Quick Takes: Batch #5 (Rubbra, Tüür, Haydn, Debussy, and Ireland)

Rubbra: Choral Music. Benjamin Hulett, tenor; François Cloete, organ; Benjamin Nicholas, conductor; Choir of Merton College, Oxford; Britten Sinfonia. Delphian DCD34332. 

These are excellent performances of sacred choral music etc. by Edmund Rubbra. The trouble is that, outside of church, university, and civic ensembles, the motet/mass genres don't exactly equate to public prestige. Opera and song have garnered the fanfare that evades these other vocal mediums. Additionally, Rubbra's music tends to suffer lesser popularity due to its gentle, priestly quality even in forceful moments. It's beautiful, even beguiling once you get accustomed to it. But it's not going to beat anyone over the head. For those interested in exploring his mystical world, and want to start with this disc, listen first to "Eternitie" from the Five Motets, Op. 37. This is a fantastic miniature that just may be your key to unlocking the other repertoire offered here. Rubbra's music deserves fans. If you listen to this and it's not your thing, by all means try something else. Verdict: Recommended.

Erkki-Sven Tüür: Phantasma; Symphony No. 10 "ÆRIS"; De Profundis. Olari Elts, conductor; Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. ECM New Series 2784. 

I pretty much guessed what I was getting into right before I tried this out of curiosity. Yep, more modernist noise. I mean, look at these titles. Pretension just drips off of them. I could rhetorically claim that I don't see the point of this music, but I actually do. I just don't think it's a very good point. This is all the usual hot air that goes on for far too long and contains nary a tune or anything else a non-dweeb can relate to whatsoever. It's stretches of sound clouds and architecture; in short, it's all concept. Unfortunately, Nordic composers born around a certain time were eager to show that they could "get beyond" Sibelius and Nielsen. They got beyond them, all right. But getting back would be an improvement. Verdict: Gross. 

Haydn: Baryton Trios Vol. 3 (Hob. XI:26, 50, 57, 72, 80, and 82). Valencia Baryton Project. Naxos 8.574708. 

I won't pretend to have heard all 120-odd baryton trios by Haydn. But once in a while I'll pull out a recording of 5 or 6 of them in the hope that one will imprint upon my heart and memory. It hasn't happened yet. Haydn may have used these works to please his employer and develop compositional skills. But who believes they contain any of his most inspired music? That isn't a slam against this recording or its musicians, who do a fine job with what they're given. It simply means that if you're like me, you'll value what's here as an historical curiosity and pleasant background fare. The series tagline reads "Treasures from the Eszterháza Palace," but "Artifacts" might be a better first word. Buy this recording if you're pursuing a complete sense of Haydn's compositional activities, or just wanting some fluffily nice music. Pass if you're looking for your next Surprise Symphony or Emperor Quartet experience. Verdict: Mildly Recommended.

Archipel. Aline Piboule, pianist. Harmonia Mundi HMM 902776. 

Now this is how you do a solo piano album! The title, Archipel, is French for "archipelago," and most selections relate to islands, the sea, or some relatable natural element. It pairs the music of Debussy with that of...wait for it...John Ireland! A cynic might say that this only shows how much the Englishman owes to the towering French master. But two things here can be true: yes, Ireland was heavily influenced by Debussy, but he also has a real voice of his own. He's represented here by Sarnia: An Island Sequence and Decorations, two of his finest miniature suites. Debussy's fare is more familiar: Claire de Lune, D'un cahier d'esquisses, the L. 82 Nocturne, and Yann Olivio's solo piano transcription of La Mer. This last item is instructive: much of the original work depends upon orchestral timbres to make its sonorities best felt, and the materials seem more modest stripped of that context. But Piboule gives a tremendous account of both this and the other pieces, with a versatility that is at turns bracing and intimate when needed. She respects the power of momentum without ever rushing. Her tone colors are gorgeous. Finally, I love her choice of the Yamaha instrument, whose bright sound she uses to dazzling effect. John Ireland is unlikely to get better advocacy than this. Verdict: Highly Recommended.

Recording Review #64: Influences, I Guess

Influences. Mariam Batsashvili, pianist. Warner Classics 2173253517.

