An early masterpiece and a piano concerto on a grand scale from Sir Peter Maxwell Davies in a welcome reissue from Naxos

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Following their re-release of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’  www.maxopus.com recordings of his first six symphonies originally issued by Collins Classics, Naxos www.naxos.com continue their sterling work for the composer by re-releasing his recording of his Piano Concerto and his large scale orchestral work Worldes Blis. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra www.rpo.co.uk are conducted by the composer with Kathryn Stott www.kathrynstott.com as the soloist in the concerto. 
                                        

The Piano Concerto was written in 1997 as a commission by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and is dedicated to Kathryn Stott who gave the first performance on 7^th November 1997 at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the composer. 

Written very much with Kathryn Stott in mind this is a concerto on a grand scale. There is a raucous opening from the orchestra before the piano enters and the music settles with an extended solo meditative passage. The orchestra returns to develop the theme until it becomes rich and flowing for both orchestra and piano. The music alternates between a flowing andante and the faster piu mosso, becoming more diffuse in the slower sections whilst building in richness as the music quickens.

Just over half way through the movement the orchestra builds to a climax with percussion and an increasingly complex role for the pianist until suddenly cut off with mysterious orchestral sounds. The piano then drives the music forward until brass announce a brief climax and the music falls back to a meditative section. It is the contrasting elements or sections that cause the music to rise and fall, pull back then surge, as once again the piano drives the music ahead with the mysterious orchestral sounds seemingly dragged along until the piano gives way to end quietly with the orchestra.

The second movement adagio starts with the solo piano picking out a little tune, rather diffusely, before the bass clarinet joins in to underpin the theme. Eventually the full orchestra joins in, developing into a beautiful melody.  The piano part becomes increasingly grand as the music builds before dropping back with piano, solo cello and flute. The tension increases as the movement becomes more in the mold of a grand virtuoso concerto before falling back to end quietly but not before an outburst from the brass.

The final movement, marked allegro, follows without a break. The piano launches straight into a theme related to the first movement with cascading scales on the piano and an orchestra featuring dominant brass and woodwind. Then the orchestra rises up from the depths with a distinctive Maxwell Davies sound and the piano picking out the theme. The orchestra becomes louder and agitated before the piano enters alone in a light textured passage of rippling notes. There follows a virtuoso cadenza before the meditative theme returns. Quiet timpani rolls behind the solo piano bring a haunting sound to the music. Finally the orchestra enters, rapidly building in rhythm with timpani. The piano joins in a climax that has fearsome runs on the keyboard before a climatic end.

From his early experimental works, Max has forged a distinctive sound world from which he has produced what must be one of the 20^th century’s finest concertos. One couldn’t ask for more from the soloist, Kathryn Stott, who gives a tremendous performance.

Peter Maxwell Davies wrote his first symphony in 1976 surprising many people who had not expected a symphony from him. Yet, as early as 1969, Max had given us a large scale orchestral work lasting some 40 minutes. This was Worldes Bliss and it must surely be considered an early masterpiece from this composer.

The work, in one movement and subtitled A Motet for Orchestra, was inspired by a 13^th century plainchant, which is heard at the opening on unaccompanied harps that slowly pick out the theme. Then lower strings enter, quietly against timpani strokes, as though rising out of the depths of the past. Horns and trombones join, then the upper strings as the theme slowly reveals itself. The strings drift around the main theme that is played by the brass. The music develops yet seems at times to remain static, so subtle is the development. Eventually trumpets are heard over the orchestra as this most impressive of slow sections, lasting some 19 minutes, gradually opens out and arrives at its culmination leading directly to the section marked l’istesso tempo where, after a brief riotous brass and string opening, the preceding first section’s slow theme reappears, seemingly making the same development, but soon building to an impressive climax of brass and trumpets over orchestra.

