as featured artist

Plucked Bach II (PENTATONE)

 

A natural continuation of my last album, featuring solo music by J. S. Bach that I’ve arranged for the mandolin. While the first volume concentrated on the cello suites, its sequel features works for the lute, organ and violin.

The iconoclast Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (BWV 565) for the organ receives an contemplative and intimate character on the mandolin. Excerpts of the Lute Suite (BWV 998) and the Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major (BWV 1006) are drawn in a whole new palette of colors. Bach's Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor (BWV 1003) shows how well the mandolin can deliver Bach's music and as a bonus track I’ve included Eugene Ysaÿe's dazzling “Obsession”. 

 

Music videos: Toccata in D minor; Andante from 2nd Violin Sonata

Prelude in E major; Prelude in D major (guest:  Francesca Benneti - theorbo)


Plucked Bach (PENTATONE)
A plucked kaleidoscope composed of Bach’s cello suites, performed on six plucked instruments (different lutes and historical mandolins, the baroque guitar and the oud) and concluding with my own Bach-inspired Partita. The use of so many instruments, the fact it's my first real solo album and my debut as a composer, all makes this recording certainly the most personal and meaningful that I've released so far.

Sounds Familiar (GWK Records)
 
A duo album featuring German Baroque music from the Bach, Biber and Weiss families, which I have co-curated and recorded with Tabea Debus on the recorder.
The instrument I've used on this recording is a 10 course Renaissance lute by Kai Schupp (Hamburg, 1991) after Hans Frei (Nürnberg, 16th century), converted to an 11 course Baroque lute by Martin Hürttig (Leipzig, 2018).
The original model can be found at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
 

Beethoven - Music for Mandolin and Fortepiano (NAXOS)

A true pleasure and honor was it to record Beethoven's complete works for mandolin and fortepiano on historical instruments upon invitation by NAXOS for the New Beethoven Edition, made especially for Beethoven Year 2020.

 

Alon Sariel - mandolin (Gennaro Vinaccia, 1780)

Michael Tsalka - fortepiano (Johann Zahler, c. 1805)


Bach in the White City (Sheva Collection)
 

This album is my personal tribute to the Bauhaus and came right on time for its centenary celebrations. Musically I've placed the White City of Tel Aviv, the largest Bauhaus Ensemble worldwide, next to Weimar, an important Bachstadt and the birth place of the Bauhaus movement in 1919. The German Jews who came to Palestine of the time brought their cultural heritage in their backpacks and founded Tel Aviv. That's where Bach & Bauhaus met first.

 

Music by Johann Sebastian Bach and Yehezkel Braun
Alon Sariel - mandolin, Michael Tsalka - piano
- Description & Videos


Paisiello in Vienna  (Brilliant Classics)

 

The year 2016 marked 200 years for the death of one of the most popular composers of his time, Giovanni Paisiello (1740-1816). Just a couple of centuries ago, so many of his contemporaries were hunted by one of his greatest hits - the duet "Nel cor piu non mi sento".

 

This album presents works for mandolin/guitar by Hummel and Beethoven, decorated by original variations over Paisiello's aria by Wanhal, Giuliani, Bortolazzi and more.

 

Alon Sariel - mandolin (Pilade Mauri ~1850)

Izhar Elias - guitar (Carlo Guadagnini 1812)

Michael Tsalka - fortepiano (Joseph Böhm ~1830)

"making of" video by ClassicalPedia


Sharkiya (IMI)
Music for Plucked Instruments
by Yehezkel Braun (1922-2014)

Yehezkel Braun is one of Israel's most beloved and appreciated composers of all times. He was a dear friend and in several occasions I had the privilege of playing for him, especially his sonata for mandolin and guitar, which has become an integral part of my Repertoire.
Three of the four works on this CD are recorded here for the very first time. We hope that this music, now published by the Israeli Music Institute, will be more reachable and find it place it deserves in the core repertoire for plucked instruments.

Alon Sariel - mandolin; Izhar Elias - guitar; Michael Tsalka - harpsichord
excerpt

as soloist / artistic director with Concerto Foscari

Telemandolin (Berlin Classics)
 
The year 2017 was celebrated worldwide as a "Telemann year", marking 250 years to the master's passing. For this album, I adapted the Crème de la Crème out of almost every possible instrumental genre which Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) had a go at: a French Suite, an Italian Concerto, a Chamber Partita and some Solo Fantasies.

The album also includes selected works by C.P.E. Bach (Hamburger Sonata) & J.F. Fasch (Lute Concerto) among others. The cover and booklet pay tribute to Telmann's great love to flowers and gardens!

 

Concerto Foscari  /  Alon Sariel - mandolin, lute, baroque guitar and direction

DescriptionVideos - Reviews - Bed Time Story


Rembrandt! (querstand)
 

For "Rembrandt-Year" 2019, I decided to dive in to a field that has fascinated me for a long time, the Dutch Golden Age and the musical heritage of the Low Countries. After being awarded the prestigious Opus Klassik for our debut album Telemandolin, Concerto Foscari and I would now like to invite our listeners to a journey even earlier in time, to visit Rembrandt van Rijn and his era in all its colors and facets.

