An exciting recording
with a range of colourful works by Ondrej
Kukal, a promising young Czech composer
featured also as violinist and conductor.
At just 40, Kukal has a considerable
list of credits as conductor and chamber
player. A member (2nd violin)
of the New Vlach String Quartet, Kukal
―
not to be confused with violinist K.
Andrzej Kulka (b. 1947) ― has
recorded chamber works by Brahms, Schumann,
Suk, and Arriaga, and as conductor of
the music of Janαček,
Dvořák, Martinů, Haydn and
Tchaikovsky.
The Violin Concerto
is a searing work reminiscent of
Khachaturian or Shostakovich, although
its levity sets it apart from the latter's
weighty, even monumental First. That
concerto is repeatedly quoted and alluded
to: for instance, by the flutes at 2:33
of the third movement – a barnstorming
Presto con fuoco full of plucking,
strumming and other engaging pyrotechnics
for the soloist. While rather under-orchestrated,
this concerto also shows to advantage
Kukal's colourful use of wind instruments,
against which the violin is often engaged
in counterpoint. A largely accessible
concerto with a certain grandeur and
affecting, contemplative passages, this
stirring work alone earns the price
of the CD.
The writing for winds
also stands out in Kukal's Danse
symphonique, Op. 10. Perhaps the
most striking feature of this compact,
muscular work for large forces is its
dramatic writing for brasses – echoing
Walton at his most malicious, or the
satanic snarling in Vaughan Williams's
Job. The excitement derives mainly
from the Danse's inventive, infectiously
rhythmic orchestration, although some
finely-crafted passages of reflective
music show Kukal ranging far beyond
mere jazzy flash and exuberance. His
command of pacing and contrasts effectively
provides this work with tension and
suspense – which, to my ear, was less
in evidence in his Concerto.
All told, an arresting, instrumentally
colourful, sometimes fiery 11-minute
work.
The 'Clarinettino'
Concerto for Clarinet and Strings
is a work of a far sunnier disposition.
Written for clarinet, string quartet
and double bass, this brief (12-min)
work gets the toes tapping to an energetic
tango. The outer, fast movements fuse
tango with light classical (think of
the Quartetto Gelato), yet the involving
central movement, again, plumbs musical
depths of more than just passing interest.
The rather brief booklet
notes that Kukal spent time conducting
at Buenos Aires' Teatro Colón.
This work suggests that it was time
well spent – and leads one to guess
at some deeper ties with the Argentine.
The booklet also reports, remarkably,
that the Violin Concerto is a
student work, like the later 'Danse
Symphonique.'
Both Kukal's String
Duo and the String Quartet are
beautifully-crafted chamber works that
suggest a Bartókian influence
– although, to my ear, as reflected
through the musical prism of Zdenek
Lukas, a Czech composer (whose 4th
Quartet was recorded for Panton by the
New Vlach). Those familiar with Lukas
may note a familiar staccato mode of
attack, the strong contrapuntal sense,
and the overall preference for sharp,
forthright musical utterances. Unlike
Lukas, however, Kukal is not quite as
given to rhythmic abstraction, and he
has melodic felicity on his side. These
are strong chamber works that reward
repeated attention.
This recording shows
Ondrej Kukal to be an expressive composer
in an array of moods, with a winning
facility for music that dares to be
melodic, even attractive.
Bert Bailey
see also review
by Rob Barnett
Composer (violin); South Bohemia Chamber Philharmonic/
Vladimir Valek (Violin Concerto); Prague Radio
Orchestra/composer (Danse Symphonique);
Ludmilla Peterkova, clarinet, Jakub Waldman, doublebass,
and New Vlach String Quartet (Clarinettino);
Jana Vlachova, violin, and Mikael Ericsson, ’cello
(Present); New Vlach Quartet (Quartet)
