How frequently my heart sinks at the usual Christmas CD issues!
They tend to fall into two camps – the boring, which include
all too familiar carols with Christmas music performed by choirs
and soloists in a way virtually identical to that of so many
previous choirs and soloists, and the tasteless, which can embrace
just about any performer wanting to make their individual mark
on the usual repertoire. Each of these groups are best avoided,
but each year there are a very few issues where real imagination
has been at work, and where genuine musical or historic interest
can be found as well as the expected seasonal connections. The
present disc, based on the idea of a middle class domestic Christmas
around the year 1900, is one of those issues and will certainly
be my musical companion this Christmas.
Le Quatuor Romantique comprises violin, cello, piano and harmonium.
That may sound an odd combination nowadays, but, with a few
other instruments added, it was a standard combination at the
turn of the twentieth century, and much sheet music is available
in arrangements suitable for this grouping. It was expected
that ensembles would adapt them to suit the instruments they
had available as has been done here. The present disc starts
and ends with arrangements of music by Tchaikovsky and Humperdinck.
They are played with gusto and affection, and the imaginative
use of the sustaining quality and reedy sound of the harmonium
makes the quartet a surprisingly effective substitute for the
orchestra. Even Tchaikovsky’s Sugar Plum Fairy retains her essential
appeal; only the Waltz of the Flowers suffers from a lack of
the fuller resources of the orchestra.
Most of the rest of the disc consists of Christmas songs and
instrumental music, much of it based on carol tunes. Elena Fink
has a delightfully pure and fresh-sounding voice which suits
most of the vocal items very well, especially the more musically
straightforward songs by Lewin, Berger and Dasty. Even if there
are no undiscovered masterpieces here there is certainly plenty
of genuine charm and a real feeling for the season. Many of
the instrumental pieces on the other hand, for instance those
by Lindemann and Eilenberg, are simply salon music of the period
with seasonal titles attached. It is good to hear something
by Jonny Heykens apart from the usual Serenade. The instrumental
“Ave Maria” is enjoyably sentimental – the booklet’s reference
to its piety and earnest simplicity is perhaps an exaggeration
but it certainly sticks in the memory.
The Schoenberg stands out from the rest in its much denser more
contrapuntal style as well as in its use of a second violin,
although like other pieces it makes use of earlier Christmas
music including “Silent night”. Its quality and sincerity make
it for me the highlight of the disc. The other item which stands
out from the rest is the Waldteufel waltz, turned here into
a vocal display piece after the manner of the “Voices of Spring”
of Johann Strauss. Alas, this does not work at all, being superfluous
and clumsy. Although she gets around the notes, Elena Fink’s
voice becomes harsh and at times unpleasantly strident. Nonetheless,
as a whole, the disc, well recorded in a suitable acoustic and
with interesting booklet notes, is full of seasonal delights
for anyone prepared to forego the choirs and starry soloists
of most Christmas discs.
John Sheppard
Full contents:
Pjotr Iljitsch TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) Suite from “The Nutcracker” Op 71 arr Le Quatuor Romantique after Leopold Weninger [15:13]
Gustav LEWIN (1869-1938) Weihnachtslied “Nun ist sie endlich kommen” [2:41]
Sigismund SCHNEIDER (1897-1957) Weihnachtsmarsch arr Le Quatuor Romantique (1924) [2:25]
Arnold SCHOENBERG (1874-1951) Weihnachtsmusik [5:45]
Sigfrid KARG-ELERT (1877-1933) after Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Aria “Mein gläubiges Herz” [2:36]
Adolf SCHREINER (1791-1864) Paraphrase on “Stille Nacht” arr Le Quatuor Romantique [6:12]
Wilhem BERGER (1861-1911) Weihnachtslied “Von himmel in die tiefsten Klüfte” Op 52/4 [3:56]
Arnold MENDELSSOHN (1855-1933) Weihnachtslied “Markt und Straßem steh’n verlassen” [3:15]
Wilhelm LINDERMANN (1882-1941) “Eine Muh, eine Mäh” character piece [3:15]
Jonny HEYKENS (1884-1945) Ave Maria arr Le Quatuor Romantique [4:42]
Jean Dasty (19th century) Ave Maria [5:38]
Siegfried WAGNER (1869-1930) Weihnachtslied “Was soll das bedeuten” [3:07]
Richard EILENBERG (1848-1921) “Norwegische Renntierpost” Character piece [2:52]
Emile WALDTEUFEL(1837-1915) “Les Patineurs” Concert Waltz [7:13] arr Le Quatuor Romantique
Engelbert HUMPERDINCK (1854-1924) Overture to the opera “Hänsel und Gretel” arr Le Quatuor Romantique after Robert Tourbié [8:31]
Elena Fink (soprano); Le Quatuor Romantique (Vassili Voronin (violin),
Edward John Semon (cello), Joachim Diessner (harmonium), Markus
Märkl (piano)); Wasj Ninow (violin) 
ARS 38 086 [77:44] 
