Paul McCartney, perhaps the greatest composer of contemporary lieder
("Eleanor Rigby"!), has just published an orchestral/chamber-music work
that's very fin de siecle.

Alas, it's not *this* end-of-century that characterizes the music, but
rather the last one.

"Working Classical" (EMI Classics) is good, pleasant music, but it is
quite unnecessary.  There is almost nothing in it that Richard Strauss,
among others, didn't handle, and of course handled much better.

Orchestral portions of "Capriccio" are first cousins to "A Leaf" and
"Spiral," performed by the LSO, conducted by Lawrence Foster.  Sound,
mood, orchestration -- it's all very Mondlichtlich.

String-quartet treatments of McCartney's first solo albums (played
gorgeously by the Loma Mar Quartet), don't sound like McCartney at all:
they appear to be a synthesis of Strauss, Brahms and something generically
Czech.  It's all well done and could provide excellent (brief) segments for
today's "easy-listening classical" FM stations, but there is nothing new,
important or stirring here.

It's too bad.  I truly believe that when McCartney wrote McCartney, it
*was* new, important, stirring and altogether terrific.  One hopes he will
continue doing that, now that "Working Classical," "Liverpool Oratorio" and
"Standing Stone" are out of his system.  Why not try "real" lieder or a
musical or opera -- anything vocal?

Janos Gereben/SF
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