November 19, 2013

  • Three Approaches to 1920s Neo-Baroque/Classical Styles

     The 20th Century Concerto Grosso: Schulhoff, Krenek, D’Indy
    Maria Prinz, piano. Karl-Heinz Schutz, flute. Christoph Koncz, violin. Robert Nagy, cello.
    Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/Sir Neville Marriner
    Chandos 10791
    Total Time:  61:51
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

    Sir Neville Marriner’s vast recorded repertoire still evidently holds some surprises to his catalogue as born up by one world premiere on the present release of interesting concerti in the 20th Century.  All three of the pieces on this disc are from the 1920s and are part of what might be considered a Neo-Baroque strain of composition that returned to forms that would allow for composers to focus on textures and sounds in orchestral works.  This is a decided shift from the Modernist strains utilizing jazz rhythms, open harmonies, and harsh dissonances, as well as a move towards music that tried to remove itself from lush romanticism.  Two distinct strains of this style, referred to in the “catch-all” identification of Neo-Classicism, make up this period.  The first is a more Germanic strain of new classicism proposed by Ferruccio Busoni and which saw its heights advocated in the work of Paul Hindemith (often the more Baroque-influenced musical approaches).  The other grew out of French thinking in music by Erik Satie and art by Jean Cocteau.  Stravinsky is sometimes associated as one of these early examples of this new style that would explore lines of music and often combine fragments of older ideas that in some respects is part of the Surrealist ethos.  Musically, these can sound quite different as each composer placed their personal stamp on these philosophies.  This is what makes the present disc an interesting collection of three works exploring this new musical development that progresses backwards chronologically.

    The first work on the disc is the Concerto Doppio, WV 89 (1927) by Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942).  Schulhoff was a composer whose music is decidedly full of modernist tendencies and his leaning toward’s Dadaist philosophies appear in his more jazz-leaning works.  The composer would be arrested during WWII and died in a concentration camp.  Some of his work was part of the London/Decca Entarte Musik series which included a performance of this piece.  The Concerto Doppio pairs flute and piano against string and horns in a three-movement work that combines Baroque drive and episodic sections within classical formal structures.  The jazz connections are somewhat obvious in the final movement with a “Tempo di Blues” section of the third movement providing an additional indicator of this interest.  The opening movement tends to feature much of the soloists with orchestral commentary in ritornellos.  The interior movement is quite fascinating with at times shimmery string writing.  The final movement provides opportunity for further virtuoso display and great energy with interesting syncopations and dissonant harmonic additions.

    The central work is by Ernest Krenek (1900-1991).  A student of Franz Schreker, Krenek’s work would explore almost every major musical trend of the 20th Century.  He was forced to leave Austria in 1938 being labeled a “degenerate artist.”  He is known for his jazz-influenced opera Johnny spielt auf.  Later in his career his music was entirely serialist and he would also explore aleatoric and electronic music.  But in 1924, when his Concertino, Op. 27 was written, Krenek was creating under the influence of Neo-Classical music, particularly Stravinsky’s recent Pulcinella.  Krenek did get that Schoenberg’s serial explorations were a return to more Baroque spirit compositions with Neo-Classical trends almost being a reflection of loss with “fake” harmonies, “wrong” notes and intending to show the cracks.  This is the world premiere recording of the work.  It is cast in 5 movements almost like a Baroque suite with an opening toccata a slow sarabande and later air with the addition of a third movement scherzo and brief finale.  At times, the different orchestral colors are certainly quite interesting but the music tends to feel disjointed and episodic as if the whole is being deconstructed in front of us.  Sometimes it is like listening to Hindemith through Stravinsky and French modernism which is rather intriguing. The result is an often fascinating chamber work that seems to sit outside the period.

    The final work on the disc is by Vincent D’Indy (1851-1931) and was the composer’s last orchestral work.  It is thought perhaps that his shift to a more neoclassical approach was part of a French nationalist trend.  D’Indy was a fervent Wagnerian and this work will perhaps come as a surprise for those only familiar with his larger orchestral work.  Certainly the opening movement has a more wistful Romantic feel while the second seems more reflectively looking back on life, less regretfully perhaps, as an older man.  Here is where one can pick up on some of the more romantic threads in D’Indy’s style.  The final movement is noted as a French rondo, again asserting less subtly, the potential nationalist implications of the music.

    Chandos has really captured Marriner’s orchestra superbly in this release.  The Vienna Philarminic musicians who serve as soloists may be a bit too forward at times, but the balance seems to be more an issue with the works themselves than an artificial increase in sound.  In some respects it lends these pieces a very intimate feel.  Performances here are really wonderful with superb playing by Maria Prinz throughout these three works.  She manages to find some common ground in these styles while still capturing the unique voices of each composer.  Additional soloists are also on fine display with exquisite playing by all.  The music on the release is somewhat unusual repertoire but worth exploring for those wanting a full picture of 1920s European music.  These works can lie in stark contrast to other developments aesthetically.