Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Grand Sonata op.121 for violin and piano (1851/52) [34:40]
Sonata op.105 for piano and violin (1852) [18:13]
Sonata in A minor WoO 2 (1853) for violin and piano [23:02]
Ensemble Villa Musica: (Nicolas Chumachenco (violin); Kalle Randalu (piano))
rec. 23-24 November 2009, Ackerhaus der Abtei Marienmünster
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM MDG 304 1647-2 [76:09]
There is no big announcement or list of planned releases documented here,
but this is labelled as ‘Schumann: Chamber Music vol. 1’, so we can hope for
a nice juicy series from MDG to follow.
Schumann’s violin sonatas are somewhat in the shadow of many of his other
works, but they do have plenty of the characteristics which give his work
its appeal and deserve plenty of recognition. The programme here begins with
the Grand Sonata op.121, which Schumann was working on while negotiations
for the publication of the Op.105 sonata were in progress. After Schumann’s
death the work was tarred with the brush of prejudice, seen as the product
of an increasingly diseased mind and too extreme to be anything other than
a failure in performance. Listening today one can hear the striking sense
of original thinking in this piece, which, while perhaps less thematically
memorable, is certainly a match and a challenge for Brahms’ compositions in
this genre. The first movement is nearly quarter of an hour of unrelenting
intensity, with all of the rich pianistic writing which makes this piece a
true duo and not merely a violin work with piano accompaniment. The central
two movements are more compact, the Sehr lebhaft keeping up the demanding
nature of the first movement with further dark harmonic brooding. The following
Leise, einfach, lightens the mood a little as promised, with the pizzicato
violin being stalked by a stealthy piano, an opening section which turns into
a gorgeous set of variations. The final movement Bewegt is a dramatic
but triumphant statement whose rondo form has a remarkable cumulative effect.
The Sonata Op.105 is closely related in terms of period to the Op.121
sonata, and has a similarly vital sense of intense inventiveness and emotional
inventiveness. The mention of the piano before the violin in the title is
no mistake, and not unique in this genre, following in a line traceable to
Mozart and Beethoven. This equality of status between the instruments is a
further crystallisation of those earlier examples, and Schumann’s contribution
is rightly pointed out in Joachim Draheim’s booklet notes as a forerunner
to the romantic heights of the later 19th century with the works
from Brahms to César Franck and beyond. Thematic connections are present throughout
the Op.105 sonata, but whether these come across subliminally or with intellectual
directness the actual music is filled with charm, especially the Allegretto
central movement, which is like a cinematic panning shot between various
conversations. The final movement can be seen as a gesture in Bach’s direction,
but also has plenty of dance-like energy to go with the imitative counterpoint.
To conclude there is the Sonata in A minor, which was originally a
collaborative effort in which Schumann was joined by the younger Brahms and
his protégé Albert Dietrich, resulting in the so-called ‘FAE–Sonata’. Dietrich
was responsible for the first movement, Schumann for the Intermezzo
and Finale, Brahms contributing the penultimate Scherzo. Schumann
began replacing the other composer’s work, and while it is not entirely clear
from the booklet notes this is now entirely Schumann’s own work. Hindsight
and knowledge of this work’s history can lead one to blithely apply words
such as ‘flawed’ or ‘uneven’, but even as Schumann’s powers waned his natural
gift as a composer and personal individuality of style are still potent and
present, wiping a myriad of lesser and entirely healthy composers off the
board.
There is a deal of distinguished competition in this repertoire, though with
a read of the review I am confident this recording with Ensemble Villa Musica
is more attractive than that with Alberto
Bologni and Giuseppe Bruno. Carolin
Widmann and Dénes Várjon on ECM are perhaps more realistic competitors,
though tastes with regard to recording perspective may influence the choice
here. This MDG disc has a very nice balance, perhaps a little more piano relative
to the violin might have been preferred, but then the risk is run of the recording
becoming too heavy with the weight of notes coming from the piano part, so
this is not really a criticism. Both Nicolas Chumachenco and Kalle Randalu
play with superb musicality, showing plenty of light and shade, a deep sense
of commitment and communication. The recording itself is clear and direct,
without being too close, the relationship between instruments and acoustic
is ideal. With Schumann, my feeling is always that the ‘bravura’ is in the
essence of the music, and too much extra ladled on by the players – pianist
in particular – is something which will render the bigger-boned movements
too hectic. This is most certainly not the case here. I admire both performers’
sympathy with Schumann’s idiom.
Dominy Clements
Superb musicality, showing plenty of light and shade, a deep sense of commitment
and communication.