This is a disc that centres on the great triumvirate of solo
cello works inaugurated by Ysa˙e’s sonata in 1915, then reaching
a peak with Kodály’s own work in the genre, and continuing on
a lesser plane with Cassadó’s sumptuously enticing 1925 Suite.
To this trio Wen-Sinn Yang has added two works that sit on the
very periphery of the repertoire – by executant-composers Bottermund
and Klengel.
It might be instructive to start with the former’s Variations
on a Theme of Paganini. Bottermund was, fortuitously a pupil
of Klengel, and also of Hugo Becker, so his German lineage was
formidable. He was a cellist in the Berlin Philharmonic and
made recordings on 78. His variations – undated – make profoundly
difficult demands on the soloist and in Janos Starker’s edition
– this whole recital bears the Starker stamp – these are clarified.
The lexicon of technical difficulties involves a wrist-crunching
avalanche, demanding clarity of shifting, exact intonation,
not least in the harmonics, control of pizzicato, a steady rhythm,
and an immensely tough coda. All this and the Albéniz-inclined
intimations of the harmonies in the sixth variation. By comparison
his erstwhile teacher’s own opus, which was dedicated to Suggia,
is more a test of technical and expressive qualities. The theme
utilised is from the opening of Schumann’s D minor Violin Sonata
but one should note that this is Wen-Sinn Yang’s own edition
in which he has truncated the variations from twenty three to
fourteen and re-ordered them. He has constructed a more compact,
probably more malleable and maybe graver effect.
Ysa˙e’s Sonata is notable in this performance for the way in
which Yang keeps the melodic line moving in the central movement
with its drone features adeptly brought out. Its Bachian ethos
is honoured, so too however the more menacing intimations of
the finale as well as its more reverent-reflective episodes.
Cassadó’s Suite is more of a fantasia in comparison with the
Ysa˙e. Its more externalised Iberian effusions are well pointed
here, the sense of registral colour and voicings being acutely
deployed in the Sardana, the tipsy Spanishry of the finale
equally well caught. I’ve heard more combustible performances
(Starker himself has recorded it) but this is an authoritative
one nevertheless. Few can match Starker in the Kodály. Tortelier
for instance takes a different kind of view, though one that
is strongly to be respected. But both are significantly faster
than Yang who is especially extended in the slow movement. Here
he plays with great feeling but at a real cost to the melodic
line. I even feel his tempo for the first movement is too relaxed.
The result is that rhythms slacken and the work’s structure
tends to wilt.
He does have one distinct advantage over many who essay this
music and that’s the excellently judged acoustic in Bavarian
Radio’s Studio 2. Overall this is a well constructed programme
mixing canonic and deeply serious works with more frivolous
virtuoso-orientated finger-busters.
Jonathan Woolf
Wen-Sinn Yang (cello)
