Maurice André Edition Concertos 1
Maurice André (trumpet) with accompanists
Full tracklist at end of review
ERATO 2564 69572-2 [6 CDs: 439:07]
Maurice André Edition Concertos 2
Maurice André (trumpet)
Full tracklist at end of review
ERATO 2564 69066-6 [6 CDs: 450:30]
We have here two whopping 6 CD boxes devoted to the Maestro of trumpeters,
that squat artisan of instrumental and executant genius, Maurice André.
He was born in 1933, and for getting on for half a century – from roughly
1953 to his retirement in 2003 – he was both a discographic pioneer and an
omnipresent figure on the record racks. Though he tended to be wary of too
many modern works and commissions, his forte was the high trumpet, the four
valve piccolo on which he launched a one-man blitzkrieg on the eighteenth
century repertoire. The results of his Erato work are housed in these two
box sets. There are some familiar old friends here, including some duplication
of repertoire, adeptly and unproblematically transferred with brief but admiring
booklet notes.
It’s appropriate that we begin the first box with the Haydn, brilliantly crisp,
with a superb cadenza, and a lyrically sung slow movement, albeit with a rather
mushy orchestral support. The finale is splendidly done – clean, clearly articulated,
springy, but with a judiciously relaxed tempo. André could so often have gone
to town in his finales but sheer technical brilliance never led him to cavalier
showboating. His famed cantilena can be savoured in the Adagio opening of
Leopold Mozart’s Concerto and his embouchure is rock solid in the Trumpet/Oboe
concerto of Haydn. As so often he appropriated things originally written for
oboe, or violin but this is never a hindrance, merely an example of his fervour
for repertoire to propagate the baroque trumpet. The Mozart Concerto (again
arranged from the Oboe Concerto) astonishes by virtue of its ease and grace
and taste, though the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra under Frigyes Sándor provide
only so-so support.
Disc two gives us the big acoustic accorded the Stölzel Concerto grosso. It’s
too muddy, but the music is ceremonial and grand. The first Vivaldi piece
essayed is an arrangement of a sonata for violin and continuo (Op.2 No.4,
RV20). Of more immediate interest though is Albinoni’s Concerto, almost inevitably
arranged from one for oboe. The opening is sprightly enough and worthy of
note but the slow movement has such concentrated powers of expression that
one listens amazed. In Vivaldi’s C major he joins with fellow trumpeter Marcel
Lagorce and their imitative joust is a delight. Bach’s Concerto for violin
and oboe is refashioned for trumpet and violin. It’s a bit heavy and lacks
intimacy. A brave effort, but the use of a trumpet is too insistent.
It wasn’t easy to balance André with two oboists and a bassoonist in the Telemann
Concerto for those forces but it worked out well. The piccolo trumpet is splendidly
aloft here, but a more sizeable interpretative matter comes with Bach’s Suite
with, once again, frequent collaborator Jean-François Paillard and his forces.
He’s at his most persuasive in the masterful legato of the Sarabande. Other
highlights in this third disc include the portentous Adagio in Hummel’s Introduction,
Theme and Variations Op.102, as well as the cocksure succulence of the jaunty
Allegretto: perfect sang froid in the aerobatics of the writing, and inhuman
virtuosity in the Calando finale. He left behind multiple recordings
of the same composer’s Concerto. His collaboration with Jean-Baptiste Mari
and the forces of Orchestre de L’Association des Concerts Lamoureux may not
be the first that comes to mind – but it’s a good one.
The fourth disc opens with a sequence of recordings that the trumpeter remembered
as exceptional collaborations; the ASMIF and Neville Marriner. The Albinoni
concerto that opens the fourth disc – a violin sonata originally, arranged
by Jean Thilde – is a superb vehicle for André’s cantilena. It prefaces Tartini,
Handel and Telemann Concertos. The first has Gallic wit, the Handel is appropriated
from the oboe, and the Telemann has a characteristically noble profile. Telemann’s
gravity was a particular source of nourishment for André, who invariably played
his works with magnificent sensitivity. After this ASMIF we go to the routine
accompaniment of the Wiener Solisten in Torelli – self-directed by the trumpeter,
so maybe that had something to do with their lacklustre showing. In a different
class the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra under Frigyes Sándor, this time much
improved; violinist János Rolla inspires them in his Vivaldi meeting with
André.