The allegro that follows finally allows the music to have its head, with percussion, brass and woodwind outbursts dominating in a spectacular section full of energy before quietening, the strings having dominance over the brass and percussion. Harps are heard again in the background along with percussion as a poco piu mosso section arrives where the orchestra again tries to rise and break out, the brass making stabbing sounds against the orchestra. Slowly the music rises and percussion joins, becoming frantic with side drums and metallic percussion until it overflows into a short allegro, where there still seems no release from the tension, with scurrying strings and brass before a timpani outburst leads straight to a final lento, where the timpani at last release the tension and the music subsides with the strings dominating the brass as the music increases in expansiveness. However, the tension returns as before, leading the music to a tremendous percussive climax, with timpani strokes, before a final quiet end.

This is a tremendous work very much capturing the feel of the words of the plainchant  ‘Worldly bliss lasts no time at all, it departs and passes away in a moment…all bliss that is here and there comprise in the end weeping and lamentation.’ thus perhaps explaining the lack of release from tension in this music.

It is hard to believe, listening to this work, that at its premiere on 28^th August 1969 at a BBC Promenade Concert, Max remembers that ‘…most of the audience walked out, and most of those who stayed booed.’ By 1993 the reception by a Promenade Concert audience was vastly different. Whilst three elderly ladies apparently walked out muttering in protest, the rest of the audience sat spellbound, at the end giving Worldes Blis a tremendous reception.

As is to be expected, Sir Peter conducts these works with great insight. The recordings made in St Augustine’s Church, Kilburn, London and All Saints Church, Tooting, London are first rate.

Stile Antico bring a real sense of passion and drama to their new release from Harmonia Mundi

In the years since the pioneering David Wulstan founded the Clerkes of Oxenford, way back in 1964, the number of specialist early music choirs in Britain has increased enormously. In recent years many of these choirs have expanded their range and taken on contemporary repertoire which is an aspect of a new release featuring Stile Antico www.stileantico.co.uk

Stile Antico, literally meaning ‘old style’, is an ensemble of young British singers who, working without a conductor, rehearse and perform as chamber musicians, each contributing artistically to the musical result. The group performs regularly throughout Europe and North America. Their recordings on the Harmonia Mundi label have enjoyed great success, winning awards including the Diapason d'Or de l'année and the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, and have twice attracted GRAMMY nominations. Their release Song of Songs won the 2009 Gramophone Award for Early Music www.gramophone.co.uk and reached the top of the US Classical Chart.

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Their latest release from Harmonia Mundi www.harmoniamundi.com/#/home , Passion and Resurrection, groups together works by composers of the late 16^th and early 17^th century that relate to the events of Holy Week. Showing their commitment to a broader range of music, Stile Antico have arranged this CD around a central performance of John McCabe’s own setting of the text Woefully Arrayed set by William Cornysh that starts this disc.

 

                                               

In Woefully Arrayed by William Cornysh (1465-1523) Stile Antico have a richness of texture and directness of delivery that projects Cornysh’s setting very effectively. Whilst the Tallis Scholars on Gimell show a little more variety of feeling, Stile Antico’s directness and power is most attractive and, in Orlando Gibbons’ (1583-1625) Hosanna to the Son of David, the music really soars in a lovely performance.

The choir builds up a fine blend of textures as Thomas Tallis’ (c.1505-1585) O Sacrum Convivium progresses. Again the music really takes off with the genius of Tallis really shining through. I found this wonderfully rich performance the highlight of the disc. In the setting of In Monte Oliveti by Orlande Lassus (1532-1594) Stile Antico bring a real sense of the passion and drama to the words ‘Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me’.

