Reicha & Neukomm: Quintets

O nome do compositor Sigismund von Neukomm é familiar à história da música brasileira. Entre 1816 e 1821, ele viveu no Brasil, influenciando a cena musical, colaborando com o padre José Maurício Nunes Garcia em interpretações do Réquiem de Mozart e escrevendo as primeiras peças clássicas inspiradas em gêneros populares brasileiros, o lundu e a modinha. Este disco nos oferece um outro olhar sobre a sua produção. O repertório nos leva ao início do século XIX, mais precisamente ao período em que Neukomm foi aluno de Joseph Haydn. Não era o único. Ao seu lado estavam outros jovens, como o checo Antonin Reicha. E o Stamic Quartet Prague, batizado em homenagem ao compositor Jan Václav Antonín Stamic, registra agora dois quartetos com clarinete. São obras que revelam a identidade pessoal de seus autores, mas evocam um mesmo universo musical, o estilo clássico, com um rigor formal associado a um melodismo envolvente. No clarinete, Stephan Siegenthaler, considerado um dos principais músicos suíços da atualidade, já tendo integrado as principais orquestras sinfônicas de seu país.

- Antonín Reicha (1770-1836) and Sigismund Neukomm (1778-1858) were contemporaries. Their time in Vienna, where both were students of Joseph Haydn, crossed from 1802 - 1804. From 1810 until the end of their respective lives, both had their permanent residence in Paris. It is therefore easy to imagine that their paths had crossed several times. What they both have in common is their striving to preserve the style of Viennese Classicism, which is best expressed in the works presented here.

- Czech composer Antonín Reicha was mainly known for his standard music theory writings, yet lately his compositional output is rediscovered. His chamber music works receive their due recognition and contain some strikingly original feats.

- Neukomm first studied organ and later theory under Michael Haydn and Leopold Mozart, though his studies at his hometown Salzburg University were in philosophy and mathematics. He became honorary organist at the Salzburg University church in 1792, and was appointed chorus-master at the Salzburg court theater in 1796. Neukomm was kapellmeister at St. Petersburg's German theatre from 1804 to 1809, and from 1816 to 1821 he spent time in Brazil, South America, where he popularized the works of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Mozart.

- This new recording presents two Clarinet Quintets (Clarinet and string quartet) by Reicha and Neukomm, music in firm classical style, charming, witty and highly melodious.

- Stephan Siegenthaler is a leading clarinetist of Switzerland, whose vast repertoire covers several centuries, he gave world premieres of clarinet concertos and chamber music by leading contemporary composers and recorded many unknown works for his instrument.

- The Stamic Quartet is one of the best Czech string quartets, who recorded extensively, notably works by their compatriots Dvorák, Smetana, Janácek and Martinu.