Janne Nisonen - Ries:Symphony No.1&2 - Import CD

Credits:

Janne Nisonen

Description:

Ries's symphonies are suddenly in the limelight. The complete works are now being recorded in Scandinavia! Ferdinand Ries was a popular composer and pianist who dominated the European scene, writing works in a wide range of genres from piano sonatas and piano concertos to symphonies, string quartets, operas, and oratorios. However, perhaps because his teacher was so great, he had a strong image of being "Beethoven's disciple," and his symphonies tended to focus on phrases reminiscent of Beethoven's works, and he did not gain much recognition for his originality. The situation changed in the 2020s. A critical biography of Ries was published in Japan, and in February 2024, the Pacific Philharmonia Tokyo, under the direction of Norichika Iimori, will begin a concert of the complete work. In addition, ONDINE in Finland, where Ries had given a concert in 1813, announced the start of a complete symphony cycle. The only recording of the complete symphonies by Ries so far exists with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra (1997-2002, cpo label), conducted by Howard Griffiths. The Nissonen disc that appears here is probably not much different in terms of the size of the orchestra, but the approach is quite different.The basic tempo is rapid, the phrases are reminiscent of dances, and there is much in common with the style of ancient music performance, such as the light, bouncy treatment of phrases, accented timpani and brass, etc. The tone is varied and the expression of each musical theme is detailed and dense. The variety of tone and the expression of each musical theme are detailed and dense. The music of Ries, which changes expression from moment to moment, is conveyed in an exhilarating flow and is full of detail, surprising the listener with the richness of its creativity. In contrast to the neat Griffiths disc, which was the world's first complete recording of Ries's music and was intended to set a high standard of quality, the Nissonen disc challenges the listener to draw out the full potential of the work's emotional expression, and the results are stunning. The Nissonen disc is a masterful performance that shows that this is a work that surprises and impresses the listener without borrowing the name of Beethoven. Janne Nissonen studied violin and worked as a soloist and orchestra leader before taking up conducting, conducting major orchestras in Finland, including the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. The Tapiola Sinfonietta was founded in 1987 and was one of the first to be recognized for its advanced performance skills in the field of contemporary music, and in recent years has been working not only with classical works, but also with symphonies by Bruckner and Mahler.The orchestra has 44 permanent members, and in this recording, Sayaka Kinoshiro (城代さや香) is the principal second violin. Naxos Japan