Matthew Taylor’s terrific Second Symphony is coupled with his fine Viola Concerto in highly recommendable performances on a new release from Toccata Classics

A British composer that I have only just discovered is Matthew Taylor. I had known his name since hearing his Hyperion recording of Robert Simpson’s Symphony No.11 coupled with Variations on a Theme by Nielsen when he conducted the City of London Sinfonia. The Eleventh Symphony was dedicated to Matthew Taylor with the following note from Simpson ‘After hearing Matthew Taylor conduct a superbly penetrating performance of my Symphony No.7 with an orchestra mainly consisting of students, I felt an immediate compulsion to compose a symphony for him…’

Matthew Taylor www.matthewtaylor-composer.com/homepage.asp was born in London in 1964. He attended the Junior Royal Academy of Music, studied composition with Robin Holloway at Queens' College, Cambridge University and later at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and at the Royal Academy of Music, London.  Taylor furthered his composition studies with Robert Simpson and David Matthews. As a conductor he trained with Vilem Tausky and with Leonard Bernstein at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik festival.

Taylor has appeared as Guest Conductor with the English Chamber Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, European Community Chamber Orchestra and St Petersburg State Academic Orchestra and has conducted the first performance of pieces by Robert Simpson, Vagn Holmboe, David Matthews and James Francis Brown.

He has been Artistic Director of the Malvern Festival, Composer in Residence at the Blackheath Halls, Associate Composer of Ensemble Sound Collective, Artistic Director of the Royal Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival and Artistic Director of the St Petersburg British Music Festival. Taylor was a lecturer in composition at the Royal Academy of Music and currently teaches composition at the Junior Academy.

Matthew Taylor’s works include orchestral works, three symphonies, concertos, chamber works including seven string quartets, songs and works for piano.

It is his Symphony No.2, Op.10 and Viola Concerto, Op.41 that have been recorded by Garry Walker www.ingpen.co.uk/artist/garry-walker and the BBC Symphony Orchestra www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/symphonyorchestra with Sarah-Jane Bradley www.sarahjanebradley.com (viola) for Toccata Classics www.toccataclassics.com . 



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Taylor’s Viola Concerto, Humoreskes, Op.41 (2010) was commissioned to mark the birth of the composer’s younger daughter and was first performed by Sinfonia Tamesa at St. Johns, Waterloo, London in July 2011 with Sarah-Jane Bradley as soloist. The title reflects Taylor’s admiration of Sibelius’ works of the same name.

The Andante comodo opens on a long held note for oboe to which the viola joins, weaving around the held note as more woodwind join in. Eventually the full orchestra joins as the theme is developed. The music rises to a climax before a quiet section with pizzicato from the viola. There is a sparkling little presto (scherzo) full of energy with some terrific textures and sonorities both from the viola and orchestra.

 

The longest movement and heart of this concerto is the Larghetto which opens with a lovely melody with intervals that suggest a serial basis for the music. There is some rich, sonorous playing from Sarah-Jane Bradley and a lovely part for woodwind and brass as the viola weaves its beautiful way forward. Later there is a hushed section with the soloist picking out her theme, with pizzicato notes adding a mysterious touch as the orchestra leads to a hushed coda.

The viola opens alone in the Molto adagio, a cadenza like movement with some beautiful playing from Sarah-Jane Bradley with double stopping and rich sonorities.  Quietly and gently, the orchestra enters alone and quite passionately with a full string sound. The orchestra quietens as the viola enters in a beautiful motif that slowly subsides as the woodwind of the orchestra enter before the solo violist returns, drawing this movement straight into the Finale.

Timpani and full orchestra with agitated strings and brass open the Finale: Allegro riotoso. The music calms as the viola enters and sets itself against sections of the orchestra with timpani having a say. Again the music quietens as the viola has a little dialogue with individual woodwind instruments. Eventually the full orchestra returns with timpani, joined by viola to lead to an energetic coda brilliantly played by Sarah-Jane Bradley.

Matthew Taylor’s Symphony No.2, Op.10 (1991, rev. 1997 and 2008) has much of the energy and changeability of Robert Simpson’s music yet has an individuality all of its own. It was commissioned by the eminent gynaecologist, Professor Ian Craft who suggested the unusual idea of a large scale orchestral work reflecting aspects of human birth.

The Moderato e maestoso is at times serious, playful and, in the opening, dramatic as the orchestra bursts forth with shimmering strings. Soon the music calms and quietens, ruminating with the basses before a tense yet steady melody emerges, slowly rising to a more passionate string sound overlaid by the rest of the orchestra. The music rises to a number of small climaxes before quietening to a gentle, slightly unworldly feel. The music speeds up, with interjections from various sections of the orchestra and, as it develops, there are horns, cymbal crashes, xylophone and brass all having a say as the music rises to a tremendous climax. There are scurrying string sounds, somewhat reminiscent of Michael Tippett before the music quietens, then rising, before quietening yet again as the music mysteriously moves to its conclusion.

