Monday 31 October 2022

A profoundly moving Shostakovich cycle marks the Brodsky Quartet's 50th birthday in style

Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 October 2022

Kings Place, London










Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975): 
String Quartet no. 1 in C major, Op.49
String Quartet No. 2 in A major, Op.68
String Quartet No. 3 in F major, Op.73
String Quartet No. 4 in D major, Op.83
String Quartet No. 5 in B flat major, Op.92
String Quartet No. 6 in G major, Op.101
String Quartet No. 7 in F sharp minor, Op.108
String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op.110
String Quartet No. 9 in E flat major, Op.117
String Quartet No. 10 in A flat major, Op.118
String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op.122
String Quartet No. 12 in D flat major, Op.133
String Quartet No. 13 in B flat minor, Op.138
String Quartet No. 14 in F sharp major, Op.142
String Quartet No. 15 in E flat minor, Op.144


No. 1:
'Strident expression from Osostowicz in the opening movement and sad nostalgia from Cassidy in the slow movement'.

'There was stark pizzicato and searing anguish from Osostowicz in no. 12’s second movement, and Cassidy’s painful ascent to the top the fingerboard at the end of no. 13 was almost unbearably lonely'.

No. 14:
'Thomas brought rich intensity to the almost Bachian extended solo passages, as well as glorious warmth to the ‘Italian’ duet with the first violin, and the Lady Macbeth “Seryozha, my darling” quote in the final movement'.

'Cellist and writer Wilson studied in Moscow with Rostoprovich in the sixties, and was full of first-hand knowledge of not only Shostakovich and the works but many of the key people around him'.

'Frolova-Walker’s talk on the second day added wry humour, but also drew harsh parallels with the current situation in Russia and Ukraine'.

'As many questions as answers about this profoundly disturbing yet moving cycle, as well as even greater admiration for the artistry and achievement of a fine quartet of players in their prime'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Thursday 27 October 2022

CD Reviews - November 2022

Pianist Clare Hammond’s new disc (realised 4 November) of Études by Hélène de Montgeroult (1764-1836) is a complete revelation. Eight years younger than Mozart, Montgeroult, from a noble background, led a dramatic life involving a secret diplomatic mission, kidnap and imprisonment. Despite this, she was made professor of piano at Paris Conservatoire de Musique, and published nine sonatas, three fantasies, and her ‘Cours complet’ containing 114 études and over 900 exercises, as well as various other pieces. The style is so ahead of her time, in terms of what we might expect, that it is hard not to think that her work was not heard by the likes of Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Chopin. It is often the case that we fall into the trap of listening to unknown music composed by women and constantly liken it to that of male composers, as if to say they must have been the prime influence. Here it is so clearly the other way around, as many of the characteristics of her compositions, in terms of adventurous harmonies, complexity of texture, tempo changes and singing melodies, are foretastes of what we hear in the Romantic composers that followed her. The études were composed from around 1788 to 1812, by which time Schumann and Chopin were just 2 and Mendelssohn 3 years old. Yet if you didn’t know otherwise, the singing melodies over perpetual motion accompaniment of Études nos. 26 and 41, or the dancing energy or percussive textures of nos. 35 & 65, or the virtuosic trilling and insistent rhythmic energy of nos. 100 & 103, could be mistaken for Mendelssohn, Schubert or Chopin respectively. There are Beethovenian bagatalles, Field-like nocturnes, poignancy foreshadowing late Schubert, and even Brahmsian impromptus. Yet there is a clear individuality too in her expressive use of melody and her dense, rapid-moving textures. Did all of these composers know her work? There are possible connections to Mendelssohn via one of his teachers, and Clara Schumann’s father used the Cours complet in his teaching. But beyond that, we can’t be sure. We can only conclude from the quality and creative invention of her compositions that, had she not been a woman, her work would surely be better known today. Hammond has absorbed her soundworld and performs these gems with nuance, warmth and virtuosic fluidity throughout. Given that there are 29 études from the 114 here, there is surely scope for a follow-up, which would be greatly welcomed.

