Eline Hensels’ debut album features works for cello and piano by Charles Koechlin, Nadia Boulanger, Leoš Janáček, Henriëtte Bosmans, and Francis Poulenc.
Eline Hensels & Daniël Kramer
Nocturne, et lumineux
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About the album
Excerpt from the liner notes:
Although Charles Koechlin led an — one could state — almost ‘conventional’ life as a composer, studying at the Paris Conservatoire with Massenet and Fauré and subsequently earning his money as a teacher and composer, his interests stretched long ways beyond just composing. He had a wide range of interests, which can also be assumed to have affected his compositional style. These interests, for instance, included French folksong, Bach chorales, the “Jungle Book”, photography, and most noticeably, astronomy, with the young Koechlin having had aspirations of becoming an astrologist.
In his enormous output of orchestral works, chamber music, and vocal music, this analytical approach is very often present, which leads to a highly personal and immediately recognisable musical style. In the Cello Sonata, which was written in 1917 and premiered in 1924, we can almost imagine ourselves under a heaven of stars, with melodies that effortlessly seem to flow in and out of the musical landscape present, and underlying patterns sometimes being very hard to decipher, if at all present. In all of this, rhythm and time signature seem to be floating freely in time and space, especially in the first two movements, of which the first movement is somewhat brighter in tone than the second movement, the latter featuring some rather dark colours, aided by the performance indication “en somme” (sleeping). In the third movement, some more agitation seems to occur, which however seems to come along with a slightly brighter the mood, especially considering the movement preceding it. After a number of climaxes that however never get overwhelming or emotionally intense, the movement, and with it the sonata, ends in a calm and soothing manner.
Tracklist click to play/pause
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Charles Koechlin
Cello Sonata, Op. 66
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I. Très modéré, et d’allure bien tranquille
3:58
3:58
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II. Andante quasi adagio / Très calme
3:39
3:39
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III. Final. Allegro non troppo
6:15
6:15
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Nadia Boulanger
Trois pièces
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I. Modéré
2:53
2:53
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II. Sans vitesse et à l’aise
1:46
1:46
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III. Vite et nerveusement rythmé
2:37
2:37
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Leoš Janáček
Pohádka
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I. Con moto
5:08
5:08
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II. Con moto
4:18
4:18
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III. Allegro
2:46
2:46
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Henriëtte Bosmans
Nuit calme
6:50
6:50
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Francis Poulenc
Cello Sonata, FP 143
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I. Allegro – Tempo di Marcia
5:53
5:53
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II. Cavatine
6:30
6:30
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III. Ballabile
3:35
3:35
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IV. Finale
6:44
6:44
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More information
| Label | TRPTK |
|---|---|
| Genre(s) | Classical – Romantic (1830-1920) Classical – Contemporary (> 1920) |
| Artist(s) | Daniël Kramer Eline Hensels |
| Composer(s) | Bosmans, Henriëtte Boulanger, Nadia Janáček, Leoš Koechlin, Charles Poulenc, Francis |
| Recording location(s) | Westvestkerk, Schiedam (NL) |
| Recording date(s) | September 2022 |
| Cat. No. | TTK 0114 |
|---|---|
| Release date |
March 1st, 2024 |
| Additional links |
Tech specs
| Microphones | Josephson C617 w/ Gefell MK221 capsules (main) |
|---|---|
| Microphone preamps | Grace Design m801mk2 |
| AD/DA conversion | Merging Technologies Hapi MkII |
| Recording resolution | DSD 11.2MHz 1bit |
| Mastering resolution | PCM 352.8kHz 64bit |
| Monitoring (recording) | Audeze LCD-X |
| Monitoring (mastering) | Grimm Audio LS1be |
| Cabling | Purecable Optimus Link Microphone Cables |
"Eline Hensels' cello rises and flows as she beautifully communicates the changing landscape of Koechlin's vision. Daniël Kramer supports the cello, occasionally leads it, in a well matched partnership of vision for how the music should play itself out."
Rushton Paul, Positive Feedback
"We ought to be immensely grateful to the Hensel-Kramer team for lifting this once-ridiculed Sonata to the level of enjoyment it deserves. Their interpretation is further proof that in the hands of dedicated and capable musicians, this ‘awkward’ Sonata comes of age and may now be seen as having joined the ranks of core repertoire ‘for cellists with a sufficient degree of insight and virtuosity’. The more so, as those requirements are in high demand to turn any idea about awkwardness into one of brilliant innovation, especially in the two final movements. A mission that has perfectly been accomplished by either."
Adrian Quanjer, HRAudio
"These are two performers who - it may sound obvious - let the music speak for itself, without any exaggeration, and precisely because of this the end result is all the more impressive. Passionate but controlled, I might add, which almost as a matter of course creates room for enchanting nuances, in a sparkling and spiritual discourse, in a fine mixture of panache and subtle refinement. Music which is thus really brought to life, can manifest itself narratively and thus offers fascinating vistas."
Aart van der Wal, OpusKlassiek
