The Leipzig string trio and flautist Jens Josef set strong accents at the Harleshausen Music Festival

Kassel – Oops, this Beethoven sounds funny, you thought amused after the first notes. The ensemble had quietly reversed the order. And so the evening did not begin with Beethoven, as announced on the program sheet, but with Johann Sebastian Bach. His Goldberg Variations are a milestone and cult piece of keyboard music. In the well-attended Church of the Redeemer, an exciting string version was heard on Wednesday.

At the special concert of the Harleshausen Music Festival, the Leipzig String Trio demonstrated its preference for powerful, urging virtuosity – a real power play. The three members are all renowned artists who hold solo positions with the Symphoniker Hamburg and the MDR Symphony Orchestra Leipzig.

Adrian Iliescu (violin), Atilla Aldemir (viola) and Rodin Moldovan (cello) presented a half-hour selection from the famous work. The string trio version by Dmitri Sitkovetsky allowed a sometimes fascinatingly extravagant look at the "Goldbergs". After Bach, the Kassel flautist Jens Josef joined the strings to make his part as virtuosic as it was beautiful in sound. In Mozart's flute quartet KV 285 there was fast, lively playing, but also sweet melancholy in minor.

The gripping approach of the trio suited Beethoven particularly well. The serenade Jens Josef Flöte de op. 8 for string trio, published in 1797, was performed by the wild youngster from Bonn, who had caused a sensation in the Viennese aristocratic circles. The musicians made full use of the high-flyer's humor. The fourth movement, for example, is delicious, in which a melodramatic adagio was interrupted by fast-paced scherzo parts. The cellist clearly enjoyed setting strong accents here. After thunderous applause, there was a peppery encore from Ernst von Dohnányi's Serenade op. 10. This work can also be heard on the album "Passion", which the Leipzig string trio recorded in 2022 in the Church of the Redeemer.

Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine / GEORG PEPL / August 4, 2023

Kassel – When Giuseppe Tartini composed the Devil's Trill Sonata in 1731, he modestly added that he modeled the piece on a dream in which the devil presented him with a much more devilish version. Every earthly violin would have broken because of this, so one may content oneself with his diabolical adaptation. What a start for the Sunday master concert in the Church of the Redeemer.
Attila Aldemir breathes warmth and elegance into the simple theme on the violin and unfolds in the final cadence a skill that actually seems devilish, but without any pose. Aldemir, who has been a soloist with the MDR Symphony Orchestra in Leipzig since 2017, is one of the greats in his field. His young companion, the pianist Hazel Beh, also works at the Music Academy there.
With the Brahms Sonata for piano and viola, Aldemir uses his legendary Peregrino di Zanetto viola from 1560. Aldemir and Beh move through the late romantic work op. 120 in F minor with incomparable sovereignty, which many a listener finds in the version with the clarinet in your ear may sound like. For a long time Brahms' exaggerated profundity and
Attila Aldemir
Violinist and soloist with the MDR Symphony Orchestra
cheesy sweetness, but Aldemir and Beh ship interpretatively between Scylla and Charybdis and present an almost light-hearted to tart-tangy Brahms, how refreshing.
The Schubert sonata “Arpeggione”, which is often neglected, also gains a strikingly personal touch with Aldemir. Aldemir caresses the instrument in the heartfelt song-like passages in order to “polish” it almost nonchalantly with a wink of Viennese joie de vivre. No wonder, since Aldemir received decisive impetus in Vienna. Beh's fingers glide precisely over the keys of the Steinway grand piano, with a finely dosed pedal and an incorruptible calm, be it in Henri Vieuxtemps' dark elegy or in the restless Romanian folk dances of Béla Bartók. After the loudly applauded encore, Aldemir says goodbye one last time in Viennese style with Kreisler's "Caprice Viennois".

BY ANDREAS ERDMANN / Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine / 1st August, 2023 

The three gentlemen of the Leipzig String Trio open their first recording with a brilliant start. Ernst von Dohnány's Serenade op. 10 begins with a spirited march, which they take briskly and with temperament. The rest of the serenade is also convincing, a successful start! Dohnány's five-part work marks a good start, as the Leipzig string trio conscientiously explores the facets of the serenade, which lies between late romanticism and the beginning of modernity. The rest of the repertoire on this CD is also extremely interesting. With a string trio by Jean Françaix, works by Jean Sibelius, George Enescu and the Chaconne for violin solo by Johann Sebastian Bach arranged for string trio, one holds a weighty plea for a genre that is wrongly overshadowed by the string quartet. Because the string trio was treated more and more neglected after the triumph of the string quartet.

Vote for the string trio

If the string quartet was considered the pinnacle of chamber music, the string trio seemed to have become less interesting over the course of the 19th century, for whatever reason. This recording could teach chamber music fans a lesson. Françaix's charming trio, for example, or Sibelius' unfortunately unfinished opus show more than clearly that this genre is not a string quartet with a missing second violin, but a highly independent form of chamber music. The three gentlemen of the Leipzig string trio, all of whom are members of leading German symphony orchestras, present their advantages in an exemplary manner. Only occasionally do they show a little too much pressure, a touch less emphasis here and there would definitely have contributed to the structural clarity of their ensemble sound. But otherwise it's excellent.

klassik-heute.de (Guido Krawinkel), March 30, 2023

​Dennis Russel Davies conducts, the MDR Symphony Orchestra plays. Atilla Aldemir, solo violist of the MDR Symphony Orchestra since 2017 takes the audience as a velvety, sonorous-sounding tour guide on this musical hike through the central Italian lands, initially in the company of Solenn Grand on the harp as an intimate dialogue partner. ...especially since Dennis Russell Davies finds a wonderful balance between pastomal contemplation and dramatically sharpened access.

 

The debut on CD of the Leipzig String Trio, founded in 2019, offers two well-known string trios, Ernö Dohnanyi's Serenade and Jean Francaix's Trio, though they may not be among the most centrally valued genre contributions. In addition, the three musicians have a wide range of styles with Enescu's short Aubade, Sibelius Trio and an arrangement of Bach's Chaconne for solo violin. 

The arrangement of the Chaconne by András von Tòszeghi is performed by the Leipzig String Trio in an interpretation that takes away some of the solemnity of this movement, which can also be heard. The division of the voice-leading among three instruments gives it a changeable and thus almost dance-like character. This is supported by a slight brittleness and the powerfully pulsating playing gesture. One must first get used to this when listening, but then this version also unfolds its charm to be enjoyed.

Dohnanyi's Serenade is taken as a work of this genre should sound. So, for all the maturity of the technical execution, the musicians preserve the light approach of such evening music. Françaix's Trio requires a different approach, but it can also be read with a mischievousness. And the Leipzig String Trio competently offers this mixture of compositional ambition and tongue-in-cheek influence. They don't quite settle into the more virtuosic tempos of the historic recording with Heifetz, de Pasquale and Piatigorsky. But this offers the opportunity to fully savor the music.

