Recording Review #10: Congenial Clement

Franz Clement: Solo Violin Works (12 Caprices; Variations). Haoli Lin, violin. Naxos 8.574497. ISBN: 747313449774. 

Naxos is one of my favorite labels. In terms of shining light on forgotten recesses of the vast classical repertoire, they're a godsend. Consider this disc: all world premiere recordings of quite obscure music by the violinist who premiered Beethoven's Violin Concerto. To be sure, none of these pieces by Franz Clement come close in stature to LvB's imposing masterpiece. But once that obvious point is out of the way, these solo violin works are quite a pleasant journey...and worthy to be enjoyed as such.  

The track sequence is shrewdly arranged; we don't get all 12 Caprices at once. Instead, four groups of three intersperse as many short sets of variations on music theater tunes. This ensures a fresh flow of fare and keeps things engaging. It also becomes clear (if it wasn't already) that the Caprices are rather more ambitious works in terms of aim and scope. Splitting them up allows us to digest them piecemeal, which is a good thing. Maybe they lack the sheer ostentation of Paganini's famous miniatures in the same genre, but Clement's offer plenty of virtuosic flair and delights to explore. He can surprise you if given the chance. For instance, I enjoyed the sudden pathos in passages of No. 4, the unexpected harmonies and turns of phrase in No. 11, and the jaunty air to open No. 9. Listeners should also be suitably impressed with the technical brilliance of Nos. 6 and 8, among others. 

At least equally did I enjoy the sets of variations. In the liner notes, Haoli Lin writes the following: "While working on Clement’s unaccompanied works, editing and practicing them, and even recreating the music sheets, I felt like I was travelling back to early 19th-century Vienna, at the cusp of the Classical and Romantic eras. Clement felt like an intimate friend, showing me the unique elegance and beauty of that time through his music." This is exactly right. In listening to these tunes, and the sprightly variations on them by Clement, I felt like I had a unique little window into late 18th- and early 19th-century musical taste. Perhaps concert-going folks back then went home whistling these melodies, which we have long forgotten. What a wonderful feeling to be immersed in them! The themes heading three of the sets of variations are by Méhul, Weigl, and Salieri. All are terrific and are subjected to charming treatment by Clement. But, again unexpectedly, I most enjoyed the set based on a tune from the pantomime Die 3 Sclaven. I found this touching and would gladly come back and listen to it again. 

Haoli Lin plays everything with admirable sensitivity, accuracy, and beautiful tone. Even without his liner note remarks, it is clear this was a labor of love for him. I applaud his fine work and his commitment to sharing this repertoire with us. I'll be looking into his other efforts. 

Warmly Recommended