This is the most extraordinarily eclectic album of music I have
heard in a long time. You might well expect a contemporary piece
for clarinet and percussion
to jar when it follows - literally - an extended Schumannesque lyrical duo from
1834. But there is in fact a common factor that makes this an absolutely fascinating
and delightful recital disc. It is the uniformly high quality of the music which
in turn is much aided by the superb playing of principal protagonist clarinettist
Linda Cionitti.
The more I listened to this disc the more I liked the deliberate quirkiness of
the programming. I do not pretend for a second to be at all expert or knowledgeable
about the highways and byways of clarinet repertoire. Listening to this disc
is like being taken in hand by a hugely expert enthusiast and shown real musical
treasures. I also like the fact that this has been compiled using a wide range
of instrumental combinations and performers yet they were all brought together
(with the exception of the piece involving the Wind Ensemble) over three days
of intense music-making and recording. So this is clearly not some arbitrary
assemblage of disparate recordings but a carefully considered and structured
programme. Perhaps a culinary analogy would be a good one - this is like a banquet
of the finest foods where each individual course, complete in itself, helps to
prepare the palate for the one to follow. Hence, not every item is intended to
be of equal stature or musical significance. Take for example the exquisite
Romanze
in G by Reger that forms track 2. A miniature jewel - perfect in its minute
and a half and breathtakingly beautifully played here.
In my banquet of the senses
analogy a sorbet to cleanse the palate after the
hor d'oeuvre of Libby
Larsen’s
Yellow Jersey that opens the programme. Larsen is a composer
I know (and I cannot say that about more than half of them on this disc!) although
I had not heard either of her contributions to this concert. This is a duet for
two clarinets that takes the rather neat and fun conceit of representing a stage
in a bicycle race. The inspiration for this comes from the exploits of Lance
Armstrong in winning a record-breaking sequence of the Tour de France. Improbable
as this might sound as a musical programme it works really well - the witty interplay
between Cionitti and her colleague Alan Woy sets the tone for the whole programme
- although this constitutes Woy’s only contribution. I recently reviewed
a disc which included several works for clarinet duet and found myself musing
over the essential “sameness” of two identical instruments and the
resulting aural fatigue. Cionitti and Woy dismiss any such reservations, their
playing colourful, apt, superbly assured and above all supremely musical.
In a diverse programme such as this it is normal to find that one prefers certain
elements to others. In all truth I cannot make such divisions here. Every piece
is a gem. I would challenge any listener not to put this disc on random play
and be charmed by what they heard. I cannot praise the playing of Linda Cionitti
too highly. This is extraordinarily fine clarinet playing. Technically beyond
reproach what I particularly admire is the way she varies her tone, vibrato (so
very subtly applied), attack and whole musical personality to suit the period
and style of each piece. So the Françaix
Tema con Variazioni is
all French perkiness, in magnificent contrast to the meltingly beautiful song-like
tone of the Burgmüller
Duo Op.15. This latter piece is the most instantly
accessible ‘discovery’ here - particularly if 20
th century
music weaves no magic for you. About Burgmüller I know nothing at all except
that which is written in the liner-notes. He died at the age of 26. His works
were published posthumously. In melodic and harmonic terms they belong to that
early romantic age which is the precursor of Schumann and Brahms. One of the
longest pieces on this disc, it is an extended song without words. Cionitti finds
a meltingly chaste tone creating extended musical phrases that are quite superb.
Compare that to the edgy unmistakably American sound of
Black Dog - inspired
apparently by Led Zepplin’s song of the same name. Starting with a clarinet
cadenza-like passage which sounds as though a rather disturbed Gershwin is under
some sinuously eastern influences; this is a compelling work. If you expect the
use of a wind band to result in a piece of mellifluous Graingerisms you’ll
be sadly mistaken. This is very skilfully scored by composer Scott McAllister
who uses the resources of the full Symphonic Wind Ensemble very sparingly but
to great effect. Just in case you were ever in any doubt, the full range of Cionitti’s
technical address is on display here. What a pleasure not to be given a programme
including yet another version of the Copland
Clarinet Concerto … but
on the other hand I bet it would be a rather special performance!
I should make special mention of two of the other world premiere recordings here.
James M David’s
E-type Jag is - literally - a musical evocation
of the famous car of the same name. Very much in the style of post-modern American
composers it is not the most distinctive work on offer here but is energetic
and exuberant, sharing a similar spirit (if not musical characteristics) to brilliant
toccata-like display works by the Michaels: Daugherty and Torke. The other premiere
recording is Thomas Martin Wubbenhorst’s
Even Song. Here a group
of eight singers imitate a didgeridoo by humming softly in the background over
which the clarinet gently muses. It is hauntingly effective and magnificently
simple giving Cionitti another opportunity to amaze us with the even purity of
her playing. Again the placing of this piece in the programme is quite brilliant.
A warm round of applause at this point for Cionitti’s collaborators - ‘accompanists’ does
them too little justice. Pianist Natalia da Roza has the perfect limpid tone
for the Reger and Burgmüller, and when her place is taken at the keyboard
by Maila Gutierrez Springfield for
E-type Jag (she and Cionitti gave the
world premiere performance in 2000) the latter is equally superb in the taxing
piano part with its striding bass lines and disjointed rhythms. Likewise percussionist
Mathew D Falin in the second Larsen piece
Corker is an alert and impressive
performer. The recording uses the generous church acoustic to very good effect
and the balance between all of the instruments is beautifully realised. Finished
off with extensive and informative notes, a fun cover picture and a teasing album
title this is a CD that reflects great credit on all involved. As mentioned above
in passing and alluded to in my banquet analogy, I have enormous respect for
those who planned not just the contents but also the sequence of this programme.
Prior to listening to this disc Ms Cionitti’s name was unknown to me; from
now on I will make a point of seeking out her playing whenever I can. For fans
of clarinet music an absolute must and for those who are of a curious nature
a veritable box of unexpected delights - a disc I urge you to hear.
Nick Barnard
Linda Cionitti (clarinet: all)