The Vivacissimo – poco e poco stringendo – Presto opens with a rumbling piano and orchestra before odd brass and woodwind tunes appear in this changeable music, with short lived motifs scurrying around various parts of the orchestra. A series of slowly rising motifs, with interjections, leads the orchestra to a quieter section for playful woodwind. As the strings dance around, the piano makes another appearance before the music tries to reach a climax halfway through but subsides. At times there are some stunning orchestral textures. A brief climax is eventually reached before the music fades to the depths of the orchestra. It soon rises again with frantic strings and full orchestra but again drops to end suddenly on chirping woodwind.

A pensive Lento sereno opens on strings with an upward rising theme before gentle woodwind playing over lower strings lead the way forward with some lovely textures and sonorities. An oboe, clarinet, cor anglais and bassoon take turns at weaving a theme before the piano makes a number of brief entries as strings and wood wind lead the way forward. The strings then take over as the music gently, yet purposefully, moves ahead. There is a quiet section for woodwind and celeste. Such exquisite moments are beautifully conceived. A lovely woodwind phrase with timpani leads to a restatement of the opening theme as the movement closes gently.

In the Allegro fluente, woodwind open with xylophone before other sections of the orchestra join, dancing around in this lively music which rises to agitated strings as the music accelerates. Various percussion instruments join in then whooping brass as the music rushes ahead. Eventually the music drops to a quiet section where the woodwind weave around before rising slowly with various sections of orchestra, especially the brass, lead to increasing tension as the music moves towards the coda or, in this work, the birth, signalled by a flurry of woodwind and a sudden orchestral end.

What stands out in this terrific symphony is Taylor’s use of the orchestra. There is that unstoppable energy that is reminiscent of Robert Simpson but the exquisitely beautiful moments, delicately conceived show Taylor’s inventiveness and ear for subtle colours and sonorities.

Garry Walker and the BBC Symphony Orchestra are on great form in these works.

With an excellent recording from BBC Studio 1, Maida Vale, London and informative booklet notes by Giles Easterbrook and the composer, I cannot recommend this new disc highly enough.  I will be seeking out more works by this fine composer.

Proms 2013 – A great season of music

I’ve just been browsing the concert listings for this year’s Proms in the latest issue of Gramophone magazine www.gramophone.co.uk and was moved to wonder if this is possibly one of the best Prom seasons ever. Given that this is the 119^th season of the Proms, that is probably something of a big claim. Either way, this year, Controller of the Proms, Roger Wright, has done a brilliant job in balancing all the demands when putting on the world’s largest classical music festival.

Just glancing over the forthcoming concerts I am struck by the sheer variety on offer. The centenaries and anniversaries have, of course, been covered with, not only a complete Ring cycle from Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin, but also Tristan and Isolde from Semyon Bychkov and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Tannhäuser from Donald Runnicles and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Parsifal from Sir Mark Elder and the Halle Orchestra.

Lutosławski is represented by his Variations on a theme of Paganini, Cello Concerto, Symphonic Variations, Piano Concerto, Concerto for Orchestra and Paroles tissées. Benjamin Britten has his Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Sinfonia de Requiem, a semi-staged Billy Budd from Sir Andrew Davis and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Canticles, Prelude and Fugue and Phaedra. George Lloyd has his final work Requiem performed alongside Britten’s A Boy was Born at a late night Prom and his HMS Trinidad March at the Last Night.

British music is very well served generally with works by Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Holst, Walton and Arnold as well as some unexpected treats from Edmund Rubbra and Sir Granville Bantock who has no less than five works performed. Sir Michael Tippett is very well represented in a number of concerts giving this still underrated composer a boost.

The current generation of British composers are well represented by Colin and David Matthews, the latter’s A Vision of the Sea receiving its world premiere. Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Frieze also gets its world premiere as does John McCabe’s Joybox.

Period instrument performances are not forgotten with Sir John Elliot Gardner and his English Baroque soloist and Monteverdi Choir giving us Bach Oratorios. The main Viennese classics are not ignored with plenty of Mozart, Beethoven, Bruckner, Brahms and Mahler as well as the great Slavic composers Dvorak, Tchaikovsky and even Borodin and Glazunov. The USA is not left out, with works by Conlon Nancarrow, Frank Zappa, Philip Glass, Morton Feldman being featured.

Looking at the number of artists appearing is just as impressive with far too many to mention in this short blog.

With a breadth of range covering music from Gesualdo through Stockhausen to contemporary composers, Roger Wright has pulled off the seemingly impossible. If there is not a feast of concerts here for everyone this year then you will probably never be satisfied.

Have a look for yourself on the BBC Proms website to see the complete listing of concerts www.bbc.co.uk/proms

Works for string sextet by Tchaikovsky and Schoenberg work exceptionally well together, especially when performed as wonderfully as the Emerson Quartet and Paul Neubauer and Colin Carr for Sony Classical

Whether or not Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) www.tchaikovsky-research.net  and Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951) www.schoenberg.at/index.php?lang=de share a similar audience is rather a moot point. At first sight it would seem that there is no common ground between these composers despite their overlapping dates. By the time Tchaikovsky died at the young age of 53, Schoenberg was 19 years of age.

