A new release from
Delphian Records www.delphianrecords.co.uk features an
ensemble of musicians called Mr McFall’s Chamber www.mcfalls.co.uk . The core line up consists of Robert McFall (violin), Brian Schiele
(viola), Su-a Lee (cello) and Rick Standley (double bass). they are joined by
Cyril Garac (violin) www.mcfalls.co.uk/Personnel/Collaborators/Cyril-Garac and
Maria Martinova (piano) www.mcfalls.co.uk/Personnel/Collaborators/Maria-Martinova
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| DCD 34156 |
Although it is the tango that is billed as the main part of
this new disc it is only part of the story. It is effectively a collection of
works by composers from the Baltic region including Olli Mustonen, Aulis
Sallinen, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Kalevi Aho, Pēteris Vasks and Sibelius that bring
more than just a tango rhythm but longing, sadness and a heightened sense of
nature.
The first work, Toccata
is by the Finnish pianist, conductor and composer, Olli Mustonen (b.1967) www.hazardchase.co.uk/artists/olli-mustonen and opens with a reflective, gentle
melody for strings, underpinned by a deep double bass note. The piano enters
with repeated chords as the music increases in drama and passion eventually
arriving at an insistent motoric toccata for the strings showing just a hint of
Bach. The piano joins in this terrific section before the music slows to recall
the opening complete with the rhythmic repeated piano chords. The music falls
to a slow reflective pace before a pizzicato double bass brings a darker hue. The music rises and falls through a quite
mesmeric passage eventually leading to a firm chord from the piano that brings
a passionate outpouring from the strings. The pace picks up with the strings
pushing ahead in the motoric toccata theme with strong chords from the piano
before all weave around each other as they move quickly to the coda.
Zita Bružaitė
(b.1966) www.bruzaite.com is a Lithuanian composer whose Bangos for Solo Piano is performed
here by Maria Martinova. Written in 2010 it has a fine fluid, rippling melody that
moves through shifting harmonies, rising and falling in intensity. This is a
thoroughly lovely little piece that comes to a sudden halt before a chord ends the
work quietly.
Aulis Sallinen
(b.1935) is one of Finland’s most distinguished composers. http://composers.musicfinland.fi/musicfinland/fimic.nsf/WLCBND/sallinen+aulis.
His Introduction and Tango Overture is
scored for piano quintet or small string orchestra and opens with a slow,
faltering rather melancholy piano theme before the cello surreptitiously
enters, rising up and bringing an element of passion to the music. The whole ensemble
joins to bring a lovely sonority and, as it develops, one is aware of a subtle
underlying rhythmic pulse, especially when a passage for pizzicato cello
arrives, the piano keeping the broader theme. This is music of some strength
and depth particularly when it falls to a quieter, slower section. However, it soon
picks up again with the cello and piano weaving the theme before arriving at a
magical moment with cello harmonics and gentle piano line. The music picks up
dynamically and rhythmically as the tango theme that has been underlying the
music becomes more obvious. Sallinen provides a wonderfully imaginative use of
a tango rhythm in this terrific work that is played with much style and
musicianship.
Next on this new disc comes the Estonian composer, Erkki-Sven Tüür’s (b.1959) www.erkkisven.com Dedication for Cello and Piano played
here by cellist Su-a Lee and pianist Maria Martinova. It rises up on the cello
before sharp sounds from the piano strings are heard. The piano continues to
move the music slowly forward, the cello eventually bringing a fine melody.
There are further sharp sounds on piano strings before the melody again
proceeds with a rippling piano accompaniment. The tempo suddenly picks with
both cello and piano hurtling ahead. There are more string chords clashing against
a held hushed cello note before the cello develops the melody with gently flowing
piano accompaniment. There are moments of passion for the cello before all
quietens, there are more string chords strummed as the hushed cello slowly
moves forward to the hushed coda.
Kalevi Aho (b.1949) www.boosey.com/composer/Kalevi+Aho is another eminent Finnish composer who is represented here by his Lamento for Two Violas. Here Robert
McFall changes to the viola to join violist Brian Schiele in this short but terrific
work that opens quietly and slowly with one viola bringing the theme and the
other playing pizzicato. Both then weave the flowing melody around each other
providing some lovely textures before moving through some quite anguished
passages. There is some absolutely fabulous playing by these two violists
before the sad little coda.
The Latvian composer,
Pēteris Vasks (b.1946) wrote his
Little Summer Music (Mazā vasaras mūzika) for violin and piano in 1985 and
is played here by Cyril Garac (violin) and Maria Martinova (piano). It is in
six movements opening with Broad, resonant
where the piano is quickly joined by the violin in a theme with a kind of ‘Scotch
snap’ with Vasks creating some lovely little decorations. Unhurried is a slow folk style tune that soon rises in dynamics
before falling to a quiet coda.
Energetic brings a
fast, repeated piano theme with pizzicato violin before both push the theme
forward quickly into Sad, a slow
drawn theme for violin to which gentler piano chords are added. Both instrumentalists
develop the theme as it becomes more animated before leading to a reflective
melancholy coda.
A sudden rapid downward scale from the piano opens Joyful with the violin taking the melody
quickly forward, joyfully but with a nostalgic edge. There is some terrific
playing here from both these fine artists. With the final movement, Broad, resonant the piano brings a broad
chord to which the violin adds a flowing melody. The ‘Scotch snap’ appears in
both instrumental lines before the music builds in intensity, falling for the
quiet coda.
Arvo Pärt (b.1935)
www.universaledition.com/Arvo-Paert/composers-and-works/composer/534
must surely be Estonia’s most famous composer. He wrote Für Alina for piano in 1976 especially for an Estonian girl living
alone in London. It opens gently as the theme is slowly picked out with a jewel
like clarity. This is a short, simple yet very effective piece. Quite lovely.
Finnish composer, musician, music producer and arranger, Toivo Kärki (1915-1992) was one of the
biggest names in Finnish tango. His Täysikuu
(Full Moon) is arranged here by Robert
McFall. The strings bring a slower reflective opening before very soon
launching, with the piano, into a tango. This is a light and flowing tango
melody with no pretentions to any depth but no less attractive for that.
Certainly the players are adept at catching the style of this music.
Robert McFall has
arranged Einsames Lied (Solitude) from Belshazzars Feast by Finland’s greatest composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957). This is a wonderfully
atmospheric and accomplished arrangement with the sonorities created by this
combination of strings really rather fine providing some lovely textures and
harmonies.
Finnish songwriter and musician, Unto Mononen (1930-1968) is best known for his numerous tango
compositions including the famous Finnish tango song Satumaa here arranged for strings and piano by Robert McFall. It brings
another lively tango melody, these players showing such fine musicianship in
this lighter yet wholly appealing piece.
Finally we return to Jean Sibelius and his famous Finlandia Hymn but not as anyone is
likely to have heard it before. It is arranged here by Robert McFall for the remarkably
unusual combination of musical saw and piano quintet. Su-a Lee swops her cello
for the musical saw to join the ensemble in this light-hearted conclusion to this attractive collection of Baltic Reflections.
Mr McFall’s Chamber
are versatile and terrifically accomplished musicians who receive a first rate recording.
There are excellent booklet notes from Ivan Moody.
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