A Moveable Feast

(...) marvellous release (...) Internal balance is excellent, so no register dominates and despite the piano having a very realistic, powerful, gutsy sound it never overwhelms the other instruments, which is down to both the player and production team.

(...) Throughout there’s a feeling of musicians listening and responding, enjoying each other’s company. (...)

Het Stockholm Syndrome Ensemble zoekt nieuwe manieren om vertrouwde en nieuwe muziek te brengen. En wil dat met kracht, kleur en betekenis op de luisteraars overbrengen. Bij mij is dat gelukt, nu nog bij jou!

(...) Die jungen Musiker spielen mit viel Energie und einem modernen Ansatz. Sie bewegen sich zwischen den Stilen von Barock, Klassik, Film- oder Popmusik, und das hört man. Der variable Ensemble-Klang passt sich geschmeidig den jeweiligen Anforderungen der Musik an, von warm und voll wie bei Vaughan Williams hin zu schlank und durchsichtig, z.B. in Ravels kurzem 'Frontispice'. (...)

(...) een combinatie van highlights, geschreven door Ravel, De Falla en Williams en uiterst boeiend om naar te luisteren.

(...) een ensemble dat klinkt als een klok (..) een fraai afgewogen en verrassend programma, uitgevoerd op een niveau om de vingers bij af te likken, in een sublieme opnametechnische setting (...)

This latest disc from Sweden’s Stockholm Syndrome Ensemble is a well- played and well-recorded Album with music by Vaughan Williams, de Falla and Ravel. It’s a somewhat eclectic mix, but actually all the composers represented were alive during roughly the same period. Is there more to this grouping?

Yes, according to the group. The music has a very specific location and time at its heart: Paris in 1907. The Englishman Ralph Vaughan-Williams and Spaniard Manuel de Falla both came to study there and both were accepted into Maurice Ravel’s close circle of friends (Vaughan-Williams was Ravel’s student). This program is built around the thought that these three very different artists were all in Paris at the same time discussing music and inspiring one another.

The liner notes included with the disc go into great and interesting detail about the music being performed, and make a good case for the combination. It’s a good read, and illuminating. I don’t usually even mention liner notes in a review, but these are noteworthy. The performances are excellent, and it’s nice to hear music by each composer combined in this unique way.

In terms of the recording, it’s excellent, with natural string sounds, a realistic spread of the soloists between the front speakers, and good dynamics.