Two other works round out this recording. With the trio of the almost 30 year old Sibelius they show an unknown side of the Finn, which they have captured with a sure feeling for this voice from the north. With the equally concise and charming Aubade by Enescu, they bring the CD to a clever and lively close with a farewell kiss to the listener, so to speak. This is how one likes to be spoiled acoustically.

In all the pieces performed, the three musicians, so different from each other, show that they are treading a stringent common path here. With intense and at the same time well-balanced commitment they give their interpretations formative characters.

Pizzicato (Uwe Krusch), March 5, 2023

That doesn't sound like a car with only three wheels, everything runs smoothly here.
The string trio is a somewhat exotic composition in chamber music. String quartets are a dime a dozen, but trios for violin, viola and cello are rarer. Incidentally, this applies to both the pieces and the ensembles. The Leipzig String Trio has been around since 2019, and the three have just recorded their first CD. The repertoire of the record is colorful and ranges from Bach to Francaix. In contrast to the quartet, one voice is “missing” in the string trio. This makes the composition, but also the game, more difficult. Here the balance and the weight of the three instruments have to be absolutely right. In the case of the Leipzig string trio, that definitely fits. One senses immediately that three passionate and vivacious chamber musicians are playing here. That doesn't sound like a car with only three wheels, everything runs smoothly here. In the string trio by French composer Jean Francaix, they show that the three of them also have a good dose of humor. A cheeky piece with hints of cabaret and circus - the composer himself called it "Musique pour faire plaisir" - I hope you enjoy it...
Music Francaix – 13´02
CD Ars production Ars 38 630, tracks 6 – 9
The string trio of the French Jean Francaix in a new recording with the Leipzig string trio. This cheeky and funny piece was created in 1933. On his intelligently and entertainingly programmed debut record, the three musicians from Leipzig also play trios by Dohnanyi, Enescu and Sibelius. Plus an arrangement of the famous Bach Chaconne in D minor. A wonderful CD for fans of rarely played chamber music.

 

Klassikwelt-Radio Bremen (Wilfried Schäper), March 5, 2023

Kassel – Powerful thunderbolts accompanied the concert by the Leipzig string trio at the start of the Harleshäuser music festival in the Church of the Redeemer, and at the end the applause for the three musicians was similarly strong. Adrian Illiescu (violin), Atilla Aldemir (viola) and Rodin Moldovan (cello) offered a virtuosic and rapid foray through the literature for this instrumentation.

The arc ranged from the Baroque to the late Romantic period, and the three gave impressive testimony to the high artistic level of the festival, which combines the educational support of young people with concert experiences: The violist of the trio will also be able to experience as a teacher in the subsequent master classes. The trio, which was founded in 2019, was characterized by verve, joy of playing and exciting articulation of the evening, which the three gentlemen opened with an arrangement of the famous Chaconne for solo violin from the Suite in D minor, BWV 1004 by Johann Sebastian Bach, and here they showed their flair for historical Sound culture: They gave the Chaconne in an arrangement by Andräs von Töszeghi a tonally appropriate brittleness with powerful pulsing.

With the string trio in G major op.9 No.1 by Ludwig van Beethoven there was a real peak work of the genre. Here, too, the interpretative focus was more on rhythmic stringency and tight, almost stormy tempi: A resting point in the adagio movements would have been good, and so the fragrant final note of the final movement presented itself as a real listening surprise.

If Beethoven comes up with harmonic surprises, the following work was even more astonishing: Ernst von Dohnanyi's late romantic trio offers a harmony thicket, but also gives all three the opportunity to shine with a noble tone, listening so exquisitely in the variation movement. After Fritz Kreisler's snappy and voluptuous "Liebesfreud" movement, a treat followed as an encore: the "Trio" by Jean Francaix.

Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine (Susanne Weber), August 1, 2022

Atilla Aldemir: "I feel Bach's presence immediately"

Foto: Atilla Aldemir, der 2011 mit dem Donizetti-Preis als „Bester Interpret der Türkei“ ausgezeichnet wurde © Marco Borggreve

Istanbul, Wien, Berlin und nun Leipzig. Das sind nur einige der Stationen des vielseitigen Musikers Atilla Aldemir, der sowohl das Spiel auf der Geige als auch auf der Bratsche beherrscht. Die Geige allerdings, die stellt der gebürtige Türke in letzter Zeit immer öfters ins Eck. Seit 2017 ist Aldemir Solo-Bratschist beim MDR-Sinfonieorchester. Als Solist hat er Ende des letzten Jahres auch Bachs Sonaten und Partiten (BWV 1001 – 1006) eingespielt. Natürlich als Arrangement auf der Bratsche – und nicht wie üblich auf der Geige. Damit geht Atilla Aldemir neue Wege. Weshalb, das erzählt er im Gespräch mit Klassik-begeistert.

von Jürgen Pathy

Klassik-begeistert: Herr Aldemir, Sie haben Ende des letzten Jahres die Sonaten und Partiten BWV 1001 – 1006 von Johann Sebastian Bach eingespielt. Jedoch nicht auf der Geige, sondern als Arrangement auf der Bratsche (Viola). Weshalb? 

Atilla Aldemir: Seit ich die klanglichen Möglichkeiten der Viola für mich entdeckt habe, erscheint mir eine Übertragung dieses Bach'schen Violinwerks besonders faszinierend. Außerdem kann ich mit dem tieferen Instrument die kontrapunktischen Elemente in besonderem Maße erlebbar machen.

Johann Sebastian Bach liebte die Bratsche. Sein ältester Sohn, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach berichtet, dass Bach als der größte Kenner und Beurteiler der Harmonie im Orchester am liebsten die Bratsche spielte. Laut seines Nachlass-Verzeichnisses besaß er am Ende seines Lebens u.a. drei Bratschen.

Klassik-begeistert: Seit wann beschäftigen Sie sich bereits mit diesen Werken? 

Atilla Aldemir: Als Geiger habe ich mich schon seit meiner Jugend mit dieser wunderbaren Musik viel befasst. Bachs Sei Solo gehören nämlich zweifellos zu den wertvollsten und erhabensten Schöpfungen der Musikgeschichte. Die Beschäftigung mit dem Zyklus ist per se aufwändig. Dies hängt mit dem musikalischen Gehalt und dem quantitativen Umfang des Notenmaterials zusammen, die jeden Geiger bei der Interpretation der Sonaten und Partiten vor besondere Herausforderungen stellen.

Klassik-begeistert: Die Aufnahmen entstanden nicht irgendwo, sondern in der St. Agnus Kirche von Köthen. Weshalb haben Sie diesen Ort gewählt?

Atilla Aldemir: Seit ich in Deutschland lebe, und besonders seitdem mich meine musikalische Tätigkeit nach Leipzig geführt hat, ist die Anwesenheit des Bach'schen Geistes und seiner Musik unmittelbar spürbar – ich atme quasi seine Luft. Dass ich die Gelegenheit hatte, in der Köthener St. Agnus Kirche die Aufnahme zu realisieren, hat mich mit großem Glück erfüllt und war für mich ein besonderer Ansporn. Denn hier sind diese Werke entstanden. 1720, also vor ziemlich genau 300 Jahren, hat Bach hier die Reinschrift der Sonaten und Partiten für Violine solo angefertigt. Damals war Bach als Kapellmeister in Köthen tätig.

