Paul Ben-Haim; Music of Israel Vocal & Song Orchestral & Concertos Chandos

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PAUL BEN-HAIM

premiere recording

Pan, Op.17 (1931) * †

A Symphonic Poem for Soprano and Orchestra

Poem by Heinrich Lautensack

Alex Jakeman flute

Tempo I. Sehr ruhige Bewegung - Tempo I - Tempo I - Ruhig bewegt -

7:13

Allmählich verlangsamen - Ruhiger - Ein wenig vorangehen -

Zwischenspiel. Andantino molto rubato - Lebhafter - Wieder lebhafter -

3:30

Etwas zurückhalten in Tempo - Fließend - Große Steigerung -

Sehr langsam und ruhig beginnen - Zeit lassen - Aufblühend -

4:33

Von hier ab große Steigerung! Vorwärts! Drängend! Wachsend! -

Vorwärts! - Ekstatisch verbreitern - Sehr bewegt - Sehr breit - Tempo I

Pastorale variée, Op.31b (1945, revised 1948) † ‡

16:57

for Solo Clarinet with String Orchestra and Harp

To Gys Karten

Thema. Sostenuto e dolce -

1:53

Variation I. Lo stesso movimento -

1:50

Variation II. Un poco più mosso - Calmo -

1:35

Variation III. [Calmo].

2:16

Variation IV. Ancora più calmo -

2:24

Variation V. Allegretto, poco a poco accelerando - Allegro -

1:45

Più allegro - Accelerando - Con fuoco -

10.

Variation VI (Epilogue). Molto calmo e misterioso - Allegretto molto grazioso -

5:05

Calando - Lento - Tempo I (Allegretto) - Calmo

Symphony No.1 (1939-40) §

28:32

for Symphony Orchestra

Edited by Maestro Lahav Shani

In memory of my father

11.

Allegro energico - Più moderato - Ancora più calmo - [Più mosso] -

10:24

Calmo - Tempo I - Calmop - Tempo I - Calmo - Tempo I - [Allegro energico] -

Largamente - Allegro - Sempre lostesso movimento ('alla marcia militare') -

12.

Molto calmo e cantabile - Poco a poco movendo - Largamente -

9:22

Largamente e solenne - Tempo I (molto calmo) - Calmo, ma rubato (quasi Cadenza) - Largo

13.

III

Presto con fuoco -

8:28

Mezzo movimento, ma un poco più calmo e molto solenne -

Total time: 60:18

Solo: Claudia Barainsky soprano *

Solo: John Bradbury clarinet ‡

Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Zoë Beyers † • Midori Sugiyama § leaders

Conductor: Omer Meir Wellber

16 December 2019 (Symphony No.1) and 4 March 2020 (other works)

Critics’ Choice 2021 – Don O’Connor

American Record Guide – January/February 2022

Interpretation **** Sound Quality ***** Repertoire Value ***** Booklet ****

“… An important well-made CD.”

Manuel Stangorra – klassik.com – 28 May 2021

“… The BBC Philharmonic display its usual tightness of ensemble (including remarkably fine string playing in the finale [Symphony No. 1], while conductor Omer Meir Wellber keeps things moving and balances the textures with expertise… The Pastorale variée pushes the new release over the thin line from Must Have to Want List …”

Phillip Scott – Fanfare – May/June 2021

“… This is a wonderful release … Omer Meir Wellber’s interpretation is the more assured, epic, and heroic, and I hope it will succeed in tempting other conductors to follow in his footsteps. The BBC Philharmonic, as so often, plays beautifully and is recorded in sound hard to improve upon.”

Steven Kruger – Fanfare – March/April 2021

“… Performances are excellent. Ms Barainsky’s singing has form tone quality, steady pitch and, when the vocal line descends into the staff, good diction. John Bradbury – the first clarinet of the orchestra – plays his demanding role with skill and grace. The orchestra plays with good ensemble, refinement of tone nd especially rhythmic flexibility – a must have here. Wellber’s conducting makes an excellent case for the music and furnishes well-balanced support for the soloists…”

Don O’Connor – American Record Guide – March/April 2021

“… By bringing together currents from different spheres, Paul Ben-Haim not only demonstrates his artistic curiosity. He also conjures up a social idea. His music stands for the utopia of an equal coexistence in Palestine, in which people from different cultures can benefit from each other and find a common path. With this attitude, Paul Ben-Haim became a founding father of Israeli musical life … As in the first symphony, the composer again builds a bridge between different sound worlds, between classical forms, Arabic music and klezmer. And conductor Omer Meir Wellber forms a lively dialogue out of it. The spark that he ignites with his orchestra also strikes a chord with the listener.”

Marcus Stäbler – Deutschlandfunk (German Radio) – 14 March 2021

Orchestral Choice

Performance ***** Recording *****

“… It [Pan] is beautifully sung here by Claudia Barainsky with wonderfully atmospheric support from the BBC Philharmonic … Pastorale variée, an extremely accessible work for solo clarinet and strings played by John Bradbury with great finesse… its [First Symphony] fiercely dynamic outer movements – a combatative Allegro energico and an obsessively rhythmic finale marked Presto con fuoco, performed with mesmerising urgency by Welber and the BBC Philharmonic … In total contrast, the central slow movement is more lyrical and impassioned, an oasis of relative calm which inspires some tremendously eloquent playing.”

Erik Levi – BBC Music magazine – January 2021

“… This is the first appearance of the tone poem Pan for soprano and orchestra … This evocative and ravishing setting of a text by the German poet Heinrich Lautenseack makes a strong impression… It’s difficult to imagine the work receiving a more sympathetic and impassioned performance than this one by Claudia Barainsky and Omer Meir Wellber… Clarinettist John Bradbury gives an excellent performance of [Pastorale variée] this poetic and moving work… Altogether, a very worthwhile and rewarding release.”

Christian Hoskins – Gramophone magazine – December 2020

Recommended

“,,, These performances were recorded in cooperation with the BBC, and the works were played in concert before being recorded. The playing is splendidly assured and Claudia Barainsky shines in Pan, as does John Bradbury in the Pastorale varièe. I should also mention Alex Jakeman, who takes the important flute solo in the interlude in Pan. Omer Meir Wellber seems well inside the idiom and the recording is rich and lustrous, in the Chandos manner. Pan is a first recording, and that may clinch the matter for many listeners. It is certainly a splendid piece… All in all, this is a triumph, and I very much hope we can expect more Ben-Haim from this team…? Strongly recommended.”

Stephen Barber – MusicWeb-International.com – 4 December 2020

Recording of the Month

“Simply outstanding.”

Gary Higginson – MusicWeb-International.com – 23 November 2020

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