I have been thinking about transgression since seeing Trey Anastasio's induction speech of Genesis into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last week. He gave some great examples of the wonderful transgressions that Genesis committed over the years (a hit single "Turn It On Again" written in 13/4 time for example). Berlioz was also a great transgressor. He was self taught. That must be why he really doesn't sound like anyone else except himself. He wrote strange large scale pieces that did not fit conventional categories. Even his most famous piece, the Symphonie Fantastique is not a conventional symphony with it's programatic story of unrequited love, drug overdoses and a witches' sabbath. The piece played at this concert is Harold in Italy. A typically atypical Berlioz piece. Commissioned to write a Viola Concerto by Paganini, Berlioz writes this not-a-concerto, sort-of-symphony with solo viola parts that clearly would not satisfy the notoriously show boating Paganini.
What makes this a great rather than just a good story is that after Paganini refused to play the piece because it was not virtuoso enough, he heard it performed. He then sent Berlioz 20,000 francs because he was so impressed. And now, 176 years after it was written, this strange piece is still being played in Pittsburgh, PA. Randolph Kelly, the long-time Pittsburgh Symphony principal violist, played the solo part. A solo piece that does not call for virtuosity presents it's own issues for a soloist. Kelly stayed within the piece quite well with excellent accompaniment from Yan-Pascal Tortelier and the orchestra. The delicate harp part in the first movement was quite beautiful and the big climaxes quite satisfying. The two inner movements, smaller in scale, set up the finale. I particularly enjoyed the third movement's bouncy folk tunes and great English horn part. The finale was properly dramatic (is properly really the right word there?) and a bit out of control, as Berlioz should be.
The second piece of this two piece program was Gustav Holst's The Planets. Here I have to admit that I had let myself get a skewed idea about Holst. Too many sci-fi movies and I started thinking about Holst in terms of the many film composers that stole from him, sometimes so directly that it realy is just a quote. The Planets is no longer under copyright law. I did find myself noting during the performance places where I have heard Holst ripped off. I have to credit my friend Marcus for getting me to this show, based on his unreserved love of Holst's piece.
Somehow I had gotten it in my head that Holst had written this much later than he had. This seems to fit into my denigrating of the piece. Realizing this was written from 1914-1916 puts it in a different perspective. English classical music was just emerging from obscurity with Elgar and Vaughn Williams leading the way. Those two used much more conventional and familiar forms, symphonies, concertos etc... In this way, Holst seems much like Berlioz in the choices of the forms used in his composing.
But how was the performance? Quite brilliant. Mars, the bringer of war was intense and built to an overwhelming climax. But Holst's Planets are more than just loud climaxes, as Bill Cabalero showed with his beautiful and restrained horn solos to start the Venus section. Yan-Pascal's conducting and the orchestra's playing highlighted the great variety in the seven movements (Holst left out the Earth and now that Pluto isn't a planet anymore, he's no longer behind the times). Individual members of the PSO stood out throughout the piece. Andres Cardenes was beautiful in the solo violin parts. I did find myself flashing in my brain to movie and TV (mostly sc-fi) composers that have borrowed or outright stole from Gustav.
Other highlights included the entire brass section in Jupiter, loud, clear and brilliant. The old age portrayed in Saturn was not scary but gentle and rather comforting (perhaps wishful thinking back in 1916, though perhaps the war made old age particularly alluring). The harps and wordless chorus in Neptune the mystic were ethereal and appropriately mystical.
Another great show for the PSO. Renewing my acquaintance with this piece that I had ignored for so long was quite a treat.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Joshua Bell, Jeremy Denk - Tuesday March 2, 2010 - Heinz Hall - Pittsburgh, PA
I do not remember the last time I saw a violin recital in Pittsburgh. So it was quite a treat to see a great violinist right here in my hometown. Joshua Bell IS a great one and his partner for the evening seems worth getting to know as well. The vicissitudes of classical music collecting is such that a serious collector will get a recording of their favorite pieces, then another of the same piece for comparison as it is all about interpretation. Eventually you have multiple recordings of your favorites and it is hard for new artists to get your attention. Do I really want Josh Bell's Mendelssohn concerto when I have Heifetz, Menuhin, Perlman, Milstein, Ricci, Mutter and Hahn doing it? This is a long winded way of saying that a young violinist has to do something to get my attention in order to buy their recordings. You can do it with interesting couplings or new and unusual repertoire, but a new recording of the Mendelssohn and Bruch concertos is probably not ending up on my shelf. So I know Josh Bell through his recordings of Corigliano, Nicolas Maw, Walton and Barber. However, he has made his name in the standard repertoire and recordings of little tasty bits of violin music that go down easy or work well as background music.
