Martin Slidel: Classical Music Reviews

Messiaen Åstrand (vln); Teyssier (cl); Dam Thomsen (vlc); Salo (pno)  OUR Recordings (2022) Written in 1941 whilst incarnated as a POW, Olivier Messiaen’s ‘Quatuor pour la fin du Temps’ (‘Quartet for the End of Time’) shines for ever due its impelling creative insight and resultant beauty. Never more so on a sonically radiant recording from the un-monikered ensemble of Christina Åstrand (violin), Johnny Teyssier (clarinet), Henrik Dam Thomsen (cello), and Per Salo (piano). To be released on May 13th on OUR Recordings. The work opens with ‘Crystal liturgy,’ enticing, delicate, and gently rhythmic with its repetitive birdcalls. The next movement, ‘Vocalise…’ involves the strike of piano chords in varied tonal balance, interweaving between the melodic lines. There is a surprising jump of style near close as if switching to a new movement already. Which is the clarinet solo ‘Abyss of birds.’ A palatte of nature, and of Grieg, it retains a mystery of achievement; compositionally and in ...

Schnittke; Silvestrov; Shostakovich Matangi Quartet Matangi Music / Pias (2022) New this month is Matangi Quartet’s selection of Russian and Ukrainian works titled ‘Outcast’. The ‘Andante’ of Schnittke’s ‘String Quartet No.3’ twists or rather tangles itself around motifs from di Lasso, Beethoven, Bach, and Shostakovich. Shades of darkness, and back again, intertwined tonalities and styles. Schnitte’s ‘Polystylism’ is relentlessly edgy although cleverly bound by a more cohesive rhythmic ‘regularity’. In the second movement, ‘Agitato’, the effect is stunning. Again more darkness than light but emotionally transportive. Distinct to this writer are echoes of violence and pain, purposeful not contrived. ‘Agitato’ “serves as a culmination of the various polystylistic ideas, improved and introduced in various contrasting textures compared to the initial motivic material of movement I…” (Herndon) The final movement ‘Pesante’ is just as spine-tingling via the contrast of tonal dimensions in jux...

Various composers Emmanuel Bach, violin; Jenny Stern, piano Willowhayne Records  (2022) ‘Lennox In Paris’ is a new release this month from Willowhayne Records featuring Emmanuel Bach on violin and Jenny Stern on piano.  The selection kicks off with Lennox Berkeley’s  ‘ Sonatina for Violin and Piano ’ . Wide intervals in the top line of ‘Moderato’ create a sing-song effect accompanied by carillon motifs on piano. Thrilling yet artful, it is a considered yet soulful performance. For ‘Lento’ is a smokier tonality from the violin, its breath drawn across tender chords. The final movement, conversely, a greeting from an eager child. There follows ‘Sonata No. 1’, plaintive to start, changing to effervescence, a gently warm tone on violin maintained with absence of vibrato. The mood changes again before the listener is fully aware. In ‘Adagio - Allegro – Adagio’ a searing string is matched by a strident piano. Neither of which content to be ‘pinned-down’. Eventually dissolving,...

Various composers Kyle Horch, saxophone; Yshani Perinpanayagam; Anya Fadina, piano Norwood Recordings (2021) October marked the release of ‘Fairy Tales’, a collection of recital music from Eastern Europe. It features Kyle Horch on alto and soprano saxophones. Twenty-four short – often very short – pieces.  Yshani Perinpanayagam plays piano on thirteen tracks. These commence with Tcherepnine’s ‘Sonatine Sportive’. ‘Lutte’, the first of three, instigates the terrific tonal and dynamic balance of the performances. I n ‘Mi-temps’ t here is an almost flute-like quality to the sax, a tincture of the music’s potency. The album offers world premiere recordings including Horch’s arrangements of Prokofiev’s ‘Cinq melodies’. ‘Andante’ is busy but unhurried  –  exemplifying the appealing dichotomies within each. ‘Lento, ma non troppo’ reveals elements of a Debussy- esque  refrain. ‘Animato, ma non allegro’ has a pleasing undercurrent of modernity. E xpansions of form v eer to s...

Pancho Vladigerov, composer; Etsuko Hirose, performer Mirare Records (2021) New on the Mirare label is ‘Impressions’ – Etsuko Hirose’s performances of piano works by the 20C Bulgarian composer and teacher Pancho Vladigerov. The album comprises of a set of ‘Impressions’ plus a Bulgarian-themed suite. ‘Langueur’ is immediately attractive, water rippling from Hirose’s hands, in gently descendant lines. These invert as the mood heightens before resolving with deeper undertones. ‘Étreinte’ conjures an image of silent movie stars. Its swirling colours infuse a downtime of a 1920s Parisian cocktail bar. ‘Valse-Caprice’ is an enchanting and thrilling waltz, with a pleasing variation in tempo. Again, Hirose contains an emotive response to affect a delicate balance. ‘Caresse’ offers an air of nostalgia. Its influences range from Late Romantic to early Music Hall. ‘Élégance’ also marks the intersection between Romantic and Modern. Another intimate recording: ‘clean’, effortless, and elegance inde...

Chabuka Amiranashvili, composer; performer Memo Music (2021) Chabuka Amiranashvili’s new collection for Memo Music commences with ‘We Will Survive’ akin a John Williams score with whirring brass and droplets of ‘purer’ electronic sound. ‘In Past’ offers restful piano motifs accompanied by a gentle pattering of drum pads. These elements shift in timbre and dynamic range, conjoined by the echoing rasp of a pan flute. I would have also enjoyed it without it being ‘pinned down’ melodically.  ‘Bao Bao’ is warm synth clusters and sparkling chimes, reminiscent of a 1980s Vangelis soundtrack. In exposition, intervals descend,  very satisfyingly,  on electric piano. And again, those warm synth clusters in ‘Svani’ with a simple piano tune floating above. T he forces intertwine, i n a dual narration, becoming part of the other. Its structural balance consistent, it is one of the best compositions on the album. ‘Small’ seems an easy styling of a wordless Soul ballad, employing attrac...