Steven R. GERBER
Symphony No. 1
Dirge and Awakening
Viola Concerto *
Triple Overture
**
Lars Anders Tompter (viola)*,
The Beckova Sisters** Russian Symphony Orchestra - Thomas Sanderling
recorded in Studio 5, Recording and Broadcast Station of Moscow - 3-7 August
1999.
Chandos CHAN 9831
[67.19]
DDD
Crotchet
Amazon
USA
Here is a disc which has benefited greatly from the chaos currently rife
in the record industry. As sales have been dropping on the 80th
version of someone's 5th Symphony, some of the recording companies
have at last woken up to the fact that there is much wonderful music still
out there waiting to be recorded. This process which was started by the
independents, let unknown works by little known composers to be recorded
and this issue is an example of this strategy. It is a fairly high risk move,
but I guess that the curiosity sales for an unknown work might still be larger
than for the umpteenth version of a well known piece.
With this disc, the strategy seems to have paid off, for we have an issue
which I am sure many will find of great interest and give much satisfaction.
How best to describe Gerber's style ? In discussion with colleagues, we came
to the conclusion that it was like a mixture of Shostakovitch and Steve Reich,
but that does nothing for Gerber, and not much else for the other two. Needless
to say, from the very superficial description you will get an idea and all
the works on this disc come from Gerber's current output which is becoming
more and more tonal in character. In common with Shostakovitch, Gerber also
uses initials / letters of his and other's names to create themes to work
on. All the works presented here were written between 1988 and 1998.
Symphony No. 1 is in three movements, and has been described as Russian,
tragic and despairing. Although true, I also found it uplifting and not at
all difficult to listen to, and indeed listened to it again, immediately
afterwards.
The Viola Concerto was written for Yuri Bashmet, and was first performed
by him in Tours in 1997. The work is in three movements and each of these
display a separate mood which is developed by the composer. The first is
maestoso and this has a central cadenza based on the material earlier on
in the movement. The second movement is a set of variations based on the
letters B-A-S-H-M-E-T using German and French notation for the B, S, and
H and French for the M (Mi) and T (Ti). The last movement is a short fast
entity, rhythmically complex and somewhat lighter in context than the preceding
movements.
Dirge and Awakening is a 10 minute single movement work written for Mikhail
Pletnev and the Russian National Orchestra, and was first performed in Moscow
in 1993. It is an abstract piece, with little or no programme in spite of
the title.
Finally, the Triple Overture was written in 1998 for the present performers
and specially for this disc. He was at first asked for a Triple Concerto
but instead wrote more of a Triple Concertino. It was renamed Triple Overture
because the term Concertino was thought to be a little light for what is
indeed quite a concentrated work.
Although there are no competitive recordings of these works, the performances
are first rate, with very expert playing from Lars Anders Tomter and the
Beckova Sisters. The Russian Philharmonic Orchestra play and accompany very
well, and they are lucky to have Thomas Sanderling in charge of the whole
proceedings. The documentation is up to Chandos's normally high standard,
and the recording, made by Russian engineers is of very high quality, well
up to the company's normally high house standard.
I hope this issue does well - I enjoyed it very much, and recommend it very
highly to you.
John Phillips
