Early bel canto

Author(s): Colin Timms

Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 125, No. 1694 (Apr., 1984), pp. 213-214
Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd.
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/963575
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Rosmarie Hofmann is a bright, agile soprano,

admirably suited to the faster, lighter songs,
though her tone can be rather edgy and she is

Record Reviews

sometimes out of tune. Kurt Widmer's contributions are sensitively prepared but sound as if they

were sung piano into a microphone that was far

Late Romantics

so controlled, makes the great Romantic drama-

too close; the result seems wooden and lacking

in quality. In spite of these reservations, there
is still much to admire in this recording.
A group of Rossi's chamber cantatas has been
recorded by Judith Nelson, Wieland Kuijken and

tist into the only Classic of this batch. Strauss William Christie (HM 1010). The selection
and Elgar were both to purge themselves, but stresses the gloomier side of his output: there

The Strauss ofDaphne (1937) is well on the way not quite yet. Riccardo Muti (HMV ASD are three laments, including the celebrated
to his virtuous old age. He is as apt as ever for1435721) gets some lovely chording from the Lament of the Queen of Sweden on the death
a thunderstorm, and could doubtless have cele- Swedish Radio Chorus and Stockholm Chamber
of King Gustavus Adolphus (Un ferito cavalier),

brated Dionysus with maenads as wild as the rag- Choir in the Te Deum, and a fine sensitivity from
ing Electra; but in this one-act opera he concen-the girls in the Laudi alla Vergine. But in spite
trates on the strange, withdrawn character ofof blazing orchestral tuttis from the Berlin PO,

Daphne herself, in love with her natural sur-there is insufficient dynamic contrast in the perroundings and unmoved by male pursuers,formance, and Muti does not dare the ultimate
whether mortal or divine. The lyricism isin following Verdi's uncompromising behests.
ROBERT ANDERSON
ravishing, but there is economy in it too. We

miss, perhaps, the poetic felicities of Hofmannsthal in Josef Gregor's flattish verse; but we are

three other large, serious cantatas and one cheer-

ful piece (Sopra conca d'argento). The music is

well wrought, deeply felt and shot through with
phrases of arresting beauty, and it is eloquently
performed. Judith Nelson is at her freshest and

most agile: rapid passages are delivered with

admirable flexibility and control of rhythm and
timbre, recitatives are declaimed with variety of

pace and emphasis, and she is closely supported

by stylish continuo realizations on harpsichord
and singing sea-shells. And Gregor never outstays
and organ, with and without bass viol. The first
his welcome. The new recording (HMV SLS
two items (Gelosia che a poco a poco and Quando
165) under Haitink is blessed with an enchan- The variety and beauty of Italian secular
vocalla notte) are particularly successful, but
spiega
ting Daphne in Lucia Popp, who manages the music in the first half of the 17th century
are
Un ferito
cavalier needs a much greater range of
heroine's rapturous rural soul with marvellous amply demonstrated by Canzonette amorose,
a
vocal colour
and delivery if it is to sound like
skill. The mortal Leucippus and divine Apollo, two-record set of pieces mainly by Luigi
Rossi
the
impassioned utterance of a desolated queen.
both tenors and sent to devilish heights by theperformed by the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis
The speeds of sections in triple or compound
merciless Strauss, are sung by Peter Schreier and (1C 165 950- 51 T). The 24 pieces (12 solometre,
canta- rarely given in the sources, occasionally
Reiner Goldberg, mostly admirable in the midst tas, eight duets and four trios) range from
feel the
uncomfortable: parts of Mentre sorge dal mare
of trying dramatic and vocal circumstances. The most playful of love-songs to conventionalseem
com- excessively slow and lumpy, while the
untroubled by frying-pans full ofunborn children