One way to repackage various but frequently recorded pieces is to claim some connection between them. In the case of Mariam Batsashvili's third Warner release, the idea is that these sonatas "and extras" are presented chronologically by composer in a way that shows connectiong threads. Or something. Here is Batsashvili's explanation: 

"Even though there are so many other sonatas which are fantastic, I chose these ones because they speak to me. The idea of Influences is that the listener will make links between the sonatas, and whilst hearing the character and signature of each composer, the evolution of sonata form and the development of music is audible." (See here for her entire interview discussing the recording.)

Okay, I guess. I think we can all agree there are many possible connections between Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Liszt. But Batsashvili speaks a bit broadly, if not vaguely, when it comes to identifying some. I kinda think she just chose these specific sonatas (and extras) mainly because she likes them. Which is fine, but it makes the Influences theme come across more as a marketing ploy than anything else. She's performing stuff she wants to; theme-wise, maybe we should just leave it at that and be content.

Of course, what matters more than the packaging is the playing. Here we have somewhat of a mixed bag to go along with the repertoire choices. We start with Haydn's sprightly D-Major Sonata, Hob. XVI:37. This is played well if not remarkably. Anyone merely wanting a solid performance will be entirely pleased. A slightly-too-staccato articulation at times goes against my taste, but this isn't a huge deal. Similar things could be said for Batsashvili's interpretation of Mozart's D-Major Sonata, K. 576, though I liked this performance a bit better because of a suitably rousing finale.

Given her propensity for Liszt (more on this in a bit), it's maybe surprising that Batsashvili's Appassionata Sonata by Beethoven isn't more fiery. I found it fairly well played, but too tame. The finale especially is sluggish and lackluster. Furthermore, if "influences" encompasses how galant-like she makes passages like the one starting at Measure 145 sound, perhaps this is a connection to Haydn (or before) we didn't need! Usually I'm glad when companies don't skimp on their discs' playing times. But at 83 minutes, this recording could have left out its Appassionata and elevated the whole business in so doing. 

But now we come to the best reason to purchase Influences: Batsashvili's Liszt. The winner of both the 10th International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (2014) and the International Franz Liszt Competition for Young Pianists (2011), she amply backs up her credentials as a Lisztian here. We get excellent performances of the first and famous third Liebesträume, as well as a solid La Campanella. However, the real prize is her Dante Sonata. This isn't the easiest work to bring off convincingly, but Batsashvili supplies the vividness, cohesion, and absolute sympathy required to do so. That alone is worth the purchase price. 

Verdict: Highly Recommended for the Liszt; Recommended for the Haydn and Mozart

Recording Review #38: Hearty Haydn

 

Haydn: The Complete Piano Sonatas, Volume 1. Won-Sook Hur, pianist. Dux Recording Producers DUX2085. 

Much as I love Mozart's sonatas for solo keyboard, I think I may like Haydn's even more. This very much includes the early ones that are often slighter works (some are referred to as divertimenti or partitas) than the more familiar scores from later years. The very first nine are offered on Volume 1 of this new Dux series. Their opening movements mostly come in brief (sometimes rudimentary) sonata forms with sectional repeats. Ternary minuets-and-trios follow somewhere, with occasional slow or presto movements also making appearances. Few if any of these spans are longer than a few minutes each. And yet they're all delightfully engaging. Any one of them is perfect for a short car ride within town, or a fun play-through session at the piano (none of them are technically daunting).  

Particularly noteworthy in this group is Hob. XVI:2 in C, alternatively dubbed a partita. This is a surprisingly meaty work whose wit and memorability give it heft to match many sonatas to come. Its opening movement already contains hallmarks of Haydn's approach to sonata form: a sturdy, multi-part main theme group that provides fodder for plenty of elaboration; short episodes (often drawing heavily from the main theme group) in place of true secondary themes; and robust closing material that counterbalances extensive reliance upon the opening to generate interest. A richly expressive Largo slow movement in the relative minor key follows, with a Menuet-and-Trio finale that reverts back to B-Flat Major but visits the incredible parallel minor key of B-Flat Minor in the Trio. The best scholarly guesses date this work to around 1760, which makes it an incredible effort by a young Haydn working during the early years of the Classical Period. (Officially, we're not quite certain that it is by Haydn. But I strongly believe so for the reasons I've just shared.) 

Won-Sook Hur delivers spirited performances that should serve most listeners well. His 'pedally' sound is not quite my favorite; I prefer a dryer, crisper approach. And the sound quality of the recording at times seems less than top-tier. But these quibbles are not reasons to avoid giving it a try. Your impressions may vary. 

Recommended