Sometimes is said that
Alban Berg is the most accessible of
the composers of the Second Viennese
School. This is, of course, a generalization;
pieces like the almost neo-classical
Chamber Concerto show Berg in
a more severe and clinical style, closer
to fellow Schoenberg student Anton von
Webern. On the other hand, if one wants
to look for a piece as proof of accessibility,
one can’t do better than to pick the
Violin Concerto.
Composed in 1935, the
concerto is dedicated "To the Memory
of an Angel", Manon, recently deceased
daughter of Alma Mahler and Bauhaus
architect Walter Gropius. It is, indeed
a very moving piece in two movements:
an Andante/Allegretto, intended to portray
several stages of Manon’s life: youthful
games, the gain of experience and the
development of a human being. The second
part, a stormy allegro ending in a mournful
adagio is ... well ... the end.
Reiko Watanabe is the
soloist. While certainly not displaying
the virtuosity Pinchas Zuckerman displays
in his recording with Pierre Boulez,
Watanabe sounds completely emotionally
involved with the work. She has a beautiful
tone which together with her expressive
playing makes for a very satisfying
reading of a work that seems to call
for such an approach.
What about Sinopoli?
For all the controversy his interpretations
stir up, in this case his approach works
100%. A very well paced, through not
rushed reading allows the Staatskapelle
Dresden to shine. The sound is lush,
full and clear, aided by the great job
the Teldec engineers did in this live
recording.
Berg’s Chamber Concerto
for violin, piano and 13 wind instruments
from 1925 is a tougher piece for this
writer to review. I admit to being a
newcomer to the music of the 2nd
Viennese school and indeed a very recent
convert, at least to the music of Berg
and Schoenberg.
That said, Sinopoli
makes a great case for this piece to
present to people like me. Following
an approach similar to the one used
in the Violin Concerto, in his hands
the hard edges as softened, while the
lyrical sections are presented in the
beautiful velvet ‘cushion’ the members
of the Staatskapelle Dresden provide.
Watanabe is, again the soloist and we
find her in a more angular mode, with
a harder attack and bolder sonorities.
Pianist Andrea Luchesini does a great
job complementing Watanabe’s playing.
We have then, a great
version of the work, in fact ideal as
an introduction both to Alban Berg’s
and the 2nd Viennese school
music. This is not to say that this
version can’t stand on its own right
as a great performance of a noble work;
a recommended recording.
Victor Martell
Reiko Watanabe (Violin) 