Tālivaldis ĶENIŅŠ (1919 – 2008)
Symphony No.5 (1976) [20:21]
Symphony No.8 “Sinfonia concertata” (1986) [23:44]
Aria per corde (1984) [8:27]
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra/Andris Poga
Ivetka Apkalna (organ)
rec. 2021, Great Guild Hall, Riga, Latvia
ONDINE ODE1388-2 [52:32]
The present release is the third devoted to Kenins' symphonic output to be released by Ondine (review ~ review) and it pairs two substantial symphonies composed in 1976 and 1984 respectively.
Symphony No.5, completed in 1976, is a large-scale structure in one single movement - albeit laid out into three main parts preceded by some sort of prelude setting the moods of the piece. The introductory section Molto animato opens arrestingly with a massive rumble from the orchestra setting a rather dark mood which morphs into what the sleeve notes describe as “a fairy tale world which glitters with the magic of dusk in the Latvian landscape”. This may sound a bit far-fetched but that “fairy tale” section not only provides for contrast after the forceful opening section but also sets the mood of some ensuing episodes. The music of the prologue moves directly into the first movement proper in which moods and tempi alternate before leading into what may be regarded as the symphony's slow movement Largo espressivo which recalls an archaic traditional melody from Kenins' birthplace of Kurzeme that will act as a thread throughout the entire movement. The final section Vivace e con fuoco reverts to the opening mood and moves forcefully along until the music reaches a powerful climax before “meandering into nothingness” over a last, soft rumble.
Symphony No.8 “Sinfonia concertata” is Kenins' last and is scored for organ and orchestra. It is worth mentioning that percussion plays an important role in the scoring of most of Kenins's orchestral music and particularly so here. The composer went so far as to declare that “[I] use percussion to accent the dramatic elements in my music. For instance, the Toccata in my last symphony wouldn't exist without percussion … it wouldn't even be possible”. The first movement Moderato unfolds unhurriedly at first and the music slowly gathers momentum and leads towards a first build-up signalling the organ's first entry. Soon afterwards, the organ weaves its way subtly into the orchestral fabric for the organ part. Though technically demanding, it also requires “a deep understanding of complex forms but also a fine sense of the organ's registers”. The composer's mastery is such that the music requires a remarkable blend of organ and orchestra - something which is not always convincingly achieved. The end of the first movement in which one might spot some allusions to Poulenc's own Organ Concerto prepares for the lead into the beautiful and deeply felt Chorale: Largo, the emotional heart of the piece, also briefly lightened by some oblique echoes of Ravel. The final movement is a powerful Toccata of propulsive energy sustained by much percussion to the fore, the whole ending in several heavily repeated orchestral blows. The music then disappears calmly. Kenins's Eighth Symphony is a superb achievement in its own right displaying his orchestral and formal mastery to the full and is, to my mind, one of his most personal and impressive statements which hugely repays repeated hearings.
Aria per corde, completing this superb release, is a beautiful, short piece of intense, though unsentimental, lyricism that the notes rightly describe as a “sombre cantilena” somewhat reminiscent of Arthur Honegger's Second Symphony.
Andris Poga leads his forces in carefully prepared, superbly played and recorded performances of substantial works that clearly deserve wider exposure. There now remain three symphonies to be recorded and I for one cannot wait to hear them, for here is a composer who obviously had things to say and knew how to say them in a convincing manner which I hard to resist.
In short, all those who may already have been hooked by the earlier releases will be very pleased to get this, but anyone new to Kenins's music will also find much to relish here.
Hubert Culot