I don't say these things as a put down, but to put his career choices in some context, particularly in reference to this recital. Here was a recital that says, we are doing some serious music tonight, four substantial pieces with a brief, light encore. I am curious about their decision to do this and quite happy that they did.
The time span of these pieces is about two hundred years. The oldest piece, Bach's 4th violin and keyboard sonata. I have to admit here that this is the only piece on the program I don't know (or own own a recording). The Bach violin and keyboard pieces just are not held in the same high regard as his solo violin sonatas and partitas. After hearing this piece, I can't say I am in any hurry to get into them. Perhaps it was the performance (and I did feel they were out of sync at times) or perhaps it is a rather slight piece of music but it (performance, piece or both) did not grab me. Grieg's Third violin Sonata did grab me. Grieg is known now for really just two things, his Peer Gynt music and his piano concerto. This piece is a late piece, substantial (over 20 minutes) and quite dramatic. Bell and Denk seemed to underline the drama in a major way. I felt at times that it might be too dramatic but that may be my familiarity with a less dramatic interpretation. I especially liked the first movements building to climaxes (which happens through the movement).
The second half opened with the Schumann first Violin Sonata. I haven;t listened to Schumann much lately and this reminded me that I do like his music. Despite Schumann's tragic mental health problems, his music has a pleasantness, lightness to it. Even this piece, which is a relatively late one has the Schumann lightness that I find so appealing. I enjoyed the interpretation, even more than the Grieg. This duo had an interesting stage presence. Bell, seemingly oblivious to all else (though I assume his ears were paying attention), stretching his body at times, his left foot flat but right one only touching the floor with his toe, as if reaching out for something. Denk was extremely vigilant and attentive, head cocked to watch Bell and stay in his groove with him.
Schumann's piece was written in 1851 and the Grieg in 1886. Despite the thirty five years difference, they definitely inhabit the same sound world, romantic, tonal, dissonances all resolved. Maurice Ravel's Violin and Piano Sonata was written in the 1920's. Forty years after Grieg, Ravel's piece, right from the outset, reveals itself as from a different sound world. In form, it shares the conventional three movement structure with the Schumann and Grieg. One difference that comes to mind for me is that the Ravel is not so clearly on it's way somewhere. It does not seem quite so linear. While not all Ravel is this way, the Violin Sonata has a somewhat disturbing quality that I love in my favorite Ravel music (Bolero and La Valse come to mind, though with less subtlety). The opening movement's moments of simple beauty punctuated with little dissonances and perturbations. The flow and interplay between Bell and Denk was well done. The middle "Blues" movement had some nice swing to it. Again, the lightness mixed with little disturbances captured well by this duo. The last movement is one of those in which the violin gets moving and doesn't really slow down. In fact it is marked "Perpetuum Mobile: Allegro". The piano provides support but this is really the violin's show. Bell played this with seemingly no difficulties and a good bit of flair.
The encore was a slight but enjoyable Kreisler piece after the style of Dvorak. I assume it is one of the many pieces that Kreisler wrote but programed as if it had been written by Dvorak or whomever. I always chuckle that he apparently got away with this for quite a while.
i was not sure about this concert being held in Heinz Hall. It is a big place for a violin to project within. However, Joshua Bell's sound projected quite well to where I was sitting (front of the Family Circle upstairs). He has a big sound that is a must for this to work in Heinz Hall. The crowd was enthusiastic though I would estimate that the hall was only half full. I hope that was enough to have more of these kinds of shows. I don't know how the economics of this works.
In summary, great show by great musicians. A treat for me who loves violin music. The program was well chosen (minus the Bach). If I can indulge myself in one complaint, the program biographies bothered me. I realize that Josh Bell is the headliner and most people, even me who tries to keep up with classical music, don't know Jeremy Denk. However, do you really need to gush about the "breadth and daring choices of repertoire", then list standard repertoire, movie soundtracks, and crossover bits. Anne-Sophie Mutter, Jennifer Koh, Leila Josefowicz and Gidon Kremer are daring, Bell is not. He IS great at what he does. The list of things Jeremy Denk has done reveals that HE is the daring one, with lots of modern pieces in his repertoire. I will be on the look out for some of his recordings.
