Paul Schoenfield's Cafe Music

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
GRAMMY NOMINATED CD

Paul Schoenfield’s infectiously enjoyable chamber music has been brought together for the first time on innova’s Café Music. With some of the country’s most prodigious virtuosos and a stunning recording, this disc guarantees a good mood whenever it is played. Combining ingredients of classical music, jazz, klezmer and whimsy, Café Music is instantly accessible despite its rich complexities. Irresistible and full of energy, this is caffeine-fuelled music at its most entertaining.

Schoenfield playing the piano is piano is joined by such leading players as Lev Polyakin (assistant concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra), Nathaniel Rosen, and Charles Neidich. The Ohio-based composer began studying piano at age six and wrote his first composition the following year. He received degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University and the University of Arizona, where he studied both music and mathematics. He has received numerous commissions and has been awarded grants from the NEA, the Rockefeller Fund, the Bush Foundation and Chamber Music America. His three concertos for piano, flute and trumpet have been released by Decca. Among his recent works are an opera for Opera Theatre of St. Louis and a viola concerto for the Cleveland Orchestra.

Café Music Lev Polyakin, violin; Charles Bernard, cello; Frances Renzi, piano

Burlesque John Sampen, saxophone; Michael Sachs, trumpet; Thomas Sperl, bass; Don Miller, percussion; Paul Schoenfield, piano

Trio for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano Charles Neidich, Clarinet; Lev Polyakin, Violin; Frances Renzi, piano

Slovakian Children’s Songs Carol Wincenc, flute; Stephen Gosling, piano

Carolina Réveille Lev Polyakin, violin; Robert Vernon, viola; Nathaniel Rosen, cello; Paul Schoenfield, piano

Tracks:

Adagio In G Minor
Allegro
Largo
Allegro
Allegro Con Brio
Lento-Maestoso Allegro
Hungarian Dance No.6 In D Major
Wiegenlied, Op.49 No.4 (Lullaby)
Berceuse
Andante Moderato
Primavera Portena
Ontono Porteno
Vocalise
Aria

Customer Reviews:

Eroica Trio, Classical Music Angels.......2006-03-19

The album, "Best of Eroica," demonstrates with heavenly beauty this group's musicality, technical skill, and deep understanding of the music they've chosen. This album is a "must" for anyone who enjoys piano trios and wants to relax surrounded by transporting sound.

Spirited style in a generous album--4.5 stars.......2005-12-09

This generous album (nearly 75 minutes long) contains 14 selections from the award-winning trio's other CDs. Thus, the range of music is quite wide. The artists (Erika Nickrenz--piano, Adela Pena-violin, & Sara Sant'Ambrogio--cello), though accomplished soloists, meld their playing beautifully. The Albinoni here is the shortest of the four versions in my collection--played with spirit. The Vivaldi demonstrates their virtuosity. I think the viola shines in Brahm's lullaby. The Piazzolla pieces remind me of the concert at which I heard them play; it was spectacular. Still, a few of the pieces are not particularly to my liking--though they are played well. Also, as a baroque fan I'd like to see some Telemann, Bach, &/or Handel. Most of the pieces are very lively--not too relaxing or useful for meditation--but great for listening. But then, as a trio, they are chamber music oriented. Still, IMHO the order of pieces on the album could be improved. Overall, it's a very fine album though I like the baroque one better--just a personal preference, of course.

Electrifying.......2005-08-26

I saw them live a few years ago, and was captivated by their group chemistry and technical precision. One of my favorite modern classical groups.

Better still, buy the other CDs.......2005-05-27

As a compilation, the ladies have selected a few cuts from each of their 6 CDs to give any listener new to the Eroica Trio--named in homage to Beethoven's 3d "Eroica" Symphony, not the crass misreading offered by a previous reviewer--a singular treat, and thus serves as a good first disk. But it is a sampler of sorts, and while I think that all of their CDs are good and worth your attention, they do range in focus and style from tangos to the Baroque, to healthy doses of Beethoven, Brahms and Bach--so suit to taste. The 5 star rating I give this CD is really for the larger body of work that this disk draws from.