Klassik-begeistert: Dann muss diese Kirche für jeden Musiker, der diese Werke spielt, ein unglaublicher Ort sein. Wie haben Sie sich gefühlt als Sie diese Kirche betreten haben?

Als ich das erste Mal die Kirche betreten habe, habe ich beim Gedanken Gänsehaut bekommen, dass Bach jeden Sonntag hier im Gottesdienst mitgesungen und seine Füße auf dieselben Steine gesetzt hat. Ich habe es als unglaubliches Privileg empfunden, seinen Namenszug von eigener Hand im Kirchenregister sehen zu können.

Klassik-begeistert: Gibt es eine Partita oder Sonate, die Sie besonders mögen? Oder einen Satz, eine bestimmte Stelle? Wenn ja, weshalb?

Atilla Aldemir: Die Allemande aus der h-moll Partita BWV 1002 sowie das Andante aus der Sonate No. 2 in a-moll BWV 1003 liebe ich besonders. Bei beiden Sätzen spüre ich beim Spielen Hoffnung und die Vergänglichkeit.

Klassik-begeistert: Die Aufnahmen entstanden auf einer Bratsche von Pellegrino de Micheli (1560). Üblicherweise spielen Sie auf einem neueren Instrument. Weshalb haben Sie für diese Aufnahme dieses spezielle Instrument gewählt? 

Atilla Aldemir: Bei der Wahl hatte ich keine Zweifel. Die Viola Pellegrino de Micheli aus dem Jahre 1560 hat wunderbare Klangeigenschaften, denen ich bedingungslos vertraute. Außerdem inspirierte mich die Vorstellung sehr, dass das Instrument zu Bachs Lebzeiten bereits existierte, und er es theoretisch auch hätte hören können.

Die Wahl des Bogens habe ich mir nicht leicht gemacht. Sowohl mit modernen als auch mit barocken Bögen habe ich experimentiert. Letztendlich habe ich mich für den Barockbogen entschieden, der mit seiner Leichtigkeit meiner Vorstellung des lebendigen und virtuosen Barockstils am ehesten entsprach.

Klassik-begeistert: Abgesehen von der technischen Komponente, worin liegt die Raffinesse oder die Kunst Bach „gut“ zu spielen?

Atilla Aldemir: Die Kunst liegt darin, die vertikalen und horizontalen Strukturen der Musik gleichermaßen zum Klingen zu bringen.

Klassik-begeistert: Sie spielen sowohl Geige als auch Bratsche. Wie schwer ist es, zwischen diesen beiden Instrumenten zu wechseln? 

Atilla Aldemir: Die Aufstellung der linken Hand ist für die Bratsche eine andere als für die Geige. Wenn ich ein Stück auf einem Instrument einstudiert habe, kann ich es nicht automatisch auf dem anderen Instrument spielen.

Klassik-begeistert: Weshalb haben Sie sich letztendlich für die Bratsche entschieden?

Atilla Aldemir: Die Bratsche ist für mich das Instrument, das entspannender wirkt. Sie gibt der Bach'schen Musik mehr Raum.

Klassik-begeistert: Können Sie für Laien verständlich erklären: Worin liegt der Unterschied zwischen einer Geige und einer Bratsche?

Atilla Aldemir: Die Bratsche ist größer und um eine Quinte tiefer gestimmt als die Geige.

Klassik-begeistert: Sie sind als Solist tätig, spielen aber auch im MDR-Sinfonieorchester. Worin liegt der Reiz in einem Orchester zu spielen? Worin wiederum als Solist? 

Atilla Aldemir: Das Orchesterrepertoire ist riesig. Dagegen sind die Solokonzerte mit Orchesterbegleitung begrenzt. Was eine Mahler-Sinfonie in mir an Emotionen auslöst, kann ich in Worten nicht beschreiben. Ich fühle mich dort als Teil des gesamten Organismus. Wiederum, wenn ich als Solist mit dem Orchester auftrete oder überhaupt ein Solostück spiele, zeichne ich sozusagen mit jeder Note meine eigene Signatur.

Klassik-begeistert: Lassen Sie uns Corona kurz ansprechen. Wie sehen Sie die aktuelle Situation? Hat sie nur Nachteile oder kann man ihr vielleicht etwas Positives abgewinnen?

Atilla Aldemir: Durch Corona haben wir gelernt, dass wir alle miteinander verbunden, voneinander abhängig und füreinander verantwortlich sind. Es ist eine Prüfung für uns alle.

Klassik-begeistert: Angenommen es erscheint eine gute Fee. Diese erfüllt Ihnen drei Wünsche. Welche wären das?

Atilla Aldemir: An dieser Stelle möchte ich keine Klischees bedienen. Aber was ich mir wünschen würde, wäre insgesamt ein besserer Umgang mit mehr Respekt und Liebe füreinander.

Klassik-begeistert: Herr Aldemir, herzlichen Dank für das Gespräch.

Jürgen Pathy (klassikpunk.de), 10. Januar 2021, für klassik-begeistert.de und klassik-begeistert.at

J.S. Bach: Sonatas & Partitas, BWV1001-1006
Atilla Aldemir, viola
"Superbly recorded, the deep tone of the viola gives the Sonatas and Partitas added expressive dimensions... these are performances full of eloquence and poetry." -MusicWeb International

Atilla Aldemir, although equally at home on the violin, chose for his recording of the Sei Soli BWV 1001-1006 in the St. Agnus Church in Köthen the viola as his instrument - and he could well be right historically, although the technical difficulties are increased due to the much larger scale lengths than those of the violin. Johann Sebastian Bach loved the viola: that much is clear! His eldest son, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, reports that Bach as the greatest expert & judge of harmony in the orchestra preferred to play the viola. At the end of his life, according to a posthumous inventory, he had in his possession, among other instruments, three violas and a Bassetgen. In all likelihood, Bach himself played this instrument. Further proof of Bach's love for the viola, however, is moreover to be found in another "Köthen" case: the Brandenburg Concertos, which only received their name long after Bach's death. They ought to be called the Köthen Concertos because they were written and first performed there.

The viola plays an exceptional role in three of these concertos, for which the history of music provides no other examples up to this time. In the St. Agnus Church, near the castle, Bach went to church with his wife and children to receive communion. And though the church bears a different look today due to 19th century renovations, this situation is still discernible in a touching way. The congregation continues to use the communion tableware which Carlota Anna Elisabaht von Wietersheim donated for the inauguration of the church in 1699 and which Johann Sebastian Bach and his wife also used.

MusicWeb International
People used to regard the viola as second-rate when compared to the violin with its pantheon of superstar virtuosos, but once you accept the character of the viola as a unique instrument in its own right then such prejudices fall away. The remarkable Ciaconna that concludes BWV 1004 has sounded more dramatic and theatrical than in this recording, but such extrovert frills are less in the nature of the viola. Atilla Aldemar takes all of the technical demands of these works in his stride, and at 14:26 for this particular movement might even have taken more time over his transitions at some points. The delight here is in a kind of expressive intimacy, drawing the listener in to hear Bach's intricate musical narrative rather than blowing our socks off with virtuoso fireworks - which of course are all present, but which are delivered with considered weight rather than dashing plumage.