Early bel canto

rest of the cast supports well, the orchestra com- plaints of unrequited love and the heartfelt
charming aria in Sopra conca begins on the fast
mands a lovely variety of tone colours, and only Lament of Dejanira on the unfaithfulness of
sideher
and gets faster, reducing (not increasing) the
occasionally does one miss in Haitink the subtletyhusband Hercules (Allor ch'ilforte Alcide). effectiveness
At its
of the syncopations. The balance,

and flair to keep the magic brew well stirred. best the music is deeply expressive. The too,
recitais sometimes unsatisfactory: the keyboard
By contrast Strauss's Alpine Symphony is ex- tives are extremely flexible and there
is a too quiet and the viol too loud. Only one
is often
travagant in every contour. Basically the idea is freshness of invention in the arias, whatever
the cantatas is available in a modern edition,
of the
simple: up the hill and down again, a sort of mood. The harmony is glossed by delightful
so the listener is heavily dependent on the texts
Tristan with energies otherwise directed. That chromatic surprises and the texture enhanced
in
as given
on the sleeve; unfortunately, these are

said, Strauss can only seem diffuse and garrulous, the duets and trios by the presence of the
addi- in Italian only, and the layout includes
printed
however clever the scene-painting. Gorgeous the tional voices: indeed, the sheer sound of few
two obvious
or
signs of their poetical (or musical)
colouring certainly is, whether in the initial view three solo voices singing in parallel or sharing
structures. Assistance is provided by Thomas

of the peak, the apparition of an Alpine fairy, imitative or antiphonal exchanges is so enchanWalker's stimulating notes, however, which also
ting that it is hard to imagine why composers
link the cantatas to their social and political
rightly this aspect of the work that engages the have ignored the medium, by and large,backgrounds.
since
Philadelphia Orchestra under Previn (HMV the middle of the 18th century.
Two of Rossi's oratorios, Ilpecatorpentito and
ASD 1435771). The higher altitudes find the
Although the music on these records appears
O cecita, have been recorded by Les Arts
violins a little uncertain of their exact position; under the name of Luigi Rossi, there is
some directed by William Christie (HM
Florissants
or as we admire the mountain cows. And it is

for the rest the orchestra richly appreciates every doubt as to the authenticity of four of the
duets
1091)
- marvellous music persuasively perform-

moment of the climb and leaves us grateful for (Occhi belli, Amanti sentite, A chi vive and
Luciare not dramatic or narrative works:
ed. They
such sumptuous sounds. The recording has vivid belle) and two of the solos (Mio ben andthe
Avessi
texts are both reflective monologues, and bepresence. By the time Elgar came to write his ohim?). In addition, nearly half the pieces are
per- half the length of a standard dramatic
ing about
First Symphony, he knew much Strauss, and formed by voices or at pitches other than
those
oratorio
of the mid- 17th century, the settings are
scores with at least comparable brilliance; in this given in the sources (only three of the works
like have
extended cantate spirituali. The text of Il

work, too, his imagination is equally fertile. appeared in printed editions). The accompanypecator pentito is the agonized utterance of a
Perhaps because he comes to Elgar via much ing booklet is regrettably silent on theserepentant
ques- sinner. The booklet does not say
Mahler, Haitink (HMV ASD 1077941) does not tions - an unfortunate omission for a recording
exactly how it is scored, but there are recitatives,
altogether avoid a note of self-pity and too much that emanates from the Basle Music Academy
arias and trios for three solo singers (SSB) and
protest in his interpretation. But the great department responsible for research intocontinuo,
early with ritornellos and accompaniments
moments, such as the slow movement and final music. The performances themselves arefor
varitwo violins, and the closing lines are sung
peroration, are nobly done.
able. The marvellously rich and unified counterby a chorus of soloists (SSATB?). The recitatives
In such company the Verdi of the Pezzi sacri
seems stern and rigorous, almost aloof. The taut

tenor of Rene Jacobs is displayed to good advaninclude much descriptive writing - roulades on
words is
like 'abissi' and 'al suol diffonda' and
tage in a wide variety of styles (portamento

discipline of this late music, so expressive yet

mercifully less prevalent than in the chromaticism

past).
at 'pur che gemer si senta' - and
213

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the arias, though all in triple or compound metre,

In contrast to the Russian pianist's deceptive in-

are animated by syncopation or hemiola or by

ingratiating sequences. The variety of textures

souciance Brendel seems determined to probe

recorded, display marvellous feats of virtuosity,

as in the jaunty G minor and dazzling E minor

deep. Even more arresting is the A minor Sonata

fugues.

