Mozart Camargo GUARNIERI (1907-1993)
Piano Concerto No.4 (1968) [25:09]
Piano Concerto No.5 (1970) [23:36]
Piano Concerto No.6 (1987) [12:05]
Max Barros (piano); Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomas Conlin
rec. Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, Warsaw, Poland, 20–24 June 2006 (No.4), 13-14
May 2007 (No.5), 26 August 2007 (No.6)
NAXOS 8.557667 [60:50]
I won’t beat around the bush. This is a really excellent disc in every regard.
Mozart Camargo Guarnieri has been one of my most pleasurable discoveries of
recent years via the cycle of symphonies released on BIS featuring the really
excellent Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paolo under John Neschling
(see review
review). But perhaps this should have come as no surprise to me given
that Aaron Copland, returning from an extended goodwill tour of South America
in 1941 wrote; “Guarnieri is the most exciting talent among Latin American
composers … what I like best about his music is its healthy emotional expression
… he is the most authentic musician of the continent.” Who am I to argue with
that! This is quoted by James Melo in his extremely informative and lucid
liner-note which provides the icing on a disc for which I have nothing but
praise. The music itself is instantly appealing without being superficial,
the soloist Max Barros plays with total technical command and stylistic aplomb.
On this form the Warsaw Philharmonic sound world class tackling the rhythmic
complexities of the scores with real panache and flair under the clearly skilled
hand of conductor Thomas Conlin. Add to that a recording rich in detail but
set in the generous acoustic of the Philharmonic Hall Warsaw it allows the
cutting brass and oh so important percussion to impact in a thrilling manner.
Having recently had a run of discs where the orchestra involved sounded under-rehearsed
and technically stretched how good to encounter music – by definition unfamiliar
to the players – performed with such skill. Available at Naxos’ bargain price
this is simply too good to miss.
This is the second volume of piano concertos by Guarnieri from Naxos and with
this disc the cycle of six concertos is complete. Guarnieri’s compositional
arc can be traced through these concertos. Numbers 1-3 on the earlier disc
are ultimately simpler and direct in their manner – the performances on the
earlier
disc are every bit the equal of these. By the time he came to write the
4th concerto in 1968 Guarnieri was seeking ways of combining native
Brazilian elements – all the melodies are his own but the folk influence is
clear – with contemporary compositional techniques such are 12 tone serialism.
But he was selective with the parts of that rigorous technique he chose to
use; they are more structural than tonal: the form involves themes, retrograde
themes in the exposition, inversions and the like. The real talent of any
composer is to use these forms without the listener being painfully aware
that he is attending some kind of public composition class – and that is the
case here. If I had to characterise it at all I would say its along the lines
of ‘Mr Bartók’s Holiday in Brazil’. Across the three concertos there are certain
recurring features. The outer movements burst with joyful muscular energy.
If you respond to Ginastera and his powerfully athletic and rhythmic earlier
“Objective Nationalism” this will be for you. The opening movement of the
Concerto No.5 [track 4] encapsulates all the many virtues of the music,
performance and engineering – fantastic big horn and brass playing interspersed
with unbuttoned thwacks on the timps. Across all six concertos Guarnieri runs
the distinct movements together creating unified works. The central movements
tend to be simpler and more song-like than the equivalent movements in Ginastera.
The latter composer is extraordinary in his creation of strange haunted night-scenes
strong on atmosphere. Guarnieri prefers a more directly lyrical approach which
is equally effective. That being said the central Sideral (Astral) [track
5] of the Concerto No.5 is beautifully sparse and cool – a lovely flute
solo over chilly string chords and numb piano at 4:30 and a stunning solo
violin at about 7:50 demonstrating yet again the quality of both music and
performers. Guarnieri has a real ear for orchestral colour too – it is not
just a case of layering on unusual percussion and syncopating! Interestingly
the liner tells us that this central movement was the first composed; would
it be too much to see it as the heart of the entire disc? – marvellous in
every respect. As before there is no break into the concerto’s finale – I
love the way as the slow movement disappears into outer space the percussion
creep in like industrious ants quickly drawing the rest of the orchestra into
their restless toccata titled Jocoso (playful).
By the time Guarnieri completed his final concerto in 1987 he had passed his
eightieth birthday. Originally titled Three Moments for Piano and Chamber
Orchestra this is by some way the most condensed of the six works. Yes
he does revert to a simpler more open style but it would be quite wrong to
see this as a slackening of the creative drive. Far from it, the upper strings
in particular have some very demanding passage-work – hurdles which the Warsaw
players negotiate with seeming ease. Again the heart of the work is the central
Calmo, muito sentido which does have the feel of a reflective backward
musing. The final movement – scored as with the rest of this concerto just
for strings and percussion accompanying the piano – is appealing but somehow
lacking as much personality as in the earlier works.
Taken individually these are marvellous works and collected together on this
disc they are an essential addition for anyone with an interest in 20th
century piano concertos or South-American music in general. A small observation
is that listened to sequentially, although the style evolves, there is a degree
of sameness that might lessen the overall impact of each work when heard in
isolation. But clearly, Guarnieri is seeking to use the form of the piano
concerto to develop certain compositional ideas so why should we expect radically
different solutions? These are in effect six branches from the same tree.
I notice from the liner-note that pianist Max Barros has founded a publishing
company and the back cover indicates that this same company provide the editions
performed here. Clearly Barros’s commitment to the cause of South-American
music in general and Guarnieri in particular goes way beyond learning some
works because he was asked to. But this degree of identification and passion
for the music oozes from every pore of this and the earlier disc – clearly
a labour of love and one that should be applauded. It is also worth noting
that each of the six concertos was recorded at different sessions over a period
of three years. The continuity achieved by performers and engineers is first
rate but again reflects an extended commitment that I for one am very grateful
for. The liner mentions another four concertante piano works by Guarnieri
– surely we can expect them from this team. Apparently he wrote two violin
concertos too … come on Naxos what are you waiting for!
On what might seem a different tack; has any Guarnieri been performed at the
BBC Proms? I cannot find a comprehensive list of Prom repertoire but it strikes
me that this is exactly the kind of music that deserves that kind of stage
– exciting, involving, instantly appealing – the Piano Concerto No.1 with
its Gershwinesque echoes is a perfect ‘Prom Novelty’ and more appropriate
to a concert series like this than ‘Sondheim at Eighty’ (and that’s coming
from someone who has spent his performing life in the theatre!). Better still,
bring this entire team of performers over to play it – I for one would go
a long way to hear the Warsaw Philharmonic and Max Barros in this kind of
form. Collectors who already have this composer’s music on their shelves will
not hesitate. For those new to his work any of the symphonies or these concertos
will provide an excellent point of entry depending on an individual’s preference.
However the Naxos price advantage makes this disc and its companion irresistible.
Nick Barnard