The disc contains three works by Édouard Lalo for violin
and orchestra - all written in the 1870s. Two of them are small
and virtually unknown but deserve more prominence. The third
is a
staple of the romantic repertoire, receiving a fresh interpretation,
quite different from what we might be used to.
Lalo did not enjoy much success in his lifetime, although his
melodic gift was admired by some of his fellow composers. The
works on this disc testify to his talent. The music stores no
hidden depths, it is not contrapuntal or forward-looking in any
way. Let's be honest, it is also fairly predictable and sweet-toothed.
On the good side it is pleasant, melodic, and is a good vehicle
for violinists’ virtuosity. In fact, all three pieces were
created for the great Sarasate, and he paid back generously by
making Lalo's name internationally known. It is nice to have
concertos written by a skilled violinist for a great violinist:
the composer both
can and
may express himself as
he wants.
The
Violin Concerto is best described by the word "sweet".
The first movement is by far the longest and stores the main
symphonic weight. It has the grace of the Mendelssohn's though
is not nearly as memorable. The themes are short, not contrasting
and, not surprisingly, resemble those from the first movement
of Lalo's
Cello Concerto, a deeper and darker work written
three years later. The mood is agitated, and the soloist gets
excellent opportunities to show virtuosity. The orchestra, as
in other Lalo's concertante works, has a prominent role and is
not reduced to mere accompaniment à la Paganini. The second
movement is a sister of the slow movement of Saint-Saëns'
Third
Concerto. It has the same caressing sweetness, but alas,
is so short. The beginning of the third movement is strikingly
bold and promises a lot of good surprises, which are provided
in due course. Some themes are banal, but their abundance makes
up for this: Lalo is not a miser!
Fantaisie norvégienne is a tiny concerto in the
familiar pattern: slow introduction and allegro - sweet romance
- devilishly virtuosic finale. A tender oboe invites you to the
pleasures of nature. Violin flights and falls draw the picture
of fjords and cliffs. You can physically feel the freshness of
the air. And then a dance begins. It is a real folk dance, with
an infectious rhythm and a merry stomp. Lalo claimed to use genuine
folk tunes. The middle part is another quiet
pastorale,
exactly what you would expect in this place in such a piece.
The soloist gets to strut his stuff a lot throughout the fantasy,
but it's the final part where the whole rainbow of skills and
tricks is on display. Going faster and faster, the music is absolutely
enthralling.
While the
Violin Concerto lacks a certain profundity,
and the
Fantaisie norvégienne is a pretty postcard
akin to Liszt's
Hungarian Rhapsodies, the
Symphonie
espagnole is an acclaimed masterpiece. Its national character
is a homage to its dedicatee Sarasate, and not a tribute to the
fashion for Spanish-hued pieces, so popular in French music in
those days. Actually, Lalo's creation was the first to appear
in this colorful, clamorous family, followed by Bizet's
Carmen.
More a suite with violin obbligato than a symphony or a standard
concerto, it was envisioned by the composer as "a violin
soaring above the rigid form of an old-fashioned symphony".
The choice of name was a clever marketing move: just try to accept
it and it will start to feel right somehow.
The beginning is not especially Spanish. Hating to be called
a jester and wishing to be acknowledged as a serious composer
of Germanic tradition, Lalo almost managed to suppress his natural
style, on the way losing some charm. So the first movement is
a solid symphonic attempt, with echoes of Brahms and an odd mixture
of styles. Though it has some wonderful moments, they are not
new. Anyway, the part works well as a starting point. And as
if having said "OK, I did it, now let's have fun",
Lalo then takes off his serious cap, and the magic begins.
The second movement is a perfumed, lilting
seguidilla,
and the orchestra turns into one huge guitar. Then comes the
Intermezzo,
the most Spanish part of the symphony, its character closest
to the ground. It has one of Lalo's most memorable tunes, a
habanera worthy
of
Carmen, though the picture it paints is less of a
rebellious
bird and more of some old Azucena in a good mood. The brooding,
somber
Andante has a heartfelt melody, while the orchestral
part could come from Mendelssohn's Scottish shores. The final
rondo is once again a shower of virtuosic bravura, yet irresistibly
charming. And there is a delightful
malagueña right
in the middle of it. The orchestration is ingenious and piquant
throughout.
There is a crowd of
symphonies espagnoles on the market,
and almost nothing for the other two pieces. You would probably
want this disc if you like conservative French music of the late
19th Century. Jean-Jacques Kantorow's violin is a 1699 Stradivarius,
its voice smooth and white, rather high-timbre. Instead of big
romantic gestures à la Saint-Saëns or Tchaikovsky,
Kantorow gives us a finely worked lace, very beautiful. However
in a lace it can be difficult to follow the main line, which
happens here sometimes. The playing is clear on the molecular
level, all the tiniest filigree details are sharp. This version
of the symphony is brisker and lighter than many other performances
in the catalog, and very enthusiastic. However, let us not forget
that these three works were created for Sarasate, whose manner
of playing was reputedly so relaxed and natural that it almost
seemed off-hand. A shade more lazy nonchalance would have been
welcome, especially in the symphony. It is just so busy.
The orchestral backing is superb, never too heavy, and very rhythmically
precise. The conductor Kees Bakels certainly does a great job
and is in good accord with the soloist. The program notes in
English, German and French are tasty and nutritious, telling
a lot about the pre- and post-natal life of the works. The recording
is clear, the listener is put in a concert-hall perspective:
the soloist is perceptibly closer, and the orchestra sounds two-dimensional.
Together with the lightweight approach taken by the soloist and
the conductor, this makes the symphony sound fresh and young,
as opposed to more ripe, meaty, probably more expressive but
also more mannered interpretations. Still, I feel something is
lost.
Oleg Ledeniov
Jean-Jacques Kantorow (violin) 
