Malcolm Arnold’s Horn Concerto
No.2, op.58 was composed in 1956 and dedicated to the legendary soloist, Dennis
Brain. It was premiered by him at the Cheltenham Festival on 17 July 1957. Sadly,
it was one of Brain’s final performances before his tragic death in September
of that year.
The first thing to understand
about this concerto is that there is no contest with the woodwind or brass in
the score: it only uses a string
orchestra. And, secondly, it was “designed to exhibit the extraordinary
virtuosity of the soloist…” Arnold wanted to test Dennis Brain’s “limits and endurance.”
So much so that it is rumoured that Brain had to edit some of the more
impossible and challenging passages.
One thing that struck me about
this work is that there are few of Arnold’s lighter fingerprints: a great deal
of the music is serious in effect and intent. Much of the concerto’s progress
relies on “song-like tunes” specifically designed to “display Brain’s artistry
in shaping cantabile phrases, the warmth and purity of his tone and his
clarinet-like fluency.” There is little use made of the horn’s lower register,
nor of “hunting” cliches. Hugo Cole has noted that Arnold “has paid tribute to
the musician as much as the virtuoso.”
There is some competition for
this Concerto, with rival recordings made by Alan Civil (2), David Pyatt and
Richard Watkins. The present version is the first for a generation. Sadly, the
BBC did not broadcast or record the premiere performance from Cheltenham. There
is no known recording of Brain playing this piece or any other by Arnold.
I enjoyed Ben Goldscheider’s
account of this Concerto. Especially interesting was the depth of the slow
movement with its nod towards Ravel’s Pavane and the exuberance of the finale.
It would be good if he gets around to recording Arnold’s first concerto and the
Fantasy for solo horn.
I confess that I have not heard of Christoph Schönberger. There are no “hits” for him on MusicWeb International, nor the Presto CD site (this album excepted). The liner notes state that his Horn Concerto in F is written “in a tonal and traditional style.” Is this his “normal” musical aesthetic? The composer himself states that the “layout of the work is similar to that of a classical concerto with its first movement resembling a sonata form, the second, slow movement in ternary form (A-B-A) and the third movement…being a rondo.” On the other hand, there are romantic formal techniques used here. Without the score, it is more difficult to spot themes that recur in each movement. But their existence suggests a degree of cyclicity in this work. The liner notes analyse the concerto as a series of “stories,” really being an analysis of how the various subjects interact. There is no suggestion of a programme with this music, though there may be one inside Schönberger’s head or heart.
As I did not know this composition,
I listened to it twice straight through. I cannot decide whether I like it or
not. Certainly, it is tuneful, well-written, generous and grateful to the
soloist. There is some gorgeous orchestration, especially in the slow movement.
Overall this is a well-wrought
concerto, which seems look to back in time, rather than forward. There is
nothing wrong in that. I do wonder if it will “take off” in the concert halls?
No information is given about its debut performance: I was unable to locate any
reviews of this work. The present recording, unsurprisingly then, is a “world
premiere.”
Ruth Gipps’s Horn Concerto, op.58 is an undoubted masterpiece. It was completed in 1968 and dedicated to her son, Lance Baker. The concerto was premiered by him at the Duke’s Hall, the Guildhall, London on 15 November 1969. Gipps conducted the London Repertoire Orchestra. It was one of precious few works for orchestra that she wrote during the 1960s (the other is the Symphony No.3, op.57).
The liner notes sum up the concerto’s aesthetic well: “the figure of the horn as the hero is not introduced until the very end of the work.” Meanwhile, much of the progress is contemplative, introspective and giving the impression of “instability and wandering.” I do not think that this is in anyway a negative assessment. The entire piece seems to straddle various eras including the classical and romantic. Despite its date, there are no nods to the avant-garde of the day. That said, the horn solo is often characterised by an extensive range, low notes, wide leaps, and triple tonguing, giving the concerto at least a veneer of modernism. Perhaps the most significant asset of this concerto is the compelling orchestration. Regarded as demanding for the soloist, it requires a strong technique and the ability to deal with many interpretive issues. It is relatively short, lasting just under 18 minutes. Yet a lot is packed into this limited space. This is my favourite work on this CD. It is given a superb performance by Ben Goldscheider.
The liner notes are
comprehensive. Detailed analysis and information about the Arnold and the Gipps
concertos was devised by the soloist, and for the Schönberger by himself. Strangely,
there are no overviews of each of the composers. Composer dates are omitted. I
concede that 1921 is mentioned in the text as the birth year of Arnold and
Gipps, but not the years of their death. No such information is given about
Schönberger, who I understand is very much alive. However, I could find no
website for him. There is a Twitter account, but I do not have access to that. Brief
biographies are given for the soloist, the orchestra and conductor. For further
details of Ben Goldscheider, please see his excellent website.
The playing on this disc is
superb. Goldscheider gives splendid and authoritative accounts of each concerto.
His tone, especially when called for to play cantabile and legato is
bewitching. He copes with the technical challenges with great skill and
command.
Track Listing:
Malcolm ARNOLD (1921-2006)
Horn Concerto No.2, op.58 (1956
Christoph SCHÖNBERGER (b.1961)
Horn Concerto in F (2019)
Ruth GIPPS (1921-99)
Horn Concerto, op.58 (1968)
Ben Goldscheider (horn)
Philharmonia Orchestra/Lee Reynolds
rec.1 March 2021 (Arnold), 16 March 2021 (Schonberger), 15 May 2021 (Gipps), Henry Wood Hall, London
WILLOWHAYNE RECORDS WHR068
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