Had Tchaikovsky lived into his 70’s he would have easily
made the 20th century though, no doubt, his compositional style
would not have changed greatly. Schoenberg, of course, went on to abandon
tonality and develop the twelve-tone technique.
Tchaikovsky, who was far more orientated towards Western
music rather than the Russian nationalist school, could, of course, be pretty
passionate in his music to a degree that, in the hands of the right performers,
his music can sometimes sit well with Schoenberg’s early works that were still
linked to late Romanticism.
Tchaikovsky’s
Souvenir de Florence in D minor, Op.70 for String Sextet, written between
1887 and 1890, was first performed in St Petersburg in 1892 whereas
Schoenberg’s
Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), Op. 4, for string sextet was composed,
in just three weeks, in 1899 and premiered in Vienna in March 1902. So it can
be seen that, composition wise, the works are only separated by around nine
years.
The juxtaposition of
these two works is something that the Emerson Quartet http://www.emersonquartet.com/ together with colleagues
Paul Neubauer (viola) and Colin Carr (cello) have adopted for their new
recording for Sony Classical entitled Journeys. http://www.sonymasterworks.com
88725470602 |
Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence, some of which was written in that city, very much represents a journey, the composer’s journey to Italy. It is a passionate opening that this ensemble brings to the allegro con spirito of this work with nicely taut playing and some real power from the cellos. There is a real sweep and panache in this performance with the Emersons and colleagues showing such real passion and commitment in climaxes with great contrast between the sunny interludes and the passionate sections.
Such is the sonority in the opening of the Adagio cantabile e con moto that this
could almost be a small string orchestra. It is beautifully played with so much
interplay and conversation between instruments. There is a terrific fast
central section and a terrific climax towards the coda that nevertheless ends quietly.
The very Slavic sounding Allegretto
moderato sails along beautifully before gaining in passion with some
terrifically fine playing, so crisp and precise. The lovely fleeting trio
section scurries past and imperceptibly joins the main tune before a superb
coda.
The dancing Allegro vivace also has a lovely Russian
sounding theme with some lovely flowing and intertwining playing from the
Emersons and their colleagues. As the movement progresses to a fugal section
the Emersons are brilliant with wonderful ensemble and, when the beautifully
sunny first subject returns, this ensemble brings such vibrancy.
Schoenberg’s
Verklärte Nacht represents a journey of a different nature, that of a
couple walking through a wood on a moonlit night. The girl tells her lover that
she had conceived a child by another man. The man replies that the glory of the
night and the warmth that exists between them will transfigure the child and
make it his own.
There is a superbly
done dark, mysterious opening to this performance of Verklärte Nacht, rising
through strange harmonies to reveal the main theme. The pacing and dynamics are
beautifully done, especially where the stings try to billow up but are cut off.
It is in the ensemble’s subtle following of the changes in dynamics and tempi
that marks out this performance. When the work reaches its tipping point there
is a lovely cello melody, so finely and passionately played by the ensemble.
When the music quietens to a hush this is a magical moment, with such lovely
little nuances. The coda depicting, according to the composer, ‘the miracles of
nature that have changed this night of tragedy into a transfigured night’ is
brilliantly done and so beautifully depicts the moonlit night and nature.
These two pieces work exceptionally well together,
especially when performed as wonderfully as this by the Emerson Quartet and
their colleagues, Paul Neubauer and Colin Carr. I would have, perhaps,
preferred a little more air around the players but this is, nevertheless, a
fine recording.
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