Kurt ROGER (1895-1966)
Chamber Music: Quintet for Clarinet, Two Violins, Viola, Cello op.
116 (1966) [21:22]; Piano Sonata op. 43 (1943) [18:22]; Trio for Violin, Cello
and Piano, op. 77 (1953) [12:46]; Variations on an Irish Air for Flute, Cello
and Piano op. 58 (1948) [22:57]
Robert Plane (clarinet); Emily Beynon (flute); Mia Cooper, Lucy Gould (violin);
David Adams (viola); Alice Neary (cello); Benjamin Frith (piano)
rec. 9-10 March, 12-14 May and 1 June 2009, Champs Hill, Pulborough, West
Sussex, England. DDD
NAXOS 8.572238 [75:28]
I have to confess to never having heard Kurt Roger’s music before this disc
arrived on my doorstep. Born in Austria, he studied with Schoenberg - although
was not a disciple of the twelve-tone system. He later taught at the Vienna
Conservatoire for fifteen years, before emigrating to American during the
Nazi regime.
His musical style is a curious combination of traditional and forward-looking;
the opening movement of the Clarinet Quintet is a moderately-paced
Allegro, which is stylistically reminiscent of a combination of Tchaikovsky
and Mahler. The central movement is deeply romantic in essence and brings
to mind early Schoenberg. The music is lyrical, expressive and slightly nostalgic.
This work was written shortly before the composer’s death in 1966 and shows
a maturity of style, with its elements fully integrated to create a convincing
whole. The final movement has a distinctive flair, with fugal entries and
dense polyphony. The playing is excellent throughout, with Robert Plane’s
silky clarinet sound providing a wonderful additional timbre to the polished
strings.
Written some twenty years earlier, while Roger was living in New York, the
Piano Sonata is in a lighter style but is no less expressive. Beginning
with a dramatic Toccata, the work incorporates styles from earlier
eras, and Benjamin Frith performs with well-placed sensitivity. The central
movement demonstrates an influence from Debussy and creates an atmospheric
sound-world full of subtleties and nuances. The final movement, entitled Phantasmagoria
is highly dramatic and captures the imagination, travelling through different
fantasy worlds. This is a highly agreeable work which is delivered here with
panache.
The Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello has a cheerful and somewhat triumphant
opening movement, with strong melodic lines and an ebullient character. The
central movement is more introspective and serious, with rich harmonies and
at times an almost improvisatory feel. The short final movement returns to
the jovial mood of the opening, and is more playful and full of charm.
The final work on the disc is the Variations on an Irish Air, which
captivates from Emily Beynon’s stunning opening flute solo. There is a sense
of nostalgia here, and the folk-like melody lends itself to Roger’s style.
The well-known melody is subjected to various treatments, orchestrations and
harmonisations throughout the work and has an element of fantasy in the composer’s
explorations. The playing here is excellent throughout, giving a wonderful
characterisation to the variations and a sound which is beautifully balanced
between the instruments.
This CD presents Roger’s music in the best possible way, with committed performers
who reach high standards throughout. This is an excellent introduction to
his music, demonstrating the breadth of his talents as a composer and effectively
conveying the emotional content of his works.
Carla Rees