I was prepared to have a mean rant, however.............2005-05-07

These ladies can play!! The chemistry and emotional fire is what makes up for the corny "Erotica Trio" title, but I ask you-what would you do as a graduating classical musician to get noticed today? Our cities are riddled with out-of-work and under appreciated young classical musicians, and it's partly our fault for not telling everyone about this great art form.
One day we may see a renissance in the musical arts where knowing the works & composers of the classical cannon won't be so rare- just imagine.

Average customer rating:

stunningly beautiful....
The heroic "Eroica"
a nice adaptation of the Gershwin preludes
Spirited in fast music, but WARNING: aimless in slow music
most amazing trio ive heard--ever

Eroica Trio

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Pasión
The Best of Eroica Trio
Eroica Trio: Dvorak/Shostakovich/Rachmaninov
Paul Schoenfield's Cafe Music
Baroque: The Eroica Trio

ASIN: B000002RZ6
Release Date: 1997-10-21

Tracks:

Prelude l
Prelude ll
Prelude lll
Modere
Pantoum
Passacaille: Tres large
Finale: Anime
Berceuse
Allegro
Andante Moderato
Presto

Customer Reviews:

stunningly beautiful...........2006-03-22

Should you ever have the chance to see and hear The Eroica Trio live, by all means drop everything and go hear these women. They are first-rate performers and very generous and humorous in concert. I have seen them multiple times and would never tire of their music. This CD in particular in just gorgeous. It combines their virtuosity as well as their expert and sensitive choice in music. The Godard piece is absolutely worth the cost of the CD all by itself. Buy and enjoy............
Deborah Montana

The heroic "Eroica".......2006-01-11

If you have never had the pleasure of hearing this ensemble in person, you have missed a special experience. Their CD's are the next best thing. They bring a special energy to their playing which is unmatched by most other chamber groups. We see a lot of these other folks in concert and most look and play like they are at a funeral (perhaps their own!). Music doesn't have to be played that way. There is nothing funereal about the Eroica. Everything is played well and with the gift of life. You will not go wrong buying this and any of their other recordings.

a nice adaptation of the Gershwin preludes.......2003-03-09

I did not know anything about this trio before hearing their performance of the Gershwin preludes. Solely on a musical basis I found the arrangement of the Preludes to be very stimulating and enjoyable. The composer himself likely would have gotten a boot out of the performances.

Spirited in fast music, but WARNING: aimless in slow music.......2000-06-29

I haven't been exposed to any of the radio and TV hype about the Eroica Trio. Neither have I heard any of their concerts yet. The only hype I've _seen_ is looking through some of the fan web sites today, and reading reviews here at Amazon. I have not heard their two subsequent discs yet, either. So, I'm reviewing only on the basis of what I hear and see on this debut CD.

I bought this disc mainly to hear their rendition of the Ravel Trio, and because the Schoenfield piece looked like fun. The Ravel is, unfortunately, a major disappointment here. I have four other CD's of this wonderful piece, and by comparison all four hold the composition together better than the Eroica Trio does. The Eroica do not give much flowing forward motion to the music, nor do they make the structure clear; instead, they bog down in sweet sounds that quickly become uninteresting (not going anywhere). The mind wanders. The piece seems interminably long and incoherent. The fast portions are OK but nothing special, and the slow sections just get soggy.

Some of this shows up in the movement timings, too. Rubinstein/Heifetz/Piatigorsky: 8'30",4'05",6'25",5'16". Previn/Rosenfeld/Hoffman: 9'40",4'04",7'18",5'30". Trio Fontenay: 9'31",4'27",6'37",5'37". Rouvier/Kantorow/Muller (the "Un coeur en hiver" soundtrack): 9'04",3'59",7'34",5'12". The Eroica Trio: 10'10",4'08",9'31",5'12". That is, the Eroica take the first and third movements down to a deadly crawl, dissipating most of the tension in the music. And then the slow motion drags even slower....

I have nothing against slow tempos in general, as long as they have enough focus, intensity, interest, and direction. Not here. This disc illustrates very well the principle that the most difficult music to play well is slow music. Non-musicians tend not to think of that, perhaps being wowed by "virtuosity" and flash, but experienced musicians know it to be true. And here's an excellent exhibit in support of it. I fail to understand how this CD got a Grammy nomination for best chamber music performance. Perhaps these performers give a good show live, and perhaps the visual elements of their performances help the cause, but the evidence is not on this recording.

