CD besprekingen
Alphen
Opus 2| CD
Review: Alphen Opus 2 Alphen Opus T(w)o You |
| Carla
Althuizen, Gonny den Dekker, Yvonne Drese, Elly Geenevasen,
Hanny
van Holland, Gudie Klaver, Peter Klaver, Tineke van der Steeg, Marcel
Tettero, Ivonne van der Zon, accordions John de Man, percussion Sergé Latychev, conductor |
| Program: |
| Henk
op 't Ende: Collection Alla Marcia Adagio Allegro Vivace con Fuoco Andante con Moto Allegretto poco Mosso Allegro Moderato Andante Deciso Alla Marcia Astor Piazzolla: Libertango Ad Wammes: Boardwalk Merry-go-round Ferris Wheel Looping Jack Kat: Four Moods Ouverture Just Eight Movements Like a Tango Leon Boëllmann: Suite Gothique opus 25 Introduction - Choral Menuet Gothique Prière à Notre-Dame Toccata Anton Rubinstein: Russisch en Trepak Lorre Lynn Trytten: A Witch's Capers Dusk Moonlight Midnight Dawn Total time: 65:54 Released in 1998 Review date: April 2000 |
| Review
by Henry Doktorski: The Alphen Opus 2 accordion orchestra was founded in August 1995 and is directed by the Russian-born conductor Sergé Latychev, presently living in Heiloo, Netherlands. Although Alphen Opus 2 specializes in original works for accordion orchestra by contemporary Dutch composers, they also perform music by other composers, as well as transcriptions. Their first tour was to Moscow in 1996; in 1998 the orchestra was invited to take part in the Sata Häme Soi accordion festival in Ikaalinen, Finland. The conductor, Sergé Latychev studied bajan (button accordion) and orchestral and choral management at the Gnessin Music Academy in Moscow. After his graduation in 1982 (class of V. Dolgopolov) he worked as a concertmaster in the same Gnessin Music Academy. Later he conducted the "Harmonika" ensemble and the Orenburgs Cossacks Choir. For several years Sergé has worked in the Netherlands as an accordion teacher and conductor. Besides Alphen Opus 2, he conducts several choirs like the Don Kozakken koor from Rijswijk and the Noordhollands Byzantijns mannenkoor from Zaandam. I first heard about the group in February 2000 when I received an e-mail letter from Hanny van Holland, one of the members of the ensemble. She asked if I could help arrange for some concerts in Pittsburgh during their first United States tour in late April. Although time was short -- most classical music venues are booked a year or more in advance -- I said I would try if she would send me some press kits and CDs. After a few weeks, I was successful in organizing some concerts. The full tour itinerary can be found at http://classicalaccordion.freeservers.com. Their CD is representative of their repertoire: transcriptions of famous classical works (Rubinstein's Russisch en Trepak and Boëllmann's Suite Gothique), a tango (Piazzolla's Libertango), and original works for accordion ensemble by Dutch composers (Henk op 't Ende's Collection, Ad Wammes' Boardwalk, Jack Kat's Four Moods, and Lorre Lynn Trytten's A Witch's Capers). I was impressed both by the high quality of the works chosen for their first CD as well as the high quality of their playing. In one e-mail, Mrs. Holland assured me that they "play only serious works, not entertainment music." She wasn't kidding. The CD (recorded at the Concertgebouw Haarlem) is a classical accordion lover's dream: over 65 minutes of superb music played by a superb ensemble. The 19th century works are well played. My friend -- WQED-FM radio producer Paul Johnston -- was especially delighted by Rubinstein's charming Russisch en Trepak. All four movements of Boëllmann's monumental organ opus Suite Gothique are performed with power and grace. I especially like the sound of the accordion orchestra, as the bass accordions provide a much deeper foundation than a regular accordion, on account of their more massive reeds. I have heard many solo accordion recordings of this piece, and all I find sonically lacking to some degree. This Alphen Opus 2 recording of Suite Gothique comes closest to the sonic depth of the original organ work as I have heard. Although the 19th century works are excellent, my favorite pieces are the original works for accordion ensemble. Overall, I was extremely pleased, but I didn't think all the works were of the same quality, however; parts of Jack Kat's Four Moods seemed a bit superficial to me and the synthesizer part reminded me of a soundtrack for a B science fiction movie. However, the other works caught my eye, or should I say ear. Ad Wammes' Boardwalk is a three-movement suite which really has the driving energy of a packed seaside amusement park. Henk op 't Ende's Collection is another suite, this one in eight movements. Lorre Lynn Trytten's A Witch's Capers was a fitting conclusion to the CD: a portrayal of one day (or night I should say) in the life of a witch. All the contemporary works on the CD were accessible; no atonal or a-rhythmic works. I think this CD will be appreciated by all classical accordion lovers. The CD booklet notes are short and written in Dutch and English. |
| Title: | Alphen Opus T(w)o You |
| Artist: | Alphen Opus 2 |
| Supplied by: | Alphen Opus 2 |
| Review date: | February 2nd 2001 |
| Tracks: | 1.