If you need concertos by Johann Wilhelm Hertel – and who knows, you might
– you have four in the fifth disc. They’re all very congenial and were recorded
ten years apart. Best of all are the peppy finale of the first E flat major,
and the uneasy Largo of the D major. The harpsichord is very backwardly paced
in the second E flat major. It’s good to hear Jörg Faerber and the Württemberg
Chamber Orchestra in Johann Fisher’s Concerto – inevitably originally written
for oboe. What a characterful band that was, and how warmly textured in the
Adagio. An all-star line up graces Paillard’s excellent recording of Bach’s
Brandenburg Concerto; Jarry, Rampal and Pierlot.
The final disc in the first volume brings us more ceremonial Telemann, and
the dazzling playing in Loellet’s (Flute) Concerto. This last was one of a
series edited by the conductor of the recordings, Géry Lemaire. Graupner’s
Concerto, with its vivace opening, hits the most spots. Telemann’s Viola Concerto
masterpiece is here in Trumpet guise. It sounds very bright indeed but survives
somewhat better than did the Bach Violin and Oboe Concerto. As an envoi pour
a glass of whisky and listen open mouthed to André’s fastest-embouchure-in-the-West
cadenza in the first movement of Neruda’s Concerto.
The second box starts with a favourite vehicle, the Hummel Concerto with its
typically assured poise and immaculate technique on display – so too the mellifluous
cantilena of the slow movement. Johann Melchior Molter features strongly in
this disc. He can be rather a showy composer but at his best he has a quirky,
rocketing imagination that is hard to resist. As an example of the former
quality we have the opening of his D major for solo trumpet but try the brilliant
central movement of the concerto for two trumpets for the latter characteristic.
We have another traversal of Haydn’s concerto here, as well as some stratospheric
playing in Michael Haydn’s Concerto. It’s good to be introduced to the little
known charms of Francesco Biscogli in the second disc. With front line companions
– oboe and bassoon – there’s certainly a loquacious, conversational patina.
The Telemann Concerto here – self-directed with the Wiener Solisten – is not
a patch on the ASMIF version in Volume 1. André was a particularly expressive
channel through which Albinoni’s lyricism flowed, as the interesting violin
derived Concerto shows; the accompanists are Ristenpart and his Saar Radio
forces.
It’s hard to appreciate the exceptional breath control evinced by André, though
perhaps the Vivaldi-attributed Concerto that opens CD3 might at least provoke
thought. The column of breath seems infinite; it’s like circular breathing
on the saxophone. Despite the plethora of marvellous things a set, or sets,
such as this will inevitably throw up duds. It’s undeniable that listening
straight through is not an experience to be enjoyed, and nor would one want
to. Henri Hamal’s Concerto in D is an example of generic baroquerie and the
performance of the Brandenburg Concerto in this disc, despite the sterling
support of Barchet and Pierlot is, under Kurt Redel, too much of a jog-trotty
experience. Don’t spurn the Vivaldi though, with which this particular disc
ends – RV 556, a concerto for two violins, two recorders, two oboes and two
trumpets and a splendid example of melodic distribution.
A slew of Telemann opens the fourth disc – Teldec recordings from 1964 with
Frans Brüggen. Gustav Leonhardt is the harpsichordist and Jaap Schröder led
Concerto Amsterdam for these hugely persuasive readings. The ensuing recordings
by Vivaldi, Handel, Tessarini and Veracini are almost all violin sonata originals.
Paillard is again on hand. The results are rhythmically buoyant, staunchly
supported and played with customary élan and superior stylistic affinity.
A hint of the suave perhaps creeps into the playing of the Fasch Concerto
that opens CD5. But Brüggen’s support proves efficacious in the two Torelli
Concertos, where André is warmly expressive. Lovers of relative obscurities
will warm to Domenico Zipoli, whose Suite is a highlight and the sonorities
of whose four movement work are ravishingly deployed by Paillard and his forces.
