American Omissions

Last night we attended a concert by the excellent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under its charismatic conductor, Marin Alsop in an all-American programme. I have made tangential references to South American Spanish connections in these articles, but not to the important North American scene. A neglect which as this musical journey continues I must try to remedy.

Last night we heard some idiomatically performed Gershwin – ‘An American in Paris’ and the ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ given a flamboyant performance by the Macedonian pianist Simon Trpceski. After the interval the rarely played 2nd ‘Shorter’ Symphony by Aaron Copland was given a taut, precise performance and the warm rather than enthusiastic applause at its end suggested that the audience understood its lack of popularity. An interesting, but at least for us, not an engaging work. However this was followed by a sumptuous suite based on Leonard Bernstein’s score for the 1950’s film ‘On the Waterfront’, which brought the house down. It was an excellent climax to an enjoyable evening. ( The same artists have recorded the suite together with other Bernstein works on a Naxos disc.)

But then we were treated to an encore. Sir Thomas Beecham in the far away days when he conducted his two Philharmonic Orchestras – Royal and London – could always be depended on in this respect. He called his encores, ‘Lollipops’. Last night’s was a very luscious one! With the help of the B.S.O.’s Concerts Administrator, Marion Aston, I gather that the piece is called ‘Victory Stride’ by the American-African composer James Price Johnson, a contemporary of Gershwin’s.

With the invaluable help of Wikipaedia I discover Johnson composed the popular ‘Charleston’, arguably the defining dance number of the Roaring Twenties and invented a new form of popular music called ‘stride’ which is full of changes of rhythm and key, the music doubling back on itself in a fury of constant energy. That’s just how this piece sounded in a brilliant version that had sections of the orchestra standing up for their contributions to the feigned surprise of the conductor, who in response to the enthusiasm of the audience had to lead her players off the platform as we pleaded for more. On this hearing Johnson’s music deserves a revival of the sort that Scott Joplin’s comparable style enjoyed some years ago.

B.R.

Manchester: Musical Mecca

The CD I wrote about in the last article is valuable for its unusual programme but is notable too for the orchestra that plays it, the BBC Philharmonic. In the war years its earlier manifestation -the BBC Northern Orchestra - shared some of its players with the Halle orchestra, until John Barbirolli (see 31/01/06) came on the scene and, losing some of his players permanently to the BBC, built up the new and impressive Halle Orchestra.

Mark Elder has been the conductor of the Halle since 2000, and has brought it to a new eminence in the British musical scene. The collaboration is magical although I have been able to see it in action only once. The orchestra has its own CD label and I have recently bought their latest in what until now has largely been performances of English music, of which Elder is a great advocate. It’s a disc devoted to the music of Debussy, who until now has not featured in these blogs. He was very much a man of his time (1862-1918), part of the cultural life of Bohemian Paris, friend of Manuel de Falla, and an innovator of a new musical style where dramatic flourishes are balanced against understatement and inference.

The first work on this new disc is devoted to his symphonic sketches, La Mer, in a performance of precision, characterised, as a critic wrote last week, by a ‘slow-burning intensity which pulls everything into sharp focus in the final movement.’ Much of the compositions of the early years of the last century were impressionistic, sometimes with a hidden structure but often – for me – meandering, leading to nowhere. Not so Debussy, particularly true of his orchestral music.

The other work on the disc is of twelve of his piano preludes orchestrated by the English composer and onetime collaborator of Benjamin Britten, Colin Matthews. I have all of Debussy’s piano music on disc and it has been so interesting to compare the originals with this new version. Matthews claims that he hasn’t orchestrated in a mock-Debusssy style, but I seem to detect a strongly English pastoral influence typical of that period, in these very delightful realisations. An excellent disc and I recommend it.

Lucky Manchester, to have two such superb orchestras and with the new Bridgwater Hall to perform in. A good argument for living in the North!

B.R.

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936)

There are composers one is aware of but have little connection with one’s own musical interests, and Respighi fits that category for me. He is often described as someone whose brilliance is not matched by substance. He uses a large orchestra with great skill, notably in his three popular Roman tone poems and although vivid and imaginative works, for me they are in danger of outstaying their welcome. Respighi often orchestrated other people’s compositions, maintaining their spirit and giving pleasure to audiences that otherwise might never have heard them.

