A really interesting
programme from Christopher Hogwood and
the Basel Chamber Orchestra on Arte
Nova. Stravinsky’s Pulcinella is
one of the most celebrated examples
of 1920s neo-classicism (which is just
as likely to be neo-baroque), so to
join this music with further examples
by Malipiero and Casella was inspired
planning.
After the First World
War the anti-romantic reaction became
a driving force in music, though in
truth it was part of a broadening of
musical horizons and possibilities rather
than a one-dimensional shift of emphasis.
Stravinsky brought special life to the
music of Pergolesi, his basis for the
ballet score Pulcinella
that in turn formed the basis for this
orchestral suite. Now a centre-piece
of the chamber orchestra repertory,
this score demands the utmost virtuosity
of its performers. Its demands are brilliantly
met by Hogwood’s Swiss players here.
The Tarantella and the final Allegro
assai are particularly vital, while
the celebrated duet for trombone and
double bass has seldom been delivered
with greater panache. Another aspect
of this score is its significance for
Stravinsky himself, who described it
as "my discovery of the past, the epiphany
through which the whole of my late work
became possible".
Gian Francesco Malipiero
was a leading composer and musicologist,
who was deeply aware of the possibilities
offered by the music of previous eras.
His work on the music of Claudio Monteverdi,
for instance, was of huge significance.
These interests frequently influenced
his own creative activities, and the
Ricercari represents another
example of this. Scored for a mixed
ensemble of eleven instruments, the
music seems to alternate between bustling
contrapuntal vitality and a more reflective
stillness. These contrasts naturally
serve to enhance the character of each
of these possibilities, while the music
also reflects Malipiero’s awareness
of existing trends, not least the contemporary
music of Stravinsky. There are abundant
subtleties at large here.
Casella’s Scarlattiana
is a more directly engaging
piece, in which entertainment is a higher
priority. During its 25 minute five
movement span the piece manages to include
references to no fewer than eighty of
Scarlatti’s sonatas, an extraordinary
feat not only of musical organizing
but also of sheer kleptomania. Here,
as in the case of Malipiero, Hogwood
and his orchestra give a committed performance
which serves the composer and the music
particularly well. He finds more interest
in vitality than in reflection, but
so, it seems, does Casella’s score.
Arte Nova achieve high
production standards with clear and
rich recorded sound. The booklet is
well presented and the accompanying
notes are thorough and informative.
Terry Barfoot
Anthony Spiri (piano) 
