Roger Steptoe reviews three of the latest and original releases from Zig Zag
Discovering
Jérémie
Ternoy
Zig Zag Territoires is one
of Europe’s leading
classical labels. But since
September 2007 they’ve
branched out on a voyage
of discovery, namely
classically-inspired jazz (see
our review of Bach Coltrane,
March 2008, for example).
And like any galleon
destined for adventure, the
Jérémy Ternoy Trio has a
great captain and crew, is
energetic yet sensitive,
vigorous and prepared for
the journey. Influences range
from Chick Corea to the
Montreal-born jazz pianist,
Paul Bley. Blend in slithers
of Bartok and Satie and you
have the classical jazz mix
on a plate. Gripping and
certainly another summer
sizzler for modern original
jazz lovers. Catch them in
their CD launch gig at Paris’
Sunside Club on the 2nd.
‘Bloc’
Jérémie Ternoy Trio (Jérémie
Ternoy, piano, Nicolas
Mahieux, bass, Charles
Duytschaever, drums)
ZZT080501
Zig Zag Territories
www.zigzag-territoires.com
Enlightened
authenticity
It only seems like five
minutes ago that a spate of
recordings on original
instruments took the
classical world by storm.
Connoisseurs only have to
think of Roger Norrington,
John Eliot Gardiner, Roy
Goodman and Monica
Huggett: just four pioneers
in the UK, alone. And
amazingly so as their
research, concerts and
recordings are now some 25
years old. Been there and
done that, you ask?
Apparently not.
Hot on the authenticity
scene is a box set of
Beethoven’s nine completed
symphonies interspersed
with five of his all-too
rarely-heard overtures. Jos
van Immerseel has put the
set together. This leading
Belgian exponent has all-too
clearly become a world
authority on Beethoven.
We’re not just talking of the
composer’s life. This is indepth
stuff, tracing the
working conditions in which
the composer found himself,
the exact tempos, dynamics,
phrasing, pitch, orchestral
forces and accoustics of the
time. Even the type of vocal
soloists favoured in the
famous Ninth Symphony has
been researched – along with
his apparent deafness, a
severe handicap from around
this time in his heroic output.
For lovers of the original
and a slightly off-beat
version using more or less
the kind of instruments and
conditions Beethoven would
have had, the six CDs,
together with a fascinating
booklet in English, make for
relaxing yet stimulating
listening this summer.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphonies and Overtures
Anima Eterna, dir. Jos van
Immerseel
ZZT080402.6
Choice Chopin
Back on more familiar
ground is a brand
new disc of Chopin’s
monumental 12 Etudes Op.
10 and his four Ballades
written between 1836 and
1843. You are probably
asking why the world
deserves yet another
recording of what has
become stock-in-trade
repertoire for pianists for
over a century. But this disc
is partly worth having for the
high level of the recording.
The piano is notoriously
difficult to record: a sound
engineer’s worst nightmare.
Here, Zig Zag’s Franck
Jaffrès and Alban Moraud
have come up trumps, and
Nima Sarkechik, the 25 yearold
pianist, has certainly
struck it lucky. French
composer Hugues Dufourt’s
contribution by way of an
‘hommage’ to the great man
makes for an interesting nine
minute distraction: more
than just a sandwich-filler,
and persuasively played. All
in all, a remarkable and
valuable disc from this
most thoughtful and
consciencious pianist.
Chopin: Etudes and Ballades
Dufourt - La ligne gravissant
la chute - hommage à Chopin
Nima Scharkechik - piano.
Recorded in association with
Collection Printemps des
Arts de Monaco,
director Marc Monnet.
ZZT080401
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