This CD is probably worth having anyway for the Schoenfield "Cafe Music" and the bizarre arrangements of Gershwin's three preludes. Those are not available elsewhere, and are entertaining enough. The Godard "Berceuse" is as unengaging as the slow parts of the Ravel trio are: again the Eroica players seem content merely with making pretty sounds, while the music doesn't go much of anywhere. BOR-ing. The Schoenfield is clever, and especially interesting in the fast parts, but (once again) the slow music is not well served by the performance.

Obviously, some of the appeal of this trio is the way these women look in their designer "styling" (credited in the CD booklet!). Indeed, they probably could be models if they were not musicians; their physical appearance is right in line with the cultural standard notions of beauty. This CD includes three glamourous full-color photographs. The eye-candy appeal might be another incentive to buy this disc. It really depends if you're seeking great musical performances, or stereotypical good looks. When the CD is in the player, it does not matter how the performers look....

After listening to this disc and forming my opinions above, I looked up the _American Record Guide_ review of this disc: March/April 1998, p240. I'm pleased to see that the reviewer there didn't like this disc any more than I did. (It's not just me being cranky.) Same reasons: the deadly lack of interest in the slow parts. But that reviewer didn't like the Gershwin or Schoenfield either. I'm a bit more charitable than that.

To sum up: all the notes are in place, as neatly placed and as surface-pretty as the mascara and dresses and smiles. The recorded sound is excellent, as is usual from producer Joanna Nickrenz (the Eroica pianist's mother). But the musical performances ultimately aren't engaging enough. This is a CD to pull off the shelf occasionally for the novelty of the Schoenfield, the Gershwin, and the glamourous trio photos. That hardly justifies a full-price purchase.

most amazing trio ive heard--ever.......1999-03-04

the eclectic style and amazing passion and energy of the eroica trio is contagious. this CD brialiantly captures it all. it is simply amazing and these women are beautiful creatures with rare, terrific gifts.

Average customer rating:

Such Nice Music

Paul Schoenfield's Cafe Music
Paul Schoenfield , Lev Polyakin , and Charles Neidich
Manufacturer: INNOVA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Eroica Trio
Chamber Music of Paul Schoenfield
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Soul of the Tango: The Music of Astor Piazzolla

ASIN: B00005AAZ2
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Tracks:

Cafe Music: Allegro Con Fuoco - Lev Polyakin/Charles Bernard/Frances Renzi
Cafe Music: Andante Moderato - Lev Polyakin/Charles Bernard/Frances Renzi
Cafe Music: Presto - Lev Polyakin/Charles Bernard/Frances Renzi
Burlesque - John Sampen/Michael Sachs/Thomas Sperl/Don Miller/Paul Schoenfield
Trio: Freylakh - Charles Neidich/Lev Polyakin/Frances Renzi
Trio: March - Charles Neidich/Lev Polyakin/Frances Renzi
Trio: Nigun - Charles Neidich/Lev Polyakin/Frances Renzi
Trio: Kozatzke - Charles Neidich/Lev Polyakin/Frances Renzi
Slovakian Children's Songs: Ov - Carol Wincenc/Stephen Gosling
Slovakian Children's Songs: Hopfrog - Carol Wincenc/Stephen Gosling
Slovakian Children's Songs: Lullaby - Carol Wincenc/Stephen Gosling
Slovakian Children's Songs: Furiant - Carol Wincenc/Stephen Gosling
Slovakian Children's Songs: Romanza - Carol Wincenc/Stephen Gosling
Slovakian Children's Songs: Hopak - Carol Wincenc/Stephen Gosling
Carolina Reveille - Lev Polyakin/Robert Vernon/Nathaniel Rosen/Paul Schoenfield

Album Description

GRAMMY NOMINATED CD

Paul Schoenfield's infectiously enjoyable chamber music has been brought together for the first time on innova's Café Music. With some of the country's most prodigious virtuosos and a stunning recording, this disc guarantees a good mood whenever it is played. Combining ingredients of classical music, jazz, klezmer and whimsy, Café Music is instantly accessible despite its rich complexities. Irresistible and full of energy, this is caffeine-fuelled music at its most entertaining.