Montgeroult, H. de. 2022. Études. Clare Hammond. Hybrid Super Audio Compact Disc. BIS Records BIS-2603

American pianist Sarah Cahill returns with the second volume of her survey of keyboard music composed by women, The Future is Female. As with the first volume, the choice is eclectic, ranging from the late 17thcentury to the present day, and the loose theme this time is The Dance. She opens with the delightful Suite No. 1 from Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre’s (1665-1729) Pièces de clavecin. If we put to oneside any concerns about this being performed on a modern piano, Cahill’s approach is light and delicate, with rippling ornaments and the five short movements bounce along with a gentle lilt. The middle Sarabande is quiet and contemplative, whilst the final Gigue, whilst not overly extravagant, is pacier, within an overall introspective soundworld. Clara Schumann (1819-1896) is next, and her Variations of a theme of Robert Schumann, Op. 20. Written as a present for her husband’s 43rd birthday, it was one of her last compositions for the piano. The theme itself is rather mournful, almost funereal – and it was her husband’s last birthday before entering the asylum where he would end his days. However, she creates romantic passion in the variations that follow, increasing the intensity and rhythmic energy and moving the melody around in the texture. Yet she returns several times to the chorale-like plainness of the theme, and the six variation is particularly poignant and questioning. Cahill captures the atmosphere of this deeply personal composition with understated affection. We leap forward to 1957 for Germaine Tailleferre’s (1892-1983) Partita, with its wandering melodic lines and jazzy harmonies, and a playfully balletic dance to end. We move through the latter half of the twentieth century with a mournfully nostalgic Rhapsody from Zenobia Powell Perry (1908-2004) and two evocative movements from Madeleine Dring’s (1923-1977) Colour Suite, full of cabaret-style swing and dance rhythms. Elena Kats-Chernin’s (b.1957) Peggy’s Rag is delightfully nostalgic, and Betsy Jolas’ (b.1926) Tango Si deconstructs elements of the dance, with stop-start hints of tango rhythms. The St Petersburg Waltz by Meredith Monk (b.1942) swirls around repeated chords with Eastern European inflections and distant cries from the top of the keyboard. Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz’s (b.1964) Preludio y Estudio No. 3 has a mysterious, free prelude with high outbursts contrasting with a drone-like bass, and the virtuosic Estudio is full of insistent driving rhythms, splashing chords and metallic use of the very top of the instrument. The disc ends with a dramatically expressive piece, ‘She Dances Naked Under Palm Trees’, by Theresa Wong (b.1976), with haunting use of the pedal to create ringing notes, thundering textures, glissandi and a deeply unsettling 13-beat metre. As with the first disc, with such a fascinating and well-chosen selection of diverse works, it is easy to forget the pianist here, and once again Cahill demonstrates an impressive command of such a wide variety of styles, so as well as being a great testament to the women composers here, high praise is deserved for these performances too.


Various. 2022. The Future is Female, Vol. 2, The Dance. Sarah Cahill. Compact Disc. First Hand Records FHR132.


Ruth Gipps (1921-1999) was an English composer, oboist, pianist and conductor, studying the oboe at the Royal College of Music with Léon Goossens, and composition with Gordon Jacob and Vaughan Williams. Her music eschewed serialism or atonalism and as such, perhaps fell out of fashion somewhat – and of course she sadly suffered at the hands of a misogynistic and male-dominated world of composition in the early to mid-twentieth century. Thankfully, her music is experiencing something of a revival, and Chandos’ second volume of her orchestral music further demonstrates the inventiveness of her orchestration and her understanding of orchestral colour. Her youthful Oboe Concerto, Op. 20, expertly performed here by Juliana Koch, along with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Rumon Gamba, is full of lively writing for the oboe, along with lyricism in the slow movement, folksy dancing melodies in its finale. But its strengths also lie in the delicacy of the scoring, with just muted strings in the central Andante, and mysterious string textures in the opening movement. There are two short orchestral works here too, firstly an Overture to a never completed opera, Chanticleer, Op. 28, with atmospheric wind writing and surging strings, as well as rasping brass evoking the cockerel of the title. There is also a dark elegy on war, Death on the Pale Horse, Op. 25 (written in 1943), drawing inspiration from Blake’s painting of the same name. Here, gently pulsing timpani build to the climactic moments, and the opening horn solo, repeated at various points, adds to the sense of doom. The rest of the disc is given over to Gipps’ Symphony No. 3, Op. 57. Written in 1965, the style was surely running against the fashions of the time, which might explain its relative obscurity, but the wealth of expression and orchestral colour on offer here is immediately attractive. The shifting tonalities of the opening movement, with rich string writing, builds to exhilharating, surging climaxes, and the Theme and Variations second movement is warm and lush, with highly imaginative use of percussion. Again, unusual orchestral colour is on display in the Scherzo, with an ostinato (repeated figure) for harp and glockenspiel, against skittish string writing. The finale is jaunty, with some striking moments for the brass – she certainly knows how to make the most of all parts of orchestral textures, and Gamba and the BBC Philharmonic exploit this to the full. I missed Volume 1, and will certainly now be seeking it out.


Gipps, R. 2022. Ruth Gipps Orchestral Works, Vol. 2. Juliana Koch, BBC Philharmonic, Rumon Gamba. Compact Disc. Chandos CHAN 20161.

