Hyperion’s ‘Complete works for violin and orchestra’ reaches its
climax with the two concertos for solo violin and orchestra back
to back on one disc, volume 4 being the last in this series. I
have previously had these works on a Supraphon disc of Josef Suk’s
1973 recordings, also with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted
by Vaclav Neumann, so to my ears Christopher Hogwood’s new recordings
with Bohuslav Matoušek do have something of a ‘remake’ feel to
them. The present recording of the Violin Concerto No.1 has
also previously appeared on Supraphon. I am glad to see the unacknowledged
previous release of the Suite Concertante in Volume
3 of this series corrected in this volume, the previous release
of the Violin Concerto No.1 having been on the same disc:
Supraphon SU36532031.
I always relish
a good Martinů recording. Agreed, you have to like his
style, but even if it’s not to everyone’s taste there is no
escaping the vibrancy of the orchestration, and the richness
and flow of the musical ideas. You can add to this the humanity
of Martinů’s expression, and the sense of his desire
as well as that special ability to communicate all those
potent emotions. The clarity and freshness in some of the
music, particularly the pastoral gorgeousness in the central
Andante moderato of the Violin Concerto No.2 is
some of Martinů’s best, but it’s not all easy going.
There is also a great deal of intensity and percussive rhythmic
writing to deal with, and his choppy writing for the solo
instrument can be challenging as well: there is no escaping
the whiff of Stravinsky in some passages in the opening movement
of the Violin Concerto No.1.
The difficult
genesis of the Violin Concerto No. 1 is reminiscent
of that of the Suite Concertante, and Aleš Březina’s
excellent booklet notes cover the history of both works very
well indeed. Interestingly, Miloš Šafránek’s 1946 monograph
on Martinů only discusses ‘The Violin Concerto’, referring
to the second concerto, the first was clearly something barely
recognised if known at all in the U.S. at that time. As with
all of the other volumes in this series, the performances
are excellent. If I have any criticism it is no more than
one patch of over-wobbly flute vibrato near the beginning
of the second Andante movement of the Violin Concerto,
and some moments where the general woodwind intonation might
have been better – coincidentally audible in that same movement.
These are however extremely minor points, and you can slap
me on the wrist for being overly picky when you listen for
yourself. The crucial moments, such as that heartbreaking
progression at 2:34 to 2:44, are wonderfully played, though
what do you think of the strings’ intonation in the horribly
exposed passage just before that moment? I was also alerted
to another strongly ‘Stravinsky’ section 2:55 to 3:05 which
for some reason I hadn’t noticed before – Hogwood seems far
more attuned to this kind of detail than Neumann was. Having
a listen to Josef Suk’s older analogue recording, and I was
happy to hear the orchestra sounding equally clean and fresh,
though the CD does have some grungy distortion on the left
channel which may or may not be a transfer problem. Suk’s
tone is silkier than Matoušek’s, but more squeaky and penetrating
in the extreme highs. I have to admit to liking the balance
and sheer sense of ensemble one-ness in the ‘golden oldie’
wind section, but as ever, I find myself wanting elements
from both recordings – some amalgam of the two might provide
perfection, but where do you go after having achieved perfection?
Matoušek hurdles the tricky solos in the final Allegretto
of the first concerto with apparent ease and certainly
with great élan, and Hogwood holds the orchestra together
very well indeed under those close microphones.
The Violin
Concerto No.2 opens with a passionate outburst similar
to the Double Concerto of 1938, and one can’t help
sensing the stresses of the war years in many sections of
the opening movement. It was of course Josef Suk’s award winning
recording of this work which was the one to have for a long
time, but Matoušek and Hogwood know exactly what they are
doing, and provide all of the beefy passion and translucent
tenderness we seasoned Martinů fans want from a recording.
I have already mentioned the sky-blue openness of the middle
movement, and the sound on this recording is one which will
bring you back for more. Neither soloist nor conductor over-egg
this particular pudding, and keep things simple where the
composer requires. Just for a change of flavour I had a listen
to the 2000 Arte Nova recording of this work with Marcello
Viotti conducting the Wiener Symphoniker. This also includes
the two violin and orchestra works, and has some creditable,
if rather dry performances. The Andante moderato is
however appallingly soggy on this one, and both of the Prague
recordings are in an entirely different league. Briefly referring
again to the Suk recording, and the Czech Philharmonic does
have a special weight in this period which still makes me
want to keep both versions. Suk’s violin sound is somehow
less vibrant in this piece however – there is something in
the recording which gives the impression the microphones are
less than ideally placed. Personally, I am quite happy to
promote this new Hyperion disc to ‘easy access’ status, which
means not having to turf the cat off his bean bag while opening
awkward cupboard doors to get at old CD stock.
The recordings
on this disc conjure that difficult balance of detail and
atmosphere very well, the musicians being captured quite closely,
but with the vast acoustic of the Prague Rudolfinum adding
plenty of fine resonance. The solo violin is close, but Matoušek
seems fairly mobile on the podium so recedes a little now
and again. If anything, Josef Suk’s violin is even closer,
so can I have no real complaints with the more recent version.
It’s a shame Hyperion couldn’t come up with just one more
work with which to pad out this otherwise excellent release:
maybe another of the mixed instrument concertos including
violin? Never mind, this is a knockout recording and top class
brace of performances, and without it your Martinů library
will never be quite complete.
Dominy Clements
Bohuslav Matoušek
(violin) 
