Konzert für Pauken und Orchester, Op.

34 by Werner Thärichen
Review by: Robert Parris
Notes, Second Series, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Mar., 1960), pp. 317-318
Published by: Music Library Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/893259 .
Accessed: 14/06/2014 23:08

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .
http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms
of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Music Library Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Notes.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 188.72.127.191 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 23:08:20 PM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 four-partcounterpart.Kolneder's edition
is straightforward and stylish; his con-
tinuo realization is straightlacedbut ap-
propriatefor the concerto,which strikes
me as being a workaday piece, probably
inore fun to play than to hear. This is
a firstpublication,prepared frommanu-
script parts in the Sichsischen Landes-
bibliothekat Dresden.
Angelo Ephrikian has been editing a
number of Vivaldi concertos in arrange-
ments for solo instrument(s) and piano-
forte. The fluteconcertoin G (fromVol.
151 of the Ricordi complete edition) is
representativeof his efforts,which leave
much to be desired. The main problem
is one of unimaginativeand unidiomatic
keyboard reductions of Vivaldi's string
parts. The fast movementsare virtually
unplayable at the proper tempos,and the
harmonicfillernecessarilyto be furnished
by an orchestralcontinuo player is lack-
ing. The result is a peculiarly tension-
ridden, barren "sonata" for flute and
piano. Unfortunate,for the original con-
certo is a pleasant work,extremelygrate-
ful for the flutist.
The fame of Quantz as author of the
invaluable Versuch einer Anweisung,die
Flote traversierezu spielen (1752) has
unfairlyeclipsed him as composer; only
a handful of his compositionshave been
published. From the more than 300 flute
concertos left by Quantz in manuscript,
Hanns-Dieter Sonntag here edits for the
firsttime a particularlyagreeable one, in
which a relatively conservative late-ba-
roque concertostyleis tinged with galan-
terie throughout. Quanitz cannot resist
the temptationto introduce the flute as
a lyrical,girlishfoil forthe virile orches-
tra: the robust Allegro di molto of the
first movement is interrupted by the
flute's firstentrance,a wholly irrelevant
but charmingAdagio. One is reminded
frequently,during this and the other
two movements,of the freshand ingrati-
ating melodic style of Pergolesi and of
the delicious elementsof surprise in the
music of Domenico Scarlatti. The edi-
tion is exemplary.
Both concertos by Boyce (1710-1779)
are old-fashioned for their time: like
Corelli's concertos, they are essentially
trio sonatas accompanied by string or-
317
This content downloaded from 188.72.127.191 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 23:08:20 PM
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
chestra (convenient, in that they may
successfully be perforned, without the
orchestra,by two violins and continuo);
their general style is Handelian; their
form is a mixtureof the old sonata da
chiesa (each concerto beginning with
four abstract movementsin alternating
tempos) and sonata da camera (ending
with a dance movement-a gavotte in
the Bb concerto, a minuet in the B
minor). The Bb concerto is the more
elaborate and grandiose; the B minor
more prone to melodic and sequential
clich6s. Both are competentworks by a
sober and skillful composer. Denis
Stevens provides somewhat showy but
convincing realizations, in an explicit
attemptto avoid the "tedious rectitude"
of so many recent realizations. The B
minor concerto is here published for the
firsttime,froman autographscore in the
British Museum.
Yet another first publication is the
flute concerto by J. C. Bach edited by
RaymondMeylan. Meylan did a nice bit
of detective work in proving that the
last movement (in manuscript at the
Paris Bibliotheque du Conservatoire) is
not by C. P. E. Bach and that it belongs
with a lone Allegro con brio in the
younger Bach's hand at the University
Library of Tiubingen. He did a bit of
patchwork in substitutingan interlude
from Bach's opera Amadis des Gaules
for the still missing slow movementof
the original concerto. Christian Bach's
delicate melodic tracery is perfectly
suited to the flute,and Meylan's piano
reductionof the orchestraparts preserves
what I assume to be the fragile, airy
accompaniment of the original. A
cadenza for the firstmovementis written
out (is it Bach's?); one could properly
be added in the last movement,at the
fermata before rehearsal number 15.
H. WILEY HITCHCOCK
Werner Tharichen: Konzert fuir
Pauken und Orchester, Op. 34.
