From the famous opening clarinet solo to the final peroration, Claire Huangci gives an urbane account of the Rhapsody. Her recording seems taken at a relaxed pace yet is only just over fifteen minutes long. Many soloists take up to nineteen minutes. Her balance between the exigencies of jazz playing and high blown Listzian bombast is never in doubt. This is a splendid performance that is faithful to Gershwin’s genius.
Amy Beach’s Variations on Balkan Themes, op.60 for solo piano is regarded as her magnum opus. They were written in 1904 and premiered by her the following year. There was to be a revision in 1936, when she was encouraged to make several cuts. I understand that she also produced an edition for two pianos as well as some abandoned attempts at orchestration which were later completed by Hector Valdivia.
The liner notes explain that
Beach was fascinated by folk song, especially that of Native Americans, as well
as those brought across the Atlantic from England, Scotland, and Ireland. Yet,
this present piece was based on songs from the Balkans, which had been
collected by the Reverend William Sleeper, who functioned as a missionary there.
The preface to the score lists the ‘found’ material from Serbia, Bulgaria, and
Macedonia. That said, it should be noted that not all the melodies are
“ancient.” The most important is O
Maiko Moya (Oh, my Poor Country!) which acts as a unifying theme
throughout, which reflects on Serbia’s historic occupation by foreign powers.
Other tunes include Macedonia! Stara Planina, an “ancient hymns
to the mountains” as well as a dance-tune Nasadil ye Dado (Grandpa has
planted a little garden). Highlights must include the magical Barcarola and
the Allegro all’ ‘Ongarese.
The listener will hear echoes of
Chopin and Liszt in these pages. And perhaps even Rachmaninov. Yet, this is not
pastiche, but an outstanding synthesis of romantic styles. Beach has responded
(at second hand) to the vicious revolutionary activity in the Balkan
territories against the ruling Ottoman Empire with a work that is melancholy, on
occasion lively and always virtuosic. Huangci gives a glowing account of these
Variations. I hope she intends to explore Amy Beach’s music in greater depth in
the recording studio.
Remarkably, Samuel Barber’s Sonata in E flat minor for piano, op.26 was commissioned by American Songbook composers, Irving Berlin, and Richard Rogers. Yet, the resultant work can hardly be described as “popular.”
The booklet points out that it is
far removed in style and impact from the Adagio for strings (1936) or
the “dance rhythms” of his Excursions, op.20 for piano, written between
1942 and 1944.
The Sonata’s opening movement is
penetrating and ominous. Was Barber using twelve-tone techniques to create
overly chromatic and tentative explorations? Suddenly its progress moves into a
romantic humour before the opening mood returns and ending enigmatically. The
second movement is a “scherzo” that could be described as “light, elfin, [and]
sardonic.” Certainly, this is spicy and sparkling music. The Adagio-mesto
is introspective, with its ostinato underlying twelve-tone patterns. Yet there
is a neoclassical feel here that is in contrast to what has gone before. The
finale deploys a complex four-part fugue “of fantastic difficulty.” (Poulenc). Here,
amongst the dizzying mechanics of fugue, Barber interposes an episode with “an
American folk-dance flavour.” This four-movement sonata is a wonderful example
of Barber’s fusion of tradition and innovation. Francis Poulenc described it as
being “tragic, joyful, and lyrical in turn.” All the emotional variety is
explored in this recording.
I have always been an admirer of American pianist Earl Wild. Often regarded as one of the last in the trajectory of Romantic pianists, his performances projected passion, virtuosity, and emotional depth. Wild was highly adept at making transcriptions of classical and jazz. These reimaginings included Baroque composers such as Handel and Marcello, as well as Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Berlioz, and Gershwin.
The liner notes explain that this
last connection was “logical,” as in 1942 Arturo Toscanini had invited Wild to
be the soloist in a major recording of Rhapsody in Blue with the NBC
Orchestra.
The Seven Virtuoso Etudes
after Gershwin were transcribed over a period of years between 1954 and
1976. Using Gershwin’s “simplified” piano arrangements of seven of his songs,
Wild has created a series of “encores” that he would play at recitals. These
included, “Liza,” “Somebody Loves Me,” “The Man I Love,” “Embraceable You,”
“Lady, Be Good!” “I Got Rhythm,” and “Fascinatin’ Rhythm.”
Wild’s technical wizardry
includes dense block chords, rapid scalar passages, much use of arpeggios and
counter melodies. There are nods to Ravel, Liszt, and Chopin but it is always
within the competence of nineteenth century romanticism and later
impressionism.
A crucial point to note is that
these Etudes transcend any notion of technical exercises. They are all
magical evocations of Gershwin’s originals. The present soloist has taken on
the challenge of these extremely difficult pieces and has produced an
awe-inspiring account.
The American pianist Claire Huangci was born in Rochester, New York. She won the first prize and the Mozart prize at the 2018 Geza Anda Competition. Her resume states that she “continuously captivates audiences with her “radiant virtuosity, artistic sensitivity, keen interactive sense and subtle auditory dramaturgy”” (Salzburger Nachrichten). With an especial interest in “unusual repertoire” she explores a wide range of music, from Bach and Scarlatti, to Bernstein, Gulda, and Corigliano. She has performed at many important venues, including the Carnegie Hall, New York and the Suntory Hall, Tokyo.
The liner notes give a great introduction to the four pieces, setting them in the context of “American Classics.” They are printed in English, French and German.
Overall, this is a brilliant, well-judged recital, exploring works that are both familiar and lesser known. The Amy Beach was a new but rewarding experience for me. At every turn, Claire Huangci gives ideal performances of all this music, complimented by a clear and vibrant recording.
Track Listing:George Gershwin (1898-1937)
Rhapsody in Blue (1924)
Amy Beach (1867-1944)
Variations on Balkan Themes, op.60 (1904, rev. 1936)
Samuel Barber (1910-81)
Piano Sonata in E flat minor, op.26 (1947-49)
Earl Wild (1915-2010)
Seven Virtuoso Etudes after Gershwin (1954 and 1973)
Claire Huangci (piano)
rec. February 2024, Leibniz Saal, Hanover, Germany
Alpha Classics Alpha 1071
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