Reviews for ‘Sturm und Drang’ Volume 3
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“Page emphasises the Baroque nature of the piece with fiercely dotted rhythms, and hammers out the repeated notes of the fugue subject: absolutely gripping.” “Emily Pogorelc matches the violent syncopations in the strings and sings tenderly in the contrasting middle section.” “The ensuing aria, in G minor, is full of broken phrases and manic descending scales, which Pogorelc dispatches with brilliance and fire.” “The Presto finale is vigorous, with dramatic pauses, sudden dynamic contrasts and no let-up. Page and his players give it their all.” “The tightly controlled energy of the Presto finale is breathtaking.” “This is a superb follow up… Ian Page and his orchestra are wonderful advocates for this powerful music.” |
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“The bomb-proof technical standard of the playing would surely have delighted Mozart. And winsome justice is done to the beautiful slow movements of Kozeluch’s and Haydn’s symphonies. But the stand-out feature here is the sensational contribution of American soprano Emily Pogorelc, who is rapidly becoming a star on the European operatic scene. Her singing here has superb technical sureness, state-of-the-art command of the music’s wild emotional switchbacks, and firework-display virtuosity to match.” |
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“Long may this series continue – Page is like a gold miner who continuously comes up with the goods.” |
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“In the rendition of “Empî, fermate, olà… Smarrita, tremante” (‘Cruelty, stop now… Lost, trembling’), an aria from Paisiello’s Annibale in Torino, Pogorelc captivates the audience with exquisite yet brief arioso before reaching the tempestuous G minor tonality. In this recording, Pogorelc delivers an enchanting performance. The Symphony in G minor by Czech composer Leopold Koželuch surprises with its lyricism. It is superbly interpreted by the Mozartists, highlighting beautiful tonal modulations and expressive energy.” “(Ian) Page‘s interpretations are scholarly treasures. The musicians of the English ensemble, prominent figures in Mozart’s music and that of his contemporaries, joyfully perform the works without any preconceived notions, showcasing the product of genius; in other words, authentic music of geniuses.” |
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“Ian Page and his Mozartists deliver performances of the highest artistic standards mixed with a profound knowledge of a musical period that overflowed with emotional fervour and groundbreaking extremes. The vocal pieces sung by American soprano Emily Pogorelc are despatched with scintillating virtuosity and sparkling elan. This is a disc that will give much pleasure to many in general, and especially to those interested in discovering more about this period of transition between the baroque and classical eras. I unreservedly recommend not only this issue, but the whole cycle.” |
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“This makes for another exceptionally satisfying addition to a series that is special not just for the thought and scholarship that goes into it, but Page’s direction of his fine players. It is throughout beautifully balanced and paced, while at the same time musically highly insightful.” |