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A typically innovative piece of programming by Claves
brings together music by three composers who are "bound by their capacity
to work with stylistically very diverse musical material without fear
of venturing into the realms of jazz, popular or folk music". Thus we
encounter the four seasons of Argentina cast as four related tangos by
Astor Piazzolla (Gidon Kremer has also recorded this piece in a different
arrangement), Daniel Schnyder's recent homage to, among other things,
"funk", and, last and certainly not least the great Charles Ives in typical
iconoclastic traditionalist mode.
Piazzolla's work is perhaps more subdued and subtle than
the uninitiated might be expecting. He said himself that his "nuevo (new)
tango" was not to be sung or danced and here the mood is primarily reflective
and quite inward looking, sometimes particularly searching when the cello
takes the lead. The four sections/seasons are musically related and the
only criticism I would make is that perhaps that the material is overlong
for its variety. However, it is not a bad introduction to this unusual
composer, if not quite as eye-opening as his collaborations with the Kronos
Quartet.
Schnyder writes some very interesting notes in the booklet
about his composition. This four part work includes a driving first movement,
a very short scherzo and a finale to be played at Tempo di Funk.
Don't, however, doubt the seriousness - the mentions of Bartok and minimalism
(as influences/antecedents?) are both valid and apt. The young composer
divides his time between Switzerland and New York and it is easy to see
the effect the energy of the latter has had on his music.
Ives is very much a touchstone for many modern performers
and composers alike; I wouldn't necessarily recommend the beginner to
start with the trio recorded here but nevertheless it is very characteristic
in several ways. It is not as immediately accessible as, say, the first
quartet or third symphony, but an easier point of entrance than some of
the piano music or the violin sonatas. The second movement is entitled
TSIAJ (This Scherzo is a Joke) - because it juxtaposes 20 folk/popular
tunes onto each other - it is, however, still eminently (surprisingly?)
listenable and illustrates perfectly the influence of both the vernacular
and the desire to break down barriers on Ives's muse. The extended finale
sees Ives in another highly idiomatic context, bringing in the revival
songs familiar to him from his very specific time and place of composition
(New England, in the milieu of church revival meetings but also the (still
Christian based) transcendentalism of the likes of Whitman, the Alcotts
etc). I love Ives's music - it is often challenging, almost never dull
and touches so many important bases while stimulating both mind and soul.
The performances here by the young Zürcher Klaviertrio
are both well prepared and recorded - they get to the heart of the music
they are playing and prove excellent advocates for it in the process.
The Ives, if not one of his absolute masterpieces, is brilliant and, if
you don't already have his trio elsewhere, certainly recommends this CD
to you. Taken as a whole the disc is well worth acquiring - recommended
without reservation.
Neil Horner
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FREE SOUND SAMPLES
(minimum 30 secs)
A. PIAZZOLLA
The Four Seasons
Primavera
Portena (Spring in Buenos Aires)
Verano
Porteno (Summer in Buenos Aires)
Otono
Porteno (Autumn in Buenos Aires)
Invierno
Porteno (Winter in Buenos Aires)
D. SCHNYDER
Piano Trio
Movement
1
Movement
2
Scherzo.
Commodo. Schweizerland
Very
fast. Tempo di Funk
C. IVES
Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello
Moderato
TSIAJ
(This Scherzo is a joke) Presto
Moderato
con moto
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Zürcher Klaviertrio
