Bohuslav MARTINŮ (1890-1959)
Concerto for Oboe and Small Orchestra [19:04]
Heinz HOLLIGER (b.1939)
Sonata for Oboe solo [13:37]
Antal DORATI (1906-1988)
Divertimento for Oboe solo and Orchestra [26:49]
Yeon-Hee Kwak (oboe)
Müncher Rundfunkorchester/Johannes Goritzki
rec. 12-13 July 2008 Herkulessaal, Munich Stereo, 5.1, 2+2+2 DDD/DSD
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 903 1586-6 [59:35]
A very enjoyable recording, this, showcasing three diverse 20th
century works which all deserve wider exposure. The oboe is a curiously neglected
instrument in terms of solo repertoire, and the three composers on this CD
seem to have come to it for three completely different reasons: Martinů
was commissioned by an oboe player (Jiri Tancibudek), and Holliger is an oboe
player, while Dorati’s motivations stemmed from his sympathy for the instrument’s
neglect.
In the 1920s, the influence of Stravinsky’s neo-classicism was so strong that
many composers wrote works that sounded like direct imitation without even
realising. Most grew out of the fad in the following decades, but Martinů
continued longer than most. His Oboe Concerto was written in 1955 and has
Stravinsky trademarks all over it. There is even what sounds like a direct
quotation of the bitonal Petrushka motif in the second movement. Martinů
has a distinctive voice, even at his most neo-classical, and fans of his symphonies,
for example, will immediately recognise those long syncopated melodies, the
prominent piano in the orchestra and professional efficiency of his opening
and closing gestures. As with the other works on the disc, the solo part combines
virtuosity and lyricism, so melodies often contain huge intervals, and appear
in curious registers, but remain truly melodic throughout. (Talking of registers,
there is a great typo in the liner-note: ‘The slow movement calls for a G
sharp two and a half octaves above middle C, a semi-tone higher than the F
which is normally regarded as the oboe’s highest note...’)
The Holliger Sonata is one of the composer/oboist/conductor’s earliest works.
This, too, mixes lyricism and virtuosity in a range of inventive ways. And
there is never a danger of the lack of accompaniment causing lack of interest.
On the contrary, the diversity of tempi, dynamics and phrase structures makes
for endlessly fascinating listening. A lot of the writing is high, but Yeon-Hee
Kwak takes it all in her stride, and maintains an impressively warm tone,
even right at the top.
The impetus for Antal Dorati’s Divertimento came from an unlikely source,
the Discount Record and Book Store in Washington, who commissioned it to mark
their 25th anniversary in 1976. It is very much a product of its
time, and shows the (productive) influence of a number of the mid-century’s
greatest composers. The vibraphone in the opening calls to mind the Walton
Cello Concerto, while much of the following material owes a debt to Shostakovich.
The orchestration here is wilfully eccentric, and you’ll hear more percussion
than you would ever expect from an oboe concerto. The work is stylistically
some distance from the other works, the Martinů in particular. The overall
impression is of a diverse and satisfyingly varied programme.
Yeon-Hee Kwak is a fine advocate for her instrument. I sense that she is consciously
striving for a vocal sound in much of her playing, which brings a clarity
to her phrasing, even in the most complex passages. The Müncher Rundfunkorchester
and Johannes Goritzki accompany sympathetically but without undue restraint.
I don’t think this music really stretches them - well, maybe the percussion
in the Dorati - but they are able to keep up the interest and move seamlessly
between the various styles and moods of this diverse programme. The SACD sound
is good but not exceptional. The round, fullness of the oboe sound, especially
in the top register, is the main recipient of the superior audio’s benefits.
The disc comes with both Dolby 5.1 surround and so-called ‘2+2+2’ sound, the
latter giving a more even surround experience when the speakers are rearranged
around the room. Quite what use that is for a solo work like the Holliger
is anybody’s guess.
Gavin Dixon