The Aria is a real delight. Make for Zipoli; he refutes the by-rote expectations
you may have of little known composers flourishing in the first two decades
of the eighteenth century. The Bellini with which this penultimate disc ends
is as modern as things get. Vocalised lyricism is to the fore and virtuoso
frolics as well in the finale.
The final disc of this two box, 12 CD survey, reunites the trumpeter with
Marriner and the ASMIF for two of Purcell’s sonatas. There’s also the fearsome,
awe-inspiring meeting of André with three other leading French trumpeters
for Torelli’s Sinfonia a 4 – a spectacular affair. With his colleague Bernard
Gabel we continue the collegiate theme of trumpet summits – this time the
two-trumpet Sonata and Sinfonia of Alberti, and the multiple line up asked
for by Telemann in his Concerto for three trumpets, two oboes, timpani, strings
and continuo.
These exhaustive boxes are never exhausting. They serve as an index of the
trumpeter’s fabulous chops, but also his sense of fantasy and imagination,
his concern for colour, and his spurning of velocity and virtuosity for their
own sakes. A master class, still, in many ways.
Jonathan Woolf
Full tracklist
Maurice André Edition Concertos 1
CD 1
Joseph HAYDN (1732–1809)
Trumpet Concerto in E flat major, Hob.VIIe:1
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra/Theodor Guschlbauer
Leopold MOZART (1719–1787)
Trumpet Concerto in D major
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Jean-François Paillard
attrib. Joseph HAYDN
Trumpet Concerto in C major (arr. from Oboe Concerto in C major, Hob.VIIg:C1)
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756–1791)
Trumpet Concerto in C major (arr. from Oboe Concerto, K314)
Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra/Frigyes Sándor
CD 2
Gottfried Heinrich STÖLZEL (1690–1749)
Concerto grosso in D major for four choirs of trumpets, flute, oboe, bassoon,
strings and continuo
Bernard Gabel, Guy Touvron, Bernard Soustrot, Mineo Sugiki,
Pierre Schweitzer (trumpets)
Maxence Larrieu (flute)
Pierre Pierlot (oboe)
Paul Hongne bassoon
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Philippe Caillard
Antonio VIVALDI (1678–1741)
Concerto in A flat major for trumpet, strings and continuo
(transcr. & arr. Jean Thilde from Sonata in F major for violin and continuo,
op.2 no.4, RV 20)
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Jean-François Paillard
Tomaso ALBINONI (1671–1750/51)
Concerto in B flat major for trumpet, strings and continuo
(arr. from Concerto in B flat major for oboe, strings and continuo, op.7 no.3)
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Jean-François Paillard
Antonio VIVALDI
Concerto in C major for two trumpets, strings and continuo, RV 537
Marcel Lagorce (trumpets)
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Jean-François Paillard
Gottfried Heinrich STÖLZEL
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Saar Radio Chamber Orchestra/Karl Ristenpart
Tomaso ALBINONI
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
(arr. from Concerto in D major for oboe, strings and continuo, op.7 no.6)
Saar Radio Chamber Orchestra/Karl Ristenpart
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685–1750)
Concerto in D minor for violin, trumpet, strings and continuo
(arr. from Concerto in C minor for violin, oboe, strings and continuo, BWV
1060R)
Huguette Fernandez (violin)
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Jean-François Paillard
CD 3
Georg Philipp TELEMANN (1681–1767)
Concerto in D major for trumpet, two oboes and continuo
Pierre Pierlot, Jacques Chambon (oboes)
Paul Hongne (bassoon)
Cond. Jean-François Paillard
Johann Sebastian BACH
Suite in B minor for trumpet, strings and continuo
(arr. from Suite in B minor for flute, strings and continuo, BWV 1067)
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Jean-François Paillard
Georg Philipp Telemann 1681–1767
Concerto in D major for trumpet, two oboes, strings and continuo (arr. Peter
