MELA TENENBAUM viola
MELA · VIOLA
J.S.Bach Adagio from the Organ Concerto No.3 (after Vivaldi)
Granados Orientale - Spanish Dance No.2
Mussorgsky Hopak
Tchaikovsky Nocturne in d minor, Op.19, No.4
Chausson Pièce pour alto et piano, Op.39
Brahms Scherzo, opus posth.
Mazas Etude No.19 "The Gossip" from Melodious and Progressive Studies, Book I
Lyadov Prelude, Waltz & Mazurka, Op. 57
Vieuxtemps Capriccio for Viola - from Hommage à Paganini, Op. 9)
Debussy Beau Soir
Brahms Hungarian Dance Nos.2 & 3
Villa-Lobos Aria (Cantilena) from Bachianas Brasileras No. 5
Fauré Après un Rêve
Massenet Meditation from "Thäis"
C. Bohm Perpetuo mobile - from the Little Suite, No.6
RICHARD KAPP pianoESS.A.Y Recordings CD1055
[65'12] full-priceby Derek Lim
In Menuhin's book "Unfinished Journey", he said that the viola is "despised" by many students in his famous school - most start off playing the violin and are only coaxed into taking up the viola at an age where their hands have grown large enough. But the viola, with its soft-grained sound, and its peculiar 'hollowness', is not at all inferior to the other string instruments. Many composers took to the viola in the later stages of their life (Mozart considered writing a viola concerto, for example), and many of the most beautiful sonatas have been composed for the viola. It was only in this century with advocates such as Lionel Tertis and William Primrose that the viola gained some status. In the meantime, many viola concertos have been written - in fact some of the best concertos for the viola were written this century (Bartók, Walton). Rather fewer "character pieces" have been composed for the viola though. This CD is just such a compilation of arrangements for the viola and piano.
Many of these pieces were not originally written for the viola. Among the pieces taken from the violin original is the characterful etude by Mazas "The Gossip". A march-like theme starts the piece off, and this leads into an opening recitative, with viola and piano, where the viola takes on the role of the gossip and mock-deliberates on whether to tell the tale. A busy moto-perpetuo aria follows. This is one of the most enjoyable numbers on this disc, played with much verve and humour.
Some of the other pieces were piano pieces, or vocal pieces transcribed for violin, and later used for piano. Among these is the Spanish dance No.2 from Enrique Granados' Orientale. This piece is well-suited to the smoky husky tones of the viola, and brings up, rather strangely, the quality of Bizet's Carmen. Quietly evocative, it moves dreamily and ends wistfully. I was grateful for Tenenbaum's many shades of colour here.
The same use of colour can be heard in Peter Tchaikovky's Nocturne in D minor, which reminds everyone what an inspired melodist he was. Originally this piece was a C-sharp minor piano solo piece from his opus 19, Six Morceaux. It is a singularly beautiful piece, well-suited to the viola's tone. Typically Brahmsian melodies inhabit his posthumous Scherzo. Tenenbaum is sometimes raw on the edges, but considering the passionate playing here that is quite forgivable. The Hopak on the other hand sounds very rough, even excessively, especially in the robust opening. Very vigorous and robustly played, this would make an enjoyable encore piece for any violist.
In this same vein is the Meditation from Massanet's Thaïs, a piece notoriously (ab)used in movies, TV serials and weepy soap-operas alike. The piece occurs between the second and third acts of the opera, when Thaïs the courtesan gives up her amorous life. Played on the viola, some of the brilliance of the violin is lost, and I can't say I enjoyed it as much - some of the shimmer is missing, and at any rate I prefer orchestra accompaniment to piano accompaniment, even if it is sympathetic.
The Adagio from Bach's Organ Concerto No.3 after Vivaldi sounds surprisingly good for viola and piano. Immediately I was engaged by the commanding tone from the viola. Tenenbaum's playing is rarely exaggerated, as always. Among the fiddle pieces that sound more idiomatic for viola is Brahms' rollicking Third Hungarian dance with occasional forays into the minor that quickly changes into the major. Very enjoyable.
Originally a vocal piece, with words by Paul Bourget (1852-1935) set by Claude Debussy, is the Romantic, very French and very sleepy Beau Soir ("Beautiful Evening"). The words of the poem are not entirely optimistic - it speaks of the twilight, and of death. If anything the piece is wistful, as conveyed by the performers here.
Here are the words of the piece, if you can translate it. (My French is too bad!)
Lorsque au soleil couchant les rivières sont roses,
Et qu'un tiède frisson court sur les champs de blé,
Un conseil d'être heureux semble sortir des choses
Et monter vers le coeur troublé.
Un conseil de goûter le charme d'être au monde,
Cependant qu'on est jeune et que le soir est beau,
Car nous nous en allons comme s'en va cette onde,
Elle à la mer, nous au tombeau.
And finally the pieces which were written for viola - the best is Fauré's Piece pour alto et piano. This highly appealing work features some beautiful double-stopping in the viola - a strange cross between the sometimes strident violin double-stop and the majestic cello double-stop. I would have enjoyed more passion in the climax, before the return to the calm of the beginning, and then again more calm at the end, but overall this was satisfying.
Above left: Detail from 'Moon Rising over the Sea'[?] (1821) by Caspar David Friedrich.
I have only written about the most enjoyable pieces on this disc, recorded in brightly-lit sound, with the viola very well-placed, capturing its elusive colour. The rest I shall leave for your ears. I would like to hear more by these artists, though, hopefully in Schumann's Märchenbilder and Brahm's Viola Sonatas.
Derek Lim has all his strings attached from Chinese Orchestras to Western Choirs.
Back to the Classical Index!... or read previous Romantic and piano music reviews and features at the Inkpot Archives.
435: 6.3.1999 ©Derek Lim
Readers' Comments
From: B. Chee (benjaminchee@t-i-p.com / Sunday, April 4, 1999 at 15:39:19)
"When, in the setting sun, the rivers are rosy,
And a warm breeze flows over the fields of grain,
A message to be joyous emanates from all things
Upwards to the troubled heart.
It tells us to enjoy the pleasure of our youth
And the beauty of the evening.
For we must go, as this wave goes;
It to the ocean,
And we to the tomb."