I don't say these things as a put down, but to put his career choices in some context, particularly in reference to this recital. Here was a recital that says, we are doing some serious music tonight, four substantial pieces with a brief, light encore. I am curious about their decision to do this and quite happy that they did.
The time span of these pieces is about two hundred years. The oldest piece, Bach's 4th violin and keyboard sonata. I have to admit here that this is the only piece on the program I don't know (or own own a recording). The Bach violin and keyboard pieces just are not held in the same high regard as his solo violin sonatas and partitas. After hearing this piece, I can't say I am in any hurry to get into them. Perhaps it was the performance (and I did feel they were out of sync at times) or perhaps it is a rather slight piece of music but it (performance, piece or both) did not grab me. Grieg's Third violin Sonata did grab me. Grieg is known now for really just two things, his Peer Gynt music and his piano concerto. This piece is a late piece, substantial (over 20 minutes) and quite dramatic. Bell and Denk seemed to underline the drama in a major way. I felt at times that it might be too dramatic but that may be my familiarity with a less dramatic interpretation. I especially liked the first movements building to climaxes (which happens through the movement).
The second half opened with the Schumann first Violin Sonata. I haven;t listened to Schumann much lately and this reminded me that I do like his music. Despite Schumann's tragic mental health problems, his music has a pleasantness, lightness to it. Even this piece, which is a relatively late one has the Schumann lightness that I find so appealing. I enjoyed the interpretation, even more than the Grieg. This duo had an interesting stage presence. Bell, seemingly oblivious to all else (though I assume his ears were paying attention), stretching his body at times, his left foot flat but right one only touching the floor with his toe, as if reaching out for something. Denk was extremely vigilant and attentive, head cocked to watch Bell and stay in his groove with him.
Schumann's piece was written in 1851 and the Grieg in 1886. Despite the thirty five years difference, they definitely inhabit the same sound world, romantic, tonal, dissonances all resolved. Maurice Ravel's Violin and Piano Sonata was written in the 1920's. Forty years after Grieg, Ravel's piece, right from the outset, reveals itself as from a different sound world. In form, it shares the conventional three movement structure with the Schumann and Grieg. One difference that comes to mind for me is that the Ravel is not so clearly on it's way somewhere. It does not seem quite so linear. While not all Ravel is this way, the Violin Sonata has a somewhat disturbing quality that I love in my favorite Ravel music (Bolero and La Valse come to mind, though with less subtlety). The opening movement's moments of simple beauty punctuated with little dissonances and perturbations. The flow and interplay between Bell and Denk was well done. The middle "Blues" movement had some nice swing to it. Again, the lightness mixed with little disturbances captured well by this duo. The last movement is one of those in which the violin gets moving and doesn't really slow down. In fact it is marked "Perpetuum Mobile: Allegro". The piano provides support but this is really the violin's show. Bell played this with seemingly no difficulties and a good bit of flair.
The encore was a slight but enjoyable Kreisler piece after the style of Dvorak. I assume it is one of the many pieces that Kreisler wrote but programed as if it had been written by Dvorak or whomever. I always chuckle that he apparently got away with this for quite a while.
i was not sure about this concert being held in Heinz Hall. It is a big place for a violin to project within. However, Joshua Bell's sound projected quite well to where I was sitting (front of the Family Circle upstairs). He has a big sound that is a must for this to work in Heinz Hall. The crowd was enthusiastic though I would estimate that the hall was only half full. I hope that was enough to have more of these kinds of shows. I don't know how the economics of this works.
In summary, great show by great musicians. A treat for me who loves violin music. The program was well chosen (minus the Bach). If I can indulge myself in one complaint, the program biographies bothered me. I realize that Josh Bell is the headliner and most people, even me who tries to keep up with classical music, don't know Jeremy Denk. However, do you really need to gush about the "breadth and daring choices of repertoire", then list standard repertoire, movie soundtracks, and crossover bits. Anne-Sophie Mutter, Jennifer Koh, Leila Josefowicz and Gidon Kremer are daring, Bell is not. He IS great at what he does. The list of things Jeremy Denk has done reveals that HE is the daring one, with lots of modern pieces in his repertoire. I will be on the look out for some of his recordings.
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