Alberto GINASTERA (1916 -1983)
The Vocal Album
Cinco Canciones Populares Argentinas Op.10 (1943, orch. Shimon Cohen) [9:16]
Excerpts from Don Rodrigo Op.31 (1963/4) [17:16]
Milena Op.37 (1971) [26:43]
Ana María Martínez (soprano, op. 10)
Virginia Tola (soprano, opp. 31/37)
Plácido Domingo (tenor, op. 31)
Rafael Sardina (speaker, op. 31)
Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra/Gisèle Ben-Dor
rec. Oxnard Performing Arts Centre, California, USA, 2002 (Cinco Canciones); East West Studios, Los Angeles, USA, 2011 and Metropolis Studios, London, UK, 2014 (Don Rodrigo, Milena)
Texts and translations included
WARNER CLASSICS 2564 686830 [53:07]
Originally written for voice and piano, the early Cinco
Canciones Populares Argentinas Op.10 are heard here in a very
fine orchestration by Shimon Cohen made at the request of Gisèle Ben-Dor.
Cohen and Ben-Dor were also responsible for the orchestration of the Suite
de Danzas Criollas Op.15 available on Naxos 8.570999 reviewed
here. These two works belong to Ginastera's so-called early nationalist,
folk-inflected period that also produced works such as Estancia Op.8
(1941). The short cycle of songs is a really lovely work and Cohen's
scoring is quite subtle and colourfully done.
Ginastera's first opera Don Rodrigo Op.31
belongs to the composer's maturity and is stylistically light-years
away from the folksy early phase. The music is now rather radical. It adopts
the considerably enlarged sound palette which was to characterise most of
Ginastera's later works. The opera was also of importance for Plácido
Domingo who had one of his first international successes when performing the
title role with the New York City Opera at the outset of his career. This
is why he wanted to do some of it for this centenary release. So it was decided
to record two scenes from the opera: the duo d'amore “The Outrage”
(Act II, Scene 5) and the final scene “The Miracle” (Act III,
Scene 9). The libretto is by Alejandro Casona and tells of Don Rodrigo who
loses Spain to the invading Moors. Don Rodrigo rapes Florinda whom he had
promised to protect and profanes an old secret: which one we are not told.
He dies in misery and despair, begging for forgiveness, accompanied by a hermit
and the ever-loving Florinda. They witness a miracle, as all the bells in
Spain toll simultaneously without being rung by human hands. So the first
excerpt deals with the rape scene. The second excerpt is to my mind the most
impressive for it is for the most part a poignant prayer in which Rodrigo
expresses his deep and sincere regrets for all the hardships that Spain had
to suffer because of his arrogance and in which he begs forgiveness. Heard
after the preceding, expressionist excerpt the final scene is deeply moving
for all its comparative simplicity. The music slowly builds up to the miracle
that has all bells of Spain ringing, which provides the opera with a truly
spine-chilling final climax. Listening to these excerpts one would definitely
like to hear the opera as a whole. This seems an unlikely prospect for the
time being. I would, however, like to mention the existence of a Sinfonia
'Don Rodrigo' Op.31a for soprano and orchestra playing
for some twenty-five minutes that could have been brought into the bargain
considering that the total playing time of this release is rather short.
The cantata Milena Op.37 may be somewhat better
known since a recording of it by Phyllis Curtin, the Denver Symphony conducted
by Brian Priestman made during the LP era (Desto 7171) was later available
in CD format (Phoenix PHCD 107). The words were assembled by the composer
from a Spanish translation of Kafka's Briefe an Milena (“Letters
to Milena”). As the composer once mentioned, Kafka's letters
are his most unconscious and private masterpiece. In them he tells of the
happiness his relationship with Milena gave him and later relates his painful
collapse. He wanted all of her for himself but she was a married woman. By
some strange spiritual unity she died of the same pulmonary disease as the
writer. The cantata is structured in six movements: an a capella
Praeludium (De los fantasmas) which after a somewhat mysterious bridge
passage leads into the first Cantus (Del amor). There follows a Prosa
I (De los sueños) set as a melodrama, spoken voice over orchestral
accompaniment. Cantus II (De las cartas) leads into Prosa II (De
celos y desesperanzas), also set as a melodrama, eventually
leading into the Cantus Finalis (Del infinito). Milena is
one of Ginastera's most impressive achievements for the richness of
its invention, its masterly scoring and its strongly communicative expression.
The composer may rely on a number of 'advanced' techniques.
I suspect that there are some aleatoric passages in this work: in the bridge
section between Praeludium and Cantus I. However his ultimate aim is and remains
communication.
Gisèle Ben-Dor's advocacy of Ginastera's music and whole-hearted
commitment to it are well-known and displayed in her recordings of his music
(review
review).
This release is no exception and she commands strong orchestral support for
her soloists including the veteran Plácido Domingo who at times seems effortful
in meeting the demands of Don Rodrigo's role though he still copes
bravely with them here. I cannot really fault any of the performers. Phyllis
Curtin and Virginia Tola rise to the demanding part in Milena Op.37
and are rather on a par although the Spanish-speaking Virginia Tola is generally
more at ease in the difficult Prosa sections.
In short, this is a splendid centenary release with two substantial works
- even if one of them is represented by two excerpts - and a lovely early
one in a very fine and subtle orchestration. My sole 'grumble'
will have to do with the short playing time which prompted my earlier remark
concerning a possible inclusion of the Sinfonia 'Don Rodrigo'
which would have proved a formidable complement to an outstanding release.
Hubert Culot
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