Music for strings

"Danacord is mining its back catalogue and has an extensive reissue programme lined up for 2020. This Hartmann disc thoughtfully reproduces the LP cover; the Nielsen quintet comes from a much earlier disc. Performances focus on the distinguished Telmányi family, led by the paterfamilias, Emil, the Hungarian-born son-in-law of Nielsen ... In April 1983 the 91 year old Telmányi, nearly blind but still energetic and full of plans ... recorded the music of J.P.E. Hartmann and so, with a string orchestra made up of professionals and friends, he conducted the three Character Pieces of 1884 for the label. Clearly, he relished the clean-cut but eager and attractive writing, its dappled pizzicati and 'Introduction and Allegro' feel in the opening panel. He is truly alert to the play ... Nielsen's early String Quintet was taped in 1965 and features the entire Telmányi team ... I enjoyed this restoration immensely".

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"Endnu en genudgivelse, som vi godt kan kalde historisk, fra Danacord. Den byder på kammermusik af J.P.E. Hartmann ... Desuden Carl Nielsens nok tidlige, men forbløffende modne, tidlige strygekvintet i G-dur, hvor hele Telmanyi-familien spiller sammen, den legendariske ungarskfødte far Emil på violin og mor Anne Marie, datter af Carl Nielsen, på bratsch, og de tre døtre: Anika på violin, Ilona på bratsch og Mihalyka, i mange år i Aarhus Symfoniorkester, på cello. Men det klinger af langt mere end af historie. Teknisk er optagelsen blevet forynget, og det er kammermusik spillet med kunnen og hjerte".

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"These CDs are part of an imaginative repristination of several vinyl LPs issued in the early 1980s, around the time when the highly respected Danacord label was founded ... The CD featuring music by two great Danish composers J.P.E. Hartmann and Carl Nielsen is an important addition to the repertoire. Despite Nielsen's relative popularity, his Quintet for strings in G major (1888) is rarely heard or recorded ... The music of J.P.E Hartmann is immediately approachable ... I felt that the remastering of this LP was less than successful. The playing by the Telmányi family comes across as quite harsh at times".

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