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Ethelbert Nevin

[August 2025.]

Two new releases warranting NO votes were not even worth typing up.

“Elle a son mot à dire.” Joane HÉTU: Var. comps. (2001-23). Ensemble SuperMusique: Sarah Albu, Luzio Altobelli, Noam Bierstone, Michel F Côté, Émilie Fortin, Joane Hétu, Julie Houle (voices, objects). Ambiances Magnétiques AM 282 (1 CD) (www.ambiancesmagnetiques.com).

Capricious spoken word pieces (ok, clever songs in French) with varied unexpected accompaniments, electronics that stick more than most. YES.

“Portals.” Felipe LARA: Chambered Spirals (2020)¹; Ventos Uivantes (2014)²; Injust Intonations (2016)³; Fringes (2015)⁴. Conrad Tao³ (pno), Talea Ensemble^1,2,4, James Baker^1,2,4 (cond.). Kairos 0022042KAI (1 CD) (www.kairos-music.com).

Nice and luscious, however I’ve heard it all before. Although, I don’t remember where. And I’ll probably never recognize these again. MAYBE.

“Aeris.” Erkki-Sven TÜÜR: Phantasma (2008); Symphony No. 10, “Æris” (2021)*; De Profundis (2013). German Hornsound*: Christoph Eß, Marc Gruber, Stephan Schottstädt, Timo Steininger (hrn), Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Olari Elts (cond.). ECM 2784 (1 CD) (www.ecmrecords.com).

How did the brash Tüür arrive here? Yes, horn quartet plus orchestra is worth a gamble, but sometimes atmosphere is just atmosphere. MAYBE.

“Electroacoustic Music. In Memoriam: David Wessel.” Anthony Paul DE RITIS: Var. comps. (1991-2012). Var. perfs. Albany Records TROY1710 (1 CD) (www.albanyrecords.com).

Eleven pieces add electronic aspects to various acoustic instruments, some Eastern (piri, pipa, sheng, erhu, etc.), and transform them. YES.

“La Mer: French Works for Piano Trio.” Camille SAINT-SAËNS: Trio No. 2, Op. 92 (1892). Mel BONIS: Soir-Matin, Op. 76 (1907). Claude DEBUSSY: La Mer (1903-05; arr. Sally BEAMISH, 2013/15). Neave Trio: Anna Williams (vln), Mikhail Veselov (vlc), Eri Nakamura (pno). Chandos CHAN 20337 (1 CD) (www.chandos.net).

Definitely worth a spin, La Mer kinda works in this way, and we might wonder why the Saint-Saëns or Bonis aren’t heard more frequently. YES.

Florentine MULSANT: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 26 (2002)¹; String Quartet No. 2, Op. 35 (2007-08)²; String Quartet No. 3, Op. 47 (2013)³; String Quartet No. 4, Op. 54 (2014)⁴; String Quartet No. 5, Op. 88 (2019)⁵; String Quartet No. 6, Op. 99 (2020)⁶. Quatuor Una Corda¹: Zhongjia Wu, Karen Nonomura (vln), Meiou Wang (vla), Kyo Kawasaki (vlc), Quatuor Debussy^2,6: Christophe Collette, Emmanuel Bernard (vln), Vincent Deprecq (vla), Cédric Conchon (vlc), Quatuor Varèse³: François Galichet, Rasmus Cornelius Hansen (vln), Jacques Perez (vla), Thomas Ravez (vlc), Quatuor Akilone⁴: Magdalena Geka, Elise De-Bendelac (vln), Perrine Guillemot, (vla), Lucie Mercat (vlc), Quatuor Yako⁵: Ludovic Thilly, Pierre Maestra (vln), Ivan Lebrun (vla), Alban Lebrun (vlc). Ar Re-Se AR2023 (www.lydiajardon.com/arre-se).

Perhaps too much of a good thing. Rigorous but approachable, these quartets unfortunately fuzz together when gathered as a half-dozen. MAYBE.