Novoselye • Housewarming by ROctet

Nikolay Afanasyev, Dmitri Shostakovich, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy

ROctet

Novoselye • Housewarming

Price: € 19.95
Format: CD
Label: Challenge Classics
UPC: 0608917282221
Catnr: CC 72822
Release date: 10 January 2020
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Label
Challenge Classics

UPC
0608917282221

Catalogue number
CC 72822

Release date
10 January 2020

"ROctet certainly does not play lukewarm, Lively and full of energy!"

Diapason, 01-4-2020

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

Press

About the album

Although the standard classical string octet repertoire includes giants such as Mendelssohn and Shostakovich – both of whom were advocates of the rich sound of this combination of instruments – forgotten compositions for string octet are still waiting to be rediscovered in the music archives. One such work is the rarely performed and, until now, previously unrecorded double quartet Novoselye (House-warming) by the Russian violinist and composer Nikolay Afanasyev (1821-1898). While hardly anyone knows his name today, that in no way detracts from the quality of his music.

The double quartet Novoselye was premiered in St Petersburg in 1886. It is clearly a work by a talented composer with a vast knowledge of string instruments, one who is not averse to a polyphonic style. The composition is especially rich in musical innovation with an abundance of tuneful, folk-like melodies and a hint of melancholy, which lends an unmistakable Russianness to the slow movement. Add to this the vibrant Scherzo, and you have a composition that is festive, high-spirited and virtuosic, as well as melancholic and musically challenging.

The octet was intended as a birthday present for the violinist and conductor Eduard Rietz (1802-1832), who certainly must have prized the virtuoso first violin part. All eight instruments are on an equal footing and work together in perfect harmony. Indeed, were a listener not to know that the work was scored for string octet, he or she might well think of a symphony orchestra. Mendelssohn himself called attention to this sound effect upon publishing this early work in 1832, remarking that all instruments were to play ‘in the style of a symphony’, taking into account all dynamic contrasts. The composer’s nuanced, delicate compositional style and his Romantic, lyrical and tuneful melodies make the octet one of the most frequently performed works of its kind.

ROctet, acht leden en vrienden van het Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, presenteert op zijn debuutalbum Novoselye · Housewarming, strijkoctetten van Mendelssohn, Sjostakovitsj en Afanasyev, die stuk voor stuk muzikale pleitbezorgers zijn voor deze bijzondere bezetting.

Rijk aan muzikale vondsten
Het klassieke muziekrepertoire voor strijkoctet heeft zo zijn ijzeren repertoire. Toch wachten in de muziekarchieven nog steeds vergeten composities om herontdekt te worden. Zoals het zelden gespeelde en nog nooit eerder opgenomen dubbelkwartet Novoselye · Housewarming van de Russische violist en componist Nikolay Afanasyev (1821-1898). Het dubbelkwartet ging in première in St Petersburg in 1886. Het stuk is bijzonder rijk aan muzikale vondsten, biedt een overvloed aan zangerige melodieën die dicht bij de volksmuziek staan, en heeft het vleugje weemoed dat het langzame deel onmiskenbaar Russisch maakt. Voeg hier het bruisende Scherzo aan toe, en je hebt een compositie die zowel feestelijk, energiek en virtuoos als melancholisch en muzikaal uitdagend is.

Muzikale dagboekaantekeningen
De Twee stukken voor strijkoctet van Dmitri Sjostakovitsj horen tot het meest gespeelde repertoire voor octet, maar ook deze stukken ontkwamen in de jaren 1930-'70 niet aan de vergetelheid. Tot groot verdriet van de componist voor wie deze stukken voor altijd met de herinneringen aan zijn vriend, de dichter Vladimir Koertsjavov verbonden zouden blijven. De jonge dichter overleed veel te vroeg aan tuberculose, en liet slechts een bundeltje gedichten na. Twee contrasterende composities vormen een tweeluik dat de pijn van het verlies en de herinneringen aan een vriend bij elkaar brengt. Deze korte stemmingsbeelden zijn als het ware muzikale dagboekaantekeningen die Sjostakovitsj later zo eigen werden.

