Spohr: Septet in a Minor; Nonet in F

Chronique

Even though most of Louis Spohr's compositions languished in obscurity for long periods after his death in 1859, only undergoing a serious revival in the last quarter of the twentieth century, the Nonet in F major, Op. 31, has always been a staple of chamber groups and enormously popular ever since its premiere in 1813. This vivacious work is full of jaunty themes, clever counterpoint, virtuosic passagework, and lively exchanges; the instrumentation of solo winds and strings gives it the palette of a chamber symphony, so varied are the color combinations and textures. The Nonet's successful format was never repeated by Spohr, but a late work that was strongly influenced by it was his Septet in A minor, Op. 147, scored for piano, flute, clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, and cello, thus employing a similar mixture of timbres and suggesting in its witty interplay some of the Nonet's liveliness. This 2007 recording by Ensemble 360 is a marvelous introduction to Spohr's entertaining music, and the performances of both works are as engaging and charming as any could wish. The group's tempos are on the brisk side, particularly in the Allegros of both pieces, and the use of rubato is rather generous in repeats, but generally the music is played idiomatically and given a pleasant mix of Classical poise and Romantic warmth. ASV's sound is bright, clean, and distinct in details, and every note is audible in this lifelike recording. Highly recommended.

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