Had Tchaikovsky lived into his 70’s he would have easily made the 20^th 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

 

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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.

A new book by Mai Kawabata, from Boydell Press, that looks at the myth surrounding Paganini in a volume that is both informative and entertaining

A brief search on the internet for references to Nicolo Paganini (1782-1840) www.paganini.com  brings up a variety of accounts of the man, as a composer and principal violin virtuoso of the 19th century, a popular idol who inspired the Romantic mystique of the virtuoso, or the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, who left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique to references to reports from a ‘half crazed’ listener that for some days he had seen the Devil helping the violinist.

So what of the myth surrounding Paganini and of the man behind all the hype? A new publication from Boydell Press www.boydellandbrewer.com  entitled Paganini - The ‘Demonic’ Virtuoso by Mai Kawabata investigates the legend of the man.

 

Boydell Press
Hardback - ISBN: 9781843837565
First Published: 20 June 2013
Pages: 303
Size: 23.4 x 15.6

Mai Kawabata www.uea.ac.uk/music/People/academic/maiko+kawabata  is a Lecturer in Music at the University of East Anglia and a professional violinist. Her main research interests are violin virtuosity, the history of musical performance, music and narrative, the cultural history of instruments, and subjectivity in performance.  She has also published articles on the image of violin virtuosi as symbols of military power, on the quality of narration projected by the violin in Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade and on the viola's 'anti-virtuosic' role in Berlioz's Harold in Italy. She has presented her research at international conferences, the American Musicological Society, and the Institute of Musical Research. She is a contributor to the Hamburg Hochschule's MUGI project and is at present researching the history of violinist genealogies.

One only has to look at the chapter heading Hypererotiscm and Violence to see that Mai Kawabata has written a book that looks at all aspects of the cult surrounding Paganini. But there is much more besides, with Kawabata looking at Paganini’s violin technique, musical ethos and his place in a wider cultural context.

She has gathered together a huge amount of information from an impressive number of sources to produce a volume that gives a great insight into what exactly was behind the self promotion, reputation and, indeed, cult surrounding Paganini

Chapter 1: Introduction does more than briefly set out the intentions of the book, it looks at the violinist’s technique, deducing the likely span of his left hand, considers what techniques were actually used in Paganini’s virtuosity through analysing the Caprices, as well as looking at the ‘Paganini Cult’.

Mai Kawabata’s Introduction goes on to explain how she has drawn on evidence from two primary sources, firstly the scores of Paganini’s compositions and secondly historical and biographical documents including reviews, caricatures, treatises and letters from Paganini’s own time.

Chapter 2: ‘Demonic’ Violinist, Magical Violinist takes the reader through the construction of the whole mystification process from Paganini’s seemingly inhuman violinistic abilities, apparently indicating his soullessness, and the suggestion that he had exchanged his humanity for virtuoso powers in some kind of Faustian pact, the early power of the press to describe and depict him as Mephistopheles, to the expectations of his audiences, all set within an era that encompassed the popularity of Goethe’s Faust, post enlightenment secularism and a breakdown of sexual taboos.

Chapter 3: Hypererotiscm and Violence, the author examines how the demonic and erotic supposedly overlapped in figurations of virtuoso violin performance. We are told that Paganini’s biographers agree that the famous violinist had an unusually developed libido that was reflected in terms of his pleasure, recreation and conquest. Quite how this affected his playing is another matter given that Kawabata acknowledges that musicologists have given such hypereroticism little attention.

Yet it seems that the affect of such hypereroticism is not far fetched at all given that at the Court of Lucca, between 1801 and 1805, Paganini went so far as to mimic the sighs and moans of erotic arousal when he improvised a ‘dialogue’ between Adonis and Venus. Kawabata goes into much evidence based detail which I will not ruin by describing more fully here.

Chapter 4: Sovereignty, Domination and Conquest looks at Paganini’s quest for personal glory and all that it could bring by way of social and material advantages. This is fully understandable given his rise from poverty as the son of a dock worker in Genoa. He soon progressed from court violinist at Lucca to becoming a freelance violinist travelling throughout Italy then the whole of Europe. Paganini later said,’ When I became my own master, I enjoyed life in rich, full draughts’ a comment that speaks volumes.

Chapter 5:  Paganini’s Legacies explores the legacy of Paganini on later violin performance and cultural history though excluding any examination of the numerous variations on his now famous Caprice No.24. Amongst a number of other virtuoso violinists, there is an engraving of a rather refined and staid looking Isaac Collins ‘the English Paganini’ (1797-1871), a far remove from some of the manic images of Paganini. Paganini’s Misconstrued Legacy of Technique Fetishisation looks at how, by the end of the 19^th century, many critics saw the instrumental technique of imitators of Paganini as superficial, vainglorious and aesthetically bankrupt and how performers moved from a display of their own works to the interpretation of works by others.

