June 20, 2014

  • Naxos Continues Reissues of Dalia Atlas' Bloch Recordings

     

    Bloch: Symphony in Eb; Music
    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Dalia Atlas
    Naxos 8.573290
    Total Time:  68:00
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

    Conductor Dalia Atlas is a noted Bloch interpreter and her recordings are often highly acclaimed.  Ernest Bloch’s (1880-1959) music tends to be represented by his Schelomo, a standard repertoire work that is certainly among the most gorgeous works of the 20th Century.  It also tends to define the composer as someone whose music was very influenced by his own exploration of his Jewish faith which informs his music as well.  In this present release, we get a chance to hear his final symphony along with some lesser orchestral pieces from his some 30 works for orchestra.   The pieces each explore aspects of Bloch’s Neo-Romantic, Impressionist, Contemporary, Jewish, and Religious musical styles; all part of that unique mix of musical approaches that make the first decades of the 20th Century so very fascinating.

    As the century began, Bloch worked on an operatic adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.  Some three decades later, he returned to the piece and reworked two of the interludes into a standalone orchestral piece, the Two Symphonic Interludes (1939).  The first of these explores the witch’s music; motifs for the dagger, fate, night, and peace; music that will accompany the proposed murder of Duncan; and music for Lady Macbeth.  The second interlude, from Act 3, includes themes of power, destiny, royalty, bitterness, doubts, and return of the witches.  It does sort of just fade out (though inadvertently setting up how the next work begins).  The music, having been originally written in the first decade of the new century, maintains a firm foot in the Romantic era with modern touches one might associate with the opulence of other decadent music of the time, though not quite as expressionistic.  It does have a certain Hollywood-like dramatic flair.  The thematic material here is quite accessible and this work makes for an excellent introduction to the program that follows.

    The second of Bloch’s symphonies, composed in 1954-55, may be perceived as being more in line with his compatriot Arthur Honegger.  The more Neo-Baroque tendencies that some composers were exploring by attempting modern musical language in Baroque forms and genres is something one hears in Bloch’s Concerto Grossos of the period.  The Symphony in Eb was evidently begun with just such a formal plan in mind, but the connective motives that began to unfold in the latter movements, composed first, gave Bloch the idea to create a more meditative opening up the work as a whole and with the movements falling into scherzo, slow andante, and finale the opening first movement fell into place.  The Baroque is not far behind though as the motif that informs the work is based on the initials B-A-C-H.  The result is a symphony that exhibits Bloch’s style in this latter part of his life.  What is always most striking about Bloch’s music is that it draws the listener in rather quickly and regardless of the playing time of the music, it never loses ones interest, such is the case here.  Oddly, the opening of this work feels as if it is even recalling the opening Macbeth pieces with its sinuous opening lines and low pedal point that suggests the primary key area.  This is a more modern sounding work with well-constructed motivic development.  Most interesting is how the primary motives are repeated and piled together.  This sometimes creates dissonant lines that then lead into an exciting and somewhat troubled and intense faster section.  The moments of calm sit in alternation with the turbulent material creating a rondo-like opening.  The brief scherzo opens with some moments of wit, and there is some flirtation with 12-tone writing as well in this overall ternary form piece.  Striking is some of the almost chamber music quality of this movement and a sort of Bartok-ian rhythmic accentuation.  The slow movement is one of the first indications of  Bloch’s Jewish heritage with musical turns of phrase.  The music is very intense and perhaps among the composer’s more personal musical reflections.  The swells are taken from more Romantic expressions, but certainly given a very modern dress harmonically in this very moving part of the symphony.  The final movement include a number of quotations from the earlier movements, and even one from a 1923 piano quintet.  It begins with a rather intense angular build with flurries of activity and accented ideas before falling back into a recap of the opening of the first movement coupled with a transformation of music from the scherzo.  Having one run through of the piece, going back through it allows one to consider how Bloch may have provided in this essay a summation of his musical influences and stylistic approaches in this tight-knit work certainly deserving of more concert appearances, especially at a playing time of 25 minutes.

    Separating the final work on this program is a brief orchestral elegy for the pianist Ada Clement, In Memoriam (1952).  Bloch had created a unique Renaissance polyphony example admired by Clement and this is referred to in this personal work.  The music utilizes two modes as its building blocks creating a more chromatic line for one and a second that feels more major.  This is the sort of very personal and gorgeous musical writing that will be more familiar to those who know Bloch from works like Schelomo with their semi-modern Romantic implications and deeply moving lyric writing.

    The last work on the disc is a set of Three Jewish Poems (1913) and is the earliest music represented here.  At first one must realize how unique this music sounds for the period.  The scales and inflections certainly have Hebraic overtones and melodic patterns but are more Middle Eastern in feel in their exoticism.  These are blended with traditional harmony.  An opening dance is full of exciting rhythmic energy which gives way to a touching central “Rite” that perhaps is a processional work of sorts.  At its center is an implied sacrificial act to a terrified crowd.  Bloch’s father had recently died and in this final movement, titled “Cortege funebre”, we see the composer putting into music the grief at this loss.

    This release is actually a re-issue of an ASV recording made back in 1996 now OOP.  It is one of four of Atlas’s recordings that have found their way to the Naxos label.  For many, her approach is perhaps the most informed interpretations and some of her performances have been compared to those by Stokowski for this music.  The Royal Philharmonic is a good orchestra but one wonders if there should have been a better acquaintance with this music at times.  Nothing sounds very frantic, but Atlas can only do so much to get the orchestra to respond to the warmth of Bloch’s writing and to avoid a clinical performance.  There are still some truly wonderful moments here that the orchestra rises to respond to along the way.  The interpretations are the sort worthy of reflection and study as perhaps future generations add this repertoire to their catalogue.  The present release will be a great way to further explore the work of this important 20th-Century Swiss composer.  With the variety of pieces here, it may actually be the best starting place for those looking to further explore Bloch’s music.