Henk op't Ende - Collection - Alla Marcia - Adagio - Allegro Vivace con Fuoco - Andante con Moto - Allegretto Poco Mosso - Allegro Moderato - Andante deciso - Alla Marcia 2. Piazzolla - Libertango 3. Ad Wammes - Boardwalk - Merry-go-round - Ferris Wheel - Looping 4. Jack Kat - Four Moods - Ouverture - Just Eight - Movements - Like a Tango 5. Boëllmann - Suite Gothique opus 25 - Introduction - Choral - Menuet Gothique - Priere a Notre-Dame - Toccata 6. Rubinstein - Russisch en Trepak 7. L.Trytten - A Witch's Capers - Dusk - Moonlight - Midnight - Dawn |
| Alphen
Opus 2 is a 12-piece accordion orchestra. The group was founded in 1995
and is led by the Russian-born conductor Sergé Latychev, who
is presently living in Heiloo, the Netherlands. Alphen Opus 2 spends
much time and thought on promoting contemporary works by Dutch
composers. Their repertoire also includes many pieces by composers of diverse nationalities from various periods. In 1996 the orchestra made a concert journey to Moscow, and in 1998 was invited to the International Sata Häme Soi Accordion Festival held in Ikaalinen, Finland. Conductor, Sergé Latychev studied accordion at the famous Gnessin Music Academy in Moscow. After graduating Sergé led and conducted different ensembles, including the ensemble "Harmonika" and the "Orenburg Cossack Choir". In 1990 Sergé moved to the Netherlands, where he currently teaches accordion and conducts several choral and instrumental groups. The repertoire of this accordion ensemble includes original compositions as well as transcriptions. Their program starts with the 8 movement piece entitled "Collection". Written in the contemporary style as its name implies, the piece is a collection of musical pictures and moods, performed very skilfully. The next piece on their program is "Libertango" by Piazzolla. In this piece, just like in every piece that they play on this recording, the ensemble shows great togetherness and unity. Excellently balanced they produce an amazing sound picture together. In Libertango, throughout their performance, they have preserved the very character of the tango while building it up dramatically and emotionally. The beauty of the main theme in Libertango never ceases to touch me. It is wide but then it is also very intimate, it is melancholic but then it has that inner strength to it - and the ensemble have captured splendidly these nuances. It is obvious that the ensemble is led by a very experienced conductor who's musical skills, intuition and knowledge are of a very high standard. His musical thinking is refined and deep and talented musicians of the ensemble follow his instructions very exactly. Boardwalk is their next piece on this recording and what an interesting piece of music! I loved it! It has a pulse and spirit of its own where dynamically the build up is created on a very strong rhythmical pulse, and really sounds impressive. Overall, this is an excellent ensemble of a very high musical standard. Their performance is a pleasure to listen to. |
|