[2.2.2.2.-4.3.3.1.-Perc.-Str.] Ber-
lin: Bote & Bock; U. S. A.: Asso-
ciated Music Publishers, New York,
1956. [Min. score, 116 p., $4.00]
Tharichen's timpani concerto is a
serious and expertly contrived piece
which should make timpaniststhe world
over jump for joy. There is no question
as the
as to its practicability,as difficult
solo part appears-the composer,at last
report was the timpanist of the Berlin
Philharmonicand has performedhis con-
certo with that orchestra.Drummerswho
are the least bit enterprisingand suf-
ficientlyathletic to manipulate the al-
most full circle of drums might begin
immediatelyto cajole their conductorsto
send away for score and parts.
The piece requires five pedal drums
of normal size-the range extends up-
ward only a tenthfromthe low E. Plenty
of time is provided during tutti passages
for complete retunings, except in the
second movement where the tempo is
slow enough for the soloist to engage his
four extremitiesat the same time with-
out undue physical or musical strain.
Comparisons in regard to the handling
of the drums between this concerto and
my own for the same medium are prob-
ably in order (I know of no others) but
I'm obviouslynot the one to make them.
The second and third (last) move-
ments, on paper, seem to be most suc-
cessful rhythmically,formallyand with
regard to texture. The opening Allegro
gives a firstimpression,at least, of dry-
ness and over-development.
The concerto requires double winds,
the usual 11 brass, percussion and
strings. The parts are easy for modern
players; only the final movement in-
volves fast metrical changes. A good
orchestra should be able to play it well
with a couple of hours of rehearsal.
Johannes Schiiler: Fuinf Orchester-
siitze. [4.3.3.(1 Sax.).3.-4.3.3.1.-
Timp., Perc.-Harp, Celesta-Str.]
(Ed. Schott, 4594.) Mainz: B. Schott;
U. S. A.: Associated Music Pub-
lishers, New York, 1958. [Min. score,
51 p., $3.25]
In comparison with solo works, those
for orchestraare generallylong, presum-
ably on the theory that stage time is
stage time. The suite by Schiulerof five
short pieces, which altogether Itake 12
minutes,if properlyprogrammed,would
enliven and add charm to the standard
symphonicconcert.
318
This content downloaded from 188.72.127.191 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 23:08:20 PM
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
The usual orchestralforcesare supple-
mented by 2 piccolos, a bass-clarinet,a
tenor saxophone, a double-bassoon,harp
and celesta, and numerous pieces of as-
sorted batteryrequiringtwo players.The
suite comprises a straightforwardand
energetic overture, a pygmy arioso, a
delicate and difficultscherzo which zips
past like a hounded rabbit, a dreamy
fantasy,and a tightlyworked-outfinale
in near-serial (not 12-tone) technique.
Technically, these pieces are of more
than average difficulty,and the horn
players especially are called upon to do
things that would have given Strauss
serious pause. But the suite is imagina-
tively orchestrated,beautifully put to-
gether,and deservesto be performedby
American orchestras.
Bernhard Krol: Concerto grosso, Op.
15. Berlin-Wiesbaden: Bote & Bock;
U. S. A.: Associated Music Pub-
lishers, New York, 1958. [42 p.,
$2.25]
Krol's Concerto grosso looks like
baroque music and employs baroque de-
vices, but the concertino instruments-
oboe, English horn,bassoon and 2 trump-
ets-are more oftenhandled as individual
solo instrumentsthan antiphonallywith
the strings. If the melodic writingseems
less than inspired here and there, the
rhythmicvitalityand contrastsof timbre
are sufficientlyexcitingto make the piece
attractive to both the performners and
their listeners.
ROBERT PARRIS
Walter Piston: Serenata for Orches-
tra, 1956. [2.2.2.2.-4.2.0.0.-Timp.-
Harp-Str.] New York: Associated
Music Publishers, 1958. [Min. score,
68 p., $2.50; orchestral materials
available for rent]
Bo N is son: Miidchentotenlieder.
[For Soprano Voice, Piccolo, Alto
Flute, Electric Mandoline, Celesta,
Zylorimba, Vibraphon, Electric
Guitar-Perc.-Str.] (UE 12851.)
Wien: Universal; U. S. A.: Asso-
ciated Music Publishers, New York,
1958. [Score, 16 p., $5.00]
Roman Haubenstock-Ramati: StAnd-
chen, sur le nom de Heinrich Stro-
bel, pour orchestre.[1.0.1.0.-O.O.0.0.