 

Concerto Foscari  /  Alon Sariel - lute and direction

Description - Videos

 


In Dialogo (NDR Co-Produktion)
 

"In Dialogo" is the title of the opening Sonata by Salamone Rossi, of who we celebrate the 450th anniversary in 2020. This recording features readings from a unique manuscript, a Religious Discussion which took place at the Hanover court in 1704. Dialogue is present on every level of this recording, between the Jewish and Christian traditions, between the two composers Salamone Rossi and Johann Rosenmüller, between music and recitation.

 

Concerto Foscari  /  Alon Sariel - lute & direction
Description - Video


Concert d'anniversaire
Concerto Foscari - Lully, Charpentier & Rebel

If you are wondering what's the frog doing on the cover next to G. W. Leibniz, it comes to symbolize a thought found in one of his letters:
„Pour moy je croy que je seray un Amphibie, tantost en Allemagne, tantost en France…“
That was the key to programming his birthday concert on July 1st 2016, which is now brought live on this album: A spot light on the French music of Leibniz's days, including works by J.B. Lully, M. A. Charpentier and J. F. Rebel. 

Concerto Foscari  /  Alon Sariel - lute, baroque guitar and direction


with PRISMA

In the Streets of London (fuga libera)

 

My last recording as a member of this vibrant quartet is just like a pub tour in 17th century London. It contains original arrangements for many theater hits of the time, for example from Purcell’s Fairy Queen, next to dance music from the British isles, written down by John Playford and his likes. 

 


Il Transilvano (Ambronay Éditions)

 

"Il Transilvano" is the title of a collection of music, a gift made by the Venetian organist Girolamo Diruta to the Transylvanian prince Sigismund Báthory. PRISMA's second album celebrates the cultural exchange between Italy and Hungary in the 16th and 17th century, with both courtly and folk music, ballads and dances.

- EPK video


THE SEASONS (Ambronay Éditions)

The debut album of PRISMA follows the four winds and the different characters which they bring in to the music: Zefiro the sweet wind of spring, Boreas the winter's cold, Notos the heat and tempest of summertime, and Euros the thunderstorms of autumn. PRISMA explores those traits of the four winds in Italian music of the 17th century with its virtuoso sonatas by Uccellini, Fontana or Turini, as well as the Renaissance standards like the Canario, Tarantella, or the Ciaccona from which the group has collected and put together the best variations by different composers, as well as their own versions.

as guest artist

 Art of the Mandolin (Deutsche Grammophon) 

 

This portrait of the mandolin curated masterfully by Avi Avital includes the beloved concerto for two mandolins in G major, RV 532.

 

With Avi Avital & the Venice Baroque Orchestra


 Vivaldolino 

 

The mandolin is very much recognized with Antonio Vivaldi and the reason for that are the wonderful concerti that he composed for the instrument.


On this album, I recorded his concerto for two mandolins in G Major, RV 532 with Yaki Reuven & Ensemble Barrocade

 - Live recording 


 Israeli Music for Harpsichord
(Albany Records)

This album includes the world's first commercial recording of “Sonata a tre” by Paul Ben Haim, for mandolin, guitar and harpsichord. Recorded at the Jerusalem Music Center.

 

Alon Sariel - mandolin; Marina Minkin -harpsichord; Hanan Feinstein - guitar

- Excerpt from "Sonata a tre" by Paul Ben Haim

 


 Sources 

 

All the way from Inventions by Bach to Duets by Bartok. An album which we dedicated to our former mandolin teachers in Israel, who in a slightly bizzare way, none of them were actually mandolin players.


The album is featuring music which was composed with a touch of a pedagogical aspect, arranged here for two mandolins or for mandolin & mandola. With Yaki Reuven – mandolin

EPK on YouTube


Georg Philipp Telemann -
»Die dicken Wolken scheiden sich«:
Festmusik im Auftrag der Stadt Altona 1760
(CPO)

 

With barockwerk hamburg / Ira Hochman

 

 


 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach - Bürgercapitainsmusik 1780 (CPO)

 

With barockwerk hamburg / Ira Hochman

 

 


features in collections & compendiums

LIVE BERLIN (Neue Meister) - 2 CDs

This double album includes the world's first recording of Gilad Hochman's "Nedudim" ("wanderings" in Hebrew) - a Fantasie Concertante for Solo Mandolin and String Orchestra
Live with the Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin

Delicate Delights - BEST LOVED Classical mandolin and lute music (NAXOS)

Including Beethoven's Sonatina for mandolin and piano in C minor.
Recorded by Alon Sariel and Michael Tsalka on historical instruments.

Anthology of Classical Guitar Music (Brilliant Classics) - 40 CDs

Including Bortolazzi's Variations on a theme by Paisiello.
Recorded by Alon Sariel and Izhar Elias on historical instruments.

The complete Beethoven edition (NAXOS) - 90 CDs

Includes the complete mandolin music by Ludwig van Beethoven.
Recorded by Alon Sariel and Michael Tsalka on historical instruments

Johann Nepomuk Hummel Edition (Brilliant Classics) - 20 CDs

Includes the Grande Sonata for mandolin and fortepiano by J. N. Hummel.
Recorded by Alon Sariel and Michael Tsalka on historical instruments.