Cristobal de Morales’ (c.1500-1553) O Crux, ave, spes unica has a beautiful ebb and flow with remarkable control. Towards the end the female voices soar beautifully over the choir. Stile Antico bring an intense feel to Tomas Luis de Victoria’s – O Vos omnes with sensitivity and passion in the words ‘…if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow…’

John McCabe (b.1939) wrote his own setting of Woefully Arrayed as the result of a commission from the Three Choirs Festival. It is dedicated to Stile Antico. There are subtle dissonances before, at the words ‘…unkindly, harshly, threatening…’ the music becomes more strident. Whilst the music soon returns to a quite lamentation a certain stridency always lurks. This work contrasts against the subtle writing of the early composers who knew how to bring out the feeling and pain of the passion story without resort to violent contrasts. Nevertheless, on its own terms, McCabe’s setting provides an effective and varied, if slightly meandering work.

John Taverner’s (c.1490-1545) Dum transisset brings us back to the beauty of the 16^th century in a lovely setting, taken at a steady pace that allows the music to unfold naturally. Stile Antico are very much of their own mind by taking around two minutes longer than The Sixteen on Hyperion’s budget Helios label. The Sixteen have a brighter sound, less rich, though this might be due to the recording and acoustic. Either way this new recording never drags and again provides a lovely richness that other performances often lack.

The setting of Maria Magdalene by Francisco Guerrero (1528-1599) brings some light in this fast flowing performance of a setting relating to Mary Magdalene at Jesus’ tomb. William Byrd’s (1540-1623) setting of In resurrection tua further brightens the mood in a finely sung performance.

I have to confess to not knowing the music of Jean Lheritier (c.1480-c.1551), but I found his exquisite Matins responds Surrexit pastor bonus a lovely work beautifully realised by Stile Antico. Orlando Gibbons is further represented on this disc by his setting of I am the Resurrection and the Life. Stile Antico keep the music moving in a flowing performance, rising and falling naturally and bringing a gentle joy to the music.

Thomas Crecquillon’s (c.1505-c. 1557) celebratory setting of Congratulamini mihi concludes this disc with Stile Antico’s female voices opening the work and the choir as a whole providing a wonderful variety of texture in a setting that perhaps lacks its own variety.

Stile Antico bring their own distinctive sound to this repertoire that adds a richness and strength to the music. There is excellent sound from the ample acoustic of All Hallows Church, Gospel Oak, London and the CD is beautifully produced with details from 15th century English and Flemish Book of Hours on the cover, booklet and insert.

The Mandelring Quartet delivers more superb playing in their second Mendelssohn disc from Audite

Back in July 2012 I reviewed the first volume of Audite’s www.audite.de series of the complete chamber music for strings by Mendelssohn played by the Mandelring Quartet www.mandelring.com. I was quite excited by this new release and found their performances of the quartets in E flat major Op 12, in A minor Op. 13 and the early unnumbered E flat major quartet to be superb, confirming that they did indeed have an ‘…expressivity and remarkable homogeneity of sound and phrasing…’  
http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/superb-playing-by-mandelring-quartet-in.html

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Audite’s www.audite.de second volume of this series has now been released (Audite 92.657) and I have to say straight away that the performances of the String Quartet in D major Op 44 No.1, String Quartet in E minor Op. 44 No.2 and String Quartet in F minor Op.80 are just as superb.

Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in D major Op 44 No.1 was actually the last of the Op.44 set to be written and was his own favourite of the set. Right from the opening of the molto allegro vivace the Mandelrings are on top form with vibrancy, sparkle and perfect ensemble, bringing out all the dynamism of this brilliant music. This is quartet writing on a grand scale with the Mandelrings making all the wonderful themes feel fresh. The beautiful and delicate minuetto is given a moderate, flowing tempo that is just right for the un poco allegretto marking, with a lovely trio section.

The andante espressivo ma con moto, with its undertones of the Italian Symphony, has a gently sad feeling. The Mandelrings never labour their playing, keeping the flow moving to great effect. In the final presto con brio, the Mandelrings give us a real presto with playing of lightness and freshness, not to mention some lovely timbres. They bring out so many little details. Again there are hints of Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony.

Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in E minor Op. 44 No.2 is the earliest work of the Op.44 set and, in the opening allegro assai appassionato, again shows the Mandelrings’ fine playing, with them following every nuance. This first movement was formed from ideas that were later to become the Violin concerto in E minor. Even where Mendelssohn’s writing flags a little, the Manderings never allow the music to flag. The second movement marked allegro di molto is one of Mendelssohn’s loveliest scherzos, fleet and nimble with some terrific writing for the players who do it proud and there is a beautiful little coda, exquisitely played.

The third movement andante is a lovely flowing melody kept moving in a way that only serves to point up the lyricism. The presto agitato is full of vigour and, as played here, subtle variation of tempi, never allowed to become a mere rushed presto. It lightly moves forward taking in all the lovely variations of melody.

With the String Quartet in F minor Op.80 we move a decade but, emotionally, an even bigger distance from the Op.44 set. This work, written in 1847, follows the death of his beloved sister Fanny and was written only a short time from Mendelssohn’s own death on 4^th November that year.

The allegro vivace assai is a restless, even angry movement. The Mandelrings pull all of the angst from this music whilst keeping a transparency and lightness of touch and texture. Any attempt by Mendelssohn to lighten the mood as the movement progresses fails, with the lower strings pulling us back to the restless mood. Mendelssohn’s second movement allegro assai is almost too much, with no let up after the opening movement, with some pretty ferocious writing and a trio section that is mysterious and dark. Again the Mandelring quartet show superb ensemble combined with much passion and sensitivity and control.

The adagio, written as it is in the major key, has the feel of nostalgia rather than sadness. As such, it comes as a relief with the Mandelrings offering playing of sensitivity and feeling. A finale allegro molto, with the Mandelrings showing all of the passion and emotion of this music, brings this restless work to a terrific conclusion.

With the Mandelring Quartet on such brilliant form and with such an excellent recording, this second volume of this complete survey of Mendelssohn’s string chamber music must be a first choice. It certainly is for me.

The Arbor Trio finds much emotion and drama in Martinů’s Piano Trios on Naxos

Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959) had a mixed life. Born in Polička, a small town in Bohemia near the Moravian border, he was the son of a shoemaker, who was also the town fire watchman which necessitated the family living in the tower of St. Jakob (St James) Church (now a museum www.martinu.cz/novinky.php). During his life he progressed from this odd home to studying at the Prague Conservatory before returning to Polička. After the First World War, Martinů composed a patriotic cantata Česká rapsodie ("Czech Rapsody"), which was premiered to great acclaim in 1919. As a violinist, he toured Europe with the National Theatre Orchestra, and, in 1920, became a full member of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Martinu studied composition with Josef Suk but, wishing to widen his musical influences, he went to Paris in 1923, where he studied with Albert Roussel.

As the German army marched on Paris early in the Second World War, Martinů fled to America where he composed a great deal and taught at the Mannes College of Music, Yale University and the Berkshire Music Centre (Tanglewood). His first five symphonies were written between 1942 and 1946.

In 1953, Martinů left the United States for France and settled in Nice, returning in 1955. In 1956, he took up an appointment as composer-in-residence at the American Academy in Rome. He died at a clinic in Liestal, Switzerland, on August 28, 1959.

Martinů was an extremely prolific composer but it is his six symphonies that are probably the best known of his works but his concertos, including those for cello, viola, violin, oboe and five for the piano, The Epic of Gilgamesh (1955) and his chamber music are well work getting to know. Coincidentally, the current issue (January 2012) of Gramophone magazine www.gramophone.co.uk has a feature on ‘Martinů - beyond the symphonies’ highlighting the fact that there is more to the composer than those six works.

Naxos www.naxos.com has issued a new CD containing all of Martinů’s works for piano trio performed by the Arbor Piano Trio who members are Dmitri Vorobiev (piano) www.dmitrivorobiev.com, Stephen B. Shipps (violin)  www.music.umich.edu/faculty_staff/bio.php?u=sbshipps and Richard L. Aaron  (cello) www.cellist.nl/database/showcellist.asp?id=1085.

