The Basel Chamber Orchestra I TEMPI has chosen the composer Othmar Schoeck for its second GENUIN album. The title says it all: Gevorg Gharabekyan and his musicians take us on a dreamlike summer night – all the pieces possess a lightness and cordiality unusual for Schoeck: a wonderful suite, a fascinating cello concerto, and an enchanting pastorale. The string sound of the style-conscious ensemble is supple but captivating. The finest ramifications of late Romantic music are traced. One can only hope that this great album will contribute to a Schoeck Renaissance outside the Confederation – his music deserves it! I TEMPI’s motto is “Connecting rather than separating.” With that in mind, the ensemble goes beyond the traditional separation between the Baroque and modern orchestra as it presents dynamic and varied concert programs under the direction of Gevorg Gharabekyan. With the goal of reproducing the composer’s original sound as closely as possible, each work is performed with historically authentic instruments. When programs include works from different stylistic periods, the members change instruments during a single concert. In this way, audiences can experience the different sound worlds in direct contrast.
