Goffredo PETRASSI (1904 - 2003)
Magnificat (1939/40)a [30:52]
Salmo IX (1934/6) [34:57]
Sabina Cvilak (soprano)a
Orchestra e Coro Teatro Regio Torino/Gianandrea Noseda
rec. Teatro Regio, Torino, Italy, 5-7 July 2012
CHANDOS CHAN 10750 [65:58]
Although it was never really absent from the catalogue, Petrassi's
music has still to receive its proper due. Some of you may remember that a
number of his works were recorded by Fonit Cetra and released on the Italia
label during the LP era. These discs included the complete concertos for orchestra.
These were later released as a CD boxed set (review)
a few years ago whereas a new set was issued on Stradivarius which I have
not heard so far. In the meantime Stradivarius also released a couple of CDs
with works from different periods of Petrassi's long creative life. The latest
Stradivarius instalment contains three comparatively early works as does this
brand new Chandos disc.
Petrassi's early music was clearly under the influence of Neo-classicism as
well as of Stravinsky. This is to be heard fairly clearly at the outset of
the large-scale Magnificat which overtly echoes Neo-classical and baroque
models. However, the earliest work here is the quite impressive Salmo IX
for mixed chorus, string orchestra, brass, percussion and two pianos. The
music exudes a well-meant archaism that to a certain extent paves the way
for what may be one of Petrassi's greatest works of that period, the powerful
Coro di Morti. Salmo IX is laid-out in two parts of roughly
the same length. The music moves forwards with a quite remarkable assurance
and sense of purpose, full of virile choral and instrumental writing. Just
listen to the very opening of the work and you will understand what I mean.
There is no let-up of tension and the music builds to some imperious climaxes.
Not a single note is wasted in this often opulent, bright-sounding work. For
curiosity's sake there exists another version of this work: a live recording
made in 1962 conducted by the composer. It was once available on Datum DAT
90001 which may no longer be available. It is nevertheless well worth looking
for because the three works recorded are all conducted by Petrassi: Coro
di Morti and Quattro Inni Sacri.
Composed a few years later, the Magnificat for soprano, chorus and
orchestra also displays a number of characteristics already noted in Salmo
IX, especially the acknowledged influence of Stravinsky in his Neo-classical
mode. Petrassi curiously mentions Oedipus Rex which is not a sacred
work whereas the Symphony of Psalms would be a better model both for
Salmo IX and the Magnificat. However, Petrassi is an Italian
composer and, as such, does not hide his feelings behind some façade
as Stravinsky did. He cannot help but feel involved in his settings of these
liturgical texts and the Magnificat adds a further, almost operatic
dimension, were it only in the use of a soprano leggero. The main difference
between the Magnificat and Salmo IX lies in the fact that the
former is set in a much more episodic manner and one at times misses a clearly
defined line; this at the expense of a global approach to the text. This said,
the Magnificat is a quite beautiful piece that deserves to be heard
more often and that should appeal to anyone with a liking for, say, Poulenc's
Gloria and Stabat Mater.
With his exact contemporary Luigi Dallapiccola, Petrassi was an important
personality in the history of Italian music in the 20th century.
He was probably somewhat more eclectic than Dallapiccola who adopted dodecaphony
quite early in his career whereas Petrassi rather toyed with it much later
in his life. It is nice, then to see new recordings of their music being released
over the last few years. Chandos has already done their share in releasing
two Dallapiccola discs (Volume
1 ~ Volume
2) … so far. Now comes this superb release that usefully fills some
gaps in Petrassi's discography. I keep my fingers crossed that more will be
done for these significant composers whose music definitely deserves wider
exposure.
These performances are just superb and so is the recording. I most sincerely
hope that this extremely welcome release will not remain a “one shot”
and that further volumes will appear in due course.
Hubert Culot
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