IN MEMORIAM COMPOSER JAAN RÄÄTS (15.10.1932–25.12.2020)

Prezioso String Quartet 

 

 

Concerto for Chamber Orchestra Op.16 (1961, arr. Mihkel Kerem) [14:36]

 

Ensemble : Prezioso String Quartet 

 

Recording details : rec. Estonia Concert hall, Tallinn, October 2011 and January 2012

 

Label : ESTONIAN RECORD PRODUCTION

 

Ref : ERP 5912 [68:54]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review : 

Jaan Rääts' Concerto for Chamber Orchestra Op.16 was composed in 1961. It is a very attractive work which is heard here in a deftly made arrangement for string quartet by Mihkel Kerem. I must admit that I had never heard the piece before either in its original scoring or its version for string quartet, so that I approached it unprejudiced. The piece is in five compact movements, more or less connected in pairs whereas the final one recapitulates material from the preceding movements. The music is full of energy, light hearted and unambiguous, going straight to the point without any undue fuss. I must suppose that the version for string quartet faithfully reflects the original and has probably got the composer's approval. Anyway, I enjoyed it enormously and I look forward to hearing it in its original guise as well as other works by Rääts. 

 

Hubert Culot