"New" Music Log

Started by Todd, April 06, 2007, 07:22:52 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 6 Guests are viewing this topic.

Brian



Of course one of Latvia's leading composers, turning 67 this year, is *checks notes* a populist whose music is heavily inspired by Argentine tango? Half of this album of orchestral works by Arturs Maskats is given over to Piazzolla riffs. First the 11-minute "Tango," featuring a short accordion solo, and aside from some contemporary flash in the orchestration, it is a pretty straightforward imitation tango. He says that he wrote it to do for tango what Ravel did for La Valse, in which case he failed, but it's fun.

The 20-minute Accordion Concerto is similar, although it is broken up into four short movements and the second one has a wild climax where the strings are divided into individual soloists and they breed chaos, a la Penderecki. Still, it's not long before the brass enters with a Latin tango-type theme to subdue them back into shape. The accordion soloist often alternates passages of her own bustling solo with quiet percussion-only orchestral interludes. The third movement is a slow "Blues" (again, more Argentinian than American). This leads directly into a cadenza, then a perky finale that finally breaks free of South America to a more general, somewhat chaotic expression of joy. It's the best part. There's an unexpected quiet ending.

"Cantus diatonicus" is a 7-minute piece Maskats wrote as a student, with prominent solos for oboe (as main melodist) and celesta (as main accompanist, color provider, and folk-tune-quoter). The atmosphere is that of waking up or sunrise, with a childlike sweetness/innocence creeping into the musical language in the second half. When dissonance briefly appears, it sounds almost accidental.

The album ends with a 16-minute tone poem representing the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Called "My River Runs to Thee," it's also a monument to Maskats' biggest contribution to the musical world. In the early 2000s, he ran the Latvian National Opera and (according to the booklet) recognized the possible conducting talent of one of the orchestra's trumpet players. That trumpet player, Andris Nelsons, went on to commission this work from his old boss for performances in both of Nelsons' workplaces, Boston and Leipzig.

The piece starts off in what's becoming a familiar Maskats mood: quiet, with lots of softly clopping percussion. From here, a slow, romantic string melody builds to a climax and subsides back into more soft bell chiming and tinkling. I thought maybe the piece was ending, but that was just minute 4 out of 16. A spookier section begins around 7', with dissonant, clashing tones from the piccolo and violins that sound a little Ligetian. Maybe it's a reference to "Because I could not stop for death..."? Now there is a sort of slow development section, as the romantic violin melody and the more dissonant elements prepare for showdown. You'll never guess who wins. Overall, I found the piece a mixture of Vasks-style dualism/conflict and Hollywood schmaltz.

All told, the album adds up to just 53 minutes. The booklet is very little help explaining why this composer is so obsessed with tango. It does make clear, however, that he is a Latvian audience favorite because his music is so easy-listening, so approachable, and so forthright in its emotions. This album is, very rarely for a contemporary music CD, something for Florestan to listen to in a lighthearted mood. For me it is a little too sweet, but there are occasions when even a grump like me needs a little musical sugar. Maybe I'll listen again, maybe.

Todd




Back in 2017, I discovered the pianist Marie-Luise Hinrichs.  I picked up a pair of Soler discs from her and was mightily impressed.  I later picked up her recording Vocation, consisting mostly of recordings of her own transcriptions of music by Saint Hildegard von Bingen.  It was my purchase of 2017 and remains one of my purchases of the century.  I'm not exactly sure how, but this 2023 release Visions, which is essentially a sequel, escaped my attention.  Within thirty minutes of learning of this, I purchased a download. 

Basically, what I wrote in 2017 holds true for this recording.  (See link below.)  To be sure, the novelty is gone, and the first disc is firmly entrenched in my mind, so this disc had less of an impact.  That written, it's basically a beautiful, soulful, spiritual continuation of the first disc.  It is stylistically almost identical.  The only difference is that tempi are slightly swifter overall.  Also, Hinrichs adds one Tchaikovsky piece, two of her own, with the rest given over to Bingen and Gurdjieff.  This time, eight Bingen transcriptions are included out of eighteen tracks, so the mix is different. 

For the quickest summation possible: I adore the first recording; I adore this recording.

Oh, it turns out this is the third such recording.  In 2019, she released Meditationen, which I somehow missed.  It is not downloadable, so I will have to obtain a physical copy.

Original Vocation comments: https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,26195.msg1049294.html#msg1049294
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya