This
forthcoming release from the BIS label, adding to their repertoire
of post-Soviet contemporary works, contains two works from
the Tatar composer Sofia Gubaidulina. The first is a new flute
concerto, performed here as a world premiere by its dedicatee,
the Israeli-born flautist Sharon Bezaly. It was recorded in
the presence of the composer. The second is the same composer’s
setting of the
Seven Last Words from the Cross, a purely
instrumental work from 1982.
The
title of the flute concerto is taken from the poem ‘
Ash
Wednesday’ by T.S. Eliot. The pairing of a work inspired
by
Ash Wednesday with a work inspired by and drawing
closely on Good Friday makes it clear from the outset that
the composer’s profound religious faith is a significant influence
- as elsewhere in much of her music - and makes this disc a
seasonal release at this time of year. T.S. Eliot has been
an inspiration for Gubaidulina previously, in the vocal settings,
Hommage which
accompany her Violin Concerto on the Deutsche Grammophon recording
featuring Gidon Kremer. However, the composer states that in
the flute concerto it was not her intention to represent emotional
states in the title by musical means. Rather it uses acoustic
effects of tone intervals.
‘ This
precise moment – when a tone emerges from the pulsation – can
be regarded as a metaphor for our hope. A gradual slowing down
of the pulsating difference tone will lead ultimately to a
disappearance
of the sound, and finally also of the pulse – a metaphor for
our despair.’
The
music sussurates, swelling and dwindling alternately in a work
which is gentle but intense. Hers is an understated sound-world
more reminiscent of the earlier string quartets, the Viola
Concerto or perhaps the Piano Concerto ‘Introitus’ than of
some of the better known and more extrovert works such as the
stunningly beautiful ‘Canticle of the Sun’ for Rostropovich:
my own favourite CD purchase of 2005. It calls for concentrated
listening to fully appreciate its intense nature. One might
also think of the sound-world of
Kancheli, whose viola
concerto ‘
Styx’ accompanies Gubaidulina’s on the Deutsche
Grammophon recording with Yuri Bashmet (471 494-2). That said,
this concerto never quite reaches the outbursts of loud aggressive
sound which contrast with alternating pianissimo in much of
Kancheli’s output.
Sharon
Bezaly’s playing is virtuosic in the flute concerto which is
dedicated to her. She was the winner of
Klassic Echo’s ‘Instrumentalist
of the Year’ award in Germany in 2002 and is particularly known
for her command of circular breathing. Her playing has inspired
several dedicated concertos, and her recording ‘
Nordic Spell’ is
a previous
Recording of the Month on this site, as
well as a winner of a MIDEM Classical Award in 2006 (see
review).
Her 2005 recording of Mozart’s Flute Concertos has also received
great acclaim, showing her talent to stretch across a wide
range
of repertoire.
Sieben
Worte uses purely instrumental means to illustrate the
Seven Last Words of Jesus from the Cross, a theme which has
inspired Heinrich Schütz - who is quoted in the fifth movement
of this work and Joseph Haydn. More recently, James Macmillan
(CDA 67460 on Hyperion,
inter alia), another contemporary
composer whose work is often inspired by his own profound
religious faith has also explored this theme. It is a much
more overtly religious work than the flute concerto, and
much of its realm is austere, pared down, almost bleak, conveying
effectively the text’s sense of desolation. One is reminded
of Gubaidulina’s
St John Passion - performed at the
2002 Proms by the Kirov under Gergiev. However, there are
also sections of contrasting tenderness, such as the second
movement,
‘Weib, siehe, das ist dein Sohn. Siehe, das
ist deine Mutter’ (in which Jesus commends his mother
to the care of the disciple he has loved. Listen out also
for the musical evocation of Paradise in the fourth movement
‘Wahrlich,
ich sage dir: Heute wirst du mit mir im Paradiese sein’ where
the flute has a prominent role; a link to the pairing of
the works here. The fourth movement is almost reminiscent
of Messiaen. The work ends with a gentle sense of completion
and trust after the agony of death. The last movement seems
almost like a coda, its shimmering glissandi building and
then dropping away, as an image of the spirit’s departure
from the earthly plane.
Again,
the soloists are musicians of considerable distinction, and
both are Professors of Music (Thedéen at the Edsberg Music
Institute in Stockholm, and Miki at the Folkwang Hochschule
in Essen (Germany)) as well as performers of international
repute. Thedéen, who masters this technically demanding role
with apparent effortlessness, has made other recordings of
both classical and contemporary works, notably a CD of the
Shostakovich cello concerti also on BIS (BIS-CD-803/04).
