Spohr: Music for Violin and Harp, Vol. 1
Louis Spohr's prolific chamber music output includes numerous works for violin and harp, which were principally written for the violinist-composer to play with his harpist wife, Dorette Scheidler. Such a mellifluous instrumental combination could only inspire Spohr's melodic fluency and gift for felicitous textures. You can't help but delight in the B-flat Major Sonata's bubbly Rondo, in which the violin's lyrical lines are gently engulfed by the harp's rippling commentaries. Listen, for instance, to the exquisite give and take as the harp and violin trade motifs throughout the large-scaled D Major Sonata Concertante. Each of the C Minor sonata's two movements begins with an introduction that gives little indication of what's to emerge. The first movement intro, in fact, evokes more than just the spirit of Beethoven'sPathétiquepiano sonata in the same key. By contrast, the decorative passages in the E Minor Trio for Violin, Cello, and Harp foreshadow Chopin's bel-canto-influenced language. The basic sweetness of Sophie Langdon's well-focused tone is tinged with an attractive acerbic edge, not unlike a pinch of salt in the tequila. Susan Dorey's inflected phrasing helps move the Trio forward, and harpist Hugh Webb's effortless, feathery technique is all one can wish for in this irresistible music. With Naxos's crystalline sonics, thorough program notes, and enticing price, how can you possibly go wrong? Bring on volume 2, please!--Jed Distler