I like the way this release has been astutely designed – two atonal works
book-ended by Webern’s romantic
Langsamer Satz from his pre-serial
period, and Schoenberg’s
Verklärte Nacht, a work deriving its
stylistic lineage from German late-Romanticism. Both works have a common
theme: the composer’s ardent expressions of love.
Slow Movement or
Langsamer Satz is Webern’s love letter
to his cousin, Wilhelmine Mörtl who he fell in love with following a hiking
trip in Lower Austria. It dates from 1905, and in this single movement he
pours out his feelings for her. He had begun studying with Schoenberg, and
the work embodies some of the ecstasy of
Verklärte Nacht. The
performance here highlights the lush opulence of the scoring, and the
Belceas bring both a sumptuous warmth and autumnal glow to the music.
Surprisingly, the work wasn't publicly performed until 27 May 1962 in
Seattle.
In a single burst of creativity in the summer months of 1909, Webern
composed his
Fünf Sätze, Op. 5 for string quartet. His first true
foray into concentrated expression, this would be a feature of his music
from that point onwards. He was a cellist himself, and was able to create
and incorporate different string effects to spice up the music, including
pizzicato, harmonics and tremolos. All of these are realized to tremendous
effect by the Belceas, who shape the contours of the music with intelligence
and an instinctive grasp of the structure of the music. I love the delicate
pianissimo they achieve in the fourth movement, marked
Sehr
langsam. In the fifth movement, the most substantial, the music, at the
end, dies away to the rich, dark and soulful cello sound of Antoine
Lederin.
Berg’s six-movement, twelve-tone
Lyric Suite, offers the
opportunity for the players to deliver a performance embracing a full
emotional spectrum – on the one hand grand gesture, drama and declamation,
and on the other, burning, heartfelt lyricism and passion. The work,
dedicated to Zemlinsky, is richly rewarding, and provides a challenge to any
ensemble. It’s an intensely personal score, autobiographical, with an
extra-musical programme. Berg’s annotated score was discovered by George
Perle in 1976, revealing the work to be a musical record of the composer’s
unconsummated love for Hanna Fuchs-Robettin. The fourth movement quotes
Zemlinsky’s
Lyric Symphony, whilst the sixth
Tristan and
Isolde. By ordering the movements in alternating fast, slow, Berg
offers some contrast. The Belceas acquit themselves with distinction; their
virtuosity is put to the test, and they emerge victorious. What impresses me
is their vivid, visceral and emotional force. The third movement, marked
Allegro misterioso is a kind of scherzo. The quartet conjures up
images of nocturnal insects, fidgeting and nervous. The string effects are
thrilling, with pizzicato and what sounds like
sul ponticello
creating a stark and diaphanous array of colour. The fourth movement is
expressive and imbued with passion. In the fifth movement, the daring
rhythmic aggression is breathtaking.
As the nineteenth century drew to a close, Arnold Schoenberg composed his
string sextet
Verklärte Nacht. I have a great fondness for this
work, and have several recordings. I prefer this version to the composer’s
string orchestral arrangement. The story is simple – the work portrays a
couple walking through a dark forest on a moonlit night. The woman shares a
secret with her new lover that she bears a child by another man. The man
loves her and is prepared to accept the child. This is the subject of the
poem by Richard Dehmel of the same title from which Schoenberg drew his
inspiration, but the music also reflects his feelings towards Mathilde von
Zemlinsky, sister of the composer; he was later to marry her. The Belcea
conveys the troubled emotional narrative, with their intimate conversational
style. The mysterious opening is effectively evoked. What also adds to the
success of the performance is their sensitive dynamic control and the subtle
tempo relationships between the various sections. This has to be one of the
finest realizations of this piece I have heard – a reading with an inward
quality of luminous warmth.
The sound quality of the recording couldn’t be bettered, with the Britten
Studio, Snape conferring warmth, intimacy and exactly the right amount of
resonance. The intricate instrumental detail has clarity and definition
throughout. This is a release I will return to often.
Stephen Greenbank
