GRAMMY NOMINEE 2017 in the category of Best Contemporary Classical Composition! Nominee of Estonian Music Award 2016 in the category of classical music, the best CD in the category of symphonic and stage music.
Martin Kuuskmann – among the most versatile and engaging bassoon soloists of his generation. The New York Times: “dynamic… amazing… gripping…”; International Double Reed Society Magazine: “Kuuskmann’s technique and virtuosity are remarkable… you-name-it, he does it all!”
1−3 | Christopher Theofanidis | Bassoon Concerto | 20:56 |
4−6 | Johann Nepomuk Hummel | Bassoon Concerto in F major, S 63 / WoO 23 | 20:59 |
7−9 | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Bassoon Concerto in B-flat major, KV 191 | 20:37 |
10 | Tõnu Kõrvits | Encore: Puudutus / Touch | 4:51 |
#2, Cristopher Theofanidis, Bassoon Concerto, Mov II, fragm, mp3, 320 Kbps
#7, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Bassoon Concerto, Mov I, fragm, mp3, 320 Kbps
Northwest Sinfonia, Seattle / USA (#1−3)
Tallinn Chamber Orchestra (#4−9)
Conductors Barry Jekowsky (#1−3) and Risto Joost (#4−9)
Recorded live on Oct 5th, 2014, in Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn (#4−10)
Engineered by Dmitriy Lipay (#1−3) and Tanel Klesment (#4−10)
Mastered by Tanel Klesment
Designed by Signe Kaljurand
Photos by Karl J Kaul
Producer by Peeter Vähi
Executive co-producer Martin Kuuskmann
Total time 66:58
n©b
2015
ERP 8215
Grammy nominated Estonian-born bassoon virtuoso Martin Kuuskmann’s charismatic and commanding performances throughout the world have earned him repute as one of the leading solo instrumentalists today.
Constantly pushing the boundaries for new artistic and technical possibilities, Kuuskmann has premiered 8 bassoon concertos, all written and dedicated to him by some of the foremost composers of our time − Erkki-Sven Tüür, Eino Tamberg, Tõnu Kõrvits, Christopher Theofanidis, David Chesky, Gregor Huebner, Gene Pritsker and Charles Coleman. Kuuskmann has performed Michael Daugherty’s madcap concerto Dead Elvis across the world nearly 50 times and won the prestigious German Record Critics Prize in 2001 with Absolute Ensemble and the recording of Dead Elvis.
Kuuskmann has co-operated with many outstanding orchestras and conductors all over the world and appeared numerous times as soloist with Neeme Järvi and the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.
A graduate of the Yale and the Manhattan Schools of Music, Kuuskmann’s mentors include Stephen Maxym, Frank Morelli, Ilmar Aasmets and Rufus Olivier. As an avid educator, Kuuskmann taught at the Manhattan School of Music Contemporary Performance Program (2007−2012) and currently teaches at Cornish College of Arts in Seattle. He serves as the woodwind coach of the Baltic Youth Philharmonic and teaches regularly at the Arosa Music Academy in Switzerland. Kuuskmann is a founding member and solo bassoonist of the New York City based Absolute Ensemble. An artist of Bernd Moosmann bassoons, Miller Marketing Company, Martin Kuuskmann plays on the Moosmann 222 model bassoons.
The Northwest Sinfonia, is existence for more than 20 years, is one of the most recorded orchestras in America. Its projects have won multiple Grammys and Emmys, and an Academy Award. Collaborations are its specialty, with Ang Lee, Shirley Maclaine, Michael Kamen, Todd Haynes, Sam Raimi and Dave Matthews among the roster of artists that have sought out the Northwest Sinfonia for its extraordinary quality and versatility.
Barry Jekowsky has been widely heralded as one of the classical music world’s most visionary and innovative conductors. As Music Director of the California Symphony for 24 years, Jekowsky led the CSO to international critical acclaim with the recording of its DECCA / ARGO release Lou Harrison: A Portrait, featuring Al Jarreau and was named CD of the Month in Gramophone magazine. He has also served as a guest conductor with many orchestras including the London Philharmonic, City of London Sinfonia, the National Symphony Orchestra (Washington DC), the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the St Louis Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony…
The Tallinn Chamber Orchestra (TCO) was founded in 1993 by conductor Tõnu Kaljuste. Despite being a string orchestra, it regularly involves the best wind players from the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and the Estonian National Opera.
Besides Tõnu Kaljuste the chief conductor of the orchestra has been Juha Kangas. Since September, 2013, the post is held by Risto Joost. During recent years the activities of TCO have been supervised by the Artistic Director of the Tallinn Philharmonic Society Maestro Eri Klas. Particularly in its early years, the activity of the TCO was very tightly connected to the work of the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and their joint concerts brought international recognition to both groups. Several critically acclaimed records were released by ECM: Arvo Pärt’s Te Deum, Litany, In Principio and Adam’s Lament, Heino Eller’s Neenia, Erkki-Sven Tüür’s Crystallisatio, and others. TCO has also recorded for Warner Music / Finlandia Records, Carus Verlag, ERP, etc.
Concert tours have taken TCO to the USA, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and most of the European countries as well as to many prestigious music festivals of the world.
Risto Joost has gained widespread recognition for his work both in the opera pit and on the concert stage. His repertoire ranges from Baroque to the most challenging works of contemporary composers. He is a conductor of the Estonian National Opera since 2009, the chief conductor of the Netherlands Chamber Choir since the season 2011 / 2012 and the chief conductor of the TCO. Besides Estonian orchestras and choirs Risto Joost has been conducting a number of internationally recognized orchestras and choirs.
In 2011, Risto Joost was awarded the Young Cultural Figure Award of the Estonian Republic and in 2012, the 2nd Prize at the 5th International Jorma Panula Conducting Competition, in Vaasa, Finland.
Risto Joost has studied orchestral and choral conducting as well as singing at the Estonian Academy of Music, and received further training at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. In spring 2008, Risto Joost under the supervision of Prof Jorma Panula took his Master’s Degree in orchestral conducting from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm.
Distribution in Estonia by Easy-Living Music
International distribution by Note 1 Music and Naxos
See also other recordings of Martin Kuuskmann produced by ERP: Nonstop, The Path of Mantra (Erdenklang)
See also other recordings of Tallinn Chamber Orchestra produced by ERP: Celestials (CCn’C) Musica triste (Warner Music / Finlandia Records), Enter Denter, A Chant of Bamboo
See other records of Risto Joost released by ERP: Maria Magdalena, A Chant of Bamboo, Pilgrim’s Song, Modigliani − the Cursed Artist, Verdi Wagner 200, Cantus Angelicus, La donna è mobile