Also,
Elgar: Cello Concerto. Inbal Segev, cello; Marin Alsop, London Philharmonic
Orchestra. AVIE AV2419.
By
Karl W. Nehring
A
while back I came across the name of composer Anna Clyne. I can’t remember
exactly where or when, but my guess it was some reference to her in either a
music publication or, more likely, something I saw on Twitter. In any event,
not long after that, I mentioned her name to Bill Heck during the course of a
phone conversation. To my surprise and delight, Bill responded that he and his
wife had attended a concert by the Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra in Columbus,
Ohio, where they had both been greatly impressed by a piece titled Within Her Arms – a piece written by none other
than Anna Clyne.
Intrigued,
I checked Amazon for a recording, but alas, there was none to be found. I was
soon able to audition it, however, thanks to YouTube, where I found a video of a
live performance. Like Bill and Mary, I too was greatly impressed. I quickly
sent the link to another music-loving friend, who was also impressed. How is
this wonderful music not yet available on CD?!
Fast-forward
several months and I see an ad in Gramophone for a CD featuring a work
titled Dance by Ms. Clyne. My interest is aroused to the point that I
immediately submit a request for a review copy. Fast-forward another couple of
weeks and Dance shows up in my
mailbox. Fast-forward another hour or so (hey, it was dinnertime) and Dance
is spinning in my CD player, where it has since remained on heavy
rotation.
 |
| Anna Clyne |
London-born
composer Anna Clyne (b. 1980), who now resides in upstate New York, composed Dance
as the result of a commission from Israeli-American cellist Inbal Segev, who
premiered the work at the 2019 Cabrillo Festival. Segev has now recorded the
piece with the LPO under the direction of conductor Marin Alsop, who had first
introduced Segev to Clyne. Dance comprises five moments with rather
unusual titles: I. when you’re broken again; II. if you’ve torn the bandage
off; III. In the middle of the fighting; IV. in your blood; V. when you’re
perfectly free. In the liner notes, Clyne, whose own instrument is also the
cello, explains that “I knew that I wanted to write a multi-movement work in
which each movement had its own personality, its own character. I’ve known this
Rumi poem for a while and always thought it would be a good source of
inspiration – it’s short, has repetition, a clear form of five lines and a
strong physicality (for example, ‘broken open,’ ‘in your blood’). It also has a
sense of urgency that I found compelling for this piece. It was a great way to
structure the piece – to break it up into the five lines of the poem.”
The
first movement is slow, lyrical, and utterly beautiful. When I first listened
to it, I was surprised that it did not seem at all dance-like. Only later, upon
finally reading the liner notes, did I realize that Dance was never
intended to be a suite of dances, as I had blithely assumed. This opening
movement may not be a dance, but whatever it is, it is certainly gorgeous.
The
second movement, which does sound a bit more dance-like, opens energetically
and then soon features some fierce eruptions from the cello. There are some
skittish melodies scurrying up and down in the strings, a yearning motif on the
violin, and a stately, courtly dance figure from the cello. The overall mood is
imaginative and playful, with an abrupt ending. It is this movement that
exposes, alas, a sonic flaw with this recording. The cello is just pushed too
far forward, to the point where it can sound gigantic, dominating the
soundstage when Ms. Segev digs in hard.
The
third movement adopts a slower pace and more somber tone. The melodies are simpler, with the overall feeling being
rhapsodic in nature. There is some pleasant interplay with the woodwinds before
the movement comes to a peaceful conclusion.
 |
| Marin Alsop |
The
fourth movement opens with Segev’s cello sounding serious and reflective. As
the music proceeds, her playing grows more frantic. Tympani stokes herald a
shift to a slightly martial undertone. To my imagination at least, the feeling evoked as this
movement continues is suggestive of someone fighting against fate, trying to
escape from some form of entrapment. For those listeners who might have
reservations about music by contemporary composers, please allow me to point
out that this composition is tonal, overflowing with recognizable melodies and
themes.
The
fifth and final movement begins with low notes from the cello, perhaps
expressing a sense of agitation. As the movement unfolds, you can sense a hint
of Jewish melody (think Bloch, for example) from time to time as the playing
seems to whipsaw between two modes, frantic and measured. My notes read,
“Portrait of indecision?” The ending of the movement – and the piece as a whole
– is calm and settled. All in all, Clyne, Segev, Alsop, and the LPO have given
us 25 truly enjoyable minutes of music.
But
wait, there’s more! If you call now, AVIE will throw in a performance of the
venerable Cello Concerto by Sir Edward Elgar!
Seriously,
though, although the focus of the release is the Clyne, this disc also includes
a truly fine performance of the Elgar, which was composed 100 years prior to Dance.
I would venture that many music lovers who follow this blog are familiar with
the Elgar and may well have a favorite recording. Or two or three.
I must confess that although I have been a lover of
classical music for 50 years now, and am now 71, it has only been within the
past five years or so that I have finally begun to have much interest in the
music of Elgar; indeed, only within the past two years or so have I been able
to develop an actual love for some of it, the twin peaks of my Elgarian
affection being his Violin Concerto (Hilary Hahn makes my heart
flutter!) and Cello Concerto (Jacqueline du Pré makes me gasp at her
passion and energy!). Although Segev does not play with quite the passion of du
Pré, she does bring passion to her interpretation, clearly communicating a love
for this deeply moving music. Segev plays the Elgar with lyrical precision.
Fortunately,
the forwardness of her cello in the mix is not as obtrusive as it is in the
Clyne. Perhaps the engineers backed off a little for this session, or perhaps
Elgar’s score serves to make the orchestra more assertive in its role. The much
older du Pré/Barbirolli recording is darker in tone, sounding at once a bit
warmer and more natural; however, the modern Segev/Alsop recording sounds more
focused and clear. Both recordings present the Elgar as a sublime combination
of intellect and emotion, and both recordings include wondrous disc-mates (the
AVIE with Clyne’s Dance, the EMI with Elgar’s Sea Pictures sung
by the incomparable Janet Baker).
Despite
my quibbles about the engineering, my enthusiasm for both the music and the
performances leads me to give this new release from AVIE a highly enthusiastic
recommendation. It also leads me to wish ever more fervently for more
recordings of music by the most remarkable Anna Clyne. Bring it on!
KWN
To
listen to a brief excerpt from this album, click below:
