This production showcases the music of a young composer with no hang-ups
about communicating to his audience. Pochin sees no need for 'filters', 'prisms'
or 'distorting mirrors'. Instead he seems utterly in equilibrium writing
music which is far from original in expressive language but fresh in tuneful
ideas. Ma is not at all obtuse about his influences and they are laid disarmingly
in front of us.
In many ways a composer writing music in this way offers up his creations
with totally disarming candour. There is no attempt to hide ideas behind
a weave of innovation and avant-garderie. Instead the ideas are presented
in styles already well known to most listeners. That language is freely Romantic
and sometimes popular particularly approachable if you enjoy Richard Clayderman
or Semprini classics although this music is original rather than an arrangement.
The Destiny Sonata is unassertively Gallic (Saint-Saens) with a glancing
blow or two from Scott Joplin's ragtime and a splash of Beethovenian rage
over a lost penny. There is a dreamily glum Septuple in Melancholy for
solo violin, a Schubertian Fantasia for string trio, a restfully rocking
Song Without Words for piano and small chamber ensemble and a jolly
Pastorale for solo piano. Ali in Liberta has a touch of Nyman
about it. Bach and Schubert stalk the pages of Conzia Carissima (for
piano, two clarinets and two cellos). There is an energetic Tarantella
set off rather nicely by the undemandingly soothing Canon For Cecily
(string trio). The Tempest Prelude and Fugue in e minor is decidedly
unacademic.
The 12 tracks (a work to each track) are brief and the more cynical listener
may well say that this is music written for the reduced attention spans of
the MTV generation and (in the UK) the ClassicFM generations that thrive
on a movement from this and prelude from that.
The tracks are, in all but one case, for chamber forces and the longest runs
only 7:12. This single orchestral track is a one-movement symphony not helped
by decidedly bush-league (intonation suspect and creaky playing generally)
orchestral playing by the Shanghai Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Li
Jian Ping. However you can see what Ma is getting at; stepping off where
Beethoven's Eroica and Schubert's Unfinished end. The chamber
tracks are much better done and the recording is fine. The notes by the composer
are practical and helpful. Not specially compelling but sincere and promising
- qualities to be cherished even if the music perhaps falls short of the
high ambitions that conceived it. I would be very pelased to hear later volumes
in this series. Ma's is a name to watch.
Reviewer
Rob Barnett
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various soloists,
Shanghai Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Li Jian Ping