As the Arbor Piano Trio they have collaborated in concerts and recordings in the Czech Republic and have continued their career with concerts across the United States.

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Martinů’s Cinque Pièces Brèves (Piano Trio No.1) dates from 1930, whilst he was in Paris. The short, rather acerbic, allegro moderato opens with violin and cello working around a spiky theme on the piano. The strings open the following adagio before alternating with the piano in this somewhat anguished movement. Eventually the piano joins the strings in an insistent tolling. The third movement allegro brings some especially great playing from the Arbor Trio, with some great ensemble, in this short lively music. The allegro moderato is opened with the cello alone before being joined by the violin, then piano, in music that has short clipped phrases, finely played by the Arbor Trio. The allegro con brio that ends this work opens with a virtuoso passage for the piano before strings join in the same animated theme showing clearly the influences of the Paris of the 1930’s.

Dating from some 21 years later, the Piano Trio No.2, from 1951, opens with a reflective allegro moderato. There is more romanticism in this late work that slowly builds its dramatic content. The Arbor Trio finds much emotion and drama in their performance which brings out all of the underlying Czech feeling. The andante that follows is gently flowing with a theme that gently shifts through many guises before calmly closing. There is playing of real sensitivity here. The final allegro has great forward momentum even in the quieter passages, with typical Martinů phrases. There is a gentle central section before the music hurtles forward again, with the lyricism of the central section occasionally appearing.

Bergerettes (Pastorals) (1939) dates from between the first two Piano Trios. The poco allegro, that opens the work, brings Czech folk sounds to Martinů’s distinctive sound world.  The allegro con brio has even more exhilarating playing in music that has great forward momentum. There is a central section that gives some respite.

The andantino brings a quite solemn theme for the violin and cello accompanied by chords from the piano. A livelier tune soon appears, introduced with pizzicato strings and piano before the original theme reappears to bring the movement to a close. The fourth movement allegro is sparkling and full of fun and, although it tries to become more intense it fails. The moderato final movement again has a particularly Czech feel, reminiscent of Dvorak, with peasant like repetition and strident sounds with a softer central section.

Martinů’s Piano Trio No.3, subtitled The Great (or the Grand), is also from 1951. At just over eight minutes, the opening allegro moderato is the longest movement of any of Martinů’s piano trio works and immediately sets out its intention with a feeling of seriousness. This soon lapses into a flowing lyrical theme with the opening theme trying to intervene. The movement develops through a mysterious section until it builds to a dramatic climax with terrific playing form the Arbor Trio, who know exactly how to pace this music. The music drops into a reflective passage using the lower register of the strings before the return of the original theme that leads to the end of this, one of Martinů’s finest movements. The andante is quieter but still retaining a feeling of angst in its lyrical flow and development, with a midway quiet section that builds to a final climax before a passage for cello and violin leads to a quiet close.

The final movement, allegro, is in the form of a moto perpetuo with a second subject that adds lyricism to the movement, before the opening theme reappears to drive this movement to a lively and forthright conclusion. This late work shows that Martinů still had great invention and fire.

The Arbor Piano Trio seems to have a natural affinity for this music which, perhaps, comes from their time performing in the Czech Republic. They do not over polish the music but keep an earthiness that pays dividends where Martinů shows his Czech roots. There may be slicker performances than this but none that bring out the rhythms and folk elements so well. 

The best of 2012

I try to only include in my blog those recordings or concerts that are in some way recommendable or memorable or that include unusual repertoire. This makes it more difficult to choose those that stand out particularly. However, running through the year from February, some events and recordings do stand out.

In February there was the Armonico Consort performing works by Striggio, Tallis, Brumel and Ockegham in Malvern in performances that had not only technical purity, but also a great warmth and humanity.