The Epilogue: Paganinian Mythology covers post Paganini Italian violin virtuosos from Filippo Romagnoli (1822-1884) to the 20^th century’s own Salvatore Accardo. The section on Paganini’s ‘Secret Red Book’ , something that acquired a talismanic mystique thought to contain the secrets of the violinist’s technique and even details of his love affairs, is revealed but you will have to buy the book to find out its contents.

The fascinating Appendix: Paganiniana in the British Press (1840-1900) alone takes up around 40% of the book. It covers a huge array of documentation from British Press articles, fiction, verse and even a ‘true story’ about Paganini’s false teeth.

The book includes an extremely large bibliography that includes everything from newspapers and periodicals to primary sources and secondary literature, select recordings, films inspired by Paganini and useful websites. There are black and white illustrations, musical examples and tables as well as a full index.

This new book looks at a popular subject in the most scholarly way, drawing on a vast amount of material in order to produce a volume that is both informative and entertaining.

Two highly recommended re-releases of chansons and motets by Janequin and Poulenc on Harmonia Mundi’s HM Gold label

Harmonia Mundi www.harmoniamundi.com  have recently re-released a number of recordings on their HM Gold label of which I have selected two that reflect the wide range of music covered, Clément Janequin (c.1485-1558) and Francis Poulenc (1899-1963).

Le Chant des Oyseaulx

http://galatea-music.com/a.php?i=35&n=Ensemble_Clement_Janequin features Ensemble Clément Janequin in chansons by Clément Janequin. Ensemble Clément Janequin was founded in Paris in 1978, and performs sacred and secular vocal music of the Renaissance, from Josquin to Monteverdi. Their recordings for Harmonia mundi include Les cris de Paris, Le chant des oyseaulx, Fricassée parisienne and La chasse. 

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Janequin, born in Châtellerault, France, was a ‘clerc’ in Bordeaux and held a number of prebends there. He was briefly Master of Choirboys at Auch Cathedral before, in 1534, becoming Maître de Chapelle at Angers Cathedral. Around 1549 he settled in Paris where he became Chanter Ordinaire du Roi and, later, Compositeur Ordinaire du Roi. Janequin wrote over 250 chansons and 150 psalm settings and chansons spirituelles as well as two masses and one motet. Pieces such as Le chant des oiseaux, L’alouette, La chasse, Les Cris de Paris and La bataille are filled with onomatopoeic effects such as fanfares, birdsong and street cries. Often his music is harmonically static, depending on rhythmic invention for its effect.

Le chant des oyseaulx (Birdsong) (1528) is one of the works included on this re-release and that gives the disc its title, with Ensemble Clément Janequin bringing a lively fervour with some wonderful weaving of voices and some fabulously intricate bird like vocal imitations. Toutes les nuictz (Every night) (1547) is a gentle, sonorous chanson that shows off the Ensemble’s beautiful blending of voices in this melancholy piece. The livelier J’atens le temps (I pass the time) (1540) is equally well blended, joined by a lute, quietly and subtly accompanying the voices.

There is a beautifully pointed Il estoit une fillette (There was a maiden) (1540) and a beautifully sung Chanson de Janequin (1540) followed by Pièce pour luth de Guillaume Morlaye d’après Janequin (1552), a lute solo, finely played by Claude Debôves. The lively Ung jour Colin (One day Colin) (1536) is so well controlled with a lovely quiet interlude before O doulx regard (Oh sweet look) (1548) an beautiful song, exquisitely sung.  Le chant de l’alouette (The song of the lark) (1528) brings again bird like vocal sounds, wonderfully characterised by the Ensemble Clément Janequin.  The performance of this chanson is a very fine achievement.

The lovely pastoral Quand contrement verras (When will you see) (1549) is followed by Hellas mon Dieu (Alas my God) (1545) where the Ensemble is really lovely in this rather penitential song, pleading for an end to distress. With Ma peine n’est pas grande (My pain is not great) (1545) we are very much back in the secular world in this lively song where each voice shows through. O mal d’aymer (Oh love’s woe) (1544) is another of Janequin’s exquisite songs so beautifully sung whilst Herbes et fleurs (Herbs and flowers) 1555) has some particularly fine part writing. L’aveuglé Dieu (God does not see) (Pièce pour luth d’Albert de Rippe d’après Janequin) (1552) is another fine lute solo from Claude Debôves who accompanies the Ensemble in A ce joly moys de may (In the merry month of May) (1543), a lovely evocation of May. Assouvy suis (I am surfeited) (1529) a surprisingly gentle piece on the words ‘I am surfeited, but I do not cease desiring’ is beautifully done. A lovely performance.

Quelqu’un me disoit l’aultre jour (Someone told me the other day) (1550) brings such fine blending of voices in yet another lovely song before a jolly M’y levay ung matin (I rose up one fine morning) (1529). M’amye a eu de Dieu (My love has God’s gift) (1540) has some more great part writing with some of the more tricky passages brilliantly done and the final chanson Le chant du rossignol (The song of the nightingale) (1537) again brings vocal bird imitations in this terrific final song.