Verjaardagscadeau
Het Octet van Felix Mendelssohn was bedoeld als verjaardagscadeau voor de violist en dirigent Eduard Rietz (1802-1832), die de virtuoze eerste vioolpartij zeker kon waarderen. Alle acht de instrumenten staan op gelijke voet en werken in perfecte harmonie met elkaar samen. Sterker nog, als een luisteraar niet zou weten dat het werk geschreven was voor strijkoctet, zou hij of zij wellicht denken aan een symfonieorkest. Mendelssohn zelf merkte op dat alle instrumenten 'in de stijl van een symfonie' moesten spelen, rekening houdend met alle dynamische contrasten. De genuanceerde, delicate schrijfstijl van de componist en zijn romantische, lyrische en zangerige melodieën maakt het Octet tot een van de meest gespeelde uit het repertoire

Wenngleich zum Standardrepertoire des klassischen Streichoktetts Giganten wie Mendelssohn und Schostakowitsch zählen – die beide Vertreter des satten Klanges dieser Instrumentenkombination waren – so gibt es in den Musikarchiven noch viele vergessene Kompositionen für Streichoktett zu entdecken. Ein solches Werk ist das selten aufgeführte und zuvor noch nicht aufgenommene Doppelquartett Novoselye (Einweihung) des russischen Violinisten und Komponisten Nikolaj Afanassjew (1821-1898). Dass heutzutage kaum jemand seinen Namen kennt, tut der Qualität der Musik keinen Abbruch.

Das Doppelquartett Novoselye wurde 1886 in St. Petersburg uraufgeführt. Es ist eindeutig ein Werk eines talentierten Komponisten mit großer Kenntnis von Streichinstrumenten, und einem, der einem polyphonen Stil nicht abgeneigt war. Die Komposition ist besonders reich an musikalischer Innovation, besitzt folkloristische Melodien im Überfluss und einen Hauch von Melancholie, die dem langsamen Satz einen unverwechselbar russischen Charakter verleiht. Dem füge man das lebhafte Scherzo hinzu und man erhält eine Komposition, die ebenso festlich, ausgelassen und virtuos wie melancholisch und musikalisch herausfordernd ist.

Das Oktett entstand als Geburtstagsgeschenk für den Violinisten und Pädagogen Eduard Rietz (1802-1832), der den virtuosen Part der ersten Geige sicherlich geschätzt hat. Alle acht Instrumente sind einander gleichgestellt und arbeiten perfekt harmonisch zusammen. Wüsste ein Hörer nicht, dass es sich um eine Oktettbesetzung handelt, könnte man in der Tat meinen, ein Symphonieorchester zu hören. Mendelssohn selbst hat nach der Veröffentlichung des frühen Werkes 1832 auf diesen Effekt hingewiesen, da alle Instrumente im Stile einer Symphonie spielen, unter Einbezug aller dynamischen Kontraste. Afanassjews nuancierter, graziler Kompositionsstil und seine romantischen, lyrischen Melodien machen dieses Oktett zu einem der meist gespielten seiner Art.

Artist(s)

Roctet

The Netherlands’ very first permanent string octet began to capture audiences in 2016 after its founders, violist Francien Schatborn and former leader Ronald Hoogeveen, invited six of their string-playing friends from the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra to join them. Since its recent inception, Roctet (short for Radio String Octet) has given many exciting concerts in numerous series and live performances on Dutch Radio 4. A string octet is a rather rare combination of instruments – usually the product of two existing quartets or eight soloists who have come together to form an ad hoc ensemble. Inspired by the ethos of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Roctet’s aim is both to perform existing repertoire and to seek out adventurous collaborations with leading composers...

The Netherlands’ very first permanent string octet began to capture audiences in 2016 after its founders, violist Francien Schatborn and former leader Ronald Hoogeveen, invited six of their string-playing friends from the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra to join them.
Since its recent inception, Roctet (short for Radio String Octet) has given many exciting concerts in numerous series and live performances on Dutch Radio 4. A string octet is a rather rare combination of instruments – usually the product of two existing quartets or eight soloists who have come together to form an ad hoc ensemble.
Inspired by the ethos of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Roctet’s aim is both to perform existing repertoire and to seek out adventurous collaborations with leading composers of our time.
Members of Roctet: Joris van Rijn & Dimiter Tchernookov | violin Julija Hartig & Masha Iakovleva violin | Francien Schatborn & Frank Brakkee viola Eveline Kraayenhof & Anneke Janssen cello

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Joris van Rijn (violin)

Frank Brakkee (viola)

Francien Schatborn (viola)

Dimiter Tchernookov (violin)

Julija Hartig (violin)

