SHUHEI ISOBE (1949): Maskerade / Variationen über "Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann"
Sextet pro klavír a dechový kvintet (1992)
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791): Zwei Märsche D dur, K 335
Sextet pro klavír a dechový kvintet (arr. Yasuhiro Yamamoto, 1992)
SIX LITTLE RECITALS FOR SIX INSTRUMENTS
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Siciliana, BWV 1031 pro hoboj a klavír
Michio Miyagi (1894-1956): Haru no Umi (1929) pro fagot a klavír (arr. Katsuhisa Ohtaki, 1977)
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849): Berceuse op.57 pro klavír
Claude Debussy (1862-1918): Syrinx (1912) pro sólovou flétnu
Reinhold Gliere (1875-1956): Nocturne op.35-10 pro lesní roh a klavír
A.F.G.Bach (1949): Elegie (1989) pro klarinet a klavír
CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862-1918): Prélude á L'Aprés - Midi d'un Faune (1892-4)
Sextet pro klavír a dechový kvintet (arr. Shuhei Isobe, 1992)
The glittering Maskerade is a work of Shuhei ISOBE (1949), a clarinetist of Orphée. He has hinted the inspiration from famous Mozart's "Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann". He uses the homonym of Japanese characters and exchanges suite for Maskerade (both pronounced "hensókyoku"). The composition starts in an illusive mood. When performed for the first time the performance directly started out from tuning up. Each title suggests the Maskerade, and is joyfully transformed from ideas of eleven great composers he likes: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms, Bartók, Prokofiev, Schönberg, FranÇaix, Britten. A smile should be characteristic when listening to the work.
Two compositions of W.A.MOZART (1756-1791) follow: Two Marches in D major. Marches written as fanfare to welcome and to part with aristocratic quests. Most likely it was written for famous "Posthorn Serenade".
Six Little Recitals for Six Instruments is a part that should present the color and specific expression of each instrument in a sextet, performing for over ten years already.
The first is oboe performance by Yasuhiro Yamamoto of J.S.BACH's (1685-1750) Siciliana, a sonata originally written for flute. The transparent feeling of clarity and sadness is well suited for oboe.
The bassoon player Katsuhisa Ohtaki performes a work of Michio MIYAGI (1894-1956) called The Spring Sea. A composition heard every New Year played by shakuhachi and koto is dear to every Japanese.
The pianist Yoshie Kaminaga plays a beautiful piece of music by Frédéric CHOPIN (1810-1849), The Lullaby in which we are taken to the world of dreams. I sometimes recollect this lullaby when I listen to Erik Satie's "Gymnopedia". But you don't have to feel that way.
Flute played by Atsushi Ichinohe brings us Syrinx, a master piece from Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918) in which he makes us follow him into an abundant world of fantasy with audible far eastern echoes.
French horn is played by Yuichi Tominari. He chose a Nocturno from Reinhold GLIERE (1875-1956), a Russian composer who mastered horn and written several solos for it.
The last performance is the recital of clarinet played by Shuhei Isobe. He performs Elegia from A.F.G.BACH (1949) who is Isobe himself (it is his pen-name). It is a beautiful composition presenting his own world of sound but he never mentioned for whom or what the Elegia is.
This recording of Orphée is rounded up with an overture to the Pan's Afternoon (Prélude á L'Aprés - Midi d'un Faune) from Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918). A two dimensional narration of a Master, describing the loves and plays of Pan deep in a forest - and yet so clearly seen. And heard through a lively and apt performance of a sextet sound. As if you were present there ...
The basic idea of ORPHÉE is a true performance of a composition. But how to cope with the difference between original and arranged music? Imagine sixty members of an orchestra playing with a fully freed imagination. What a monumental performance it must come out but this happens only very rarely. On the other hand with only six players this happens very often. And it can compete with an orchestra in true touch of the idea, of the content of the work. And that is the reason why Orphée chose sextet configuration - in order to get closer to the content of compositions.
The value of this CD that it confronts with a real and true matter so basic for live performance as well as for recording.