(D537) with its slow movement presaging the

great posthumous A major Sonata. Can early

of Mozart's E flat Concerto K482 (EMI

is just right for the length of the poem, and the

musical language is a perfect vehicle.

pleasures of this life and return to God, is, if

Schubert take this weight of interpretation? Our

response will depend on acceptance that anguish

anything, even more satisfying. The singers are

0 cecitt, an exhortation to mortals to reject the

The peculiarity of Sviatoslav Richter's account

1435281) does not lie in his manipulation of the

and violence are rarely far below the surface and

notes, which is, indeed, a trifle staid and unadventurous. I would also have welcomed a more flex-

divided into two groups (AT and ssB) which

a willingness to hear them exposed. A similar

ible reading from a smaller orchestra than Muti's

unite in the final coro; there are duets and an aria

urgency permeates Brendel's record (Philips

in common time, as well as triple; and the accom-

6514 317) of three Haydn sonatas, HXVI:48, 50

Philharmonia, allowing the wind more breathing

space. Truly perverse, however, are the cadenzas

paniments for the two violins are integrated more

and 51, the last delivered with, perhaps, too nag-

Britten wrote for Richter in 1966. Far exceeding

fully into the texture. In addition there are

moments of breathtaking beauty in the trio
'Riconosciti una volta', which recurs, and of

ging a vehemence. Few will cavil at the use of

the range of Mozart's piano, anticipating and

a modern piano, in spite of its potentially over-

recapitulating themes from separate movements,

whelming power and damping less efficient than

a Viennese fortepiano though much better than

they are conceived in a style wholly at variance

with the masterpiece on which they obtrude. As

the Broadwoods of Haydn's time. Brendel plays

crisply, without pecking; strongly, without excessive accent and sonority. The elusive, brief
Sonata in D, which usually makes a fragmentary
impression, emerges with taut coherence.

an isolated jeu d'esprit they may have given

momentary pleasure to a knowing festival
audience, but I cannot imagine many people

spine-chilling poignancy in the final line ('Che

l'eterno silenzio al fin t'aspetta'). The effectiveness of both pieces is enhanced by the quality of performance and recording, which it would

be difficult to fault. The delivery is stylish and

compelling, and the sound is generally very good.
In view of all this it is a pity we are not told who
sings or plays which sections, or why the harpsichord is used for continuo in preference, presumably, to the organ, and why a passage in Ilpecator
pentito is sung without continuo (are these things

specified in the Ms?). Such information might

have been included with the texts (which are,
however, given in four languages) or the notes
(by Howard Smither); and since both oratorios
are anonymous in the sources, it would have been

nice to have been told why they are generally

attributed to Luigi Rossi. COLIN TIMMS

Most musicians are acquainted with Glenn

Gould's eccentricities, but even the unconvinced should sample a reissue of Bach's toccatas and
partitas (CBS 74909). The familiar hallmarks grunts and groans, a thin-toned loose-actioned
piano and exaggerated contrasts of tempo and
articulation - are rarely so obtrusive as to detract

from an abiding intensity and eloquence. The

B flat Partita now sounds unduly fussy in com-

parison with the repose of Lipatti's famous

record. The C minor is more appropriate to
Gould's style, allowing, in its Rondeau and
Caprice, a sustained burst of exuberance which

Pianists
If unconventional performances are often diffi-

cult to assess, the problem is acute for record

reviewers, whose quick judgments can always
be measured against the artefact. Idiosyncrasies

wishing to repeat the experience. The fill-up is

an uningratiating account of Symphony no.24
K182.

Finally a record that requires no equivocation.

The engineers have captured the distinctive

warmth and purity of Radu Lupu's tone in a

beautiful account of Brahms's Third Sonata

(Decca SXDL 7561). Although he favours slow

tempos and dwells with rapt intensity on the
Andante's 'poco pit lento' he is, of course, fully
equal to the work's other demands: muscular ten-

sion, rhythmic vitality and intellectual control.