At the beginning of this series of blogs I rather pompously said that for me music has to ‘say’ something, rather than just being a form of entertainment. In that frame of mind I would then have argued that Respighi failed the test, being more of an entertainer than an enlightener. A disc given me as a birthday present this week makes me revise that judgement, and to be a bit more honest about enjoying flamboyant sound, with or without a message.

In his notes for this Chandos record (CHAN 10388) David Heald writes enthusiastically about Respighi’s vast output which is much more than the colourful orchestral pieces by which he is best known. But the Chandos disc is devoted to four typically luxuriant pieces, including an early work, Preludio, corale e fuga with which he won a composition prize when he was still studying at the Liceo Musicale in Bologna. It’s splendid music, especially the fugue which ends in a glorious blaze of colour. Respighi, when he was a playing as a member of the theatre orchestra at St.Petersburg, studied for a time with Rimsky-Korsakov –‘vitally important to me’ he said later - and you can plainly hear that influence in his larger compositions.

Other works on this disc, which I have enjoyed hugely, include transcriptions of piano music by Rosssini (‘Rossiana’) and five of the piano etudes (Op.33 and 39) by Rachmaninoff who when he heard of Respighi’s intention, sent some of his thoughts behind the music to the Italian to help him in his project. The other work on this disc is a short four movement essay for orchestra called ‘Burlesca’, which shows the influence of Dvorak whom Respighi much admired. He had, as Heald says, this ability to assimilate the style of other composers without forfeiting his own individuality.

It was a review a this recording by the BBC Philharmonic under its conductor Gianandrea Noseda that encouraged me to suggest it as a present, and I agree with the reviewer’s comment that Noseda conducts all four works with a ‘devil-may-care brilliance’, while the orchestra’s playing is ‘staggering’. Worth buying!

B.R.

Music for a little child

I have been asked to suggest ‘soothing’ music that could be played whilst a baby or very young child is in the room. Quite a challenge. (The friend who asked me agreed when I said that most of the music I enjoy tends to be loud!) The trouble with much classical music is that there are so many dynamic changes within a single piece, that it’s impossible to maintain a consistent level of volume, and no parent or nanny can cope with constantly dashing to the controls every time the sound goes up, or down. But here are a few suggestions.

The symphonies of Haydn are mostly gentle and amiable and even in the vigorous movements, if you keep the volume low this might be a civilising experience for the growing child. Elgar collected some of the music composed when he was very young, and out of it created two collections called the ‘Wand of Youth Suites’ ; there are some lovely tunes there, some more lively than others. I am fond of the piano music of Gabriel Faure, and Kathryn Stott has recorded many of his pieces. The piano duet ‘The Dolly Suite’ – which he later orchestrated- is particularly attractive. Similarly Ravel’s tuneful ‘Mother Goose Suite’ might be suitable.

Some of Delius’s music has a quiet lyricism that a baby would enjoy. Written when he was working in his father’s Caribbean plantation, his ‘Florida Suite’ contains some sprightly, flowing music. ’The Walk to the Paradise Garden’ and similar works – no longer much in favour these days – wouldn’t tax a young mind. Acoustic guitar music can often provide a gentle background and I see there is a Naxos disc played by Norbert Kraft called ‘Guitar Favourites’ (8.553999). Mozart piano concertos would be a good bet (for me No.17 is the loveliest), and there is another Naxos disc recently issued, ‘Mozart for Meditation’ (8.557651) which could be just the job.

And then of course, there is Tchaikovsky. Whilst he can do the decimals in full force, there is some lovely music in the ‘Nutcracker’ Suite and in some of his smaller piano pieces, as well as the orchestral ‘Capriccio Italian’. Schubert’s six Moments Musicaux and his Impromptus for piano are lovely, preferably played by the great Alfred Brendel. Vaughan- Williams is for me an uneven composer, but his work ‘The Lark Ascending’ is simply beautiful beyond words.

The best answer to my friend’s need is probably to browse in a music shop amongst some of the compilation CD’s which gather together music suitable for a particular mood.

B.R.