This small ensemble comprising Dominique Visse (countertenor), Michel Laplénie (tenor), Philippe Cantor (baritone), Antoine Sicot (bass) and Claude Debôves (lute) are absolutely terrific. With an excellent recording, full texts and translations and excellent notes this re-release is thoroughly recommended.

The disc of works by Francis Poulenc features sacred and secular unaccompanied choral works with the RIAS Kammerchoir www.rias-kammerchor.de directed by Daniel Reuss www.danielreuss.com/E_index.html  and Marcus Creed. The RIAS Chamber Choir is one of the world's leading professional choirs comprising some thirty five professionally trained singers. The ensemble was founded in 1948 as a choir of Radio in the American Sector (RIAS) but continues to this day performing with the radio orchestras and choirs GmbH Berlin. Their Chief conductor since 2007 is Hans-Christoph Rademann.

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Poulenc’s Sept Chansons pour choeur mixte was written in 1936 and set poems by Paul Éluard and Guillaume Apollinaire . In La blanche neige (The white snow) the RIAS Choir under Daniel Reuss are precise and flexible with a lovely range of voices sounding through in this lovely setting of Apollinaire.  A peine défigurée (Hardly disfigured) is a beautiful setting where Poulenc varies the tempo and feeling to great effect. Female voices soar over passages sung by the rest of choir in Par une nuit nouvelle (A new night) as Poulenc packs so much into this little song. Tous les droits (Every right) has an ecstatic opening and effective use of individual sections of the choir who are fabulous in this piece. Belle et ressemblante (Beautiful resemblance) is beautifully sung, following every  inflection and nuance and Marie is a lively chanson that alternates between shorter phrases and a longer breathed flowing melody with a striking and lovely ending.

An outburst from the choir opens Luire (Shine) on the words ‘.Terre irréprochablement cultivée…’ (impeccably cultivated land) After a quiet section the choir bursts out again with some great singing.  

Settings of texts by Eluard feature again in Poulenc’s Un soir de neige ( A snowy Evening), petite cantata sur un texte de Paul Eluard (1944) Pure female voices open Le feu (Fire), a lovely setting where the blending of voices is terrific. This is a superb performance. The lovely Un loup (A wolf) is sung with great sensitivity with the female voices spot on. What superb singing there is in Derniers instants (Last moments), blended, sonorous and controlled, whilst the simple little chanson Du dehors (From outside) is so affectively written and superbly sung.

Poulenc’s Figure Humaine (Human Figure) Cantate sur un texte de Paul Eluard (1943) provides the title piece for this collection.  Male voices open Bientôt (Shortly) a lovely setting of Éluard, the RIAS choir following every change of mood that Poulenc requires. In Le rôle des femmes (The Role of Women), female voices suitably open with some terrific part writing for the whole choir when they appear.

A quiet, gentle Aussi bas que le silence (As low as silence) shows Poulenc the master composer of vocal music before Patience rises from a quiet  beginning to become quiet forceful, before falling back, all within just four lines of verse in this fine setting. Première marche – La voix d’un autre (First step - the voice of another) is brilliantly done, really bouncing along.

Un loup (A wolf) is another setting of the poem used by Poulenc in Un soir de neige, an exquisite song perfectly sung. Un feu sans tache (Unblemished fire) has a kind of syncopated rhythm with the choir not putting a foot wrong. There is a quiet and sensitive middle section that sounds so French. Finally there is Liberté, so distinctive a piece subtly enhancing the texts with a constantly shifting mood.

Quatre petites prières de sainte François d’Assise (Four little prayers of St. Francis of Assisi)  (1948) opens with I Salut, Dame Sainte, restrained, yet passionate with rich sounds from the RIAS choir’s male singers and quite beautiful.  II Tout puissant, très saint (Almighty, Most Holy) is a fervent prayer, yet Poulenc always varies the emotion with quiet moments. Seignieur, je vous en prie (Lord, please) has some lovely vocal textures and the final setting is O mes très chers frères (O my dear Brothers) where a solo tenor opens before the choir enters in this lovely piece. These are exquisite settings, exquisitely sung.

Chanson à boire (Drinking Song) (1922) sets anonymous texts in this lively drinking song with some great vocal effects, so well done .

The second disc in this set is conducted by Marcus Creed and opens with Poulenc’s

Quatre motets pour un temps de penitence (Four Motets for a time of penance) (1938/39). Timor et tremor (Fear and Trembling) is a more ecclesiastical sounding piece, restrained yet never static, always moving, ebbing and flowing.  Vinea mea electa (Cast out my vines) is such a fine setting, beautifully sung with the music constantly moving and changing. Tenebrae factae sunt (Darkness) starts low with chant like singing in this striking piece, with dissonances that must be one of Poulenc’s finest sacred settings. The RIAS choir do it proud. Tristis est anima mea (My soul is sorrowful) has a lovely opening for soprano before the music speeds up. A wonderful motet, beautifully sung.

There is a rather lighter feel to Exultate Deo (1941) which seems like a work that led the way to later models and the flowing Salve Regina (1941) brings us back to a more restrained world in this lovely motet.

