Two discursive neo-Straussian tone poems from a living
composer. Now there's an odd thing!
Eckhart was born in Barcelona of a German family. He
studied at the Barcelona Conservatoire. He is also a medical doctor.
His works have been performed in Moldova, Mexico, Spain and Germany.
Beatus Ille is based on the Horace Ode of the
same name. It praises country life, the pristine joys of working one’s
own land free from exploitation. In this it has some parallels with
Thoreau’s Walden. Eckhart is into a rather dense Straussian melos. It
rather lacks vigour but has a Brahmsian surge about it and a dash of
Eulenspiegel. There is a capricious solo violin (à la
Josef Foerster, the Czech composer). There is also a sense of the high
alpine regions. This is a flowing work which does not avoid the shallows
and reefs of meandering blandness.
Anastasis is founded on the resurrection of
Christ. Its optimism is spaced over five separate tracks. I Brahmsian;
II a touch of Don Juan’s horn calls; III a harp and strings andante
takes us back to the high pastures of Beatus Ille; IV echoes
of Dvoøák ’s Eighth and Rosenkavalier with solo
violin to the fore; V: serene and silvery strings teeter on the edge
of Hollywood and Moon River.
The Moldavian orchestra is splendid except in one department;
the lack of juicily ample string tone.
If your taste runs to rhapsodic Straussian neo-romanticism
then this is for you.
Rob Barnett
Moldavian RTVSO/Christian
Florea