Cool Lips and Hot Fingers
10-Dec-2002
Philippe Schartz - trumpet
Stephen Coombs - piano
AE Recordings: CD AE 11100
Total playing time: 68.34
Philippe Schartz is currently the Principal Trumpet of the National Orchestra of Wales and is regarded in the "pro" ranks as something of a rising star in the orchestral world of brass.
Born in Luxembourg he has travelled throughout Europe gaining experience as both soloist and teacher and has benefited from being directed by some of the biggest names in the orchestral world: Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez and Bernard Haitink are names to be found on an impressive CV - maestro's who know and appreciate talent when they hear it, whilst Schartz also lists academic achievements that also emphasise his class - The Eastman School of Music in Rochester New York as well as the Royal School of Music in London. This is a seriously fine player.
This CD was recorded in June 2000 in Cardiff and the soloist is joined by a superb accompanist in the form of Stephen Coombs, a past Gold Medal winner of the Franz Liszt Competition in Hungary. Throughout, the level of his contribution is quite stunning and confirms that he is also a seriously fine player in his own right.
The repertoire of this release smacks of high class recital works and nearly all of the pieces are new to us. There are a few old pot boilers as well, but the "new" works are readily accessible and make for interesting listening.
Works from the pens of Shchedrin, Enescu, Shtelokov, Martinu, Piazzolla and Hubeau are performed with a facility and style that emphasises the full range of timbres and colours that only the highest class of musician can attain, whilst the more popular works from Arban, Scriabin, Gershwin, Rachmaninov, Copland and Arutyunyan are whipped off with a clarity of technique and musical thought that makes them sound fresh and vibrant. It is easy to suggest that players of this standard should be able to handle the technical demands with aplomb, but that is to miss the point. At this level, competence is not enough - brilliance is what is required and Schartz is indeed a brilliant technician. He manages to make the most difficult passages appear controlled, clean and accurate - sure fire signs of a performer who has that added touch of class about them. With only the piano to accompany him, he also has no place to "hide" and so we get to hear the playing very much in the "raw". It says much of Schartz that what you get therefore is over an hour of recital playing that never falls below the excellent.
Cool Lips and Hot Fingers is a very apt title for the CD - Schartz has both for sure, and whilst we might not know what Stephen Coombs embouchure is like, we have ample evidence that he has fingers that can tickle the old Joanna at boiling point. This is a fine release - intelligently produced with music that is predominately new yet which emphasises the need for the soloist to be in total command of all the traditional values that combine to make a trumpet player of international standing. Philippe Schartz tackles the repertoire head on, and comes out the other end with his already impressive reputation further enhanced.
What's on this CD?
1. In Imitation of Albeniz, Rodion Shchedrin, 3.23
2. Legende, George Enescu, 6.29
3. Vocalise pour trompette et piano, Rachmaninov arr. Coombes, 3.35
4. Sonate no 1 pour trompette et piano, Viachteslav Shtelokov, 3.17
5. At the River, Aaron Copland, 3.09
6. Sonatine pour trompette et piano, Bohuslav Martinu, 7.29
7. Three Preludes, George Gershwin arr, Coombes
a) Prelude 1, 1.47
b) Prelude 2, 3.39
c) Prelude 3, 1.14
10. Concert Scherzo for Trumpet and Piano, Arutyunyan, 2.42
11. Romance, arr. Coombs, Scriabin, 2.03
12. Fantasie Brillante, Arban arr. Hunsberger, 9.14
13. Ontone Porteno, Piazzolla arr. Jose Bragato, 4.49
14. Sonate pour trompette et piano
a) Sarabande, 5.36
b) Allegro con brio, 1.55
c) Spiritual, 7.14
Total Playing Time: 68.34
