United Kingdom Schmidt, Liebermann, Bach/Markevitch: Matthew Featherstone (flute), BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Jonathan Berman. Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, 21.10.2022. (PCG)
Johann Sebastian Bach, arr. Igor Markevitch – Ricercar a 3 from The Musical Offering
Lowell Liebermann – Flute Concerto Op.39 (1992)
Franz Schmidt – Symphony No.2 in E flat (1913)
Despite one of the best endeavours of his proponents and protagonists, Franz Schmidt’s 4 symphonies have by no means actually established themselves exterior the confines of Austria and Germany, within the method that these of Mahler and Bruckner slowly achieved through the twentieth century. It was all of the extra welcome, then, that the BBC National Orchestra of Wales gave us the large fifty-minute Second Symphony because the second a part of this live performance. Among different issues, to expertise the music in dwell efficiency tended to negate the impression – conveyed by recorded performances – of items that have been over-heavily orchestrated, with an excessive amount of contrapuntal element to permit for readability of expression.
The rating of the second symphony, with its triple and quadruple woodwind and closely sub-divided string sections, is certainly laden with harmonic and textural element and ornamentation to an excessive diploma of complexity. One is reminded in locations of Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder with out the floor glitter; Schmidt strictly limits his percussive contributions, and eschews altogether the usage of harps or tuned percussion. But dwell efficiency helps to disentangle the net. There are occasions when one needs the composer would realise that extra isn’t essentially more practical than much less, and that he would keep away from the temptation so as to add yet one more line of counterpoint to the feel. Nonetheless, the writing got here throughout clearly even when the turmoil was at its most excessive. The sheer velocity and complexity of the calls for on the gamers often produced some surprising squawks, however the total contours have been clearly deliminated to be appreciated.
In reality, Schmidt appears nearly to have made a aware effort to manage his pure exuberance after the Mahlerian turmoil of the primary motion. The second motion is a set of variations through which the orchestral highlight is turned individually onto woodwind, brass or strings, and there’s a welcome sense of lightness and distinction. Suddenly, in direction of the tip, the ninth variation extends itself in each type and weight to supply a scherzo, so marked within the rating. There comply with a trio-variation and an extra growth of the scherzo materials, for the mixed impact of a semi-independent motion. The distinction between winds and strings continues into the finale, the place a chorale melody is contrasted with materials of accelerating complexity. That results in a conclusion which mixes each parts at a positively Brucknerian size. The finish introduced appreciable enthusiasm from the viewers, smallish – the corridor was lower than half full – however suitably impressed by the music. One hopes to listen to extra Schmidt in future. As I’ve famous, the readability of dwell efficiency is a particular benefit over even probably the most analytical of recordings.
One will surely count on to listen to extra of Lowell Liebermann. His willingness to offer up to date audiences with music of ability and artistry is at all times welcome, not least within the flute concerto he wrote some thirty years in the past for James Galway. The concerto opens charmingly with the flute melody which floats over plodding bass traces within the brass and results in equally witty contrasts all through. This evokes the spirit of Prokofiev in his most balletic moods. The sluggish motion, very stunning certainly, begins with a way of rapt ecstasy and strikes into extra sinister territory earlier than the reconciliation of the conclusion. But this was not the cool magnificence that one typically finds in minimalist scores. A wellspring of richly purposeful emotion lay beneath, and Matthew Featherstone’s beautiful enjoying gave it full measure. By distinction, the finale was a helter-skelter of sensible approach, delivered via a sequence of transient episodes through which the soloist was paired and contrasted with different members of the orchestra. We heard bass clarinet, harp, piano and even at one level a ornament woven round a melodic line within the piccolo! The complete resulted in a delightfully offbeat method. The flute abruptly fell silent on the ultimate be aware and the soloist gave a nonchalant shrug within the method of “this is just how it goes”. Matthew Featherstone is an actual treasure of this orchestra, and it was pleasing to see that he was given an enthusiastic reception each by the viewers and by his fellow gamers. His efficiency was a gem.
The live performance had begun with Igor Markevitch’s imaginative association of the smaller-scale fugal motion from Bach’s Musical Offering. Here once more a lot use was fabricated from the spatial differentiation of the string gamers. They have been divided into two stereophonically positioned our bodies of gamers sure collectively by a stable physique of double bass tone on the outer extremities of the orchestra. This distribution of the person gamers, with an remoted trio of soloists within the centre, helped to make clear Bach’s contrapuntal textures. The music made an attention-grabbing, albeit transient, introduction to a live performance through which the distinction between our bodies of devices shaped an integral a part of the entire in all three of the featured works. Never thoughts that it required an unscheduled interval of some 5 minutes to permit the orchestra to re-arrange themselves afterwards.
Throughout the efficiency, Jonathan Berman proved to be an environment friendly and concerned conductor, and the selection of the repertory was significantly revolutionary. The live performance, we have been instructed, was being recorded for future transmission within the BBC’s Radio 3 in live performance sequence, after which it might be out there to stream or obtain for thirty days on BBC Sounds. Liebermann’s concerto is especially extremely really helpful to listeners. If the engineers can seize the clarified textures we heard within the corridor, Schmidt’s symphony could effectively show revelatory as effectively.
Paul Corfield Godfrey