This is a simply marvellous
disc. Steven Osborne is one of the most
musical and intelligent of the younger
generation of pianists, as he has proved
time again, not only in his Hyperion
recordings, but also in his live appearances
- at the Wigmore
Hall for example. Alban Gerhardt
- a student of Pergamenschikov - seems
to be the perfect partner. Hyperion’s
recording team of Andrew Keener and
Simon Eadon provides a state-of-the-art
recording.
The Shostakovich Cello
Sonata of 1934 is a troubled work. It
is also one of his most impressive pieces
of chamber music, requiring huge musical
maturity from its interpreters. This
it gets in spades here. Osborne begins
conjuring up a lovely bed of sound -
mark well, though, that he never over-pedals
so there is no muddying of textures.
The cello is situated fairly close in
the recorded perspective, but not uncomfortably
so. There are moments of exquisite shading,
particularly from Osborne.
The first impression
of the Scherzo is that it is slightly
under-tempo, but the performers’ dynamism
soon becomes clear, and as it turns
out the tempo is perfect. There are
some magical cello harmonics. The Largo
is nothing short of magnificent, with
breath-taking pianissimi and
an over-riding bleakness of utterance.
The brief final movement (an Allegro)
finds both players demonstrating exemplary
attack. On the strength of this performance
alone, this CD is a real candidate for
my Record of the Year!. Of modern performances
of this work, this is at the very top
of the tree, complementing the Rostropovich/Britten
account.
Shostakovich and Schnittke
make ideal bedfellows. The Schnittke
works chosen here begins with the Madrigal
In Memoriam Oleg Kogan for solo
cello. Kogan had in fact premiered many
of Schnittke’s compositions and there
was a clear bond there. This is pure
desolation in sound, the cello sounding
curiously lost, as if unsure where to
go now that its friend has left us.
Gerhardt sustains the sparse lines excellently.
Klingende Buchstaben (‘Sounding
Letters’) is another solo work, this
time written as a 40th birthday
tribute to Alexander Ivashkin. It is
based on the available pitch-classes
from the name ‘Alexander’ – so, A-E-A-D-E.
It emerges out of the silence at the
end of the Madrigal, and is simply
hypnotic.
Just as Klingende
Buchstaben emerged out of the Madrigal,
so the opening cello soliloquies of
the First Cello Sonata come out of the
high, ultra-delicate close of Buchstaben.
The piano enters with a memorable sequence
of descending chords. This is intense
music – no easy ride. The Scherzo is
fully worthy of Shostakovich. All credit
to Gerhardt for manoeuvring around so
quickly in the usually murky depths
of the cello’s extreme lower register.
It is like listening to a musical depiction
of the scurrying of a scarab beetle.
The finale’s sudden arrival is memorable,
its ultra-desolate piano trills speaking
of real intensity. An incredible performance.
The sequence of eight
Shostakovich arrangements that closes
the disc takes the playing time to just
under eighty minutes. The full sequence
is of eleven pieces, but physical restrictions
led to the omission of three. The pieces
come mostly from other, now obscure
Shostakovich works and it is good to
hear them here. ‘Clockwork Doll’ comes
from A Child’s Exercise Book,
Op. 69 (written for the composer’s daughter)
and brings real relief after the unrelenting
Schnittke Sonata. Both players exhibit
a delightful, light staccato. ‘Hurdy-Gurdy’
- and it is, very much so - comes from
the Ballet Suite No. 1 and is followed
by a beautiful, contrasting ‘Sad Song’
(from Moskva, Cheryomushki).
The calming influence of the Lullaby
(from Victorious Spring, Op.
72) leads to a fast Waltz (from the
1949 film, Michurin) before a
much darker Nocturne (from The
Gadfly) clouds proceedings. This
Nocturne is beautifully veiled
– and the players exhibit supreme control
at the end. The ensuing Moderato
was actually located as recently as
1986, and was possibly written in the
’thirties. Pauline Fairclough’s notes
suggest this may have been part of another
projected Cello Sonata. Who knows? It
is played here with luminous tone by
Gerhardt. A final Gigue - from the music
to a 1954 staging of Hamlet -
presents heady, whirling motives in
the cello.
I cannot recommend
this disc enough. True, it is full-price,
but I bet you will play it many more
times than a multitude of super-budgets.
Superb.
Colin Clarke
for
details
Alban Gerhardt (cello); Steven Osborne (piano).
