Mahler violin concerto in F# minor
Schmidt violin concerto in D
Maxim Vengerov
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Boulez
DG 465-612-42 (full-price, double CD) [52:42] + [42:15]
Following their recent release of Bartok's violin concerto 2, in a
sparkling rendition, the duo of Vengerov and Boulez once again surprise
the musical world with two premiere recordings (the Mahler has yet to be
played in public performance). How does one greet a masterpiece composed
by one of the great symphonists of his time? It was once thought that
Mahler had never composed a concerto, save his concertino parts in his
symphonies (3-I Trombone, 4-II violin, 5 III horn etc), this recent score
uncovered and held in top secret, so the programme notes by Deryck Cook
say, in the March of last year, in Wilhelm Mengelberg's apartment. It
is well-known, of course, that there were discoveries of several early
symphonies, apparently, and the first movement of Mahler's cantata Das
Klagende Lied was also hidden from public view until after Mahler's death,
but the discovery of this totally unpublished, unfinished score is on a
scale akin to the discovery of cold fusion. For that is what the music
is - unfinished. Deryck Cook in recent years has pieced together the
monumental violin concerto in 6 movements. On the manuscript, fascimiles
of which are included in this lavishly decorated (and aptly, one might say)
set, are words, among which on the first movement says "gewidmet zum meiner
lieben Frau Almschi" (dedicated to my wife Alma) and "Des Himmels Lacheln".
Here's a taste (and bare description) of what the first movement is like.
The first movement starts with a Mahlerian theme akin to that of the
Tenth Symphony's Adagio (with which it shares a key - F#minor), and is not
virtuostic in the normal sense. I would rank it with the Beethoven violin
concerto for instance. This is quickly taken up by the orchestra, which
briskly brings in the second theme (Nicht eilen), which once again brings
the solo violin back in (zogernd, wie im Winterschnee), the two themes
then intertwine, tension between the solo and the orchestra rising, with
the orchestra trying to establish an E-flat major this time, while the
soloist's chords belong to the distant D-minor. The second trio finds
the two "agreeing" on E-major, which is then undermined by the theme on
bassoons, which is in F#-minor. The ensuing pathos is truely unbearable,
with the soloist (after five minutes (!) relenting and falling back into
F#-minor. The movement ends piannisimo.
The second movement and fourth movement are scherzos which frame an inner,
slow movement, the fifth and sixth movements are attaca after the fourth
movement. Mahler's musical language remains eminently recognizable, and
his craftmanship, and orchestration is second to none. Of course one must
bear in mind that some of this orchestration is the property of Deryck
Cook, but he is an orchestrator deeply steeped in the Mahlerian style. For
example, in the third, slow movement, which is incomplete, Cook adds in a
piccolo to double the lines of the trombones, which adds a special piquant
flavour to the moment.
The concerto, reflecting Mahler's later style is largely dark, but hardly
pessimistic - though it is said that the concerto is in F# minor (the
key of the first movement) it ends in blazing C major (like his Seventh
Symphony) in a scintillating cadenza in strict time before the coda. It
is long - 90 minutes - preemting the Elgar's own prodigious length, and it
is highly unlikely that any soloist would dare to take up the challenge in
concert. This new recording affords us the opportunity to listen to a
late masterpiece by one of the great Masters. The 20-minute Franz Schmidt
Violin concerto in D is a Post-romantic piece with a Classical throwback -
hence expect contrabassoons throwing parts among themselves - really quite
clever orchestration actually! But let me not distract you from the
original, and more important find - the Mahler. Needless to say, Vengerov
is more than up to the task, and Pierre Boulez gives a very analytical
approach to the score, which by the way has lots of atonalism and a
sprinkle of dodecaphonic contrapuntalism - just his cup of tea.
Right now I half-expect Jack's beanstalk to pop up in my garden.
copyright 1999 Derek Lim
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