Best of 2012 - on CD

Just as quick sequel to my earlier post of yesterday on live performances ...

I enjoyed Pollini's retake on Chopin's Préludes, Hilary Hahn playing Charles Ives, ..., but the one CD which stands out is Paavo Järvi's revelatory reading of Hans Rott's Symphony coupled with two short pieces that confirms the composer's talent and originality.

If you like Mahler, Bruckner, Wagner ... then this music is for you. It is superbly played here by Järvi and his Frankfurt musicians with a keen sense of line and harmonic richness. I cannot recommend this discovery too highly.

Paavo Järvi's recording of Hans Rott works

... is out.

As quoted earlier, Jaarvi knows the piece and does a particularly great job of the scherzo.

The surprise here is the Suite, two movements which are clearly unfinished and the sign of work in progress of a major composer. The scherzo compares well with any of Bruckner's and the second, Sehr Schnell has some wonderful string writing.

Highly recommended.

A few posts on Hans Rott

Hans Rott has been the object of some news and some contreversy:

• It seems that Pavo Jaarvi is preparing a recording of the Symphony with his Frankurt Orchestra
• His comments, somewhat provocative, can be found here
• Additional comments on Kenneth Woods's blog are there

Some more elements on Hans Rott

http://kennethwoods.net/blog1/tag/rott/ courtesy of Kenneth Woods.(It also includes a far too short video of Paavo Jarvi on Rott's Symphony)

(Let me add a few more words: I discovered Ken's blog by googling Hans Rott. Initially, I had planned to do an analysis of the Symphony and in particular of the premonitions of Mahler, the influence of Bruckner and even of Brahms .... but after reading Ken's comments and analysis, I have to admit that this is not needed. This is far better done by him.)