Ronald CENTER (1913-1963)
Instrumental and Chamber Music - Volume 1: Music for Solo Piano
Piano Sonata (1958) [12.29]
Six Bagatelles (1955) [15.18]
Andante [2.06]
Sarabande [1.56]
Air [1.59]
Pantomime [4.27]
Larghetto [2.42]
Sonatine [9.04]
Hommage [3:11]
Three Etudes [5:43]
Impromptu [3.55]
Three Movements [6.58]
Christopher Guild (piano)
rec. 2013, Potton Hall, Suffolk
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC0179 [69.48]
Who was Ronald Center? A few biographical notes may be
of interest to the reader. He was born in Aberdeen on 2 April 1913.
Center studied organ and piano in his home city. Aged 30, he took up
the post of music master at Huntly Gordon School, which he held for
six years. After this time, he gave private lessons and devoted himself
to composition. The entry in Grove’s Dictionary explains that
Center was self-taught as a composer: this resulted in self-consciousness
and led to a struggle with insecurity, frustration and fears of rejection.
Center’s catalogue of works seems to be small. However, I have
not had a chance to examine the Catalogue of Music of Ronald Center
lodged in the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh. Important compositions
include the Symphony No.1, a Sinfonietta, the tone-poem The Coming
of Cuchulainn, three string quartets, a Violin Sonata and the considerable
quantity of piano music. Of this latter section, it would seem about
half has been recorded on this present CD. Stylistically, it has been
well said that Bela Bartók, Benjamin Britten, Ferruccio Busoni and Ralph
Vaughan Williams were, in effect, the composition teachers Center never
had.
Ronald Center died in Huntly on 18 April 1973, aged only 60 years.
I am beholden to the excellent liner notes by Dr James Reid Baxter for
my comments and thoughts on all this music. Only the ‘Bagatelles’
(once) and the ‘Piano Sonata’ (three times) have been recorded
before. I have not heard any of these earlier releases.
A point to recall: The liner notes explain that most of Ronald Center’s
scores are ‘undated and undatable.’ The order of pieces
on this CD is not chronological. It is clearly a problem that may be
addressed by scholars in the future.
I began with a miniature. The ‘Larghetto’ came as a delightful
surprise: I was all psyched up for pounding Bartok and got nearly three
minutes of gentle Debussy meets Ravel with a definite Spanish twist.
The hushed central section is particularly beautiful. This is a rare
treat. I would love to see the score for this piece: I think I might
even manage to play it! A change of mood comes with the lively Pantomime.
I guess that the three movements could be a short sonatina: certainly,
that would appear to be the formal structure. This untroubled music
echoes the activities of Commedia dell'arte characters given
in the titles of each movement: Pantaloon, Columbine and Pierrot. Whether
the comedy of Scaramouche is present in these pages is up to the listener
to decide. I think that the sound of Bartok does preside over this Pantomime.
The short piece ‘Hommage’ does not carry a dedication, so
we do not know who it is giving tribute to. Stylistically, it could
easily be the 25th ‘Prélude’ of Debussy’s eponymous
Two Books of Twelve. It has all the musical hallmarks of the French
master. Interestingly, the liner notes mention Ronald Center’s
devotion to Debussy: his cat was called Chouchou (which was the ‘pet’
name of Debussy’s daughter Claude Emma.
I turned to the ‘Impromptu’. Readers will know that this
word describes a work that is formally free and has a definite sense
of improvisation. Famous examples include those by Schubert, Chopin
and Scriabin. Center’s take largely follows tradition. The basic
mood of the piece is one of innocence with a troubled moment about a
third of the way through. The remainder of the piece is an attempt at
recapturing the simplicity of the opening. Once again, I hear Debussy
in these pages. It is quite perfect.
It is suggested that the ‘Air’ and the ‘Sarabande’
were written relatively late in Center’s career. They may have
been a part of his Mary Queen of Scots project. This was either
a ballet or a ‘singspiel’ (light opera) which was left incomplete
at the composer’s death. Along with the thoughtful little ‘Andante’
these pieces are hardly ground-breaking but offer an insight into the
deeply lyrical side of Center’s achievement.