Quatre Motets pour en temps de Noël. (Four motets for Christmas) (1952) opens with O magnum mysterium, (O great sacred mystery) another lovely motet followed by Quem vidistis pastores dicite (what have you seen, shepherds, speak!) with lovely dynamics from the choir in this fine setting that rises to a central climax before falling to a more restrained ending. A beautifully constructed Videntes stellam (seeing the star) gives this choir the opportunity to show so much and a joyful Hodie Christus natus est (today, Christ is born) ends this otherwise fairly restrained set of motets. I must mention the excellent diction as well as the choir’s tremendous agility.

The last work of this set is Poulenc’s Messe en sol Majeur (Mass in G Major) (1939) with an ebullient Kyrie. The choir has a lovely upper range, never strident. Poulenc’s Messe contains what must be one of the most original Glorias ever written, exquisitely and sensitively sung. In the Sanctus there is some lovely, lithe singing with the RIAS choir dealing with Poulenc’s little inflections so well. In the lovely Benedictus there is some beautiful singing as the RIAS choir slowly build the power in this music. The soprano solo opening to the Agnus Dei is beautifully done by Stephanie Möller with the RIAS choir’s exquisite singing bringing a lovely end to this mass as the solo soprano enters again.

The recordings from 2004 and 1995 respectively are first rate. There are excellent notes but sadly the texts are only in French and Latin. This beautifully sung disc is highly recommended. 

Orchestral works by Giorgio Ghedini in performances by Francesco La Vecchia and the Orchestra Sinfonica Roma on a new release from Naxos

Giorgio Federico Ghedini (1892-1965) was born in Cuneo, Italy in 1892. He studied organ, piano and composition in Turin, before graduating in composition in Bologna under Marco Enrico Bossi (1861-1925) in 1911. He worked as conductor for a certain time before devoting himself to teaching.

After teaching composition in Turin and Parma he became director of the Milan Conservatory from 1951 to 1962. His pupils included Claudio Abbado, Luciano Berio, Guido Cantelli, Niccolò Castiglioni, Carlo Pinelli, and Fiorenzo Carpi.

Most of Ghedini’s published works date from after the late 1920s and are often inspired by music from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, but combined with a very personal language. He wrote a large number of chamber, vocal and choral works as well as a number of operas, including a one-act opera based on Herman Melville’s novella Billy Budd first performed in 1949, two years before Benjamin Britten’s opera on the same subject.

Ghedini also wrote some fine orchestral works including concertos and the three works included on a new release from Naxos www.naxos.com , Architetture - Concerto for Orchestra, Contrappunti and Marinaresca e baccanale.

Francesco La Vecchia www.francescolavecchia.com  and the Orchestra Sinfonia di Roma www.orchestrasinfonicadiroma.it  have recorded these works as part of their ongoing series of recordings of 19^th and 20^th century Italian composers.

 

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Architetture (Architectures) – Concerto for Orchestra, the work that propelled Ghedini to the forefront of Italian music, dates from 1939-40 and certainly shows some of the influence of Stravinsky. The piano is dominant from the outset in this freely tonal piece. After a jaunty bouncing theme with woodwind and piano, there is a repetitive motif in a busy string passage before the brass enters in a bold fanfare like section. There are thunderous timpani and drum passages and some string intervals that even recall the sound of the American outdoors yet there is still an Italian voice here as though recalling Italy’s past. As the music progresses there are repeated piano chords over a static orchestra in an attractive extended section full of atmosphere.

Eventually a stabbing motif appears after which the woodwind enter to repeat and vary the phrase. This leads to a kind of brass chorale as the music does finally arrive at a kind of resolution.  The nature of Ghedini’s structure seems to preclude a sense of forward momentum or inevitability but the phrases and motifs and repetitions do hold the attention as does his rather singular orchestration.

Contrappunti (Counterpoints) for string trio and orchestra was written between 1960 and 1961 and gives an equal partnership between the string trio of violin, viola and cello and the orchestra.

In three movements, the Molto moderato e marcato opens with some intense string sonorities from the string trio before being joined by the strings of the orchestra. This is interrupted by a jagged motif before the music progresses by way of full string sounds to a fragmented section with stabbing phrases from the brass. Woodwind adds to the mix as this music scurries around with more of a sense of direction than Architetture does. A series of upward rising phrases for various parts of the orchestra are thrown around. The string trio appears but soon gives way to the full orchestra which continues with the opening theme, the music growing faster. The music slows and quietens before another upward string motif leads to rich string chords with the trio again being heard.

The Andante misterioso opens with a solo cello playing rich dark notes, eventually opening out, with the trio emerging, before the orchestra enters in this dark, strange music. As the music moves forward a plangent clarinet appears against the strings playing a dotted rhythm in this tragically beautiful section. The trio players weave around each other before the strings soar higher and higher to end.

The lively opening Allegro vivo has a rising motif for the orchestra before a lightly dancing string orchestra scurries around. Eventually the string motif is thrown around the orchestra, overlaid with a fuller orchestral sound. Rich strings propel the music forward to its energetic finale complete with timpani and percussion.

