Gramophone (july 2012)

Accordion Concertos ... external link
1 Jul 2012 Gramophone
Review by: Richard Whitehouse

Work by Lohse: In liquid... (accordion concerto, second version)
Cd: Accordion Concertos (SACD). Bjarke Mogensen, accordion and Danish National Chamber Orchestra conducted by Rolf Gupta. Dacapo: 6.220592

"The accordion tradition is flourishing in Denmark (...) Bjarke Mogensen has put together a diverse yet cohesive quartet of concertante works that span over half a century. Ole Schimdt duly sets the scene with Symphonic Fantasy and Allegro, its nonchalant take on sonata and rondo forms couched in an appealing idiom between Bartók and Copland. The laconic neo-classisism of Anders Koppel’s Concerto piccolo is no less direct, the ostinato rhythms of its outer movements imparting a discreet ominousness such as the elegant central Largo can only temporarily dispel, while Matin Lohse’s subtle interplay of soloist and orchestra across four movements of varied mood and tempo gives In Liquid... a more individual profile than its Pärt-meets-Glass amalgam might suggest. Unlike his often exploratory later concertos, Recall finds Per Nørgård revelling in the elision of folk and popular music with a panache very different from the often introspective pieces written as he investigated the possibilities of the ’infinity series’.”

”Mogensen benefits from spirituel and attentive playing by the Danish National Chamber Orchestra, enhanced by Rolf Gupta’s attentive direction.”
 
”…superbly recorded, the Dacapo sound securing a well-nigh ideal balance of soloist and ensemble (…) Jens Cornelius contributes informative booklet-notes to the concerto disc (…) can be cordially recommended to accordian aficionados and novices alike (…)” ”…pleasurable listening pure and simple.”
 

This is an excerpt of a review of to different CDs published in Gramophone july 2012; this excerpt presents all content dealing with the CD 'Accordion Concertos'.