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/striggios-missing-manuscript.html

In April came one of Ondine’s www.ondine.net finest issues of the year with the music of that great senior figure in Finnish music, Einojuhani Rautavaara, with recordings of his Cello Concerto No.2 and his Percussion Concerto ‘Incantations’ brilliantly performed by Colin Currie, Truls Mørk and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under John Strogärds. http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/why-does-finland-continue-to-produce-so.html

 

April also brought a new release from Nimbus Alliance www.wyastone.co.uk  of Chopin’s complete Waltzes and Impromptus with quite remarkable playing from Vladimir Feltsman, an artist that has received far too little attention. These are wonderful performances bringing an extraordinary poetry as well as freedom and spontaneity. http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/chopin-what-kind-of-pianist-was-he.html

Audite www.audite.de seem to have an uncanny knack of finding superb artists, particularly chamber ensembles, with their 2012 releases bringing The Swiss Piano Trio’s sparkling performances of Mendelssohn’s Piano Trios full of poetry and virtuosity and the Mandelring Quartet in Mendelssohn’s Op 12 and Op. 13 String Quartets coupled with the early unnumbered E flat major quartet in performances that provide all the passion and lyricism that one could ask for and must go straight to the top of anyone’s list for these works.

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/mendelssohn-lightweight-composer.html
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Nimbus Alliance www.wyastone.co.uk brought us, in May, what must be the finest performances ever recorded of Brahms’ wonderful late pieces, the two Clarinet Sonatas Op.120. These performances, from Emma Johnson, have everything you could wish for, with playing of supreme mastery, at turns sensitive and poetic, following every nuance and dynamic.

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/genius-of-brahms-with-emma-johnson.html

South Korean born Sinae Lee, a pianist who is not afraid to take risks, recorded all of Liszt’s Années de Pèlerinage for a new release in July on the RCS (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) label www.rcs.ac.uk distributed by Nimbus Alliance www.wyastone.co.uk in magnificent performances that should be heard by all Lisztians, such is their immediacy and spontaneity.

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/phenomenal-liszt-from-sinae-lee.html
 

Benjamin Grosvenor gave a tremendous performance of Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor at this year’s Proms. Never barnstorming, this was a performance that had subtlety with wonderfully fleet and nimble playing. A tremendous young artist.

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/subtle-saint-saens-from-benjamin.html

In September Deutsche Grammophon www.deutschegrammophon.com  gave us superb playing from Pierre Laurent Aimard in Debussy’s complete Preludes where the pianist brought great authority to these works and from the start showed superb control of dynamics and tempi.

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/superb-playing-from-pierre-laurent.html

The same month also brought deeply probing and distinguished performances from Leif Ove Andsnes in Beethoven’s Piano Concertos 1 and 3 on Sony Classical www.sonymasterworks.com and left me waiting with anticipation for the next issue in Andsnes’ Beethoven series.

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/deeply-probing-and-distinguished.html
 

This year I discovered a uniquely interesting composer on a new release from Audite Records www.audite.de, the German composer Moritz Eggert, whose wonderful Tetragrammaton for string orchestra (2009) could easily take its place in the repertoire of works for string orchestra.

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/endlessly-fascinating-music-by-german.html

An October release of truly great performances came from Paul Lewis, a natural Schubertian, with the Piano Sonata No.16 in A minor D.845 coupled with the Wandererfantasie D.760, Four Impromptus D.935, Six Moments Musicaux D.780 and the Allegretto D.915. This was the latest release in his magnificent series of Schubert recordings for Harmonia Mundi www.harmoniamundi.com .

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/truly-great-performances-from-paul.html

I was in Malvern again in November for a memorable concert from that superb artist Marc-André Hamelin that included Bach, Fauré, Ravel and Liszt’s B minor Piano Sonata in performances to treasure. This was one of those occasions that will live in my memory.

