by Jason Tan

After reading my colleague's recent passionate exaltation of band music, I also was inspired to proudly proclaim the wonders of string music, which is sadly not given the recognition it deserves.

The string section has always been a vital and indispensable part of the orchestra. Other than works for full orchestra, composers have also written many pieces for purely strings, the bulk of which goes to string quartets. Admittably, the string quartet has a dominant position in chamber music, however there is something noble, pure and almost heavenly in the sound a good string orchestra creates. It is just the very nature of string instruments, sounding distinctly different and yet somehow similar in essence, which blend in a most wondrous tapestry of harmony.

Many major orchestras are known for the distinct quality and character of their string sections. The luscious and richly "Romantic" strings of the Vienna Philharmonic, the tenacity and technical brilliance of the Berlin Philharmonic, the sparkling brightness of the Concertgebouw, the magical warm mellow hue of the Philharmonia, just to name a few.

Some of the more famous pieces written for string orchestra include Vaughan Williams's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and The Lark Ascending, Barber's Adagio, Pachelbel's Canon, Mahler's Adagietto from the Fifth Symphony and Holst's St Paul's Suite. Tchaikovsky, Elgar and Dvorak wrote well-known serenades for strings; and of course there are the many Baroque works. Indeed the classical music world has been kind to the string family. However unlike our band counterparts it is difficult to find good arrangements of contemporary music. I'm speaking from my personal experience as well as from a school ensemble's perspective. It is also a pity that there are relatively so few string ensembles at school level in Singapore. This may be controversial, but perhaps it is because string instruments are generally more difficult to pick up than wind instruments, and/or people believe it to be so?

Naxos has done several albums for pure strings, most of which I've snapped up. The Bournemouth Sinfonietta has proved to be a very versatile ensemble, being able to exploit the different timbres of the various members of the string family and draw either cheerful brightness or more solemn dark colours when required.

Versatility is a vital virtue a string ensemble must possess. The reason being that most string works are relatively short, and there is a wide selection of string music, ranging from Bach concerti all the way to pop or jazz arrangments. Therefore the string ensemble must be able to adapt and evolve to the different styles and tones needed for the diverse music.

I must confess that the pieces on this recording may not be technically devilish, but being an ensemble with relatively so few sections, keen musicianship and the ability to blend and work together with the others is critical. The Bournemouth Sinfonia lives up to this. The selection of the repertoire is admirable; kudos to Naxos in this respect. The general theme of Scandinavian flair which is well-maintained both by the music chosen and the musicians themselves.

There are 17 tracks on this disc, all of them relatively short but adding up to a good 67 minutes of enjoyable listening. As usual, the program notes are informative and educational. This time however, it also includes many quotes. One of which, from Nielsen (right), I must share with you here. Forgive me for the length, but it is one of the most poetic and eloquent passages on music that I've ever come across:

"If music were to assume human form and explain its essence, it might say something like this: 'I am everywhere and nowhere. None can grasp me, all can apprehend me; I live tenfold more intensely than any living thing, and die a thousandfold deeper. I love the vast surface of silence; and it is my chief delight to break it. I know no sorrow or joy, no pleasure or pain, but I can rejoice, weep, laugh and lament all at once and everlastingly."

- Carl Nielsen (slightly reduced by yours truly)

Jason Tan wishes himself a Happy Birthday... strangely he feels both young and old at the same time...

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