The repertoire of Edison winner Julija Hartig includes pieces from baroque to contemporary music. Her interpretations are characterized by great expressivity and temperament, refined technique, and a warm sensitivity to colour. Her exciting way of playing often led to mutually inspiring collaborations with contemporary composers. Several pieces have been written for and premiered by her. In 2022 as a result of this wonderful phenomenon a CD ‘D a r k V e l v e t’ an autobiography in music was released on the label Challenge Classics. In October 2023 Julija won an Edison Klasiek in the category Newcomers National with her debut album Dark Velvet. Her artistic curiosity led her to a new height of co-composing a piece Black Rainbow ( Commissioned by the Nederlandse Vioolconcoursen for the Night of the Violin 2025) in collaboration with artist Akim Moiseenkov. Born to a family of musicians, Julija started her first violin lessons at the age of five. As a young talent, she won prizes such as the Festival of Music Schools of Serbia and the Competition of Young Interpreters of Yugoslavia.
After finishing her studies of violin at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad (Yugoslavia), she was engaged as an assistant professor in the class of her former teacher Evgenia Tchugaeva at the same conservatory. Since 1994, Julija lives in The Netherlands, where she studied at the Conservatory of Rotterdam with Professor Ilya Grubert and the Conservatory of Utrecht with Professor Keiko Wataya where she graduated with Cum Laude.
As a soloist, she performed with various orchestras such as The Symphony Orchestra of the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad (Yugoslavia), Chamber Orchestra “Camerata Academica” Novi Sad, Belgrade Strings, St Georges Strings, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Serbia, Brabants Kamer Orkest, The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic. She has given recitals and chamber music concerts in Yugoslavia, Russia, The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Finland, Australia, and Brazil.
She participated in international festivals such as BEMUS in Belgrade, The Summer Festival in Dubrovnik, Barka Festival of Music from formal Yugoslavia in Amsterdam, The Grachten Festival in Amsterdam, November Music in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, En Plein Public in Breda, Peter de Grote Festival in Groningen, Beethovenfest in Bonn, Festival MiTo - Italy, Ojai Music Festival in USA, International Chamber music festival Joao Pessoa - Brazil.
“Operator” by Florian Maier, written for The Dutch Radio Chamber Philharmonic and violin soloist Julija Hartig, conducted by Micha Hamel on the Dutch Music Days 2009 in October in the Muziekgebouw aan't IJ, Amsterdam, won a recommendation for worldwide broadcast by more than 30 radio stations in Unesco's 2010 Rostrum of Composers.
She recorded for CD labels in the Netherlands and Yugoslavia. In 2010 RTS (Radio Television Serbia) issued 4 CDs of complete works by Ljubica Maric, a composer and artist with whom she had a very close connection, with all the solo violin and chamber music repertoire written by this composer being performed by her.
With pianist Reineke Broekhans, she formed a Duo Hartig-Broekhans which won a prize at an International Chamber Music Competition “Gaetano Zinetti” in 2004.
Since 2003 she has been a member of the virtuoso ensemble The Hungry Gods. With this unique ensemble, she has been active in interdisciplinary projects such as film and theatre.
ROctet, the only string octet in The Netherlands, is another ensemble Julija is a member since 2016. She is also one of the business managers of this ensemble.
Julija is one of the founding members of Splendor Amsterdam, a new creative podium in Amsterdam - winner of the Amsterdam Cultural Prize in 2015. She is also one of the initiators of the LUDWIG collective that won the GRAMMY award with their first CD with Barbara Hannigan in 2018.
Julija Hartig plays a Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin (“Ex-Zimmermann”), that is part of the Dutch National Musical Instrument Foundation in the Netherlands.

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Masha Iakovleva (violin)

Eveline Kraayenhof (cello)

Anneke Janssen (cello)

Composer(s)

Dmitri Shostakovich

Dmitri Shostakovich was a Russian pianist and composer of the Soviet period. He is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century.
Shostakovich achieved fame in the Soviet Union under the patronage of Soviet chief of staff Mikhail Tukhachevsky, but later had a complex and difficult relationship with the government. Nevertheless, he received accolades and state awards and served in the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (1947–1962) and the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union (from 1962 until his death).
A polystylist, Shostakovich developed a hybrid voice, combining a variety of different musical techniques into his works. His music is characterized by sharp contrasts, elements of the grotesque, and ambivalent tonality; the composer was also heavily influenced by the neo-classical style pioneered by Igor Stravinsky, and (especially in his symphonies) by the late Romanticism associated with Gustav Mahler.
Shostakovich's orchestral works include 15 symphonies and six concerti. His chamber output includes 15 string quartets, a piano quintet, two piano trios, and two pieces for string octet. His solo piano works include two sonatas, an early set of preludes, and a later set of 24 preludes and fugues. Other works include three operas, several song cycles, ballets, and a substantial quantity of film music; especially well known is The Second Waltz, Op. 99, music to the film The First Echelon (1955–1956), as well as the suites of music composed for The Gadfly.

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Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy

Nikolay Afanasyev

Press

ROctet certainly does not play lukewarm, Lively and full of energy!
Diapason, 01-4-2020

With ROctet, moving music arrives in the right way.
De Gelderlander, 28-3-2020

The Double String Quartet, as the composer calls it, has the title "Novoselye" which means "housewarming". It cannot be more applicable for a debut CD. A CD as a particularly pleasant and unforgettable housewarming party.
Trouw, 24-1-2020

Novoselye is not only full of catchy folk melodies, but also has a slow, melancholic third part, in which you hear the greatness of the Russian landscape ...
Luister, 17-1-2020