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/performances-to-treasure-from-marc.html

Of the books that came my way in April was The John Ireland Companion, edited by that great champion of British music, Lewis Foreman. This is a magnificent achievement, pulling together a colossal amount of material on Ireland. Published by Boydell Press this was a book that English music lovers will want. www.boydellandbrewer.com

http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/john-ireland-companion.html

Finally a Very Happy New Year to all my followers, the artists that have provided so much wonderful music this year and the companies that have provided review copies.

Bach’s Christmas Oratorio from the BBC Singers and St James’ Baroque

Who could fail to be uplifted by Bach’s Christmas Oratorio especially in a performance as fine as last night’s at St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge, London when St James’ Baroque and the BBC Singers were directed by David Hill.

Parts 1, 2 and 3 were performed along with Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.4 placed after Part 1. There was some bold exciting playing from St James’ Baroque with lovely orchestral textures. The period band was appropriately small giving transparency to the sound.

The BBC Singers were on fine form with singing full of joy. Tenor, Ben Johnson, made an ideal Evangelist and soprano, Sarah Fox, had a lovely sweet tone. It took bass, Stephan Loges a little while to warm up, not showing the flexibility needed in the aria Groβer Herr, o starker König (Great Lord and Mighty King) but he soon settled and the duet Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen (Lord Thy Compassion, Thy Mercy, with Sarah Fox, was lovely with both voices blending well.

For me the highlight of the evening came from countertenor, David Allsopp, in the aria Schlafe, mein Liebster, genieβe der Ruh (Sleep, my dearest, enjoy Thy rest), sung with great feeling, he had a lovely tone, flexibility and fine control in the long drawn phrases,. In the chorales the BBC Singers were magnificent – who could tire of the chorale Wie soll ich dich empfangen (How shall I receive Thee).

Bach fourth Brandenburg Concerto was light and crisp with some terrific playing from the various parts of the orchestra such as the solo violinist and recorder players. St James’ Baroque had a lovely earthy quality to their playing, full of character.

All in all it was a wonderful evening of music making and a fitting last opportunity for me to post a blog before Christmas.

Season's Greetings

to all of my followers

Wonderful performances of works by Edison Denisov and Ekaterina Kouprovskaia-Denisova from Harmonia Mundi

Edison Vasilievich Denisov  (1929-1996) has perhaps not been as widely known in the West as some of his contemporaries such as Alfred Schnittke 1934-1998) or Sofia Gubaidulina (b.1931). #edisondenisov

Born in Tomsk, Siberia, his father was an engineer and his mother a doctor. At first he studied mathematics but, after receiving encouragement from Shostakovich he enrolled at the Moscow Conservatory. After graduation in 1959, he began to teach musical analysis and orchestration.

The state prevented him from teaching composition for 30 years but he nevertheless gathered around him a following of younger students in order to study new music from both Russia and abroad, his work having a vital influence on modern Soviet music.

He was influenced by French music, the Second Viennese School, and the post-war avant-garde of Boulez and Stockhausen. In 1964 he wrote a stridently modernist chamber cantata The Sun of the Incas. There followed Three pieces for piano four hands (1967) and a String Trio (1969), but it was only in 1970, when Denisov wrote Peinture for orchestra, that he felt he had found his own musical language.

This led to a large number of scores, including a lyrical Flute Concerto (1975) for Aurèle Nicolet, a Violin Concerto (1977) for Gidon Kremer, a Concerto for Flute and Oboe (1979) for Nicolet and Heinz Holliger, Tod ist ein langer Schlaf for cello and strings(1982), and the Requiem (1980), which Denisov himself considered one of his most successful achievements.

Denisov wrote several song-cycles for voice and piano, including Your Sweet Face (after Pushkin - 1980) and On the Snowy Bonfire (after Blok - 1981), in which he revived the 19th century song-traditions of Glinka and Mussorgsky, albeit in his own unique way. Despite ill health, he continued to compose prolifically in his last years, completing a second symphony only months before his death in Paris in1996.

