Musically the early
years of the 20th Century
constituted one of the most exciting
and productive eras ever, and this was
especially true of the 1920s when innovation
was a truly dynamic and creative force.
One of the most singular developments
that helped to define those inter-war
years was the attempt to inject jazz-inspired
themes into "classical" music.
This was no gimmick but a genuine desire
on behalf of many composers to pay homage
to jazz, the new music genre of the
new century, and the three composers
on this disc show how successful this
"fusion" was. Stravinsky,
Honegger, Copland, Ravel and others
all did their bit to take this exciting
new music into their classical compositions.
The fruits of their writing in this
sphere have earned their place in the
pantheon of works heard in the concert
hall and through recordings. It is surprising
to note, therefore, that the Schulhoff
concerto was heard only three times
in the 1920s until its German premiere
in 1993, whilst the Antheil concerto
only had its London premiere on 5 March
2001!
It is sad to learn
that Ervin Schulhoff is one of those
group of composers lost to the world
through the Holocaust, having been one
of a number of Czech composers sent
to their deaths by the Nazis. Anyone
who has heard any of his music or that
of Krasa, Haas and Klein, for example,
will be only too aware of the fantastic
talent of which the musical world has
been robbed as a result of such madness.
Schulhoff was already
an established composer at the time
of his death in Wolfsburg prison in
1942, and this concerto shows off his
inventiveness perfectly. Entitled "Concerto
for Piano and small Orchestra"
it has a big sound, nevertheless, helped
by the inclusion of no less than eighteen
percussion instruments, including Japanese
wooden drum, laughing devil (!), car
horn, torpedo siren and anvil. Covering
a great deal of ground in its brief
18 minute length the concerto begins
with a sound world that readily brings
to mind the closing years of the 19th
century, with tones and colours identifiable
with Debussy, with woodwind and strings
creating a heady mix of sensual, impressionist
sound paintings. The second movement
continues with this idea with notes
appearing to ascend from the depths
like bubbles rising to the surface.
Suddenly with the final movement we
are very definitely brought smack bang
into the 20th century with
sensuality replaced by a hard-edged
frenetic energy and an almost manic
dance-like theme; the jazz inspiration
here being that of Ragtime with its
heavy syncopation and dynamic showy
style. The musical manipulation in this
movement of all the varied and exotic
percussion is absolutely masterful and
thoroughly exciting. After hearing this
concerto I’m sure you will find it incomprehensible,
as I did, that it has remained a hidden
gem for so many decades. It is to be
hoped that this recording will find
the success it deserves and bring this
work into the concert hall where it
belongs.
George Antheil’s "jazz
symphony for Piano and Orchestra"
of 1927 begins with a Mexican sounding
theme full of brash brass reminiscent
of Copland’s "El salon Mexico",
with a charlestonesque tune cutting
across, the piano providing a punctuating
presence of its own. All these elements
become increasingly integrated, then
a solo trumpet plays a bluesy tune against
a mechanical sounding orchestral accompaniment
and with a banjo picking out a bit of
pure dixieland. A waltz played on the
piano with the orchestra joining in
completes the concerto in brilliant
fashion. Despite all the disparate influences
on display in this work, all of them
belonging to the Americas, it is nonetheless
fascinating to note that both in this
work and that of Weill, Eisler and others,
there is a particular "German"
sound in all German composers’ attempts
to introduce jazz into their music.
This is no doubt due in part to the
particular interpretation of jazz played
in the night clubs of Berlin at the
time these works were written, and which
was epitomised so effectively in the
film "Cabaret".
George Gershwin’s "Concerto
in F for Piano and Orchestra" of
1925 shows a real love for and understanding
of jazz, and, being American, Gershwin
had a great deal more exposure to the
world of jazz than either of the other
two composers on this disc, effective
though their concertos are. This concerto
has a true jazz feel running right through
it and, unlike the other two compositions,
it stormed its way into the public’s
heart from the outset and became a runaway
success and has remained so ever since.
Its first movement is so chock full
of energy that its quite breathtaking.
The second movement is restrained with
a beautiful blues theme introduced by
the orchestra then picked out by the
trumpet. The piano then comes in with
a cheeky and jaunty tune that reminded
me of Gershwin’s "Walking the dog".
The trumpet reintroduces the blues again
and it is joined by the piano and then
by the orchestra. The final movement,
marked ‘allegro agitato is’, as it implies,
fast and furious and full of the brilliance
that we know Gershwin for.
Michael Rische as soloist
in all three concertos brings each of
them off with panache and commitment
in equal measure. Both orchestras and
conductors do the music proud and make
this a thoroughly enjoyable disc.
Steve Arloff
West
German Radio Symphony Orchestra of Cologne conducted
by Gunther Schuller (Schulhoff) 