Café Music Lev Polyakin, violin; Charles Bernard, cello; Frances Renzi, piano

Burlesque John Sampen, saxophone; Michael Sachs, trumpet; Thomas Sperl, bass; Don Miller, percussion; Paul Schoenfield, piano

Trio for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano Charles Neidich, Clarinet; Lev Polyakin, Violin; Frances Renzi, piano

Slovakian Children's Songs Carol Wincenc, flute; Stephen Gosling, piano

Carolina Réveille Lev Polyakin, violin; Robert Vernon, viola; Nathaniel Rosen, cello; Paul Schoenfield, piano

Customer Reviews:

Such Nice Music.......2001-08-07

Following the 1994 release on Argo of a program of Paul Schoenfield's music, I thought we'd be hearing much more from this imaginative and appealing young composer. Sadly, this has not been the case, at least not on the scale that one would have hoped. The release of "Café Music" on the always-wonderful Innova label goes considerable distance to remedy the situation. Schoenfield has not publicly identified with John Zorn's Radical Jewish Culture, but the spirit of the Yiddish Renaissance infuses nearly all of his music that I have heard. For the first time listener approaching Schoenfield's music, I would describe him as a Post-Modern Gershwin or a Jewish Charles Ives. There is both a technical proficiency and an endearing sense of humor in his music. The opening suite, Café Music written after the composer had the opportunity to sit in as a cocktail pianist is a case in point. Bouncy rhythms, and terrifically challenging string writing shows Schoenfield's style at it's most accessible. Listeners familiar with Schoenfield's Four Parables will recognize a number of the melodic licks as Ragtime, Yiddish song, Broadway melodies and Gypsy scales form a delightful musical goulash. Schoenfield's interest in vernacular musical traditions date back to his student days and the composition of Burlesque, a warped ragtime romp. Its composition all the more incredible given that it was written during the heyday of the "Northeast Rationalist School" (i.e. Babbitt, Kirchner, Carter, et al). The Trio for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano, originally commissioned by clarinetist David Shrifrin, continues Schoenfield's Yiddish preoccupation and is given a spirited Klezmer-esque reading by clarinetist Charles Neidich. Previous Schoenfield collaborator, flautist Carol Wincenc (dedicatee of the Klezmer Rondos) champions the rather Stravinskian-sounding Suite, Slovakian Children's Songs. The most "abstract" work on the program is a rather involved series of variations on the tune "Carolina in the Morning", titled Carolina Reveille by the composer. A virtuoso setting if ever there was one, Carolina Reveille also reveals the composer to be a pianist of considerable gifts and sensitivity.

Tracks:

Cafe Music: I. Allegro Con Fuoco - Young-Nam Kim/Peter Howard/Paul Schoenfield
Cafe Music: II. Andante Moderato - Young-Nam Kim/Peter Howard/Paul Schoenfield
Cafe Music: III. Presto - Young-Nam Kim/Peter Howard/Paul Schoenfield
Parterre - Wesley Hall/Chuck Holdeman/Guy Klucevsek/Barbara Noska/Marshall Taylor/Jerry Tannenbaum
Motherless Child Songs: I. Motherless Child - Carolyn Sebron/Leslie B. Dunner/Jerry Rubino
Motherless Child Songs: II. I Gave My Love A Cherry - Carolyn Sebron/Leslie B. Dunner/Jerry Rubino
Motherless Child Songs: III. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen - Carolyn Sebron/Leslie B. Dunner/Jerry Rubino
Motherless Child Songs: IV. Deep River - Carolyn Sebron/Leslie B. Dunner/Jerry Rubino
Dialogues III: I. Allegro - Young-Nam Kim/Tamas Strasser
Dialogues III: II. Largo - Young-Nam Kim/Tamas Strasser
Dialogues III: III. Scherzando - Young-Nam Kim/Tamas Strasser
Dialogues III: IV. Adagio E Espressivo - Young-Nam Kim/Tamas Strasser
Dialogues III: V. Allegro Agitato - Young-Nam Kim/Tamas Strasser
Arabesques - Robert Thompson

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