A new release from
Somm Recordings www.somm-recordings.com
by
the Villiers String Quartet www.villiersquartet.com
with pianist Martin Cousin www.martincousin.com brings together
Piano Quintets by David Matthews and Dmitri Shostakovich.
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| SOMMCD 0157 |
Both the Villiers
Quartet and pianist Martin Cousin
have received much acclaim over recent years. The Villiers won the First Prize
of the 2015 Radcliffe Chamber Music Competition, and is Quartet-in-Residence at
the University of Oxford. Martin Cousin was the 1st Prize winner at the 2005
Ettore Pozzoli International Piano Competition (Seregno, Italy) and Gold Medal winner
at the 2003 Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition (London).
David Matthews’ (b.1943)
http://david-matthews.co.uk Piano Quintet, Op.92 was written in
2004 and premiered at the Reardon Smith Theatre in the National Museum of
Wales, Cardiff by the Emperor Quartet with the pianist Ian Fountain. In four
movements the Praeludio: Moderato con
moto opens with piano chords along with long drawn string chords before a
lovely melody is quickly found by the strings based on the opening sequence.
The music expands with a gentle piano line through the most exquisite passages,
the strings and piano having a fine dialogue before rising in passion. Martin Cousin brings some very fine piano
passages, the strings later finding a darker and more reflective frame of mind.
There are some very lovely string textures around the piano line before the
quite lovely coda.
Tango: Urgente brings
one of Matthews’ favourite rhythms, a tango that nevertheless is varied quite
remarkably as it builds in strength and power. The strings weave some terrific
lines around the piano bringing a fine intensity. There are some particularly
fine piano phrases as well as string harmonics and slides as the tango rhythm
pushes back into full view briefly before the sudden end.
The Ciaccona: Largo
opens with a slow pulse from the piano and cello and a longer line from the
viola before expanding as this heartfelt melody unfolds. Strings weave some
fine individual parts as this music progresses with the piano always keeping
the pulse. The quartet achieves some really lovely higher string sonorities, rising
through some staccato and pizzicato passages of more force before a gentle conclusion.
The Canto: Allegretto
giocoso brings a lovely forward flow, a sense of open spaces and joy. There
is soon a slow gentle moment before the flow attempts to regain momentum only
to slow for a lovely section with pizzicato strings. The breezy momentum is eventually found again
before building some terrific, exhilarating moments up until the sudden coda.
This is a terrific piano quintet that can easily stand comparison
with any of the other great British works in this genre.
After the poor critical reception of his Sixth Symphony in
1939 Dmitri Shostakovich’s (1906-1975) wrote
‘…my heart is heavy. Age, nerves, all this tells.’ However, it didn’t prevent
him working on his next major composition, his Piano Quintet, Op.57, first performed in Moscow in September 1940
by the Beethoven Quartet with the composer as pianist. This time there were
uniformly enthusiastic responses. Martin Cousin provides a powerful piano
opening to the first of the five movements, the Prelude: Lento to which the Villiers String Quartet adds their
passionate voice. When these players develop the theme they bring a myriad of
emotions, as well as colours and textures, rising through passages of
outstanding drama and passion.
The Fugue. Adagio
opens with a quizzical theme that is built through the strings as a fugue
develops its melancholy theme. Soon the piano joins to take the theme, the
strings rejoining to add their wistful sound. The music builds in drama and
passion in the strings with the piano weaving around the strings. These players
bring a great power and depth of expression with some beautifully produced harmonies
and textures as the movement progresses to a wonderfully judged coda.
The Scherzo:
Allegretto brings a scherzo so typical of this composer, full of energy and
humour, yet often ambiguous in its underlying intension. These players really drive
the music through passages of terrific energy and virtuosity, finding all of
Shostakovich’s wit and bite.
A wistful melody for violin over pizzicato cello weaves
ahead in the opening of the Intermezzo:
Lento before being expanded as the other strings join. When the piano
enters it brings a lovely gentle line as together they take this often tragic
melody slowly forward, producing some really lovely sounds, beautifully
controlled. The music rises in strength to an impassioned peak before falling
back to a finely controlled, hushed coda and into the last movement.
The Finale: Allegretto
quickly bubbles up into a faster moving theme with a fine flow, soon developing
Shostakovich’s brittle nature. It builds in power as these fine players push
ahead through passages of tremendous strength. The music slows to bring back a
sense of passionate angst, finely brought out as these players find every
nuance, the light and dark of this movement, before finding the strange little
coda.
This is an exceptionally fine release. The recording made at
the Jacqueline du Pré Music
Building, St. Hilda’s College, Oxford, England is first rate and there are useful
booklet notes from David Matthews and Robert Matthew-Walker.
See also:
David Matthews
Shostakovich
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