Search - Ulrich Leyendecker, Johannes Kalitzke, NDR Symphony Orchestra (Hamburg) :: Ulrich Leyendecker: Violin Concerto; Symphony No. 3

Modernistic brilliance

SONNET CLV | Paradise, Montana | 02/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Naxos is once again to be commended for this fine release. The two works by Ulrich Leyendecker are sterling examples of modernistic brilliance. Those of you who follow contemporary serious music will find this release a treasure. The excitement I experienced upon hearing Leyendecker's Symphony No. 3 I haven't known since ... well ... since I first heard the symphonies of Einojuahani Rautavaara a couple of years back. Rautavaara and Leyendecker share a similar sound universe which proves fascinating, mysterious, and illuminating. But Leyendecker is not Rautavaara, nor anyone else. His voice is unique and certainly deserves to be heard. I give both the Symphony No. 3 (1990/91) and the Violin Concerto (1995) five stars.



I do have one quibble with Naxos's packaging. And this is not a singular error, since Amazon.com has continued the problem. Though the CD disc label identifies tracks 1 through 6 correctly, the back cover of the CD case lists the Violin Concerto as the first work (tracks 1-3) and the Symphony No. 3 as the second work (tracks 4-6). In actuality, the Symphony plays first, tracks 1-3, and the Concerto follows, tracks 4-6. Too, while the disc label notes are correct, the back cover of the case notes misname the individual tracks. Track one is not the "Allegro" of the Violin Concerto but rather is the "Largo leggiero" of the Symphony. The timings given for individual tracks, however, are correct! So the 11:07 of track 3 is correct, though it marks the time span of the Symphony No.3's third movement, "Luminoso" and not the span of the "Allegro (Variations)" of the Violin Concerto.



You'll notice that Amazon has listed their six listening samples for this work as they are given on the erroneously labeled back cover notes of the case. So when you click on that first track "Allegro" you'll be hearing the opening of the Symphony No. 3's "Largo leggiero". Tracks 1-3 are the Symphony, mislabled as the Concerto's movements, and tracks 4-6 are the Violin Concerto, mislabeled as the Symphony's movements. Got that? Good. Now ... get this disc, too. Unscramble the confusing back jacket notes, listen, and enjoy.

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