The Molto sostenuto e ampio of Marinaresca e baccanale (Sea Piece and Bacchanale) (1933) rises from the depths with the orchestra providing a terrific swell. This is wild nature music that owes little to any predecessor. Static, motionless music adds to the tension as the elemental sea glides by. Brass interject as the music heaves around with percussion adding colour. This is extremely evocative music with, occasionally, the sound of Sibelius in the pizzicato strings. As it works towards a climax the music falls back in a wonderfully atmospheric section, very beautiful, as the strings sway to and fro. Slowly the music calms as woodwind and brass draw this magnificent seascape to a close, building to a peak to lead into the Baccanale: Presto where there are rushing strings before brass lead the orchestra in this wild music. There is a quiet woodwind phrase before repeated brass phrases and striding strings, as though threatening. The theme moves around the orchestra but it is cut off as wild strings and the brass rise up leading to the coda.

Ghedini is certainly an interesting orchestrator with his distinctive layering of sounds.

This new disc is worth getting for the terrific seascape in Marinaresca e baccanale alone but I am certainly glad to have heard all of these pieces.

Francesco La Vecchia and the Orchestra Sinfonica Roma do a terrific job with these interesting works which are well recorded in the OSR Studios, Rome and the Auditorium di Via Conciliazione, Rome. There are very informative booklet notes.

See also: 

 

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/a-new-recording-from-naxos-of.html

 

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/unusual-italian-repertoire-from.html

Surely one of the best performances yet recorded of Monteverdi’s L‘Orfeo with the Taverner Consort and Players directed by Andrew Parrott on a new release from Avie Records

The whole idea of opera was quite new when, in 1607, Claudio Monteverdi wrote L’Orfeo - Favola in Musica  (Orpheo - A Musical Fable). It can now be seen as probably the first great opera to be written. Alessandro Striggio the Younger

(c. 1573-1630), Mantuan Court Chancellor and son of the composer Alessandro Striggio (c.1536/1537-1592), provided the libretto based on the story of Orpheus, who descends into the underworld to retrieve the dead Eurydice, fails to do so, but is comforted and taken up to heaven by Apollo.

The first performance took place before members of the academy, probably in the Palazzo Ducale, Mantua www.mantovaducale.beniculturali.it  Whilst the soloists were probably all local virtuosos, it is known that at least one singer was brought from Florence. Such was the triumph of the first performance that the Duke of Mantua ordered another performance less than a week later.

Avie Records www.avie-records.com  have just released a new recording of L’Orfeo with the Taverner Consort and Players directed by Andrew Parrott http://taverner.org
and a fine line up of soloists including Charles Daniels (tenor) www.charles-daniels-society.org.uk  as Orpheus and Faye Newton (soprano) http://fayenewton.com as Eurydice.

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The opera consists of a prologue and five acts. A grand instrumental toccata precedes the Prologue where David Hurley (countertenor) www.kingssingers.com/info/david-hurley+12.html  sings the role of the allegorical figure, Music (La Musica). He has a terrific countertenor voice, secure and pure, yet with a rich timbre providing pure beauty with the often spare accompaniment of the chitarrone. 

In Act I Simon Wall (tenor) www.facebook.com/SimonWallEnglishTenor takes the role of one of the shepherds (Pastore 2) in In questo lieto e fortunate giorno (On this happy and fortunate day) where he is excellent in all the little inflections and ornamentations. The members of the Taverner Consort that make up the chorus are also excellent in the chorus Vieni Imeneo, deh vieni. Anna Dennis (soprano) www.editionpeters.com/epamannadennis.phpas  Ninfa is excellent, pure yet characterful.

The chorus re-appear in the Balleto – Lasciate I monti (Leave your mountains) with some terrific interplay of voices in this fast and lively piece – great fun. Rodrigo del Pozo (high tenor) has an attractive voice in Ma tu gentil cantor s’a tuoi lamenti gia festi lagrimar queste champagne (But you noble singer, if at your lamenting you once did make these fields to weep).

In Rosa del Ciel, vita del Mondo (Rose of Heaven, life of the World) Orpheus (Orfeo) makes his entrance with Charles Daniels (tenor) bringing an assurance and strength as well as an Italianate sound. Faye Newton (soprano) has a lovely voice as Eurydice. Gareth Morrell (tenor) takes the role of the third shepherd (Pastore 3) in Ma s’il nostro gioir  dal Ciel deriva (But if our joy from Heaven derives) bringing yet another fine tenor voice that handles the subtle decorations so well. The concluding Ritornello – Alcun non sia brings two of the shepherds and Anna Dennis as Ninfa who beautifully weave their voices around each other.

