WHO IS AFRAID OF 20th CENTURY MUSIC? Volume 2
John ADAMS
Short Ride in a Fast Machine
George ANTHEIL
Archipelago
Leonard BERNSTEIN
Mambo from West Side Story
Aaron COPLAND
Hoe-Down from Rodeo
Michael DAUGHERTY
Desi
Manuel de FALLA
Ritual Fire Dance
George GERSHWIN
Cuban Overture
Arthur HONEGGER
Pacific 231
Erich Wolfgang KORGOLD
Military March
Alexander MOSSOLOV
The Iron Foundry
Sergei PROKOFIEV
Gavotte from Cinderella
Maurice RAVEL
Pavane pour une infante défunte
Dimitri SHOSTAKOVICH
Journey through Moscow
Igor STRAVINSKY
Fireworks
Toru TAKEMITSU
Green from November Steps
Hamburg
Staatsorchester Philharmonic Ingo Metzmacher
DDD - recorded live Musikhalle, Hamburg, 31/12/00.
EMI CDC5
57129-2 [78.35]
Crotchet
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At the start of the Millennium just over 12 months ago, there was a revolutionary
idea put about in Hamburg by the conductor Ingo Metzmacher. This was to set
up a New Year Concert (somewhat similar to the Vienna Strauss etc. concert
on New Year's morning) for the citizens of Hamburg. The only difference was
that instead of music by the Strauss family, Hamburg would have a musical
party where the content of the concert would be strictly of works from the
20th Century.
EMI made a recording of the first Concert and this was a good seller as a
result of the publicity the event was given. We are now a year on from that
first event, and the concert was repeated, albeit using different works.
This was also recorded and the disc entitled "Who is Afraid of 20th Century
Music - Volume 2", has now reached us.
The result is a splendid disc, well performed and recorded with the minimum
of audience noise and a riotous sense of enjoyment. Clapping after each item
(and halfway through the Copland item), but no matter - Great fun.
The music consists of the well known, Gershwin's tuneful and highly rhythmic
Cuban Overture (full of tropical atmosphere), Falla's Ritual Fire
Dance, Ravel's beautiful Pavane played here with much sensitivity,
and Copland's Hoe Down from Rodeo. This catches the audience
by surprise by not finishing when a number of them suspected, and the highly
excitable Mambo from West Side Story (with vocal contributions
from members of the orchestra) completes the popular items.
In addition, we hear more out of the way items, but still reasonably well
known to average music lovers. These include Honegger's Pacific 231,
making its usual very powerful impact and Stravinsky's Fireworks
obviously captivating the audience. We also hear the Gavotte from
Prokofiev's Cinderella (this time not the Classical Symphony)
making a welcome appearance.
The final group of works represented here will be very well known to a minority
of listeners but largely unknown to the vast majority, which is possibly
the reason for this type of concert in the first place. There is a natural
reluctance to embrace the unknown and Metzmacher and his band certainly take
on the task with the utmost relish.
We have John Adams going on a Short Ride in a Fast Machine which I
find somewhat repetitive, but I suppose that is what minimalism is all about.
In the middle of the piece, the orchestra's rhythm goes very slightly awry,
but all ends well with an enthusiastic response from the audience.
Toru Takemitsu is an acquired taste for some, but this excerpt from November
Steps (arguably his best known orchestral work) shimmers with its
pseudo-gamelan effects in the middle sounding very effective.
More minimalism with Michael Daugherty's Desi, with pop influences
clearly audible. There is a nice twist at the end which produces a very positive
response.
After that the Military March of Erich Wolfgang Korngold sounds positively
old fashioned. It is not particularly well known the composer being relatively
obscure (until about ten years ago) if we ignore his Hollywood activities.
The neglect of the march certainly has nothing to do with any musical
considerations. Very enjoyable.
More Cuban inspired music this time from George Antheil. His
Archipelago, based on the rhumba is not particularly well known, but
on this hearing, well worth the effort, given the context in which it finds
itself.
The Shostakovich piece from the Suite from Cheremushki is typical
Shostakovich in his ironic, galop mood. Again a very good choice, as it would
have been easier to select a similar piece from, say, The Age of Gold.
Alexander Mossolov's famous or rather infamous picture of an Iron Foundry
makes its usual impact, although here the performance fails to remove memories
of the piece as recorded by Chailly and the Royal Concertgebouw - admittedly
a studio performance.
John Phillips
