ベル・エポック (通常版)

ホープが現代の"ベル・エポック"を再構成した美しきアルバム

2月に発売されたダニエル・ホープの2枚組ニュー・アルバム『ベル・エポック』の通常仕様盤。普仏戦争と第一次世界大戦勃発(1914年)に挟まれた華やかな時期にヨーロッパで生まれた名曲と知られざるレア曲をお楽しみいただけます。後期ロマン派、印象派と新ウィーン楽派の初期作品が組み合わされ、シェーンベルク、ラフマニノフ、エルガーなどの作曲家による珍しい傑作、そしてマスネの『タイスの瞑想曲』、ドビュッシーの『夢想』、R.シュトラウスの『明日!』などの人気曲が収録されています。ショーソンのヴァイオリン、ピアノと弦楽四重奏のための協奏曲は弦楽オーケストラ版として初録音されました。
ユニバーサル・ミュージック/IMS

The Belle Epoque, the era lasting from the end of the Franco-Prussian War to the beginning of World War I (1871-1914), was a diverse period; the name is indicative at best of general tendencies such as peace and prosperity, along with darker trends. Violinist Daniel Hopes Belle Epoque album contains music from various countries in a wide range of styles, and its not quite a concept album. However, it does hang together in interesting ways. Hopes program mixes orchestral pieces and chamber music; this could easily have happened in a late 19th century concert, which might have thrown in some solo piano music as well. His selections from both the salon and the learned studio, pieces like Fritz Kreislers Liebesleid, bump up against Weberns Four Pieces, Op. 7, with most of the music somewhere in between. Whats fascinating is that the light and heavy works seem to have things to say to each other. It helps that Hope unearths some less familiar items and recruits enthusiastic collaborators. The Concerto for violin, piano, and string quartet of Chausson (here played with a string orchestra) is an unusual and moody work, and there are such novelties as Schoenbergs totally tonal Notturno for violin, harp, and string orchestra. Several pieces make use of Jane Berthes harp, an instrument that doesnt always get its due in 19th century programming. The chamber music disc is full of attractive and rarely played items, such as Alexander Zemlinskys Serenade and George Enescus Impromptu concertant, and if the Webern seems to come out of nowhere, an audience of the early 20th century might not have heard it that way. Both enjoyable and innovative, like so much of Hopes work.