Now available!
CD264, CD265, CD266, CD267, CD268, CD269, CD270, & CD271:
"Each [Reicha Woodwind Quintet] is a masterpiece of the
highest order. Those who ignore this legacy are missing out not only on some
terrific wind music but on some of the finest music ever penned. These pieces
are symphonies in miniature, not only in complexity but also in length –
40 minutes is not unusual." Ritter,
Audiophile Audition.
The first eight releases in
Crystal Records' series of Reicha's monumental 24 woodwind quintets, which are
beautiful works, symphonic in scope. Most are 35-40 minutes long, and all hold
the listener's attention with their gorgeous slow movements and thrilling
allegros and scherzos. The Westwood Wind Quintet has now recorded all 24 of the
24 quintets, with 16 now on these eight CDs. We will be releasing the rest of the Reicha quintets on CD
as production is completed, about every five months.
Anton
Reicha
(1770-1836), one of the most respected composers of the period, was a friend of
Beethoven & Haydn, and teacher of Berlioz, Franck, Gounod, & Liszt.
These 24 quintets are his masterworks.
The Westwood Wind
Quintet captures the
glory of these wonderful pieces. This recording project will continue over the
next few years, with releases every four to five months. We hope
the series will increase the recognition of this giant of the 19th
century. His music has great depth of feeling and strong emotions. These are profound and beautiful works.
Of
the Westwood Wind Quintet, which has performed actively for 50 years, famed
conductor Robert Shaw wrote "one listens to this ensemble as one
listens to the finest of string quartets. It is a complete and completely
satisfying experience." Gramophone Magazine called the Westwood Wind Quintet "a
magnificent American group. Superlative playing."
CD264: Reicha: Woodwind Quintets Vol 4: opus 91, nos. 1 & 2. Performed
by the Westwood
Wind Quintet.
This is the fifth release in
Crystal Records' series of Anton Reicha's 24 woodwind quintets. "Reicha...infused
content of superb musical worth. Those who ignore this legacy are missing out
not only on some terrific wind music but on some of the finest music ever
penned. These pieces are symphonies in miniature, not only in complexity but in
length – 40 minutes is not unusual. If you are collecting this series,
you can certainly continue with confidence, and all others would do well to dip
their hands into Reicha's clean waters." Steven
Ritter, Audiophile Audition UPC 00941472642-1 
ORDER NOW
Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on
the link to hear up to one minute of the movement shown
Quintet in C Major, opus 91, no. 1: Allegro
moderato/Andante/Tempo primo Menuetto Rondo Finale Quintet in A Minor, opus 91, no. 2: Adagio/Allegro
assai Andante Menuetto Finale
CD265: Reicha Woodwind Quintets Vol 5: opus 91, nos. 3 & 4. Performed
by the Westwood
Wind Quintet. "Westwood's
members succeed in capturing the unique qualities of Reicha's quintets and do
so in a manner that indicates their admiration and respect for the repertoire.
The players seek, find, and reveal the numerous qualities that have kept this
repertoire alive for almost two centuries." Carter, Fanfare
Magazine UPC
00941472652-0 ORDER
NOW
Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on
the link to hear up to one minute of the movement shown.
Opus 91, no. 3
Mvmt 1 Mvmt 2 Mvmt 3 Mvmt 4 Opus 91, no. 4 Mvmt 1 Mvmt 2 Mvmt 3 Mvmt 4
CD266: Reicha Woodwind Quintets Vol 6: opus 91, nos. 5 & 6. Performed
by the Westwood
Wind Quintet. "The
performances radiate affection for the music and technical virtuosity. This
delightful disc rates a high recommendation." Story, Fanfare
Magazine UPC
00941472662-9 ORDER
NOW
Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on
the link to hear up to one minute of the movement shown..
Quintet in A Major, opus 91, no. 5 Mvmt 1 Mvmt 2 Mvmt 3 Mvmt 4 Quintet in C minor, opus 91, no. 6: Mvmt 1 Mvmt 2 Mvmt 3 Mvmt 4
CD267: Reicha Woodwind Quintets Vol 7:
opus 99, nos. 1 & 2. Performed by the Westwood
Wind Quintet.
