I
must declare an interest before launching
this review. I have been a member of
the BMS since circa 1980. Since 1995
I have been editor of the BMS Newsletter
and an ex officio member of the
Society’s executive committee.
Anyone
with even a passing interest in the
sultry, enigmatic and sensual music
of Sorabji needs to have this set. It
is a most thoroughly engrossing anthology
from a brilliant pianist who is a veteran
in Sorabji terms. He has lived with
and reflected on this music for approaching
forty years. Time and again while listening
to this set I was struck by his loving
attention to detailing, voicings and
speeds. The music communicates Sorabji's
striving after transcending the limitations
of keyboard, of mechanical action and
of the pedestrianly objective.
Michael
Habermann's Sorabji odyssey began in
an English bookshop in Mexico City in
1967. There he found and was transfixed
by the Fantaisie espagnole. He
bought the score for twelve pesos -
the equivalent of one dollar. From there
he moved to acquire every one of the
then miserably small number of published
scores. He met Sorabji in 1980 and was
one of the handful of pianists (including
John Ogdon and Yonty Solomon) given
permission by the composer to perform
and record his music.
In
the Hothouse has all the humid
atmosphere you would expect along with
vestiges of La catédrale engloutie
and of the more exotic pieces by Cyril
Scott and Szymanowski. There is something
of the time-slowed decay of a peal of
bells about this. A development of this
soundworld is to be found in Gulistan,
Djami and The Perfumed Garden.
The
pell-mell Toccata which
might easily have influenced Conlon
Nancarrow. At velocity it is a feral
hurdy-gurdy display which when it decelerates
looks towards Goossens’ piano music,
Moeran's Bank Holiday and Bax's
own Toccata. There are bold and fruity
dissonances though nothing of Schoenberg's
desiccation.
Fantaisie
espagnole (termed by Sorabji
an 'insipid baby piece') represents
an intertwining of Iberian and Moorish
culture. It surely takes some of its
impressionistic ripeness from Ravel's
Rapsodie espagnole which Sorabji
transcribed and which has been impressively
recorded by Habermann on BIS. The music
drifts and raves conjuring focus-softened
iridescent colours. Listen to the drifting
pearly mist of notes at 10.03 onwards.
This definitely represents the emir's
garden and the houris' quarters rather
than burros and gaudy bullring posters.
The work is in three sections divided
by cadenzas with each section faster
than the last. The dedicatee is Norman
Peterkin whose own piano suites should
be revived and recorded.
The
Valse Fantaisie. Here the sound
is very different. It is digital unlike
first three tracks with an ultra-refined
sound and a good spatial sense. The
music is suggestive of a multiplicity
of veils of sound moving in gorgeous
complexity. There are episodes that
are punishingly explosive juxtaposed
with those having a delightful delicacy
(9.43). It is presented complete with
applause. There are no coughs. This
is the Rocky River, Ohio, world premiere
performance.
The
Hindu Merchant's Song is a pastiche
of The Song of India from Rimsky's
Sadko. It is not as densely complex
as parts of the two fantasies. It keeps
in touch with the gorgeous melodic line.
The note decay at the end is wonderfully
sustained - a real tribute to the recording
engineers.
Habanera
from Bizet's Carmen:
Sorabji joys in subjecting the famous
sultry tune to disruption and dissonance.
When the tune rises assertively it is
driven down again with its progress
held back rather like the choreographed
anarchic attack of the side-drum in
Nielsen’s 5th. We are shown some blasted
heath at 3.04. Its moments of crippled
dissonance are like some Ultima Thule.
The piece ends roundedly as if the master
had become satiated with destruction.
All very convincing although one is
left wondering: crime or sublime? Sorabji
glories in the Minute Waltz with
the music dressed in robes of icy dissonance.
Habermann's own fleetingly brief imitation
of Sorabji's late style is a tribute
piece in return for which Sorabji dedicated
to Harbermann a 93 page ms entitled
The Golden Cockerel by Rimsky-Korsakov
- frivolous variations, anarchic, heretical,
and perverse fugue.
The
second CD groups three Nocturnes. These
are no miniatures. Two time out either
side of twenty minutes. The third and
final work runs just short of half an
hour in a single span. Le jardin
parfumé relates to the
erotic writings of Sheikh Nefzawi. The
music is a continuous dreamy chime at
about the same mezza volume. It radiates
a slow luminosity without dazzle or
glare. The phantasmal Djami is
very similar in approach somehow suggesting
the whorls of a fingerprint moving in
a slow shimmer. Gulistan is
the most highly attractive of these
densely inventive Nocturnes. It was
taken from a concert performance as
the odd cough makes clear.
The
third CD opens with the Introito
and Preludio Corale from Opus
Clavicembalisticum recorded in full
on Altarus and Bis. Its striving legendary
atmosphere is at first rather Baxian
in its coruscating liquid motion - perhaps
like parts of Winter Waters and
The Devil That Tempted Saint Anthony.