The
bayan,
the other solo instrument in this work, is a Russian type of
accordion. Gubaidulina has written another religious work for
it, this time as a solo,
De Profundis (paired with
Sieben
Worte on the recording by ECM (ECMNS1775CD). Both show
an unexpected subtlety to an instrument often associated mainly
with fairs and cafes. Mie Miki, who not only plays the
bayan but
had the honour of introducing the accordion to the People’s
Republic of China, has personally inspired and instigated more
than fifty new solo and chamber works for her instrument.
Technically
this is an impressive recording. A distinguished international
cast perform demanding contemporary repertoire which is captured
with sophisticated modern technology. An introduction to each
work by the composer herself is a further bonus. I have a small
grumble, though, about the accompanying notes: given that the
body of these appears in German, English and French it would
have been helpful to a non-German reader to have translations
of the titles of the movements of the
Sieben Worte and
all the more so given the programmatic nature of the work.
This is a small but annoying omission, which might have been
excusable in a budget edition but in my view merits comments
here in this relatively lavish version.
This
is not the only recording available of Gubaidulina’s
Sieben
Worte/Seven Words (some editions use the English title),
so the question arises as to whether it is the most preferable.
Clearly, it is the most recent and the most technically advanced.
Serious fans of Gubaidulina’s own music, or of post-Soviet
contemporary Russian music will undoubtedly welcome this disc,
both for the high quality recording of
Sieben Worte and
for the fascinating and distinguished flute concerto, which
is the composer’s newest work. However they may already have
one or more of the existing recordings - which are very satisfactory,
although not as technically advanced as this - of the S
ieben
Worte. Those with an interest primarily in modern religious
music, or in the
bayan, might prefer the mid-price pairing
with
De Profundis. This is the most readily available
version of the latter and makes more thematic sense. Serious
fans will want to have both of these editions. However mention
should be made of a budget version from Naxos featuring the
Camerata Transylanica under the title of ‘Chamber Collection’ (8.553557),
which would be an excellent introduction to the composer’s
work at the usual bargain price.
Those
with an interest primarily in contemporary music for the flute,
or in Sharon Bezaly’s performances, will enjoy this concerto,
but may not entirely welcome the pairing. If they are not entirely
familiar with Gubaidulina’s oeuvre, they may find it interesting
to listen also to her
‘Music for Flute, Strings and Percussion’ which
is paired with the Rostropovich performance of
‘Canticle
the Sun’ EMI Classics, 5 57153 2.
For
those seeking an introduction to the composer’s work, this
disc would not make the easiest starting point. Both the works,
although important and major pieces reflect one side of her
work, one which is subtle, introspective, demanding and deeply
religious. It is a popular, but inaccurate view that these
are the only attributes of the composer and that her work is ‘difficult’.
The
string concertos are all more accessible than either of these
works, whilst still displaying very considerable technical
virtuosity. The Rostropovich recording of the cello concerto
whilst rooted firmly in the composer’s religious faith - she
uses words of St Francis as her inspiration - has a more universal
outlook and a transcendent beauty which could hardly fail to
inspire the listener. The violin concerto, ‘O
ffertorium’,
and particularly the Deutsche Grammophon version (471 625-2)
featuring Gidon Kremer, whose style is ideally suited to Gubaidulina’s
work, shows quirkiness, humour and lightness of touch - qualities
less readily associated with this composer’s output - in a
performance which is still one of great technical virtuosity.
Its pairing with the Eliot songs shows a representative selection
of the composer’s style, which could be helpful as an introduction.
The Naxos disc is also commendable as a well priced introduction
giving a selection of the composer’s, admittedly earlier, works.
Mention should also be made of the St John Passion (available
on Hänssler Classics 98.405), one of the last decade’s most
important new religious or choral works, and one which is surprisingly
accessible once one become accustomed to its distinctive sound-world.
Overall,
this is a technically superior disc in which an interesting
new concerto, outstandingly performed by its dedicatee, is
paired with an up to date edition of one of the composer’s
most frequently recorded works. Duplication may limit its appeal
a little, as may the relative lack of contrast between the
works in comparison with some of the other recorded collections.
However, for those with a serious interest in the composer
and her contemporaries, it is a must.
Julie
Williams
Sharon Bezaly
(flute); Torleif Thedéen (cello); Mie Miki
(accordion) 
[61:19] 
