Winner of Boston’s International Composition Competition in
2004, Fiorini’s compositions include orchestral works, concertos, chamber and
instrumental music which have received performances at venues such as the
Leipzig Gewandhaus, the Berlin Konzerthaus, the Cadogan Hall, London, the
Auditorium Gulbenkian, Lisbon, the Manoel Theatre, Malta, Les Invalides, Paris
and the Kyoto City Concert Hall, Japan. Among the ensembles and orchestras, who
have performed his compositions, are the
Pierrot Lunaire Ensemble Wien, the Rotterdam Ensemble, the European Union
Chamber Orchestra, the Orquestra do Norte of Portugal, the Lublin Philharmonic
and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, England. Fiorini is artistic director
of the International Spring Orchestra Festival, an annual classical music event
taking place at the National Theatre of Malta, Teatru Manoel.
A new release from
Metier Records www.divine-art.co.uk/DAhome.htm
features two of Fiorini’s concertos, his
Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orchestra and his Violin Concerto No.2 with
soloists Emanuel Salvador www.emanuelsalvador.com
and
Marta Magdalena Lelek https://pl-pl.facebook.com/marta.lelek.9
and the Sudecka Philharmonic Orchestra
www.filharmonia-sudecka.pl conducted
by Bartosz Żurakowski www.mediadesign.net.pl/bartosz-zurakowski---dyrygent_152.html
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Concerning the Concerto
for violin and chamber orchestra (2006-07) Ana Bocanegra Briasco, in her
interesting booklet note, speaks of the eternal dichotomy between what is and
what appears to be, between what is perceived (colour) and what actually is (a
combination of pigments). The concerto, therefore, is conceived more from a
timbric perspective that results in an overall orchestral sound. She goes on to
refer to a world that is expressed on the inside, one which is more intimate to
the author.
The sudden opening motif of the short Preludio is immediately followed by a long held note from the
orchestra from which the solo violin emerges. The violin soon takes the theme soaring
over the orchestra. A deep note on the basses signals the Lento, certainly not a quiet and gentle movement but one that has much
drama as the violin solo continues its way with the orchestra adding dissonances
and strange harmonics. Fiorini’s sound world is full of angst and mystery,
quite spellbinding with some superb playing from the soloist, Emanuel Salvador.
Woodwind, brass and percussion and strident chords on solo
violin open the third movement, merely marked crotchet =126,
a terrific moment, full of virtuosic staccato phrases with an acidic edge –
very much a successor to some of the great violin concertos of the 20th
century from such figures as Bartok and Shostakovich. Eventually the music
slows on a high held note as the main theme tries to re-enter but fails, with
the music slowly developing with percussion and timpani. The music again slows before
a fragmented section where the soloist plays a short little staccato motif
against little outbursts from lower strings, woodwind and brass. A section for
pizzicato solo violin leads the music on, until a melody for soloist and
orchestra arrives, quite melancholy towards the end.
The Chorale, Canone
and Passacaglia brings a longer held melody as the solo violin draws a
theme over mysterious orchestral sounds. There are superb textures from this
soloist as the violin moves around the orchestra in this most affecting of
movements. The orchestral writing is exquisite detailed, providing the ultimate
in beautifully extreme dissonance towards the end.
A single note from a trumpet opens the Finale with much scurrying in the orchestra as it rises up. A whip
crack announces the solo violin in a frenzied theme so brilliantly played by
Salvador. Grumbling bass instruments lead to a light and airy clarinet passage,
somewhat oriental in flavour, driven along by the rest of the orchestra. When the
solo violin enters there is a gypsy flavour to the music, fabulously played in
the upper reaches of the violin. A solo passage for violin, playing soft, high
harmonics leads to more dynamic section as the orchestra rejoins with various
sections playing individual rising themes. High notes in the upper most
register lead to the coda that ends on a gruff note from a double bass.
The solo violin opens
the Violin Concerto No.2 (2011-12) with
a passionate melody, beautifully played by soloist, Marta Magdalena Lelek,
which soars upwards before delicate percussion join, followed by the orchestra.
The melody continues, embellished by the orchestra, until a second subject
opens against a lumbering orchestral accompaniment, giving the music a heavy
tread until the violin breaks away. This leads to an orchestral section that
becomes increasingly dramatic, halted by the sudden re-entry of the solo violin
soon accompanied by the steady tread of the orchestra. A long held violin note above
the orchestra leads to a dramatic orchestral sequence with drums and whip
building the music before the violin re-enters.
More delicate interludes follow, with percussion and some
lovely ethereal sounds. Eventually the violin reaches a short lived melodic
plateau but the drama soon re-appears building to a pitch until a hushed, long
held note from the solo violin over a quiet orchestra brings a magical moment.
After a brief section for orchestra alone, the violin enters in a thoughtful
theme against some lovely harmonics from the orchestra. The drama picks up
again before the soloist plays the melody high in the register, as does the
orchestra with basses holding the lower line in a brilliantly conceived
section. As the music picks up momentum again it leads to a huge orchestral
climax that allows all the pent up emotion to break out. The solo violin joins
and pulls the orchestra back before a virtuoso cadenza from Lelek.
The orchestra comes in over the soloist picking up the
dramatic music that follows the cadenza. The solo violin re-joins and both gain
in momentum, becoming quite thrusting, as the music builds in power. There are
some tremendous passages for the soloist and orchestra before another cadenza
passage for solo violin with some superb playing from Marta Magdalena Lelek. The
soloist and orchestra lead the music to the fiery coda.
Both soloists in these concertos are exceptionally fine and Bartosz
Żurakowski draws excellent playing from the Sudecka Philharmonic Orchestra. The
recordings made in the Sudeten (Sudecka) Philharmonic Concert Hall, Walbrzych,
Poland are first rate.
Metier must be congratulated for bringing these two terrific
works to our attention.
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