Rob Barnett’s review (see below) of
this, the ninth volume in Claves’ ongoing Basque Music
Collection, gave some emphasis to the background of the
works. Such background is undoubtedly needed if one is
new to this repertoire, and I suspect that most will be.
The fact that this is the first 2 CD set in this enterprising
series gives some indication of the support Claves gives
to the undertaking. There must be few record companies
that would devote 22 days of studio time to recording such
little known repertoire. The recorded sound is full and
faithful, for the most part maintaining a slight sense
of spaciousness around the performers.
That the Basque National Orchestra play
this music with absolute commitment can well be understood – one
can think of few other orchestras in a position to promote
it as directly and consistently as they do, although like
any repertoire it could be played with success by any orchestra,
which begs the question: why isn’t it? Cristian Mandeal,
a conductor I have long admired for the sense of drama
and structure he brings to music, leads with confidence
and individuality. This is his fifth recording with the
BNO as part of the Claves series, and to my ears at least,
his readings have become more persuasive as the series
has progressed.
The fact that this set features star soloists – Los
Romeros guitar quartet and Xavier de Maistre, solo harpist
of the Vienna Philharmonic – illustrates that few corners
are cut in that regard too.
There are some definite highlights in terms
of the music and performances contained within this set.
The two featured concertos head the list for me. Both expand
the repertoire for their solo instruments to good advantage
for adventurous soloists. Indeed any repertoire for guitar
quartet at all might not exist without the pioneering efforts
of Los Romeros, and this work is no exception, as they
document in the booklet. The guitar concerto is rather
strong in character from the start. Solo guitar lines are
minimal, as the quartet weave textures amongst themselves
throughout almost all of the four movements. Against this
some forceful orchestral lines are contrasted; the quality
of brass playing being impressive in fullness. The harp
concerto shows a clear sense of the idyll – movement 1
- and nostalgia – movement 2 - in Madina’s writing. Xavier
de Maistre’s playing occupies a subtle place within the
whole, slightly recessed into the orchestral acoustic.
The string playing, although often relying on violins in
Bernad’s orchestration, is nuanced and flexible.
Distinct yet refined use of elements drawn
from Basque music infuses much else of what is recorded
here also. Throughout Madina’s concern for rich harmonics
and orchestral texture is evident; that he deploys these
elements with a sense of fun makes for an enjoyable listening
experience. The Basque Rhapsody contains its fair share
of punchily scored rhythms, which Mandeal seizes upon to
bring out with flair in the performance. Some aspect of
Madina’s fun-making imbues his works for children as well:
the Children’s Overture rips along infectiously. The Christmas
works take much of their basis from seasonal tunes orchestrated
and elaborated beyond their humble origins. The Suite offers
a briefer picture than the Triptych, which is wider in
scope and greater in compositional ambition. Not that Madina’s
smaller-scale works should be overlooked: Agur Maria carries
a great sense of intimacy in the choral writing that is
notable in the Orfeón Donostiarra’s atmospheric performance.
There are a few minor regrets regarding
the accompanying booklet: proofreading is not ideal; the
notes in English, French and German are but précis versions
of those given in Euskadi and Spanish, though it should
not be hard to get the gist from the Spanish should one
wish to do so; more serious though is the lack of texts
and translations to accompany vocal items. These things
aside though this set can easily be recommended to anyone
in search of new repertoire heard in winning performances.
Evan
Dickerson
see also review by Rob Barnett
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