Philosophical ideas of romanticism, paired with the first recording of Necil Kazim Akses 'Capriccio' for viola solo.

The Society for the Promotion of Westfälische Kulturarbeit eV (gwk), based in Münster, has set itself the goal of helping young aspiring professional musicians entering professional careers and - after winning prizes in their own competition - to the best of them with CD productions reward. Everyone knows how important such a (first) publication can be nowadays in order to assess one's market value as an artist. Large competitions therefore often produce CDs with the prize winners. In this case it hits a musician who has probably already found his position in life: Attila Aldemir (* Istanbul 1975) has been principal violist of the MDR Radio Symphony Orchestra Leipzig since April 2017. Together with the outstanding pianist Itamar Golan (piano) he has recorded three major works of chamber music literature for viola and piano on a double CD on the gwk-records.com label: the sonatas op. 120,1 by Johannes Brahms, the sonata for Violin and piano in A major (version for viola) by César Franck and the last completed sonata, that is for viola and piano op.147, by Dmitri Shostakovich. And the result can be heard. Three lesser-known works for solo viola have also been recorded: Henri Vieuxtemps' Capriccio 'Hommage à Paganini', Nicil Kazim Akses (1908-1999) also a 'Capriccio' and 'Troja'. The last two composers, like Atilla Aldemir, come from Turkey.

Brahms' viola sonatas are the touchstone of every violist: The first sonata in F minor, Op. 120.1, heard here, is played by the artists with a seldom experienced elegance. Itamar Golan's approach to the accompanying piano is also fabulous and extremely dynamic. He has been known for this for decades, but the Israeli has always been able to keep his performance consistently at the highest level, although he is already 50. It is a pleasure to listen to the two of them making music and to expose yourself to the warm currents of Brahms' melody lines. The 'Andante' reflects the sad seriousness of the composer, which is immanent in almost all of his works, and it is extremely exemplary. Aldemir gently strokes the strings here too. It is noteworthy that thanks to his mentor Matthias Maurer (University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz) he plays one of the oldest, playable violas in the world: a Pellegrino Zanetti from Brescia from 1560! Her sound is golden, she forgives almost everything and always sounds.

Passion and emphasis

The adaptation of the sonata for violin and piano by César Franck in the version for viola and piano also seems to be absolutely successful on this recording. Aldemir plays a version in the original key with occasional lower octaves, but these are hardly noticeable and are very cleverly made. The sonata does not lose any of its effect, on the contrary - the sonorous viola sound of the middle register creates a particularly longing, lush melos. There are cellists who like to play this sonata, but it really sounds best on the viola. The two musicians lift the opening movement 'Allegretto ben Moderato' with its almost organ-like piano setting with passion and emphasis. This creates an almost philosophical structure of ideas. The subsequent 'Allegro' is not always designed consistently in the Rubati, but that is also a matter of taste. At this point, the very clearly structured, modern 'Booklet Editing' by Susanne Schulte (gwk) should be praised. As the managing director of the lively association, she holds the strings in her hand anyway and - with strong partners - has been leading several series of young talents in the cultural region of Westphalia with great success from Münster for years.

The second CD begins with the famous Sonata for Viola and Piano Op. 147 by Dmitri Shostakovich, which he finished on July 5, 1975, around a month before his death: it was his last work. The extended first movement 'Moderato' contains extremely bizarre moments, almost as it were with a modified quote (beginning of Alban Berg's Violin Concerto) - just like Berg - very lyrically into the composition. Quotes from his (Shostakovich's) 14th symphony are also hidden in the sonata, as well as a melody that he wrote down as a 9-year-old as the theme of the last movement: Shostakovich biographer Krzysztof Meyer interprets this as an attempt, as it were, as if with a bracket whole creative career together '. The sonata is formally in three movements, but with the sequence of movements slowly - quickly - slowly, it turns the traditional principle of fast - slow - fast on its head.

Poignant

Atilla Aldemir and Itamar Golan know how to elicit a secret from this remote musical language: Shostakovich's last lonely, death-saturated thoughts are reflected in sounds here. The violist plays the cadenza of the last movement particularly movingly. One would like to hope that one can experience him live with it again soon. The composer's health was already extremely poor when he was working on the viola sonata, reports Meyer. Only a heroic act of willpower left him working on the finale - within two days! - complete. The result is an adagio full of tears, which also deals with Beethoven's famous moonlight sonatas. In this way, the two artists also indirectly pay homage to Beethoven on his 250th birthday. This sonata is incredibly rich and, in terms of interpretation, absolutely successful.

Three capricci - two of them by contemporary Turkish composers - follow, with which Aldemir pays tribute to his Turkish origins. In this country, Necil Kazim Akses (1908-1999) and Halit Turgay (* 1967, flautist and composer, professor at Ankara Music and Fine Arts University) are absolutely blank pages, but Akses, who studied in Europe, was Paul Hindemith's employee Establishment of the Ankara Conservatory and then temporarily its director. Turgay, on the other hand, is a very active soloist and organizer of competitions, master classes and world premieres of his own compositions.

To dream

Akses belongs to the group of the 'Turkish Five', who were the first Turkish masters to combine the musical tradition of their homeland with Western European composition technology. His Capriccio for viola solo (1978), here in its first recording, after a wildly sweeping beginning, initially vibrates lyrically in wide circles and gives the soloist ample space. Then the tightly written text cumulates in a cadenza with virtuoso strands. The soloist intones the double stops cleanly and well. Some passages invite you to dream and are also dynamically reduced. Unmistakably interspersed with one-and-a-half steps, the tonality is located in the oriental. It is already a late work by the 70-year-old in which Aldemir puts all his passion.

'Troja' by Halit Turgay (* 1967), on the other hand, is an even more avant-garde opus from 2018. It starts out extremely fragile, restrained, and in the slow introduction uses effects such as Sul-Tasto-Spiel, i.e. the stroke on the fingerboard. A lot of tension is built up before the actual work begins with rebellious motor skills. It almost gives the impression of improvised jazz, but everything is very finely chiseled and never brutal. A pizzicato melody that develops dynamically brings new material before sustained double stops dominate. Suddenly something new sets in again: tremolo and Bartók pizzicato, in which the string hits the fingerboard, shake the scene, but it comes even more violently, a loud noise cannot be identified. You couldn't compose more varied. This record is a plea for Halit Turgay.

Henri Vieuxtemps' 'Capriccio' 'Hommage à Paganini' for viola solo op.9 (published posthumously in 1882) then feels like raspberry ice cream with vanilla sauce. Feeling deeply, Aldemir explores the sounds of 19th century Romanticism and by no means buries himself in pure virtuosity. His viola by Alexandre Breton (2017), which is used here, is fantastic. Their sound is indeed rich in nuances and goes 'like a racing car', as Aldemir jokes in the booklet.

