Air: Schittenhelm, Debussy

by Svetlana Andreeva, Sergey Neller, Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Overview

Two world premieres from composer Christian Schittenhelm highlight this album by the husband-and-wife duo of conductor Sergey Neller and pianist Svetlana Andreeva. The album title Air is taken from the sub-title to Schittenhelm's Piano Concerto No. 4 that leads the program. Andreeva is familiar with the works of this composer, offering a program of his solo piano works for her 2023 recording debut, Synesthesia. The concerto offers an interesting blend of the composer's influences from 20th century French composers, film music, and his background as a pianist. Schittenhelm's chromatic usage and orchestral scoring juxtaposes with the solo piano, creating unique harmonies, though there are times it seems as though there are too many ideas developing independent of the whole, so it comes off a bit disjointed. Schittenhelm's symphonic poem Dawn is rightly evocative of daybreak and is harmonically challenging while not departing from tonality entirely. This work is more cohesive and a window into the composer's harmonic language. The album closes with perennial favorite and rightfully "airy" Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune ("Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun") by Debussy. One wonders if the program could have been filled out further; there are certainly plenty of works for orchestra, solo piano, or piano and orchestra that fit the album's theme. ~ Keith Finke

Product Details

Release Date:	05/31/2024
Label:	Evidence Classics
UPC:	5051083198370
Rank:	67774

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Svetlana Andreeva   Primary Artist
Sergey Neller   Primary Artist
Royal Scottish National Orchestra   Primary Artist