Leo Kraft’s L’Unicorno is a miniature horn concerto
exploiting the various facets of the horn’s expressive range.
It is cast in a single movement in five interlinked sections
of different character. The music is well-crafted and provides
for some virtuosity display, both in the horn part and in the
brilliant writing for strings. Fairly traditional stuff, it
is by 20th century standards, accessible and enjoyable,
especially as played here with enthusiasm and immaculate technique
by the work’s dedicatee. By the way, Leo Kraft should not be
confused with his contemporary fellow composer William Kraft
(b. 1923).
It is always good
to hear some of Welsh-born Hilary Tann’s music, which should
definitely be heard and recorded more often. Water’s Edge
was originally written as a piano duet for advanced students.
The transcription for strings was first performed by the Presteigne
Festival Orchestra conducted by George Vass. It is in three
short movements, “each of which may be performed separately”.
The impact of the piece is much greater and the whole more satisfying
if played complete as it is here. The music sometimes reminded
me of Britten and also of Grace Williams’ magnificent Sea
Sketches - a favourite of mine. It is splendidly written
for strings, and beautifully atmospheric without being programmatic
or descriptive. A marvellous short work for strings that deserves
wider exposure.
Harold Schiffman
has already been well served by North/South Recordings, and
I have been able to review several discs of his music. His Concertino
for Oboe and Chamber Orchestra, scored
for string quintet, flute, clarinet, bassoon and horn, is in
three short movements of broadly equal length, the music of
which is mostly based on the opening cadenza-like passage for
the oboe. Two lively outer movements frame a nocturnal slow
centre-piece. A delightful, light-hearted piece of music; but
I suspect that the oboe part must be rather tricky at times.
“Symphony
No.1 in C major Op.21 is the first of a projected series
of nine ‘grid’ symphonies based on corresponding numbered symphonies
by older composers”. In this case, the ‘model’ is Beethoven’s
First “from which is taken form and spirit (including number
of measures, tempo markings, key and even opus number)”. Reading
these remarks by the composer before listening to the piece
I had some fears about the musical results of what reads like
some vain exercise in pastiche or parody. In fact the piece
turned out to be quite enjoyable and – more importantly – free
from pastiche and parody. The first movement is a bit minimalist
with some fine tunes and a dance-like joyfulness, a bit à
la Copland or Bernstein. The slow movement is a processional
opening with a plainchant-like theme, and “stubbornly contrapuntal”
all the way through. This is followed by a Menuetto e Trio that
has a dark-hued Trio framed by lively dance-like outer sections,
reminiscent of Stravinsky in his Neo-Classical guise. The whole
piece is capped by an Adagio/Allegro of great verve revisiting
the minimalist sound-world of the opening movement, with Glass
still lurking round the corner. No earth-shaking masterpiece,
but well-made and enjoyable. Should appeal to all those who
enjoyed the symphonies by Philip Glass.
The performances
in this typical North/South offering are very fine and for all
their stylistic variety - a trademark of North/South’s discs
- make for a very enjoyable programme. One of the finest discs
that I have heard from this label.
Hubert Culot
David Jolley (horn)a; William Meredith (oboe)b
