Adolf Busch: Chamber Music, Volume One
Adolf Busch (1891-1952) enjoys a reputation as one of the greatest of all violinists: his recordings of Beethoven with the Busch Quartet have never been surpassed. But Busch was also one of the major composers of his day, equally natural as contrapuntist and melodist, with a style that owed much to his boyhood idol, Max Reger. Yet, always a man of principle, he sacrificed his career as both violinist and composer with his dignified refusal to perform or be performed in Nazi Germany. This CD of his lyrical writing for clarinet, the first in a series of recordings of Busch's light-filled chamber music, is part of the rediscovery of one of the leading musicians of his day.
Bettina Beigelbeck, clarinet
Busch Kollegium Karlsruhe
Listen To This Recording:
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Hausmusik: Duet No. 1, Op. 26a for violin and clarinet (1921)
- I Introduzione: Vivace, ma non troppo
- II Tema con variazioni: Tempo di Menuetto
- III Rondo: Allegretto
- I Praeludium: Molto adagio
- II Fuge
- III Andante tranquillo ma sempre un poco grazioso
- IV Scherzo: Vivace assai
- V Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo
- No. 1 Adagio espressivo
- No. 2 Allegretto comodo e un poco scherzando
- No. 3 Vivace assai
- No. 4 Tranquillo
- No. 5 Molto adagio
- No. 6 Moderato, ma con spirito e scherzando
- No. 7 Grazioso e capriccioso, ma non troppo presto
- I Allegro con spirito (ma non troppo presto)
- II Larghetto
- III Intermezzo: Andante sostenuto
- IV Allegretto amabile e grazioso
- Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 53c for clarinet and string quartet (1942)
- Romanze, Op. 53d for clarinet, two violas and two cellos (1943)
- Humoreske in A major, BoO 15 for clarinet, trumpet, viola and double-bass (1907)
Suite in F major, Op. 62a for clarinet, violin, viola and cello (1944)
Seven Bagatelles, Op. 53a for clarinet, viola and cello (1936)
Serenade in A major, Op. 53b for clarinet, violin and viola (1936?)
The Guardian :
‘Adolf Busch (1891-1952) was a violinist first and foremost, best remembered now as the founder and leader of what was probably the greatest string quartet of the 20th century.…These chamber works with clarinet, date from different periods in his composing life. …The style is broadly late-romantic, Brahmsian, with occasional hints of Hindemith-like neoclassicism.’
—Andrew Clements, The Guardian
MusicWeb International :
‘The works for clarinet and strings are what I called a subset of his output and so it proves here, though Toccata’s programme ranges just a bit wider and includes no fewer than five world premiere recordings. …The performances are hard-working and assiduous.’
—Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International
Fanfare Magazine :
‘…Busch remained true to Richard Strauss and Max Reger as models for melodic and harmonic inspiration, and to Mozart for compositional forms, with perhaps just a hint of Korngold peeking in for good measure. That said, there is a distinctive voice, and a very enjoyable one at that; if not truly memorable, the melodic lines always have great fluidity and grace and fall easily upon the ear, yet are always substantial enough to avoid the trite and ephemeral. Both the influence of Reger, and Busch’s profound dedication to Bach, are apparent in the composer’s use of counterpoint and fugue (cf. the first movement of the Hausmusik and the second of the Suite). …The performances here are exemplary. Clarinetist Bettina Beigelbeck has a particularly lovely tone, rich and silky, without even a hint of squawkiness in the upper register, and a seamless legato. The various string players here who are collectively labeled the “Busch Kollegium Karlsruhe” for this enterprise are fully worthy partners in their various supporting roles, with nary a wiry or scratchy-sounding bow stroke between them. …enthusiastically recommended.’
—James A. Altena, Fanfare Magazine
Das Orchestra :
‘Von den Interpreten, die größtenteils in süddeutschen Orchestern tätig sind, wird diese mit großem Engagement realisiert.’
—Heribert Haase, Das Orchestra, March 2014