There are some interestingly subjective views bound up in Grand
Piano's assertion that German composer Gerhard Frommel "rejected vapid
pre-war Nationalism and Schoenberg's dodecaphony, finding his voice in
individuality and tradition." Politics aside, what this doubtless indicates
is that listeners whose tastes sit primarily within the core repertoire need
not fear Frommel's music. As annotator Johann Peter Vogel reveals, it "has
its origins in a blend of romanticism and a Stravinskyian vitality allied to
an expressive plasticity, a catchy melodic sensuality and a springy, dancing
rhythmic drive, all of which imbue his music with a distinctive
individuality."
In fact, the First Sonata has a somewhat impressionistic, almost
French feel, whilst the Second is much more reminiscent of Prokofiev than
Stravinsky. Both works then surprise with their sudden Schubertian turns: in
the final movement of the First and the opening of the Second. The Third,
which has ended up with one of the most long-winded titles on record, is
more complex, tonally more nebulous, yet still easily recognisable as coming
from the author of the first two sonatas. Its ambiguous ending seems almost
to refer to the composer's own role at the time as despatch rider for the
German army in Vichy France.
Whilst Frommel may not really be quite as innovative as pianist
Tatjana Blome claims, "astound[ing] us with the unpredictable", his music is
imaginative to the degree that it quite often has an improvised quality -
coming to a sudden stop here, taking an unexpected harmonic turn there. Yet
it is
always generous to audiences, moderate dissonances punctuating
a melodically-inclined flow.
Blome has an impressive discography to her credit, both as soloist
and as a chamber musician. She has even recorded Frommel before, on a 2006
centenary disc for Deutsche Grammophon, performing not only his Sonata no.6,
but also his double concerto for piano, clarinet and strings op.9 (442
8218). Her previous acquaintance with Frommel lends her interpretations here
all the more authority - she is assured, sensitive, communicative. This
recital will leave listeners looking forward to the one or two further
volumes that will cover Frommel's four remaining sonatas.
The accompanying notes are fairly informative, although the original
German in translation comes out rather wordy in places: "The Sonata begins
with a
Moderato sostenuto followed by a
Moderato rubato, a
slow section
ben sostenuto then a
Tempo di Tarantella with an
introductory
Moderato, ending in a closing
Largo [...] instead
of being described as being in E major, the tonality is really in E minor
..."
Sound quality is good, as it always is with Grand Piano, although in
this Radio Berlin-Brandenburg-made recording it is not particularly spacious
or moist.
Byzantion
Contact at artmusicreviews.co.uk