Act II opens with the Sinfonia before Charles Daniels sings Ecco pur ch’a voi ritorno (Soon now how I return to you) with some lovely accompaniment from the Taverner Players. As the shepherds sing of the beautiful countryside where Pan, god of shepherds was sometimes overheard in sorrow, there are lovely instrumental Ritornello parts for various instruments, first little violins, then ordinary violins and finally recorders, beautifully done. In Vi recorda o boschi ombrosi Charles Daniels again shows how excellent a voice he has for Orpheus, creating such a feeling of Italian pastoral atmosphere.  The Messenger (Messaggiera) brings the lovely voice of Emily van Evera (soprano) www.emilyvanevera.com  as she sings Ahi caso acerbo, ahi fato empio e crudele (Ahi, bitter chance, ahi, wicked and cruel fate) wonderfully done with a very attractive dialogue with the shepherds. Emily van Evera is also excellent in her emotional In un fiorito prato (In a flowery meadow) showing such fine control.

When Orpheus sings Tu se’morta mia vita, ed io respire? (You are dead, my life, and do I still breathe?) Charles Daniels brings a surprising degree of emotion to this piece. The chorus bring some lovely singing to Ahi caso acerbo (Ahi, bitter chance) with various vocal parts sounding out distinctively. When Emily van Evera enters as the messenger in Ma io ch’in questa lingua ho portato il coltello (But I, who in this tongue carried the knife) she is terrific, very dramatic.  

Act II ends with two shepherds singing Chi ne consola ahi lassi?(Who shall console us, ahi, alas?) The shepherd’s voices blend so well and the Taverner Players in the preceding Sinfonia are on top form in the mournful music. This is a lovely ending.

The brass opening of Act III Sinfonia giving such a glorious period sound, very evocative. Orpheus sings Speranza unico bene (Hope, sole blessing) as the fine, strong voice of Hope, sung by Clare Wilkinson (mezzo -soprano) www.jamesblackmanagement.com/artists/category/mezzo-sopranos/clare-wilkinson , appears, with the words Lasciate ogni speranza o voi ch’entrate (Abandon all hope, all you who enter)

Curtis Streetman (bass) http://curtisstreetman.com is a suitably frightening Charon (Caronte) as he sings O tu ch’innanzi morte a queste rive temerario te n’vieni (O you, who to these banks ahead of death most rashly come) with a lovely low range and accompanied by a regal.

Whilst Orpheus appeals with the words Possente Spirto e formidabil Nume (Powerful Spirit) and fearsome Divinity) the ritornello sound as though from afar, two violins, then two cornets and finally a most attractive double harp. This is a particularly tragic part of the opera and quite affecting. As Charon continues in Ben mi lusinga alquanto (There is a certain allurement) Curtis Streetman gives a terrific characterisation and superb little decorations.

Ahi sventurato amante provides Charles Daniels with another terrific part as Orpheo cries out Ahi unfortunate love. The final Sinfonia of Act III has striking brass dominating the opening before the Chorus of the Spirits of the Underworld sing Nulla impresa per buom (No enterprise is tried by man in vain) a glorious end to Act III Final Sinfonia.

At the beginning of Act IV Emily Van Evera (soprano) returns this time as Proserpine where she pleads with Pluto with her youthful voice in Signor quell’infelice (Lord, that unhappy man) finely sung. Pluto, sung by Christopher Purves (bass) http://christopherpurves.com/about , has the same regal accompaniment as Charon and proves to be a strong and powerful Pluto in Benché severo & immutabil fato contrasti amata sposa (Although a harsh and immutable fate opposes your desires).

There is a moment of intense drama as Orfeo sees Eurydice and sings O dolcissimi lumi ( Oh sweetest eyes, I now see you) followed by one of the most poignant of moments, so exquisitely sung by Faye Newton (Eurydice), Clare Wilkinson (A Spirit) and Charles Daniels (Orpheus). A Sinfonia intones a sorrowful tune before the Chorus of Spirits end this Act.

After an opening Ritornello, Orpheus sings Act V Questi I campi di Tracia, e questo e il loco dove passommi il core (These are the fields of Thrace, this is the place where my heart was pierced), Charles Daniels providing more superb singing, full of feeling, so Italianate in this extended despairing lament. Simon Wall provides the echo to Orpheus’ voice, an effect apparently popular at the time. Here it works brilliantly.

Guy Pelc (baritone) www.phoenixearlymusic.com/site/index.php?aboutread=489  as Apollo descends to aid Orpheus. His is another strong voice in Perchè a lo sdegno & al dolor in preda (Why thus gripped by scorn and grief). As Orpheus and Appolo ascend to Heaven they sing Saliam cantando al Cielo (Let us go singing up to Heaven) a terrific combination of voices beautifully decorated.

The chorus sing Vanne Orfeo felice a pieno (Go, Orpheus, full of happiness) in this lively section with fine instrumental playing.  Moresca is a lively dance full of joy and life to end this wonderful opera.

This must surely be one of the best performances yet recorded of Monteverdi’s masterpiece. The recording, made in the church of St Michael and All Angels, Summerstown, Oxford, is pretty much ideal, allowing one to imagine sitting in on an intimate performance. There are excellent booklet notes by Hugh Griffith and Andrew Parrott and a libretto in both the original Italian and English.