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JULIAN MENENDEZ REDISCOVERED Works for Clarinet and Piano Oskar Espina Ruiz, Clarinet Noriko Nagasawa, Piano Keiko Kurachi, Piano* KB 13703 (Double CD) Released in Japan: July 29, 2004 Released in Spain: November 16, 2004 |
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| ALBUM DESCRIPTION This double CD is the first recording of the complete works for clarinet and piano by late-Romantic Spanish composer Julián Menéndez. It features Spanish Clarinetist Oskar Espina Ruiz who, after doing extensive scholarly research and performing numerous recitals and concertos on Menéndez, has gained a reputation as the Menéndez specialist. The booklet of this CD includes the endorsements of Richard Stoltzman, Charles Neidich and Vicente Peñarrocha, as well as substantial liner notes (in English, German, French, Spanish and Basque). The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York writes: "The Spanish Basque Julián Menéndez (1895-1975) was a clarinetist of legendary virtuosity with the Madrid Symphony Orchestra and Madrid Symphonic Band. His compositions for the instrument represent a unique style of writing and greatly expanded the technical and expressive possibilities of the clarinet. Menéndez’s works are comparable in inspiration and scope to those written for piano by Albéniz and Granados." REVIEWS |
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SPANISH RHAPSODY Noriko Nagasawa, Piano KB 13702 |
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| ALBUM DESCRIPTION Travelling frequently in Spain, I—like the composers on this CD—have been attracted by the unique beauty and richness of Spanish native music. Being ever more charmed by the music of Spain over the years has led me to record this CD on which I hoped to present the singular depth and richness of Spanish folk elements on the piano through the works of the highly individualized musical style of composers from various periods. Noriko Nagasawa |
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BASQUE HEART Basque, Spanish and French Music for Clarinet Oskar Espina Ruiz, Clarinet KB 13701 |
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| ALBUM DESCRIPTION Clarinetist Oskar Espina Ruiz is gaining recognition as a connoisseur of Basque music. All the works in this album, except those by Milhaud and Saint-Saëns are by Basque composers. His recent research, recordings, and concerts on Basque composers were fully supported by the Basque Government. Indeed, the fact that Oskar Espina Ruiz is a Basque folk musician who evolved into a professional clarinetist in New York City adds a particularly interesting edge to his output. This CD presents the program of his highly acclaimed Tokyo Debut Recital. REVIEWS |
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ABRIENDO FRONTERAS Chamber music for violin, clarinet and piano Monica
Chirita, Violin PRION 4082 |
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| ALBUM DESCRIPTION Since Ernach Trio presented a program on Chinese composers at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in 1998 its research has focused on Basque composers, up to the recording of this CD. With this work, Ernach Trio wants to make accessible to the global community a number of pieces by Basque composers often little known beyond Basqueland. This CD presents Basque composers prolific in instrumental music —like Ravel or Sarasate—, prolific in the lyric genre —Sorozabal—, prolific in religious vocal music —Otaño and Domingo de Santa Teresa— and a representative of a new direction in contemporary music —Carlos Villasol—. While Otaño, Domingo de Santa Teresa, Sorozabal and Sarasate present materials and ideas from the Basque folklore, Ravel depicts the Spanish Renaissance and Villasol dives into the German culture of Bach and his structural discipline. To keep opening frontiers —“abriendo fronteras” in Spanish—, the work by Milhaud breaths the air of French and Brazilian folklores and Schickele makes us dance at the rhythm of a boogie-woogie. |
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