“In the South” could just as well be
interpreted as “South of the Alps”, the title of a once
popular ‘light music’ orchestral suite by Ernst Fischer
(1900 - 1975). He was German and saw the Mediterranean from a Northern
perspective. That is also the perspective that opens this utterly delectable
programme of mainly string quartet miniatures. Hugo Wolf’s only
really well known non-vocal composition is his
Italian Serenade,
which finds him in uncommonly light-hearted mood. Here it is the sun
that makes the waves glitter, whereas in many of his songs it is the
shadow that dominates. His wider interest in the South also resulted
in his two ‘song cycles’ or rather collections
Italienisches
Liederbuch and
Spanisches Liederbuch.
Puccini’s non-vocal music is also limited and
Crisantemi
is the only work that has reached wider circulation. Where Wolf dances
and glitters, Puccini contemplates the brevity of life at the sight
of chrysanthemums and the Brodskys underline the melancholy. The elegiac
quality of the melodies somewhat later made the composer reuse the music
for the tragic last act of his opera
Manon Lescaut.
Verdi also restricted his composing to vocal music but his operas are
still treasure-troves for lovers of orchestral music. He even approaches
chamber music in the two preludes to
La traviata, but it was
not until twenty years later that he decided to write a full-length
chamber music work that was worth publishing - although he insisted
that it was only a trifle. It was met with a certain amount of scepticism
when it was first presented but is now established as a standard work
in the quartet repertoire. Though conceived along the lines of the classical
Austro-German quartet tradition, it is clear that it is permeated with
Mediterranean temperament. Not least the first movement is a mini-drama
that reflects the style of his later operas -
Aida had recently
been premiered. The second movement also gradually grows to a dramatic
apex before settling in the elegiac mood of the beginning. This is serious
Verdi. The short third movement marked
Prestissimo is no real
scherzo. It is mainly dark and aggressive with a melancholy trio, where
one can hear echoes of
Aida. The scherzo marking is instead applied
on the finale: light and whirlwind like, the fugue being the embryo
to his final masterpiece, the finale of
Falstaff. I have long
cherished the old DG recording with the Amadeus Quartet but the Brodskys
are not an iota inferior - this is really masterly playing!
Turina’s
La oración del torero was written in 1925,
originally for a lute quartet and later also arranged for string orchestra.
It changes between contemplative, soft moments and sudden dramatic outbursts.
Turina’s incentive for the work was the sight of a toreador praying
and receiving the Sacrament of Holy Unction before going into the arena,
where there is excitement, laughter, music.
Piazzolla’s
Four for Tango, composed as late as 1988 for
the Kronos Quartet, is without doubt one of his bravest works with instrumental
effects like glissandi, shrieks (bird cries?), percussive sounds and
it is also heavily dissonant. In the midst of this the tango rhythms
are alive and the short piece is both entertaining and fascinating.
The final number is a first recording of Paul Cassidy’s arrangements
of two capricci by Paganini. The
Lento is contemplative in a
refined late-Beethoven manner; the well known Capriccio No. 24 is a
virtuoso piece and it’s thrilling to hear it played in quartet
shape with impressive precision. Those who feel they have heard the
original solo violin version too many times this is a nice listen for
a change. For those who like further challenge I recommend all 24 Capricci
played on saxophone (see
review).
Excellent sonics, as can only be expected from Chandos, good notes and
expert playing should make this an attractive buy for string quartet
lovers, in particular those with a taste for Mediterranean sun.
Göran Forsling
