Also,
Finzi: Concerto for Clarinet and Strings. Michael Collins (clarinet and
conductor), Philharmonia Orchestra. BIS-2367 SACD.
By
Karl W. Nehring
I
strongly suspect I am not alone when I say that Ralph Vaughan Williams
((1872-1958) is one of my favorite composers and that his Symphony No. 5
(1938-43) is not merely one of my favorites among his compositions, it is one
of my favorite compositions, period. Somewhere around 40 years ago, I was even
fortunate enough to attend a live performance of the work by the Ohio State
University student orchestra. I currently own three boxed CD sets of RVW’s
symphonies (Haitink, Previn, and Slatkin) plus several individual CDs of Symphony No. 5 (Previn – on
both RCA and Telarc, Boult, Slatkin, Spano, and Hickox). This new BIS release
conducted by noted British clarinet virtuoso Michael Collins has nothing to be
ashamed of in this heady company. It is definitely a keeper – and for several
reasons.
The
opening Preludio is a haunting movement, one that just seems to float
along with majestic motion, like a river flowing along in a beautiful natural
setting, or clouds moving through the sky on a gorgeous summer day. Although
the overall mood is pastoral, there are moments when the listener can sense an
underlying tension. Collins conducts this music with a subtle flexibility of
pace and tempo that enhances the shifts in mood without overtly highlighting
them. He moves briskly through the next movement, Scherzo, which
maintains a pastoral sound but with a restlessness that seems to represent an
unsettled or troubled mind seeking some form of resolution, or at least
consolation.
The
third movement, Romanza, incorporates musical ideas from RVW’s setting
of John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. (I actually attended a
performance as an undergraduate back in 1969, but remember virtually nothing
about it. And no, I was not high – contrary to the 60s stereotypes – I just
really do not remember anything about the music.) After the nervous energy of
the Scherzo, the calm but emotionally, even spiritually resonant music
provides succor and inspiration to the soul. There are passages of great
delicacy as well as moments of measured intensity that are played with
expressive power under Collins’s baton. This is music of great power, but it is
restrained power, purposeful power. It clearly shows the genius of Ralph
Vaughan Williams, a great composer by any measure.
The
final movement, Passacaglia, moves along with measured purpose, the
music no longer floating along as in the first movement, but with a sense of
coming to the end of a memorable journey. Collins again adapts a subtly
flexible approach to tempo and volume that serves the music well. The two
recordings that I generally listen to when the mood strikes me to hear this
symphony have been the two Telarcs, Previn and Spanos. I believe that duo is
now a trio.
The
other work on this SACD release (I listened to the stereo SACD layer; there are
also SACD surround and CD layers) is the Concerto for Clarinet and Strings
by Gerald Finzi (1901-1956), who was a friend and admirer of RVW. Finzi is most
well-known for his vocal works, but he also wrote some beautiful instrumental
music.
 |
| Michael Collins |
The
opening measures of the Concerto feature dramatic decorations by the
strings, which are then joined by much more lyrical lines from Collins’s
clarinet. As the movement continues, the overall sensation is peaceful and
pastoral, gentle and beautiful. Around the 7-minute mark, Collins delights with
a solo cadenza that is startling in its emotional impact. The second movement
sustains that pastoral mood, opening quietly in the high strings and with
introspective, even reverential playing from Collins on the clarinet. Even more
so than the opening movement, this is music very much in the English pastoral
tradition. About two-thirds of the way through, the tempo and overall energy
level pick up for a spell, but then things calm back down, the movement ending quietly.
The final movement is considerably livelier and more energetic. Whereas the
first two movements were quiet reflections on nature, taking the listener out
into the meadows and fields, this final movement takes the listener for a merry
imaginary jaunt down a country road, still in nature, but observing at a more
determined pace, perhaps heading home with renewed energy and enthusiasm for
life.
The
engineering on this release is first-rate, from a team led by veteran
soundsmith Mike Hatch. The orchestra sounds balanced, with not a trace of
harshness to be heard. In the Concerto, the balance between clarinet and
orchestra is just right, without the too-close miking of the soloist that would
have exaggerated the perceived sonic size of his instrument. Although the liner
notes (in English, German, and French) are not particularly expansive in scope,
they do provide a helpful overview of the music. With more than 68 minutes of
music, the disc is generously filled. One final item note about the physical
package is that the disc is enclosed in a paper sleeve, a miniature version of
the sleeves that cover vinyl records. Thank you, BIS, for this extra layer of
protection!
As
I noted above, this new recording of the RVW Symphony No. 5 is a very
worthy addition to a crowded field. In addition to the fine performance and
sound, and added attraction of this release is the delightful Finzi Clarinet
Concerto. Indeed, most releases of the RVW Symphony No. 5 with
another RVW symphony or some of his other works. That is all well and good, as
just about anything composed by RVW is well worth hearing, but the music of
Finzi is generally not nearly as familiar to many music lovers, meaning that
this release might well serve to introduce this composer to folks who will then
be inspired to seek out other music that they might otherwise have never heard.
You can’t go wrong there, folks. Let your Finzi freak flag fly!
KWN
To
listen to a brief excerpt from this album, click below:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment. It will be published after review.