Interpretation: *****

Sound quality: *****

Repertoire value: *****

Booklet: ****

Atilla Aldemir, although equally at home on the violin, chose for his recording of the Sei Soli BWV 1001-1006 in the St. Agnus Church in Köthen the viola as his instrument and he could well be right historically, although the technical difficulties are increased due to the much larger scale lengths than those of the violin.

Johann Sebastian Bach loved the viola: that much is clear! His eldest son, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, reports that Bach as the greatest expert & judge of harmony in the orchestra preferred to play the viola. At the end of his life, according to a posthumous inventory, he had in his possession, among other instruments, three violas and a Bassetgen. In all likelihood, Bach himself played this instrument. Further proof of Bach's love for the viola, however, is moreover to be found in another Köthen case: the Brandenburg Concertos, which only received their name long after Bach's death. They ought to be called the Köthen Concertos because they were written and first performed there. The viola plays an exceptional role in three of these concertos, for which the history of music provides no other examples up to this time.

On many occasions, I've maintained that there is so much more talent around than the handful 'names' made famous through commercial channels. Atilla Aldemir is such a hitherto not widely enough recognized talent. This double release is no less than a revelation. Not only because the violin sonatas and partitas are played on the alto, and not only because they are played on an instrument that -interesting detail - already existed in Bach's time, but also, and pre-eminently so, because of Aldemir's stunning playing.

People familiar with his previous recording, entitled 'Passion', released on the German label GWK Records (Alto sonatas by Brahms, Franck, Shostakovich, etc.) will not be surprised. He is, indeed, a master on the viola in every meaning of the word: Technically, with perfect intonation, and passionately, with an unbelievably accurate sense of hitting the right mood at the right moment. Ideal for Brahms. Bach demands different qualities. And, yes, he got them too, as he amply demonstrates with this new recording!

Comparing with Midori Bach: 6 Sonatas & Partitas - Midori# whom I had the pleasure to review some time ago, the are some similarities like transmitting the composer's intentions as honestly as possible, with well-judged tempi, commensurate with historical practices, at the same time noting that there are clearly discernible differences as well. Apart from the viola's warmer timbre, Aldemir's reading has a more singing, call it romantic if you like, character. Together with none or a very light vibrato, remaining well within traditional baroque limits, the spiritual vibes go right to your heart. His playing is addictive, someone said, and I believe it is indeed.

What I most appreciate though, is that his reading is not about displaying a technical tour de force, the pitfall of so many young artists trying to impress. It is first and foremost about serving the music and through it the listener. Furthermore, played on the viola, the familiar solo sonatas and partitas shine in a differently coloured, almost autumnal light. Or, as Aldemir says: “The lower-pitched instrument gives me the possibility of foregrounding the contrapuntal elements”. Quite the antithesis of Julia Fischer's glorious violin account (Pentatone PTC 5186 072, re-issued on PTC 5186682). During the listening sessions, it occurred to me that Aldemir did not just play the music. With supple bowing, he seemed to be drawing the geniality of some of Bach's major compositions straight from the memory-laden soundboard of his 1560 Pellegriono de Micheli instrument. Sheer magic.

Midori's version is unique in that it is excellent for watching, played against the decor of the beautiful Castle of Köthen, Germany, whereas this new recording, taken in the Sankt Agnus Kirche in the same historical German town, is unique in that it offers, next to pure DSD, an additional 3D-Binaural-Stereo format using an artificial head, which is specifically meant for headphone listeners.

The notes do not say who the author of the viola arrangement, or more correctly I suppose, transcription is. For all I know the French viola player, Gérard Caussé, made one, so this one could well be his', although there are also older transcriptions like those of Angelo Consolini (1859–1934) and Werner Icking (1943-2001).

Both SACD's are in a handsome carton digipack with an informative booklet in the middle.

Surely a must-have for all serious Bach enthusiasts

Blangy-le-Château, Normandy, France.

Copyright © 2020 Adrian Quanjer and HRAudio.net

Performance:

Sonics (Multichannel):

Aldemir's really outstanding game: musical and dancing, but also clear and intelligent. ..Aldemir's Bach touches and moves, and despite all the sophistication and complexity, this extremely sophisticated music reaches the heart directly.

"Clear, warm and cleverly structured - this is the sound of the brook by Turkish violinist and violist Attila Aldemir." "... Attila Aldemir plays the pieces with the same virtuosity as on a violin, but the sound gets under your skin even more here." "The full, creamy and warm sound of his viola from 1560 goes perfectly with Bach. In addition, there is Aldemir's really outstanding interpretion: musical and dancing, but also clear and intelligent. "

Complete broadcast manuscript - Moderation Klassikwelt 11.11.2020

Have a nice good evening and welcome to the classical world on Wednesday. The three big B's in music history are there today - that is, Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. At the end there is also the new and wonderful CD “Pennies from Heaven” by the Mandelring Quartet with encore pieces between serious and popular music.

[...]

Bremen Zwei with the classic world and innovations from the Phonomarkt. The viola is a wonderful instrument, but it has a hard time. There are thousands of jokes about the viola and its players, and compared to the brilliant violin, the viola is often the ugly duckling. But if you listen to the new album by the Turkish virtuoso Atilla Aldemir, then all Bratschenwitz narrators should quickly stand in the corner and be ashamed.

[...]

Aldemir plays the six sonatas and partitas by Johann Sebastian Bach in an arrangement for the viola. That sounds surprising at first, but the result is more than convincing. Attila Aldemir plays the pieces with the same virtuosity as on a violin, but the sound almost gets under your skin here. The full, creamy and warm sound of his viola from 1560 suits Bach perfectly. In addition, there is Aldemir's really outstanding game: musical and dancing, but also clear and intelligent. Here is a first example: Attila Aldemir with the Allegro from Bach's Violin Sonata in A minor, played on the viola ...

Music Bach Sonata - 6´06 (CD 1 Track 16)

Clear, warm and cleverly structured - this is the sound of the brook by Turkish violinist and violist Attila Aldemir. That was the Allegro from the solo sonata in A minor, catalog raisonné 1003. On his new double album, Aldemir plays Bach's “Sei Solo”, the 6 sonatas and partitas for violin - but here on a viola that was built in 1560.

The classical world on Bremen Zwei today with new chamber music recordings. The new Bach record by Attila Aldemir was created in the St. Agnus Church in Köthen. Bach himself lived and worked there for 6 years, and this authentic recording room was an incredible inspiration for Aldemir. You can feel that Aldemir is absorbed in Bach's music, loves and understands it. When he was admitted to Bach's Koethen church, he was apparently particularly close to the composer. Aldemir's Bach touches and moves, and despite all the sophistication and complexity, this extremely sophisticated music directly reaches the heart.

Here Atilla Aldemir comes again, this time with Bach's most famous solo piece, the Chaconne from the D minor partita. A kind of "musical world cultural heritage" and one of the greatest pieces in music history ...

Music Bach Chaconne - 14´20 (CD 2 Track 5)

Atilla Aldemir with Johann Sebastian Bach's famous Chaconne in D minor, played on the viola. A terrific new recording by the Turkish born musician. On his new double album he plays the 6 sonatas and partitas on the viola - this experiment has succeeded, a really outstanding Bach CD in the Beethoven year! With Beethoven, the second hour of the classical world continues here on Bremen Zwei. [...]

