Credits:
Monkemeyer, Nils / L'Arte Del Mondo
Description:
The latest album by viola top-runner Menkemeyer is a collection of concerto-like works by Vivaldi, Paganini, and Tartini. Nils Menkemeyer, born in 1979, has established a reputation as a young top-runner on the viola. He studied viola with Harioch Schlichty at the Munich State University of Music, and began performing while still a student. He has won the Primrose Viola Competition and the German Music Competition. Yuri Bashmet, one of the best viola players of our time, and Gerhard Schulz, the second violinist of the Alban Berg Quartet, also highly acclaimed him, and he has consistently released new recordings on Sony Classical, each one showing his commitment. This new album is devoted to works by Italian composers Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741), Niccol Paganini (1782-1840), Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770), and Alessandro Lolla (1757-1841). Backed by the ancient music ensemble "L'Arte del Mondo" under the direction of Werner Ehrhardt, Menkemeyer recorded works for viola and orchestra, among others. His performances of Vivaldi's "Bassoon Concerto RV495" and "Cello Concerto RV416," substituting the viola concerto, are splendidly gorgeous, and his lyrical tone is perfect for the expressive richness of the instrument.In between those two concertos is inserted a cadenza from the Violin Concerto RV.208 "Grosso Mogul," which sounds like it was composed for viola. Also included are two world recordings of compositions by Alessandro Lolla. Alessandro Lolla (1757-1841) was born in Pavia, Italy, and was the principal viola player, principal violinist, and conductor at the Palace of the Duke of Parma, principal violinist & conductor at La Scala in Milan, and head of violin and viola at the Milan Music Academy, among other positions. He is also a prolific composer. A prolific composer, he left behind many symphonies, concertos, duets for violin and viola, duets for two violas, and viola sonatas. Paganini was a student of Rolla, and he was an important performer and composer filling the gap between Tartini and Paganini. These two pieces are also fine works of the early Romantic period, with beautiful melodies and rich expressions in a traditional style. In between the two pieces by Rolla is Tartini's difficult "Variations on a Gavotte by Corelli," which points out the importance of bowing technique.Paganini's "Sonata for Viola and Orchestra" is a rarely performed work because of its difficulty (even though it was intended for the 5-string viola), but between the introduction and the theme and beyond, an improvised cadenza by Salvatore Sciarrino (1947-), an Italian contemporary music composer who is also a Paganini fan, "di Volo The piece pays homage to the viola's current state by adding a special touch with an improvised cadenza by Sony Music
Tracklisting:
1.Bassoon Concerto in G Minor, RV 495~I. Presto
2.Bassoon Concerto in G Minor, RV 495~II. Largo
3.Bassoon Concerto in G Minor, RV 495~III. Allegro
4.Violin Concerto in D major, RV 208 "Il Grosso Mogul~Cadenza
5.Cello Concerto in G Minor, RV 416~I. Allegro
6.Cello Concerto in G Minor, RV 416~II. Adagio
7.Cello Concerto in G Minor, RV 416~III. Allegro
8.Arpeggio in E-Flat Major, BI 7
9.L Arte del Arco - Variations on Gavotte from Corelli's Op. 5, No. 10~Variation 1-6
10.L Arte del Arco - Variations on Gavotte from Corelli's Op. 5, No. 10~Variation 7-18
11.L Arte del Arco - Variations on Gavotte from Corelli's Op. 5, No. 10~Variation 23
12.6 Pezzi di Murie Ridotti per Viola Solo~Romanza nell'Otello
13.Sonata per La Grand' Viola e Orchestra, Op. 35~Introduzione
14.Sonata per La Grand' Viola e Orchestra, Op. 35~Cantabile: Andante sostenuto
15.3 Notturni Brillanti per Viola Sola~Di volo
16.Sonata per La Grand' Viola e Orchestra, Op. 35~Tema
17.Sonata per La Grand' Viola e Orchestra, Op. 35~Variazione I
18.Sonata per La Grand' Viola e Orchestra, Op. 35~Variazione II
19.Sonata per La Grand' Viola e Orchestra, Op. 35~Variazione III
20.Sonata per La Grand' Viola e Orchestra, Op. 35~Coda