 

 

 

Monday 24 October 2022

Brighton Early Music Festival 2022

 

My highlights from this year's Brighton Early Music Festival: 

 

Flutes & Frets

Tufnell Trio


 
BREMF Medieval Ensemble
Liturina














 

 

 


Monday 17 October 2022

Strong cast lifts conventional Bohème revival at the Royal Opera House

Richard Jones (Director)
Danielle Urbas (Revival Director)
Stewart Laing (Designer)
Mimi Jordan Sherin (Lighting Designer)
Sarah Fahie (Movement Director)

Vasko Vassilev (Principal Guest Concert Master)
William Spaulding (Chorus Director)

Ross Ramgobin (Schaunard)
Jeremy White (Benoît)
Ailyn Pérez (Mimì)
Andrew Macnair (Parpignol)
Wyn Pencarreg (Alcindoro)
John Morrissey (Customs Officer)
Thomas Barnard (Sergeant)


La bohème, Act 2
© ROH/Marc Brenner

Co-production with Teatro Real, Madrid & Lyric Opera of Chicago

Friday 14 October 2022



Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924): La bohème
(libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henry Murger)














Andrey Zhilikhovsky (Marcello) & Ailyn Pérez (Mimì)
© ROH/Marc Brenner




'A Chaplinesque Flórez lingering effortlessly (borderline indulgently – but if you’ve got it…) on his glorious top notes, and Pérez highly convincing with tender warmth and innocence building to rich passionately rich tones.'

'Danielle de Niese (Musetta) created much needed movement and colour here, with some precarious table-top attention grabbing. Her Musetta was light and playful.'



Juan Diego Flórez (Rodolfo) & Ailyn Pérez (Mimì)
© ROH/Marc Brenner
'Flórez and Pérez’s passionate ‘shall we, shan’t we?’ dilemma was evident and convincing, and Andrey Zhilikovsky’s Marcello developed into a more well-rounded character here, with a clear bond between him and Rodolfo, as well as jealous frustration with Musetta.'

'Flórez captured well Rodolfo’s slightly clueless final dawning of reality, and Pérez was equally moving – ... the final result packed the requisite punch.'

'On balance, a strong cast, and a visually stimulating Act 2, with fine playing throughout, once dynamically under control, from the orchestra. But for a more believable and convincing ensemble, despite its bleaker setting, Team Glyndebourne wins out for me.'

Read my full review on Bachtrack here

Tuesday 11 October 2022

Death haunts Glyndebourne Tour's powerful Bohème


Rory Macdonald (conductor)
Floris Visser (director)
Simon Iorio (revival director)
Dieuweke Van Reij (set designer)
Jon Morrell (costume designer)
Pim Veulings (choreographer)
Alex Brok (lighting designer)
Klaus Bertisch (dramaturg)

Richard Milone (leader)
Aidan Oliver (Chorus Director)
Children's Chorus:

Luthando Qave (Marcello)
William Thomas (Colline)
Luvuyo Mbundu (Schaunard)
Darren Jeffery (Benoît/Alcindoro)
Peter Van Hulle (Death/Parpignol)
Andrew Davies (Customs Officer)
Patrick Keefe (Police Sergeant)

Sunday 9 October 2022

Glyndebourne, East Sussex


Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924): La bohème
(libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henry Murger)


William Thomas, Luvuyo Mbundu, Darren Jefferey,
Luthdano Qave & Bekhzod Davronov 
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd/Bill Cooper
'(The insertion of Death) is a useful conceit, drawing the audience into her fear and ultimate acknowledgement of her fate, as it is clear only we and Mimì see Death’s presence'.

'It is remarkably successful. ... there is an intensity to the setting, paring the action down allowing for full focus on the emotional interactions'.

'Davronov captured well Rodolfo’s impetuous youthfulness, contrasted with Reyes’ emotional intensity, with that added dimension of her visions of Death'.

'Davronov sang Rodolfo with strong clear lines and passion, yet he never dominated proceedings, for it was Reyes that shone with rich lyricism and depth of emotion. Qave as Marcello also deserves mention ... bringing a powerful, rich-toned presence to the role'.

Darren Jeffery (Alcindoro) & Mariam Battistelli (Musetta)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd/Bill Cooper
'Rory Macdonald conducted the Glyndebourne Tour Orchestra with energy, maintaining the forward momentum as well as eliciting the rich lyricism of Puccini’s luscious scoring'.

'It succeeds in bringing a new perspective, and the strength of the whole cast mean that this is a production that definitely stands out from the crowd'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.