Recording of the Month
April 1998
Béla Bartók:
Sonata
for Solo Violin
Contrasts,
for violin, clarinet and piano
Rumanian
Folk Dances, for violin and piano
Rhapsody
no.1, for violin and piano
Rhapsody
no.2, for violin and piano
Krysia Osostowicz, violin
Susan Tomes, piano
Michael Collins, clarinet
1990. Hyperion Records CDA66415
full price
The Sonata for unaccompanied violin was one of the last works to be completed by Bartók before his death in 1945. The work was commisioned by the young virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin after a perfomance of Bartók's second violinconcerto, where the composerreportedly is to have expressed his admiration for the young violinist and his eminent treatment of the concerto. Although the composer died before completing the editing of the sonata, he was fortunate enough to hear Menuhin give the premiere performance of the work in November 1944.
The Sonata consists of four movements whose names make one recall the Bach sonatas, or rather the partitas.The first movement:Tempo di ciaccona that infact is not strictly a chaconne, except for the opening bars, makes me think of the chaconne from Bach's D-minor partita atleast when it comes to scale. For this is one of the giants of the repertoire for solo violin, both in scale and quality. The sonata turned out quite far from what Menuhin had expected on commisioning it. What he finally was presented was not the expected modestly scaled chamberwork, but a true colossus so monumental that comparisons to Bach are inevitable.
The second movement (a Fugue) is a treat in it's increasing variation in the development of subject and counter-subject. It is simplistic and monumental and could hardly be farther from the airy beauty of the third movement Melodia. The elegiac adagio is as the Fuga simple, and so imidiate and direct in it's lyrical glory.The sonata is rounded off with a Presto which also brings the old master Bach to mind, although music so firmly based in Hungarian folklore, wasn't quite his cup of...whatever.
Contrasts, a trio for violin, piano and clarinette was originally commisioned by jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman, reportedly after some words of persuation from Bartók's friend and compatriot Jószef Szigeti.The work was premiered by Goodman on clarinet, Szigeti on violin and Endre Petri on piano in January 1939 in New York City, and was recorded in Carnegie Hall, with Bartók himself at the piano, the year after.
The work has an air of playfulness and even mockery of conventions troughout its three movements. This is especially apparent in the opening of the finale where a violin well out of tune instigates the movement, and the other instruments are given a part ad libitum; where they have to work their own way as the violinist changes for an instrument in tune.
The Rumanian Folk Dancesare
tunes originally set for piano by Bartók but later transcribed for
piano and violin by Zoltán
Székely.Bartók
himself made a recording of the Székely version in 1930, with Szigeti
on violin.
The Rhapsodiesare also firmly rooted in Hungarian folklore, with elements from gypsy music. Bartók is said to have had some trouble in writing an ending for each of the rhapsodies, and there exists two versions for an ending of the first rhapsody. The first version is used in this recording.
I find this recording a most
fulfilling one with impecable performances, especially from Krysia Osostowicz,
whose
account of the sonata takes
its place among the finest I have heard. In other words a truly worthwhile
disc from
one of the most exciting
classical labels around.
There is a slight drawback
however, when it comes to the purely technical side of the record. The
CD printings
from 1990 may carry a flaw,
that manifests itself as a most irritating scraping or hissing noise. If
you own such a
copy, Hyperion or rather
the manufacturer will replace it for you. Check out the Hyperion homepage
for further
information.
Hyperion
Records
© 1998 arne.mork@yahoo.com
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