Even more welcome is the rarely performed transcription of the theme and variations from the
String Sextet op. 18. Many readers will know the

no other player can rival. The final E minor Par-

lovely old record by a group which included

tita is arguably his best Bach performance - an

answer to those who dismiss him as unduly selfindulgent. The toccatas, which are more clearly

Stern, Schneider and Casals. It is extraordinary

that Lupu can extract comparable sounds from

a piano. CYRIL EHRLICH

Festival Plans

which attract or repel on first acquaintance may,

over a longer period, become insupportable or

endearing. By contrast, a reading that is seemingly measured and controlled may degenerate
on repetition into the bland and superficial. In
an age of background listening one is tempted,
perhaps, to favour eccentricity because at least
it commands attention. Ivo Pogorelich's new
recording of Chopin's F minor Concerto (DG
410 507 - 1) is a case in point, coming soon after

Davidovich's underplayed version (see MT Dec

1983, p.751). Few pianists in recent years have
so divided critical opinion, and here again the
young virtuoso swaggers and swoons with an
ardour that is alternately compelling and slightly
absurd. Rhetorical flourishes blaze with convic-

tion, scale passages sparkle brightly and cantabile

lines breathe a languorous melancholy. The

Chicago SO under Abbado supports with appropriate luxuriance and the whole enterprise cannot fail to impress; unless one believes that poise
and elegance are ultimate touchstones in Chopin.
Similar problems, at a higher level of musicianship, arise with Alfred Brendel's latest Schubert

offering (Philips 6514 282) which follows

Richter's recent recital (see MT Dec 1983, p.754)
and duplicates the little A major Sonata D664.

Stately
Music Festival, from 2 June: conMayfield Festival, 5 - 13 May: RCM
SOHomes
(Willcocks),
cert series Tortelier,
entitled '18th-century Europe' in many
Jupiter CO; Brodsky String Quartet;
d'Ascoli, de la Pau. Details from the
Festival
Office,
houses
including
Blenheim Palace, Syon House, GoodHouseMayfield,
and Kedleston Hall; artists to include
St Leonards - Mayfield School, Old wood
Palace,
East Sussex.
English Bach Festival Ensemble and dancers, Musica
Antiqua of Cologne, Albany Brass Ensemble, Academy

of St Martin-in-the-Fields, New London Consort,

Haslemere Festival Diamond Jubilee, 20 - 28 July:

Dolmetsch Ensemble, Equinox Vocal Ensemble,

Jennifer Bate, Philip Pickett, Iona Brown. Details from

Stately Homes Concerts, PO Box 1, St Albans, Herts

Florizel String Quartet; Armstrong, Bate, Saxby,

AL1 4PG.
Blood, Amherst, Dyson, Salter; youth concerts, exhibi-

tion. Details from the Box Office, Haslemere Hall,

5th British Horn Festival, Guildhall School of
Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2AS.

Music and Barbican, 21 April. Details from Jane

Krivine, Grapevine, 48 Moreton Street, London

21st Flanders Early Music Festival, Bruges, 28 July

SW1V 2PB.
- 12 Aug: Orfeo; Taverner Players, London Baroque,
Collegium Aureum, Pro Cantione Antiqua, Huelgas
Ensemble, Clemencic Consort, Tallis Scholars, Kuijken Consort, Consort of Musicke; Cleobury, Linde,
Opera and Music is the title of a new programme
Ros, Vasseghi, Bruggen, Leonhardt, Bijlsma; lectures
devised by Sovereign Holidays/British Airways which
by Reinhard Strohm, Ingrid Seifert, Michael and
combines a night at the opera with a holiday in Verona,
Doreen Muskett; competition. Details from the
Venice, Bologna, Vienna, Madeira, Wexford or New
York.
Secretariaat Festival van Vlaanderen-Brugge, C Mansionstraat 30, B-8000 Bruges, Belgium.
Heritage Travel is offering tours to European music
6th International Chamber Music Festival of
festivals, among them Prague, Vienna, Hohenems
Austria, Schloss Breiteneich, 19 Aug-2 Sept: Vienna Schubertiade, Munich, Salzburg, Bregenz, Bayreuth,
Wexford,
Verona and Lucerne. Details from Heritage
Tonkiinstler Orchestra, Alban Berg Quartet, KhademMissagh, Riebl, Delahunt; courses. Details from Dr Travel Ltd, 2 Lower Sloane Street, London SW1W
Margaret Ley, Gemergasse 16, A-2500 Baden, Austria. 8BJ.

214

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