Two eminent Swedish musicians, working
together as a duo since 2001, went into
the studio to record some of their joint
repertoire. The result is this disc,
and the scope of the enterprise is catholic
to say the least, spanning from early
17th century to yesteryear.
"Racconti"
is Italian and means "stories".
It is also the title of the last and
longest piece on this disc. Eyser works
within the twelve-tone technique, but
a technique of his own "that has
nothing in common with the so-called
Second Vienna School" as he writes.
He continues: "In Racconti, the
stories are about several tone rows
that I have created during the course
of my professional life as a composer,
along with their different methods of
treatment. One of the first tone rows
that I composed appears here, along
with some from the different phases
of my ‘middle period’ and some from
later on. But in Racconti, one can also
find some concrete ‘events: motives
and paraphrases from my chamber operas."
"Racconti",
which is divided in three parts, was
written for The Nils-Erik Sparf and
David Härenstam Duo and their special
guest Bengt Forsberg. It is a multifarious
work, shifting in mood from high-strung
drama to murmuring mystery. The juxtaposition
of piano and guitar creates interesting
combinations of sound. Eyser often works
with repeated fragments, a kind of minimalism,
maybe. The whole work opens with the
signature motive from the opera Dorian
Gray and the finale is brought to
an end with variations on the same theme.
It is a fascinating composition that
needs to be heard more than once before
all the building stones fit together,
although Eyser’s analysis of the work
makes it easier to appreciate the music.
Piazzolla’s Histoire
du Tango also tells stories from
different eras: Bordel 1900, Café
1930, Nightclub 1960 and finally
Concert d’aujourd’hui (i.e. concert
today). It was written in 1986 and has
quickly entered the standard repertoire
for flute and guitar, but it becomes
even more fiery when played on the violin
and Nils-Erik Sparf’s playing is anything
but inhibited. Having heard him on many
occasions in a wide range of music,
I knew his capacity but rarely have
I heard him play with such glow. One
could almost think he has Finnish blood
in his veins, for in Finland they play
tango better than anywhere in the world,
with the possible exception of Argentina.
The rapport between Sparf and Härenstam
is also that of two twin-souls’. This
is now my preferred version of Histoire
du Tango.
A story is also told
in Beethoven’s Rondo a capriccio
Op. 129 entitled "The rage
about the lost six-pence". Originally
a piano piece it often appears as a
humorous and swinging encore at piano
recitals. Arranged by David Härenstam
for violin and guitar it has retained
these qualities but a little toned down
as compared to when played on a concert
grand.
Johann Helmich Roman
has been given the sobriquet "The
Father of Swedish Music". While
this may not be the whole truth, he
is still the earliest important Swedish
composer. He studied for some time in
London, presumably with Handel, although
there is no evidence to bear this out.
He left behind much valuable music,
of which the Drottningholm Music is
probably the most well-known. His sinfonias
and sonatas are also on the highest
level and it is good to have his E minor
sonata here. The continuo part has been
arranged for the present combination
but it might well have been performed
like this even in Roman’s own time.
For the sonata Sparf, who is the leader
of the Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble,
changes to baroque violin. This is an
instrument he handles to perfection.
He has a fuller, rounder tone than many
period instrument players and plays
with a certain degree of vibrato, which
may rule him out in some purist circles.
Others should definitely lend an ear
to this full-blooded performance, characterised
by speedy fast movements and tasteful
embellishments. Readers should also
be reminded that his recording of Vivaldi’s
The four seasons on BIS, still
ranks among the best versions ever.
Paganini’s Centone
di Sonate were composed for violin
and guitar. Paganini was himself an
accomplished guitarist although the
guitar part here was written to suit
less advanced players. This is of course
virtuoso music but it also needs a player
with the fullness of tone to make the
melodies sing – and Paganini had more
than one sweet tooth. It would be easy
to write them off as sentimental, but
there is a certain freshness about them
and they do caress one’s ear! Sparf
combines the fiery temperament of an
Italian with his own Nordic coolness
– an ideal partnership. Technically
he is up to all the requirements with
excellent double stops and creamy tone.
I would by the way like to urge readers
to listen to the second movement of
Sonata I, Rondoncino, which seems
an unusually inspired piece of music.
The complete sonatas have been recorded
by violinist Moshe Hammer and guitarist
Norbert Kraft for Naxos, discs that
also can be wholeheartedly recommended.
With a scope as wide
as this, the present disc might be something
of a mixed blessing: listeners on the
look-out for Roman may not be interested
in Piazzolla; those with an interest
in Paganini may fight shy of Eyser,
and it has to be admitted that Eyser
can be a hard nut to crack. However
the disc goes a long way to prove that
really good musicians are not hampered
by boundaries between, tonal and atonal,
new and old, high and low. The only
boundaries are between good and bad.
This disc is good. It will have a honoured
place in my collection and I will certainly
return to Eyser some day.
Göran Forsling
Nils-Erik Sparf (violin and Baroque violin - Roman),
David Härenstam (guitar), Bengt Forsberg
(piano) (Eyser) 
