Friedrich GERNSHEIM (1839-1916)
Piano Quintet No. 1 in D minor, Op. 35 (1877) [34:09]
Piano Quintet No. 2 in B minor, Op. 63 (1897) [29:57]
Edouard Oganessian (piano)
Art Vio String Quartet
rec. 2009, Vilnius
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0099 [64:06]
Born in Worms to a prominent Jewish family, Friedrich Gernsheim’s family roots meant that his works promptly disappeared from history but they have re-surfaced; as well they should.
Two decades lie between this brace of piano quintets. With a maturity planted firmly in two centuries Gernsheim rises from the mists and fogs of German romanticism. He lived into the 'new century' and died at the age of 77 during the Great War.
Gernsheim discs have appeared from time to time, including his four symphonies: 1 & 3 CPO and 1-4 on Arte Nova 74321636352 with the Rhineland Philharmonic conducted by Siegfried Kohler. Other pieces have also made it onto disc, including the Trios and Cello Concerto. Toccata’s first recordings pre-date CPO’s identical and (going by disc timings) slightly swifter coupling by five or so years. I welcomed that version but certainly if you lean towards epic grandeur the Toccata disc needs to be heard.
These two four-movement works are major statements. Their dates place them in Gernsheim’s mid-thirties and his late-fifties.
This disc was first issued in 2010 and was written up by Brian Wilson as a download at that time. I should mention that he found “slight congestion in places” and a “slightly harsh piano tone”.
The liner-notes are by the late and much missed Malcolm Macdonald. His wide-ranging essay is factually rewarding with plenty of stimulating context and commentary. They have been translated into German by the distinguished music scholar Jürgen Schaarwächter, much associated with Reger and renowned for his pioneering work on the British Symphony pre-1945. As Macdonald says, Brahms left his musical mark on many then-contemporary composers. He cites Fuchs, Röntgen, Herzogenberg, Jenner (his only formal composer pupil) and of course Gernsheim.
The First Quintet’s burly and confident Allegro moderato tips the listener into an Andante Molto Cantabile the hushed stasis of which precedes an almost Hungarian Vivace ed energico. This in turn, from time to time, feels the ‘pull’ of that rather fine second movement. The stuttering, fugally-inflected, finale flickers at first but soon burns in grand conflagration and with a stirring theme. This, at its summit and close, consumes oxygen with a majestic flourish. This impression registers strongly despite a last few bars that too easily obey the conventions of how to close a major work.
The Second Quintet opens with a delightful Viennese dance. This is all frilly delicacy at 2:10. Its affecting impact is rather like the fragile but oh-so-memorable melodies that spring in after the first few pages of Havergal Brian's Gothic Symphony and Third Symphony; quite different in detail but related in impact on the listener. In the case of Gernsheim, its calming message takes over the progress of an otherwise stormy opening. The very same calm nature basks and expands in the context of the second movement Adagio. There’s then a little (3:22) Allegretto Molto Grazioso and the emphasis is very much on the Grazioso element. The Allegro Giocoso finale should perhaps have been labelled Maestoso as well because that is the predominance of mood. The stirring rhythmic material and treatments fit it nicely as a finale - the unusually long resonating piano of Eduard Oganessian at 2:30 is also notable and contrasts nicely with the tipping, tumbling, turning progress of the music. It’s Brahmsian in accent and soundworld, yes, but burns with confidence and conviction.
Up-close microphone placement and full spectrum recording stand up well to these works' strong-brewed romanticism.
Rob Barnett
Previous review: Philip R Buttall
