This is the first disc
released on the London Sinfonietta’s
recently-launched label. To a certain
extent, this is a sampler, but much
more interesting in that thirteen composers
from various generations are represented
here by short pieces written as fiftieth
birthday tributes to Oliver Knussen
and commissioned for the occasion. This
is a distinguished roll-call of composers
whose music is regularly performed by
the London Sinfonietta, from Elliott
Carter (born 1908) to Julian Anderson
(born 1967). As may be expected, all
these pieces are quite short (under
five minutes), but each is fairly representative
of its composer. Moreover, the programme
is agreeably varied since several of
these pieces are either for piano (Anderson’s
Quasi una Passacaglia,
Henze’s Olly on the Shore
and Zuidam’s I suppose a Fugue
is out of the Question) or for
two pianos (Wuorinen’s Fifty Fifty
and Glanert’s Dancing Landscape),
whereas all the others, bar two, are
for ensemble. Celebrating Knussen’s
fiftieth birthday was obviously a cause
for rejoicing, and the often humorous
titles of the pieces and the composers’
not-too-serious notes witness a happy
occasion, e.g. Henze’s Olly on
the Shore (the title is clear
enough, although the music has nothing
to do with Grainger’s) or Goehr’s Only
two notes for Olly (the other five for
later). However, I cannot resist
mentioning two examples that are worth
telling. In his notes for Au Quai
for viola and bassoon, Carter mentions
that the title refers to a short story
by Arnold Schönberg To the Wharfs
(si non è vero, è bene
trovato, or something of the kind).
What is clear, though, is that the title
may simply be read as OK (Oliver Knussen)!
Louis Andriessen’s Very Sharp
Trumpet Sonata for solo trumpet
is, so the composer tells us, in three
movements: the first movement is in
sonata form with two contrasting themes,
a development and a recapitulation,
whereas the second is a three-part Lied
form and the third a Presto. Very well,
then, but it is all over in 1 minute
and 11 seconds. A typical touch of Andriessen
humour.
Some of the pieces,
however, represent their respective
composers in a nutshell. The short tributes
by Colin Matthews, Mark-Anthony Turnage,
George Benjamin and Magnus Lindberg
are the finest examples. These are among
my favourites, to which Glanert’s Dancing
Landscape and Anderson’s Quasi
una Passacaglia may safely be
added, although – I hasten to say –
the whole programme is attractive and
enjoyable. In short, a splendid tribute
to Oliver Knussen and to the London
Sinfonietta. I now look forward to hearing
more from this new label.
Hubert Culot
see also
review by Chris Thomas
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