unintended extra charge by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is a publication of the Latvian Music Information … Continue reading
Posted in review, women composers
Tagged Aiga Bokanova, As I go off to War, Ensemble Arcandel, Gundega Šmite, Kārlis Saržants
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Elisabeth Lutyens Piano Works: British modernism imbued with French perfume
In the autumn of 2021 the British pianist Martin Jones released the first volume of his recording of the complete piano works of Elisabeth Lutyens (1906-1983). She was a flamboyant personality who challenged the misogyny of the music world and … Continue reading
Posted in review, women composers
Tagged Elisabeth Lutyens, Harrison Birtwistle, Martin Jones, Peter Maxwell Davies
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Maya Fridman and North Netherlands Orchestra shine in cello concertos J.P. De Graaff
The adventurous label TRPTK produces special CDs all the time, and the Russian-Dutch cellist Maya Fridman is a regular guest. If I counted correctly, some eight CDs by – and with her – have already been released, some of them … Continue reading
Posted in review
Tagged Jan-Peter de Graaff, Maya Fridman, Noord Nederlands Orkest, TRPTK
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Ig Henneman – tireless improviser and composer
On 21 December Ig Henneman (1945) celebrates her 76th birthday. In September 2021 the adventurous vio(lin)ist, improviser, composer and feminist was appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau for her contribution to the rich Dutch musical life. She still tirelessly … Continue reading
Posted in archive, review, women composers
Tagged Ig Henneman, Ig Henneman Tentet, Wig label
2 Comments
The Hague String Trio releases CD Celebrating Women!
On their CD Celebrating Women! The Hague String Trio present world premiere recordings by four female composers. – At once also the only works in their repertoire by members of their own sex. Perhaps they want to hitch a ride … Continue reading
Posted in review, women composers
Tagged Emmy Frensel-Wegener, Ethel Smyth, Irene Britton-Smith, Miriam Hyde, The Hague String Trio
3 Comments
Anájikon Konstantia Gourzi – music in which the sun always shines
In 1984, the German label ECM initiated its NEW SERIES to promote the ‘neo-spiritual’ music of such greats as Arvo Pärt & Giya Kancheli. Their style was considered kitschy at the time, but later they grew into highly lauded composers. … Continue reading
Posted in review, women composers
Tagged Arvo Pärt, ecm NEW SERIES, Giya Kancheli, Konstanzia Gourzi
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CD ‘Fantasy’ Laura Kaminsky: scintillating music featuring star pianist Ursula Oppens
In the United States she is a celebrity, but in the Netherlands Laura Kaminsky (1956) is fairly unknown. Undeservedly so, because her music is both powerful and poetic and has an effervescent energy. The recently released CD Fantasy contains four … Continue reading
Italian pianist strikes Ukrainian stillness at heart
An Italian label promoting piano music of a Ukrainian composer, it does not seem the most likely combination. Yet earlier this year, the CD Handsome Skies featuring piano works by Valentin Silvestrov (1937) arrived on my doorstep, sent from Rome … Continue reading
Medea, Circe & Penelope get a voice of their own
Euripides immortalized Medea in his eponymous play, Homer recounted Circe and Penelope in his Odyssey. Throughout the centuries, their labelling of the threesome became ever more solidified. We regard Medea as a hysterical child murderer, Circe as a malicious witch … Continue reading