So I really fell for Atilla Aldemir from the first note on this double CD. I could hardly get enough of the sound of this viola alone. The instrument sounds powerful and sonorous in the lower range, supple and silvery in the upper range. Sometimes it almost seems as if two instruments are playing at the same time. And Aldemir also really impressed me in terms of design. His playing has a "flow" that carries through this complex music. And at the same time he tastes every ornament.

So when Atilla Aldemir plays the viola, she has what it takes to be the violin's big sister. That was an excerpt from the Violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor by Johann Sebastian Bach. - What kind of viola did we hear? On which instrument did Atilla Aldemir record his Bach?

It is the Viola Pellegrino de Micheli from 1560. A renaissance instrument that existed long before Bach composed these works. For this purpose, Atilla Aldemir had a baroque bow made especially for him, which he lets dance easily and nimbly over the strings. And the place where Aldemir recorded his Bach is also special: The Church of St. Agnus in Köthen, where Bach lived with his family from 1720-22, i.e. when these works were written. And this space can sometimes also be heard on this recording as a faint echo.

Atilla Aldemir brings Bach's sonatas and partitas back to the genius loci. But now I want to hear a little instant review. Bach's violin works on the viola. Is that possible?

So I really fell for Atilla Aldemir from the first note on this double CD. I could hardly get enough of the sound of this viola alone. The instrument sounds powerful and sonorous in the lower range, supple and silvery in the upper range. Sometimes it almost seems as if two instruments are playing at the same time. And Aldemir also really impressed me in terms of design. His playing has a "flow" that carries through this complex music. And at the same time he tastes every ornament.

And now we want to listen to this flow again. What do we hear

I have brought with me what is probably the most famous movement from these solo works. The «Chaconne» from the 2nd Partita.

• Music: Chaconne. Partita No. 2

Bach's “Chaconne” from the second partita for solo violin. Here played on the viola by Atilla Aldemir. The Turkish violist has recorded all of the sonatas and partitas on a double CD. It will be released on November 25th on Cybele Records.

Recordings of the Year 2020

We have become used to hearing Bach's Suites for solo cello played on the viola, and sometimes even on the violin, but recordings of the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin on viola are rare. I did an online search and came across a release from 2006 on the Eroica label played by Scott Slapin, but other than that Atilla Aldemar appears to have the field to himself. Thinking about it, this seems odd. The appeal for both players and listeners of playing Bach's sublime music on an instrument that has deeper sonorities than a violin would seem entirely natural. Atilla Aldemir is equally at home with the violin, but transferring Bach to the viola has been a long-standing preoccupation: “Among other things, the lower-pitched instrument gives me the possibility of foregrounding the contrapuntal elements. Using the Viola Pelegrino de Micheli from 1560, whose tonal characteristics are wonderful and which I trust unconditionally, was something about which I was certain. I also found inspiration in the notion that the instrument existed during Bach's lifetime and that he maybe had a chance to hear it.”

There is a further synergy in the choice of the St. Agnes Kirche in Köthen, a space well-known to Bach, and a richly atmospheric acoustic that suits this recording perfectly. J.S Bach had, according to his son Carl Philip Emmanuel, a preference for playing the viola, and three such instruments appear in a posthumous inventory of his possessions. Whatever the arguments in favour of this recording, it is in any case a marvellous one. I have an affection for resonant acoustics, but the recorded balance here is perfectly caught, with plenty of detail and texture in the viola sound, while the space provides its own character on the effect of the whole. We reviewers are on occasion justifiably criticised for reviewing surround-sound SACD discs in boring old stereo, but Cybele's binaural layer means that headphone users like myself can relax and enjoy a true Hi-Fi experience without fear of missing out. Comparing the conventional CD layer against SACD binaural is like experiencing the same space but almost with heightened senses, as if you can gauge the temperature of the tiles beneath your feet and see the motes of dust floating in the air as the music resonates around you.

Atilla's Bach tends to be a bit slower than you would expect from a performance on violin, but with the shift in spectrum on the viola this sounds entirely natural, and in any case he is no slouch when it comes to rapid passagework such as that demanded from the Double that concludes BWV 1002. There is no sense of struggle here, but there is a physicality in the action, a feeling of added active movement that takes us closer to the cello. There is a certain amount of 'effort' perceptible in something as tricky as the Fuga of BWV 1005, but even in this thicket of notes the music triumphs over the complications. The tone of the historical instrument used here is gorgeous and expressively satisfying but also lively and responsive, and there is nothing at all stodgy in either the performance or the nature of this music when played on the viola. The effect of the double-stopping and counterpoint on the viola means that we can experience these pieces anew, the emphasis on lower notes drawing the balance down from the upper register and the ear's tendency to latch onto melody or upper lines.

Atilla describes himself as an intuitive musician, and another aspect of these performances that I like is that they are respectful to Bach without being overly reverential. He contrasts articulation from time to time, and seeks out the dance feel in the music where the score demands it - movements such as the Tempo di Borea from BWV 1003 more stately than on most violin recordings, but unmistakable in their rhythmic direction. Lightness of touch gives movements such as the Fugue in BWV 1003 a sense of floating elegance that, alongside the more earthy tone of the viola, surprises the ear.

Do I have any criticisms at all? Not really. People used to regard the viola as second-rate when compared to the violin with its pantheon of superstar virtuosos, but once you accept the character of the viola as a unique instrument in its own right then such prejudices fall away. The remarkable Ciaconna that concludes BWV 1004 has sounded more dramatic and theatrical than in this recording, but such extrovert frills are less in the nature of the viola. Atilla Aldemir takes all of the technical demands of these works in his stride, and at 14:26 for this particular movement might even have taken more time over his transitions at some points. The delight here is in a kind of expressive intimacy, drawing the listener in to hear Bach's intricate musical narrative rather than blowing our socks off with virtuoso fireworks - which of course are all present, but which are delivered with considered weight rather than dashing plumage.

In short, all lovers of Bach's Sonatas and Partitas should acquire this recording. There have been a few very fine violin recordings of these works recently, and I will of course be hanging on to both Christian Tetzlaff and Thomas Zehetmair in their excellent renditions. Some days however, you want a change from the violin and a way of discovering these pieces anew, and in this Atilla Aldemir delivers superbly. Cybele's presentation is excellent as usual, with informative booklet notes in English and German, and lots of nice photos taken on location.

Dominy Clements

Review - Bach: Partitas and Sonatas for solo (vi) violin BWV 1001-1006- - Atilla Aldemir - OpusKlassiek

For the CD buyer it often does not matter: the genesis of a production. Moreover: what ultimately counts is the music itself, its performance. Naturally, this also applies to this set with Bach's partitas and sonatas, originally written for the violin but performed by the Turkish musician Atilla Aldemir on his body instrument: the viola, and what a real Pellegrino de Micheli from 1560 that sounds like the seems to have stood the test of time excellently.

