by Ryan Ross
SOMM continues its survey of little-known British repertoire with this release of two newly-recorded clarinet concertos, anchored by one of the great works in the genre. As I have said about the CPO label, we owe SOMM a debt of gratitude for making this repertoire available for us to hear. But their niche is a double-edged sword. For while it is fun to explore fresh names and works, the flip side is that little of this music is likely to catch on widely. The label ostensibly hopes that it sells enough offerings of familiar fare to offset the risk of recording everything else. This probably explains the pairing here of the beloved Finzi Clarinet Concerto with two items that are solid but not nearly as memorable.
Of course SOMM can hardly be expected to come out and say this. But it is curious to read the liner notes by Robert Matthew-Walker, which suggest that all three of these composers are meaningfully groupable. He writes: “Each of these concertos contains elements of restrained, undemonstrative expression, set against moments of strong drama and occasionally trenchant language by composers who knew their limitations and so, in their various ways, achieved genuine art, even if their achievements were neither fully appreciated at the time nor – certainly in two instances – recognised since.” Matthew-Walker continues: “For some listeners, therefore, these three clarinet concertos will come as revelatory experiences – certainly in the previously unappreciated music of Denis ApIvor and Freda Swain.”
If we’re fair, Matthew-Walker does somewhat acknowledge that ApIvor and Swain are not in the same exact boat as Finzi. But when he speaks of shared “limitations” and “revelatory experiences,” I can’t imagine most listeners responding to these three pieces on comparable terms. The elephant in the room is that neither ApIvor nor Swain possessed anything close to Finzi’s enviable melodic gift. And while it’s true that the latter’s long-developing craft speaks to some limitations, he had spades of “IT Factor” that explain his minor-master status. The other two fall considerably short of that mark.
The most memorable thing about ApIvor’s Concertante for clarinet, piano and percussion is its instrumentation. He does achieve a distinctive sound by writing competently for this quirky ensemble. But the themes in all of the movements amount to an angular forgettability residing in much other competent but dry twentieth-century music. The best part is its second movement, which deftly employs a simple syncopated rhythm that enriches everything else. It is a testament to how even very small elements can have disproportionately enlivening effects. But I wonder if this will be enough to prevent me from skipping the movement when it henceforth pops up on my Spotify shuffle list. Freda Swain’s “Lumine naturi” Concertino for clarinet with string orchestra and (one) horn likewise leans on its unconventional instrumentation and, perhaps, a weird title. I cannot say I found its materials terribly compelling, though the opening “pastorale” movement does have an attractively brisk outdoor feeling. But after listening to it multiple times, that’s honestly all I can remember.
A stellar Finzi Concerto here would have done much to sell the album as a whole. Alas, no. The fault lies not with Peter Cigleris, who dispatches the solo part extremely well. Rather, John Andrews and the London Mozart Players sound bogged down and spiritually uncommitted next to my preferred accounts (Naxos 8.553566 and ASV CDDCA787), particularly in the first movement. I get more warmth and, dare I say it, SENTIMENTALITY elsewhere. But if you’re one of those listeners whose relationship with emotional fervor is like a vampire’s with garlic, you’ll probably be more enthused than I was.
If any SOMM leaders or musicians are reading this, I don’t want them to get too discouraged. Classical music needs more such recordings. Knowing what’s out there is a worthwhile enterprise apart from merely finding things to which one enjoys listening. In this case, I’ve met both goals. But with all of us, the matter tends to come back to these questions: how much money and time do we have? If you have enough of both, scoop this up. If you just have time, then yeah, give it a listen. If you have limited amounts of either, stick to the beaten paths.
