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David Popper - Romantic Cello Showpieces / Kliegel, Et Al


Release Date: 02/20/2001 
Label:  Naxos   Catalog #: 8554657   Spars Code: DDD 
Composer:  David Popper
Performer:  Maria Kliegel,  Johann Ludwig,  Caroline Stinson
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Number of Discs: 1 
Recorded in: Stereo 
Length: 0 Hours 56 Mins. 

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Notes and Editorial Reviews

The name of David Popper generally is known only to cellists, all of whom have had to struggle through his book of Etudes. The rest of the world's exposure to his music most likely consists of the Hungarian Rhapsody and one or two other showpieces, which usually are performed with just cello and piano. This disc of no less than nine different pieces shows Popper to be a gifted Romantic melodist and skilled orchestrator. Popper was pretty much the Rostropovich of the 19th century, and he wrote these works to show off his own virtuoso talents. Maria Kliegel is nearly always up to the challenges these works present, however extreme, and it is a treat to hear them performed with the originally-intended full orchestral accompaniment.
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The suite Im Walde is a colorful set of pastoral scenes interspersed with a dark "Gnome's Dance" and a Strauss-like waltz. Kliegel's solid tone is not as big as that of today's superstars, but the Naxos engineers have placed her just a bit forward in the recording to maintain the balance. The Hungarian Rhapsody has appeared on many cello recital discs, but the only available versions with orchestra are some early Rostropovich recordings and an even earlier disc with Emannuel Feuermann. This work is more challenging technically than musically, so Kliegel holds her own, and for most listeners the modern sound will surely be preferable to that on the older recordings.


The rest of the pieces vary in quality from the gypsy-like Once in Fairer Days to the flashy Spinning Song. One nice addition is the Requiem for three cellos and orchestra, again only previously available with piano accompaniment. The full score brings out the emotion in the music, and Caroline Stinson and Johann Ludwig are admirable partners. The Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia plays very well throughout, and Gerhard Markson is a sensitive accompanist. The recording's somewhat limited dynamic range doesn't quite bring out the more brilliant moments, and the sound of the cello isn't as full as it could be. At budget price, though, even the casual cello fan will find this a good buy, and there is plenty to please lovers of late-19th century German Romantic music.
--David Preiser, ClassicsToday.com Read less

Works on This Recording

1.
Im Walde, Op. 50 by David Popper
Performer:  Maria Kliegel (Cello)
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Period: Romantic 
Written: by 1882; Austria 
 Length: 21 Minutes 24 Secs. 
2.
Papillon for Cello and Piano by David Popper
Performer:  Maria Kliegel (Cello)
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Period: Romantic 
 Length: 2 Minutes 33 Secs. 
Notes: Orchestrated: Peter Breiner 
3.
Requiem for 3 Cellos and Orchestra, Op. 66 by David Popper
Performer:  Johann Ludwig (Cello), Caroline Stinson (Cello), Maria Kliegel (Cello)
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1891; Vienna, Austria 
 Length: 6 Minutes 56 Secs. 
4.
Pieces for Cello and Piano, Op. 54: no 5, Spanish Dance "Vito" by David Popper
Performer:  Maria Kliegel (Cello)
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Period: Romantic 
 Length: 4 Minutes 35 Secs. 
Notes: Orchestrated: Peter Breiner 
5.
Pieces for Cello and Piano, Op. 54: no 1, Spanish Dance by David Popper
Performer:  Maria Kliegel (Cello)
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Period: Romantic 
 Length: 3 Minutes 17 Secs. 
Notes: Orchestrated: Peter Breiner 
6.
Wiegenlied for Cello and Piano by David Popper
Performer:  Maria Kliegel (Cello)
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Period: Romantic 
 Length: 3 Minutes 12 Secs. 
Notes: Orchestrated: Peter Breiner 
7.
Hungarian Rhapsody for Cello and Piano, Op. 68 by David Popper
Performer:  Maria Kliegel (Cello)
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1894 
 Length: 7 Minutes 56 Secs. 
Notes: Orchestrated: Peter Breiner 
8.
Stücke (3), Op. 64: no 1, Wie einst in schöner'n Tagen by David Popper
Performer:  Maria Kliegel (Cello)
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Period: Romantic 
Written: by 1892; Germany 
 Length: 3 Minutes 47 Secs. 
Notes: Orchestrated: Peter Breiner 
9.
Gavotte for Cello and Piano in D minor by David Popper
Performer:  Maria Kliegel (Cello)
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Period: Romantic 
 Length: 2 Minutes 20 Secs. 
Notes: Orchestrated: Peter Breiner 
10.
Spinning Song, Op. 55 no 1 by David Popper
Performer:  Maria Kliegel (Cello)
Conductor:  Gerhard Markson
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Period: Romantic 
 Length: 2 Minutes 52 Secs. 
Notes: Orchestrated: Peter Breiner 

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review:  ( 1 Customer Review )
 superior cellist and composer November 10, 2012 By kenneth b. (philadelphia, PA) See All My Reviews "When I first heard the ungarischer rhapsodie on WRTI in Philadelphia had to stop the car to make sure that I could write the name down and purchase the music. It was/is the mats remarkable cello music I have ever heard. With respect to the technical issues, I had some difficulty getting the full disc transferred." Report Abuse
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