Radio program Diskotabel with De Vriend Netherlands Symphony Orchestra | Beethoven Symphonies no. 4 & 6 Netherlands Symphony Orchestra | Mahler Symphony no 1 Combattimento Consort records Haydn Netherlands Symphony Orchestra | Rudolf Koelman

Radio program Diskotabel with De Vriend On January 1st, conductor Jan Willem de Vriend is the main guest in the radio program Diskotabel on Dutch Radio 4! Until this moment, four volumes of the Beethoven Symphonies have been released. Host Hans Haffman speaks with the chief-conductor of the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra about for instance the Beethoven tempos, his love for early music and of course which historical performance of the Beethoven-symphonies has inspired him Netherlands Symphony Orchestra | Beethoven Symphonies no. 4 & 6 A refreshing new recording of the Beethoven symphonies (volume 1), through the eyes of conductor Jan Willem de Vriend and his orchestra. De Vriend's name as a symphonic conductor is emerging fast now in the music world, and this first volume of the Beethoven series is a fine musical signature, with which he and his musicians perpetuate themselves. Since De Vriend was named chief conductor in 2006, the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra has become a notable phenomenon on the Netherlands’ musical scene. It has presented semi-scenic performances of works by Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss and Mendelssohn. There were premieres of works by Offenbach, Say and Mahler. And by substituting historical instruments in the brass section, it has developed its own distinctive sound in the 18th- and 19th-century repertoire. The orchestra performed music by Schumann at festivals in Spain and recorded Beethoven’s complete symphonies conducted by De Vriend. Its long Mahler tradition is being continued in recordings and tours. Netherlands Symphony Orchestra | Mahler Symphony no 1 Hamburg 1893 edition The first performance of the Symphonische Dichtung in Zwei Abtheilungen (Symphonic Poem in Two Parts), later his First Symphony, was conducted by Mahler in Budapest on 20 November 1889. It got a cool if not hostile reception, mainly because of the ‘bizarre, vulgar and cacophonic extravaganza’s’ of the last two movements. At least this was how it was felt, with the public and the critics in bewilderment especially after the finale’s unsurpassed ferocity. The final chords were followed by utter silence, until a few members of the audience hesitantly began to applaud, quickly interspersed with demonstrative sounds of disapproval. Mahler left the hall in devastation, roaming through the dark streets, like an ‘outcast’. Such hostility we cannot imagine anymore with this wonderful music today. The version which is used on this recording is the 1893-restored version. It comprises two parts and five movements. Part one, called ‘Aus den Tagen der Jugend’: (From the Days of Youth): ‘Blumen-, Frucht- und Dornstücke’ (Flower-Fruit-and-Thorn-Pieces), contains the first three movements: 1. Spring goes on and on; 2. Andante – allegretto (‘Blumine’) and 3. Scherzo (‘Full Sail’). Part two, ‘Commedia umana’ (Human comedy), consists of 4. Funeral March in Callot’s manner and 5. Finale: From Inferno to Paradise. Combattimento Consort records Haydn The Combattimento Consort Amsterdam recorded four of the less known baryton works by Joseph Haydn under the direction of Jan Willem de Vriend (also chief conductor of the Dutch Symphony Orchestra). Freek Borstlap plays the rarely used and hard to master baryton. Hob.X:1, 5 and 12 come from a series of six divertimenti for baryton and a larger ensemble consisting of strings and two horns. The source of Hob.X:10 is unclear, but in In the Entwurf-Katalog the work appears in a version for baryton, viola, cello and double bass. The cd is available from 4 September 2009 and is a Super Audio recording! Netherlands Symphony Orchestra | Rudolf Koelman The programme offered in the new CD by the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra forms a bridge between the two most popular violin concertos of Paganini and the operas of Rossini. Violin soloist on this recording is Rudolf Koelman, former (and first) leader of Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. This grandly performed double bill of Paganini-Rossini opens our ears to Paganini’s operatic style of composing and improvising techniques, underlined by the virtuoso writing and instrumentation of Rossini's semi-improvised overture. This CD was awarded with the Edison audience prize 2010. [The cd is available from October 2nd 2009]