Willemoës)
Pierre Pierlot, Jacques Chambon (oboes)
Saar Radio Chamber Orchestra/Karl Ristenpart
Johann Nepomuk HUMMEL (1778–1837)
Introduction, Theme and Variations in F major, op.102
Maurice André (trumpet)
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Jean-François Paillard
Trumpet Concerto in E major (arr. & ed. Peter Willemoës)
Maurice André (trumpet)
Orchestre de L’Association des Concerts Lamoureux/Jean-Baptiste Mari
CD 4
Tomaso ALBINONI
Concerto in B flat major for trumpet, strings and continuo
(arr. Jean Thilde, from Sonata in A major for violin and continuo, op.6 no.11)
Giuseppe TARTINI (1692–1770)
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
(arr. Jean Thilde, from Concerto in E major for violin, strings and continuo,
D53)
George Frideric HANDEL (1685–1759)
Concerto in G minor for trumpet, strings and continuo
(arr. from Concerto in G minor for oboe, strings and continuo, HWV 287)
Georg Philipp TELEMANN
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Academy of St Martin in the Fields/Sir Neville Marriner
Giuseppe TORELLI (1658–1709)
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo (ed. Fernand Oubradous)
Wiener Solisten
Antonio VIVALDI
Concerto in B flat major for trumpet, violin, strings and continuo
(arr. from Concerto in B flat major for violin, oboe, strings and continuo,
RV 548)
János Rolla (violin)
Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra/Frigyes Sándor
Georg Philipp TELEMANN
Sonata in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
(edition and cadenzas by Fernand Oubradous)
Wiener Solisten
CD 5
Johann Wilhelm HERTEL (1727–1789)
Concerto in E flat major for trumpet and string orchestra
Concerto in D major for trumpet and string orchestra
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Jean-François Paillard
Johann Christian FISCHER (1733–1800)
Concerto in C major for trumpet and strings
(arr. & ed. Adam Carse, from Concerto in C major for oboe and strings)
Württemberg Chamber Orchestra/Jörg Faerber
Johann Wilhelm HERTEL
Concerto in E flat major for trumpet, oboe, strings and continuo
Concerto in E flat major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Pierre Pierlot (oboe)
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Jean-François Paillard
Johann Sebastian BACH
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047
Gérard Jarry (violin)
Jean-Pierre Rampal (flute)
Pierre Pierlot (oboe)
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Jean-François Paillard
CD 6
Georg Philipp TELEMANN
Concerto in D major for three trumpets, two oboes, strings and continuo
Guy Touvron, Lionel André (trumpets)
Daniel Arrignon, Jean-Philippe Chavana (oboes), Joël Pontet (harpsichord)
Ensemble Orchestral de Paris/Jean-Pierre Wallez
Jacques LOEILLET (1685–1748)
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
(arr. from Concerto in D major for flute, strings and continuo, ed. Géry Lemaire)
Christoph GRAUPNER (1683–1760)
Concerto in G major for trumpet, strings and continuo (ed. Géry Lemaire)
Georg Philipp TELEMANN
Concerto in E flat major for trumpet, strings and continuo
(arr. from Concerto in G major for viola, strings and continuo, ed. Géry Lemaire)
Willem De FESCH (1687–1761)
Concerto in C major for trumpet, strings and continuo (ed. Géry Lemaire)
Les Solistes de Liège/Géry Lemaire
Johann Baptist Georg NERUDA (c.1711–1776)
Concerto in E flat major for trumpet and strings
Ensemble Orchestral de Paris/Jean-Pierre Wallez
Maurice André (trumpet) with accompanists as above
Maurice André Edition Concertos 2
CD1
Johann Nepomuk HUMMEL (1778–1837)
Trumpet Concerto in E flat major
Johann Melchior MOLTER (1696–1765)
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo, MWV IV:13
Concerto in D major for two trumpets, strings and continuo, MWV IV:11
Michael HAYDN (1737–1806)
Concerto in D major for trumpet and strings, MH 60
Johann Melchior MOLTER
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo, MWV IV:14
Joseph HAYDN (1732–1809)
Trumpet Concerto in E flat major, Hob.VIIe:1