Next up on my exploration were the six Bagatelles. I listened to these
before reading the programme notes. My first thought was that these
are much more than the title implies: ‘short pieces of not great
worth’. I was glad to see that Christopher Guild agreed with me!!
In fact, he states that these six pieces are a ‘veritable showcase
of Center’s art.’ Here we contrast quiet musing in the first
Bagatelle, with the motoric no.2. The third is disturbing. It opens
quietly, dreamlike, but then explodes into horror, before drifting back
to sleep in the arms of Morpheus. Bagatelle no. 4 is wildly exuberant
with not a care in the world. It is a rhythmically diverse little toccata.
The penultimate number opens and closes wistfully, with the expected
mood swing during the ‘middle eight.’ The innocence of life
is reclaimed in the idyllic final Bagatelle. Guild sees it as ‘a
child running in a sunlit landscape’. I see it as an adult resolution
of internal conflict. This set of Bagatelles is a little masterpiece
that deserves much greater exposure.
The Three Études are definite showpieces. Once again, it could almost
be construed as a sonatina. The progress of the movements is fast-slow-fast.
This is placid music that has no ‘central catastrophe’ that
often reveals itself somewhere in contrasting sections of Ronald Center’s
music.
The ‘Three Movements’ are not just trifles, as the somewhat
ambiguous title may imply. These short numbers cover a wide range of
sentiment and pianistic endeavour. The opening ‘Prelude’
is dance-like in places. The ‘poco adagio’ is frankly depressing
insofar as this is dark, introverted music without a spark of warmth.
The finale, a Prokofievian ‘Toccata’, comes nearest in this
conspectus of Center’s piano music to declaim his Scottish inheritance.
It is not ‘tartanry’ by any stretch of the imagination but
does seem to have the drive and vigour of Caledonian fiddle music, if
not the exact rhythms and figurations.
Finally, I turned to the Sonatina and the Sonata. The former is an interesting
little work. Most importantly, it is hardly a light-hearted little didactic
piece. The musical language nods to Bartok and Prokofiev. The bouncy
opening ‘allegro’ theme contrasts with the very short ‘second
subject.’ The middle movement is a darkly hued nocturne, with
little illumination, and a truly aggressive and disturbing middle section.
The ‘vivace’ finale does little to relax the tension. Like
so many ‘Sonatinas’ the title belies the emotional content
of the music.
The Sonata is the main event on this CD. It stands first in the batting
order, although I have chosen to review it last. This work was composed/published
around 1958. Yet, the Sonata was not premiered until 1979, when the
Anglo/Scottish composer and pianist Ronald Stevenson played it at the
Mitchell Hall, Aberdeen. In 1990 Murray McLachlan recorded the Piano
Sonata along with the Six Bagatelles.
The liner notes suggest that several of Ronald Center’s piano
pieces on this CD are ‘preparatory sketches’ for the Sonata,
I do feel that this could belittle the worth of these ‘lesser’
works. On the other hand, it appears that the Sonata is a kind of ‘summa
of Center’s pianism.’ Ronald Stevenson has provided an interpretive
scheme for this Sonata. The opening movement reflects the excitement
and vigour of childhood, this is followed by the second movement’s
meditation on the ‘anguish of young love’ then the third,
trouble and strife and eventually level-headedness in one’s middle
years leading, finally, to a renewed childlike spirit of old age and
possible rebirth. The liner notes give a detailed analysis of the Sonata
which bears study. My thoughts are that this large-scale piece (not
necessarily by length) is powerful, dynamic and profound. It is small
wonder that it was Ronald Center’s personal favourite. One reviewer
has put their finger on the Sonata’s ultimate success: this is
a concise work, but one that feels ‘big in both sound and scale,
encompassing considerable substance and variety.’
All this music is played by Scottish pianist Christopher Guild. It is
a superb performance from start to finish. He captures the imaginative
style of Ronald Center’s music, especially in the contrasting
‘catastrophe’ section. The sound quality is ideal.
I enjoyed every piece on this CD. I do not know why I missed this release
back in 2013 but am exceptionally glad to have caught up with it in
the dying days of 2019. The cover of the CD states that this is Volume
1 of Ronald Center’s ‘Instrumental and Chamber Music’:
seven years later, we are still awaiting Volume 2. Roll on…
John France
Previous review: Gary
Higginson (Recording of the Month)
