This pairing of violin
concertos of the 1930s by two great
20th century masters makes
a particularly interesting coupling.
And from the point of view of musical
style, it is unlikely that two compositions
could show their different personalities
more strongly.
The Violin Concerto
is one of Stravinsky's finest achievements
in concert music, its brilliant scoring
featuring triple woodwinds while never
obscuring the clarity of the solo line.
He claimed his 'chief interest was concentrated
on the different combinations of violin
and orchestra', but as so often, despite
seemingly wide-ranging features, a Russian
influence is frequently felt. The outer
movements have baroque titles, Toccata
and Capriccio, while instead
of a conventional slow movement there
are two 'arias', the second of them
surely a tribute to Bach.
Michael Erxleben is
a strong soloist, leading the performance
with a clearly articulated personality
and confident tone. Rhythmically he
and the Berlin Orchestra are very much
at one, so his collaboration with his
conductor, Michael Schønwandt,
is a success. The approaches between
the different movements create a pleasing
balance and the virtuoso element scores
highly. If there is a criticism it is
that the slower sections of the concerto
might have attained greater inwardness
and mystery. Whether this feeling results
from the performance or from the recording
is difficult to tell. Certainly the
rhythmic vigour of the music is a compelling
part of the experience, and it is a
feature of this recording.
Whereas Stravinsky’s
Violin Concerto is dominated by its
rhythmic bite and cleanly articulated
lines, Schoenberg’s is full of late-romantic
ardour. It is a twelve-tone compositions,
the construction relating to the positioning
of the notes of the chromatic scale
placed in carefully organised sequences.
The three movements undoubtedly relate
to the great concerto tradition, and
the cadenza comes in the ‘normal’ place
before the first movement coda. The
second movement has some beautifully
refined textures but some extremely
complex harmonies, while at tempo Allegro
the finale has rather more vigour. Among
contemporary violinists opinions were
divided by Schoenberg’s concerto. Jascha
Heifetz, for example, declared it to
be unplayable, whereas Louis Krasner,
who was also closely associated with
Alban Berg’s concerto, gave the first
performance and championed the work
at every opportunity.
Theories are as may
be, but the fact of the matter remains
that Schoenberg’s Violin Concerto must
stand or fall on its merits as music.
The composer himself recognised this
and said so openly. He would surely
have admired the concentrated playing
of Michael Erxleben and the Berlin Symphony
Orchestra under their then (1989) principal
conductor, Claus Peter Flor. Together
they opt to bring out the romantic ardour
and intensity, every expressive phrase
shaped carefully and lovingly so as
to make the maximum effect. Perhaps
this occasionally misses some dramatic
opportunities, in the finale especially,
but they seem successful in maintaining
the musical line over its three extensive
spans; each movement extends over more
than ten minutes, and the whole concerto
plays for some thirty-five minutes.
The recorded sound
is less pleasing in the Schoenberg concerto
than in the Stravinsky. Perhaps this
is because it is harder to create the
right balances in this expressionist
score, but the results place the violinist
very much in front of a recessed orchestra.
This seems unnatural, and while Erxleben’s
tone and technique can take the scrutiny,
this frequent problem among concerto
recordings is found once again.
Terry Barfoot
Michael Erxleben (violin) 