CD2
Francesco BISCOGLI (fl.c.1740)
Concerto in D major for trumpet, oboe, bassoon, strings and continuo
Georg Philipp TELEMANN
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Johann Wilhelm HERTEL (1727–1789)
Concerto in D major for trumpet, two oboes, two bassoons, strings and continuo
Tomaso ALBINONI (1671–1750/51)
Concerto in B flat major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Johann Sebastian BACH
Concerto in F major for trumpet, strings and continuo
CD3
atrib. Antonio VIVALDI (1678–1741)
Concerto in B flat major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Jacques LOEILLET (1685–1748)
Concerto in E flat major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Henri HAMAL (1744–1820)
Concerto in D major for trumpet and strings
Giuseppe VALENTINI (1681–1753)
Concerto in C major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Johann Sebastian BACH
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 in F major, BWV 1047
Antonio VIVALDI
Concerto in C major for two violins, two recorders, two oboes, two trumpets
bassoon, strings and continuo, RV 556 “Per la Solennità di S. Lorenzo”
CD4
Georg Philipp TELEMANN
Ouverture in D major (Musique de Table, Produktion II)
Conclusion in D major
Concerto in C minor for trumpet, oboe, strings and continuo
Nicolas CHÉDEVILLE (1705–1782)
Concerto in G minor for trumpet, strings and continuo
Antonio VIVALDI
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
George Frideric HANDEL
Concerto in D minor for trumpet, strings and continuo
Carlo TESSARINI (c.1690–1766)
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Francesco Maria VERACINI (1690–1768)
Concerto in E minor for trumpet, strings and continuo
CD5
Johann Friedrich FASCH (1688–1758)
Concerto in D major for trumpet, two oboes, strings and continuo
Giuseppe TORELLI (1658–1709)
Concerto in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Domenico ZIPOLI (1688–1726)
Suite in F major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Tomaso ALBINONI
Concerto in C major for two trumpets, strings and continuo
Georg Philipp TELEMANN
Concerto in E minor for trumpet, strings and continuo
Concerto in G major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Vincenzo BELLINI (1801–1835)
Concerto in E flat major for trumpet and strings
CD6
Henry PURCELL (1656–1695)
Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2 in D major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Giuseppe TORELLI
Sinfonia a 4 in D major
Giuseppe Matteo ALBERTI (1685–1751)
Sonata for two trumpets, strings and continuo
Giovanni BONONCINI (1670–1747)
Sinfonia for two trumpets, strings and continuo (from Op. 3)
Tomaso ALBINONI
Concerto in B flat major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Antonio VIVALDI
Concerto in B flat major for trumpet, violin, strings and continuo
Georg Philipp TELEMANN
Concerto in D major for three trumpets, two oboes, timpani, strings and continuo
George Frideric HANDEL
Concerto in B flat major for trumpet, strings and continuo
Maurice André (trumpet)
Lionel André, Raymond André, Bernard Gabel, Marcel Lagorce, Bernard Soustrot,
Guy Touvron (trumpets)
Jean-Pierre Rampal, Maxence Larrieu, Kurt Redel (flutes)
Jacques Chambon, Ad Mater, Pierre Pierlot (oboes)
Paul Hongne, Amaury Wallez (bassoons)
Reinhold Barchet, Günther Pichler (violins)
Alain Courmont, Bernard Fonteny (cello)
Lily Laskine (harp)
Anne-Marie Beckensteiner, Gustav Leonhardt, Robert Veyron-Lacroix (harpsichords)
Marie-Claire Alain (organ)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields/Sir Neville Marriner
Concerto Amsterdam/Frans Brüggen
Ensemble Orchestral de Paris/Jean-Pierre Wallez
Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra/Frigyes Sándor
Jean-François Paillard Chamber Orchestra/Philippe Caillard, Jean-François
Paillard
Les Solistes de Liège/Géry Lemaire
Munich Pro Arte Orchestra/Kurt Redel
Saar Radio Chamber Orchestra/Karl Ristenpart
Württemberg Chamber Orchestra/Jörg Faerber
Wiener Solisten