A very enjoyable recording, this, showcasing three diverse
20th century works which all deserve wider exposure.
The oboe is a curiously neglected instrument in terms of solo
repertoire, and the three composers on this CD seem to have
come to it for three completely different reasons: Martinů
was commissioned by an oboe player (Jiri Tancibudek), and Holliger
is an oboe player, while Dorati’s motivations stemmed from his
sympathy for the instrument’s neglect.
In the 1920s, the influence of Stravinsky’s neo-classicism was
so strong that many composers wrote works that sounded like
direct imitation without even realising. Most grew out of the
fad in the following decades, but Martinů continued longer
than most. His Oboe Concerto was written in 1955 and has Stravinsky
trademarks all over it. There is even what sounds like a direct
quotation of the bitonal Petrushka motif in the second
movement. Martinů has a distinctive voice, even at his
most neo-classical, and fans of his symphonies, for example,
will immediately recognise those long syncopated melodies, the
prominent piano in the orchestra and professional efficiency
of his opening and closing gestures. As with the other works
on the disc, the solo part combines virtuosity and lyricism,
so melodies often contain huge intervals, and appear in curious
registers, but remain truly melodic throughout. (Talking of
registers, there is a great typo in the liner-note: ‘The slow
movement calls for a G sharp two and a half octaves above middle
C, a semi-tone higher than the F which is normally regarded
as the oboe’s highest note...’)
The Holliger Sonata is one of the composer/oboist/conductor’s
earliest works. This, too, mixes lyricism and virtuosity in
a range of inventive ways. And there is never a danger of the
lack of accompaniment causing lack of interest. On the contrary,
the diversity of tempi, dynamics and phrase structures makes
for endlessly fascinating listening. A lot of the writing is
high, but Yeon-Hee Kwak takes it all in her stride, and maintains
an impressively warm tone, even right at the top.
The impetus for Antal Dorati’s Divertimento came from an unlikely
source, the Discount Record and Book Store in Washington, who
commissioned it to mark their 25th anniversary in
1976. It is very much a product of its time, and shows the (productive)
influence of a number of the mid-century’s greatest composers.
The vibraphone in the opening calls to mind the Walton Cello
Concerto, while much of the following material owes a debt to
Shostakovich. The orchestration here is wilfully eccentric,
and you’ll hear more percussion than you would ever expect from
an oboe concerto. The work is stylistically some distance from
the other works, the Martinů in particular. The overall
impression is of a diverse and satisfyingly varied programme.
Yeon-Hee Kwak is a fine advocate for her instrument. I sense
that she is consciously striving for a vocal sound in much of
her playing, which brings a clarity to her phrasing, even in
the most complex passages. The Müncher Rundfunkorchester and
Johannes Goritzki accompany sympathetically but without undue
restraint. I don’t think this music really stretches them -
well, maybe the percussion in the Dorati - but they are able
to keep up the interest and move seamlessly between the various
styles and moods of this diverse programme. The SACD sound is
good but not exceptional. The round, fullness of the oboe sound,
especially in the top register, is the main recipient of the
superior audio’s benefits. The disc comes with both Dolby 5.1
surround and so-called ‘2+2+2’ sound, the latter giving a more
even surround experience when the speakers are rearranged around
the room. Quite what use that is for a solo work like the Holliger
is anybody’s guess.
Gavin Dixon
Yeon-Hee Kwak (oboe) 
