The Complete Works of Leo Smit
Etcetera KTC 1516 (4CDs)
Reedition of Donemus CV 90-93

17/11/2014

The Dutch composer Leo Smit (1900-1943) was a Holocaust victim, not to be confused with the fine American composer-pianist Leo Smit.
This set collects all the surviving music by the Dutch composer, most of which he hid away safely before being shipped with his harpist wife to an extermination camp.
Smit’s composing personality has a wide range, but his most characteristic style owes much to Ravel (to whom he wrote an homage) and, often, to American jazz.
Smit’s chamber music has clear textures, firm rhythms, and a great deal of melodic and harmonic interest; his orchestral works are brilliantly scored, usually quite concise and effective.
This booklet, in Dutch and English, is extremely useful. Leslie Gerber

 

Musicians: Bart van de Roer, piano
Quirine Viersen, violoncello
Daniel Raiskin viola,
Eleonore Pameijer, flute
Esther Probst, oboe
Ivar Berix, clarinet
Noëlle Probst, bassoon
Jan Harshagen, horn
Frans van Ruth, piano
Marjès Benoist, piano
Edith van Moergastel, viola
Erika Waardenburg, harp
Ernest Rombout, oboe
Doris Hochscheid, violoncello
Edith van Moergastel, viola
Jacobien Rozemond, violin
Doris Hochscheid, violoncello
Valérie Guillorit, soprano
Helena Rasker, mezzo-soprano
Marijke van Kooten, violin
Wilke te Brummelstroete, mezzo-soprano
Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra
Philippe Entremont, conductor
Ed Spanjaard, conductor
Lucas Vis, conductor
René Nieuwint, conductor
Kamerkoor Nieuwe Muziek female chorus

CD 1 • CHAMBER MUSIC I.
 
TRIO 1938 for clarinet, viola and piano
  1. Allegretto 4:29.
  2. Lento 4:12.
  3. Allegro vivace 3:55.
SUITE 1926 for piano solo
  4. Prélude 2:58.
  5. Forlane 2:58.
  6. Rondeau 2:58.
SONATE 1939-1943 for flute and piano
  7. Allegro 3:02.
  8. Lento 4:26.
  9. Allegro moderato 4:44.
KWINTET 1928 for flute, string trio and harp
10. Allegro 6:28.
11. Lento 7:40.
12. Allegro vivace 7:18.
DEUX HOMMAGES 1928-1930 for piano solo
13. Hommage à Sherlock Holmes 3:46.
14. Hommage à Remington 3:26.
LA MORT - Charles Baudelaire 1938 for soprano, alto and piano
15. La mort des artistes 2:08.
16. La mort des amants 2:12.
17. La mort des pauvres 2:16.
STRIJKKWARTET - unfinished
18. I 4:18.
19. II Scherzo 1:13.
 
CD 2 • CHAMBER MUSIC II.
 
SEXTUOR 1929-1932 for wind quintet and piano
  1. Allegro 4:36.
  2. Lento 5:21.
  3. Vivace 4:02.
DIVERTIMENTO 1942 for piano four hands
  4. Allegro ma non troppo 3:48.
  5. Lento 5:08.
  6. Allegro con fuoco 5:02.
TRIO 1926 for flute, viola and harp
  7. Allegro ma non troppo 1:30.
  8. Scherzando 5:38.
  9. Molto lento 4:23.
SUITE 1938 for oboe and violoncello
10. Allemande 3:07.
11. Courante 2:22.
12. Sarabande 2:19.
13. Menuetto I - Mernuetto II 2:39.
14. Gavotte - Musette 3:00.
15. Gigue 3:24.
KLEINE PRÉLUDE VAN RAVEL - Martinus Nijhoff 1938 for alto and piano
16. Kleine prélude van Ravel 7:06.
DE BRUID - Jan Prins 1939 for female chorus
17. De bruid 2:40.
TWAALF STUKKEN VOOR VIER HANDEN 1941
18. Naar school 0:35.
19. Spelevaren 0:32.
20. Vroolijke dans 0:57.
21. Ieder op zijn beurt 0:17.
22. Schommelen 0:35.
23. Broertje leert lopen 1:12.
24. Regendruppels 0:30.
25. Marsch 0:30.
26. Verdriet 1:50.
27. Walsje 0:38.
28. Wiegelied 1:35.
29. Besluit 0:43.
 
CD 3 • ORCHESTRAL WORKS I.
 
VOORSPEL VOOR TEIRLINCK’S ‘DE VERTRAAGDE FILM’ 1923
  1. ‘De Vertraagde Film’ 7:23.
CONCERT 1940 for viola and strings
  2. Allegro ma non troppo 4:18.
  3. Lento 4:57.
  4. Rondo 4:05.
CONCERTINO 1937 for violoncello and orchestra
  5. Lento 4:33.
  6. Scherzando 3:10.
  7. Allegro vivace 3:16.
SONATE CONCERTANTE 1939-1943 Orchestrated in 1989 by Willem Strietman from the Sonata for flute and piano
  8. Allegro 2:50.
  9. Lento 4:43.
10. Allegro moderato 4:26.
SYMPHONIE IN C 1934-1936
11. Adagio - Allegro 7:11.
12. Adagio 7:36.
13. Menuetto - Trio 5:03.
14. Rondo 4:05.
 
CD 4 • ORCHESTRAL WORKS II.
 
SILHOUETTEN 1922
  1. Adagio 2:26.
  2. Allegro 2:57.
  3. Scherzo 1:19.
  4. Menuetto 0:50.
  5. Capriccio 1:26.
  6. Forte (Foxtrott) 4:59.
CONCERTINO 1933 for harp and orchestra
  7. Allegro 4:07.
  8. Lento 7:50.
  9. Scherzando 5:21.
FORLANE ET RONDEAU 1926 (Orchestrated in 1958 by Godfried Devreese)
10. Forlane 3:07.
11. Rondeau 4:07.
SCHEMSELNIHAR 1929
12. Prélude première partie, Allegro 3:57.
13. Danse, Meno allegro 3:17.
14. Cortège de Schemselnihar, Lento 5:17.
15. Scherzando, Allegro ma non troppo 6:18.
16. L’istesso tempo, Allegro ma non troppo 5:21.
17. Lento (ma non troppo) 2:42.
CONCERTO 1937 for piano and wind orchestra
18. Allegro moderato 3:52.
19. Lento (choral - koraal) 5:37.
20. Allegro vivace 3:02.