Early Chamber Music Vol.2
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Suite
in E major for Violin
and Piano Adagio in D minor Fugue for Martin Wegelius Duo in C major for Violin and Viola Piano Trio in C major, "Lovisa" "Water Drops" for Violin and Cello |
Other pieces: Jean Sibelius Quartet
Yoshiko Arai · Jukka Pohjola violins · Matti Hirvikangas viola
Seppo Kimanen cello · with Juhani Lagerspetz piano (Lovisa Trio)
ONDINE
ODE 826-2
[58:22] full-price
by The Inkpot Sibelius Nutcase™
This second (and final) instalment begins with the very appealing Suite for Violin and Piano in E major (1888), comprising five movements played attacca. As the key suggests, it opens with a sunny and attractive Allegro molto, with two beautiful subjects. In this work, the piano mostly accompanies, while the violin, here beautifully and naturally played by the young Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto (b.1976), even sports a short cadenza in the quasi adagio. Another two-minute Allegro molto is followed by a tender Lento quasi andantino of the "park-strolling" variety I so love. The Suite ends with a spirited Allegro Brillante.
Kuusisto and Kerppo play this Romantic work as if they have known it all their lives. Their natural flow and sense of ease bring an appealing unpretentiousness tp the Suite's lyricism. This allows me to add, again in Sibelius' defence, that this is not to be considered an "immature" work as fools suggest. They are simply pieces of music that form a different phase in an artist's life - in this case, his youth.
The Piano Trio in C (1888) was composed for the Sibelius family
trio, consisting of Jean, his brother Christian and sister Linda. It is
nicknamed the "Lovisa Trio" after its place of birth. The first movement,
Allegro, is predominantly bright and bold, displaying (according
to the notes), march-like themes which were to occupy Sibelius' music
in the 1890s. I particularly enjoy this movement, especially as delivered
here in bright and forward atmosphere by the performers. A dreamy Andante
follows, and then the confident and cheery Allegro con brio.
The 5½-minute Fugue for Martin Wegelius (derived from Sibelius' title "Fuga for Martin W") was understandably thought by scholars as a piece for the composer's teacher, but turned out to be a sketch for the finale of his (Sibelius') A minor String Quartet. A powerfully wrought sketch this is, dark-toned but energetic in its unrelenting momentum, all adding to a distinct sense of progressive development - as a fugue should be.
The quiet musings of the Duo in C major (?1891-2, or as Sibelius noted "1886?") is almost startling in its relaxed concentration. For an unbroken 5½ minutes, the lullabying duet of violin and cello converse quietly in a fine example of concentrated music which does not tax the mind.
The 11-minute Adagio in D minor (1890) is believed to have been originally intended to be the slow movement of Sibelius' B major String Quartet. With its shifting harmonies, interweaving lines and overal sense of organic movement and fusion, it already shows the hallmarks of Sibelius' later styles. In it one can hear the embryonic ghosts of the Rakastava Suite (1893, orch. 1911) as well as the melancholia of so many of the composer's slow symphonic movements. It is emotional in character, yes, but I also hear something decidedly more calculated, more "architectural" than pure/lyric Romanticism. This perhaps is the mark which distinguishes Sibelius as more than just a "Romantic" - it is only the beginning for one of the 20th century's greatest symphonic thinkers.
Even
as a boy, Sibelius immersed himself in the embrace of nature, chasing
butterflies through the grass, taking frequent nature walks and "explaining"
to his friends the sprites, goblins and other fairy creatures that live
in the forests. Gifted with perfect pitch, Sibelius could even tell exactly
what notes the birds were singing.
At around age 10, he composed his first piece of music, Vattendroppar or "Water Drops", scored for violin and cello pizzicato. Remarkably for a kid's first work, it is in a minor key.
All praise to Ondine for possessing the ironic sense to place this - the first utterance of a great composer - at the end of this survey of Sibelius' early chamber music. This tiny 44-second work humbly hints of and ultimately signifies the tremendous future of Mother Nature's greatest tone-poet:
It is snowing outside - but spring is already showing its face. Nature is coming to life: that life which I so love, now and always, whose essence shall pervade everything which I compose.
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S
I B E L I U S Nature is coming to life: that life which I so love, now and always, whose essence shall pervade everything which I compose. |
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| SIBELIUS |
The Symphonies
The First Symphony An Inktroduction
The First Symphony Survey of Recordings
The Fifth Symphony An Inktroduction
The Fifth Symphony Survey of Recordings
The Seventh Symphony An Inktroduction
The Seventh Symphony Survey of Recordings
Lahti/Vänskä Cycle: Nos.1 & 4 | 2 & 3 | 5 & 5 | 6 & 7, Tapiola
The Bournemouth Symphony/Berglund Cycle (1970s)
Iceland/Sakari Cycle: Nos. 1 & 3 | 2 | 4 & 5 | 6 & 7 | Four Legends
More Symphonies reviews at the Inkvault
Kullervo This Way Lies the Future: An Inktroduction with further links
The Violin Concerto Original and Final Versions on BIS
Other Orchestral Works
Tapiola The Forest's Mighty God: An Inktroduction
Neeme Järvi and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra - Tone Poems on DG:
Karelia Suite, The Oceanides,
Luonnotar, King Christian Suite, Finlandia
En Saga, Excerpts
from Kuolema, The Bard, Tapiola
Finlandia and other Tone
Poems A Double Decca compilation
The Stuff of Legend
Karelia Complete
Music for the Pageant (BIS)
Karelia & Press Celebrations
Complete Music (Ondine)
King Christian and Pelléas et Mélisande Complete Incidental Music
The Bard of Sibelius
Everyman and Belshazzar's Feast Incidental Music (BIS)
The Origin of Fire and other Choral Works
The Tempest - Sibelius' Farewell (An Essay and inktroduction)
The Tempest Suites with Segerstam/Helsinki PO (Ondine)
Choral Music
Music for Mixed Choir
(BIS)
Chamber Works
Early Chamber Music Vol.I
and Vol.II (Ondine)
Complete Youth Production for Violin & Piano Vols.1 & 2 (BIS)
Piano Music Vol.2. Gimse (Naxos)
Books
Sibelius Phaidon
20th Century Composers