There have been a multitude of recordings of the Bach violin concertos,
but none to my knowledge that also contained Schnittke’s Concerto Grosso No.
3. This disc is also unique in its pairing of two sisters playing these
works. Sarah and Deborah Nemtanu clearly know their way around these
concertos and are well matched in the D minor work. My standard for these
particular masterpieces has been the period instrument recording by Andrew
Manze and Rachel Podger with the Academy of Ancient Music on Harmonia Mundi.
Although the Nemtanus and Orchestre de chambre de Paris under Sascha Goetzel
use modern instruments and play at standard pitch, they have apparently
learned a great deal from historically informed practice in their pacing and
discreet use of vibrato. Overall, I would say the Nemtanus seem more relaxed
than Manze/Podger and warmer in their approach to the Double Concerto.
Deborah Nemtanu, who plays the second part, has a viola-like tone in her
lower register that is really quite lovely.
For the solo concertos I compared the Nemtanus with both the period Manze
performance and the “modern” one from Anne-Sophie Mutter with the Trondheim
Soloists on a DG disc that also contains her authoritative account of
Gubaidulina’s
In tempus praesens. What I found was rather
unexpected, particularly in the A minor Concerto. There Mutter seems closer
to Manze, except for the difference in pitch, while Deborah Nemtanu is
heavier and more deliberate in her interpretation. Mutter, in fact, is very
stylish and refines her tone to suit the Baroque nature of the work. Only in
the slow movement is Nemtanu slightly faster than the others. She plays very
sensitively here with little, but occasional, vibrato and she has a rich,
dark tone that is beautiful. On the other hand, Mutter is much more
traditional in the E major work and plays with a fuller tone than the
others. Her second movement
Adagio e sempre piano is really too
slow and becomes tiresome as compared to Sarah Nemtanu. Nemtanu shaves
almost two minutes off Mutter’s timing, while Manze is more than a minute
faster than Mutter. In the last movement Mutter is light and breezy, quite
the opposite of her approach to the other movements. Both Nemtanu and Manze
are stylish in their respective accounts of the E major Concerto. Nemtanu’s
tone in the first movement is light and sweet and she brings out the
dance-like character better than Manze. In the slow movement it is very much
a draw, but in the finale Nemtanu sounds rushed and heavier next to Manze
and Mutter even though the three timings almost identical. The four
violinists bring something individual to these concertos and technically
they are all above cavil.
The two little Inventions add a nice touch to the programme and the
Nemtanu sisters balance each other very well. What makes this disc
especially valuable, though, is the inclusion of Alfred Schnittke’s Concerto
Grosso No. 3 for two violins, harpsichord and strings. The title may seem a
bit misleading in that the work also contains parts for piano, celesta and
tubular bells. The solo violins play a prominent role throughout the work,
but it is indeed a
concerto grosso and not a solo concerto. It is
an appropriate disc-mate in that it begins like some off-key Bach concerto
for less than a minute before hitting a loud, dissonant chord, after which
it winds down to the very depths of the orchestra. This is Schnittke, the
polystylist, at work. The second movement contains Bachian rhythms until it
turns wild with the string themes accompanied by piano chords. Here it
reminded me of Ligeti. After these “manic” movements, the concerto becomes
rather “depressive.” The third movement, marked
Pesante, is
mysterious and sad. The mood of mystery continues in the fourth movement
with its particularly prominent solo violins until it reaches a scream of
anguish. The last movement is also mysterious, but calmer. The celesta has a
significant role, sounding especially ethereal against pizzicato and bowed
strings. The movement continues with pizzicato strings that sound like some
celestial clock and ends with a harpsichord cluster. This was my first
exposure to the concerto and I was quite taken by it. As its recorded
competition is very slim, it is good to have a new account of it and one
that is well performed by the Nemtanus and Orchestre de chamber de
Paris.
For the Bach concertos, this disc does not sway my allegiance from Manze’s
CD. I also have affection for Mutter’s account of the A minor Concerto.
Nevertheless, these are attractive performances, and the addition of the
Schnittke makes this new CD quite a draw.
Leslie Wright
Previous review:
Dominy Clements
