For their fifth album, the Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra (ARCO) bring their historically-informed expertise to a pair of neglected works from the first half of the 19th century. 

Parisian composer and virtuoso concert pianist Louise Farrenc (1804-1875) was a star in her day, the only woman to be appointed professor (1842) at the Paris Conservatory during the entire 1800s, a post she held for 30 years. Her Nonet in E-flat (Op. 38) was so popular upon its 1850 premiere that she leveraged it to secure payment equal to that of her male Conservatory colleagues. It is scored for combined string quartet and wind quintet, making for complex linear interplay between these contrasting sonorities. In ARCO’s hands it undulates and glistens with a remarkable airiness, full of intricate twists and turns. 

Viennese composer Anton Eberl (1765-1807) was also a gifted pianist, taught at one point by Mozart and friendly with Beethoven. His Symphony in Eflat (Op. 33) famously premiered alongside Beethoven’s Eroica in 1805 and was enthusiastically reviewed, receiving praise for its “brilliance, fire, affect and knowledge of instruments”. It’s indeed a dazzler, hurtling along excitedly with crackers going off, brilliantly handled here with the same deft lightness of touch, spaciousness and attention to nuance that worked so beautifully in Farrenc’s Nonet. 

As ARCO explain, “our work is founded on the belief that sound, style and expression are shaped by instruments, spaces, languages and ideas of their time – and that by understanding these contexts, we can unlock a more vivid and immediate experience of orchestral and chamber music today”. These are the first Australian recordings of both works, and the musicianship and sound quality are superb.

Listen on Apple Music

Composers: Farrenc, Eberl
Works: Nonet in E-flat, Symphony in E-flat
Performers: Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra/Rachael Beesley
Label: ARCO (CD & Digital) ARCOCD005