A new release from Harmonia Mundi www.harmoniamundi.com makes an excellent introduction to Denisov’s music with his Chamber Symphony No.1 (1982), his song cycle Au plus haut des cieux (1986) and his Chamber Symphony No.2 (1994) giving a good cross section of his work. Also on this new CD is the song cycle Cinq romances d’Anna Akhmatova (1988) written by Denisov’s wife Ekaterina Kouprovskaia-Denisova orchestrated by Edison Denisov.

The Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain www.mc2grenoble.fr/mc2_programme_reservation/zoom.php?spec=1663  is directed by Daniel Kawka www.daniel-kawka.com with the soprano Briggite Peyré www.cirm-manca.org/fiche-artiste.php?ar=28

HMC 905268

 

Edison’s Chamber Symphony No.1 has much of the influence of Schoenberg yet with a distinctive touch.  There are attractive contributions from the piano, clarinet and other individual instruments all heard with the upmost clarity. Denisov creates interesting harmonies and there is always a sense of forward momentum maintained. At times the music approaches tonal but then seems to drift away into Denisov’s own particular take on atonality.

Woodwind dominate the opening of the second movement in a scurrying theme based, according to the booklet notes by Ekaterina Kouprovskaia, on the idea of shifting clusters. There is some terrific playing here with some brilliant ensemble in this tricky music. Occasionally the rapid woodwind passages reminded me of Rautavaara, though this music is quiet a distance from the late melodic style of that composer.

Drama greets the finale movement with the piano again to the fore. A solo cello and vibraphone add to the texture. At times one is reminded a little of Messiaen. The music develops into a quiet dialogue for woodwind and vibraphone leading to a coda where the music suddenly fades away.  It is obvious that Denisov put much care into creating the subtle sounds here, which are brilliantly performed by the Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain.

The song cycle Au Plus Haut des Cieux is a setting of texts by Georges Bataille around the theme of death. Five fleetingly elusive instrumental intermezzi divide the songs. The soprano, Brigette Peyré, gives a spell binding performance of real intensity. She blends extremely well with the instrumental ensemble in these wonderful settings of these texts. Torche éteinte is a particularly powerful setting with the soprano accompanied by cor anglais, as is Dieu with bells and hushed ensemble making for a quite haunting atmosphere.

There is such passion and control from Brigette Peyré in Ma prison with wonderful instrumental timbres. The last song, Sous le soleil, the longest at nearly four minutes, with Peyré superb in the soaring passages, is a wonderful setting surely showing Denisov as a master of song.

Ekaterina Kouprovskaia-Denisova ‘s Cinq Romances d’Anna Akhmatova are beautiful settings of poems by the Russian writer Anna Akhmatova, sensitively  orchestrated by Edison Denisov for small ensemble. There is mystery, passion and drama here with the settings pointing up the emotions of the original poems. Once again these are terrific performances.

Denisov’s Chamber Symphony No.2 comes from near the end of his life but it is nevertheless full of energy and invention. Consisting of one movement, this work is shorter than the first chamber symphony.  It opens with a riot of instruments before settling down to a quieter section but with occasional outbursts from various instruments. Untuned percussion features heavily. Though the music does settle to a degree it always feels as if an eruption is ready to break out from the scurrying music – as it often does. It is this tension and the underlying rhythms that drive the music. Later on a solo flute provides some respite though the music is still rhythmically unsettled. After this quieter section, the music grows with unturned percussion leading to frantic music and a tremendously violent end.

Listeners new to Denisov will probably find that his first Chamber Symphony is an easier work to digest than the second Chamber Symphony. I cannot see anyone not finding both the song cycles attractive. Sadly the texts provided are only in Russian and French but the notes by Ekaterina Kouprovskaia are excellent. With wonderful performances and a first rate recording this disc is ideal for those who would like to get to know Edison Denisov’s often exquisite music.