But still, I don't want to deny you the foreword in the CD booklet, written by Mirjam Wiesemann, wife of Ingo Schmidt-Lucas, 'Tonmeister' and manager of the Cybele label. It should be noted that Wiesemann is also very active for the label and is known for, among other things, the many interviews she has recorded on CD or otherwise in the CD booklet with composers and musicians of all kinds: Mirjam Wiesemann in conversation with.

Music as a connecting element: it is often said but fortunately often enough put into practice. This certainly applies to this production in which - albeit posthumously - Klemens Schmitzer, once a master of the trombone, had an important role to play, but was forced to give up his much-loved instrument in 1999 for health reasons. However, music did not let him go: he studied cultural management and quickly built up a reputation in it.

As a brand new culture and orchestra manager, he and his wife left the east of Germany for Lübeck, where Schmidt-Lucas met him in 2007 at the Theater Lübeck. Schmitzer was active as director of the theater orchestra.

The personal contacts between the Schmitzer and Schmidt-Lucas / Wiesemann couple became even stronger after Schmitzer's appointment as orchestra manager of the Berlin Konzerthaus, followed in 2015 by his appointment in Wuppertal with the local symphony orchestra and the Wuppertaler Bühnen.

On January 20, 2018, the first memorable meeting between Schmidt-Lucas and Atilla Aldemir took place in Schmitzer's home. One of the possible projects discussed there was the integral recording of Bach's sonatas and partitas. However, no one could have imagined that Aldemir would play Bach's Chaconne at the funeral of Klemens Schmitzer in Dresden six months later, on 20 July. Schmitzer had passed away unexpectedly, a week after his 51st birthday, which he had celebrated happily among family and friends.

And so this album, which in fact came about on Schmitzer's initiative, is also a very special, personal memory to that equally special friendship. It follows that this album was also released as a musical in memoriam.

In the interview between Wiesemann and Aldemir included in the booklet, the altist is by no means the first who has been involved with these works since his youth. And of course it is adventurous and fascinating at the same time to make the transition from the violin to the viola. A radical step, although nothing substantial changes in the counterpoint devised by Bach with great finesse. But in terms of sound and playing technique, the viola has a different signature compared to the violin. Not that the image of these sonatas and partitas is tilted as a result, but that the viola requires a rhetoric adapted to it: in terms of maneuverability alone, the viola is clearly subordinate to the violin, which means that perhaps even higher technical demands are placed on highlighting the light, lively but also the intensely contemplative character that these pieces naturally possess, while that so typical baroque style must be preserved anyway. Aldemir was fully aware that it was not only a question of the instrument as a whole, but also the right choice of bow and strings. While the acoustics in which the action takes place also plays an important role. The choice for the St. Agnus Kirche in Köthen was therefore perhaps obvious for two reasons: The young Bach still sang in this church as a member of the church in the Sunday services (his name is included in the preserved church register) and - I know it from my own experience - the acoustics are more than excellent.

Bach put the finishing touches to these six pieces for solo violin in 1720 in Köthen, which he had started in 1703 in Weimar. Continuously interrupted work for a period of no less than 17 years. In Köthen, Bach, as Kapellmeister attached to the court of Landgrave Leopold von Anhalt-Köthen, also wrote the six Brandenburg concertos and the six suites for cello solo. Köthen was also an important stopping place for Bach from a creative point of view.

As far as we know, the Sei Soli (the original title of the sonatas and partitas) were never performed at St. Agnus in Bach's time. At least no indication has been found. Whether Bach himself ever performed these works in whole or in part (he was, according to the tradition, also a very talented violinist) will also have to remain hidden in the lap of history. There is not even any unambiguity about the performance by other musicians at the time, but that of Joseph Spiess is most likely the most likely, when the concertmaster of the Köthense orchestra (which, given the by no means small degree of difficulty of the Brandenburg concertos, must have been of high content). Other names in circulation are those of Johann Georg Pisendel and Jean-Baptiste Volumier, both associated with the court orchestra in Dresden surrounded by a lot of brilliance and splendor.

Although these sonatas and partitas have been recorded in all conceivable performances but also in arrangements (the discographic range can even be called incalculable) and some things have certainly happened in the field of historicizing performance practice in the past fifty years, the most important anchor points have remained intact: stylistic purity, affinity with form and content, articulation and intonation, rhythmic suppleness, dynamic gradation (even on a single note!) phrasing.

This is music that tolerates a certain degree of 'ad' ad libitum 'excellently, although such freedoms must be based on knowledge and experience. An example of such an approach can be found in the various dance forms (courante, gavotte, sarabande, ciaccona, loure, bourée, gigue, etc.), in the polyphonic dialogues and in the fugues with the contrasts between main and side issues. Freedom in bondage, you could say, which doesn't have to stand in the way of musical integrity.

A good example of this is the splendid interpretation of the violinist Arthur Grumiaux, who recorded the sonatas and partitas for Philips in the early 1960s and explicitly demonstrates once again that, although time has certainly not stood still, age in itself is not a meaningful criterion. is.

Then there is Atilla Aldemir, both virtuoso and warm-blooded, who shows that the viola is an excellent partner in such in-depth exploration. We thus become acquainted with a great musical personality who, like the greatest violinists in this field, knows 'his' Bach particularly well, intelligence and style purity with great resents conviction as a unifying element and, through his individual contribution, brings the necessary tension to this beautifully elaborated discourse. How attractive the viola can sound in this repertoire is demonstrated, for example, by the bronze sonority at the beginning of the allemande from the Second Partita. But also how agile the viola is able to manifest itself in the right hands, as in the Allegro of the Second Sonata, for example. And then there was the very critical choice of the bow (Aldemir tells about it in the interview), which will certainly have helped him with the extremely difficult chords that Bach set up for the violinist. No doubt also about the voice, the particularly beautifully elaborated melody lines, the choice of tempo, the ornamentation and the rhythmic precision. Although the recording data shows that it was not exactly overnight, the spontaneity of this interpretation splashes, which only increases the added value of this recital.

In summary, Atilla Aldemir turns out to be a great Bach interpreter on this beautifully documented album. This beautiful album is also framed by a jewel of a recording in DSD / SACD. The enthusiast not only has the choice of stereo or (five-channel) surround, but can also enjoy the 3D artificial head alternative (binaural stereo).

With this double CD, Atilla Aldemir ... presents an appealing “calling card”, which impressively demonstrates the broad spectrum of his skills. The whole record resembles a generously designed sonata evening, and Aldemir has a decidedly proactive partner in Itamar Golan at his side. The first movement of the Brahms Sonata is designed in a stormy, empathetic manner ... The dark sound of the viola, an instrument built in 1560 by Peregrino di Zanetto, has potential for addiction, however, and Aldemir knows how to use it sensitively, with beautiful “parlando” moments in the slow movement. The duo approaches the ländler-like third movement and the finale sweepingly boisterous.

[Nothing] clouds the hearing of Shostakovich's Sonata, whose Scherzo succeeds with characteristic doggedness, while in the concluding Adagio time is virtually halted.