The music moves through episodes of
portent and minatory gesture. It represents
a more densely complex take on the Baxian
landscape of Winter Legends ending
in a modest and submissive turning away.
The
Prelude, Interlude and Fugue is
tracked in three segments. It starts
mezza voce recalling the wild
pearlescent running material of the
toccata but somehow milder. It is seemingly
unconcerned with human emotions, the
exultation and mesmerism of the exercise
serving as an end in itself. The Interlude
is an impressive starry nocturne drizzled
over with lunar light with a faintly
jazzy shading. The fugue is patterned
and busy but melodically alive. It has
an intricate power that develops to
thunderously intimidating scale in the
lead up to the final bars.
Fragment
for Harold Rutland. Harold Rutland
(1900-1977) the pianist, composer and
writer premiered this Fragment
at the Aeolian Hall on 12 October 1927.
Rutland, it will be remembered, wrote
the notes for the Lyrita John Ireland
mono series (RCS) as played by Alan
Rowlands. The Fragment is very
short - not even three minutes. The
same goes for the Fantasiettina.
It is a well rounded piece. The Scottish
poet, Hugh M'Diarmid (1892-1978), whose
real name was Christopher Grieve, was
a close friend of Sorabji. It is quintessential
Sorabji with its bright arpeggiation
evoking rays of light in sound contrasted
with a fast and furious ‘lightning strike’
at 2.23.
We
then come to substantial pieces inspired
by that doyen of the literate ghost
story, Montague Rhodes James (1862-1936)
(known as ‘M.R. James’). The Quaere
reliqua is based on the story:
Count Magnus. Threat and Bartókian
conflict is rife in these pages. Here
there is less of focus-softened dreaming
reflection - more of seditious swell
and turbulence in a troubled sea. At
14.11 we gain a sense of the symphonic
epic. This highly impressive piece is
contemporary with Gulistan but
with an utterly different ending in
a sort of enigmatic reflection.
Then
comes a concert performance, complete
with the occasional cough, of Saint
Bertrand de Comminges. It is
inspired by the story ‘Canon Alberic's
Scrap-book’ This at first has a Beethovenian
epic character. Brittle spiralling runs
of notes emulate the thin metallic laughter
of the evil spirit in the tower of the
church of St Bertrand in the French
town of Comminges. There are some placid
hymn-like passages with subtle dissonances
spun in the background (11.02). Although
there is much that is very peaceful
the music rises to a gorgeous climax
at 17.48.
The
notes by Mr Habermann are entertaining,
full, but well short of forbidding.
Very much to the point. The discographical
attributions are highly detailed.
This
collection will appeal at many levels
but especially to those curious about
Sorabji. It would make a natural addition
to the shelves of lovers of the music
of Scriabin, Goossens, Szymanowski,
Czesław Marek, Griffes and Godowsky.
It afford a rare glimpse into the palanquin.
How I wish he would have attempted a
transcription of The Pleasure Dome
of Kubla Khan (Griffes made his
own of course), or of Farwell's The
Gods of the Mountains.
This is a most thoroughly engrossing
anthology from a brilliant pianist who
is a veteran in Sorabji terms. An essential
purchase and at this (or any) price
an outstanding bargain.
Rob
Barnett
see
also review
by Colin Clarke
=====================================================================
FULL
DISCOGRAPHICAL TRACK LISTING
Volume
One: Early Works [55:34]
1-2. Two Piano Pieces: In the
Hothouse (1918) [6:05], Toccata
(1920) [3:33] dedicated to Theodore
Jenkins. Initial markings: Très
lent. Toccata: D'une allure
sèche: froidement animée
et très précise.
Analog
studio recording by Sydney Stokes, of
Penthouse Recordings. New York. NY.
June 1979. Mason & Hamlin piano;
Originally Issued on ‘Sorabji: A Legend
in His Own Time’. MusicMasters LP 20015
(1980).
3.
Fantaisie Espagnole (1919)
[15':13] dedicated to Norman Peterkin.
Three sections: Prélude et
introduction, Mouvement de habanera
and Modérément
animé.
Analog
studio recording by Sydney Stokes of
Penthouse Recordings. New York, NY,
June 1979. Mason & Hamlin piano;
Originally issued on ‘Sorabji: A Legend
in His Own Time’, MusicMasters LP 20015
(1980)>
4.
Valse Fantaisie: Hommage à
Johann Strauss (1925) [15:22]
dedicated to Vincent Marrot.
<Digital. unedited recording by Michael
Crider of The Chamber Recording Society
of the world premiere performance at
Rocky River, OH. on November 19, 1984.
Steinway piano; Originally issued on
‘Sorabji: Piano Music’, MusicMasters
20018Y (1987)>
5.
Pastiche: Hindu Merchant's Song
(Rimsky-Korsakov) (1922) [4:05]
<Analog
studio recording by Sydney Stokes of
Penthouse Recordings, New York, NY,
June 1980. Mason & Hamlin piano;
Originally issued on ‘Sorabji: Le jardin
parfumé’, MusicMasters 20019
(1982)>
6.
