Valentin Silvestrov - Leggiero, Pesante (2002)
Rosamunde Quartett; Anja Lechner, cello; Silke Avenhaus, piano;
Simon Fordham, violin; Maacha Deubner, soprano
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 220 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 169 Mb | Scans included
Classical | Label: ECM | # ECM New Series 1776, 461 898-2 | Time: 01:10:30
Rosamunde Quartett; Anja Lechner, cello; Silke Avenhaus, piano;
Simon Fordham, violin; Maacha Deubner, soprano
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 220 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 169 Mb | Scans included
Classical | Label: ECM | # ECM New Series 1776, 461 898-2 | Time: 01:10:30
Valentin Silvestrov is hardly a household name in the United States; however, in the Ukraine, he enjoys a similar standing to that of his Estonian counterpart Arvo Pärt. But that is where the resemblance ends. Whereas Pärt in his holy minimalism reinvents techniques that derive from Renaissance practice, Silvestrov's roots are planted in late Romanticism. His music is steeped in all of the emotion and drama that such a stylistic association would imply. Leggiero, pesante is a collection of Silvestrov's chamber music, and as an introduction to the musical world of Silvestrov, this ECM New Series release admirably fits the bill. Most impressive are the performances of the Sonata for violoncello and piano (1983) and the third Postludium by cellist Anja Lechner and pianist Silke Avenhaus. In these works, Silvestrov strives toward a synthetic union between the two instruments. Lechner and Avenhaus achieve this end spectacularly well and manage to blanket the performances in an emotional sensitivity that gives voice to Silvestrov's intentions, yet retains the personality of the performers.