At the end, Aldemir changes to a new instrument by Alexandre Breton, built in 2017, whose more direct sound proves to be perfect for the contemporary Turkish works. Aldemir very discreetly elaborates the folkloristic elements of Akses' Capriccio and brings out the oud imitation in Turgay's Troy convincingly. The Capriccio by Vieuxtemps is a perfect encore.

 

 

Atilla's intonation is impeccable while his tonal quality is very beautiful—sonorous, but without that booming which can be oppressive in some violas. He is a complete master of the instrument, but this is not to neglect in any way Golan's superb contribution. I just wish he would play the opening of the Brahms more simply, but who am I to object if he feels the music that way?

For those who have a problem of this kind, it must be said that each CD has quite short measure. It makes me wonder why the three “fillers” are there. Without the three “fillers” we would have needed only one CD, yet they are all valuable additions. For me, I confess, recording quality is a lesser concern, only attracting attention for negative reasons. There is no such problem here—the sound quality and balance are excellent. Atilla's notes are partly personal/autobiographical but also informative and well-written.

Having not previously come across the Turkish violist Atilla Aldemir, I was keen to discover what he and Itamar Golan would make of the three sonatas here. They are among the greatest works in a repertoire not blessed with a wealth of masterpieces. If this sounds rueful, then it is because I write from experience as a professional violist (over 30 years in the Bournemouth Symphony). Yes, I do know that the Franck was originally composed for violin or cello, but in the several recordings I have heard it works very successfully on the viola. So, perhaps we could cheat and regard it as an honorary member. Aldemir has been principal viola with the MDR Symphony Orchestra of Leipzig since 2017 and plays two instruments here—a Pellegrino di Za- netto (1560!) in the three sonatas and an Alexandre Breton (2017) in the solo works. The Brahms F-Minor Sonata receives a virile, richly satisfying performance. The only part I do not like is the very opening, where Golan uses far too much rubato. I belie- ve that Brahms rarely benefits from being pulled about, but especially when the pia- no is simply introducing the first subject. (Diversion: I remember a very famous pianist coming to Bournemouth with Brahms's First Concerto. From the very first bars of his entry he announced, with his debilitating rubato, that Brahms was clearly not his natural territory.) If you feel the same way, do not be put off by the first bars, or you will miss an otherwise great performance. I shall not elaborate, except to say that from every aspect—tempos, characterization, commitment, unanimity—the two players bring off this sonata tremendously well. My only other small caveat concerns the arrival of the second subject (piano, ma ben marcato), where the music ideally needs a little more mystery, tension, or drama (I cannot find the perfect word). 

 

The performance of Franck's sonata is equally fine—as eloquent in the reflective music as in the passionate and dramatic. Technically also the players deserve accolades, though I mean specifically the pianist in the turbulent Allegro second movement, who has a far more demanding part than the viola. The beautifully played finale, beginning with a melody of radiant innocence treated in canon—a modest beauty making a quiet entrance—concludes a deeply rewarding performance. This wonderful sonata was Franck's wedding present to Ysaÿe and his wife.

Shostakovich's Viola Sonata was his last work and there is evidence to suggest that he knew it would be. This knowledge (or theory) should not affect our judgment, of course, but if true it certainly would have influenced the tone of the piece. It is clearly among Shostakovich's bleakest works. The very beginning, pizzicato open strings, is an only slightly disguised reference to the opening of Berg's Violin Concerto, which is unarguably a death-related piece. The performance here is outstanding. Aldemir and Golan genuinely inhabit this grim world, though they also achieve more light and shade than I have heard in most performances. This is definitely a plus, for no composer of any stature would write even the darkest of works lasting over half an hour without passages of contrasting relief. Apparently Shostakovich includes numerous quotations from his own works in the Adagio finale (as well as repeatedly referring to Beethoven's so-called “Moonlight” Sonata), but I cannot pretend to have identified them all. Atilla and Golan are remarkably successful in conveying the gravity of this music, yet again I have heard many more performances which maximize its grimness to the exclusion of any other feeling. I am grateful to have heard this expressively nuanced interpretation and do not feel the sonata is in any way diminished by this more balanced—perhaps even more human?—approach.

The three shorter pieces are very engaging in different ways. The piece by the Turkish Akses (1908–1999)—a new name to me—is splendidly written for the viola and an impressive work in an accessible idiom. The Turgay is “a lament permeated by frenzied virtuoso outbursts,” as the violist/booklet-annotator remarks—also “deeply rooted in Asia Minor.” Again this is a compelling piece and it is difficult to imagine more eloquent advocacy. The Vieuxtemps Capriccio will be familiar to most violists, a fine piece and deservedly popular. 

 

Is the viola the ideal instrument for passion? Sometimes it is said to have a tendency to be cumbersome and its low range is called “harsh”. But for the high notes, Berlioz and Strauss, in their instrumentation studies, ascribe to it the ability to “express sadness and passion”, which is probably why there is also the prejudice that viola music is mostly melancholy.

Atilla Aldemir and Itamar Golan give their new recording the title Passion. When listening to the “Allegro appassionato” of Brahms' F minor Sonata, originally composed for clarinet, one thinks less of passion and more of classicistic Beethoven worship. Individual chords are placed there as if it were an architectural construction. Fortunately, in the following movements the two artists unfold a wide spectrum with highly differentiated viola and piano sounds and the most diverse shades.

Aldemir plays the A major Sonata by César Franck in large, expressive melody arcs. But on the violin, for which it was composed, passion is better expressed. On the viola, the sonata appears somewhat faint and the listener realizes that the “passion” of a violin is different from that of the viola.

This becomes clear in Shostakovich's sonata, which was written with the viola in mind. Here the contrasts between the low tones on the C and G strings and the high notes on the A string are used to create an astonishing composition. The beginning alone, with pizzicato on the viola and percussively dabbed piano sounds, is fascinating and is performed by the two soloists with the greatest delicacy. When the viola then begins to play its melody, a passionate mood emerges that can only be displayed on this instrument. In the “Allegretto”, Aldemir and Golan shape the bizarre grotesque rhythms and melodies with audible joy, and in the “Adagio” they immerse the listener in the atmosphere of Beethoven's “Moonlight Sonata”, whose motives are quoted by Shostakovich.

Aldemir succeeds in capturing melancholy, sadness and transcendence with the viola, and together with the congenial accompaniment of Golan, he raises the intensity of the music to the highest passion. In the following works for solo viola, Aldemir presents himself as a technically accomplished virtuoso, who with his expressive playing teaches us to appreciate unknown music by the Turkish composers Necil Kâzım Akses and Halit Turgay.

In the CD booklet Atilla Aldemir writes very personally about the selection of works. This is, on the one hand, sympathetic. But on the other hand, one of the reasons why people today buy CDs instead of streaming the music is because they want to be better informed, for example, to learn more about works and composers; and that comes a little too short here.

"By the way, this CD is highly worth listening to; this is especially the case with the Sonata for Viola and Piano by Dmitri Shostakovich, which is brilliantly performed by the two soloists. With this CD, Aldemir records for the first time solo sonatas for viola by the two Turkish composers Necil Kazim Akses and Halit Turgay: exciting music!"