This CD, which comes
in Naxos’s Light Classics series, takes
its title from one of the tracks which
have been arranged, like ten others
by Lars Kallin. The other arrangers,
also new names to me are Kalle Ohlson
and Gerald Marks. Both are equally skilled
and classy.
The performers are
a group of ladies, classically trained,
who play in the Swedish Chamber Orchestra,
an ensemble which also records regularly
for Naxos. They consist of Katarina
Andersson, Charlotte Wargert and Christrina
Olofsdotter Hallberg (violins), Linn
Lowengren Elkulland Kate Pelly (violas),
Kersti Manell (cello) and Helena Nordquist,
(double bass). They regularly play together
on Swedish television's lunch-time ‘café
programmes’ (which sounds most civilized).
This CD gives an excellent cross-section
of the various styles of music in which
they indulge.
The booklet notes,
which are very nicely written by Peter
Dempsey, explain it all well. I shall
quote from them: "In a variety
of contrasting styles the pieces selected
are over-tinged with an ‘olde-worlde’
or even ‘pseudo-baroque’ flavour, which
adds charm, for example, to Jules Caty’s
pseudo-Edwardian ‘Con Amore’".
This is probably the only salon piece
reminiscent of the Edwardian drawing
room on the CD, although I must say
that Hogey Carmichael’s Stardust of
1929 comes a close second. Then there’s
‘Hello Dolly’, cheekily arranged by
Lars Kallin, with its pizzicato double
bass and syncopated inner parts.
‘Novelty Accordion’
is at first a sleazy number before turning
up-beat in a 1920s style, the tune even
disappears for a time into the double-bass.
’Zigenarens serenad’ gives us a dark
tremolando opening and the wistful song
of the gypsies to a passionate tango
melody, Piazzolla style. ‘How high the
moon’ offers us a boogey-woogey bass
under the melody with a violin counter-melody
sounding almost improvised. Every number
is individual and juicy.
It’s good also to hear
the viola on its own in various places
particularly in such uncharacteristic
music. Peter Dempsey explains how salon
music came about in the very early 20th
century. He comments that ‘Salon Music’
was the Edwardian equivalent of ‘Palm
Court’ and he adds that it provided
"regular work in recording studios
where output was as prolific as it was
diversified".
The recording is warm
and beautifully balanced but it is a
curious oversight that the track titles
have not been translated from the Swedish
for the international market. I have
added the translations in the above
titles, (in brackets) but probably it
makes very little difference, because
if you respond to this music then that
is all that matters.
Gary Higginson
Ladies Only Café Strings 