Pastiche: Habanera from Bizet's
Carmen (1922) [4:38]
<Analog
studio recording by Sydney Stokes of
Penthouse Recordings, New York, NY,
June 1979. Mason & Hamlin piano;
Originally issued on ‘Sorabji: A Legend
in His Own Time’, MusicMasters 20015
(1980)
7.
Pastiche: Chopin's Valse, Op.
64, No. 1 (1922) [4:13]
<Analog
studio recording by Sydney Stokes of
Penthouse Recordings, New York, NY,
June 1980. Mason & Hamlin piano;
Originally issued on ‘Sorabji: Le jardin
parfumé’, MusicMasters 20019
(1982)>
8.
Michael HABERMANN (b.1950): A la
manière de Sorabji: "Au clair
de la lune" (August 1972) [1:50]
<Digital, unedited recording by Pro-Digital,
Washington, D.C., of the world premiere
performance given at the American Liszt
Society Festival, The Catholic University
of America, Washington, D.C., October
8. 1993. Steinway piano; Originally
issued on ‘Sorabji: The Legendary Works’,
Élan 82264 (1995)>
Volume
Two: Nocturnes [71:00]
Le
jardin parfumé - Poem for
Piano (1923) [19:05] dedicated to
Christopher à Becket Williams.
<Analog
studio recording by Sydney Stokes of
Penthouse Recordings. New York. NY,
June 1980. Mason & Hamlin piano;
Originally issued on ‘Sorabji: Le jardin
parfumé’, MusicMasters 20019
(1982)>
Nocturne:
Djâmî (1928)
[22:12] dedicated to Reginald Norman
Best.
<Analog
studio recording by Sydney Stokes of
Penthouse Recordings, New York, NY,
June 1980. Mason & Hamlin piano;
Originally issued on ‘Sorabji: Le jardin
parfumé’, MusicMasters 20019
(1982)>
Gulistan (The Rose Garden) -
Nocturne for Piano (1940) [29:32]
dedicated to Frank Holliday.
<Digital, unedited recording by Pro-Digital,
Washington, D.C. of the world première
performance given at the American Liszt
Society Festival, The Catholic University
of America, Washington, D.C., October
8. 1993. Steinway piano; Originally
issued on ‘Sorabji: The Legendary Works’.
Elan 82264 (1995)>
Volume
Three: Assertive Works [71:16]
1.
Introito and Preludio-Corale
from Opus Clavicembalisticum
(1929-1930) [13:15] dedicated
to Hugh MacDiarmid.
<Analog
studio recording by Sydney Stokes of
Penthouse Recordings; New York, NY,
June 1979. Mason & Hamlin piano;
Originally issued on ‘Sorabji: A Legend
in His Own Time’, MusicMasters 20015
(1980)>
2-4.
Prelude, Interlude and Fugue (1920-22)
[3:13, 5:44, 6:03] dedicated to R. H.
Brittain.
<Analog
recording by Michael Crider of The Chamber
Recording Society, Rocky River, OH,
November 19, 1984 of the world premiere
performance. Steinway piano; Originally
issued on ‘Sorabji: Piano Music’, MusicMasters
20018Y (1987)>
5.
Fragment for Harold Rutland (1926,
rev. 1937) [2:47] Initial marking: Moderatamente,
con fantasia.
<Analog
studio recording by Sydney Stokes of
Penthouse Recordings, New York, NY,
June 1979. Mason & Hamlin piano;
Originally issued on ‘Sorabji: A Legend
in His Own Time’, MusicMasters 20015
(1980)>
6.
Fantasiettina sul nome illustre
dell'egregio porta Christopher Grieve
ossia Hugh M'Diarmid
(Tiny
Little Fantasy on the Illustrious Name
of the Distinguished Poet Christopher
Grieve, i.e. Hugh M'Diarmid) (1961)
[2:37] Initial marking: Vivo, con
impeto.
<Analog studio recording by Sydney
Stokes of Penthouse Recordings, New
York, NY, March 5, 1980. Mason &
Hamlin piano; Originally issued on ‘Sorabji:
The Legendary Works’, Élan 82264
(1995)>
7.
"Quære reliqua hujus materiei
inter secretiora" ("Seek the rest of
this matter among the things that are
more secret") [1940] [16:49]
<Digital
studio recording by Frank Ayd IV of
Flite 3 Recordings, Baltimore, MD, made
at Warfield Pianos, January 22, 1995.
Feurich piano courtesy of Phil Warfield;
Originally issued on ‘Sorabji: The Legendary
Works’, Elan 82264 (1995)>
8.
St. Bertrand de Comminges: "He
was laughing in the tower" (1941)
[20:20] dedicated to Edward Mason. Initial
marking: Legatissimo quasi organo
lontano.
<Analog
recording by Michael Crider of The Chamber
Recording Society, Rocky River, OH,
November 19, 1984 of the world premiere
performance. Steinway piano; Originally
issued on ‘Sorabji: Piano Music’, MusicMasters
20018Y (1987)>
Michael Habermann (piano)