This is the third release in Crystal's exciting project of recording
the complete 24 Reicha Woodwind Quintets. "..both the ear and intellect are gratified by these
quintets. The performances are worthy of the Westwood Wind Quintet's
reputation." Raymond
Tuttle, International Record Review UPC 00941472672-8 
ORDER NOW
Sound samples for CD267 are temporarily
unavailable. (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to
hear up to one minute of the movement shown.
Reicha Quintet in C Major, opus 99, no.1
Mvt. 1
Mvt. 2 Mvt. 3
Mvt. 4
Quintet in F Minor, opus 99, no.2
Mvt. 1
Mvt. 2
Mvt. 3
Mvt. 4
CD268: Anton Reicha, Woodwind Quintets vol. 8: op. 99, nos. 3 &
4. Performed
by the Westwood
Wind Quintet
This
is the 7th release in the on-going series of 12 CDs of the 24 woodwind quintets
by Anton Reicha. (released July 2009) The Westwood Wind Quintet has completed
the recordings of all 24 quintets and Crystal Records will be releasing the
rest of them as production is completed. Reicha (1770-1836) was one of the most
respected composers of his time. He was a friend of Beethoven and Haydn, and
was the teacher of Berlioz, Liszt, Gounod, and Franck. UPC 00941472682-7. 
ORDER NOW
Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to
hear up to one minute of the movement shown.
Reicha
Quintet in A Major, opus 99, no. 3
Mvt. 1: Lento;
Allegro Mvt. 2: Andante
Mvt. 3: Menuetto.
Allegro Mvt. 4: Finale.
Allegro assai Quintet in D Major,
opus 99, no. 4 Mvt. 1: Andante;
Allegro spirituoso Mvt. 2: Poco lento Mvt. 3: Menuetto.
Scherzo Mvt. 4. Finale. Allegro assai
CD269: Reicha
Woodwind Quintets Vol 9: opus 99, nos. 5 & 6. Performed by the Westwood Wind
Quintet.
This is the fourth
release of Reicha quintets. "Crystal Record's devotion to
Reicha's woodwind quintets is estimable.
[These works] are big, sonorous and large-scale ones published in 1822 and
fully deserving of reclamation in such expert hands as these. The opening of Op.99 No.5 floats in
with the most beautiful and well balanced Andante – a Siciliano of
dappled loveliness. The ensuing
tumbling, flowing and exciting extroversion is the perfect riposte: an Allegro
of ravenous yet decorous masculinity.
It shows how finely perched these works are between introspection and
well-wrought, technically accomplished self-projection. They're also formally always of the
highest interest, playing tricks with harmony, structure, form and keys so
subtly that you would barely notice.
Reicha was a master of the form and wrote voraciously for woodwind
quintet. This series is shaping up
to be a major contribution on record...big, symphonic quintets, cleanly
delineated, finely played and bursting with classical ideas and
expertise." MusicWeb International UPC 00941472692-6 ORDER NOW
Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to hear up to one
minute of the movement shown.
Quintet Quintet in C Major, opus 99,
no.5 Mvt.
1(Andante/Allegro) Mvt.
2(Andante) Mvt.
3(Menuetto) Mvt.
4(Finale) Quintet in
F Minor, opus 99, no.6 Mvt.
1(Andante/Allegro Poco Vivo) Mvt.
2(Air En Fantaisie. Andante) Mvt.
3(Menuetto) Mvt.
4(Finale)
CD270: Reicha: Woodwind Quintets Vol 10: opus 100, nos. 1 & 2. Westwood Wind
Quintet.
This is the eighth release in Crystal Records' series of Anton Reicha's 24
woodwind quintets. (released November 2009) UPC 00941472712-1 ORDER NOW
CD271: Reicha:
Woodwind Quintets Vol 11: opus 100, nos. 3 & 4. Westwood Wind
Quintet.
This is the sixth release in
Crystal Records' series of Anton Reicha's 24 woodwind quintets. (released
Sept. 2008) UPC
00941472712-1 ORDER
NOW
The Westwood Wind Quintet has now recorded all 24 of the 24
quintets. Eight CDs with 16 of the quintets are now available. The remainder will be released as
production is completed, probably one CD every 3 or 4 months or so.
Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to hear up to one minute of the
movement shown.
Reicha Quintet Opus 100, No. 3 Mvt
1 Mvt
2 Mvt
3 Mvt
4 Opus 100, No. 4 Mvt
1 Mvt
2 Mvt
3 Mvt
4
"These are glorious quintets...a constant freshness,
a feeling of unquenchable invention...with radiant good humour... The Westwood
Wind Quintet has a standard of ensemble playing that is nothing short of
breathtaking. [It is] something to be cherished." International Record Review.
"The [Westwood Wind Quintet] players seek, find, and
reveal the numerous qualities that have kept this repertoire alive for almost
two centuries." Fanfare Magazine.
ÒWonderful sense of ensembleÉIt is
seldom that one comes across a recording that with careful listening displays
absolutely no major flaws, in performance or engineering. This is such a
recording. The players understand the music, each other, their instruments, and
how they fit into the mix. The result is simply beautiful ensemble playing. The
intonation is about as good as it gets when it comes to any chamber music. Flutist Quarterly
"Reicha's wind quintets...probably
always will be regarded as the summit and foundation of the literature. The
Westwood Wind Quintet is known far and wide to lovers of this kind of
music." Ritter, American Record
Guide
Fanfare reviewers have
said of this series "only
top-notch playing that can only be envied by lesser ensembles. The players
seek, find, and reveal the numerous qualities that have kept this repertoire
alive for almost two centuries...recording is invigorating, fresh, and
imaginative...performances radiate affection for the music and technical
virtuosity. Exceptional recordings. Splendid works, splendidly played." –
Fanfare
Magazine
"This recording
displays once again that the Westwood Wind Quintet is one of the finest wind
quintets in the world." – International Double Reed
Society Journal
"These [are] glorious quintets...technical
wizardry informs [Reicha's] structures with a constant freshness, a feeling of
unquenchable invention...with radiant good humour. The Westwood Wind
Quintet...has a standard of ensemble playing that is nothing short of
breathtaking." – International Record Review
"[The Westwood Wind Quintet] was described by the late
Robert Shaw as 'a complete and completely satisfying musical experience.' From
the evidence of my ears, they [are] ideal for recording what is planned as a
complete cycle of Reicha's 24 wind quintets." – Classik Reviews, Atlanta Audio Society
Richard
Lesser, the esteemed pricipal clarinetist of the Israel Philharmonic for over 30
years, wrote the following to oboist Peter Christ after hearing these Westwood
Wind Quintet recordings of the Reicha Quintets: "Last night I read
the program notes, and that really set me up for this morning's enjoyment. The
perfection of the ensemble playing – the beginnings, balance and
intonation, is absolutely uncanny. The group is so well-honed that it is a
supreme pleasure to settle in, sit back and listen to all that beauty. The solo
passages are dispatched with such aplomb that one couldn't want anything
better. Congratulations to all of you. I am especially moved by your sweet
expressive oboe sound."
About
the most recent release he wrote "You have all maintained your
excellence in this latest release. There are so many treacherous places for intonation,
and it all sounds as clean as a whistle. Ensemble is impeccable, individual
virtuosity is consistently impressive – flawless, and tossed off with
aplomb. It's a great achievement."
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All of our CDs are now
available for ordering on-line, through our associate CCNow. If the
item says ORDER NOW click on those words and go to our shopping
cart. You are still able to order via e-mail, info@crystalrecords.com.,
or place your order by phone at
360-834-7022 or on our 24-hour fax line at 360-834-9680. See
information on our main page.
Price of all CDs is
$16.95. U.S. shipping is $2.00
per order. Our 4 for 3
offer is now available on-line. When you order 4 CDs, what
you need to do is place the order for the first 3 CDs using the Order Now
buttons. Before checking out you will be given an opportunity to write a
comment to go with your order. In the "other notes or
instructions" space, write FREE CD
with the catalog number of the one you want. In that way, you will receive
the 4 CDs and only be charged for 3. |
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